Buskin @ Batteau and Friends

Enjoy all four artists on stage at once, taking turns accompanying one another on piano, electric-acoustic violin, guitars, harmonies, and the occasional uncalled-for counterpoints. With songs that have been sung by everyone from Astrud Giberto to Aretha Franklin, Tom Rush to Tom Paxton, Andrea Marcovicci to Dr. Ruth Westheimer (really!), and Betty Buckley to Gwyneth Paltrow to Paul Newman, they may be funnier than all of them put together. Award yourself some laughs this April, you deserve it!

“Buskin & Batteau whose fun-filled work has contributed to projects winning Emmy, Grammy, and Gold Record Awards and an Oscar nod, singing really funny songs, and honoring the amazing Cheryl Wheeler and The Lord High Master of the Genre, Tom Lehrer, whose songs just went Public Domain, so we don’t have to pay him!

Buskin & Batteau have been winning hearts and minds with their soulful acoustic balladry and fun-filled performances for more years than they care to remember.

“We’re not from the Cambridge, came-over-on-the-Mayflower first wave of folkies, (Joan Baez, Tom Rush, Eric Von Schmidt)”; says Buskin, “but we’d like to think we’ve stolen many of their licks.”

The Washington Post called their work “an irresistible amalgam of melodic, sensual pop, folkie grit and killer wit.”  And while their humor runs the gamut from topical irony (Second Homeless) to terminal silliness (Jews Don’t Camp), it’s their unique combination of instrumental virtuosity (piano and violin, primarily, though both play other instruments as well), soaring vocal harmonies and unparalleled lyric-writing that prompts the standing ovations and rhapsodic reviews: “The most musically sophisticated act in folk;”

    – The New York Times; “- Acoustic Heaven;” – The Boston Globe.

And with the help of uber-percussionist Marshal Rosenberg, they manage to kick the rhythm pretty hard for a couple of seasoned troubadours.
http://buskinandbatteau.com/

“A GARRULOUS COMIC OBSERVER OF CONTEMPORARY MANNERS!!!”
-New York Times

Actor/singer/songwriter Jeff Daniels wrote the foreword to Christine Lavin’s ASCAP Book Award-winning ‘COLD PIZZA FOR BREAKFAST– A MEM-WHA?,’ when she also won her 5th ASCAP Composer Award. A frequent guest columnist for the Washington Post and the Huffington Post, Christine’s colorful collaborations with Betsy Franco (‘AMOEBA HOP,’ Best Book Award, the American Academy for the Advancement of Science) and Neil deGrasse Tyson (‘THE PLUTO FILES,’ featuring Christine’s ode to Pluto, ‘PLANET X’), and Chris’s 23rd album ‘SPAGHETTIFICATION,’ featuring the dulcet tones of, yes, Neil deGrasse Tyson. Her songs have been lighting up the cabarets of Broadway and Off Broadway via such magical voices as Betty Buckley, Sutton Foster, and Andrea Marcovicci; she’s been creating videos for the likes of Judy Collins and Michael Feinstein; she’s the creator of the ongoing national tours ‘ON A WINTER’S NIGHT’ and ‘FOUR BITCHIN’ BABES!’ Christine Lavin is a busy girl.

“A fearless folkZinger!” – Orlando Sentinel “Wildly entertaining!”
– New Yorker

“A swift kick in the pants!”
– Paul Newman
https://christinelavin.com/

Tom Lehrer: “You don’t need me to kick around anymore, now you have John Forster!”

A favorite of ‘NPR’s Morning Edition,’ John’s smart and funny songs have sparked Broadway and Off Broadway musicals (‘Eleanor— An American Love Story,’ ‘Into the Light,’ ‘Pretzels,’ ‘A Good Swift Kick,’ ‘Mariel,’ ‘How to Eat Like a Child,’ ‘Freaky Friday’), children’s records with Tom Chapin (4 Grammy nods), children’s books (‘This Pretty Planet,’ ‘The Backwards Birthday Party,’ ‘The BSAT Official Study Guide’), and wonderful performances by the likes of Judy Collins, Rosanne Cash, Dave van Ronk, Christine Lavin, and Faith Hill.

https://johnforster.com/

“An irresistible amalgam of melodic, sensual pop, folkie grit, and killer wit.”
– Washington Post

“Acoustic Heaven!”
– Boston Globe

“We’re not from the Cambridge, came-over-on-the-Mayflower first wave of folkies (Joan Baez, Tom Rush, Eric vonSchmidt),” says David Buskin of Buskin & Batteau, “but we’d like to think we’ve stolen many of their licks.” They love covers (Judy Collins (what, again?!), Astrud Gilberto, Bette Midler, Johnny Mathis, Peter Paul & Mary, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, etc.), and jingles (Aretha, Whitney, James Brown, Mel Torme, Richie Havens, etc.),but best is getting together with great friends and a great audience to play piano, strum guitars, hook up the violin, and make a joyful noise!

“The most sophisticated act in folk.”
– New York Times
http://www.buskinandbatteau.com/