New music series launches in East Brainerd on Friday

Ricky Davis Photo / Ryan Oyer
Ricky Davis Photo / Ryan Oyer

Generations, a new music series, is launching Friday night, Sept. 27, in East Brainerd's Heritage House, 1428 Jenkins Road.

Local musician Ryan Oyer and Jeff Hoffinger will be the first artists in the series' debut with free performances starting at 7 p.m. Opening for them will be Young Geezer band featuring clarinetist Gordon Inman and accordion player Ed Bergin.

The focus of the new series, according to Heritage House director Chris Holley, is to create a form of musical counterpoint by juxtaposing two singer-songwriters from distinctly different eras. The performance will be alcohol-free, and presented in a listening-room format so that all guests may gain as much as possible from the experience.

Oyer has been leader of the Ryan Oyer Band since 2010, and also performed a short stint in Lazy Horse, Mike McDade's Neil Young tribute band. Area music fans may have caught Oyer performances at the Red Clay Theatre, JJ's Bohemia, Rhythm & Brews, Songbirds, Tremont Tavern, the Nightfall music series or Riverbend Festival.

photo Heritage House Contributed Photo / Jeff Hoffinger

New York-born Hoffinger has been playing and collecting guitars since age 15. An early member of the Greenwich Village folk movement in the mid-1960s and '70s, his nights frequently consisted of playing a series of pass-the-basket coffee-house gigs in the course of an evening.

Making the most of a series of 20-minute sets, he made the rounds of the legendary bohemian neighborhood - sometimes as many as five trips around the block in one night.

Like many a guitarist of that time, the epiphany that launched his musical journey was Bob Dylan's single, "Blowing in the Wind" from "The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan."

Among the bands with which Hoffsinger performed were The Unicorn Tapestry and The Chase Manhattan Band.

Children who are happy to be quiet and attentive during a listening-room event are welcome; however, there will be no texting, cellphones or video games allowed during the concert. In addition, the show will be recorded as well as streamed live.

Although admission is free, guests will be able to support the artists by a traditional pass-the-hat collection or by purchasing their CDs after the performance.

Light refreshments will be available. For more information: 423-855-9474.

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