Ti Ti Chickapea - Richie Stearns, Hank Roberts, Eric Aceto

TI TI CHICKAPEA Reunion!

Call it a “reunion” if you like, but these three musicians, together, are nothing short of magic. Their first album release together happened in 1999 from recording sessions at Scot B Adams' Acoustic Barn and released on Orchard Beat Records. The music these three weave together is truly mesmerizing.

With music rooted rich in tradition, Richie Stearns has been a staple of the local musical fabric for decades. As a founding member of “The Horseflies” with Judy Hyman, Jeff Klaus, and John Hayward, they toured Europe multiple times, ended up on MTV, toured with Natalie Merchant and “10,000 maniacs”. He's shared the stage with Bela Fleck and is considered one of the folk scenes finest clawhammer style banjo players in the world.

Hank Roberts is a celebrated American jazz cellist and vocalist, known for his innovative approach to the instrument and eclectic musical style. He's a major innovator, blending jazz, avant-garde, folk, rock, and classical influences. Roberts is a prominent figure in the downtown New York City jazz scene and is associated with its post-modern tendencies. He won Downbeat magazine's Critics' Award for "Rising Star in the Miscellaneous Instrument (cello)" in 2022. He's worked with Bill Frisell for years and featured on the Grammy Winning “Unspeakable”.

Eric Aceto is an in-demand luthier, accomplished session player, and performer—he studied under concert violinist Rolfe Sokol, but plays everything from acoustic folk and blues to jazz and electric rock. He has a workshop in Trumansburg, New York, near Ithaca, and is known for experimentation and for building a wide range of instruments, from guitars and mandolins to violins, violas, and cellos. He is perhaps, best known for his four, five, six, and seven-string acoustic-electric violins, which have attracted such top-tier artists as Jean-Luc Ponty, Darol Anger, and Zach Brock.