Folk, Jazz and Acoustic Music Set for Hungry Ear Coffee House, Nov 2013

The Hungry Ear Coffee House features folk, smooth jazz and acoustic music at the Northwest Unitarian Universalist Congregation 1025 Mt. Vernon Highway, N.W., Sandy Springs, GA 30327, inside #285, 1/2 mi. E. of Northside Dr. The Hungry Ear is an outreach project of NWUUC, a congregation that promotes religious freedom, spiritual growth and ethical action.

$5 cover. Coffee, tea, soft drinks, and sweets available. Plenty of free parking. Please bring a canned food donation for the Community Action Center.

November Performers:

Bob Bakert & Friends - Guitarist Bob Bakert, our Hungry Ear host will perform a host of jazz standards and originals with outstanding pianist Mark Tucker, Chris Riggenbach, one of the busiest bass players in Atlanta who teaches jazz upright bass at Emory and Georgia State, along with phenomenal guitarist Curtis Jones and a special guest Bill Fielder on the trumpet. http://bobbakert.com/

The Night Travelers - Internationally acclaimed Master of the 5-string banjo, James McKinney and the very talented Niki Portmann on Upright Acoustic Bass create musical magic for you that will sweep you up and keep you wanting more. http://www.nighttravelers.com/

Born in Fort Payne, Alabama in 1957 to J.R. and Duette McKinney. James is from a long line of Banjo pickers including his mother who still loves to play.

James started playing Banjo at 14 and hasn't stopped since. James has had the privilege of playing or recording with many of the legends of music including Bill Monroe, Vassar Clements, Johnny Cash, John Hartford, and The Grateful Dead. James has sung and played at the Grand Ol' Opry, performed regularly at Opryland, had a number of bands of his own over years, and won the National Bluegrass Banjo Championship. He has been published on over 10 albums/CD's over the years and still enjoys teaching Banjo at various workshops and seminars around the world.

James is not only an internationally renowned Banjo player but also a highly respected teacher of the Banjo art. Some of James' favorite students include Wendy Holcomb of "Nashville on the Road"(television), Jeff Scroggins 1989 National Bluegrass Banjo Champion and member of "The Blue Canyon Boys", and Emily Robinson of "The Dixie Chicks".

After years spent honing his remarkable skills in the "underground" banjo scene, James is finally stepping out and taking the spotlight. Look to see much more of James McKinney at major bluegrass events and on new music releases.

Spoken of in almost reverent tones by his students and fans James McKinney is often referred to as a "cult-like" master of the banjo. Serious musicians think very highly of James and seek him out every year at the Walnut Valley music festival to join in both impromptu jams as well as stage appearances.

Today James McKinney lives in Atlanta, GA where he plays music with bassist, Niki Portmann, in their duo performance as "The Night Travelers".

Born in Stone Mountain, Georgia, Niki Portmann's family immigrated to the USA from Switzerland in 1963. She learned fluent German from her mother as a young child and absorbed a passion for engineering and science from her father who was a Mechanical Engineer.

Although no one in the family could formally play an instrument, Niki grew up with a deep love of all kinds of music from a young age. Her mother and father had a strong fascination with American Folk music and tied it together with their love of German folk music as well creating a strong foundation for Niki in appreciation of these music forms.

Her love of music lead her to experiment with various instruments and choir growing up but she decided to follow her father's footsteps by getting a Bachelors degree in Electrical Engineering with minors in Math and Applied Physics. She had a very successful engineering career for many years until she re-discovered music after meeting James McKinney. With James' encouragement and support she discovered the Upright Acoustic Bass and immersed herself in playing and composing music together with James.