Social Events Archive

Come share your talents and enjoy others’, the second Friday of  the month, September-June. All styles, levels and ages welcome!

Open Circle 7:30-8:40
Featured Artist 9:00-9:45
Open Stage 9:45-10:30
No admission – donations accepted

ABOUT CITY EXPRESS

Acoustic duo City Express is comprised of Brent Shallcross on guitar and vocals and Scott Cooper on piano, bass and vocals. Together, they create music from many formats and styles.

Their current varied repertoire includes popular blues, jazz, folk and pop tunes, with many original arrangements written by Brent. While leaning towards a jazzy bent with Brent’s guitar playing, they are pulled to a pop sensibility with Scott’s tenor voice. They like to say that at every show, audiences can be sure to hear something old, something new and something blue.

City Express has appeared at a wide range of venues all over eastern Pennsylvania during the past four years, including performances at the Ritz in New Holland, the Musikfest in Bethlehem, and as featured artists at the UU Coffeehouse in West Chester.

Brent Shallcross is a graduate of Berklee College of music with a BA degree in Music composition. He has performed jazz and blues music with many groups over the past 30 years. He currently has many guitar students and teaches in Lancaster county.

Scott Cooper has performed with the Long Island Philharmonic, and spent ten years as bass player and singer with the Wally King Big Band swing orchestra. He is a member of Thomas Paine Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, and is a familiar face at Tom’s Place, for his work running the sound.

City Express does not easily fall into one musical category. These talented musicians love sharing a range of music that touches people’s emotions in a myriad of ways.

Coming up:

Have a great summer! Next Season starts Sept 10, 2010.

Hi Everybody! Tom’s Place is back for another exciting season of great acts, fun singing, musical sharing and snacks. Please join us this coming Friday for our monthly event at the Thomas Paine Unitarian Universalist Fellowship at 3424 W. Ridge Pike in Eagleville, Pa. (Montgomery County). There is no admission fee. We start the evening at 7:30 with our Open Circle sing-a-long (music books provided). Then at about 8:45 or 9 our Featured Act takes the stage for 45 minutes. We “pass the hat” for voluntary donations and 100 percent goes to our artist. Following the feature, you can sign up for our Open Mike. We welcome all forms expression (music, dance, comedy, acting, poetry). Refreshments are provided free of charge.

We’re looking for volunteers to help with snack prep and clean up and guest MCs. If you are interested or have any questions about the event, call Christine Winchester at 484-686-8521 or email winchperry@aol.com.

We’re kicking off our 2009-2010 Season this month with a very professional act: 2 members of the high-energy, Irish fiddle-based band, Burning Bridget Cleary—fresh from their recent appearance at this year’s Philadelphia Folk Festival! Lou and Rose Baldino will be bringing us an all-instrumental set of fiddle tunes. Please go to www.burningbridgetcleary.com for more info and to hear their music.

Here is some information about Lou and Rose Baldino:

Father and daughter Lou (on guitar) and Rose (on fiddle) are two-thirds of the Celtic musical trio, Burning Bridget Cleary. The pair have provided music for Civil War balls, living history events, local clubs and communiity venues throughout PA and DE. Teaming up with 3rd band member, Genna Gillespie, they have wowed packed audiences at the Scottish-Irish Fest in Green Lane, the Celtic Classic, the Mayfair Festival of the Arts, the Spring Gulch Folk Festival, the Shawnee Mountain Celtic Fest, the Philadelphia Folk Festival and the Tin Angel. The band has released two CDs, “Catharsis” and “Everything is Alright.”

Lou, an accomplished veteran in the music business, had a guitar in his hands at age 5 and began playing professionally at age 12. He has toured and recorded with a variety of bands, including 3 years traveling in the Platters’ backup band and a long stint with the Michael Carney Orchestra out of NYC.

Rose began studying classical violin when she was 8, and Celtic fiddle music when she was 13. She fell in love with Irish culture at an early age, attending traditional Irish music sessions and studying with internationally known artists at Celtic summer camps.

Tom’s Place Coffeehouse 2009-2010 Schedule
Coming up on the second Friday of each month:
Oct: Stephen DiJoseph
Nov: Steve and Jeanette Perlsweig, featuring “Electricman”
Dec: Allegro Star
Jan: TBD
Feb: Ray Naylor
March: Eileen Tipping
April: Top Hat Medicine Show
May: Harpist MaryKay Mann
June: TBD

Acclaimed acoustic guitarist Jim Scott will perform an evening of his songs of peace, and the environment on June 13, 2009 at 7:00 PM.  With insight and more than a little humor, Scott makes his case for harmony in the world with a jazz / world folk music styling and some great guitar technique in accompaniment.

Admission is $12 per person. Call 610-631-0280 to reserve your tickets today.

Known to many as the voice on the Winter Consort’s “Common Ground,” Scott’s musical output runs from lyrical songs, and instrumentals, to choral compositions. He has performed in the company of luminaries of the jazz and folk worlds. Pete Seeger said of JIm’s guitar virtuosity “(Jim is) some kind of a magician.” Paul Winter said of his long time collaborator “His music sings of the life spirit.”
His most recent project has been compiling “The Earth and Spirit Songbook,” an anthology of songs of earth and peace and he has added many of these songs to his concert repertiore. From this widely varied background, Scott considers himself a contemporary folk artist in the sense that folk music represents people with a positive and hopeful spirit. “Folk follows a long tradition of social commentary,” Scott said. “It’s the voice of the people. That’s what I like to think I’m representing.”
His musical, “The Tree and Me,” has been staged at colleges in New York and Michigan. He also performs for kids and has written songs with elementary school classes. His “Big and Little Stuff – Songs for KIds” marks his 5th recording of original songs released on CD. He’s taught at numerous colleges, including Oberlin College in Ohio, and conducted workshops throughout the country.
” My messages are of ecology and social conscience, but also of optimism,” Scott said. “I believe in the power of song and self-expression for change.”

For information about the concert, call Thomas Paine Unitarian Universalist Fellowship at 610-631-0280.

Jim Scott Photo

Starting out at the Univeralist Church of Norwell MA, where his father sang in the choir, Jim Scott has a long connection with UUs. He now lives in Shrewsbury MA, after a dozen years residing in Oregon. His hymn “Gather the Spirit” has become a staple for many congregations and was even used as a theme for the UUA’s annual fundraising campaign. It’s one of three he has in our new Hymnbook.

As well as beng active in the UU Musicians’ Network, Jim has been the Co-Chair of the ecological group the Seventh Principle Project and helped develop their “Green Sanctuary” program. This past year, with help from a grant from the Fund for Unitarian Universalism, he’s completed Book One of the “Earth and Spirit Songbook” an anthology of songs of earth and peace.

In his world travels he’s performed concerts or lead services at more than 300 UU churches. His hymn, “Gather the Spirit” has become a staple for many congregations, one of three he has in the new hymnbook. Formerly the Co-Chair of the Seventh Principle Project, Jim helped develop their “Green Sanctuary” program for congregations to follow to become more ecologically sound.

Jim played for years with the Paul Winter Consort and is known for his lyrical songs of nature, peace, and other positive values. In recent years, he’s concentrated more on choral music and has composed many anthems and hymns for worship settings. Pete Seeger has called Jim “…Some kind of a magician.” Paul Winter said of his long-time collaborator “His music sings of the life spirit.”

For more information about Jim Scott see http://jimscottmusic.com