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| Fairview Avenue in the Spotlight |
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| Written by Janice MacDaniels |
| Tuesday, 31 January 2012 18:44 |
 Fairview Avenue is our newest Member Band and our spotlight shines upon them in this issue. These are musicians with true bona fides. Scott Hopkins, the banjo player and a graduate of Crane School of Music, came to music playing the tuba, bass and banjo, starting at the age of 15. He formed a bluegrass group in college to
continue his banjo skills and played for five years with the Vermont based band, Breakaway. Elizabeth Hopkins (married to Scott) grew up in a musical family and is originally from Nova Scotia. While attending SUNY Plattsburgh, she participated in choral groups and area musical productions. She holds down the bottom for Fairview Avenue as the bass player and her voice is an expressive addition to the band. Tony Califano honed his musical skills with piano lessons, playing saxophone and, finally, guitar. His college days at SUNY Purchase brought him into the music studio production arena and after joining Fairview Avenue he took to learning the mandolin to take on that role in the band. Brig McCutcheon grew up in a musically eclectic home and after graduating from college with a teaching degree, he became a fan of bluegrass while living in Utah. He taught himself the basics of bluegrass guitar and joined the band in 2011. Joe Gumpper, the fiddle player, is another graduate of Crane School of Music where he learned to broaden his musical tastes which lead to playing fiddle in various blues, country and roots groups. He keeps his bow in the classical world as a teacher and conductor at Shenendehowa High School, Clifton Park, NY and with the Empire State Youth Orchestra String Ensemble. Scott and Liz moved to Altamont, NY in 2006 and bought a big old house on the street Fairview Avenue (the origin of the band’s name) to start a family. Scott wanted to have music in the house for their new baby girl, Allison, and their yet to be born son, Carter. After a year of prodding, Scott convinced Liz (a classical pianist) to learn the bass so that they could play and sing for the kids. The music was fun so they began inviting folks in to play with them and connected with someone they really liked, Tony, a rock guitarist and pianist, originally, from the Altamont area. Tony played guitar for a year with Scott & Liz but then took up the mandolin as the trio decided they wanted to take their ensemble more seriously and to help "bluegrassify" the group. In the past year the trio has added Brig on guitar (also from Altamont) and Joe on fiddle. Brig and Scott have heavy bluegrass influences. Tony listens to a little bit of everything, but really enjoys Southern rock and jam-band music. Liz grew up on Cape Breton Island, so she has fiddle music in her head and plays classical piano. Joe is a classically trained violinist but is also very strong in the jazz idiom. Fairview Avenue plays a mixture of traditional bluegrass and covers from other genres but, primarily, originals or obscure tunes. They strive to be original and unique with their songs, arrangements and vocals while maintaining standard bluegrass instrumentation and presentation. Their goals are to continue growing their original music through performances and recordings while increasing their visibility and improving the venues where they perform. Some of their favorite venues to play: the Mabee Farm in Rotterdam Junction, NY and at Caffé Lena in Saratoga Springs, NY ....And they can't wait to play for the HVBA! Their debut CD, Fairview Avenue, is available at all their shows, as well as at CD Baby; through their website, and on iTunes. A second CD is in the works, looking to be released this summer. More information can be accessed at the band’s FaceBook page, as well.
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