Dave McGraw & Mandy Fer
Tickets: $12 advance, $15 at the door.
Click here to purchase advance tickets.
Human chemistry is indeed a mercurial thing. And adding any artistic endeavor into that mysterious balance can, every so often, create some true magic. For Dave McGraw and Mandy Fer (pronounced fair), the delicate intertwining of music, life and that always-fine interpersonal equilibrium has borne fruit in the shape of a truly one of a kind artistic partnership.
With the release of the songwriters’ first official collaboration, Seed of a Pine, the duo’s striking ability to blend their lush folk and Americana-influenced styles is on full display. McGraw’s consoling, velvety baritone voice, reminiscent of Greg Brown, coupled with Fer’s soaring and subtly powerful vocal approach, likened to that of Patty Griffin, puts a spit-shine polish on the finely crafted body of songs they have generated together. The intricate weavings of their vocal harmonies are undeniably exceptional. McGraw’s hard-hitting tunes echo narratives of the culture and landscape of the American West, wherein he thoughtfully spins tales of everyday folks looking for a little something more in their earthly existence. Fer takes a more dreamy approach, evoking complex and ethereal imagery within her sultry and haunting melodies. Her potent electric lead guitar playing, in the vein of jazz-fusion guitarist John Scofield, bravely propels this duo through their uniquely heartfelt and spirited live performances, winning over audiences night after night.
McGraw and Fer have amassed an admirable résumé and an ever-expanding fan base during their time playing music together. Having toured the U.S. from coast to coast, performing in highly esteemed theaters to intimate listening rooms, the pair has honed their skills sharing stages with fellow troubadours including Willy Porter, the Swell Season, Tony Furtado, Jeffrey Foucault and many others.
Seed of a Pine itself was recorded in Chicago during the summer of 2011 with renowned producer Zach Goheen and includes contributions from a litany of acclaimed musicians, including Wisconsin singer-songwriter Peter Mulvey, Po’Girl songstress Allison Russell, and Chicago’s JT Nero (of JT and the Clouds). Released February 15th, 2012.
Singer/songwriters Dave McGraw and Mandy Fer have a knack for capturing the passionate beauty of original contemporary folk music. Evoking tranquility and reflection, their frank lyrics and life-affirming tales are woven around melodic lines that hold the fabric together…this debut collaboration [Seed of a Pine] is a perfect showcase…
- Sun209: The Americana Music Journal
Rita Hosking and Cousin Jack
Tickets: $20 advance, $24 at the door.
Click here to purchase advance tickets.
Kitchen tables, springs, loss, miners, mountains, culture clash, trailers, stray dogs, loggers, hope, forest fires—Rita Hosking‘s country-folk music is this and more, and always fierce and lovely. Her delivery is, to put it simply, intense. “From the first time I heard Rita sing, her voice gripped me and did not let go,” (Joe Craven.)
That voice, called a “soulful howl from the mountains” (California Bluegrass Association) is calling attention around the country—”What? California girls don’t sing like that!!?” But Rita will tell you about her upbringing in rural Shasta County, and the old-time band of seasoned mountain characters that took her under their wings. “This California girl comes by her mountain-music sensibility with true authenticity, with original songs deeply rooted in her family’s frontier experience,” (Dan Ruby, FestivalPreview.com.) A descendant of Cornish miners who sang in the mines, Rita grew up with deep regard for folk music and the power of the voice.
Come Sunrise, a collection of 11 original songs and Rita’s third album, was released in June of 2009. Recorded in Austin, Texas with producer and guitarist Rich Brotherton (Robert Earl Keen, Caroline Herring,) Come Sunrise launches Rita onto the international Americana scene with players such as Brotherton himself, Lloyd Maines, Warren Hood, Glenn Fukunaga, and many more. “Superb country-folk from a brilliant singer-songwriter,” (Americana UK.) In addition to her ’07 Silver Stream and ’05 Are You Ready? featuring members of her band “Cousin Jack,” Come Sunrise completes a collection of well received recordings.
“In scorching form” (UK Telegraph), Northern California’s own Rita Hosking sings of forest fires, culture clash, demolition derbies, the working class and hope. With major U.S. music festivals to Bob Harris’s BBC show, Rita is moving audiences around the globe with her stories in song and doubly sweet and sinewy voice, “a captivating performer,” (R2 Magazine.) Her new release, Burn, is a fiery follow-up to Come Sunrise, which won Best Country Album Vox Pop in the 2010 Independent Music Awards. Rita’s songs have been lauded for story and sense of place, and her performances praised for capturing the audience. Other honors include winner of the ’08 Dave Carter Memorial Songwriting Contest at the Sisters Folk Festival, finalist in the ’09 Telluride Troubadour Contest, and others as well. “There’s a grit to her songs and sinewy toughness to her voice that weave their own spell,” (Q Magazine.) From the pages of Uncut Magazine, “Fourth album [Burn] confirms poetic Californian’s arrival into the country pantheon,” to an Oregonian reviewer’s words, “a sledgehammer to my heart” (Frank Gutch Jr.), most new listeners will agree with Rita’s fans who call her “the real deal.” Cousin Jack is Rita’s illustrious band that weaves string band accompaniment and harmonies: Sean Feder on Dobro (resophonic guitar) and melodic banjo, Andy Lentz on fiddle, and Bill Dakin on acoustic bass.
http://www.ritahosking.com
Brittany Haas & Lauren Rioux
Tickets: Sorry, this show is completely SOLD OUT. No tickets will be released at the door.
However, you can purchase live or on-demand access to our HD webcast through Empty Sea Television by clicking on the link below.
Click here to purchase webcast access.
Two fiddlers from widely respected bands (Brittany Haas of Crooked Still, and Lauren Rioux from Darol Anger’s Republic of Strings) are joining forces. As a duo, the women bring their extensive knowledge of Appalachian music and experience of being at the forefront of the contemporary string band scene, as well as the strength and depth of seasoned performers. Their music is steeped in groove, emotion-filled and harmonically progressive. The joy they share on stage as they weave and dance through duets on their instruments and vocals is palpable among audience.
“Enchanting, thoughtful and musically satiating”
-Portland Herald
Brittany Haas is a 5 string fiddle player from Northern California, currently residing in Nashville. A Princeton graduate, she is a member of the Boston-based alternative bluegrass band, Crooked Still. She has spent the past 11 years touring the world with various musicians and groups such as Darol Anger’s Republic of Strings, Yonder Mountain String Band, Tony Trischka, Alasdair Fraser & Natalie Haas, and The Waybacks.
She played fiddle on Steve Martin‘s Grammy Award-winning CD, The Crow, and performed in his band on “The David Letterman Show” and “Saturday Night Live”. Herdebut self-titled solo album was released in 2004, produced by Darol Anger and featuring Bruce Molsky, Mike Marshall, Alison Brown and others. She recently recorded a soon-to-be-released project with hardanger fiddler and composer Dan Trueman featuring their own original music. She also plays in an all-girl indie old-time band called The Fundies and an exciting new duo with fiddler Lauren Rioux.
Lauren Rioux fiddles from the heart with soul and joy. This, in combination with her warm tone, elegantly expressive phrasing and playful style, leads her to create music that artfully explores themes of both heartache and hope. With her debut album, All the Brighter, Lauren presents a beautiful collection of melodies that embrace and celebrate the richness of life. Rooted in the old-time tradition, and drawing inspiration from a wide swath of musicians, from Sam Cooke to Hillary Hahn, her music is at once timeless and fresh.
Lauren performs regularly with Darol Anger, Scott Law, and Mike Block in the band Republic of Strings, and Scott Nygaard and Joe Walsh in Crow Molly. She also tours with fellow fiddler and All the Brighter producer Brittany Haas of Crooked Still. She has shared the stage with Bruce Molsky, Tim O’Brien, Mike Marshall, Vasen, Laurie Lewis, Natalie Haas and others at such festivals as Wintergrass, Delfest,Rockygrass, and Celtic Connections.
Jes Raymond & Connor Garvey
Tickets: $10 advance, $14 at the door. Click here to purchase advance tickets.
Once upon a time, Jes Raymond left the recital hall in Chapel Hill, NC, and she headed west on a Greyhound Bus with a guitar, a notebook, and a pair of hiking boots. When she reached the Rocky Mountains, the walking began. It went on for years, deep into Washington’s Olympics and North Cascades. And when she came back down, out of those mountains, what a song she had to sing. Her debut studio album, Even the Trees was recorded with the help of the Jackstraw Productions Artist Support Program, and features many of Seattle’s finest instrumentalists. Elements of old-time, bluegrass, gospel, and swing echo through songs of warm acoustic life. The arrangements form a spectrum from sparse banjo and guitar duets to dense ensembles of drums, bass, piano, clarinet, fiddle, guitar and dobro. The songs are
crafted with the simplicity of a true poet’s intentions. In addition to her solo songwriting career, Jes formed and tours with the old-time/bluegrass group The Blackberry Bushes Stringband who placed 2nd in the Telluride Bluegrass Festival band competition in 2009. She was awarded the 2009 Seattle Office of Arts and Cultural Affairs City Artist Award. Jes Raymond knows well the dusty path between tradition and new illumination.
“An extremely talented singer/songwriter, Jes Raymond brings a musical cure. In songs of love, hope, dreams, and promises, Raymond crafts disarmingly simple images that hold a clarity that is ripe with meaning. ”
- Janie Franz
“Beautiful Voice, Beautiful Songs, Beautiful Stories… “
- Eric Miller
Connor Garvey‘s songs are like placing folk-funk guitar & ukulele, soulful vocals, and paradoxical metaphors in an electric juicer- you’ve never tasted it before, but its intriguing and delectable so you have to keep drinking. His clever, rhythmic string foundations provide a background for his most prominent instrument, his voice. His songs draw the attention of the entire room with humor, daring honesty, and grace through “a universal message that people can grab hold to just the kind of thing I needed.” (Dennis Bigelow-Music Director of KRFC-FM) It is this connection with his audience that makes Garvey wonderfully successful in his live performances where he invites them to share in the beauty of the moment- the shared night of music. Time and again he is heralded for his unique voice, approach, and ability to connect with the listener- qualities that are necessary for a long career.
Connor Garvey’s initiation as a modern troubadour came in 2008 by way of train; a 45 day, self booked tour by Amtrak across the country. Now, many tours later, Garvey is finding his place as a seasoned folk-rock singer-songwriter touring around the US in his station wagon, playing festivals, house concerts, and many of the country’s best acoustic venues. He has shared the stage with performing greats such as Catie Curtis, Storyhill, Jonathan Byrd, Anais Mitchell, Joe Crookston, Slaid Cleaves, and Edie Carey. Listeners across the US became enthralled with Garvey’s sound when his song “Soul on the Line” (from Constancy of Stars) remained in extensive airplay on Sirius XM’s The Coffeehouse- garnering him a spot in their top 6 new Singer Songwriters of 2010.
Connor comes to music to write songs. The symbiosis of person and craft leaves Garvey continuing to grow as a musician and as a positive soul. His music never strays far from intimacy, where he personalizes life’s challenges and themes. Garvey tends toward optimistic and humorous portrayal that sparks deeper reflection. In Where Ocean Meets Land (2011), Garvey immediately has listeners involved. The use of memorable melodies throughout the album makes you want to sing along while the messages within the lyrics satisfy a deeper yearning for inspiration.
As Connor’s musical career gains momentum he is bringing with him messages of hope, growth, and love in songs that silence rooms, brighten smiles, and inspire others to sing out.
“The songs of Connor Garvey have that rare and balanced blend of refreshing lyric, inventive guitar work, and mesmerizing grooves, all powered by his clear and agile singing voice. Ranging from funky to sensitive, serious to playful, they convey the kind of inspiration found in a reverent pursuer of life’s depths and joys. Whether it’s hearing him live on stage or on one of his recordings I’m always uplifted and amazed.”
- Chris Cunningham – Storyhill & Basecamp Recording
“One of the brightest young performers on the folk scene.”
- Phil Daligan – Songwriters by the Sea
“From the moment he took the stage Connor Garvey became an instant Acoustic View favorite. His engaging style and infectious smile established the rapport necessary to let his wonderful music touch the hearts of everyone in attendance. Since that night, we have been besieged with requests to have Connor back in the living room; something we plan to do again as soon as possible.”
- Stacy Sinner – Acoustic View House Concerts (MN)
The Shook Twins with John Craigie
Tickets: $12 advance, $15 at the door.
Click here to purchase advance tickets.
“The He Said…She Said…Folk Tour”
Featuring Shook Twins & John Craigie
Eclectic Blend of Folk, Roots, Pop and Fun
Touring Throughout Pacific Northwest
www.shooktwins.com ~ www.johncraigiemusic.com
“A unique, personal music that lights up the stage with its joy and enthusiasm.” Mason Jennings
Portland OR — Identical twins Laurie Shook (vocals, banjo, percussion and beatboxing) and Katelyn Shook (vocals, guitar and mandolin), are two thirds of the quirky folk trio, Shook Twins. Rounding out the trio, often referred to as the “third twin,” is Kyle Volkman on bass. The Shook Twins intertwine gorgeous “twin” harmonies with an eclectic and eccentric blend of folk, roots, pop and fun. Jeff Rosenberg of the Willamette Weekly says, “Their songs are witty and well-built, the performances poised, the production adventurous. Recently transplanted to Portland, Shook Twins are the most exciting local folk act I’ve heard in ages. Strike that word “local” and the sentiment still stands.”
Originally from Sandpoint Idaho, the twins have been making music together since childhood. Playful, warm and lighthearted, a Shook Twins show percolates with the twins infectious radiant energy. Pristine vocals layered on top of traditional stringed folk instruments, create lovely aural imagery of two women with one sound.
But don’t be fooled. The Shook Twins are not your average folk trio. They have a few tricks up their sleeves. Laurie may drop a beatbox in the middle of a song, while Katelyn plays the guitar, glockenspiel, mandolin, and sings into a telephone and bocks like a chicken. Laurie plays wah-wah Banjo and loops various melodies and beats to make it sound like more than just two identical twin sisters. Meanwhile Kyle lays down the groove adding resonant bass lines to the mix. It’s a refreshing romp filled with unexpected surprises.
This past year the Shook Twins have been touring behind their sophomore CD Window, released in April 2011, taking them throughout much of the Northwest. Along the way, The Shook Twins have shared the stage with artists including Ryan Adams, Mason Jennings, Laura Veirs, The Fruit Bats, Jonatha Brooke, Michelle Shocked, JJ Gray and MoFro, Crooked Still, Jason Webley, The BoDeans, Elephant Revival, The Head and The Heart and many more. Festival performances this past summer included the Oregon Country Fair, Sisters Folk Fest, Northwest String Summit, Idaho Down, Sawtooth Music Festival & Sandy Summer Acoustic Series.
San Francisco, CA — For the past seven years, John Craigie has taken his unique musical style across the western United States. He stays true to the essence of folk music, and the traditions of the seminal writers of our past century. With timeless melodies and insightful lyrics—interspersed with witty storytelling—his songs take many poetic turns before bringing you back home. His themes range from social commentary to personal empowerment, political satire, and modern love. He has traveled all of this planet, having played in all 50 states and beyond, bringing his music to the world. John Craigie writes, sings, and plays for the people.
Shannon Stephens & Jeff Fielder
Tickets: $8 advance, $12 at the door.
Sorry, this show is completely sold out! No seats will be released at the door.
Shannon Stephens began her musical career in 1994 as the voice of the band Marzuki, a folk-rock ensemble assembled by Sufjan Stevens. After Marzuki disbanded, Shannon began to perform and record on her own. She recorded her self-titled debut LP in 1999, the same year she moved to Seattle and shared the stage with the likes of Denison Witmer, Rosie Thomas, Jason Harrod and Damien Jurado. But by the time the new album had come back from the manufacturer, she had realized that all this music stuff was a lot of work. The boxes went into her garage and collected dust for nine years while she got married, read copious amounts of books, had a daughter, and did lots of hippy stuff like growing potatoes, canning preserves, and making kombucha.
In 2008, one of her songs (“I’ll Be Glad”) was covered by Bonnie Prince Billy on his album Lie Down In The Light. Shannon pulled her head out in time to release her second album, The Breadwinner, in 2009, which Rachel Sanders at Exclaim! described as “…a spectacularly beautiful and fiercely compelling sophomore album” and Sufjan Stevens called “…a joyful, heartful collection of quiet, gorgeous songs”. In 2010, Asthmatic Kitty Records re-released Shannon’s self-titled debut. Shannon performs locally and nationally, solo or with her band, and will release a third album in spring 2012.
Jeff Fielder is an exceptional and accomplished guitarist and instrumentalist. Based in the Seattle area, Jeff has worked and recorded with artists from all over the musical spectrum. Most recently Duff McKagen, Amy Ray, Rocky Votolato and Kasey Anderson. Also being a member of a number of bands including Sera Cahoone, Lindsay Fuller and extensive touring with Isobel Campbell and Mark Lanegan, Fielder keeps very busy. All the while, Jeff has kept a foot in a solo career. Releasing the solo record Last Disguise in 2007 and playing compelling shows, both solo acoustic and with various instrumentation.
The overall theme of the solo work is rooted in a very rich tradition of blues and roots music combined with thoughtful guitar playing and soulful vocals. Jeff hopes to focus a bit more on solo projects in the coming year, play more solo shows and put out a new record in 2012.
Radim Zenkl
Tickets: $14 advance, $18 at the door.
Click here to purchase advance tickets.
Radim Zenkl was born in Opava, Czech Republic. He grew up in the town of Ostrava (about 200 miles east of Prague), where his father teaches classical music at the University of Ostrava. Zenkl began his musical studies with piano and singing, then later on classical guitar. In addition to classical music, his early influences were folk music and Czech unique “tramp music”. He began playing the mandolin at thirteen. He also plays mandola, Irish bouzouki, ukulele, tin whistle, ethnic flutes, and didgeridoo.
The discovery of bluegrass music came by listening to records that were smuggled in via those that had escaped from this communist country. The sound of a bluegrass mandolin initiated the spark that launched a decision to play music as a career at the age of seventeen and subsequently led Zenkl beyond bluegrass to an eclectic array of styles. Zenkl’s choice of mandolin came as no great joy to his father, who claimed that the instrument had no “real” repertoire, fueling his desire to create one of his own. He started transcribing music from other instruments and later on began composing.
Radim’s style features progressive original and eastern European traditional music flavored with bluegrass, jazz, new age, flamenco, rock, classical and other. The US Mandolin Champion is at the cutting edge of the mandolin’s future, designing new instruments within the mandolin family and creating new playing techniques which sound like two instruments simultaneously. Besides collaborating with the top musicians of the acoustic music scene, Radim has built up an extensive repertoire for solo mandolin, mandola and Irish bouzouki. He has recorded eight solo CDs (released on Acoustic Disc, Shanachie and Ventana) and has appeared on more than sixty other recordings.
Zenkl went on to record two CDs for David Grisman‘s record label “Acoustic Disc”. Galactic Mandolin (1992) is comprised of 13 original solo works, each in a different tuning. Czech It Out (1994) features original and Czech and Slovak traditional tunes on solo mandolin, mandocello and mandolin banjo.
On several occasions in 1995 he substituted for Mike Marshall in the classical group Modern Mandolin Quartet.
In the same year, Zenkl signed a recording contract with Shanachie Records and recorded String & Wings, which was released in 1996. Included in this CD are improvised duets with 20 different artists such as Jerry Douglas, Bela Fleck, David Grisman, Tony Rice and Rob Wasserman among others, featuring 20 different acoustic string instruments. A new CD entitled Restless Joy was released in November 1999.
Today, Zenkl’s virtuosity and innovation have placed him at the forefront of the modern acoustic music scene.
“Radim has reinvented the mandolin in several different ways.”
- David Grisman
“Imaginative and great.”
- Jerry Garcia
“Excellent technique and lots of great ideas!”
- Bela Fleck
Mary Flower
Tickets: $15 advance, $18 at the door.
Click here to purchase advance tickets.
Yellow Dog Records recording artist Mary Flower is renowned for a
uniquely personal vision of roots music that blends ragtime, acoustic blues,
and folk – technically dazzling yet grounded in the down-to-earth simplicity
of early 20th century American music.
With eight albums under her belt, Flower has earned rave reviews from
critics and audiences alike for her unassuming vocals, but it’s her
instrumental skill – a mastery of the difficult Piedmont blues guitar that
takes most players a lifetime to hone – for which Flower is most celebrated.
Her fingerpicking forms the basis of a heavily syncopated, ragtime-based
style wherein the thumb plucks a strong rhythmic base as the fingers etch
out the melody. Mary also excels at lap slide guitar, allowing her to infuse
songs with a supremely delicate, plaintive sound that’s hers alone while
recalling the blues giants of the past.
Flower performs and teaches internationally, and has released several
instructional DVDs, including a few for highly regarded Homespun Tapes.
Rain City Tales & Tunes with Kathya Alexander, Ali Marcus, and Auntmama
Tickets: $9.00 advance, $12.00 at the door.
Click here to purchase tickets.
Rain City Tales & Tunes is a brand-new radio show which brings the Northwest’s best storytellers and musicians together onstage. Taped in front of a live audience at Empty Sea, the show features acoustic music and tale-telling. Each episode features a unique theme, and audience members are invited to volunteer for the storytelling spotlight.
Produced jointly by Empty Sea Studios and KBCS storyteller Auntmama (Mary Anne Moorman), Rain City will be available to public radio stations this fall.
June 22nd’s show theme is the other side of the coin. When you flip a story over, what surprises do you find? What happens when you’re not sure which side is up, anymore? For the answers to these questions and more, we’ll turn to storyteller Kathya Alexander, singer/songwriter Ali Marcus, and as always, Auntmama. Scroll down to learn more about what’s in store!
_________________________________________________________________________
Kathya Alexander is a writer, actor, poet, playwright and dramatic arts teacher. She was a 2007 Writer-in-Residence at Hedgebrook and won the 2002 Fringe First Award for Black to My Roots at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe for Outstanding New Production in Edinburgh, Scotland. Kathya’s writing has appeared in Colors Northwest Magazine and she is the author of Angel in the Outhouse, God the Mother: A Creation Story, and the God the Mother Calendar. Kathya’s plays include David & Jonathan (a modern day re-telling of the biblical story) staged at The Seattle Rep in February, 2008; Dream’n (adaptation of A Midsummer Night’s Dream-2007); HumaNature (choreopoem-2007); Homegoing (2006); A Taste of Prison (about the criminal justice system-2005), Three Strikes on Trial (about the WA state Three Strikes Law-2004); Nappy Roots: A Fairy Tale (about hair and African American girls’ self-esteem); and Little Rock Nine (children’s play about the integration of Central High.
Kathya’s goal as a writer is to investigate how living in America affects her life and how her life is influenced by her culture. Most of the stories she’s written are fictionalized personal, social and political situations. Growing up in the south as a child in the 60s, the Civil Rights movement greatly impacted her life and continues to influence her writing. Her novel, Keep-A-Livin’, explores the familial and communal relationships of a Negro girl against the backdrop of the Civil Rights Movement. The main character, Mandy, ponders how to be fully awake and authentic in a world that has rendered her vulnerable and invisible. Like so many young people, she makes decisions that will, ultimately, have a negative impact on her life, but that get her noticed – in all the wrong ways. The novel also explores the spirituality that was an integral part of Kathya’s childhood, especially the church and the spirit world that was an essential part of her early existence.
The Negro writers of her youth, particularly James Weldon Johnson and Paul Lawrence Dunbar, greatly influenced her with their use of iambic pentameter and rhyme. In many ways, they were the rap artists of their generation. The natural rhythms of their writing made their words sing from the page. Her entire novel is written with the rhythms and rhymes typified by these early writers. As resident playwright of Brownbox Theater, she also writes plays commissioned by the company. Because of her status with Brownbox, she is usually working on several projects at the same time. Her latest Brownbox creation was emotionalblackmale, a one-man play that had its debut at Seattle University in June. David and Jonathan is a modern-day retelling of the biblical story of the great warrior king and the man he loved more than he loved his own soul. David and Jonathan is her attempt at challenging the way the Black community perceives homosexuality, particularly homosexuality as it relates to the church.
________________________________________________________________________
Ali Marcus hails from Anacortes, WA, bringing her guitar and suitcase of harmonicas all around America. Over the past seven years and seven albums, Ali has found many exciting musical adventures, such as singing with folk-legend Tom Paxton, hearing her music on NPR, and performing in CMJ. In the last year alone, she has opened for Dar Williams, performed at Seattle’s Triple Door, and had a topical song featured in the New York Times on Election Day. Her newest album, “The Great Migration,” received a 4-star review from Seattle Sound and rumor has it a new record is on the way towards the end of the year.
Catch Ali’s unique take on Americana music, filled with nostalgic 60′s folk influences, crystal-clear melodies bursting with stories to tell, and a Neil Young-meets-Nashville take on the harmonicas. Her performance will play out like a tour of the United States, from the dust bowl to the horse farms in Virginia and back out to the Pacific Ocean. With a voice like an old fashioned folksinger – loud, frank, vernacular – Ali might just make you stop and think a little bit more about the world we live in and the world we would like it to become.
All of Ali’s music is available on iTunes, CDBaby, Amazon and many other sites. Please visit www.alimarcus.com for more information.
________________________________________________________________________
Named Auntmama by a nephew of choice, Mary Anne Moorman gathers audiences u
p in her blend of music, and storied southern lore. Her voice is a view of the Blue Ridge Mountains at dusk, rolling and misted sweet. These stories are conversations with memory as well as with the audience that’s enjoying them.
“I’d be a singer if I could sing, but I like music too much to mess it up,” she says. Her Appalachian roots are intertwined with the music she grew up with, many of her stories reflecting that harmonic heritage through influences from Gershwin, Cole Porter, Flatt & Scruggs, and Porter Wagoner.
The Stranger has written of Auntmama’s tales: “As a precious, southern belle, she’s conflicted and her extremes and voice boil out the sweetest words I think I’ve ever heard in my life. A real gem, she is. Glad I saw it, haven’t stopped hearing her lilting voice in my head.”
Moorman, a former machinist, management consultant and journalist, teaches storytelling at Washington State’s famous Wintergrass festival, Northwest Folklife Festival, Hugo House’s Write-O-Rama, as well as offering workshops throughout the country. She is the recipient of grants from Artist Trust, 4Cultural and the City of Seattle. Her three albums are available through her website, in local bookstores or through iTunes. She can be heard every Sunday morning on KBCS 91.3 FM.
Namoli Brennet and Eric Himan
Tickets: $10 advance, $14 at the door.
Click here to purchase advance tickets.
Award-winning songwriter Namoli Brennet has been touring the country with her own brand of moody and inspiring folk since 2002. Touching on often poignant themes, her music and lyrics ultimately paint a vivid and redemptive portrait. She’s a breathtaking and moving performer, and her sweet, road-weary voice is as quick to deliver her wit and humor as it is a turn of phrase. A 4-time Outmusic award nominee, Namoli has also won the Tucson Folk Festival Songwriting Award and was a finalist in the ISC songwriting competition. Her recent release ‘Black Crow’ garnered critical acclaim and was named one of KXCI FM’s top albums of 2010. Her music has been featured in the Emmy-award winning film “Out in the Silence”, which details the struggle of a gay teen growing up in rural Pennsylvania. She’s currently in the studio working on her 9th CD, scheduled for release in October 2011 on Flaming Dame Records.
Eric Himan is an award-winning nationally touring soulful/folk/rock artist based in the Tulsa area. Eric’s music has recently been featured on Sirius/XM’s Coffeehouse radio station with his song, “Save The Afternoon” (from his latest release, SUPPOSED UNKNOWN and version of the Simply Red classic, “Holding Back the Years*”. Since moving to the area, Eric has appeared on Tulsa radio (104.5 The Edge, KMOD), television (KJRH’s New Year’s Eve, KTUL’s Good Day Tulsa, CW’s Explore Tulsa), and in print media (Tulsa World, Urban Tulsa Weekly, Oklahoma Magazine). He has won top honors, Artist of the Year and Male Vocalist of the Year at Urban Tulsa Weekly’s Absolute Best of Tulsa Music Awards, Best of the Best in Oklahoma Magazine for 3 years, while nationally winning the Singer/Songwriter Awards and licensing his original songs to MTV, Vh1, Oxygen, and E! He has appeared in The Advocate, newspapers nationwide, and gained a working endorsement with Fender Guitars.
This show is presented by Ingersoll Gender Center. Namoli, Eric, and Empty Sea Studios will donate 10% of ticket proceeds to benefit Queer Youth Space.
Kora kana
Tickets: $10 advance, $14 at the door.
Click here to purchase advance tickets.
Kora kana is a new band playing ancient string music from West Africa, borrowing heavily from griot traditions, rural blues, and mountain music.
Band leader Tyler Richart initially traveled to West Africa to study percussion music with the master djembe player, Famoudou Konate, in 2002. After several weeks of intense study and practice, and then being asked by his teacher to find a more quiet hobby to appease the neighbors, Tyler took up lessons on the 21 string West African harp, the kora.
After learning the basic parts to a couple of songs from his first teacher, Sidiki Yayo, Tyler returned to the states and prepared for his next voyage, a six month trip the the heartland of the kora, The Gambia. Tyler then spent six months during the winter of 2002-2003 studying kora and singing in Brikama, The Gambia, with the family of kora master, Malamini Jobarteh.
A couple of years after his return to the US, Tyler spied a banjo hanging on the wall of a friend, and realized the banjo was a less civilized relative of the kora. Weeks later, his mother called to tell him that she had found one of these primitive drum-guitars at a garage sale, and was buying it for him. Tyler took up a feverish study of the instrument before recognizing it’s inherent limitations and moving on to the guitar and mandolin. In addition, Tyler started to try to sing like the self proclaimed King of Bluegrass, Jimmy Martin, and therefore won over many friends in the bluegrass and mountain music community. One of those friends, Cort Armstrong, had been steeped in the mountain blues styles of the Piedmont region, and was greatly influenced by the Reverend Gary Davis.
Tyler and Cort became fast friends and started playing and singing together. One late night on the porch, after a fair amount of imbibing, Tyler put away his mandolin and brought out his kora, and an old friend of Cort’s, Sean Divine, got out his harmonica. Cort tuned up his resophonic guitar, and the seeds of kora kana were planted. Over the next two years, Tyler would occasionally bring out the kora and show Cort and Sean a traditional song or two. In January of 2011, the final piece of band was added. Kia Armstrong added the upright bass and a badly needed touch of class to the band of haggard musicians. The group started working on arrangements, utilizing the vocal talents of the three men (who are all fantastic singers in their own right), and blending together the sublime vocal harmonies that kora kana has come to be known for.
Kora kana is a real treat for their audiences, blending Americana sensibilities and ancient Manding string music. Tyler sings with a strong emotive voice, tells amusing anecdotes about his travels, and a presents a healthy heaping of the cultural context and meanings of the songs of West Africa. Seeing this band play is a one of a kind experience.
Rain City Tales & Tunes with Mary Bue, Laurie Cox, and Auntmama
Tickets: $9.00 advance, $12.00 at the door.
Click here to purchase tickets.
Rain City Tales & Tunes is a brand-new radio show which brings the Northwest’s best storytellers and musicians together onstage. Taped in front of a live audience at Empty Sea, the show features acoustic music and tale-telling. Each episode features a unique theme, and audience members are invited to volunteer for the storytelling spotlight.
Produced jointly by Empty Sea Studios and KBCS storyteller Auntmama (Mary Anne Moorman), Rain City will be available to public radio stations this fall.
May 20th’s show theme is about odd jobs. What have we done to get by, and how have our odd jobs changed us along the way? Read on to learn about the singers and tellers who’ll be treating you with their own stories, soon.
Mary Bue likes creaky clanky pianos and falling asleep playing guitar. She wants to sing to you about what she’s cooking for dinner or what she dreamt about last night. Sometimes carthartic, sometimes joyous and always bittersweet, this newly transplanted Minneapolitan is making a soft winter nest of music for you.
Blend the sound of Ben Folds’ joyous piano pop, Carole King’s earthy soul and Tori Amos’ quirky, intense intimacy and you’ll get an idea of what Ms. Bue sounds like. In her teenage days, songs were born out of locking herself in her bedroom with notebooks and her Fender Squire with a hot pink strap (ask her, she still has it). Eleven years later, the twenty-five year old Bue has been the recipiant of two artist residencies in Florida, nominated for Best Local Folk Act in Providence, RI, toured nationally, led songwriting workshops and independently released two full length albums with the third to be released April 7th, 2007 in Minneapolis. Her first album “Where the Monarchs Circled” (2001), was reviewed by Low’s Alan Sparhawk who said “While the last ten years have seen a good handful of new piano-and-voice artists who are endlessly mimicked, Bue has a unique feel of her own in her songs.” Her latest release is a mash of Mary’s songs and production; a bunch of wonderful musicians from Duluth and Minneapolis and a few super talented sound engineers: Eric Swanson (Sacred Heart – Duluth), Chris Mara (Nashville) and finally Mike Whitney & Tom Herbers from Third Ear Studio in Minneapolis.
This pixie haired troubador will soon be coming to a town near you since she’s paired up with Ripple Entertainment LLC and Cephalopod Records. And more songs are sure to come from her travels as she tends to write lots of poems on the road. Be sure to buy her a coffee or a nice glass of red wine next time she sings in your town!
_________________________________________________________________________
Laurie Cox is a humor writer, storyteller and essayist from Seattle. She is a dog walker, foster parent, ex-gay drop ou
t, former teacher and frequent performer on stages all around the Northwest. Laurie has read her gut-bustingly funny — and always earnest — stories on stages including The Moth, TumbleMe Productions, and Bent Writing Institute, where she taught writing classes for several years. Laurie’s fans include David Sedaris, who once sent her a post-card in exchange for a story.
Laurie’s chapbook, Don’t Be a Dogwalker, is full of terribly true tales from the trenches of a writer-turned canine-caregiver.
_________________________________________________________________________
Named Auntmama by a nephew of choice, Mary Anne Moorman gathers audiences up in her blend of music, and storied southern lore. Her voice is a view of the Blue Ridge Mountains at dusk, rolling and misted sweet. These stories are conversations with memory as well as with the audience that’s enjoying them.
“I’d be a singer if I could sing, but I like music too much to mess it up,” she says. Her Appalachian roots are intertwined with the music she grew up with, many of her stories reflecting that harmonic heritage through influences from Gershwin, Cole Porter, Flatt & Scruggs, and Porter Wagoner.
The Stranger has written of Auntmama’s tales: “As a precious, southern belle, she’s conflicted and her extremes and voice boil out the sweetest words I think I’ve ever heard in my life. A real gem, she is. Glad I saw it, haven’t stopped hearing her lilting voice in my head.”
Moorman, a former machinist, management consultant and journalist, teaches storytelling at Washington State’s famous Wintergrass festival, Northwest Folklife Festival, Hugo House’s Write-O-Rama, as well as offering workshops throughout the country. She is the recipient of grants from Artist Trust, 4Cultural and the City of Seattle. Her three albums are available through her website, in local bookstores or through iTunes. She can be heard every Sunday morning on KBCS 91.3 FM.
Colleen Raney
Tickets: $12 advance, $15 at the door.
Click here to purchase advance tickets.
Colleen Raney has been the best-kept secret in the Northwest Irish music scene for some time now, but her stunning talent and bold vision of traditional music in a new century will soon make short work of that.
A Seattle-native, Colleen grew up around traditional Irish culture, singing and dancing with both her family and the respected ensemble Magical Strings. Now she’s at last decided to move out on her own, forming a powerhouse ensemble of Northwest Irish musicians. Colleen Raney brings a voice to reach to the back of the pub, a band to bring you to your feet, and a love for the poetry of Irish song.
Produced by Hanz Araki, Colleen’s debut album, Linnet, puts her angelic voice front and center, switching from moving Celtic ballads to the rolling rhythms of Irish dance songs. Her singing shows maturity, poise, and a deep knowledge of Irish traditional music. Her bold interpretations of well-loved songs like Fair Margaret & Sweet William breathe new life into these old ballads and the lush arrangement throughout the album speaks to the quality of the musicians accompanying Colleen on her musical journey.
The Next Gen Folk Series is jointly presented by Hearth Music, Victory Music and Empty Sea Studios.
Chris Coole and Ivan Rosenberg
Tickets: Sorry, this show is completely sold out!
Join Chris Coole and Ivan Rosenberg for the Seattle stop on their “Farewell Trion” CD Release tour, part of the NextGen Folk Series.
Coole and Rosenberg may have lots of geographical territory between them, but the Clawhammer banjo/Dobro duo are from the same town, musically speaking, where old time, bluegrass, and country blues are played on Dobro, clawhammer banjo, and guitar. Coole – from Toronto, Ontario – and Rosenberg – from Portland, Oregon – first took to the road as an acoustic duo in 2008. They have since toured several times throughout Canada. Their March 2011 tour—from Portland, Oregon to Chicago, Illinois—will be their first time bringing this unique act to audiences in the United States.
Rosenberg is known as one of the top Dobro players on the scene today. His original music has appeared in over 200 TV shows and films including The Daily Show, Oprah, and Deadwood; he recently recorded on “Southern Filibuster: A Tribute to Tut Taylor” at the invitation of producer Jerry Douglas; and he won an IBMA award for co-writing the 2009 Song of the Year, “Don’t Throw Mama’s Flowers Away.” Coole is well-known for his virtuosic clawhammer banjo music as well as his guitar playing and singing with the award-winning bluegrass band The Foggy Hogtown Boys. Coole’s recent solo album “Old Dog” received rave reviews, he was a finalist at the Clifftop banjo contest in 2004 and 2006, and his CDs with fellow Toronto banjoist Arnie Naiman are treasured by fans of old time banjo.
2010 marked the release of their first CD, “Farewell Trion,” which showcases their unique clawhammer banjo and Dobro instrumentation and Coole’s compelling vocals
.
“Strong material, rich vocals, and highly accomplished musicianship place this project at the top of the list. The careful juxtaposition of the old and new brings a depth to the performances that only comes with a true knowledge of the genre.”
—Bluegrass Unlimited Highlight Review
“For a ‘two-man’ folk festival, you could look to Doc Watson and David Holt, or on the strength of their first album together, Chris Coole and Ivan Rosenberg…. While Coole hammers out a rock-steady groove, Rosenberg’s Dobro in effect assumes the fiddle’s ‘voice’ in the arrangements. The result is a unique sonic mélange of old time and bluegrass—sort of ‘Josh Graves meets Kyle Creed.’ …This is a well-chosen collection of old-time music expertly performed by a pair of very talented musicians.”
—Banjo Newsletter
- The Next Gen Folk Series is jointly presented by Hearth Music, Victory Music and Empty Sea Studios.
Paul Silveria (Professor Banjo)
Tickets: $10 advance, $12 at the door.
Click here to purchase advance tickets.
Join Paul Silveria, also known as Professor Banjo, for this special family-friendly event! Paul Silveria is familiar to the Seattle old-time and bluegrass crowd, as a square dance caller often featured at the Tractor Tavern with Seattle favorites, the Tallboys. But many also know him as Professor Banjo – a banjo-slinging, old-time singing performer whose sing-a-longs, dancing games, and stories, get the kids involved and who’s skillful banjo playing and wry sense of humor entertain the parents as well.
On March 13th Paul will capture one of his unique live shows at the Empty Sea Studios. Parents can expect to see their kids jump up and down, shout out suggestions, act like animals, sing along, and dance around with fake beards on – yup, fake beards. Professor Banjo’s shows are always a great time, and this show is a special opportunity to be part of the fun!
