July 3-5,  2009

PDF of the flyer to download, print and post...help spread the word!

New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park
New Bedford, MA

"...a top-rank festival that covers the modern folk front more comprehensively than any other New England event" Boston Globe

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Friday Night Kick-Off Concert

July 3, 2009

Starting time is 6:30 PM

sponsored by

 

Maria Muldaur 

Ellis Paul                                         Peter Mulvey

 

This show begins at 6:30 PM at Custom House Stage.  For ticket information, go to tickets page.

 

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Artists booked for 2009...(scroll down to see photos and short bits about each artist)

In alphabetical order:

Roy Book Binder

Benoit Bourque

Susie Burke & Dave Surrette

Bua

Ronny Cox

Dala

Antje Duvekot

Stacy Earle & Mark Stuart

Cliff Eberhardt

Jonathan Edwards Trio

The English Men

Tim Eriksen

Stephen Fearing

Bob Franke

Gadelle

John Gorka

Livio Guardi 

The Kennedys

Louis Killen

Claire Lynch

Lovell Sisters

Harry Manx

Danielle Miraglia

Maria Muldaur 

Peter Mulvey

Ellis Paul

Red Hen

Red Molly

Reveillons!

Claudia Russell & Bruce Kaplan

Richard Shindell

Art Tebbetts

Daniel & Luc Thonon

and more!

 

More about the Performers:

Roy Book Binder

Roy Book Binder is a blues singing, guitar picking, song-writing raconteur, and has been for the past 40 years. Roy has been continually touring across America in his tour bus, which has been his home for the last thirty years, as well as performing internationally. Back in the early 1960s, Roy learned his craft from the legendary blind street singer, Reverend Gary Davis, who was thrust into the national spotlight when Peter, Paul, and Mary recorded his song "If I Had My Way." After two years of traveling the folk-blues circuit with his mentor, Roy struck out on his own. Along the way, he befriended Pink Anderson, an old Carolina medicine show performer (who by the way was the "Pink" in Pink Floyd. Pink's stories and songs will forever be kept alive as long as Roy has a stage to perform on. In his travels, Book Binder has run across quite a cast of characters, including three peg-legged dancers, and a 90-year-old classic blues singer with a sparkling smile, who was known as, "Diamond Teeth" Mary (Bessie Smith's half sister). All of these characters have become a part of a "Roy Book Binder show" which is a hilarious educational experience not to be missed!  

 

 

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Benoit Bourque

A versatile artist overflowing with energy and a contagious joie de vivre, Benoit Bourque has been winning the public over for more than 25 years. Charismatic, exuberant, warm, funny, limber and a band’s sparkplug are a few words that have been used to describe him. A musician, dancer, singer and caller, Benoit has been a member of different bands with whom he has toured extensively in North America and in Europe. Éritage, Ad vielle que pourra, Hommage à Alfred Montmarquette, Bourque et Bernard, Matapat, Le Vent du Nord, are all bands that benefited from his talents and unmistakable charisma. He is a specialist in Quebec traditional dance and has presented lectures and workshops in many camps and festivals. Benoit has also shred his skill in step dancing and bones playing which is a family tradition as his dad and grandfather were both bones players).   Benoit is the recipient of multiple awards including 4 Juno Awards (the Canadian equivalent of the Grammy).

 

 

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Susie Burke & Dave Surette

Susie Burke and David Surette have made a name for themselves as one of the finest acts on the lively New England folk scene. Together since 1988, Susie and David have built a steady following for their own blend of contemporary, traditional, and original folk and acoustic music. Burke's vocal style is at once stunning and heartfelt, and is matched by Surette's fluid fretwork. Susie’s musical tastes and influences are varied and many, encompassing contemporary and traditional folk, swing, country, topical songs, and acapella singing, with detours along the way for Broadway showtunes and classic ballads. "She possesses one of the finest, purest ballad sopranos heard in folk music today" says the Boston Globe, noting that "her phrasing is unerringly devoted to the lyric" and that "Burke displays a gift for pulling honest emotional chords - all too rare in these clever and cynical times. One of New England's finest guitarists, Dave has been quietly generating a growing following. His solo albums "Back Roads" and "Trip to Kemper" have helped to establish him as a top player and arranger of Celtic fingerstyle guitar, yet his diverse repertoire also includes original compositions, blues and ragtime, traditional American roots music, and folk music from a variety of traditions, all played with finesse, taste, and virtuosity. He is equally at home on the mandolin and bouzouki, and is well-known as a top-notch accompanist in New England's contra dance and Celtic music circles. Folk Roots magazine notes that his "bouzouki, guitar, and mandolin playing is exemplary."

 

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Bua

 

A quintet comprised of some of America’s most talented, young musicians, Bua have been described by Irish Music Magazine as “the essence of a superb band,” their sound “a throwback to the playing of the 1960s and 1970s, keeping the music down the path of tradition” and their 2006 release, Live at Martyrs’, “a work without gimmicks, where the musicianship is of the highest quality.” It is no surprise then that Bua, lending to its Irish Gaelic meaning of ‘innate gift,’ have quickly risen to the status of America’s premier traditional Irish music ensemble.

 

 

 

 

 

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Ronny Cox

In Hollywood, they say it takes smart actors to play stupid characters, and nice guys to play nasty villains. Ronny Cox is the poster-boy for the latter point. He played slithery corporate snakes in "RoboCop" and "Total Recall;" but as a singer-songwriter, he is a study in easygoing amiability and unforced charisma. He charms crowds with self-teasing humor, tart progressive insight, and a lulling Southwestern folk sound. His repertoire is a smart mix of witty ditties, bluesy swing tunes, heart-on-sleeve romances, and real-life anthems. Ronny sums it up nicely. "I'm interested in weaving a tapestry of songs and stories with an over-all arc that eventually comes together and tells us something about 'the human condition'. I know that sounds kinda pompous... but that's what I'm trying to do... and to have a few laughs along the way." 

While Ronny started out as a musician and has emphasized that side of his career for the past few years, he still is one of the most respected and sought-after character actors in Hollywood. Since his debut in John Boorman's film "Deliverance" including playing guitar in the famous "dueling banjos" scene, Ronny has appeared in over 50 films including "Beverly Hills Cop(I & 11)", "Bound for Glory", "Robo Cop", "Total Recall" and too many others to mention. He has starred in numerous TV movies and in the TV series of "Apple's Way", "St. Elsewhere", "The Agency" and of course as Senator Kinsey in "Stargate SG1". And on April 9 of this year he was seen opposite Carol Burnett on ABC’s “Desperate Housewives” and another guest spot on “Commander In Chief” on May 2. 

In the past few years Ronny has concentrated on his music. The results include his being named a finalist in the South Florida Singer/Songwriter competition, headlining such venues as the prestigious Old Town School of Folk in Chicago and hitting one of his favorites stops along the way, the annual Kerrville Folk Festival in Kerrville, Texas. He has appeared numerous times as a singer-songwriter on major media outlets including the Tonight Show with Jay Leno and National Public Radio’s Mountain Stage.

 

 

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Dala

Dala features vocal harmonies guaranteed to give you chills. Dala has it all-talent, charisma, looks, charm, and heavenly, harmonious singing voices. Duo members Sheila Carabine and Amanda Walther also make use of their considerable talents on guitar and piano to create a unique brand of acoustic pop. Their fun and energetic stage presence has made Dala a fan favorite at festivals across the country. Having shared their signature style of music with ever-broadening, enthusiastic audiences, these two best friends are quickly gaining momentum and winning ardent fans each remarkable concert, festival and step along the way.

 

 

 

 

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Antje Duvekot

Antje Duvekot is a Heidelberg, Germany native but currently resides in Massachusetts. Famed singer-songwriter, Ellis Paul, is telling everyone who will listen that she's the next great American folk singer/songwriter and guitarist. Her songs are provocative, dark-eyed ballads, that fans of a young Shawn Colvin will enjoy. The Boston Globe said her first CD was the "most convincing debut CD by a local songwriter since Dar Williams." And a Rolling Stone writer has recently said that she is a "...terrific writer and singer, with the instincts to do things right, over and over and over." She has released her new record "'The Near Demise of the High Wire Dancer" which demonstrates why, according to The Boston Globe, "Antje Duvekot's provocative, dark-eyed ballads are becoming the talk of the folk world. Duvekot has gotten hotter, faster than any local songwriter in recent memory."

 

 

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Stacey Earle and Mark Stuart 

                       

Few husband-wife musical duos provide audiences with the complete entertainment package that Stacey Earle & Mark Stuart dish out in a live performance. Armed with clever acoustic guitar interplay, autobiographical songwriting, lovely harmonies, and humorous storytelling this couple captivates your attention from the first moment they are onstage. Based out of Tennessee, Earle and Stuart draw from blues, pop, country, rock, and more in their heartfelt music. The years of touring the folk/Americana circuit (playing 170 concerts a year) have given them a knack for reaching out to the audience in an intimate “come in to my living room” fashion.

Stacey and Mark own their own record label, Gearle Records, and have made 8 CDs over the years. Since meeting in 1992 and marrying in late 1993, the partners have toured the USA, Canada, and Europe repeatedly. They left the environment of pursuing a major label deal in Nashville in 1998 to target small intimate venue crowds in theaters, coffeehouses, festivals, clubs, and house concerts. This has become their home and they are a recognized fixture on the folk music trail they blaze.

 

 

 

 

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Cliff Eberhardt 

 

Red House Records proudly marked the return of Cliff Eberhardt with “The High Above and the Down Below”. This CD was named one of the TOP 5 of 2007 last Christmas Eve by USA Today reviewer/critic Elysa Gardner. On this first CD in 5 years the soulful songwriter delivers 12 striking original songs. Deftly combining his heavy pop and jazz influences, Cliff returns with songs of life and its many layers of experience- reaching out to many avid listeners.

 “Cliff Eberhardt sings with passion and with wit…what makes his brand so rare is the self-assurance and poise he brings to his nearly flawless show.” —The New York Post
 
“One of the most talented musicians on the solo acoustic circuit... full of well-crafted songs and rich, emotional vocals.”
Seattle Post Intelligencer

 

 

 

 

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Jonathan Edwards Trio

      Once you hear Jonathan Edwards' voice, you'll want to hear it again and again. His rich, warm tenor has a distinctively unique and natural quality. 

Jonathan has acquired an enviable track record, one of skill and grace in the sometimes brutal world of the music business. And he has done it while keeping intact his ear for a strong melody and love of a beautifully crafted song. During his 37-year career he has recorded 15 albums and penned such notable hits as "Shanty" and "Sunshine", which earned him a gold record in 1971. This classic song, covered by Paul Westerberg, is included in the 1995 release of "Friends", a compilation of music for the hit NBC-TV show, and is heard in the 2004 Will Ferrell film “Anchorman” and included on the soundtrack. His 1987 children's album, "Little Hands", selected by the National Library Association as a "Notable Children's Recording", has sold over 20,000 copies and is still going strong.

 

Jonathan celebrated 30 years of "Sunshine" with a "First Annual Farewell Tour" w/Kenny White on piano in 2001. “First Annual” was prophetic, since he is touring now more than he has in years and showing no signs of slowing down. A recent Netherlands tour resulted in a live CD, “Rollin’ Along”, scheduled for radio distribution in 2009. He also scored the soundtrack for “The Golden Boys”, a major motion picture scheduled for release in 2009, and he has a small role as a reformist preacher in the film.

 

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The English Men

Gareth & Guy - ColvinQuarmby

The New Bedford Summerfest is proud to present the first North American appearance of the four piece folk-rock band The Englishmen. Melodeon player Gareth Turner and fiddler extraordinaire Guy Fletcher is joined by guitarists and vocalist Gerry Colvin and bass player Nick Quarmby. Gareth and Guy make up two-fifths of New Bedford’s favorite electric folk band, Little Johnny England. Gerry was born in Barrow-in-Furness and raised in Orpington, Kent.  In the early 1980's he co-founded the legendary skiffle-cowpunk indie outfit  'Terry & Gerry'. This seminal band not only earned a living for many years but also performed on British television and reached No.1 in the British indie charts. In the nineties Gerry spent some time in Nashville working as a professional songwriter. Nick was born in Birmingham and moved to Gloucestershire in 1967. Having performed with various blues bands in the 80's, he joined 'The Dockery Boys' in 1991. Nick has continued to play bass and acoustic guitar throughout the nineties and met Gerry in 1996 at the Albert Inn in Bedminster, Bristol. Thereafter they performed as a duo for three years, recording a debut album ‘ColvinQuarmby’, which was released in October 1998. Their band, by the same name has gained great popularity in the British Isles.   

 

 

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Tim Eriksen

One of the best singers in American roots music, Tim Eriksen "connects the present and the ancient with an immediacy that will make your bones tremble." A songwriter of rare intensity and an inventive multi-instrumentalist, he redefines American tradition with a "northern roots" sound that encompasses old Massachusetts murder ballads, chilling shape-note harmonies and originals alongside southern Appalachian and Irish songs.

Eriksen is a founding member of the prophetic underground bands Cordelia's Dad ("folk-noise"), Northampton Harmony (shape-note quartet) and Zabe i Babe (Bosnian folk and pop). The only musician to have shared the stage with both Kurt Cobain and Doc Watson (not to mention Jack White and Ralph Stanley), he is known to many for his extensive contributions to films including the Billy Bob Thornton vehicle Chrystal and Anthony Minghella's Oscar-winning Cold Mountain. His work for Cold Mountain beyond performing has included teaching Nicole Kidman, Elvis Costello and Sting to sing 19th-century American "shape-note" music and leading a group of 40 people in an Academy Awards performance of his own arrangement of Costello's Oscar-nominated song "The Scarlet Tide." In 2004 Eriksen was featured on the six-week "Great High Mountain Tour" with Alison Kraus, Ralph Stanley and a cast of Americana luminaries.

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 Stephen Fearing  

 

Stephen Fearing has spoken of the “artistic thing” in Ireland, where he spent much of his childhood — an esthetic, a musicality, that infuses everyday life, as well as “a mournfulness in Irish music, just a sonic quality that people would think of as being a bit sad.” Irish music is only one of many influences you’ll hear in Fearing’s work, though. An acoustic performer known for his guitar playing and penetrating lyrics, Fearing may be as popular in his native Canada as a member of the award-winning folk-rock group Blackie and the Rodeo Kings as he is for his solo career; in fact, one reviewer wrote that he “should be far more popular than he is.” This may seem like an odd way to recommend an artist to you, but it’s a delicious treat to discover a talent that’s been hidden in the open, in Stephen’s case, since he released the first of his six records in 1986.

“Yellowjacket” is Fearing's eighth solo album and as always it features a potent combination of powerful and affecting lyrics, pure vocals and masterful musicianship. “Yellowjacket” also marks something of a breakthrough in Stephen's approach to recording as he assumes the mantle of producer for the first time since his early albums. The result is a relaxed fluency vocal and guitar work and a unique sonic palette, which make this album distinctly different, again, from his previous releases.

 

 

 

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Bob Franke

            Bob Franke is at the peak of his considerable craft; brimming with the wise and spiritually generous songs for which he is best known, along with wrenchingly convincing topical songs and sugared with the hilarious. His are the kind of songs that really do have the power to change the world by being taken into the lives of people. They come to you, these songs.

As Tom Paxton says, "It's his integrity. I always think of Bob as if Emerson and Thoreau had picked up acoustic guitars and gotten into songwriting. There's touches of Mark Twain and Buddy Holly in there, too." Bob's songs are considered classics, fueled by his deep faith and the real-life lessons taught him by his 30-odd years of playing everywhere from concert halls to street corners. Bob has appeared in concert at coffeehouses, colleges, festivals, bars, streets, homes and churches in 33 states, four Canadian provinces and England. His concerts have appeared in lists of the top five musical events of the year chosen by critics in the Boston and San Francisco Bay areas. In 1990, the Boston Music Awards nominated him as an Outstanding Folk Act.

Consider this list: Peter, Paul and Mary; David Wilcox; John McCutcheon; Sally Rogers; Lui Collins; Garnet Rogers; June Tabor. These well-known artists (and many more) all sing and record Bob's music. Seasoned veterans and novices alike are drawn to the complex, warm-hearted spirituality and captivatingly clear-cut melodies of Franke's songs.

 

 

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Gadelle

Gadelle is a four member, all woman, traditional French-Acadian band that includes former internationally acclaimed Barachois members, Helene Bergeron and Louise Arsenault. Gadelle is an old Acadian word, which translates as “wild berries” and also has a connotation of a feisty female. This new group's performance is delivered with a stylistic essence and the stagecraft that Barachois was well known for. All hailing from Prince Edward Island on Canada's east coast, the four members of the group are: Helene Bergeron - vocals, piano, pump organ, fiddle, foot percussion and step dancing; Louise Arsenault - fiddle, harmonica, foot percussion, step-dancing; Caroline Bernard- primary vocalist, piano, pump organ, accordion and guitar; Paige Gallant- fiddle, mandolin, guitar, bass and step-dancing. Caroline and Paige are from the newest generation of gifted traditional musicians and are teamed up with Louise and Helene who are veterans of the stage. Gadelle members play and dance with ferocity and conviction while putting on one heck of a show.

 

 

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John Gorka

Rising from a milieu of lovelorn singer/songwriters, John Gorka illuminates instead with his trademark wordplay, twisting, tuning and typing words and phrases in the way a balloon artist creates complex creatures from simple balloons. Few contemporary songwriters coax language as deftly as he does. For over two decades, John’s keen ear has picked up the stories of those along his path, folding them into poetry and song. His keen perceptiveness inspires people from all over the world to share their stories. By involving those tales in his music, he escapes the trap of introspection that hobbles less gifted singer/songwriters. John Gorka flies below the pop culture radar with an almost cult-like following that never fails to fill concerts. Speak with any of his fans and one instantly feels their enthusiasm and genuine affection. His shy, almost self-effacing stage presence rightfully focuses attention on the songs. His versatility on guitar and piano keeps his sets musically interesting, while his rich baritone effortlessly executes his bidding. And he’s never short of the sly comment or clever joke that invariably ignites his audience. "The preeminent male singer-songwriter of the New Folk Movement." - Rolling Stone 

 

 

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Livio Guardi & Wilson Montuori

Livio Guardi from Florence Italy and Wilson Montuori currently living in New York City are an acoustic duo who bring to their audience a unique musical blend after ten years of performing together. Their repertoire includes songs in English and Italian, and they also play instrumental pieces that draw on Mediterranean, blues, old-time, jazz, Latin and Irish music.The variety of instruments, and Guardi and Montuori’s touch of Italian humor, make a performance by this duo a fascinating musical odyssey. They have been interviewed on numerous radio programs and their music has received wide airplay. In July 2003 they were musical hosts at “The Roundtable,” a program sponsored by WAMC Northeast Public Radio and hosted by Paul Elisha. Their latest CD, Diomedee, is a collection of songs inspired by the Mediterranean Sea and has been widely acclaimed in the music press in Europe and the United States.

 

 

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The Kennedys

The story of Pete and Maura Kennedy’s personal and professional relationship, now in its second decade, is somewhere between fate and a fairytale. How else can you explain a chance meeting in Austin between two East Coast-born musicians that immediately sparked a songwriting collaboration, a first date at Buddy Holly’s grave, an enduring romance, and a creative partnership that radiates warmth, positive energy, and captivating music? After Pete and Maura’s fateful 1992 meeting (the subject of their first Appleseed CD’s title song, “Half a Million Miles”) and several years of touring and recording with Nanci Griffith, the duo seceded amicably from Griffith’s Blue Moon Orchestra and became The Kennedys, recording CDs that encompass their favorite musical styles while incorporating the naturalistic, transcendental and mythological teachings of Joseph Campbell, Eckhart Tolle, Walt Whitman, and various Eastern-oriented philosophers into their songs and lives.  The body of work The Kennedys have created since their 1994 wedding is a reflection of their musical and philosophical influences and experiences separately   and as a couple. Their goal is to live in the moment, appreciating every  second of sensation, which imbues their music with a constant sense of wonder and freshness.

 

 

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Louis Killen

Louis Killen is one of the most widely influential musicians of the folk revival and a key voice of English traditional song. He is a hard-core, unadulterated folksinger whose passionate delivery is matched by a deep and wide-ranging knowledge of the songs and the working people who made them.

The mixture of Irish, Scots and English living in the coal-mining and industrial region known to the ancients as Northumbria sets it apart from the rest of England, pulling into it the musical traditions of all three countries while maintaining its own distinct musical style. Louis Killen draws on all four traditions to bring a wide range of folk music to his audiences.

To these four is added the Anglo-American tradition of deep-water shantying and sailor ballads common to both nations. Louis's first-hand experience working aboard brigs, brigantines, schooners and sloops in the late '60s and early '70s put him in the forefront of the current revival of maritime music on both sides of the Atlantic.

He is the folksinger's folksinger.

 

 

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Claire Lynch

Double Grammy nominee Claire Lynch is a joyous musician, dynamic vocalist and creative songwriter all wrapped up into one package. Claire has been described by Dolly Parton as possessing  "one of the sweetest, purest and best lead voices in the music business today." In addition to her two Grammy nominations, Claire has had extended stays in the top reaches of the Gavin Americana and Bluegrass Unlimited charts, and received an IBMA award for "Female Vocalist of the Year" in1997. Claire’s harmonies have graced the recordings of many stellar musicians, from Ralph Stanley to Linda Ronstadt. Equally gifted as a songwriter, her songs have been recorded by The Seldom Scene, Patty Loveless, Kathy Mattea, Cherryholmes, The Whites and others. Although Claire’s songwriting is an undeniable gift, it’s her “captivating”, “hillbilly angel” voice that has marked her career. As one reviewer observed, “Claire’s is one of those rare voices which instantly reveals a beautiful personality and allows her to speak directly to your heart..."

 

 

 

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     The Lovell Sisters

Three young sisters blend in heavenly harmony and playing with Rebecca on mandolin, Jessica on fiddle and Megan on dobro. The music they play has roots deep in bluegrass Appalachia, and branches growing ever upward and outward, towards parts yet unknown. Early signs were clear, when the ensemble from Calhoun, Georgia, won a Prairie Home Companion talent contest. After that Rebecca won Merlefest’s mandolin contest as its youngest contestant and first female. But it is harmony, rather than competition, that most distinguishes the group. Whether performing their original compositions or re-envisioning an old standard, the Lovell Sisters Band blends as only the classic ensembles can. They provide a breath of fresh air and a sense of reassurance, that the music will be in good hands as it gets passed on to the next generation.

 

 

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    Harry Manx

Blues man Harry Manx has been called an "essential link" between the music of East and West, creating musical short stories that wed the tradition of the Blues with the depth of classical Indian ragas. He has created a unique sound that is hard to forget and deliciously addictive to listen to. Born on the Isle of Man, Manx spent his childhood in Canada and left in his teens to live in Europe, Japan, India and Brazil. He honed his hypnotic live show on street corners, in cafes, bars and at festivals. But it was Indian music that captured Manx and in the mid 80s he began his five-year tutelage with Rajasthani Indian musician Vishwa Mohan Bhatt (Grammy winner with Ry Cooder for A Meeting by the River). He also received the gift of Bhatt's custom-made, self-designed Mohan veena-a 20-stringed sitar/guitar-that was the catalyst for Harry to forge a new path with his now signature east-meets-west style of music. Blending Indian folk melodies with blues, a sprinkle of gospel, and compelling grooves, Manx's "mysticssippi" flavor is hard to resist, easy to digest and keeps audiences coming back for more.

 

 

 

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Danielle Miraglia

A strong steady thumb on an old Gibson guitar is the driving force behind Danielle Miraglia's delta blues influenced guitar style. Add a raw, powerful, whiskey tinged voice and one might be tempted to label her a blues artist. But while Miraglia's style pays homage to these blues traditions, her classic rock verve, catchy melodies and eclectic array of song subjects that range from deeply personal to socially relevant give it an original twist that is all her own. A fresh sound along with a sharp wit and a captivating stage presence is gaining her fans all over the map. "It won't be long before the rest of the country takes notice." - Performing  Songwriter.

 

 

 

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Maria Muldaur

Best known for her seductive '70s pop staple "Midnight at the Oasis," Maria Muldaur has since become an acclaimed interpreter of just about every stripe of American roots music: blues, early jazz, gospel, folk, country, R&B, and so on. While these influences were certainly present on her more pop-oriented '70s recordings (as befitting her Greenwich Village folkie past), Muldaur truly came into her own as a true roots music stylist during the '90s, when she developed a particular fascination with the

myriad sounds of Louisiana. On the string of well-received albums that followed, Muldaur tied her eclecticism together with the romantic sensuality that had underpinned much of her best work ever since the beginning of her career.

Her newest album, “Yes We Can!” showcases the work of some of the most socially conscious songwriters of the past half-century: Bob Dylan, Marvin Gaye, Allen Toussaint, Earl King and Garth Brooks, to name a few. Throughout the album's thirteen tracks, hosts of well known progressive voices, collectively dubbed The Women’s Voices for Peace Choir, help Muldaur shed the light and sharpen the focus on the precarious state of the world and its future. Included on the high-profile guest list are Bonnie Raitt, Joan Baez, Jane Fonda, Odetta, Phoebe Snow, Holly Near and several others.

 

 

 

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Peter Mulvey

         Peter Mulvey began as a self-described "city kid" from Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He played, wrote, and sang in bands while studying theatre at Marquette University. After graduating, he traveled to Ireland, where he learned the trade of busker on the streets of Dublin. Returning to the U.S. a few years later, he settled in Boston, building an audience through street and subway performing, while also immersing himself in the thriving musical community. Since his 2000 release The Trouble with Poets, Mulvey has found a home with the venerable indie label Signature Sounds Recordings. His most recent albums for the Massachusetts label were the 2006 release The Knuckleball Suite, the 2004 release Kitchen Radio, the 2003 collaborative Redbird album (with label-mates Kris Delmhorst and Jeffrey Foucault), and his 2001 CD, Ten Thousand Mornings, an album of cover songs recorded entirely in the subways of Boston. MOJO described the album as "simultaneously Mulvey's homage to his one-time training ground and a beautifully atmospheric record of gifted interpretations."

           Always looking for ways to further immerse himself in language, art, and music, Mulvey has also scored music for theatre and modern dance, and has had numerous songs featured in film and television including various WB programs and PBS documentaries.

          "The subtle power of his voice, a husky, hushed baritone... understated, at once sophisticated and intimate... as cover-worthy as Randy Newman, Elvis Costello and Dar Williams."-The Washington Post

 

 

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Ellis Paul

            Ellis Paul is one of the leading voices in American songwriting. He was a principle leader in the wave of singer/songwriters that emerged from the Boston folk scene, creating a movement that revitalized the national acoustic circuit with an urban, literate, folk pop style that helped renew interest in the genre in the 1990's.

His charismatic, personally authentic performance style has influenced a generation of artists away from the artifice of pop, and closer towards therealness of folk. Though he remains among the most pop-friendly of today's singer-songwriters - his songs regularly appear in hit movie and TV soundtracks including "Me, Myself, & Irene," starring Jim Carrey, and "Shallow Hal," with Jack Black and Gwyneth Paltrow - he has bridged the gulf between the modern folk sound and the populist traditions of Woody Guthrie and Pete Seeger more successfully than perhaps any of his songwriting peers.
 

 

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Red Hen

             Red Hen is a “new” Old Time Band that dips into a blended palette of old time, country and bluegrass, with a few Celtic roots showing.    Their repertoire is traditionally based, mixed with award winning new tunes and songs written by band members Jane Rothfield and Allan Carr. Boasting four distinctive lead voices with great harmonies and instrumental excellence, Red Hen is acoustic Americana at its best.

 

 

 

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Red Molly

             Red Molly consistently brings concertgoers to their feet with stunning three-part harmonies, crisp musicianship, and a warm, engaging stage presence. Laurie MacAllister, Abbie Gardner and Carolann Solebello have garnered a devoted fan base. These ladies have a lot of fun on stage, and it’s contagious. "Everything Red Molly sings is delivered with tick-tight arrangements, crystalline vocals, and caramel harmonies. But what is most striking is the ardor they bring to everything they do, whether snuggling into the sweet parochialism of an old spiritual, or the gritty pathos of a Gillian Welch tune. They come on less like stars strutting for their minions than pals sharing their favorite songs. In the friendly world of the coffeehouse, that remains a starmaking quality."-The Boston Globe

 

 

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Reveillons!

 

            

            Réveillons! is French for Wake Up! It is clearly the message this band seeks to convey. Indeed, since it was founded in 1996, Réveillons! has been on a mission to reawaken the traditions and culture that lie dormant within each of us. Réveillons! presents music for listening, dancing, singing and playing from Québec. The band offers reels, jigs, French songs, step dancing and dances to keep you moving day and the night.

The quartet, based in Montreal, has performed at major festivals in Québec as well as many other venues where, like in the olden days, the rhythms of traditional music breathe life into evenings of dancing and rejoicing. Réveillons! offers a new approach to traditional music; their repertoire is not confined to a single, fixed period in time, their music is alive, and while it retains the spirit of tradition, it never ceases to grow and change as the band explores creation, archives and interpretations. Réveillons! fits right in with the current universal trend, a collective longing to "return to our roots", in that it works to revive and stimulate tradition and cultural heritage.

 

 

 

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Claudia Russell & Bruce Kaplan

 

            Award winning songwriter Claudia Russell is a gifted vocalist, a musicians' musician, and has appeared as a backup singer on recordings by some of the best songwriters on the LA independent music scene. As a solo artist, Claudia quickly bonds with audiences, winning them over with her powerful voice, an eclectic mix of originals, obscure gems, humorous stories, and a “Who me?” attitude.  Most recently, Claudia has been touring the country with her husband Bruce Kaplan accompanying her on mandolin and guitar.

 

 

 

 

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Richard Shindell

            An expatriate New Yorker now living in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Richard Shindell is a meticulous craftsman of song whose six studio albums and one live recording have been revered by critics and fans alike. Innovative, original and occasionally spiritual, Shindell’s songs weave tales that interchangeably champion the downtrodden, exalt the disaffected or wax empathetic to those lost to society’s fringes. From his first record, Sparrow’s Point (1992) to the newest album Vuelta (2004), Shindell has demonstrated a penchant for songwriting at once passionate and profound. His songs are often slowly and painstakingly crafted until honed to perfection. Conversely, he is also capable of writing tunes that are simply clever and amusing.

Shindell’s songwriting is truly eclectic, ranging from lighthearted ballads and adulterous love songs, to dirges and diatribes that skillfully skewer politics, prejudice, war and religion. He has a unique ability to morph into the soul of the many and varied personalities he casts as narrators in certain songs--songs that are veritable novellas framed in haunting acoustic melodies, sometimes including cryptic, revelations through the eyes of a woman.Now, Shindell returns north with an astonishing collection of covers called South of Delia. To say that South of Delia is a record of covers, however, would not do justice to the spirit of this project. It is a deeply personal choice of songs that Shindell offers up here — that of an expatriate looking back at the country he moved away from. With guest appearances by Lucy Kaplansky, Viktor Krauss, Richard Thompson, Tony Trischka, Eliza Gilkyson and others, South of Delia offers up new interpretations of songs such as Acadian Driftwood (Robbie Robertson), Seor (Bob Dylan), and Deportee (Woody Guthrie). Shindell also thoroughly rehabilitates Bruce Springsteen’s often misunderstood Born in the USA.

 

 

 

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Art Tebbetts

            New Bedford's own troubadour and a cornerstone of Summerfest both as performer and stage host. He is a seasoned guitarist-singer-performer averaging 200 to 260 gigs a year, who also hosts the Open Mics and the Spotlight Series held at the Café Arpeggio.  He also plays  coffeehouses, festivals, bars, pubs, fairs, and more.  His 'day gig' is "Music For the Ages" that specializes in playing for seniors in nursing homes, assisted living, senior day care, Councils on Aging, & church gatherings.

 

 

 

 

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Thonon Brothers

           

            Original members of the seminal French-Breton band Ad Vielle que pourra, Daniel and Luc Thonon play an array of instruments in a variety of styles that cross genres and world cultures. Luc has explored renaissance, traditional, bossanova, jazz and rock music playing the recorder, flute, saxophone and accordion. The instrument that most captivated him is the Flemish bagpipe from his native Belgium. Daniel has studied 8th century Arab-Andalousian music at the Conservatory of Tlemcen in Algeria, the harpsichord and early music in Geneva and early instrument making and restoration in Paris. Among the many instruments he plays are the hurdy-gurdy and the accordion. He last played at the New Bedford Summerfest with his group Montcorbier. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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