Feb. 14, 2002 – Keeping in mind that Monday is President's Day, a federal and territorial holiday, more folks than usual — families with kids included — might be in the mood to step out on Sunday evening for a little live music and a plenty-big good time. And Molly Molones in Red Hook might be the place to do it.
The Irish pub and restaurant with indoor/outdoor seating dockside in the American Yacht Harbor complex will feature the sounds of Harmony Dem on Sunday from 6 to 8 p.m. in what's being billed as a "Presidents' Day Songfest."
Publicity doesn't say whether they'll be performing songs about presidents, beloved by presidents or even composed by presidents, but there is mention that "you'll hear a bunch of tunes, all featuring vocal harmonies."
Traditional folk music has always been a big part of the repertoire for Harmony Dem, a vocal/instrumental ensemble which has been around for years and currently consists of founders Polly Watts, Fred Watts and Donnie Edwards plus relative newcomer Grizz Skeels. Joining the group for the evening Sunday will be Joanne Hammill, who is visiting Antilles School this week as musical artist-in-residence.
Hammill, who has spent the week working with the school's kindergarten through 8th grade music classes, "is a singer/songwriter from the Boston area specializing in music for young people and working with community choirs, many of them inter-generational," Antilles Lower School head Polly Watts said. Hammill has several CD's, including "Pizza Boogie" and "I Want the World to Listen." "Her songs are lots of fun, but they often have serious messages about conflict resolution and human needs," Watts added.