Online Home of Coop Concerts

Jennie McAvoy	Pat and Tex LaMountain	Boys of the Landfill
Michael Nix	Stephanie Marshall	Joe Graveline
Laura Siersema	Russ Thomas	Seven Mile Line
Tom Carroll	Kathy Chapman	Katie Clarke
Green River String Band	Roland LaPierre	Daniel hales, and the frost heaves.
Julia Burrough	Falltown String Band	Jenny Goodspeed
Michael Orlen	Barry Higgins	Molly Scott
Austin and Elliott	Ghost Quartet	Small Change
Haiku Handshake

Jennie McAvoy
Jennie McAvoy’s music combines the magic of the traditional ballad singer with the intimacy of the folk-chanteuse. Her voice—she’s a trained mezzo- soprano—is at once angelic and wise. It floats above the current of a rock-solid, deftly fingerpicked acoustic guitar (think Joan Baez or Elizabeth Cotton) on either her vintage Martin or her handmade Nickerson. Two-time Valley Advocate Reader’s Poll Winner (for Best Female Vocalist) Janet Ryan says: "Jennie McAvoy’s voice has an ethereal quality that makes you feel as if she herself lived through the joy and sadness in the musical tales she weaves."

Pat and Tex LaMountain
Pat & Tex LaMountain have been singing, writing, performing and harmonizing together for over 30 years. Writers of dozens of songs, they have developed a diverse collection of material that includes American standards, swing tunes, folk, rock, bluegrass and country. Their music has been described as “upbeat and rhythmic, inspirational and sensitive…catchy…with Pat & Tex there’s heart and soul.” Songs that touch us through melody, message and harmony. Their music is a blend of Pat’s crystal clear vocals with Tex’s tenor voice and unique flat and finger picking styles.

Boys of the Landfill
Bluegrass and beyond!
The Shutesbury-based Boys consist of Geoff Rogers on guitar and mandolin, Rob Hayes on fiddle, and Michael Pattavina on banjo and bass. They are regulars on the Western New England folk and bluegrass circuits, and their bio boasts that they combine smoldering instrumental virtuosity with festering harmonies in as many as two parts.

Michael Nix
Michael Nix performs on the seven string Banjar, an instrument he designed which combines elements of the classical five string banjo and the classical guitar. The Banjar's seven high tension nylon strings sound somewhat like a cross between the banjo and guitar or lute. Nix combines lyrical expression with an insatiable musical curiosity to forge an intriguing performance style incorporating various styles and textures drawn from classical guitar and banjo, jazz, blues, folk.

Michael Nix and the Pioneer Consort: Michael Nix (Banjar and guitar), Chris Devine (violin), and Greg Snedeker (cello). The Pioneer Consort explores the creative relationship between improvised and composed music in a high energy juxtaposition of Latin dances, jazz, ragtime, classical and original compositions. "Nix's work is... breathtakingly beautiful to hear." --Peter Mix, Acoustic Musician

Stephanie Marshall
Contemporary folk singer/songwriter with a strong voice and thought provoking lyrics. Her debut CD Reality is an innovative mix of folk with a touch of country. Her reflective lyrics and engaging performances connect you to the honesty of her songs. Stephanie and fellow Coopsters Katie Clarke, and Jenny Goodspeed recently formed The Boxcar Lilies - a high-energy, harmony-driven Americana trio.

Joe Graveline
Singer, guitar stylist

Laura Siersema
A genre-bending folk artist with a beautifully haunting voice, this singer/songwriter and published poet from western Massachusetts has released two albums, "when I left loss" and "Love Flows Like the Blood of a River", both featuring her unusual textured keyboard style and spoken word. Graduate of Berklee College of Music and winner of several ASCAP awards, she tours regularly, played at major art festivals around the country and opened for such artists as John Gorka, Cheryl Wheeler, Connie Kaldor, Brooks Williams, Lori McKenna and Dana Cooper. "Folk fans should take note, as well as those that like classical music, and Tori Amos." (Tampa Tribune) "With the soul and lyrics of a true poet, Laura Siersema will tug at your heart with her words and her voice. ..an acoustic craftsman, a wordsmith whose verses are real-life vignettes that could be paintings on a wall." (Indie-Music) "She sounds like a young Judy Collins, but don't expect traditional fare from this young singer-songwriter..." (Sing Out!)

Russ Thomas
Tunes that amuse and surprise
Warm, witty, sensitive, articulate, eclectic, versatile, unpredictable, occasionally irreverent, Russ Thomas has entertained audiences from California to Switzerland, playing in intimate coffee-house settings and
to festival crowds of 8,000. "Patchwork," his CD of original songs reached #1 in sales by local artists for five weeks, according to the Valley Advocate. Garrison Keillor performed Russ's "New Birthday Song" on his popular NPR show. Russ has written and recorded jingles for commercial radio and cable TV and has been active for social causes, performing at the State House in Boston at an affordable-health-care rally and at various events in support of sustainable energy and non-violence. Russ's original work draws from the entire spectrum of emotions, leading listeners often to laugh and cry at successive songs. His goal is to heal, encourage, unite, educate, and entertain, in that order.

Seven Mile Line
Seven Mile Line is a bluegrass quintet known for high-energy shows guaranteed to put a smile on your face. Our repertoire is wide,
including classic traditional numbers, barroom blues, instrumentals and gospel songs. With a special emphasis on driving rhythms and
heartfelt harmonies, we know our unique arrangements of the songs you love will keep you comin' back for more. We love to make music, and it
shows!

Tom Carroll
Contemporary folk, singer, songwriter
" Canto for Kids" is Laurie Davidson and Tom Carroll, an interactive program of music for children in English and Spanish.

Kathy Chapman
Kathy, guitarist and singer/songwriter entertains and inspires with her mix of original and cover tunes of pop rock, folk and contemporary country. Kathy has opened for Bill Staines and Garnet Rogers. She also performs with her band, Blue Moon.

Kathy's first CD, BECAUSE OF YOU, was released in 2002 as a duo called Limited Edition with Dick Amberman and can be purchased on cdbaby.com. Kathy's second CD, FERTILE GROUND, was released in June of '09. You can check out her music at www.myspace.com/kathychapman1.

Katie Clarke
After meeting with great musicians at a local Pioneer Valley bluegrass session, Katie Clarke (vocal, guitar, banjo) began performing her own tunes in early 2004. Forming first the Katie Clarke Trio then Katie Clarke and the Green River Band, in 2006, Katie and her cohorts performed a repertoire of original material mixed with select covers of fine and often little-known songs of the old-time country and bluegrass genre. Often compared to local artist Rani Arbo and Daisy Mayhem, and nationally renowned singer-songwriters such as Gillian Welch, her music appeals to many audiences from young hipster 20-somethings to older folks who grew up with Patsy Cline, the Louvin Brothers, Johnny Cash and Hank Williams. Katie and her band has enjoyed playing all over New England, and have had the pleasure of opening for many nationally and internationally renowned artists. Katie was a finalist in the WRSI (local commercial Pioneer Valley radio station) songwriter contest in 2007 and maintains a steady local musical presence in and around Western Massachusetts. Katie and fellow Coopsters Jenny Goodspeed, and Stephanie Marshall recently formed The Boxcar Lilies - a high-energy, harmony-driven Americana trio.

Green River String Band
Take a few alternative country originals, add a number of blistering bluegrass songs, flavor with some sweet old time fiddle tunes, stir in dobro, guitar, mandolin, banjo, accordion, fiddle, vocal harmonies and add four musicians: Charlie Conant, Doug Reid, Eveline MacDougall and Mark Koyama. The end result is the Green River String Band. Fabulous!

Roland LaPierre
Roland Lapierre is a songwriter from Greenfield, and twice a finalist in WRSI's annual songwriting contest. Roland's songs blend a mix of Country, Rock and Roll, and traditional roots music with a touch of Twang. Roland has played guitar for many local bands, including The Rewinders, The Rocky Knoll Band, and The Hilltones, along with some of the other COOP musicians. He is currently working with a group to provide back-up and vocals to his original tunes. Roland says that writing a good song can still make him feel as excited as it did when he was 16. It's not about money or fame, it's about creating something that has meaning for you and hopefully for whoever is out there listening as well.

Daniel hales, and the frost heaves.
The core of this eclectic ensemble is Daniel, Ivan Ussach, James Lowe, Charlie Conant, and Emily Breines. Hoboeye.com describes their music as: “alternative/indy without the smug hipsterism, Americana without the self pity, psychedelic without the affected British accent, rock without the rawk, pop without the saccharine, folk without the new age, experimental without the elitism. Like a good mix tape...[they] blend these (and other) genres without their limitations and cliches.” Their song “Vacationland” was voted one of the best songs of 2009 by listeners of WRSI/The River. Indie Music.com called their most recent album, Frost Heaves: “a searching, searing, frequently seducing, noteworthy disc.” “The album’s strengths are its subtlety and its concision...” Its songs contain: “lyrical details not often put in pop tunes. Lines pop out as though in 3-D” (The Daily Hampshire Gazette).

Julia Burrough
Julia lives in Western Massachusetts and has been performing her original songs in concerts, clubs, on radio and TV for twenty years. Julia has opened in concert for various artists including Natilie Merchant, 10,000 Maniacs, Ellen McIlwaine, Cathy Winter, and many more. This is what people have had to say about Julia's work: Brighter Road, her third album "is one of the most powerful and courageous recordings ever by an area artist." David Sokol, music editor Spfld Advocate, 1993. "Her vocals could make the classifieds sound inspirational." -- John Reily, Daily Hampshire Gazette.

Falltown String Band
The Falltown String Band is now in its twentieth consecutive year of existence. It is a rather loose network of community-based and community-minded musicians, none of whom was ever foolish enough to give up their day job to play music full time. Our repertoire borrows from several traditions, all of them unique to North America: New England country dance; Quebecois; Celtic-American; Old-time; Appalachian; Gospel; New Orleans Jazz; and Blues. Its technical name is American Roots music, but we try not to be technical. We are primarily a string band, but had enough good sense to realize that Sue Shedd and her flute were an invaluable addition. We now play at the only surviving Eastern singing-call square dance series in Western Massachusetts, second Saturdays of the month at the Goshen, MA town hall.

Jenny Goodspeed
Jenny Goodspeed combines beautifully crafted lyrics and an exquisite voice to create a sparkling fusion of folk, pop, and Americana. In 2008 Jenny released her debut CD Under the Ash Tree. Songs from the record have been added to over 100 folk and AAA radio stations in 31 states and earned Jenny finalist slots in numerous songwriting contests including the 2009 Falcon Ridge Emerging Artist Showcase and The 2009 Mountain Stage NewSong Contest.. Music columnist Sheryl Hunter (The Recorder) said, "We are fortunate to live in an area that is rich with talented singer-songwriters and we can now add Goodspeed to this esteemed group." Jenny and fellow Coopsters Katie Clarke, and Stephanie Marshall recently formed The Boxcar Lilies - a high-energy, harmony-driven Americana trio.

Michael Orlen
Michael Orlen is a singer songwriter with roots in the Boston music scene of the late sixties and early seventies. He was a frequent performer at
legendary Boston venues including the Sword in the Stone and Turk¹s Head. He performed alone and later as a member of folk pop duo "Orlen and Gabriel", as well as the popular seventies acoustic rock trio "Home Free". He now lives in the northern Connecticut River Valley in Western Massachusetts, is a member of the Franklin County Musician¹s Cooperative, and has performed at coffee houses and festivals throughout New England and in New York state. His own songs are confident expressions of optimism with a dose of irony thrown in. He also draws on an extensive knowledge of twentieth century folk, blues, and ragtime music to choose songs that resonate in today¹s world. His pleasure in performing these songs is obvious and infectious, and his engagement with his audience adds an extra dimension to his shows.

Barry Higgins
Barry White Crow Higgins is of Anglo/Native (Pennacook) heritage. Barry began his musical journey as a young boy playing trumpet, and later guitar, keys, and flutes. He is an instrument maker, performer, and audio engineer. Barry’s music brings together the natural harmonic nature of the Native American Flute with modern instrumentation and composition. The music has the ability to transport the listener to a quiet space within where the music is not only heard but experienced as well.

Molly Scott
Molly Scott has performed locally as well as internationally since the 1960’s when she was part of the New York folk song movement. After a career in television, theater, clubs and concerts, she moved to Western Massachusetts and with her group, Sumitra, performed folk and classical music throughout New England. A poet, therapist, and educator as well as musician, she has devoted her singing, composition, and workshop presentations to issues of peace, social justice and the environment. She has a doctorate in counseling psychology, has composed scores for dmusical theater, and is considered a pioneer in the use of voice in sound healing. In concert, her richly expressive voice ranges through a repertoire that includes traditional ballads, jazz improvisation, and her own unique songs in a style she calls “classifolk.” Her recordings include “Honor the Earth”, “We Are All One Planet”, and “Sound of Light” on the Sumitra label.

Austin and Elliott
Too indie to be folk, too folk to be indie? Austin and Elliott tap into traditional folk with a modern outsider's sensibility. With his thought-provoking, often irreverent lyrics, Chris Elliott's songs reach for both scathing irony and genuine beauty. Adding Lisa Austin's blended harmonies, this tension is dramatic: two voices telling tales of love gone wrong and death gone right. After years of performing on their own as solo artists, they began collaborating in 2003, with Lisa adding harmony vocals to Chris’s songs. Since then, they’ve deepened their musical partnership, incorporating new instrumentation such as bass, hand drum, and six-string banjo, and honing their twin vocal attack. Their second CD, the 5-cut "Truth That Hurts," is their first full-band effort, produced by Lorne Entress (Lori McKenna, Catie Curtis, Mark Erelli) and featuring guitarist Duke Levine (Mary Chapin Carpenter, Jonatha Brooke, Ellis Paul) and bassist Paul Kochanski (Resophonics). Also available is their debut CD "13 Songs Plus", which is packed with 21 songs performed in stark, powerful fashion, about which Greg Grant of the Online Folk Festival has this to say: "Just two voices and an acoustic guitar, but the songs are impressive, particularly the mythic folk ballad "Blackwater Dam," which has a timeless quality difficult to achieve."

Ghost Quartet
"Ghost Quartet is an anachronistic delight. Sharp, tactile, and playful, this Northfield, Massachusetts quintet offers up a new self-titled live EP that feels like something out of a smoke-filled 1920s nightclub. In 1975. In New Orleans. On Mars. Cacophony, chaos, and experimentation sit at the center of the five tracks on this jazz-funk treasure, transforming Ghost Quartet from a jazz recording into a piece of living, breathing art."
--Stephie Coplan, The Deli Magazine

Small Change
In an effort to wallow in obscurity for all these years, Small Change has chosen some pretty obscure tunes, sometimes by obscure artists, including songs written by Al Canali, Small Change singer and guitar player. Diversity in musical tastes has given Small Change a very eclectic mix of music. It all takes on a unique quality when backed by a solid wash tub bass, an instrument that defies dimension (and at times recognition!) when played by Dick Boehmer who gets more out of one string than most get out of four. Song choices happen for lots of reasons. It's all "interesting" - swing, jazz, country, folk and a cappella and some other genres that defy categorization. Small Change has performed live in just about every venue possible including a television production called "From Folk To Baroque" which aired on PBS in the mid seventies with violinist/fiddler Marie Rhynes in a performance for the Mohawk Trail Concerts. Along the way, radio, festivals, bars and private parties. No matter where Small Change performs, there are always plenty of tunes for every listener.

Haiku Handshake
Haiku Handshake started way back in the late part of 2008. Incredibly, their first hit single "Turtles" became very well known to their wives and close friends. Their music carries the band members early influences of They Might Be Giants and the Beatles, while Pat's background in punk keeps the vocals and melodies somewhat raw and energetic. As a four piece, you'll find the usual set up of drums, bass and guitar and vocals, but keep on the lookout for a few horns, keyboards and accordion in the mix. The bands motto, "If you're not enjoying yourself then neither are we."