Arts & Entertainment
Local Artists Showcase Talent at Open Mic Night
Various musicians gathered at Farmingdale's Borders Friday night for an open mic hosted by the Acoustic Leaders.
Members of the Acoustic Leaders, a local rock/pop acoustic trio, host an open mic night one Friday each month at in Farmingdale. The monthly event has progressively bred a loyal following of both artists looking for exposure and fans of the local music scene.
Opening the last show of 2010 was Huntington-based musician Becca Hasselbrook, who works with adults as a music therapist. Her three song setlist consisted of a unique folk mix featuring keyboards, percussion and acoustic guitar.
Friday night, she debuted a new track, "Unwind," along with two crowd favorites, "Maybe it's True" and "Terraces of Gold." Hasselbrook attends the Borders open mic nights regularly, and usually one more each month. The New Jersey native said what attracted her most to Long Island was its thriving folk music scene.
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"I like meeting people, making connections and being able to jam," she said. "I met some really good friends and I love to meet other musicians."
Hasselbrook collaborated with various performers throughout the night, mostly on the cajón, a percussion instrument often used in Spanish music.
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Following Hasselbrook was Ryan Cassata, a young acoustic/alternative artist from Bay Shore. Only 16 years old, Cassata has been a music lover all of his life. His set opened with "Sleeping Through," a new song featured in a short film titled, "Loop Planes."
"When I was 7, my brother played the guitar and stopped all of a sudden," he said. "So I picked it up and could never stop."
His music is influenced by classics like Led Zeppelin, The Doors and Guns 'n' Roses, along with many local scene artists. Cassata attends open mic nights at least once a week, but sometimes more.
"I like that you can go there, play, and you have all these other good artists to give feedback," Cassata said of his open mic experiences. "It's really supportive."
Cassata is set to graduate high school a year early and has a year-long tour planned across the country. His future plans are to pursue a career in music management.
Mike & Joe, a young duo who performed a three-song set of Beatles tracks were a big hit of the night. Their Beatles rendition drew a great reaction from the crowd, with many people singing along. Joe returned to the stage later in the night with a solo acoustic performance.
Merrick singer, songwriter and guitarist, Eli Maniscalco, frequented the stage two times as well on Friday. Early in the evening he joined Hasselbrook on the bass, and later performed solo on the guitar.
John Taylor, a musician of 25 years, bases his original songs off of American roots and folk music. In addition to open mics, Taylor will perform features and house concerts.
"I do it for the love of the music," he said. "Hopefully people will take what I'm singing about and use it to go back to something in their lives."
Singer and guitarist Tom Ryan of Massapequa put together an enthusiastic set of Elvis classics. When not covering classic rock hits, Ryan writes his own songs with a blues/folk rock feel.
Ryan spent most of his life in special education programs, according to his mother, Maggie.
"Since he's been able to interact with mainstream musicians, he's made amazing progress," she said.
Ryan Cassata and Becca Hasselbrook will hit the stage together for a 2-hour set this Saturday, Dec. 18 at The Spoon in Lindenhurst.
The next open mic at Borders will be held on Jan. 14 at 7 p.m. featuring the usual organizers from the Acoustic Leaders. Although the event usually features musicians, artists of all kind are encouraged to join.
