Posted on

Ridgewood Daffodil Festival and Earth Day Fair

unnamed

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, on April 21st, bring your whole family – and your dog – to this fun, educational event! Enjoy goat yoga, a petting zoo, a “recycling magician,” live music by Blue Plate Special, educational displays and programs, demonstrations and crafts, and more. Leashed dogs and their owners are invited to dress in costume and join the popular Daffy Dog Parade at 12:30. Event runs from  11:00 – 2:30 pm. at Memorial Park at Van Neste Square .

Continue reading Ridgewood Daffodil Festival and Earth Day Fair

Posted on

Ridgewood Friends of Music present a one-of-a-kind benefit concert ,“Bluegrass Under the Stars”

Tony Trischka

photo of Tony Trischka

May 7,2017

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, On Friday June 9th at 8 p.m. Ridgewood Friends of Music will present a one-of-a-kind benefit concert featuring internationally renowned banjo master Tony Trischka and the locally beloved bluegrass band Blue Plate Special. Surprise guests will join them.

Tony Trischka is one of the most influential banjo artists in the world. His Grammy-nominated album Double Banjo Bluegrass Spectacular features appearances by banjo luminaries like Steve Martin, Earl Scruggs and Béla Fleck.  In 2007 he was named the International Bluegrass Music Association’s Banjo Player of the Year. His latest album is Great Big World (Rounder Records).  The artist has also been featured on multiple NPR programs like Mountain Stage and A Prairie Home Companion. He produced Steve Martin’s Grammy-nominated album Rare Bird Alert (Rounder Records) that featured Paul McCartney and the Dixie Chicks. A dedicated chronicler of banjo history, Trischka was the Musical Director and Co-Producer of the 2011 PBS documentary, “Give Me the Banjo”.

18057840 10154632265363651 7743112193343858718 n
Blue Plate Special (Jay Friedman, Dave Gross, James Hempfling, Rob Hecht, Dan Whitener and Tom Wise) plays the kind of music that can make you feel like you’re home wherever you are.  A group of infinitely talented musicians and singer-songwriters, Blue Plate Special performs Americana, bluegrass, and swing. Their latest album, Back By Popular Demand (2016) features fourteen original tunes. Thematically eclectic, the songs will take you on a bluegrass-style journey through life, from the depths of a man’s sorrow, to courtship on a rotary phone. The band has a sense of humor as well; one of the catchiest tunes on the album is a waltzy number about the end of the world. Even if you’ve never heard a lick of bluegrass, a night with Blue Plate Special will make you realize this music was in you all along.

“Bluegrass Under the Stars” will take place outdoors at Graydon Pavilion (rain location GW Middle School). All of the proceeds of this event will go to support Ridgewood Public Schools’ music programs grades K-12. Friends of Music funds music assemblies, helps pay for RHS concert venues, provides showcases and master classes for young musicians, lends financial support to the Ridgewood Summer Music Academy and offers a college scholarship to a graduating senior.

Tickets are $25 online and $30 at the door. Bring your own lawn chair.

Concession stand will be open for the show. Age minimum is 14 and over. Online tickets available at bluegrassunderthestars.brownpapertickets.com

FYI :  The transaction fee is included in that $25 price.
Also, we added a student price–$12
And a senior price–$17

For more information contact: bluegrassunderthestars@gmail.com