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Mezapallooza Calendar

Friday, May 16

6:00-7:00pm Kelly Izzo- Kelly who has been a regular at Tuesday night open mics, will kick things off, featuring songs from her upcoming CD. She plans to hold a CD release party at The Mez in the near future.

7:00-8:00pm Liza Mugnolo- Acoustic guitar and an angelic voice combine to soothe the audience. Sometimes singing in Spanish or Japanese while playing jazzy-flamenco style guitar, Liza offers reflective original material interspersed with innovative cover songs.

8:00-11:00pm Kinloch Nelson, Dan Ball and Jerry Preston- Kinloch, a solo fingerstyle guitarist/singer, creates a synthesis of folk, jazz, classical, American popular music, and original compositions. His programs range from J.S. Bach to the blues and may include references to Miles Davis, Schubert, Flatt and Scruggs, The Ventures, and the occasional TV theme.

Dan Ball is the master of the kapo. His influences depending on the moment can range from Mendelssohn to Shai Hulud.

Jerry Preston has studied and performed a variety of musical styles ranging from folk and classical to blues and progressive rock on both electric and steel string acoustic guitar. He attended the Hochstein School of Music in 1993. Through private instruction, training in music theory, and independent studies, he has developed and applied unique and unorthodox techniques to the acoustic guitar. With the use of harmonics, two handed chordal tapping, altered tunings, and a combination of strumming, slapping, and other percussive techniques, his guitar evolves into an orchestra of melody, harmony, and rhythm.


Saturday, May 17

11:00am-12:00 noon Shawnee Boyee- In a little nasty grassy empty lot somewhere near Portland Avenue Lux St. Northland North Goodman and all that sometime in the mid seventies Leonard Cohen Frank Zappa Joni Mitchell Kate Bush Ol Dirty Bastard and of course Janis Joplin all had a splendid intoxicating orgy and from their amalgamated juices sprung forth the fruit of such lust and the name given was Shawnee Boyeee. Shawnee grew up in the city of Rochester where he exposed himself to the rich character of urban reality and naturally cultivated his wild ghetto style.


12:00-1:00pm Raedwald- Raed has a long and deep musical background. His current focus is delta blues. Raed has been building a following for several years in Syracuse and Ithaca and most recently here in Rochester. His lively demeanor keeps the blues from weighing his audience down.

1:00-2:00pm Matt Millecchia- Brought up in the college town of Morgantown, WV - Matt Millecchia developed his rhythmical guitar style first through percussion instruction and then good ol' down home punk rock. After discovering his love for math, music theory, and all other things way too analytical - he was led to the complex intricacies available in writing instrumentally on acoustic guitar... as well as the ability for those thick acoustic guitar strings to withstand much more of a beating than electric guitar strings ever could. Matt's technique and creativity as a guitarist has led him through various bands and solo developments ranging from punk to folk to metal and new age. He is now focusing on his instrumental guitar pieces and is working to take it to new levels. Take a listen and see if you can pick out the myriad influences in his textured guitar work.

2:00-3:00pm Darnere Dunfore- Tim Shea, Mike Latoski and Tom Kaminski bring their blend of country rock, liberally interspersed with humor.

3:00-4:00pm Mary Lou Anderson- Honing her craft for thirty some years, Mary Lou has a large repertoire of original songs. Soft voice and mellow guitar make one feel like lying under a shade tree as the sun slips toward night.

4:00-5:00pm David Gervasi- David Gervasi has been playing guitar in various forms and styles for over 20 years, most recently as an instrumental acoustic fingerstyle guitarist. His sound ranges from ethereal new age to manic avant-jazz-folk. In 2004, David independently released his first CD, Broadcasts from the AEther, which is also available on iTunes. He is currently recording material and expanding his sonic palette for a second recording, Donut Tower.

5:00-6:00pm Ed Downey- Ed's music in reminscent of a still angry Bob Dylan, although his lyrics are filled with much more dark humor than Dylan's ever were. Ed recently celebrated the release of his CD “13 Songs” her at The Mez. Edgy, meaningful folk rock with traces of early punk, Ed makes one stop to think.

6;00-7:00pm Bruce Campbell- Not only does Bruce provide the sound system for The Mez, and his unsurpassed skills as a sound technician, he also plays some mighty fine guitar. With original takes on songs by the likes of Simon and Garfunkel and Gordon Lightfoot, Bruce's technique is soft, yet subltle, like a good dark chocolate.

7:00-8:00pm The Nomads- The Nomads have an original sound that is a mixture of Inde, Alternitive Rock, Folk Rock and R&B. But you decide....

8:00-11:00pm Songwriters In The Round- The longstanding series hosted by Brian Coughlin this month features the work of Brian along with Tim Shea and Jim Drew. Jim's band Humble Soul describe themselves as follows...We have often heard we have our own sound. We get all kinds of comments. Someone who just wants one style might say "Why don't you guys just play one kind of music?" The funny part is right behind them are twenty other folks who say "Man, we love all the different styles of music! It just makes the whole concert so interesting!" So, we just do what we do. Jim has been in Nashville on and off for the last few years peddling his songs, that fall somewhere between country and rock.

Sunday, May 18

11:00-12:00noon Jeremiah- Well versed in Celtic style music, Jeremiah offers a variety of Irish ballads, and folk classics.

12:00-1:00pm Poetry- Frank Judge, President of Rochester Poets has assembled a range of poets who regularly appear at Thursday night's Free Speech Zone and Pure Kona readings.

1:00-2:00pm Coyote and The Pack Of Loners- The former nameless band now has a name. Strictly a jam band, each performance is unique. This group has been working together for over a year, learning the ins and outs of jamming together, ranging from reggae to punk to classic rock sounds, always fresh and interesting.

2:00-3:00pm Kyle- Strongly influenced by classics such as Jimmy Page, Kyle has developed a style that is complex, yet mellow and accessible.

3:00-4:00pm Nate Hanks and Christine VanHeerden- From Appalachian folk to sea chanties Nate and Chris offer a variety of Americana that is well versed in the roots of much of what is commonly referred to as folk music.

4:00-5:00pm Dave Pronko- Good ole boy in the city, Dave's country influences and booming voice make me want to sit in the back of a pick up truck and watch the clouds roll by.

5:00-6:00pm Harold and The Honkytonk Ramblers- A newly formed group performing old style jug band music complete with wash tub bass, washboard and harmonica. Their music will take us back 100 years to a simpler time, if only for an hour.

6:00-7:00pm Jerry Falzone- The cliches of harsh Winters and humid Summers may betray the beauty of the Northeast but it constantly tests the mettle of its inhabitants. Jerry Falzone is a survivor, either in music or through music. Even he doesn't have an answer for that. "I'm not sure what has kept me going all these years. Sometimes its a gig, sometimes its sitting alone with my guitar, sometimes writing a song" he says. "Whatever it is, if I'm doing it now, I'll be doing it forever" The journey started with his first real band, Pearl. A Top Album Pick in Billboard Magazine, national tours, radio and television concerts all made success seem inevitable. "Its amazing how that kind of scheduling keeps you going but after ten years with no money you have to consider what exactly is success"

7:00-8:00pm Blood and Bone Orchestra- Ed Downey shows his more experimental side with son Ian, Mike Rae and other members who float in and out. At times raucous, at times soothing, Blood and Bone always promise to challenge definitions of music.

8:00-9:00pm Robin Hood- DJ, rapper, jazz guitarist, Robin Hood offers a plethora of musical styles, often simultaneously.

9:00-11:00 Experimental/punk/noise- There will be performances by several bands that once appeared at A..V Space, The Treehouse and The Landfill. Included on the bill will be NPV, City Harvest Black, Harlow Crandall and more.