Annie Sumi – AcousticMusicScene.com

Quick Q & A with Annie Sumi

Michael Kornfeld — Tue, 08 Mar 2022 23:57:18 +0000

By Kathy Sands-Boehmer

Annie Sumi is an ethereal folk artist from Canada, whose intimate and expansive music invites listeners into a familiar otherworld. Inspired by the mirrored relationship between physical and emotional landscapes, the young, Ontario-based singer-songwriter’s music speaks of human experience through the language of the senses. She has toured across Canada, parts of the U.S. and Europe, and released three albums since 2015. Kathy Sands-Boehmer, chief innovator and merry-maker at Harbortown Music, recently asked Annie Sumi some questions about her music — including her latest recording, Solastagia, which was released last fall.

Annie Sumi showcases her talents during the 2018 Northeast Regional Folk Alliance (NERFA) Conference (Photo: Jake Jacobson)
Annie Sumi has been on my list of potential interviewees for some time, and I was glad to have the opportunity to pose some questions to her—especially about the newest addition to her discography, Solastalgia. As you’ll see from my questions below, I was rather taken with the entire concept of this album. I highly recommend that you listen closely and listen to every track to fully absorb all the textures, nuances, and powerful lyrics at once.

Annie’s musical imagination soars in all her recordings but this latest offering is far and away her best yet. Annie articulates her love of nature and humankind, and it comes through in each and every note. A native of Whitby, Ontario, Annie has been playing her contemporary folk songs to audiences for the past several years and has won over artists from coast to coast. Her style definitely evokes an ethereal sense of wisdom beyond her years. Annie has collected numerous nominations for new and emerging artists in Canada and as music writer Sarah Greene of Exclaim says: “Sumi’s music has a mystical bent. With her pure voice, finger-picked guitar, and smiling banter, she communicated joy and wonder.” My humble advice: check out her music and find yourself a nice, comfortable place to just be in the present and listen to her. You’ll feel refreshed and happy that you did so after taking the time to listen. For more information about Annie, visit her website. Look for upcoming shows with Annie and Travis Knapp.

Here’s a video of “Over the Hills” which will give you an excellent glimpse into Annie Sumi’s music.

Can you please to explain the Rainer Maria Rilke quote “I live my life in widening circles that reach out across the world” that sits atop your website home page. Is it the making of your music that makes this quote resonate with you?

This quote reminds me of the ways that sound reverberates out into the world. It also brings up images of when you drop a stone into a quiet lake, and the water ripples out – on and on – touching the distant shores. I suppose ruminating on this quote helps me to remember that every little thing that we do reaches out across the world energetically, and it inspires me to ‘drop stones in the water’ with good intention.

Tell us about your upbringing in Canada. Did you gravitate towards music at an early age? If so, did you pick up any musical instruments at that time and did you start to experiment with them?

I started learning piano when I was around six years old, and it was really fun until I got bored of playing classical music and found myself gravitating to more popular songs. I usually credit the singing to my Scottish heritage because everyone who came in and out of my Grannie’s house had to sing a “wee” song – that definitely encouraged the silly, playful, and performative parts of me! It wasn’t until I was in high school that I started experimenting on guitar. I took some lessons at the local school, The Music Scene, and then began writing my own tunes.

Did the fact that you are of mixed race affect your musical outlook on life? Did you have any particular influences that inspired you?

I like to think that the Scottish part of my family inspired the performative, sing-songy side of my writing; and, perhaps, the Japanese part of my family inspired the introspective, poetic parts of my writing! I think I am still understanding how being of mixed-race has informed my creative life, and the ways that I am interested in deepening my relationship to my ancestors.

Listening to your newest album, Solastalgia was a perfect opportunity for me to concentrate deeply on your music and appreciate the beautiful sounds and timely lyrics. I chose not to read anything about your album before listening and it brought me great comfort to realize that I had, in fact, tuned into your world and sonically experienced what you must have felt as you were creating the songs in Banff. Tell us a bit about your experience writing the songs amidst the beauty and wonders of Alberta.

Spending time in the mountains was profoundly beautiful. The landscape inspires so much awe – a perfect space to inhabit while writing. At the time I was writing this album, I was walking with grief and trying to soften the hard edges of my heart toward a deeper wisdom. I was in the throes of “global dread” and “environmental anxiety”, but, after reading Glenn Albrecht’s Earth Emotions, I felt more equipped to “name” my grief and walk beside it without allowing it to overtake me. Writing these songs were part of my process in rediscovering hope, awe, and wonder for this beautiful earth, and inspiration to continue trying to find meaningful ways of meeting the urgent call towards action.

Annie Sumi performs during the 2018 NERFA Conference (Photo: Ethan Baird)
You chose to entitle the album Solastalgia which means “a homesickness you have when are still at home” explaining that there is a disconnect between being on earth and remembering to take care of it. Do you have any practical advice to suggest how we can be better inhabitants and caretakers of this planet?

Joanna Macy has been an abundant well of inspiration and resource on my own journey of remembering. She often talks about how we cannot grieve or stand up for something that we do not love, or see ourselves connected to… For that reason alone, I feel like the most essential thing we can do as a species is to reconnect with the natural world and open our hearts to its beauty. Perhaps, then, as a collective, we would feel inspired to stand up against the capital-driven injustices that threaten these wild spaces and recognize that the people that have been protecting these lands deserve physical and financial support, media visibility, and national acknowledgment.

I was particularly taken with the meditative beginning track, “Circles” and how it works as a welcome to the rest of the album and slides smoothly into “Over the Hills.” The songs are very calming and speak to the listener as a way of imaging the people who inhabited the earth years and even centuries in the past. Did your imagination run wild as you created these songs?

This is a fun question! Ha-ha! My imagination tends to run wild, and this collection of songs definitely cultivated a space for the imagination to thrive! But I wasn’t thinking a lot about people that have inhabited this earth in the past… in fact, a lot of these songs were written with an intention to be as present as possible. I was hoping that it would inspire listeners to feel the power, magic, whimsy, desperation and joy accessible in this moment, and feel awake to their lives.

Annie Sumi (Photo: Michael Kornfeld)
strong>“Psychoterra” is another song that struck me as being cosmic on many levels. It feels like you were channeling indigenous people who inhabited the land, and the subtle percussion brings the listener right into the next song called “Mother.” Am I correct in assuming you are speaking of Mother Earth and that lyrics of that song address climate change and all that that means to us now and in the future?

Definitely. ‘Mother’ speaks to the body of the earth, and inquires if there is still time to rise and meet the challenges we face related to the declining climate. It was written in a moment when I was physically unable to stand up in protest, so I felt compelled to write this song.

Can you give us some insight into your song “Fleur?” I love the strong female characterization! I love the power in your voice–you set the tone perfectly but I want to know what prompted you to write this intriguing song.

“Fleur” was inspired by Louise Erdich’s character in her novel Tracks. The character depicts a strong, Indigenous woman that is connected to some primordial powers that allow her to retaliate against her oppressors. “Fleur” was so intriguing that I felt compelled to write about her journey and the ferocity of her character.

How would you compare the music on Solastalgia to the songs on your other albums?

I think Solastalgia is the most conceptual body of work that I have written up to this point. I had a very clear idea of how to weave textures throughout the album that linked the beginning, middle, and end. I wonder if writing 80% of this album in the same place contributed to the thematic nature of the album!

Is there any kind of musical project that you would love to do that you haven’t done yet?

There are hundreds of musical projects that I would love to do and haven’t done yet! So, I will report back when those snippets of experimental sounds come into fruition in some way!

Kathy Sands-Boehmer
Kathy Sands-Boehmer is an enthusiastic and tireless presenter, promoter and supporter of independent musicians. For years, she booked and promoted artists, new and old, at a well-respected 225-seat venue north of Boston, Massachusetts; was an active leader of the Boston Area Coffeehouse Association (BACHA), and a past board member and vice president of Northeast Regional Folk Alliance (NERFA). She has mentored, coached, and managed a variety of artists and formerly co-hosted a podcast, Through the Musical Cosmos. Kathy recently launched Harbortown Music as a resource for musicians and venues – building community, while promoting and presenting high-quality music and also hosts livestreams under its banner – occasionally partnering with AcousticMusicScene.com’s Michael Kornfeld. This and many previous Q & A interviews are archived on her blog, Everything Sundry, as well as in the Featured section of AcousticMusicScene.com.

Falcon Ridge Folk Festival Goes Virtual

Michael Kornfeld — Wed, 29 Jul 2020 15:23:53 +0000

Over the span of more than 30 years, the Falcon Ridge Folk Festival has drawn thousands of music lovers to Hillsdale, New York in the foothills of the Berkshires near the tri-state corner of NY, Connecticut and Massachusetts. Although the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic prompted the cancellation of this year’s festival, a virtual one will take place online in its place over the same extended weekend – Thursday, July 30 – Sunday, August 2, 2020.

The festival usually features dozens of artists performing on several stages (including a dance tent), children’s music and activities, and a wide array of crafts, food and other vendors. For the past several years, a Pre-Fest Tastings Day & Farm Market has taken place on Thursday and featured locally grown food, drink and artisanal items, along with performances by a number of artists from the late afternoon through the evening on the Lounge Stage curated by Tribal Mischief. Those camping at Falcon Ridge and staying up through the early morning hours have enjoyed an array of informal jams, mini-showcases and after-hours song circles that help foster a sense of “folk” community. This year’s virtual festival will be quite a different experience to be enjoyed from the comfort of your own home.

The Falcon Ridge 2020 Share & Shelter In Place Fest will be shown on the festival’s Facebook and YouTube pages: facebook.com/FalconRidgeFest and http://youtube.com/channel/UCgoYgzUgfFhTc_EXhNeC_ng? from 1:30-4:30 p.m. each day and will also be archived for replay and future viewing. The audio stream from the virtual festival may also be heard on FolkMusic Notebook.com, the 24/7 online music channel.Live streams from virtual camps, song swaps and mini-showcases — including The Lounge Stage on Thursday night (see details below), Big Orange Tarp, Dave Carter Song Circle, Night Owl Song Swap, Pirate Camp and more will also be shared at later times via various online platforms.

Evocative archival footage from past festivals and special messages from previous festival artists, longtime vendors, radio sponsors, dancers, campers, and others in the festival commUNITY will be interspersed among performance videos by 30 confirmed participating artists/acts and an abbreviated Grassy Hill Emerging Artist Showcase.

Susan Werner is among the featured artists during the Falcon Ridge 2020 Share & Shelter in Place Festival.
“All of the artists that we booked for the festival this year will be appearing,” said Anne Saunders, Falcon Ridge’s artistic director. Featured artists slated to grace the virtual stage include Alisa Amador, Buddy System, Jim & Madeline Christensen, Scott Cook, Donna the Buffalo, The Empty Bottle Ramblers, The End of America, The Falcon Ridge House Band, The Gaslight Tinkers, Mary Gauthier, Vance Gilbert, Eileen Ivers, Beth Molaro, Zoe Mulford, Matt Nakoa, Nerissa & Katryna Nields, Patti O’Brien Melita, Oshima Brothers, Professor Louie & the Crowmatix, Quarter Horse, Paul Rosenberg, The Russet Trio, Scott Cook, Crystal Shawanda, The Slambovian Circus of Dreams, South for the Winter, The Storycrafters, Tame Rutabaga, Kathryn Wedderburn, Annie Wenz, and Susan Werner. A tentative schedule appears online at https://falconridgefolk.com.

Scott Cook (a Canadian prairie roots balladeer), Zoe Mulford (a transatlantic singer-songwriter) and South For The Winter (a Nashville-based, genre-bending trio) were the artists who were voted “Most Wanted” to return by festival attendees following last year’s Grassy Hill Emerging Artist Showcase.

Scott Cook (Photo: Michael Kornfeld)
“Having heard tales of Falcon Ridge over the years, it was an honor to be invited to play, and an unexpected joy to be invited back, ” Cook told AcousticMusicScene.com. “This pandemic dealt me a big life change — being off the road, and living in a house for the first time in 13 years! — but I’m adjusting surprisingly well,” he continued. “Online concerts (including a recent Tribal Mischief round with the other Most Wanted artists) have been a nice way way to reconnect with festival family around the world. But there’s nothing like gathering in person, and I sure look forward to getting back to Hillsdale someday,” said the internationally touring Edmonton, Alberta-based troubadour.

More information on Cook and the other Most Wanted artists, as well as video links, may be found in an article that was published in February and may be found at https://acousticmusicscene.com/2020/02/12/falcon-ridge-most-wanted-artists-named-2/.

Although 24 artists/acts usually showcase their talents on Friday afternoon, this year’s abbreviated edition of the Emerging Artist Showcase includes 11: Andy Baker, John Beacher, Randy Lewis Brown, Buffalo Rose, Kala Farnham, Lynne Hanson, Indian Summer Jars, Karyn Ann, The Levins, The Real Sarahs, and Shanna in a Dress. The Emerging Artists Showcase is not a contest, and artists won’t be judged per se, although the audience is surveyed as to which showcase artists they’d like to see return the following year to participate in a Most Wanted Song Swap.

Lounge Stage at Falcon Ridge Streams Via Twitch on Thursday, July 30

Another highlight of the Falcon Ridge Folk Festival has been The Lounge Stage. For the past 10 years, many festivalgoers have flocked to it on Thursdays for an early musical fix before the festival formally gets underway on Friday.

Curated by Tribal Mischief (the brainchild of Ethan Baird and Jake Bush, who are also the mainstays of the band Pesky J. Nixon) with tech support by Scott Jones, what began as a special event on the festival’s campgrounds now customarily takes place in the Dance Tent. This year, The Lounge Stage will stream live on Thursday evening, July 30, from 7p.m.-12 a.m. EST at http://twitch.tv/tribalmischief.

Artists slated to perform, in order of appearance, include Pete Mancine, Izzy Heltai, Zoe Mulford, Brian and Katie (We’re About 9), Mya Byrne, Kirsten Maxwell, Dinty Child, Sol y Canto, Mike McKenna Jr., Annie Sumi, Tragedy Ann, Rachael Kilgour, Crys Matthews, Heather Mae, and Vance Gilbert.

Baird noted that the Lounge Stage at Falcon Ridge was launched to afford the weeklong attendees at the festival and select artists an opportunity to more intimately engage with each other when the festival was forced to shorten its schedule after a couple of really challenging years due to weather. Over the last decade, the Lounge Stage has presented more than 200 artists. “This year, the stage has really been split into two entities,” said Baird. “ One run by Scott Jones — our initial partner in putting the Lounge Stage together as the technical director and master of lighting, sound, and recording – will feature a retrospective of the last 10 years of material from the Lounge Stage’s evolution from hillside show to a festival mainstay. Jake and I are taking what we have built with the Tribal Mischief network of conversational programming and music presentation and are hoping to present the best amalgamation of virtual and live events.

Baird acknowledged that while multiple musicians can share a stage via the platform that Tribal Mischief is using, current technology won’t allow for them to play together live simultaneously. “However,’ he added, “they can cheer for each other, comment, speak, and interact. That interaction has always been the principle on which the Lounge Stage was built, and to be able to facilitate that means a lot to us.”

Baird noted that “Tribal Mischief is in the middle of a high-risk experiment in which we are betting on technologies and online tools that the folk community hasn’t really embraced as of yet — namely YouTube and Twitch. There are millions of people out there on these platforms actively and desperately looking for good content, for something different. We are betting that this is something that the remarkable creators in our community may not have realized they were missing.”

In addition, but of equal importance, according to Baird, “both of these platforms offer creators the opportunity to earn money passively through advertising.” He said that “while we welcome the subscriptions of our fans and want to encourage community building and engagement, we are trying to move away from a fundraising mechanism that is 100% reliant on donations. We hope to be able to build that through efforts like this.” Accordingly, this will be the first Lounge Stage for which donations will be accepted. It will also be the first one for which all the participating artists will be paid, while 20 percent of the funds raised will go to help ensure that the continuation of the Falcon Ridge Folk Festival.

“We won’t take a penny raised through this show – making sure that the artist community has an opportunity to make some money this year –considering all the shows and performances that have been lost is really important to us, “ Baird added.

Tribal Mischief (http://tribalmischief.com) seeks to assist worthy causes and build community through music. Baird and Bush host weekly conversational broadcasts with music makers and others in the music industry each Sunday on Tribal Mischief’s Twitch channel.

To stream or download past Lounge Stage performances, visit http://theloungestage.com.

Although there is no cost the stream the Falcon Ridge 2020 Share & Shelter in Place Festival, Saunders noted that donations — via paypal.me/FalconRiidgeFolkFest or venmo.com/FalconRidgeFolks or from the venmo app: @FalconRidgeFolks –will be much appreciated.”One of our goals in presenting this virtual fest, as far as contributions raised,is to come as close as we can to paying all of our confirmed artists their entire fee for this year because, for many of them, it may be the only fee they will get for a very long time,” she said. “Along with that, we hope to give something substantial to Dodds Farm [where the festival usually takes place] so that they can continue to hold on as well.”

NERFA Celebrates 25 Years of Music and Community at Its Annual Conference, Nov. 7-10

Michael Kornfeld — Sun, 03 Nov 2019 14:50:37 +0000

Some 700 performing artists, presenters, promoters, agents and managers, folk DJs, and others actively engaged in contemporary and traditional folk music are expected to converge on the Crowne Plaza in Stamford, Connecticut, Nov. 7-10, 2019 for the 25th Annual Northeast Regional Folk Alliance (NERFA) Conference. AcousticMusicScene.com will again have a major presence as it hosts afternoon and late-night song swaps in addition to its popular Midnight Hoot at the close of the conference’s first day.

Besides several jam-packed days and nights of music showcases, song swaps/in-the-rounds, open mics and informal jam sessions, the NERFA conference will also feature a children’s concert, informative panel discussions and workshops, one-on-one mentoring and peer group sessions, communal meals, awards presentations, an exhibit hall, a community meeting with NERFA’s volunteer board of directors, a community sing, a welcoming party, a 25th anniversary celebration, and lots of opportunities for schmoozing and networking. Singer-songwriter Noel Paul Stookey (of Peter, Paul & Mary fame) will be the conference’s keynote speaker.

Booking gigs may be the primary objective of some performers who attend the conference; and many presenters and folk DJs do scout out new artists and those whom they have not previously heard and seen in live performance. However, the conference experience is much more than that; it’s really about forging connections, building community, and taking advantage of learning opportunities that can help enhance and enrich their professional and personal lives.

Workshops and Panel Discussions Abound

The conference’s programming committee, under the leadership of Ethan Baird, NERFA’s board secretary, has arranged a diverse array of workshops and panel discussions. Recognizing the popularity of its On the Griddle instant critique sessions during which a panel of folk DJs and presenters listen to the first 60 seconds of a number of songs and provides snap feedback, NERFA will offer two new panels inspired by them and focusing on artist blurbs/bios and videos.

Among some two-dozen other scheduled workshops and panel discussions are A-OK: Mental Health & Well-Being for Working Artists, A Dynamic Duo! – Artists & Venues Working Together to Create Unforgettable Shows, F rom Cents to Sense: Smart Financial Planning for the Independent Artist, Gold Records! – Learn from he Masters & Produce Dynamic Audio Projects that Shimmer & Shine, Good Vibrations: Your Voice, Singing & Powerful Vocal Techniques, Home Sweet Home: Best-Laid Plans to Create Magical & Successful House Concerts, The Insider’s Guide to Music Management, The Jack Hardy Songwriter’s Method, Start a Creative Revolution! – Using the Arts to Start Creative Change, Vance Gilbert’s Famous Performance Critique, and Women in Folk: A Multigenerational Reflection. Sonny Ochs, a longtime folk DJ and sister of the late troubadour and activist Phil Ochs, will again host a Wisdom of the Elders session; this time it will feature veteran folk DJs Wanda Fischer, John Platt and Rich Warren. Yoga sessions also will be offered each morning, while MusiCares will be on site again to fit folks for custom earplugs.

Noel Paul Stookey Keynotes the Conference on Saturday Night

Noel Paul Stookey (Photo: Kevin Mazur)
Noel Paul Stookey has been changing the world, one song and one key social concept at a time since the platinum-selling folk-singing group Peter, Paul and Mary took the music world by storm in the 1960s – performing perhaps most notably at the civil rights March on Washington in 1963 but equally present at benefit concerts given in support of grassroots organizations, labor unions, peace movement rallies, anti-nuclear and environmental gatherings and political candidates throughout the 1970s and well into the 1990s.

Today, Noel still performs occasionally with Peter Yarrow (Mary passed away in 2009), as well as doing solo shows in which he continually introduces new songs that deal specifically with major issues facing us in these times. He also invests time and energy in his national nonprofit organization, Music to Life, founded with his daughter, Liz Stookey Sunde, which connects activist artists of all genres with the resources they need to revitalize their communities through music. In reference to the well-known Chinese curse: ‘May you live in interesting times,’ Noel laughs: “Well baby, we are there. We communicate
these days through social media about those.

Juried Showcases Slated for Friday and Saturday Nights

Taking center stage during the conference will be 14 artists/acts selected by a panel of judges – with each to perform a 15-minute formal showcase set on Friday and Saturday nights – the most coveted performance opportunity at the conference. Friday night’s lineup includes (in order of appearance) The New Students, Meghan Cary, Tui, Corey Laitman Trio, Les Royal Pickles, Roger Street Friedman, and Megan Burtt. Slated to showcase their talents on Saturday night are Damn Tall Buildings, Annie Sumi, Alastair Moock, Sophie Buskin, Rani Arbo & daisy mayhem, Alisa Amador, and Matt Nakoa Trio.

Following the formal showcases, attendees will shuffle between three conference ballrooms in close proximity to one another to catch short sets by 30 additional artists/acts who also were selected by the judges. Performing in these semi-formal showcases on Friday night are (in alphabetical order) Marc Berger, Blue Plate Special, The Bombadils, Katie Dahl, Marion Halliday, Lily Henley, JANTURAN, Mara Levine, James Maddock, Jeffrey Martin, Peter Mulvey, Kalyna Rakel, Martin Swinger, Tragedy Ann, and Rupert Wates. Saturday’s semi-formal showcase artists include Jeremy Aaron, Cricket Blue, Kala Farnham, Kora Feder, Matt Harlan, Lynne Hanson, Diana Jones, MOSA, David Newland with Siqiniup Qilauta/Sunsdrum, Ordinary Elephant, Birch Pereira & the Gin Joints, Piper & Carson, Benjamin Dakota Rogers, Katherine Rondeau, and Ken Tizzard. Like the formal showcases that immediately precede them, nothing else is allowed to compete with the semi-formal showcases during the conference.

On Thursday evening, the conference’s opening night, the Suzi Wollenberg Folk DJ Showcase will feature short performances by 16 artists/acts chosen by DJs. Listed in order of appearance, they are The Scooches, Kalyna Rakel, Willa Mamet, The Promise Is Hope, Scot Krokoff, Mark & Jill, Nico Padden, John John Brown, Heather Mae, Robinson & Rohe, Eli Smith, Kathleen Healy, Dan Whitener, Jenner Fox, Carol Crittenden, and Mark Stepakoff.

Judges for this year’s official juried showcases were Sarah Craig (Caffe Lena), Dan Gottfried (Voices in the Heights), Joe Mercadante (Steeple Coffeehouse), Ron Olesko (Folk Music Notebook), Jess Razzi (Razzi Entertainment), Kimberly Sinclair (SpinCount), and Matt Smith (Passim).

Following the juried and folk DJ showcases each evening, AcousticMusicScene.com will join dozens of presenters, performers and others in hosting guerilla showcases in their hotel rooms that extend through the early morning hours. Some guerilla showcases also are slated for Friday and Saturday afternoons. Musicians also may well stake out other areas of the hotel and jam.

 AcousticMusicScene.com Midnight Hoot Features Nearly 50 Artists and Singing Folk DJs 

An overflow crowd will likely descend on the AcousticMusicScene.com suite (2031) on Thursday overnight for its popular Midnight Hoot. Extending from 11 p.m. to 3 a.m., this hoot is a pre-arranged, round-robin song swap featuring several singing folk DJs (Wanda Fischer, Ellen Stanley and Jon Stein) and some 45 artists/acts – each performing one song.

Now in its 13th year, the Midnight Hoot is intended to shine a spotlight on several folk DJs who also enjoy singing, while providing them, presenters and others with an opportunity to get a small sampling of the music of a lot of artists in a short period of time. A house band comprised of Bob Beach (harmonica), Mark Dann (bass), Genevieve (keyboards), Lily Henley (fiddle), ad Nick Russo (banjo and other instruments) will be there for anyone who desires accompaniment.

While Michael Kornfeld, AcousticMusicScene.com’s editor & publisher, hosts the Thursday-Saturday overnight showcases, his friends Mira Shapiro and Hank Stone will serve as guest hosts on Friday afternoon. A series of song swaps on Friday overnight will be topped off by a Long Island Sounds celebration featuring performances by nearly a dozen LI-based artists. As in recent years, the musical festivities in the AcousticMusicScene.com suite will wrap up on Saturday overnight with an extended “O Canada” song swap. Carrying their instruments and the maple leaf, a number of talented Canadian artists and acts will march into the room at 2 a.m. singing their national anthem.

Schedules for the AcousticMusicScene.com showcases appear below.

AcousticMusicScene.com Midnight Hoot (Room 2031)

Thursday Night 11 p.m. – 2:30 a.m.

(One song per artist/act and folk DJ, not listed in order of appearance.)

Host: Michael Kornfeld

Artists: Jeremy Aaron, Andy & Judy, Jordi Baizan, Bob Beach, Carol Crittenden, Alyssa Dann, Amy Dee, Neale Eckstein, Jane Fallon, Lindsay Foote, Gina Forsyth, Jenner Fox, Freebo, Gathering Time, Genevieve, Claudia Gibson, Kyle Hancharick, Matt Harlan, Gerry Hazel, Lily Henley, Gina Holsopple, Alice Howe, Brian Kalinec, Fiora Laina, Corey Laitman, Peter Lehndorf, Mara Levine, Rob Lytle, Kipyn Martin, Mosa, Mother Banjo, Dan Navarro, The Promise Is Hope, The Rix, Stephen Robinson, Tina Ross, Rachael Sage, Eric Schwartz, The Scooches, Hank Stone, Garret Swayne, Kristina Vaughn, Rupert Wates, Dan Whitener & Blue Plate Special, Billy Woodward

Folk DJs: Wanda Fischer, Ellen Stanley, Jon Stein

House Band: Bob Beach (harmonica), Mark Dann (bass), Genevieve (keyboards), Lily Henley (fiddle), Nick Russo (banjo & other instruments)

Lily Henley will showcase her talents in the AcousticMusicScene.com suite on Friday afternoon and also is part of the house band during the Midnight Hoot on Thursday overnight.

Friday Afternoon

Hosts: Mira Shapiro and Hank Stone

2:00 Marc Berger
]2:15 Nathans & Ronstadt
2:30 Lily Henley
2:45 Connor Garvey
3:00 The Rix
3:15 Lea Morris
3:30 Steve Robinson and Hank Stone
4:00 Alice Howe
4:15 Rob Lytle
4:30 The Malvinas
4:45 Freebo

Friday Night

Host: Michael Kornfeld

11:45 MMM Good Music: Meghan Cary, Gathering Time, Marion Halliday, Mara Levine

12:30 Texas Troubadours: Jordi Baizan, Matt Harlan, Brian Kalinec

1:00 A Trio of Duos: Gathering Sparks, The Levins, The Promise Is Hope

1:30 British New Yorkers: James Maddock, Rupert Wates

2:00 Long Island Sounds: Roger Street Friedman, Scott Krokoff, Ray Lambiase, Nico Padden, Matt Ponsot, Quarter Horse, Steve Robinson, Nick Russell, Hank Stone, Linda Sussman, Christine Sweeney

Saturday Night

Host: Michael Kornfeld

11:45 All Keyed Up: Genevieve, Matt Nakoa, Rachael Sage, Eric Schwartz

12:30 A Pair of Duos: The Early Risers, Ordinary Elephant

1:00 Banjocentric: Banjo Nickaru & The Scooches, Mother Banjo, Dan Whitener

1:30 Women’s Voices: Abbie Gardner, Sharon Goldman, Grace Pettis

2:00 O Canada: Noah Derksen, Ken Dunn, Gathering Sparks, James Gordon, Lynne Hanson, Graham Lindsey, John Muirhead, David Newland, Piper & Carson, Kalyna Rakel, Benjamin Dakota Rogers, Saffron A, Angela Saini, Siqniup Qilauta/Sunsdrum, Greg Smith, Annie Sumi, Ken Tizzard

“I hope that attendees will share a meal and/or a song with new friends they don’t yet know, embrace the spirit of community that NERFA represents, and have a great conference experience,” said Michael Kornfeld, president of NERFA’s board of directors and editor and publisher of AcousticMusicScene.com. He expressed thanks to Courtney Rodland, who assumed the role of interim conference director one year ago when Dianne Tankle, NERFA’s founder and conference director since its inception, stepped down. “Aided by a core group of key volunteers, Courtney has sought to create a conference that builds upon what has been successful in the past, while moving NERFA into our second quarter-century,” he said.

[Here’s a link to a short song video by Neale Eckstein featuring images and scenes from the 2017 NERFA Conference: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qt-A_DnX1OY.]

NERFA (www.nerfa.org) is a regional affiliate of Folk Alliance International (www.folk.org), a nonprofit organization that aims to serve, strengthen and engage the global folk music community through preservation, presentation and promotion. NERFA’s geographic boundaries extend from the eastern provinces of Canada south to the northern Virginia suburbs of Washington, D.C. More extensive information on the organization and its annual conference may be found online at www.nerfa.org.

Editor’s Note: My thanks to Hank Stone for his assistance in setting up the AcousticMusicScene.com showcase room and for guest-hosting Friday afternoon song swaps, along with Mira Shapiro — and to Amy Blake, Arpie Maros and Sybil Moser for the loan of folding chairs.

In addition to hosting the AcousticMusicScene.com Midnight Hoot and other showcases and leading a community meeting with the NERFA board of directors as its president, I will moderate a workshop entitled Write It Right, Alright? – Blurbs On The Griddle and participate in a panel discussion on self-promoting your project to the Folk DJ Chart. New this year, I also was among a small group of people offering pre-conference mentoring sessions via phone for conference attendees. Mine focused on strategic communications and public relations topics for artists, as well as how to get the most out of the conference.

Juried Official Showcase Artists Chosen for 2019 NERFA Conference in Stamford, CT, Nov. 7-10

Michael Kornfeld — Mon, 12 Aug 2019 16:11:54 +0000

More than 40 artists/acts have been selected for juried formal and semi-formal showcases during the 25th annual Northeast Regional Folk Alliance (NERFA) Conference, slated for Nov. 7-10, 2019 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Stamford, CT.

With only 14 artists/acts chosen for 15-minute slots on Friday and Saturday nights, the Formal Showcase is the premiere and most coveted performance opportunity at the conference. Featured in these showcases will be (listed in alphabetical order by last name or group name) Alisa Amador, Megan Burtt, Sophie Buskin, Meghan Cary, Damn Tall Buildings, Roger Street Friedman, Corey Laitman Trio, Alastair Moock, Matt Nakoa Trio, The New Students, Rani Arbo & daisy mayhem, Les Royal Pickles, Annie Sumi, and Tui. Named as alternates were Diana Alvarez, Susan Cattaneo and Kipyn Martin.

Immediately following the Formal Showcases on Friday and Saturday nights, conference attendees will shuffle between three rooms in close proximity to one another to enjoy juried 15-minute Semi-Formal Showcases (formerly known as tricentrics and quadcentrics). Artists selected for these showcases include Jeremy Aaron, Marc Berger, The Bombadils, Blue Plate Special, Cricket Blue, Katie Dahl, Kala Farnham, Kora Feder, Marion Halliday, Lynne Hanson & The Good Intentions, Matt Harlan, Lily Henley, JANTURAN, Diana Jones, Mara Levine, James Maddock, Jeffrey Martin, Mosa, Peter Mulvey, David Newland with Siqniup Qilauta/Sunsdrum, Ordinary Elephant, Birch Pereira & the Gin Joints, Kalyna Rakel, Jessica Rhaye & the Ramshackle Parade, Benjamin Dakota Rogers, Katherine Rondeau, Martin Swinger, Ken Tizzard, Tragedy Ann, and Rupert Wates. Named as alternates were Eliza Edens, The Levins and Piper & Carson. Like the Formal Showcases that precede them, nothing else is allowed to compete with the Semi-Formal Showcases during the conference.

Judges for this year’s official juried showcases were Sarah Craig (Caffe Lena), Dan Gottfried (Voices in the Heights), Joe Mercadante (Steeple Coffeehouse), Ron Olesko (Folk Music Notebook), Jess Razzi (Razzi Entertainment), Kimberly Sinclair (SpinCount), and Matt Smith (Passim).

After the juried showcases each evening, AcousticMusicScene.com will join dozens of presenters, performers and others in hosting guerilla showcases in their hotel rooms that extend through the early morning hours. The Suzi Wollenberg Folk DJ Showcase, informal jam sessions, thematic song circles, round-robin song swaps, and open mics round out the musical mix.

[Here’s a link to a short song video by Neale Eckstein featuring images and scenes from the 2017 NERFA Conference: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qt-A_DnX1OY.]

As in years past, besides several jam-packed days and nights of music, the NERFA conference also will feature informative panel discussions and workshops, one-on-one mentoring and peer group sessions, communal meals, a large trade show-like exhibit hall, a welcoming party, and lots of opportunities for schmoozing and networking. Courtney Rodland, NERFA’s interim conference director, also is working with the programming committee to develop special features in recognition of the conference’s silver anniversary.

NERFA is a regional affiliate of Folk Alliance International — a nonprofit organization that aims to serve, strengthen and engage the global folk music community through preservation, presentation and promotion. Serving FAI members from the northern Virginia suburbs of Washington, DC to the provinces of eastern Canada, NERFA attracts more than 700 performing artists, presenters, promoters, agents, managers, folk DJs, and others engaged more than peripherally in contemporary and traditional folk music to its annual conference. The event is designed to help them forge connections, build community, and learn things that can help enhance and enrich their professional and personal lives.

The conference early-bird registration rate extends through Aug. 15, after which registration prices rise by $50 each month. More information on the conference and on NERFA itself can be found online at www.nerfa.org.

Editor’s Note: I am president of the NERFA board of directors and also serve on the Folk Alliance International board. In addition to hosting late-night showcases under the banner of AcousticMusicScene.com, I plan to offer mentoring sessions on strategic communications, PR, social media and other topics during the conference.

2018 NERFA Conference Celebrates Music and Community, Nov. 8-11, in Stamford, CT

Michael Kornfeld — Fri, 02 Nov 2018 22:38:18 +0000

More than 700 performing artists, presenters, promoters, agents and managers, folk DJs, and others actively engaged in contemporary and traditional folk music are expected to converge on the Crowne Plaza in Stamford, Connecticut, Nov. 8-11, 2018 for the 24th Annual Northeast Regional Folk Alliance (NERFA) Conference. AcousticMusicScene.com will again have a major presence as it hosts afternoon and late-night song swaps in addition to its popular Midnight Hoot at the close of the conference’s first day.

Dar Williams will deliver a conference keynote on Friday night, Nov. 9. (Photo: Tom Moore)
As in years past, besides several jam-packed days and nights of music showcases, song swaps/in-the-rounds, and informal jam sessions, the NERFA conference, will also feature a children’s concert, informative panel discussions and workshops, one-on-one mentoring sessions, communal meals, a trade show-like exhibit hall, a community meeting with NERFA’s volunteer board of directors, a community sing led by Bob Cohen and the folk harmony trio Gathering Time, a welcoming party, and lots of opportunities for schmoozing and networking. Singer-songwriter Dar Williams will be the conference’s keynote speaker.

Back by popular demand, after a much lamented one-year absence, two open mics are again on the schedule; Rob Hinkal of IlyAIMY hosts the Friday and Saturday afternoon sessions.

Booking gigs may be the primary objective of some performers who attend the conference; and many presenters and folk DJs do scout out new artists and those whom they have not previously heard and seen in live performance. However, the conference experience is much more than that; it’s really about forging connections, building community, and attending workshops and seminars to learn about options to further careers, promote the music, attract audiences and listeners, ad enrich our lives.

Among some 40 scheduled workshops and panel discussions are several focusing on social media and websites. Sonny Ochs, a longtime folk DJ and sister of the late troubadour and activist Phil Ochs, will moderate “Singing The Truth: Activism and 35 Years of Phil Ochs Song Nights,” featuring performing panelists Greg Greenway, Reggie Harris, Joe Jencks, Colleen Kattau, and Pat Wictor. Among the artist-centric offerings are the popular “On the Griddle” instant critique session and ones on crowd-funding, DIY video, financial planning for artists, “Making the Most of Your Release,” “Mental Health Survival Kit for Musicians,” “Navigating Social Issues with Music and Story,” “Step-By-Step Streaming Success,” and “Womenfolk: Fostering Equity, Safety and Success.” Sally Rogers and Claudia Schmidt will conduct a vocal harmony how-to session. For presenters, there will be sessions on finding the funds for your venue and sound reinforcement, as well as one entitled “Keep the Fire Bright: Preventing Burnout in Presenting Organizations. “

Morning yoga sessions will again be led by singer-songwriter Caroline Cotter, while MusiCares will be on site again to fit folks for custom earplugs.

Juried Showcases Slated for Friday and Saturday Nights

Celtic folk-pop rockers Screaming Orphans, four sisters who originally hail from Ireland’s County Donegal, will showcase heir talents during the conference. (Photo: Sanjay Suchak)
Taking center stage during the conference will be 14 artists/acts selected by a panel of judges – with each to perform a 15-minute formal showcase set on Friday and Saturday nights – the most coveted performance opportunity at the conference. Friday night’s lineup includes (in order of appearance) Heather Pierson Acoustic Trio, The Black Feathers, Reggie Harris & Greg Greenway: Deeper Than the Skin, Zoe Mulford, Screaming Orphans, Windborne, and Jonathan Byrd & the Pickup Cowboys. Saturday’s Formal Showcase lineup will feature Alice Howe, Scott Cook, Sally Rogers & Claudia Schmidt, Kenny White, Louise Mosrie, Robinson Treacher, and Ronny Cox.

Following the formal showcases, attendees will shuffle between three rooms in close proximity to one another to catch short sets by 30 additional artists/acts who were selected by a different set of judges. Performing in these semi-formal showcases on Friday night are (in alphabetical order) Asaran Earth Trio, Quentin Callewaert, Noah Derksen, Josh Harty, House of Hamill, Rachael Kilgour, Low Lily, Kipyn Martin, Nathans & Ronstadt, Next Generation Leahy, Kerri Powers, Monica Rizzio, Annie Sumi, and UPSTATE. Saturday’s semi-formal showcase artists include Rod Abernethy, Big Little Lions, C. Daniel Boling, Ellen Bukstel, Susan Cattaneo Band, Emerald Rae, Roger Street Friedman, Cassandra House, Joe Jencks, Kolonien, Moonfruits, Diane Perry, The Promise is Hope, Quarter Horse, and Suzie Vinnick. Like the formal showcases that immediately precede them, nothing else is allowed to compete with the semi-formal showcases during the conference.

On Thursday evening, the conference’s opening night, the Suzi Wollenberg Folk DJ Showcase will feature short performances by 15 artists/acts chosen by DJs. Listed in order of appearance, they are Sweet Corn & Sunflower (Annie Sumi & Tannis Slimmon), Bruce Foley & Mary Coogan, Bill Baker, Letitita VanSant, All Types of Kinds, Katie Dahl, Grace Morrison, Eric Lee, Sam Steffen, Susan Shann, Marian Halliday, Sue Horowitz, Belle of the Fall, and Plywood Cowboy.

Following the juried and folk DJ showcases each evening, AcousticMusicScene.com will join dozens of presenters, performers and others in hosting guerilla showcases in their hotel rooms that extend through the early morning hours. Some guerilla showcases also are slated for Friday and Saturday afternoons. Musicians may well stake out other areas of the hotel and jam until 4 or 5 a.m.

 AcousticMusicScene.com Midnight Hoot Features Artists, Singing Folk DJs 

An overflow crowd will likely descend on the AcousticMusicScene.com suite (2031) on Thursday overnight for its popular Midnight Hoot. Extending from 11 p.m. to 2:30 a.m., this hoot is a pre-arranged, round robin song swap featuring several singing folk DJs (Jim Colbert, Barbara and Graham Dean, and Jon Stein) and some three-dozen artists/acts – each performing one song.

Now in its 12th year, the Midnight Hoot is intended to shine a spotlight on several folk DJs who also enjoy singing, while providing them, presenters and others with an opportunity to get a small sampling of the music of a lot of artists in a short period of time. A house band comprised of Mark Dann (bass), Jagoda (percussion), and Eric Lee (fiddle/violin) will be there for anyone who desires accompaniment.

While Michael Kornfeld, AcousticMusicScene.com’s editor & publisher, hosts the Thursday-Saturday overnight showcases, his friends Mira Shapiro and Hank Stone will serve as guest hosts on Friday afternoon. Closing out the afternoon will be performance of Si Kahn’s Mother Jones in Heaven, a musical play about the legendary labor organizer (starring Viv Nesbitt, with John Dillon on guitar).More information and a short video about the musical play may be found online at www.motherjonesinheaven.com.

As in recent years, the musical festivities in the AcousticMusicScene.com room will wrap up on Saturday overnight with an extended “O Canada” song swap. Carrying their instruments and the maple leaf, a number of talented Canadian artists and acts will march into the room at 2 a.m. singing their national anthem.

Schedules for the AcousticMusicScene.com showcases appear below.

AcousticMusicScene.com Midnight Hoot (Room 2031)

Thursday Night 11 p.m. – 2:30 a.m.

(One song per artist/act and folk DJ, not listed in order of appearance.)

Host: Michael Kornfeld

Folk DJs: Jim Colbert, Graham & Barbara Dean, Jon Stein

Artists:

Rod Abernethy, Mike Agranoff, Antonio Andrade, Lisa Bastoni, Belle of the Fall, Shawna Caspi, Crowes Pasture, Alyssa Dann, Diamonds in the Rust, Neale Eckstein, Kala Farnham, Roger Street Friedman, Gathering Time, Gina Holsopple, Joe Iadanza, ilyAIMY, Joe Jencks, Stuart Kabak, Brian Kalinec, Rachael Kilgour, Eric Lee, Mara Levine, Pete Mancini , Kirsten Maxwell, Hugh O’Doherty, Andrea Randa, Monica Rizzio, Mike P. Ryan, Susan Shann, Carolann Solebello, Hank Stone, Linda Sussman, Jesse Terry, The Royal Yard, and Letitita VanSant

House Band: Mark Dann, Jagoda, Eric Lee

Friday Afternoon Hosts: Mira Shapiro, Hank Stone, John Dillon and Viv Nesbitt

2:00 Mass. Appeal: Amy Kucharik, Eric Lee, Rob Lytle
2:30 Marylanders: Heather Aubrey Lloyd, Kipyn Martin, Letitita Van Sant
3:00 Fab Folk: Sophie Buskin, Rachael Kilgour, Nathans & Ronstadt
3:30 More Fab Folk: Gina Holsopple, Mike Laureanno, Hank Stone
4:00 Si Kahn’s Mother Jones in Heaven, a musical play about the legendary labor organizer (starring Viv Nesbitt, with John Dillon on guitar): 55 minutes.

Friday Night Host: Michael Kornfeld

Kirsten Maxwell, Alice Howe and Freebo showcase their talents in the AcousticMusicScene.com suite during the 2017 NERFA Conference (Photo: Jake Jacobson)

11:45 Low Lily
12:00 Southwest Songsters: C. Daniel Boling, Brian Kalinec and Terry Klein 12:30 A 12:30 A Trio of Duos: The Black Feathers, Miles & Mafale and The Whispering Tree
1:00 Ronny Cox and Heather Pierson Acoustic Trio
1:30 Freebo, Alice Howe and Kirsten Maxwell
2:00 Bandemonium: Cassandra House, Miles to Dayton, Pesky J. Nixon, and Quarter Horse

Saturday Night Host: Michael Kornfeld

11:45 Long Island Sounds: Gathering Time, Joe Iadanza, Rorie Kelly & Nico Padden,
and Hank Stone
12:30 Blues & Roots: Jon Shain & FJ Ventre and Pat Wictor
1:00 Two Duos & A Trio: Gathering Sparks, Deeper Than The Skin: Reggie Harris & Greg Greenway, and The Malvinas
1:30 Celtic Set: Emerald Rae and House of Hamill
2:00 O Canada: Big Little Lions, Melanie Brulee, Shawna Caspi, Scott Cook, Ken Dunn, Gathering Sparks, Piper Hayes, Moonfruits, Gillian Nicola, Cheryl Prashker (percussion), Corin Raymond, Benjamin Dakota Rogers, Tannis Slimmon, Annie Sumi, and Lucie Blue Tremblay

“I hope that attendees will share a meal and/or a song with new friends they don’t yet know, embrace the spirit of community that NERFA represents, and have a great conference experience,” said Michael Kornfeld, president of NERFA’s board of directors and editor and publisher of AcousticMusicScene.com. He expressed thanks to Dianne Tankle, NERFA’s founder and conference director since its inception, and her team of volunteers for all of their efforts in arranging the event. Tankle will be stepping down from her leadership role following this year’s conference.

Here’s a link to a video montage that Neale Eckstein created following the 2016 NERFA Conference: https://www.facebook.com/neale.eckstein/videos/10154271098733893/

NERFA is a regional affiliate of Folk Alliance International (www.folk.org), a nonprofit organization that aims to nurture, engage and empower the international folk music community — traditional and contemporary, amateur and professional — through education, advocacy and performance. NERFA’s geographic boundaries extend from the eastern provinces of Canada south to the northern Virginia suburbs of Washington, D.C. More extensive information on the organization and its annual conference may be found online at www.nerfa.org.

Editor’s Note: My thanks to Hank Stone for his assistance in setting up the AcousticMusicScene.com showcase room and for guest-hosting Friday afternoon song swaps– along with Mira Shapiro, Viv Nesbitt and John Dillon — to Amy Blake, Arpie Maros and Sybil Moser for the loan of folding chairs, and to Stuart Kabak for the loan of stage and decorative lights that help to create a listening room ambiance in the suite.

In addition to hosting the AcousticMusicScene.com Midnight Hoot and other showcases and leading a community meeting with the NERFA board of directors as its president, I will moderate a panel discussion on artists ‘website and social media and offer mentoring sessions on strategic communications and public relations topics during the conference.

Nominees Named for 2018 Canadian Folk Music Awards

Michael Kornfeld — Sat, 22 Sep 2018 15:09:27 +0000

The LYNNeS and Buffy Sainte-Marie top the list of nominees for the 2018 Canadian Folk Music Awards with five nods each. The duo of Lynn Miles & Lynne Hanson and the much-celebrated folksinger-songwriter are among the many artists and groups from throughout Canada vying for awards in 19 categories to be presented at The Gateway in Calgary, Alberta, Nov. 30 – Dec. 1.

Buffy Sainte-Marie, a singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and social activist, received the Allan Waters Humanitarian Award during the 2017 JUNO Awards ceremonies. Sainte Marie, whose musical career spans more than 50 years, and whose songs have also been covered by hundreds of other artists, is known for her thought-provoking lyrics and her passionate advocacy for indigenous people. Also an educator and philanthropist, Sainte-Marie has sought to protect indigenous intellectual property and championed indigenous artists and performers.

The LYNNeS feature two award-winning songwriters and multi-instrumentalists who have been earning accolades and wining over audiences as a duo with their gritty lyrics and tight vocal harmonies. Lynn Miles has 14 albums to her credit and has won several Juno Awards as well as Canadian Folk Music Awards. Red Molly and Claire Lynch have recorded her song “Black Flowers.” Lynne Hanson has been playing her brand of “porch music with a little red dirt” for a decade, has released six albums, and was previously nominated for a Canadian Folk Music Award as a solo artist.

The Canadian Folk Music Awards were established in 2005 to bring greater exposure to the breadth and depth of Canadian folk music, celebrating and promoting it in all its forms. A complete list of 2018 Canadian Folk Music Awards nominees follows, while more information may be found online at www.folkawards.ca.

Traditional Album of the Year:
Matthew Byrne – Horizon Lines
The Fretless – Live from the Art Farm
Genticorum – Avant l’orage
Babineau/Charrand – Gigues a 2 faces
Buffy Sainte-Marie – Medicine Songs

Contemporary Album of the Year:
Gabrielle Papillon – Keep the Fire
Gunning & Cormier – Two
The LYNNeS – Heartbreak song For the Radio
The Wailin’ Jennys – Fifteen
Donovan Woods – Both Ways

Children’s Album of the Year:
Splash ‘N Boots – Love, Kisses, and Hugs
Jeremy Fisher Junior – Highway To Spell
Edgar, LeBlanc, Cool, Farmeur, Vishten, Savoie, Butler – Grand tintamarre! – Chansons et comptines acadiennes
The Oot n’ Oots – Electric Jellyfish Boogaloo
The Swinging Belles – The Superstar Sibling Detective Agency

Traditional Singer of the Year:
Matthew Byrne – Horizon Lines
Pharis Romero (of Pharis & Jason Romero) – Sweet Old Religion
Lenka Lichtenberg – Masaryk: Narodni pisne
Buffy Sainte-Marie – Medicine Songs
Diana Erb (of Twas Now) – Old Fashioned Way

Contemporary Singer of the Year:
Dana Wylie – The Earth That You’re Made Of
Rob Lutes – Walk in the Dark
Kellie Loder – Benefit of the Doubt
Catherine MacLellan – If It’s Alright With You: The Songs of Gene MacLellan
Dylan Menzie – As The Clock Rewinds

Instrumental Solo Artist of the Year:
Jean-Francois Belanger – Les enrailles de la montagne
Holly Blazina – Transcendencia
Justin Gray (of Justin Gray & Synthesis) – New Horizons
Dan MacDonald – Rural/Urban
Andrea Bettger – Snappy Day

Instrumental Group of the Year:
West of Mabou – The Bridge
Andrew Collins Trio – Groove
The Fretless – Live from the Art Farm
So Long Seven – Kala Kalo
Miller/MacDonald/Cormier – South Haven

English Songwriter(s) of the Year:
Noosa Al-Sarraj (of Winona Wilde) – Wasted Time
Bruce Cockburn – Bone On Bone
Lynne Hanson, Lynn Miles (of the LYNNeS) – Heartbreak Song For The Radio
Dana Sipos – Trick Of The Light
Donovan Woods – Both Ways

French Songwriter(s) of the Year:
Danny Boudreau – Mon ete
Kristine St-Pierre – La promesse
Anike Berube, Natalie Byrns (of Ancolie) – Le soleil en bulle
Benoit Pinette (of Tire le Coyote) – Desherbage
Etienne Fletcher – Face A

Indigenous Songwriter(s) of the Year:
Tiffany Ayalik, Greyson Gritt (of Quantum Tangle) – Shelter as we go…
Sandra Sutter – Cluster Stars
Dennis Shorty – Gucho Hin
Buffy Sainte-Marie – Medicine Songs
Shanit – Apu peikussiak

Vocal Group of the Year:
Good Lovelies – Shapeshifters
Gunning & Cormier – Two
Pharis & Jason Romero – Sweet Old Religion
The LYNNeS – Heartbreak Song For the Radio
The Fugitives – The Promise Of Strangers

Ensemble of the Year:
The Fretless – Live from the Art Farm
Genticorum – Avat l’orage
Pharis & Jason Romero – Sweet Old Religion
The LYNNeS – Heartbreak Song For the Radio
The East Pointers – What We Leave Behind

Solo Artist of the Year:
David Francey – The Broken Heart Of Everything
Jolene Higgins (of Little Miss Higgins) – My Home, My Heart
Bruce Cockburn – Bone On Bone
Catherine MacLellan – If It’s Alright With You: The Songs of Gene MacLellan
Buffy Sainte-Marie – Medicine Songs

World Solo Artist of the Year:
Jean-Francois Belanger – Les entrailles de la montagne
Elaiana Cnevas – Golpes & Flores
Lenka Lichtenberg – Masaryk: Narodni pisne
Daniel Bellegarde (of Bellegarde) – Anba Tonel
Buffy Sainte-Marie – Medicine Songs

World Group of the Year:
Autorickshaw – Meter
Near East – Near East
Oktopus – Hapax
Lemon Bucket Orkestra – If I Had The Strength
Minor Empire – Uprooted

New/Emerging Artist of the Year:
Annie Sumi – In the Unknown
The Lifers – Honey Suite
Raine Hamilton – Night Sky
Jack Pine and The Fire – Left To Our Own Devices
Mattie Leon – Signal Hill
Aerialists – Group manoeuvre

Producer(s) of the Year:
Lynne Hanson, Lynn Miles – Heartbreak Song for the Radio (The LYNNeS)
Chris McKhool and John ‘Beetle” Bailey – Christmas Caravan (Sultans of String)
Ozan Boz – Uprooted (Minor Empire)
Steve Dawson – Same As I Ever Have Been ((Matt Patershuk)
Suzie Vinnick/Mark Lalama – Shake The Love Around (Suzie Vinnick)

Pushing The Boundaries:
Jean-Francois Belanger – Les enrailles de la montagne
Quantum Tangle – Shelter as we go…
Cindy Doire – Panorama
La Suite – Inventions pour deux violoneux
Beatrice Deer – My All To You

Young Performer of the Year:
Nick Earle, Joseph Coffin (of Earle and Coffin) – A Day in July
Christine Howse – We Were
Markey Mullan – Fiddle Dance
Ben Heffernan – Home
Jessica Wedden – One More Time

Juried Official Showcase Artists Chosen for 2018 NERFA Conference in Stamford, CT, Nov. 8-11

Michael Kornfeld — Fri, 24 Aug 2018 20:36:07 +0000

More than 40 artists/acts have been selected for juried formal and semi-formal showcases during the 24th annual Northeast Regional Folk Alliance (NERFA) Conference, slated for Nov. 8-11, at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Stamford, CT.

With only 14 artists/acts chosen for 15-minute slots on Friday and Saturday nights, the Formal Showcase is the premiere and most coveted performance opportunity at the conference. Featured in these showcases will be (listed in alphabetical order by last name or group name) The Black Feathers, Jonathan Byrd, Scott Cook, Ronny Cox, Reggie Harris and Greg Greenway: Deeper Than The Skin, Alice Howe, Louise Mosrie, Zoe Mulford, Heather Pierson Acoustic Trio, Sally Rogers and Claudia Schmidt, Screaming Orphans, Robinson Treacher, Kenny White, and Windborne. Named as alternates were Quentin Callewaert, Low Lily, and Kolonien.

Note: Alternates are automatically given a Semi-Formal Showcase performance slot unless selected to take the place of any Formal Showcase artists who are unable to perform.

Immediately following the Formal Showcases on Friday and Saturday nights, conference attendees will shuffle between three rooms in close proximity to one another to enjoy juried 15-minute Semi-Formal Showcases (formerly known as tricentrics and quadcentrics). Artists selected by a separate jury for these showcases include Rod Abernethy, Asaran Earth Trio, Big Little Lions, C. Daniel Boling, Ellen Bukstel, Susan Cattaneo Band, Noah Derksen, Emerald Rae, Josh Harty, Cassandra House, House of Hamill, Joe Jencks, Rachael Kilgour, Erika Kulnys, Kipyn Martin, The Next Generation Leahy, Moonfruits, Aaron Nathans & Michael G. Ronstadt, Diane Perry, Kerri Powers, The Promise Is Hope, Quarter Horse, Monica Rizzio, Annie Sumi, Jesse Terry, UPSTATE (formerly Upstate Rubdown), and Suzie Vinnick. Named as alternates were Roger Street Friedman, Mike P. Ryan, and All Types of Kinds. Like the Formal Showcases that precede them, nothing else is allowed to compete with the Semi-Formal Showcases during the conference.

After the juried showcases each evening, AcousticMusicScene.com will join dozens of presenters, performers and others in hosting guerilla showcases in their hotel rooms that extend through the early morning hours. The Suzi Wollenberg Folk DJ Showcase, informal jam sessions, thematic song circles, round-robin song swaps, and community sings round out the musical mix.

[Here’s a link to a short song video by Neale Eckstein featuring images and scenes from the 2017 NERFA Conference: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qt-A_DnX1OY.]

As in years past, besides several jam-packed days and nights of music showcases, the NERFA conference, also will feature informative panel discussions and workshops, one-on-one mentoring and peer group sessions, communal meals, a large trade show-like exhibit hall, a welcoming party, and lots of opportunities for schmoozing and networking. Singer-songwriter Dar Williams will be the conference’s keynote speaker.

NERFA is a regional affiliate of Folk Alliance International (www.folk.org), a nonprofit organization that aims to nurture, engage and empower the international folk music community — traditional and contemporary, amateur and professional — through education, advocacy and performance.

NERFA’s geographic boundaries extend from the eastern provinces of Canada south to the northern Virginia suburbs of Washington, D.C. Last year, its annual conference drew nearly 750 performing artists, presenters, promoters, folk DJs, agents and managers, and others engaged more than peripherally in the world of folk and acoustic music. The conference is designed to help them forge connections, build community, and learn things that can help enhance and enrich their professional and personal lives. For more information and to register to attend the conference, visit www.nerfa.org.

Editor’s Note: I am president of the NERFA board of directors and also serve on the Folk Alliance International board. In addition to hosting late-night showcases under the banner of AcousticMusicScene.com, I will moderate a panel discussion on social media and your online presence and offer mentoring sessions on strategic communications, PR and other topics during the conference.