ROCA CONCERT: Jon Pousette Dart and Jim Chapdelaine

Join Rockland Council for the Arts [ROCA] Saturday, May 20 for an evening of American Classic and Folk Rock music with Jon Pousette Dart and Jim Chapdelaine

The Pousette-Dart Band reflected the sounds of the ‘70s, securing their place in the musical firmament by purveying that harmonious soft rock sound.  Signed to Capitol Records, they put out four critically hailed albums for the label (Pousette-Dart Band, Amnesia, Pousette-Dart Band 3, and Never Enough) and a recent compilation (The Best of Pousette-Dart Band), and recruited for some of the biggest tours of the decade, including Peter Frampton’s Frampton Comes Alive victory lap and Yes’ epic Fragile extravaganza. Jon himself traveled in the same circles as some of the era’s brightest luminaries – James Taylor and the entire Taylor clan, Bonnie Raitt and Little Feat’s Lowell George among them. 

After an absence of several years in which he earned a comfortable living working in the lucrative world of television jingles, singing and playing sessions, collaborating with other songwriters, and producing a series for the History Channel and representing the work of his father — the internationally renowned abstract artist Richard Pousette-Dart — Jon resurfaced on his own. He revived and reignited his musical career, beginning with a recorded reunion with his old colleagues aptly entitled “It’s About Time” followed by another belated effort that was initiated with his former colleagues in the early ‘90s and eventually issued in 1998.

The album, entitled Ready To Fly (later re-titled Put Down Your Gun), was an assertive statement decrying the growing violence engulfing the country. His solo career would continue in earnest with 2002’s Sample This, Heart & Soul in 2005, and Anti-Gravity in 2008.

Nationally known West Hartford musician, Jim Chapdelaine, has reinvented himself multiple times as an artist with numerous layers of musical collaborations over the years to beating the odds with a rare form of liver cancer. Jim Chapdelaine is a producer, four-time Emmy winning composer, recording engineer, and guitarist with an extensive list of credits in music for television and recordings for major and independent labels.

Chances are you already know Jim’s music. He has traveled the country over the years to sold out venues with The Pousette-Dart band, playing their classic American folk-rock hits in the 1970’s and 80’s. But his guitar strumming fingers don’t stop there. Jim is a much sought after talent. Together with his band, The Shinolas, they are the rhythm section for many other well-known performers. He has toured with the legendary jazz performer, Big Al Anderson (formerly with ‘NRBQ’, the rock band ‘Yes’ and songwriter for many musicians, including Bonnie Raitt). Jim was a producer and provided the music for Phoebe Snow (her early hit song “Poetry Man” will ring bells for many), worked with Carole King…and the list goes on!

The show will begin at 7 p.m., Saturday, May 20. Tickets are $7.50 in advance, $10 at the door. ROCA is located at 27 South Greenbush Rd., West Nyack. For more information and to register for a class, call 845-358-0877 or visit www.rocklandartcenter.org.