Tremendous performances round out Norwood Village Green Concert Series Aug. 4, 7

NORWOOD -- Several premier guitarists are scheduled to take the stage over the next few days at the Norwood Village Green Concert Series.

Guitar Legends of the North Country with Danny Gotham, Paul Meyers and Dick Stephan are sure to bring down the house Thursday, Aug. 4 at 7 p.m.

A Potsdam native now living in Chapel Hill, N.C., Gotham has been hooked on string instruments from an early age. He has performed with some of the finest acoustic players of our area and the nation – John Kribs, Peter Ostrousko, Tom Paxton, Chris Leske, Kevin Maul, Craig Vance, Barb Heller, and others.

Meyers has performed and/or recorded with such jazz greats as Geri Allen, Kenny Barron, Ron Carter, Ray Drummond, Eliane Elias, Wynton Marsalis, George Mraz, and Kenny Werner.

He's also toured for years with two of the greatest jazz singers ever - Jon Hendricks since 1993, and Andy Bey from 1997 to 2008 and has toured with jazz singer and 4 time Grammy nominated Karrin Allyson.

Stephan, now professor emeritus, was conductor of the Crane Symphony Orchestra at SUNY Potsdam and taught string bass, jazz guitar, and string education. He has appeared as a guest conductor/clinician in New York, Ohio, Utah, Kansas, Pennsylvania, Hawaii, and Ontario, Canada. He conducted the opening ceremonies of the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid.

The final performance of this year’s series will be Sunday, Aug. 7 with a family performance by Magpie. The concert begins at 7 p.m.

Families are encouraged to enjoy this concert entitled “Under One Sky”. It is based on Magpie’s recording “Circle of Life,” a group of 14 environmental songs for children.

From the beginning the duo’s interests in various musical styles have led them to be eclectic in their repertoire. Rather than confine themselves to a single style, Magpie has always embraced a musical rainbow, and with impressive proficiency in each different genre. From traditional, classic country, swing, and blues of the nineteen twenties and thirties, to contemporary songs written by themselves and others, they cover a lot of musical ground.

Circle of Life is Magpie's first album for children and has been greeted with great acclaim by children, parents, and educators, and such environmental notables as the National Audubon Society. The Smithsonian, when it released its monumental collection, Folk Song America: A Twentieth Century Revival in 1991, included Magpie's rendition of "Sacco's Letter to His Son" from If It Ain't Love among selections by 99 of the most eminent folk music artists of our time.

Admission to the concerts is free but there will be a “pass the bucket” fund collection. For more information, visit norwoodvillagegreenconcerts.org.