Pastor:
Rev. Luis Benavides
First
United
Methodist Church
55 Fenn Street
Pittsfield, MA 01201
413-499-0866
Saturday, January 5, 2008
The Return of a Common Grounds Favorite!
Woods Tea Company
Wood's
Tea Company is an
acoustic group that performs fiery Celtic tunes, bluegrass, sea shanties and
American folk songs with ease and sill. During a performance they use as
many as a dozen different instruments, including banjos and bouzoukis, guitars
and bodharns and traditional tin whistles.
Folk legend Woody Guthrie was an early inspiration for the band. "There was something about his music that bucked music establishment trends," said band founder Rusty Jacobs; "He was singing directly to the people and it appealed to us." After building a solid reputation in New England, Wood's Tea Company started touring on the concert circuit nationwide, eventually playing in all of the lower 48 states. Notable performances include New York's Lincoln Center )twice), the Chautauqua Institute (three times), appearances on PBS and National Public Radio, who labeled them "Vermont's hardest working folk group."
Folk Music Quarterly described them as '...one of the hottest up and coming acts," saying "...sidestepping pretension and going for the grit, this New England group gives a lusty performance, every time." A few years ago, the Irish Heritage Foundation honored the group with their "Outstanding Innovation Award "...in appreciation and recognition for their creative contributions to Irish music."
The Vermont based folk group
The Wood's Tea Co. will continue its performance schedule for 2007-2008 despite
the tragic losses of two of it's members. Rusty Jacobs, founder of the
group, died on August 15, 2007 of an unexpected heart attack. In October
of 2006, another member, fiddler Chip Chase, died as a result of a motorcycle
accident. The band had been touring with a rotating roster of
"fourth" players including fiddle players Peter Sutherland, Bethany
Dick, Sara Milonovich, Jason Bergman or David Gusakov. In addition, some
tours have included Aaron Flynn or Morgan Lamphere on acoustic guitar or Martha
Gallagher on Celtic harp. All of them are world-class musicians and
performers and have been greeted warmly by Wood's Tea Co. audiences. A
recent partnership with Public television stations and a concert DVD have fueled
the group's recent touring schedule, bringing them to community concerts all
across America.
Tickets
for this performance are $15.00
*Credit
Cards may be used for advanced sales only - Credit cards will NOT be
accepted at the door.
Advance Ticket Sales end 24 hours prior to each show.