Best March Music

Posted OnFebruary 19, 2019

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Best March Music: Natalie Merchant and The Red Hot Chili Pipers, Peter Serkin and Cyrille Aimée, and The Portland Cello Project plays Radiohead.

March

Procol Harum, Ridgefield Playhouse, Fri, 3/1: 8pm: Procol Harum returns to “The Playhouse” with original lead vocalist Gary Brooker. Their international smash hit, “A Whiter Shade of Pale” is one of only 30 singles ever to sell over 10 million copies. Their follow-up hits include “Conquistador” and “Salty Dog”. (80 E. Ridge, Ridgefield, CT; www.ridgefieldplayhouse.org)

CMS of Lincoln Center: Hungarian Fire, Performing Arts Center, Sat, 3/2: 5pm: With Alessio Bax on piano, and Yura lee on viola, CMS of Lincoln Center showcases the widespread influence that Hungary’s deep musical roots in folk tradition has had on composers throughout Europe. Featuring works by Kodaly, Bartok, Liget, Dohnany and Brahms’ Hungarian Dances for Violin and Piano. (735 Anderson Hill Rd., Purchase; www.artscenter.org)

Lea DeLaria, Performing Arts Center, Sat, 3/9: 8pm: “Big Boo” on the Netflix hit Orange is the New Black, brings her new show to PAC, featuring hits from her latest album House Of David: delaria+bowie=jazz, demonstrating her spectacular vocal range as well as her comic genius. “[DeLaria] swings hard, and scats and bends notes in a style that suggests a no-frills Betty Carter on steroids.” The New York Times (735 Anderson Hill Rd., Purchase; www.artscenter.org)

Bruce in the USA, Tarrytown Music Hall, Fri, 3/8: 8pm: Matt Ryan began “playing” Bruce Springsteen in 2000 in the Vegas show Legends in Concert. His Bruce in the USA band spun off from that and has since played with guest performers from Queen/Paul Rogers, Meatloaf, Blue Oyster Cult, Hall and Oats, Joe Cocker, The Ojays, Aretha Franklin, David Cassidy, The Temptations and Slash. (13 Main St., Tarrytown; www.tarrytownmusichall.org)

The Musical Box, A Genesis Extravaganza, Tarrytown Music Hall, Sun, 3/10: 7pm: The Musical Box performs an intense 3 Act voyage into the world of early Genesis In an all-out performance of live visual stunts, a museum-worthy array of vintage instruments and a dizzying pace of iconic tracks and stage rarities, Performing here from Trespass, Nursery Cryme, Foxtrot, Selling England by the Pound, The Lamb Dies on Broadway, A Trick Of The Tail and Wind & Withering. (13 Main St., Tarrytown; www.tarrytownmusichall.org)

Phil Lesh & Friends 79th Birthday Celebration, Capitol Theatre, Thurs-Sat, 3/14-16: 8pm: Grateful Dead bassist, and Deadhead fave, Phil Lesh will celebrate his 79th birthday at The Cap on March 14, 15, and 16 by playing with a fresh lineup of old friends and first-time collaborators. So sit tight, The Capitol will be announcing the latest news on Phil’s friends in the coming months. But don’t wait to find out or the shows will be sold out! (149 Westchester Ave, Port Chester; www.capitoltheatre.com)

Best for St. Patrick’s Day! Red Hot Chili Pipers, Tarrytown Music Hall, Fri, 3/15: 8pm: Winners of the UK’s 2007 season of When Will I Be Famous, the RHC Pipers’ “Bagrock” sound rocks up traditional pipe tunes like “The Flowers of Scotland” and “The Hills of Argyll”. And bags up rock anthems like Queen’s “We Will Rock You”, “Clocks” by Coldplay and “Chasing Cars” by Snow Patrol. (13 Main St., Tarrytown; www.tarrytownmusichall.org)

Jefferson Starship, Ridgefield Playhouse, Fri, 3/15: 8pm: Starship original members guitarist David Freiburg and drummer Donnie Baldwin team up with Grammy-nominee Cathy Richardson on vocals for a night of “Jefferson” hits from “Volunteers” and “Crown of Creation” to “Miracles”. (80 E. Ridge, Ridgefield, CT; www.ridgefieldplayhouse.org)

Natalie Merchant and Lunasa, Tarrytown Music Hall, Sat, 3/16: 8pm: Natalie Merchant opens for Lunasa, who Folk Roots magazine called “the Irish music dream team”. Merchant will also perform six songs with Lunasa during their set. Merchant first collaborated with Lunasa on her album Leave Your Sleep in 2010. Lunasa has performed over 2000 shows in their 20 year career and have performed at Carnegie Hall and The Hollywood Bowl. (Tarrytown Music Hall, 13 Main St., Tarrytown; www.tarrytownmusichall.org)

Editors Choice! Channeling The Masters, Peter Serkin, The Sanctuary Series South Salem, Sun, 3/17: 4pm: “Peter Serkin is one of the handful of pianists who not only possess a cerebral understanding of the music of our time but the ability to communicate it with feeling. In his hands, even the most formidable works are fluid and expressive.“ – The New York Times Here Peter performs Mozart’s Piano Sonata in B-Flat Major, JS Bach’s Goldberg Variations and more. (S. Salem Presbyterian Church, 111 Spring St., S. Salem; www.thesanctuaryseries.org)

The Machine Performs Pink Floyd, Ridgefield Playhouse, Fri, 3/22: 8pm: America’s top Pink Floyd tribute band, celebrates it’s thirtieth anniversary with a performance of three Pink Floyd albums: Dark Side of the Moon, Wish You Were Here, and Animals. They have performed at Bonnaroo, Gathering of the Vibes and with the Atlanta, Detroit, Pittsburgh, Jacksonville, and San Diego Symphonies. (80 E. Ridge, Ridgefield, CT; www.ridgefieldplayhouse.org)

Kashmir, The Palace Stamford, Fri, 3/22: 8pm: Kashmir takes a deep dive into Led Zeppelin’s eclectic songbook, John Bonham’s drum solos and Jimmy Page’s bag of tricks including his iconic double-neck guitar, his violin bow on “Dazed & Confused” and even his Theremin feedback machine on “Whole Lotta Love”. (61 Atlantic St., Stamford; www.palacestamfrod.org)

Widespread Panic, Capitol Theatre, Fri-Sun, 3/22;24: 8pm: Blues-rock jam band from Athens, GA, Widespread Panic has been compared to Phish and The Grateful Dead for their renowned live concerts. They have sold-out Colorado’s Red Rocks Amphitheatre a record 57 times and the Philips Arena in Atlanta 20 times, also a record. (149 Westchester Ave, Port Chester; www.capitoltheatre.com)

Editor’s Choice! Portland Cello Project: Homage to Radiohead, Performing Arts Center, Sat, 3/23: 8pm: Portland’s premiere alt-classical group brings a huge, orchestral ensemble – including brass, percussion, and guest vocals by Patti King of The Shins – to perform a night in homage to Radiohead. The first set features unique renditions of classical Radiohead pieces. In the second set PCJ will perform Radiohead’s seminal OK Computer album in its entirety. (735 Anderson Hill Rd., Purchase; www.artscenter.org)

Del And Dawg, Tarrytown Music Hall, Sat, 3/23: 8pm: Mandolinist David Grisman (The Grateful Dead’s American Beauty and Old and In The Way) continues his fifty year collaboration with banjoist Del McCoury. McCoury, an International Blue Grass Hall of Famer and National Endowment of the Arts Lifetime Achievement Award-winner, has performed with the “father of bluegrass”, Bill Monroe, Doc Watson, Pete Seeger, Phish, The String Cheese Incident and Tom Petty to name a few. (13 Main St., Tarrytown; www.tarrytownmusichall.org)

Hot Local Event: Houston Person, Schoolhouse Theatre, Sun, 3/24: 7pm: Tenor sax giant Houston Person’s annual performance at the Schoolhouse is one of the highlights of life in Croton Falls. Person, a Eubie Blake Jazz Award winner, is best known for his soul jazz though he has performed in the hard bop and swing genres. (3 Owens Rd., Croton Falls; www.schoolhousetheater.org)

Music of Cream, Tarrytown Music Hall, Fri, 3/29: 8pm: In this 50th Anniversary Tour, Kofi Baker (Ginger’s son), Malcolm Bruce (Jack’s son) and Will Johns (Eric’s nephew) deliver a multi-media retrospective with personal stories and previously unseen footage of the English blues group Cream. And perform Cream classics “Sunshine of Your Love,” “Crossroads,” “Spoonful”, “White Room”. (13 Main St., Tarrytown; www.tarrytownmusichall.org)

Jazz at the Center Spectacular with Cyrille Aimée, Performing Arts Center, Sat, 3/30: 8pm: Winner of the Montreux Jazz Festival’s Vocal Competition, The Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition, and finalist in the Thelonious Monk Vocal Competition, Aimée is – in the words of Will Friedwald of The Wall Street Journal – “One of the most promising jazz singers of her generation.” Read our review of her 2017 show at ChappPac. (735 Anderson Hill Rd., Purchase; www.artscenter.org)

The Music of Bobby Darin, with Ron Gartner, Ridgefield Playhouse, Sun, 3/31: 5pm: “Had he lived,” Vegas Entertainer Ron Gartner speculates, “he would have been bigger than Sinatra.” Darin’s hit songs ranged from teen pop, “Splish Splash” and “Dream Lover” to the jazzy “Mack the Knife” and “Beyond the Sea” and Tim Hardin’s “If I Were a Carpenter. A Golden Globe winner for his first film, Come September with Sandra Dee, he worked on RFK’s presidential campaign and won two Grammy’s for Mack The Knife, a Grammy Hall of Fame song. (80 E. Ridge, Ridgefield, CT; www.ridgefieldplayhouse.org)

Hot Ticket Alerts April

Jon Anderson of Yes, 1,000 Hands Tour, Ridgefield Playhouse, Wed, 4/3: 8pm: Don’t miss this full retrospective of Jon Anderson’s hits from Yes, Jon & Vangelis, his solo career and music from his new album 1000 Hands! Anderson, the lead singer for the Prog Rock band, Yes, was the author and creative visionary behind the ground-breaking albums Fragile and Close to the Edge, and co-wrote Yes hits “I’ve Seen All Good People”, “Roundabout”, and “Owner Of A Lonely Heart”. (80 E. Ridge, Ridgefield, CT; www.ridgefieldplayhouse.org)

Tiempo Libre, Performing Arts Center, Sun, 4/7: 3pm: Equally at home in concert halls, jazz clubs, festival stages, and dance venues, Tiempo Libre’s sophisticated tropical music makes them one of the hottest Latin bands on the scene today. Classically trained at Cuba’s premier conservatories, the members of this three-time Grammy-nominated band are celebrated for their timba music, an irresistible, dance-inducing mix of Latin jazz and Cuban son. (735 Anderson Hill Rd., Purchase; www.artscenter.org)

Editor’s Choice! Tommy James & The Shondells, Ridgefield Playhouse, Sat, 4/13: 8pm: Tommy James has been fronting rock bands since the age of 12. From the Bubble Gum sound to psychedelic rock, Tommy has had 2 No. 1 hits and 7 Top Ten hits including, “Crimson & Clover”, “Chrystal Blue Persuasion”, “Draggin The Line”, “I Think We’re Alone Now”, “Hanky Panky” and “Mony Mony”. (80 E. Ridge, Ridgefield, CT; www.ridgefieldplayhouse.org)

SOLD OUT! John Prine, Capitol Theatre, Fri, 4/12: 8pm: Two-time Grammy-winner, 2019 Rock & Roll and Songwriter’s Hall of Fame nominee, John Prine is widely regarded as one of the greatest song-writers of all time. His signature songs include Bonnie Raitt’s “Angel from Montgomery”, “Sam Stone”, “Illegal Smile”, “Dear Abby”, “Christmas in Prison, “The Great Compromise” and “Come Back To Us Barbara Lewis Hare Krishna Beauregard”. Johnny Cash, Carly Simon, Bette Midler, Norah Jones, Miranda Lambert and Zac Brown have recorded his songs. (149 Westchester Ave, Port Chester; www.capitoltheatre.com)

Roger McGuinn, Tarrytown Music Hall, Sat, 4/13: 8pm: Following his sold-out Sweetheart of the Rodeo 50th Anniversary Tour, Byrds frontman and psychedelic granny glasses super model Roger McGuinn returns to Tarrytown for a night of Byrds classics. Including, “Mr. Tambourine Man”, “So You Wanna Be a Rock and Roll Star”, “Eight Miles High”, “Chestnut Mare”, “Ballad of Easy Rider”, “Turn, Turn, Turn”, and so many more. (13 Main St., Tarrytown; www.tarrytownmusichall.org)

Editors Choice! Michael Feinstein Trio, Ridgefield Playhouse, Wed, 4/17: 8pm: Here’s a great get for The Ridgefield. The Ambassador of the Great American Songbook has earned five Grammy-noms. His Emmy nominated PBS-TV specials and his acclaimed NPR series and concerts have been broadcast round the globe. He has performed at iconic venues such as The White House, Buckingham Palace, Hollywood Bowl, Carnegie Hall and Sydney Opera House. (80 E. Ridge, Ridgefield, CT; www.ridgefieldplayhouse.org)

Nile Ridgers & Chic, Capitol Theatre, Thurs, 4/25: 8pm: A Rock and Roll Hall of Famer and three-time Grammy-winner is known for his “chucking” guitar style and his disco-funk band Chic who had hits with “Le Freak”, “Good Times” and “Everybody Dance” to name a few. He co-wrote and produced “We Are Family” for Sister Sledge, “I’m Coming Out” for Diana Ross; and produced David Bowie’s “Let’s Dance”, Madonna’s “Like A Virgin” and hits for Duran Duran and INXS. (149 Westchester Ave, Port Chester; www.capitoltheatre.com)

Hot Ticket Alerts May

Felix Cavaliere’s Rascals, Tarrytown Music Hall, Fri, 5/3: 8pm: First time I saw the Rascals, I was 11 and they were performing in my high school gymnasium. A year later they were bumping The Beatles off the charts with a string of No. 1 hits, “Good Lovin'”, “Groovin'” and “People Got To Be Free”. These Rock and Roll Hall of Famers from New Jersey followed up with high charting hits like “How Can I Be Sure”, “A Beautiful Morning”, “It’s Wonderful”, “I Ain’t Gonna Eat Out My Heart Anymore” and more. (80 E. Ridge, Ridgefield, CT; www.ridgefieldplayhouse.org)

The Fab Faux, Fan Favorites and Beatles Solo Years, Capitol Theatre, Sat, 5/4: 8pm: Known as “The Beatles tribute band without the wigs”, The Fab Faux stick to the music. Founded by Will Lee, bassist for Late Show With David Letterman, and Jimmy Vivino, bandleader for Conan, The Fab Faux will bring horn sections, string orchestras and teams of background vocalists to perform studio versions of Beatles classics live. (149 Westchester Ave, Port Chester; www.capitoltheatre.com)

Joan Baez Fare Thee Well Tour, Capitol Theatre, Fri, 5/3 & Sun, 5/5: 8pm: Joan Baez celebrates her new album, Whistle Down the Road, with this new tour. A folk icon, many songs that Joan Baez introduced in her early years found their way into the rock vernacular: “House Of the Rising Sun” (the Animals), “Babe, I’m Gonna Leave You” (Led Zeppelin), “What Have They Done To the Rain” (The Searchers), and “Long Black Veil” (The Band). She is best known her performance of “Joe Hill”, at Woodstock, “The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down”, and “Forever Young”. (149 Westchester Ave, Port Chester; www.capitoltheatre.com)

The String Cheese Incident, Capitol Theatre, Sat-Mon, 5/25-27: 8pm: Jam band legends from Colorado, The String Cheese Incident celebrates its 25th anniversary with three nights at The Cap. Incorporating everything from an electric mandolin, violin, lap steel guitar to an accordion, the band delivers elements of bluegrass, rock, electronica, country, calypso, jazz, reggae and psychedelia, (149 Westchester Ave, Port Chester; www.capitoltheatre.com)