The Unitarian Fellowship
67 S. Randolph Avenue – Poughkeepsie, NY
Tickets Available at The Door
$20/Members
$25/Non-Members
Those lucky enough to have seen and heard Bees in the Barn in the HVBA’s Covid-inspired outdoor concert series last summer, take heart: they will be back! The Beacon-based progressive Bluegrass quartet will kick off HVBA’s post-pandemic return to the Unitarian Fellowship in Poughkeepsie on Saturday, February 4.
The group comprises four of the most talented and established musicians on the scene today: August Eriksmoen (mandolin), Sara Milonovich (fiddle, vocals), Jordan Shapiro (guitar), and Nate Allen (bass). Together they create a distinctive sound that combines the traditional essence of bluegrass with influences from the wider musical world. A review of their recent self-titled CD described the result as “intelligent without being cerebral, adventurous but not esoteric. Bees in the Barn cultivate the best tendencies of forward-thinking music.” Those lucky enough to have seen the group in concert know they can expect an evening of joyous, innovative music. For the uninitiated, a listen to their CD on Spotify should convince you that this is an opportunity not to be missed.
August Eriksmoen is a Grammy nominated producer, Tony nominated orchestrator, as well as twice nominated for the Drama Desk Award, and is a recipient of London’s Olivier Award. He has toured all over the country as a multi-instrumentalist and conductor. He is an accomplished arranger and orchestrator, having worked on many Broadway musicals and TV shows, including the the hit show Come From Away, Steve Martin and Edie Brickell’s Bright Star, ABC’s Once Upon A Time, A Christmas Story Live, and Disney’s Descendants.
Sara Milonovich is a highly sought-after side person in the bluegrass, folk, rock, Americana, and celtic music worlds. She has performed and recorded throughout the Americas and Europe, with such artists as Richard Shindell, Pete Seeger (including on his Grammy winning album “At 89”), Eliza Gilkyson, Jim Gaudet and the Railroad Boys, and NY string band Mountain Quickstep. As a singer-songwriter, she leads the alt-country band, Daisycutter. The new album ‘Northeast’, was realized in June, 2021
Jordan Shapiro is a 20 year veteran of the New York area bluegrass scene, and is known for his eclectic endeavors and command of many instruments. His bluegrass band “Astrograss” is extremely active in the NYC bluegrass scene, having released 3 albums, and performs yearly at the Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival. Shapiro also plays keyboards on the 2018 release “World of Captain Beefheart”, a new band formed by Gary Lucas and Nona Hendryx. Jordan also leads a psychedelic jazz-fusion Balkan folk project called “Choban Elektrik.”
Nate Allen has toured across the United States and Europe, having recorded with various artists including Peter Karp and Sue Foley, the Kristijan Krajčan Contemporary Jazz Ensemble, Nicole Hart, Black Gold, Friend Roulette, Scott Barkan, The Fine Machines, Illumntr, and Crooks and Perverts. Today, he plays in a variety of groups ranging in styles including blues, jazz, rock, folk, pop, soul, roots, and fusion.