Bee Eaters Make Some Musical Honey

The name conjures up many questions but few answers; the Bee Eaters. What that means is anybody’s guess. What they do, however, is on the record.

The Bee Eaters are rocking musicians who trace their roots back to Celtic, jazz, bluegrass and old-time flavor. They have been called “bodaciously brilliant” by well tuned listeners. Renowned bassist Edgar Meyer enthused that the experience is “a joy to hear both the exploration of this music.. and the emphasis on the simple beauty of the acoustic instruments.”

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Jazz Musicians Share Key Language
Remy Tumin

A group of Island musicians was in the key of comfort Friday night at Nancy’s in Oak Bluffs, mixing old school tunes with a little new school funk. The Martha’s Vineyard Jazz Quintet was performing together for the first time. The group is a mix of jazz cats young and old — the three members of the Vineyard high school group Ramblin’ Tides and three members of the Brian King Nelson Sextet. Different ages, same passion.

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Country With Bite, Deer Tick Vibe Infects
Nick Moorhead

By NICK MOORHEAD

Deer Tick is not just a really nasty strain of insect you could find attached to your leg after too much time spent at South Beach. It is also the name of John McCauley’s folk/punk/blues band playing at Nectar’s this Saturday night.

Mr. McCauley has carved out a reputation for his band within the crowded genre of indie rock bands with the prefix Deer (see: Deerhunter, Deerhoof) through raucous live shows.

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Paying Homage to Jerry Garcia, Grateful Dread Follows Fondly
Jonah Lipsky

Tuesday, August 9, was the 16th anniversary of the death of Jerry Garcia, the lead singer of the Grateful Dead. In honor of the late songwriter and musician, the Grateful Dread, a band of Island musicians who play Grateful Dead songs with a reggae flair, and play every Tuesday night at Nectar’s, decided to pay homage not with a moment of silence, but with an extra long guitar solo.

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Songs With Staying Power Fill Red Flags
Nick Moorhead

By NICK MOORHEAD

Imagine Tom Petty crossed with Carly Simon and a dash of Jack Johnson and you have Erich Luening, rock artist and well-known Islander. And this weekend he will release Red Flags, his debut solo album. A decade in the making, the CD has a stellar guest list that includes Evan Dando of the Lemonheads, who is also Mr. Luening’s childhood Island friend.

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Hills Alive With Sound of Hip-Hop? Yard Dancers Not Trapped by Past
Remy Tumin

Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens, bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens....Whether you sang the song in high school chorus, learned Do Re Mi from Julie Andrews or were introduced to the musical via a Gwen Stefani remix, the Sound of Music is fixed in the collective memory.

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Jane Coakley to Lead Chamber Music Society

David Rhoderick, president of the Martha’s Vineyard Chamber Music Society, has announced the appointment of Jane Coakley as its new executive director. Ms. Coakley succeeds Rise Terney, who held the position from 2009 to April 2011.

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Island Bell Choir to Host Merrimack Valley Ringers

There are bells for alarms, for church services, for the striking of noon. There are dinner bells, at least somewhere one still hopes, and school bells and maybe even bells when angels get their wings.

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Vest Fest

Vest Fest

See you later harbingers of spring, and say hello to summertime sneak peaks, portents, auguries, forerunners, what have you. Tonight the Lampost in Oak Bluffs gets loud with its first live show of the season.

It’s the first annual Vest Fest, kissing cousin to Best Fest. Music is the main ingredient for both festivals. Vest Fest just dresses it up a notch.

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All That Jazz on Martha’s Vineyard
Nick Moorhead

When jazz goes on vacation, it goes to Martha’s Vineyard. So trumpets the tag line of the inaugural 2011 Martha’s Vineyard Jazz Festival, which officially takes place August 6-13, but enjoyed an unofficial kickoff at Lola’s in Oak Bluffs this past weekend. Throughout the summer, you can find jazz all over the Island leading to the weeklong festival in August.

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