A leading advocate for women’s empowerment, Casey’s commitment to helping female performers of Irish traditional and folk music achieve fairness and gender balance prompted her to co-found Fair Pie five years ago. It’s also the inspiration behind some of the songs on Nine Apples of Gold, which was released in late February.

[Here’s a link to enjoy the official video for ‘Nine Apples of Gold,” the title track of Karan Casey’s album and its first single: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WAF1I1lrALc.]

“Woman of the House” appears on Canadian Celtic couple Natalie MacMaster and Donnell Leahy’s latest album, Canvas, which was released in March. Sung in Scots Gaelic, the song also features guest artist Rhiannon Giddens. A fiery, world renowned fiddler and talented step-dancer, multiple Juno Award-winner Natalie MacMaster is among Cape Breton, Nova Scotia’s most notable musical exports, while her husband and musical collaborator Donnell Leahy is also a renowned fiddler recognized for his ability to synthesize traditional influences with more contemporary Celtic/folk sensibilities.

[Here’s a link to listen to “Woman of the House” by Natalie MacMaster and Donnell Leahy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PFsR13T0pFw.]

Tim Grimm, an award-winning, southern Indiana-based folk-Americana singer-songwriter, was the month’s second most-played artist and had the #2 album (The Little In-Between) and song (“The Leaving”). A number of his albums and songs have reached the top of the FAI Folk Charts (formerly the Folk DJ Charts) and the EuroAmericana charts over the years.

[Here’s a link to listen to “The Leaving” by Tim Grimm: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7M0v6CMxIjY.]

The March 2023 top albums, songs and artists charts are based on 12, 727 airplays reported on 428 playlists submitted by 120 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 March 2023

1. Nine Apples of Gold by Karan Casey (123)
2. The Little In-Between by Tim Grimm (108)
3. Crossing the Causeway by Mary Beth Carty (98)
4. Traveling Wildfire by Dom Flemons (81)
5. Canvas by Natalie MacMaster and Donnell Leahy (73)
6. Workin’ on a World by Iris Dement (70)
7. Mighty Poplar by Mighty Poplar (60)
7. Hello World by Aaron Nathans and Michael G. Ronstadt (60)
9. Sanctuary by Rebecca Folsom (57)
10. Taking Flight by Amelia Hogan (56)
11. Tumbleweedyworld by Lynn Miles (54)
12. March of the Mollusk by Benny Bleu (53)
13. Filament by Buddy Mondlock (46)
13. Together Through the Dark by Slaid Cleaves (46)
15. Outpourings by Craig Bickhardt (43)
16. Ridin’ by Eric Bibb (40)
16. CornMaiz String Band by CornMaiz String Band (40)
18. The Gaulway Ramblers by The Gaulway Ramblers (38)
19. Reckonings by Eric Kilburn (37)
19. Missouri Folklore: Songs and Stories From Home by My Politic (37)
21. Boomerang Town by Jaimee Harris (36)
22. Passages and Partings by April Verch and Cody Walters (35)
23. York’s Lament and Other Stories by Reggie Garrett (34)
24. It Goes Like It Goes by Bunny Barnes (32)
25. Not Far From the Tree by Just Us Lillys (31)
25. A Murder of Songs by Grant Peeples (31)
27. Handled With Care by Jason Lang (30)
27. Me|and|Dad by Billy Strings (30)
29. Lay Your Darkness Down by Mark Erelli (28)
29. Upstate Crossroads by Tim Ball (28)
29. Lovin’ of the Game by Michael Cleveland (28)
32. Snow White Memories by Irene Kelley (27)
32. Beyond the Great Pause by Doug Cox and Linda McRae (27)
34. Both Things Are True by Marilyn Jordan (25)
34. Songs You Didn’t Know I Wrote About You by Emily White (25)
36. OKX by The Ok Factor (24)
36. Circumstance by Alice Howe (24)
36. The Coming of the Years by Joe Jencks (24)
36. Riveter by Sami Braman (24)
40. The Old Man and the C Chord by Chris Coole (22)
40. Valley of Stars by Ben Bedford (22)
40. Bluegrass Vacation by Robbie Fulks (22)
43. Living in a Song by Rob Ickes and Trey Hensley (21)
43. Love (And Other Mysteries) by Tipps and Obermiller (21)
45. Tribute to a Songpoet: Songs of Eric Andersen by Various Artists (20)
45. Common Nation of Sorrow by Rachel Baiman (20)
47. Landmarks by Helene Cronin (19)
47. Traditional by Dave Rudolf (19)
49. How Can I Say This? by Annie Capps (17)
49. The Very First Time by Steve and Kristi Nebel (17)
49. 1964 by Pat Guadagno (17)

Top Songs of March 2023

1. “Woman of the House” by Natalie MacMaster and Donnell Leahy (24)
2. “The Leaving” by Tim Grimm (23)
3. “Workin’ on a World” by Iris Dement (22)
4. “The Rocks of Bawn” by Karan Casey (21)
5. “Up on the Divide” by Mighty Poplar (20)
6. “Sister I Am Here for You” by Karan Casey (19)
6. “Nine Apples of Gold” by Karan Casey (19)
8. “The Little In-Between” by Tim Grimm (18)
8. “Guess I’m Doing Fine” by Dom Flemons (18)
10. “When the Moon Gets Tangled” by Karan Casey (17)
11. “Tow Truck Song” by Mary Beth Carty (16)
12. “All of the Time in the World to Kill” by The Milk Carton Kids (15)
12. “I Don’t Know This World” by Tim Grimm (15)
14. “We Are the Girls” by Lyn Koonce (14)
15. “Highway 105” by Lynn Miles (13)
15. “Stirrin’ Up Trouble” by Tim Grimm (13)
15. “Red Winged Blackbird” by Amelia Hogan (13)
18. “Dear Island” by Mary Beth Carty (12)
19. “I Thank My Lucky Stars” by Karan Casey (11)
19. “The Weeping Time” by Karan Casey (11)
19. “Big Money Blues” by Dom Flemons (11)
19. “Johnny Without June” by Lynn Miles (11)
19. “The Breath of Burning” by Tim Grimm (11)
19. “Colour Theory” by Natalie MacMaster and Donnell Leahy (11)
19. “The Fair and Dark Haired Lad” by Jaimee Harris (11)

Top Artists of March 2023

1. Karan Casey (131)
2. Tim Grimm (116)
3. Mary Beth Carty (102)
4. Dom Flemons (86)
5. Iris Dement (80)
6. Natalie MacMaster and Donnell Leahy (73)
7. Aaron Nathans and Michael G. Ronstadt (61)
8. Mighty Poplar (60)
9. Rebecca Folsom (58)
10. Doc Watson (56)
10. Amelia Hogan (56)
12. Lynn Miles (55)
13. Benny Bleu (53)
14. Slaid Cleaves (50)
14. Craig Bickhardt (50)
16. Buddy Mondlock (47)
17. Eric Bibb (45)
18. Bob Dylan (42)
19. CornMaiz String Band (40)
20. The Gaulway Ramblers (38)
20. Eric Kilburn (38)
20. Mark Erelli (38)
23. My Politic (37)
24. John McCutcheon (36)
24. Jaimee Harris (36)
26. Willie Nelson (35)
26. April Verch and Cody Walters (35)
28. Reggie Garrett (34)
29. Billy Strings (33)
30. Bunny Barnes (32)
31. Just Us Lillys (31)
31. Grant Peeples (31)
31. Joni Mitchell (31)
34. Joe Jencks (30)
34. Jason Lang (30)
36. Michael Cleveland (29)
36. Alice Howe (29)
38. Tim Ball (28)
39. Irene Kelley (27)
39. Doug Cox and Linda McRae (27)

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.”

—————————————————————————–

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.

Officially launched in 1983 by the late Bob Feldman after meeting Iowa-based singer-songwriter Greg Brown, Red House has been home to a number of notable folk, roots and Americana artists. In addition to Brown, these include The Cactus Blossoms, Larry Campbell and Teresa Williams, Eliza Gilkyson, John Gorka, Lucy Kaplansky, Jorma Kaukonen, The Wailin’ Jennys, and Robin and Linda Williams, among others.

Under Feldman’s guidance, up to his untimely death in 2006, Red House received indie music awards, numerous Grammy Award nominations and a Grammy in 1995 for Ramblin’ Jack Elliot’s album, South Coast. Feldman himself became widely recognized as a leading advocate for roots music and a leader in the independent label community.

Compass co-founders Alison Brown and Garry West are longtime admirers of Red House and fans of its artist roster. Brown, a Grammy Award-winning musician, and West, a bassist and producer, first met Feldman at a conference in 1995 — shortly after launching their own label. Both were struck by his transparency and willingness to share his inside knowledge of the business, and over the next ten years their mentoring relationship evolved into a mutual friendship, with Feldman and West often serving as advisors and sounding boards for each other.

“When we first launched Compass, we were really learning the business from the ground up,” said West. “Of all the people from whom we would seek advice, Bob was always the most straightforward and would tell it like it was. His support was immeasurable, and we were extremely grateful for his willingness to take us under his wing. I have to admit it gave me a great feeling of accomplishment when, over time, Bob started calling me to compare notes.”

Adds Brown: “It is incredibly meaningful to us to be able to carry Red House’s legacy into the future. We are really excited to work with such a fine roster of artists and are committed to keeping Red House’s brand of folk and Americana music alive.”

Red House owner Beth Friend, who has kept the label going since Feldman’s death, said, “It’s a great accomplishment, and I couldn’t be prouder or more grateful. We have believed in and worked hard for every artist on the label, and it’s been our privilege to — as Bob used to say as he’d leave for work in the morning — ‘bring music to the people’. “ She acknowledged that selling the iconic label was “a very personal and very difficult decision for me to make,” noting: “It’s simply time for me to bring this chapter of my life to a close and move on. Compass founders Garry West and Alison Brown were friends of Bob’s and have often commented on how his mentorship helped them in the early days of launching their own label. I know they will bring a level of care to the Red House imprint that I don’t believe I could have found in another buyer.”

In an interview with Billboard earlier this month, Gorka, an acclaimed singer-songwriter whose next album is slated for release in the first quarter of 2018, expressed hope that Red House will continue to be a great label. “I understand the economics and I think Compass is the best place to go,” he told the magazine. “Compass has a lot of artists I admire and respect, and I think Red House will be in good company.”

Compass Records’ catalog features more than 600 titles from a diverse roster of artists that includes Beausoleil, Colin Hay, The Infamous Stringdusters, Shannon McNally, Solas, and bluegrass luminaries Claire Lynch and Bobby Osborne, among others. It is also home to two seminal Irish music catalogs, Green Linnet and Mulligan Records, both acquired in the mid-2000s.

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

Maintaining and strengthening the strong connections between Ireland and the U.S. is vital to Culture Ireland, which creates and supports opportunities for Irish artists to present their work at strategic international festivals, venues, showcases and arts markets. During the APAP Conference, Culture Ireland presented its fifth showcase of performing arts in New York – highlighting some of the emerging artists on the Irish music scene who are bringing new life to old traditions and pushing the boundaries of traditional music. Its New Music Showcase at the New York Hilton featured short performances by Realta, The Young Folk, I Draw Slow and The Spook of the Thirteenth Lock, while Culture Ireland also lent support for showcases by noted Irish groups Dervish and the Alan Kelly Gang.

Realta, a young Belfast-based trio featuring dual uillean pipes, whistles, bouzouki, guitar, bodhran and vocals, kicked off the showcase with a set of Irish traditional tunes. A song about a guy who proposes to a girl he doesn’t know followed, and the group closed out with another driving set of tunes.

Here’s a link to an official video of The Young Folk performing “Way Down South.”

Highlighting the Culture Ireland New Music Showcase was I Draw Slow, a Dublin-based five-piece string band (with vocals by Louise Holden) whose joyous and rootsy original music fuses Appalachian old-time and Irish traditional styles with a dash of Americana. Signed last year to Pinecastle, the North Carolina-based roots record label, I Draw Slow cracked the Top Ten on the Roots Music Report folk radio chart in December with Redhills, its second album.

Here’s a link to a YouTube video of I Draw Slow performing “Goldmine,” a song about a bordello girl who falls in love with a fiddler.

Rounding out the Culture Ireland Showcase was The Spook of the Thirteenth Lock. Named after a poem about a haunted canal lock, this five-piece outfit has a sound that mixes Irish folk with experimental/progressive rock, somewhat reminiscent of the Irish band Horslips.

Immediately preceding the Culture Ireland New Music Showcase, Irish folk mainstays Dervish, an innovative internationally touring band launched in Sligo more than two decades ago, performed a solid set of instrumental tunes and songs – including a couple that will be on a new album due this month.

The Alan Kelly Gang, an Irish quartet fronted by a master piano accordionist, delivered a strong set of instrumental tunes and songs that included jigs from the Celtic regions of France and Spain, as well as Ireland.

Solas and Cherish The Ladies Impress with Extended Showcases

Recalling the “No Irish Need Apply” signs that dotted storefronts and factories in many American locales at the time, Egan noted that those who settled in Butte (Shamrock City), a place once called “the Richest Hill on Earth,” included his great, great uncle, Michael Conway, about whom Solas performed a beautiful ballad.

Prior to Solas, McAuley Horan O’Caiomh performed a set of traditional and original reels, waltzes, jigs and airs — mostly from its 2012 release, Sailing Back to You. The trio features Solas members Winifred Horan (fiddle) and Mick McAuley (accordion), along with guitarist Colm O’Caoimh. Also sharing the bill was Maria Doyle-Kennedy, best known to U.S. television audiences for her role as Mrs. Bates on “Downton Abbey.” Doyle Kennedy is a soulful, Dublin-based singer who performs a mix of folk, pop and torch songs. She closed out her set with a rendition of the title track of her fifth album, Sing. The Duhks, a Juno award-winning Canadian roots outfit whose original music fuses such musical styles as Irish dance, American folk, Brazilian samba, zydeco, and old-time string band closed out the evening.

Another highlight of the APAP Conference was an hour-long showcase by Cherish the Ladies, the all-female Irish-American instrumental ensemble that was launched in New York City 28 years ago with flutist and tin whistle player Joannie Madden at the helm. Madden and guitarist Mary Coogan remain with the group today. Through the years, Cherish the Ladies also has featured several talented female vocalists who have gone on to pursue solo careers. As a special treat, Cathie Ryan, its original lead singer, who has released five solo albums and been twice-named Irish Female Vocalist of the Decade by Irish American News, reunited with the group for this showcase; she also performed solo during the conference. The ensemble was also joined on several numbers by four talented Irish step dancers — helping to make for a rollicking good time.

Along with Irish singer Maura O’Connell, Cherish the Ladies will be part of An Irish Homecoming, a new PBS television special of a performance filmed live at Bucknell University that begins airing in March.

Aoife Clancy, another former vocalist with Cherish the Ladies, also was at the conference showcasing with her group, The Jammin’ Divas, whose music is a blend of traditional and original folk music from several cultures. Also showcasing their talents during the APAP Conference were Irish American jig-rockers The Prodigals, led by accordionist and singer Gregory Grene, who also fronts Acoustic Mix; American roots and Celtic soul duo Switchback; and Colcannon, an ensemble that performs traditional and original Celtic music and has eight albums and an Emmy Award-winning PBS concert video to its credit. In addition, Padraig Allen’s McLean Avenue Band was accompanied Joanna Barry Connolly’s Irish dance group, Emerald Fire, in an extended showcase at an Irish pub and restaurant on Manhattan’s East Side.

Other Showcases, Workshops and Forums Abound

These showcases were just a small part of this year’s APAP Conference. The global performing arts marketplace and multidisciplinary arts business event attracted several thousand people who chose from a wide array of showcases, professional development workshops and forums primarily focused on the theme “Imagination,” which asked both speakers and attendees to reflect upon the innovation and entrepreneurship that make the performing arts integral to community engagement. As in years past, exhibition halls teemed with booking agents, representatives of regional and national cultural arts organizations, and presenters eager to speak with them. And much networking took place during the conference.

Folquebec presented its annual showcase featuring noted Quebecois folk groups Le Vent du Nord and De Temps Antan, as well as D’Harmo (featuring four of the Canadian province’s top harmonica players), klezmer group Kleztory, Trio Yves Lambert, and Maz (a quartet whose sound is a mix of electric jazz and Quebec’s traditional music). Folquebec’s founder and president, Gilles Garand, also conducted a 90-minute session on “The State of Trad: Traditional Folk and Dance Music,” during which he provided an informative history lesson on Quebec’s traditional folk and dance music, before inviting attendees to join him in exploring what can be done to preserve and promote traditional folk music of various cultures. He also promoted a Montreal Trad Conference, an international rendez-vous slated for May 9-12.

Rosanne Cash Delivers Closing Keynote

In keeping with the conference’s theme of “Imagine,” Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter Rosanne Cash acknowledged in her closing keynote that “Re-imagining myself as a performer has been among the most enriching and transformative experiences of my life.”

While writing her memoirs, Composed (2010), Cash spent considerably more time delving into performance than she had initially anticipated. “I came to realize that my life as a performer was so central,” she said. Cash acknowledged that her first experiences performing were with her father [the late Johnny Cash] and that she was initially terrified and clueless about her abilities. “I enjoyed these little guest spots on my dad’s tour, but I had no illusions of the life,” she said, noting that when she later embarked on her own career as a touring artist, “the performing experience was initially torturous. “She had stage fright and preferred being a songwriter. “Now,” says Cash, “I approach every show with a deep sense of community.’

“The impulse to people-please is death to an artist,” she said. “What you think you’re showing the audience is actually just a fraction of what they’re really seeing…The emphemeral nature of performing is the part I like most. Sometimes the only thing you have is a powerful instinct; you’ve refined your skills such that you can trust your instincts.” She observed that “Some career risks are like chess, while artistic risks infuse my soul [and] make me what I am.”

Maintains Cash, “We need art and music like we need blood and oxygen… Art in the larger sense is the lifeline I cling to in a confusing and sometimes unfair world… There is light in this world and it is always available – much of it through music.”

North America’s largest highland games take place during the Celtic Classic. The U.S. National Highland Athletic Championships will include the lifting of heavy stone, throwing a 22-pound hammer, and tossing of the caber. Border collie exhibitions, a “Showing of the Tartan” parade, a haggis eating contest, a whiskey tasting event, a kids craft tent, clan tents, and a Celtic marketplace featuring crafts, merchandise and collectibles also are on tap.

The festival grounds are located along the banks of Monocracy Creek and adjacent to downtown Bethlehem’s Main Street shopping area. More information on one of the most popular events in northeastern Pennsylvania’s Lehigh Valley, including daily schedules, may be found at www.celticfest.org.

Designed to help musicians and music businesses gain greater recognition and be honored by their peers and the public for providing entertainment and service, the awards were open to artists who live in Montgomery or Bucks County or perform there at least six times a year. They are modeled after the Lehigh Valley Music Awards, which also were presented recently (see article in the Awards & Contests section of AcousticMusicScene.com).

Drawing on the diverse musical backgrounds of its band members, RUNA brings a contemporary and refreshing experience to traditional and more recently composed Celtic material. As revealed on Jealousy, its independently released 2009 debut album, and in concert, RUNA’s repertoire is a fusion of music from Ireland, Scotland, the Shetland Islands, Canada and the U.S. and includes both high energy and more graceful acoustic melodies.

Lambert-Ryan, formerly the lead female vocalist in the Guy Mendilow Band, a Boston-based world music group, also has performed as a vocalist with such artists as Moya Brennan, John Flynn, Joe Jencks, Iain Campbell Smith, and Bob Beach. She has had training and experience in classical music and musical theater as well.

With his innovative style of rhythmic playing, Lambert-Ryan’s husband and Dublin-born guitarist Fionan de Barra contributes new dynamics both to the band’s lively tunes and its captivating ballads. He started playing guitar professionally with Riverdance in the U.S. in 2001, has worked as musical director for popular Irish artist Moya Brennan (the voice of Clannad and sister of Enya), tours regularly with Fiddler’s Bid, and has also performed with such notable Irish artists as Solas, Eileen Ivers, Tommy Fleming and Frances Black.

Keeping the beat is Cheryl Prashker, a Canadian percussionist who now calls Philadelphia home. Prashker who also has performed with such artists as Jonathan Edwards, Full Frontal Folk, The Strangelings and Pat Wictor, brings a wide range of percussive styles to the music and adds to the versatility of the band’s arrangements.

More information on RUNA can be found online at www.runamusic.com.

Among the other recipients of Montgomery Bucks Music Awards were Arianne Rox (Best Live Americana Performance), Craig Thatcher (Best Singer-Songwriter), Paint Box Acoustic (Best Duo) and The Puck (Best Venue).

Editor’s Note: As a communications and public relations strategist who promotes select concerts for RUNA, I could not be happier for Shannon, Fionan and Cheryl. I’m also delighted that RUNA will be joining Burning Bridget Cleary, another talented Philly area Celtic band, in closing out the AcousticMusicScene.com Song Swaps at the Northeast Regional Folk Alliance (NERFA) Conference with A Celtic Set this weekend.

Old Settler’s may not draw as many people or as much attention as this week’s SXSW, or the Austin City Limits and Kerrville music festivals, but it certainly does draw its share of stellar performers. Among those on the 2010 lineup are Texas’ own Patty Griffin (with special guest Buddy Miller), The Joe Ely Band, Alejandro Escovedo, Ruthie Foster and Brave Combo; Canadian singer-songwriter Fred Eaglesmith; Allison Brown with Joe Craven; Long Island native Mindy Smith; and Celtic artists Solas. For bluegrass and newgrass fans, the lineup also includes Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver, Alaskan up-and-comers Bearfoot, Peter Rowan Bluegrass Band, Blue Highway, The Infamous Stringdusters, The Travelin’ McCourys, Green Mountain Grass and The Special Consensus.

In addition to concerts on several stages, there will be Saturday afternoon performance workshops, arts and crafts, a youth talent competition and children’s activities, and lots of tasty barbecue.
Discounted admission wristbands ranging from $25 (for Sunday only) to $170 (for four-days with camping) are available online through April 12. For more information and to buy tickets, visit www.oldsettlersmusicfest.org.