What's the 'Nouche been up to?   I can't believe I haven't blogged at you since the Adirondack adventure.   Let's see...  some highlights since then include:

- Several beautiful outdoors events:  A dreamy summer afternoon at Gorham Music Fest in Maine.   A show on the huge green in front of Everyman Bistro in Providence -- funds were raised for a group that connects people with disabilities and the arts.   The Big E Expo and the Lowell Arts Fest, both in Mass, were also great times. 

-  We played outdoors in North Carolina at a series called The Rooster's Wife.   We all enjoyed splendid hospitality as well as the sweet sounds of opener Bruce Piephoff's group.  We even got to sneak in a quick visit with our friends in VA, the Gypsy Roots, on the way down.

- We stopped on the way to play at the tiny Charlesworth Hotel in the heart of South Jersey.  There is a tune on our first album that honors the lighthouse here on the Delaware Bay.  We were here in August this year, with lots of friends, lots of family, and huge windows that presented us with the sun setting over the Bay all evening long. 

- We'd barely unpacked from one journey when suddenly it was September and we were back in NYC!  The Gypsy Tabor Festival included a staged shaped like a caravan wagon.   Within a few weeks, we were in NYC once again for the Brooklyn Djangology Fest.  This was our second year and the vibe was strong.

- Last weekend we had a nice night in Freeport, Maine, at The Venue.   There was dancing, there were smiles...nice stage, nice people. 

- The following night was probably one of our best shows of the year.  We followed moose tracks up to East Sangerville, Maine.  The whole room was full of enthusiasm, energy, and don't forget the fancy homemade desserts.  I can picture the moose gathering outside and dancing some moosedances...  Maybe not, but it was a really special night  -- once again we were blessed to have some family and long-time friends in the audience.   The double-encore was a nice touch, too.  We all left feeling quite rejuvenated, and with people pressing packages full of leftover pie into our sleepy hands. 

- What a year it has been, so far....!   And now that we're involved with Charisma Artist Agency, it's like....has this all just been a warm up?!  
We are so stoked for the future and so thankful for the past.  New tour dates will pour in shortly.  Will we see you soon?  We hope so.

Want to book us?   Charisma Artist Agency is now the way to go. 

New Hampshires very own Gypsy Jazz Trio "Ameranouche" will be performing live this Saturday, October 10th at the Piccola Upstairs Lounge in Downtown Manchester from 9:00 p.m. - Midnight. Ameranouche has opened for such greats as Howard Alden, Robin Nolan and Dorado Schmitt. The trio also opened for Herbie Hancock at the 2008 JVC Newport Jazz Festival and received a standing ovation. 3 Tunes from their first CD are featured in the National Lampoon's movie "Beach Party at the Threshold of Hell" and the group was awarded Best of New Hampshire 2008 by New Hampshire Magazine. Here are the details for the show this Saturday: Ameranouche Live at the Piccolla Upstairs Lounge in Manchester Saturday, October 10th 9:00 p.m. - 12:00 a.m The Piccola Upstairs Lounge is located upstairs from the Piccola Italian Ristorante 815 Elm Street, Manchester, NH 03103 Venue website: www.piccolaupstairslounge.com Artist website: www.ameranouche.com

we wanted you to know about the festival this weekend in Brooklyn, NY. Come on out and join in the party. This is not to be missed ecspecially if you are into festivals, Gypsy Music, and NYC! Gypsy Tabor Festival September 11, 12 and 13 at the Gateway National Recreation Area Located into Floyd Bennett Field, Brooklyn (NYC first airportAmeranouche will be appearing on Sunday on the main stage with special guest Ted Gottsegan playing rhythm: There is also camping available at the festival... basically it is going to be a real gypsy experience with camping and celebrating right on the Beaches of NYC! 4:20-5:20 pm AMERANOUCHE TRIO www.nygypsy.com

Because seriously.... what ELSE are you going to do on a Thursday night in Bunswizzle, ME??    Frontier is the place for your next frothy (or not) beverage, and Ameranouche is what your ears and your hearts and your hair follicles need.   Come hear the love. 

725-5222 only $10 in advance and $12 if you wait!

Thursday, 7:30pm, Brunswick, Frontier, Brunswick, 725-5222, 7:30pm, got it all?

Highlights from recent tour.....

- Ameranouche got a standing ovation at a BAR!   The dancers were going wild and we were flattered and delighted at the reaction.   Then again, it was the Weathervane Music Hall crowd in Brattleboro, VT, so we shouldn't really be surprised at their awesomeness, should we?  =-)  We wish you-all would come to all of our shows!!

- We checked out some great art on this trip!   Fine blown glass items in Sharon Springs, NY and glorious pottery from Chestertown, NY came home with us.   Gotta love happening upon an unassuming building full of cool local art....art that is unique, and truly captures (or releases) the spirit of its maker. 

- We were fortunate to have wonderful, ample crowds full of friendly people in both Stony Creek and Schroon Lake, NY, small villages on the eastern edge of the Adirondack range.   Stony is great if you don't want to hear your cell phone ring.   No reception to speak of in many spots!!  Peace and quiet for REAL.   Of course we stayed at the Inn to get the full experience. 

- Some of our Stony Creek friends showed up at Schroon, and seeing the familiar faces from the last few years was a treat.   The power even stayed on throughout the whole show this time!!  Yes, it still poured off and on all day.  Hey, a gig isn't a gig unless it's pouring.... or something.   Regardless, we played and experimented and grinned our way through the night, glad to be doing what we do, where we do it.  I know I say this every time, but... it is TRULY and really all thanks to YOU!  Don't you forget it!

More thorough bloggage is coming -- there is much to report.  

Meanwhile, check out all our new videos.   These are snippets from recent events that we shot just for fun, just to give you a taste. =)  

http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=E464B7D8C04D498F    AMERANOUCHE VIDEOS!

Summer got off to a pretty sweet start.   One of the first things we did was all pile onto the cog railway and ride up through the clouds to the summit of Mt. Washington.   Over 6,200 feet tall, and home of some of the "worst weather on the planet", or at least the most erratic weather, it is the highest point in New England.   Perfect for hiking, weather stations, tourists, and....shucks, why not a wedding? 

We grabbed our axes from the train which, at a halt, disappeared immediately into a cloud when we were but meters away.  Rock-hopping clumsily in dress clothes with guitars and a bass, squinting in the raging wind and hail, we made it into one of the summit buildings and accompanied a lovely, unique and relatively astral wedding. 

Afterward, while waiting for the train back down, we played in the more populated building, full of tourists and rather bedraggled, confused looking hikers.  I think we looked just a little out of place.  Regardless, there was some dancing and smiling going on and it was nice to garnish the soundscape.

More news soon... rumor of videos....stay tuned!

Gypsy jazz workshop with Ameranouche in CT 6/19/09

June 19, 7pm, at AcousticMusic.org Shop in Guilford, CT.    $20 
(203) 458-2525  1238 Boston Post Rd., Guilford, CT 06437 USA
www.ameranouche.com
***VERY LIMITED SPACE, PLEASE CALL AND RESERVE EARLY!***

Ameranouche will host a Gypsy jazz workshop for instrumentalists of all levels, guitarists, bassists, beginners, experts, curious non-instrumentalists, and anyone else interested in the art and science of Gypsy jazz.  We'll discuss the stylistic features that characterize this culturally-diverse music, how to approach them harmonically and how to navigate their implementation.  How to play "pompe", how to build a bass line, how to improvise, how to solidify technique, increase speed...In other words, we'll get aimed for the next level, no matter where you're starting from.  If you play (or want to), definitely bring your instrument.

Ameranouche is the first Gypsy jazz group ever to play at the JVC Newport Jazz Festival.  Ameranouche is an award-winning, nationally-touring, acoustic trio featuring Richard "Shepp" Sheppard on solo guitar, Ryan Flaherty on rhythm guitar, and Xar Adelberg on double bass.