The Next Gen Folk Series is jointly presented by Hearth Music, Victory Music and Empty Sea Studios.

Tickets: $12 in advance, $15 at the door
Click here to purchase tickets in advance

Northern Departure use the same time-honored tools of the bluegrass trade – guitar, upright bass,banjo, mandolin and fiddle coupled with flawless picking, earnest harmonies, and an unsullied Northwest
perspective. These four “old souls” are igniting sparks in the bluegrass tradition with their fierce and infectious musical stylin’s. Even the most reserved hipster will be looking to head down to Appalachia.

The band formed in October 2008, and has not looked back since. Highly requested in the Northwest music scene, this young band has already graced the stages of Seattle’s Moore and Paramount Theaters, and has played several well known bluegrass festivals on the west coast.

Playing a mix of Original, Contemporary, and Bluegrass favorites, a live show is bound to leave you both exhausted and energized! Something not to be missed.

The Next Gen Folk Series is jointly presented by Hearth Music, Victory Music and Empty Sea Studios.

Sorry, this show is completely sold out!  No tickets will be released at the door.

Please join us as double mandolin meets double fiddle in this special evening of instrumental music!

Mandolin duo Michael Connolly & Miller McNay will present music from their breakthrough mandolin duo album The Mandolin Casefiles.

To kick off the evening, fiery Celtic fiddler Prairie Wolfe will be joined by Michael Connolly on fiddle, chromatic button accordion and guitar for an opening set of Irish and French Canadian tunes.

With tunes spanning the blues, old-time, bluegrass, Irish and French Canadian genres, this is a Next Gen Folk show you won’t want to miss!

Michael Connolly & Miller McNay: The Northwest’s premier mandolin duo

Playing their mandolins together for more than five years, Michael Connolly and Miller McNay have traveled along and across genre boundaries, from bluegrass to old-time to swing. In their inaugural album celebrating the unusual pairing of two mandolins, Connolly and McNay share the sound they’ve developed as a duo: transparent and open, but warm, varied, and eminently listenable.

In The Mandolin Casefiles: It Takes Two To Mando, Connolly and McNay offer up a mix of traditionaltunes, covers, and originals like McNay’s “The Grapes of Rag,” which introduces the disc, and Connolly’s “Mr. Pick’s Blues,” a chromatic, colorful adventure in 12/8. A vintage Gibson mandola makes an appearance on “Over The Waterfall” and on the duo’s cover of Lennon and McCartney’s “In My Life.” Exhibiting an unparalleled responsiveness to each others’ playing, the musicians slip effortlessly between lead, accompaniment, and even percussive roles.

Recorded live in the studio with no overdubs, The Mandolin Casefiles captures the palpable energy and moment-by-moment musical dialogue between two longstanding collaborators at play.

Michael Connolly’s love affair with the mandolin began at age six. During his musically charged upbringing in Memphis, Tennessee, he delved deeply into bluegrass, old-time, Irish traditional, blues, and swing music. The result is a unique “hornlike” approach to the instrument. His deft ear and sensitive accompaniment have won him appearances touring with and performing alongside Michelle Shocked, Coyote Grace, and The Indigo Girls.

An accomplished multi-instrumentalist, Connolly performs regularly on fiddle, piano, and accordion as well as maintaining a busy teaching schedule. He has recorded widely, appearing on nineteen albums. The Mandolin Casefiles is the twelfth to feature his mandolin playing.

Miller McNay’s mandolin story began in his native Charlotte, North Carolina. Winner of the Grand Targhee Bluegrass Festival’s mandolin contest, he has played with Free Roaming Buffalo Herd,and Barnyard Stompand as a founding member of Captain Gravel.

McNay’s impeccable tone and rhythmic drive have led to his sharing the stage with Joe Craven, G-Love & Special Sauce, and Ben Winship as well as opening for Tim O’ Brien, Danny Barnes, and The Wilders.

Prairie Wolfe

Seattle-based Celtic fiddler Prairie Wolfe never intended to play the fiddle at all. “I wanted to play the celtic harp as a kid,” she reports. It was French-Canadian/Metis fiddler Anne Lederman who influenced her to try her hand at the fiddle. “I’ve definitely always been attracted to the raw, unrefined sound of the fiddle.” It is this raw energy and the old-world accents that stand Prairie apart from other fiddlers and distinguishes her dynamic, rhythmic playing.

In 2005, Prairie’s talents whisked her from her westcoast home to Europe on a tour with Irish trio Damanta. The band played Ireland, Holland, Germany and Austria, bringing to audiences what Prairie describes as their unique “Christina Ricci meets Ashley MacIsaac” sound. Following the tour, she landed in Boston and decided to stay a while.  During her stay, Prairie was quickly initiated into the New England contradance scene, playing dances at the Guiding Star Grange in Greenfield, MA and getting involved with teaching, busking, and frequenting the odd session or two at the Burren.

The Burren is a long way from the church basement meetings of the Vancouver Scottish Fiddle Club, where Prairie got her start and where she met her initial mentor and teacher, Juno-Award winning fiddler Shona Le Mottee, of “Paperboys” and “Lord of the Dance” fame. Before long, she was performing in Vancouver’s CelticFest, doing demonstrations at schools, and hosting “Fiddlers For Funds: Tsunami Relief Benefit Concert.” “I have been amazingly lucky to play with all of Vancouver’s very best fiddlers and musicians, and to know them personally too. It’s been a charmed life.”

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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.

Tickets: $9 advance, $13 at the door.

Sorry, this show is completely sold out!  No tickets will be released at the door.

About Bradley Carter: A Chronological Synopsis of Things Musical and Vertical

1975-1985: Bradley first sees his father’s Gibson J-45 laying around the house. His dad teaches him House of the Rising Sun. Bradley spends the next several years goofing off with Iron Maiden and Judas Priest riffs. An overabundance of energy prevents him from sitting still long enough do anything resembling “practice.”

1989-1994: Graduates from the University of Tennessee with a degree in Theatre. Learns a few Zeppelin and Floyd songs. Decides to dedicate himself to rock climbing instead of rock music. The family is not pleased.

1995-2000: Works as climbing guide and spends as much free time as possible climbing all over the USA. Especially Yosemite and the South. Injuries force a 2 year break from hard climbing. Discovers Bluegrass and Old time music. Starts taking Clawhammer banjo and Flatpicking lessons.

2002-2004: Spends a winter in the Caribbean practicing and writing songs. Decides this is what he needs to be doing with his time. Puts to rest a few last remaining climbing objectives in Tennessee and Yosemite. Moves to Seattle.

2004-2011: Practice, practice, practice. Finally completes his first recording. The Real Job. A collection of guitar instrumentals that draw influences from Bluegrass, Rock, and Folk guitar styles. This year Bradley also scored Patagonia documentary “Power in the Pristine” which won first place for Best Documentary Short at the Sedona Film Festival. Look for Bradley on the cliffs in his spare time.

About Lowlands:

Joel and Tom joined together to play music while attending North Park University. Their first show had an attendance of 70 people in the small commons place on campus called Java Haus. Over the next three years they would collaborate and refine the sound they were developing and continue to grow in popularity around campus. At the end of their time at N.P.U. they would play their final concert to upwards of 300 people. The decision to move across the country was made, abandoned, and then made again. Joel and Tom then spent the rest of the summer writing new material. After saying goodbye to Chicago they now reside in Seattle to pursue lives as working class musicians. Landing on the name Lowlands, Tom and Joel now embark on an unknown path.

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The DownTown Mountain Boys, based in Seattle, Washington, is the PacificNorthwest’s most exciting and accomplished bluegrass band.

An exciting combination of tight harmonies and red-hot picking….An entertaining and engaging stage show…
A repertoire that spans best-loved standards and high-quality original material…

Veteran blue- grassers Terry Enyeart (bass and vocals), Dave Keenan (banjo and vocals), Don Share (guitar and vocals), Tom Moran (mandolin), and Paul Elliott (fiddle), seen for years in such popular Northwest bands such as Ranch Romance, Rural Delivery, Brother’s Keeper, Rainy Pass, and Who’s Driving?, have come together in a match made in musical heaven.  Take three-part harmonies that send shivers up your spine, add dazzling instrumental fire-power, and you have the sound of The DownTown Mountain Boys.

Here’s what folks are saying about the band:

“The cream of Seattle-area pickers, top teachers, session musicians, and musicologists.”  —Tom Petersen, Victory Music Review.

“It’s a very tight sound delivered with the confidence that comes with many years of working together to hone a great sound.”  —George McNight, Uptown Bluegrass.

“Composed of Seattle’s top bluegrass Musicians, the Downtown Mountain Boys kicked off their set with the high-powered original tune ‘Back in The Black.’ With a sound bridging the classic to the modern, bearing influences from groups such as the Lonesome River Band and The New South, the Downtown Mountain Boys kept the audience in awe.” —Michael LaRoche, Concert Promoter, Shoreline Community College.

“Now obviously, all of these guys are talented and seasoned musicians, but they have something going here that is really exciting, and that goes beyond them as individuals. If you have a chance to catch the Downtown Mountain Boys, it is well worth the cost of a baby sitter, and if you don’t need a sitter, then you’ll be getting an even better deal.”—Dave Campbell, Yahoo Northwest Bluegrass List.

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Based out of Vancouver, BC, Viper Central is a six-piece acoustic string-band that takes that “high lonesome sound” to new places. All six band members contribute original songs, but won’t hesitate to deliver up their take on an ages-old mournful waltz or bring the house down with a barn-burning bluegrass standard. The band first came together through a love for the old timey sounds of such artists as Ralph Stanley, Bill Monroe, Hazel Dickens, and the New Lost City Ramblers along with the more contemporary styles of acoustic innovators David Grisman, Béla Fleck, and David Lindley. Everyone brings a colourful resume and a unique sense of creativity to this collaboration. While the members of the band play significant roles in many other roots music projects (The Mountain Bluebirds, The Fugitives, The Blue Island Trio, Whiskey Jar, Headwater, Redgrass, Badgentina), the chemistry of the six members gives Viper Central a one-of-a-kind sound that will stick with you long after the show is over.

In the summer of 2008, Viper Central released their debut album, The Devil Sure is Hard to Please.  Blending instrumental prowess with innovative arrangements and creative vocal harmonies, the album showcases the diverse songwriting talents of every member in the band and is quickly earning them a place among the bands to watch for in Canada’s thriving roots music scene.  The band was also featured on the Whiskey Hollow Bound compilation album, which showcases six Vancouver bluegrass and old time bands and has been receiving rave reviews across the country since its release in 2007.

Charlie Beck, hailing from Indianapolis, Indiana, is a highly accomplished musician. His mastery of guitar and banjo come from years of consistent study. He is well versed in jazz and swing, is an avid enthusiast of old American blues and string band music. His repertoire includes a bushel of traditional folk tunes along with many jazz numbers. A talented songwriter, Charlie’s original compositions combine modern approaches with traditional styles, giving his songs a unique sound. Charlie is an outstanding vocalist, and also plays brilliantly on fiddle.

Charmaine “Lady Li-Lei” Slaven, from Stevensville, Montana, is a gifted dancer, and her skill at traditional percussive buckdancing is phenomenal. She is also an adept rhythm guitarist, ukulele player, and vocalist. Her clear, strong singing style is reminiscent of the Carter family. She brings a fine repertoire of traditional ballads to the duet, along with several of her original works.

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The beauty of Broken Blossoms is that they are both new and familiar, rooted in tradition, yet rejuvenated by unique arrangements—a happy convergence of traditional bluegrass, gospel, country blues, and folk-pop.

Broken Blossoms is the unification of a group of highly recognizable performers in Boston’s celebrated folk-music circuit—its members gathered by gifted songwriter and guitarist, Andy Cambria, in support of some the city’s most prominent singer-songwriters.

Cambria, mandolin player, David Goldenberg, bassist/hammered dulcimer wizard, Simon Chrisman and banjo player, Charles Rose, performed regularly throughout 2008. The group recruited friend and 2009 National Old-Time Fiddle Champion, Kimber Ludiker, just before the year drew to a close and recorded a four-song EP in early 2009.

Although the members of the band have impressive personal resumes, with performances on such legendary stages as Grey Fox, Wintergrass, The Birchmere, The Grand Master Fiddle Championship, Falcon Ridge and Club Passim to their credit, it is their strength and style as a unit that’s made an instant impact on Boston’s roots-music scene. Talent buyer, Geoff Bartley, operator of Boston’s bluegrass Mecca, The Cantab Lounge, describes them thusly: “Every time I hear this band, they’re tighter, deeper and more poised. The sultry vocals and refined songwriting, steeped in traditional roots and bluegrass, vault the group into another category. Look out—these folks could become well-known very fast.”