(HACKETTSTOWN, NJ) -- The sounds of the blues will fill Centenary Stage Company’s Lackland Center on Saturday, February 6 at 8:00pm with legendary blues musician Guy Davis and special guest harmonica player Fabrizio Poggi. "Davis’ folksy and humble stage presence, combined with his humorous monologues, made one feel that this was not a concert, but rather, an impromptu performance on a front porch down in some southern swamp. Indeed, at times Davis had the audience singing, clapping and stomping their feet.” (Daily Herald Tribune, Grand Prairie, Alberta)
Guy Davis has appeared on “Late Night with Conan O’Brien”, nationally syndicated radio programs such as Garrison Keillor’s, “A Prairie Home Companion”, “Mountain Stage” and David Dye’s, “World Café”, as well as, in front of 15,000 people on the Main Stages of major festivals. The routes, and roots, of his blues are as diverse as the music form itself. It can be soulful, moaning out a people’s cry, or playful and bouncy as a hay-ride. Throughout his career, he has dedicated himself to reviving the traditions of acoustic blues and bringing them to as many ears as possible through the material of the great blues masters, African American stories, and his own original songs, stories and performance pieces. His influences are varied drawing from such great blues musicians as Blind Willie McTell (and his way of storytelling), Skip James, Manse Lipscomb, Mississippi John Hurt, Elizabeth Cotton, and Buddy Guy, among others.
Raised in the New York City area, Davis grew up hearing accounts of life in the rural south from his parents and especially his grandparents, and they made their way into his own stories and songs. Davis taught himself the guitar (never having the patience to take formal lessons) and learned by listening to and watching other musicians. One night on a train from Boston to New York he picked up finger picking from a nine-fingered guitar player.
Davis will also be holding a special before concert workshop on the day of the performance at 3pm in the Sitnik Theater of the Lackland Center. Enrollment in the workshop is limited, open to the general public and participation must be reserved in advance. There is a $10 fee for participation in the workshop which will be applied toward the purchase of a concert ticket. For more information regarding this special guitar workshop or to reserve contact the CSC box office directly at (908) 979 – 0900.
Joining Davis is singer, Hohner Award harmonica player, traveler, musicologist, writer, journalist and amazing performer Fabrizio Poggi. Poggi has recorded fifteen albums, mostly in USA. His performances have been described as dramatic, totally captivating, amazing, engaging and soulful with a sound truly unique. During his long career has played at the most prestigious clubs and festivals in Italy, Europe and USA. He’s performed on stage or on his own recordings with legendary artists as: Garth Hudson of THE BAND and Bob Dylan, David Bromberg, The Blind Boys of Alabama, Eric Bibb, Sonny Landreth, Charlie Musselwhite, John Hammond, The Original Blues Brothers Band and many more.
Tickets for Guy Davis with special guest Fabrizio Poggi on Saturday February 6 at 8pm are $25.00 for all seats in advance. Ticket prices increase $5.00 day of the event. All ticket sales are final. The performance will be held in the Sitnik Theater of the Lackland Center; 715 Grand Ave. Hackettstown, NJ.
For more information or to purchase tickets visit centenarystageco.org or call the CSC box office at (908) 979 – 0900. The box office is open Monday through Friday from 1 – 5 pm and two hours prior to every performance and located in the Lackland Center; 715 Grand Ave. Hackettstown, NJ.
The 2015-16 season of performing arts events at the Centenary Stage Company is made possible through the generous support of the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, the NJ State Council on the Arts, the Shubert Foundation, the Blanche and Irving Laurie Foundation, the Sandra Kupperman Foundation, and CSC corporate sponsors, including Premier Season Sponsor Heath Village Retirement Community, Silver Sponsors Hackettstown Regional Medical Center, Home Instead Senior Care (Washington), The Holiday Inn in Budd Lake, and Fulton Bank of New Jersey, and Centenary Stage Company members and supporters.
PHOTO BY ROSEN
