Dan's Papers - May 22, 2009 - The Sounds of Summer Music

With summer quickly approaching, music fans should probably start organizing their summer concert schedules since there are so many great options - from rock to folk to classical music - available here on the East End.

As usual, this summer the Westhampton Performing Arts Center has booked a stellar lineup of musical artists. Grammy-winning Blues Traveler, led by the harmonica playing John Popper, hits Westhampton on June 12. Then, on June 21, British jazz-pop sensation Jamie Cullum comes to the area, followed by the legendary Frankie Avalon on June 28.

Then rootsy folk-rockers The Wallflowers, led by Jakob Dylan, who made a name for themselves in the late '90s, will be performing on July 4. One of the most amazing gigs of the summer is rock icon Joe Cocker ("You Are So Beautiful," "Feelin' Alright,") taking the stage on July 5. That's a show definitely not to be missed. Soulful singer-songwriter, Phoebe Snow, who first hit the music scene in the '70s, will come to Westhampton on July 12 (she also just happens to be in the area on May 22 and 23 at Bay Street Theater in Sag Harbor). Then Vienna Teng, a classically trained pianist who fuses together her classical, folk and pop tendencies, will be here on July 17. And also make sure you don't miss another classic name - Joan Baez, who remains at the forefront of the American folk music scene.

Rufus Wainwright, songwriter and pianist hailed as "the greatest songwriter on the planet" by Elton John, will be at the WHBPAC on August 8. He'll be followed up the next night by The B-52s, with their unique brand of dance rock and punk. Often referred to as the "godmother of punk," rock icon Patti Smith and her band, who just last year released an album of covers, will come to the East End on August 15.

In what's becoming an East End summer favorite, the New York City Opera will come to Westhampton for its fourth season on August 29. Then the next night, bringing a little bit of New Orleans to Long Island, the PAC will host the Neville Brothers and Dr. John. The following week, over Labor Day Weekend, on September 6, husband and wife Steve Earle and Allison Moorer will be on hand to perform their politically charged roots rock.

And while WHBPAC is a great place to see a show, there are certainly other places across the East End to catch live music, one of them being The Stephen Talkhouse in Amagansett. While it's a great place to check out some of the many talented local acts that call our area home, the Talkhouse also books a number of big name acts during the summer, with Martin Sexton performing on Memorial Day weekend and Suzanne Vega playing Labor Day weekend as the bookends for some great music. You also certainly won't want to miss Richie Havens on June 19 or Jorma Kaukonen, who performed with Jefferson Airplane, on June 27. Also making the trip out to Amagansett this summer - Joan Osborne on July 4; seminal folksinger Judy Collins on July 10; Paulo Nutini on July 20; Raul Malo, who fronted the Mavericks and infuses country music with his Latin roots, on July 30; Rhett Miller, frontman for the Old 97s performing his solo material on August 1; Dar Williams on August 6; and Dave Mason, founding member of the band Traffic and Rock and Roll Hall of Famer, performing two nights in a row on August 28 and 29.

And Guild Hall's newly refurbished John Drew Theatre is a great place to hear live music as well. On Saturday, May 30, Crossroads Music will showcase the Bastards of Boom, which grew out of the Hamptons percussion group Escola de Samba Boom, by including other instruments and mixing Brazilian rhythms with rock, electronica and world melodies. Also performing that night is Dan Bailey & Living Rhythm, who will be joined by Jay Schneiderman and Jeffrey Berstein. Crossroads will also host a night of local teen bands on June 13, including Philosophunk, Consent of Kings and Rite of Way, with another teen night scheduled for August. And later this summer, on August 15 you can catch Grammy award winning songwriter Rosanne Cash. Local favorite Nancy Atlas takes the stage August 27.

There are other places to check out great local live music as well. The Memory Motel in Montauk typically features bands, as does Regulars Music Café in North Sea, which is making a name for itself with its Wednesday night open mic series and featured bands on other nights. Local towns and villages schedule outdoor concerts in area parks, so be sure to check their web sites for schedules. The vineyards on the North Fork often have music on weekends. Also on the North Fork is the Vail Leavitt Music Hall, which not only features a monthly open mic series and occasional performances by local and touring bands, but also is the sponsor of the annual Riverhead Blues Festival July 18 and 19. Now in its 11th year, so far some well known names performing are Kim Simmonds & The Savoy Brown Blues Band, Rosie Ledet & The Zydeco Playboys and Little Toby Walker.

And for classical music fans, Pianofest, a well-known festival takes place at various venues around the East End during July and August, though it's still planning its upcoming season and classes. Also, the Southampton Cultural Center is always a safe bet for great music, and in addition to the musical events it plans on its own, will also host two of the Opera of Hamptons (OH) summer performances - Giacomo Puccini's La Boheme on August 1 and Giuseppe Verdi's Aida on August 29. Duck Walk Vineyards will host an OH performance of Puccini's Tosca on June 20.

As you can see, with so many options to choose from this summer, it's bound to be overwhelming for any music fan. So now's the time to start planning out your music schedule for the summer.