As a pre- Valentine’s Day treat, The Hurdy Gurdy will present Steve Gillette and Cindy Mangsen in concert at 8:00PM this Saturday February 3, 2007 at the Central Unitarian Church in Paramus, NJ.

Steve and Cindy have not played the Hurdy Gurdy in a few years, but their return has been one of the frequent requests from audience members and all of us are looking forward to this long overdue performance!

According to the Sing Out Magazine review of Steve and Cindy’s latest album, Being There, “Steve and Cindy have hit on a combination that consistently produces high quality recordings and entertaining stage shows. Their voices and styles meld seamlessly with a gentleness and a maturity that is unmatched in the world of folk duos.”

Their web page, www.compassrosemusic.com , includes a wealth of information about the duo: sound files, a full one-hour concert video recorded at the Kennedy Center, and an infamous jokes page, plus a wealth of links to other folk music resources on the Web.

Steve Gillette is best known as a songwriter, with songs recorded by artists from Ian & Sylvia to Garth Brooks, from Jiminy Cricket to John Denver. His song Darcy Farrow alone has been recorded by more than one hundred artists since 1966, most recently by Jimmy Dale Gilmore and Nanci Griffith. Quite literally, he wrote the book on songwriting: Songwriting and the Creative Process (Sing Out Press) is a standard text in songwriting classes across the country. Steve sings in a rich baritone and is a virtuoso on guitar, using a unique fingerpicking style with a flat-pick and two fingers. His most recent solo recording is Texas and Tennessee (Redwing Music), named one of the Top Ten Folk Albums of 1998 by Tower Records’ Pulse Magazine.

Cindy Mangsen, who married Gillette in 1989, is also a songwriter, but her focus has been on songkeeping. Cindy is a master interpreter of traditional ballads, rich in myth and legend. She plays guitar, concertina, and banjo, and is renowned for her compelling voice, described by one critic as a voice that can warm a New England winter. Her newest solo CD is Cat Tales: Songs of the Feline Persuasion (2005, Compass Rose Music), an album of songs about cats and their people. As Steve comments, “Cindy has brought me back to my roots, and I think I’ve influenced her in terms of ensemble playing, rhythmic development, arrangement and performing. We’re very fortunate to play for people who really listen and who come to a concert with a certain sense of history. There’s a strong feeling of community about this music.”

Steve and Cindy have been featured on National Public Radio’s All Things Considered and Mountain Stage, and have delighted audiences across North America and Europe with their music, warmth, and humor. They have recorded four duet albums: Live in Concert (1991), The Light of the Day (named Best Folk Album of 1996 by WFMT and WDET), A Sense of Place (2001, Redwing Music), and Being There (2006, Compass Rose Music).

For more information, please call (201)384-8465 or visit our websiteat www.hurdygurdyfolk.org .

The Hurdy Gurdy is located in the Central Unitarian Church in Paramus, NJ – located at 156 Forest Avenue. Tickets are $20 ($17 formembers). This concert will be in our intimate assembly room, so advance tickets are recommended!

Advance tickets are also available at Brier Rose Books,450 Cedar Lane in Teaneck, New Jersey – (201) 836-5500.

Also, my radio co-host – the legendary Bill Hahn – will serve as emcee on Saturday night! What more do you need? See you there!!!!

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Thank you for supporting live music in Bergen County!