Category: Tom Hovey Summer Music Festival

Aug 28: Chris White and Wayne Gottlieb

Don’t miss the finale of the 2023 Music at Meadow Links concert season!

Monday: August 28: 7pm

The Free Admission Rain or Shine 2023 concert series Music at Meadow Links (aka Tom Hovey Summer Music Festival) concludes

with amazing jazz musicians Chris White (cello) and Wayne Gottlieb (guitar)

Concert location is: 476 Co. Rd. 27 (Allen Lake Rd. Richfield Springs, NY 13439)

This is a family-friendly concert series—including an open invitation to dogs on leashes. Bring a blanket and snacks, borrow a chair from the Meadow Links Pavilion, or pull your car nearby and roll down the windows.

If it rains there is plenty of room inside the Pavilion (solid floor, ceiling and walls).

Concert length is approximately 75 minutes.

Chris White cello, and Wayne Gottlieb, guitar and vocals, are a jazz duo from Ithaca. They play a variety of jazz styles and originals and have been playing in central New York for many years in different groups and settings. Chris has been a member of the Binghamton Philharmonic for many years and has recorded 3 jazz albums as leader with different groups.

Chris White and Wayne Gottlieb

Aug 21 The Empire Saxaphone Quartet

Monday August 21: 7pm!

The Free Admission Rain or Shine concert series Music at Meadow Links (aka Tom Hovey Summer Music Festival) continues

with the Empire Saxophone Quartet

Concert location: 476 Co. Rd. 27 (Allen Lake Rd. Richfield Springs, NY 13439)

The Empire Saxophone Quartet will perform a 75 minute concert featuring an engaging variety of music; something for everyone! The program will include selections from marches, ragtime, light classics, Disney medleys, familiar pop and jazz tunes.

The Empire Saxophone Quartet has been performing together for over 30 years. The ensemble has presented concerts and clinics with the Cincinnati Wind Ensemble, the Ithaca College Wind Ensemble, the North American Saxophone Alliance, and for many public schools, colleges and universities. The Quartet has several recordings to their credit as well. The ensemble has not just been an academic group, but has entertained audiences at the Mohonk Mountain House, many festive public and private celebrations, and has been the music for many weddings.

Empire Saxophone Quartet:
Soprano Saxophone: Dan Miller
Alto Saxophone: Crystal Fisher
Tenor Saxophone: April Lucas
Baritone Saxophone: Nicole Mushalla
Percussion: Joel Smales

Aug 14: John O’Connor and his Fellow Travelers

Monday August 14: 7pm!

The Free Admission Rain or Shine concert series, Music at Meadow Links (aka Tom Hovey Summer Music Festival) continues

with singer-songwriter John O’Connor and his Fellow Travelers Wyatt Ambrose and Tom Ives

Concert location: 476 Co. Rd. 27 (Allen Lake Rd. Richfield Springs, NY 13439)

John Paul O’Connor: singer, songwriter, poet, activist
Click here for his website.

Aug 7: Lauren Mettler

Hailing from the hills of Sherburne, New York, Lauren Mettler bears a unique and earthy style of songwriting that enchants listeners; with beautiful images and thought-provoking lyrics, she paints worlds which evoke nostalgia, empathy, and courage. Her original music ranges in style from folk alternative, to jazz classics, to winsome ballads, and all delivered with a melodious, articulate voice. Click here for Lauren’s website.

Jul 31: Better Together

Long time teachers, performers and friends, Tom Ives and Dan Martin have formed a new partnership–Better Together. Collectively, they draw on over 90 years of combined experience in every genre from opera and symphony to jazz. As a duo, the tenor/ baritone voice of the trombone complements the acoustic bass extremely well.

Better Together will be playing jazz standards, some originals, and a couple of selections from the American Songbook. Some composers included are Charlie Parker, Herbie Hancock, John Lewis, Thelonius Monk, Duke Jordan, Jimmy Van Heusen, and Sonny Rollins.

Jul 24: Alone Together

Bass guitarist Jeff Ruzich has been performing and teaching music for more than four decades. He received a degree in music education and performance from Rowan University and a master’s degree in music education from Temple University. Jeff studied bass guitar with jazz educator Al Stauffer, and music theory with composer and jazz band leader Manny Albam. He taught public school music for many years in the Philadelphia, PA area, founded and led a jazz combo, and traveled frequently to New York City to perform and record there with jazz musicians. After moving to Norwich, NY, Jeff composes, records and performs with Brian Murphy, The Octobermen jazz trio, and with  Alone Together (duo with Bill Scranton). 

Guitarist Bill Scranton’s  career in music and sound is diverse and extensive. He started playing guitar and ukulele at age 12. With help from his guitar player father, Bill was exposed to music standards from the 30’s and 40’s, as well as big band sounds. That era in music still remains a favorite in his playing. Playing in the high school jazz band and playing solo guitar / vocal gigs was his main activity throughout his teenage years. Tape recording and sound equipment was also a major interest at an early age. Bill attended Berklee College of Music in 1974 and ’75 concentrating on Music Theory and arranging. He left college to perform with a big band backing up nightclub singers and continued with solo guitar gigs throughout the 1970’s. In 1980, Bill started acquiring recording equipment to document his original compositions – playing all the parts and learning mixing techniques. In the following years, he opened a commercial recording studio in Utica, NY with great success. This led to his mixing talents being sought by a major record label. Leaving the NYC life behind – he opened a recording studio in Syracuse, NY – also with great success. Bill joined a pro audio company in 1986, designing sound systems and recording studios. Bill’s playing technique is finger-style guitar with creative chord voicing. He plays acoustic and jazz guitars. Bill also sings classic jazz standards in his baritone range. For the past 10 years, he has played mandolin and acoustic guitar in a traditional Irish group. He also performs in a trio – The Octobermen – playing blues and R&B.

Jul 10: Drew Frech

Dear Friends,

This coming Monday, July 10, is the opening performance of the 2023 Tom Hovey Summer Music Concert Series!

We open with banjo virtuoso Drew Frech; he will perform and talk about Early Jazz Standards on his vintage banjos.

  • 7:00 to 8:15pm
  • Free Admission. No tickets necessary
  • Meadow Links Golf Pavilion, 476 Co. Rd. 27 Richfield Springs, NY 13439

Those of you who caught his performance in April 2023 at the Earlville Opera House will remember Drew as a generous and engaging musician.

Free Admission Rain or Shine Casual, Family Friendly! Please see attached flier for more information. It is beautiful there. You can drive up to the Pavilion, roll down your car windows. bring lawn chairs, snacks and blankets, or go inside the Pavilion to listen from there. Restrooms are inside the Pavilion and the Golf House across the way.

As in past seasons, I am proud to have worked very hard to pull together funding so that the musicians are paid fair wages to perform on this series. If I can show my funding sources how many attend the free admission concerts, it helps me to continue to get that necessary funding. So, please attend and spread the word.

Please contact me with any questions: Ruth Berry, (706) 495-4455. Text messages are okay.

To share with those who can financially support this series and all of the good things Concerted Works does to uplift musicians and our communities, click on the button below to donate. Amounts of ANY size make a positive difference.

Donate

Or, a check can be sent to:
443 Concerted Works, Inc.
PO Box 48
Oneonta, NY 13820

2023 Tom Hovey Summer Music Festival

Free Admission Rain or Shine Casual, Family Friendly! Please see attached flier for more information. It is beautiful there. You can drive up to the Pavilion, roll down your car windows. bring lawn chairs, snacks and blankets, or go inside the Pavilion to listen from there. Restrooms are inside the Pavilion and the Golf House across the way.

As in past seasons, I am proud to have worked very hard to pull together funding so that the musicians are paid fair wages to perform on this series. If I can show my funding sources how many attend the free admission concerts, it helps me to continue to get that necessary funding. So, please attend and spread the word.

Please contact me with any questions: Ruth Berry, (706) 495-4455. Text messages are okay.

To share with those who can financially support this series and all of the good things Concerted Works does to uplift musicians and our communities, click on the button below to donate. Amounts of ANY size make a positive difference.

Donate

The 2022 Tom Hovey Summer Music Festival

The Recording Industry’s Music Performance Trust Fund (MPTF),

AFM Local 443, and 443 Concerted Works, Inc.

Announce

The 2022 Tom Hovey Summer Music Festival:

Admission-free Musical Events by professional musicians

At the Meadow Links Golf Pavilion,

 in Otsego County, NY

Oneonta NY, July 5 2022 — The recording industry’s Music Performance Trust Fund (MPTF) and AFM Local 443 jointly announced today that admission-free, live musical performances will take place again in Otsego County, NY to celebrate live music performances by professional musicians as part of the Tom Hovey Summer Music Festival at the Meadow Links Golf Pavilion in Richfield Springs, NY.
476 County Rd. 27, Richfield Springs, NY 13439.

The public is invited to attend these free events in person. All performances are Monday evenings, 7:00-8:15pm (and sometimes later). There is ample parking. All concerts are family-friendly, casual and take place rain or shine. People are encouraged to bring a lawn chair (chairs are also available), a blanket, or stay in their cars with the windows rolled down! Dogs are welcome if on a leash.
In the event of inclement weather the performances take place in the well-ventilated pavilion (and can still be heard by the folks who prefer to stay in their cars!). The beautiful grounds of Meadow Links and the design of the pavilion are the perfect setting and natural acoustic for the sound waves of live music.

The following events are planned:

July 11: Brian Murphy and Jeff Ruzich: Classic Rock
July 18: Dan Sales Jazz Trio
July 25: Hartwick College Jazz Trio
August 1: Glimmerglass Trombone Trio
August 8 John O’ Connor; original songs and ballads
August 15: Aaron Brask and The Old Masters; classic and original jazz
August 22: Bill Scranton and Jeff Ruzich; jazz/pop
August 29: Lauren Mettler: classic and original folk

These live, admission-free community performances are funded in part by grants from the MPTF and have been coordinated through the efforts of the AFM Local 443 (a member of the American Federation of Musicians),443 Concerted Works, Inc. (a charitable not for profit), and the Meadow Links Golf Course.

The Tom Hovey Summer Music Festival was co-founded in the spring of 2021 by Ruth Berry (President of AFM Local 443 and professional cellist with the Glimmerglass Festival Orchestra and other arts organizations) and her fellow AFM member, the late Richard Daley (who was at the time Director of Golf at Meadow Links). The series was created to support professional musicians, to share with the community the beauty of live music and the grounds of Meadow Links, and to honor the life and legacy of Tom Hovey (the all-around amazing athlete and Richfield Springs citizen).

About the AFM Local 443: The Oneonta Musicians Association is a labor union whose object is to unite the musical profession, to elevate, regulate, and improve the interest and condition of the profession through collective bargaining, the enforcement of good faith and fair dealing between its members, adherence to union principles, and by establishing minimum procedures and pay for their professional services.

About the MPTF: The Recording Industry’s Music Performance Trust Fund (MPTF) is a nonprofit public service organization whose mission is to support admission-free, live events performed by professional musicians throughout the United States and Canada. Established more than 70 years ago, the MPTF is funded by music companies including Sony Music, Universal Music Group, and Warner Music Group. Interested parties may call (212) 391-3950.

About 443 Concerted Works, Inc: 443 Concerted Works, Inc. is a 501 (c)(3) charitable nonprofit organization that was created as an affiliate for American Federation of Musicians Local 443. It is the vigorous fundraising arm for AFM Local 443. One of its primary missions is to provide opportunities for all people to come together to enjoy music-making by and alongside our region’s professional musicians to foster the principle that communities who join together with the immediate goal of lifting up the community are lifting up our humanity. To learn more and to offer support please send email , call 607-432-4026, write to 443 Concerted Works P.O. Box 48 Oneonta, New York 13820.

About Meadow Links: Meadow Links is a scenic and challenging 18 hole executive length golf course, set in the hills above historic Otsego Lake. They are located about 8 miles from Cooperstown, New York, on Allen’s Lake Road, between U.S. Route 20, Richfield Springs and New York State Route 80, Otsego Lake. Adjacent to the course is their events pavilion and sand volleyball court. The pavilion and court are available for picnics, parties, reunions, etc. on a daily rental basis, and is the site for the Tom Hovey Summer Music Festival.