Arms Across America
American History 2021

Robert Bard

Bassist Robert Bard began his career 40 some odd years ago playing music on the streets and in the clubs of New York City.  He graduated from Columbia University in 1981 and studied at Mannes School of Music and at Jazz Mobile shortly thereafter. He worked for 15 years as a composer and music director for CBS-TV, where he was nominated for 8 Emmy awards. (never won one even, ha). Robert relocated to the Hudson Valley, New Paltz, NY about 25 years ago,  where he currently performs with the Bernstein Bard Trio, Big Joe Fitz and the Lo Fi’s, Betty and the Baby Boomers and other ensembles. He has recorded countless artists at Skytop Sound, his recording and production company. He also teaches bass privately and at the Mt Laurel Waldorf School in New Paltz, NY.

Carol Bialy

Carol Bialy sings in Bloom a women’s choral ensemble and another smaller group, the B2s.  She also sings in the Resisterhood chorus.  She has sung with the Kartuli ensemble a mostly male acapella chorus that sings traditional folk songs from the Caucasus mountain region in the country of Georgia.  She sang at Carnegie Hall with the Ulster Choral Society and with Pete Seeger at a Clearwater celebration at the Bardavon.

Betty Boomer

Betty Boomer sang Motown at the top of her lungs like most Michigan teenagers.  At an early age, she learned to harmonize from her churchy beginnings out of necessity but didn’t consider that an unusual talent nor gift. Finding herself on the Sloop Clearwater at age 29 and surrounded by singers, she joined them, especially after Toshi commanded, “Get up there, Betty. You are a singer.”  Aye, aye, Captain. In addition, for the past 35 years, she has sung and traveled with Betty and the Baby Boomers, delighted in car-horn harmonies, and shared great love and companionship with Steve Stanne, Jean Valla McAvoy, Paul Rubeo, and RobertBard. she also relishes singing with two groups under the tutelage and loving direction of Deb Lan, musician, song-writer, genius: the B2’s, a 10-women ensemble, and Bloom, a larger group of 30 women. Betty also has a plethora of songs for the children and insects she obsessively learns from.

Lee Falco

Lee Falco is a creative force from the Hudson Valley of NY. As a musician, he has toured the world over, drumming for such artists as Donald Fagen (Steely Dan), The Lemonheads, Rachael Yamagata, Doyle Bramhall II and countless others. As a recording producer, engineer and session player at his studio, Building Records, Lee has worked on hundreds of recording sessions in all capacities.

Don Kerr

Don Kerr has been in & out of the music biz for his whole life. He learned how to harmonize as a boy playing in the next room while his mother’s 5 voice acapella singing group The Melo-Dears rehearsed. A full-time singer-songwriter for many years, Don had the honor and pleasure to record the CD ‘Word on the Street’ at Levon Helm’s Woodstock barn in 2005. Locked down over Covid and unable to host his annual birthday jam, Don picked up his writer’s pen. Inspired by current events, Don went back to the studio with his birthday jam New Paltz musical all-stars to record his original song ‘Arms Across America’.

Jonathan Perl

1959 – born in Far Rockaway: what were the odds?   “Day job” –  Associate Professor at The Sonic Art Center @ CCNY.

Some Relevant Stuff

Ongoing: Writer, arranger, producer, recording and mixing engineer, piano and keyboard player, Jon Perl’s Dark Light:   A collection of eclectic songs about real stuff, not kid stuff.

Co-producer, sound design and mixed all songs on Cyborg Asylum’s first full-length album Never Finished, Only Abandoned.

Composed and recorded cues for the Buzz music library: Crimes’ Whys, Message Received, Nightsteps.

Mixed 12-song album  Middle East Cinematic.  Composer Dave Varga, in the Buzz  music library.

Consulting and tech guru on all MIDI and samples for the score and recording of Joe Bertolozzi‘s Tower Music.

Created all sound design and sonifications for the Polar Seeds project.  Currently part of the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service (SITES) exhibit H2O Today, on display at the Greeley Museum and other spaces.  From a year-long interdisciplinary project with Earth and Atmospheric scientist Marco Tedesco.

Recording Engineer on two Wunmi EPs:  Don’t Look Away/Emergency & Fit Body.

Recording Engineer on the album Jeremy Mage and the Magi.

Recording and mixing: James Hurt, unreleased album.

Co-wrote, co-arranged and co-produced Wired Planet with Joseph Briggs.  Played keys and piano on all tracks. 

Co-founder, NY Logic Pro Users Group and Mac Audio Trainers.

Krisha Patenaude-Stoever

I am a singer/songwriter currently living in the Hudson Valley, in upstate NY. With almost 25 years of experience, I have recorded and played with various artists and bands in Europe and the USA. I write original tunes and enjoy singing a diverse range of styles, confidently providing lead or harmony vocals, live or recorded. I love collaborating and have had the opportunity to work with many talented musicians over the years. Singing is my passion and a true gift. I plan to keep sharing it with others for as long as I can.

contact: k@krisha.rocks