“We Will Survive”. That will be the theme when Roger Salloom and his band take the stage at the Arts Block in Greenfield on Saturday night at 7.
And Salloom knows all about surviving. After all, he’s maintained a long career as a musician, which is not an easy thing to do. He experienced the challenges of being a single parent raising a family and even survived a near fatal heart attack a few years back.
Now, he’s determined to get through and help his audience through these difficult post election days.
“I know of three tough-minded, professional career-type women who spent the day after the election crying periodically during the day,” wrote Salloom in a recent email exchange. “It was tough and will remain so if you are a liberal. I was in a daze and sitting in a tub of disbelief.”
“I am liberal, but I respect others’ opinions, and certainly everyone’s right to vote for the candidate of their choice. I might not respect their choice and wonder how or why they voted that way,” Salloom said.
Knowing that so many others share these same feelings, Salloom will use music as a way to connect with and help his audience cope.
Salloom’s shows at the Arts Block in Greenfield are always popular events. A resident of Northampton and longtime staple on the local music scene, Salloom plays the Arts Block at least once a year and always delights audiences with his strong songwriting and entertaining stories. His shows are also notable for the ace backing band and special guests he always brings along.
For the show this weekend, Salloom will be joined by special guests, blues musicians Janet Ryan and Ray Chaput, as well as his own band, which includes Tommy McCarthy, Tom Filiault, Pete Grimaldi , Ed Mari and Dave Lincoln. David Schmidt will open.
An accomplished singer -songwriter who draws many genres into his sound, Salloom launched his career in the 1960s San Francisco scene and went onto to spend time in Nashville, Tenn., before settling here in the Pionner Valley. He topped the Billboard charts in the early 1980s and was the subject of a 2006 award-winning documentary, “Glad I Made It, The Saga of Roger Salloom, America’s Best Unknown Songwriter.” The documentary is currently being shown on Montague Community Television.
Salloom has shared the stage with such legendary artists as The Band, Van Morrison, Santana, John Prine, Jerry Jeff Walker, Leon Russell and many more. I could go on listing his accomplishments, but more importantly, Salloom has always given back to his community and his loyal listeners.
He has played countless benefit shows over the years, and since 1983, has held a free guest-filled concert at Look Park every summer.
In addition to the theme of “We Will Survive,” Salloom is also dedicating this show to all the single parents in Franklin County.
Salloom has chosen a few songs to perform, which will be keeping with the theme, “We Will Survive.”
“I am planning on doing a very obscure and very early Dylan song, ‘Playboys and Playgirls’, but I must update it to be appropriate for the pain and crises people are feeling,” said Salloom who wrote a song called, “Get Up and Vote.” That song was used in a training film for poll workers. “I will also cover ‘Imagine’ by John Lennon” he said.
“People are upset and my job is to help them. I must help if I am able,” Salloom added. “Some evenings my job is to make them laugh too, so I do that. I must now commiserate, but not be pedantic, nor sophomoric, nor sentimental.”
So head to the Arts Block for an evening of music that will be inspiring, thoughtful and, of course, fun.
Last year’s Salloom’s Thanksgiving weekend show sold out, so get your tickets in advance. They are $15 in advance and available at: www.theartsblock.com. They will be $18 at the door.
Visit: www.rogersalloom.com
The Sighs Reunite
for show in Holyoke
If you are a longtime follower of the local music scene, then you are familiar with the Sighs, a pop-rock quartet out of Holyoke, who were wildly popular here in the PioneerValley and poised for a big national breakthrough. The band landed a major label record deal and released the excellent album, “What Goes On,” in 1992. But that album, which still sounds remarkably good, never received the exposure it deserved due to label problems — it went nowhere. The Sighs disbanded in 1996.
Since then, the group has staged the occasional reunion show, but it’s been nine years since the last one. Fans will be happy to know that the band is getting together for two shows this weekend at the Wherehouse? on Lyman Street in Holyoke.
And that’s not all! The band has announced that it will have a new album out in 2017 — its first in more than 20 years. But why an album now, after all these years?
“Originally we were going to release a batch of demos that our guitarist and beloved friend Matt Cullen discovered to coincide with our upcoming reunion gigs,” wrote LaRoche in an email exchange. “They were literally basement tapes, recorded at the old ‘band house’ in Northampton. These were songs that were not released on either of the Sighs CDs.”
LaRoche , who has worked as a solo artist since the Sighs demise and who performed in the area last December, said that Cullen re-mastered the old demos and sent them off to their friend and producer John DeNicola. He, in turn, suggested the band re-record them at his studio in the Catskills in New York. The band took DeNicola up on his offer, and the plan is to release the album sometime next year. But LaRoche promises they will play a couple of the new songs at this show.
The Sighs will perform on Friday, Nov. 25, and Saturday, Nov. 26, at The Wherehouse?, 109 Lyman St. in Holyoke. Doors for both shows open at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $20. Ray Mason opens on Friday and Ed Jackowski opens on Saturday.
One-day sale of
Green River Festival tickets
This weekend officially marks the beginning of the holiday season, and if you are looking for something special for the music fan on your list, I suggest you head to the Parlor Room in Northampton on Saturday afternoon. For one day only, you will be able to purchase weekend passes for the Green River Festival (July 14 through 16 in 2017) at a huge discount. This is the earliest that festival tickets have ever gone on sale and, remember, it’s just for this one day. So here’s the lowdown: The Parlor Room, 32 Masonic St. in Northampton, will be open on Saturday, Nov. 26, from noon to 5 p.m.
During that time, you will be able to purchase a weekend festival pass at the low price of $79.99, or a weekend festival pass, with camping, for $129.99.
And that’s not all! There will be refreshments, some musical guests and a book reading and signing of “Music in the Air: A History of the Green River Festival,” which was written by former WRSI personality and musician Johnny Memphis. You can also purchase festival merchandise, have a chance to win some prizes and so much more.
Sheryl Hunter is a music writer who lives in Easthampton. Her work has appeared in various regional and national magazines. You can contact her at soundslocal@yahoo.com