PUTNEY — Next Stage Arts Project and Twilight Music present their sixth socially distanced, outdoor concert with roots, old-time, and Americana sextet The Mammals (featuring Mike and Ruthy), plus Billy Wylder (solo), on Saturday, Oct. 3 at 3:30 p.m., at Cooper Field.
Rain date for the concert is Sunday, Oct. 4.
The Mammals describes itself as “a warm-blooded party band with a conscience,” led by songwriting multi-instrumentalists Mike Merenda and Ruth Ungar, with drummer Konrad Meissner, Will Bryant, and Brandon Morrison. Lee Falco of the Restless Age will also perform.
In their promotional materials, the band - whose members are self-identified “subversive acoustic traditionalists” - describes its live concerts as “healing and inspirational,” citing the combination of “Ruth's remarkably soulful grace and Mike's hushed and intimate ease” and lyrics that “strike deep, sparking unexpected smiles and full-room sing-alongs.”
The band describes its music as a mix of “Americana hoedowns, sassy blues, Motown soul, old-timey harmonies, rock-n-roll energy and inspired, political songwriting.”
As described on the band's website, Billy Wylder's music “weaves American folk and rock with sensibilities from the Sahara Desert.”
“Mother Earth is at its center, surrounded by stories of love, conflict, change, and dreams,” the band writes.
The musicians from both groups have toured extensively, performing and collaborating with artists such as Jack Johnson, the Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Bombino, The Low Anthem, and Pete Seeger.
Prior to forming Billy Wylder, singer/songwriter/guitarist Avi Salloway performed with Bombino, Hey Mama, and Avi & Celia.
The title track of The Mammals' 2018 album, Sunshiner, was nominated for Folk Alliance International's Song of the Year. The group's new album, Nonet, was released this year.