New England Farm Relief Concert September 12, 2009

Saxophonist Paul Winter and his ensemble, the Paul Winter Consort, will appear in two benefit concerts in September to support the Strolling of the Heifers Microloan Fund for New England Farmers.
The first concert will be at Brattleboro’s Latchis Theatre on Friday, Sept. 11 at 7:30 p.m., followed by a second concert at the Colonial Theatre in Pittsfield, Mass., on Sept. 12 at 7:30 p.m.
As a saxophonist, bandleader, composer, and explorer of the world's musical traditions, Paul Winter is motivated by his vision of a musical and ecological community, and has followed a steady course toward his unique “Earth Music.”
His musical realm has long embraced the traditions of many cultures, interweaving widely diverse instruments and elements with the extraordinary voices from what he refers to as “the greater symphony of the Earth,” including wolves, whales, eagles, and several dozen other species of “wilderness musicians.”
Formed by Winter in 1967, the Paul Winter Consort became one of the earliest exponents of world music, combining elements from various African, Asian, and South American cultures with jazz.
The Consort includes Brattleboro, Vt. violinist Eugene Friesen, who is active internationally as a concert artist, composer, conductor and teacher. Performs also with the Trio Globo, and is an artist-in-residence at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York City. He is on the faculty of the Berklee College of Music in Boston.
The Consort also includes pianist Paul Sullivan, percussionist Satoshi Takeishi, and vocalist Theresa Thomason.
Strolling of the Heifers, based in Brattleboro, is dedicated to saving family farms by connecting people with the food they eat. Last year, in partnership with The Carrot Project, it launched the pilot phase of the Microloan Fund, which will address the credit needs of farmers not able to borrow elsewhere. The Microloan Fund is now expanding to offer loans in all of Massachusetts including Berkshire County, as well as all of Vermont.
Tickets for the Latchis concert are $45, $35 and $25, and are online at www.Brattleborotix.com, or in person at the Latchis Hotel or at Vermont Artisan Designs, both on Main Street, Brattleboro.
Tickets for the Colonial concert are $45, $35 and $20, and are available online at the Colonial’s Web site (www.thecolonialtheatre.org), in person at the box office at the theater on South Street, Pittsfield, or by phone at 413-997-4444.
At the Latchis, there will be a post-concert reception at which audience members may meet the artists. Reception tickets are priced at $15 and are available with any ticket level. Artist CDs as well as Strolling of the Heifers merchandise will be available at both concerts.

Official Website: http://www.strollingoftheheifers.com