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X-WR-CALDESC:Events for The Granite
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DTSTART:20260308T070000
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260403T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260403T190000
DTSTAMP:20260526T042154
CREATED:20250925T191959Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260327T213415Z
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SUMMARY:Rachel Sumner & Traveling Light
DESCRIPTION:Rachel Sumner & Traveling Light\nFriday\, April 3rd\, 7 PM Doors\, 8 PM Show\nTickets: $35\, Kids 12 and under are free \nFresh off a first-place win at the 2025 Telluride Bluegrass Festival band competition\, Rachel Sumner & Traveling Light have been captivating audiences throughout the northeast. With songs as sweet and biting as the nectar and venom in her voice\, Sumner’s lyric-forward writing and penchant for snaking chord progressions demand something far beyond folk conventions\, highlighting the acrobatic range of her brilliant bandmates Kat Wallace (fiddle) and Mike Siegel (upright bass). \nSumner is no stranger to the stage. She spent her early career on the bluegrass circuit\, singing and writing with the genre-bending roots group Twisted Pine. Since setting out on her own\, Sumner’s songs have been critically acclaimed: winning the 2021 John Lennon Award in the folk category for her song “Radium Girls (Curie Eleison);” earning a spot in the Kerrville New Folk Competition\, and being chosen four consecutive years as one of the top Massachusetts entries in NPR’s Tiny Desk Competition. Rachel Sumner & Traveling Light released their debut LP in the summer of 2022 to critical acclaim. \n \nListen on Bandcamp. \nLearn more at rachelsumnermusic.com. \nGranite Bluegrass Series
URL:https://thegranitechurch.org/event/rachel-sumner-traveling-light/
LOCATION:The Granite Church\, 5 N. Main Street\, Redding\, CT\, 06896\, United States
CATEGORIES:Bluegrass,Music
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://thegranitechurch.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/RachelSumner.png
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260415T193000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260415T193000
DTSTAMP:20260526T042154
CREATED:20260105T175722Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260126T163512Z
UID:10000990-1776281400-1776281400@thegranitechurch.org
SUMMARY:Old Time Jam
DESCRIPTION:Old Time Jam\nThird Wednesday of the Month\, 7:30 PM\nTickets: Donations Appreciated \nCalling all fiddles\, guitars\, and banjos for an Old Time Jam at the Granite! \nPlay along or sit back and listen to Appalachian music with us. Bring any acoustic string instrument and make new friends playing old-timey tunes with other musicians. \nFor an excellent representation of the types of music played at these jams\, listen to The Old Time 100 album by Tristan Scoggins and George Jackson here. \nCome as you are\, give as you can. All are welcome!
URL:https://thegranitechurch.org/event/old-time-jam-wednesdays/2026-04-15/
LOCATION:The Granite Church\, 5 N. Main Street\, Redding\, CT\, 06896\, United States
CATEGORIES:Bluegrass,Music
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://thegranitechurch.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Old-Time-Jam-Wednesdays.png
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260419T170000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260419T170000
DTSTAMP:20260526T042154
CREATED:20260305T164956Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260413T143834Z
UID:10001093-1776618000-1776618000@thegranitechurch.org
SUMMARY:Jacob's Ladder
DESCRIPTION:Jacob’s Ladder\nSunday\, April 19\, 5 PM (Doors at 4:30 PM)\nTickets: $35 in advance\, $40 at the door \nJacob’s Ladder blends bluegrass and Jewish music\, creating a unique sound that brings community\, energy\, and reimagined tradition to performances. \nJacob’s Ladder is an internationally touring band pushing the boundaries of contemporary Jewish music and traditional American Roots music through Jewish communal singing and prayer. In melding these two musical worlds\, they tell their story through Eastern European Ashkenazic and Sephardic Jewish traditions\, but also through their American heritage and its influence on their unique musical style. Their debut album\, “Beit El”\, explores genre-bending across choral and cantorial traditions\, finding their way into communal prayer\, rock\, West-African styles\, bluegrass\, and American folk song. Jacob’s Ladder has been performing coast to coast\, highlighted by their 2024 appearance at Ashkenazfest\, 2023 Bay Area tour\, Nashville’s 2nd Annual NashFest\, and have headline for 3 years in a row at Portsmouth’s Jewish Arts and Music Fest. They have performed and offered residencies to dozens of Jewish communities nationally\, and continue to shed light on the conversation of identity\, particularly regarding what it means to be an American Jew. \nTheir early inspirations were drawn from bluegrass icons such as Tony Rice\, The Bluegrass Album Band\, and Bill Monroe\, as well as original “Jewgrass” musicians from the 70’s and 80’s\, including Andy Statman\, David Grisman\, and Stacy Phillips. Their recent record\, “Beit El”\, takes a step away from the more traditional bluegrass path and taps into multiple different genres\, including rock\, gospel\, and klezmer\, packed with diverse and eclectic vocal and instrumental arrangements. \nWith roots music as the bedrock of their expression and instrumentation\, their melodies and songs are inspired by the likes of Shlomo Carlebach\, Eitan Katz\, Zusha\, Moshav Band\, and Joey Weisenberg and the Hadar Ensemble\, to name a few. \nJacob’s Ladder is rooted in the traditional liturgy that one might find in an Orthodox\, Conservative\, Reform or Traditional Jewish setting. They believe that Jewish liturgical music can expand beyond traditional melodies while maintaining its essence in a traditional prayer structure. Additionally\, they believe in the power of these prayers to have meaning and purpose outside of a prayer setting. These age-old lyrics are at the heart of what makes up their music\, and have been at the forefront of our Jewish story for centuries. \nTheir creative process incorporates different approaches and techniques. While all of their core band members are rooted in their own idiosyncratic musical styles and approaches\, they joyfully approach the challenging process of weaving their stylistic differences into the fabric of new arrangements. Together\, they strive to highlight each of their individual sources of inspiration into their ever-changing and evolving sound. At heart\, Jacob’s Ladder is comprised of bluegrass musicians\, and they center themselves–and thus their new music—in its natural groove and language. \n \nLearn more at jacobsladdermusic.com
URL:https://thegranitechurch.org/event/jacobs-ladder/
LOCATION:The Granite Church\, 5 N. Main Street\, Redding\, CT\, 06896\, United States
CATEGORIES:Bluegrass,Music
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://thegranitechurch.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Jacobs-Ladder-1.png
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260424T200000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260424T200000
DTSTAMP:20260526T042154
CREATED:20260205T185210Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260205T202429Z
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SUMMARY:Alexis Chartrand & Nic Gareiss
DESCRIPTION:Alexis Chartrand & Nic Gareiss\nFriday\, April 24 at 8 PM (Doors at 7 PM)\nTickets: $25 \nMelding unparalleled virtuosity with an introspective sensibility\, Nic Gareiss and Alexis Chartrand trace\, with disarming spontaneity\, their path across French Canadian\, Appalachian\, and Irish traditions. Propelled by melodies inherited from Québécois folklore\, the duo explores\, with palpable pleasure\, the sharing of sounds and gestures\, blurring the lines between music and dance\, melody and movement. \nThis concert is a privileged opportunity to witness the contemporaneity of our traditions\, the singular creativity of Nic Gareiss’ flatfooting and step dancing\, and Alexis Chartrand’s unique playing on the baroque violin. \n \nABOUT THE ARTISTS \nMontreal fiddler Alexis Chartrand has traced a singular path across the Québécois traditional music scene. “Known for his pensive reworkings of Québécois fiddle tunes” (Songlines)\, he has pioneered the use of baroque violin and bows for the interpretation of this repertoire. His partnership with multi-instrumentalist and sound engineer Nicolas Babineau has led to the release of three albums and to many concerts in Québec\, Canada\, the United States\, and Sweden. Hailed in 2019 as “two must-hears of Québécois traditional music” (Penguin Eggs)\, their 2024 collaboration with Nicolas Ellis and Orchestre de l’Agora “was a revelation and an intense emotional shock” (Le Devoir). He has explored the connection between music and dance with percussive dancers Nic Gareiss and Antoine Turmine. He has released duo albums with multi-instrumentalists Colin Savoie-Levac and Cédric Dind-Lavoie. Learn more at agchartrand.com \nOne of Dance Magazine’s “25 to Watch\,” Nic Gareiss has been hailed by the New York Times for his “dexterous melding of Irish and Appalachian dance.” He reimagines movement as a musical practice\, recasting dance as a medium that appeals to both eyes and ears. Gareiss engages many percussive dance traditions\, weaving together a singular dance practice marked by his love of clog\, flatfoot\, and step dance footwork\, improvisation\, and musical collaboration. Gareiss received the 2020 Michigan Heritage Award\, his home region’s highest distinction bestowed on traditional artists. He has performed in seventeen countries\, including at London’s Barbican Centre\, the Irish National Concert Hall\, the Munich Philharmonic\, and the Brooklyn Academy of Music. He holds an MA in Ethnochoreology from the University of Limerick. Learn more at nicgareiss.com \n“Gareiss’ dexterous melding of Irish and Appalachian dance…” – New York Times \n“…his feet coax music from the ground.” – Provincetown Independent
URL:https://thegranitechurch.org/event/alexis-chartrand-nic-gareiss/
LOCATION:The Granite Church\, 5 N. Main Street\, Redding\, CT\, 06896\, United States
CATEGORIES:Bluegrass,Dance,Music
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://thegranitechurch.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/AlexisAndNic.png
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260425T110000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260425T121500
DTSTAMP:20260526T042154
CREATED:20260205T190248Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260210T155234Z
UID:10001075-1777114800-1777119300@thegranitechurch.org
SUMMARY:Appalachian Flatfooting Workshop
DESCRIPTION:Appalachian Flatfooting Workshop\nSaturday\, April 25 at 11 AM\nTickets: $30 \nPlay folk music with your feet! For movers of all experience and backgrounds.\nFlatfooting is a solo form of improvised percussive dance originating in the Appalachian Mountains\, with sonic and gestural connections to West African\, Indigenous\, and Western European dance. Using the toe\, heel\, and ball of the foot to strike and slide across the floor\, flatfooting articulates the rhythms of old-time fiddle and banjo tunes. \nWear comfortable clothes and smooth-soled\, supportive shoes with a low heel or no heel for this class. Beginner to advanced workshop. \n \nABOUT THE HOSTS \nMontreal fiddler Alexis Chartrand has traced a singular path across the Québécois traditional music scene. “Known for his pensive reworkings of Québécois fiddle tunes” (Songlines)\, he has pioneered the use of baroque violin and bows for the interpretation of this repertoire. His partnership with multi-instrumentalist and sound engineer Nicolas Babineau has led to the release of three albums and to many concerts in Québec\, Canada\, the United States\, and Sweden. Hailed in 2019 as “two must-hears of Québécois traditional music” (Penguin Eggs)\, their 2024 collaboration with Nicolas Ellis and Orchestre de l’Agora “was a revelation and an intense emotional shock” (Le Devoir). He has explored the connection between music and dance with percussive dancers Nic Gareiss and Antoine Turmine. He has released duo albums with multi-instrumentalists Colin Savoie-Levac and Cédric Dind-Lavoie. Learn more at agchartrand.com \nOne of Dance Magazine’s “25 to Watch\,” Nic Gareiss has been hailed by the New York Times for his “dexterous melding of Irish and Appalachian dance.” He reimagines movement as a musical practice\, recasting dance as a medium that appeals to both eyes and ears. Gareiss engages many percussive dance traditions\, weaving together a singular dance practice marked by his love of clog\, flatfoot\, and step dance footwork\, improvisation\, and musical collaboration. Gareiss received the 2020 Michigan Heritage Award\, his home region’s highest distinction bestowed on traditional artists. He has performed in seventeen countries\, including at London’s Barbican Centre\, the Irish National Concert Hall\, the Munich Philharmonic\, and the Brooklyn Academy of Music. He holds an MA in Ethnochoreology from the University of Limerick. Learn more at nicgareiss.com \n“Gareiss’ dexterous melding of Irish and Appalachian dance…” – New York Times \n“…his feet coax music from the ground.” – Provincetown Independent
URL:https://thegranitechurch.org/event/appalachian-flatfooting-workshop/
LOCATION:The Granite Church\, 5 N. Main Street\, Redding\, CT\, 06896\, United States
CATEGORIES:Bluegrass,Dance,Music
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://thegranitechurch.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Appalachian-Flatfooting-workshop.png
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260430T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260430T220000
DTSTAMP:20260526T042155
CREATED:20260304T161656Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260323T185218Z
UID:10001091-1777575600-1777586400@thegranitechurch.org
SUMMARY:Bluegrass Nights
DESCRIPTION:Bluegrass Nights\n4th or 5th Thursday of the Month\, Spring 2026: Apr 30\, May 28\, 7 PM – 10 PM\n\nOpen Bluegrass Jam: 7:30 PM\nGranite House Bluegrass Band: 8 PM\nFree jamming afterwards\nDonations Appreciated\n\nJoin us for our monthly celebratory night of bluegrass music! Come to listen\, come to jam\, come to learn. Live music from the Granite House Bluegrass band starting at 8 PM\, an easy\, led slow bluegrass jam for beginner and intermediate players starting at 7:30\, and late night jamming open to all. Banjos\, fiddles\, guitars\, dobros\, mandolins\, bass\, and similar acoustic instruments welcome. \nHOSTED BY AUSTIN SCELZO\nAustin Scelzo (Danbury\, CT) first studied various fiddle traditions at Mark O’Connor’s Berklee String Camps and\, over time\, learned all the bluegrass instruments as well as singing and songwriting. During four years as a middle school music teacher\, his bluegrass journey began with performing in CT-based bands and teaching in-person and online. Now full-time in bluegrass\, Austin performs with respected veterans The Rock Hearts and the Americana quartet On the Trail\, teaches jam camps and has created groundbreaking online instruction materials. He has been named Connecticut Arts Hero and nominated as Mentor of the Year by the International Bluegrass Music Association. \nPart of The Granite Bluegrass Series\nBluegrass Nights at The Granite is a recipient of the 2026 IBMA Foundation Project Grant. Thank you so much to The IBMA Foundation for their support!
URL:https://thegranitechurch.org/event/bluegrass-nights-spring2026/2026-04-30/
LOCATION:The Granite Church\, 5 N. Main Street\, Redding\, CT\, 06896\, United States
CATEGORIES:Bluegrass,Music
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://thegranitechurch.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Bluegrass-Nights-Spring-2026.png
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