A new group consisting of Dick Connette, Rachelle Garniez, Mimi Goese, Steve Elson, Kevin Kuhn, Derek Nievergelt, and Karen Waltuch perform songs from Connette’s 2017 album Oysters Ice Cream Lemonade. The songs will be performed by the instrumental ensemble in various combinations, and will feature guest vocalists Suzzy Roche and Ana Egge.

Dick Connette – Composer, Arranger, Songwriter, Piano, Harmonium
Rachelle Garniez – Songwriter, Arranger, Vocals, Piano, Accordion, Guitar
Mimi Goese – Songwriter, Arranger, Vocals
Suzzy Roche – Vocals
Ana Egge – Guitar, Vocals
Steve Elson – Reeds
Karen Waltuch – Viola
Kevin Kuhn – Guitar
Derek Nievergelt – Bass

Dick Connette has been composing, performing, and recording music since 1970. His work has been presented by The Kitchen, LaMaMa, Arts at St. Ann’s, New Sounds Live at Merkin Hall, and Central Park’s SummerStage. Over the last 30 years, he has devoted himself to writing music and songs based on American folk and popular traditions. Two albums of this work, under the project name Last Forever, have been released by Nonesuch Records. He is also active as a producer, and has his own label, StorySound Records, which features composers, arrangers, and singer/songwriters with similar interests and enthusiasms. In 2009, Connette won a Grammy for his work on Loudon Wainwright III’s 2-CD set High Wide & Handsome.

Multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, and vocalist Rachelle Garniez is a native New Yorker. Known as a “diva with a difference” (Billboard) and a “certified free spirit” (The New Yorker), her genre fluid story songs and stream of consciousness performances delight and thrill audiences from the NYC metropolitan area to Europe.

Mimi Goese’s musical pursuits have included the seminal dream pop band, Hugo Largo, the band Mimi, as well as collaborations with Moby, A. Leroy, Hahn Rowe, Porl Thompson (of The Cure), Hector Zazou, and, most recently, Ben Neill. From 1988-1990, Mimi worked with Dick Connette on the creation and development of his Last Forever project.