Larry Hoyt & the Good Acoustics at Sterling Stage

top two photos of Larry Hoyt & Good Acoustics getting ready and playing onstage coutesy of http://www.janetleephotography.com/;

bottom photo courtesy of Jeff Stanton

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This past Saturday, July 5, I had the great pleasure of performing with the Good Acoustics at the String Fling, at the Sterling Stage Kampitheater in beautiful, rural, Sterling, New York.

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www.sterlingstage.com

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Saturday was a pleasant sunny day with low humidity and a temperature around 80 degrees --which makes a big positive difference while traveling and playing at this kind of outdoor/semi-outdoor festival.

I'm sure most music fans and musicians who have attended summer music festivals can relay horror stories of other festivals that took place under scorching heat, near-freezing cold, and/or endured never-ending torrential rain storms.

Thank goodness we had such a perfect, beautiful day!

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Of the four Good Acoustics, I've known bassist Dave Goldman the longest -- at least 20, maybe 25 years (!!!). I almost cannot believe it's been that long!

Somewhere back in the way-back-when, Dave and I actually played together in an oldies band called the Troublemakers. I forget how many gigs we played, but among the most memorable was a winter-time gig at a little dive, the Round House, in East Syracuse, right down by the railroad tracks.

The venue had a barroom, which was heated, and a band/music room that may or may not have been heated.

Outside on that cold winter's night, the temperature was something in the range of 15 degrees;

but inside the band/music room, the temperature must have been at least 50 degrees!

I think that gig was one of our last as the Troublemakers.

For me, it is truly great to have re-connected with Dave, who is a genuinely great guy, and a man of many talents and interests.

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I've known mandolinist and vocalist Ed Van Cott for a few years.

I first met Ed when he came to perform at an open mic I was hosting at the time at the Lucky Moon Cafe.

One of the very best things about open mics is the likelihood of running into talented musicians who might be looking to hook up with other musicians to play some gigs.

Again, I feel very fortunate to know Ed and to be able to play music with him. He's very knowledgable regarding bluegrass and gospel music, and he somehow is able to sing harmony with my sometimes erratic lead vocals. Ed also likes to crack jokes, which I consider a very worthwhile talent.

Ed also plays in the bluegrass band, Diamond Someday.

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I met violinist Judy Stanton a few months ago at an acoustic jam hosted by a mutual friend of ours -- that is another great way to meet other musicians. The first time I heard Judy play, I was immediately struck by her talent. She has played with symphony orchestras, with rock bands, and with a klezmer group. Once again, I must say how fortunate I feel being able to play with someone as talented and as upbeat-positive as is Judy. And she is also someone who likes to crack jokes.

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The newest member of the group, and by far the youngest, is 15-year old guitarist Lee Detota.

I met Lee via his mom when I told her that I played in an oldies band and we were considering adding a lead guitarist. It's obvious that Lee likes to play, and he has achieved a high level of technical skill for someone his age. Lee says his favorites are the Allman Brothers, and at this String Fling gig we added the Allmans' "Rambling Man" to our repertoire.

(Now I just have to figure out what key is best for me to sing "Rambling Man" in (which can depend on the time of day and how raspy my voice happens to be at the time..)).

If Lee stays as interested in the guitar as he seems to be now, I predict Lee will have a great many more opportunites to play higher-profile gigs in the future.

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One of my favorite songs to perform live is Willie Nelson's "On the Road Again," which contains these wonderful lines:

"On the road again, I just can't wait to get on the road again

The life I love is making music with my friends, and I can't wait to get on the road again."

I really do love making music with my friends, and as long as there is beautiful weather on a sunny day, then pack me up and put me on the road again!

I am ready to play!

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http://YouTube.com/NewFolkNow

4th of July Vegan Barbeque and Acoustic Ska at the Recess Cafe

One of the great things about living in the Westcott Nation (aka the Westcott neighborhood in Syracuse, New York - just east of Syracuse University) is the variety of cultural and entertainment experiences available in the 'hood and right nearby.

Case in point: the vegan barbeque and acoustic ska show that took place today, July 4th, at the Recess Cafe on Harvard Place, right smack dab in the middle of the Westcott Nation.

I'm not a vegan;

I'm not even a vegetarian;

but I thought the food they served was pretty good: they had vegan alternatives to a chicken patty, to a beef hamburger patty, and veggie hot dogs, plus regular vegetable items, such as corn on the cob, baked beans, and the trademark food item for summers in Central New York: salt potatoes -- those little potatoes boiled in salty water and then served with melted butter (but in this case, served with a vegan alternative that I believe was called Earth Balance -- not bad).

Musically, the first act was a very pleasant surprise: four relatively young musicians known as the Gnarwals who played and sang acoustic renditions of original ska-flavored songs. This gig was one of their very rare acoustic performances and it worked just right within the intimate confines of the back room at the cafe.

I shot lots of photos of the Gnarwals and others at the cafe; I've posted a few here on my blog, plus others appear on my Flickr site:

www.flickr.com/newfolkfotos

and also on the Meetup photography site

www.photo.meetup.com/444

Happy Fourth of July, everybody --may all your days be filled with Independence!

Sterling Stage String Fling - July 3 thru July 6

First, I need to offer up this disclaimer:
I have the great pleasure of being one of the acts chosen to perform at the Sterling Stage String Fling, so naturally it is in my enlightened self-interest to tell folks about this festival and encourage them to attend -- especially on Saturday, July 5th, at 1 pm, when I'm scheduled to perform a 50 minute set with my group, the Good Acoustics.

But as the wonderful poster (above) indicates, Larry Hoyt & the Good Acoustics are not the headliners at this festival.
(You can click on the above poster and, like magic, it will enlarge before your eyes!)

There are many other acts -- better known acts -- who are also worth checking out at the String Fling, which runs from Thursday night, July 3, thru Sunday evening, July 6. Overnight camping is available.

Astronomical Productions, the promoters of this festival, make it a point in saying that this is not your typical old folk festival.
String Fling will have much more of an energized, eclectic, roots-acoustic-jam-band vibe about it.
The headliners of the festival are nationally known acts:
the Jazz Mandolin Project, Boris Garcia, and the Gordon Stone Band.
Plus, there will also be more than a dozen excellent regional acoustic acts.
Plus a good number of top-notch acts from right here in Central New York, including Shirley Woodcock-Kolb, Boots'n'Shorts, Jamie Notarthomas, Charley Orlando, Dam Dog, Larry Hoyt & the Good Acoustics, and more.

The festival site is about 15 miles west of Fulton;
directions and ticket information can be found on the String Fling pages of the Sterling Stage website: http://www.sterlingstage.com/

The weather looks like it will be fairly nice this weekend, so please do consider stopping out to catch the energized acoustic music happening at the String Fling at Sterling Stage this weekend.

www.YouTube.com/newfolknow
www.cdbaby.com/larryhoyt
www.waer.org/threads/html

A Rose Is A Rose Is A Rose

Flowers have long been a favorite subject for artists. These blooming medallions of color and form are certainly among the most beautiful of all God's creations.

Here in Syracuse, New York, the Rose Garden at Thornden Park offers a wide variety of these eye-catching floral delights.

Recently, the Syracuse Photography Meetup Group held one of its photography get-togethers there, with about 15 members of the group scouring the garden, looking to shoot those just-right, most-perfect blossoms.

On this blog, I have posted four of the photos I shot that evening.

If you'd like to see a few dozen more excellent photographs of roses in bloom, then check out the Rose Garden compilation photo album of the Syracuse Photography Meetup Group:

www.photo.meetup.com/444/photos/#4578110

That's it for now - stay focused.

www.YouTube.com/newfolknow

www.CDBaby.com/larryhoyt

Why Dana "Short Order" Cooke Isn't Famous

Dana (wearing cap & playing guitar) as the featured artist at a Songwriter Showcase at Jazz Central, Syracuse, New York, 6/19/08. That's Joe Cleveland on banjo and John Dancks on acoustic upright bass. Photo by Larry Hoyt.

Dana "Short Order" Cooke is one of the very best singer/songwriters anywhwere.
I compare Dana's best songs with the best songs of such well-known singer/songwriters as Loudon Wainwright III, Christine Lavin, and Richard Shindell.

Among knowledgable fans of folk and acoustic music here in Central New York, Dana is widely acknowledged as one of the very best singer/songwriters, based primarily on his extraordinary original songs that can be found on his three CDs ("Wildman," "County Fair," and "Snowball's Chance"), plus a few old and new demos that can be found on Dana's impressive website
http://www.danacooke.com/

But Dana's well-earned local reputation seems to have traveled not far beyond Central New York State.

There is an obvious reason for this -- Dana (as far as I know) has never toured.
He has never signed on to play the game of the touring singer/songwriter, traveling from gig to gig, often living out of his car, competing with other talented singer/songwriters for those coveted showcase slots at Folk Alliance conferences.
Instead, Dana has opted for something much closer to a "normal" life, with a wife, two kids, and a rather normal upper-middle-class job that allows him and his family to lead comfortable, connected upper-middle-class lives.

But maybe because of his lifestyle choice, Dana actually has the inside track when it comes to writing brilliant songs about what goes on in the everyday lives of normal people -- their loves ("The Way You Look"), their struggles and frustrations ("My Father's Bald"), their joys ("Kiss for Daddy"), and their sometimes oddball cultural pursuits ("The Demo Derby").

Dana has also written about the level of suffering he has not yet endured to be a truly successful artist ("Artist's Heart") and his relative lack of fame ("Famous").

One of my goals in writing these blogs is to spread far and wide the good news that there are many incredibly talented folks, such as Dana, living and working in the art and music scenes here in Central New York.

Hopefully, someday soon, the rest of the world will pick up on that fact, and then flock to Syracuse ("The Entertainment Capital of Upstate New York"), where they can regularly see and hear such wonderfully talented acts as John Cadley and the Lost Boys, Loren Barrigar, Gary Frenay & Arty Lenin, Karen Savoca & Pete Heitzman, Nancy Kelly, Ronnie Leigh, Isreal Hagan, and so many many more.
And once in a great while, maybe folks will also be able to see and hear Dana "Short Order" Cooke perform live, although lately Dana has been saying that he's ready to retire from performing all together.
He has no use for the pressures of show biz!
He'll become the J.D. Salinger of folk and acoustic music, living a simple, quite life in the suburbs, with his songs only being heard now and again on Common Threads, the folk and acoustic radio show on WAER-FM (88.3, Sundays from 12 noon to 3 pm; http://www.waer.org/) -- a show that is proud to feature Dana's best songs on a regular basis.

I have a feeling I'm going to be writing more about Dana "Short Order" Cooke and his music in the future. That's one of the nice things about blogging -- I can edit this piece, add to it, or do a whole 'nother piece on Dana without having to consult with an editor or publisher! Lucky me!

But for now, all I can suggest is that you check out Dana's website, and via his website, maybe send him an e-mail, suggesting that he keep performing live... I mean, how else will he ever suffer enough to become truly famous?

Dennis Kinsey - Hondo Mesa Records

I've known Dennis Kinsey for a few years now.
We met at an acoustic music jam at the house of a mutual friend of ours.
For some reason, I must have impressed Dennis a bit, because a few weeks later, Dennis mentioned that he wanted to start his own record label, Hondo Mesa Records, and how would I feel about being the first artist signed to his label. !!!!

Now that's the kind of thing any struggling musician wants to hear!
I had written songs for years. I had played out for years. I had recorded songs for years.
But I had never had the financial resources and the focus to release my own CD -- which was pretty much a required item for admission to the club of "serious" acoustic singer/songwriters.
If you didn't have a CD, well, you just weren't serious!

I will always be indebted to Dennis for his generosity in helping me get that part of my music career off the ground.
If you'd like to hear some tracks from my debut CD, "Folksinger/Songwriter," you can sample them at
www.cdbaby.com/larryhoyt
(You can also buy discs via CDBaby -- hint, hint...)

Dennis is a fine musician and songwriter himself.
He and his lovely wife Christiane have been working on her debut CD long enough (hint, hint).

(I find it kind of ironic that so many folks who are producers and presenters will spend their time and money to present the work of other people before they concentrate on their own. If you're on the receiving end of that generosity, that's a great thing. But I do sometimes have to tell myself - hey, stop spendin' so much time helpin' other folks get to where you wanna go. Concentrate on getting your own work out there... now if I could only follow my own advice...).

I feel like I'm in good company on Hondo Mesa Records. Dennis has since signed some other high quality acts, including 3rd & Main; Corn-Bred; and John Engerman.

You can check out more about these acts and a bit more about Dennis (and his blog and his twitter commentaries) at
http://www.hondomesarecords.com/

Dennis is also partly responsible for me starting this blog (blame him).
At Dennis' invitation, I attended a recent presentation by two graduate students at Syracuse University that focused on how to use the Internet to help promote one's music to a wider audience.
Blogging was part of what they suggested in one's efforts to network with as many people as possible -- to get the word out about what one is doing.

After their presentation, Dennis gave me a tour (assisted by his avatar, HondoMesa Kidd) of the virtual reality known as Second Life, and that kinda opened up a whole other avenue for getting in touch with interested music fans around the world. (Ain't modern technology somethin'!)

Anyway - a big thanks to Dennis Kinsey for all he has done, not just for me, but for the music scene here in Central New York.

The art and music scenes here in Central New York State are growing more and more lively every day, thanks to imaginative, creative and generous folks like Dennis who are willing to spend their time and money to make things happen.

It's that kind of postive energy that motivates me to work on this blog -- to let folks know about the robust energies and opportunites available in the still growing art and music scenes here in Central New York. If you are reading this, please help spread the word. Thanks!
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photo of Dennis Kinsey (above) by Larry Hoyt - copyright 2008 - shot at Jazz Central, Syracuse 6/19/08

A Blog About Blogging - Always Moving Ahead

OK -- this is my third blog entry,
and I think I'm starting to get the hang of this.

What I find a little strange about the mechanics
of blogging is this sensation that each new blog is
taking the reader(s) a bit farther away from the
opening chapters -- the important initial topics (music and photography) -- that got this blog up and running in the first place.
For me, my first two blogs kinda set the foundation for so much that will follow.
But the way blogs work, the most recent entry is the one you're gonna see first, so, in a sense, everything kind of works backwards.
It's like reading a book, starting with the last chapter, and then working your way towards the beginning of the book.

I realize I'm coming into this blogosphere (spelling?) a few years after it's already as hip and as happening as the Internet itself, so I have limited expectations regarding how wide a reach this late-coming blog will have. But even if it's just read by a few folks amongst my family and friends, it will have served it's purpose.

Like most artists and writers and musicians, I do enjoy expressing myself, and writing this blog gives me one more way to do just that.
I expect I'll be writing about the music scene here in Central New York State, and folk and acoustic music in general. I'll be posting some photos, and some videos, and commenting on art and photography activities here in the Syracuse area. And as time goes by, I'll probably end up commenting on anything and everything - cats, sidewalks, drug law reform, the amazing new world of modern technology, the difficulty in losing weight, and the vast wasteland that is sometimes referred to as popular culture (I know -- that's harsh..).

The photo of me that I've posted on this blog was shot by a friend of mine, Janet, who I met through the Syracuse Photography Meetup Group.
The SPMG has about 70 members, and they meet once a month for a social get-together (that has some photography involved), and then usually once a month they also meet for a group photography session that has a lot of social networking involved as well.
It's a good, interesting mix of people. Some of the members are professional photographers; some are serious photographers creating and trying to sell their art; some are amateurs who simply want to improve their skills and network with other folks who share similar interests.
Information on the Syracuse Photography Meetup Group can be found at
www.photo.meetup.com/444

photo of Larry Hoyt by Janet Lee
www.janetleephotography.com

to be continued....