Masontown’s sound is an exciting take on the American acoustic tradition. At once fresh and familiar, the group unites the sounds of bluegrass, old-time, folk, and new acoustic music into a sonic melting pot that hearkens back to our deep musical traditions while remaining defiantly modern in conception. The group includes a lauded fiddle champion and classical violinist; a veteran bluegrass mandolin player and composer; one of Colorado’s jazz guitar greats reborn as a flatpicking sensation; and an upright bassist with roots running deep in the classical and jazz traditions.
Echoes of the poignant exploration of the Matt Flinner Trio blend with the fierce drive of Bill Monroe and the plaintive songcraft of Cahalen Morrison and Eli West. It’s no surprise that the members of Masontown have shared the stage with many of these musical icons that their sound evokes.
Hailing from Northern Alabama, guitarist and vocalist Eric Wiggs has been an integral part of Colorado’s music scene for the past decade as a teacher and performer. After moving to Boulder to attain a master's degree in jazz performance, Eric soon fell in love with bluegrass music. His diverse musical background brings a fresh, sophisticated sound to Masontown.
Wiggs takes acoustic inspiration coming from local bands like Taarka, Elephant Revival, and the Railsplitters.
Serenity is what master fiddler Natalie Padilla Koob was immersed in from the very start, beginning life in Bozeman, Montana. After winning a fiddle championship at the National Old-time Fiddle Competition at the tender age of 8, she knew that music would play a profound part in the ensuing years of her life.
She earned a degree in violin performance from the University of Northern Colorado. She picked up a few more championships including: the 2015 Rockygrass Fiddle Champion, the Rocky Mountain Regional Grand Champion, 2015 National Young Adult Champion, and Weiser's National Twin Fiddling Champion with none other than her caring mother.
She is the associate concertmaster of the Greeley Philharmonic and performs with the National Repertory Orchestra, Breckenridge Music Festival, Colorado Music Festival, Colorado Bach Ensemble, Boulder Philharmonic, and Sphere Ensemble.
Born and raised in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Mike Canney began playing the mandolin at the age of 10. He learned to play while being snuck into late night jams and festivals in the area by his banjo-player father.
After completing his graduate studies in Boston, he moved to Seattle for his doctoral studies in biomedical engineering at the University of Washington, and formed the band The Loose Digits, playing shows throughout the Pacific Northwest from 2006-2009 and recording two EPs. At the end of 2009, he moved to Lyon, France where he lived for six years and formed the group Lyon Bluegrass Revival from local French musicians and expats. Masontown is the fifth bluegrass band that Mike has been involved with over the past 20 years.
Bradley Morse has taken a circuitous route to Colorado via the Midwest and northern Florida. While he started on the electric bass, his strong interest in playing "sustainable music" led him to an all-acoustic instrument, the upright bass. With the upright bass in hand, he excelled in both jazz and classical music at the University of North Florida in Jacksonville, where he completed a degree in music performance. He currently plays in at least four bands. His diverse musical background lends itself well to Masontown’s intentionally untraditional sound.
Doors open 6:15 p.m. $10 general admission, $5 members and students w/ ID, free for ages 12 and younger. No advance tickets; admission at the door.
Opening acts are David Burchfield & the Fire Guild and Carbondale-based singer-songwriter Jackson Emmer.
Baked goods, coffee, tea, and water available for purchase in the Community Center.