RVANews

Bobbie Barajas will leave WCVE after 13 years

Nathan Cushing — Tue, 08 Jan 2013 16:15:56 +0000

After serving as WCVE's Classical Music Director and on-air host for over a decade, Bobbie Barajas will leave the public radio station later this month to rejoin her family in Texas.

"Richmond has become my second home and listeners have become like family," Barajas said in a statement. "But after almost 13 years it's time for me to go back to Texas and be with my family. I don't want to miss another minute of my little niece growing up. She is the center of my world."

Bill Miller, General Manager for WCVE Public Radio (88.9 FM), said Baraja's efforts transcended the airwaves.

“Bobbie was instrumental in helping to forge strong relationships with many community partners, including the Richmond Symphony, the American Youth Harp Ensemble, our Ensemble in Residence, the Atlantic Chamber Ensemble and Uisce Beatha, with whom we have partnered for many years on our annual St. Patrick’s Day concert,” Miller said. “We have been fortunate to have someone with her level of expertise on our staff and we will miss her very much.”

Baraja's last day will be January 18th. In a statement, WCVE said it will continue its classical music programming with current staff as it "considers options for the future."

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Folk Festival food alternatives (share your thoughts)

Valerie Catrow — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 20:36:30 +0000

The Richmond Folk Festival has lots of great food vendors lined up, but for those of you who might want to take a little break from the crowd while getting your eat on, here's a quick rundown of restaurants close to Brown's Island. If you're familiar with any of them, head over to their listings on our Eats directory and share your rating so people know where they can get the best grub this weekend.

Bopst’s Folk Festival preview

Chris Bopst — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 10:00:10 +0000

Ah yes, the Richmond Folk Festival is happening this weekend. I don’t know how many times I have to say this for it to sink in, but the festival has nothing to do with aging, balding, pony-tailed Caucasians strumming acoustic guitars and singing about a brighter tomorrow. If it were, rest assured I would avoid it like the plague. Not that I have anything against Caucasians living out their hippie folk dreams; I just feel better when I don’t have to hear it.

No, ladies and gentlemen, the type of folk that the festival is showcasing this weekend is, “music originating among the common people of a nation or region and spread about or passed down orally, often with considerable variation” with an emphasis on, “considerable variation.” Of all the music-related things I have been part of until this point in my life, The Richmond Folk Festival is by far the cleanest, having nothing to do with commercialism, making money, or getting anybody laid. Simply put, The Richmond Folk Festival is free of the sleaze that infects most (if not all) music gatherings with the simple desire to showcase music that most people would never get a chance to hear at all, let alone for free. Having lived in Richmond as long as I have, the fact that this festival is happening at all (and on a yearly basis, no less) is nothing short of a miracle considering that our fair, humble southern abode has long been defined by its cultural shortcomings (at least, above ground anyway). I chalk up my inclusion on the festival’s programming committee to me being a better liar than I give myself credit for or them being strapped to find another opinionated, balding white guy who thinks he knows everything about music. Either way, I have to pinch myself whenever the powers-that-be summon me to get my precious opinions on who should play the yearly event. Without getting too mushy about it, I can safely say that being part of this festival is one of my proudest achievements as a music promoter.

So anyway, here are some of the acts playing this year that I will be paying close attention to:

Jorge Negron’s Master Bomba Ensemble

This is the only act I had a direct hand in securing for the festival. Jorge Negron lived in Richmond for the better part of two decades, and when we first met serving whitey at the Commonwealth Club in the mid-80’s, we used to pass the time singing 9353 lyrics under our breaths as we catered to the culinary needs of the then exclusively white clientele (that only changed when Doug Wilder become the state’s governor in 1990). He formed Bio Ritmo in the early 90’s before moving back to his native Puerto Rico after his father, a renowned DJ in Pounce, died. I visited him shortly after his father’s death, and coupled with his tumultuous ousting from the band that had come to define him, he was not in good shape. Despite this, Jorge took me to places on the island that the average gringo would never see exposing me to the abundance of great music only the natives knew about. All these years later, Jorge is still involved with music and his enthusiasm remains undiminished. His Master Bomba (a uniquely Puerto Rican musical genre for dance with strong African rhythmic influence) Ensemble is indicative of his ongoing love affair with music from his native country. Jorge’s winning musical trick is that everything he does stands on the shoulders of the giants that proceeded him instead of meekly sitting on them. I am proud to say he is my friend, but more importantly, I know the fucker won’t let me down because if he were to fail, my word won’t be shit at the programming meetings in the future. Thankfully, that is something I don’t have to worry about. The man has always been able to deliver the musical goods.
(Learn more about Jorge Negron’s Master Bomba Ensemble.)

Khogzhumchu

I am a fan of the bizarre, and to western ears, Khogzhumchu, a group of Tuvan throat-singers from Kyzyl, Tuva, are about as bizarre a group you might ever hear. The members of Khogzhumchu are leaders in a new, post-Soviet generation of musicians that incorporate elements from western styles in a way that not only enhances the breathtaking impact of this ancient traditional form, but their updated style adds to the serious mind fuck they create. Oh, I can’t wait. They are more, “out there” than Trout Mask Replica-era Beefheart or Sun Ra, heavier than Messhugah and convey more power than Stravinsky, The Bad Brains, and Nina Simone combined. This is the group’s first time in the States. I, for one, hope it won’t be their last.
(Learn more about Khogzhumchu.)

Samba Mapangala & Orchestre Virunga

Deep East African groves from the man whose voice has been described as “melting between the ears.” What else do you need to know?
(Learn more about Samba Mapangala & Orchestre Virunga.)

Sounds of Korea

For the last couple of years, all I really wanted to listen to was dub and reggae. I don’t know why really, but I just sort of gravitated to it like I didn’t have any choice in the matter. Then I heard Asian pop. I think all those years of listening to throbbing low end had more than a little something to do with it, but when I heard those impossibly high-pitched voices, I was hooked. And that brings us to Sue Yeon Park and the Sounds of Korea. With roots in ancient Buddhist shaman rituals, Park’s highly regarded group specializes in ensemble dance numbers, powerful choreographed drumming, and plaintive, solo dance pieces in traditional dress. It is an experience for the ears and eyes, conveying the deep cultural legacy of Korean society where getting rid of evil and creating prosperity is done by shamanistic ritual. Music does have the power to heal. It’s nice to know that some cultures haven’t forgotten that.
(Learn more about Sounds of Korea.)

Swamp Dogg

The first time I heard of Swamp Dogg (AKA: Jerry Williams), I was searching for new 45’s for the Millie’s jukebox. I came across his version of John Prine’s, “Sam Stone” and decided to chance on it. I’m glad I did. That fucker gives me goose bumps just thinking about it. From there, I sought out anything and everything the man did, and 9 times out of 10, everything I found of his took me to the Promised Land. He has to rank as one the great lost American soul artists of his time, though word of his funky, soulful goodness thankfully isn’t the secret that it once was. His newer stuff has that high pro glow that is depressingly, “Innsbrookie,” but live, the man, the myth, the legend delivers the goods that make lesser players look silly. If you want to make your life all it should be, I strongly suggest picking up, “Excellent Sides Of Swamp Dogg Vol.2 (Cuffed Collared Tagged and Gassed/Gag a Maggott)” or any of his quintessential 70’s releases. You’re welcome.
(Learn more about Swamp Dogg.)

Debashish Bhattacharya

This Indian slide guitar master has the good sense to know what not to play. He sounds like Ry Cooder if he got his inspiration from watching old Bollywood movies. As he explains, “My tradition is my foundation as it represents my roots. It enables me to be wild in terms of innovation, without losing control… to be able to play with fire in the musical sense, to live dangerously and come out unscathed.” That is a mighty hard trick to pull off. Amazingly, he makes it sound easy.
(Learn more about Debashish Bhattacharya.)

North Bear

Here is another group sure to bewilder and frighten the serious fuck out of people. To the uninitiated, one would reasonably assume that they were hearing the tortured cries of lost souls writhing in eternal pain in hell instead of music rooted in the tradition of the Cheyenne nation. The intense, repetitive rhythms and soaring falsetto singing remind me of the frenzied, maniac energy of the Balinese music drama known as Kecak. It would be the perfect music for a horror film. With their rapid increases in volume, tempo and intensity of their singing that drives the dance, North Bear are downright creepy. Creepy good that is…
(Learn more about North Bear.)

Trouble Funk

Trouble Funk was the soundtrack of my youth. I can’t tell you how many nights my mother would scream at me at 4 o’clock in the morning asking where the fuck I had been all night. I was out seeing Trouble Funk. By far my favorite DC Go-Go band, their classic tunes, “Drop The Bomb”, “Get Up With Your Get Down” and, “Super Grit” still makes their way onto my turntable (yes, turntable) with alarming frequency. I remember them blowing Minor Threat off the stage more than once without even trying. A truly amazing live band, Trouble Funk has the power to move mountains.
(Learn more about Trouble Funk.)

Paul Williams & The Victory Trio

It’s a pity what has happened to bluegrass and country music these days. Some people call it modern country or country pop, but I prefer to call what they are playing today "dog shit." What is lost in the modern age of Americana is it’s soul. As a mandolin player for Martin’s Sunny Mountain Boys, Williams helped inspire every budding bluegrass band that came after them, and with nine solo releases and a Grammy nomination under his belt, he is the reigning king of bluegrass gospel. And man, can the guy play a mean mandolin. He is to the mandolin what Hendrix was to the guitar.
(Learn more about Paul Williams & The Victory Trio.)

Well, there are my picks for this year’s festival. Hope to see you there. I’ll be the one smiling ear to ear.

(Photo by Dick Kettlewell, The Rapid City Journal)

Virginia Indian Drum and Dance

Valerie Catrow — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 01:55:21 +0000

Professional Bio

For thousands of years, America’s Native peoples have celebrated social and spiritual events by dancing. Spiritually, dancing is a way of participating in the community’s cycle of balance: bringing all aspects of life into harmony through rhythm. The drum is considered a sacred element of cultural expression and thought of as “the heartbeat of Mother Earth.” Today, Virginia Indians participate in modern powwows and dance styles with members of many other tribes. They continue to practice their own social dances: the Welcome, Green Corn, Rabbit, and Canoe dances, among others. They are proud to share their rich heritage and invite you to join them at their Folk Festival performance this year.

Jorge Negron’s Master Bomba Ensemble

Valerie Catrow — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 01:53:00 +0000

Puerto Rican Bomba Percussion and Dance Ensemble
San Juan, PR

Listen

[audio:http://rvanews.net/folk_festival/2009/artists/JorgeNegron.mp3|artists=Jorge Negron|titles=Jorge Negron]

Professional Bio

With some of Puerto Rico’s finest master bomba drummers and dancers in tow, former Richmonder Jorge Negron returns with one of Puerto Rico’s most engaging Afro-Latin ensembles.

Khogzhumchu

Valerie Catrow — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 01:49:39 +0000

Tuvan Throat-singing
Kyzyl, Tuva (Russian Federation)

Listen

[audio:http://rvanews.net/folk_festival/2009/artists/Khogzhumchu.mp3|artists=Khogzhumchu|titles=Khogzhumchu]

From the Brothers Burton

Taylor says: It is always a rarity to witness a performance from a Tuvan ensemble, and often tends to be mind-blowing. To witness a solo throat singer is incredible enough on its own, but to see how the other musicians of this quartet play off of the overtones of the throat singer is amazing.

Scott says: Tuvan throat singing really is a treat. Like my brother said, it should be interesting to hear other vocalists interacting with it. Think of Tuvan throat singing as reverse ventriloquism without the puppets... or the bad jokes.

Professional Bio

One of the oldest and most striking vocal traditions of mankind is xöömei (throat-singing) from the heart of Central Asia. The ethereal tones of throat-singing evoke sounds of nature—the wind whistling down from the mountains, the deep lowing of the yak, and the high trill of birdsong—all set to the rhythm of trotting horses ridden by the nomadic herdsmen of the tiny republic of Tuva. Largely unknown to the outside world until the 1990s, Tuvan throat-singing expanded western conceptions of the limits of the human voice, and quickly became a sensation worldwide. The members of Khogzhumchu are leaders in a new, post-Soviet generation of musicians who masterfully incorporate elements from western styles in a way that only enhances the breathtaking impact of this ancient traditional form.

Throat-singing is a unique kind of overtone singing that involves one singer simultaneously producing two or three notes of different pitches – a low fundamental tone, often a drone, and harmonic tones several octaves higher (sometimes lower) that, with virtuosic skill, are shaped into a melody. The effect is miraculous; nothing exists in western vocal music that resembles this eerie and beautiful Central Asian sound. Such singing was also practical, since the sounds of xöömei carried far across the thinly-populated steppes. The music expresses the cultural value placed on nature in traditional Tuvan spiritual beliefs—although its lyrics, like those of many folk songs, often focus on pretty girls and fast horses.

The founder of the Khogzhumchu, Andrey Mongush, is recognized as one of the foremost young leaders of this tradition. He has received numerous distinctions and awards both in Tuva and abroad. A musician and composer, he is a veteran of two of the most well known throat-singing groups, Huun Huur Tu and Chirgilchin. Mongush travels to the remote regions in his homeland to collect songs and inspire other performers. The group is rounded out by Ayhan Ooshaz who sings and plays the igil (two –stringed upright fiddle), multi-instrumentalist and singer Evgeny Saryglar, and Kan-Khular Saaya, an instrument-maker, singer and multi-instrumentalist who plays the igil, the byzaanchy (four-stringed upright fiddle), and the chadagan (plucked zither). Although formed just two years ago, Khogzhumchu has already performed for the Dalai Lama in India and at the Ustu-Huure world music festival in Tuva. This is the group’s first trip to the United States.

Richmond Roots Music Sessions to kick off Folk Festival festivities

Valerie Catrow — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 18:35:33 +0000

In an effort to get everyone all good and excited for the Richmond Folk Festival, the powers-that-be have organized a full week of shows featuring local musicians playing at local venues. All shows are $10 with proceeds going to the Richmond Folk Festival.

Here's the line-up for you...

Sunday, October 4th at 5pm

Eden and John's East River String Band with Slack Family

Legend Brewing Company
321 W. 7th Street

Monday, October 5th at 8pm

Fight the Big Bull with Miramar, & DJ Rattan

Gibson Grill
700 E. Broad Street

Tuesday, October 6th at 7:30pm

Jesse Lege with Gypsy Roots & Horo

Plaza Bowl
521 E. Southside Plaza

Wednesday, October 7th at 8pm

Brad Spivey and the Honky Tonk Experience with Hamburger James & David Shultz and the Skyline

Hat Factory
140 W. Virginia Street

Thursday, October 8th at 8pm

Cheick Hamala Diabate with Antero

Capital Ale House (Downtown)
623 E. Main Street

Friday, October 9th through Sunday, October 11th

Richmond Folk Festival

See performers, schedules, parking information, and more right here.

Sunday, October 11th, 6:30pm-ish

Bio Ritmo Blowout Reunion & Folk Fest Wrap Party!

Capital Ale House (Downtown)
623 E. Main Street

And wait, there's more! At each performance, you'll get a chance to win a VIP package to the Richmond Folk Festival, including 2 passes to the VIP Tent and backstage access throughout the festival.

Hope to see you out and around town next week!

Hummingbirds

Scott Pharr — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 21:26:01 +0000

United House of Prayer Shout Band
Portsmouth, VA

From the Brothers Burton

Taylor says: Not just a brass band...ALL TROMBONES!!!!!!!!!! Well contrabas,s too of course (not to be forgotten!), but WOW! This is pure joy to me, as it combines my love for brass bands and my love for crazy loud wailing vocals.

Scott says: When Reggie Pace (tireless trombonist with No BS Brass) told me about this band, it sounded too good to be true. Then he said they were from Newport News, and I was instantly bummed that I hadn't been to their church yet. Now they're coming to Richmond, and I must go at all costs!

Professional Bio

In 1903, an African-Portuguese immigrant named Marcelino Manoel da Graca (Charles Manuel Grace), the son of a stonecutter from the Cape Verdean Island of Brava, came to the southeastern Massachusetts town of New Bedford. “Daddy Grace,” as he became known, was a dynamic spiritual leader who started the United House of Prayer. The United House of Prayer congregation eventually reached up and down the east coast, with one of its first and most successful churches in Newport News, Virginia. One of the hallmarks of United House of Prayer church services, baptisms, funerals, and parades is the exclusive use of brass instruments, inspired by the words of Psalm 150: “Praise ye the Lord. Praise Him with the sound of the trumpet...” The United House of Prayer brass bands came to be known as “shout bands” because of their ability to move entire congregations to shout with heartfelt spiritual energy. The Madison Hummingbirds, of Portsmouth, are the current torch bearers of the great Virginia shout band tradition. As has been the case for generations in the House of Prayer, they have been carefully bringing along “The Rookies,” a group of young men that will comprise the next generation of Hummingbirds.

Joel Rubin Ensemble

Scott Pharr — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 21:24:12 +0000

Klezmer
Charlottesville, VA

From the Brothers Burton

Taylor says: Oh how I love Klezmer, and oh how I love the clarinet. And when this is all paired with my love for Hungarian musicians, success is to be the recipe. In other words, this is going to be incredible...and a success.

Scott says: An incredibly academic approach to the Klezmer tradition, but don't worry, it sounds awesome!

Professional Bio

Klezmer is a musical tradition which parallels Hasidic and Ashkenazic, Judaism. The Charlottesville and New York City based duo of Joel Rubin and Pete Rushefsky performs Eastern European Jewish instrumental klezmer music and hasidic /nigunim/ (religious melodies of spiritual elevation), a meditation on the Russian-Jewish musical legacy. The music draws its inspiration from the publications of the ethnomusicologist Moshe Beregovski, which were based on Beregovski’s own fieldwork in the Ukraine and Byelorussia from 1927 to 1948. Rubin has specialized in the repertoire from these collections for the past fifteen years, which he regards as the deepest inspiration for his exploration of all phases of the complex klezmer tradition, from 19th century Eastern Europe to the 21st century transnationally.

Nader Majd

Scott Pharr — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 21:22:34 +0000

Persian Spiritual Music
Arlington, VA

From the Brothers Burton

Taylor says: Excellent chance to see authentic Persian music. Beautiful arrangements from a true master.

Scott says: Drones, solos and amazing melodies. It's always cool to hear authentic drumming mixed with an orchestra.

Professional Bio

Dr. Nader Majd, of Arlington, VA, was born in Sari, Iran, and began studying and playing the santur (hammerd dulcimer) and violin at the age of six. A year later, he received his education in tar and setar (plucked instruments) from his father and uncles who were well known artists in Iran. All these instruments are critical to prayer music in Iran. Dr. Majd immigrated to the United States in 1968. He started The Center for Persian Classical Music (CPCM) in 1997 “to make Persian Classical music known to our American friends as a means to increase understanding between our two countries.” The CPCM employs the universal language of music as a tool for communication and cultural exchange.

Larnell Starkey and the Spiritual Seven

Scott Pharr — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 21:20:03 +0000

African-American Gospel
Rocky Mount, VA

From the Brothers Burton

Taylor Burton: Very honest gospel music from Seven spirited musicians. Crazy loud falsetto harmonies never fail!

Scott says: The vocals bring this together. You might even hear some Hendrix riffs on an Ovation (guitar nerds raise up).

Professional Bio

Larnell Starkey and the Spiritual Seven, of Rocky Mount, Virginia, has been spreading their Ministry in Songs for over 36 years. As they travel the United States and other Countries, they put God first and they love sharing their Ministry in Songs with everyone regardless of race, color or denomination. They have sang in Churches, Schools, Shelters and many other places spreading their Ministry in Songs and leading people to God. As you listen to this collection of songs, you began to get to know this Artist and what they stand for. If you want to be taken to a higher level spiritually, and hear smoking hot gospel music, just listen to this and you will share an experience you shall never forget!

Cantor Irena Altschul

Scott Pharr — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 21:17:12 +0000

Jewish Liturgical Song
Reston, VA

Professional Bio

Cantor Irena Altshul serves as the first invested Cantor at Northern Virginia Hebrew Congregation in Reston, Virginia. A cantor is a singer who assists the Rabbi with prayer in the Jewish Synagogue tradition. Cantor Alsschul was born in St. Petersburg, Russia. She spent her formative years in Israel and came to New York City as a graduate college student. There she was drawn into synagogue life through her love of Jewish music. Since her cantorial investiture in 2003, Cantor Altshul has served on the clergy team of Temple Israel of the City of New York. A trained mezzo-soprano, her performance experiences have included appearances with the Russian Chamber Choir, the New York Brooklyn College Opera Theater, the Haifa Symphony Orchestra, Israel, the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra, Israel, and the Tel-Aviv Philharmonic Choir, Israel. Cantor Altshul was also twice invited to sing at The President’s Residence in Jerusalem

Maggie Ingram

Scott Pharr — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 21:16:01 +0000

African-American Gospel
Richmond, VA

From the Brothers Burton

Taylor: It is always interesting do see such different traditions represented in the same genre. Super soulful vocals, sometimes accompanied, and sometimes a cappella, Maggie Ingram and the Ingramettes (best word ever) are sure to please.

Scott says: It's great to see such a caring person singing some honest music. Seriously, Maggie Ingram is the real deal.

Professional Bio

Born July 4, 1930, on Mulholland’s Plantation in Coffee County, Georgia, Maggie Ingram worked in the cotton and tobacco fields with her parents. She began playing the piano and singing at an early age and exhibited a great love for church and for the ministry of the gospel of Jesus Christ. At 16, she married Thomas Jefferson Ingram whose family also worked as sharecroppers in Georgia. It was from these humble beginnings that the Ingramettes were formed. Sister Maggie Ingram and The Ingramettes were soon a sought after group to sing at churches, gospel festivals, auditoriums, church conferences, and other places throughout Florida. In December 1961, Ms. Ingram moved her family to Richmond, Virginia. .Ms. Ingram found employment in the home of Oliver W. Hill, Sr., an energetic attorney who was working on a civil rights case. She also began a prison ministry with her children and partnered with the Mt. Gilead Baptist Church in the 1970’s. In the years since, the Ingramettes have received numerous awards including most recently the prestigious Virginia Heritage Award!

Paschall Brothers

Scott Pharr — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 21:14:29 +0000

Tidewater Gospel Quartet
Chesapeake, VA

From the Brothers Burton

Taylor says: Great a cappella gospel renderings. Huge harmonies, and powerful bass renderings = super excellent.

Scott says: More straight up singing. No goofy keyboard sounds or electronic drums... just amazing rhythmic vocals!

Professional Bio

The Paschall Brothers stand firmly in the great tradition of unaccompanied religious singing in the Tidewater region of Virginia. Though scarcely a handful of African American /a cappella /quartets sing in Virginia today, black four-part harmony groups were singing in Virginia at least as early as the mid-1800s, and the Tidewater region alone produced over two hundred such groups in the century following the Civil War. The “modern” quartets were born in the late 1920s and early 1930s with the emergence of groups like the Heavenly Gospel Singers, the Blevins Quartet, and most notably, The Golden Gate Quartet of Norfolk. Norfolk quickly became known as the “home of the quartet.” The Paschall Brothers are the current torch-bearers of this traditional singing style. It takes only a few opening notes for the artistry of the Paschalls to claim the listener’s ear. The late Reverend Frank Paschall, Sr. originally formed the ensemble in 1981 with his five sons: Frank Jr., Reverend Tarrence, Wendell, Dwight, and William. Reverend Paschall Sr. passed away in 1999, but his sons have carried on his legacy. The Paschalls perform frequently at local area churches and festivals in the Tidewater area, including yearly appearances at the Tidewater Gospel Festival held at the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, and have recently performed at several nationally known festivals, including the Smithsonian Folklife Festival and the Roots of American Music Festival at Lincoln Center. They have helped to pass this tradition along to the next generation by participating in the Virginia Folklife Apprenticeship Program. Their most recent CD “On the Right Road Now,” produced by the Virginia Folklife Program for Smithsonian Folkways Records, won the 2008 IMA’s “Gospel Album of the Year.”

Moges Soyeum

Scott Pharr — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 21:13:04 +0000

Ethiopian Orthodox Singing
Arlington, VA

From the Brothers Burton

Taylor says: Most people who know me know that I am all but obsessed with Ethiopian music, and this is a rare chance for me to get my fix in person! For anyone familiar with the Ethiopiques series, this is a rare chance to see tradition in action, and witness the roots that gave way to such an amazing and diverse musical culture.

Scott says: This man is dedicated, and with all the secrets he's willing to share about Ethiopian music, it'd be a shame to miss this stuff.

Professional Bio

The Ethiopian Orthodox Church is the oldest of all Eastern Christianities. A defining characteristic of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church is the elaborate singing or chanting which takes place often for hours before the service. The son of an accomplished church musician, Moges Seyoum began his musical education in Ethiopia at the age of eight. He soon became an accomplished singer himself, and an expert in the various genres of Ethiopian Orthodox Christian chant, sacred dance, and associated instrumental practices. By the time he arrived in the United States in 1982, joining the quickly growing Ethiopian communities of Washington D.C. and Northern Virginia, he could perform from memory the complete Ethiopian Psalter, as well as other liturgical books such as the Ethiopian Hymnary. In 2006, he recorded and published a collection of six CDs containing the most complicated musical sections for the annual liturgy. Moges is also an expert on the Ethiopian Christian notational system, the only indigenous system of music writing in Africa, which has 600 signs. He is viewed as the master of an elaborate style of movement of the prayer staff (takla), and is known as the only such practitioner living in the United States. Today, while holding down two jobs, he leads the performance of the musical liturgy at the Debre Selam Kidist Mariam Church in Washington, DC, at services that are often attended by more than 2,000 worshipers. Moges has taught many members of the church the ancient songs of St. Yared, written in the 6th Century.

Frank Newsome

Scott Pharr — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 21:11:55 +0000

Old Regular Baptist Singing
Haysi, VA

From the Brothers Burton

Taylor says: Words sort of escape me to describe Frank Newsome. Very powerful, honest solo gospel singing. Every time I hear him, I feel like I should stop playing music altogether.

Scott says: Sometimes one voice is all you need. Frank Newsome brings the honesty. Some bands wear silly outfits and endlessly try to look cool...Mr. Newsome just sings... really well.

Professional Bio

The singing of the Old Regular Baptists is one of the oldest and deepest veins of American spiritual singing traditions. This hymnody, with its elaborate, lined-out, unaccompanied singing is prevalent throughout the coalfield region of central Appalachia, but is barely known outside its region. It cannot be heard on television or radio, and is largely unavailable on recordings. Elder Frank Newsome, of Little David Old Regular Baptist Church outside of Haysi, Virginia, is one of the great masters of this singing style, which he used to inspire his small but spirited congregation every Sunday. Frequent Little David attendee Dr. Ralph Stanley has been so enamored with Newsome’s singing that he regularly invites him to sing at his annual music festival. Frank’s singing has touched the hearts of many, and he was most recently honored with the first ever Virginia State Heritage Award.

Lloyd Arneach

Scott Pharr — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 21:04:18 +0000

Cherokee Storyteller
Cherokee, NC

Professional Bio

Master storyteller Lloyd Arneach is a bearer of the deep traditions of the Eastern Band Cherokee of North Carolina. He will be keeping children of all ages rapt with stories drawn from his heritage, and those he has written himself.

La Gran Banda

Scott Pharr — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 21:02:28 +0000

Colombian Papayera
Miami, FL

From the Brothers Burton

Taylor says: Interesting Honduran group from Miami. Traditional Honduran/Colombian music rendered electrically, and with no shortage of energy.

Scott says: The idea of this band is great, tackling all of the great rhythms of Colombia and beyond. Adding horns and singing make this a success recipe.

Professional Bio

The papayera band is a distinctive and much-loved feature of the towns of Colombia’s Caribbean coast, a region which includes bandleader Henry March’s native city of Barranquilla. There, big papayera bands of 20 or more musicians are a fixture in the celebratory life of each town. The papayera style combines the European municipal brass band tradition with the percussion instruments and African-influenced dance rhythms typical of the Colombian coastal region. The music of La Gran Banda covers the wide range of regional dance styles—including porro, cumbia, vallenato, fandango, and paseo—wrapping them all in the brass flair that characterizes the traditional papayera.

When Henry March emigrated from Colombia to Miami, Florida in 1986, he was already an accomplished professional musician, producer, and a composer of jazz as well as a variety of Afro-Caribbean dance music styles. He also had a deep and abiding interest in the folk music of the coastal region where he grew up, and a wide-ranging collection of traditional instruments from that area. March built on this knowledge of regional traditions to find a musical niche for himself in his new home of Miami; with well over 100,000 Colombians in Miami-Dade County, Miami provided a huge and enthusiastic audience for traditional Colombian music. Many vallenato bands already served the community, so March chose instead to offer Miami audiences the sound of the papayera bands of Barranquilla, a style instantly identifiable as Colombian, and yet unique among Miami ensembles. Thus, in 1992, he founded La Gran Banda: Orquesta y Papayera, a smaller papayera band suited to the venues of Miami. In addition to bandleader and saxophonist Henry A. March, this band assembles a roster of some of Miami’s great Colombian brass and percussion players. Together, as La Gran Banda, they bring the big brass sound of the papayera band from Colombia’s coast to the stages of the Richmond Folk Festival for the very first time.

Paul Zarzyski

Scott Pharr — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 20:57:01 +0000

Cowboy poetry
Great Falls, MT

Professional Bio

A longtime collaborator with Wylie Gustafson, former rodeo cowboy and master cowboy poet Paul Zarzyski will join Wylie both in a full band setting, and in stripped downs sets focusing on wordplay.

Clinton Fearon & The Boogie Brown Band

Scott Pharr — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 20:53:54 +0000

Jamaican Reggae
Tacoma, WA

From the Brothers Burton

Taylor says: Dub is always excellent in my book, and Clinton Fearon is one of its reigning champions. He also has a band called The Dub Faculty, which is also excellent in my book.

Scott says: Good dub from one of its masters. Again, this is music that just feels good, and if you listen to the lyrics you might even accidentally learn something new!

Professional Bio

A member of the legendary Gladiators, one of the most popular vocal groups to emerge from Jamaica in the formative years of reggae, singer and songwriter Clinton Fearon has been bringing roots reggae music to audiences across the globe for close to four decades. Emerging from the island of Jamaica in the 1960s, reggae captivated the world with its musical calls for justice, freedom and equality, and messages of hope and redemption. Clinton’s vibrant voice and powerful songs continue to remind listeners that reggae has always been more than a musical style.

Clinton Fearon grew up in Jamaica at a time when different musical and historical streams were converging to create what is now popularly known as reggae. The reggae beat, slow and steady like the human heartbeat, has roots in the island’s indigenous folk percussion and the religious drumming known as nyahbingi. Mento, a Jamaican folk music closely related to Trinidadian calypso, also contributed to the development of reggae. Finally, reggae drew from two popular homegrown dance styles that preceded it, ska and rock steady, both influenced by American R&B and jump blues.

The development of reggae is intertwined with the history of Rastafarianism, a spiritual, social, and political movement that began to develop among the island’s poor during the 1930s. Rastas, as they came to be known, believed in the divine nature of Haile Selassie I, Emperor of Ethiopia, and helped to revitalize pan-African nationalism throughout Jamaica. In the volatile political climate of the 1960s, reggae music fused with Rasta consciousness and became the representative musical outlet for expressing the hopes and fears of the Jamaican people.

Fearon was an active participant in Jamaica’s burgeoning reggae scene. As an early member of The Gladiators, which he joined in 1969 as both a bass player and harmony singer, Fearon appeared on recordings of many of the groups most well-known songs, including “Freedom Train” and “Downtown Rebel,” the latter of which was recorded at the famous Studio One with Clement “Sir Coxsone” Dodd. Fearon’s talent for songwriting attracted the attention of legendary producer Joe Gibbs, who recorded many of Fearon’s original songs on a 1974 Gladiators album. Lee “Scratch” Perry, impressed with his commanding bass playing, also hired Fearon as a house musician for his Black Ark Studio.

In 1986, on the heels of a Gladiators tour, Fearon remained in Seattle to undertake a musical project. Its success eventually prompted a permanent move to the Pacific Northwest. Fearon started his own band to showcase his original songs, and has released several well-received albums. The Boogie Brown Band has developed into one of the strongest groups in the genre. Their most recent album is Vision, a musical meditation on love and spirituality. With his passionate singing and socially-conscious lyrics, Clinton remains a righteous and powerful force in roots reggae music.

Mr. Wiggles

Scott Pharr — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 20:52:29 +0000

Rhythm & Blues Pioneer
Richmond, VA

Professional Bio

Richmond singer, producer, inventor of the “fatback sound,” “King of Richmond” and rhythm and blues pioneer, August “Mr. Wiggles” Moon will share his recollections on Virginia’s musical history and his experiences in the music industry. He will be participating in the festival’s Virginia’s Musical Icons session scheduled on Sunday, October 11, 2009, on the MWV Family Stage at 1:00 p.m.

Aubrey Ghent

Scott Pharr — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 20:43:06 +0000

Sacred Steel
Nashville, TN

Listen

[audio:http://rvanews.net/folk_festival/2009/artists/AubreyGhent.mp3|artists=Aubrey Ghent|titles=I've Got a Feeling from What a Time!]

From the Brothers Burton

Taylor says: Excellent high energy gospel, from a master of the sacred steel. Nothing makes gospel music sound better than a roaring lap steel!

Scott says: Gospel as a vehicle for an amazing lap steel guitar player... sign me up for real.

Professional Bio

Third generation lap steel guitar master Aubrey Ghent is one of the country’s most exciting players of “sacred steel,” a music that originated in House of God churches 75 years ago. Holiness-Pentecostal churches cite Psalms 150:4, “. . . praise him with stringed instruments. . . ,” and 149:3, “Let them praise his name in the dance,” as scriptural support for celebratory, spirit-filled worship in which the presence of the Holy Spirit is manifested through music and holy dancing.

Up until the early 1990s, Sacred Steel music was virtually unknown outside of House of God churches. That all changed when Florida folklorist Robert Stone walked into a South Florida music store in 1992 and heard Aubrey Ghent. Stone had never heard music remotely like that which Ghent was playing. It led him to delve into the tradition and discover that there were dozens of great steel guitar players in House of God congregations from Florida to upstate New York, each with its own deep history and variation on the style.

Aubrey Ghent was born in 1959 in Fort Pierce, Florida into a family linked to the very creation of the Sacred Steel tradition. His uncle was Willie Eason, who taught Aubrey's father Henry Nelson to play. A notable innovator who expanded upon Eason’s style, Nelson played for more than 50 years in the church and around the country with gospel greats like Rosetta Thorpe and Mahalia Jackson. Aubrey began playing at age six and by nine was performing at church services. As a teenager Ghent began to preach and became known as the “Gospel Tornado,” as much for the intensity of his preaching as his astonishing instrumental prowess. Later his wife Lori became his musical partner and the lead singer in his group, and together the couple has dedicated their lives to the music and ministry of the House of God Keith Dominion.

Ghent was featured on the ground-breaking 1995 Arhoolie CD Sacred Steel: Traditional Sacred African-American Steel Guitar Music in Florida, and soon followed up with his solo recording, Can’t Nobody Do Me Like Jesus, which brought him national acclaim and performance opportunities throughout the country, as well as additional recordings. In 2000 the Ghents moved to Nashville, formed a new band and have become ambassadors for Sacred Steel, appearing at festivals throughout the country and on European tours. They have worked with gospel legends Shirley Caesar, Albertina Walker and Tremaine Hawkins.

Folk Festival ’09 Music Schedule

Ross Catrow — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 20:25:16 +0000

Friday | Saturday | Sunday

Friday, October 9

Ukrop's / First Market Bank Stage

6:30 – 7:00 pm	Opening Remarks
7:00 – 7:45 pm	Wylie & The Wild West
8:00 – 8:45 pm	Paul Williams & The Victory Trio
9:00 – 10:00 pm	Swamp Dogg

Altria Stage

7:45 – 8:30 pm	Virginia Heritage Awards
8:45 – 9:30 pm	Debashish Bhattacharya
9:45 – 10:30 pm	Martin Hayes & Dennis Cahill

Richmond Times-Dispatch Dance Pavilion

8:00 – 9:15 pm	Jeffery Broussard & The Creole Cowboys
9:30 – 10:30 pm	Samba Mapangala & Orchestre Virunga

Friday | Saturday | Sunday

Saturday, October 10

Ukrop's / First Market Bank Stage

12:00 – 12:45 pm	Martin Hayes & Dennis Cahill
1:00 – 1:45 pm	Swamp Dogg
2:00 – 2:45 pm	Jeffery Broussard & The Creole Cowboys
3:00 – 3:45 pm	Clinton Fearon & The Boogie Brown Band
4:00 – 5:00 pm	Wylie & The Wild West
5:30 – 6:15 pm	Trouble Funk
7:30 – 8:15 pm	Samba Mapangala & Orchestre Virunga
8:30 – 9:15 pm	Jerry Douglas Band
9:30 – 10:30 pm	Bob French's Original Tuxedo Jazz Band

Altria Stage

12:00 – 12:45 pm	Paul Williams & The Victory Trio
1:00 – 1:30 pm	North Bear
1:45 – 2:30 pm	Debashish Bhattacharya
2:45 – 3:45 pm	Steel Bars & Bottlenecks: Masters of Slide Guitar
4:00 – 4:45 pm	Sounds of Korea
5:00 – 5:45 pm	Martin Hayes & Dennis Cahill
7:30 -8:15 pm	Sounds of Korea
8:30 – 9:15 pm	Jorge Negron's Master Bomba Ensemble

Dominion Stage

12:00 – 12:45 pm	Phil Wiggins & Corey Harris
1:00 – 1:45 pm	Aubrey Ghent
2:00 – 2:45 pm	Fiddle & Mandolin Traditions
3:00 – 3:45 pm	Sophia Bilides Trio
4:00 – 4:45 pm	Paul Williams & The Victory Trio
5:00 – 5:45 pm	Jerry Douglas Band
6:00 – 6:45 pm	La Gran Banda
7:00 pm	Gerloff/Parch Parade w/No BS Brass Band to Brown's Island

Richmond Times-Dispatch Dance Pavilion

12:00 – 1:00 pm	La Gran Banda
1:15 – 2:15 pm	Bob French's Original Tuxedo Jazz Band
2:30 – 3:30 pm	Samba Mapangala & Orchestre Virunga
3:45 – 4:45 pm	Swamp Dogg
5:00 – 6:15 pm	Jeffery Broussard & The Creole Cowboys
7:45 – 8:45 pm	Clinton Fearon & The Boogie Brown Band
9:15 – 10:30 pm	Trouble Funk

CenterStage Virginia Folklife Stage

12:00 – 12:45 pm	Reverend Frank Newsome
1:00 – 1:45 pm	Moges Seyoum
2:00 – 2:45 pm	Virginia Gospel Traditions
3:00 – 3:45 pm	Church organ traditions w/ Dennis Stephens
4:00 – 4:45 pm	Paschall Brothers
5:00 – 6:15 pm	Maggie Ingram & The Ingramettes

MWV Family Stage

12:00 – 1:00 pm	Global Voices: Songs of Love, Home & Hope
1:15 – 1:45 pm	Yodeling 101 w/ Wylie Gustafson
2:00 – 2:45 pm	Lloyd Arneach
3:00 – 3:30 pm	North Bear
3:45 – 4:30 pm	Khogzhumchu
4:45 – 5:30 pm	Don Roy Trio

Genworth Parawing (Up the Hill)

12:00 – 12:45 pm	George Turman
1:00 – 1:45 pm	The Richmond Indigenous Gourd Orchestra
2:00 – 2:45 pm	Harmonica 101 w/ Phil Wiggins
3:00 – 3:45 pm	Chris Fuller & Frank Coleman
4:00 – 4:45 pm	Lloyd Arneach

Documentary Film Program in the National Park Service Visitor Center

12:00 – 12:57 pm	Powerhouse for God (57 min)
1:05 – 1:27 pm	All the Past We Leave Behind (22 min)
1:35 – 2:03 pm	Hinduism and the Song of God: A Modern Interpretation of the Bhagavad Gita (28 min)
2:15 – 2:45 pm	Slide show/lecture with Jimmy Price: Masonry and Historic Preservation (30 min)
2:55 – 3:17 pm	All the Past We Leave Behind (22 min)
3:25 – 4:15 pm	Sufi Soul – The Mystic Music Of The Islam (50min)
4:25 – 4:55 pm	Stone Carvers (30 min)
5:05 – 5:57 pm	Legacy of the Spirits (52 min)

Friday | Saturday | Sunday

Sunday, October 11

Ukrop's First Market Bank Stage

12:15 – 1:00 pm	Phil Wiggins & Corey Harris
1:15 – 2:15 pm	La Gran Banda
2:30 – 3:30 pm	Aubrey Ghent
3:45 – 4:30 pm	Khogzhumchu
4:45 – 5:30 pm	Jorge Negron's Master Bomba Ensemble
5:45 – 6:30 pm	Bob French's Original Tuxedo Jazz Band

Altria Stage

12:00 – 12:45 pm	Paul Zarzyski & Wylie Gustafson
1:00 – 1:45 pm	Sounds of Korea
2:00 – 3:00 pm	Global Percussion Traditions
3:15 – 4:15 pm	Debashish Bhattacharya
4:30 – 5:15 pm	Sophia Bilides Trio

Dominion Stage

12:00 – 12:45 pm	Don Roy Trio
1:00 – 1:45 pm	Sophia Bilides Trio
2:00 – 2:45 pm	Khogzhumchu
3:00 – 3:45 pm	Phil Wiggins & Corey Harris
4:00 – 5:00 pm	Clinton Fearon & The Boogie Brown Band
5:15 – 6:00 pm	Aubrey Ghent

Richmond Times-Dispatch Dance Pavilion

12:15 – 1:00 pm	Jorge Negron's Master Bomba Ensemble
1:15 – 2:15 pm	Clinton Fearon & The Boogie Brown Band
2:30 – 3:45 pm	Jeffery Broussard & The Creole Cowboys
4:00 – 5:00 pm	La Gran Banda
5:15 – 6:30 pm	Wylie & The Wild West

CenterStage Virginia Folklife Stage

12:00 – 12:30 pm	Virginia Indian Drum & Dance
12:45 – 1:15 pm	Cantor Irena Altschul
1:15 – 2:00 pm	Larnell Starkey and the Spiritual Seven
2:15 – 3:00 pm	Nader Majd
3:15 – 3:45 pm	Crowns of Richmond: African-American church hat fashion show
4:00 – 4:45 pm	Joel Rubin Ensemble
5:00 – 6:00 pm	The Hummingbirds

MWV Family Stage

12:00 – 12:45 pm	High Country Voices: From the Northern Plains to Central Asia
1:00 – 1:45 pm	Virginia Musical Icons
2:00 – 2:45 pm	Paul Zarzyski & Wylie Gustafson
3:00 – 3:45 pm	Lloyd Arneach
4:00 – 4:45 pm	Don Roy Trio

Genworth Parawing (Up the Hill)

12:00 – 12:45 pm	Spoon playing 101 w/ Bob Zentz
1:00 – 1:45 pm	Lloyd Arneach
2:00 – 2:45 pm	The Richmond Indigenous Gourd Orchestra
3:00 – 3:45 pm	The Company Store
4:00 – 4:45 pm	Bob Zentz

Documentary Film Program in the National Park Service Visitor Center

12:00 – 1:00 pm	The Gefilte Fish Chronicles (60 min)
1:10 – 1:32 pm	All the Past We Leave Behind (22 min)
1:45 – 2:42 pm	Talking through Walls: How the Struggle to Build a Mosque United a Community (57 minutes)
2:55 – 3:25 pm	Slide show/lecture with Jimmy Price: Masonry and Historic Preservation (30 min)
3:35 – 3:57 pm	All the Past We Leave Behind (22 min)
4:10 – 4:39 pm	The Angel That Stands By Me: Minnie Evans' Paintings (29 min)
4:50 – 5:47 pm	Rebuilding the Temple: Cambodians in America (57 min)

Friday | Saturday | Sunday

Folk Festival ’09 Food Vendors

Scott Pharr — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 19:50:40 +0000

Maui Wowi

Smoothies, coffee, cookies, teas, hot koko

Gail's Eatery

Curry potatoes, curry chicken, stew chicken, white rice

Oktoberfest of Richmond

Bratwurst, knockwurst, frankfurters, potato salad/cakes, saurkraut, pastries

Nadar's Bistro

Beef/chicken/lamb gyros, beef/chicken kabobs, grill chicken, falafel, hummus,stuffed grape leaves, mediterranean sausage, rice and greek salad

Ginger Thai Taste »

Pad Thai/Chicken, Satay Chicken, Bangkok Chicken, General Tso's Chicken, Crispy Roll

Africanne on Main »

Vegtarian and meat dishes

India K' Raja

Chicken Curry/ Rice,samosa,Chana Masala/rice, curry lamb/rice, mango lassi, chai tea, masala dosa, tandoori chicken

Cherry Hill Ice Cream

Hand dipped Ice Cream, Sundaes, Milkshakes, banana splits, strawberry shortcake, cakes, pies, root beer floats

Strawberry Street Food

Oyster/shrimp basket, crabcake sandwich, seafood platter, hot crab dip & crackers, chicken fingers

Sine' Irish Pub »

Irish nachos, potato soup, fish n chips, chicken tenders

Amira Enterprises

Philly Cheesesteaks, Italian & kelbassa sausage, butterfly chips

D&J Concessions

Blooming onions, fried veggie tray, roasted corn, frozen cheesecake/banana on stick

Crescent Foods

Organic quesadillas w/black beans, roasted red peppers, and pesto

Croaker's Spot »

Fried fish w/green peppers & onions, cornbread, wings, rice & beans

Spiral Fries

Soft serve ice cream, funnel cakes, lemonade

Hammerheads Seafood

Crawfish etouffee, alligator nuggets, bourbon chicken, louisiana crab cakes, catfish, po-boys, fries, and beignets

Tri-City Concessions

Hot dogs, funnel cakes, sno kones, candy apples, cotton candy

Hot Diggity Dog Wagon

Nathan All Beef Hot Dogs, potato chips, nachos, pickles

Send a Chef

Jambalaya, red beans and rice, fried catfish basket, fried okra

Smoothilicious

Smoothies

Espresso A Go Go

Espressos, coffees, and teas

International Grill

Beef/lamb/chicken gyros, steak & cheese, greek salad, chicken/falafel over greek salad, vegetarian gyros

Dogs R Us

Hot dogs, Italian Sausages, Burgers, Ribs, Fish, Fries

Gail's Gumbo House

Cajun seafood gumbo, BBQ shrimp, chicken and shrimp gumbo, scallops wrapped in bacon, andouille jambalaya, catfish po boys, pork/beef chicken bbq

Cool Concessions

Cotton candy, soft pretzels, funnel cakes, hot dogs, corn dogs, bbq, hamburgers, chicken tenders, french fries

Seafood City

Fish, shrimp, scallops, crab cakes, chicken wings, fries, mac & cheese, collard greens, green beans and funnel cakes

Food Corner & Grill

chicken terriyaki, veggie fried rice, spring rolls

Folk Festival ’09 Parking Information

Ross Catrow — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 19:05:04 +0000

Multiple $5 parking lots are available downtown.

Lanier Parking

Riverside on the James, 1001 Haxall Point
Riverfront Plaza, 901 E. Byrd Street
Richmond Plaza – 110 S. 7th Street
6th & Main Streets
Federal Reserve Parking Lot – 5th & Byrd Street (Handicap Only)

Central Parking

Shockoe Bottom, 100 Virginia Street
Crowne Plaze, 555 E. Canal Street

Standard parking

300 E. Cary Street (between 3rd & 4th on Cary)
4th & 5th & Cary and Canal Streets
6th and Cary Streets
5th and Canal Streets
8th & 9th & Cary Street (Dominion Lot)
824 E. Cary Street (between 8th & 9th on Cary)

City Parking

Main and Foushee
Handicap Parking

Handicap Parking

Handicap parking will be available on the corner of 5th and Byrd at the new Federal Reserve Parking Deck. A traffic control officer will be on hand to allow properly identified vehicles into the lot. For onsite assistance, visit any of our four information booths.

FREE SunTrust Shuttles:

FREE parking and FREE shuttles are available from both Spring Rock Green (formerly Beaufont Mall – directly across the street from Cloverleaf Mall) and the Diamond, for your convenience. All shuttles will stop at two festival locations: one at 2nd Street and one at 5th Street.

Spring Rock Green: 7202 Midlothian Turnpike, corner of Chippenham Pkwy
The Diamond: 3001 North Boulevard

The buses will leave every 15 minutes.

Friday: 4:30 – 10:30.
Saturday: 11:30 – 10:30
Sunday: 11:30 – 6:30

Shuttle hotline: 804-358-4782

Folky fun for the whole fam

Patience Salgado — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 05:00:32 +0000

It’s almost Folk Festival time, kids, and you're probably wondering what fun is to be had by the actual kids, not just you big folk-lovers. The Genworth Financial Family Area will be coordinated by every local kid’s favorite, The Children’s Museum of Richmond.

"Barnyard Banter" is the theme this year and will be chock full of activities and fun that will include aspects of local farm life and agriculture, performances, green art activities, themed exhibits from the museum and, of course, a petting zoo.

Got a toddler you are strollin’ with? Have those littles peddle their hearts out in the Get Moooving area with John Deere tractors and toddler pedal cars. After they are good and tired, your young artists can work on some print making with fruits and vegetables. Mosey on over to the petting zoo to play with the various farm furry friends.

How about the loud kids in the bunch? The yellers in the family can try out Yodeling 101 with Wylie Gustafson or try Harmonica playing 101 with Phil Wiggins. Let those loud mouths put all that hot air into making something amazing.

If you are feeling like some down time is in order, be sure to check out the Cherokee storytelling or the interactive spoon-playing demo by Bob Zentz. Did you know Richmond has a Gourd Orchestra? I know, I had no idea! Don’t miss the performances of this vegetable goodness. Kids of all ages will also enjoy the animal puppets and puppet theater for free play.

The enviro-lovers in your family will love the seed planting with our friends from Strange’s or discover the gourd art station. CMoR will also offer their signature paper bag hat making station where everyone can make a Farmers hat with recycled materials.

Speaking of farmers, travel on over to the mini farmer’s market where children will receive play money at the activity stations. The play money can purchase prizes at the market. Don’t forget to say hi to our big red dinosaur friend, Seymour, who will be making appearances throughout the day.

The family area will be open each day of the festival (October 9th through 11th) from 12pm to 6pm. Hope to see you there!

Patience Salgado lives in a state of dreamy chaos with her husband Jorge and their four kids in the Westover Hills neighborhood. She slings a baby while she writes for Supersisters at PBSparents.org and tries to think up her next guerrilla goodness project.

Photo courtesy of the Richmond Gourd Orchestra.

North Bear

Valerie Catrow — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 10:00:37 +0000

Northern Plains drum
Lame Deer, Montana

Listen

[audio:http://rvanews.net/folk_festival/2009/artists/HahaWey.mp3|artists=North Bear|titles=Haha Wey from Live at Lame Deer]

From The Brothers Burton

Scott says: After hearing their song "Mad Skillz," which combines Native American powwow drumming with epic chanting, I can only say that these guys rule!

Taylor says: I am probably more pumped about seeing North Bear than any other group I have ever seen. Native American drumming and singing might be my favorite thing on Earth, and these guys are some of the best at delivering it. Super powerful leads and colossal beats.

Professional Bio

In American Indian pow-wows around the country, in both ceremonial and competitive settings, the intense, repetitive heartbeat of the drum and soaring falsetto singing are essential accompaniments to the agile movements of dancers. One of the newest and strongest of the Northern Plains drum groups is the youthful North Bear from the Cheyenne Reservation in Lame Deer, Montana. While firmly rooted in Plains tradition, the music of North Bear also represents an exciting new direction in American Indian tradition. The group’s repertoire includes newly composed songs influenced by modern R&B and hip-hop styles that contribute a surprising element to its powerful and exciting live performances.

Founded in 2003, North Bear has become recognized as one of the foremost exponents of the Northern Plains “straight” or “traditional” style of singing within the Cheyenne community. Employing powerful falsetto voices, and non-word musical syllables called “vocables,” the drum group increases the volume, tempo and intensity of its singing as it drives the progression of the dance. Since its formation, North Bear has traveled around the U.S. performing and competing in national pow-wows from Oklahoma to the Pacific Northwest, taking numerous prizes.

North Bear’s musical innovations are solidly grounded in tradition. The group is at the center of a resurgence of interest in the hand drum within the American Indian community. Hand drum competitions, in which the drums accompany love songs or topical songs with improvised and composed lyrics, akin to rap in the hip hop world, are a new feature of American Indian social gatherings. North Bear’s passionate, clever songs, both performed solo and as a group, have propelled them to the forefront of this musical movement in Native American song.

(Photo by Dick Kettlewell, The Rapid City Journal)

Paul Williams & The Victory Trio

Valerie Catrow — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 10:00:35 +0000

Bluegrass gospel
Russellville, TN

Listen

[audio:http://rvanews.net/folk_festival/2009/artists/PaulWilliams.mp3|artists=Paul Williams|titles=Paul Williams]

From The Brothers Burton

Scott says: Acoustic bluegrass music complete with epic vocal harmonies. I gotta say it: these guys are victorious!

Taylor says: Great old bluegrass gospel excellence. Seriously, there are some pretty awful bluegrass acts out there, and this is definitely not one of them. Giant harmonies, super tight banjo, and thumping bass, from the heart of Tennessee.

Professional Bio

Born and raised in eastern Tennessee, Paul Williams was a bluegrass music pioneer, whose career blossomed during the music’s formative years following World War II. After a 30-year hiatus from full-time touring, but not from music, Williams formed the Victory Trio to promote bluegrass gospel music on a national level. With his distinctive tenor voice, powerful mandolin playing and very accomplished ensemble, Williams is now making some of the finest music of his career.

Paul Williams’ involvement with music began at age nine, when his father bought him a Gibson “A” model mandolin to play in prayer meetings and church services. His talent was soon evident, and by the early 1950s he had become a member of the Lonesome Pine Fiddlers, an important early bluegrass band. Williams first came to national attention in 1953 when he joined up with his brother-in law, Jimmy Martin, whose work with Bill Monroe’s band had helped shape the bluegrass sound. With Williams in tow, Martin’s Sunny Mountain Boys went on to become one of the greatest bluegrass ensembles of all time. Williams’ clear, crisp tenor and carefully crafted mandolin playing and the young J. D. Crow’s clockwork banjo combined with Martin’s lead vocals and strong guitar work to propel the band to national attention.

After ten years of musical success, Williams quit touring to work for the U.S. Postal Service, a job he held for 30 years. However, his love for bluegrass remained with him, and he never stopped playing. Upon his retirement from the Postal Service he jumped right back into the music, this time focusing on bluegrass gospel. Since 1995, he has toured and recorded extensively with his group, the Victory Trio. Nine albums and a Grammy nomination later, the ensemble is at the top of the bluegrass gospel field. Williams continues to write moving and thoughtful songs, many of which have made their way into the larger bluegrass gospel repertoire.

Paul Williams and the Victory Trio is actually a quintet. In addition to Williams, the group includes Dan Moneyhan on guitar and lead vocals, Adam Winstead on rhythm guitar and vocals, Jerry Keys on banjo and Susie Keys on bass.

Phil Wiggins and Corey Harris

Valerie Catrow — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 10:00:16 +0000

Listen

[audio:http://rvanews.net/folk_festival/2009/artists/KeepYourLampTrimmedAndBurning.mp3|artists=Corey Harris|titles=Keep Your Lamp Trimmed And Burning from Between Midnight And Day]

From The Brothers Burton

Scott says: I'm kind of fascinated with whatever Charlottesville native Corey Harris does. In this duo, he's playing some straight Piedmont blues for the win.

Taylor says: Gritty, persistent, and all around awesome Delta Blues. Powerful vocals combined with guitar crushing hammering and lung crushing harmonica blowing.

Professional Bio

Bring on the blues with Phil Wiggins and Corey Harris from Takoma Park, Maryland and Charlottesville, Virginia. It’s a blues lovers dream to have these two amazing bluesmen sharing the stage, joining harmonica, guitar and passionate singing to present acoustic blues from the Piedmont to the Mississippi Delta.

Debashish Bhattacharya

Valerie Catrow — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 10:00:14 +0000

Listen

[audio:http://rvanews.net/folk_festival/2009/artists/GypsyAnandi.mp3|artists=Debashish Bhattacharya|titles=Gypsy Anandi from Calcutta Chronicles]

From The Brothers Burton

Scott says: One of my favorite concepts in modern music is bringing cultural tradition to an instrument outside of that tradition. Here we have Indian slide guitar. Amazing, too!

Taylor says: Believe it or not, Hindustani music lends itself far too perfectly to slide guitar, and Debashish Bhattacharya is a true master at displaying this. True to tradition, but also quite innovative in his use of melodic and harmonic structures within Hindustani music. Not to be missed.

Professional Bio

Debashish Bhattacharya comes to the festival all the way from Calcutta, India. Given the honorific title of pandit (master) in his home country, this virtuoso and innovator of Indian slide guitar playing performs deeply meditative ragas as well as lighting-fast, intricate slide work on his hand crafted 22-stringed guitars.