Photo by Barry Houlehen
Frogwater
Frogwater
Summerfest offers an annual opportunity to see dozens of acts of national and global notoriety in one convenient location. But the festival also employs numerous local and regional musicians. And at least some of those locals are not hobbyists; they are working players and singers.
Frogwater, the married duo of John and Susan Nicholson, typify that template as well as any Milwaukeeans scheduled to play Summerfest. With John on guitar, mandolin and banjo, Susan taking to her fiddle and both of them on vocals, they are a versatile pair. Whether entertaining at a smaller fest in the city, a luncheon cabaret in Oconomowoc or an opera house in relatively far-flung Stoughton, Frogwater's mix of Celtic folk, classical interpretations, blues standards and pop reimagining that range from The Beatles to alt rock is delivered with good humor and, depending on what’s going on their lives, asides about their family life. An album of their original songs would be a highlight of the year for Milwaukee’s rich acoustic music scene. Meanwhile, they will probably intersperse some of their originals amidst an assuredly diverse repertoire during their two sets at in Johnsonville Foods' cozy Summerville space.
