Submitted by Stanley and Kip Greenthal
This fall season continues to bring a bounty of world-class musicians to Lopez. Accordion player Jeremiah McLane returns to Lopez with a new trio, McKasson McDonald McLane.
McLane and violinist Ruthie Dornfeld played an outstanding house concert on Lopez a couple of years ago. The trio, Ryan McKasson, Eric McDonald and McLane, are masters of parallel musical traditions. Devon Leger of Hearth Music says, “This trio really shows how masterful musicians listen and play off each other.”
“The narrative power of McDonald’s vocals joins the darker riffs of McKasson’s fiddle [and McLane’s soulful accordion] for an album with pluck, depth, and good reels aplenty,” wrote Rachel Lynne Wilkerson of folkradio.co.uk.
In the early 1990s McClane formed two bands: The Clayfoot Strutters and Nightingale. Both bands had strong traditional New England roots and had a deep and lasting impact on the traditional dance scene in New England. He has recorded over a dozen CDs with Nightingale, the Clayfoot Strutters, Bob & the Trubadors, Le Bon Vent, and with Ruthie Dornfeld. His second solo recording, “Smile When You’re Ready,” was nominated by NPR in their “favorite picks,” and his fifth release, “Hummingbird,” with Ruthie Dornfeld, received the French music magazine “Trad Mag” Bravo award.
McKasson gained a strong reputation as a performer, composer, collaborator and teacher. In 1996 he became the youngest ever to win the U.S. National Scottish Fiddle Championship. In 2004, he spearheaded the formation and development of “The McKassons.” This group released two critically acclaimed albums, Tall Tales (2004) and Tripping Maggie (2006). Over the years McKasson has recorded with a number of influential artists, appearing on fellow Scottish fiddle champion Hanneke Cassel’s three albums “Silver” (2006), “For Reasons Unseen” (2009) and “Dot the Dragon’s Eyes” (2013), as well as Alasdair Fraser & Natalie Haas’s recording “Highlander’s Farewell” (2011).
Hailing from Boston, McDonald is now established as one of the United States’ premier accompanists in many styles. Touring credits include The Outside Track — Andrea Beaton, Wendy MacIsaac and Katie McNally. In addition to McKasson and McDonald, he can currently be seen touring with the lively trio Daymark; Scottish powerhouse Cantrip; and award-winning singer-songwriter Connor Garvey. In addition to guitar accompaniment, McDonald’s debut solo album Rove features his unique style and approach to tunes on the mandolin, as well as carefully crafted deliveries of traditional ballads on voice and guitar.
The concert is at 7:30 pm., Friday, Oct. 25, at Center Church. Admission is by sliding scale donation of $15-$20 at the door. For more info, videos and samples of their music, visit mckassonmcdonaldmclane.com or email stanleygreenthal@gmail.com.
