Gathering Time

From: Judy Reeves <jureeves@gmail.com>
Date: April 16, 2012 3:11:57 PM EDT
To: glen@inspireline.com
Subject: Last Night


Hi Glen,

Well, as we went around town today changing the marquee, taking down the signs and doing the tidying, John and I found it hard to erase the magical feeling that Gathering Time created last night.  It was simply awesome!  I think you must have realized that when you got the standing ovation.  We have never had a standing ovation before - and thought we haven't been around for a real long time, I am sure that it will be awhile before we see another one.  Everyone was enthralled.  I got so many compliments - even emails after I got home last night!  

The three of of you have so much talent, and together the sound that you have created is so strong and such a perfect blend.  Your musical sophistication shows through in all that you do.  It was truly a performance that was on an entirely different level, and I am so happy that you were able to come our way.  I really can't wait for your return!

I hope you all had a safe journey home.  We all wish you much success.  One audience member told me he liked you better than the Mammas and Papas - I got a kick out of that since I didn't really expect a comparison!  But It think what he was trying to convey was that he couldn't believe we were able to bring you to Somers. You certainly had the whole audience on your side, smiling and singing and clapping like they have never done before.  If they all tell even one friend how great last night was it should help our ability to command an audience when we start up again in the fall.  

Thank you for coming our way and making our season finale very special.  I will be calling you for the very next opening that we have and can't wait to hear you again!

Judy
--
Judy A. Reeves
PO Box 1110
Somers, CT 06071
201-602-6181


- Piedmont Percolator folk stage, Somers, CT

It’s Gathering Time on Peaks Island Tonight!
Saturday, June 20th, 2009

Do this tonight – you won’t regret it..

Take the 5:35 PM Casco Bay Lines ferry to Peaks Island ($8.20 round trip!)

Have dinner at the Cockeyed Gull restaurant or at The Inn at Peaks Island.

Walk (yes walk! It’s NOT going to rain!) to the Fifth Maine Regimental Museum on Seashore Avenue, and get there by 7:30 PM for Phil Daligan’s “Songwriters by the Sea” music series.

You will get the chance to see and hear Gathering Time, a traditional folk trio from Long Island that has perfected two separate but related art forms: three part harmony and having a ball on stage!

. . . I caught Gathering Time’s set last night at The North Star Music Cafe in Portland, and that’s why I’m recommending that you make the 20-minute voyage across Casco Bay tonight. These folks put on a wonderful show, with a bunch of original folky tunes, some great covers, and lots of fun banter on stage.

Gathering Time is Glen Roethel, Stuart Markus, and Hilary Foxsong. Glen plays a beautiful Gibson guitar, plus electric bass. Stuart is an excellent guitarist and bassist as well, and Hilary is a skilled percussionist. They all sing with great enthusiasm, passion, and precision. When they harmonize, some sort of fundamental, cosmic concordance occurs that makes you very happy that you have ears.

They did some covers by America, Simon and Garfunkel, and the Beatles, and led the crowd in a cozy and heartening communal sing on the Chet Powers 60’s classic “Get Together”.

Their own tunes are gentle, peaceful, hopeful; true, traditional folk music. There is a place for darkness in music, but this type of upbeat optimism never fails to inspire me. Anyone who allows stereotypes about folk music to shut themselves off from this stuff is missing something special.

. . . Get over to Peaks Island tonight and see Gathering Time . . . ! - mainefolkmusic.com

In a creative twist on the Friday night Sabbath Service, the folk-rock harmony trio Gathering Time will perform songs of the spirit and social conscience made popular by iconic folk group Peter, Paul & Mary at Temple Am Echad (formerly Temple Emanu-El) of Lynbrook on Friday, May 20 at 7:15 p.m.

The Long Island-based trio, made up of Stuart Markus, Glen Roethel, and Hillary Foxsong, is frequently compared in sound to the folk legends who rose to popularity in the folk wave of the early 1960s. They are currently touring in the northeast, and have performed Peter, Paul & Mary's music regularly over the nearly five years they've been together. “We've played a number of concerts and tribute shows in churches that have folk music series,” said band member Stuart Markus. “This will be the first time we've actually done one as part of a religious service.”

Many Peter, Paul and Mary's songs had a decidedly spiritual bent to them, even if they did not mention God or a particular religion specifically, explained Cantor Jerry Korobow of Temple Am-Echad, himself a folk musician for many years. They also played a number of old-time spirituals like “Rock My Soul in the Bosom of Abraham” and “All My Trials.”

Korobow and Markus — the only Jewish person in the trio — worked together with the synagogue's Rabbi Glenn Jacob to plan which songs will match up with which prayers during the service. “To make the most of the music, this service, we'll be a bit lighter on the liturgy,” Korobow said. In place of the rabbi's sermon, Gathering Time will play a mini-set of their original songs, which also feature a spiritual, socially conscious bent.

“Music can be a form of worship, even for the non-religious,” Korobow explained. “It's a way to open the heart, and the spirit, to the most important human values.”

People of all faiths are invited to the service, and may bring an instrument for the guided open sing immediately after, about 8:30 p.m. For more information, contact Stuart Markus at (516) 593-1427 (516) 661-7161 or Cantor Jerry Korobow, Temple Am Echad, at (516) 333-7203 (516) 359-5281.
- Long Island Herald

In a creative twist on the Friday night Sabbath Service, the folk-rock harmony trio Gathering Time will perform songs of the spirit and social conscience made popular by iconic folk group Peter, Paul & Mary at Temple Am Echad (formerly Temple Emanu-El) of Lynbrook on Friday, May 20 at 7:15 p.m.

The Long Island-based trio, made up of Stuart Markus, Glen Roethel, and Hillary Foxsong, is frequently compared in sound to the folk legends who rose to popularity in the folk wave of the early 1960s. They are currently touring in the northeast, and have performed Peter, Paul & Mary's music regularly over the nearly five years they've been together. “We've played a number of concerts and tribute shows in churches that have folk music series,” said band member Stuart Markus. “This will be the first time we've actually done one as part of a religious service.”

Many Peter, Paul and Mary's songs had a decidedly spiritual bent to them, even if they did not mention God or a particular religion specifically, explained Cantor Jerry Korobow of Temple Am-Echad, himself a folk musician for many years. They also played a number of old-time spirituals like “Rock My Soul in the Bosom of Abraham” and “All My Trials.”

Korobow and Markus — the only Jewish person in the trio — worked together with the synagogue's Rabbi Glenn Jacob to plan which songs will match up with which prayers during the service. “To make the most of the music, this service, we'll be a bit lighter on the liturgy,” Korobow said. In place of the rabbi's sermon, Gathering Time will play a mini-set of their original songs, which also feature a spiritual, socially conscious bent.

“Music can be a form of worship, even for the non-religious,” Korobow explained. “It's a way to open the heart, and the spirit, to the most important human values.”

People of all faiths are invited to the service, and may bring an instrument for the guided open sing immediately after, about 8:30 p.m. For more information, contact Stuart Markus at (516) 593-1427 (516) 661-7161 or Cantor Jerry Korobow, Temple Am Echad, at (516) 333-7203 (516) 359-5281.
- Long Island Herald

Back in June, fans of Aztec Two-Step got a pleasant surprise at the Minstrel Coffeehouse in Morris Township. The opening act, a trio from Long Island called Gathering Time, delivered such silky harmonies that it's been invited to return Friday at 8 p.m. as the main event.
Gathering Time consists of singer-songwriters Stuart Markus, Glen Roethel, and Hillary Foxsong. We caught up with Stuart via e-mail:

Q: Is it lonely being a folk singer on Long Island?

Actually, there's a wonderful community on Long Island of folk musicians and fans. There are at least 3 or 4 monthly concert stages, a couple of house concert series, a monthly songwriters' workshop, and numerous open mics.
Being a professional musician, though, is a different matter. Working evenings and weekends means you have to work at the times most people get to play. So having a social life is a bit of a challenge.
I've gone to many parties just in time to see most people starting to leave. Fortunately, I have friends who like to come to gigs, and others who are happy to get together on weeknights.

Q: What brought the three of you together?
We literally met on the street! Glen had a steady gig three years ago, playing outdoors at a weekly antique car rally in Oyster Bay.
Hillary had gone out for a drink after work to try to forget the fight she'd had with her then-boyfriend, came out of the tavern, heard Glen, walked over and started harmonizing.
He invited her to keep coming back and she did.
A year later, I saw Glen doing a concert. (He and I had actually met in 1994 at the above-mentioned songwriters workshop, but had lost track of each other.)
He invited me to the Oyster Bay gig, and a few weeks later I made it down. As I walked up, he and Hillary were doing a song by the Eagles or America, which had an obvious third part.
I walked up and started harmonizing, and voila! Glen turned around with a big smile on his face; Hillary flashed me a look that said, "I don't know who you are, but you can stay!"

Q: Are you each able to make music your full-time gig at this point? What did each of you do before?
I'm full-time in music; I play hospitals and nursing homes, as well as restaurants, country clubs, private parties, etc. Before that I'd spent years in advertising, then as a journalist and freelance writer.
Glen makes most of his living at music, though he's an excellent graphics artist as well and makes a good bit doing that.
Hillary is a mail carrier for the US Postal Service--as are a surprising number of Long Island folk musicians.

Q: Did your reporting skills help with your songwriting?
Hmm, interesting question. I think it's a love and ability with words that enables me to do both, more or less successfully. I must admit I do miss journalism and expository writing from time to time.

Q: Do you agree with the Peter Paul & Mary-meets-Crosby, Stills & Nash comparisons?
No objections--we love them both! But we're also the beneficiaries of years of listening other great folk-rock and harmony groups, like the Beatles, the Eagles, and America, even the Grateful Dead, and their influences definitely creep into our music, even if we don't realize it.

Q: What's been the highlight for the trio so far?
Well, there have already been a few. The response we got when we opened for Aztec Two-Step was fantastic!
Opening for Christine Lavin at the Huntington Folk Fest, playing to a hill full of people two weeks ago, was also a thrill.
Leading an impromptu gathering in singing classic folk-rock songs at last year's NERFA (Northeast Regiona Folk Alliance) was a blast.
For me though, singing to a crowd of 3,000+ at the Harry Chapin tribute concert I organize every year has been a special highlight.

Q: What seems to resonate most with your audiences?
People love the harmonies, the way our voices blend. People love it when we cover songs by CSN or JT (James Taylor), or other folk-rock artists--we get the impression they really miss hearing that music.
Our songs, which often have themes of hope and freedom (our upcoming first album is actually going to be titled "Songs of Hope & Freedom") tend to really appeal to folk audiences.

Q: What do you remember about your recent Aztec Two Step gig in Morristown?
The huge applause we got, from an audience that by-and-large didn't know us at all!
And Margaret, the MC for the night, who after our second set, gave us the greatest compliment: "Isn't it a great thing about folk music, that you can come to a venue you've never been to, see a group you've never heard of, and get blown away?!"

Q: What advice would you give to aspiring performers?
Keep at it!
Watch and listen to people who are better or more experienced than you, and learn from them, both in terms of music and business skills.
Listen to as many artists in as many genres of music as possible--it will add colors to your own musical palate.
Reach out and bond with other people in the musical community--success is a produ - NJ.com

Back in June, fans of Aztec Two-Step got a pleasant surprise at the Minstrel Coffeehouse in Morris Township. The opening act, a trio from Long Island called Gathering Time, delivered such silky harmonies that it's been invited to return Friday at 8 p.m. as the main event.
Gathering Time consists of singer-songwriters Stuart Markus, Glen Roethel, and Hillary Foxsong. We caught up with Stuart via e-mail:

Q: Is it lonely being a folk singer on Long Island?

Actually, there's a wonderful community on Long Island of folk musicians and fans. There are at least 3 or 4 monthly concert stages, a couple of house concert series, a monthly songwriters' workshop, and numerous open mics.
Being a professional musician, though, is a different matter. Working evenings and weekends means you have to work at the times most people get to play. So having a social life is a bit of a challenge.
I've gone to many parties just in time to see most people starting to leave. Fortunately, I have friends who like to come to gigs, and others who are happy to get together on weeknights.

Q: What brought the three of you together?
We literally met on the street! Glen had a steady gig three years ago, playing outdoors at a weekly antique car rally in Oyster Bay.
Hillary had gone out for a drink after work to try to forget the fight she'd had with her then-boyfriend, came out of the tavern, heard Glen, walked over and started harmonizing.
He invited her to keep coming back and she did.
A year later, I saw Glen doing a concert. (He and I had actually met in 1994 at the above-mentioned songwriters workshop, but had lost track of each other.)
He invited me to the Oyster Bay gig, and a few weeks later I made it down. As I walked up, he and Hillary were doing a song by the Eagles or America, which had an obvious third part.
I walked up and started harmonizing, and voila! Glen turned around with a big smile on his face; Hillary flashed me a look that said, "I don't know who you are, but you can stay!"

Q: Are you each able to make music your full-time gig at this point? What did each of you do before?
I'm full-time in music; I play hospitals and nursing homes, as well as restaurants, country clubs, private parties, etc. Before that I'd spent years in advertising, then as a journalist and freelance writer.
Glen makes most of his living at music, though he's an excellent graphics artist as well and makes a good bit doing that.
Hillary is a mail carrier for the US Postal Service--as are a surprising number of Long Island folk musicians.

Q: Did your reporting skills help with your songwriting?
Hmm, interesting question. I think it's a love and ability with words that enables me to do both, more or less successfully. I must admit I do miss journalism and expository writing from time to time.

Q: Do you agree with the Peter Paul & Mary-meets-Crosby, Stills & Nash comparisons?
No objections--we love them both! But we're also the beneficiaries of years of listening other great folk-rock and harmony groups, like the Beatles, the Eagles, and America, even the Grateful Dead, and their influences definitely creep into our music, even if we don't realize it.

Q: What's been the highlight for the trio so far?
Well, there have already been a few. The response we got when we opened for Aztec Two-Step was fantastic!
Opening for Christine Lavin at the Huntington Folk Fest, playing to a hill full of people two weeks ago, was also a thrill.
Leading an impromptu gathering in singing classic folk-rock songs at last year's NERFA (Northeast Regiona Folk Alliance) was a blast.
For me though, singing to a crowd of 3,000+ at the Harry Chapin tribute concert I organize every year has been a special highlight.

Q: What seems to resonate most with your audiences?
People love the harmonies, the way our voices blend. People love it when we cover songs by CSN or JT (James Taylor), or other folk-rock artists--we get the impression they really miss hearing that music.
Our songs, which often have themes of hope and freedom (our upcoming first album is actually going to be titled "Songs of Hope & Freedom") tend to really appeal to folk audiences.

Q: What do you remember about your recent Aztec Two Step gig in Morristown?
The huge applause we got, from an audience that by-and-large didn't know us at all!
And Margaret, the MC for the night, who after our second set, gave us the greatest compliment: "Isn't it a great thing about folk music, that you can come to a venue you've never been to, see a group you've never heard of, and get blown away?!"

Q: What advice would you give to aspiring performers?
Keep at it!
Watch and listen to people who are better or more experienced than you, and learn from them, both in terms of music and business skills.
Listen to as many artists in as many genres of music as possible--it will add colors to your own musical palate.
Reach out and bond with other people in the musical community--success is a produ - NJ.com

At 9:15 one evening in early November of 2011, two men and one woman stepped onto a stage in the theater space at the Hudson Valley Resort in upstate New York. The formal showcases of the Northeast Regional Folk Alliance Conference were in full swing. Their voices rose in a blend that seemed unearthly. In a heartbeat, the terrestrial became celestial. As with all other artists in attendance, they sought greater recognition for their talents. In this, they succeeded. From this point forward, the name Gathering Time carried new meaning and bore greater weight.

We couldn’t help but wonder what had brought these forces together. Some artistic collaborations have unlikely beginnings. Those are the ones we like the best.

It began with the Tuesday “Cruise Night” Street Fair in Oyster Bay, L.I. Originally started in 2003, it’s purpose was to show off the vintage cars of wealthy Long Islanders. Family friendly, it became an annual summer-long series. In June of 2005, as the first evening of that year’s series kicked off, singer/songwriter, monster vocalist Glen Roethel was recruited to provide sidewalk entertainment. A contemporary acoustic folk/rock soloist and a veteran of many rock bands, he’d be playing each Tuesday. That night, in front of a bench on a sidewalk adjacent to the parked antique vehicles, Glen set up and began performing.

Hillary Foxsong had gotten out of work after a particularly tough day and gone to a pub with some friends for a drink. It happened to be located where Glen was playing just outside. She came out and stood on the pub steps. Hearing Glen, she instinctively began singing along in harmony with him. He smiled at her in encouragement.

At this point, Oyster Bay resident Billy Joel (yes, that Billy Joel) suddenly materialized and asked if he might join in. Three-part harmony ensued, captivating any cognizant listeners within earshot. After Billy left, Glen told Hillary she could join him as a harmony singer anytime. Two weeks later, she showed up at Cruise Night, and again sang flawless backup harmony.

We’ll fast-forward to the following summer of 2006. Hillary was again singing backup for Glen on Cruise Night. She was unaware that Glen had recently run into old acquaintance, accomplished musician and folksinger Stuart Markus, and had extended the same invitation to drop by and sing harmony with him. Stu walked up and saw that Glen already had someone else singing with him, but somehow found a third harmony part in the song that, in its original form, had only two parts. While Hillary was not initially thrilled at sharing her role, she had to admit she was impressed with Stu’s finding that other harmony part. Somewhere in the back of all three minds, something clicked. They were hearing something special. Unintentionally, one professional musician lifer had joined forces with another educated talent and one gifted amateur who had never planned to perform professionally. It wasn’t until some time later that their partnership would become official. A glimpse into their personal lives revealed the fates-in-flight particles of this vortex of talent.

Beginnings
When Hillary Foxsong was young, before even attending kindergarten, she would sing along to the first Peter, Paul and Mary album with her mom and grandmother. Her grandmother, a former professional singer, would tap her on the shoulder, stop her and say, “No, honey, there’s three parts. You find the part nobody else is singing!” Hillary recalled, “At times she’d get on my part and I’d have to get off and find another part.” Hillary had no idea what her grandmother was teaching her (though today she knows that her grandmother knew). At times, Hillary recalled, “ She’d get on my part and I’d have to get off and find another part. I think of her every time I step into a group of people and find a harmony. You can drop me anywhere and I can usually find something to sing.”

Hillary sang in church choir and school choruses, but never thought about singing professionally. Later, she’d become a habitue of karaoke bars and win prizes in contests.

Hillary got her college degree in art, but found the restrictions of commercial art unrewarding. Today she has fun with digital art. After she got out of art school, she worked as a show horse groomer for 10 years. She’d work overnight in stables, braiding the horses’ manes. To overcome boredom, she’d bring in her boom box and sing along to her favorite albums. In heavy rotation were Court and Spark and Hejira by Joni Mitchell, Ingenue by k.d. Lang, Diva by Annie Lennox and Lyle Lovett’s Joshua Judges Ruth. Depending on her mood, she’d sing harmony or straight melody. Today, she says, “I can sing every song on those albums. Numerous other tapes of classic folk/rock helped to add to her encyclopedic repertoire. Aside from karaoke, until meeting Glen, there the matter rested.

In Rochester, where Stuart Markus grew up, Stu’s parents always encouraged his musical pursuits. Th - Acoustic Live in New York City (Richard Cuccaro)

At 9:15 one evening in early November of 2011, two men and one woman stepped onto a stage in the theater space at the Hudson Valley Resort in upstate New York. The formal showcases of the Northeast Regional Folk Alliance Conference were in full swing. Their voices rose in a blend that seemed unearthly. In a heartbeat, the terrestrial became celestial. As with all other artists in attendance, they sought greater recognition for their talents. In this, they succeeded. From this point forward, the name Gathering Time carried new meaning and bore greater weight.

We couldn’t help but wonder what had brought these forces together. Some artistic collaborations have unlikely beginnings. Those are the ones we like the best.

It began with the Tuesday “Cruise Night” Street Fair in Oyster Bay, L.I. Originally started in 2003, it’s purpose was to show off the vintage cars of wealthy Long Islanders. Family friendly, it became an annual summer-long series. In June of 2005, as the first evening of that year’s series kicked off, singer/songwriter, monster vocalist Glen Roethel was recruited to provide sidewalk entertainment. A contemporary acoustic folk/rock soloist and a veteran of many rock bands, he’d be playing each Tuesday. That night, in front of a bench on a sidewalk adjacent to the parked antique vehicles, Glen set up and began performing.

Hillary Foxsong had gotten out of work after a particularly tough day and gone to a pub with some friends for a drink. It happened to be located where Glen was playing just outside. She came out and stood on the pub steps. Hearing Glen, she instinctively began singing along in harmony with him. He smiled at her in encouragement.

At this point, Oyster Bay resident Billy Joel (yes, that Billy Joel) suddenly materialized and asked if he might join in. Three-part harmony ensued, captivating any cognizant listeners within earshot. After Billy left, Glen told Hillary she could join him as a harmony singer anytime. Two weeks later, she showed up at Cruise Night, and again sang flawless backup harmony.

We’ll fast-forward to the following summer of 2006. Hillary was again singing backup for Glen on Cruise Night. She was unaware that Glen had recently run into old acquaintance, accomplished musician and folksinger Stuart Markus, and had extended the same invitation to drop by and sing harmony with him. Stu walked up and saw that Glen already had someone else singing with him, but somehow found a third harmony part in the song that, in its original form, had only two parts. While Hillary was not initially thrilled at sharing her role, she had to admit she was impressed with Stu’s finding that other harmony part. Somewhere in the back of all three minds, something clicked. They were hearing something special. Unintentionally, one professional musician lifer had joined forces with another educated talent and one gifted amateur who had never planned to perform professionally. It wasn’t until some time later that their partnership would become official. A glimpse into their personal lives revealed the fates-in-flight particles of this vortex of talent.

Beginnings
When Hillary Foxsong was young, before even attending kindergarten, she would sing along to the first Peter, Paul and Mary album with her mom and grandmother. Her grandmother, a former professional singer, would tap her on the shoulder, stop her and say, “No, honey, there’s three parts. You find the part nobody else is singing!” Hillary recalled, “At times she’d get on my part and I’d have to get off and find another part.” Hillary had no idea what her grandmother was teaching her (though today she knows that her grandmother knew). At times, Hillary recalled, “ She’d get on my part and I’d have to get off and find another part. I think of her every time I step into a group of people and find a harmony. You can drop me anywhere and I can usually find something to sing.”

Hillary sang in church choir and school choruses, but never thought about singing professionally. Later, she’d become a habitue of karaoke bars and win prizes in contests.

Hillary got her college degree in art, but found the restrictions of commercial art unrewarding. Today she has fun with digital art. After she got out of art school, she worked as a show horse groomer for 10 years. She’d work overnight in stables, braiding the horses’ manes. To overcome boredom, she’d bring in her boom box and sing along to her favorite albums. In heavy rotation were Court and Spark and Hejira by Joni Mitchell, Ingenue by k.d. Lang, Diva by Annie Lennox and Lyle Lovett’s Joshua Judges Ruth. Depending on her mood, she’d sing harmony or straight melody. Today, she says, “I can sing every song on those albums. Numerous other tapes of classic folk/rock helped to add to her encyclopedic repertoire. Aside from karaoke, until meeting Glen, there the matter rested.

In Rochester, where Stuart Markus grew up, Stu’s parents always encouraged his musical pursuits. Th - Acoustic Live in New York City (Richard Cuccaro)

By DON WILCOCK
entertainment518@journalregister.com

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Gathering Time is about harmonies, but the folk trio has as many angles as a Philadelphia lawyer.

Hillary Foxsong brags of a CD collection eclectic enough to belong to five different people. Glen Roethel has recorded 15 albums and plays four instruments. Stuart Markus has been a political reporter, a community organizer, an advertising copywriter and was in a group that sang sea shanties before forming Gathering Time six years ago. His day job is singing for dementia patients in nursing homes on Long Island.

The trio will return to Caffè Lena Saturday night after a triumphant First Night performance that impressed the venue’s manager, Sarah Craig, enough to ask them back.

“We did three sets,” Markus said. “We took a break between each, and the audience turned over completely three times, except for half a dozen friends who’d come especially to see us. Each time we finished the set, we got a standing ovation. It was really ...” Foxsong stepped in to finish his sentence: “Pretty neat!”


“Yeah, talk about an ego boost,” Markus said.

They promote themselves as a cross between the tradition-based Peter, Paul and Mary of the ’60s and the ’70s folk/rock hybrid style of Crosby, Stills and Nash.

“There’s a false dichotomy in the folk world,” Markus said. “Are you an original band or are you a cover band? My attitude — and one that we kind of agreed on — is that for 400 years, folk music meant generally doing songs that had already been written and occasionally adding your own. We said, ‘No, we don’t have to be one or the other.’ We can do songs that we like, most of which fit into the broader spectrum of folk music somehow or another.”

Markus likes to call the formation of Gathering Time an accident.

“Glen Roethel was doing a concert for the local folk society on a Saturday that I happened to have off because I’m a working musician, too,” he said. “I went to see him, and we ended up hanging out afterwards. He said, ‘By the way, I do this sort of fun gig at the classic car show in Oyster Bay every Tuesday if you ever want to come by and harmonize or jam or whatever.’

“So, a couple weeks later, I took him up on it, and that’s when I saw Hillary harmonizing, and my first thought was, ‘Oh, somebody beat me to it, and now I’m going to have to wait.’ But then, as I walked up, I realized they were doing a song I knew and had a third harmony part. So, I just walked up and started singing and flashed her a look of, ‘May I get on your mic with you?’ And since she didn’t say no ...

“How can I say no? I’m singing,” Foxsong said, butting into the conversation.

“So,” Markus continued, “Glen turns around. He’s still got the wireless gear on. He’s in front of us, and he turns around with a big smile on his face. I knew he’d be cool with it, but there’s this strange woman next to me with tattoos and a kind of tough look. I don’t know how she’s gonna be with this. So I looked over thinking, ‘OK, I hope she’s cool with this,’ and she’s got this look of, ‘OK. I don’t know who you are, but you can stay.’ It sounded good.”

“Three or four songs later, we were getting ambitious,” Foxsong said. “Like, hey, let’s do ‘Nowhere Man,’ and I remember you were sort of like, ‘I don’t know.’ ‘Uh, just do it!’ Probably from being untutored in these things I had great faith in you.

“ ‘Oh, just do it! It’ll come out fine.’ ”

What: Gathering Time folk/rock trio

Where: Caffè Lena, 47 Phila St., Saratoga Springs
- The Saratogian (a Journal Register Newspaper)

By DON WILCOCK
entertainment518@journalregister.com

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Gathering Time is about harmonies, but the folk trio has as many angles as a Philadelphia lawyer.

Hillary Foxsong brags of a CD collection eclectic enough to belong to five different people. Glen Roethel has recorded 15 albums and plays four instruments. Stuart Markus has been a political reporter, a community organizer, an advertising copywriter and was in a group that sang sea shanties before forming Gathering Time six years ago. His day job is singing for dementia patients in nursing homes on Long Island.

The trio will return to Caffè Lena Saturday night after a triumphant First Night performance that impressed the venue’s manager, Sarah Craig, enough to ask them back.

“We did three sets,” Markus said. “We took a break between each, and the audience turned over completely three times, except for half a dozen friends who’d come especially to see us. Each time we finished the set, we got a standing ovation. It was really ...” Foxsong stepped in to finish his sentence: “Pretty neat!”


“Yeah, talk about an ego boost,” Markus said.

They promote themselves as a cross between the tradition-based Peter, Paul and Mary of the ’60s and the ’70s folk/rock hybrid style of Crosby, Stills and Nash.

“There’s a false dichotomy in the folk world,” Markus said. “Are you an original band or are you a cover band? My attitude — and one that we kind of agreed on — is that for 400 years, folk music meant generally doing songs that had already been written and occasionally adding your own. We said, ‘No, we don’t have to be one or the other.’ We can do songs that we like, most of which fit into the broader spectrum of folk music somehow or another.”

Markus likes to call the formation of Gathering Time an accident.

“Glen Roethel was doing a concert for the local folk society on a Saturday that I happened to have off because I’m a working musician, too,” he said. “I went to see him, and we ended up hanging out afterwards. He said, ‘By the way, I do this sort of fun gig at the classic car show in Oyster Bay every Tuesday if you ever want to come by and harmonize or jam or whatever.’

“So, a couple weeks later, I took him up on it, and that’s when I saw Hillary harmonizing, and my first thought was, ‘Oh, somebody beat me to it, and now I’m going to have to wait.’ But then, as I walked up, I realized they were doing a song I knew and had a third harmony part. So, I just walked up and started singing and flashed her a look of, ‘May I get on your mic with you?’ And since she didn’t say no ...

“How can I say no? I’m singing,” Foxsong said, butting into the conversation.

“So,” Markus continued, “Glen turns around. He’s still got the wireless gear on. He’s in front of us, and he turns around with a big smile on his face. I knew he’d be cool with it, but there’s this strange woman next to me with tattoos and a kind of tough look. I don’t know how she’s gonna be with this. So I looked over thinking, ‘OK, I hope she’s cool with this,’ and she’s got this look of, ‘OK. I don’t know who you are, but you can stay.’ It sounded good.”

“Three or four songs later, we were getting ambitious,” Foxsong said. “Like, hey, let’s do ‘Nowhere Man,’ and I remember you were sort of like, ‘I don’t know.’ ‘Uh, just do it!’ Probably from being untutored in these things I had great faith in you.

“ ‘Oh, just do it! It’ll come out fine.’ ”

What: Gathering Time folk/rock trio

Where: Caffè Lena, 47 Phila St., Saratoga Springs
- The Saratogian (a Journal Register Newspaper)

I am writing to highly recommend the trio Gathering Time for a concert. As the director of the non-profit concert series, Valley Folk, (www.valleyfolk.org) in the Elmira/Corning area of the Southern Fingerlakes region, I had the pleasure of presenting this group as the season finale last May in the spring season of 2010 in Corning, NY. I am still getting comments from concert-goers about how much that group stood out as exceptional among the concerts for their wonderful harmony singing. The concert energy and stage presence of the group remained at a high level to thoroughly captivate and engage the audience throughout the full concert.

Another aspect worth mentioning was the song choice. While some of the songs were already familiar and well liked to the greying baby-boomer audience, (the dedicated folk music fans), the less well-known more recently written songs were equally well-recieved because the arrangements and harmonies were just so wonderful to hear and it was a bonus that they were actually good songs, because I have a suspicion that this group could even make a bad composition sound good, although luckily they know and write plenty of good ones for us not to have to find out! The younger audience members, for whom the songs were all new, were equally impressed. It gave all the generations something to feel good about. Everyone left that night with smiles on their faces after an encore and I could tell by the CD sales that people liked what they heard and wanted to hear them again. Another community group I belong to is now also looking into the logistics of bringing them back to the area. Yes, they are that good.

Apart from the stellar performance, the whole process from booking, sound check, backstage and financial transactions with this band was very pleasant and smooth. I could not be recommending a nicer group of people with which one could deal. They went out of their way to promote the show to people not familiar with our venue and they even took part in a jam session with audience members before the show when they were not too busy with getting ready. I can’t say enough about them - you won’t be disappointed. And I wish them every success.

Sincerely,
Debra Chesman
Director, Valley Folk Music - Debra Chesman, Valley Folk series

I am writing to highly recommend the trio Gathering Time for a concert. As the director of the non-profit concert series, Valley Folk, (www.valleyfolk.org) in the Elmira/Corning area of the Southern Fingerlakes region, I had the pleasure of presenting this group as the season finale last May in the spring season of 2010 in Corning, NY. I am still getting comments from concert-goers about how much that group stood out as exceptional among the concerts for their wonderful harmony singing. The concert energy and stage presence of the group remained at a high level to thoroughly captivate and engage the audience throughout the full concert.

Another aspect worth mentioning was the song choice. While some of the songs were already familiar and well liked to the greying baby-boomer audience, (the dedicated folk music fans), the less well-known more recently written songs were equally well-recieved because the arrangements and harmonies were just so wonderful to hear and it was a bonus that they were actually good songs, because I have a suspicion that this group could even make a bad composition sound good, although luckily they know and write plenty of good ones for us not to have to find out! The younger audience members, for whom the songs were all new, were equally impressed. It gave all the generations something to feel good about. Everyone left that night with smiles on their faces after an encore and I could tell by the CD sales that people liked what they heard and wanted to hear them again. Another community group I belong to is now also looking into the logistics of bringing them back to the area. Yes, they are that good.

Apart from the stellar performance, the whole process from booking, sound check, backstage and financial transactions with this band was very pleasant and smooth. I could not be recommending a nicer group of people with which one could deal. They went out of their way to promote the show to people not familiar with our venue and they even took part in a jam session with audience members before the show when they were not too busy with getting ready. I can’t say enough about them - you won’t be disappointed. And I wish them every success.

Sincerely,
Debra Chesman
Director, Valley Folk Music - Debra Chesman, Valley Folk series

To whom it may concern:

It is my pleasure to recommend Gathering Time as artists to be booked at the New York State Fair. I’ve watched their development over the past three years and consider them among the finest performers in the New York metropolitan area, whatever the size of the venue, from a house concert to an outdoor festival.

Gathering Time has harmonies that can charm the birds out of the trees, strong original songs, and a savvy repertoire of cover songs, ranging from traditional folk to classic rock.
They appeal to audiences of all ages.

They are respected by their peers and completely professional in all of their dealings. In short, it’s a can’t miss opportunity.

Sincerely,

John Platt
Director of Communications & Special Projects
Host of Sunday Breakfast - by John Platt, WFUV

To whom it may concern:

It is my pleasure to recommend Gathering Time as artists to be booked at the New York State Fair. I’ve watched their development over the past three years and consider them among the finest performers in the New York metropolitan area, whatever the size of the venue, from a house concert to an outdoor festival.

Gathering Time has harmonies that can charm the birds out of the trees, strong original songs, and a savvy repertoire of cover songs, ranging from traditional folk to classic rock.
They appeal to audiences of all ages.

They are respected by their peers and completely professional in all of their dealings. In short, it’s a can’t miss opportunity.

Sincerely,

John Platt
Director of Communications & Special Projects
Host of Sunday Breakfast - by John Platt, WFUV

Back in June, fans of Aztec Two-Step got a pleasant surprise at the Minstrel Coffeehouse in Morris Township. The opening act, a trio from Long Island called Gathering Time, delivered such silky harmonies that it's been invited to return Friday at 8 p.m. as the main event.

Gathering Time consists of singer-songwriters Stuart Markus, Glen Roethel, and Hillary Foxsong. We caught up with Stuart via e-mail:

Q: Is it lonely being a folk singer on Long Island?

Actually, there's a wonderful community on Long Island of folk musicians and fans. There are at least 3 or 4 monthly concert stages, a couple of house concert series, a monthly songwriters' workshop, and numerous open mics.
Being a professional musician, though, is a different matter. Working evenings and weekends means you have to work at the times most people get to play. So having a social life is a bit of a challenge.
I've gone to many parties just in time to see most people starting to leave. Fortunately, I have friends who like to come to gigs, and others who are happy to get together on weeknights.

Q: What brought the three of you together?

We literally met on the street! Glen had a steady gig three years ago, playing outdoors at a weekly antique car rally in Oyster Bay.
Hillary had gone out for a drink after work to try to forget the fight she'd had with her then-boyfriend, came out of the tavern, heard Glen, walked over and started harmonizing.
He invited her to keep coming back and she did.
A year later, I saw Glen doing a concert. (He and I had actually met in 1994 at the above-mentioned songwriters workshop, but had lost track of each other.)
He invited me to the Oyster Bay gig, and a few weeks later I made it down. As I walked up, he and Hillary were doing a song by the Eagles or America, which had an obvious third part.
I walked up and started harmonizing, and voila! Glen turned around with a big smile on his face; Hillary flashed me a look that said, "I don't know who you are, but you can stay!"

Q: Are you each able to make music your full-time gig at this point? What did each of you do before?

I'm full-time in music; I play hospitals and nursing homes, as well as restaurants, country clubs, private parties, etc. Before that I'd spent years in advertising, then as a journalist and freelance writer.
Glen makes most of his living at music, though he's an excellent graphics artist as well and makes a good bit doing that.
Hillary is a mail carrier for the US Postal Service--as are a surprising number of Long Island folk musicians.

Q: Did your reporting skills help with your songwriting?

Hmm, interesting question. I think it's a love and ability with words that enables me to do both, more or less successfully. I must admit I do miss journalism and expository writing from time to time.

Q: Do you agree with the Peter Paul & Mary-meets-Crosby, Stills & Nash comparisons?

No objections--we love them both! But we're also the beneficiaries of years of listening other great folk-rock and harmony groups, like the Beatles, the Eagles, and America, even the Grateful Dead, and their influences definitely creep into our music, even if we don't realize it.

Q: What's been the highlight for the trio so far?

Well, there have already been a few. The response we got when we opened for Aztec Two-Step was fantastic!
Opening for Christine Lavin at the Huntington Folk Fest, playing to a hill full of people two weeks ago, was also a thrill.
Leading an impromptu gathering in singing classic folk-rock songs at last year's NERFA (Northeast Regiona Folk Alliance) was a blast.
For me though, singing to a crowd of 3,000+ at the Harry Chapin tribute concert I organize every year has been a special highlight.

Q: What seems to resonate most with your audiences?

People love the harmonies, the way our voices blend. People love it when we cover songs by CSN or JT (James Taylor), or other folk-rock artists--we get the impression they really miss hearing that music.
Our songs, which often have themes of hope and freedom (our upcoming first album is actually going to be titled "Songs of Hope & Freedom") tend to really appeal to folk audiences.

Q: What do you remember about your recent Aztec Two Step gig in Morristown?

The huge applause we got, from an audience that by-and-large didn't know us at all!
And Margaret, the MC for the night, who after our second set, gave us the greatest compliment: "Isn't it a great thing about folk music, that you can come to a venue you've never been to, see a group you've never heard of, and get blown away?!"

Q: What advice would you give to aspiring performers?

Keep at it!
Watch and listen to people who are better or more experienced than you, and learn from them, both in terms of music and business skills.
Listen to as many artists in as many genres of music as possible--it will add colors to your own musical palate.
Reach out and bond with other people in the musical community-- - Morristown Green/The Star Ledger

Gathering Time -- Songs of Hope and Freedom
by Richard Cuccaro

Gathering Time is a trio of singer/songwriters comprised of Glen Roethel, Hillary Foxsong and Stuart Markus whose paths crossed in a serendipitous fashion when each found out how well their voices blended with the others. The comparison that jumps out at this listener is their sonic resemblance to Peter, Paul and Mary. The selection of songs and the way they sing them fuels this impression. The cover of 'Light One Candle' by Peter Yarrow is one example. 'Crazy Horse,' by Fast Folk stalwart Josh Joffen, has a 60's feel in its remembrance of a lost heroic figure. Each of the three singers has a solid, smooth delivery so necessary for songs that seek to buoy the spirit. However, when Hillary takes the lead and Glen and Stuart sing backup, there's an exceptional power in the presentation. Although there's a similarity to Mary Travers, Hillary's voice is more rounded in tone. While all songs are keepers, some favorites would have to inclde 'Crusader' by Foxsong, the album title track by Markus and 'I Must Go' by Roethel. The future looks bright for Gathering Time.

http://acousticlive.com/ - Acoustic Live Magazine

Gathering Time -- Songs of Hope and Freedom
by Richard Cuccaro

Gathering Time is a trio of singer/songwriters comprised of Glen Roethel, Hillary Foxsong and Stuart Markus whose paths crossed in a serendipitous fashion when each found out how well their voices blended with the others. The comparison that jumps out at this listener is their sonic resemblance to Peter, Paul and Mary. The selection of songs and the way they sing them fuels this impression. The cover of 'Light One Candle' by Peter Yarrow is one example. 'Crazy Horse,' by Fast Folk stalwart Josh Joffen, has a 60's feel in its remembrance of a lost heroic figure. Each of the three singers has a solid, smooth delivery so necessary for songs that seek to buoy the spirit. However, when Hillary takes the lead and Glen and Stuart sing backup, there's an exceptional power in the presentation. Although there's a similarity to Mary Travers, Hillary's voice is more rounded in tone. While all songs are keepers, some favorites would have to inclde 'Crusader' by Foxsong, the album title track by Markus and 'I Must Go' by Roethel. The future looks bright for Gathering Time.

http://acousticlive.com/ - Acoustic Live Magazine

John Platt (90.7 FM, WFUV, New York) * * * * * * * * * *
"One of my favorite moments (at 2007 NERFA) was hearing local singer songwriters Glen, Stuart and Hillary jamming in the lobby before dinner on Saturday, with a host of folks joining in on their killer version of 'Suite Judy Blue Eyes'."

Bill Hahn (WFDU 89.1FM "Traditions") * * * * * * * * * *
"I am accused of comparing too much but I have to say that Gathering Time is right up there with the ones we all know -- they are the next generation of great Trios with meaningful music performed in awesome harmony."

Andy Suntup, Long Island Folk Aficianado * * * * * * * * * *
"My wife and I go to quite a few concerts on Long Island each year. The performance by Gathering Time was one of the best concerts that we have had the pleasure of seeing in many years. Their harmonizing was impeccable. They had a wonderful stage presence and chemistry. See them here while you still can because I have no doubt that this extremely talented trio will soon be on the festival circuit."

Michael Kornfeld (Folk Music Society of Huntington, NY & Editor, AcousticMusicScene.com) * * * * * * * * * *
"Gathering Time has been capturing attention and winning fans with its spirited blend of folk and acoustic originals, stylistic interpretations of choice covers, and wonderful three-part vocal harmonies... [Gathering Time] drew a large audience and raves for its Jan. 12 performance at The Eclectic Café in Bay Shore..."

Joanne Melosh Dezego (Garden Stage Concert Series, Garden City, NY) * * * * * * * * * *
"Last Saturday night Steve and I had the privilege of seeing Gathering Time perform. They blew the house down. And a full house it was too! Standing room only... I went to their myspace page and had the opportunity to hear several songs from that performance. All I could think of was "Crosby, Stills and Nash," and on one song "Peter, Paul and Mary." It is not often that you hear three voices that blend so beautifully. They rotate the lead so each one has the opportunity to shine. I think I am in love."

Karen Finkenberg (Eclectic Cafe' & Finch Mountain Concerts, Bay Shore, NY) * * * * * * * * * *
"Gathering Time - tight, ear-pleasing harmonies, lots of energy and a varied selection of music that reflects the personalities of each of the three performers. Hillary Foxsong's 'Remember Me' is a real chart climber. Can't wait to have them back." - (words by some nice DJs, fans and presenters)