5 Stages - Continuous Entertainment:

The Hudson Valley Garlic Festival is known for the taste and smell of garlic, but an aspect that always receives high praise as well is the enjoyable and varied sounds that accompany the festival. Here is this year's entertainment schedule.

• Annie and the Hedonists is a band with a great lead singer and tight harmonies, covering an eclectic mix of acoustic folk, torchy blues, standards, bluegrass, gospel, early jazz and more. To quote a review . . . "The sultry, blues-tinged singing of Annie Rosen and tight group harmonies are framed by a variety of knockout lead instruments including guitar, mandolin, trumpet, keyboards and dobro on an eclectic mix of blues, jazz, swing, folk, and country." Visit their Web site at http://home.nycap.rr.com/anniehedonists to learn more.
• Arm-of-the-Sea Theater is a performing ensemble that creates contemporary mask and puppet theatre. For twenty-five years the company's large-scale productions have combined visual storytelling with live music in a potent style of magical realism. Their newest production, At the Turning of the Tide, which they'll be performing at the garlic festival, involves lusciously painted puppet figures and hauntingly beautiful mask characters in a large-scale, informative production celebrating the life and times of the Hudson River. Throughout the sixty-minute stream of spellbinding imagery, Arm-of-the-Sea blends regional history and natural sciences to reveal the river's inner life. Further information about Arm-of-the-Sea Theater is available at http://www.armofthesea.org
• The Barefoot Boys (Rich Bala and Tom White) perform traditional folk music, specializing in mountain ballads, square dance tunes, sea shanties, and folks songs of the Catskill Mountains and the Hudson Valley.
• Jules and Rick We are a husband & wife singer-songwriter team based out of Woodstock, NY. We met in NYC in the mid 90's when we were both doing the actor/musician thing. We started performing together and we both liked what we heard. For the next several years, we kicked around the NYC music scene, met some talented musicians who we were lucky to work with, built up a little following and had an all around great time. Well, except that the both of us were getting a little tired of city life (understatement).... and then we got pregnant. By May of 2003, all the pieces had fortuitously (and seemingly through divine intervention) come together and we moved to Woodstock. We've been fortunate enough to perform quite a bit since we got here, having gigged at the (Colony Cafe, John St Jam, various & sundry festivals, events & farmer's markets - and of course our home away from home, Cafe Mezzaluna). Julie is from Delmar, NY (just 40 min north of us) and I was born in Ecuador but raised in New Orleans. We love performing together and playing for a good audience. We have two boys, 3 & 5. Somehow, the primordial energy from the birth of the universe is being channeled into their souls every single moment of the day. They are, shall we say, quite spirited. And they save our lives each and every day. Anyway, if you dig hearing REAL people play REAL music on REAL instruments, then maybe we'll see y'all at the next gig. Peace Love and Music, baby.
• The Homegrown String Band is a 22nd century incarnation of the traditional family band. The band, which was literally home grown, consists of Georgianne and Rick Jackofsky and daughters Erica and Annalee. Utilizing unique instrumentation and varied musical influences, this quartet of acoustic musicians from Rocky Point, NY has put their own stamp on traditional American music. Their repertoire consists of traditional and original music inspired by the rural string bands that recorded during the 1920s and '30s, as well as all the great American roots music that followed. The family that plays together has been performing atg coffeehouses and music festivals from Maine to Missouri since 1997. At a Homegrown String Band show you will be treated to the sounds of fiddle, guitar, harmonica, mandolin, clawhammer banjo, banjo ukulele, mountain dulcimer, jawharp, and old time family style singing, as well as some percussive flatfoot dancing as The Homegrown String Band takes you on a rollicking ride through the sounds of American music, from the driving rhythms of old-time dance tunes to the mournful sounds of mountain ballads and blues.
• The Mojo Myles Band 14 year old Myles Mancuso has been fronting his own band of adult professionals since he was nine - he's played on some of the top stages in Manhattan; BB Kings, The Cutting Room, The Iridium Jazz Club, Madison Square Garden (Knicks Half Time show),The Red Lion, Tera Blues and many other stages around the New York City and the Hudson Valley area. He has also become a Festival Favorite playing a number of well known festivals including Warren Haynes' Mountain Jam Festival and the Sarasota Blues Fest.
• Mike and Ruthy are a couple who's love was forged in New York City amidst a swirl of rock, anti-folk, and Americana enthusiasm. They harmonized from the first night they met, bringing smiles to their friends' faces with original songs and layering raspy fiddle over pop-strummed guitar. It was 1999, and their band, Rhinegold, played to pre-trucker-hat hipsters in the East Village and then gathered to play more songs around the cluttered coffeetable at someone's apartment. Richard Buckner played low on the small bedside stereo as these young, nocturnal band-mates got some early morning sleep. It's true that Mike was originally recruited by his college to play hockey and Ruth had gone to school for acting, but now they began a new path together, crafting songs and recordings and touring the world. Ten years later, Mike and Ruthy are married and living upstate with their new son, William Puck. With 7 years of touring under their belts with folk band The Mammals, they have begun a new chapter, one that still incorporates the best sounds and textures that old-timey and rock music can offer.
• Morris Dancers perform an ancient dance that was traditionally used in the Spring planting time, with the bells, whistles, and pounding sticks of the dancers driving the evil spirits from the newly plowed fields. And again the dancers will be performing their celebration of the harvest, at this fall's Hudson Valley Garlic Festival (Saturday only).
• One World Puppetry & Performance Art's magical friends will be appearing from New York's very own garlic patch. Keep your eyes open throughout the festival grounds and at the kids tent for the Garlic Giant and his friend the Garlic Faery. They will be wandering the festival grounds and having fun with one and all, celebrating this year's garlic harvest.
• Mark Rust's performances showcase an impressive array of instruments, including fiddle, guitar, hammered dulcimer, mountain dulcimer and banjo. He writes his own songs based on personal experiences and sings about family, good feelings and home. Come enjoy a fun, interactive performance by an impressive musical talent.
• Captain Squeeze and the Zydeco Moshers has been cited as "one of the most versatile zydeco bands in the country". Since their beginning in 1996, they have become one of the busiest zydeco bands from the Northeast and perform throughout the region. Their music appeals to people of all ages and musical tastes. They work hard to involve the audiences by having extra scratch boards for "guest" appearances with the band every set. Zydeco music is infectious and this band wants to help that continue! Once their spicy music flows into your ears you'll definitely catch "Zydecosis". Their third dance party CD "Bayou Party Downtown" was entered in the first running for the Grammy competition in 2004. The musicians are Greg Speck (Captain Squeeze), accordion; Alek Speck, rub board; Bill Lawrence, bass; Brian Egan, drums; and Justin Cross, guitar. The band's unique approach to playing Louisiana Bayou music keeps dancers jumpin' all night long as they mix old time traditional and new zydeco with a flavor all their own.
• Uncle Rock I am a singer-songwriter, actor, professional child wrangler, and former stay-at-home dad named Robert Burke Warren. Before being dubbed "Uncle Rock" by my nephew, I performed as a bass player in many rock and roll bands, including international garage rock titans The Fleshtones, and, more recently, Wanda Jackson - The Queen Of Rockabilly. Wanda's CD "I Remember Elvis" has a tune of mine on it called "I Wore Elvis' Ring". I also spent a year portraying Buddy Holly in "Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story" in London's West End, and soon thereafter released my debut CD "...to this day". This led to co-writing with Rosanne Cash on her Grammy-nominated album "Rules Of Travel". My home-made CDs "Here We Go!," "Plays Well With Others" and "Uncle Rock U." feature catchy, funky, raw songs for families that draw inspiration from the likes of Maurice Sendak, Roald Dahl, Pete Seeger, Woody Guthrie and Shel Silverstein - with a bit of classic rock thrown in. While there are plenty of celebratory, goofy singalongs, Uncle Rock doesn't shy away from dark elements of life. I like to think I offer kids and parents an outlet with music that brings generations together, both at home and out with friends. I've seen music forge a powerful sense of community, illicit unbridled joy in all ages, and even help one to face the dragons in the closet - some of whom are interesting to get to know.

by Robert M. Place

2010 Hudson Valley
Garlic Festival™
September 25 & 26, 2010