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Patterson Chapter News
Volume 21, Issue 5: May & June 2001
Newsletter segments:
Kingston chapter news, Patterson chapter news, Poughkeepsie chapter news, and other articles.March Open Mic:
by Carol Hotte
Frank Collins, Chris DePalma, Finley & Murray, Joe Giacometti, Ron Gluck, Carol Hotte, Vince Sauter, Brian Sullivan, Sheila Valastro
Patterson's March Coffeehouse was momentous as our largest audience to date (60+!) turned out to hear Roye Donald and Bob Giacometti's co-feature, billed as a Gordon Lightfoot tribute. Bob's association with the HVFG extends back 15 years, having been a past-featured performer/songwriter.
Their sets highlighted the Gordon Lightfoot songs we all know and love, from a duo medley, to their ending number, "The Wreck of the Edmond Fitzgerald". Interspersed with Roye and Bob's renditions were two of their originals: Roye's "Free As The Wind" and Bob's "Phoebe Snow" (based on an advertising ploy of the Lackawana). They were yet two more example of how combining talents and similar tastes profit all of us at the HVFG.
(How poignant that giving Bruce Morrison's penchant for train songs, that this would have been his last coffeehouse with us)
April Open Mic:
by Martin Aronchick
Scott Morrison, Kevin & Carol Becker and Rich Keyes, Brian Sullivan, Red Rogers, Ron Gluck, Bill & Brandi Hayden, John Martucci, Lorraine Klara, Barbara Mahon, Carol Hotte & Chris DePalma, Guy Randall
Our April co-featured performer, Melissa Holland, summed it up well. The Patterson Chapter's coffeehouse was a bittersweet night, our first gathering since our friend and Patterson Chapter founder Bruce Morrison passed away. Sheila Valastro, the other half of our feature, sang songs combining sonorous vocals with a rhythmic arpeggio guitar style in her covers of "Eleanor Rigby" and "Swallows," the latter with backing vocals by Rose DiSienna. Changing styles, Sheila sang a powerful version of "Lay Your Burdens Down," a traditional a capella "shout," backed by her bongo playing and melodic fills from Melissa Holland's flute.
Sheila brought the house to their feet with "Never Be the Sun," dedicated to Bruce and her brother-in-law. Sweet harmonies underscored the poignant lyrics; "But even on the deepest ocean, you will be the light." Sheila then brought up Ron Gluck, who, she said, had just the right "gruff" bass to offset her vocals on "Northern Cross." Sheila followed with an angelic version of "Jesse," and concluded with an emotional reprise of "Never Be the Sun."
Melissa began with "Better Stop Raining," a seamless two-part harmony supported by Sheila. Melissa's next song, "Trust Me," featured her flowing keyboards. Her next song, "Barbie 2000," was, in Melissa's words, "a call to arms for the manu- facture of a realistic Barbie that doesn't screw up American females' heads." "Moving Away," Melissa's next song, had a moody Martin Denny-type feel. "Stuck in Chinatown" was her lament about the frustrations of being a musician. "Legacy" was about having courage to be free. Judging from Melissa's daughter Emily Holland's performance on backing vocals, we need not worry about the ability of the next generation to produce fine music.
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