Trina Hamlin harmonica workshops at The Norfolk Library

Trina Hamlin playing harmonica.
        Nicole Compte
    

Trina Hamlin playing harmonica.
Trina Hamlin is a singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist based in Norfolk, Connecticut. Widely regarded as an accomplished performer, Hamlin has toured the U.S. and abroad for more than two decades with Melissa Etheridge, Dar Williams, Susan Werner, Charlie Musselwhite, and more.
A masterful player, Hamlin will be teaching free, introductory harmonica classes at the Norfolk Library Feb. 3 and 10 from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.
Her affectionate, playful style on stage and in the classroom have earned her the reputation as a well loved and respected musical force among colleagues and students.
Hamlin loved music from an early age. She took piano lessons from 2nd through 8th grade, sang in her school choir, and over time, moved from piano to guitar and later into playing percussion/small drum kit. She eventually attended the Berklee College of Music in Boston.
“Harmonica was a happy accident. I had a friend who asked me to play it with her. She mentioned ‘bending a note’. That opened up the instrument and my interest in it. It made it feel more like a voice. The second opening was harmonica as a rhythm instrument,” Hamlin said.
Inspired by Boston-based band “The One Eyed Jacks,” Hamlin also observed what Charlie Musselwhite and Junior Wells were doing.
“Listening to that while having no technical idea of how to play the instrument made my head spin! I decided to just play and figure it out on my own,” Hamlin said.
Hamlin primarily plays “Cross Harp” or “Second Position,” which is typically where most blues players begin.
“I like it because it allows me to use the bendable notes for a more expressive sound. I love longer, string oriented lines and grooves. The folk or first position sound of Bob Dylan or Neil Young is not my first choice, but it is very necessary in some cases,” Hamlin said.
Though she is a masterful player, the instrument continues to challenge and inspire her.
“I don’t play a lot of traditional blues at this point. I love trying to play any style. The most challenging thing about it, and music in general, is leaving space for things to breathe and finding lines that add to the whole. I love that it is easy to carry and has such a wide range of expressions,” Hamlin said.
Settling on the darker tones of Tombo’s Lee Oskar Harps, Hamlin has suggestions for students.
“Don’t buy the cheapest harmonica. They can be hard to play. Plan on spending$25-50. Hohner Special 20’s are nice and Lee Oskars are too. I usually tell students to get a C harp. You can find so many videos and tutorials online, which might help you get started. Or maybe I can help!” she said.
“Say yes and learn something new. The beauty of it is that it is set up for success, meaning, you don’t need to have a musical background to make sounds. I love to give people a foundation to work with and see where it goes from there,” Hamlin added.
To register for Hamlin’s class, visit: norfolklibrary.org/library-events
WOODBURY — Nonnewaug High School claimed twin titles in the Berkshire League soccer tournament finals.
The school's girls and boys teams were named league champions after finishing the regular season with the best win/loss records. Winning the tournaments earned each team a plaque and added to the program's success in 2025.
Both of Nonnewaug's varsity teams faced off against their counterparts from Housatonic Valley Regional High School in the tournament finals in Woodbury Tuesday, Oct. 28.
The boys game was played first. Housatonic took a quick 2-0 lead with goals from Gustavo Portillo and Jackson McAvoy. Nonnewaug responded in the second half with three consecutive goals: first from Cash Medonis then two from Vincenzo Rose. The Nonnewaug boys won 3-2.
 
The girls game followed. Nonnewaug and Housatonic traded goals early on and the score was tied 2-2 at halftime. Nonnewaug scored twice more in the second half to win 4-2. Housatonic's goals were scored by Ava Segalla. Rosie Makarewicz scored twice for Nonnewaug and Hailey Goldman and Aubrey Doran scored once.
Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference soccer tournaments begin Oct. 31. Both Housatonic teams qualified for the Class S tournament and both Nonnewaug teams qualified for the Class M tournament.
TORRINGTON — Joan Jardine, 90, of Mill Lane, passed away at home on Oct. 23, 2025. She was the loving wife of David Jardine.
Joan was born Aug. 9, 1935, in Throop, Pennsylvania, daughter of the late Joseph and Vera (Ezepchick) Zigmont.
Joan graduated from Harding High School.
She was a working artist for much of her adult life, starting her career studying plein air impressionist oil painting at the Cape Cod School of Art. Her work evolved to include a more representational style, and eventually a large body of abstract pieces. Her award-winning work has been shown in galleries and juried art shows throughout southern New England.
She is survived by her daughter Leslie and her husband George, brothers Joseph, Victor, and their families, nephews Gregory, Christopher, and their families, daughter-in- law Huong, and the extended Jardine family. She was predeceased by her son Douglas, and brother Michael.
A memorial service will be held at All Saints of America Orthodox Church, 313 Twin Lakes Road, Salisbury, Connecticut on Thursday, Oct. 30, at 10 a.m. Memorial contributions may be made to the All Saints of America Orthodox Church, PO Box 45, Salisbury, CT 06068.
The Kenny Funeral Home has care of arrangements.
The ofrenda at Race Brook Lodge.
On Saturday, Nov. 1, the Race Brook Lodge in Sheffield will celebrate the Mexican Day of the Dead: El Día de los Muertos.
Mexican Day of the Dead takes place the first weekend of November and honors los difuntos (the deceased) with ofrendas (offerings) on an altar featuring photos of loved ones who have passed on. Elements of earth, wind, fire and water are represented with food, papel picada (colorful decorative paper), candles and tequila left for the beloved deceased. The departed are believed to travel from the spirit world and briefly join the living for a night of remembrance and revelry.
Music and events programmer Alex Harvey has been producing Día de los Muertos at Race Brook for the past three years, and with the closing of the venue looming, the festival takes on a deep and personal meaning.
“The anchoring gesture of Race Brook, long before I arrived on the scene, has always been to cultivate a space that thins the veil between the worlds. Something otherworldly is hiding in the mountain’s towering shadow: the whispering spring-fed stream, the dense lineage that founder Dave Rothstein brings, the woodsmoke that rises every night of the year from the firepits. This space communes with the spirits,” said Harvey.
“And so we cradle a special ache in our hearts as the leaves turn and the beautiful dance of Race Brook’s project of cultural pollination draws to a close. Fitting, then, to return for one last activation — Día de Los Muertos — a celebration of the end of things. A remembrance of those who’ve made the transition we are all destined for, but also a time when we honor many types of loss. And while we will all mourn those who aren’t there in the flesh, we will also, with humility, come as mourners for the space itself,” Harvey continued.
The event will be a night to remember, to celebrate and to release with ritual, music, and communal remembrance. Participants are invited to bring photos, talismans and offerings for the ofrenda (offering), as well as songs, poems or toasts to share in tribute to loved ones who have passed.
Mexican American musicians Maria Puente Flores, Mateo Cano, Víctor Lizabeth, Oviedo Horta Jr. and Andrea from Pulso de Barro, an ensemble rooted in the Veracruz tradition of son jarocho, will be performing.
Translating to “Pulse of the Clay,” their name reflects a deep connection to the earth and to the living heartbeat of culture itself. Through a synthesis of Mexican, Cuban, Venezuelan and Puerto Rican traditions, Pulso de Barro merges poetry, rhythm and communal song as pathways to coexistence with nature. Their performances feature the jarana and leona (stringed instruments), quijada, cajón, maracas, and marimba (percussion), the tarima (percussive dance platform) and a call-and-response of folk and original versadas.
The evening begins at 6 p.m. in the Barn Space with a Fandango de los Muertos featuring Pulso de Barro, a Race Brook favorite. At 8 p.m., the Open Mic for the Dead invites guests to speak directly into the spirit world — through word, music or memory. The night culminates at 10:30 p.m. with a Fandango for the Dead, a participatory music and dance celebration. Bring your instruments, your voices and your dancing shoes.
Race Brook Lodge is a unique rustic getaway destination for relaxation, hiking, live music, workshops, weddings and more. Sadly, it will be closing for good later in 2026, ending a storied chapter of Berkshire music, art, culture and well-being.
Come experience an evening that honors lost loved ones and the end of a Berkshire institution. The cycle of life endures. Surely, resurrection is in the cards for Race Brook Lodge.
For Tickets and info, visit: rblodge.com