|
Performers are listed alphabetically by last name (if solo performer or dance workshop instructor), group name, or the first-appearing surname of a duo or other number of performers.
A | B | C | D | F | H | I | J | K | L | M
N | P | R | S | T | U |
W | Y | Z
A Bunch of Ballads (Abbott Stage)
Mia Boynton, Julia Friend, Lisa Null, and Andy Wallace are traditional singers—some of the area's best—who share a broad range of British and American story songs. Their historic songs have been kept alive by generations of ordinary folk to entertain themselves, to create a sense of community, and to pass along important cultural lessons. Their modern songs reflect that tradition, while addressing timeless issues. Come, listen, and join in on an occasional refrain!
Mia Boynton is a newcomer to the area with a strong performing background in bluegrass, Balkan, and old-time music. A folklorist and oral historian by training, she brings zest, musical imagination, and a love of words to any song she delivers.
Recently moved to the area from New York City, Julia Friend makes her debut at the Takoma Park Folk Festival. Her unusual repertoire and subtle, touching delivery make her a valuable new resource for local ballad-lovers.
Lisa Null, host of the session, has sung ballads at venues ranging from "A Prairie Home Companion" to the Washington Folk Festival. Her rich voice will be instantly recognizable to ballad aficionados from previous TPFF concert and workshop appearances.
Andy Wallace, a legend among area performers, has contributed greatly to the preservation and presentation of folk and ethnic music at local, national, and even international levels. His exuberant, authentic performance style is perfect for songs of the American experience.
David A. Alberding (7th Heaven Stage)
www.davidaalberding.com
Over more than 20 years, David Alberding has honed his craft performing at festivals and venues up and down the East and Southern coasts. He delivers his award-winning songs with an awesome, compelling baritone and a contemporary folk guitar style that extends from intricate finger-styled blues ballads to rocking rhythm-filled acoustic fury. David's vocal range, mastery of the acoustic guitar, and control of the pen have yielded an artist whose charm wins over the ears and hearts of his audience with every note, chord, and story.
David's influences are as varied and eclectic as the landscape of contemporary folk itself. His strong, deep voice and formidable guitar skills reflect years of study blended with the influences of masters such as BB King, James Taylor, and Joe Cocker. The result is a range that combines nimble precision with unbridled power. David's songwriting, though unique, gives a nod to the storytelling abilities and poetic imagery of such artists as Harry Chapin and Van Morrison. David writes songs that run the gamut of human emotion: from the sweet taste of newfound love to the mild bitterness of lost-love-lamented, from all-too-familiar stories of family weekend adventures to the sad struggle of a family coping with loss—all delivered with a promise to entertain and inspire.
BBarrelhouse Brawl (Lenore Robinson Dance Stage)
www.barrelhousebrawl.com
Barrelhouse Brawl presents hot blues, hokum, and primitive New Orleans-style jazz. From a platform of washboard and tuba, a barrelhouse piano and a blues harmonica support the classic jazz trinity of trumpet, clarinet, and trombone. For the past several years, members of Barrelhouse Brawl (Joel and Pearl Bailes and Richard "Bags" Howard) have been joined by friends and family as the "house" band of the Takoma Park Folk Festival's award-winning July 4th parade float.
The Big Sky (Field Stage)
thebigsky.us/band.htm
The Big Sky stretches the boundaries of the roots-rock genre with skillful wanderings into alt-country, rock, blues, jazz, and bluegrass. Each member brings diverse influences into the mix. With strong vocal harmonies and remarkable instrumental prowess, their sound is familiar, yet original. The band features the song-writing skills of Beth Rinaldo and Scott Holland, the fiddle finesse of Helen Hausmann (all former members of the Wammie-award winning group, Beth-Allison & the Well-Strung Boys), and the dynamic rhythm section of Eric Roggenstroh on bass and Rob Howe on drums. In addition to showcasing their original material, they perform songs by Lucinda Williams, Bruce Springsteen, Steve Earle, the Bo Deans, John Hiatt, and others. The band was been nominated for 2005 Wammies as Best Roots Rock Band and Best New Band, and their CD, Live at the Half Moon, was nominated as Best Roots Rock Recording for 2005.
Jason Byrd (7th Heaven Stage)
www.jasonbyrd.net
Jason Byrd has been a professional guitarist, singer, and songwriter since his late teens. In his early twenties, he co-founded the blues-rock trio The Groov, and in 1996 joined the then-Grateful Dead cover band Wavy Train. Byrd's original songs and guitar work helped Wavy Train to forge a sound that combined pop-oriented melodies with extended improvisation. In 2005, Byrd's composition "Olson Still" received an honorable mention in the New Song Festival Folk category. Often performing as a solo artist with his acoustic guitar, Byrd combines elements of country, folk, and bluegrass with pop, rock and jazz, to create songs that both defy categorization and invoke a deep appreciation of honest storytelling and thoughtful melodies.
Frank Cassel (Grassy Nook)
www.banjomanfc.com
Frank "The Banjo Man" Cassel has been charming children and families at the Takoma Park Farmer's Market for 10 years, and one of his albums was inspired by experiences as Takoma Park's unofficial troubadour. His first album project, The Illustrated Nonsense Rag, now resides in the American Folklife Collection of the Smithsonian Institution. Frank has made numerous television and radio program appearances.
Charm City Rapper (Lenore Robinson Dance Stage)
Rapper sword dance is not rap in the modern sense of the word. It is an English tradition that likely originated with miners using their work implements ("sweat scrapers"—doesn't that sound inviting?) to dance with. The "swords" are flexible steel strips, unsharpened, with handles on each end. Five or six people dance together to a fast jig step, doing flips, leaps, and figures. Hey, peeps, what could be cooler than performing death-defying stunts with swords? But don't worry, parents—it's, uh, relatively safe. Charm City Rapper is a Baltimore group whose members are Jim Besser, Karen Besser, Carl Friedman, Michael Friedman, Jack Hemler, Kappy Laning, Laura Robertson, Anne Schaffer, Diane Shaw, and Robin Wilson.
Chopteeth (Field Stage)
www.chopteeth.com
Chopteeth is a 14-piece Afrofunk orchestra that explores the common groove between funky, hip-shakin' West African sounds and American popular music. The band returns to TPFF after a rousing performance in 2005 that introduced Chopteeth to many new fans.
The core of the Chopteeth sound is Afrobeat: a big-band funk invented by Fela Kuti in 1970s Nigeria. Afrobeat is a spicy stew of Yoruba tribal music and West African pop. Chopteeth then mixes in classic Ghanaian funk, Senegalese rumba, Jamaican ska—and stirs it with choice selections from the James Brown catalog. From the mix comes an intoxicating infusion of righteous grooves that swirls with energetic melodies and call-and-response choruses. Funky organ and melodic guitars lay down a sensuous groove. All that is punctuated by a dynamic 6-piece horn section for a memorable sound and visual experience.
The band performs originals and updates African classics while remaining true to the spirit of the music and its message. Band members serve up lyrics in a total of 7 different languages.
Chopteeth is based in Washington, D.C., and was recently honored with Wammie award nominations for Best New Artist and Best World Music Group. The band performed at the Wammies awards show in February 2005 at the new Strathmore Music Center.
L. V. Cook (7th Heaven Stage)
http://www.lvcook.com
L. V. Cook (a.k.a. "Vic Cook") is an award-winning singer/songwriter based in the Washington, D.C,. area. His style is diverse, covering acoustic folk to light rock, all with a distinctive blues and alternative country/bluegrass flavor that reflects his Southern roots. Born in Birmingham, Alabama, Vic began his musical pursuits after college as a bass player in various ensembles in Athens, Georgia, where he lived for many years. In 1997, he began playing as a solo acoustic folk act in the Athens and Atlanta areas, including performances at the venerable Eddie's Attic in Decatur, Georgia. When Vic later moved to Washington, he took a hiatus from performing to self-produce his debut CD, Granite in the Mirror, which was released in 2003. His song "Family Reunion" from that CD was the Gold Winner for the Folk Category of the 2003 Mid-Atlantic Song Contest. Vic now performs in the Washington area, juggling his passion for songwriting, recording and music production with his "day gig" as a microbiologist for the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Lea Coryell and Ralph Lee Smith (Abbott Stage)
www.shenandoahacoustics.com/coryell
Lea Coryell and Ralph Lee Smith play and sing acoustic folk music, with Lea principally playing old-time banjo and Ralph principally playing Appalachian dulcimer. Lea also plays guitar, and both also play harmonica.
Lea usually accompanies his singing with clawhammer-style banjo. He also sings a cappella and performs old-time instrumentals. His varied repertoire includes Appalachian music, sea songs, blues, old and new country music, humorous songs, and traditional hymns. His CD, Cornbread and Rum, has received excellent reviews and was nominated for two Wammie awards.
Ralph plays traditional Appalachian music in simple styles, developed through many Appalachian field trips to meet old-time dulcimer makers and players in Virginia, North Carolina, and Kentucky. His books include Appalachian Dulcimer Traditions, Songs and Tunes of the Wilderness Road, and Folk Songs of Old Kentucky. His most recent CD, Across the Blue Ridge, played and sung with Madeline MacNeil, was released in 2006.
Rachel Cross (Grove Stage)
www.rachelcross.com
Rachel Cross started her musical career in 1983 as a street musician in Paris, France, and has been playing guitar, writing songs, singing, and recording ever since. Rachel was the lead singer and rhythm guitarist for the award-winning world-beat band Big Village for 11 years. Known for her high-energy performances, positive vibe, and powerful voice, Rachel has performed at countless venues, colleges, and festivals including the Kennedy Center, onboard the Green Peace Warrior, and at the Mid-Atlantic Conference of the National Organization of Women. Her debut solo CD, Angels & Aliens, Monsters & Freaks, on Dreamy Eyes Records is now in its second pressing and is receiving airplay across the nation.
Alicia Deeney (World Stage)
www.aliciadeeny.com
Alicia's music is on the cutting edge of the cross-cultural Latin American explosion that is revitalizing pop music today. Her musical performances fuse her own American folk-pop songs with the Puerto Rican music she grew up with. In 2000, 2001, and 2005 she was nominated for a Wammie award as Latino Vocalist of the Year. In 2003 she was the recipient of the Wammie award for Best Vocalist in the World Music category.
Cheick Hamala Diabaté (World Stage)
www.malimusic.net
Cheick Hamala Diabaté is recognized as one of the world's masters of the ngoni, a Malian traditional instrument, and as a West African historian in the griot tradition. He works with notable traditional African dance companies based in the U.S., serving as instructor, choreographer, and performer. He performs solo and with his ensemble, playing traditional Manding griot instruments. His music always reflects the historical integrity of an important art form with a rich tradition stretching back hundreds of years to the formation of the Great Malian Empire.
A sought-after performer, lecturer, storyteller and choreographer throughout Africa, Europe, Asia, and Canada, Cheick Hamala began touring in the U.S. in 1995. His performances have been featured at the Smithsonian Institution and the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.
A steward of the 800-year-old tradition of the griot, the storytellers of West Africa, Cheick Hamala shares the oral history, music, and song of his culture as it was passed on to him from birth by parent to child. At an early age, Cheick Hamala mastered the ngoni, a stringed lute that is considered an ancestor to the banjo. Fittingly, he learned to play the guitar from his uncle and now plays banjo and several other instruments, too.
As early as age 12, he was invited to the National Institute of Arts in Bamako, Mali's capital, where he studied music, graphic arts, cinema, literature, and theater. He began his international performing career upon graduation.
Tom Dews (7th Heaven Stage)
www.tomdews.com
Georgia-born Tom Dews, our 2005 Showcase winner, soaked up roots rhythms growing up in South Georgia and central Florida. His work as a session musician in studios down South earned him an endorsement from the M. Hohner Co., and he has performed the blues in coffee houses, bars, and street festivals from Savannah to Minneapolis. After sojourns in North Carolina and Pennsylvania, Dews lives now in Alexandria, Virginia. His two CDs, Buttons Ballads Blues and Epiphanies & Epitaphs, are available through CDBaby.com.
Future Shock (Grassy Nook)
www.cultureshockdance.org
Future Shock Washington, D.C. is the local troupe of teenagers (age 17 and under) who are learning from the nationally known dance group Culture Shock. The troupe is committed to cultivating self worth, dignity, and respect for all people through the power of music and dance.
Hot Soup (Grove Stage)
www.hotsouptrio.com
The entertaining, intelligent, and zany trio of Sue Trainor, Christina Muir, and Jennie Avila have been called "The Andrews Sisters of the 21st Century." Hot Soup concocts rich, intricate vocal arrangements that bring out the best in every melody and lyric. Audiences love the variety in Hot Soup's repertoire, too: From ballads to blues and swing, from retro to funny songs—no two are alike. Add three zingy personalities, plus delicious licks on guitars, harp, mountain dulcimer, conga, udu, and other hand percussion, and you've got a blue-ribbon recipe for a spirited and SOUPerbly engaging performance!
Iona (Field Stage)
www.ionamusic.com
IONA's music is an acoustic weave of the traditions of Scotland, Ireland, Wales, Cornwall, Brittany (France), the Isle of Man, and Galicia (Spain). Blending songs, dance tunes, and airs into a rich and stunning tapestry, IONA brings unique artistry to musical traditions that are rarely intertwined.
Conceived in 1986, IONA was the musical offspring of Barbara Ryan and Bernard Argent. With the addition of fiddler Andrew Dodds and bass guitar player Chuck Lawhorn, IONA has become the leading Celtic group in the Mid-Atlantic. The members involve their audiences with the history and cultural backgrounds of the music through humor as well as deep emotion. Join IONA for a performance that will include simple Breton dances and, perhaps, a quick education in singing songs in a Celtic tongue.
J
Alan Jabbour (Abbott Stage)
www.alanjabbour.com
Alan Jabbour is a Floridian by birth and a violinist by early training. The folk revival drew him into studying folklore and folk music as a graduate student at Duke University in the 1960s, when he documented and apprenticed with old-time fiddlers in the upper South. He taught at UCLA before becoming head of the Archive of Folk Song at the Library of Congress (1969-74), Director of Folk Arts at the National Endowment for the Arts (1974-76), and director of the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress (1976-99). He serves on several boards of cultural organizations, and since his retirement he has spent his time writing, lecturing, consulting, and playing the fiddle again.
Cletus Kennelly & Lori Kelley (Grove Stage)
www.lorikelley.com
Cletus & Lori write lyrical, melodic songs that speak to the heart. They recently released their much-anticipated CD, Lotus, about which Michael Jaworek of The Birchmere remarked, "Lotus is even better than Like Sea Glass!" (Lori's last solo CD, which Jaworek deemed "excellent on all accounts.") The Washington Post wrote, "In addition to sharing close harmonies, Cletus and Lori contribute tunes that tend to fall gracefully between folk and pop. In fact, so consistent is the song quality that it's sometimes hard to tell who wrote what."
Since forming their duo, they've developed a style and a sense for each other's voices that is magical. "I haven't heard harmonies this tight since Simon & Garfunkel!" (Dawson Concerts). Their work has earned them 26 Wammie nominations and seven Wammie awards, including Best Contemporary Folk Group and individual Wammies for Songwriter of the Year. They've performed at the Kennedy Center as solo artists and together.
Klezmos (World Stage)
www.klezmos.com
Klezmos plays Klezmer, the traditional instrumental music of the Jewish communities of Eastern Europe of the last three centuries, along with an eclectic assortment of songs and tunes from other closely and not-so-closely related cultures. Their authentic and energetic style delights concert audiences and traditional dancers, and sets the freylach (joyful) atmosphere for weddings and ceremonies.
The core of the band was assembled in 1990 by Wendy Morrison and Marc Glickman. All of the members of Klezmos are well known in the Mid-Atlantic traditional music scene as performers in a broad range of styles, particularly traditional dance music. Their many musical interests find their way into the band's repertoire, allowing Klezmos to tastefully mix idioms, adding a Breton or Balkan tune to a Klezmer medley, or playing a Jewish frelekhs for a New England contra dance.
LElizabeth and Sandy LaPrelle (Abbott Stage)
www.old97wrecords.com/elizabeth-laprelle
Elizabeth LaPrelle grew up in southwest Virginia enveloped by singing in the house—children's songs, folk songs, ballads, popular songs, silly songs that her family made up, anything that they wanted to do. When she was 11, she won a prize in the youth folk-song competition at Mt. Airy Fiddlers Convention in North Carolina and started singing at fiddlers' conventions. After hearing her sing once at Mt. Airy, Ginny Hawker suggested that she attend Vocal Week at Augusta Heritage Center in West Virginia on a youth scholarship. She did some benefit concerts in southwestern Virginia, and was asked to perform at other folk-music gatherings. Her success in these events comes from her attention to singing traditional versions of the old songs and having an authentic mountain voice and style. Balancing her performance schedule and her high-school and college classes, she has sung at fiddler's conventions, folk festivals (including TPFF 2005), an occasional concert, and on "A Prairie Home Companion" in April 2005. Her first CD is Rain and Snow.
Elizabeth will be accompanied by her mother, Sandy LaPrelle, who learned folk songs from her mother and father, just as Elizabeth did. In the late 1980s, she performed and recorded early music with the Solstice Assembly in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Now that Elizabeth is performing regularly, Sandy provides harmony vocals for the family duets.
Les Waltzniks (Lenore Robinson Dance Stage)
Fidlechik@yahoo.com
Les Waltzniks members Jim Besser on concertina, Catherine Chapman on fiddle, Julie Gorka on piano, and Larry Robinson on bazooka and prim are dedicated to the idea of music "lifting the feet" of the dancers. Their waltzes come from all traditions, although they have been known to sigh in rhapsody when they play a French waltz.
Little Bit A Blues (Abbott Stage)
www.littlebitofblues.com
A D.C. favorite, Little Bit A Blues combines Warner Williams' warm vocals and Piedmont guitar picking with Jay Summerour's harmonica. Warner is a native of Takoma Park and has been part of Washington's blues scene since the '50s. Jay is a veteran of the Starland Vocal Band and the Cambridge Harmonica Orchestra. Williams and Summerour began playing together during the early 1990s, sometimes calling themselves "Little Bit of Blues." They have been featured in concerts, on television and radio, and at festivals across the country, including appearances on the National Public Radio series Folk Masters, at the National and Lowell Folk Festivals, the Smithsonian Folklife Festival, and the American Roots Fourth of July celebration.
Lyuti Chushki (Lenore Robinson Dance Stage)
In the Bulgarian language, "Lyuti Chushki " means "Hot Peppers," and describes the spicy traditional Bulgarian music that this band plays. Lyuti Chushki is a combination of professional musicians from Bulgaria and American musicians from the Baltimore/Washington area who have been playing for festivals, weddings, concerts, and other special events since 1997. Their toe-tapping music, played on traditional instruments from Bulgaria, takes you back to the old country—it is joyful, evocative, compelling and lyrical, in modes and rhythms generally not found in western music. Their unusual instrumentation includes kaval (end-blown flute), gaida (bagpipe), gudulka (bowed stringed instrument with resonating strings), tambura (fretted instrument similar to a guitar) and tupan (large drum), all of which serve to accompany the unique Bulgarian vocal style, which has a beauty all its own.
Janie Meneely (Abbott Stage)
www.janiemeneely.com
The music of Janie Meneely celebrates the people and places on the Chesapeake Bay. "And why not?" Janie says. "There's so much to sing about!"
A veteran performer who began her musical career in the trio Crab Alley (along with Claiborne, Maryland, resident Chris Noyes and Annapolis native Jeff Holland), Janie has moved on to produce two albums of Bay-inspired tunes. The first, a solo CD called Give Me a River, released in 2001, comprises a dozen original songs and ballads that range from the haunting love song, "Red Sky," to the titillating (and hilarious) "Twiddles." Her second CD, The Oyster Wife, includes instrumentation and back-up vocals from her Calico Jack cohorts, principally Paul DiBlasi and Chelle Fulk, and was released this summer.
"I'm trying to preserve the traditions and stories of the watermen and their communities," Janie says. "So many people have moved to the area from far-away places. They have no idea what a skipjack is. They don't know the colorful history of the Oyster Wars. They haven't heard the stories told around the liar's bench in an Eastern Shore country store."
Janie tries to capture the essence of those moments in her songs, from retelling a ghost story to describing a workday aboard an oyster dredger, "Freezin' our butts off on Chesapeake Bay!" If her music can, in some small part, kindle an appreciation of the Bay and its traditions, she believes she will have succeeded as an artist. And, she hopes, the Bay will gain a new group of people with a vested interest in maintaining (and paying for) Bay clean-up efforts.
Kat Mills (7th Heaven Stage)
www.sweetcut.com/kat/
Kat Mills is a radiant writer whose original songs showcase the raw energy of
her voice and acoustic guitar. Her vocal range, vintage instrument, and inspiring soulful material combine to produce a clean, honest sound that is reminiscent of another time but relevant today. Kat has shared stages with the likes of The Matt Flinner Quartet, Pat Wictor, and Tom Pacheco. Her debut album, Long Time , is receiving national independent airplay and stunning reviews: "Great writing, attitude, and simple production—high art," says John Starling, founding member of the Seldom Scene. Kat tours throughout the East and beyond from her home base in Blacksburg, Virginia, and is just releasing her second album, Two , in time for the Festival.
Lisa Moscatiello & the Space Dots (Grove Stage)
www.lisamoscatiello.com
Lisa Moscatiello is one of the finest singers in the neo-folk community and has won nearly two dozen Wammie awards. Certainly that's what Billboard was thinking when it described her voice as "one of the most gorgeous vocal instruments in all of folk-tinged pop." Folk deejay Gene Shay of WXPN lauded her for having "one of the best voices in the business."
Lisa is known for her work with the British folk-rock group the New St. George, innovative Celtic ensemble Whirligig, and her own solo albums. She also is a techno diva and a singer of jazz-inflected pop caressed by a touch of Continental romance (she calls it "acid cabaret").
Defying standard categorization, Lisa and her band, the Space Dots, blend the best of torch-song vocals with intricate and deeply layered musicianship. Joining Lisa at TPFF will be Erik Wenberg (emmet swimming) on guitar, Robbie Magruder (Mary Chapin Carpenter Band) on drums, Harry Appelman on keyboards, and Jon Nazdin on upright bass.
Mystic Warriors (Grove Stage)
www.mysticwarriors.com
Andres and Marco Mallea formed Mystic Warriors in 1993 to spread the word about New Age and world music. They have recorded five albums.
Casting the Mystic Warriors into one genre does not do them justice. Using ancient flutes and panpipes in conjunction with contemporary instruments, the Mystic Warriors deliver a rich fusion of Andean traditional music with New Age and world-beat styles. Over the years, they have shared the stage with Tito Puente, Bo Diddley, and TLC.
Christian Cardoso and Christopher Vega will join Andres and Marco Mallea for the Grove Stage set.
N
New Southern Cowtippers (Lenore Robinson Dance Stage)
www.newsoutherncowtippers.com
Appalachian fiddle tunes, old-time country songs, and ragtime blues characterize the music of the New Southern Cowtippers. Sandy Hofferth on fiddle, Howard Zane on banjo, and Jim Jones on guitar will bring us roots music, popular in America from 1850 to 1950. Their music brings back a time when regional styles were more diverse, and you'll hear Southern tunes, but also some Northern and Midwestern tunes thrown in.
No Blow and the Bushwackers (7th Heaven Stage)
No Blow and The Bushwackers are two original members—and one fresh kill—of Big Blow and The Bushwackers, the seminal plumbing band from the 1990s that helped popularize the didjiridu, or "didj." Tim the didj player will not be at TPFF this year due to a previous, over-blown commitment. Be prepared for more bounce than blow, as Ted, Don, and Niko pull out the tunes they maybe can't get away with when Tim is underfoot. A rare treat!
Jesse Palidofsky (Grove Stage)
www.jessepal.com
Jesse's original songs reflect a man who has never trod the well-beaten path. The breadth, depth, and good humor of his compositions reflect a life of great risk-taking and greater rewards reaped. Toward the end of the Vietnam War, he was a non-registrant for the draft. As a teenager, Jesse left his family of 16 brothers and sisters behind in Detroit and hitchhiked 30,000 miles around North America, searching for his place in the world. He bought his first guitar in a pawnshop in Denver at age 19, and started writing songs through a series of jobs—pumping gas, working for the United Farm Workers union, supervising emotionally disturbed teens, and newscasting on Detroit's public radio station.
Jesse's CD of original compositions, Food for the Long Haul, reflects the rich diversity of his Detroit musical heritage. It moves effortlessly from the harmonica-driven "Crossing the Poison River," to the Appalachian-style political broadside, "Ballad of Sammie Abbott," honoring the lifetime of Takoma Park's former mayor and founder of the Takoma Park Folk Festival. The CD also includes the jazzy sax and hilarious verbal juxtapositions of "I Need Mercy (A Million Times a Day)," to the sublime, Sweet-Honey-in-the-Rock-style spiritual, "Send Down Your Healing Water."
Jamie Platt (Lenore Robinson Dance Stage)
www.dancingplanetproductions.com
Jamie Platt has been teaching international folk dancing regularly for more than 20 years, making traditional dances accessible to all. He has appeared many times at TPFF and events sponsored by the Folklore Society of Greater Washington. If your experience at the Folk Festival gets you excited about learning folk dancing, join the Glen Echo events that are held every Thursday evening throughout most of the year.
Tom Proutt & Emily McCormick (Grassy Nook)
http://www.prouttandmccormick.net/about/
Tom Proutt has played guitar almost his entire life and has been a part of the Charlottesville music community since 1981. He performs regularly with Halfgrassd, the Zing Kings, and Proutt & McCormick.
Mom of three striking lads, Emily McCormick has lived in Virginia for 10 years—first in Roanoke, then Charlottesville, and now the Shenandoah Valley. She shares the gift for storytelling and conversation that she acquired growing up in Birmingham, Alabama. Her knack for bringing people together, and bringing them out of themselves, shows up in the way her warm, clear soprano voice shapes a lyric. Emily has sung in choirs of various types for much of her adult life—most recently, in the Virginia Consort—and has also directed children's choirs. Whether it's singing in a folk coffeehouse or a jazz solo in a nightclub, Emily loves it all. She is delighted to have found and been found by Soul Canoe and for the opportunity to make music and performing an even more integral part of her life.
Tom Proutt and Emily McCormick first worked together at the recording sessions of Tom's latest CD, Farm Jazz. Emily appears on two cuts, "Killer Sally" and "Road to Appomattox." Since then, they have formed Proutt & McCormick, showcasing their original material in sparse and thought-provoking arrangements. They have opened shows throughout Virginia for We're About 9, John and Mary (formerly of 10,000 Maniacs), Catie Curtis, and others.
R Riverdale Ramblers (Lenore Robinson Dance Stage)
The Riverdale Ramblers is a local Cajun band whose members are Jim Briley (vocals, accordion and fiddle), Justin Briley (bass), Joel Bailes (fiddle and vocals), Brendan Bailes (drums), and Miles Spicer (guitar).
Cindy Rosen (Grassy Nook)
Cindy is a teller of Welsh folklore. She has told her tales at Welsh events in D.C., Virginia, Pennsylvania, Florida, and Ohio, and at folk events in Georgia and Maryland. In 2005, she was the winner of the storytelling and poetry recitation competitions at the North American Festival of Wales. She has a degree in theater, is a member of the Screen Actors Guild, and on the Board of Directors of the National Welsh American Foundation. She directs religious dramas and also tells Bible stories and children's stories. Audience comments include: "I could listen to you all night." "You kept my daughter mesmerized for a solid hour."
Roustabout (Abbott Stage)
www.huttonfolkways.com
Roustabout plays Southern-style, old-time string-band music. For the Takoma Park Folk Festival, Roustabout will be a trio with Bruce Hutton (guitar, banjo, and vocals), Chris Romaine (fiddle and banjo), and Lars Hanslin (banjo, banjo-uke, guitar, and vocals).
Bruce Hutton has been performing old-time American folk music since 1973. He is also a member of Double Decker Stringband and Hesperus, which have performed across the U.S. and in Europe and Asia.
Founded in 1985 by Chris and Lars, Roustabout has earned a reputation as one of the finest bands for square and contra dances. They have played at numerous festivals and Country Dance and Song Society events from North Carolina to New Hampshire. This is their second performance at the Takoma Park Folk Festival.
S
Samovar Folk Ensemble (World Stage)
www.samovarmusic.com
Formed in 1996 as an adjunct of the Slavic Music Society of Washington, D.C., the Samovar Russian Folk Music Ensemble plays an extensive repertoire of Russian and Ukrainian folk music. The ensemble has played at the Smithsonian Museum, the Russian Embassy, Hillwood Museum, and other venues in the Capital area, and at "First Night" celebrations in Winchester, Virginia, and York, Pennsylvania. Samovar's CD, Some of Our Best, can be ordered via amazon.com.
Sarenica (Lenore Robinson Dance Stage)
mywebpages.comcast.net/weiner.larry/sarenica.htm
Sarenica [pronounced sha-REN-eet-sa] plays Serbian, Croatian, Macedonian, and Greek tamburica music from the South Slavic and Slavic-American traditions. Sarenica's repertoire includes high-energy music for dancing, as well as for listening, from both town and village folk sources. Its members are Craig Packard, D prim and bugarija, vocals; Kelly Marshall, D prim; Larry Robinson, G brac; Tony Kambic, G brac; Val Radosevic, bugarija; and Tom Armstrong, bass.
Sharon Schiliro and Michael Hart (Lenore Robinson Dance Stage)
Sharon Schiliro and Michael Hart will bring smoothness and style to your Cajun moves. Sharon has studied and taught dance for over 20 years. Michael has been a member of the Washington Swing Dance Committee since 1985. They have been Cajun and Zydeco dance instructors since 1991 with the Glen Echo Park Partnership for Arts and Culture.
Ellouise Schoettler (Grassy Nook)
www.storyteller-artist.com
Ellouise Schoettler calls herself an "old-time southern storyteller," and she evokes the people she grew up listening to in North Carolina. Her programs are a lively blend of memory, folklore, and traditional tales. As storyteller-in-residence for the Audubon Naturalist Society, she performs regularly in metro-area schools.
Sense of Wonder (Grove Stage)
www.rickandaudrey.com/sow-bio.php
Rick & Audrey, plus bandmates Rob Nicholson, Mark Sylvester, Clark Rinard, and Dayana Yochim. "Their songs dance like fireflies under a willow tree. Delicious mix of harmonies with eloquent songwriting. One sip is magic," says Katie Graybeal, of the band We're About 9.
Shen Fine (World Stage)
www.shenfine.com
Performing Celtic music with an Appalachian twist, Shen Fine (short for "Shenandoah's Finest") formed in 2000. With a changing lineup over the first few years, Shen Fine now consists of Brent Holl on guitars and vocals, Shannon Dove on guitars, vocals and bodhran, and Cheryl Tobler on flute, whistles, and fiddle. The band has performed at numerous festivals, events, weddings, and venues throughout Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, and D.C. They released their third CD, Granny Mary, last year.
Jan Smith (7th Heaven Stage)
www.honeybirdmusic.com
Kentucky native Jan Smith writes timeless songs rooted in folk, bluegrass, and classic country traditions. She performs with her husband, Jeff Vogelgesang, a veteran mandolin player, guitarist, and harmony singer.
Jan's exhuberant new album, 29 Dances, was produced by Grammy winner Bil VornDick (who worked with Alison Krauss, Ralph Stanley, and others). Maverick Magazine said of Jan: "Her pure voice and unspoiled, powerful presence make this one of the best acoustic country albums of the year."
In 2006, Smith was chosen as a finalist in the prestigious Kerrville Folk Festival New Folk Competition.
Janine Smith (Lenore Robinson Dance Stage)
Janineandmatt@msn.com
Dance Leader Janine Smith has been enjoying traditional music and dance since 1985. She calls a variety of dance types, with a focus on FUN. Even in a short program, she can teach newcomers and experienced participants alike how dance and music work together for the total experience.
The Smith & Roberts Band (Field Stage)
www.smithandroberts.com
Twenty years ago, Keith Roberts and Rob Smith performed their blend of acoustic instruments and tight harmonies throughout the region. Their album, Buffalo Run, showcased their talent as singer-songwriters and was widely acclaimed at that time. Now their musical reunion is enhanced with the addition of Fred Crozier on mandolin/vocals, Dick Lansberry on bass, and Fred Jacoby on percussion. The new group creates a dynamic acoustic sound that can be enjoyed by a broad range of listeners with diverse musical interests.
Smooth Kentucky (Field Stage)
www.smoothkentucky.com
Smooth Kentucky is a five-piece band that blends traditional bluegrass, "newgrass," and funky grooves to create a new kind of bluegrass. The strong songwriting and pickin' this band brings to the table reaches out and grabs you, shakes you a little, and then sets you down nice and easy. As we saw at TPFF 2005, each picker brings his own sound and feel to the ensemble, and the great achievement is that during live performances they each listen to each other and play off that combined energy. Don't miss this return performance.
Squeeze Bayou (Field Stage)
www.squeezebayou.com
Squeeze Bayou plays exciting Cajun dance music from Southwestern Louisiana with a dash of zydeco thrown in. The band plays lively two-steps and soulful waltzes, as well as music that blends country music, blues, and Creole. Squeeze Bayou's material comes from traditional sources and the vocals are sung in Cajun French. The band includes Karen Collins (fiddle and vocals), Matt Levine (lap steel guitar), Fred Feinstein (guitar), Kevin Enoch (bass), David Lopez (drums), and Brian Simms (piano accordion). In 1998, the band received the "Prix Dehors de Nous," known as the "Cajun Grammy," for best recording of a Cajun band outside of Louisiana for their CD Steppin' Fast. The musicians in Squeeze Bayou have been performing traditional music at dances, festivals, wedding receptions, parties and other events in the Washington, D.C., area for over 20 years.
Storm the Unpredictable (7th Heaven Stage)
www.myspace.com/stormtheunpredictable
Storm the Unpredictable is a hip-hop artist with a lyrical style that can instantly change the mood of any crowd, like the weather quickly changes with an approaching violent storm. His music, as seen on his first single, "MCs Be Killin' Me," is party-oriented but still gives listeners something intellectual to think about. "My music reflects the two sides in one person. I'm a quiet person because I like to observe. But when making noise is truly necessary, I can make a comment out of nowhere and have the crowd falling out laughing or thinking seriously about something," Storm explains.
Storm sharpened his stage skills by continually performing at clubs, colleges, and showcases including Showtime at the Apollo, Nuyorican Cafe, the Philadelphia Music Conference, and Motown's Black History Month Conference. Storm could also be regularly found building his MC talents with the Freestyle Union, a D.C. hip-hop organization that held monthly ciphers, rhyming workshops, and shows.
Fans credit Storm with spitfire lyrical delivery and a style that embraces the essence of late-80's and early/mid-90s' hip-hop, while at the same time still making it accessible to today's new generation of listeners. His music reminds fans of "a much happier, feel-good, and conscious hip-hop," a time when having fun and getting uplifted by hip-hop music was part of the norm. The Washington Area Music Association named Storm the 2002, 2003, and 2004 Hip-Hop Artist of the Year, and named his music the 2002 and 2003 Hip-Hop Recording of the Year.
Mark Sylvester (7th Heaven Stage)
www.marksylvester.net
Mark is a multi-instrumentalist, composer, singer, songwriter and music instructor based in Takoma Park. He regularly performs in and around the Washington, D.C., area as a soloist and as a member of several groups. The breadth of his influences and repertoire spans many genres, including classical, jazz, folk, and rock among others. Mark's solo appearances feature music from American Gypsy, his CD of original compositions for solo acoustic guitar.
Takoma Zone (Field Stage)
www.takomazone.com
Takoma Zone is a musicians' collective of a dozen or so singers and instrumentalists who joined forces in search of acoustic fun and cross-pollination. Playing in combinations that differ with each performance, the group has spurred each other into new musical directions and especially into new songwriting. The collective made its debut in 2002, playing weekly at the Electric Maid in Takoma, D.C. For the last four years, the Zone has hosted musical Saturday evenings in the downstairs living room at the Savory Café. In addition to featuring their own songs, the musicians enjoy in innovative covers, strange twists on old standards, and personal favorites drawn from bluegrass, Western swing, honky tonk, Irish traditional, bossa nova, zydeco, and basic rock 'n' roll.
Justin Trawick (7th Heaven Stage)
www.justintrawick.com
Since November of 2004, Justin Trawick has been charming audiences in local clubs, coffeehouses, and bars all the way from Virginia to New York. He plays both solo and with his band, which consists of any mixture of the following: piano, cello, violin, mandolin, upright bass, hand percussion, and drums. Comfortable in his ability to incorporate multiple genres while still maintaining his own distinctive, organic sound, Justin has performed with a number of artists ranging from hip-hop to bluegrass, thereby creating a modern, urban feel that permeates the air. The musicality of his live performances delivers a unique sharpness and clarity that demands your attention. Combine these songwriting qualities with a skilled and percussive guitar style and you get a new, fresh, and great alternative for people who are fans of G. Love, John Prine, David Gray, Jack Johnson, and Bob Schneider.
Mary Sue Twohy (Grove Stage)
www.marysuetwohy.com
Mary Sue Twohy's third album, Songs to Hang on Stars, is an eclectic mix of acoustic folk-pop (the graceful title track, "Songs to Hang on Stars") and traditional (the haunting Civil War song, "Missionary Ridge").
Dave Richards, of The Morning News, says, "As far as the Goose-Bump meter goes, Mary Sue Twohy is up there with Nanci Griffith, Sarah McLachlan, Iris Dement."
The Washington Post called Mary Sue a "music community pillar" for her support of live music through her national publicity company, BTM Communications (buildthemountain.com). Mary Sue has performed live on XM Satellite Radio, Metro Connection on WAMU, and many other radio shows. Playing venues from house concerts to festivals to large music halls, she has shared the stage with artists like John Gorka, Eliza Gilkyson, and Ellis Paul.
U
Uncle Pete (Grassy Nook)
www.unclepetewithkids.com
Uncle Pete is a singer-songwriter with over 40 years of musical entertainment experience and over 30 years mentoring and motivating youngsters. All performances feature the "Invisible Band" (digitally self-recorded tracks) for all of the songs. The performances can be strictly entertaining, or based on character-building elements such as inclusion, teamwork, recycling, and dreams.
Watermelon Sugar (7th Heaven Stage)
www.watermelonsugar.com
Watermelon Sugar is an indie folk duo rooted in soulful vocal harmonies, multi-instrumental musings, and the 20-year friendship of Hypatia Kingsley and Louise Bendall. Their voices, guitars, banjo, violin, and mandolin blend to create original music made sweetly and felt deeply. Drawing from blues to punk, Watermelon Sugar's music is not easily classified. Some fans have described it as "intoxicating," "hot & sticky sweet," and "kick ass acoustic." The musical duo has been compared to the Be Good Tanyas, Throwing Muses, Dixie Chicks, and Indigo Girls.
Having met in Pennsylvania, Hypatia and Louise began to musically collaborate in 2001 and became a "band" in 2003. Their first CD, Sample, was released in October 2004 and second CD, Something to Savor, in November 2005. The third is currently in the works. Although the two members make their homes hundreds of miles apart in Washington, D.C., and North Carolina, they manage to get the most out of the creative process together in sometimes-frenzied gig and recording sessions.
Of their music, Hayley Kile writes, "The instrumentation is free and easy, like a pickup game that is not fiercely competitive but inclusive, diverse and ultimately a romp. The overall focus... is a compelling recognition of the basics in our relationships... independence, letting go, effort, easy love, temptation, responsibility, belonging. It's about how to hold on to a lover, old friend, ideology and grow with it, to recognize and encourage change but also to cherish the singularity of the moment."
Larry Weiner (Lenore Robinson Dance Stage)
weiner.larry@comcast.net
Larry Weiner has been involved with Balkan traditional music and dance since the early 1960s. Principally a dance researcher, he has made numerous trips to Yugoslavia, Bulgaria, Greece, Italy, and Hungary to study traditional dance in its native setting. Larry has taught Balkan-dance workshops throughout North America and has directed various Balkan music and dance camps for over 30 years. In addition to his strong background in traditional dance, Larry plays tupan (big drum) and tarabuka (small hand drum) and currently serves as Lyuti Chushki's manager.
We're About Nine (Grove Stage)
www.wa9.org
Vance Gilbert has called We're About 9 "some kind of a cross between The Kingston Trio, The Four Tops, and The Story," with a unique brand of songwriting that transcends all of the above. We're About 9—Katie Graybeal, Pat Klink, and Brian Gundersdorf—is an entertaining but profound trio that focuses on complex songwriting and big wall-of-sound harmonies. Each member takes turns on lead vocals, but all sing on every song and accompany their voices with thoughtfully conceived acoustic guitar and electric bass. In 2002, We're About 9 was chosen as Falcon Ridge's "Most Wanted" emerging artist, and the band's professional touring career began. By summer 2003 the members had quit their day jobs and were touring full time.
Doug Alan Wilcox (7th Heaven Stage)
www.dougalanwilcox.com
Doug Alan Wilcox uses words and music to explore emotions common to everyone. A love of song started early on for Doug (his father was the guitarist in a regional rock band of the day) and was further fueled by his parents' Johnny Cash-to-Beatles record collection. These influences, along with a growing need to present his own music, eventually coalesced to form the basis of Doug's laid-back "Americana-meets-pop" performance style. Even in a short set, you might hear bluegrass, blues, and a down-home vibe.
Warner Williams and Jay Summerour (Abbott Stage)
www.littlebitofblues.com
A D.C. favorite, Little Bit A Blues combines Warner Williams' warm vocals and Piedmont guitar picking with Jay Summerour's harmonica. Warner is a native of Takoma Park and has been part of Washington's blues scene since the '50s. Jay is a veteran of the Starland Vocal Band and the Cambridge Harmonica Orchestra. Williams and Summerour began playing together during the early 1990s, sometimes calling themselves "Little Bit of Blues." They have been featured in concerts, on television and radio, and at festivals across the country, including appearances on the National Public Radio series Folk Masters, at the National and Lowell Folk Festivals, the Smithsonian Folklife Festival, and the American Roots Fourth of July celebration.
Yarawi (World Stage)
www.yarawi.com
Yarawi: Art of the Andes is a folk group that plays traditional Andean music with a commitment to the preservation of the art and culture of the ancient and still vibrant heritage of the Quechua and Aymara people in Bolivia. Yarawi means "Song of the corn" in Aymara, the language of the pre-Inca civilization. The group was formed in 1992 in Virginia, and is dedicated to the portrayal, basically through its music, of the ancient culture and life.
Yarawi's musicians are Gustavo Azuga, born in La Paz, Bolivia, playing Bolivian wind instruments; Dirk Bayer, whose love of Andean music began in Germany and who also plays the Andean panflutes and many other pre-Hispanic instruments; Felipe Ugalde, from La Paz, playing the Spanish guitar; Luis Velasco from Cochabamba, Bolivia, on the ten-string charango; and Diego Azuga, a new member of Yarawi, playing the violin and percussion drums.
Yarawi has played in several cultural institutions, folk festivals from New York to Virginia, and has released two CDs, The Shadow of the Condor and Moskoi (Dreams). In 2006, Yarawi is working on a third album that will include themes from the Bolivian Amazon rainforest area.
Z
Ziva Spanish Dance Ensemble (World Stage)
www.ZISD.org
Ziva explores the roots of flamenco while also incorporating other dance forms into the Ensemble's performances. Guest artists have come from a variety of dance and musical fields such as jazz, modern, tap, Indian, African, and Moorish.
The Ensemble was established in 1995 by Ziva Cohen, its artistic director. The Ensemble's dancers have diverse and international backgrounds. Most have previous experience in dance forms such as ballet, modem, ballroom, and folkorico.
The Ensemble has appeared in a variety of venues in the Washington, D.C., area including the Kennedy Center's Millennium Stage, the Corcoran Gallery of Art, the Publick Playhouse, Lisner Auditorium, the Alden Theatre, First Night Annapolis, and the Jack Guidone Theater at the Joy of Motion Dance Center.
About the Festival | Map & Location | 2006 Program Grid | Find a Performer | Craft Exhibition | Children's Activities | Festival Food | Community Tables | Volunteer Information | About the Organization | Our Sponsors | Links | Contact Us | Home
©
2006, Takoma Park Folk Festival, Inc.
301-589-0202 | info@tpff.org