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Neighbor News

Fiddler Howie Carlough & "Out To Lunch" Return After Long Hiatus

After Long Hiatus, Fiddler Howie Carlough And String Band "Out To Lunch"Return To Bethel Wed Aug 23rd For A Swingin' Evening @LaZingara

7:00pm Wed Aug At LaZingara Restaurant 8 P.T. Barnum Square Bethel CT 06801. For Tickets Visit Eventbrite Or Call 203-247-4273

What happens when you put six musicians together with backgrounds and influences ranging from Bluegrass to Jazz to Celtic to Classical, and give them the common goal of making these varied types music come to life (and have a lot of fun doing it)? You get Out To Lunch!

Based in the New York metropolitan area, Out To Lunch was "founded" in 1980 ... at first as a loose collection of friends coming together for an occasional "open mike" night. They soon began to "get serious" and refine their sound as they sensed they had something special to offer with shows that had broad appeal to audiences. Over twenty years later Out To Lunch is still delighting audiences with a sound uniquely their own that combines the best of musical warmth and sharpness.

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On a typical evening with Out To Lunch one might be treated to a smooth rendition of a classic such as Nat King Cole's "Straighten Up and Fly Right" or Bill Monroe's "Footprints in the Snow". From there, the band might just as easily shift gears and perform a "monster medley" of Celtic dance tunes or some their own inspired original compositions. While each of these tunes will no doubt bear the stamp of Out To Lunch's distinctive sound, the respect for the traditions that these tunes comefrom is obvious.


The band's unique instrumentation incorporates two mandolins, guitar, fiddle, bass and hammered dulcimer. Their strong vocals blend to create harmonies that are a distinctive part of Out To Lunch's musical charm. Out To Lunch's self-titled recording has sold extensively, received
favorable reviews and airplay on a variety of radio stations. They have appeared on radio and television, and toured extensively throughout the Northeast.

Susan Sassano - Vocals Susan studied music at Brooklyn College and studied voice with Lucy Joffe of The Westchester Conservatory. She has performed with several bands in the Northeast, in musical styles ranging from rock to country, swing, barbershop and bluegrass. She served as musical director for the PARC Telethon, an organization dedicated to bringing aid and resources to children and adults with disabilities and as president of The Hudson Valley Musician's Alliance. Susan was a member of The Luncheonettes, an offshoot of Out To Lunch. She has performed with the Golden Apple Chorus and Polyphony. She currently sings in The Hot Lunch Quartet and the
award winning Harmony on the Sound Chorus. This fall, they will be headed to International competition.


Michael Sassano - Mandolin For 40 years, Michael Sassano has delighted audiences with his
remarkable versatility and fun-loving stage presence. A mandolin fixturein the North East for decades. The guitar-slinging kid from Brooklyn reveled in the rock and folk scenes of the late sixties and seventies & then studied mandolin with the renowned Jay Ungar . A founding member of the eclectic “Out to Lunch”, Michael honed his harmony chops creating dynamic twin mandolin arrangements and solos with bandmate Wayne Fugate. Has performed with Byron Berline, Barry Mitterhoff, Joe Walsh, David Amram, Walt Michael & Company, Buddy Merriam & Backroads, Jon Sholle and Grammy award winner Lisa Gutkin. A powerhouse soloist, gifted arranger and clever tunesmith, Michael is known to be exceptionally generous with his
knowledge of mandolin, music & jamming. Where Fun is the norm!

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Wayne Fugate - Mandolin Wayne Fugate’s playing combines emotion and intellect with technical
precision. A founding member of the eclectic string band "Uncommon Ground", Wayne also performs and tours with “Mandolin Madness” featuring Barry Mitterhoff and “The New York Mandolin Ensemble”. Wayne was on stage on Broadway in Steve Martin and Edie Brikell's Tony nominated musical "Bright Star" and on its National Tour. He has performed with Tony Trischka, Hazel Dickens, Kenny Kosek, Walt Michael & Co, Jay Ungar & Molly Mason, and banjo legend Bill Keith, and can be heard on the soundtracks of the Emmy nominated film "Home" and the Louis B. Mayer short film, “Respects."

Howie Carlough - Fiddle A native of Bergen County, New Jersey, Howie first became interested in
the violin in the late ’60 when watching a PBS special he heard American Traditional fiddling for the first time. Over the years Howie studied and learned the traditional fiddling styles traveling to the Southern Appalachians, Ireland, and Scotland. His curiosity eventually led him to
Gypsy Jazz. Having no formal training he learned by way of the aural tradition, listening, watching, and playing. Howie performs internationally and has played with a broad range of artists from Jonathan Edwards to David Amram to Peter Yarrow to name a few. Howie has a reputation for intuitive playing, and a joyous infectious spirit. Along with Out To Lunch, Howie can be seen performing with the gypsy jazz ensemble Swing du Jour and numerous bands and ensembles across Southern New England and the Hudson Valley. He is a member of the house
band for Newtown Connecticut’s critically acclaimed Flagpole Radio Cafe.

Larry Cohen - Bass Larry has been a performing and recording instrumentalist on electric
and acoustic bass, keyboards and occasionally other instruments. His music career has been full of variety, working in nearly every musical style. He has played in many, many bands and has played on many, many recordings. He has also been a music teacher, composer, arranger, recording producer and a music and sound consultant. The role that has earned Larry the most exposure and recognition, has been as a founding member of the progressive bluegrass band Tony Trischka and Skyline on electric bass and background vocals. During the 1980's, Skyline recorded four albums and toured extensively throughout North America, Europe and Japan. During this period, Larry accompanied many well known musicians and vocalists including Bela Fleck, Mike Marshall, Darol Anger, Mark O'Connor, Bill Keith, Jethro Burns, Russ Barrenberg, Andy Statman, Vassar Clements, David Bromberg, Peter Rowan, Alison Krauss, Nanci Griffith, Pete Seeger and Hazel Dickens. Larry has produced recordings for Akira Satake, Jay Ansill, Barry Mitterhoff, and Mark Cosgrove; and has also recorded an album of original solo piano music. He has performed as a musician and as a music director, in several Musical Theater productions; and has played in several orchestras including the New York Mandolin Orchestra in which he also served as
assistant conductor. One of Larry's passions is sharing his extensive musical knowledge and experience through teaching. In addition to a large number of private students, he has taught at Steve Kaufman's Acoustic Kamp in Maryville, Tennessee, Clarion Folk College in Clarion,
Pennsylvania and at Common Ground on the Hill in Westminster, Maryland and has also led workshops at various bluegrass festivals. These are only a few highlights of a career that so far spans more than five decades and continues to be rich and multi-facetet

Joe Selly - Guitar Joe is a guitarist who has performed and recorded with artists ranging from, Phoebe Snow, Bo Diddley, Jorma Kaukonen, Leon Russell, Jim Lauderdale, Shawn Colvin, Mellisa Manchester, Tex Logan, and Vassar Clemens, and Margot Leverett and the Klezmer Mountain Boys, to the Lombardo Orchestra, Della Reese, Barbara Eden, Morgan Freeman, Samuel L.
Jackson, and Patti Lupone. His work in the theatre has included the New York Shakespeare Festival, Broadway, and national tours. In addition he has taught guitar at Common Ground on the Hill, Jay Ungar's Ashokan Music and Dance Camps, the National Jazz Museum in Harlem, at workshops in Europe and South America and for many years, at Bergen Community College.

Doors open at 6:00pm. Try to be seated by 6:30pm to have your dinner order taken. Showtime begins at 7:00/15pm when we transform the space into a theater. Performance is at LaZingara Restaurant 8 P.T. Barnum Square, Bethel CT 06801

Out of respect for the performers and other patrons, please keep talking to a whisper during the performance.

Very Limited Occupancy. Tables seating 2, 4, 5 guests, with tables for 6, 8, 12 available upon request. Single, general admission tickets are also available. See The Attached Seating Chart. Admission Is $15.00 - $20.00 Per Person, Ticket prices may be higher for special performances.
Tables Of Two = $35., Four = $75., Five = $87.50 Six = $105., Eight = $130, Twelve = $210. Visit Eventbrite For seats or Call 203-247-4273 Or v

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