Music At The Winery: Hermit Woods’ The Loft
Philip Hamilton and friends will appear at The Loft on Aug. 21. (Courtesy Photo)
By Thomas P. Caldwell
Hermit Woods Winery & Eatery, now located at 72 Main Street, Meredith, has made a name for itself by bucking tradition. That includes finding a way to charge for wine-tastings before it was legal to do so, and creating The Loft, where music has become a main event at what already was an award-winning boutique winery.
Upcoming performers at The Loft include Philip Hamilton, known for his vocal work with various jazz fusion groups, including Spyro Gyra, Steps Ahead, the Pat Metheny Group, Special EFX, and Full Circle, a Boston-based jazz group he co-founded that recorded for Sony Records. Also among this season’s lineup are Sharon “Sugar” Jones and the Starlight Honeys.
Bob Manley, co-founder of Hermit Woods Winery & Eatery, described as “a craft winery firmly committed to tradition — when we’re not busy overturning it,” says Hermit Woods is “Proudly Contrarian” — an attitude expressed on its website: “When we founded our winery, it was illegal in New Hampshire to charge for tastings. So we sold wine glasses to our guests and gave the wine away for free. We ruffled a few feathers, but eventually the authorities saw the wisdom of our ways and changed the rules. Now I can tell customers at our tasting bar that it’s a wine experience so good, it used to be illegal.”
Explaining how a winery became a music venue, Manley explained, “When we moved into our current location in 2014, we weren’t quite sure what to do with the second floor. Then, in 2017, I discovered the ceiling could be raised to 14 feet — and that’s when the light bulb went off. I began envisioning the space as a listening room, inspired by the Listening Room series created by Jonathan Lorentz at Pitman’s Freight Room [in Laconia].”
Lorentz is a jazz performer, teacher, and promoter, and Manley said, “Jonathan and I started collaborating in 2018 to imagine and develop what would become The Loft at Hermit Woods. It took several years to fully design the space, secure funding, and find the right builder. Construction began in 2020 and was completed in 2021.
“However, due to the ongoing impact of COVID-19, we delayed the official launch of the Listening Room until May 17, 2022. Since then, we’ve hosted nearly a show every week — sometimes two — and have proudly welcomed audiences to more than 190 performances to date.”
Asked about any especially memorable performances, Manley said, “The Ballroom Thieves certainly stands out as one of our favorites. They have actually performed at our venue twice, most recently this past April.”
The Starlight Honeys will appear at The Loft on Aug. 14. (Courtesy Photo)
Explaining the success of the entertainment, he said, “What makes The Loft truly stand out is that it’s a Listening Room — a rare and sacred space where music takes center stage. It’s not background noise — it’s the main event. Phones go away, conversations pause, and the audience leans in to fully experience the artist and their story. In a world full of distractions, true listening rooms are becoming increasingly hard to find.
“At Hermit Woods, we created The Loft to be just that kind of place. Here, music is really heard — and even more importantly, most of the music is original. We welcome artists who share their own songs, their own voices, and their own journeys. It’s a space where genuine connection happens between performer and audience, and where the craft is honored with the attention it deserves.
“Yes, it goes against the grain of today’s fast, noisy world. And that’s exactly why it fits us so well.”
The weekly performances on Thursday nights include Sharon Jones, a native of Portsmouth, on Aug. 7, bringing a mixture of jazz, R&B, and contemporary sounds. She lists her influences as Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, Sarah Vaughn, and Nina Simone.
On Aug. 14, the Starlight Honeys — comprising Katie O’Connell on vocals, drum, and guitar; Samantha Tracy on vocals, guitar, and banjo; Roger Sorlien on vocals, guitar, banjo, and mandola; Douglas Hazard on vocals, guitar, and mandolin; and Dick Hodges on vocals and bass — will perform their combo of folk, rock, country, and reggae. Their original song, “Ten Rod Road”, won the Songwriting Competition for North Conway’s WMWV 93.5 Radio Station and receives regular airtime. They have performed at the Ossipee Valley Music Festival, Denmark Arts Center, and numerous live radio shows, as well as at local venues such as the Sandwich Fair, White Gates Farm, and Tuckerman Brewing Company.
Philip Hamilton will appear on Aug. 21 with guitarist Paul Bourgelais, bassist Lennie Bradford, and Gilberto on drums. With a blend of jazz, rock, swing, and world music, it promises to be a standout performance.
Singer, composer, and producer Cassandre McKinley is on the schedule for Sept. 4, bringing a selection of soul, jazz, R&B, blues, and country. Her career has included collaborations with J. Geils, Bernard Purdie, Dave Mattacks, Herb Pomeroy, Peter Eldridge, and Duke Levine. She is currently in the studio working on her next album, a duo project with world-class pianist Tim Ray.
Sharon ‘Sugar’ Jones will perform at The Loft on Aug. 7. (Courtesy Photo)
Saturday nights are reserved for live piano sessions from 6 to 8 pm featuring a Yamaha C3 Grand Piano. The sessions showcase both local and regional pianists, with Chris Mega on Aug. 9; Michael Gallagan on the 16th; David Lockwood on the 23rd; and Craig Jaster on the 30th. Looking ahead, Sept. 6 will feature John Franzosa; Sept. 13, Chris Mega; Sept. 20, Brandy Irish-Gerjuoy; Sept. 27, David Lockwood; Oct. 4, Chris Mega; Oct. 11, Mark Shilansky; Oct 18, Michael Gallagan; and Oct 25, Matt Fuller.
Gilford-based Katie Dobbins is the host of the monthly Songwriter RoundUp, and she will bring folk duo Alex Cumming and Audrey Jaber to The Loft on Sept. 11. The evening will begin with Dobbins providing a brief opening set before inviting Alex and Audrey to join her for a couple of songs and a conversation about their work. The guest artists will then perform on their own.
The Thursday night schedule continues throughout the fall, and is posted on the Hermit Woods website, https://hermitwoods.com. Many of the musical performances also are posted on the Hermit Woods YouTube Channel, https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCN1awHYso9eBUSwQxP-Ss2A.