Housetop Concert March 13, 2009

Housetop is a harmony singin', swingin' string band quartet based in Southern Vermont and here in New York City for a special appearance. They perform a lively, quirky program of swingy, bluesy, old time American music. Much of Housetop's repertoire is from the 30s and 40s -a high point of American song writing as performed at the time by stars like the Ink Spots, The Boswell Sisters, Fats Waller, and Fred Astaire. It was a time of great musical craftiness: close harmonies and clever, concise lyrics. It's also the music with which entertainers strove to sing and dance the people's cares away, and there's an undertone of hard times, treading the line between sincerity and satire. In the irreverent spirit of Vaudeville, Housetop makes these songs their own, along with whatever else scratches their itch, including jug band tunes, songs penned by Bob Wills, Dan Hicks, the Roches, and their own originals. They'll round out the program with hot instrumentals: Peter and Erica set the groove for Anna and Naomi's wild renditions of raggy fiddle tunes and little-big-band breaks. Information and reservations: 718-672-6399.