The Best Entertainment is at Fogartyville in Sarasota

“Seminal Trailblazers” of Scottish Music, The Tannahill Weavers, Return to Fogartyville in Sarasota

Formed in 1968, The Tannahill Weavers quickly became known for their play on traditional Scottish music, as well as their popularization of the Great Highland Bagpipe in ensemble performance. The group’s current members, Roy Gullane (guitar, lead vocals), Phil Smillie (flute, whistles, bodhrán, vocals), Iain MacGillivray (highland bagpipes, fiddle, whistles), and Malcolm Bushby (fiddle, bouzouki, vocals) continue to wow crowds with their modern interpretation of traditional compositions. The Tannahill Weavers will be coming to Fogartyville in Sarasota on Friday, February 24 at 8 p.m. Doors open at 7 p.m and tickets are $25 for members, $30 for nonmembers, and $15 for students.

Named after Scottish poet Robert Tannahill and the historic weaving industry of the group’s town of provenance, Paisley, Scotland, The Tannahill Weavers have accumulated an impressive discography of 18 full length albums throughout the last five decades. They are credited as one of the world’s premier traditional Celtic bands and have maintained their influence and reputation for “fire-driven instrumentals, topical songs, original ballads and lullabies, and humorous tales of life in Scotland.” The group has been celebrated by the New York Times, Winnipeg Free Press, and others for their masterful and eloquent mixture of old and new techniques, and were labeled as “national treasures” by Glasgow Celtic Connections.

Abbie Gardner and Marc Douglas Berardo to Perform at Fogartyville

Abbie Gardner is a fiery dobro player with an infectious smile. Whether performing solo or with Americana harmony trio Red Molly, her acclaimed tales of love and loss, both gritty and sweet, are propelled by her impeccable lap style slide guitar playing. Gardner will be coming to Fogartyville in Sarasota, alongside Americana singer-songwriter Marc Douglas Berardo, on Sunday, February 26th at 7 p.m. Doors open at 6 p.m. and tickets are $18 for members, $22 for nonmembers, and $11 for students. Advance tickets are available at www.Fogartyville.org.

A member of the award-winning folk trio, Red Molly, Abbie Gardner has a vast amount of experience in the world of performance and songwriting. Her masterful control of the dobro and slide guitar has propelled her solo ventures, and she has released five full length solo albums. Gardner’s lyrics are known for their delicate blend of love and loss, grittiness and sweetness, and her latest album DobroSinger captures this authenticity. The album features Gardner’s voice and dobro recorded together at her home, with no studio, “as if you are in the room with her.”

Marc Douglas Berardo has been releasing music since 2000, and has left his mark on the worlds of Americana and folk music. His songwriting and lyrics bring to mind the likes of James Taylor, Jimmy Buffet, Guy Clark, and more, and his ability to create colorful characters and beguiling settings within his melodies and lyrics has been the subject of much media acclaim, with No Depression Magazine calling his latest release “sincere, fluid, charming, and above all gripping.” Berardo has been nationally recognized on festival and tour stages, and was awarded the 2014 Michael Terry’s People’s Choice Award at the Wildflower! Arts and Music Festival. Berardo has been writing and touring alongside Abbie Gardner and Red Molly for years, and the two will share the Fogartyville stage on February 26th.

Award Winning Italian Jazz Vocalist Chiara Izzi to Play Fogartyville

Originally from Campobasso, a city in southeastern Italy, Chiara Izzi has been making waves in the world of jazz vocalists since she first began studying jazz musicianship at 17 years old. Today, Izzi has amassed a variety of awards and successfully made a prominent name for herself in the United States. Izzi will be showcasing her vocal abilities and songwriting at Fogartyville on Friday, March 3rd at 8 p.m. in Sarasota. Doors open at 7 p.m. and tickets are $20 for members, $22 for non-members, and $11 for students. Advance tickets are available online at Fogartyville.

Izzi first discovered her love for jazz as a student at Campobasso’s Thelonious Monk School, where teachers encouraged her to pursue piano and vocals. She formed a jazz band with classmates and continued to grow her passion, to the point that she enrolled in the Conservatory of Frosinone and earned a Masters Degree in Jazz Music in 2012. After being awarded first place at the Montreux International Jazz Festival Vocal Competition by none other than Quincy Jones, Izzi followed his advice and made a move to New York to pursue international recognition. She certainly gained exactly that, as she has since released four well-received solo albums and worked with the likes of Kevin Hays, Leon Parker, Ken Peplowski, and more. Her 2020 composition “Circles of the Mind,” featuring Kevin Hayes on piano, won the Independent Music Awards honor in the Jazz with Vocals category. In media reception of her vocal talent and songwriting, Izzi has been described as a “force of nature,” with a voice that has “a well-scrubbed sensual vitality that is fresh and crisp.”

Fogartyville Announces Second Annual Sarasota Trio Festival

WSLR+Fogartyville is pleased to announce the 2nd Annual Sarasota Trio Festival taking place on Sunday, March 5, 4-8pm. This Festival highlights the musical power of the three-piece band and features local performers.  The three trios featured this year will be Third World Avenue, Folknharmony, and Rising Tide.   Tickets are $15 for members and $18 for nonmembers.  Advance tickets are available at Fogartyville.  Doors open at 3pm and Chef Richard’s Kumquat Kitchen will be serving up full meals and tasty appetizers. 

Taking off from where last year’s Festival left off, Dave Beaton, co-founder of the radio station, and John Barron, member of local trio Clover’s Revenge, wanted to continue highlighting the area’s excellent trios and variety of music. 

“Last year’s Festival was such a musical treat” says Barron. “We wanted to continue to build on its success and grow the audience.”

The Festival will have a wide variety of musical styles. Bryan Spainhower and Third World Ave. will take you on a musical journey to the furthest reaches of this planet. The opening act will feature some of the best world music played and performed by a world class group featuring Sammy Warren on percussion and Gabriel Gutierrez on bass!

Next comes Folknharmony. Beau Wilberding on Cajon and vocals, Dr. Zachary Johnson on acoustic guitar and vocals, and Nancy Gauvreau on vocals, rhythm guitar, and percussion play folk’d up rock tunes and B-sides of the artists you love. With wit, grit, and three part harmonies, the stripped-down acoustic trio finds new spirit in iconic, generational rock, folk and blues songs from the last half century. Folknharmony works to build an undeniable chemistry with their audience.

The evening closes with Rising Tide. Experience the diverse and uplifting sounds of RisingTide, featuring Synia Carroll’s lush vocals, Chuck Stevens’ lilting guitar leads, and Cameron Kayne’s soulful bass. This exciting trio blends Jazz standards and more, creating a unique and inspiring soundscape. Come to Fogartyville and be swept away by their evocative melodies! 

All photos from Fogartyville