With more than 80 Youtube videos garnering more than 2.5 million views to date, Kranj, Slovenia-born drummer Zack Bevelacqua is as prolific as he is popular.
But he also likes to peep out other progressive musicians on the popular video platform. And in 2006, he checked out an upload from one Springfield-based bass player of note that would forever change the course of his career… not to mention his present zip code.
“I guess Zack was surfing around looking for fusion groups and he stumbled upon my 2 Man Trio: Jo Sallins and Matt Gartska,” Sallins explains. “He said he watched it and he vowed he was going to meet us one day.”
Half a decade later, he would meet one half of the “two-man trio”—catching Garstka with his band Animals As Leaders during a European tour. Two years after that—2013, to be precise—Bevelacqua’s dream would be fully realized in the form of a Jo Sallins phone call cum job offer.
“I asked him to play some gigs, and he said ‘Of course, it is what I have always wanted!’” Sallins says. “So he’s here now, staying with me. He’s available for lessons. We’re performing at schools, recording tracks for my new CD and filming for a new DVD.”
On Saturday, May 10, the dynamic duo of Sallins and Bevelacqua will hold a free clinic/performance at Falcetti Music on Boston Road in Springfield from 1 to 2:30 p.m.
For more information on that event, Bevelacqua’s drum lesson availability for the month and much more, kindly point your browser to josallins.com.
In other news… with 11 consecutive “Best Festival” wins in the Valley Advocate readers’ poll, there is always pressure to up the audio ante in terms of the musical acts that perform there. For the first time in the fest’s now 28-year history, that task was placed squarely—and solely—on Signature Sounds’ Jim Olsen.
“I think we’ve responded by coming up with our most diverse, deepest lineup ever,” Olsen declared during the recent concert schedule unveiling. “For example, we are very excited to welcome Josh Ritter & The Royal City Band this year, as Josh started his career as a Signature Sounds artist and hasn’t played Green River in more than 10 years. It’s also fun to host a brand new band no one has heard of featuring a superstar, but that’s just what we’ll do on Saturday with Puss N Boots, an all-female cover band fronted by Norah Jones.”
Other standouts among the more than two dozen confirmed acts include Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue, The Shinolas Revue featuring Chris Collingwood of Fountains of Wayne and Trampled by Turtles.
The 28th annual Green River Festival (greenriverfestival.com) is slated for July 12 and 13 on the grounds of Greenfield Community College.
Meanwhile, moving from new bands featuring superstars to a superstar who hasn’t been showing up… the Miley Cyrus camp has confirmed the former Hannah Montana star will not be “partying in the USA” as planned this spring.
“Due to [Cyrus’] extreme allergic reaction to an antibiotic, the American leg of Miley Cyrus’ tour is now officially over,” they declared. Among the shows sucked up into the announcement’s wake included an April 25 Foxwoods engagement.
Foxwoods has stated that no makeup date has been scheduled and that anyone who purchased tickets via Web or phone would receive a refund. All others must return to point of purchase for a refund.•
Send correspondence to Nightcrawler, P.O. Box 427, Somers, CT 06071; fax to (860) 394-4262 or email garycarra@aol.com.
