BILLSCORZARI

What is NERFA, you ask? The formal answer is that NERFA is the Northeast Regional Folk Alliance. Its goal is to provide opportunities for members to network regionally and to advance the overall mission of Folk Alliance International. NERFA is also so much more. Whether you’re a musician, artist agent/manager, venue representative, journalist or something else, the value of networking and self-promotion cannot be overstated. For artists, its posting and presenting yourself, both digitally and physically. For agents/managers, it’s advocating your belief in the artists you represent. What we do in and for the music world is something we never actually turn off. We do it not only because we want to, but because, by our nature, we have to. It drives us. It’s in our blood. This is a bond and trait that every person at NERFA shares. A stranger at NERFA isn’t really a stranger at all. I was told by many that the conference has a way of making you feel like you’re at summer camp. As a first-timer this year, I found that to be true and in the best way. The feeling isn’t just because of the familiar faces from one year to the next, it’s also due to the schedule — the hours (activities start early in the morning and continue late, well, into the next early morning. There’s a sense of community fostered by everyone settling into the same hotel–some not even venturing outside into the light of day for all three state days–and breaking bread together at the community meals. And there’s also the excitement one feels knowing that so many amazing things are occurring simultaneously at any give moment–which to choose is a constant thought.

The morning and afternoon hours are filled with one-of-a-kind workshops and panels, where industry professionals offer their personal expertise and experience on various subjects and topics. A few of my favorite workshops included “On the Griddle” (where an elite panel listens to and then critiques the first sixty seconds of one of your original songs), “Make a Radio Ready Recording,” “Contracts for Performing Artists & Venues,” “Why I Didn’t Book You” and many more. Each jam-packed with useful information and advice. Each evening, after dinner, there first were the Formal and Tricentric Showcases which would take place in the main ballroom and conference rooms on the main floor of the hotel. Then, at the stroke of 11:45 pm, the late night Guerilla Showcases begin. This year Guerilla Showcases were presented throughout the second floor of the hotel where each hotel room was converted into an intimate performing space hosted by regional venues, presenters and musicians, such as Club Passim, Pie & Whiskey, Philadelphia Folksong Society, Cup of Joe, AcousticMusicScene, and countless others. Take a casual stroll on the second floor during the late night hours and you will hear amazing music coming from virtually every room. Stop in, grab some food and a beverage (most rooms provide refreshments at no cost), grab a seat, sit back and enjoy! If you’re in it for the long-haul, you can hear buskers and some impromptu jams in the lobby from after the Guerilla showcases end at 3:00 am until about 6:00 am. Some of the most amazing intimate moments can be found in these wee hours.

By: Lauren Jahoda

He is a tender songwriter who composes with a flair and golden heart, seeking out faith over all obstacles and the burning flame of hope; his songs really take you on a journey.

– Performer Magazine

New England native, Ian Fitzgerald releases his fifth album, You Won’t Even Know I’m Gone on November 18, with an album release show at The Columbus Theatre in Providence, RI (with Smith & Weeden serving as Ian’s backing band and opening sets by Haunt the House and Zach Schmidt). The way You Won’t Even Know I’m Gone begins reminds me a lot of Ian’s debut performance at Newport Folk Festival this past July. The feeling you receive from the opening of the first track on the record was similar to the way we felt when he opened his set at Newport.  With “Camille,” he jumps right in, letting us know he means business. There is no slow, dramatic build-up. Rather, “Camille” hooks you from the moment the line hits the water. Though many of us are used to seeing Ian as a solo performer, You Won’t Even Know I’m Gone, like at Newport, comes with the company of many of New England’s finest musicians, including Smith&Weeden, MorganEve Swain (Brown Bird, The Huntress and Holder of Hands) and co-producer/multi-instrumentalist Eric Lichter (Dirt Floor Studios). Those of us who know Ian personally were emotionally invested in his performance on the Newport stage, and were left with joyful tears by the time the final note of his critically-acclaimed set echoed against the fort walls. However, it was very clear that those who knew him weren’t the only ones moved by Ian’s performance that day. Those who were hearing him for the first time were embarking on a journey with one of today’s greatest songwriters.

Photo: Matthew Clowney

When I sat down the record, I listened to it from start to finish three consecutive times. The obvious reason for this is that I loved what I was hearing. The less obvious reason is that Ian’s music isn’t, well…obvious. As I mentioned earlier, it’s music you invest in and music you spend time with. Taking the time to really hear and notice the skill and intellect in each line and discover the special subtleties of each track is the beauty of the experience as a listener of Ian’s music. Perhaps intentionally or not, a theme which felt present throughout the record is the ending of relationships. However, heartbreak wasn’t dominating the story lines, instead I felt the complexity and heaviness of the misunderstandings, misinterpretations, over-analyzations and unhealthiness that often comes along with deciding to go your separate ways after a relationship. If I had to choose a favorite track, it would be “Last to Know.” The high note Ian hits one minute in, when he sings, ‘You’ve earned your pass to paradise’… and the line, …The fonder that my heart grew, the more absent she became, ‘Til there weren’t any edges left to fray… are just two examples of moments that gave me the chills. My second choice would be a tie between “The First Port” (which I found to be fondly reminiscent of that of a Beatles tune) and “All That’s Left,” which served as the perfect closing to the record. It’s in this final track that Ian sings one of my favorite lyrics on the record:

…Before I left I wished her well, although I didn’t tell her. Wishing is just one step away from prayer.

♦

The album is available for pre-order at www.ianfitzgeraldmusic.com.

Tickets for the album release show at the Columbus Theatre are on sale now at http://columbustheatre.com/event/ian-fitzgerald/.

Photo: Kelly Burgess

By Arran Fagan

The music of Mandolin Orange evokes the feeling of lost time colliding with the trials of today—tales of self-destruction and historical despair blend with the hopeful sunrise of tomorrow and the possibility of redemption. The folk duo consists of violinist and harmonizing vocalist, Emily Frantz, along with guitar, mandolin and singer-songwriter, Andrew Marlin. The duo plays with feeling mined from the veins and hearts of old folk songs and old-time country. Their new album Blindfaller, released on Yep Roc, is a perfect example of everything Mandolin Orange is. In the studio, Frantz and Marlin intentionally left room and only played what was necessary for each song to evolve organically. Not a single note feels over produced, as every detail is created by emotion, allowing for each song to grow and be the best that it can possibly be.

♦

Arran Fagan: Hey Emily! How are you doing? Where are you right now?

Emily Frantz: I am doing well thanks! I am standing in a mostly deserted parking lot some where in central California.

How have the shows been on this tour so far?

Oh they have been so awesome, we’ve just had the best Friday, Saturday, Sunday, in San Francisco, LA, and San Diego, and it’s just been a complete blast every night.

What does Blindfaller mean? It isn’t a title of a song on the record. Do you have a story behind why chose it as the title?

Yeah, ultimately we just liked the sound of it. What kind of led up to it was that we were trying to think of good album titles, and we were trying to think of recurring themes and there is a lot of impending doom and destruction on the record, as well as a lot of tree references. Somehow that led us down a rabbit hole to looking up words about lumberjack terminology and stuff like that, so we were thinking of the “faller”, being the person who is actually cutting the tree down. We just kind of came up with the conjunction “blindfaller” because

we were thinking about someone who was going through life being reckless and destructive without really looking or thinking about what they’re destroying.

How did this record come about? Has your process of writing and recording changed since your last album?

I would say it’s mostly the same in terms of the songwriting process being mostly Andrew’s field. I think I was a little more hands-on in some of the arranging, in particular with the lead track “Hey Stranger.” With that one we went into the studio and recorded in a completely different way. It was in a different time signature and had a totally different sound at first. We weren’t really happy with it. So I was hands-on with the chord structure and the rhythm of that one, which was really fun for me. But, for the most part, they are all Andrew’s lyrics and melodies. We were pretty hands on in the studio. A lot of the arrangements happened in the studio as we were recording live with the guys that played bass and drums and electric guitar. We just let the songs come in to their own while recording them and it made it a ton of fun, and kept it really fresh for us.

How long did you take to record this album? If you are letting the song come into its own it could be either a very fast or a very long and drawn out process.

The way we like to record, especially the way we did it with this record, which was very live, we were set up in a studio where we could isolate the bass and the drums and the electric guitar from Andrew and myself, but we could all see each other, and so we were able to get full on live tracks with singing and picking our solos all at the same time. So you spend a little more time honing in on the arrangement of the song and making sure that everyone has it, but then I think it does come out a little more quickly. You’re not going back and over-analyzing every note of every solo because you just don’t have that option, you have to keep the track that you got.

How do you know when a song is done?

It was a lot of going through the song until everybody had it down and then getting a few takes of it where nobody severely messed up and then going back and listening. We would usually have one or two that we were kind of honed in on, thinking it would be one of those two, and then just listening back to them. That’s a really fun process too because I feel like a lot of times the ones that you didn’t think were as good when you were tracking them, when you listen back, they have that special something in them and that ends up being the keeper track.

What was your musical upbringing? I read that you learned violin through the Suzuki method?

Yeah, so I learned Suzuki violin when I was a kid, so I learned a little bit more classically and how to read music and other things. I am really happy I learned that way because it also really emphasizes training your ear and learning by ear. I don’t really use my technical music reading training at all anymore, it’s all just sort of by ear, but I am really glad that I was able to learn that way.

How has your and Andrew’s music changed over the years? When you first met him I bet your creative process was different than it is now, especially since you both are around each other so much now.

I think at this point it’s hard to even separate what we are sharing with each other musically because we are just making music together and listening to music together all the time. I think it’s a very fluid and sort of natural process in which we are working on music together and coming up with things. It’s definitely not something that we have a formal process for. We sing a lot of folk tunes and bluegrass tunes and old time tunes. We are always learning new harmony parts and trying to work on our instruments; I know Andrew’s constantly working on his mandolin. I think that really informs what we do. The nice thing about it is that we are around each other a lot and a lot of times if he is working on a song I can hear it in its different phases of development before we actually sit down to really work it out together. When he’s still working on the melody or a line here, a line there in those stages, I am still hearing it and familiarizing myself with it pretty subconsciously. So then when we do sit down to play together it already feels familiar to me, and I think that makes it a natural feeling process.

I bet that is quite helpful, you are able to take what you want from it and come up with your own ideas and have a relationship with the song while its being built, and then add what you want after thinking about it intentionally for a while.

Definitely. I was actually thinking about this the other night because one of the guys that is traveling with us right now was asking me what a certain line was about, and I answered him but then said he should actually ask Andrew because a lot of the time what Andrew will say a song is about, I will have a completely different idea. I think that’s kind of cool! Obviously he gets the last dig since he wrote it, but I think it’s fun to have the two perspectives of any given song.

That’s very true, there is an idea out there that once a song has been recorded and made it really no longer belongs to the person who created it, only because the audience gets to create what they want out of it. There are so many ideas and so many people in the world that everyone is probably going to have a bit of a different take.

Absolutely, and that’s what makes people enjoy music.

I think it has to mean something to them as it relates to their life and how they way they go through the world. I think that putting songs out there and knowing that people are going to take their own meaning from it is a really great part of performing and releasing records.

The last song on the record, “Take This Heart of Gold,” hit me hard, especially the line, “Take this heart of gold and melt it down.” What is this song to you?

Aw man, I love that song too! It’s had a bit of a transformation before we recorded it, because it had a little more of a country feel for a while. I think we realized that we just wanted to let the lyrics and the emotion of the song shine and took it a bit more in that ballad-y direction. But about the line “take this heart of gold and melt it down”—I love that line so much. Andrew said we were listening to a Tom Waits record and he thought he heard that as a line in a song, but then we realized it wasn’t. He just misheard it. He loved that line so he held on to it for a long time, really wanting to write a song about it or at least in that vein.

I guess you could say the line “Take this heart of gold and melt it down” means changing your heart but also the ultimate giving of your heart to someone else, saying this is what I have and I’ll let it be completely yours? I don’t know… I’m on a real cheese train right now (laughs).

Another great one is “My Blinded Heart”—can you tell me what this song is about?

Yeah, that one definitely stayed more in that country feeling vein. I think that was one that was born in the studio with the bass player and the drummer because they were able to take it into those awesome half time parts that really give it such a fun groove to play and to sink in to. I think that is definitely a sort of relationship song, it has a lot of long relationship sentences in it, and sort of navigating those feelings of dedication but also the restlessness that sometimes creeps up for most people probably.

 All Photography by Barry Sloan

Written by Samantha Holle

It’s five o’clock on what would normally be a warmish summer day in Oregon. I say warmish because the sun is struggling to shine through the canopy of trees that envelope Horning’s Hideout, a private park nestled in the woods of North Plains. It’s cold because we’re hidden from the sun, but the atmosphere is warm and welcoming because we’re also hidden from much more than that.  

Through the winding woods leading to Horning’s Hideout, one can feel really distant from the hustle and bustle of Portland — in fact, it’s hard to imagine that we’re even near civilization. “Hideout” is the perfect name for this cove in the woods; it’s a place to which we can escape. People have moved in and aren’t going anywhere any time soon. Tapestries drape from tree to tree around some tents, others have grills and chairs set up at their tents’ entrances. There’s not only room for camping; there’s room for dancing, for meeting people and to meet your new favorite band.

Everyone smiles at one another and wishes one another a good night, a good festival, a good show. There are good beers, there are good vendors, there are good opportunities to hear good music — all around, there are genuinely good vibes.

Fruition, Northwest String Summit 2016

It’s the first day of the Northwest String Summit, and unlike me, most of these people are here for the long haul. I, unfortunately, am only here for a day, but that won’t be the end of the music. We are traveling through Oregon and Washington for eleven days to experience the Pacific Northwest and all of the beauty it has to offer. Tomorrow, we move on to the Gorge for two nights of Phish. We’re both excited about this music leg of the trip, especially since we’ll get such a wide variety of musical styles and festival atmospheres in just a few days. But are the styles of Phish and some of the bands that played at this year’s NWSS really all that different? Not really. Do their fanbases have more in common than just a love of tie-dye and wearing sensible (if any) shoes? Absolutely.

“Quit your job and sell your car to that fool you live with,” sings John Craigie, who is playing with his band atop the brightly, trippily-painted Further bus. The bus, a 1990 reproduction of Ken Kesey and his Merry Pranksters’ ride during the 1960s, is watched over by Zane Kesey, son of the author. Kesey also runs a stand beside the bus that sells blotter prints and Day-Glo-splattered trenchcoats, and he dances and chats with the audience watching Craigie. The bus is straight up the hill from the Main Stage, a spacious opening in the trees that provides plenty of lawn space for concert-goers to relax, dance, and hula-hoop.

Northwest String Summit 2016

Looking around, it’s easy to see that everyone listening to Craigie would drop everything and hit the road with him like he’s suggesting in his song. The audience is completely captivated with the harmonies and the quick-pickin’ of the string players. The song ends but the energy doesn’t stop; the crowd cheers and begs for more. Before diving into his next song, Craigie tells the story of how he played the Main Stage of NWSS last year and was invited back this year — the cheers swell; they are happy to have him back. Amidst the applause, the band dives into a bluegrassy cover of Blind Melon’s “No Rain.”

It’s getting closer to the end of his set and Craigie wants to play just one more song. He’s going to try to get it in before he’s told to stop, and he just makes it before Fruition begins at exactly 6:30 on the Main Stage. Fruition kicks off a high energy show with their smooth, sometimes jazzy “Above the Line,” complete with mandolin player Mimi Naja’s string-plucking battles with the other string players in the band. The crowd bounces along, adding harmonies and air drums.

Festivals like Northwest String Summit are not only a wonderful place to take in the beautiful tunes. There’s time to shop, time to eat, and time to drink. Ninkasi Brewing Company beer was the only beer sold at NWSS; aside from their selection of pale ales and IPAs, they even sold reusable Klean Kanteen cups for future trips to the libation station. Being green is a big deal at NWSS. There are numerous places for both recycling and garbage. It’s definitely not a messy venue.

The Leave No Trace campsite challenge, a competition to find the greenest and most earth-friendly campsite, furthers the idea that Horning’s Hideout remain not only a beautiful campsite for the fans this weekend but for future visitors, too.

There’s good food, too. Bunk Sandwiches, a popular sandwich shop local to Portland, has a truck; there’s a Hawaiian stand serving up pork and sticky rice; the smell of chicken kebabs blows out of the Middle-Eastern/Mediterranean stand; the New York pizza slice is the size of your head. It’s almost like picking a favorite child. It all just looks so good, you can’t not want a little of everything.

Greensky Bluegrass takes the stage at exactly 8PM to begin their two-part, two-hour long set, and while their lighting and sound are incredible, they are a modest group: the five artists are in a line across the stage and hardly even bob along to the beat. They are focused on one another’s sound to ensure that they are all together in their fast plucks and melodies. They are devoted to giving a great show, and they are succeeding. A man dances in front me in a tank top and ripped jeans that are being held up with black suspenders. He doesn’t hold back at all — it is as if he is dancing for everyone. A woman comes down from above me to watch him, calling him “a beautiful fucking unicorn,” and joins him in a dancing fury. People with small children wheel by in homemade gypsy-esque carriages decked out in tapestries, lights, and headphones for the smallest fans. There is a woman hula-hooping who, unlike this writer, can make it look effortless. I tell her she’s wonderful, and she insists that I am the wonderful one. When I tell her I meant her hula-hooping, she clarifies that she just thinks I’m wonderful all around.

When GSBG ended at 11, the Jon Stickley Trio wasted no time getting started atop the Further bus. They played a very short set — only thirty minutes — but when they were finished my husband and I turned to one another and simply said “Whoa.” They played so fast, we were not only amazed that they were able to keep up with one another so smoothly, but that their joy of playing was infecting the crowd gathered below.

Greensky Bluegrass, Northwest String Summit 2016

We caught pieces of Cabinet and the Infamous Stringdusters who played on the Cascadia Stage and Kinfolk Revival tent. The two stages were the farthest from one another and also the most dramatically different: the Kinfolk Revival tent was literally just a tent at the end of the row of vendors, capable of covering a large group and allowing those latecomers stuck outside to still hear perfectly well and the Cascadia Stage was tucked at the bottom of a winding path and lit with twinkling orb light strings. We wanted to catch a little of both, but there was also a ten to fifteen minute walk between the two. It was getting late, too, and we wanted to make sure we had enough energy for Sideboob, who were playing a 1 AM set back on the Cascadia Stage. We made it there just as they were supposed to go on (I mean, this had been a day of all acts starting right on time), but they didn’t hit the stage until 1:20. Out walked a supergroup made up of Mimi Naja (vocalist and mandolin player of Fruition), Allie Kral (fiddle player of Yonder Mountain String Band as of 2015), The Shook Twins (who played the first and third nights of the festival) and special appearances by Kellen Asebroek and Tyler Thompson of Fruition, Greg Burns, Brad Parsons of the eponymous Brad Parsons and Buds, and Paul Hoffman of Greensky Bluegrass.

So how does a festival like NWSS compare to Phish? Believe it or not, it has nothing to do with the fans. The next day at the Gorge, we befriended our neighbors, strolled Shakedown Street (Phish phans’ own vendor and shopping row in the parking lot), made a beer deal with a stranger (the Centennial IPA was $5 a can or $12 for three, so we settled on three with our new friend), pet some dogs, and talked to excited parents and their equally-as-excited children. We napped, we admired the cleanliness of the porto-potties (Honey Buckets out west, the cutest name for a toilet I’ve ever heard) and we worked with our neighbors to create shade with the rainflies of our tents. And during the show? We traveled about the venue, listening to the tunes from the natural terraces carved into the gorge, from the floor in front of the stage, from the vendors. Everywhere we went, people were happy to dance with you, move over for you, share their great view with you. Like at NWSS, they wished you a good show, a good run, a good set. Good vibes abounded here as well.

It has nothing to do with the atmosphere of the experience. At Phish we camped out right next to our car in the midst of a shadeless plain as opposed to deep in the woods at the Hideout. And while we were very exposed to the sun during the day, we were exposed to one of the most beautiful landscapes I’ve ever seen: a full, open panoramic view of the beginnings of the Cascades and the winding Columbia River.

It has nothing to do with the music, either. While Phish may be best known to the uninitiated as a jam band, they are capable of quite a lot more. Aside from their own winding, sometimes psychedelic jams like “Harry Hood” or “You Enjoy Myself,” they can also lay down a funky rendition of Stevie Wonder’s “Boogie On Reggae Woman,” a bluegrass original like “The Old Home Place,” and even an occasional reverse-sucking Electrolux vacuum solo courtesy of drummer Jon Fishman. There are echoes of a variety of types of music, many of which we heard and rocked out to at NWSS. 

So what is it that sets NWSS apart from a show like Phish? The fanbase is similar in construction, the atmosphere is equally as positive and friendly, they choose venues that will make you stop and stare, and the music is a unifier and a connector. It all comes down to the way the venue handles the audience and the climate that rolls in with each productions’ winds. Phish, being a big-name band, has the luxury that some artists that play at NWSS don’t (or, at least, don’t yet): they can play large venues to accommodate the troves of fans. But with a large venue comes a large price to pay for good customer service. LiveNation is currently managing the Gorge, but I’m not sure “managing” is really the word I want to use. There was traffic on a bridge on the way to the venue that had us (and many other Phish phans who use Waze) to be stuck in an hour and a half of traffic while we merged into one lane. There was no sign prior to the traffic jam. There was no notification on the road. While the construction was clearly not planned by LiveNation, there are many ways they could’ve given their customers a heads-up about the situation. Considering that an email address must be provided upon purchasing tickets, the heads-up could’ve come in the form of an email to concertgoers. Tweet it. Post it to Facebook. In an age of social media and smartphones, this kind of inaction is infuriating. But it didn’t end there. Once we got away from the construction, the traffic continued. It was 7:45 and we were still in traffic. Phish hadn’t gone on yet, but we weren’t getting any closer to being there. We sat in another hour and a half of traffic just to get into the parking lot. While we were frustrated about this wait, we also assumed that LiveNation was doing a thorough job of checking cars and making sure that items that are banned from the camping grounds were not snuck in. Imagine the surprise we felt when we finally got in (almost a third of the way through the band’s set, who had finally taken the stage after a half hour delay) and discovered that not a single car was being checked. They were just taking an extremely long time to line people up!

NWSS was smoothly run and very well-organized, unlike LiveNation’s production of Phish at the Gorge. NWSS is worked by volunteers, who, according to NWSS’ website, “receive free entry into the festival, a festival volunteer shirt and deep gratitude and an opportunity to be part of an enthusiastic and fun-filled team” (http://stringsummit.com/volunteers/). And they were! People were happy to direct you to campsites, vendors or stages. They asked who you were excited to see. Sparkles, the guy who helped us park, seemed disappointed that we had to leave the next morning. The people working at Phish were not enthusiastic. They didn’t seem to be having fun. The two (yes, only two) college-aged boys organizing the parking situation did so as slowly as possible while the concert was going on. When we arrived at NWSS, we received our press passes quickly and at least seven people guided us to the general parking area. Even with the thorough car search that we experienced on our way into NWSS, we were still parked and ready for the festival in a shorter time span than the two kids parking us at Phish could have achieved. LiveNation had the foresight to put out blue recycling cans next to each black garbage can; however, we watched their employees empty the garbage into the recycling bin while they cleaned up. The effort to remain green was merely a facade at the Gorge. And the beer? Let’s just say I was happy to spend what I did on three Ninkasi beers at NWSS instead of spending the same for fewer Bud Lights. 

NWSS has everything a festival should have. It is in a beautiful location. There are a wide variety of musicians and acts that can appeal to the most virginal festival goer. There are local food and artist vendors selling their wares, it is clean and well-maintained and encourages clean camping, and it is well-run. If I find myself in the Pacific Northwest again in the summer, I know where I’ll be.

NORTHWEST STRING SUMMIT 2016 (by Barry Sloan)

Written by: Bill Scorzari, Heartstrings Magazine

♦

So, Newport Folk Festival 2016? Um, just wow. Need I say more?

I can’t imagine the amount of planning, preparation and just plain hard work that goes into presenting a festival of this caliber, magnitude and historical significance even just once, let alone year after year, and with such amazing results every time. The folks at NFF however, make the gargantuan task seem effortless time and again, as if it were simply, well, a walk in the park (Fort Adams State Park, that is). Every NFF that I’ve attended has presented me with a seemingly endless 3-day stream of pure elation, excitement, and profoundly memorable moments that will last forever. There is a sense of joy, benevolence, community and shared purpose that is palpable even as opening day simply draws near … two weeks to go … one week more … just two more days … tomorrow we pack the car and go … and then, there’s the bridge, the harbor, the boats, the sunshine, the crowd …We’ve made it! The heartwarming sights of the familiar, magical city of Newport, merged with the excited expectation of the 3 days about to follow, brings a happily focused state of mind that is entirely unique to this place, and to this annual festival. The true magic is that everyone is so obviously undergoing and sharing that same affirming and unifying experience—an annual rejuvenation for old and new friends. The lines form for the water taxis, we climb on board anticipating and knowing from past experience that it will be an awesome day at the Fort. Happy conversations about “Which artists are you going to see today?” and recalling memories from prior years, bring total strangers instantly together as if they’d been lifelong friends before they’d even met. There is an instant sharing of joy and a shared expectation of more joy, that is more that just in passing.  In fact, in the morning on Day 2, while waiting in line for the water taxi, we met a young couple who had traveled from Chicago for the festival. They said their goal is to attend a new festival each year, and this year they chose NFF. We ended up spending most of the day with them, meeting at an after show that night, and finding them the next day as well. NFF brings people happily together, literally and figuratively. And so, what I’ve often wondered is, if it’s that amazing for us in the crowd, and it is, how does it feel to experience Newport Folk Festival from the perspective of those who actually make it happen for all of us?

First, there are the artists who inspire and bring us here. At NFF, the artists arrive as fans of the music, just as the audience does and there is a feeling that we’re all one family, with no distinction between us. I am fortunate enough to have seen friends give their first NFF performance, and to share in their joy at having earned that milestone and true badge of honor to be counted among those who have taken to the hallowed stages of NFF before them. Last year it was Christopher Paul Stelling who outdid even his amazing musical performance on the Harbor stage by ending his set with a down-on-one-knee proposal. Dan Blakeslee, also performed that year and again this year, and established himself as quite possibly the happiest man alive, as he shared his exuberance and wonderment in some of the best storytelling music you could wish to hear. There were also two unscheduled, crowd-stopping, busking performances by the amazing Julie Rhodes and friends, in the quad and outside the museum–which were swarmed by videographers and photographers alike.This year, it was Ian Fitzgerald, a true wordsmith and musical master, who delivered a perfect performance to an early Sunday morning crowd with resulting standing ovation when it was all said and done. I don’t doubt that the festival audience realizes how truly grateful and humbly honored all of the artists are to be able to perform for them. I believe that’s part of the magic — the sharing of that reverence and knowledge that this is a festival where numerous historic and socially significant moments have not only occurred, but where they continue to resonate and cause new and profoundly personal history to occur, both for everyone that follows them and for all who come to hear and see it continue to unfold. This folks, is the Holy Grail of festivals, and it invites us to connect with it and with each other on a personal and communal level.

Dan Blakeslee, Family Tent, Newport Folk Festival, 2016.

Ian Fitzgerald, Harbor Stage, Newport Folk Festival, 2016.

Kris Kristofferson, Museum Stage, Newport Folk Festival, 2016.

For those who keep this torch lit by performing the colossal tasks that make this festival happen, the tasks that keep its spirit and tradition alive and well for new generations to know and enjoy, I am sure that the experience from their perspective can be nothing short of surreal. The curation and collaborative performances arranged from one stage to the next in such a way that no matter where you are in the park, at any time, you will most certainly see and hear something that will amaze you and which you will never forget. This year, for me, it was a surprise performance by Kris Kristofferson on the Museum Stage. There wasn’t a person present who didn’t feel the love in the room wash over them and bring joyful tears to their eyes. It was simply indescribable, as words alone can’t convey the enormity of that moment. Kris commented that he wanted to take the audience on the road with him, just confirming that the artists are as grateful for the people in the crowd, as the people in the crowd are grateful for the artists they’ve come to see (or are happily surprised to see).

I could write pages about the number of incredible musical performances that filled Fort Adams this year, and there are many others who will, of course, write about that, because that’s why we all meet in Newport each year, for the music and the experience it presents. But, I’ve chosen instead to write about the people of the festival. Those who unload the sound equipment from the trucks and rearrange it constantly for three days, as one artist after another takes the stage, the vendors who keep us fed and hydrated as we travel back and forth from stage to stage, and from merchant to merchant, the writers, photographers and videographers who preserve our memories for us to share over and over again, the staff that constantly took to the microphones to remind us all to stay hydrated in the heat, and who provided free bandanas soaked in cold water to help us stay cool, the friendly security staff who greeted everyone with a smile and a high five as the gates opened and the crowd poured in, and who kept it going even as the crowd lined up to leave the park at the end of each day. I’m sure that I haven’t even scratched the surface of the inner workings of this festival, but I think I speak for every NFF-goer when I express my appreciation for all of the people who pull together and make NFF the amazing event that it is each year. Most of us have seen Jay Sweet make an appearance at the Quad stage, the Harbor Stage, in the Museum or on the Main stage, listening to one artist or another perform, interacting with festival staff, or just simply enjoying the same festival that we, “the fans,” are also enjoying.  To his credit, despite the enormity of this event, he still always appears as if he’s simply taking “a walk in the park,” and is always smiling a well-deserved and hard-earned smile. As we’re all looking forward to next July, I just wanted to write to say, thanks for another memorable year at NFF 2016.

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JP Harris kicked off this year’s Newport Folk Festival on Friday at 11 am on the Harbor Stage, as we all reveled in the moment that happens only once every festival — it’s what JP referred to as approaching an audience with virgin ears and minds. It’s very much like the feeling one experiences on the first day of school or summer camp. It’s the beauty of knowing that an adventure is waiting to be had and that so many good things are about to happen. At the Harbor Stage, every seat was filled and everyone engaged with excited anticipation. Of all the performances we experienced throughout the weekend, JP’s connection and interaction with his audience was one of the most memorable. It was because of this performance that, though meeting in-person for the first time for our interview after the show, I felt as if we had already met. JP prides himself on authenticity both on and off stage. He’s a master craftsman, not only of music, but also at carpentry, positivity of the human spirit, and core values that exalt true talent over commercial packaging. His goal is to simultaneously create music, while building a community, all as one and the same entity. One which forms an oasis where the best attributes of character are graded select or better, solely upon their inherent imperfect beauty, the uniqueness of their intrinsic worth and upon nothing more.

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How does it feel to be performing at Newport Folk Festival? 

I’m totally fucking stoked (laughs). I’ve been here the last two years and Jay [Sweet], Brittany [Manley] and Caps [Chris Capotosto] have always been sweet enough to find a place for me to do something, but this is the first year being on the official Newport roster. I got my little flag today, ya know. So it feels like I’ve been hanging out on my really cool friend’s super cool porch and I came over one day and they said, ‘Why don’t you come hang out in the living room, man?’ It’s a good feeling.

Can you describe how you felt being on the NFF stage? What was going through your mind?

I don’t even know (laughs). Some times I’ll mess up a chord or I’ll just keep playing something for too long, and I don’t know what I’m singing…but I mean, I’m singing. There’s a short circuit (laughs). In situations like this…and it’s hard to compare anything to performing at Newport Folk Fest…I really want to communicate what these songs mean. They’re not just something I barfed out and was like cool, it rhymes. It’s all real shit that’s happened to me or I’ve made happen to other people. So, it felt like I was able to most honestly communicate what these songs are about. Today, I was in an open environment to do that. Other times it feels like you’re just repeating the words and you’re brain is somewhere else. This is Newport Folk Fest. This is the only thing like this in the entire world, let alone America, ya know. I think today it was so sweet of Jay, Brittany and Caps to place us where they did on the schedule.

The first chords to play the festival were ours, specifically mine. This means a lot to me, to ring in something so special, and I could feel it from the crowd, coming in with these virgin ears and minds. It’s a very metaphysical experience.

Was the preparation/anticipation for performing at Newport Folk Festival different than that of another festival?

Nah. I’m not going to disclose all details but I’ll say that we didn’t rehearse a ton. I’m sure I’ve played more technically perfect shows and “tighter” arrangements, but everything just felt more comfortable today. We let everything be a little looser because none of us have slept in the past 48 hours, from being on tour and then driving here. So, the performance lends itself to a little bit of, as I said before, honesty.

It’s interesting because I think for a lot of artists, a successful live performance or show is defined by technical standards with no hiccups or mishaps. Whereas you are more focused on human connection and your audience.

Yes. It’s Country music. It’s not supposed to be super refined. It’s not wine. It’s some shitty beer, ya know. That’s the point. It’s for everybody. I really, really appreciate a tight band and I’ve seen some unbelievable bands at this festival and I will for the rest of the weekend. And I respect to the highest degree when people can pull together the unbelievably tight musicianship that I’ve seen so many times and with bands I’ve played with over the years. But I feel there is the element of stress that comes with that, that I don’t want to introduce into my music. I don’t want my guys who are playing with me to feel it. I don’t want to feel it. I always get to play with the most amazing musicians and I feel super lucky that no matter who is behind me, they are always good and always good people and it’s made me a better musician to get to work with these people. A personal relationship between us is far more important than whether or not the music is totally gelled with each other. The older I’ve gotten and the more experience I’ve gotten, I’ve gotten way less focused on trying to pin-brick all these little points that musically I’ve been lacking because I realize that it’s the biggest form a stress and dissatisfaction with my own music; trying to shape into this thing that I thought was the image it needed to have. It’s so much nicer to get older and more comfortable with it. I just want everyone on stage to be enjoying themselves, and having a good time, because the crowd recognizes that. Whether or not we’re missing some changes or maybe the ending got a little sloppy — who gives a goddamn? Country music is most well-suited in a community gathering, down-home folks kind of environment, and it’s super cool to come to Newport with that kind of attitude.

Where do you look for inspiration when creating music?

Mannn, it’s just life man (laughs). Yeah, that’s it (laughs). It’s gotta be real. You gotta live it. I respect that there are people who have a much more formulaic style that they are aces at, but I have to live life everyday. Songs for me are only a quarter factual or recounting of something that happened. There’s embellishment to make it more identifiable, but every single one of those songs is a real story for me.

So I get to learn from my life experiences through the songs I write and I get to go out to remind myself every day that you did this thing, good or bad, that caused you to write this song and it’s a picture that you’re going to have forever. You don’t get to put it down. Maybe you get to stop playing songs eventually but they’re always still there.

A question I tend to ask musicians, is what do you do when you’re not playing music. You’re a carpenter, luthier, I’ve been to events that you helped organize and have many other talents. Can you tell me about some of the non-music work you do? 

I like to think of it as overall finish. I’m not the kind of guy who goes in and nails door trim in or does cabinets. I’ve been doing it 15 or 16 years, since I was still a teenager, and my focus has always been on historic restoration and real old-fashioned building methods. Country music makes sense to me for the same reasons.

It’s real honest work, and it gives me a real sense of purpose — that I have something beyond just my music.

It’s my connection to the world — that I work with my hands, physically. It’s a great thing and really meditative. It’s a great feeling, especially repairing, that you are potentially and hopefully a part of a long line of people who will study their craft and care enough about it and the people you are working for, and the people who came before you who built these things and they continue to be a legacy. The older things get, the more of an identity and community it has. You have to see the labor of your people for generations and generations before it really holds a serious weight. For me, it’s always been a connection to the community I’m living in.

You’ve been to and lived in a lot of places — why do you call Nashville home? Do you plan to stay there?

I’ve been in Nashville for five years. I didn’t really mean to move there (laughs). A friend of mine who worked in the music industry said to me, hey man, I think you’re on to something and I think you should keep at and move to Nashville. And I said, really? What am I going to do there? (laughs) I didn’t know anybody. He just called me up one day and said his buddy has a room available for $300 per month. I didn’t know if I was going to stay. I didn’t live in a city for 13 or 14 years. I didn’t have power, I didn’t have water, I could not drive to where I lived in the winter time; a very sparse simple life that had a lot of ups and downs to it. And so picking all that up and leaving the ability to walk outside naked in the morning and piss in the woods behind your house. It was isolation and I really appreciated the privacy and obviously I was in a really community with nature. Someday I’d like to move out of the city again like I did for so many years, but I don’t feel like I’ll ever not have a presence in some place that feels like part of my home, in Nashville. It’s a cool town, and it feels incredible to be a part of the history of that town.

What are your plans for your next album?

I’m not making any promises. I have an entire record and then some worth of songs. I have a bunch of really cool new ones that are close to me being happy with the finished product. I played two brand new ones day and have been for the last couple of months. I have no idea when I’m going to put them out. I have no real plan for it. I feel like I’m in a really good spot. I don’t want it to sound like I’m being lazy, because I’m a hard worker, but I feel like I don’t want to force much more to happen. I did a lot of fighting in the first 5 or 6 years of being a musician and I feel like I was always honest about it, but I don’t feel like I always did things that were me to try and further my career as a musician. And in terms of making another record, I don’t want to have anyone to answer to. I love recording, but I would like the means of recording it and who’s releasing it to be a little more organic. I don’t want to set it on a calendar schedule. It does nothing for me but give me days I have to cross off with other shit I have to get done before this deadline. I have deadlines I have to set for other more practical things in my life. My creativity shouldn’t be on a stopwatch. If I don’t put another record out for four years, people are still going to come see play shows and that’s awesome.

I will add, though I can’t name any names, that I am putting out a recording project that’s all classic country duets with four of my favorite gals from Nashville. It’s going to be self-released as a limited addition 7-inch. I’m going to try and give it away online for free. I love being in the studio. We recorded at Ronnie’s Place, which is Ronnie Milsap’s studio in Nashville. It’s a sweet spot with a great vibe — Waylon, Cash, everybody has made recordings there. It’s a magical time in music — honest, independent music of every genre — we are experiencing an incredibly vibrant time for it now, and it’s getting commercially recognized without getting fouled by it. I just want to do my part to capture some of that. There are all these incredible female singers in Nashville. No matter how modern or progressive we say we are, there are standards women are forced to meet in so many ways. It’s an unfairly stacked deck.

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There’s a reason Newport Folk Festival sells out long before the lineup is announced. It’s because disappointment is impossible. There isn’t a single artist we aren’t excited about this year, but when it comes to making your schedule, we want you to consider these 1o “must-see” acts.

The list is eclectic, and includes more than one sibling ensemble — The Staves and the Cactus Blossoms (whose You’re Dreaming is one of our favorite albums of 2016 thus far) — as well as Canadian songwriter Basia Bulat, Country artist (and maker of legendary gumbo), JP Harris, and the leading lady of old-school outlaw country, Margo Price…to name a few.

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JP HARRIS

Friday | 11 am | Harbor Stage

BASIA BULAT

Friday | 12:25 pm | Quad Stage

THE STAVES

Friday | 12:40 pm | Fort Stage

CACTUS BLOSSOMS

Saturday | 11 am | Harbor Stage

JOHN MORELAND

Saturday | 1:15 pm | Harbor Stage

MARGO PRICE

Saturday | 1:40 pm | Quad Stage

IAN FITZGERALD

Sunday | 11 am | Harbor Stage

THE STRUMBELLAS

Sunday | 12:20 pm | Quad Stage

Photo: Josh Goldman

THE OH HELLOS

Sunday | 12:30 pm | Fort Stage

Photo: Laura Heath

SON LITTLE

Sunday | 1:15 pm | Harbor Stage

Image via ANTI-

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Newport Folk Festival‘s Harbor Stage is known for having the best view, artist discoveries and unforgettable moments (in 2015, Christopher Paul Stelling got down on one knee during his set). And for these very reasons, this stage is where many choose to begin, spend and end their day at Newport Folk Festival, despite what may be transpiring throughout the rest of Fort Adams State Park. On Sunday, July 24 at 11 am, you will find Ian Fitzgerald, along with Smith&Weeden, opening the day on this stage, facing the iconic Newport Bridge and boats in the distance, with his heart wide open and his songs to pull you in. Though it’s Ian first official lineup slot, it certainly isn’t his first visit to the festival. Ian performed on the Museum Stage at last year’s festival, as part of the Wildwood Revival showcase, and as you will discover through our interview, Newport Folk Festival has been a part of his life long before he was invited to play. Ian was born and raised in New England. He remembers commercials for the festival on television and throughout his interview, while reflecting on memorable past performances, he lets us know that he’s been in attendance for at least 7 years (though it’s safe to assume many more).

Ian Fitzgerald is the name I kept running into during the last few years. His was the name recommended by artists after all the formal questions had been asked and the recorder was set aside following an interview. Ian has independently released four albums and is scheduled to release another this fall, entitled You Won’t Even Know I’m Gone.

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What is your earliest memory of music?

Ian Fitzgerald: There was always music of some kind around my house: my Dad played drums and guitar, and both my parents sang.  The earliest clear memory of music I have, though, is when I joined the children’s choir at church in second grade.  Mrs. Mitchell was the choir director, and the first song she taught us was “This Land Is Your Land.”

What influence has Newport Folk Festival had on you thus far as a New England artist?

As a New England native, I’ve been aware of the Newport Folk Festival since I was a kid; I remember seeing commercials for it on local television. When my interest in folk music began to develop, learning more about the festival was essential and unavoidable because of the role it’s played for more than half a century. Most influential on a personal level, though, was seeing Brown Bird perform on the Harbor Stage at the Festival in 2011. I knew Dave Lamb and MorganEve Swain, and to see them up on stage at the Newport Folk Festival had a pretty dramatic effect on my idea of how far I might be able to take my own music.

Photo by Giles Clement, Newport Folk Festival 2015

What are some of the thoughts crossing your mind as we approach Newport Folk Festival, at which you will be performing for the first time? 

I’m excited and honored to have been invited to perform. I’m trying to make sure that the most important people in my life are there with me to share the moment. And I’m doing all I can with Ollie, Jesse, Seamus, and Dylan from Smith&Weeden to make sure we play the best set possible for everyone who decides to come hear us.

Can you tell me more about your collaboration with Smith&Weeden?

I first played on a bill with Smith&Weeden in Connecticut on the Friday of Labor Day weekend, 2014. The next month, we played a house show together at the home of our friend Shawn Schillberg in Providence. After that first show, I listened to their record a lot and began covering one of their songs, “Sunshine.” They heard about that and were generous enough to invite me up during our second show together to sing a verse of that with them. After the show that night, out in front of Shawn’s house, I asked if they’d be interested in joining me at Dirt Floor in Connecticut to record some new songs I had. I had been thinking about trying to put some kind of band together to pursue a different sound for my next record, and playing with them made me realize that they were the band I wanted. We went to the studio the following month and began recording.

Smith&Weeden

What do you enjoy most about performing? Which songs do you enjoy performing most and why?

Being on stage is the most in control and natural that I feel.

It’s also scary and unnatural. As much as I’m singing my songs for the strangers, and sometimes friends and family, who make up the audiences, I’m also singing them for myself. If I’ve done it right, I continue to experience the songs in new ways and hear things that I didn’t know were there or maybe that weren’t there before, even after playing them countless times. I play most of my shows solo, and I’ve been enjoying playing songs lately like “The One On The Black Horse” and “Monroe” which can be opened up in new ways dynamically without any changes to the structures. Over the past few months, I’ve had a number of opportunities to perform duets with a wonderful singer-songwriter named Riley Pinkerton; on nights when I know we’ll be singing songs like “The Devil You Know” and “Galveston” together or songs of hers like “We’re All Wild” and “Where I Began,” I really look forward to those. My Newport set with Smith&Weeden will be something else altogether, and of course I’m looking forward to the songs we’ll be playing together there.

So far we’ve heard “When All Else Fails” (via The Bluegrass Situation) and we couldn’t be more excited to hear the rest of You Won’t Even Know I’m Gone. Can you tell us more about the album and the songs within?

Thank you. That was the last song we recorded. The album has ten songs that I wrote in the couple of years after releasing my last album, No Time To Be Tender. It’s very unlike that album in a lot of ways. There were only four people present for the making of No Time To Be Tender, and we recorded and mixed it in four days. The sessions for You Won’t Even Know I’m Gone spanned thirteen months. We weren’t at it every day or even close to it, but we did take a lot of detours during which different musicians came in to try songs in a lot of different ways. But whether we had one version of a song or two or three, I knew when we got what we needed. I’m very happy to have worked again with Eric Lichter at Dirt Floor and very proud to call all of the musicians who worked on the album friends.

What was your favorite or most memorable experience while creating You Won’t Even Know I’m Gone? 

The writing of some of these songs happened in a way that was unique for me. After the initial sessions with Smith&Weeden in November 2014, they started to ask when we’d be going back to do more work. When I initially invited them to try some recording, I hadn’t considered the next step; the idea of them joining me to record more hadn’t even occurred to me. I was thrilled by their willingness to play more with me, though, and I knew that what had come out of the first session was a good start but was not close to being a whole record. So we set a date to all go back to Dirt Floor together. The problem was that I didn’t have any more songs for them to play at that point. Luckily, that was during the first few months of 2015;

I was living just outside Boston at the time, and I wound up being snowed in thanks to a few blizzards.  I had a notebook and several loose pieces of paper on my bed and different tables around my apartment, and I wound up writing “Monroe,” “Forget The Address,” and “Kingdom Come” more or less simultaneously.

I was lucky that the band provided the impetus I needed to get to work.

What are your plans following the release of You Won’t Even Know I’m Gone?

I’m on the road as much as possible, so I’ll keep touring. If enough people are interested and I can get some folks to join me, I’d love to bring a band with me for some shows; I’ve never done that before.

Can you name some of the artists you are most excited to see and be sharing the stage with at NFF this year?

There are a lot, but I’ll name some of them. Father John Misty has been a favorite of mine for a few years; I loved his Newport set in 2013, and I’ve seen him play solo before and loved that. I’m a big Elvis Costello fan; I saw him at Newport in 2011 when he was advertised as playing solo but wound up bringing The Imposters with him. Whether he delivers on the promise of playing solo this time or not, I’m eager to see him. I’m also excited to hear what Ryan Adams sounds like with The Infamous Stringdusters and Nicki Bluhm. Ryan’s songs seem so malleable that I can imagine many of them transitioning to bluegrass seamlessly and beautifully. I’m also really looking forward to seeing Margo Price and JP Harris, with whom I shared the Museum Stage last year. Following their careers has been heartening and gratifying in a lot of ways. I’m very glad they’ll be at the Fort this summer. And, of course, I’m sure I’ll walk away from the Festival having heard a bunch of new favorites.

What do you do when you are not playing music?

I work on ways to play more music. I book my own shows, which takes up an inordinate amount of my waking hours, including many when I should not be awake. Given how much of my time and energy that has taken up in the first half of this year, I’m trying to strike a better balance between that and other things like writing and keeping my life in order. And, of course, I’m trying to get this new record out to people.

Photo by Riley Pinkerton

What is your songwriting process? How does a song take shape?

Usually a line or an idea for a line will come to me, and it will be apparent to me if that’s the first line of a song or if I have to go back and figure out what comes before that. The shape of that line sort of sets the framework that I’ll be writing in for the rest of that song. At some point, I’ll kind of recognize what I’m writing about, and I’ll try to allow that to guide me in a certain direction without becoming so fixated on one idea that I don’t allow others in. I used to write songs in one sitting, but I travel with them now; I keep them with me and work on them over time so the ideas have an opportunity to develop. I edit a lot as I go: sometimes changing a word here or there, sometimes striking entire verses if I realize they don’t work for whatever reason.

The music comes in all different ways, at all different points of the process. Sometimes, the lyrics have a certain mood that dictates the feel of the music that they need.

Sometimes that mood seems apparent at first but not as clear once I’ve lived with it for a while. And sometimes, I just have to sit with the lyrics and a guitar and go hunting.

If you could give one piece of advice to a large group of people, what would it be?

Hold on to your loved ones, and work every moment to make sure they feel loved.

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Mark your calendars. In just three days, Roanoke releases their self-titled album, and we’re positive that this is just the beginning of a very long road for these songsters. On May 14, our Nashville friends will have an opportunity to hear the record live at the 5 Spot in East Nashville to celebrate the release. We were excited to have the chance to get to know Roanoke just before they embark on the journey of a lifetime and release their music out into the world. We spoke with Joey Beesley and Taylor Dupuis (pictured above) about what makes Roanoke, Roanoke.

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Andrew Kase: Can you describe how the members of Roanoke met? When did that happen?

Joey Beesley: Kyle and I both stuffed out cars full of what ever we could fit and drove to Nashville from West Palm Beach, Florida. It wasn’t more than three or four months into to living here that Taylor got a job as a hostess at the blues club where we worked. One night after a long shift we ended up at Taylor’s apartment and like most late nights in Nashville, we just started passing a guitar around. The blend of our voices together really inspired me in a way that I began writing my first duet (which would later be “This Love”) the very next day. “This Love” turned into “Without You” and before we knew it we had enough songs to record a demo. About a week after we started redoing with Kyle, he met a mandolin player at a bon fire who we later found out grew up in our hometown. We all got together for the first time on mothers day 2013 and the rest was history.

AK: How do you feel about the upcoming release of your debut album?

JB: Quite literally like the stars have taken their sweet time aligning. We have all put every last drop of blood, and sweat into this album hoping that the tears would come from anyone kind enough to listen. May 14th is not only the celebration of our album’s release but one of friends made and family extended since the moment each of us individually made the choice to move to this great city.  

AK: Why did you think it was important to release it self-titled?

JB: Honestly this album is a photograph of how we came together as a band. Though we’ve put so much of ourselves into each one of these songs, we have put a million times more into being not only a band but a family. We wouldn’t be Roanoke without this album so it just didn’t seem right to name it anything but.

AK: Can you describe your experience starting out in the Americana/folk music genre, in terms of writing and eventually recording?

JB: I think indirectly my writing has always sort of been “Folk/Americana.” I’ve always loved roots instrumentation, rock n’ roll, and the art of story telling which is so evident in country music. plus I love me a fiddle and some pedal steel…starting out as a songwriter id say one of my main insecurities (like most writers) was finding a place were my songs would be accepted and as far as I knew i was doing something that none of my friends had tried or were even interested in. It wasn’t until I found artist like: Ryan Adams, Trampled by Turtles, Jason Isbell, etc that I really had the confidence to go full steam ahead as a writer. Honestly had I have known that Folk/Americana was such a vast all encompassing genre I would have dove in head first from the moment i picked up a guitar, especially had I’ve known that it would eventually lead me to having a strong hand in recording Roanoke.

AK: What was it like meeting Allison Krauss?

Taylor Dupuis: Meeting Alison Krauss was honestly really nerve racking, but mostly very inspiring. She is someone I really look up to as an artist. I heard she was in the building and decided I had to meet her. She was as sweet as ever and very easy to talk to. We were actually fortunate enough to run into her again some months down the road.

AK: How did she inspire you? Did she provide you with any advice?

TD: I was inspired by the way she presented herself both on and off the stage. I really look up to her as a female artist. She is someone who made a name for herself singing true, honest songs. More specifically her performance inspired “Jordan.” I saw her perform a beautiful, gospel infused, 3-part acappella section that just completely stopped the room, and thus became “Jordan.”

AK: Are there other artists in the Americana/folk genre, or any other, whom you look up to?

JB: That’s a tough one. I’m constantly falling in love with new albums and artists every day. That’s one of the things I’ve loved most about living in such and awesome community of musicians and music lovers. If I had the chance sit in a room for a day making music with any of my hero’s I’d choose Emmylou Harris, Robert Plant, Willie Nelson, Allison Krauss, and Jason Isbell. I’d write the first verse and chorus with Willie and Jason, which would be sung by Jason with his wife Amanda Shires, then I would want Alison and Rob to write the second verse (because they are incredible together) which would be sung by Willie and Alison. Then, I would write the third verse alone with Emmylou and she would sing it with Robert Plant. I would want Daniel Lanois, and Dave Cobb to produce it and our drummer Kyle to engineer it because he would probably start crying the moment he walked in and saw everyone. But, to answer your question. these days I’ve really been looking up to artists like Glen Hansard, Jason Isbell, Gregory Alan Isakov, Guy Clark, Bon Iver, John Prine, Ryan Adams, Trampled by Turtles. and Sturgill Simpson.

AK: Can you tell me more about the “#FundTheFolk” Indiegogo campaign? 

JB: We thought that creating #fundthefolk would be a great way to involve our fans in the journey.

AK: Why did you think it was important to start that?

JB: Without it we wouldn’t have be able to properly release our album, tour, or even shoot a music video. It was also incredibly inspiring to see how many people outside of our circle cared enough about the music we’ve put so much into to help it come to life.

AK: Two of the themes on the album seem to be love, adventure and faith. Can you explain how those influenced your songwriting on the album?

JB: Well love has always been such an interesting subject to write about. The idea that two people can come together over a feeling that they almost have no choice other than to feel has not only been mind boggling but also fascinating to me since I can remember. Writing about love and other themes similar also make for a great duet. It’s really a luxury to be able to start a song from a male’s perspective and give it to Taylor who brings a true female perspective which in my opinion, you just can’t get without a woman there to write it. I’ve also become a pretty big fan of narrative songwriting since moving to Nashville. Taylor is a great narrative, she really brings a lot to the table when it comes to subjects of adventure and discovery. after writing with her for the first time it was no surprise that she was the main force behind “Jordan.”

AK: What are your plans following the release of the album?

JB: Well our plan is to bring it to as many people as possible for a very long time. We have high hopes of this album and can’t wait to see how our listeners respond.

AK: What was the thought process behind releasing “Jordan” and “Heavy Goodbyes” as your first singles?

JB: We just wanted to make a good first impression and we felt that “Jordan” and “Heavy Goodbyes” would be a great way to introduce listeners to the core of Roanoke.

AK: How has faith impacted each of your lives?

JB: What can you achieve without faith?

AK: What are your plans with the release of the album? Are you going to tour and when?

JB: We’re having an album release party at The 5 Spot in East Nashville with Leah Blevins, Guthrie Brown, an the Harmaleighs. As for our immediate plans following it’s release, we’ll be heading off on tour this summer starting with a midwestern leg in June, then a Rhode Island festival in July followed by a northeastern leg in august. after that we’ll be wrapping it up with Hog Jam in Ohio (which we all can’t wait to play again).

By Trevor Christian

During her decade-long run in Tripping Lily, Monica Rizzio proved she could perform carefully composed folk tunes like few others in the Northeast. Though Rizzio’s talents were always apparent and it seemed natural she would want an opportunity to perform lead vocals on more than a few tracks out of an album, it was difficult to imagine her performing anything other than the delicate note-perfect type of music she had become known for. Washashore Cowgirl, Rizzio’s debut solo album, makes those expectations seem insulting and limited.

The first track, “You and Me,” starts off with a drum beat that’s soon joined by a country fiddle and banjo. Rizzio enters with a more casual and grittier tone than she’d recorded before and laments a relationship turned toxic. The lyrics, including an excellent line about driving back in the other direction only to discover she can’t return to the past, show someone in a state of chaos. She compares herself to a storm and fireworks while hurling some slightly childish insults at her former love. It’s expertly chosen to lead an album that’s reintroducing Rizzio as a red dirt girl with an honest and unfiltered voice.

“Texarkana,” one of the album’s two cover songs, had a lot to do with Rizzio’s new direction. In an interview for WUSB, Rizzio explained she decided to reconnect with her Texas musical background after listening to Sean Brennan perform the song at a show in her new home in Massachusetts. That path led her to become a finalist in the Mid-Atlantic Song Contest for “Willie Nelson,” a tribute to a certain musical hero of hers. The song describes a relationship that does a decent job at capturing the adventure, scope and optimism of some of Willie’s best works.

Not every track sticks with the album’s mood, however. “Luckier Than You” stands out as a personal love song, though it hardly feels like casual Americana. In it, Rizzio returns to the delicate vocals of her Tripping Lily days in a sensual serenade to her husband. The lyrics are simple but the vocal performance and ukulele strumming sell it wonderfully. “Delta Dawn,” one of the two songs on the album not penned by Rizzio, is enjoyable but seems strikingly out of place. It tells story of a woman gone astray told through sing-song small town gossip and therefore doesn’t quite match up with the voice of the lovable outsider Rizzio builds on almost every other song. Normally, the listener is rooting for the underdog whether it’s the upbeat and self-mocking cowgirl in the title track to the down-but-determined voice in “Best I Can.”

Rizzio is a lot more relatable when she’s on the other end of the gossip in “Buttercups,” a modern take on The Scarlett Letter that features a version of Hester Prynne drinking right after work but still trying to cover her letter and sure she’ll find love. “On My Way,” a song featuring and co-written by Mark Erelli, continues this narrative in closing the album. Though this track still finds Rizzio unlucky in love like the first did, this time she’s not shooting off in the other direction like a firework. Backed by a gentle fiddle and plucked guitar, she expresses confidence that heading back to her roots was the right decision. After listening to this album, it’s hard to argue with that.

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Rizzio is currently on tour throughout the New England region, including at the Caramoor American Roots Music Festival in Katonah, NY. All dates can be found here: http://www.monicarizzio.com/shows

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Trevor Christian is the host of Country Pocket on WUSB. The show airs at 1pm on Thursdays on 90.1 FM on Long Island and www.wusb.fm worldwide. A recording of the most recent episode can be heard by clicking the show’s speaker icon at www.wusb.fm/station/schedule/week.

The Suffers are Pat Kelly, Kam Franklin, Adam Castaneda, Michael Razo, Kevin Bernier, Jon Durbin, Cory Wilson, Nick Zamora, Jose “Chapy” Luna and Alex Zamora. They hail from Houston, Texas and bring a sensational gift with them everywhere they go — what they call, Gulf Coast Soul. While at Old Settler’s Music Festival, Kam Franklin and I sat down and talked, just behind the Bluebonnet Stage as Deer Tick + Robert Ellis journeyed through their early evening set. Later that night, The Suffers took the very same stage and there wasn’t a person on those festival grounds who wasn’t tuned in. The crowds in front and in back of the stage were exhilarated by the talent, power and excitement coming from Franklin and The Suffers clan.

Lauren Jahoda: How did The Suffers get their start?

Kam Franklin: We all knew each other for quite a few years, but we all played in different bands. It took about 10 years or about 15 years to fully come together. There’s a pretty large age difference between some of us, but we all got to know each other front playing in the same scene. We didn’t intend to eventually make soul music since we met when we were all doing punk and ska, but it transformed into that once the originals came along.

How did it evolve into more of a soul sound?

I think it was when they added me (laughs). I’m a gospel singer, and that was my upbringing. It was never my intent to join a soul band, but no matter how much I tried to hide my tone in other genres, you can’t really hide something like that.

What is your earliest memory of gospel and soul music?

Gospel music was definitely at about 4 or 5 years old. There was a choir at our church and they were giving the mic to little kids and they handed it to me, and I just didn’t give it back. As far as soul music, my father was an R&B singer, so it’s in my blood. I grew up with it in the house and it’s part of who I am.

Does your father tour? What was his music career like?

He did mostly college concerts when he was in school, and DJing. He never toured. He wanted to, but his main focus was his education and he started a family and got married. He’s been extremely supportive of my career and I couldn’t ask for a better situation. He’s very proud.

I’m sure he’s ecstatic, and also living vicariously through you.

Oh yeah. I try to keep him updated on all that I am doing.

You may get asked the question a lot, but what is it like being the only female in large band?

There are days that it can be really exhausting. It stinks, like literally stinks. They fart all the time. But at the same time, I am surrounded by 8-9 brothers. I don’t think I really knew what unconditional love was until I was in this band. They piss me off on a regular, but I love them. I do things for them that I wouldn’t do for any other band in my life. I am so grateful to be here, with them. The fact that I’m a woman is just a benefit.

What’s your plan for the summer — any recording plans?

We’re very busy this summer. We’re going off the Paris in June and we just confirmed our first Japanese dates. We’re already writing the second record now, and hoping to record at the end of August and if not, we’ll push it to the end of the year. We want to get the music out as soon as possible but at the same time, we’re working on polishing and getting the best product as possible out there.

A very memorable moment for me was your Tiny Desk performance. What was that like?

It was hard and very stressful for me. I had to sing over the band without a monitor, so I couldn’t really hear. I’m such a loud singer but it’s easy to blow your voice when you’re forcing yourself to sing over something. I was so worried that I was out of tune and the comments that people write. It’s so funny because I am always happy that they comment on my body but when they comment on my singing, that’s when I get pissed. If they say “Oh she’s fat…,” I’m like cool, whatever (laughs).

You sounded great. There was a lot of emotion behind it and I really enjoyed it.

That’s everything. Maybe it’s a bad thing, like with my relationships and my daily life, I’m not the most emotional person. But when it comes to our shows, that’s where it all comes out.

It’s your outlet.

Yes. These are the stories of my life. These are my failed relationships. These are the people who have inspired me and I get to sing about them.

Is there a driving force or theme for the new recordings?

Right now a lot of my writing has been about trying to stay encouraged, not only in your life and relationships, but whatever it is that you believe in. If you’re Christian or an Atheist, just be consistent, no matter what anyone else says. Just try to be the best person you can be and live your life. That’s where a lot of our writing is right now and we’re also encouraging those people who feel like they’re not living the best life, and letting them know that you’re supposed to fall.

Does being on the road help the writing process?

We have a hard time organizing the compositions because we don’t have enough time to practice. As far as writing, that comes pretty quickly. If I’m writing a song, I need people there to keep going.

What do you listen to on your free time?

I listen to everything but I’ve been listening to a lot of BJ the Chicago Kid, Bonobo, Grizzly Bear, and I’m a big Luther Vandross and Led Zeppelin fan. And I listen to a lot of gospel because to me, the best singers I’ve ever heard in my life are gospel singers. I don’t feel like I have the most amazing voice in the world, but I like to stay inspired and try to be the best singer I can be, and that usually comes when I’m listening to these other singers.

Robert Ellis & Kam Franklin, Old Settler’s Music Festival 2016. Photo by Lauren Jahoda.

By Lauren Jahoda

Not only was this our first visit to Old Settler’s Music Festival, but it was also our first time in the great state of Texas. And I must say that I couldn’t have chosen a better way to get acquainted with this beautiful and massive state than through Old Settler’s Music Festival. The festival is nestled just outside Austin in the small community of Driftwood, amid the endless landscape of rolling hills, wildflowers and shade trees. The festival grounds are situated at the Salt Lick Pavilion and Camp Ben McCulloch, near (and part of) the famous Salt Lick BBQ. The grounds include two larger stages – the Hill Country Stage and the Bluebonnet Stage — and two additional smaller stages – the Discovery Stage and the Campground Stage. Bluebonnet was a personal favorite, as it’s slightly more intimate and it’s situated beneath the cascade of oak trees and beside the falls of the breathtaking Onion Creek.

Every inch of this festival is well thought of and cared for, including attendance size, stage and vendor locations and the ease of flow of both road and foot traffic. For us music freaks, a consideration we appreciate above most, is the careful timing of the artists’ sets. With a lineup like Old Settler’s, no one wants to find out that their two favorite bands are playing on separate stages at the same time. At Old Settler’s the set times on the two main stages did unavoidably overlap, but just slightly, because  a conscious effort was clearly made to schedule the performances so that festival goers had ample time to see every artist on the roster.

Another favorite feature to the festival is its family-friendly atmosphere. It’s heartwarming to watch families with their young children taking part in the festivities, enjoying the music and applauding after each song. And as nighttime falls on the festival, these families stay. You will find many of the parents still listening, as many of the children have fallen asleep, appearing to have powered down after hours of continuous fun. Many of the artists we encountered and observed throughout the weekend had their families with them. Joey Ryan of the Milk Carton Kids even joked during his set that this was the first festival that his (two-year-old) son enjoyed.

We also spoke with Kenneth Pattengale, of the Milk Carton Kids, behind the Bluebonnet Stage just before his performance Saturday night. We discussed Monterey, one of our favorite albums, a record which he excitedly explained was completed on a very modest budget (and which they recorded, mixed and mastered it themselves). They brought their recording gear with them on tour and recorded majority of the tracks while on the road, and finished up the last five tracks in a church in Nashville. As we got to know Pattengale a little more, I finally asked him to honestly answer how they feel about the frequent comparison to Simon & Garfunkel. It’s something I’ve been wondering about for a long time. He laughed and said they love it, and pointed out that Simon & Garfunkel have some of the best harmonies of all time. He joked and said he also likes to bring up the comparison while on stage, which he did on the Bluebonnet Stage just an hour later — He likes to joke that they don’t mind the comparison because everyone knows which one of them would be Garfunkel and points to Joey. Pattengale also mentioned that he’s been compared to Dave Rawlings, and that he doesn’t quite see the comparison but doesn’t mind being compared to one of his favorite guitar players of all time.

After their second rousing set on Friday, Della Mae told us they are excited to heading off to Vietnam next week, representing the United States as part of US State Department’s American Music Abroad Program. We also talked with David Ramirez just following his midday set on Saturday, as he explained how happy he is with the band and the different vibe of his newer album, Fables, which was produced by friend and fellow musician, Noah Gunderson (whose brother is now the drummer for Ramirez). Ramirez said that Gunderson was the perfect producer for Fables, and that he plans to spend the next few months touring and getting back to the studio. On the final day of the festival, we spoke with our friends, Band of Heathens at the Campground Stage. We last met with them in September for AmericanaFest and were excited to be able to catch up. Gordy Quist told us that their next record is complete and are working towards setting a release date. They’ll be continuing touring at their current space and ramping up with a more rigorous schedule in the fall. The Band of Heathens played their set on the Campground Stage with so much energy that nobody in attendance seemed to notice the lightning, thunder claps and torrential rain that fell on the campgrounds. What’s a little flooding when their is good music playing?

For us, the list of amazing moments from the weekend goes on and on. It includes more of these chance meetings with musicians whom we admire greatly, exceptional Texas hospitality, and getting to know the nicest of folks at almost every turn, such as the audience members, volunteers, artists, security officers, sound/equipment techs and beverage/food servers. As we were leaving the campgrounds on the last day of the festival, we were fortunate to top the weekend off with a final rewarding Old Settler’s moment — the chance to meet with festival organizer and producer, Jean Spivey. We found her house-right inside the campground pavilion with the rest of the crowd, as it poured all around us. We learned that Spivey once worked as a volunteer and in the merch tent for Old Settler’s, and now is the reason the festival is as successful as it is today. Spivey is from Maryland and has lived in various areas in order to dedicate her career to the arts for many years, and when she traveled to Austin for SXSW twenty-something years ago, she moved there nine months later and hasn’t left since.

Photos by Lauren Jahoda

1. Old Settler’s Music Festival emerged on the Austin, TX music scene in 1987, which is also the same year SXSW got it’s start. In 26 years however, Old Settler’s remains beautifully the same, in all the right ways. And while it’s musical acts get better with each passing year, the festival’s size (10,000 cap), shape and color remain intact.
2. The festival used to be dubbed the “Old Settler’s Bluegrass Festival.” They officially changed the name in 2000.
3. The festival has taken place in 3 different locations over the course of it’s existence. First, at Old Settler’s Park in Round Rock, TX. Second, at the Stone Mountain Events Center in Dripping Springs, TX. And it’s third and current location is at the Salt Lick Pavilion and Camp Ben McCulloch grounds in Driftwood, TX.
4. Onion Creek. It’s breathtaking, and serves as the perfect backdrop to the perfect festival.
5. Jean Spivey. She’s the brains and efforts behind Old Settler’s, and we have her to thank for being ahead of the roots music curve, and bringing attendees the hottest acts just before everyone else discovers them.
6. Comin’ back for more. A pattern you’ll find at Old Settler’s is that most of acts who play the festival have played in the past, which is often stated by the artist while on stage, and followed by a proclamation of their love for the festival. It’s also part of the reason that OSMF fest-goers keep returning too — it’s music and an atmosphere they can trust.
7. It’s family-friendly, all the way. Just one visit to the festival and you’ll realize that your chances of befriending a 3-year-old, 20-year-old, 30-year-old or 60-year-old are strangely equal. There’s an abundance of every age at this fest.
8. Camping. There’s plenty of it at Camp Ben McCulloch, and will provide a haven for those fest-goers who subscribe to the “Come early, Stay late” mentality.
9. Jam Sessions. Not only are they encouraged, they are highly anticipated, due to the fact that you can find just about anyone jamming just about anywhere. You may even find headliners around campfires with their guitars in hand.
10. Not overcrowded, not overpriced and certainly not over. Unlike some other fests, every aspect of Old Settler’s is easy. In addition to paying a below average entrance fee to the festival, do you want to be standing in the front row to see your favorite band? Sure, because at Old Settler’s that is not only possible, it’s probable. Based on its history thus far, I can assure you that Old Settler’s will remain this way for years to come.

Old Settler’s Music Festival takes place over four days (April 14-17, 2016) at the Salt Lick Pavilion in Driftwood, TX. This year’s lineup and more information can be found at: http://www.oldsettlersmusicfest.org/

By Trevor Christian, WUSB

It’s not often a song comes out that seems truly suited for the moment. The societal issue of fear mongering Sean Watkins addresses in the title track of What To Fear, may be age-old, but it seemed like the mania reached an impressive high last month when the album was released into a world with Donald Trump, ISIS and the Zika virus.

In an interview for WUSB, Watkins explained he’s noticed since he was a kid the way headlines and teasers have used fear to sell people the product of the news. The song is written from the point of view of a television newsman, though plenty of the words could be applied to certain politicians and churches, not to mention the folks selling dehydrated bunker food with a shelf life of 25 years. The video for the song, a minimalist production featuring Watkins, a flashlight and screenshots of questionable news headlines, is set in front of a campfire. The comparison between the ridiculous scary stories told at campsites and their counterparts in mass media is humorous even if the fact it’s so true might actually be pretty horrifying.

Watkins also explained that the lead single, “Keep Your Promises II,” was in fact the original version of the tune he released on his last album, All I Do Is Lie. He had rearranged some lyrics after Gillian Welch challenged him to incorporate an old fiddle tune into a song. That iteration felt heavy and bitter as he urged his lover to keep her meaningless promises — to herself. The update keeps that play on words alive but in a way that suggests he believes relationships can be reciprocated and fulfilling without any promises of forever. He still sounds cynical, but the bitterness is replaced by a fear of ruining something that’s already making him feel happy but overwhelmed. “Everything,” which immediately follows, is expertly performed and appropriately placed. The verses detail Watkins’ reluctance to fully trust someone while the refrain, which is so softly spoken, assures his partner that he’s willing to try to.

The words “I will give everything to you” sound believable because they’re weighed down by an appropriate amount of fear and seriousness.

Regret plays a role in this album too. In “Too Little Too Late,” Watkins apologizes to an ex not because he wanted her back, but because he was afraid his harsh words may have changed her when he was the one who was wrong. “Last Time For Everything” ranks among the highlights of Watkins’ career by pairing detailed and carefully worded looks at past mistakes with the reassuring sentiment of ‘never again’ expressed on the refrain. He somehow comes across as relatable and likable even when admitting to driving drunk. “Where You Were Living” stands out primarily for the bluegrass guitar playing, but also for sounding a lot like something Watkins would say to himself when he was younger, home schooled and cut off from the world.

There may not be a poorly written song on the album, but there is one I prefer to skip when casually listening. As I explained to Watkins after his album release show, “I Am What You Want,” a track written from the perspective of a potentially violent stalker, may have been a bit too well done for comfort. Based on the way Watkins laughed, it’s safe to say he wasn’t offended.

Two covers close What to Fear and both make perfect sense for Watkins and the album. “Tribulations” is an early 20th century song that almost joyfully warns of the coming apocalypse. The somewhat creepy disconnect between the melody and lyrics, emphasizes a point made in the title track: the folks telling scary stories seem the least worried by them. The closing track, the Glen Phillips number “Back On My Feet,” adds an optimistic balance to an often tense record. A conventionally happy song here would feel out of place, but “Back On My Feet” acknowledges hardships while focusing on what good still may come. It pairs nicely with some of the reflective tracks and argues against the album’s villains. By choosing this song to close What To Fear, Watkins seems to be denying the link between acknowledging hardships and mistakes and accepting a grim future. Similarly, Watkins’ solo career seems ready to gain its footing after his most consistent release to date.

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Trevor Christian is the host of Country Pocket on WUSB. The show airs at 1pm on Thursdays on 90.1 FM on Long Island and www.wusb.fm worldwide. A recording of the most recent episode can be heard by clicking the show’s speaker icon at www.wusb.fm/station/schedule/week.

By Trevor Christian

Equipped with a new band, a formal education in songwriting and a firm grasp of what she doesn’t have a grasp on, Laney Jones set out to explore new sounds and her restless mind on her self-titled third release. The result is a layered, thought provoking gem of an album that strays from her traditional sound but retains and expands upon her soulful, almost old-fashioned vocals and impressive lyricism.

Jones starts the ten-track release with “Do What You Want,” a restrained argument for the pursuit of self-discovery and a satisfying life. The sound here is about as similar to her past releases as this album gets, but the track serves a more important role, as a lens through which to view the rest of the album. In “Lonesome Soul,” she confidently insists that her lifestyle is just as valid, with traditional notions of home, family and career path. In “Bad Luck Charm,” she meets criticism with nonchalance. And in “Fire Walk,” she charms others into joining her on a metaphysical journey.

Photo: Mike Dunn

In an appearance on WUSB, Jones explained that central to the album is the equalizing idea that everyone is living their life for the first time. The attitude that everyone is on an equal, unsure footing is an inspirational one, especially for folks around Jones’ age of 24. The album benefits greatly from the type of nuance a viewpoint like that allows for. Even as Jones shakes the chains of societal expectations, she doesn’t disrespect those she chooses to go in a different direction from. She avoids passing judgment in “Lonesome Soul” for those who choose to lead a more conventional life. Instead, she conveys pride that the open road she’s chosen to follow, is the right one for her and that she arrived at this decision despite the doubts of others. It’s a rejection of the rules rooted in positivity and not rebellion, and that makes it all the more relatable.

But even as someone proudly carving her own path, Jones has some doubts. The most unexpected thing she said in the interview is that the inspiration for “Who Could Love” was the anxiety that came from leaving the acoustic, peaceful and occasionally tropical world of her prior two albums. She indicated a desire to expand and change her sound without leaving behind the acoustic fans who have carried her to this point in her career. In that task, the album mostly succeeds. While many of Jones’ ‘wood and wire’ base will be perturbed by the energetic pop-driven lead single “Allston” and not all will be open to the unique feel of “Fire Walk,” there’s not too much else to balk at. The harmonica-laced “Troubled Mind” could serve as a rootsy alternative for those fans looking for a more familiar sounding song capable of existing as a single.

Though opinion on the style may be somewhat divided among Laney Jones fans, there should be no question that the lyrics are reaching new cerebral highs. “The Simple Truth” is the most effective in this right, with Jones declaring “I can’t begin to know everything I thought I knew.” Jones explained her songwriting professor suggested that the song feature a more concrete ending, advice she wisely disregarded. After all, this album is no preachy guide to self-discovery or story with an ending; it’s an introspective 43-minute snapshot of one person’s story. The next part of that story is best told on a new album with a fresh perspective, not here. The fact that there is no simple truth seems to flow more organically from the themes explored in the earlier tracks than a concrete ending could anyway.

Even the final track, the seemingly simple “Endless Summer,” stokes that sense of unsureness. It seems fitting that an album so restless would lead to a more profound type of escapism. But more is going on here. Are those muffled last notes the sound accompanying a camera panning up to the sunset and fading or the sound of a dream fading back into reality? Does a paradise like this even exist to be found? I had no intention of asking. It takes tremendous skill to make a song mentioning relaxing on a beach — a staple of bad country music for more than a decade now — into something ambiguous and exciting.

LANEY JONES TOUR:

Jonah Tolchin at Pete’s Candy Store, Brooklyn – February 18, 2016. Photo by Lauren Jahoda.

On July 6, 2014, I met Jonah Tolchin for the first time. Just to clarify, there was no actual meeting and no shaking of hands. The first time I met this wise, young soul was as Clover Lane played through my speakers. The listen resulted in an immediate Heartstrings review and a relationship I would soon come to know and cherish. Almost two years later, I’ve had the privilege to share a range of meaningful experiences with Jonah, and in doing so have also met Jonah the individual, the friend, the performer, the producer, the spiritualist, the cultivator, and the partner to his wife, Blue.

Some time this year, Jonah will be releasing his third full-length record, Thousand Mile Night, while also bringing forth the highly-anticipated band project, The Red Red Sea, which is comprised of Tolchin, Danny Roaman, Heather Nation and Marvin Etzioni.

Tonight we bring you a video of Jonah performing The Red Red Sea’s “Awakening” at the Blue Cliff Monastery in upstate New York. The song belongs to a record inspired by the story of Siddhartha, and Jonah’s posting of the video comes with his words — “I hope it brings you a moment of peace.” And with his words, comes my own promise: Peace, it brings.

By Andrew Kase

Last year was the first GlobalFest that I had the pleasure of attending. I was excited about what I was about to experience, as I knew I was embarking on my most eclectic, and wordly, music festival experience to date.  The renowned concert, then in its twelfth year, was at Webster Hall, where the enthusiasm of the rest of the festivalgoers was so palpable, I thought I could almost touch it. I saw Sam Lee and Friends perform and, interestingly enough, it was also their first time at GlobalFest so I knew I was in good company.

He owned the stage, along with the rest of his band members, and drew a huge applause from everyone following the end of his set. I looked around and saw city residents, members of the press, and people from all over, enjoy the unique sounds of his Anglo-Roman-Gypsy music. Lee said how hot he was becoming on stage, to which a member of the crowd responded, “Take off the sweater?” Lee replied, “No, I don’t do that anymore,” referring to his former days as a Burlesque dancer.

GlobalFest 2016 arrives on Sunday, January 17, and comes with great opportunity for Heartstrings. We had a chance to speak to one of the show’s organizers, Bill Bragin, who is also the Executive Artistic Director for New York University’s Abu Dhabi Arts Center.

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Andrew Kase: GlobalFest is entering its 13th year in January. How long have you been involved with GlobalFest, and what drew you to the festival?

Bill Bragin: We cofounded globalFEST 13 years ago with a goal of moving world music to the center of the performing arts world in North America. We were both regular attendees of the WOMEX conference in Europe and felt strongly that we needed to have a similar event in the U.S. to help catalyze and expand the market for global music. We identified the APAP (Association of Performing Arts Presenters) conference as the best context in which to create an industry focused event that was also open to the public.

How do you choose your artists?

The three co-producers (Isabel Soffer, Shanta Thake and I) review literally hundreds of submissions compiled through an open call. We work on a consensus basis and try to find truly excellent artists who are ready to take a larger step into the North American touring market.

We aim for a diversity of styles, in terms of sound, cultural background, size, gender, place in their career and so on.

This year’s lineup is very different from last year’s. Can you describe what motivated that change?

We want every edition to be revelatory. Each year is different from the last. Because we are trying to help build touring careers, we are careful to limit creating too much competition within a single edition but also across editions. It’s also a product of who applies, and sometimes current events.

Why did you feel as if Webster Hall was the best venue for this type of festival?

It’s rare to find a venue with three distinct venues, all with excellent production, under one roof. Webster Hall has been an iconic part of NYC’s musical history for decades.

Do you see yourselves changing the venue at any point, and if you do, where and why?

We sell out most years in advance. It would be great to have a venue that allowed us to grow the audience, but at the same time, the vibes in Webster Hall are so good, that we would need a very special new venue that could function as well and maintain the multi-stage format under one roof.

How do you imagine the festival to be in 5 years?

We’d love to see it continue to break artists the way it has done so for people like Mariza and DakhaBrakha, but possibly expand our reach through livestreaming and other media extensions. We continue to expand our activities through other events: our globalFEST On The Road tour (A 3 artist package, Creole Carnival, tours this Feb-April with Brazil’s Casuarina, Haiti’s Emeline Michel and Jamaica’s Brushy One-String), and we’d like to continue to expand the globalFEST Touring Fund, which provides financial support to globalFEST artists so they can take advantage of opportunities sparked by the flagship festival

What do you want festival-goers to take away from gF 2016?

We’d love for festival goers to discover some new favorite artists, as well as an appreciation of the diversity and creativity coming from all corners of the globe.

GF is not just a festival, but has become a great platform for artists to collaborate and network. Describe some of the programs that GlobalFest is involved with such as On the Road (GFOTR), and the gF Touring Fund (GFTF).

GFOTR brings specially curated tour packages to over 30 communities across the U.S., bringing the quality and variety we are known for to new markets. The GFTF helps artists to be able to afford to visit new markets where they haven’t yet performed. In both cases our goal is to create new opportunities for cultural exchange.

What do you think distinguishes gF from other music events, especially in NYC?

There’s not a single event that we know of that brings together this range and quality of artists on multiple stages under a single roof all in one night for one low price.

What would be your advice for up-and-coming artists, especially those who want to be part of the festival circuit?

Work on your art – be the best you can be, and then be patient and persistent. It doesn’t happen overnight. Build relationships, build a story one venue and one market at a time.

You can’t take over the entire U.S. all at once. When you have successful shows, maintain relationships with the presenters who can become important champions. And treat each show, large and small, as important. You never know who is on the audience.

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GlobalFest takes place on Sunday, January 17, 2016 at Webster Hall in NYC. Doors at 6 PM, Show at 7 PM. Get your tickets here.

By Lauren Jahoda & Arran Fagan

What are you doing for New Years? — The weighted, yet over-hyped probing that rolls in around this time year after year. And by the time the major holidays have come and gone, the question becomes more and more pressing. For those of us with easy access to a city like New York, our New Years options are usually outrageously pricey and disappointing. This year, we really asked ourselves what we would like to be doing come midnight, and the answer is simple … the same thing we enjoy every night of the year — music. We did our very best to compile a national list of Heartstrings-approved New Years Eve concerts. Some are expensive and others are not, but we can assure you that all will be well worth it. With New Years less than a week away, act quick (some have already sold out)!

California

The Decemberists/Thao & The Get Down Stay Down – The Masonic – San Francisco

Houndmouth/Saint Motel/ZZ Ward – Pine Ave – Long Beach

Joe Rogan/honeyhoney/Duncan Trussell/Ari Shaffir/Joey Diaz – The Wiltern – Los Angeles

Colorado

Yonder Mountain String Band – Boulder Theater – Boulder

Chris Robinson Brotherhood – Cervantes Masterpiece – Denver

Paper Bird/The Congress – The Oriental Theater – Denver

DeVotchka/The Yawkers – Bluebird Theater – Denver

Connecticut

Sister Sparrow & The Dirty Birds – The Warehouse at FTC – Fairfield

District of Columbia

St. Paul & The Broken Bones – 9:30 Club – Washington DC (SOLD OUT)

Georgia

Gregg Allman – Atlantic Symphony Hall – Atlanta

Widespread Panic – Fox Theatre – Atlanta

Illinois

Brandi Carlisle/Brynn Elliott – Thalia Hall – Chicago

Railroad Earth/Cornmeal – Vic Theatre – Chicago

Possessed by Paul James/Bobby Bare Jr./Shawn James/Zander Schloss – Reggie’s Music Joint – Chicago

Robbie Fulks – Fitzgerald’s – Berwyn

Massachusetts

Parsonsfield/The Suitcase Junket – Academy of Music – Northampton

The Boxcar Lillies/Colorway – St. John’s Episcopal Church – Northampton

Ellis Paul/Flynn – Club Passim – Cambridge

The Felice Brothers/Kinsey – Brighton Music Hall – Boston

Michigan

Greensky Bluegrass/Nicky Bluhm & The Gramblers – Royal Oak Music Theatre – Royal Oak

Missouri

Pokey LaFarge/The Hooten Hallers/River Kittens – The Pageant – St. Louis

New York

Trombone Shorty & Orleans Ave/Soulive – The Capitol Theatre – NYC

The Damnwells/Julian Velard – Rockwood Music Hall – NYC

Deer Tick/Last Good Tooth – Brooklyn Bowl – Brooklyn

Woody Pines – Harrietstown Town Hall – Saranac Lake

North Carolina

The Avett Brothers/Asleep at the Wheel – Greensboro Coliseum – Greensboro

Ohio

Red Wanting Blue – House of Blues Cleveland – Cleveland

Oregon

Calexico/Blind Pilot/Ages & Ages – Crystal Ballroom – Portland

Jerry Douglas Band/Peter Rowan – Alberta Rose Theatre – Portland

Pennsylvania

Brooke Annibale – Trust Arts Education Center – Pittsburgh

Tennessee

Old Crow Medicine Show/Madisen Ward & The Mama Bear – Ryman Auditorium – Nashville

Chris Knight/Aaron Lee Tasjan – The Exit/In – Nashville

Texas

Willie Nelson & Family/Kacey Musgraves – ACL Live at the Moody Theater – Austin

Dale Watson – Kendalia Halle – Kendalia

Wisconsin

Los Colognes – Radisson – Appleton

On Thursday, November 5, 2015, Elephant Revival took the Bowery Ballroom stage. It was just about 10:30 PM, and Nora Jane Struthers and Parsonsfield had just closed out their rousing supporting sets, corralling the crowd for the 5-piece Colorado-bred clan waiting just beyond the backstage door.

Prior to entering the fan-and-artist-favorite NYC venue, I couldn’t help but notice not only what must have been Elephant Revival’s large tour bus, but a shorter and more modest bus (painted white and of the school/summer camp-kind) situated just beside it. It attracted me. Most obviously because its door was wide open and a sign fronted it with “FREE TEA” written on it, but more profoundly for the family living inside. In addition to “FREE TEA,” it produced an energy that had HOME written all over it. Space was tight, and every inch was accounted for, decorated, loved and occupied. It was inviting and so were those inside it — one of which was Bridget Law, Elephant Revival’s fiddle player. I immediately tapped Bridget on the shoulder and asked her what the deal was with this ethereal vehicle parked in front of me. She said they were long-time friends who created their traveling tea agency around the same time that Elephant Revival formed, and its existence holds near and dear to her heart. I followed by asking if they accompany them on their tour travels, and she said they don’t, and that they are on their own tour, in a continuous circle around the country. She then hurried inside the venue to get ready to take the stage.

For those who don’t know, Elephant Revival is Bridget Law, Bonnie Paine, Daniel Rodriguez, Charlie Rose and Dango Rose. I find their music to be pure, unprocessed, free-spoken and undisguised representations of themselves. The attention and care they invest into each and every note, strum and pick is the same they invest into each and every day, and the world around them. Their appreciation and respect for mother nature, and to experience how such a connection emerges in their sound, is contagious and inspiring. Time seemed to wash away that night as the band was on stage. Simultaneously, one song always seems a prelude to the next, and an afterword to the one which came before.

Photo Credit: Lauren Jahoda