Homegrown Music is WVIA-FM's exclusive series which each week showcases the talents of regional contemporary music artists in recordings produced in the WVIA-FM studios by series host George Graham and is broadcast Tuesdays at 9:00 PM. A special feature during May is a live Homegrown Music jazz concert with Bill Carter & the Presbybop group and David Liebman on the 18th. Also, a tribute to regional jazz musicians Eric Doney and Rick Chamberlain on the 12th. Further information on Homegrown Music may be obtained via the World Wide Web at http://homegrownmusic.info andhttp://www.wvia.org/radio/local/homegrown-music/

May 5 The Coal Town Rounders. A first rate bluegrass quartet from Northeastern Pennsylvania, the Coal Town Rounders make their Homegrown Music debut performing mostly original material as a preview to the group’s appearance at the Susquehanna Breakdown Festival in Scranton May 8 and 9.

The Coal Town Rounders at WVIA

Eric & Vicki Doney Group with Eric Doney (3rd from left) and Rick Chamberlain (3rd from right)

May 12 A Tribute to Eric Doney and Rick Chamberlain. The past two months saw the passing of two of the outstanding jazz musicians on the Poconos scene, trombonist Rick Chamberlain, one of the founders of the Delaware Water Gap Celebration of the Arts Jazz Festival, and pianist/composer Eric Doney. Both had lengthy national and international careers. In 2004, Eric headed up a memorable live Homegrown Music concert with a large group, featuring his then-wife vocalist Vicki Doney performing great arrangements of blues, jazz and pop songs. Rick’s trombone was prominent in the One Flight Up Horns that he headed. It’s a group that performed a few times at the Delaware Water Gap festival, but was in particularly fine form on this spirited WVIA studio concert, which is encored as a tribute to Doney and Chamberlain.

May 18 A Homegrown Music Concert with BILL CARTER & THE PRESBYBOP GROUP and DAVID LIEBMAN. WVIA’s unique series of live Homegrown Music concert broadcasts continues with an evening of outstanding jazz, featuring one of the jazz’s most acclaimed saxophonist/composers.

Rev. Bill Carter, when he is not playing jazz, is pastor of the First Presbyterian Church in Clarks Summit, PA, but he has maintained an active jazz career touring extensively with his Presbybop group. The group has just released a new CD called Jazz for the Earth, which includes a new work “The Beyond Banff Suite” which the group will be performing with Dave Liebman as special guest.

Bill Carter

David Liebman

Dave Liebman is a winner of America’s highest jazz honor, the National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Masters Fellowship, and has had a remarkable prolific career, including stints with Elvin Jones, Miles Davis and many other collaborations over the years from duo to big band. Mr. Liebman is well-known to Homegrown Music listeners for his remarkable performances on the series. This time, in addition to being a special guest with Presbybop, he will be performing in a duo with pianist Bobby Avey from Liebman’s Expansions group.

This is a special extended concert promises an evening of very memorable music. WVIA’s members and listeners are invited to attend the live concert broadcast in the station’s Sordoni Theater. Seating is free by reservation on a first-come-first- served basis. Reservations may be made on the WVIA website or by calling 570-655-2808. Note special start time of 7:30 PM.

May 19 Bourbon & Bliss. A pair of transplanted Virginians, the husband-wife duo of Elizabeth Eckert-Ross and T. Scott Ross both had extensive but different musical backgrounds when they came together first at the Shenandoah Conservatory where they earned their music degrees. Now living in the New York area, Bourbon & Bliss recently released their debut EP The Trouble We Crave which has been featured on WVIA’s Mixed Bag program. Expanded to a quartet, the group makes their first Homegrown Music appearance with their enjoyable original music.

Bourbon and Bliss at WVIA

Jody Kennedy and Charles Alexander of Bedful of Metaphysicians at WVIA

May 26 Bedful of Metaphysicians. This is one of those “legendary” groups that came together for Homegrown Music some 30 years ago. Jody Kennedy and the late Charles Alexander made music that was virtuosic with jazz-rock fusion influences but also featured quirky, often humorous lyrics. Their sole LP, which was praised lavishly in “Spin” magazine at the time, and which featured some of the Homegrown Music sessions from 1983-84 has become a collector’s item. This encore features highlights from their HGM appearances, which to this day remain highly original.

Contact Series Producer: