The Sidney and Berne Davis Art Center presents two high energy bluegrass concerts this spring.
The Barefoot Movement will perform on Friday, April 9, and the David Mayfield Parade will be performing on Friday May 21, both in celebration of bluegrass American roots music.
When the stars align to team a fresh, young acoustic quartet with a pair of legendary studio wizards whose credits include projects by Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, Linda Ronstadt and the Eagles, the saying about “big shoes to fill” might be cause for concern. But not for the two men and two women who make up The Barefoot Movement.
Just as their name suggests, the band that earned the International Bluegrass Music Association’s prestigious Band of the Year Momentum Award in 2014 wants live audiences to be inspired by the casual, organic nature of their energetic live shows. But they also take that same philosophy with them into the recording studio, turning out instantly memorable tunes built around silky smooth bluegrass/Americana harmonies and laced with tantalizing flecks of bluesy grit.
With their latest EP, Rise & Fly, the Nashville-based musicians comfortably dip their bare toes into everything from the high-energy of “Doin’ Alright,” and the deceptively cheery but acerbic break-up tune, “Every Little Thing,” to the gutsy “Lonely Mississippi Blues” and the stirring call-and-response of the traditional “Early in the Morning.” The phrase “rise and fly,” from that tune, “captured very simply the theme of the whole project,” says singer-songwriter fiddle player and chief songwriter Noah Wall. “Not only in that we’re bringing traditional stuff back to life, but also in that it’s been so long since we’ve had a new release of original material. With this batch, it’s the first non-holiday offering from our current line-up. So, it feels very much like rising from the ground up and letting these tunes finally take flight.”
Grammy & Emmy nominated producer David Mayfield on guitar, mandolin and vocals joins two-time National Bluegrass Banjo Champion Steven Moore, and former member of The Railsplitters Christine King on fiddle and vocals, multi-instrumentalist Andrew Bonnis on bass and vocals and former member of Cadillac Sky. Together, they parade into town for a light-hearted, fun-filled night of harmony, hot licks, and laughs the whole family can enjoy.
David Mayfield grew up playing bass and touring with his family’s bluegrass band. As a teenager he established himself as a hot picker collecting national awards for his dexterity on guitar and mandolin.
Doors open at 6:30 p.m., and the concerts start at 7:30 p.m. For tickets and more information, visit www.sbdac.com or call 239-333-1933. The Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center is located at 2301 First St. in the historic downtown Fort Myers River District.
