JIM'S BIG EGO: unpop for the unpopulous!

NYC singer/songwriter David Massengill joins Boston singer/songwriters Jim Infantino and Terry Kitchen for an evening of insightful original folk songs at the Somerville Armory Cafe. The concert will feature a solo set by each artist, followed by a round robin song swap. There's a $15 suggested donation at the door. The cafe features sandwiches, soups, coffees and desserts, and free parking in back.

Tennessee native David Massengill has been a fixture on the Greenwich Village folk scene since the 1970s. He's had songs recorded by Joan Baez, The Roches, and Nanci Griffith. He's recorded six albums, including Coming Up for Air, which includes his classic songs "The Road to Fairfax County," "My Name Joe" and "Number One in America." His latest album is Dave on Dave: A Tribute to Dave Van Ronk. Aside from performing solo on guitar and dulcimer, he was half of the duo The Folk Brothers with legendary folk songwriter Jack Hardy. David is also a master storyteller, and has published several books of original stories. Called "a master of vivid lyrical imagery" by The Boston Globe, Massengill captivates audiences with his poignant story-songs, his effortless melodies, and his soft-spoken but often funny persona.

Jim Infantino has been writing and singing his own brand of off-kilter folk music in the New York / New England area since the early '80s when he was a underage performer heading into Dave Van Ronk's open mic at The Speakeasy on Macdougal Street. His songs have been described as satirical, witty, sardonic, urbane, funny, heartbreaking, catchy, philosophical and razor sharp. He writes from a shifting perspective of human beings confronted by a rapidly changing whir of technology, work, love, death, money, facts and belief. Sometimes political, sometimes personal, sometimes abstract, his songs weave in the hint of humor when you expect sadness and tragedy when you expect levity. Since 1996 he has been performing mostly with his band: Jim's Big Ego, who describe themselves as "the greatest band in the history of recorded music" and compare themselves to "the great wall of China, Antarctica, and other things you can see from space." With the band he has released 7 full-length CDs adding to his previous 2 solo releases. He is also a novelist, with his debut book The Wakeful Wanderer's Guide to New New England and Beyond winning the 2017 Wattys Newcomer's Award. He currently lives in Boston, practicing and teaching meditation. His blog can be found at jiminfantino.com and the band site is bigego.com