Disability Advocacy Concert at The Buttonwood Tree

The Buttonwood Tree presents the musical showcase of The Giosa-Varela Blues Band, local folk group Merganser, and New Haven based King Bolete Duo. Admission is suggested donation. This event is being funded by the CTCommission on the Arts

This concert and other TBT events brought to you by our generous donors and patrons, as well as the following organizations: Middletown Commission on the Arts, Community Foundation of Middlesex County, Department of Community and Economic Development.

The Accessibility Task Force (ATF) works to empower businesses to create inclusive and accessible environments for all individuals, namely those living with physical and mental disabilities. We are committed to enriching the lives of people living with mental and physical disabilities to live more independent lives, with minimal social, economic, and/or physical barriers.

We foresee a world in which people living with physical and mental disabilities feel they are accepted and their unique skill sets desired. A world in which they can live fully independent lives, without relying on able-bodied individuals to “open doors” for them. A world free of physical, social, and economic barriers.

All performers, volunteers, and staff at the event represent the disabled/neurodivergent population. They will all be paid for their time: this is to show that we deserve a place on the stage and in the workplace along with everyone else.

Giosa-Varela Blues Band: From an early age, Morgan was raised around music and the arts. His brother Alex is a professional drummer and a skilled visual artist. A self-described “old soul”, Morgan feels his music is most rooted in inspiration from the electric psychedelic blues of the 1960s (artists such as Michael Bloomfield and Jimi Hendrix are among his favorites), as well as influenced by the greatest electric bluesmen of all time (particularly B.B. King and Albert King, two of his favorite musicians). Morgan’s music and visual art ultimately come to him spontaneously from his unique and unconventional intuition and emotions and life experiences.

Morgan has been composing original music with the guidance and collaborative input of his mentor and friend and guitar teacher, Frank Varela. The two, alongside drummer Alex Giosa and bassist Bob Laramie and some special guests, recorded an album under the name Fake News Blues Band in late 2017. Their debut self-titled album was released on June 6th, 2019 and is available on all major streaming platforms. Frank and Morgan are currently back in the studio working on a follow up album of original blues music, which will be released in 2023. Frank Varela has dazzled audiences for many years with his guitar prowess. He is known among his peers as a unique master guitarist who ignites the interest of every listener. His imaginative compositions, arrangements of standards and numerous recording engagements has brought years of recognition, including favorable reviews in the nationally renowned publications such as "Jazz Improv" magazine.

Frank Varela's ability to inspire others is reflected in the improvement of many professional guitar playing peers who study privately with him to bring their playing to a different level. He takes pride in mentoring so many players including a long engagement teaching blues phenom Jake Kulak who Frank taught from Jake's first lessons at age 11 through to his acceptance into Berklee School of Music and Morgan Giosa who has performed at various CT and MA venues and recorded an album of original music with Frank and other veteran musicians.

Merganser is a modern folk project founded by Derrik Bosse, Taylor Warinsky, and Matt Belliveau in the summer of 2021. The group plays a modern style of traditional inspired tunes that border on post-punk and Irish Trad. Traces of Andean and Ukrainian folk music can also be heard. Derrik Bosse (winds, bass, vox) is always looking for music off the beaten path. He has studied the folk styles of Greece, Ukraine, Turkey, Cuba, South America, and more. He incorporates these influences into his everyday playing. Taylor Warinsky (various, vox) is a public school music teacher with a background in classical bassoon. He and Derrik met on a jazz gig several years ago and have been working together ever since, in projects like Klezmer Fusion Collective. Xavier Serrano fuses traditional melodic styles with forward-thinking and unconventional forms. His songwriting spins stories of reawakening, self-growth, and the contemplations of life utilizing on the discordant chords of jazz, folk, and alternative rock.

King Bolete Band is a 5-piece band from New Haven, CT. The band was formed in 2022, when a close friend sought livemusic for a WYBCx party. Clarinet player Sophia Coppola, guitarist Mike Piercey, and drummer Eli Farland, who have been playing in various bands together for years, found themselves in need of a bassist. Their search led them to Max Perrotti, whom they had met just a month earlier at a New Year's Eve jam. Soon, KBB was gracing stages across coastal Connecticut. The group's lineup solidified in 2024 with the addition of classical violinist and fiddler Audrey Rivetta. Since then, King Bolete Band's musical journey has been marked by a steady ascent, progressing from intimate basement shows to lively New Haven bars, from Moon Club backing gigs to vibrant festival performances.

Admission link: https://buttonwood.networkforgood.com/events/69836-accessibility-disability-awareness-concert-ft-giosa-varela-blues-band