Lisa Gutkin and Lisa's Pieces

Fiddler Lisa Gutkin, founding member of the “Downtown” Celtic band WHIRLIGIG, long time member of The Grammy Award-winning Klezmatics, and composer/performer/music director in the Tony Award-winning Broadway show, “Indecent”, returns to her roots in American music with “Lisa’s Pieces”, a unique quartet playing driving traditional tunes, songs with great three-part vocal harmonies, and original compositions.

The band includes Lisa’s long-time Bluegrass buddies Wayne Fugate (mandolin), Mark Murphy (bass & cello), and Michael Sassano (guitar). All four are busy, touring musicians with other projects, but they never miss an opportunity to come together to celebrate their decades-long friendship and love of the unique sound they create together – a delightful amalgam that is Bluegrass-centric but blended carefully with wisps of the world musics that Lisa is so well known for. Their shows are always a treat, and feature ample doses of creativity, warmth, good humor, and overall mercurial dazzle. The band even has a great origin story …
Once upon a time, back in the 90’s, the four found themselves backstage at Ben Freed’s “Muscoot Farm Bluegrass Festival” jamming on one of Lisa’s recently composed tunes. In no time, the jam drew a large, really enthusiastic crowd. Large and enthusiastic enough that they found themselves on stage 20 minutes later as “Lisa’s Pieces,” a name that has lovingly stuck through the years!