Howie Carlough’s “Out To Lunch” Bluegrass & Trad Jazz Pickin’, Fiddlin

Howie Carlough’s “Out To Lunch” Bluegrass & Trad Jazz Pickin’, Fiddlin’ Phenomenon 7pm Wed Aug 21 @LaZingara Restaurant. Tix: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/942651725687?aff=oddtdtcreator.

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.

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 come from 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 (available for order on this site) 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.
Out To Lunch offers a variety of programs to accommodate different performance venues; concert settings, education (most typically public school programs) and private parties.
Critics and fans alike praise Out To Lunch's performances as warm, polished, never less than musically dazzling and always marked by lively, fun interaction with their audience.

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 fixture in 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!

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.