Lost Acres String Band to Play at Avon Public Library

Mark the date: Sunday, March 6. That’s when the Lost Acres String Band will be appearing at the Avon Free Public Library, the next program in the popular Sundays at Three winter musical series sponsored by the Friend of the Library.

Fiddler Gordon Swift, master guitarist Paul Howard, and upright bass player Jon Swift will serve up a rich stew of songs and instrumentals from a wide variety of musical traditions, with the added spice of some exotic originals, a treat for the ears. There’s no telling what the talented threesome will be including on the musical menu, so varied is their repertoire, but the possibilities are inviting and nearly endless: blues, gypsy jazz rags, old-time and contemporary fiddle tunes. All quite likely. How about a haunting Hispanic ballad from the old Southwest? A classic number by The Mississippi Sheiks? Maybe a 1930s swing tune or two? Writing in Fiddler Magazine, Grammy-winner Stacy Phillips called the band’s music “impossible to pigeonhole...an unpretentious mood-booster...ranging confidently through several different styles, all handled with aplomb.”

The eclectic nature of the musical offerings is a reflection of the wide interests and broad backgrounds of its members. Founder Gordon Swift holds a Ph.D. in ethnomusicology from Wesleyan University where he studied Western classical and South Indian classical violin. Since 1975 he has been playing fiddle, electric violin, and baritone violectra in bands ranging from jazz-rock fusion to reggae to country-and-western. Guitarist Paul Howard’s playing reflects influences from swing, old-time, bluegrass, and folk/rock music; he’s also an accomplished vocalist. He is a long-time member of the CT Americana/string band Last Fair Deal and when not performing is a music educator. He is a founding faculty member of the National Guitar Workshop with five music instruction books to his credit. Jon Swift, Gordon’s brother, is a veteran of the New England bluegrass and roots music scene and was a founding member of the popular bluegrass band Traver Hollow, playing bass and singing with the group for 13 years. He has also sung and played bass or acoustic guitar in several other groups (currently BluesGrass and Deep Ellum) as well as performing solo.

The free, one-hour program starts promptly at 3:00 p.m. in the Community Room of the Avon Free Public Library, 281 Country Club Road. Seating is on a first-come, first-served basis. Doors open at 2:30. The Friends of the Library will be serving light refreshments after the performance.