Local musicians talk about the books that influenced their paths, the biographies of legends, written history and missing history, and the books that changed their heads.
This virtual panel will be part of the Easton Book Festival on Tuesday, November 10, at 7:00 PM EST. Featuring Chris Cummings, Jorge Torres, Alyssa Lou Allen, and Jason Hedrington. Facilitated by Lynn Alexander.
Attend: click here to go to the zoom event page.
Check out the Easton Book Festival website for details. (www.eastonbookfestival.com)
Chris Cummings is a drummer, composer, producer, bandleader, and educator who’s been performing and teaching for thirty five years. He is the drummer for New York City based Americana band, the Dave Goddess Group whose latest release, “Once In A Blue Moon” received critical acclaim and FM air play throughout the US, Europe, and Australia. His trio, the Chris Cummings Trio, features jazz legends Gene Perla and Bill Washer. He can be found performing and recording with the jam band, The Appropriation Committee and on their debut recording, “An Improvised Life”. Chris is also a first call studio drummer and can be found on numerous recordings with a wide variety of artists. Chris maintains his teaching studio in Easton PA where he lives with his wife and four children.
Guitarist and lutenist Jorge Torres is Associate Professor of Music at Lafayette College, where he teaches courses in Music History and World Music, and he is the founder and director of the Marquis Consort, Lafayette College’s early music ensemble. He earned his PhD in Musicology at Cornell University writing a dissertation on 17th century French lute music. He has published articles on the interpretation of French lute music including “Performance Practice Technique for the French Baroque Lute: An Examination of Introductory Avertissements from Seventeenth-Century Sources,“ and “Some Manifestations of French Lyricism in Seventeenth-Century pièces de luth Repertoire,” the latter which examines the influence of French versification on the composition of French melodies. His work on lute music forms a part of a monograph in progress entitled “Rhetoric of the Gods: The Meanings of Musical Performance in 17thcentury pièces de luth”
Alyssa Lou Allen is a vocalist, percussionist, artist, writer, and performer with her hands in many vital community activities, including Touchstone Theater and Book and Puppet. She is also a talented visual artist and performance artist, in addition to her gigs with Rio Bossa.
Rio Bossa performs traditional Latin American, jazz, popular, and original music. Performing in clubs, at festivals, and on TV, Rio Bossa is known for their unique blend of soulful melodies and savory Latin rhythms.
JASON E.R. HEDRINGTON is a transplanted Wisconsinite who has been making Art from his Southside Bethlehem home for 20+ years. While he’s known mostly for his work in the local music scene (where he’s been regularly nominated as Lehigh Valley pianist and keyboardist of the year with such award-winning acts as original Rock band Roi & The Secret People, Jazz-Fusion trio The Gonzo Project, Indie-rockers The Insidious Rays, performance-art Americana troupe the Sconnsyltucky Ooftah Boys, and jam band Kef) Jason has also served as Musical Director at Touchstone Theater where he is an Ensemble Associate, as the Community DJ of the Year nominated Dr. Deep Cuts at WLVR, as teacher and director at the Lehigh Valley School of Rock (where he’s been nominated as Music Educator of the Year), and has used his old English degree to freelance write for local Arts publications. A prolific singer-songwriter his work can be heard and his Tralfamadorian alter-ego can be followed at www.headeye.org, Facebook @HeadEye, and Instagram @headeyemusic. His “regular” Facebook page also hosts the twice-weekly live music webcast “Afternoon Delight” @Jason E. Hedrington.
