MARIPOSA – The Mariposa County Arts Council is pleased to announce the return of Music on the Green free summer concert series, Friday and Saturday evenings at 7 p.m., July 9 through Aug. 28, at the Mariposa County Arts Park (5013 CA-140, Mariposa, CA).
The Trespassers open the summer concert series on Friday, July 9. Consistently performing together in the same lineup for fifteen years, this Americana folk string band is a local staple. Their music is based around the songwriting of multi-instrumentalists/singers Bronco Ben Goger (guitar/mandolin) and Tarantula Andy Roberts (banjo/guitar). The songs are given wings and set to flight by the rock solid upright bass playing of Benny Lee Friderich and the virtuosic violin playing and spot on harmony singing of Sarah Cupery-Ottley. Their extensive repertoire also consists of cover songs ranging from old time and bluegrass standards and traditionals to country and rock.
Nicholas Lefler
Nicholas Lefler will play on Saturday, July 10, creating the sound of a modern one-man-band, with mixed live loops of guitar, bass and percussion. Never using pre-recorded tracks, he creates sultry compositions with up to 20 live layers of organic loops. Compared to many Spanish and Classical Guitarists, Nicholas stands out by mixing a fusion of Latin, Flamenco, Classical, Jazz, Folk and World Music to innovate his own exotic style. His musical highlights include performing over 5,600 shows with artists such as Damian Marley, Jefferson Starship, Michael Franti and recording with Grammy-winning engineer David Lopez. He has also performed at prestigious venues such as the 2002 Winter Olympics, S.F. Avallon Ballroom, Boulder Theatre, Sierra Nevada World Music Festival, San Jose Jazz Fest and over 800 Wine Events. “A self taught Master of Spanish and Classical Guitar” (Gold Country Wine Tours), Nicholas is the creator of the nationally touring band “Alma Melodiosa” (Alma) as well as a core member of the indie dance band “The Hot Dark.” And when not performing, Nicholas works endlessly in his home recording studio in Murphys, CA, producing and engineering various side projects under different aliases, as well as constantly working with new artists.
A complete schedule of the talent performing throughout this summer season can be found at www.mariposaartscouncil.org. Tips for the performers will be solicited, encouraged, and appreciated. All performances begin at 7 p.m. (unless otherwise noted) at the Mariposa County Art Park, located on Hwy. 140, between 4th and 5th Streets, in historic downtown Mariposa, CA. Parking is available along 5th Street and the lower 5th Street parking lot for accessible pedestrian path through the Mariposa Creek Parkway entry.
As an additional feature, the Arts Council is proud to introduce Mariposa County High School Junior Autumn Stock as the 2021 Music on the Green Student Artist. A budding watercolor painter, Stock was selected by the Arts Council to create original artwork for Music on the Green’s design material. “Growing up in Yosemite, I’ve always had a huge appreciation for the natural world…” says Autumn. “It has inspired all of my paintings, and plein air watercolor in particular. This is such a special way to share my work with my community!” Autumn can be contacted for commission via email autumn.stock.art@gmail.com.
The shows are free to the public thanks to the generous support of the following sponsors: Yosemite Mariposa Tourism Bureau, Ranch Fence, Mariposa-Yosemite Rotary Club, Carol Johnson, James Wittkopf, Mariposa Museum & History Center, Yosemite Pilates, Sticks Coffee, Savoury’s, Mountain Yoga Studio, Fremont House, Mariposa Pizza Factory, Starchman & Bryant Attorneys at Law, Foster Ace Hardware, Mariposa Shipping, Sierra Gold Cleaning, Mariposa Lodge of Odd Fellows #39, Saralynn Nusbaum & Don Melcher, Dave & Terry Rozelle, Dog Grooming by Tess, Sue Overstreet, Dewey Family Trust, Meadow Creek Ranch B&B, Restful Nest B&B, Ladybug Embroidery and Garment Printing.
Those interested in supporting the Arts Council are encouraged to become members at www.mariposaartscouncil.org/join.
The Arts Council is an incorporated not-for-profit organization, created to promote and support all forms of the cultural arts, for all ages, throughout Mariposa County and is supported in part by the County of Mariposa, the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency, and the California Arts Council, a state agency.
