David Bromberg, called a musician's musician and fans' favorite returned to performing with his 2007 release, "Try Me One More Time" (Appleseed Recordings) and he hasn't stopped since. On Friday, April 9 at 8:00 p.m., the David Bromberg Quartet plays Fairfield University's Regina A. Quick Center for the Arts. Opening for the quartet is Angel Band, a trio of female vocalists described by Linda Ronstadt thus: "I love Angel Band's harmonies, wonderfully strong voices, and beautiful songs." Tickets are $40, $35 and $30. This presentation is part of the Arts & Minds season.

A singular performer, writer and arranger, Bromberg's remarkable musical versatility and innovative resourcefulness have earned vast critical and popular acclaim. He is also impossible to classify. As one critic perceptively wrote, "David Bromberg fits no pigeonholes. He is part of everything contemporarily musical. He is a product of blues, country, jazz, folk and classical music. From his early success as a guitar virtuoso, Mr. Bromberg has developed into a brilliant entertainer."

In his latest CD, the first in seventeen years, Bromberg harkens back to the acoustic folk and blues music of his early days in the mid-60s Greenwich Village folk scene. His roots are with gospel-blues singer Reverend Gary Davis, who taught him guitar, blues legend Robert Johnson, Elizabeth Cotton, Tommy Johnson, Blind Willie McTell and sometime employer Bob Dylan. His love of songs from the traditional realm and his virtuosity as a player are among his most thrilling attributes.

Angel Band's music is rooted in country, bluegrass and gospel. Founder and leader Nancy Josephson, who is married to Bromberg, joins Jen Schonwald and Kathleen Weber to bring together a trio of lead and harmony voices that combine in "boisterous, sad, sweet, goofy, glorious and angelic "noise," as they describe it. Their love of the sound three female voices make together is at the center of the group.

Angel Band was formed in 2006 out of a series of weekly jam sessions and has performed mostly as the opening act and backing vocalists for Bromberg since his return to performing and touring. With the release of their CD "With Roots & Wings" in 2008, the band continues to work with Bromberg and has ventured out with an increasing number of concerts on their own, often with Bromberg backing them in their band Chum. In concert, Angel Band's singing is high-spirited, sassy and brassy and their onstage humor and energy is a bonus not to be missed.

Tickets are available online at fairfield.edu/quick or by calling the Box Office at (203) 254-4010. The toll free number is 1-877-ARTS-396. Special offers and discounts are available through the Quick Center's e-mail list. Join, by contacting boxoffice@quickcenter.com . And become a fan of the Quick Center for the Arts on Facebook! Keep up-to-date with the latest performance news, plus special offers and discounts! Find the Quick Center at www.facebook.com/FairfieldQuickCenter.

Directions: Fairfield University is located off I-95, exit 22 at 1073 North Benson Road, Fairfield, CT 06824.

Posted On: 03-10-2010 10:03 AM

Volume: 42 Number: 229