Tom Feldmann & the Get-Rites, Colin O'Brien, and Josh Harty

Friday, December 15, 2006

Singer/songwriter/guitarist Tom Feldmann may have been musically weaned on the dirty, back-woods moans and hollers of blues legends like Son House, Mississippi Fred McDowell, and John Lee Hooker, but over the years the inventive young man delved into a plethora of styles, including folk, soul, country, Americana, and gospel - a practice that eventually helped inform the confident, driven performer he is today. Though he made a name for himself as a master of the slide guitar (he plays a nickel-plated Reso-Phonic dubbed ?Sticky Nickel?), Feldmann seems to have come full circle- his most recent album, Driven To My Knees, melds, molds, and mixes all of those various influences with his own inimitable flair for lyrical intelligence, musical complexity, and soulful experimentation.

Colin O'Brien is flying solo and flying high after three years fronting Salt Creek, winner of the Wisconsin Area Music Industry award for best bluegrass band in 2004 and 2005.

In the tradition of the late John Hartford, O---Brien dances rhythms on his amplified footboard and sings while playing the daylights out of his banjo, fiddle, and guitar. With his infectious energy, witty stage manner and musical artistry Colin O---Brien kicks out a one man song and dance show that is truly unique!

His extensive repertoire of original and traditional songs appeals equally to folk, bluegrass, jam-band, old-time, and country audiences of all ages.

Josh Harty is a classic example of "Made In America." He blends contemporary Midwestern sensibility with traditional gospel and blues to create a rich hybrid unique in the field of acoustic guitar. His poignant lyrics are the product of astute observation and thoughtful introspection. His crisp, emotive guitar couples with warm, smoky vocals that settle comfortably into each listener's ear. His songs are planted in the fertile soil of experience and nourished with the stuff of everyday life.