Golden Link Presents
Saturday, March 12th, 7:30 pm
Rochester Christian Reformed Church, 2750 Atlantic Avenue, Penfield
$18 ($15 for Golden Link members; $10 for students; 12 years and under free)
There is plenty of space still available for this concert; you can pay at the door (cash or check). Gate opens at 6:45 PM. We hope to see you there..
Jeff and Vida’s nine years of performing and songwriting, have seen them delve into many different genres of music; country, honky-tonk, rockabilly, even a little rock and roll. But throughout their career, which has included four critically acclaimed albums, literally thousands of live shows in the U.S. and Europe, and a move from New Orleans to Nashville, bluegrass has remained a key influence in their style and sound.
Jeff and Vida met in New York City in 1997 but soon left for New Orleans where they began writing and performing on a regular basis. They quickly became a force on the New Orleans music scene, winning multiple awards and building a solid following among fans and critics alike. They began touring full time in 2001 and have since played more than 200 dates a year across the United States and Europe. They released four studio recordings, along with a live disc, to wide critical acclaim.
Following Hurricane Katrina in 2005, Jeff and Vida relocated to Nashville where they became part of the burgeoning alternative music scene. A performance at the Ryman Auditorium and a New York Times article which featured them alongside Nashville neighbors Old Crow Medicine Show, Gillian Welch and Todd Snider, is a sure sign their music is welcome wherever they choose to hang their hats.
RECENT PRESS QUOTES:
“they continue to shape some of the most potent, bluegrass-influenced sounds around.” “in Vida Wakeman they have one of THE contemporary Americana vocalists” -Whisperin’ and Hollerin’ (UK)
“Jeff & Vida make music that is real and true. Theirs are the songs you long to hear late at night on the interstate, in poolhalls and smoky whisey bars.” - New York Times Magazine
“enough variety to appeal to the lovers of solid traditional bluegrass as well as contemporary sounds. I recommend you give a listen to this unique band.” - Bluegrass Music Profiles
“Jeff & Vida bring a rockabilly flavor, or even rock ’n’ roll twang, to traditional bluegrass music. Vida has a girl-next-door voice that crackles with emphasis at well-chosen moments. The couple share long-practiced harmonies that make a listener wonder what joyous collaborations the two must enjoy when they’re relaxing around their Nashville home.” -Longmont Times
“Don't pin this down as being just a bluegrass record - it's a happy-go-lucky celebration of all Americana can be.” - Americana UK
“Wakeman’s lyrics are original, like a Southern poet” -Bluegrass Notes
“ It was a beautiful mix of pleasure and pause. And a welcome -- and rare for Jazz Fest -- taste of High Lonesome for those of us closet hillbillies in the crowd. No jazz. Plenty of Heritage. “ -Chris Rose, Times Picayune
“Oh, how I love the bluegrass/ country sound of Jeff & Vida” - Maurice Hope, Flying Shoes