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The Show review from Sing Out! Magazine Spring 2005
Matt Watroba
Wow. That was the word that came to mind when the song “Crack in the Windshield” faded out at the end of my first time through Peter Siegel’s The Show. As someone who listens to hundreds and hundreds of recordings a year, I welcome an artist who takes a few chances. Peter does that. The Show is a concept album that works on several levels. Peter spends much of his time playing with dance bands and performing concerts in his home state of New York and throughout New England. You may have even seen him knocking around with Clearwater’s Hudson River Sloop Singers.
He calls his style of music and performing “space-age vaudeville” – an adequate description of what you find on this impeccably produced and artfully designed package. Peter sings and plays a variety of string and percussion instruments including guitar, mandolin, clawhammer and tenor banjo, bodhran, and foot percussion. He is joined by an accomplished assembly of musicians adding everything from fiddle and bass, to Moog synthesizer and heavy metal guitar. But then what would a vaudeville show be without a wide variety of sounds and styles?
The opening track is a 1920s style rag that sets the stage for a musical romp that bounces around between the political, the personal, the humorous, and the frivolous. Peter raps and rants his way through 14 mostly original songs that don’t even come close to be pigeonholed to a particular style. His traditional roots show throughout, as does his youthful energy and attention to contemporary sounds. In a world of cut and paste downloads it’s great to hear a recording like The Show – a CD that is better when taken in from beginning to end, without interruption. I have not had the pleasure of seeing Peter Siegel perform live, but after hearing his latest, I am most definitely intrigued.
- Sing Out! Magazine
Discography
Living in Rome 2007 (solo)
The Show 2004 (solo)
Move the Mob 2001 (solo)
Greenfield Dance Band 2002
Beverwyck 2001
Photos
Bio
Peter's music is a melting pot of radical Americana. With roots in the Hudson Valley of NY, Peter was raised on Phil Ochs, lefty Jewish politics, the post 60's environmental activism of the Hudson River Sloop Clearwater, Pete Seeger, the old time square dance scene, Warner Brothers cartoons, Jimi Hendrix and 70's and 80's pop. Put that together in a warm stew and you've got the mix that is Peter Siegel's Radical Roots music.
The story began as a red diaper grandchild was trained by his violinist grandfather classically at the age of 3. From there, piano and classical guitar are corrupted by the '70's folk scene in NY. Somewhere in between there was an awkward new wave mullet BUT in the last ten years Peter's work as a singer songwriter, music teacher, kids' performer composer and player of roots music and fiddle tunes on a whole mess of stringed instruments has earned him acclaim locally and around the nation. He was the 2004 winner of the WRSI (The River- western MA) singer songwriter contest, 2nd place finalist in VT's Solarfest singer songwriter showcase, he has had songs published in Sing Out! Magazine, and various fiddle tune compilations including the Portland Collection. His appearances solo and with his many combinations on live radio, coffeehouses, and festivals around the country include the nationally syndicated radio show etown in Boulder, CO, Clearwater's Great Hudson River Revival and Falcon Ridge Folk Fest in NY, Saratoga NY's Caffe Lena, Chicago's Fox Valley Folk Fest, The Old Songs Fest in Albany, NY, Festival for the Eno in Durham, NC, and The Iron Horse Music Hall in Northampton, MA to name a few. Peter has led traditional music workshops nation wide in places such as the American Festival of Fiddle tunes in Port Townsend, WA, The John C Campbell Folk School in Brasstown NC and Pinewoods American and Folk Music weeks in Plymouth, MA.
As a father and activist, thinking and acting locally come first. Travelling's gotta, and will happen, but staying around home and biking to a gig is even better!
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