Alt-Nation: Folk Fest Wrap-Up and the Latest from The Silks

Newport Folk Fest

The book is closed on the 2016 Newport Folk Fest, which showcased a mix of rising stars, modern day heavyweights and bona fide legends. Friday’s highlights included Raury, who mixes folk and hip-hop to create a soulful uplifting vibe. Dan Auerbach’s side project The Arcs had the feel of The Black Keys in a more fleshed-out arrangement playing tunes from their debut, Yours Dreamily. I also caught a surprise set from country legend Kris Kristofferson in the tiny Museum Stage, which was something I certainly never expected to see. Kristofferson would do another set Saturday backed by the Texas Gentlemen. Upcoming Nashville star Margo Price and main stage headliners, the New Zealand comedy duo, Flight of The Conchords, rounded out my list of Friday’s highlights. The latter performed many of their tunes from their popular HBO show like “Business Time” and “Too Many Dicks (on the Dance Floor).”

Saturday featured a hilarious back and forth trolling exchange between Ryan Adams and Father John Misty one day after the latter got booed off the stage at another festival. Adams’ set with his band The Infamous Stringdusters featured a bluegrass take on songs from his catalog. Father John Misty had a big bounce-back solo stripping down his tunes to solo acoustic format. Singer-songwriter John Moreland’s set was a revelation with great tunes like “You Don’t Care For Me Enough to Cry,” “American Flags in Black & White” and “Nobody Gives a Damn About Songs Anymore” delivered in his unique voice. Ruby Amanfu took a star turn showcasing a powerful set of pipes on tunes from her forthcoming record, Standing Still, which is due out at the end of August. Notable about Amanfu’s set from a local perspective was her backing band featured three members of Deer Tick. Amanfu would also later perform at Deer Tick’s post-Folk Fest Bash with Deer Tick covering The Cranberries’ “Zombie” and Screamin’ Jay Hawkins’s “I Put a Spell on You.” Graham Nash showed he still carries the ’60s protest spirit with tunes like “Military Madness” and “Immigration Man.” Nash sent everyone home happy with a closing sing-along of “Teach Your Children Well.” The two best things I saw Saturday was one artist who was totally unknown to me — Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats — and a long time- favorite, Patti Smith. Rateliff & The Night Sweats made it even hotter under the midday sun that was mercilessly beating down with some old school bopping ’60s soul. Smith is a dynamic performer who lifts spirits in tunes like “Dancing Barefoot,” “Summer Cannibals” and “People Have the Power.” Smith’s set was heavy on covers including a reading of Allen Ginsberg’s “Holy, Holy, Holy” and renditions of tunes by Prince (“When Doves Cry”), The Who (“My Generation”), Rolling Stones (“This Will Be The Last Time”) and Bruce Springsteen (“Because the Night”).

On Sunday Elvis Costello’s set was one for the ages, literally, as he covered songs from the ’20s as well as tunes from throughout his extensive catalog. Billed as solo performance, Costello’s set was anything but, featuring guests like Rebecca and Megan Lovell from Larkin Poe, Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Glen Hansard, and Dawes, members of whom were in the Middle Brother. Highlights of Costello sets were “Every Day I Write the Book,” “King of America” and “(What’s So Funny Bout) Peace, Love, and Understanding.” Middle Brother, an indie super group featuring members of Dawes, Delta Spirit and Deer Tick, performed their self-titled album cover-to-cover on the main stage. Son Little gave a stirring set early in the day. Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros closed out the Quad stage with a set that started off sounding like a jug band before transcending into their hippie alterna-daze hits like “40 Day Dream.” They seemed to be having a ball and genuinely bummed that they couldn’t play all night because of the stage curfew. All in all the Newport Folk Fest lived up to the magic of its rich tradition in delivering something for everyone and spotlighting artists, both new and grizzled legends.

The Silks – Turn Me On

It’s been three years since The Silks dropped their debut, Last American Band, which was recorded with Paul Westerberg. Since then, The Silks have toured, played festivals and opened for bands like The Replacements, but it is in a sweaty club where the band is in their element. On Turn Me On, The Silks deliver more of their signature early ’70s stomp rock. The opening “All Day” sounds like bastard of Solomon Burke’s “Everybody Needs Someone to Love” and the Stones’ “The Last Time.” “Rolling Wheel” is a fuzz-infused barroom swinger where singer/guitar wizard Tyler-James Kelly sings of the love of being back on tour with a lines like “take that rearview mirror, throw it out the door, you’ll won’t need to look at it anymore.” “Blue” is a ballad in the vein of the Stones’ “Angie.” “Take Me to Town” mixes a honky-tonk vibe with barroom rock in the vein of John Cafferty and the Beaver Brown Band. My favorite tune on the new biscuit is the three-chord stomp of “Get Up and Get Free,” which is like one psych-garage meets Humble Pie. The rhythm section of Jonas Parmelee on bass and “Uncle” Sam Jodrey anchor the beat, freeing Kelly to insert as many molten leads as his heart desires. Tunes like “Get Up and Get Free” and “Home” showcase the growth of the band from their debut making more use of Kelly’s harmonica playing and incorporating more elements to make a richer album. Turn Me On is available now online through bandcamp.com.

The Silks celebrate the release of Turn Me On with a show with Tall Teenagers and The Low Cards at Aurora in Providence on August 12.

Email music news to [email protected]

Album Of The Week: Descendents’ Hypercaffium Spazzinate

In this crazy year we need punk rock more than ever. We need to listen to some amplified, angst-filled, guitar-driven music that ignites the rambunctiousness in all of us. Seems like the perfect time for the Descendents to put out their first album in 12 years, right? The punk legends from Manhattan Beach, California, have their seventh album, Hypercaffium Spazzinate, out and the fearsome foursome have gone back to what they do best. That’s unleashing feverish riffs, pristine drumming and lyrics that come straight from the heart.

The title is an ode to frontman Milo Aukerman’s former career as a research biochemist while the album itself harks back to the Descendents’ earlier material in tone and style. When the band’s previous album Cool To Be You came out in 2004, polished pop punk was all over the place. Being a band that are considered to be pioneers of pop punk (which I find to be weird), the Descendents went with the times with Cool To Be You and put out a clean sounding album. Hypercaffium Spazzinate brings back the band’s edge that they had in the ’80s. The album’s production quality has a little bit of grit and that’s what a punk band should sound like.

Pop punk is a bit of an oxymoron in my opinion. Punk started out as a genre that counteracted what pop music was in the ’70s and then punk bands started bringing melody. That’s what makes it pop? Maybe that’s why we have crappy bands like All Time Low and The Maine corrupting the youth, though that’s not the Descendents’ fault. Before I ramble on more than I should, let’s mosh to my top tracks from the Album Of The Week:

A minute-long rager, “We Got Defeat,” has a triumphant chorus that adds power to a track that’s lightning quick. “Spineless and Scarlet Red” is Aukerman’s examination of people’s cowardice and ignorance toward where people like to place blame. It’s always nice to hear Bill Stevenson drum and he proves why he’s still one of the best from start to finish. Karl Alvarez is the anchor on bass in “Limiter,” a pissed-off song about how drug addiction can alienate the young. The track has a full arsenal of shred from guitarist Stephen Edgerton coming at a rapid pace.

The Descendents will be tearing apart the Royale in Boston on October 6 with Philadelphia punks Beach Slang. From the looks of it, it should be one of the top shows to happen in The Hub by year’s end. While you wait for the leaves to fall and the show to blow the roof off the joint, grab a copy of Hypercaffium Spazzinate. It’s hot out of the lab and it’s bound to explode.

Stream “Limiter” hère: youtube.com/watch?v=UhvIF3V5wQc; Follow the Descendents on Tumblr: descendents.tumblr.com

Mike D’s Top 5 Can’t Miss Shows of August

1. Saturday, August 13: Foo Fest with Dan Deacon, Arc Iris, Churchburn, Ed Schrader’s Music Beat, Harry And the Potters, AS220 Youth Zukrewe, Taina Asili, Houseboy, Leiko, Gertrude Atherton, Powermonster, Hussy, Secret Lover, Lovesick, Sidy Maiga, The Quahogs, Snowplows, Theosophia, Flintstones, XR-Tabs; 1pm; $7 advance / $10 day of; All ages; Empire St Block Party, Providence. One of Providence’s best annual parties of the year is back with a tremendous headliner: electronic psychedelic dance party empressario Dan Deacon. Do yourself a favor and arrange your schedule around his performance. I am also really excited to catch Ed Schrader’s Music Beat. Check out their video “Laughing;” my powers of deduction lead me to believe they recorded at Machines With Magnets. Also check out Churchburn, Gertrude Atherton, Arc Iris and the Quahogs. Regardless of when you get there or if you go by yourself or not, there will be a ton of people you know walking around drinking in the sun all day. The atmosphere is just as great as the music.

2. Sunday, August 14: The Mallett Brothers; 3:30 to 6:30pm; 21+ only; The Ocean Mist, 895 Matunuck Beach Rd., Wakefield. It’s almost the end of summer and you haven’t done shit. No worries, it happens to the best of us. This season flies by, and we all long for the ultimate beach day experience. This is your chance. Wake up a bit early, get down to the beach for a little bit, then shoot over to the Ocean Mist, the ultimate summer beach bar. Maine’s honkey tonks The Mallett Brothers are playing a late brunch set inside and are not to missed. The Mist kitchen is a great spot for lunch; build up your strength, then go get oysters at Matunuck Oyster Bar (amazing) or Two Ten Oyster Bar (pretty good, cheaper). After fully soaking in the best of what summer in South County has to offer, I recommend going to Newport for a later show …

3. Sunday, August 14: Fishbone, The Agents, Brunt Of It; 9pm; $20; 21+; The Cafe at The Parlor, 200 Broadway St., Newport. Last call for a summer experience continues at the Parlor in Newport (not to be confused with the one in Providence 20 steps from my house and with a u). Fishbone are the ultimate party house band, blasting ska punk funk for well over 35 years (?!). Rhode Island ska standouts The Agents have also been at it for a long time — 20+ years. After a year or so hiatus, they are back at it and smack in the middle of a tremendous bill that also features another Rhode Island mainstay. Newport’s Punk Ska Hardcore act Brunt of It are also veterans to the scene, having been at it for over 15 years. You should get a ticket in advance for this as the Parlor is a small joint for this show and a great intimate setting. Getting an AirBnB isn’t a terrible idea either.

4. Saturday, August 20: Reunion In Honor of Joe Moody: Kilgore (Smudge), Times Expired, State Of Corruption, Shed; 730pm doors; $18 advance / $20 day of; All ages; The Met, 1005 Main St, Pawtucket. It was a sudden tragic loss when Joe Moody passed away this March and a huge hit to the local music community. Joe produced countless local musical acts based out of his studio Danger Multitrack Studios and was beloved by them. And if you want to see how much he was appreciated and loved by the local bands, look no further look than the scene’s call to action and response. Here we have huge local metal acts from the ’90s, reuniting to play in Joe’s honor for one night only. It’s been well over a decade since Kilgore or Shed hit the stage. Shed goes on first, so get there early. And make sure to get a ticket in advance.

5. Friday, September 2: Rhode Island Peace Fest 6: Promoting Love, Unity, and Culture; with performances by Chachi, Jon Hope, Cam Bells, Cru Alxndr, Swann Notty, Medusa Black, Rudy Rudacious, Project 401, Trav Black, Satta, Need, J9 with all artists backed by International Players Band; 7pm doors/ 8pm show; $10 advance / $12 day of; All ages; The Met, 1005 Main St, Pawtucket. I stopped reading the newspaper last December. Anyone who knows me or sees me eating lunch or dinner knows that is significant. While I gave up on The Providence Journal years ago, I was still committed to The New York Times. But in December, the election cycle finally crushed my soul and I couldn’t take it anymore. In this current media cycle, fear sells, resonates and gets louder and louder every week. With the surprising and surging amount of hate out there, there couldn’t be a better time for another installment of Peace Fest. The event, organized by local hip-hop icon Chachi Carvalho, brings together some the most talented and sharp minds of the Rhode Island hip-hop community for a night of Love, Unity and Culture. Each act will be backed by The International Players band; it should be a great evening and a sign that we are above fear and hate. Also worth noting: 8/5 & 8/6 Collie Buddz @ The Ocean Mist; 8/11 L7 @ The Paradise (Boston); 8/12 The Silks (album release), Tall Teenagers, The Low Cards @ Aurora; 8/17 Hurry Up (mems of Bangs, The Thermals), Pyramid, Neutrinos @ The Met; 8/19 Moga, Last Good Tooth, Sugar Honey Iced Tea; 8/25 Bored With Four @AS220; 9/3 Wargames @ The Met

The Roots Report: Headin’ Out on the Highway

Okee dokee folks … I am once again writing my column in a speeding car. Last year I did the same while coming home from South Carolina, this time I’m heading up to Burlington, Vermont. No, I am not going to visit Bernie Sanders, though it would be cool to meet him. I am going to a wedding. Not mine! Obviously I am a passenger or I would be putting a whole new spin on texting while driving. But I am not a good passenger because I like to be in control. I’ve been playing with the radio for the past three hours and changing stations almost every song. I have gone through half a bag of veggie chips, two pizza strips, an aloe vera drink and am thinking about what I can snack on next. I am not really hungry, I’m bored. And I’m trying not to be a side seat driver. I don’t like to drive as much as I used to, but I really don’t like to be a passenger either. Many years ago my friend Denise described someone as being “a passenger of life,” and that term has always stuck with me. I DEFINITELY don’t want to be a passenger of life. I want to be in control. I want to drive!

Last night, during a political argument on Facebook, someone told me I should leave the state more, but I am probably more well traveled than many. I have been to seven countries and more than half of the United States. One of my favorite quotes from Mark Twain sums up my feelings about this perfectly, “Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry and narrow mindedness and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one’s lifetime.” Read on…

The Knickerbocker in Westerly has a couple of great shows coming up on Saturday, August 6 and Sunday, August 7. First up is a night featuring two New England Music Awards Winners: Gretchen & The Pickpockets and Daphne Lee Martin. Since banding together at the University of New Hampshire over a mutual love of jazz, soul and rock and roll, Gretchen & The Pickpockets have performed all over the United States. Named after a hometown road with a history for larceny, the group quickly gained attention with their uniquely polished blend of genres and energetic live shows. After becoming a global finalist in the Hard Rock Rising competition and garnering nominations for best song and favorite act at the Seacoast Spotlight Awards, the band released their eponymous debut album and toured across the country to promote it. With their album used as a soundtrack for the award-winning web series “Staying in Boston,” G&P won best theme song at LA Webfest 2015. Recently nominated as the best band in NH at the New England Music Awards and showing no signs of slowing down, the group has earned a reputation as one of the most promising young bands in existence today.

Daphne Lee Martin blends genres in the legacy of Tin Pan Alley songwriters. She also takes traditional southern roots sounds and runs them through megaphones, mellotron, an old tube amp or even a dark alley. Her lyrics are “fermented and distilled in a bathtub full of misfit Interbellum prose.” Martin has been touring nationally for the last few years, and recently released her fourth full-length album, Fall On Your Sword.

On Sunday, August 7, the always entertaining, bluesy, rockin’, boogie-woogie, pianist and singer Marcia Ball brings her infectious, intelligent and deeply emotional brand of southern, rollicking, roadhouse music and heartfelt ballads to the Knick. Over the course of her three-decade career, Ball has earned a huge and intensely loyal following all over the world. Her piano playing and passionate, playful vocals fuse New Orleans R&B with Austin’s songwriting tradition into a sound all her own. For more, en garde over to knickmusic.com

The seventh annual Waterfront Reggae Festival will take place on Saturday, August 13 from noon to 10pm along the waterfront at India Point Park in Providence. The festival line-up features the late Bob Marley’s legendary reggae band The Wailers, as well as Maxi Priest, Etana, Jesse Royal, The Cornerstone and The Ravers. In addition to the 10 hours of music, there will be a Reggae Pit with authentic Jamaican food options, multiple bars serving festive island cocktails and much more. “We are thrilled that Maxi Priest will be joining us for the 7th Annual Reggae Festival as he is another reggae superstar to add to the 10 hours of live music,” said Michele Maker Palmieri, President and CEO of Waterfront Productions, the parent company of Rhode Island Waterfront Events. “We already had secured several traditional reggae bands, most notably The Wailers, so the reggae fusion of Maxi Priest helps satisfy our goal of creating different reggae vibes throughout the day and night.” For more, “ya mon” to riwaterfrontevents.com

The New Bedford Whaling Blues Festival returns to scenic Fort Taber Park overlooking Buzzards Bay and the Elizabeth Islands on Saturday, August 13 from 11:45am – 7:45pm. The 2016 New Bedford Whaling Blues Festival features platinum selling guitarist Kenny Wayne Shephard, the “new Queen of the Blues” Shemekia Copeland, Grammy-winning New Orleans funk master Jon Cleary and The Absolute Monster Gentlemen, New Bedford’s Quinn Sullivan and Martha’s Vineyard’s Johnny Hoy and the Bluefish. In addition to the main stage artists, The Festival also dedicates a stage to local talent. This year’s artists include Shipyard Wreck, Neal McCarthy and Craig DeMelo. “The idea of bringing back the Festival has been stoked over the years by many fans who expressed how much they missed the event,” says festival founder, Sean Moriarty. For more, harpoon to nbwhalingbluesfest.com

Saturday, August 13 at The Mediator Stage, The Four Corners show returns. Performers for the night are Elad Vilk, Kala Farnham, Mark Calhoon, Heather Waxman, Leonard Levander, Mike Laureanno, Lisa Couto, Megan Gilbert and host Don Tassone. The song theme for this concert will be “Cold Steel Wire.” Fore more, bale over to facebook.com/mediatorstage

Current music director of Common Fence Music in Portsmouth, Tom Perotti, will step down from his position at the end of this year. Common Fence Music is currently searching for a new musical director to take over in January 2017. The individual they seek will begin training in fall 2016 by attending several CFM concerts and observing the work of Perrotti. In order to apply for the CFM musical director position, send a cover letter indicating your interest in the job as well as your resume to Common Fence Music board member and grant writer, Irene Glasser, at [email protected] by August 22. For more about Common Fence Music picket to commonfencemusic.org

Got an old beginner instrument lying around? The Rhode Island Bluegrass is looking for instruments to loan to aspiring bluegrass musicians. Their “Learner Loaner” program will provide a banjo, guitar, mandolin, bass, fiddle or dobro to a member or member family for six months at a time so that they can learn the basics without having to purchase the instrument. If you can donate to this program or need more info please email [email protected]

Squeezing this in! The Sweet Little Variety Show will present Baby Oil, Joe Conscious, Banjo player Kate Mick and more! It all happens August 11 at Aurora in Providence. Hit ’em up at [email protected] for more.

That’s it for now. Thanks for reading. JohnFuzek.com

Doug Woolverton Pays Tribute To Miles Davis In Newport

Photo Credit: Coes Photography

When it comes to influence and mastering improvisation, few come close to the legendary jazz artist Miles Davis. His landmark albums Kind Of Blue and Bitches Brew always come up in jazz conversations and his legacy flows through countless genres and eras of modern music. As part of Bridgefest happening in Newport from July 25-28, Newport native and musician Doug Woolverton will pay tribute to Davis’ legendary 1958 performance at the Newport Jazz Festival at the Jane Pickens Theater & Event Center on the 28th. It promises to be a one-of-a-kind night with one of the best musicians in The Ocean State doing his rendition of some of Davis’ best work.

Ahead of the spectacular evening, Woolverton and I had a chat about Miles’ influence on him as a musician, playing with arrangements while being free with the solos, being as versatile as possible, keeping busy and what his goals for the rest of 2016 are.

Rob Duguay: What made you want to start this Miles Davis tribute project?

Doug Woolverton: I’m a trumpet player so from being a young kid and hearing Miles Davis’ music I became very influenced by him. I remember when my father, who’s also a musician, would do woodworking and one time he was playing a tune off of the Kind Of Blue record and I went over to my father and said ,”Oh! That sounds cool!” I was so little, I’m talking like 4 or 5 years old, but I knew at that time that I wanted to play that instrument and at such a young age I could relate to Miles’ melody, his phrasing and stuff. It was a huge inspiration as I got older to study the trumpet, go to college to learn more about it and eventually become a professional trumpet player. I dug into his music and very much realized how much he did for music with different styles and creating styles, he always had that really great sound, but he also wasn’t afraid to leave out notes for parts of his solos. Being a trumpet player I always wanted to be a part of his career and the music that he was producing.

RD: It’s always great to pay tribute to influential artists and it sounds like Davis had a big influence on you.

DW: Huge. There’s another story, too. I was playing this festival and a 10-year-old girl there asked me who my favorite songwriter was. I said, “Miles Davis” and she asked, “Who’s that?” Then I started to think to myself that if the younger generation doesn’t know who one of my favorite trumpet players is, then I need to do my part to keep Miles’ name alive through the younger generation. That’s where I kind of came up with the idea to do a tribute to Miles so all ages could come to my shows. I could talk about Miles and what he did and then you could hear the evolution of what he did for music while going through this musical journey, and all ages could hear the music that Miles Davis was doing through the sound of my trumpet.

RD: When you play Miles Davis’ songs, do you go note for note or do you put your own spin on it? Jazz is very improvisational and Miles never played a song of his the same way twice.

DW: Yes and no. When I perform the Kind Of Blue album it is literally the exact arrangements as he performs on the record. When it comes time for Miles’ solo or Bill Evans’ solo or Coltrane’s solo, that’s when the band and I are all ourselves. When you hear me playing a solo it’s Doug Woolverton and not me trying to exactly transcribe Miles’ solo. My shows aren’t for me to be Miles, it lets your ears hear his arrangements and great arranging, but also hear what he was doing for the music of that time period. I also want people to hear what I sound like when I’m soloing. I will quote different parts of Miles’ solos that I obviously have listened to a lot and I want to pay respect to Miles. A lot of what you’re hearing is exact arrangements with each solo coming from a member of the band who is playing it in their own style, but making the same sound.

RD: You play in Roomful Of Blues and The Ravers, which are a reggae act. You’ve also done a bunch of collaborations with artists, for example with A Troop Of Echoes on their last EP The Longest Year On Record. When it comes to doing other projects outside of jazz, do you prepare differently? Are you very methodical when it comes to taking on new projects or do you find yourself making a lot more adjustments?

DW: Essentially my concept is in a nutshell from a phone call I got around seven or eight years ago from a guy named Rashawn Ross. If you’re not familiar with Rashawn Ross, he’s the trumpet player for The Dave Matthews Band. He calls me up because my teacher told Chris Ponti and Chris then told Rashawn so I get this call from one of my other favorite trumpet players. We had this great conversation and I asked him about how he got to where he is today and he said basically that he never limited himself to just playing jazz music or just playing blues music. He always wanted to be marketable and he didn’t want to sound like a jazz player playing blues music or a jazz player playing a funk gig or a jazz player playing a reggae gig.

He wanted to be marketable and hirable to be a guy who shows up to a funk gig and sounds like he’s been listening to funk music all his life. When he shows up to a jazz gig he sounds like he’s been listening to jazz music all his life. That really hit me when I practice and I practice every single day, that’s kind of been my motto all along and I didn’t realize it until he said it, and it’s so true. If I get called to do any type of gig I want to sound like the style of music that I’m playing. It is difficult because you got to remember songs like what I do with Roomful or what I do with my own band The Groove Merchants or the Miles Davis show.

It’s all different stuff, but I guess what I want to accomplish is when the audience is listening to any style of music that I’m playing I want them to basically say, “Yeah, that guy sounds like the art.” I’m not playing correctly, I’m playing the style. As far as preparation goes I have to listen to all styles of music so I can quote stuff from the likes of Sly & The Family Stone and D’Angelo.

RD: A lot of contemporary jazz artists put their own spin on jazz while also doing collaborations, like Robert Glasper playing music with hip-hop artists on his acclaimed album Black Radio. You have all of this under-the-radar stuff happening in jazz; it’s becoming strangely versatile and all of these musicians are putting their hands in a lot of different pots. What are your thoughts on all this?

DW: Jazz is really tough nowadays because with what the population is listening to, jazz isn’t on the top. As a jazz musician you have to get really creative when it comes to any outlook of that style of music. It’s like you said — when a jazz artist is making music with a hip-hop artist, there’s a lot of collaboration. With the Miles Davis show that I perform, I’ve put a lot of thought and effort into the stage production. When people show up to the Jane Pickens Theater on Thursday, they’re going to see that I’ve thought about the moving lights, the banner in the backdrop, the ambience of the room, the way the color structure is and the how the whole show is going to run. It’s my spin on keeping jazz music interesting to the younger generation. With jazz today there’s a whole lot of talent, and how do you keep it different and have people wanting to listen to it? Let’s have Chris Botti record a song with Aerosmith and Sting. That’s a way to kind of keep jazz listeners loving jazz music. For me I love hearing collaborations. With my show, which is going to be entirely jazz music, I can still put a contemporary spin on it with the way the whole set up is going to be. I think jazz these days is doing great and like the music, it’s improvisational with creativity. The motto with jazz is staying creative to keep the audience interested. I’m digging all the new artists, there’s so much talent.

RD: After the show on the 28th, what do you have planned next? Do you plan on doing any more Miles Davis tributes?

DW: There’s a lot of interest in the Miles Davis show. As far as my schedule is, I’m very busy between Roomful Of Blues, Beginnings: A Tribute To Chicago and my own band The Groove Merchants. To be able to put the Miles show, which is a huge production and has a lot that goes into it, in different rooms is a big goal for sure. As far as after the show, I have a couple of gigs coming up with Roomful Of Blues. I’m going to do the legendary Rhythm & Blues Cruise down in Puerto Rico with them and I’m really looking forward to that. I’m going to Switzerland to do a bunch of gigs and just try to keep working. I’m going to be recording a record during the end of October into November with a band full of all-stars. My main goal after the show is to keep writing original music and put out my very first solo album. That’s what I’m truly going to be focusing on in regard to my own personal career.

Check out the event page for Doug Woolverton Presents: Miles Davis at Newport – 1958: facebook.com/events/1077162752354763; Doug Woolverton’s Website: dougwoolverton.com

Don’t Quit Your Day Job, David Taillon and Emil Belisle!

Welcome back ladies and gentlemen. This is a very special episode of Don’t Quit Your Day Job. We at DQYDJ know that everyone is looking to get a little more and we’re all looking to save some cash when we can. So this week I’m giving you a Buy One Get One Free! And since the first one also is free, you’re getting two interviews for the price of none! How can you turn down a deal like that?

I met these two rocking young men in an odd and round-about way through a friend. My friend Jim Savard is the writer of a comic book series called Hellion (Facebook.com/HellionLives) and he has some friends in a pretty cool band that wrote a song about his comic. How cool is that? It’s like art imitating art imitating life!

So without further ado and/or mindless rambling and time wasting I present to you TWO members of the rock band Impending Reflections.

Josh Gravel: How old are you both and where do you live? David Taillon: I’m 47, and I’m from Warwick. Emil Belisle: I’m old enough to know and young enough to care, and I’m from Providence.

JG: What band(s) are you in and what do you do in them?

Both: Impending Reflections

DT: Lead guitar

EB: Lead vocals, acoustic guitar, percussion

JG: How long have you been at this rock ‘n’ roll thing?

DT: I started learning guitar when I was 10, but did not get more serious about a band thing until 14 or 15.

EB: I started playing drums when I was around 7 years old and was in my first rock band in elementary school. I’ve been in a few bands and really got serious in high school. My first band with Dave started at that time, so we’ve been doing this together for many, many moons. We are family — you could call us music brothers!

JG: What do you do to pay the rent?

DT: I am a project manager for Ocean State Risk Management, a small risk management firm in Johnston, handling mostly heavy contracting.

EB: I am the director of graphic services for Brown University.

JG: How did you end up with your current day job?

DT: That is a long story. I started out as a pipe fabricator and commercial driver back in the day. The company I worked for was awarded a very large project at Pfizer in Groton, Connecticut, and I was one of two people in the company who had the qualifications to do that environmental/risk job, as I recall. I did not want it, but the owner persuaded me to go. It turned out to be a good move. That was 20 years ago.

EB: Ultimately I have always had a creative side coupled with being a technology geek. I started my career over 25 years ago as a graphic designer and offset press/bindery operator. I literally fell in love with the industry and continued to push myself to learn every aspect I could, such as web design, photography, audio & video and so on.

I believe we are all put on path for a reason. Mine has lead me to work at such a wonderful institution as Brown University and I also have a side business (Visual Concept Group) with a wonderful and talented partner (Lyn) that offers design, video, photography and DJ services.

JG: What drives you to keep at music if you need to have the day job to pay bills?

DT: Music drives me regardless of what I do for work. My musical partner Emil likens it to a fire that can be in full conflagration or it can lie almost dormant, like an ember. It is always there, however. The job is ancillary, though equally important to help fund this endeavor.

EB: Music is in my DNA and has touched my soul. I cannot put into words how it feels to use music as a way of creative expression. Dave gave you my thoughts, an ember at times just waiting to be reignited. Impending Reflections did just that. Although Dave and I played in cover bands early on for a number of years, writing original music is something we have been doing for as long as I can remember. I consider myself extremely lucky. I have a day job that I love and at night my alter ego comes out to play. In this band I get to do it with my son Ryan (who now sits behind the drum kit), my brother Dave and his son Jon, and Scott who is such a close family friend and a second son to me. Being able to write and perform live at a number of great local venues and huge festivals such as Laconiafest during Bike week with all of them — I call that living the dream.

JG: Besides the income, what keeps you at your current day job?

DT: I think the neat thing about my job is that it differs in scope and location throughout the year. For instance last year I was working on the jetty rebuilds in Newburyport, equipment replacement at Amgen in West Greenwich, new roads and hotel at Naval Station Newport, and I am currently finishing the Deep Water Wind Sea2Land project. Some of these jobs have difficult schedules, like 6- to 10-hour days. But the upside is that added income helps to fund the music project. EB: I have a passion for my industry, so it really isn’t fully like work to me. The bonus is I get do what I love at a wonderful place and get to work with so many great people. I sincerely care for everyone within my organization and want to see them succeed. My position offers me the ability to utilize all I’ve learned and most importantly, allows me to continue expanding my knowledge into new areas.

JG: Does anything in your day job correlate to your musical endeavors?

DT: Some members of our clientele have come to see us perform, others have our CDs and are fans on social media. The owner is supportive too, helping to flex a schedule if there is a conflict, allowing me to use my company truck to haul equipment, paying for the side step and removable hitch installation so we can tow a trailer. He said if we ever get to the big time I can only leave the company if he can manage the tour. I imagine he would be quite good at that. Last year there was an emergency for one of our clients and we had to back out of a show. There is give and take all around.

EB: I think many aspects correlate. The creative energy is high in both, just applied to different mediums. The drive I have to always put forth the best possible product, while working collaboratively. I try not to let my two worlds collide, but it is inevitable. My current superior and co-workers have been so supportive of the band, with some coming to some shows and purchasing our studio CD Kindred. Many people seem to find the family aspect of the band to be very unique and such a feel-good type of story.

JG: Where can anyone interested find you during your day work and/or night work?

DT: You can find out more about Ocean State Risk Management’s services by going to the website: Go2OSRM.com.

EB: You can learn more about Impending Reflections at facebook.com/impendingreflections or reverbnation.com/impendingreflections. Our full-length studio album Kindred is available on iTunes and for digital streaming on all the popular sites, such as Spotify. Contact us at [email protected] or learn more about Visual Concept Group at vcgdesign.com

Album Of The Week: Mild High Club’s Skiptracing There’s always a time for mellow, relaxing tunes. I’m not talking about soft rock or any bubblegum crap. I’m talking about jazzy melodies and a cool bass line anchoring a track. By melding surf, pop, jazz and good ol’ fashioned psychedelia, groove freaks Mild High Club bring a laid-back vibe with their album Skiptracing that’s due out on August 26. The act that calls both Chicago and Los Angeles home exudes the essence of The Flaming Lips and Animal Collective while staying true to their own sound by mixing things up with each track. It makes for an enjoyable listening experience that’ll put listeners in a trance.

Skiptracing is like a sonic sunset coming down as you’re driving down a boulevard in a ’70s convertible. To put that in a musical sense, it’s got some funk but it mostly shares the same base as lounge jazz. The only difference is that all the tones are low; there’s not a huge progression in rhythm but that’s fine. Mild High Club’s new record isn’t meant for the mosh pits of the world, it’s meant for the loveseats and back porches. It’s got chill written all over it.

It’s strange for me to write about an album that doesn’t have any distortion, any epic guitar solos or even a horn section, but the new album from Mild High Club just oozes coolness. Not everything cool has to be intense and this is coming from a guy who spends his mornings downing a pot of coffee. Let’s get buzzed and take a sip off of my top tracks of the Album Of The Week:

Sounding like something straight out of a couple’s bedroom decades ago, “Tesselation” is sexy as hell. The bass resonates classic Hall & Oates while the guitar brings a simple dimension with its solos. “Homage” makes me think of Jeff Lynne from Electric Light Orchestra in the middle of an acid trip. It has this weird orchestral structure with a slightly fuzzy sound. The keys that kick off “Chapel Perilous” are dreamy as well.

Mild High Club will celebrate the release of Skiptracing at The Chapel in San Francisco on August 26 and they’ll embark on a tour of North America and Europe the following night starting at Cooper’s Aleworks in Nevada City, California. New Englanders can check this interesting act out at The Middle East Upstairs in Cambridge, Massachusetts on September 28. When Mild High Club puts out their new album next month you better get it. It’s going to get you above the clouds and you’ll never want to come back down.

Stream “Homage” via Soundcloud: soundcloud.com/stonesthrow/mild-high-club-homage; Follow Mild High Club on Tumblr: themildhighclub.tumblr.com Interview with Gordon Gano from The Violent Femmes

The Violent Femmes is one of the most influential acts in music today. Folk tinged rhythms, genuine lyrics and strange senses of pop have always been part of their repertoire. Many bands have tried to imitate it, but The Violent Femmes’ style can’t be duplicated. It’s always a treat to see them live because they bring a unique presence to the stage. They’ll be bringing that and more to the Newport Folk Festival this weekend.

Ahead of the big bash, I had a chat with frontman and principal songwriter Gordon Gano about finding a balance between religion and music, The Violent Femmes’ first album in 16 years, We Can Do Anything, straying away from the rest of the music world, the rise of the independent label and what the future holds.

Rob Duguay: You’re a devout Baptist. Do you ever find yourself conflicted when it comes to your beliefs and your music or do you find a middle ground between the two?

Gordon Gano: Well, given the choice definitely the second one. I don’t feel any conflict between my music and anything else.

RD: You grew up in a religious household but you were also listening to music from The Velvet Underground, Lou Reed, Patti Smith and The B-52’s. What was it like being in a religious environment while listening to music that was considered pretty maverick at the time?

GG: My experience growing up is that it’s different than what you might be imagining. There were the aspects that you could imagine and then the other parts were that my mother and father were very involved in the arts. They were both involved in theater and my father had a guitar that he’d play old country songs, not just religious songs. My father is a Baptist minister, but I would say that we would have been considered very liberal Baptists. There was always a lot of openness to all kinds of the arts and all kinds of different expressions. I have older brothers and sisters that had been into all kinds of rock music and then my introduction to punk music came through one of my older brothers. There were a lot of family connections that involved a lot of stuff other than church.

RD: It sounds like it was both a unique and awesome way to grow up. GG: Yeah I like that! Yes it was awesome! (laughs)

RD: This past March, The Violent Femmes released their first album in 16 years called We Can Do Anything. What was it like going back into the studio after such a long time? Did you feel a tad rusty at first or did you feel excited to start recording stuff that you’d been working on for a while?

GG: Nothing about being rusty because we’d been playing live together and doing a lot of shows at the time. We also hadn’t been in the studio as The Violent Femmes, but both Brian Ritchie and myself had been doing other projects over these years, just not the sort of thing that most people would find out about. We’ve been in recording studios and doing things over all these years so there wasn’t any kind of feeling of not being familiar with things. Also most of the songs we recorded in the same way we did during our first album and our second album. It’s an approach that works very well for us where we’re mostly playing live and singing the lead vocals live.

We’re not purists about it, we can still make an adjustment or add a little something, but it’s mostly a live recording. Some of them were completely live but that’s the way we had always played or mostly did recordings and we’re playing live all the time. There wasn’t any feeling of being rusty and it was just very focused on the work, trying to see how we could best capture these songs and have an energy to them, which is the kind of thing we’re always going for. In The Violent Femmes we seem incapable of a long attention span, something will appear quickly or it doesn’t and it might not ever come back again. We kind of work fast like that.

RD: When The Violent Femmes were first starting out, the band served as an antithesis to the extravagance of rock music. You guys put an acoustic, stripped down spin on punk when no one else was doing it. What made the band stray off from what everyone else was doing at the time?

GG: That’s a good question. There were circumstances that really put us in that direction, which I’m grateful for. Two things come to mind but they go together. One is that we had done some rehearsing with electric bass, electric guitar, drum set and we couldn’t get any place that would let us play. We tried, we tried and we tried but no place would let us play. Nobody would give us a gig or let us have a gig. Our bass play Brian Ritchie and our original drummer Victor DeLorenzo had met someone who was a traveling hobo guy who had a guitar. I didn’t know him, I’m not even sure if I ever met him but I heard of him. I think his name was Doorway Dave or that’s what he went by.

He’d play on the street and then they started playing with him a little bit and that gave them the idea that since we couldn’t get any place to play, why don’t we go out on the street and start just playing anywhere? To do that, we just bought acoustic instruments and a snare drum with brushes. Brian had obtained a big acoustic bass guitar, then I took an acoustic guitar and that started to shape a lot of how we played and how we presented our songs. I guess it might have worked out differently if some club owner heard us play and thought that we were great and we would have started going the more normal route. It’s really worked out great that it didn’t go that way. We realized quite quickly that with the acoustic you could hear the words of the songs, a lot of punk bands have great lyrics but you can’t really hear them unless you already know them because you already studied them in a live context.

When we would play acoustically we’d let the songs come through, the lyrics come through and we also started playing with more dynamics by trying to play more of the louds and softs through our techniques where you’d have to shift and change certain things. It helps bring out certain things in the music if you’re willing to go there. Also I think that was the idea too because everyone was just playing louder and louder so in the sense of being punk being a contrary thing we were punk even in the world of punk because we were going contrary to what everyone was accepting and trying to outdo each other.

RD: You’ve released music on both major and independent labels, it seems these days that indie labels are popping up on a daily basis thanks to the internet. Do you think that it’s a good thing that it gives a lot of different artists a voice and it gives the listener more accessibility to someone’s music or do you think that it floods the market full of crap?

GG: (laughs) I think that it’s more of a good thing than not. Definitely, I think that it’s more good than not. I’ll go for the good category there, I think it’s more good than not.

RD: After the Newport Folk Festival this weekend, what do The Violent Femmes have planned for the rest of the year?

GG: We have some touring that’ll come up after Newport. We’re just talking now about different things in the fall, but nothing is set yet for me to start giving out any dates or places. We’re going to take a mid-summer into early fall break and then we’ll see. It’s being looked at and talked about now so I really don’t know.

Get all the details for this weekend’s Newport Folk Festival here: newportfolk.org; The Violent Femmes’ Website: vfemmes.com

Can’t-Miss Folk Festival Acts

Fifty-seven years have come and gone since the internationally acclaimed Newport Folk Festival opened the gates of Fort Adams to folk fans of all walks of life. The balance, however, to respect the historic past and modernize the festival for young Folkers has been at the forefront of the Newport Foundation’s mission. This year is no exception.

With everyone from the electrically boisterous Alabama Shakes to the seminal folk mastermind Graham Nash in attendance this year, the festival has struck that fine balance. This is a festival lineup worthy to stand to the likes of Bonnaroo and Forecastle Festival.

The Newport Folk Festival cannot garner this amount of talent without causing a few scheduling problems for concert-goers, and that is why I am here to tell you which artists folking rock on such a gargantuan lineup. So open your ears, strum your banjos and prepare to be adding a lot of new music to your Spotify playlists.

Friday, July 22

JP Harris (Harbor Stage); 11 – 11:40am

I am somehow always pulled into going to the first set of the festival on Friday and the JP Harris performance is no exception to this rule. With his signature country twang and care-free attitude, JP (as he likes to be called) exhibits the modern spirit of folk fest that continues to bring me into the fort year after year.

The Arcs (Quad Stage); 5:35 – 6:35pm

Dan Auerbach, lead singer of The Black Keys, has been serving double duty as of late with the unveiling of his new project, The Arcs, last year. I caught the group last December at the Orpheum in Boston and I was blown away, which explains their standing on this list. Built with the goal of blending soul and alternative rock, Auerbach breaks new ground in a project that is worth all the praise.

St. Paul & The Broken Bones (Fort Stage); 1:55 – 2:45pm

Damn. That is all I can say about lead singer Paul Janeway’s voice, which bursts with his southern gospel roots and jazzy finesse. Their iteration of big band soul music is addictive as hell and will surely have everyone at the Fort Stage on their feet dancing to their audacious, deep spiritedness.

Raury (Quad Stage); 1:35 – 2:25pm

What do get when you mix folk and rap? One of the most ingenious and genuine artists of this decade, that’s what. Since I saw his performance on Colbert, I was hooked instantly by his ungodly stage presence and way he interacted with his backing band, it was simply otherworldly. I’m calling it right now — this kid will be the undiscovered gem of Newport this year.

Ray Lamontagne (Fort Stage); 4:40 – 5:50pm

Folk superstar Ray Lamontagne has had a hell of a year with the release of his newest critically acclaimed double album, Ouroboros (seriously, go listen to it), and a tour that features the guys of My Morning Jacket, sans Jim James, serving as his backing band. This translates to one hell of an expectation of Lamontagne’s arrival to NFF and who knows, we may get a surprise from James, MMJ frontman and sonic magician.

Honorable Mentions:

Flight of the Conchords (Fort Stage); 6:15 – 7:30pm

Brett Dennen (Harbor Stage); 3:45 – 4:40pm

Case/Lang/Veirs (Quad Stage); 4:10 – 5:10pm

Saturday, July 23

Banditos (Quad Stage); 11:10 – 12pm

I can admit, I had no clue who these guys were when they were announced to play this year, but after listening to “Still Sober (After All These Beers),” I couldn’t take my ears away from that warm bluesy tone. Think of Deer Tick meets The Dead Weather and you have this concoction that will sure have the crowd buzzing with enthusiasm.

Father John Misty (Quad Stage); 5:40 – 6:40pm They say Austin Powers is the international man of mystery, but I am here to say that that honor should be bestowed upon Father John Misty. This former percussionist of the Fleet Foxes (ever heard of them?) has made quite a name for himself with a solo career that is as wacky as it is profound, blending a mix of lost love and methodic comedy. Expect the same from his solo performance at the fort.

Patti Smith (Fort Stage); 6:15 – 7:30pm

The godmother of punk is gracing us mere mortals with a headlining performance to be reckoned with Saturday night and I, for one, couldn’t be more ecstatic to see her name on this year’s billing. With the vocal prowess and stage presence of rock deity, Smith will keep the good times rolling as we ride our horses into the sunset.

Lady Lamb (Harbor Stage); 2:30 – 3:20pm

You can always bet on finding the best undiscovered talent here at Newport and the name that resounds the most is that of Lady Lamb. I caught her open for Tallest Man on Earth at the Columbus this month and all i can say is, WOW. Her indie edge will provide a melodic twist to Newport that will have crowds rush the Harbor Stage.

Ryan Adams (Fort Stage); 3:10 – 4:10pm

The Man. The Myth. The Feelings. Ryan Adams may be the most bewilderingly amusing folk musicians of our time with a catalog of music that hits you in every sense you didn’t even know existed. Adams may also be the greatest folk musician to emerge in the past two decades and with The Infamous Stringdusters and Nicki Bluhm backing him up, expect the most talked-about performance of this iteration of NFF.

Honorable Mentions:

Frightened Rabbit (Quad Stage); 2:55 – 3:50pm

Norah Jones (Fort Stage); 4:40 – 5:45pm

Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats (Fort Stage); 1:45 – 2:45pm

Sunday. July 24

Son Little (Harbor Stage); 1:15 – 2pm

R&B is the name of the game with rising folker, who has opened up for the likes of Mumford & Sons and Lord Huron in the last year alone. Even though he just released his first solo record last October, Son Little has made quite a name for himself in the folk scene and warrants your eyes and ears for his sure to be crowd-pleasing set.

Ian Fitzgerald with Smith&Weeden (Harbor Stage); 11 – 11:40am

Local Rhode Island bands are essentially the heart and soul of this festival as they represent the area while paying homage to the legacy of folk. This certainly continues this year for my most anticipated local performance of the festival, made better by the fact that Smith&Weeden has finally made their way to the fort. Looking for your daily dose of badassery? Then you have come to the right place as Fitzgerald will folk your faces.

Elvis Costello (Fort Stage); 4:40 – 5:45pm

Renaissance man and imposter Elvis Costello has been somewhat of an icon for new wave during the ’70s and ’80s though now, his folk-centric stylings are hitting the Fort Stage for what will definitely be one hell of a show. Costello has even enlisted the aid of Larkin Poe (do yourself a favor and listen to them) for his performance, guaranteeing that the Napoleon Dynamite of music hasn’t aged one bit.

Alabama Shakes (Fort Stage); 6:15 – 7:30pm

Let me tell you, Alabama Shakes has been one of those bands that I always have wanted to catch but somehow miss whenever they come around. Finally though, you and I will be able to catch one of the loudest and most bombastic blues rock bands in the scene. Lead vocalist Brittany Howard’s voice is stuff of legend and certainly deserving of the headlining spot on the last day of the festival.

Middle Brother (Fort Stage); 3:10 – 4:15pm

Ladies and Gentlemen, I present to you the award for the most “Newport Folk Festival performance of the year.” Composed of Matthew Logan Vasquez of Delta Spirit (who will perform solo on Friday), Taylor Goldsmith of Dawes, and John McCauley of Deer Tick, this folk supergroup will be celebrating the 5th anniversary of their only record and believe me, this is the performance of the year that you should not miss.

Honorable Mentions:

Glen Hansard (Fort Stage); 1:45 – 2:45pm

Preservation Hall Jazz Band (Quad Stage); 2:45 – 3:40pm

Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeroes (Quad Stage); 5:30 – 6:30pm

Know Your Mom and Pop: The Rhody Center for World Music and Dance Hobbies can be difficult to pursue. Work and real world lives are so time-consuming that discovering an interest on the side can seem like an exhausting idea. However, people who don’t pursue hobbies can miss out on an opportunity for personal growth, social interaction and a time out from everyday life.

This is where The Rhody Center comes in. Located on Exchange St in Pawtucket, it offers a plethora of options to choose from and a supportive staff that will help guide you in the right direction.

Owner Julie Raimondi is a lifelong student of music, studying and playing in various world music ensembles at URI, Tufts University and UCLA. Spending three years living in New Orleans only expanded her musical palate. Once back in Rhode Island, she pulled the trigger on an endeavor she’s wanted to do for awhile and opened The Center in 2013.

“I wanted to be able to offer a taste of the kinds of experiences I was fortunate enough to have had,” Raimondi says. “Or at least provide instruction in a welcoming environment whose spirit echoes the all- inclusive nature of many community-based musical practices found around the world.”

The Rhody Center has a lot to offer, with classes that are based on customer demand and teacher availability. While there are private lessons for various instruments, it’s the group classes that are most intriguing. Each group class — some are dance and others are music — runs in sessions that range from three to eight weeks depending on the course. Class sizes are small and diverse, which gives the teachers a true knowledge and understanding of who the students are and their individual capabilities.

The strength of The Rhody Center lies in its staff. A quick read through the instructor bios shows how talented they are. Instructors come from all over the world and all are more than accomplished at their craft.

“The Rhody Center is fortunate to have some of the best teachers in the area,” Raimondi rightfully brags. “They represent a diverse array of dance and music backgrounds, and all are dedicated to their craft. Finding the right teachers is pretty much the most important part.”

The Rhody Center gives students new ways to connect with other people, make new friends and express themselves through dance or music. The atmosphere is loose and non-competitive, letting the individual develop at their own pace. “What it boils down to is joy,” Raimondi declares. “It’s about obtaining new skills and maybe even reducing some stress through a healthy outlet. I want to be able to provide accessible, beginner-friendly opportunities for the public to participate in and get all the benefits music and dance bring to our lives.”

The Rhody Center gives back to their loyal fan base by offering a rewards and referral program. They also give back to the community through their nonprofit arm. Through donations and a grant from the Rhode Island State Council on the Arts, a donation-based steel drum ensemble is offered for adults and one for youth that is free. Raimondi is hoping to expand these offerings, bringing more special events, more workshops and more performances to the community.

Raimondi has built a community with The Rhody Center. She has assembled a unique and talented group of teachers and matched them with a diverse and eager group of students who want to learn, grow and have fun in the process.

“The best part is to watch the community grow and to hear how music and dance has enriched our customers’ lives,” she proudly says. “I’m doing this because I love it. Sometimes I forget that the original Rhody Center is a business at all. It seems more like a collection of friends.”

The Rhody Center for World Music and Dance is located at 172 Exchange St #201 in Pawtucket, RI 02860. Please call 401-475-5955 for more information, or check out their website: therhodycenter.org.