Sundays in the Garden at Hamilton House – July Concert Series

Portsmouth Herald
·3 min read

SOUTH BERWICK, Maine – Sundays in the Garden Concert Series, featuring some of the Seacoast’s finest musicians and bands, returns to Historic New England’s Hamilton House every Sunday in July from 5 to 7 p.m. The beautiful gardens of Hamilton House, overlooking the Salmon Falls River, provides a fantastic outdoor summer setting for enjoying the best of local music.

Harvey Reid
Harvey Reid

The series kicks off on July 2 with the legendary singer/songwriter Harvey Reid. Multi-instrumentalist, author, music educator, and Maine Music Awards Hall of Famer Reid has honed his craft since the 1970's in countless clubs, festivals, streetcorners, cafes, schools and concert halls across the nation. A "giant of the steel strings" and "one of the true treasures of American acoustic music," Reid is a modern master and innovator of the acoustic guitar, autoharp and 6-string banjo.

Old Hat Stringband
Old Hat Stringband

On July 9, Eliot-based Old Hat Stringband combines tight vocal harmonies and a propulsive acoustic rhythm section to create a sound that draws from bluegrass, old time, folk, and country traditions. The band features Whitney Roy (Guitar, Vocals), Steve Roy (Mandolin, Fiddle, Vocals), Amanda Kowalski (Bass), and Carolyn Kendrick (Fiddle, Vocals).

Soggy Po Boys
Soggy Po Boys

On July 16, the musical traditions of New Orleans meet Hamilton House when the ever-popular Soggy Po Boys bring their repertoire of NOLA jazz, traditional Caribbean, Meters funk, soul, and brass band / street beat music to the garden. The Dover-based Soggy Po Boys feature Stu Dias (Vocals/Guitar), Eric Klaxton (Clarinet/Soprano Sax); Josh Gagnon (Trombone), Nick Mainella (Tenor Sax); Mike Effenberger (Piano); Brian Waterhouse (Drums); Scott Kiefner (Bass)

Alex Minasian Trio
Alex Minasian Trio

Hamilton House jazz favorite, Alex Minasian Trio, returns on July 23. Minasian studied with jazz masters Hank Jones and James Williams, has played at the country’s most-famous clubs—Birdland, Blue Note, Yoshi’s, Jazz at Lincoln Center and Scullers and has shared the stage with jazz legends Arturo Sanoval, Clark Terry, Curtis Fuller, Marilyn McCoo and Sheila Jordan.

Bulkheads
Bulkheads

For the series finale, The Bulkheads bring the funk and the party to Hamilton House! This Seacoast funk jam band will get you moovin’ and groovin’ with soulful RnB ballads, high energy funk, and Hip hop from Jeremy B. Morse (guitar), Joey Bonenfant (keys), Ari Landau (saxophone), Brian House (brass, percussion), Andrew Morrissey (percussion), Blake Jennings (bass.)

Tickets for each concert are $15 adults, $12 students/seniors and free for members of Historic New England. Reserve your tickets at: https://www.historicnewengland.org/property/hamilton-house/.

Refreshments will be available for purchase from the marvelous Maeve’s Mobile Cocktail Hour and Engrain.

Hamilton House is located at 40 Vaughan’s Lane in South Berwick, Maine. Ample parking is available in the field above Hamilton House, and there is small parking lot at the bottom of Vaughan’s Lane. Follow signs from the parking area to the Visitor’s Center, which is adjacent to the garden.

The garden is accessed from the parking area by grass, soil, and/or gravel paths, and involves walking a short distance over uneven terrain. For guests who need greater accessibility, please call 857-317-2601 or email wstrukus@historicnewengland.org in advance to arrange parking closer to the garden. ADA accessible restrooms are available in close proximity to the garden. Learn more at www.historicnewengland.org.

This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Sundays in the Garden at Hamilton House – July Concert Series