The Common Ground on the Hill
Baltimore Concert Series
Presented by Brown Memorial Woodbrook Presbyterian Church
Held Monthly December - April
6200 North Charles St., Baltimore, Md. 21212
Showtime 8:00 PM
Seating begins at 7:30 PM
Directions click here
*All tickets purchased online will be available for pick-up at Will-Call the day of the show*
Admission: $25, $22 Students, Seniors 65+ and teens
To Buy Tickets click here
(Please print your receipt to bring with you to the concert)
or call 410-857-2771
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The Concerts
The Kruger Brothers
8 PM ~ Friday, April 5th, 2013
“The Kruger Brothers are just about as fine a band as
I’ve ever played with. I love to play music with them.”
— Doc Watson
“The Krugers are nothing short of magnificent.”
— Bluegrass Journal
Some call it jazz. Some call it classical. Some call it bluegrass. Certainly, the music of the Kruger Brothers is all of that and more. Drawing on a rich cultural palette, theirs is a music that celebrates the best of what music can be: exciting, engaging, intelligent, and delightful. When you listen to the music of the Kruger Brothers, you can’t help but be amazed by the sheer depth of their artistry. Originally from Europe, now living in North Carolina, they were first introduced to American audiences in 1997 and quickly gained the attention of fans and the music industry. Born and raised in Europe, brothers Jens and Uwe Kruger started singing and playing instruments at a very young age. Growing up in a family where music was an important part of life, they were exposed to a wide diversity of abiding musical influences. Jens and Uwe started performing regularly by the time they were 11 and 12 years old and began their professional career in 1979. Joel Landsberg, a native of New York City who also had a very extensive musical upbringing, joined the brothers in the early 90s and together they established the incomparable sound that the trio is known for today.
In an ever expanding body of work, Jens Kruger (banjo, vocals), Uwe Kruger (guitar, lead vocals), and Joel Landsberg (bass, vocals) personify the spirit of exploration and innovation that forms the core of the American musical tradition. Through their numerous CD releases, radio and television performances, workshops, and collaborative efforts, the Kruger Brothers powerful artistic statement inspires and enlightens. The Kruger Brothers contribution to American musical culture has been noted through a National Endowment for the Arts grant for Music from the Spring, a symphonic suite composed and orchestrated by Jens Kruger.
Jesse Winchester
8 PM ~ Friday, October 4th, 2013
Jesse Winchester is the the singer-songwriter Bob Dylan has named as among the best of his generation! You could stock a crowd-pleasing jukebox with the songs Jesse Winchester has written and recorded in the last four decades – and with the better-known versions of his songs that have become hits and album staples for artists ranging from Joan Baez to Elvis Costello to Jimmy Buffett. Winchester’s skill in capturing vivid small town vignettes, heartfelt love and love-lost situations, and goodtime celebrations has yielded a litany of I-know-that-songs: “Yankee Lady,” “Biloxi,” “Brand New Tennessee Waltz,” “Talk Memphis,” “Rhumba Girl,” “Payday,” “I’m Gonna Miss You, Girl,” “Let’s Make a Baby King” and many more. His 2007 Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Society of Composers, Artists and Publishers (ASCAP) is one gauge of the music world’s esteem. Jesse is a graceful, soulful vocalist, as memorable a singer as a songwriter. His light southern tenor drawl, warmly wrapped in country/bluegrass/folk arrangements, can gently ascend to the heavens a la Roy Orbison. Don;t miss this rare opportunity to see and hear an American treasure.
Professor Louie
and the Crowmatics
8:00 PM ~ Friday, November 1st, 2013
Professor "Louie" & The Crowmatix, from Woodstock, NY, have been recording and touring internationally for the past ten years. They recorded as Rick Danko's (of The Band) backing band on his critically acclaimed CD "Times Like These" and were the featured musicians on Garth Hudson's (of The Band) solo CD "The Sea To The North". The group continues to perform in concert at the nation's premier theaters and festivals.
"Professor Louie's upstate ensemble is an Americana template that jams out timeless rock, country, blues and New Orleans influenced originals". ~ The Village Voice
"....a tasty mix of rhythm & blues and rock & roll. This is a great band." ~ The Record Review
Walt Michael & Co.
Annual Holiday Concert
8 PM ~ Friday, December 6th, 2013
Half a century ago, people in the Southern Appalachian mountains celebrated Christmas in a unique way, holding two weeks of informal house parties filled with old time fiddle music, song, dance and story - a tradition they called "Breaking Up Christmas." These holiday parties ran through and ended with Old Christmas, January 6th. This evening Walt & Co. will "break up Christmas" with a wide-ranging repertoire of tunes and songs that reflect the rich musical heritage of the Appalachians. The traditional folk musics of Scotland, Ireland, England and Africa made their way into remote mountain hollers, later emerging as an integrated American musical genre that continues to evolve.
Walt Michael & Co., with the nuance and grace of classical music as well as the energy and dynamism of traditional roots music, makes distinctive and compelling music. It can perhaps be best described as “folk roots chamber music in overdrive.”
Considered to be a virtuoso of tremendous influence in the revival of the hammered dulcimer, Walt’s wide repertoire ranges from old-time Southern Appalachian, to Celtic, to breath-taking original compositions. His various musical incarnations, including Bottle Hill, Michael, McCreesh & Campbell and Walt Michael & Co. have spanned over 35 years and taken him from the coal camps of Appalachia to the Closing Ceremonies of the 13th Olympic Winter Games. As a vocalist and multi-instrumentalist he has recorded fourteen albums and instructional videos, appeared at the White House, the Lincoln Center, the Kennedy Center and he has toured extensively throughout the US, Canada, Europe and the UK. His music has been heard on ABC-TV, NBC's Tonight Show, Broadway, BBC, TNN, CBC, OLN and PBS. Walt’s many collaborations include works with the Pilobolus Dance Theater and the Alvin Ailey Dance Theater.
Robin & Linda Williams
and Their Fine Group
8 PM ~ Friday, January 10th
For more than three decades now, Robin & Linda Williams have made it their mission to perform the music that they love, "a robust blend of bluegrass, folk, old-time and acoustic country that combines wryly observant lyrics with a wide-ranging melodicism." Today some might call it "Americana," but these two revered music masters were living and breathing this elixir 20 years before that label was turned into a radio format.
As live performers they are second to none. Their stirring concerts have earned them a huge body of fans over the years. But as gifted songwriters Robin and Linda have earned an even rarer honor, the devotion and deep respect of their musical peers. As The Washington Post put it, "The Williamses are able to sum up a life in a few details with moving completeness." The list of artists who have covered their original songs include some of the greats of country music, names like Emmylou Harris, Tom T. Hall, George Hamilton IV, Tim & Mollie O'Brien, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Kathy Mattea and The Seldom Scene.
"Among contemporary country performers,, Robin and Linda Williams shine like a diamond amid rhinestones ..." __ David W. Johnson, The Boston Globe
Robin & Linda have made appearances on such major programs as The Grand Old Opry, Austin City Limits, Music City Tonight, Mountain Stage and they continue to make frequent appearances on A Prairie Home Companion. " ... vocally and instrumentally, the Williamses combine impeccable musical discipline with a bare simplicity and an utter lack of pretension."
__ Stephen Holden, The New York Times
Beloved American Folksinger & 3-Time Grammy Award Winner
Tom Chapin
8 PM ~ Friday, February 7th, 2014
Adult albums and kids’ albums, contemporary folk and pop, Tom Chapin’s music spans styles and generations. For more than thirty years and through twenty-two compact discs, Chapin has entertained, amused and enlightened audiences of all ages with life-affirming original songs told in a sophisticated array of musical styles. Tom’s adult concerts and recordings are sparked by strong, intelligent songwriting with clear, engaging vocals and the intricate, melodic guitar work that has become his trademark. "Mine is not a traditional music," notes Chapin, "but it comes from a tradition. My musical heroes are people like Pete Seeger and Woody Guthrie, who wrote and sang real songs for real people; for everyone, old, young, and in between." His remarkable musicianship, great songwriting and personal warmth shine through whether he's performing in a concert hall with a symphony orchestra, an outdoor festival, or in an intimate setting like The Carroll Arts Center.
“... one of the great personalities in contemporary folk music.” New York Times
“Nobody today is writing and performing better kids’ songs than Tom Chapin . . . the Pied Piper of children’s music.” Parents Magazine
“Tom Chapin has an easy, appealing way with songs about emotional connection, grassroots protest and personal commitment.” Rolling Stone
Friday, March 7th - TBA
Friday, April 4th - TBA
Click here to view the Westminster Concert Series
