A self-described upcycled Celtic folk band, House of Hamill features Rose Baldino (fiddle and vocals), Brian Buchanan (fiddle, vocals and guitar), and Caroline Browning (bass, mandolin and piano). The Pennsylvania-based, nationally touring trio has performed at music festivals and established folk venues. Its version of Ed Pickford’s “Pound a Week Rise” previously topped the songs chart on folk radio, while an all-violin cover of Guns N’ Roses’ “Sweet Child O’ Mine” garnered more than 17-million views on Facebook and was reportedly shared more than 400,000 times.

House of Hamill’s tight vocal harmonies, sophisticated instrumental arrangements, and acoustic pop sensibilities are evident on Wildfire, its fourth full-length album. Like its live shows and previous releases, the album features a mix of original numbers, modern takes on centuries-old folk ballads, and choice covers. The trio’s rendition of Jimmy Webb’s “The Highwayman” was the month’s most-played song on folk radio.

[Here’s a link to view a live performance of House of Hamill performing “The Highwayman” in concert earlier this year: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CqzdZVPbxJM.]

Wildfire — which was recorded in a cabin in the Blue Ridge Mountains near Asheville, North Carolina — also features House of Hamill’s original song “Banks of the Brandywine.” An ode to folklore that surrounds a notorious location on the Brandywine River in Chester County, PA, the song — which was #10 in August — was recently selected as the grand-prize winner in the folk category of the John Lennon Songwriting Contest – 2024 Session 1. An international songwriting contest designed to help enable songwriters to express themselves, gain recognition, and get their music heard, the contest was made possible by Yoko Ono Lennon and proceeds from it help support the nonprofit John Lennon Educational Tour Bus mobile recording studio that provides young people with opportunities to create original music and digital media.

[Here’s a link to view House of Hamill’s official video for “Banks of the Brandywine”: https://youtu.be/KGK0E3ROGp8?feature=shared.For more information on the trio and to view more videos, visit houseofhamill.com.]

The August 2024 top albums, songs and artists charts are based on 11,755 airplays reported on 405 playlists submitted by 107 different folk DJs. The number of reported spins is shown below in parentheses.

Folk Alliance International (folk.org) is a nonprofit organization that aims to serve, strengthen, and engage the global folk music community through preservation, presentation and promotion.

Top Albums of August 2024

1. Wildfire by House of Hamill (91)
2. From China to Appalachia by Cathy Fink and Marcy Marxer with Chao Tian (75)
3. Boarding Windows in Paradise by Rebecca Frazier (69)
4. Bloom Where You Fall by Hana Zara (58)
5. The Light Years by The Magnolia Janes (52)
6. The Legend of Sugarbelly by Guy Davis (43)
6. Hanging at the Luna Star by Lou Dominguez (43)
8. The First Day of December by Ivan Strunin (41)
9. Earl Jam by Tony Trischka (40)
9. Points of Light by Noah Zacharin (40)
11. Signposts and Marks by Erin Ash Sullivan (39)
12. The Two of Us by Janie Rothfield and Allan Carr (38)
13. Goldenrod by Teni Rane (35)
14. Wasted Luck by Tiffany Williams and Dalton Mills (33)
15. Holding the Threads by Beth DeSombre (32)
16. A Prosperous Gale by Open the Door for Three (30)
17. City of Glass by AJ Lee and Blue Summit (28)
18. Terra Madre by Beppe Gambetta (26)
19. Alone Again….live by Steve Earle (25)
19. Trees by Laurie Lewis (25)
21. Starting Over by Dan Bern (23)
22. Trail of Flowers by Sierra Ferrell (22)
23. Wanderers Like Me by The Po’ Ramblin’ Boys (21)
23. Broken Homes and Hearts of Gold by The Lucky Nows (21)
23. Borned in Ya by Melissa Carper (21)
23. Woodland by Gillian Welch and David Rawlings (21)
23. Driven to Drive by Joe Ely (21)
23. Soliloquy: Sixteen Solo Songs by Craig Bickhardt (21)
29. The Earth Turns and So Do We by The Honey Badgers (19)
30. Resurrection by Los Lonely Boys (18)
30. The Ghost of Tucumcari by Dana Cooper (18)
30. Cowgirl’s Delight by Phoebe White (18)
33. There’s a Bright Side Somewhere by Happy Traum (17)
33. Texicali by Dave Alvin and Jimmie Dale Gilmore (17)
33. Look Up by Lynn Hollyfield (17)
33. Banjo Jubilations by Benny Bleu (17)
33. Proxy Music by Linda Thompson (17)
33. One of These Days by Cris Jacobs (17)
39. The Only Moment by Maya De Vitry (16)
39. Wanderer by Ruth Moody (16)
39. Blame It on Eve by Shemekia Copeland (16)
42. The Avett Brothers by The Avett Brothers (15)
42. Weary Ramblers by Weary Ramblers (15)
42. Transmissions by Amos Lee (15)
45. On Banjo by Alison Brown (14)
45. South of Here by Nathaniel Rateliff and the Night Sweats (14)
45. Listen to the World Spin by Paper Wings (14)
45. The Price of Happiness by Miranda Hardy (14)
45. Phthalo Blue by Andrew Marlin (14)
45. Ordinary Elephant by Ordinary Elephant (14)
45. Lace by Billy Eli (14)
45. The Beauty of This Now by Marc Douglas Berardo (14)
45. Wild Birds Warbel by Jubal Lee Young (14)
45. Hymn of Wild Things by Natalie Spears (14)

Top Songs of August 2024

1. “The Highwayman” by House of Hamill (21)
2. “Gentle Arms of Eden” by Erik Balkey and Jessica Smucker (18)
2. “Put No Walls Around Your Garden” by New Dangerfield (18)
2. “High on a Mountain” by Cathy Fink and Marcy Marxer with Chao Tian (18)
2. “Who Will Take My Place” by Tania Elizabeth (18)
6. “Our Work Here Is Not Yet Done” by Hana Zara (17)
7. “Empty Trainload of Sky” by Gillian Welch and David Rawlings (14)
7. “Worst of Both Worlds” by Tiffany Williams and Dalton Mills (14)
7. “People Against an Empire” by Hana Zara (14)
10. “Banks of the Brandywine” by House of Hamill (13)
10. “Think I’ll Have Another One” by Lisa Jeanette (13)
12. “Gold Watch and Chain” by Tiffany Williams and Dalton Mills (12)
12. “Listen to the Radio” by Beth DeSombre (12)
12. “Borderline” by Rebecca Frazier (12)
15. “Firefly” by Teni Rane (11)
15. “Zydeco Minor Swing” by Ivan Strunin (11)
15. “Ten Tons of Road” by Noah Zacharin (11)
15. “Leadfoot” by Billy Strings (11)
15. “Talkin’ Bout a Revolution” by Lou Dominguez (11)
20. “Smokejumper” by House of Hamill (10)
20. “Speed of Life” by The Magnolia Janes (10)
20. “August Flower” by Cathy Fink and Marcy Marxer with Chao Tian (10)
20. “Stones on the Road” by The Magnolia Janes (10)
24. “Dooley” by Tony Trischka (9)
24. “Saro Jane” by Rebecca Frazier (9)
24. “High Country Road Trip” by Rebecca Frazier (9)
24. “Ausable” by House of Hamill (9)
24. “Goat on a Stone Wall” by Erin Ash Sullivan (9)
24. “Sit and Pick With You” by Beppe Gambetta (9)
24. “Into the Wild” by Molly Tuttle and Golden Highway (9)
24. “Chilly Winds” by Janie Rothfield and Allan Carr (9)
24. “The Sun in My Backyard” by The Magnolia Janes (9)
24. “Wildfire” by House of Hamill (9)
24. “Into the Golden” by House of Hamill (9)

Top Artists of August 2024

1. House of Hamill (93)
2. Cathy Fink and Marcy Marxer with Chao Tian (75)
3. Rebecca Frazier (70)
4. Hana Zara (58)
5. The Magnolia Janes (52)
6. Guy Davis (50)
7. Lou Dominguez (47)
8. Sweet Honey in the Rock (45)
9. Tony Trischka (42)
10. Erin Ash Sullivan (41)
10. Ivan Strunin (41)
12. Noah Zacharin (40)
13. Janie Rothfield and Allan Carr (38)
14. Happy Traum (37)
14. Laurie Lewis (37)
16. Pete Seeger (35)
16. Teni Rane (35)
18. Tiffany Williams and Dalton Mills (33)
18. Steve Earle (33)
20. Beth DeSombre (32)
21. Open the Door for Three (31)
21. Nanci Griffith (31)
21. Dan Bern (31)
24. AJ Lee and Blue Summit (30)
24. Johnny Cash (30)
26. Alison Brown (29)
27. Beppe Gambetta (28)
28. Billy Strings (27)
28. The Po’ Ramblin’ Boys (27)
30. Tom Rush (26)
31. Craig Bickhardt (25)
31. John Prine (25)
33. Ellis Paul (24)
33. Bob Dylan (24)
33. Gillian Welch and David Rawlings (24)
33. Benny Bleu (24)
33. Carrie Newcomer (24)
38. John McCutcheon (23)
38. Joe Ely (23)
40. Stan Rogers (22)
40. Richard Thompson (22)
40. Sierra Ferrell (22)

“St. Brigid was a light in the darkest of times, a peacemaker, a woman who provided sustenance and a safe haven for all,”” notes Ivers, a Grammy Award-winning Irish American fiddler. “I’m thrilled to be joining other female artists as part of a livestream concert honoring this beloved Irish saint. May the perpetual flame that St. Brigid ignited so long ago, which still burns in Kildare Town’s Market Square today, live in our hearts and shine through the gift of music and community.” The livestream concert can be viewed on The Association of Irish & Celtic Festivals’ Facebook page.

Along with Ivers and Madden, a flutist and tin whistle player who has been at the helm of the New York-based all-female Irish music ensemble Cherish the Ladies since its inception in 1985, the following artists will be showcasing their musical talents:

The Bowtides (a trio of fiddlers who spent 14 cumulative years – never at the same time – in Gaelic Storm), Ashley Davis (an eclectic American singer-songwriter), Goitse (a multi-award-winning traditional Irish ensemble), Dani Larkin (a singer-songwriter and folk musician from the Armagh-Monaghan border whose music is inspired by the folktales she was raised with, intertwined with elements of traditional melodies and rhythms from around the world in a timeless tradition), Susan O’Neill (SON, an enigmatic singer-songwriter who fuses traditional Irish folk with rock, soul, gospel and blues), Cathie Ryan (an award-winning Irish-American vocalist and songwriter who was the original lead singer with Cherish the Ladies), Clare Sands (a versatile Cork-born fiddler, multi-instrumentalist, composer and singer-songwriter with deep family roots in Northern Ireland and County Wexford, whose sound is rooted in Irish traditional music), and Aoife Scott (a Dublin-based folksinger-songwriter who is part of the legendary Black Family).

The Association of Irish & Celtic Festivals (AICF) is a collective of more than 170 festivals throughout The United States and Canada that aims to bring the Irish culture – via music, education, food and dance – to those not in Ireland in the hopes that those traditions are never lost. Referring to the concert as “a celebration of the female spirit,” Erin O’Rourke from Indy Irish Fest in Indianapolis and an AICF executive board member, said: “We hope that by highlighting this Irish patron saint and her holiday and stories, we can entertain and educate audiences with a program that celebrates her, and some of the best female Irish musicians and dancers across the world.” More information about the St. Brigid’s Day Concert and AICF may be found at irishcelticfestivals.org.

Born on December 24, 1939, Robin Morton grew up in Portadown, County Armagh, Northern Ireland. His dad was a jazz enthusiast and turned him on to jazz as a child. Morton tried to play the cornet during his youth and also developed an interest in skiffle music before The Liverpool Spinners, among others, began to spark his interest in folk music around 1959. He regularly watched the weekly Hootennny TV show that emanated from Edinburgh, Scotland and featured such folk artists as Martin Carthy and Archie Fisher. While living briefly in Manchester, he also picked up the guitar around that time.

After returning home to Portadown, he began frequenting a nearby pub, where he’d occasionally sing traditional songs during singer sessions. Later, while at Queens University in Belfast studying social work, Morton became involved in the Glee Club led by Phil Coulter, in whose shows he performed a few times (primarily Woody Guthrie songs). He also launched a folk society there in 1963, although he left it and the university after a year to continue his studies at London School of Economics. While in London, he befriended Ewan MacColl, who helped to spur his interest in collecting traditional folk songs.

Upon returning to Belfast, Morton worked in child psychiatry for a while and also helped to launch the Ulster Folk Music Society. He sought to pair music and song together, rather than just separate instrumental and singing sessions, as was the norm. It was through the folk music society that Morton met Cathal McConnell and Tommy Gunn. The three would launch the traditional Irish folk group Boys of the Lough, named after a reel that they enjoyed playing, in 1967. MacColl and Peggy Seeger arranged the band’s first tour. Morton performed and toured with the seminal band, through various personnel changes, for a dozen years.

Morton also collected songs from Ulster and compiled them in a book entitled Folk Songs Sung in Ulster that was published in 1970, along with two albums featuring recordings of traditional singers. Late that year, he moved to Edinburgh.

During the late 1970s, Morton, who had previously worked as a producer for Topic Records, opened a recording studio and established Temple Records, a label devoted to acoustic Scottish (and some Irish) traditional music. Based in a converted church in the village of Temple, near Edinburgh, the label’s mission is “to release music that reflects a great, proud, timeless tradition.” Its first album was Alison Kinnaird’s The Harp Key (1978). Temple Records has released a number of classic, groundbreaking and seminal recordings over the years by such artists as Marie Ni Chathasaigh, John McCusker, Brian McNeill, Flora McNeill, and Christine Primrose. But, perhaps, the most notable act on its roster is Battlefield Band, a group that Morton also managed for more than 40 years — until his passing.

Founded in 1969 and performing under the banner “Forward with Scotland’s Past,” Battlefield Band performs an inspired mix of ancient and modern traditional music and songs. “What the internationally renowned Irish band, the Chieftains, have done for traditional Irish music, Battlefield Band are doing for the music of Scotland,” according to Billboard magazine.

Robin Morton was a passionate champion for the music that he loved. Through the years, in many different capacities (including a short stint as director of the Edinburgh Folk Festival from 1986-1988), he did so much to preserve, produce and promote traditional Scottish folk music – and, more broadly, traditional Celtic music. He left an indelible mark and will be sorely missed.

Billed as the largest free Celtic festival in North America, the Celtic Classic has drawn nearly 300,000 people in past years. Now in its 34th year, the festival did not take place in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The Celtic Cultural Alliance is adhering to all federal and state guidelines with respect to the pandemic this year. Festival hours are 4-10 p.m. EST on Sept 24, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Sept. 25, and 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Sept. 26.

Artists slated to perform include Barleyjuice, Blackwater, Celtic Aire (the U.S. Air Force’s Celtic band), Chambless & Muse, Chivalrous Crickets, Emish, Fig for a Kiss, House of Hamill, Seamus Kennedy, Kennedy’s Kitchen, Kilmaine Saints, Moxie Strings, Rogue Diplomats, RUNA, and Gerry Timlin.

Other musical attractions during the weekend include pipe band, fiddle and drum major competitions. Irish dancers from the O’Grady Quinlan Academy of Irish Dance also will take part in the festivities.

North America’s largest highland games take place during the Celtic Classic for the 14th time. The U.S. National Highland Athletic Championships feature events that trace their origins back to medieval Scotland; these include the lifting of heavy stone, throwing 16 and 22-pound hammers, and sheaf and caber tossing. Border collie exhibitions, The Showing of the Tartan parade; a Haggis Bowl (in which whoever eats one pound of Scotland’s national dish wins); a Celtic Heritage Hollow featuring children’s activities, Celtic societies and clans tents, blacksmith demonstrations, and cultural competitions; and a Celtic marketplace featuring crafts, merchandise and collectibles also are on tap.

More information on one of the most popular events in northeastern Pennsylvania’s Lehigh Valley, including daily schedules, may be found at celticfest.org.

Local, national and international touring artists whose performances are slated to stream @ https://facebook.com/michiganirish over the extended weekend include (in alphabetical order) The Alt, An Dro, Blackthorn, Ruth and Max Bloomquist, Bohola, Daimh, Doolin’, Ian Gould, Shane Hennessey, Seamus Kennedy, The Kreelers, One for the Foxes, Peat in the Creel, RUNA, Scythian, Sharon Shannon, Trout Steak Revival, and Uneven Ground. Singer-Songwriter Ashley Davis will host a songwriters circle featuring Dave Curley, Doolin’, Colin Farrell, and Shane Hennessey, while Shannon Lambert-Ryan, RUNA’s lead vocalist, will host a family-friendly presentation on “Baking with Babies.”

The schedule for the virtual festival appears below. Videos may also be posted on the festival’s Facebook page for replay later if you miss or want to see any of the acts again.

Thursday
5-7 pm Sounds Like Ireland Radio Program
8 pm Runa
9 pm Seamus Kennedy
10 pm An Dro

Friday
6 – 9 am Michael Patrick Shiels The Big Show radio show broadcast live from downtown Muskegon
5 pm Ruth and Max Bloomquist
6 pm Ian Gould
6:30 pm Songwriters Circle with Ashley Davis (featuring Colin Farrell and Dave Curley)
7 pm Dave Curley
7:50 pm Five Farms
8 pm Best of Scythian on Dan’s Wedding Day!
9 pm Shane Hennessy
10 pm The Kreellers

Saturday
12 pm Conklin Ceili Band
1 pm Peat in the Creel
1:30 pm Cathy Jo Smith Storyteller – Seanín the Piper
2 pm Kennedy’s Kitchen
2:30 Bob Harke with Kennedy’s Kitchen
3 pm Baking with Babies
4 pm Songwriters Circle with Ashley Davis (featuring Doolan’)
5 pm the Alt
5:30 pm Cathy Jo Smith – Questions about the Irish Wake
6 pm Friel Sisters
7 pm One for the Foxes
8 pm Daimh
9 pm Doolin’
10 pm CrossBow

Sunday
11 am Uneven Ground
11:30 am Deb O’Carroll’s Irish Magic Show
12 pm Runa featuring Eamonn and Cormac de Barra
1 pm Songwriters Circle with Ashely Davis (featuring Shane Hennessy)
2 pm Trout Steak Revival
3 pm Bohola
4 pm Best of Sharon Shannon
5 pm Blackthorn

American, Canadian, Irish and Scottish artists will be featured in what Cheryl Prashker, the festival’s artistic director and general manager; hopes will be “a magical online experience.” Nearly eight hours of pre-recorded music made especially for the festival will be viewable via the festival’s website (CelticFestival.ca), as well as its Facebook page (https://facebook.com/goderichceltic) and YouTube channel (https://youtube.com/channel/UCHRa3SZ8Y1wn88xYtNvR4Lg/featured?view_as=subscriber). FolkMusicNotebook.com, a 24/7 online music channel, will also stream the festival on its website.

From its humble beginnings as one-time memorial concert in 1993, the Goderich Celtic Roots Festival is now the oldest pan-Celtic festival in North America. In addition to a three-day outdoor festival showcasing some of the world’s best Celtic musicians, dancers and artists, it has grown/evolved to include a weeklong Celtic College and a Celtic Kids Camp, as well as a series of rural outreach mini-concerts,

The festival –- whose physical location is surrounded by the Irish and Scottish heritage reflected in the nearby communities of Belfast, Dublin, Kincardine, Lucknow and Seaforth — was founded on the spirit of community and connecting people with Celtic roots and exploring new Celtic expressions. It generally features more than 60 hours of live musical performances by dozens of artists and acts on five stages, ranging from small intimate ones to a high-powered main stage.

Postponing the 28th edition of the Goodrich Celtic Roots Festival to August 2-8, 2021
“was a really emotionally hard decision to make,” Prashker acknowledged, ”but we’re going all out with this virtual one.” Prashker -– who is also part of the Celtic roots group RUNA and a ‘percussionist to the folkies’ — noted that when she assumed her position with the festival two years ago it was her “secret hope to put the beautiful small town of Goderich on the world map … and now it will be on the world stage virtually.”

Here’s a link to view a short commercial for the festival:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L_fcUWQrzE0

The virtual Goderich Celtic Roots Festival 27.5 will feature pre-recorded performances by Ariko (Canada), Bourque Emissaires (Canada), Cherish The Ladies (U.S.), Shane Cook (Canada)), Joe Crookston (U.S.), The deBarra Brothers (U.S. & Ireland), Flack (Canada), Eve Goldberg (Canada), Joe Jencks (U.S.), Kruger Brothers (U.S. & Ireland), Emory Lester (Canada), Malinky (Scotland), North Atlantic Drift (Canada), Brian O’Headhra & Fiona MacKenzie (Scotland), One for the Foxes (Ireland & U.S.), Reynolds, Robinson & Lodge (Canada), and RUNA (U.S. & Canada).

“We returned to the festival the following year and, by that time, I had absolutely fallen in love with the town and the people, not to mention the beach at Lake Huron,” said Prashker. Noting that “There is an energy here that many say is what keeps them coming back time and time again,” she continued, “Each year after that, even if RUNA was not booked at the festival, I would come back anyway and teach at the Celtic College.” That led to her spending more and more time in Goderich — visiting and eventually moving there and assuming her current dream job. “It reads like a fairy tale (at least to me it does.), and I am so honored to be here,” she added, expressing hope that online festival viewers will get a small glimpse of the spirit and beauty of Goderich that drew her there.

The annual Celtic Roots Festival is run under the auspices of the Goodrich Celtic Folk Society — a charitable nonprofit organization that produces events designed to foster awareness, participation, and education in the world of traditional Celtic culture. Although admission to the virtual festival is free, there will be a virtual tip jar (celticfestival.ca/donate) and all contributions will go to the participating artists.

As in years past, this year’s schedule includes a number of talented artists and acts — many performing in song-swap style workshops with folks whom they may have never even met, making for unique musical pairings. It also poses a dilemma of choices that may have some attendees scrambling from one stage to another nearby to catch certain artists.

There will be continuous music from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. on seven sound stages, ranging from the intimate “Meet the Performer” area at the historic Seamen’s Bethel (which figures In Herman Melville’s classic novel, Moby Dick) and the National Park Garden Stage to the majestic 1200-seat Zeiterion Theater, the event’s presenter.

Besides the music, more than 90-juried artisans and crafts makers will set up booths along the cobblestoned streets between the performance tents and venues. Among them will be jewelers, instrument makers, tie dyeers, local honey purveyors, ceramic artists, vendors selling handmade health and beauty products, and more.

While in New Bedford, you also can enjoy fresh seafood and sample tasty cuisine at one of the whaling city’s many Portuguese restaurants. A food court and beer garden also will fill two blocks of Purchase Street in front of The Zeiterion Performing Arts Center and near the SouthCoast Stage, where a number of local artists are slated to perform.

Admission to the festival is quite affordable at $40 for the weekend or $30 for one-day, while a premium weekend pass is $140. Tickets are available for purchase at https://zeiterion.org/nb-folk-festival-2019/, by calling 508-994-2900, or in person at the box office at 684 Purchase Street. Children under 12 will be admitted free with an adult.

For more information and to see complete schedules for the weekend, visit www.newbedfordfolkfestival.com.

A number of booking agencies whose rosters include folk and roots artists were among the more than 300 exhibitors in the large EXPO Hall. The conference also featured networking opportunities galore, daily plenary sessions and keynote speakers, an awards ceremony, a town hall on the artist as activist, and a wide array of professional development workshops and forums.

The theme for 2019 was The Power of WE and highlighted the collective strength and the influence of the performing arts in the world. As Mario Garcia Durham, APAP’s president and CEO, noted in welcoming conference attendees: “At APAP, we celebrate both the impact of our work and the opportunity for each one of us to draw energy, ideas and inspiration from it. Our strength as an industry comes from the everyday efforts of individuals in this field, and our collective power – The Power of WE – that fuels us as performing arts professionals.”

Showcases of Note Took Place at the Host Hotel and at Venues Around New York City

More than 1,000 showcases (music, dance, theater, comedy, and more) took place both at the New York Hilton Midtown, the conference hotel, and at venues throughout Manhattan. A few also were set in other New York City boroughs.

January 4: As he has for the last two years, composer, banjoist and producer Jayme Stone curated an eclectic roots music showcase at the host hotel that extended from the late afternoon into the evening. Called the Secret Agents APAP Showcase, it featured a number of notable, primarily self-managed touring artists. As Stone told AcousticMusicScene.com last January, he sought “to create a space for independent roots/world music artists to have their music heard by performing arts center directors and festival programmers. My goal was to make the cost slightly more affordable for artists and to create an opportunity for underrepresented artists to have a seat at the table. Most of the artists at our showcase do not have agents, which is rare at this conference.”

Kicking off the musical festivities was Eleanor Dubinsky, a soulful NYC-based singer songwriter, and her ensemble. Although I’d seen and previously been impressed by Dubinsky’s singing and song stylings in solo and duo performances, having an ensemble backing her added a whole new dimension to her performance. Next up, Stone debuted his New Art-Pop Project. Among the artists joining him on that was Moira Smiley, herself a gifted songwriter and vocalist, who, accompanied by her group, VOCO, had her own short showcase immediately afterwards entitled The Voice is a Traveler.

“2019 was my first time at Wavelengths, and that was a revelation to experience the small, fierce like-minded group of people interested in traditional arts,” she said, expressing appreciation to the pre-conference’s organizers for screening her promo video for her The Voice Is A Traveler show. In my view, it was the best of a number of short videos and video clips screened. As for the Secret Agents Showcase, Smiley said: “I love [them] for their absolute weirdness of variety. It reminds you how many worlds of entertainment here are – some intersecting not-one-bit with your own! Yet we’re all here making our dough with these sights and sounds.”

Also part of the Secret Agents Showcase were Taarka, a Colorado-based adventurous Americana trio whose sound is a blend of bluegrass, folk, gypsy jazz, and soul; American samba band Os Clavelitos; the energetic Northeastern Brazilian party music of accordionist Rob Curto’s Forro For All; and the joyous Brazilian bluegrass sounds of Matuto (fronted by Clay Ross), among others.

The evening’s musical gumbo also included the jazzy Brazilian Americana sounds of Max Hatt & Edda Glass; Hen’s Teeth, a cross-continental duo with Janie Rothfield (Staunton, VA) and Nathan Bontrager (Cologne, Germany); DuoDuo Quartet comprised of percussive dancer Nic Gareiss with harpist Maeve Glichrist, plus cellist Natalie Haas (who frequently performs with Alasdair Fraser) with her husband-guitarist Yann Falquet (from the Quebecois folk group Genticorum) – all of whom have toured internationally for years; Jenna Moynihan & Mairi Chaimbeaul, a fiddle and harp duo; and Mark Kilianski & Nate Sabat featuring a guitarist and songwriter from the duo Hoot & Holler and the bassist and songwriter from Mile Twelve, a Boston-based bluegrass band. Each of the preceding artists (with the exception of Simien) also joined Waldman in kicking-off the evening’s musical festivities with renditions of “Cluck Old Hen.” A welcome and unexpected highlight of the evening was Waldman’s pairing of harpists Gilchrist and Chaimbeaul for a tune as a twin-harp interlude between sets.

Although some parts of the roots music variety show’s format have remained the same, “it’s always evolving, sometimes in subtle ways, sometimes a little more dramatically,” Waldman noted. “O stage, I’ll sometimes mention a quote I’ve learned as a writer: no surprise to writer, no surprise to reader, which means if a writer is surprised what he or she is writing, which happens, it’s almost guaranteed the reader will be surprised. I think that’s a good thing. It means extra energy. I try to bring that mindset to the show, and have actively encouraged collaborations, which brings an element of the unknown. If the musicians are not 100% sure what’s going to happen next, the audience won’t know either.”

The same lineup of artists who performed at Don’t Tell Mama also showcased their talents the previous night at Brooklyn’s Jalopy Theater. “One of the evolutions in the show was [that] we began booking Thursday night at the Jalopy Theater in Red Hook, which served not only as a public event (on Friday we only market to APAP attendees), but also as a run-through for Friday,” said Waldman.

While I was enjoying the music at Don’t Tell Mama, the Americana Music Association sponsored a showcase concert at Rockwood Music Hall on the Lower East Side featuring singer-songwriter Caitlin Canty with special guests Oshima Brothers, while Smithsonian Folkways recording artists Anna & Elizabeth (who have previously been part of Waldman’s roots music variety shows) shared their innovative, modern arrangements of old-time Appalachian music at Joe’s Pub; The Klezmatics played Irridium, a midtown jazz club; and the Seamus Egan Project (featuring one of the most influential artists in contemporary Irish music) showcased at the New York Hilton, as did Switchback, the Celtic and Americana duo of Brian Fitzgerald and Martin McCormick. A multimedia concert by Seamus Egan’s seminal band Solas was a highlight of a previous APAP Conference.

January 5: My Saturday afternoon is traditionally filled with Celtic showcases at the hotel, and it would have been this year had I not opted to remain on Long Island to emcee a concert that I’d helped to arrange. Among the artists who showcased their talents at the New York Hilton Midtown that day were ebullient New York-based jig-rockers The Prodigals and their alter egos Acoustic Micks; Cherish The Ladies, the all-female Irish band fronted by Joannie Madden; Philadelphia-based Celtic roots band RUNA; and the young Irish trad trio Socks in the Frying Pan (from County Clare), whom I saw the next day.

Also showcasing their talents at the hotel on Saturday afternoon were Banjo Nickaru & Western Scooches and Sam Reider & Human Hands. Natalia Zukerman performed excerpts from The Women Who Rode Away, a multimedia show melding her talents as a songwriter, painter and storyteller. William Florian, formerly of The New Christy Minstrels, presented a taste of Those Were The Days: The Spirit and the Songs of the 1960s.

Tamara Kater of Toronto, Ontario- based Mavens Music Management reports that the showcase was well attended, with more than 100 people in the audience – about half of whom had APAP connections. “APAP is always rewarding, especially with the concurrent content of Wavelengths and GlobalFEST,” said Kater. “It’s inspiring and rewarding to meet such an array of presenters and artists all in one place, within a few days. Seeing the venues of New York and so many performances in such a compact amount of time is always a brilliant way to start off the new year.”

Also that evening, booking agency Madison House hosted a showcase at City Winery featuring Canadian singer-songwriter Rose Cousins, American singer-songwriter Willie Nile, and Madagascar-born singer-songwriter ad environmental activist Razia Said. Down at Rockwood Music Hall, The Blue Dahlia featuring Dahlia Dumont, a Brooklyn gal now living in Paris, who pens and sings songs in both English and French, appeared. Among the artists who showcased their talents at New York Hilton were Emmet Cahill (star of PBS’ Celtic Thunder) and the Jen Chapin Trio featuring the soulful urban folk singer-songwriter, her husband Stephan Crump on acoustic bass, and Jamie Fox on electric guitar.

January 6: Isle of Klezbos, a swinging all-female Klezmer sextet shared a bill and some members with the octet Metropolitan Klezmer (now celebrating its silver anniversary) as they performed some vintage instrumentals and Yiddish songs during Sunday brunch at City Winery. Although I enjoyed this last year, I skipped it this time. I also missed singer-songwriter Ellis Paul’s short early morning “Hero In You” showcase, during which he presented 15-minutes of excerpts from an award-winning educational program for children based on his CD and book of the same name that inspires youngsters to dream big.

I enjoyed several showcases that were part of Celebrate Our FOLK at Connolly’s Pub – Restaurant (Connolly’s Klub 45). The highlights were Kaia Kater and Kittel & Co.

Fronted by Jeremy Kittel — a virtuosic violinist, fiddler and composer — Kittel & Co. is an acoustic trio/string band with folk and jazz sensibilities whose sound also has Celtic, bluegrass and classical influences. Its recent release, Whorls, debuted at #1 on the Billboard bluegrass chart, while Kittel’s piece “Chrysalis” is among the nominees for a Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Composition.

Also on the bill were singer-songwriter Ashley Davis, Making Movies (a Kansas City, MO-based band whose music defies easy categorization and whose set I missed, although I’ve previously seen the band at a Folk Alliance International conference held in its hometown), and the previously mentioned Socks in the Frying Pan.

Later in the evening, Kater shared a bill at Rockwood Music Hall as part of Quicksilver Productions, Lost Buffalo Artists & Smithsonian Folkways Present: The Women of Folkways with label mates The Bright Siders (featuring singer-songwriter and percussive dancer Kristin Andreassen – formerly of Uncle Earl – and Brooklyn-based child psychiatrist Dr. Kari Groff who create music that helps children and families have meaningful conversations about emotions) and Lula Wiles (a Boston–based, harmonious trio made up of Isa Burke, Eleanor Buckland, and Mali Obamsawin, whose Smithsonian Folkways debut, What Will We Do, is released Jan. 25 and who I had the pleasure of introducing at a couple of festivals).

Among the artists showcasing their talents at the New York Hilton in the evening were The Everly Set: Sean Altman and Jack Skuller Celebrate The Everly Brothers and Sultans of String, award-winning genre-bending world music instrumentalists from Toronto. Vanaver Caravan, a troupe of dancers and musicians, presented nearly half an hour of excerpts from Turn Turn Turn Turn, a show featuring more than 20 of Pete Seeger’s most celebrated songs and timed to coincide with the centenary of the late folk icon’s birth. Li, who describes his music as urban folk, did not impress this writer, while a Folk Legends showcase featuring two former members of The Kingston Trio was cancelled due to illness.

Also during the conference, Sage Artists shared excerpts of Call Mr. Robeson: A Life, With Songs, while cast members from Lonesome Traveler: The Concert performed short musical excerpts from the show, along with narration that helps tell the story of American folk and folk-rock music from Woody Guthrie to Bob Dylan and beyond. Artists in various other musical genres also showcased their talents, while comedy, dance and theatrical showcases also were part of the mix.

Since there were no folk or roots music showcases of note on January 7, and the conference closed with a plenary session on the morning of January 8, I did not venture into NYC those days.

About the Association of Performing Arts Professionals (APAP)

Based in Washington, DC, APAP is a nonprofit national service, advocacy and membership organization dedicated to developing and supporting a robust performing arts presenting field and the professionals who work within it. The next APAP Conference is set for Jan. 10-14, 2020 in New York City. More information on the organization may be found on its website: www.apap365.org.

The theme for 2018 was trans.ACT and focused on the transformative power of the arts. The conference’s plenary sessions explored the role and responsibility of the performing arts in our world today and the impact of trans-disciplinary thinking and partnerships that are breaking new ground in both the arts and the world beyond.

Showcases of Note Took Place at the Host Hotel and at Venues Around New York City

Showcases took place both at the New York Hilton Midtown, the conference hotel, and at venues throughout Manhattan. A few also were set in other New York City boroughs and beyond.

January 12:

January 13:

During the evening, I enjoyed extended sets of music by Jim Messina (of Loggins & Messina, Poco and Buffalo Springfield fame) and Grammy Award-winning southwest Louisiana-based Cajun band Beausoleil avec Michel Doucet at Iridium, a Manhattan nightclub that primarily features jazz artists. Back at the hotel late that night, I also enjoyed a short showcase by the vocal group Estonian Voices.

January 14:

January 15:

Other folk and roots artists who showcased their talents during the APAP Conference included The Abrams Brothers, vocals and harp duo Addi & Jacq, multi-instrumentalists Andes Manta, contemporary folk trio A Band Called Honalee, Russian folk ensemble Barnya, young Irish tenor Emmet Cahill (who is also a member of Celtic Thunder), Colombian-Panamanian roots duo Calle Sur, The Everly Set (Sean Altman and Jack Skuller), guitarist Vicki Genfan, seven-sibling act The Hunts, Georgian polyphonic choir Iberi, Quebec’s Melisande [Electrotrad], Guy Mendilow Ensemble, Mojo & the Bayou Gypsies, accordionist and composer-singer Sam Reider, eclectic roots ensemble Upstate Rubdown, Ottawa Valley fiddler April Verch and her band, and Yemen Blues. Randy Noojin presented 15-minute excerpts from Hard Travelin’ with Woody, his one-man multimedia show featuring the music and artwork of Woody Guthrie, as well as Seeger — A multimedia solo show featuring the music of Pete Seeger. Sage Artists shared excerpts of Call Mr. Robeson: A Life, With Songs.” Cast members from Lonesome Traveler: The Concert also performed short musical excerpts from the show, along with narration that helps tell the story of American folk and folk-rock music from Woody Guthrie to Bob Dylan and beyond. Artists in various other musical genres also showcased their talents, while comedy, dance and theatrical showcases also were part of the mx.

Artists who Hosted Showcases Offer Their Reflections

Jayme Stone notes that he started curating a showcase at last year’s APAP Conference “to create a space for independent roots/world music artists to have their music heard by performing arts center directors and festival programmers. My goal was to make the cost slightly more affordable for artists and to create an opportunity for underrepresented artists to have a seat at the table. Most of the artists at our showcase do not have agents, which is rare at this conference.”

“Attending the conference has proven to have a profound impact on my touring career,” says Clay Ross, who fronts both Matuto and Ranky Tanky and produced the Global Routes Music Showcase with Stone. Noting that he’s been attending APAP conferences for the past seven years, Ross told AcousticMusicScene.com: “It’s given me the opportunity to connect with presenters, agents, managers, and other industry professionals around the world.” Those connections have helped prompt bookings for his bands at a number of prestigious Americana, roots and jazz venues and festivals.

“As an artist, I think it’s really important to understand the various perspectives, challenges and concerns associated with all sides of the business,” Ross continued. “By hanging around at conferences like APAP and forging relationships across the field, you start to see more clearly how your talents and interests might best align with potential partners. You start to understand that you don’t need to be everything to everyone, but can instead find your own comfortable niche. “

Waldman continues, “Going to APAP, we’re more apt to find jobs that pay $2,500, $5,000 and up.” While acknowledging that nothing is guaranteed, he believes that “by offering this particular roots music showcase evening, I’m nudging the odds in my favor. It’s an investment I’ve been happy to make.”

“Because I attend so many [conferences], I don’t feel stressed thinking it’s now or never. I see people I’ve met in prior years [and those] I’ve never met before. If some jobs come my way, great — but it doesn’t have to be the result of a particular conference or showcase. It’s invariably the result of attending as many of these conferences as I can.” He maintains that presenters who attend APAP conferences tend to have more experience in the field, access to bigger budgets, and are just so inundated with pitches from artists and their agents that they are virtually impossible to reach by email or phone. “But at a conference there’s the chance to actually meet someone which means if I do have reason to send an email or make a phone call, there’s a much greater chance of having the email returned or the call taken.”

WAVELENGTHS World Music Pre-Conference Features An Inspirational Keynote

Among several arts-related forums that preceded the conference was a two-day WAVELENGTHS World Music Pre-Conference featuring a keynote, panel discussions, workshops, and an artist pitch session co-produced by music PR firm Rock Paper Scissors in cooperation with GlobalFEST.

Keynoting WAVELENGTHS was Emel Mathlouthi, a Tunisian singer-songwriter whose songs played a major role in Arab Spring and led to her being called “the voice of the Tunisian revolution.” She offered heartfelt comments and inspiring thoughts as she spoke of the role of the artist in turbulent times and the importance of empathy.

Here’s a link to a video of Emel performing her song “ Kelmti Horra “(“My Word is Free”) during the 2015 Nobel Peace Prize Concert:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wJ79iEfus8E

“For me, art has always been very powerful in connecting us…[and] in opening doors, [and in transcending] barriers and limits,” she said. “We’re all coming from the same place, and we all have a heart … Art is an international language. I really wanted to convey that,” she continued, noting her collaborations with musicians from other parts of the world. Until recently, Emel, who cites Joan Baez among her influences, has primarily written and sung music in Arabic, and some of her songs contain messages that transcend politics.

She advocates for the elimination of ethnic and political silos that have been used to pigeonhole and minimize artists’ cross-cultural appeal and expressing her personal desire to appeal to people based on her humanity, rather than feel like just an ethnic or political artist. “We’re reaching times where all the concepts have to change and allow all the artists who are coming from the world music sphere to be able to explore themselves and go beyond any preconceived notions,” she declared. While acknowledging that she has a conscience and a point of view, and expressing pride in the social impact that her music has had in helping to energize the movement for change in the Arab world, she concluded: “At the end of the day, I’m an artist, a musician, a singer.”

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About the Association of Performing Arts Professionals (APAP)

A Washington, DC-based nonprofit –- previously known as the Association of Performing Arts Presenters until changing its name last year — APAP is a national service, advocacy and membership organization dedicated to developing and supporting a robust performing arts presenting field and the professionals who work within it.

“As artists and arts makers, we must embrace our role to engage in the constant and dynamic societal transformation that we are a part of by acknowledging it, reflecting it, discussing it, and leading it,” says Mario Garcia Durham, APAP’s president and CEO. “Our strength as an industry lies in our ability to create, produce, present, share and stimulate audiences everywhere with works that both embrace and acknowledge our differences and increase our understanding of one another.”

The next APAP Conference in New York is set for January 4-8, 2019. More information on the organization may be found on its website: www.apap365.org.

Boulder, Colorado-based singer-songwriter Rebecca Folsom’s “Better Times” was February’s most-played song, edging out Burning Bridget Cleary’s “Madam I’m a Darling,” January’s top song.

The February 2016 FOLKDJ-L charts are based on 13,220 airplays from 143 different DJs. Label and release date appear in brackets below, while the number of reported spins is shown in parentheses. The charts are posted on AcousticMusicScene.com with permission.

Top Albums of February 2016

1: All These Years, Solas [solasmusic.com, 2/16] (93)
2: The Hazel And Alice Sessions, Laurie Lewis And The Right Hands [Spruce And Maple, 1/16] (75)
3: Roses And Victory, Honor Finnegan [Frock, 2/16] (63)
4: These Are The Days, Burning Bridget Cleary [burningbridgetcleary.com, 11/15] (56)
5: Extraordinary Days, Rebecca Folsom [rebeccafolsom.com, 1/16] (55)
5: The K.O.A. Tapes (Vol. 1), Kate Campbell [Large River, 1/16] (55)
5: Live From Blue Rock, Moors And McCumber [moorsandmccumber.bandcamp.com, new] (55)
8: Dori Freeman, Dori Freeman [Free Dirt, 2/16] (53)
9: Didn’t We Waltz, Amy White with Al Petteway [Fairewood, new] (50)
10: Ladies And Gentlemen, Infamous Stringdusters [Compass, 1/16] (48)
11: Weighted Mind, Sierra Hull [Rounder, 1/16] (47)
12: Where I Belong, Lauren Heintz [Gatorbone, 2015] (46)
13: Traveling Circus, No Fuss And Feathers [Roadshow, 1/16] (45)
14: Foxhounds, Kathy Kallick Band [Live Oak, 11/15] (41)
15: Big Sky Country, Sofia Talvik [Makaki, 4/15] (38)
15: Folkest, Denise Jordan Finley [Dome Island, new] (38)
17: Beyond The Ash And Steel, Judy Kass [judykassmusic.com, 1/16] (33)
17: Folk Art, The Robert Bobby Duo [I Likemike, new] (33)
19: Beyond The Rain, Quiles And Cloud [Compass, 1/16] (32)
19: Real Midnight, Birds Of Chicago [5 Head, new] (32)
21: The Both, Eli West [Self, new] (30)
21: Please Come Home, The Debutones [debutones.com, 8/15] (30)
23: Less Is More, Gordie Tentrees [tentrees.ca, 4/15] (29)
23: You’re Dreaming, Cactus Blossoms [Red House, 2/16] (29)
25: Love You Strong, Terri Hendrix [Wilory, new] (28)
26: The Back Of Winter, Adrianna Ciccone [adriannaciccone.com, 9/15] (26)
26: Hobo Jungle Fever Dreams, Corin Raymond [Local Rascal, new] (26)
26: Lola, Carrie Rodriguez [Luz, new] (26)
29: Above The Prairie, The Pines [Red House, new] (24)
29: The Guest House, Ellis [Singing Crow, 2/16] (24)
29: Subcontinental Drift, Sultans Of String with Anwar Khurshid [McK, 9/15] (24)
32: Crow The Dawn, Jon Shain And Joe Newberry [Flyin, new] (23)
32: Pompadour, Tim O’Brien [Howdy Skies, 10/15] (23)
32: So Lucky, The Lucky Sisters [Patio, 12/15] (23)
35: The Ghosts Of Highway 20, Lucinda Williams [Highway 20, new] (22)
35: The Jeremiahs, The Jeremiahs [Self, 2014] (22)
37: C&O Canal, Eric Brace And Peter Cooper [Red Beet, new] (21)
37: Charm City Junction, Charm City Junction [Patuxent, 6/15] (21)
37: Love, Guns And Money, Bianca De Leon [Self, 2011] (21)
40: A Congress Of Treasons, Grant Peeples And The Peeples Republik [Gatorbone, new] (20)
41: City Painted Gold, The Brothers Comatose [Swamp Jam, new] (19)
41: Crimson, Kirsten Maxwell [Self, 4/15] (19)
41: Simon Linsteadt, Simon Linsteadt [Stormy Deep, 2/15] (19)
41: Traveling Roots, Matt Flinner Trio [Compass, 1/16] (19)
45: God Don’t Never Change: The Songs Of Blind Willie Johnson, Various Artists [Alligator, new] (18)
45: In The Magic Hour, Aoife O’Donovan [Yep Roc, 1/16] (18)
45: Meridian Rising, Paul Burch [Plowboy, new] (18)
45: Through Many A Land, Eden MacAdam-Somer And Larry Unger [Black Socks, 11/15] (18)
49: Domestic Eccentric, Old Man Luedecke [True North, 7/15] (17)
49: Fine Bloom, Free The Honey [freethehoney.com, 9/15] (17)
51: Beg And Borrow, Battlefield Band [Temple, 8/15] (16)
51: I’ll Take You Home, Steve Brooks [Frog, new] (16)
51: Joy Of Living: A Tribute To Ewan MacColl, Various Artists [Compass, 10/15] (16)
51: Something More Than Free, Jason Isbell [Southeastern, 7/15] (16)
51: Sorrows And Glories, Red Moon Road [redmoonroad.com, 9/15] (16)
51: Too Big World, Bumper Jacksons [bumperjacksons.com, 6/15] (16)
57: Blues And Ballads: A Folksinger’s Songbook, Volumes I & II, Luther Dickinson [New West, 2/16] (15)
57: Cayamo Sessions At Sea, Buddy Miller And Friends [New West, new] (15)
57: Experienced, Larry Keel [Keel Fish, 2/16] (15)
57: Nashville Obsolete, Dave Rawlings Machine [Acony, 9/15] (15)
61: Ain’t We Brothers, Sam Gleaves [Community, 11/15] (14)
61: Another Black Hole, Malcolm Holcombe [Gypsy Eyes, new] (14)
61: Bela Fleck & Abigail Washburn, Bela Fleck & Abigail Washburn [Rounder, 2014] (14)
61: So Familiar, Steve Martin And Edie Brickell [Rounder, 10/15] (14)
65: At Peace With One’s Ghosts, The Paperboys [paperboys.com, 2014] (13)
65: Dreams And Ghosts: A Family Album, Avery Hill [averyhilltunes.com, 7/15] (13)
65: The Fiddle Preacher, Otter Creek [ottercreekduo.com, 8/15] (13)
65: Just For The Love Of It, Happy Traum [happytraum.com, 7/15] (13)
65: The Tennessee Sessions, The Swamp Brothers [Itchy Sabot, 7/15] (13)
65: A Wanderer I’ll Stay, Pharis And Jason Romero [Lula, 3/15] (13)

Top Songs of February 2016