All-star lineup to shake Castleton green tonight
Toolbox
STAFF REPORT - Published: June 23, 2009
In her Castleton debut, Amber DeLaurentis will be pitching her rocking vocal prowess across the town green tonight when her namesake band plays the 2009 Castleton Concerts on the Green series.
Out of Burlington, DeLaurentis passes on her vocal talents to the students at UVM, where she teaches jazz voice. Composing many of her songs and collaborating with lyricist Sarah Blue, DeLaurentis took second place in the Billboard International Songwriting Competition recently, and her songs have been finalists in the John Lennon and Unisong competitions. She has also reportedly recorded with Mavis Staples and Los Lonely Boys.
DeLaurentis has a solid backing as her band members, too, have a long list of achievements — most notably pedal steel guitarist Gordon Stone, who is a successful band leader — and banjo player — in his own right and who has significant musical history with members of such bands as moe., Phish and Strangefolk.
Rounding out the mix is drummer Caleb Bronz of the Gordon Stone Band, bassist Tom Cleary — DeLaurentis' husband, who teaches in the UVM Music Deptartment — and guitarist Steve Blair, who, with 25 years of music-teaching experience, is assistant professor of music and director of jazz studies at Johnson State College. He also performs with the Will Patton Ensemble.
The Castleton Concert on the Green's Give Back program is under way, enabling local food shelves to benefit during these troubling times. Organizers are urging attendees, in exchange for this free concert, to bring nonperishable food items to the concert to help support a different local food shelf each week. Collecting today is Poultney.
The concert is free and open to the public. Show time is 7 p.m.
In case of rain, the concert will be moved under the tent at Castleton State College.
For further information, call 273-2911.
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