Robinson, Lancaster to usher in 12th season of Music Festival at Gobin

Bobbie Lancaster and Tad Robinson will kick off the 12th summer of the Greencastle Summer Music Festival this coming Wednesday, June 1 in Greencastle's Gobin Memorial United Methodist Church with "Pops from a Blues Perspective."

The 7:30 p.m. concert will feature songs by Bob Dylan, Bonnie Raitt, Carol King, The Beatles and Bill Withers.

Lancaster and Robinson will be backed by jazz pianist Steve Snyder, drummer Kenney Phelps and David Murray on bass guitar, as well as Gobin pastor Bryan Landoc on guitar and vocals and festival founder Eric Edberg on cello.

As always, these free concerts are a celebration of community with "friends making music for friends." There is no admission charge -- the programs are supported by donations from individuals and businesses, including the Inn at DePauw.

"This is our most diverse season ever," Edberg said in announcing the season opener. "In addition to great classical programs, we have not only local favorites Bobbie and Tad, but also the fabulous folk singer Krista Detor, the Silk Road Ensemble, the Middle-eastern ensemble Salaam, and Joel Karabo Elliot, the American-born singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, who lives in rural South Africa."

A songwriter based in Greencastle, Lancaster has been practicing the art of song craft for 15 years, and she's been sharing it with students through Arts for Learning for three years.

"My workshops are adaptable and highly interactive," she says. "Teachers choose the theme that the students are to work within, and we use songwriting to reinforce their lessons in the classroom."

A versatile performer, Lancaster works within a variety of genres, including those that most appeal to kids (everything from rap and R&B to country). Bobbie has written and recorded eight albums of original music in the blues, bluegrass, folk, children's music and gospel genres.

Meanwhile, from his New York City roots and his Indiana and Chicago musical upbringing, Robinson has caught the attention of the music world with his eight Blues Music Award nominations (the Grammys of blues music) and his rich catalog of blues and soul recordings. His latest album, "Day Into Night," on Severn Records, received the BMA nomination for Soul Blues Album of 2016. He's a veteran of countless national and international tours, including performances at many of the most important international blues festivals.

With harmonica chops schooled by Big and Little Walter, Sonny Boy I and II, Junior Wells, James Cotton, among many, and vocals that compare to Otis Redding, Syl Johnson, Al Green and Teddy Pendergrass, Robinson ranks as on of the most unique and talented members of the soul and blues communities.

"Robinson places near the top of the list of the finest living singers of soul blues," Downbeat Magazine raved.

The Greencastle Summer Music Festival brings the community together with friends making music for friends, Edberg said, with free concerts (supported by donations) every Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. through Aug. 17 in the Gobin Church sanctuary.

Additional performances will be given on Friday, June 17 at Music on the Square and Tuesday-Saturday, June 21-25 when Silk Road Ensemble has an event every night in Kresge Auditorium at DePauw.

Here is the rest of the schedule:

June 8 -- Eugenio Urrutia, piano, a festival favorite since its first summer, plays masterworks by Beethoven and Liszt.

June 15 -- A Symphony of Eight String: DePauw professors Tarn Travers (violin) and Eric Edberg (cello) play music by Bach (including Eric's first performance of Bach's Suite No. 6 in D Major) and Ravel.

Friday, June 17 -- Claude Cymerman at Music on the Square.

Tuesday, June 21 -- Silk Road Ensemble in Kresge Auditorium at DePauw.

June 29 -- Singer-songwriter Krista Detor. A hit with last year's "The Breeze Bends the Grass," Krista and friends will perform original music.

July 6 -- Songs, Dances and Brahms with Duo Dolce Yeon-Ji Yun (cello) and Phoenix Park Kim (piano).

July 13 -- Romantic Rachmaninoff with Simona Barbu (cello) and Nariaki Sugiura (piano).

July 20 -- Bobbie Lancaster and Friends. Greencastle's own first lady of folk music shares her spirit through story and song.

July 27 -- Salaam, Bloomington-based Middle-eastern ensembles.

Aug. 3 -- Taka Kigawa returns.

Aug. 10 -- Mystic Meditations for Piano and Cello with John Kamfonas, the brilliant young American pianist who lives in Paris, and Eric Edberg.

Aug. 17 -- Roots Grown Deep. Joel Karabo Elliot, an American singer/songwriter and DePauw graduate who lives in South Africa, shares original music that fuses classical, jazz, roots, indigenous and folk influences.