Written by Ronnie Sweeting —
MARIPOSA — Music on the Green – brought to you by The Mariposa County Arts Council and its many fine sponsors – presents the third of thirteen weekends of free concerts with a special appearance/ debut of local “super-group” Arroyo (w/Little Tiger) on Friday, June 16, and from San Francisco, Trance Mission Duo (featuring Stephen Kent & Beth Custer) on Saturday, June 17.
Arroyo is a result of the collaboration of singer/songwriter Ben Goger (The Trespassers), drummer Chris Adcock (Robes, Chaz), guitarist Adam Burns (Bootstrap Circus, Little Tiger), bassist Benny Lee Friedrich (The Trespassers), and multi-instrumentalist Jonny Troyna (Wools Surf Club, Robes).
It began out of Goger’s desire to give some of his songs a rock n’ roll rhythm, and his brother-in-law Chris’s constant attempts to shoehorn country and folk into Devo and Ramones style rhythms. The result is an upbeat type of country rock music, veering occasionally into power pop and 70s-style arena rock.
Opening the night will be Little Tiger, Burns and wife Mandy Vance’s synth pop duo.
Trance Mission Duo features two extraordinary and award-winning multi-instrumentalist/composers (Stephen Kent: didjeridu, percussion, cello-sintir, bass; Beth Custer: B flat, alto, bass clarinets, percussion) with mountains of global accolades to their credit.
In this new duo incarnation, Trance Mission continues the genre-breaking musical traditions they started in the 1990s. Founded in ‘91 by Kent (Baraka Moon; host of the World Music program on KPFA-Berkeley) and Custer (film score composer; recent Emmy award-winner [KQED]), this seminal 4th World duo out of the Bay Area performed extensively on the West Coast and in Europe and created four universally acclaimed recordings released on San Francisco’s City of Tribes label.
The music of Trance Mission is a nearly indescribable amalgam of World/ Trance music that includes implements of progressive Jazz, African and Aboriginal, with an infectious improvisational spirit and humor.
Trance Mission’s unique, multi-genre music is unlike any presented in Mariposa before their debut at the Art Park in 2015, making their return a truly special appearance. Notable performances include Maybeck Studio, Live Oak Festival, Freight & Salvage, Slim’s, Palm’s Playhouse, and many more.
The digital aura remarkably marries the indigenous instrumentation with a rare naturalness, resonating with the full flame of world-derived trance power. — Sam Prestianni
A unique Aboriginal, African and European fusion. Their rhythmic, trance-inducing music for didgeridoo, drums and synthesizer makes a perfect soundtrack. — j. poet
This is such deep, exploratory, soulful music…unlike anything I’ve ever heard. It’s world music, yes, but at the same time its progressive, jazzy, tribal, traditional, jamming, driving, trance rhythms…I hear something new every time I put this CD on. — PG, Dirty Linen
A complete schedule of the talent performing throughout this summer season (along with a brief description of each) can be found at www.mariposaartscouncil.org.
All performances begin at 7 p.m. at the Mariposa County Art Park, located on Highway 140, between 4th and 5th Streets, in historic downtown Mariposa. Free parking on 5th Street along the Creek Walkway to the Park, also providing handicapped access.
The shows are free to the public – tips for the performers will be solicited, encouraged and appreciated.
The Mariposa Arts Council, sponsor of Cousin Jack’s Music on the Green, is funded in part by Mariposa County, the California Arts Council, and the National Endowment for the Arts.
The MARIPOSA COUNTY ARTS COUNCIL, INC. is an incorporated not-for- profit organization, created to promote and support all forms of the cultural arts, for all ages, throughout Mariposa County.
