
This past Saturday night, fifty-plus hearty spirits crowded the Mediator Fellowship Hall in Providence, RI, braving the churlish end-of-February weather for a night of shiny music, shimmering poetry and shaking prose. It was shaking’s maiden voyage public-wise, a shakingdown cruise so to speak. Everyone survived. Yea, I dare say even flourished__ to the delight of the writers and presenters (Jericho Brown, Marita Andrade, Jo-Ann Reid, R.A. Stovetop Lawson, Liz Carter, Scott Duhamel and shaking editor Mr. Don), and a trio of fine singer/ songwriters (Mark Cutler, Chris Monti and Anthony Loffredio).The next one’s already on the drawing table; check these pages for announcements of more shaking evenings to come.

Barn Burning is the bastard child of singer songwriter Anthony Loffredio. Some members of the band are long standing, others sit down occasionally, but generally Barn Burning works as a vehicle for Anthony’s songwriting. The music has been labeled as “dark Americana,” ”sparse and rich with emotion,” and “nomadic and unique.” Barn Burning has toured the …
You can ask anyone and they will tell you that I’m an optimist. I have the ability to make friends with douche bags and assholes and frequently, I have given money to the most sickly drug addicts and drunks begging on the street. Some people think it’s wrong, but I say, “So What?” Just like Miles Davis. Forget about lending, I believe in giving. I wrote a song about that.

