VIDEO

Willing to be Lucky - Secret Song Festival, Ballydehob Ireland. Song by Ry Cavanaugh and Session Americana

Barefoot Sailors - Live at Ear Trumpet Labs Portland Oregon, 2016 Song by Ry Cavanaugh and Jefferson Hamer

Helena - Music City Roots. Song by Jefferson Hamer

Making Hay - Session Americana Northeast Big Band Live at the Lizard Lounge Feb 2020. Sing by Jim Fitting and Session Americana

Northeast Album Big Band Mini Concert Live at the Lizard Lounge 2020. Film by Jason Goodman. Love Changes Everything by Amy Correia, Coming Around Again by Carly Simon, You Don’t Have to by Ali McGuirk, Here Comes Your man by Black Francis

Roadrunner by Jonathan Richman - Session Americana Northeast Big Band Live at the Lizard Lounge Feb 2020.

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About

THE RATTLE AND THE CLATTER • TWENTY YEARS (so far) OF SESSION AMERICANA

THE SESSION AMERICANA STORY

Late one Sunday night in October 2003, Session Americana had its first jam around a table in the back of Toad in Cambridge, Massachusetts.  Looking back, the group has had a natural, almost inevitable evolution from a loose bunch of friends sitting around swapping songs in a bar, to a hot-ticket weekly residency, to a touring collective. Along the way, the band has made nine records (so far), played clubs and festivals across the U.S. and Europe, and developed deep collaborative bonds with a wide community of musicians.  Session Americana's diligent avoidance of music business “shoulds” has led the band down a quirky and joyful path through the music world. The result is evident in the musical prowess the players and singers bring to every show. Swapping instruments, trading off lead vocals and sharing songwriting credits, Session Americana is constantly exploring new collaborations and touring like a band out of time, always searching for a welcoming and homey venue, a long lunch with old friends, and a good glass of wine.  

THIS FALL, starting in October, Session Americana celebrates that two-decade journey with anniversary shows in their hometown and in some of their beloved venues around the Northeast. These shows are likely to include an old friend or two, great songs from the band’s extensive catalog, and joyous live performances that have become Session Americana's hallmark. A 20-year retrospective album of some of the band's most popular songs will be available. By the way, a brand-new Session Americana record, produced by acclaimed NYC musician and producer Alec Spiegelman, is set to be released in 2024

The band is putting together a video montage/tribute to celebrate the many moments and memories friends, family and fans have experienced over the years at Session shows. Whether you're an old friend or a new one, a musician or a fan or both, they would  love to hear from you. Here’s a link: 

 https://www.tribute.co/session-americana-20th-anniversary

SESSION AMERICANA is musicians’ musicians: a cast of top-shelf players, singers, and writers who tour internationally, taking their own songs, plus hundreds more from the American songbook, on the road. Whether you catch Session Americana in a rock hall or on a festival stage, you’ll be a part of the intimate, raucous scene these players built years ago at Toad, the neighborhood bar where it all began in Cambridge, Massachusetts. 

"I’m lucky to have known Session Americana for most of their twenty (!!!) years! I was just starting out as a songwriter when I discovered their residency shows at the Lizard Lounge in Cambridge. Pure magic. I’m misty-eyed now thinking about it! I had never seen a band enjoying themselves that much, and everyone in the room was in on it, this raucous and holy thing. I took a "note to self” that I’ve tried to recall many times when music felt hard. Like, the job is simple— access the joy— and if you can do that, it opens a portal. I got to guest sing with Session a few times, witness their sustained mutual love affair with my home state of Vermont, and even help out in the making of one of their incredible albums. I’m ever in awe of Session, individually and as a band. They’re so finely in tune with each other, with their audiences. I’m in awe of their bond, their easy laughter, their intuitive musical conversation that has now gained the richness of decades. 

Happy twenty, Session. You can almost legally drink!" — ANAÏS MITCHELL (Vermont-based singer-songwriter and the Tony and Grammy award-winning creator of the Broadway musical Hadestown)

"It's right there in the name for this ultra-gifted, rotating collective of singers and multi-instrumentalists. And sprawl is a good word when it comes to the Boston-based group's raucous live shows, which were initially built around the community concept of traditional Irish seisiúns. The group… expertly blends vintage American roots music styles — from country to jazz to rock — in a rowdy but deft fashion." - Rolling Stone

 
 

CAST NOTES

BILLY BEARD

Among other things: Billy Beard has been the drummer for Patty Griffin, Lori McKenna, Kim Richey and Rose Cousins.

On the Early Days: Ry and I were playing together in a band and one night we played Toad, finished early and waited for the next act to play.  We were seated at a small cafe table right in front of the stage.  When it became apparent that the last act was not going to show, Ry pulled the mics off the stage, duck- taped them to the table top and we just started playing songs at the table with whomever wanted to join in. Soon thereafter we decided this could be a cool gig -- just to get out of the house on Sunday nights. We picked the musicians that would become the core. We did a two year residency on Sunday nights at that tiny bar and the band just rose from there.  Unexpected … -- BB

JON BISTLINE

Among other things: Jon Bistline was a founder of the band Chauncey, whose record My Radio (Everything I Know) was engineered by Steve Albini and won Boston Magazine's best rock album of the year.

On Getting the call: 

Ry showed up at my Porter Sq. apartment with a hard drive a week or so [after asking me to be in the band].  I asked "What's that?", and he responded "Oh, just a bunch of MP3s of everything we've played or thought about playing at one point or another.  Thought you should have them."  When I plugged it into my Mac, a folder of 278 songs appeared.  

"Wait - you want me to learn 278 songs?!?" I blurted.  

"No, that's crazy... I just thought you should have... uhh... well, definitely you should listen to... umm... actually, yeah.  You should probably learn them all. At some point.” -- JB

RY CAVANAUGH

Among other things: Ry Cavanaugh’s song, "Lighthouse Light" was released by Mary Black on her last record, Songs for the Steeples. 

On What It Is: The first six years [at Toad, then Lizard Lounge], Session Americana was an anti-band … [it] obscured the idea of what live music is and what an instrument and voice sounds like in a live setting. Instead of standing in the stage light the music emanates out of the dark corner or behind a table, lurking, sneaking up on you. And as menacing as that is, its also delicate and in some ways impossible. -- RC

DINTY CHILD

Among other things: Dinty Child is a songwriter and multi-instrumentalist who’s song “Bluebird Blackbird” was released by Della Mae’s Butcher Shoppe EP. 

On the Six: There is still something magical about playing with six people who are all consummate side men, but can also each step out as a leader and front person when the time comes. The sum is definitely greater than the parts, but the parts are pretty great too. -- DC

JIM FITTING

Among other things: Jim Fitting was the harmonica player for the legendary Boston band Treat Her Right and the English band The The. He sits in with Bonnie Raitt and Los Lobos.

On Winter: There are many places over the years we have traveled to where we feel so at home because they have let us become part of their community. And due to their love of and commitment to music, and  the joy of bringing people together — and they run some kickass clubs! — we have had so many great nights home away from home. That first place that was home was Langdon St. Cafe in Montpelier at the invitation of Anais [Mitchell]. For a moment I was the mayor I swear there on the Onion River. One night we drove up in the worst snow storm. They were impressed that we showed up and man, was that the coolest show to play, snowed in there? Yes.  And of course we went sledding after. -- JF

 

Contact

BOOKING (ITALY)
Pomodori Music

BOOKING (NETHERLANDS)
Karen Proeme

BOOKING (CZECH REPUBLIC)
Simon Kotek

BOOKING (SPAIN)
JL @ The Mad Note Co