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June 2021
Hawaiian Dance Workshop with Hālau O Keikiali’i
Hālau O Keikiali’i is a Hawaiian cultural and dance group based in South San Francisco under the direction of Kumu Hula Kawika Alfiche. Since 1994, their goal has been to educate the general public about the Hawaiian culture and its traditional customs, values, and protocols. Besides holding regularly scheduled classes, they strive to help perpetuate the rich culture of the Hawaiian people through presentations to the general public throughout the year, including educational workshops, performances, and other cultural events.
Magpie
For more than forty years, Magpie has brought its unique sound and breathtaking versatility to audiences everywhere. From traditional songs to vintage blues, from swing and country to folk classics to contemporary and stirring original compositions, they cover a lot of musical ground. They bring to the stage powerful voices and harmonies and excellent instrumental arrangements on guitars, mandolin, harmonica, dulcimer, and concertina. Songwriters, musical historians, and social activists, Terry Leonino and Greg Artzner promise a presentation that is highly entertaining as well as provocative and deeply moving.
Songs of Inspiration and Joy with Reggie Harris
A songwriter of great depth and passion, Reggie Harris writes from a personal sense of mission that merges a world-wise point of view with a singularly hopeful stance that life, though often challenging, is filled with possibility and hope. His songs reveal thoughts about life and love and some of the deep aspects of the human experience and cover topics from his own personal journey to world issues and history. He is an innovative guitarist, a fearlessly creative vocalist, and an engaging storyteller whose concert performances are infused with joy.
JigJam
JigJam are a multi-award-winning quartet from the heart of the midlands in Ireland. Blending the best of traditional Irish music with bluegrass and Americana in a new genre which has been branded as ‘I-Grass’ (Irish influenced bluegrass), their onstage energy along with their virtuosic musical ability has captivated audiences throughout the world. Multi-instrumentalists Jamie McKeogh, Cathal Guinan, Daithi Melia, and Gavin Strappe interchange between banjos, guitars, fiddles, mandolins, and double bass to deliver an energy-fuelled, foot-stomping live performance.
Ukulele Jug Band with Ron Gordon
Workshop Materials:
Ron Gordon, the Capital Region’s ukulele guru, has long crusaded for all things uke in upstate New York, spreading the uke gospel to kids and adults. He has performed with St. Regis String Band, Mandolin Madness, & Festival Jug Band. He teaches acoustic music in varied styles and on varied instruments: guitar, banjo, mandolin, and of course plays and teaches ukulele at festivals, onstage, and for private students and events.
Heard
Heard is a collective of musicians who bring their skills and passion for world music, jazz, and improvisation together to create irresistible grooves set in a unique sonic tapestry. Together for a decade, their vibrant sound incorporates influences from West Africa, Brazil, the Caribbean, and beyond. The core quintet: Jonathan Greene (woodwinds), Bobby Kendall (bass), Brian Melick (drums), Zorkie Nelson (percussion/vocals), Forsino Nelson (percussion and dance), and Elizabeth Woodbury Kasius (keyboard/vocals).
Contra Dance with Will Mentor and Stomp Rocket
Beacoup de stomping pour le contra danse. Whoops! Sorry. That’s Stomp Rocket, a trio whose moniker evokes a certain wholesome recklessness and perfectly captures the zip/chunk/zoom essence of the band’s sound. They are fiddler extraordinaire, guitarist, and teacher Dave Langford; mandolinist and tenor-banjo player Glen Loper; and guitarist (sometimes pianist) Bethany Waickman.
Will Mentor is a contra and square dance caller from Northern Vermont known for his clear teaching, upbeat wit, and relaxed stage presence. He loves to choreograph evenings with a variety of dances and tempos that at times surprise and always delight. As he once said, “I usually have a great time calling. Between the demographics of the dancers, the band, the hall, the temperature, etc. — every evening of contra dances has its own identity.” And always, he keeps intact his guiding principle as a caller: “It’s about the dancers!”
Frank Lee & Allie Burbrink
Frank Lee and Allie Burbrink are a vocal-driven old-time duo from western North Carolina. They showcase Frank’s signature clawhammer-banjo sound on steel-string and nylon-string banjos. Or some slide guitar and harmonica blues pieces. Then there’s Maybelle Carter-inspired country guitar, or cross-tuned old-time fiddling à la Fiddlin’ John Carson. And Frank & Allie’s voices in harmony tying it all together! frankandallie.com
Sheila Kay Adams with Melanie Rice Penland & Donna Ray Norton
A seventh-generation ballad singer, storyteller, and claw-hammer banjo player, Sheila Kay Adams was born and raised in the Sodom Laurel community of Madison County, North Carolina, where she learned to sing from her great aunt and other notable singers. Her devotion to preserving and perpetuating her heritage is both audible and palpable. She’ll be joined by her daughter Melanie Rice Penland and her cousin Donna Ray Norton as they carry on her devotion.
