Live Music Adds To Harvest Festival Celebration

By Kendra Bobowick

Music, like food, can also be prepared with a seasonal touch. On September 25, between 3 and 6 pm, local musicians including Flagpole Radio Café director Jim Allyn will volunteer time to entertain guests at the first Harvest Home Festival, celebrating the town’s Victory Garden in Fairfield Hills (rain date October 2). The garden is a cooperative effort of volunteers who had tended rows this year to grow fresh food for Newtown’s food pantries.

“I might try to do something seasonally appropriate,” said Mr Allyn on Monday, September 12. He is still anticipating other musicians, including young performers Sofia Chiardini and Korey Brodsky, might accompany him during the festival, and is looking forward to the afternoon.

Planning a mix of Americana, folk, and original music, Mr Allyn, who plays mandolin and guitar, and sings, may be accompanied by bassist Rick Brodsky and banjo and guitarist Dick Neal.

Also bringing their sounds of saxophones, trumpets, guitar, and drums will be the seven-piece jazz ensemble Boplicity with Robert Rabinowitz.

Mr Rabinowitz also has a harvest/garden themed song in mind for the afternoon: “Watermelon Man,” which he calls “a good choice for the festivities.” Other songs in the band’s repertoire are “It Don’t Mean a Thing if it Ain’t Got That Swing,” “Straight No Chaser,” “I Mean You,” “Night in Tunisia,” “Red Clay,” “Nica’s Dream,” and more.

Anticipating and afternoon of fun at the festival, he said, “We are looking forward to it.”

 (In addition to the harvest festival, Boplicity is scheduled to perform on Saturday, September 17, in the theater of Edmond Town Hall, and again on Saturday, October 1, during “2 By 2: The Artful Bras & Boxers Show” in The Alexandria Room of Edmond Town Hall; see this week’s Enjoy section for details on the latter show, and visit ReverbNation.com/BoplicityJazzBand for info on the former.)

In addition to Mr Rabinowitz, who handles alto saxophone and flute for the group, Boplicity’s members include Gregg Baimel on tenor saxophone and clarinet, Duane Berge on piano, Paul Fadus on trumpet, Warren McGuire on guitar, Michael Paes on bass, and Bob Paquette on drums.

A third group joining the afternoon’s entertainment is The Proud Flesh, with an independent folk and bluegrass sound. Band members are Alexander Burnet on vocals and acoustic and electric guitars, Patrick Dalton on vocals and acoustic guitar, Chris Dickerson on percussion and vocals, and Justin Virga on bass.

Victory Garden coordinator Harvey Pessin invited the bands, which are donating their time, to join the festival to add to the afternoon’s celebration, and help raise awareness for the garden.

The public is invited to the harvest party, and guests should bring a picnic dinner for themselves, and an extra dish to share with others on a common table.

All are invited. The price of admissions is to bring a friend. Mr Pessin can be contacted at harve9@yahoo.com.