The Roots Report: Iceberg! A musical interlude to distract from the swamp

Okee dokee folks… Sometimes I feel as if talking about anything other than the current state of this country is pointless. Convincing folks to go out and hear music is akin to the captain of the Titanic telling folks to listen to the great band that’s playing on the upper deck as the ship goes down. If you need that escapism to distract you from the swamp that is swallowing us bit by bit, then get yourself a pair of hip-waders and read on…

If you like to be the company of intelligent, critical thinkers who like to laugh, then you should be at Providence Performing Arts Center on Thursday, November 8 when Lewis Black brings in his “The Joke’s On Us” Tour. I spoke with Lewis Black again; read the complete interview at motifri.com/lewisblack2018. For more about the show, meltdown to PPACRI.com

Over at Veterans Memorial Auditorium on November 7, Mary Chapin Carpenter will be singing and strumming. Carpenter, a Brown University and Newport Folk Fest Alumnus, has sold more than 14 million records. With hits like “Passionate Kisses” and “He Thinks He’ll Keep Her,” she has won five Grammy Awards (with 15 nominations), two CMA awards, two Academy of Country Music awards and is one of only 15 female members of the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame. Her latest album, Sometimes Just The Sky, features new versions of some of Carpenter’s most beloved songs. For more, take “The Hard Way” to TheVetsRI.com

There are a lot of you songwriter types out there who should pay close attention to this. Common Fence Music is very excited to present their 2nd Annual Fall Moon Festival on Saturday, November 3, at the Casino Theatre, 10 Freebody Street, Newport (Tennis Hall of Fame). The Fall Moon Festival is a mini-fest dedicated to songs and songwriters and will feature Peter Mulvey (who will also emcee the event), Mark Erelli, Caitlin Canty and Maya de Vitry (the Stray Birds). The show will be preceded by a songwriting workshop with Mark Erelli from 1 – 3pm. Mark Erelli is a singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist performing and writing in the tradition of American folk music who has released 11 solo albums; enjoyed stints accompanying Josh Ritter, Paula Cole and Anais Mitchell; and produced a pair of records for Grammy-winning songwriter Lori McKenna. During this two-hour workshop, Mark will share his writing process and how it has evolved over the years. By modeling the various stages of his work, he will provide aspiring and professional songwriters with a clear understanding of the journey a song may take from raw creation to perfected work of art. Workshop participants will have the opportunity to share one original work-in-progress and receive suggestions on how to improve their craft. Bring your guitars, fiddles, ukuleles, mandolins and banjos. For more, compose on over to CommonFenceMusic.org

The New England Regional Folk Alliance (NERFA) conference is coming up November 8-11 in Stamford, Conn. If you are a folk, acoustic, singer-songwriter or traditional musician, a music presenter, perpetual volunteer or just a fan, then this is for you! This conference will enable you to mingle with hundreds of like-minded individuals. NERFA includes workshops, panel discussions, seminars, an exhibit hall, formal showcases, semi-formal showcases, private showcases guerrilla showcases and access to hundreds of folk musicians, agents, venues, festivals, folk DJs, business services and friends. In the past I have attended many of these conferences where I presented workshops, showcased and had exhibits. I made lifelong friends and contacts through these conferences. This is a great opportunity for those who are just starting out in the music business to get a bit of a foothold or for those who are already in the business to expand their reach. And it’s a lot of fun! Rest up, you will need it, sleep is not something that happens much at NERFA. For more, schmooze over to nerfa.org

That’s it for now. PLEASE VOTE, and please vote intelligently. Thanks for reading. JohnFuzek.com