PUTNEY — Twilight Music begins its 17th annual Twilight On The Tavern Lawn series of folk, world beat, zydeco, Celtic, jazz, blues, and bluegrass summer concerts on Sunday, June 2, with an evening of hard driving, house rocking, in your face blues by The Chris Kleeman Band.
The seven-concert series continues every other Sunday through Aug. 25. All concerts begin at 6 p.m. in downtown Putney on the Putney Tavern lawn (bring a lawn chair or blanket) or at Next Stage at 15 Kimball Hill in case of rain.
Chris Kleeman (guitars, vocals), Bobby Gagnier (drums), and Brian Hobbs (bass, harmonica) feature a wide range of eclectic instrumentals, gutsy acoustic blues styles, stinging slide guitar, and electric blues and funk. The Vermont-based trio will be joined by Terry Youk (horns) for this concert.
Kleeman has been playing professionally for almost 50 years. He released his first recording, produced by B.B. King, with partner Malkum Gibson in 1970.
Specializing in the blues of the Piedmont region, Kleeman and Gibson toured together until 1972, and recently reunited for a 2017 tour of Ireland. Kleeman's other international performances include a 2002 appearance at the Montreux Jazz Festival.