Lissa Schneckenburger Band March 15, 2008

NOTLOB PARLOR CONCERTS
AT THE LORING-GREENOUGH HOUSE PRESENTS
A SEASON OF STRING BAND SUPERSTARS
February 29 through April 5
Lissa Schneckenburger Band, featuring Corey DiMario and Matt Heaton
Celebrate St. Patricks Day, March 15, 2008

LISSA SCHNECKENBURGER

"World class fiddler... far from just offering one dance tune after another, simple settings allow the true beauty of the music to shine through" - Sing Out

The traditional music of New England can be as warm and comforting as a winter fire or as potent and exhilarating as a summer thunderstorm. Fiddler and singer Lissa Schneckenburger is a master of both moods, a winsome, sweet-voiced singer who brings new life to old ballads and a skillful, dynamic fiddler who captures the driving rhythm and carefree joy of dance tunes old and new.

Raised in a small town in Maine and now living in Vermont, Lissa grew up with music. She began playing fiddle at the age of six, inspired by her mother's interest in folk music and a family friend who was a professional violinist. Soon she was studying with influential Maine fiddler Greg Boardman and sitting in with the Maine Country Dance Orchestra. By the time she was in high school she was playing concerts on her own, specializing in the sprightly New England dance tunes that combine influences from the British Isles and Quebec with homegrown twists that have been evolving since Colonial days. Another of her major influences was the diverse musical community that she found at fiddle camps, where she had a chance to play with and learn from a wide variety of musicians including noted Scottish fiddler Alasdair Fraser. In 2001 she graduated from the New England Conservatory of Music with a degree in contemporary improvisation, and since then has been performing around the US and internationally for a growing audience of enthusiastic listeners. She has recorded seven CDs, (four solo and three with various groups).
Lissa's fiddling is uplifting and lively, and her singing is gentle and evocative. Both in concert and in the studio she is regularly accompanied by some of New England's best musicians, including guitarists Keith Murphy and Matt Heaton and double bassist Corey DiMario.

Recently she has been closely studying the roots of the Downeast traditional music that she first heard as a young girl. Her latest project is a pair of CDs dedicated to reintroducing some wonderful but largely forgotten songs and tunes from New England that she uncovered through archival research at the University of Maine and elsewhere. Song, to be released in April 2008, contains ten timeless ballads that go back as far as the eighteenth century that she set to carefully crafted modern arrangements, while Dance, scheduled for 2009, will feature fiddle tunes. "There is currently a lot of focus on traditional American music from the South", she explains, "and many bands are exploring and recording that repertoire, but no one is getting to hear the amazing repertoire of traditional music from the North. This is my first attempt at getting some of that music out there for people to enjoy."

Whether playing for a folk club audience or a hall full of dancers, Lissa brings to the stage enthusiasm, energy, and the bright future of New Englands musical traditions.

COREY DIMARIO

Double-bassist Corey DiMario provides rock solid, driving low-end accompaniment. He has performed at jazz and folk venues across the eastern seaboard, including the Kennedy Center, the Knitting Factory and Symphony Hall. He has recorded with Laura Cortese and Hanneke Cassel and is a member of Crooked Still. Additionally, he has performed with Liz Carroll, Russ Barenberg, and the Wayfaring Strangers.
Corey, also an expert skiier and tenor guitarist, currently resides in Brooklyn, NY. He graduated from the New England Conservatory in 2001.

MATT HEATON

Matt & Shannon Heaton blend Irish traditional music with original songwriting. An unusual blend of material? Sure. But a natural one for this Boston-based husband-and-wife pair, who have played in Irish sessions for years, while becoming involved in Boston's rich songwriting scene.

Matt's inventive guitar and bouzouki playing provides a rich framework for Shannon's timeless, evocative lyrics and her stunning Irish flute playing. Their masterfully-arranged songs move seamlessly from full harmony singing, to driving wood flute riffs, to lush guitar lines, creating a big, layered, modern sound. Like Richard Thompson or Nic Jones, the Heatons' music comes from a traditional aesthetic and a passion for strong traditional bones.

The Boston-based duo has been performing together in various guises for over a decade, having released five CDs. Scott Alarik of The Boston Globe called "Blue Skies Above," their latest release and second CD as a duo, "masterful and inventive, their arrangements city-smart and spacious.. they bring a savvy modernity and American rootsiness to the auld Sod's music, without losing any of its folksy Irish essence."

But Matt & Shannon didn't always perform great Irish music together. They met back in 1991 in Chicago via romancealbeit someone else'swhen Shannon needed a guitar player to play at a wedding. She had been learning Irish music on the north side of Chicago, and Matt was studying classical guitar at Northwestern University (and playing with surf-pop band The Flavor Channel by night). Soon after meeting, Matt & Shannon began collaborating: Shannon would bring in trad tunes and songs, along with recordings of Planxty, Bothy Band, Dick Gaughan, and Dolores Keane/John Faulkner. Matt would draw from his varied musical vocabulary to come up with accompaniment ideas, and would then go home to hunker down with recordings. His hard work paid off, and he has become a favorite accompanist for a variety of trad music acts. (Oh, and a few years after their first gig, Matt & Shannon were hiring musicians for their own wedding.)

Matt & Shannon's "Blue Skies Above," was released March 16, 2006. CelticRadio's Paul MacArthur said their newest CD offers "some of the best jigs and reels that we have heard in a long time. Not only that, but these two can sing - with Matt's fresh and commanding vocals, balanced with Shannon's inspiring and flowing vocals blends 'Blue Skies Above' to perfect harmony."

Strong Irish traditional music and great original songwriting. An uncommon ensemble? Perhaps. But one that works. Call it Irish Americana or Celtic Roots, Matt and Shannon's shows feature stunning musicianship that honors the Irish tradition, an easy rapport with audiences, and a selection of music that you won't hear anywhere else.

Website & artist information: http://notlobmusic.googlepages.com, http://www.myspace.com/notlobhouseconcerts

Reservations: As seating is limited to 40, reservations are recommended. Email notlobmusic@gmail.com

Venue & directions: Loring-Greenough House, 12 South Street, Jamaica Plain, MA 02130, the large yellow house at the intersection of Centre and South Streets, across the street from the Civil War monument. http://www.lghouse.org/information.htm. Handicap accessible; please call 617-524-3158 for more information.

Parking: The Loring-Greenough House lot holds 12 cars, gates are closed when full. Parking is also available on the street and in the public lot located behind Blanchards liquors, one block away.

MBTA: Take #39 bus from either Back Bay Station or Forest Hills Station to the Monument stop, directly in front of the Loring-Greenough House, at the intersections of Centre and South Streets.

Dining: There are several fine restaurants on Centre Street within 2-3 blocks, with on street parking and a large public parking lot behind Blanchards. At Centre Street Caf