THE ROOTS CAFÉ SINGER-SONGWRITER SERIES PRESENTS:
CEPHAS & WIGGINS’ PHIL WIGGINS &
THE GRANDSONS’ ALAN MACEWEN
Phil Wiggins and Alan MacEwen
perform their own songs in the round
with your singing host Geoffrey Himesat
Tickets: $7 in advance, $9 at door
PHIL WIGGINS:
Phil Wiggins is a harmonica virtuoso and singer-songwriter in the Piedmont blues tradition of Sonny Terry. Wiggins is best known for his partnership with singer-guitarist “Bowling Green” John Cephas for more than 30 years and more than a dozen albums. The duo won the blues world’s biggest prize, the W.C. Handy Award for Entertainer of the Year, in 1987. Since Cephas died in 2009, Wiggins has fashioned new partnerships with such bluesmen as Corey Harris, Rev. John Wilkins, Nat Reese and Rick Franklin. Wiggins recently starred at the 2011 Maryland Traditions Folklife Festival and the second annual “Streets of Baltimore: Songs of Our City” show, both for the Creative Alliance at the Patterson. For his An Die Musik show, Wiggins will be accompanied by noted D.C. blues guitarist Mark Puryear. www.philwiggins.com
ALAN MACEWEN:
Alan MacEwen is the bandleader and founding member of the award-winning American roots quartet, the Grandsons. Now in their 25th year, the Grandsons have performed continuously since 1986, releasing 7 full-length albums. Alan is singer, guitarist, trumpet player and principle songwriter for the group. Apart from his primary efforts with the Grandsons, Alan has built a strong repertoire as a solo performer and has explored Caribbean music with his group, Sir Alan and the Calypso Ponzi Schemers. As a professional trumpet player, Alan has worked as a sideman with artists including Ruth Brown, Howard Tate and Ronnie Spector. www.grandsons.com
GEOFFREY HIMES:
Though he is best known as a music critic for the Washington Post, Baltimore City Paper, Nashville Scene, Jazz Times, No Depression, Paste and others, Geoffrey Himes is also a longtime singer-songwriter who has co-written songs with Fred Koller, Walter Egan, Sonia Rutstein, Billy Kemp, Stephen Wade, Jim Patton, Ed Pettersen, Howard Markman, Paul Margolis, Josh Charles, Timothy Bracken, Andrew Grimm, Bob Kannenberg and others. This month Himes will premiere his new song, “Birthday Kiss."
UPCOMING SHOWS IN THE ROOTS CAFÉ SINGER-SONGWRITER SERIES AT AN DIE MUSIK LIVE:
May 6: Victoria Vox & TBA
June 3: Arty Hill & TBA
OTHER ROOTS CAFÉ SHOWS:
May 19 (tentative): Fourth annual “Night of 1000 Dylans” concert for the Creative Alliance at the Patterson featuring TBA
