Laura Boggs

IN UNISON I love it when a plan comes together. I love it more when a band comes together. This Saturday, three of upstate New York’s best-loved folk musicians (and a few friends) will unite to celebrate the release of their first group effort. North River, North Woods is the product of a collaboration between Dan Berggren, John Kirk, and Chris Shaw, with help from guest musicians Cedar Stanistreet and Ann Downey. The veteran artists involved have some mighty pedigrees among them, so it should be said that this recording is something of a capital-E event for Adirondack folk fans. The group comes together this Saturday for a pair of CD-release concerts at the Tannery Pond Community Center in North Creek. Visit berggrenfolk.com for more on the record; or call Tannery Pond at 251-2505 for show details.

IN DEPTH Students of jazz looking to take their skills up a notch or three, take note: The Third Annual Hudson Summer Jazz Workshop is scheduled for August 13-16 at the Hudson Opera House. Presented by pianist Armen Donelian and saxophonist Mark Mommaas, the intensive program covers topics including “improvisation, composition, duo and ensemble playing, technique, practice routines and artist life issues.” This year’s workshop features special guest David Liebman, renowned saxophonist and founder of the IASJ (International Association of Schools of Jazz). Liebman will drop in for a morning session on Sunday, followed by a student-faculty concert that afternoon. Housing and vegetarian meals are included in the cost, and enrollment is limited. Visit armenjazz.com to download the application form and/or brochure.

IN THE STUDIO Tim Livingston, frontman of the Last Conspirators, recently dropped a line to let us know that he and the band have begun work on a new album, titled Powerful Friends. The album is expected to hew closely to the formula established by their last set, 2007’s Warparty—a formula they say adds up to “a potent Molotov cocktail of psychedelic-punk and soulful, garage rock.” No release date has been set, but you can keep tabs on the progress at myspace.com/thelastconspirators.

Also currently in the studio is folk chanteuse Laura Boggs. Metroland’s 2006 pick for Best Female Singer-Songwriter is expected to release Murder Ballads and Lies this fall. This will be Boggs’ second release for The Rev Records; her Whiskey and Springtime was the label’s debut release in 2006. Learn more about The Rev Records at therevrecs.com; Boggs’ site is myspace.com/lauraboggs.

—John Brodeur

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