It’s a Paramount Luv thing

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By ALAN J. KEAYS
HERALD STAFF
Rick Redington recalls growing up in Rutland and sneaking around an empty and rundown Center Street building with his friends.
“It was an abandoned place that we used to hide behind and drink beer,” Redington said Wednesday.
Now, he is one of the featured performers taking part in a concert on the stage of that same building that has since become a cornerstone of arts and culture in the city.
The historic Paramount Theatre, after being closed for nearly two decades, was restored and reopened in 2000, thanks to a lot of community support.
Paramount leaders are hoping to tap into that community support again to raise some funds through a benefit concert for the theater Monday night.
“Really it’s about everybody getting together to show their love for the Paramount,” Redington said.
Redington, 45, who makes his living touring and playing his music, said Wednesday he is excited about having a chance to take part and help out his hometown and a theater celebrating its 96th birthday this month, first opening its doors in 1914.
Redington has performed several times at the restored Paramount, including three album release events. However, it’s been a couple of years since he last took the theater’s stage.
On Monday night, Redington will be one of more than 40 musicians from around the region banding to put on the show.
“This isn’t a typical concert,” Eric Mallette, the theater’s assistant director, said Wednesday. “All the artists have donated their time.”
“Not only are the artists on stage supporting the theater, but those that attend will also be supporting the Paramount,” Mallette said. “Every dollar they give will be going right to the Paramount.”
The Marble City Swing Band, playing music from the Big Band era to more contemporary tunes, will open the show. Redington and his rock band The Luv will then take the stage followed by the soulful sounds of Sandra Wright and It’s a Beautiful Thing.
Spectators are encouraged to make sure they don’t head out early.
“There’s a nice surprise planned for the finale,” Redington said.
In the meantime, he said, he’ll be out and about around the community spreading the word about the show.
“All week we’ve been walking around handing out fliers, shaking hands with people and asking them to come,” he said. “We’ve gotten amazing support.”
And when asked what people can do to help out, Redington offers a simple response.
“You can support this by helping us fill the seats,” he tells them.
Showtime is 7 p.m. Monday. Tickets are $15 and are for sale at www.paramountvt.org.
For more information, visit the 30 Center St. box office from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday and Friday and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, or call 775-0903.
alan.keays@rutlandherald.com

Three for the price of one

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By George Nostrand

Press releases can make my job really easy. So, I’ll kick off this week with a quote from a press release from the Paramount “Rick Redington & The Luv will join Sandra Wright and It’s a Beautiful Thing with special guests The Marble City Swing Band … for an historic evening. This project was the brain child of (a) third generation Rutlander, and Paramount Board member, John Sabataso who in addition to owning and operating The Palms on Strongs Ave. (75 years and counting) founded the Marble City Swing Band in 1979.”
On Monday at 7 p.m. the curtains will rise on this big local extravaganza, featuring more than 30 musicians from the area.
Here I quote the man himself, Rick Redington, “Many of us from my generation saw and waited and even complained about how little there was to do here growing up … and how we had to drive to the bigger cities to see our favorite acts. We have no right to complain anymore and should all be very thankful for the diversity and quality of talent both national and local at our theater here in Rutland. Have you been there? Shame on you if not!”
Well, Amen to that. The Paramount has done a fabulous job of late, and having them featuring not just one act, but a dynamic combination of three, is commendable. Come out and show your support! The show will open with Marble City Swing Band at 7 p.m. Rick Redington & The Luv will follow and close the first half of the show.
Sandra Wright and It’s a Beautiful Thing will close the night. Both bands will be some orchestral support.
Tickets are only $15
and you can get them by calling the Box Office at 775-0903 or at www.paramountlive.org.
If you happen to be in Bennington on Friday, Bogo Guppy will be at JC’s Tavern at 10 p.m. It’s the first time they have toured southern Vermont, so they are hoping for a little love of their own. How can you not love these guys, by the way? Arguably Rutland’s 2009 best new band, they have so much fun playing it’s contagious. They’re like the junior high trouble makers who never grew up, and God bless them for it!
The Church of the Wildwood on Holden Road in Chittenden kicks of 2010 with its monthly Open Mic Night at 7 pm. Friday. Brave the weather and check out the music and refreshments.
Rogue Eyebrow will be at the Killarney, at the base of Okemo in Ludlow on Friday night. This extra talented trio is not to be missed. The Killarney is also a fabulous place to catch some live, local music with great food and plenty of beers on tap. I hear they also have an open mic every Monday, and that the host is both dashing and talented.
Also Friday, George’s Back Pocket will be at Center Street Saloon and welcoming bassist Ben Butterworth to the stage. Where they will put him, I don’t know, but it should be fun to see. This will make the trio an official five-piece and should make for an interesting evening. The show starts at 10 p.m.
… and by George, keep supporting live, local music.
George Nostrand is kind of like the “eye on the sky” for local music here in Rutland, keeping you in the know, not on snow, but on who, what, and where the music is.
Give me some Spin! What’s going on with your band, your venue, or your cousin’s uncle’s brother’s band? If it’s musical and it’s happening in the Rutland area I want to hear about it. Send me an e-mail at: localspin@gmail.com. The deadline for the coming week is Tuesday at noon.

Watching the detectives

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By Dom Cioffi

Almost everyone loves a good mystery. And why not? Watching a character hunt for clues while deriving meaning from miniscule evidence is not only intriguing, but also a great test of our own intellect.
Whether it’s film, television or books, immersing yourself in a classic whodunit is a particularly enjoyable way to pass the time.
But the real reason we love mystery stories is because of the immense satisfaction we get when we solve a caper. Go ahead and admit it: There have been times when you solved a mystery before the end of a movie and then snickered with delight as you looked around at the other patrons’ puzzled faces.
These days it’s nearly impossible to turn on your television without running into a detective story. “Monk” just finished an impressive run while “Law & Order” and “CSI” continue to be ratings monsters. Travel back a few years and you’ll find a multitude of other classics like “Dragnet,” “Rockford Files,” “Columbo” and “Quincy M.E.,” just to name a few.
Hollywood can’t help themselves either. Seriously, where would we be without “Vertigo,” “Chinatown” and “L.A. Confidential”?
But as the true mystery connoisseur knows, the coup de grâce of detective stories involves the addition of the “buddy” element.
Yes, I’m talking about classics like “48 Hours,” “Lethal Weapon” and “Rush Hour.”
Having one character searching for clues is fine, but add another (particularly one who is a complete opposite) and then throw in a funny line or two and you’ve got a sure-fire moneymaker.
Well, this week we have a new addition to the detective buddy canon with the release of “Sherlock Holmes.” Starring Robert Downey Jr. as Holmes and Jude Law as Dr. Watson, this Victorian-era crime- solving duo has been stylized to meet the viewing needs of a modern audience.
While both characters maintain the personalities that writer Arthur Conan Doyle originally bestowed, the new incarnations have the added bonus of being somewhat quick on their feet. In other words, they kick serious butt.

It’s true (and a bit of a sad reflection on modern society), but Holmes and Watson not only are top-rate sleuths, but they would also give Jackie Chan a run for his money. (Imagine “Fight Club” meets “Hawaii Five-0.”)
In their first adventure (because it’s obvious there will be more in this era of franchises) the duo are out to foil an apparent serial killer whose ties to black magic make him an especially difficult figure to capture.
Credit must be given to the art direction in this film. The stunning views of Victorian England are truly amazing. And the miniscule elements, from the clothing to the streetscapes to the dusty statuettes on the bookshelf, reveal an attention to detail that speaks to a carefully crafted film.
But here’s my biggest problem with “Sherlock Holmes”: I can’t fully respect a film that weaves a mysterious plot and then wraps everything up with a conclusion that the viewer could have never foreseen.
For example, imagine a story where a character is killed while staying at a hotel with five guests. For the entire movie you’re trying to figure out who committed the heinous act only to discover that it was an invisible alien from an unknown planet. You’d feel cheated, right? That’s exactly how “Sherlock Holmes” made me feel.
While there were no invisible aliens in “Sherlock Holmes,” there was a convoluted conclusion that no viewer could have predicted. It felt cheap and ultimately derailed a film that was otherwise very well made and acted.
I will give director Guy Ritchie credit for his creative vision of Holmes and Watson. Modern audiences demand action with their intrigue and he definitely delivered. I just wish more attention was given to the story.
If you’re in the mood for some action-packed fighting wrapped in a whale of a tale, then I encourage you to give this one a try. While it will definitely keep your eyes busy, it unfortunately won’t give your brain much of a workout. An elementary “C+” for “Sherlock Holmes.”
Got a question or comment for Dom? You can e-mail him at moviediary@comcast.net.

Co-creating the dream

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By Clara Rose Thornton

As a writer, there are often situations where one cannot latch immediately onto inspiration, and sleeping on the kitchen floor is necessary.
The kitchen floor is hard, uncomfortable, and with a mere pillow and blanket it is almost impossible to sleep continuously for hours on it. It’s fit more for those happy delusions called “power naps.” So, say there is work to do — extraction of a certain essence — yet the brain is weary, it cannot soldier on much further into the world of logical coherence. The bed would offer the sleep of a baby, but the hardwood slats near the refrigerator would offer the sleep of a morning paycheck.
These are the things that Hollywood doesn’t tell you.
I found myself in this situation recently, face down on a circular brown shag rug near midnight. There is a train station situated very close to my abode — directly across a narrow canal, in fact — and I hear the ghostly rumble of train whistles throughout the days and nights. On this particular night, as a long freighter ripped from the tunnel near my building, a rumble of such force rippled through my apartment’s skeleton that I felt it in my stomach.
I awoke with a start. The sound seemed to be coursing through my very abdomen, carpet-pill-collector that it was at the moment, and heading straight toward my brain. I was surprised, and a bit angry. In the groggy condition of fatigue mingling with a gesticulating subconscious, I thought of how completely improper it was for these whistles to be so loud, for buildings to be constructed so close to rails, and for the walls and flooring of my apartment to be in such the rickety state that I was violently jostled from my proposed two hours of sleep after a paltry 45 minutes.
I planned sharply worded letters — one to the Association of American Railroads and one to my landlord.
I wanted blood.
As I lay there for a few seconds, the sound receded. The freighter had in no way passed and the whistle blew still, but my state of mind, my perception, had changed. I was no longer in the mindset of an outsider, having been embroiled in a dream of a scene from my urban past, where locomotive whistles sounding for miles through mountains passes are not par for the course. I fluttered back to reality; the familiar train sound that I often adore was not so loud, after all. In fact, its essence was inspiring.
This got me thinking of the concept of perspective. Where we come from helps to shape the way we perceive and react to things. For example, the same outlook on a rural landscape and its particulars may not be had by someone from New York City as someone from Colby, Kan. Perspective awards humanity its multicolored glow, even if it also, at times, nurtures its clash. It fosters understanding, after a deft navigation of the initial roadblocks it sets up between people and places.
With this realization, I dashed my blanket to the ground, and after easing the sore spot on my head where the refrigerator so apathetically bumped it upon my rise, ran to my computer with the feverish grin of a canine. The kitchen floor had come through again.
This Saturday, an extraordinary event gives spectators the pleasure of perspective. At Village Square Booksellers on Main Street in Bellows Falls, 1 p.m., three acclaimed regional poets will read their work: Dolapo (Dola) Adeniji-Neill, hailing from Nigeria and currently residing in Saxtons River; Jeanne Clark of Wolfeboro, N.H., a direct descendant of Thomas Clark, who arrived in the New World on the ship Anne at Plymouth, Cape Cod, in 1623; and Dorothy B. Anderson, raised in China by refugees from Nazi Germany and now living in Walpole, N.H.
Adeniji-Neill will read from her new collection, “Shamelessly Beautiful Morning.” Adeniji-Neill made a long journey from the Nigeria of her youth to the global traipse through academia that now defines her legacy for many fans.
She holds a Ph.D in curriculum and instruction from the University of Hawaii-Manoa, an M.A. in anthropology and sociology from the American University in Cairo and an M.A. in liberal studies from Dartmouth College.
She is an assistant professor at Adelphi University in Garden City, N.Y., and has published two books previously: “The Yoruba Oral Culture as Indigenous Education: Praise Poetry, Folktales and Folklore” (2009), and “Parental Expectations in Education: A Case Study of Nigerian Immigrant Parents to the United States (2008).” “Shamelessly Beautiful Morning” is her first book of poems.
Adeniji-Neill’s poetry reflects a piercing, yet languid, sensitivity to the world around her; an inherent zest for life and for relating intermingles with anguish over social injustice. Her poetry’s subjects span ancient tradition, world wars, the atom bomb, America’s “ground zero,” family, identity and femininity.
With her range of cosmopolitan influences and diverse sociocultural make-up, Adeniji-Neill’s take on the world of small-town, pastoral Vermont — statistically the second least ethnically diverse state in the union — would be particularly interesting.
Jeanne Clark has written a book-length epic poem, “Story of Ellacoya,” inspired by the legend of an Abenaki woman whose father, Ahanton, is said to have called Lake Winnipesaukee in New Hampshire the “Smile of the Great Spirit” after the storms on her wedding day cleared.
Clark holds a deep interest in Native American legend, particularly that of the Abenaki culture indigenous to New England. With a family culture that is deeply rooted to the area, she’s spent a life rendering the land she loves into verse.
Clark’s work has been published in Yankee magazine, Contemporary New England Poetry: A Sampler, VOL II (The Texas Review), and The Northern New England Review, among other journals. She is also the 2009 recipient of the New Hampshire Senior Poet Laureate award.
The final poet to read will be Dorothy B. Anderson, a retired family therapist, who has lived in Walpole, N.H., for 20 years. Anderson came to this country from China in 1948 with her German refugee parents. She’s published two books: a chapbook titled “By The Yangtse” and a full-length, “Light Entering My Bones” (2006).
With a broad outlook and somber, somewhat existentialist range of subject matter, her work has appeared among the diverse roster of Dine, Edison Literary Review, Comstock and Wooster Review. Nursing an interest in Robert Frost, she is currently working on a history of The Frost Place, a nonprofit educational center for poetry and the arts based at Robert Frost’s old homestead in Franconia, N.H.
It is chilling to think what may be conjured by the advent of these three women juxtaposing their perspectives, the accumulation of their wildly diverse life experiences, on Saturday.
The one-hour reading is followed by a two-hour open mic, so bring your own words and perspectives. Be prepared to engage with these women creatively, as we all simultaneously create this dream. And don’t be bothered by that train whistle in the background.
Clara Rose Thornton is a freelance cultural critic and arts journalist originally hailing from Chicago who now lives in an artists’ colony in Bellows Falls. She can be reached at clara@inkblotcomplex.com, or through her Web site, clararosethornton.com.

Jazz Mass tonight

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Published: November 20, 2009

WATERBURY – Imagine an unlikely marriage of a dignified and seemingly somber Latin Mass with somebody like tenor jazz saxophonist Coleman Hawkins playing free-wheeling riffs at the breaks. It sounds impossible but perhaps plausible only in the minds of fans who have attended the last several concerts of the Mad River Chorale. Fifty singers have been rehearsing a challenging but rewarding vocal composition, “Missa in Jazz,” every Monday night since August in a basement room of the Sugarbush Conference Center off German Flats Road. The concert will be presented tonight at 7:30 p.m. in St. Andrew’s Church in Waterbury and on Sunday, Nov. 22, at 4 p.m. in the Warren School auditorium. The instrumental accompaniment includes Michael Zsoldos on saxophone, Mary Jane Austin on organ, and Dov Schiller, percussion.

Tickets are $15, $12 for students (under 12 free); for reservations, call (802) 496-4781.

Virtuoso piano

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Published: November 20, 2009

MONTPELIER – Pianist Ian Altman, a virtuoso in the “grand manner,” will perform music of Scarlatti, Chopin and Prokofiev, tonight at 7:30 p.m., at Bethany Church, 115 Main St. in Montpelier. Altman has performed throughout the United States and Canada.

Admission is by donation; for information, call (802) 563-2860.

Edward Sharpe and Magnetic Zeros: ‘High-energy love fest’

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By TOM HUNTINGTON Arts Correspondent – Published: November 20, 2009

edward sharpeOne of the most lauded indie bands around visits Vermont on Sunday, when the Los Angeles folk-rock collective Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros brings its celebratory, dance-inducing live show to Club Metronome in Burlington.

Judging by recent reviews of the group’s current tour, the show should be one for the ages.

Case in point, the band’s Tuesday show at the Bowery Ballroom in New York City: “Energetic and uplifting, the songs shed an overwhelming joy over the sold out Bowery Ballroom,” said a Wednesday article in the New York Press. “The normally motionless New York City crowd fell into a frenzy of dancing.”

And this about the group’s Halloween show at the Park Plaza Hotel in L.A., where the Zeros “turned the completely costumed capacity crowd into a transfixed mass of movement,” according to LA Weekly.

Rolling Stone described the band’s euphoric live shows as “more like shamanistic tent revivals than rock concerts,” while the University of Georgia student paper called the group’s Athens show at the 40 Watt Club “a high-energy love fest.”

The 10-piece group is fronted by singer-songwriter and band mastermind Alex Ebert, a modern-day pied piper of hippie-fied folk-rock who made a name for himself as leader of the L.A. electro-dance band Ima Robot.

Ebert named his current band after a fictional character in a book he was writing “about a boy who transcended his dismal world by tapping into some sort of universal music,” according to Rolling Stone.

The Zeros are touring in support of their debut album, “Up From Below,” released in July. Called “a warm collection of loose and jangly songs that marries The Polyphonic Spree’s ensemble glee with sing-along hooks,” by A.V. Club (The Onion), the album was recorded live onto two-inch tape using an old 24-track analog tape machine from 1979.

Celebratory anthems abound, but the centerpiece is “Home,” an insanely joyous and infectious love song featuring added vocals by singer (and Ebert’s partner) Jade Castrinos.

“One of the more unusual musical acts to emerge from Los Angeles in some time,” said the L.A. Times, “the band has become standard-bearers for the folk-rock revival.”

Musical happenings in and around the Capital City

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By ED DUFRESNE Arts Correspondent – Published: November 20, 2009

edWow, I hardly know where to begin this week. There are so many great offerings around the area this weekend, it’s hard to know where to start. Rest assured if you’re looking for quality live performance, there’s something for everyone, so, here we go!

Ah to be young, beautiful and super-talented. … Not many can be all three, but there are those exceptional folks that possess these qualities in spades, and the North Carolina duo The Stereofidelics are just those kind of folks. The virtuosic multi-instrumentalist team of Chris Padgett (guitar, keyboards, loops, vocals) and Melissa McGinley (electric violin, drums, vocals) are truly stunning musicians whose youthfulness makes their immense talent even more impressive. Their high-energy sound combines elements of jazz, folk, classical and rock into a frenetic stew of auditory delight, and you’ll be amazed so much sound can come out of only two people. Prepare to be stunned tonight at Charlie-O’s World Famous on Main Street in Montpelier, starting at 9:30 p.m. It will be some of the most impressive musicianship you’ll ever witness in a dive bar, guaranteed.

Saturday night at O’s, local favorite pickers The Mad Mountain Scramblers come up from the valley with their upbeat bluegrass music in tow. They’ll take the back of the barroom at 10 p.m. And, as always at O’s, it’s all for free – woohoo!

I’ve been able to give the Granite City of Barre some love in this column lately, and that is because of the outstanding programming that has been lined up at the Barre Opera House this fall season. The trend continues this weekend, with great shows that offer a triumvirate of entertainment options: Tonight starts off with comedy featuring three of the finest funny-men the Northeast has to offer. Joey Carroll, Rob Steen and Dave Rattigan have appeared at prestigious comedy festivals in Boston and Montreal as well as on TV, and all three have divergent styles to offer a well rounded evening of laughs. The $20 show starts at 8 p.m.

Saturday night at the Opera House, a very special show of a different kind takes the area’s finest stage when The Sacred Forest features music from accomplished local musician Gordon Stone’s latest “Night Shade,” alongside the West African choreography of Elhadji Mamadou Ba from Senegal. The 7 p.m. show is a mere $10 in advance, and free for kids 6 and under, a price that can’t be beat for what is sure to be an excellent collaboration.

Finally, on Sunday, the world-famous Flying Karamazov Brothers close out the weekend with their “zany combination of theater, comedy, music, and juggling with a bit of philosophy thrown in for good measure.” The 3 p.m. show is $10-$30 and more information can be had at www.barreoperahouse.org. Kudos to BOH director Dan Casey for bringing such excellent and diverse talent to our neck of the woods this fall.

Back over in Montpeculiar, Langdon Street Café helps the town live up to the moniker with the most unique offerings of the weekend in a weekend full of unique offerings. Avant-folk chamber-pop anyone? LSC has it tonight when Portland, Oregon-based Ah Holly Fam’ly rolls into town along with fellow Portlandites Ohioan. I listened to both online, and difficult to describe is an understatement. Picture Peter, Paul and Mary, Donovan and Hank Williams playing in a chamber orchestra in a dark basement while tripping on acid, and you get some idea of the music these acts purvey. If you’re looking for something strange and wonderful, this is a show for you.

And speaking of trippy, one of the most promising new-ish Vermont acts plays LSC Saturday night when electro-acoustic experimental trio Durians takes the diminutive stage at the corner of Elm and Langdon. Can you dance to it? Yes. Would you want to? Maybe. Is it adventurous, interesting, awesomely arranged live electronic music? Definitely. Highly recommended for a $5 suggested donation. Both shows start at 9 p.m.

And, a very special weeknight show takes place at LSC this week when excellent alt-singer-songwriter Robert Sarazin Blake plays on Tuesday. He’s like a punk-rock version of Dylan singing in Leonard Cohen’s vocal key (and yes, I made that up having seen him before, so if you judge it inaccurate, go ahead and sue me). Caitlin Canty and Matt Bryan open the show starting at 7 p.m.

For fans of Gypsy music (an all-encompassing term that I’m using generically here to capture a variety of ethnic folk music), The Black Door is the place to be this weekend when two great bands playing music from different strains of the canon take the third floor lounge stage at 44 Main St. in Montpelier. Tonight, all-female foursome Zora appears. Forming out of a singing-camp trip a few years back with Vermont-based vocal troupe Village Harmony, they perform traditional songs from Bosnia, Serbia and Macedonia. The mostly vocal-harmony based group augments their outstanding voices with accordion and clarinet.

Saturday night, Burlington-based ensemble Lokum plays music of the Balkans, Turkey and Armenia for your dancing pleasure. A very ethnically traditional weekend of tunes at the Door, for sure. Both shows start at 9:30 for the usual honor cover.

As I’ve stated before, we are extremely lucky to be able to have so much quality local and touring talent performing in our little neck of the woods, so, count your blessings and go see live music!

Ed DuFresne is the former talent coordinator at Langdon Street Café, occasionally produces concerts, and books at various venues in the area on a freelance basis. He lives in Montpelier with owners of a local vintage clothing franchise and an annoying bird named Lucy.

Bebel Gilberto heats up Montreal’s L’Astral

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By TOM HUNTINGTON Arts Correspondent – Published: November 20, 2009

BebelThe daughter of legendary Brazilian singer-guitarist Joao Gilberto and beloved Brazilian singer Miucha, the New York City-born Bebel Gilberto has made a major name for herself as one of the sultriest singers alive. A relative unknown at her solo debut, the now classic “Tanto Tempo,” was released in 2000, Gilberto, 43, is now a bona fide international superstar who tours all too infrequently.

A new Bebel Gilberto album is always cause for celebration, and her latest delivers in spades. “All in One,” released in September, conjures the classic bossa nova sound that’s clearly in Bebel’s blood, and continues her winning combination of samba and bossa with pop, jazz and electronic that has become her trademark.

Highlights include several compelling cover tunes, including the classic-sounding Joao tune “Bim Bom,” one of the first-ever bossa nova compositions. Stevie Wonder’s “The Real Thing” is given a gorgeous dance floor-friendly treatment, aided by the magic touch of guest producer Mark Ronson. Bob Marley’s “Sun is Shining” becomes a hypnotic chill-out tune, while the Carmen Miranda classic “Chica Chica Boom Chic” is playfully bouncy and fun.

And Gilberto’s original songs, according to the Phoenix New Times, “are a marvelous blend of melodic American pop and Brazilian rhythmic swing – a sound that is truly her own.”

The venue alone is worth the trip. L’Astral, which made its debut last summer at the Montreal Jazz Festival’s 30th anniversary soiree, is a 350-seat gem of a space that’s like a larger version of Burlington’s FlynnSpace. L’Astral has been hosting the first concerts of the festival’s new “Jazz All Year Round” series.

John Gibbons makes impressive CD debut

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By ART EDELSTEIN Arts Correspondent – Published: November 20, 2009

john gibbonsJohn Gibbons, a previously unknown artist to this writer, has re- leased his first CD, “Small Town Dance,” and it highlights a musician with lots of promise.

For starters, Gibbons has gathered an excellent group of backup musicians and singers to add to the high quality of songs. He’s chosen a producer, Colin McCaffrey, whose work has graced many albums recently. All this gives this recording a very professional sound.

The music on this CD leans toward bluegrass, with several country and folk songs as well. The opening cut, “Silence or Tears,” shows Gibbons’ bluegrass tenor chops. He’s a fine singer and would have no problem fronting a bluegrass band. His lead guitar playing reminded me of the work of John Starling with Seldom Scene. For the banjo work we have Andy Greene, formerly a member of the Bluegrass Gospel Project.

Producer and multi-instrumentalist Colin McCaffrey contributes fiddle, mandolin, bass and harmony on this track and many others.

Gibbons, who comes from the Champlain Valley area, has 30 years of performing experience under his belt and it shows. He’s poised and has chosen a range of material that suits his voice and instrumental abilities. He’s also a fine songwriter. This is evident on his seven contributions to this CD, “This Cowboy I Know,” “220,” “The Wall That Moves,” “Oh Well, AOL,” “Pick Your Place Anne Marie,” “Hard Water” and “Another Shot of Rye Whiskey.”

Gibbons writes songs about Vermont as shown in “220,” about trains in this state, and in the waltz, “Pick Your Place Anne Marie.” He’s also got a sense of humor as shown in the catchy “Oh Well, AOL.”

Since 2000 Gibbons has been performing in a trio with Karen McFeeters and Craig Anderson. McFeeters is a fine singer and her work was profiled here earlier this year. Anderson is a singer-songwriter and guitar builder. They contribute songs, backup singing, and guitar work to this album.

Carol Hausner also sings backup. She, along with McCaffrey, won a bluegrass songwriting contest earlier this summer. Her voice is a perfect harmony match on the bluegrass songs.

McCaffrey again shines as a full band of backup instrumentation as he shows on the fine Richard Shindell penned “The Kenworth of My Dreams,” where he plays all the instruments. He also knows when to keep the track simple and understated.

Gibbons, who seems to have waited much too long to start his recording career, has released a very listenable album. If he can put a band together he’ll have a musical vehicle to show off his talent.

Gibbons is releasing his CD Saturday evening at the Champlain College Alumni Auditorium.