For drummer Dave Noonan of Shelburne Falls, his 50th birthday proved a major turning point in both his life and musical career. A well-established drummer in the Pioneer Valley music scene, Noonan enjoyed long tenures playing with bands like Stash, The Equalites and the Gaslight Tinkers.
In addition, he has (and continues to do so) sat in with countless other groups over the years. But as a working musician approaching middle age, he realized that he wanted to limit the time he spent out on the road, and that meant doing something different. He decided to form his own band, a genre-hopping, valley supergroup called Dave Noonan’s Green Island.
Dave Noonan’s Green Island will perform at the Root Cellar in Greenfield on Thursday, Dec. 8, at 9 p.m.
Noonan has formed bands in the past, but none of them really stuck. However, this year — the milestone birthday — his decision to limit his time spent traveling made all the difference.
“Practically every band out there is risking road travel to bring their music to the people, and while I feel that’s a great thing, I’ve done it for long enough and am ready to not travel so much,” wrote Noonan in an email exchange. “Turning 50 prompted a renewed focus for me on my family, my health and ceasing running around in 12 directions at once. I feel like it’s possible I’m past the halfway mark of my life, so I decided now is the time to do exactly what I want to do with the people I want to do it with. That was the start of Green Island.”
Green Island is a big band, a musical collective consisting of a group of talented, well-known Pioneer Valley musicians, who all have impressive resumes of their own.
The group got its start in August of this year, after Noonan assembled some of the finest musicians in the area to play with him at a show in the newly opened Root Cellar.
“My idea with the band is to play a broad range of great music in numerous styles, with a core band and a cast of rotating front persons.,” said Noonan. “This gig has 12 of us onstage. I have a personal affinity for horns, three- part harmonies and lots of percussion. That tends to equal a big band, which I love.”
That’s right, 12 musicians will be playing at this show, and take a look at the lineup — you will recognize many of the names from their work with these bands — the Alchemystics, Miss Fairchild, The Mary Jane Jones, Viva Quetzal and others. Green Island includes Jon Weeks on sax, winds and percussion, Cliff White on baritone sax, Kathryn Rapacki on trombone, Dan Dewalt on keys, Ras Jahn Bullock on vocal, Lesley Smith and Ian Cooper-Pettys on vocals, Janemurrell Stanley on percussion and vocals, Dan Thomas on guitar and Chris Ball on bass.
All of these musicians, including Noonan, who currently sits behind the kit for Rice: An American Band, Loose Caboose and Ed Mann’s Dub Jazz Unit, are involved with other projects, which means that the group doesn’t get together that often.
“I am lucky enough to get them to perform with me every couple of months, or so,” said Noonan. “The band is a great group of players, and human beings, who are a ton of fun to be with and very serious, at the same time.”
You can tell by the backgrounds of these musicians that this band will play a wide range of styles — at a Green Island show you’ll hear reggae, jazz, ska, afro-jazz, funk and more.
Or, as the band explains on its Facebook page, “everything from Coltrain to Ranglin, Marley to Marvin, ballads to bangha.”
For now, the group is concentrating on playing covers, but Noonan said that could change in the future.
“I initially chose the bulk of the songs, and other tunes have been added, depending on what the band wants to do,” he said.
So whether you want to sit back and listen or like to shake it up on the dance floor, don’t miss the opportunity to check out this new band of talented players.
“As for our place in the community at large, I see us providing a positive place for people to come together and dance, to meet and talk, and to provide opportunities to help others.”
Admission to this show is free. For more information, visit: www.rootcellarbar.com
Holiday Kickoff Party
with Surly Temple
Dave Noonan’s Green Island isn’t the only local band that features talented veterans of the local music scene. Guitarist Jim Henry, drummer Doug Plavin and bassist Guy DeVito, who together are Surly Temple, all have impressive musical backgrounds.
Jim Henry of Shutesbury is a talented multi-instrumentalist who has toured in Mary Chapin Carpenter’s band and played with a host of local musicians, including Tracy Grammer and the Boxcar Lilies.
Dar Williams, Bill Morrissey and Ellis Paul are just a few of the artists that Doug Plavin of New Salem has worked with over the years, while DeVito, also from Shutesbury, has played with artists like Stevie Wonder and Steppenwolf, and is best known locally as one of the members of the band Fat.
The three formed Surly Temple a few years ago as a way to get together and play some of the music that they loved. As the three like to say, they play songs that are “some by artists you know, some you don’t.”
Surly covers the work of the musicians its members admire, like Richard Thompson, Nick Lowe and Eliza Gilkyson, while occasionally throwing in an original tune. The band swaps off on lead vocals, while always keeping the emphasis on great songs and deep grooves.
But what started as a fun project, soon grew to be more, and to date, Surly Temple has played venues like The Parlor Room and The Green River Festival, but the Shutesbury Athletic Club is a home base, and it’s always a good time when the Surly Temple is in the house.
And, since this is a holiday party, you can expect plenty of danceable tunes.
There is meal before the show at 7:30 p.m., requiring the purchase of a ticket. Contact Shutesbury Athletic Club at 413-259-1474 to purchase tickets for the meal. The music begins at 8:30 p.m. and is free.
Music at Underdogs Lounge
While you are out and about, busy with holiday preparation and celebrations, you might want to stop in at Underdogs Lounge in Shelburne Falls. The cozy lounge at 10 Bridge St. opened in August and is fast gaining a reputation for its excellent selection of hot dogs.
But, it is also a music venue that offers live music Thursday through Sunday at no charge.
Underdogs hosts all types of musicians, offering a jazz night every Sunday, and an open mic the first Thursday of every month.
This weekend will be a particularly good time to check out this venue as some excellent hilltown- based musicians will be in the house.
On Friday night at 7:30, it’s Shelburne Falls resident Robin Lane of Robin Lane and the Chartbusters performing a solo show. Then on Saturday, haling from Conway, it’s And the Neighbors, the acoustic duo of Debra DeMuth and Dave Houghton, at 8 p.m.
For more information, visit: www.underdogslounge.com
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