Acoustic Long Island

This live performance was recorded on June 3, 2015. Click on the circle arrow button below to play the audio file.

Tall Heights is a contemporary American folk music duo based in Boston, Massachusetts, and made up of guitarist/singer Tim Harrington and cellist/singer Paul Wright. Though they had been writing and performing music together in other incarnations ever since high school, Wright and Harrington did not make the conscious decision to form the duo known as Tall Heights until the summer of 2010, when they began testing out material as buskers (street musicians) in Boston’s Faneuil Hall Marketplace. According to a recent interview with About.com Folk Music, the pair have known each other since they were children, when Harrington was just the younger brother of Wright’s good friend. No doubt, like many little brothers, he tagged along and was not taken seriously by his older friend until they entered high school and started discovering they had just as much in common. At that point, the two began singing together and casually participating in various musical projects. It wasn’t until the summer of 2010, however, that they discovered they had happened upon a sound and feel which set them apart from so much of the singer-songwriter music coming out of the Boston area music scene. In 2013, they released their first full-length album Man of Stone – a lush and emotionalized collection of genre-defying acoustic songs. As they’ve been told for years, the music defies what one might otherwise expect from simply two voices and two acoustic stringed instruments, but the bigger-than-life sound is something Tall Heights no doubt honed in their busking days. Without a doubt, these two are a folk duo to watch. For more on Tall Heights, click here. Photos courtesy of Howard Greenberg

This live performance was recorded on May 6, 2015. The Counterclockwise Ensemble is a unique listening experience that combines the intimacy and instrumentation of chamber music with the energy and vitality of a rock concert. The group is a guitar, strings and percussion quintet that plays contemporary music in a variety of genres, but primarily the compositions of guitarist Rich Stein, sprinkling in pieces by Gustav Holst, Aaron Copland and Led Zeppelin as well as traditional American and Irish folk tunes into their sets.The current ensemble includes founding members Rich Stein (guitar), Andrew and Rebecca Perea (violin and cello), Glen Saunders (double bass) and Jim Mansfield (percussion). For more on The Counter Clockwise Ensemble, click here. Click on the arrow below to play a recording of this performance. Photo courtesy of Howard Greenberg.

This live performance was recorded on May 6, 2015. Tom Griffith and Martha Trachtenberg are Huntington-based singer-songwriters who have not only chronicled the ups and downs of their 31 years together in their music, but also have achieved numerous individual musical successes. Tom is an award-winning singer, songwriter and recovering jingle writer whose jingles have been heard in ads for products such as Miller beer and M&Ms candy. His work has also appeared in several movies, and he has won two Clio awards. Tom’s album 40 Years Later was named the best Long Island CD of 2007 by Newsday. Martha was a founding member of the Buffalo Gals, the first all-woman bluegrass band. She’s appeared in the IBMA Songwriter Showcase three times, and her songs have been recorded by artists such as Toby Walker and Tony Trischka and Skyline. John Platt of WFUV has said that Martha “has a warm heart that infuses her songs with humanity and a supple voice that makes them ring true.” In addition to performing with Tom, Martha is a member of the acoustic female trio, The Folk Goddesses.  For more on Tom and Martha, click here or here. Click on the arrow below to play a recording of this performance. Photo courtesy of Howard Greenberg.

Recorded on April 1, 2015. Jesse has independently sold over 10,000 albums and had his music featured on TV shows such as One Tree Hill, Degrassi, and Teen Mom and toured with some amazing artists including Jewel, KT Tunstall, Matt Simons, Hanson, and Ryan Cabrera. His first self-released 2008 debut, “Aiming for Honesty”, consolidated his growing audience, whom the performer has cultivated with virtually nonstop touring and persistent online networking. The online community played a critical role in his debut album, funding the recordings through a project run by five of Ruben’s friends on Facebook. His latest work, “Thoughts I’ve Never Had Before”, was released last year as two EPs and contain the thoughtful “Carry On” and the anthemic “We Can”, a song that has been embraced by schools around the world & has inspired students to follow their dreams.  For more on Jesse’s music, click here. Click on the arrow below to play a recording of this performance. Photo courtesy of Howard Greenberg.

Recorded on April 1, 2015. Listening to Jeff LeBlanc’s new album My Own Way There is like driving with the top down.  With Jeff at the wheel, he takes you on a winding road through a varied landscape of songs and stories.  The opening track, This Moment rings like a mission statement for LeBlanc’s journey; the lyric “you’ve come too far to have to turn back now” depicts his unwavering perseverance on the path to achieving something to call his own. Jeff and his Jeep logged over 70,000 miles this past year, encompassing hundreds of theaters, clubs and college campuses, taking him from coast to coast.  Along the way, he’s been called upon to support a diverse array of artists including Gavin DeGraw, Colbie Caillat, Goo Goo Dolls, Ingrid Michaelson, Brett Dennen, Matt Nathanson, Luke Bryan, Lifehouse, Chris Isaak, Parachute and many more.  As a self-managed artist, his continuous grass-roots efforts has built him a dedicated following – a following longing for his third studio album. My Own Way There was released on July 30th, 2013 and debuted in the Top 10 of the ITunes Singer/Songwriter Chart. For more on Jeff’s music, go to www.jeffleblancmusic.com/music. Click on the arrow below to play the recording from this performance. Photo courtesy of Howard Greenberg

Recorded on April 1, 2015. After a two month hiatus from nasty winter weather, Dave opens the show with Long Island duo, Billy and Gabi. Find out more at www.billyandgabi.com. Click on the button below to play this performance. Photo courtesy of Howard Greenberg.

Raised in Northern California, Margaret Glaspy has brought her indescribable voice to the east coast and New York City couldn’t be happier. A committed student to the music around her, her influences include Oumou Sangare, Feist, Jeff Buckley, and Nina Simone while she’s shared the stage with the likes of Rachael Yamagata, Ricky Skaggs, Tim O’Brien, Jon Scofield, among others. She’s got a sound and a writing style that is undeniable and well beyond her 25 years.  For more on Margaret, go to www.mglaspy.com. Photo courtesy of Howard Greenberg

A seasoned NYC session player, Andy Stack decided to leave the city he called home for over a decade in favor of the beauty of the Hudson Valley in June 2013. Within 6 months he had written a full album of original Roots/Rock/Americana music with his new band, Buffalo Stack, slated for release in August of 2014. Come hear the music created by the player that the NY Times described as “full of fragile melody and tensile strength”. For more, go to www.buffalostack.com. Photos courtesy of Howard Greenberg.

Micah’s music is a touch of folk mixed with some soul and topped off with a little bit of heartbreak. The last 4 years have brought him coast to coast and back again playing clubs, colleges, living rooms and everything in between. With his strong affinity for bacon and flannel, some have deemed him the Ron Swanson of singer-songwriters. Picture the soulful powerhouse vocals of John Legend behind a guitar with a laid back style like Ray LaMontagne. Micah is a new buzz artist not to be missed. For more, go to www.facebook.com/micahmusic. Photo courtesy of Howard Greenberg

It was our final concert of 2014 as the mansion waited to get a holiday makeover for various seasonal events in December. The evening was electric with energy which is evident in the three recordings you’ll hear. After giving his thoughts, both good and bad, about the “Concert Window” trend, Dave got the music flowing with native Long Islander, Anthony James Morace. Give a listen and feel the electricity! Photo courtesy of Howard Greenberg.