Once a month, we have a concert and jam session at our home in Hermitage. We've hosted 10 of these gatherings in 2003, with up to 60 people attending each time, to support our favorite musicians and artists and bring together our favorite PEOPLE for listening, playing and having FUN!

Come join us and bring your friends for great music in a broad range of musical styles in the intimacy of our PlayRoom!

see www.rondiane.org for details and upcoming concerts!

Here's the format:

Concert 7 to 9:30pm
Jam Session 9 to 11:30pm
Bring your instruments!
Artist Compensation $12

PAST PERFORMANCES

HeartSongs Saturday, January 24, 2004

We'll be starting out the New Year with beautiful, inspirational songs by a variety of singer/songwriters. Through the last several months we've heard many great songs played in the round during our Jam Sessions that we would like to share with everybody.

Bill and Deborah Mann played "Right Here, Right Now" for a small group of us after the last house concert, a moving ballad he wrote about living "in the moment". They suggested that we invite some players from their circles to round out the evening with songs of this nature. Some of the people we are inviting, along with Bill and Deborah Mann, are Jackie Welch, Jean and Jimmy Johnson, Ron Heacock, Cheryl Stallings, Deidre Reeves, Kathryn Hutchens and others.

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MAY 31 - HeartStrings
is a Nashville-based, all-woman bluegrass group characterized by tight vocal harmonies, energetic stage performances, and a crowd-pleasing mix of traditional and original acoustic music. Since first taking the stage on Valentine’s Day in 2001, HeartStrings has been growing in popularity in the Nashville area. The group's recording, HeartStrings, is being played on bluegrass and folk radio stations throughout the world. www.heartstringsband.com

JUNE 21 - Justin Thompson
Justin Thompson combines cool jazz vocals with hot swing guitar and timeless song writing. His smoky voice has been compared to Harry Connick Jr. and Sting, while his guitar playing echoes the virtuoso passion of Django Reinhardt and the swinging lyricism of Wes Montgomery. As a songwriter, he crafts beautiful ballads and clever up-tempo swing numbers that sound as if they were written fifty years earlier. But, Justin is more than just a traditionalist. His latest compositions point to a new direction for jazz in popular music. He also has a sense of humour which is evident by the only cover song on his c.d. -- the Britney Spears mega hit -- “Baby One More Time”. However, because of the strong musicianship, the song actually works as a jazz tune rather than a novelty number. (Justin is quick to add that he is NOT the "Weird Al" of jazz.)

There is no doubt that the critics take Justin seriously. He won Nashville’s “Starving Artist Award” for best male artist of 2002 and 2003. And, Nashville's Rage Magazine named Tasty Puddin' as one of the top ten c.d.s of 2002. Justin has also been invited to perform at Nashville's prestigious Swan Ball along with Tony Bennett.

Although Tasty Puddin’ is his debut as a solo artist, Justin has been well known in Nashville as one of the city’s top guitarists for traditional jazz, swing, bluegrass and country. During his tenure, he has performed with Katharine Wayland (The Squirrel Nut Zippers), John Hartford, Riders in the Sky, The Nashville Chamber Orchestra, David Grier, Mandy Barnett, Greg Garring, Kathy Chiavola, The Nashville Mandolin Ensemble, Annie Sellick and the Gypsy Hombres.

As an Hombre, he was voted “Best Jazz Musician of Nashville (2001)”, performed nine concerts with The Nashville Chamber Orchestra and had two best selling c.d.s (Cafe Strut and Django Bells) at Tower Records. In 2002, Django Bells was picked up by Merless International Records and received critical acclaim from around the country including four stars from Down Beat magazine. It was also chosen as the season’s top pick by The New York Times, The Washington Post, USA Today, and N.P.R.’s “All Songs Considered.”

A graduate of the Berklee College of Music, Justin supplements the highly lucrative income of a jazz musician by writing instructional guitar books and teaching privately. He has written six transcription books for Mel Bay Publishing for legendary guitarists such as Doc Watson, Tony Rice and David Grier. He is also one of Nashville’s most sought out and respected instructors. Former students include some of Nashville’s finest players and writers.

Recently, Justin has been touring the southeast appeasing both the college kids and the jazz purists with his dynamic stage presence and a band that swings so hard, they rock. The younger crowd enjoys the high energy level that recaptures the original rebellious spirit of jazz, while the traditionalists appreciate the high level of musicality. Regardless of demographics, all audiences agree, that is some tasty puddin'.

www.iamjustinthompson.com

JULY 26- The Cantrells & Heather Roberts Barrie

Music That Moves Your Spirit!

AL & EMILY CANTRELL cast a magical spell with their airy, joyful acoustic songs. EMILY uses her voice as an instrument on soaring vocals like a country Joni Mitchell, while AL plays off her Martin guitar with spirited fiddling and a dazzling mandolin technique--his music weaves through her words as if the two were locked in an intuitive dance. The duo puts a pop spin on acoustic folk and bluegrass music, with occasional detours into Celtic, western swing and traditional American tunes.

THE CANTRELLS have been featured on MOUNTAIN STAGE, RIDER RADIO THEATER, FOLK SAMPLER, E-TOWN and RIVER CITY FOLK, as well as numerous other nationally-syndicated radio programs. Their three critically acclaimed albums are on radio playlists worldwide and include the talents of Bela Fleck, Jerry Douglas, Tim O'Brien and Riders in the Sky. Robert Redford hand-picked them to play old-time music on-screen in his hit movie A RIVER RUNS THROUGH IT.