Folk Music Summer
 by Kathy S-B  ·  14 September 2006

Now to the folk music part of my summer —

Summerfest in New Bedford has to be one of the best and brightest spots of my summer ritual. If you have never gone, you’re truly missing a spectacular weekend of non-stop music — five stages to choose from, main stage acts to die for, small workshop stages where various musicians collaborate and jam, and lots and lots of folk comradeship and good vibes.

This summer’s Summerfest was most definitely one of the best so far. My personal highlights were any and all workshop sets with Pete and Maura Kennedy. This couple of talented and personable musicians blow me away every time that I see them. They are made for the workshop stage — they can jam and play along with any type of musician and make magical sounds emanate. This year, they accompanied a French Canadian band called La Vent du Nord, Rani Arbo and daisy mayhem, Kim and Reggie Harris, Ann Hills, Sloan Wainwright, and Gandalf Murphy and the Slambovian Circus of Dreams. I love their energy and passion for music. I love their reverence for the past and also the fact that they push the envelope and try new and different things. Yes, m’am, the Kennedys music is not your grandmother’s folk music.

Moving later into the summer found me accompanying my daughter to a couple of alternative / indie type events. We caught Hawthorne Heights and Story of the Year up at Hampton Beach Casino. Not exactly my cup of tea but it sure is great to see so many kids having a great time together and enjoying the music. Later in the summer found us at Warped Tour. Let’s suffice it say that my one-day excursion to the Fitchburg Airport for this event on the hottest day of the summer could probably fill pages. Just picture lots of piercings, mohawks, and loud, loud and even louder music.

Now let me tell you about a new “folk” find: Sam Shaber. She’s a charming New York folkie who has transplanted to LA. I attended a CD release at Club Passim for her CD “In My Bones.” Check her out the next time she makes it out this way. I see that she’s playing a house concert in Cambridge on September 23, if you’re interested.

I was lucky enough to attend the Boston Area Coffeehouse Association summer meeting. Members of all the local coffeehouses in the region are invited to convene and to talk about publicity and booking or take sound and lighting workshops. We also eat a lot and share a lot of laughs and hugs and cap off the yearly summer meeting with a Showcase evening. About six or seven acts come in and play a few songs and we all get to see them in person and determine whether we think they would be a good fit to present at our own coffeehouses. Everyone was terrific but I want to give a special shout to three of those acts:

• The Squeezebox Stompers are in a word: fun. No, let’s make that three words: fun, fun, fun! Check out their Cajun and Zydeco sounds. You can even click on a link to see some short videos of some of their performances. Give this kind of music a chance You’ll find your foot tappin’ before long at all.
• Joe Crookston is an up and coming singer-songwriter who now calls Ithaca home. I like his lyrics and his stage presence.
• Woodwork, a peace-loving quintet, who present their music regularly at the Peace Abbey in Sherborn, MA, performed an inspirational set with songs of social consciousness and protest. Check out this article about them.

I’ve rambled on enough on this initial foray into blogdom. There’s always more, she says, there’s always more.

Peace and aloha,
Kathy S-B

Search