NIGHTLIFE HIGHLIGHTS
BY DJ WAVY DAVY
WDST MOUNTAIN JAM June 4. It’s an exciting time around Utopia Studios as WDST celebrates 25 years of independent broadcasting. Known for fostering new talent, ‘DST artists who will return the favor at Hunter Mountain include slide-guitar wiz Robert Randolph and the Family Band; Medeski, Martin, and Wood; and the unstoppable Gov’t Mule. (The birthday party continues when the Neville Brothers hit UPAC July 2.) 2pm. $40 advance, $45 day-of-show. Hunter. (845) 679-7600 www.wdst.com
ANNUAL SPRING RAGAS June 4. Bansuri flute virtuoso Steve Gorn calls his spring fling a Jugalbandi (literally “weaving together”), where two or more artists perform together. Steve will be joined at the Stone Ridge Center for the Arts by Barun Kumar Pal (a disciple of Ravi Shankar) on hansaveena, a modern Indian slide guitar, and Samir Chatterjee on tabla. The same trio graces Steve’s latest CD Pranam (Biswas), dedicated to Swami Vivekananda. 8pm. Stone Ridge. (845) 687-8890 www.stevegorn.com
BENMARL FIRST WEEKEND SERIES June 4, 5. Cries of “In Vino Musicas” will be heard from the hills of Benmarl Winery as they open their 2005 festival season. On Saturday imbibe straight from the source as charming owner Mark Miller leads his famous cellar tasting. Sunday bring your picnic basket and enjoy sultry chanteuse Rebecca Martin. Noon. $6 (Sat.) $10 (Sun.) Children and Wine Club members free. Marlboro. (845) 236-4265. www.benmarl.com
VARGA OPEN MIKES Thursdays. Gallery gal Christina Varga is a live wire on the art scene, hitting every area opening and hosting plenty more at her eponymous space. Varga curates outdoor art shows, lifemodel drawing, and now a weekly open mike that draws the most outrageous performers in town. According to Varga, “Anything goes! All kinds of music, all kinds of artists welcome.” 7pm. Free. Woodstock. 845-679-4005. www.vargagallery.com
MOHAMMAD REZA LOTFI June 18. The righteous Rosendale Theater presents a rare performance by Lotfi, a leading interpreter of traditional Persian music and a virtuoso of the tar and setar (long-necked lutes). Lotfi will perform extended improvisations from the classical Persian repertoire accompanied by his son Omid on setar and tonbak (goblet drum). Because of its delicacy and intimate sonority, the setar is the preferred instrument of Sufi mystics. 8pm. $15. Rosendale. (845) 658-8989.
CHRISTINE SPERO GROUP June 25. This red-hot Brazilian jazz singer/bandleader recently won the Billboard 2004 USA Songwriting competition with her tune “He Wasn’t Always That Way.” Spero’s swinging into the big time, but The Market at Catskill Point presents her combo during their weekly farmers’ mart, graced by shimmering views of the Catskill Creek and Hudson River. 10:30am. Free. Catskill. (518) 943-3400. www.christinesperogroup.com
KINGSTON JAZZ WEEKEND June 25, 26. Kingston hits a sweet note with not one but three outdoor jazz events this weekend. Saturday at 3pm join director Peggy Stern at the second Wall Street Jazz Fest, featuring Betty MacDonald, Rebecca Martin (pictured at left), Lee Shaw Trio, and more. The Hudson Valley Youth Jazz quartet, with vocalist Laura Simpson, hits the Senate House historic site Sunday at 2pm. Then head downtown for the first Rondout Jazz Fest at T.R. Gallo Park, starring Jon Faddis’s Quartet, The Vanguard Jazz Orchestra with Joe Lovano, and the Alex Torres Latin Band, beginning at noon. All events free. Kingston. (845) 331-0080. WWW.WALLSTREETJAZZFESTIVAL.COM
—DJ Wavy Davy
44 Chronogram
6/05