Skyway 2009

Another Skyway has come and gone and I must say this years line up of music was phenomenal!
Tumbleweed Gumbo performers were Merner Koegst on stand up bass,
Steve Blaise on vocals, accordian, acoustic guitar and bodhran, Liz Friedel on fiddle and vocals and Larry Jordan on acoustic guitar and vocals. This fine bunch opened Skyway with their hand clapping, foot stomping, old time cajun folk songs. Bass guitar guru,
Zach Fleitz followed with his masterful technique, looping to his unique fret boarding style to fill out each instrumental.
The colorful swirling skirts of the Adiahakti Dancers in their third appearance on the summer green of the Skyway lawn is always welcomed! What great eye and ear candy with their fine workmanship of face painting, belly dancer attire, jewelry and exotic India music.
Hamilton teachers,Don Miller, Sean Kelly, Tyler Jablonski and Brian Rose teamed up for a classic rock four some and call themselves Commander Cockroach and the Mexican Bus rocking us out and into the set of singer/songwriter Emilee Smith. Emilee is an amazing singer/songwriter at the ripe old age of 15! Haling from Smyrna NY. she began piano lessons merely 3 years ago and is quite composed and accomplished for her age, Her voice is strong, wise and way beyond her years with every note dripping with soul. She has opened for Blue Oyster Colt and her first CD, Hall Of Mirrors has received a fine review from Mark Bialczak of the Syracuse Post Standard. Wow!
Next up was Hamiltons own and quite humorous, David Chlad. I was quite impressed with his acoustic instrumental open tunings and his “on the spot” Skyway song he easily pulled from the air to perform for us. David was quite a sport for that is when the misty rain began to fall! Unfortunately, I had to run around and move sound equipment and didn’t get to enjoy Putter Cox and friends who performed beautiful, lilting folk music with Susan Nolan on hammer dulcimer, Chris Vecsey on lap dulcimer and harmonica and acoustics, Adger Williams on stand up bass and Putter Cox on acoustics and vocals. The vocal harmonies of Putter Cox and Friends were right on and no-one seemed to mind standing in the rain to catch this performance.
While the Putter Cox trio broke down on the right side of the three stages of the Hamilton Bandstand. The Mark Shiner Trio popped up on the right side playing an unplugged set of very classy smooth jazz. I didn’t get to enjoy them at Skyway this year but have heard them many times at the Colgate Inn summer series on Tuesdays. The Shiner Trio consists of some very fine, well known professional musicians, Phil Flanigan, Dave Solazzo and of course Hamilton’s own Mark Shiner.
During the Shiner set was when I then made my trek around town to find a venue to finish up the Skyway day festivities and the Hour Glass eagerly agreed to let Skyway 2009 end there. With the help of my son Nick, we quickly broke down my set of Mackies and hauled it over re-set the stage in the front of the Glass.
Matt “Pryor” Nakoa a Berkeley student graduate and also from Smyrna wowed the crowd with his amazing vocal and keyboarding skills. Matt is the real deal and is one magical performer. He also plays acoustic guitar, right handed and upside down with a Nakoa style all his own. Matt is living in New York city and his music is supporting him nicely.
The night ended with a Colgate band called The Earthman Embassy. With Ben James Taylor on guitar and vocals, George Zeitler on keys/vocals, Michael Petersen on bass, Tommy Crocker on Drums/ vocals and Jeremy Padow on guitar, these young college dudes rocked the glass respectively wowing their fellow classmates who packed the hallowed halls of this long time favorite bar in Hamilton. Across the street, 2007 Skyway performers, The Hook, Jamie Jones on vocals and guitar, PJ Will on guitar and vocals, Johnny Jones on electric bass and Jayson Parker on drums and vocals put on quite a show and people had a great time getting down on Lebanon Street.
Cheryl Darrow won the 2009 Skyway lounger! Talk about the law of attraction at work here! Cheryl is a fine jewelry maker with a booth in the Hamilton’s Farmers market.
Each week she would admire the lounge chair as it sat right across the way from her booth next to my mothers hooked rug booth. She bought but one ticket and hers was the winner. The lounge couldn’t have gone to a better person! She was a good friend of Craig and I’m tickled the chair has a home in Hamilton!
The funds Skyway did manage to raise will be going to the Friends Of Music to help keep the next generation of music in the Hamilton Schools. Jimmy Wunderlich, Meredith and I put in many hours meeting at the Barge sipping lattes and many cups of coffee in the organization of this event. It was a day to remember with the sound of music from the talented musicians of the area echoing through town. A silly thought here folks. But wouldn’t the world be a nicer place if we could somehow replace guns with instruments in the hands of the worlds people. And give them the patience to learn their music well.
Ta La Pamme