Trickett offers change from usual holiday concerts

PRIME – December 2013 SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – On Dec. 14 at 7:30 p.m., the uNi Coffeehouse Concert Series presents song-finder Ed Trickett. The concert will take place at the Unitarian Universalist Society Meetinghouse, 245 Porter Lake Drive in Springfield. For more information and reservations, call 413-562-3990 or visit the website, uNiCoffeehouse.org Tickets to the concert are $15 at the door. From his home in Chicago,Trickett brings, not a sac full of toys, but a sac full of great songs to provide a welcome alternative to the usual songs-of-the-season concerts that take place at this time of year. Best known for his 26 years as part of the Bok, Trickett, Muir trio – performing with Gordon Bok and Ann Mayo Muir in concerts and on 10 recordings – he has appeared on more than 40 recordings, including four solo albums going back to the classic Folk Legacy Golden Ring volumes. To see Trickett in solo concert is a rare treat. Trickett is not a songwriter. Rather, he is a premier song finder and interpreter. For more than 40 years, he has been collecting and arranging a wide variety of songs – some old, some new, some familiar, some seldom heard. His repertoire has grown to include hundreds of great songs. He has made each his own, but delights in sharing his songs, and his wry sense of humor, with appreciative audiences. Singable songs with memorable melodies and choruses are his specialty – songs that tell a good story about people, places, and events. He accompanies himself on both 6 and 12 string guitar. Trickett has performed in concert halls and at colleges, clubs, folk music societies and festivals throughout the United States, Canada and the British Isles. He has also appeared on Garrison Keillor's "A Prairie Home Companion" and numerous other public radio broadcasts. The uNi Coffeehouse Concerts offers concertgoers the following amenities: A lovely wooded location bordering on Longmeadow and the Forest Park woodlands. Easy access to the venue from anywhere via Interstate Route 91. Access to an ample parking lot, plus space along road for later arrivals. An accent on acoustic music (not electric, not excessively loud), some very old songs and tunes, some very new. An opportunity to hear experienced performers from across the United States, Canada, and Great Britain A coffeehouse-style atmosphere that's relaxed and informal, featuring a low stage and candlelight, but no alcohol and no smoke. A lively concert hall sound in an intimate setting; performers often mingle with audience during breaks. Refreshments including home baked goodies, hot spiced cider, coffee, teas and just-popped popcorn A venue that is handicapped accessible. Phone ahead for directions to the no-stairs entrance and arrange preferred seating.