Concert Archive
The Folk Music Society of Huntington has been presenting concerts since 1970. Below you can find a listing and information about our past events.
A Note About Concerts Before Aug 2012
In Aug 2012, we changed the way we store and display events to match the tecnhnology of our new site. For information about events prior to August 2012, please visit the archive from our old site by clicking here.
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Sun, Jul 22nd, 2012 12:00pmat Heckscher ParkFree and Open to All AgesUnplugged Showcases from some of the regions best performers. -
Sun, Jul 22nd, 2012 6:00pmat Heckscher Park - Chapin Rainbow StageFree and Open to All AgesFeaturing the Falcon Ridge "Most Wanted" Tour with Artists: Blair Bodine, Pesky J. Nixon, ilyAIMY and Louise Mosrie. -
Thu, Sep 20th, 2012 7:30pmat Cinema Arts Centre - Sky Room$8 FMSH and Cinema Arts Centre Members / $12 Non Members - No Advance TicketsThe grand prize winner of the 2012 Telluride Troubadour Contest and the the 2009 New York Songwriters Circle Competition kicks off the 2012-2013 season of the Folk Music Society of Huntington's Hard Luck Cafe series at the Cinema Arts Centre. -
Sat, Oct 6th, 2012 8:30pmat The Congregational Church of Huntington$20 Members/$25 Non-Members"When Toby Walker straps the guitar on, the notes fly at a rate that is dizzying. They dance with speed, grace and precision. The effect is one of steel-like strength. His blues are a flash of muscle and his gentle fingerstyle ballads speak poetry." - Richard Cuccaro, editor of Acoustic Live! in New York City and Beyond "Flat out... you have to hear this great musician... I'm blown away" - Jorma Kaukonen Hot Tuna, Jefferson Airplane, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Inductee -
Thu, Oct 18th, 2012 7:30pmat Cinema Arts Centre - Sky RoomBased in New York City but touring extensively, The Tres Amigos present high-energy original music and forgotten gems in bold, acrobatic performances. Behind those matching mariachi shirts are virtuosic musicians and songwriters, delivering the goods in sunny three-part harmony with the vibe of your uncle's old '45's. -
Sat, Nov 3rd, 2012 7:30pmat The Congregational Church of HuntingtonThe Folk Music Society of Huntington has cancelled this event due to Hurricane Sandy. -
Thu, Nov 15th, 2012 7:30pmat Cinema Arts Centre - Sky Room$8 FMSH and Cinema Arts Centre Members / $12 Non-Members. No Advance Tickets.Award-winning singer-songwriters Brian Kalinec and Jarrod Dickenson -- both of whom hail from the Lone Star State -- will share the bill and swap songs during the Hard Luck Cafe in November. An open mic precedes the concert. -
Sat, Dec 1st, 2012 7:30pmat The Congregational Church of HuntingtonLike so many others who died long before their time, Harry Chapin will forever be 38 years old in the collective memory of his fans the world-over. The singer-songwriter and social activist, whose music and humanitarianism inspired many and who resided in Huntington with his family, would be turning 70 in December. The Folk Music Society of Huntington will pay tribute to Harry with a special concert on Saturday, Dec. 1, at the Congregational Church of Huntington (30 Washington Drive, Centerport). The concert will be a benefit for WhyHunger, a nonprofit organization launched by Chapin. Headlining the Dec. 1 concert will be the Jen Chapin Trio, featuring Harry's daughter Jennifer, and Long Island-based folk-rock harmony trio Gathering Time. Both acts will perform and interpret a number of Harry Chapin's songs, as well as their own material. Instead of the customary open microphone prior to the show, this concert will begin at 7:30 with a number of special guest artists each performing a Chapin song. Among the invited guest artists from throughout the New York metropolitan area are Arlon Bennett, Steve Chizmadia, The Folk Goddesses, Josh Joffen, Paul Sachs, Christine Solimeno, Frank Walker, and others to be announced. Concert tickets are $30 ($25 for FMSH members). -
Sun, Dec 9th, 2012 1:00pmat South Huntington Public LibraryFree and Open to the PublicThese free Sunday afternoon events -- affording mostly amateur musicians and singers of all experience levels an opportunity to play, sing and hone their skills with others – take place from 1-4 p.m. -
Thu, Dec 20th, 2012 7:30pmat Cinema Arts Centre - Sky RoomThe Folk Music Society of Huntington hosts “An Evening with Goldman Sachs,” featuring singer-songwriters Sharon Goldman and Paul Sachs, at the Cinema Arts Centre as part of its monthly Hard Luck Café series. -
Sat, Jan 5th, 2013 7:30pmat The Congregational Church of HuntingtonTo kick –off the new year, the Folk Music Society of Huntington showcases some of its musically-inclined members in a special concert. Unlike most of the organization’s concerts, this one, which is set for 8 p.m., will not be preceded by an open mic. These nine artists will perform short musical sets: Andrea Cetlin, Marybeth D’Amico, Eric Eaton, Lin Giliberti, Judy Merrick, James O’Malley, Ira Perlman, Gary Schoenberger and Bob Westcott. ALSO: The society’s annual membership meeting, to which all members are invited, is set for 7:30 p.m. -
Sun, Jan 13th, 2013 1:00pmat South Huntington Public LibraryThese free Sunday afternoon events -- affording mostly amateur musicians and singers of all experience levels an opportunity to play, sing and hone their skills with others – take place from 1-4 p.m. -
Thu, Jan 17th, 2013 7:30pmat Cinema Arts Centre - Sky RoomJack Licitra and Jean Rohe will be the featured artists during the Folk Music Society of Huntington’s monthly Hard Luck Café series at the Cinema Arts Centre. -
Sat, Feb 2nd, 2013 7:30pmat The Congregational Church of HuntingtonGrammy Award-winning songwriter Julie Gold graces our stage on Saturday, Feb. 2, as part of its First Saturday Concerts series. Julie Gold is a New York songwriter best known for Bette Midler’s version of her song “From A Distance,” which won the Grammy Award for Song of the Year in 2001. That song has gone on to receive several-million airplays; been recited into the Congressional Record; been recorded internationally and translated into many languages; been illustrated as a children’s book and mass-produced in music boxes; been quoted in books, calendars and greeting cards; ad was used as the wake-up call for astronauts in the Mir Space Station the very first time the Americans hooked up with the Russians in outer space. -
Sun, Feb 10th, 2013 1:00pmat South Huntington Public LibraryThese free Sunday afternoon events -- affording mostly amateur musicians and singers of all experience levels an opportunity to play, sing and hone their skills with others – take place from 1-4 p.m.
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Thu, Feb 21st, 2013 7:30pmat Cinema Arts Centre - Sky RoomFor over 20 years, Cathy Kreger and her guitar have been touring throughout the Northeast performing in small theaters, bars, churches, colleges and homes,gathering a devoted following. Her musical style is a unique combination of adult contemporary and old blues, with an alternative folk flair. Noel Paul Stookey (of Peter, Paul and Mary) once said "No doubt about it. She has a great voice and really has her act together. — Steve Robinson, winner of the 2007 Long Island Blues Society's Blues Challenge, is a native Long Islander. He has been a carpenter, high school English teacher, commercial shell fisherman, truck driver, landscape crew foreman, air traffic controller, union rep., and computer programmer (and those are just some of the jobs). “It hasn’t been dull”, as Ellen, his wife of 39 years, puts it. What he is now is one hell of a songwriter, guitarist, singer, and performer. -
Sat, Mar 2nd, 2013 7:30pmat The Congregational Church of Huntington“If Rani Arbo & daisy mayhem offer to cook at your place, you better open up all the doors, and borrow every table and chair you can, because the whole town should come.” So proclaims Folk Alley. The New England-based good-time harmony, string and groove band serves up a musical gumbo of folk, progressive bluegrass, country blues, jazz and swing. Rani Arbo & daisy mayhem is a steadily deepening, 12-year brew of band chemistry, life experience and musical evolution. In 2007, the San Francisco Bay Guardian called the group “one of the most song- and arrangement-oriented bands in a field overgrown with pyrotechnic, jam- and solo-conscious virtuosos.” Nice. And true. But what really sets this band apart is its members connection — to each other, to the audience, and to the music. Simultaneously loose and tight, their playing seems to tick by invisible radar; it’s exciting, cathartic, and fun to watch. -
Sun, Mar 10th, 2013 1:00pmat South Huntington Public LibraryThese free Sunday afternoon events -- affording mostly amateur musicians and singers of all experience levels an opportunity to play, sing and hone their skills with others – take place from 1-4 p.m.
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Thu, Mar 21st, 2013 7:30pmat Cinema Arts Centre - Sky RoomSteve Chizmadia is an award winning singer-songwriter who’s been described as a Northerner with a southern soul. Hailing from the Hudson Valley by way of Long Island, New York City, South Carolina and Texas, Steve has also spent some time soaking up the Cajun and Creole cultures of Louisiana. Inspired by artists ranging from Woody Guthrie, Pete Seeger, the Beatles and the Eagles to Merle Haggard, Willie Nelson and Steve Earle, his original music offers a folk-, country- and rock-tinged gumbo of NYC coffeehouse, Texas roadhouse, Music Row and fais do do musical influences sung in his own style and accompanied by his acoustic six-and 12-string guitars and mandolin. — Arlon Bennett is an award-winning singer-songwriter who recently released his fourth studio album, World of Possibility. A Long Island native, he now resides in Rockland County. “Filled with universal truths, World of Possibility is a joy to listen to,” writes Richard Cuccaro, editor of Acoustic Live! in New York City and Beyond. “An Americana/folk-pop songsmith, Bennett delivers timeless vignettes and melodies that recall Harry Chapin and vintage James Taylor, but with an eloquence, emotional honesty and style all his own.” The CD was produced by John Sonntag, who will accompany Arlon on guitar. -
Sat, Apr 6th, 2013 7:30pmat The Congregational Church of HuntingtonAriana Gillis -
Hailed as "the best new artist I've heard in a very long time" by Dave Marsh, best-selling author and former music critic for Rolling Stone, Ariana Gillis was named Young Performer of the Year in the 2009 Canadian Folk Music Awards and was the recipient of the Colleen Peterson Songwriting Award from the Ontario Arts Council last year.Seth Glier -
Despite his relatively young age, Massachusetts based singer/songwriter/pianist/ guitarist Seth Glier, 24, is a seasoned troubadour. Averaging more than 250 live performances annually, he has gone from opening act to headlining his own shows and playing major folk festivals. -
Sun, Apr 14th, 2013 1:00pmat South Huntington Public LibraryFree and open to the publicThese free Sunday afternoon events -- affording mostly amateur musicians and singers of all experience levels an opportunity to play, sing and hone their skills with others – will take place from 1-4 p.m.
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Thu, Apr 18th, 2013 7:30pmat Cinema Arts Centre - Sky RoomDeborah Lombardi
is a Long Island-based singer-songwriter who has been described as a country version of Liz Phair. Mixing elements of rock, pop and country music with catchy melodies and thought-provoking, sometimes humorous lyrics, Deborah performs both as a solo artist and along with her backup band, accompanying her passionately-delivered vocals on guitar and piano. Her original songs have been heard in television and film soundtracks, and have also garnered accolades from VH1’s Song of the Year Contest and the Billboard Songwriting Contest. She has played in venues all along the East Coast and has been making her mark on the greater New York-area music scene over the last decade.Scott Wolfson and Other Heroes
is a Jersey City, NJ-based indie folk-pop band whose music ties together the distinctly New York threads of folk, punk, and Broadway with a pop sensibility steeped in classic R&B. Starting with folk music’s story-song roots and transforming them into subtle theatrical narratives driven by catchy melodies, singer-songwriter Scott Wolfson’s songs, featuring his haunting vocals and the band’s tightly-woven arrangements, become unconventional “three-verse dramas” with a soundtrack that lingers. -
Sat, May 4th, 2013 7:30pmat The Congregational Church of HuntingtonConnor Garvey -
Portland, Maine-based singer songwriter Connor Garvey describes his music as acoustic funky folk-rock for the good-hearted. His initiation as a modern troubadour came in 2008, by train, on a 45-day self-booked cross-country tour via Amtrak. Now, myriad tours later, he has been drawing audiences and critical acclaim with his inventive, rhythmic guitar work , clear, soulful vocals, and songs that capture people’s attention with humor, daring honesty, and grace – songs that challenge us to hope, grow, laugh, and see beauty in all of life’s metaphors. "Garvey's sandy tenor, attention to rhythmic detail and winsome way with a melody bring to mind the music of Paul Simon in his Rhymin Simon days, as well as contemporaries Josh Ritter and Jason Mraz,” according to music blog Direct Current.Phil Minissale -
Growing up in the Brandywine Valley of southeastern Pennsylvania, Phil Minissale began listening to Elizabeth Cotton, Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee, Jorma Kaukonen and Gary Davis at a very young age. His understanding of the many strains of the blues is as complete as that of musicians two or three times his age. Formerly tagged the “Long Island Blues Boy,” Phil, now 24, has evolved into a more seasoned roots singer-songwriter and has performed at venues, festivals and colleges from Maine to Georgia, as well as abroad. -
Thu, May 16th, 2013 7:30pmat Cinema Arts Centre - Sky RoomGilles Malkine
Gilles Malkine of Ulster County in New York’s Catskill Mountains is a multi-instrumentalist and singer, an actor, composer and a songwriter, whose career has taken him from playing guitar with Tim Hardin at the Woodstock Festival in 1969 to performing at Carnegie Hall and on Broadway, where he was part of The Dixie Dewdrop, a two-man musical portrait of country music’s Uncle Dave Macon. Along the way, he has collaborated and recorded with the likes of Hardin, John Sebastian and Artie Traum, and he shared the stage with performers ranging from Jacques Brel. Jesse Colin Young and John Cougar Mellencamp to David Amram, Kinky Friedman, Levon Helm and Peter Schickele. -
Martin Swinger
Martin Swinger is a Maine-based singer-songwriter with a fluid tenor voice, an engaging stage presence and an out-front social conscience. Originally from Georgia, he began singing and playing several instruments as a child. He counts Paul Simon and Harry Nilsson among his early musical influences. Swinger’s songwriting career began in college and took root in his twenties when his song, “Look Who’s Crying Now,” won a Certificate of Merit from the American Song Festival. Moves to Kentucky and Virginia and stints in several regional bands allowed him to hone his skill in writing powerful story songs that lyrically and melodically illustrate the variety of human emotions. -
Sun, May 19th, 2013 1:00pmat South Huntington Public LibraryFree and open to the publicThese free Sunday afternoon events -- affording mostly amateur musicians and singers of all experience levels an opportunity to play, sing and hone their skills with others – will take place from 1-4 p.m.
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Sat, Jun 1st, 2013 7:30pmat The Congregational Church of HuntingtonDrawing upon the richness of American folk music traditions, the signature power of The Stray Birds sound lies in outstanding songwriting that soars in three-part harmony. Raised on music within a few miles of farmland from each other, The Stray Birds were born of a compelling collaboration between two unique writers and vocalists-- the pure, luxurious voice of Maya de Vitry and Oliver Craven's richness of tone and depth of delivery. Grounding their sound in the unshakeable groove of bassist Charles Muench, The Stray Birds are a trio of captivating chemistry and sensitive musicality. From bustling street corners to silent halls, their performances speak to an uncompromising reverence for songs. www.thestraybirds.com -
Sun, Jun 9th, 2013 1:00pmat South Huntington Public LibraryFree and Open to the PublicThese free Sunday afternoon events -- affording mostly amateur musicians and singers of all experience levels an opportunity to play, sing and hone their skills with others – will take place from 1-4 p.m.
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Thu, Jun 20th, 2013 7:30pmat Cinema Arts Centre - Sky RoomThe Levins are a New York-based duo who combine harmony-driven acoustic folk rock with overtones of the 1930s, a style that has been aptly likened to the Mamas and the Papas having coffee with Cole Porter. Ira and Julia Levin are singer-songwriters who perform their original material with guitar and piano accompaniment, using unexpected harmonies and unique musical arrangements that make their songs both engaging and infectious. The Levins won the 2011 Connecticut Folk Festival Songwriting Competition, were the subject of an October 2012 cover story entitled “The Levins something beyond radiance” in Acoustic Live! in New York City and Beyond, and their latest release, My Friend Hafiz, recently rose to #17 on the Folk DJ radio chart that is compiled monthly. --- The Twangtown Paramours are a Nashville-based husband-and-wife Americana-folk duo comprised of lead vocalist and songwriter MaryBeth Zamer and guitarist and singer-songwriter Mike T. Lewis. Their style of music has been described as “sophisticated Americana,” blending the distinct sounds of Twangtown (a nickname for Nashville) and Austin, Texas. -
Sat, Jul 20th, 2013 12:00pmat Heckscher ParkThe eighth annual Huntington Folk Festival is slated for Saturday, July 20, 2013. The free event will extend from 12 noon into the late evening at Heckscher Park, Main Street (Route 25A) and Prime Avenue, in Huntington, New York. Headlining this year’s festival will be Yonkers, NY-based Americana-roots ensemble Spuyten Duyvil, whose barn burning, rabble rousing live shows -- blending traditional jug band energy with amped-up lap steel guitar and Chicago-style harp blues and featuring an eclectic mix of riveting traditional and original songs -- have caught the attention of respected folk music DJs and prominent American Roots music promoters. -
Sun, Aug 25th, 2013 12:00pmatAnnual Event is a Mini-Folk Festival Focusing on the Music of the 1960s Hundreds of folk & bluegrass music lovers are expected to gather at the New City Volunteer Ambulance Corps (200 Congers Road, New City, NY) on Sunday afternoon, August 25 for the fourth annual picnic, singing party, and jam hosted by the Borderline Folk Music Club of Rockland County. The Folk Music Society of Huntington is pleased to be a co-sponsor of this free event, which is set for 12-6 p.m. in the outdoor grassy area adjacent to the parking lot. Other event co-sponsors are the online publication AcousticMusicScene.com and The Folk Music Society of New York (Pinewoods Folk Music Club). -
Sun, Sep 15th, 2013 1:00pmat South Huntington Public LibraryThese free Sunday afternoon events -- affording mostly amateur musicians and singers of all experience levels an opportunity to play, sing and hone their skills with others – will take place from 1-4 p.m.
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Thu, Sep 19th, 2013 7:30pmat Cinema Arts Centre - Sky RoomNaomi Margolin and Mark Newman are a singing and songwriting duo from Long Island whose all-too-infrequent musical appearances together are a rare treat for their audiences. Jerry DeMeo is a Huntington-based singer-songwriter and guitarist with an expressive singing voice, engaging guitar work and ebullient stage presence. Drawing his guitar-playing influences from artists such as Leo Kottke, Stephen Stills and Jorma Kaukonen, Jerry performs original material along with an impressive array of covers -- all marked with his own individual imprint. -
Sat, Oct 5th, 2013 7:30pmat The Congregational Church of HuntingtonBritish singer-songwriter James Maddock has become a fixture in downtown New York’s folk and Americana scene since moving there ten years ago. Currently touring in support of his new album, Another Life, the raspy-voiced crooner and guitarist will be joined by keyboardist Oli Rockberger. -
Sun, Oct 13th, 2013 1:00pmat South Huntington Public LibraryThese free Sunday afternoon events -- affording mostly amateur musicians and singers of all experience levels an opportunity to play, sing and hone their skills with others – will take place from 1-4 p.m.
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Thu, Oct 17th, 2013 7:30pmat Cinema Arts Centre - Sky RoomIn a career that now spans two decades, New York duo Pete and Maura Kennedy have traversed a broad musical landscape, surveying power pop, acoustic songwriting, organic rock rooted in their early days in Austin, and a Byrds-inspired jangle that drew the attention of Roger McGuinn, Steve Earle, and most notably Nanci Griffith. The duo co-produced Nanci's latest CD. On their own recent release, "Closer Than You Know," the songs have a quality, inherent in Maura’s voice, that is both soothing and urgent. As writers and producers, the Kennedys continue to mature, from their early style-conscious pop to today’s burnished sheen. Always tuned to their own muse, Pete and Maura have once again come up with a unique sound that is as uplifting as it is unclassifiable. -
Sat, Nov 2nd, 2013 7:30pmat The Congregational Church of HuntingtonJoe Crookston an Ohio native now residing in Ithaca, NY, has been developing a reputation as an energetic, charismatic and thoroughly engaging live performer. He was among the artists voted "Most Wanted to Return" during the 2007 Falcon Ridge Folk Festival in upstate New York and wowed attendees in 2008 with a mix of his own lyrically compelling, narrative-style songs and choice covers (including a solo acoustic version of Supertramp's "The Logical Song") -- much as he did during the Falcon Ridge Preview Tour''s concert in Centerport earlier that year. A serious craftsman, Crookston has heeded his father's advice to work with his hands (and heart) in metal and wood. His latest album, Darkling and The BlueBird Jubilee has received critical acclaim. His previous release, Able Baker Charlie & Dog, a collection of songs inspired by stories ordinary New Yorkers from the Finger Lakes region related to him during his year-long travels under a songwriting grant from The Rockefeller Foundation, reached the top of the folk/acoustic radio charts and was recognized as Album of the Year during the 2009 International Folk Alliance Conference in Memphis, TN. His prior release, Fall Down As The Rain, was a Performing Songwriter Magazine Top 12 DIY independent recording. Joe Crookston also has been a finalist in several prestigious national songwriting contests. -
Sun, Nov 10th, 2013 1:00pmat South Huntington Public LibraryThese free Sunday afternoon events -- affording mostly amateur musicians and singers of all experience levels an opportunity to play, sing and hone their skills with others – will take place from 1-4 p.m.
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Thu, Nov 21st, 2013 7:30pmat Cinema Arts Centre - Sky RoomFred Newland and Cliff Miller are two Long Island-based singer-songwriters and instrumentalists who have been playing music together since their junior high school days in Seaford. During the late 1970s and early 1980s, they were a fixture on the local music scene, and also worked with worked with Michael Lang (of Woodstock fame) and Charlie Colello, a musical arranger for Barbra Streisand and the Four Seasons, among others. Maryland native Tony Denikos is one of the Mid-Atlantic region’s songwriting treasures. A familiar face at local clubs, festivals and coffeehouses showcasing his foot-stomping backbeats, engaging melodies and “tastier than Texas BBQ” guitar work, he’s won the hearts of those who appreciate fine songwriting delivered with an honest and authentic voice. Tony also impressed folks during his Long Island debut at this summer’s Huntington Folk Festival. -
Sat, Dec 7th, 2013 7:30pmat The Congregational Church of HuntingtonZoë Lewis is a band in a body! She plays jazz, jump jive, Latin grooves, swing, international folk, and funk originals on anything from the piano to the spoons. Originally from England and now residing in Provincetown, MA, she’s a troubadour-vaudevillian-storyteller-singer-songwriter-piece of work, who describes her blend of music as worldbeat-vaudeville. She’s been a co-winner of the Rocky Mountain Folk Festival Troubadour award, a Kerrville New Folk winner, and a Falcon Ridge Folk Festival audience favorite. .Her music is upbeat, amusing and perfect for all ages. While at once settling listeners off balance with her quirky spin on things, she sneaks in simple, potent messages, leaving audiences worn out and inspired. (www.zoelewis.com) Lois Morton has been delighting audiences throughout the New York metropolitan area for several years with her abundant charm and humorous songs of social commentary on such subjects as cellphones, clutter, diets, psychotherapy, and road rage. Reinventing herself in retirement, the Huntington resident has gone from being an educator and therapist to a singer-songwriter with a rapier wit and a surprisingly contemporary approach. Her show As I See It (also the title of her debut CD) highlights Lois’ original, often hilarious songs which encourage us to laugh at ourselves. At this concert, she celebrates the release of her second album, 20th Century Girl that features 16 of her original songs. (www.loismorton.com) -
Sun, Dec 15th, 2013 1:00pmat South Huntington Public LibraryThe Folk Music Society of Huntington’s monthly Folk Jam/Song Circle/Sing-Along affords musicians and singers of all experience levels an opportunity to play, sing and hone their performance skills. These free Sunday afternoon events -- affording mostly amateur musicians and singers of all experience levels an opportunity to play, sing and hone their skills with others – will take place from 1-4 p.m.
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Thu, Dec 19th, 2013 7:30pmat Cinema Arts Centre - Sky RoomBill Lauter, Hank Stone Band & Ray Lambiase will perform in Bob Westcott's Holiday Revue. The concert begins promptly at 7:30 PM and there will be NO OPEN MIC tonight. -
Sat, Jan 4th, 2014 7:30pmat The Congregational Church of HuntingtonThe Folk Music Society of Huntington's First Saturday Concerts usually feature national and international touring artists. Each season, however, the organization showcases some of its own talented members in a special concert. As in past years, this one will feature a wide variety of performers and musical styles. Ten local artists and acts have been selected to perform short musical sets. Since the concert begins at 7:30 p.m., there will not be an open mic preceding it. FMSH members are invited to participate in our annual members meeting that is set for 6 p.m. -
Sun, Jan 12th, 2014 1:00pmat South Huntington Public LibraryThe Folk Music Society of Huntington’s monthly Folk Jam/Song Circle/Sing-Along affords musicians and singers of all experience levels an opportunity to play, sing and hone their performance skills. These free Sunday afternoon events -- affording mostly amateur musicians and singers of all experience levels an opportunity to play, sing and hone their skills with others – will take place from 1-4 p.m.
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Thu, Jan 16th, 2014 7:30pmat Cinema Arts Centre - Sky RoomBrad Cole is a contemporary singer-songwriter who has drawn stylistic comparisons to John Hiatt and John Mayer yet delivers his own soulful slice of Americana with a groove. Cole says women artists like Patty Griffin, Aimee Mann, Lucinda Williams and Shawn Colvin have had the biggest impact on him as a writer, while his “heart and soul are with Mavis Staples, Betty Lavette and Bonnie Raitt.” The Toby Tobias Ensemble fuses elements of jazz, roots, world and folk music and is the brainchild of Toby Tobias, a Northport-based musician and singer-songwriter. Born and raised in Johannesburg, South Africa, Toby has immersed himself in all genres of American music of the last 50 years. His interest in African rhythms & world music, coupled with his keen ear for highly intuitive arrangements, has been the hallmark of his writing and performance styles, and he has garnered a strong following of listeners on Long Island and beyond. -
Sat, Feb 1st, 2014 7:30pmat The Congregational Church of HuntingtonIf Django Reinhardt, the cast of Stomp and the Beatles all had a party at Tim Burton's house, New England's Caravan of Thieves would be the band they hired. Driving gypsy jazz rhythms, acoustic guitars, upright bass and violin lay the foundation for mesmerizing vocal harmonies and fantastic stories. It's theatrical, humorous, musical and intense, while welcoming spectators to join the band throughout the performance in momentary fits of claps, snaps and sing-alongs. .
This exciting group are on tour in support of their new single, "Dead Wrong", and will treat us to a show that's on the high road to musical perfection, - that channels pop bliss through their trademark lock-tight, turn-of-the-century, bang-out-a-beat-on-anything-that-can-take-it approach. -
Sun, Feb 9th, 2014 1:00pmat South Huntington Public LibraryThe Folk Music Society of Huntington’s monthly Folk Jam/Song Circle/Sing-Along affords musicians and singers of all experience levels an opportunity to play, sing and hone their performance skills. These free Sunday afternoon events -- affording mostly amateur musicians and singers of all experience levels an opportunity to play, sing and hone their skills with others – will take place from 1-4 p.m.
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Thu, Feb 20th, 2014 7:30pmat Cinema Arts Centre - Sky RoomRebecca Pronsky is a Brooklyn-based singer-songwriter whose musical style combines elements of country and folk with jazz and alternative influences to create a twangy urban-folk sound that highlights her sophisticated and poetic lyrics. A singer since childhood, she began writing songs in her teens, and studied ethnomusicology and jazz at Brown University. Since then, she has recorded three albums and toured extensively, playing in numerous clubs and at festivals both domestically and internationally including spots at the Huntington Folk Festival and the Folk Music Society of Huntington's First Saturday series. Bill Scorzari is a Huntington-based singer and songwriter whose original music combines elements of roots, folk, Americana and traditional styles with his thought-provoking lyrical imagery and signature voice. Bill’s influences include artists such as Justin Townes Earle, Blind Willie Johnson, Joe Pug and Townes Van Zandt, among many others. His band, The Raddle Chains and Straw Walkers, is comprised of some of the most sought-after musicians in the tri-state area, and he has performed at such venues as The Paramount in Huntington, the Long Island Fall Festival, Patchogue Theater for the Performing Arts, and the Long Island Folk Festival, along with venues in Nashville and Franklin, Tennessee. -
Tue, Feb 25th, 2014 7:30pmat Cinema Arts Centre - Sky RoomFilm: Bill Shelley hosts a program about Rock and Roll Hall of Fame member Donovan featuring performances from TV shows, promotional clips, and live concert footage from the early career of the Scottish folksinger-songwriter known for such hits as "Catch the Wind" and "Colours, and his cover of Buffy Sainte-Marie's "Universal Soldier." Tickets are $10 for CAC and FMSH members. $15 for the general public. Reception included. -
Sat, Mar 1st, 2014 7:30pmat The Congregational Church of HuntingtonA cross between Crosby, Stills & Nash and the Marx Brothers, Modern Man (David Buskin, Rob Carlson and George Wurzbach) is a trio of singer-songwriters who have carved a unique niche for themselves with their inimitable brand of musical humor. No sacred cow is spared as they sing about topics ranging from God to Godzilla, the FBI to ESPN, and manliness to cluelessness, all in a style that has been called “a non-stop express train of uproarious entertainment,” (Oscar E. Moore, TalkEntertainment.com), and with a vocal blend not heard since Ella and F. Scott Fitzgerald went their separate ways. From 1998 until 2010, Modern Man performed in clubs, coffeehouses, concerts and festivals across the United States and Canada. These included the Philadelphia, Kerrville and Falcon Ridge Folk Festivals, and such acclaimed venues as Town Hall, Wolf Trap, The Bottom Line and Lincoln Center, where Roots of American Music Festival producer Spike Barkin called Modern Man “the cleverest, funniest, most versatile group that I have heard in years." The trio also won the 2008 New York Nightlife Award for best comedy group in New York. Modern Man has recorded three CDs: The Wide Album, Modern Immaturity and Assisted Living. After a hiatus of several years spent pursuing other musical interests, Buskin, Carlson and Wurzbach are back touring as Modern Man despite popular demand, with topical material guaranteed to keep audiences laughing. -
Sun, Mar 9th, 2014 1:00pmat South Huntington Public LibraryThe Folk Music Society of Huntington’s monthly Folk Jam/Song Circle/Sing-Along affords musicians and singers of all experience levels an opportunity to play, sing and hone their performance skills. These free Sunday afternoon events -- affording mostly amateur musicians and singers of all experience levels an opportunity to play, sing and hone their skills with others – will take place from 1-4 p.m.
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Thu, Mar 20th, 2014 7:30pmat Cinema Arts Centre - Sky RoomTom Griffith and Martha Trachtenberg are Huntington-based singer-songwriters who have not only chronicled the ups and downs of their 31 years together in their music, but also have achieved numerous individual musical successes. Tom is an award-winning singer, songwriter and recovering jingle writer whose jingles have been heard in ads for products such as Miller beer and M&Ms candy. His work has also appeared in several movies, and he has won two Clio awards. Tom’s album 40 Years Later was named the best Long Island CD of 2007 by Newsday. Martha was a founding member of the Buffalo Gals, the first all-woman bluegrass band. She’s appeared in the IBMA Songwriter Showcase three times, and her songs have been recorded by artists such as Toby Walker and Tony Trischka and Skyline. John Platt of WFUV has said that Martha “has a warm heart that infuses her songs with humanity and a supple voice that makes them ring true.” In addition to performing with Tom, Martha is a member of the acoustic female trio, The Folk Goddesses. Rorie Kelly is a small redheaded tornado of sound. First-time listeners often comment, “I can’t believe that voice came out of that body. Rorie writes catchy, melodic rock songs that she plays with enough passion to break guitar strings and go right on playing without batting an eye. The Brooklyn-based acoustic rocker has drawn comparison to such artists as Fiona Apple, Janis Joplin, Alanis Morisette and Liz Phair. Like theirs, her voice has a raw intensity to it. Although named one of LI’s “Top Ten Indie Artists You’ve Never Heard Of” by Long Island Pulse Magazine, Rorie has been performing at clubs and festivals throughout the tri-state area for several years and is known on the NYC and LI singer-songwriter scenes. Her debut full-length CD is entitled Wish Upon a Bottlecap, while Rorie recently released Sincerely Live, a 28-track collection of songs, banter and song introductions recorded during her performance at the Live in the Lobby series at the Patchogue Theatre last fall. (www.roriekelly.com) -
Sat, Apr 5th, 2014 7:30pmat The Congregational Church of HuntingtonCanadian finger-style guitarist Bob Ardern is touring the Northeast this Spring in support of his forthcoming album, Craftsman. His previous release, Wires, Rosewood & Roots, was nominated for Best Instrumental Album – Acoustic in the Zone Music Reporter (ZMR) Awards and ranked #6 on its Top 100 albums chart for 2012. ZMR is the music industry organization that tracks new age, world and instrumental music. Ardern --who grew up in Ontario and resides in Lunenburg, Nova Scotia -- combines masterful finger-style guitar playing with melodies that conjure vivid images and then pulls it all together into a captivating sound. With influences from Celtic, classical and jazz music, Ardern’s guitar stylings take listeners on a spectral journey of emotions. Having grown up in the golden era of English folk music, he learned from some of the great names of the genre. While retaining those influences, he also listened to and was affected by Canadian and American roots music and shaped the two styles into his own unique blend. Howard Emerson is a self-taught guitar player who has been hailed for his expressive and fluid style. He began playing at age 12 and learned to fingerpick in the fall of 1969 wile cutting class at the Berklee School of Music, which he attended, ostensibly in order to avoid the draft. After a very brief stint there, he dropped out and later learned bottleneck and open-tuning, and was very influenced by Ry Cooder, Randy Newman and Little Feat. In the early-mid-1970s, Emerson recorded and toured with Richard Supa and with folk legend Eric Anderson. During that time, he also played with a band named Topper that eventually became the Billy Joel Band. A touring clinician for the C.F. Martin Guitar Company, Howard also teaches guitar at his Huntington Station home, as well as to students around the world via videotaped lessons. His latest CD, It Ain’t Necessarily So, was released in 2012. Hiroya Tsukamoto is a gifted composer and guitarist from Kyoto, Japan, who came to the U.S. a decade ago on a scholarship to study at Boston’s Berklee College of Music and now resides in New York City. A finalist in the International Acoustic Music Awards and the USA Songwriting Competition, Tsukamoto wowed attendees during a featured showcase performance at the 2013 Southeast Regional Folk Alliance Conference and also performed in unplugged showcases during last summer’s Huntington Folk Festival. He has released two solo albums – Heartland and Solo – and also has recorded several albums with the multicultural group Interoceanico. Influenced by the South American Nueva Cancion Movement, Tsukamoto’s impressionistic, inventive and highly innovative musical style features interesting chord patterns, a wide rhythmic mix, and incorporates elements from various genres. Check back later for more details -
Sun, Apr 13th, 2014 1:00pmat South Huntington Public LibraryThe Folk Music Society of Huntington’s monthly Folk Jam/Song Circle/Sing-Along affords musicians and singers of all experience levels an opportunity to play, sing and hone their performance skills. These free Sunday afternoon events -- affording mostly amateur musicians and singers of all experience levels an opportunity to play, sing and hone their skills with others – will take place from 1-4 p.m.
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Thu, Apr 17th, 2014 7:30pmat Cinema Arts Centre - Sky RoomMountain Maidens is a Long Island-based folk harmony trio comprised of Candice Baranello, Lorraine Berger and Marie Mularczyk O’Connell. Since first meeting at the Dickens Festival in Port Jefferson, the threesome has been performing a unique and harmonious mix of ballads, folk songs, country and gospel numbers, love songs and songs of social justice throughout the local area -- including a slot at the Folk Music Society of Huntington’s Annual Members Showcase concert in January. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Ed Ryan is a Long Island-based singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist with a powerful voice and sharp wit. He’s also done theater, stand-up comedy and voiceover work. Since launching his professional music career at venues such as the legendary Folk City in New York, Ed has fronted several successful bands including Ed Ryan & The Underdogs, which toured the country as the support act for then teen-queen Debbie Gibson, and the harder-edged Wide Awake. Also a respected performer of Irish music, he has played during the New York City St. Patrick’s Day Parade’s opening ceremonies on many occasions. -
Sat, May 3rd, 2014 7:30pmat The Congregational Church of HuntingtonBeaucoup Blue, the Philadelphia -based father-and son-blues and roots duo, returns to grace our stage yet again after delighting audiences at previous First Saturday Concerts and during the 2011 Huntington Folk Festival. with a mix of original songs and classic numbers. Blending soulful traditional and contemporary styles, Beaucoup Blue creates an innovative and authentic sound that covers a wide swath of what constitutes today's Americana music.Jon Brooks is a Canadian singer-songwriter of note. A winner in the prestigious Kerrville New Folk Competition, a Canadian regional winner in the Mountain Stage Newsong Competition, and a three-time Songwriter of the Year nominee in the Canadian Folk Music Awards, Brooks writes songs "to calm those who've looked into, and seen, what is in their hearts [and] to terrify those who have not." -
Thu, May 15th, 2014 7:30pmat Cinema Arts Centre - Sky RoomLarry Kolker is an American roots musician with a postmodern edge and a style that ranges from rhythmic folk and soulful blues to power pop rock. His lyrics run the gamut from the personal and passionate to the ironic and political, and evoke emotions that span the spectrum from desperation to joy. Larry is also a versatile guitar player and blues harpist whose musical influences include artists such as Bob Dylan, John Prine, Jerry Garcia, Bonnie Raitt, David Bromberg and Elvis Costello. Originally from Huntington and a graduate of Huntington High School, he now lives in New York’s lower Hudson Valley. Larry has performed at the Huntington Folk Festival, the Montauk Music Festival, the Borderline Folk Music Club Picnic, and the Bob Dylan Festival at the Warwick Valley Winery, among other events. His 2012 album, Awful Smart Man, is a musical tour de force co-produced with Fred Gillen, Jr. that features Gillen on bass guitar and backing vocals by The YaYas. Scott Cook is a prairie balladeer from Alberta, Canada whose straight-talking tunes weave together folk, roots, blues, soul and country music with spacious fingerstyle guitar and clawhammer banjo arrangements. He brings humor, a disarming honesty and a deep love of humanity to his songwriting and storytelling, drawing on a wide range of roots music influences. Since 2007, Scott has been performing all over the world -- touring extensively in the United States, Canada, Europe and Asia. Acclaimed Canadian songwriter David Francey has noted that “Scott Cook has distilled his travels down into songs powered by a sharp eye for imagery, a healthy dose of humanity, and that unforgettable voice that at the same time intones the rigors of the road and the most comfortable couch you’ve ever slept on.” Scott’s latest album, One More Time Around, features his song “Pass It Along,” which earned top honors in the Folk and Acoustic category of the 2013 UK Songwriting Contest. -
Sun, May 18th, 2014 1:00pmat South Huntington Public LibraryThe Folk Music Society of Huntington’s monthly Folk Jam/Song Circle/Sing-Along affords musicians and singers of all experience levels an opportunity to play, sing and hone their performance skills. These free Sunday afternoon events -- affording mostly amateur musicians and singers of all experience levels an opportunity to play, sing and hone their skills with others – will take place from 1-4 p.m.
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Sat, Jun 7th, 2014 7:30pmat The Congregational Church of HuntingtonRising from the milieu of lovelorn singer-songwriters, JOHN GORKA illuminates instead with his trademark wordplay, twisting, turning and tying words and phrases in the way a balloon artist creates complex creatures from simple balloons. Few contemporary songwriters coax language as deftly as Gorka. For over two decades, Gorka’s keen ear has picked up the stories of those along his path, folding them into poetry and song. His keen perceptiveness inspires people from all over the world to share their stories. By involving those tales in his music, he escapes the trap of introspection that hobbles less gifted singer-songwriters. John Gorka flies below the pop culture radar with an almost cult-like following that never fails to fill concerts. Speak with any of his fans and one instantly feels their enthusiasm and genuine affection. His shy, almost self-effacing stage presence rightfully focuses attention on the songs. His versatility on guitar and piano keeps his sets musically interesting, while his rich baritone effortlessly executes his bidding. And he’s never short of the sly comment or clever joke that invariably ignites his audience. With his uncanny ability to work every nuance of language, capturing a wide array of topics and experiences woven into memorable melodies, John Gorka’s career continues to prosper and to garner ever-increasing attention. “One can get goosebumps all over. There are many reasons: fresh lyrics, a stunning emotional baritone, and his twisted humor” New York Times. -
Sun, Jun 8th, 2014 1:00pmat South Huntington Public LibraryThe Folk Music Society of Huntington’s monthly Folk Jam/Song Circle/Sing-Along affords musicians and singers of all experience levels an opportunity to play, sing and hone their performance skills. These free Sunday afternoon events -- affording mostly amateur musicians and singers of all experience levels an opportunity to play, sing and hone their skills with others – will take place from 1-4 p.m.
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Thu, Jun 19th, 2014 7:30pmat Cinema Arts Centre - Sky RoomHe Bird She Bird is a Long Island-based acoustic trio with a gravel, silk and honey vocal blend that brings a rich and heartfelt sound to their wide-ranging repertoire of both original songs and American acoustic roots music. Since striking up their band late last year, Todd Evans, Terri Hall and Christine Kellar have incorporated sparks of folk-rock, country, bluegrass and gospel to fuel their harmonious vocal collaboration, accompanied by their guitars and sundry other stringed instruments. In the short time since launching their musical partnership, He Bird, She Bird has had people flocking to see them. They’ve performed at several local venues -- including a well-received set during the Folk Music Society of Huntington’s Members Showcase Concert this past January. Christine, Terri and Todd have also been in the studio, recording their first He Bird, She Bird CD. This Hard Luck Café show will mark the band’s first featured performance for FMSH. Multi-instrumentalist Dee Harris will be joining them onstage. The Lords of Liechtenstein is a quirky NYC-based acoustic folk duo comprised of two brothers – Noah on ukulele and vocals and Dan on guitar, banjo, mandola and vocals. Their sound has been compared to Simon and Garfunkel, while their onstage antics have drawn comparisons to The Smothers Brothers. It’s their instrumentation and introspective lyrics, however, that put them in a category all their own. “They are like the Everly Brothers with an attitude,” says Mark Miller, host of the Urban H2O concert series in Yonkers, NY and leader of the popular alt-roots band Spuyten Duyvil. The duo first met in a hospital in July of 1994. "Hey, let's start a band!" said Dan Rauchwerk to his new little brother, Noah. "Waaah!" said Noah as he had just been born and wasn't quite able to speak yet, much less sing or play the ukulele. The brothers mutually agreed to wait a few years, until Noah was at least potty trained, before pursuing musical careers. Although the debate rages on as to whether or not Noah is yet potty trained, the duo formally joined forces as The Lords of Liechtenstein in 2007. Noah and Dan have brought their unique blend of folk music to clubs and coffeehouses all over the East Coast. Their most recent album, Girlz (With a ‘Z’) shows off the duo’s versatility in songwriting and performing, moving effortlessly from reggae songs about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict to upbeat folk songs about having one’s heart broken and torn apart by wolves. -
Sat, Jun 28th, 2014 12:00pmatGrammy Award-winning singer-songwriter Rosanne Cash will headline the fourth annual American Roots Music Festival at Caramoor, a family friendly celebration of acoustic music on Saturday, June 28, 2014. Set on 90 acres of gardens and Italianate architecture in Katonah, Westchester County, NY – 40 miles northeast of New York City -- the Caramoor Center for Music and the Arts is well known for its summer music festivals. The Folk Music Society of Huntington is delighted to be a Cultural Partner of the festival and will have a presence there. -
Sat, Jul 19th, 2014 12:00pmat Heckscher ParkThe ninth annual Huntington Folk Festival is slated for Saturday, July 19, 2014. The free event will extend from 12 noon into the late evening at Heckscher Park, Main Street (Route 25A) and Prime Avenue, in Huntington, New York. Headlining this year’s festival and performing on the [Harry] Chapin Rainbow Stage at 8:30 p.m. will be Bobtown. Drawing on field hollers, gospel music, folk songs, pop melodies and bluegrass harmonies, Bobtown reinvents American choral music for the 21st century to create a unique and compelling blend of voices and instruments that move gracefully between elegy and celebration. An afternoon of unplugged showcases and song swaps, from 12 noon to 6 p.m., featuring artists from the New York metropolitan area and beyond will precede the concert. Hosting them near canopy tents will be Acoustic Live! in New York City and Beyond and AcousticMusicScene.com. Co-presented by the Folk Music Society of Huntington and the Huntington Arts Council, the Huntington Folk Festival is part of the 49th Annual Huntington Summer Arts Festival presented by the Town of Huntington and produced by the Huntington Arts Council. Festival goers are advised to bring lawn chairs or blankets and to consider bringing a picnic supper or venturing into nearby Huntington Village for dinner. -
Mon, Jul 21st, 2014 7:00pmatEisenhower Park Bandshell, East Meadow For a tenth year in a row, on Monday evening, July 21, some of Long Island's top musical talent will gather at Eisenhower Park in East Meadow to perform the music of the late singer-songwriter -activist Harry Chapin, playing his songs for the cause to which he dedicated himself. It was on his way to perform at that stage that Chapin died in a car crash on the Long Island Expressway. Entitled “Just Wild About Harry,” the concert, set to begin at 7:30 p.m., will include 18 Chapin songs -- ranging from his hits “Cat’s In the Cradle” and “Taxi” to fan favorites like “Flowers Are Red,” “Mr. Tanner” and “Mail Order Annie.” Artists slated to perform include Gathering Time, Frank Walker, Josh Joffen, MediaCrime, Wonderous Stories, Grand Folk Railroad, Rorie Kelly, Patricia Shih, Christine Solimeno, the Folk Goddesses, Friends on the Journey, Robin Eve, Katie Pearlman, and Sid Cherry. Nationally touring songstress Marci Geller will pay tribute to Pete Seeger with Harry's song about the folk legend, “Old Folkie,” and new to the show will be bluesy songwriter Jerry DeMeo and expatriate Long Islander Robin Greenstein. “It's hard to believe that we've been doing this for a decade,” said Long Island-based singer-songwriter and concert organizer Stuart Markus, who as a high-school student was just getting to know Harry's music beyond the hits in 1981. “Each year I think it'll be the last, but the enthusiasm of the players and audience persuades me to do it again.” Although the concert is free, guests are encouraged to bring canned goods and other non-perishable food items for distribution to needy Long Islanders through Long Island Cares, the food bank founded by Chapin that works to relieve hunger on Long Island. Over the years, the concerts have raised more than five tons of food and several thousand dollars for the organization. In some cases the performers have chosen their own Chapin songs; in others Markus suggested them, but the performers have carte blanche with respect to interpretation. “I've always encouraged them to make the songs their own” Markus said. “It's a tribute to his songwriting that so many songs can sound good in different styles.” Although Chapin died 33 years ago, his music and efforts combating hunger have lived on, and the concert venue has been renamed the Harry Chapin Lakeside Stage in his honor. “It's always as if the Long Island original music community comes together to give the concert he had meant to,” Markus said. A commemorative plaque was dedicated in his honor at the concert in 2010. Besides raising food for the hungry and awareness of Long Island Cares' mission, Markus said, the goals of the concert are to keep Chapin's music and legacy alive in the public eye, and to give some of Long Island's top musicians a chance to showcase their talents on a big stage. A CD of the 2012 show and Chapin fan items will be available at the L.I. Cares Tent. Co-promoting the show is the Folk Music Society of Huntington, on whose board Markus serves. Guests should bring their own lawn chairs or picnic blankets to the park, which is located off Merrick and Stewart Avenues in East Meadow. The event is scheduled rain or shine, barring lightning storms. For information about summer concerts and other events, call (516) 572-0200. # # # Photo of Harry Chapin by Robert Berkowitz/RSBImageWorks.com
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Sun, Aug 24th, 2014 12:00pmatThe Folk Music Society of Huntington is pleased to be a co-sponsor of this free Annual Event, a Mini-Folk Festival focusing on A Tribute to Pete Seeger. -
Sun, Sep 14th, 2014 1:00pmat South Huntington Public LibraryThe Folk Music Society of Huntington’s monthly Folk Jam/Song Circle/Sing-Along affords musicians and singers of all experience levels an opportunity to play, sing and hone their performance skills. These free Sunday afternoon events -- affording mostly amateur musicians and singers of all experience levels an opportunity to play, sing and hone their skills with others – will take place from 1-4 p.m.
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Thu, Sep 18th, 2014 7:30pmat Cinema Arts Centre - Sky RoomMiles to Dayton is a Long Island-based family band whose music brings a high-energy message of love that strikes audiences on a personal level. M2D blends elements of folk, rock, classical music and funk with four-part vocal harmony, clever songwriting, improvisational violin and cello, and an infectious rhythm section, At the heart of their unique marriage of musical styles lies a real-life marriage: vocalist Krista Preddice shares the microphone with her husband Jonathan, the principal songwriter for the group – who also shines on guitar, cello, accordion and trumpet. Bassist Dave March (Krista’s brother) and violinist Leanne Strom (John’s sister) add depth to the vocal harmonies, while their bass and violin provide sonic bookends for the band’s signature sound. Drummer Brian Kroll further propels the group’s music with an exciting and funky edge. M2D has performed at venues and festivals throughout the New York metropolitan area. The group’s first performance for the Hard Luck Café was a rousing success – prompting a return engagement. Anna Dagmar is a New York City-based pianist, arranger and singer-songwriter whose influences range from Joni Mitchell to Billy Joel and Leonard Bernstein. A graduate of the Eastman School of Music, where she developed an interest in orchestration, Anna is a versatile performer whose music weaves together elements of folk, pop, jazz, classical and musical theatre. She won a Gold Prize (first place) in the Mid-Atlantic Songwriting Contest for “We Were Children” (2011), was named a finalist in the Kerrville New Folk Competition and the Rocky Mountain Folks Festival Songwriter Showcase (2012), and was selected to join the Advanced BMI Musical Theatre Writing Workshop last year. “In a world overpopulated with guitar-playing folksingers, Dagmar is pursuing a different path – writing piano-based songs that evoke the best of Judy Collins or the musical theater.” – John Platt, host of Sunday Breakfast on WFUV. The Preddice Family String Quartet (Phil Preddice, Alisa Rabbit, Leanne Strom and Jon Preddice) will accompany Anna as she performs her original songs arranged for piano and strings. -
Sat, Oct 4th, 2014 7:30pmat The Congregational Church of HuntingtonThe Boxcar Lilies have quickly made a name for themselves with their signature mix of folk, country, and bluegrass-tinged Americana music featuring spine-tingling, innovative harmonies and top-notch songwriting. Accompanying themselves on guitar, clawhammer banjo, concert ukulele, bass, and washboard, they have brought their uniquely warm sound and energetic stage presence to venues up and down the Eastern seaboard.
The Boxcar Lilies “bring energy, improvisation and a charming presence to the stage each night. Anyone with an ear for folk or luscious harmonies will enjoy these women.” - Zak Jason, Cape Cod Times -
Sun, Oct 12th, 2014 1:00pmat South Huntington Public LibraryThe Folk Music Society of Huntington’s monthly Folk Jam/Song Circle/Sing-Along affords musicians and singers of all experience levels an opportunity to play, sing and hone their performance skills. These free Sunday afternoon events -- affording mostly amateur musicians and singers of all experience levels an opportunity to play, sing and hone their skills with others – will take place from 1-4 p.m.
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Thu, Oct 16th, 2014 7:30pmat Cinema Arts Centre - Sky RoomJesse Terry is an award-winning, world-traveling, guitar-playing singer/songwriter whose home base just happens to be on the road. His intimate and evocative brand of Americana has drawn favorable comparisons to Ryan Adams, Jackson Browne, Paul Simon and James Taylor. “Sunny naiveté meets gritty wisdom” is how Dave Dircks of LIVE @ Deepwells (formerly Acoustic Long Island) describes him.
Jesse has performed across the nation and throughout the world -- from Great Britain and Greenland to the South Pacific. Along the way, he attended the Berklee College of Music and landed a Nashville publishing deal just two months after graduating. He has been a Grand Prize winner of the John Lennon Songwriting Contest and the NSAI/CMT Song Contest, and his songs have gained placement on the televisions shows Hart of Dixie and Roadtrip Nation. His most recent album, Stay Here with Me, was released in 2013.
Jesse is “a force to be reckoned with,” says John Platt, host of Sunday Breakfast on WFUV. “His well-crafted songs rank right up there with Ryan Adams … and other masters of alt-country.”
Kat Quinn is a New York City-based singer/songwriter who hails originally from Marblehead, Massachusetts and writes lyrics marked by a charismatic combination of poetry and plainspoken language. She studied piano and percussion as a child, and got her first guitar at age15. Kat began writing songs in college, initially inspired by the heartbreak of a failed romance. From then on, songwriting became a consistent endeavor -- fueled further by the time she spent studying abroad in Chile and later travels in Ecuador.
Sadness may have lit the match, but Kat’s upbeat personality fires her live shows, where she accompanies herself on guitar and ukulele. Her original songs feature “lightness and depth at the same time” (Verily Magazine) reminiscent of Ingrid Michaelson with a touch of Taylor Swift. Her songs have been featured in a film soundtrack and a VoxBox ad, and in 2013 she performed on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon’s Battle of the Instant Songwriters. Kat has also performed throughout the metropolitan area, including twice at the Huntington Folk Festival. -
Sat, Nov 1st, 2014 7:30pmat The Congregational Church of HuntingtonIn a career that now spans two decades, New York duo Pete and Maura Kennedy have traversed a broad musical landscape, surveying power pop, acoustic songwriting, organic rock rooted in their early days in Austin, and a Byrds-inspired jangle that drew the attention of Roger McGuinn, Steve Earle, and most notably Nanci Griffith. The duo co-produced Nanci's latest CD. On their own recent release, "Closer Than You Know," the songs have a quality, inherent in Maura’s voice, that is both soothing and urgent.
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Sun, Nov 9th, 2014 1:00pmat South Huntington Public LibraryThe Folk Music Society of Huntington’s monthly Folk Jam/Song Circle/Sing-Along affords musicians and singers of all experience levels an opportunity to play, sing and hone their performance skills. These free Sunday afternoon events -- affording mostly amateur musicians and singers of all experience levels an opportunity to play, sing and hone their skills with others – will take place from 1-4 p.m.
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Thu, Nov 20th, 2014 7:30pmat Cinema Arts Centre - Sky RoomLibby Koch (pronounced “coke”) is a Houston-based Americana singer-songwriter who draws from a classic blend of country, folk and rock. She performed this summer at the Kerrville Folk Festival’s Threadgill Theater and in the Emerging Artists Showcase at the Falcon Ridge Folk Festival. She also was a finalist in the Wildflower! Performing Songwriter Contest and a semifinalist in the Songwriter Serenade. Libby was named Songwriter of the Year (2013) by the Houston Press and was selected for official showcases at last year’s Southwest Regional Folk Alliance (SWRFA) and this year’s Northeast Regional Folk Alliance (NERFA) conferences. She cites Emmylou Harris, Lucinda Williams, Janis Joplin, Patty Griffith & Dolly Parton as influences. Manitoba Hal, previously scheduled, is stuck in Canada on a visa issue, so Libby has agreed to perform both sets tonight. -
Sun, Nov 23rd, 2014 6:00pmat Cinema Arts Centre - Sky RoomNational award-winning singer-songwriter Patricia Shih brings a multi-media tribute to five extraordinary female musicians for a lively and spirited night of music! -
Wed, Dec 3rd, 2014 7:30pmat Cinema Arts Centre - Sky RoomCome join Peter Yarrow as he personally guides us with commentary & live performance - from beloved anthems to selections from 13 never-before-recorded songs - through highlights of the brand new documentary, “50 Years with Peter, Paul and Mary,” including DVD “extras” that will not be broadcast on any upcoming TV airings.
The celebration culminates in a reception signing of their handsome, moving new coffee table book chronicling the iconic trio’s epic journey of uplifting music and powerful activism that – as US Secretary of State John F. Kerry writes in his foreword - defined a generation, leaving a legacy that lives on today.
Tickets are $25 for Members of FMSH or CAC / $30 Public - Includes Book-Signing Reception.
Click "more info & tickets" above left for advance ticket sales information -
Sat, Dec 6th, 2014 7:30pmat The Congregational Church of Huntington
In the spirit of the holiday season, please bring canned food to this concert for distribution to needy Long Islanders through Long Island Cares - The Harry Chapin Food Bank.
In a career that spans five decades, 23 albums and three GRAMMY awards, multi-talented singer/songwriter/guitarist Tom Chapin has covered an incredible amount of creative ground. In addition to his work as a recording artist and concert performer, Chapin has acted on Broadway, as well as working extensively in films, television and radio. -
Sun, Dec 14th, 2014 1:00pmat South Huntington Public LibraryThe Folk Music Society of Huntington’s monthly Folk Jam/Song Circle/Sing-Along affords musicians and singers of all experience levels an opportunity to play, sing and hone their performance skills. These free Sunday afternoon events -- affording mostly amateur musicians and singers of all experience levels an opportunity to play, sing and hone their skills with others – will take place from 1-4 p.m.
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Thu, Dec 18th, 2014 7:30pmat Cinema Arts Centre - Sky RoomGail Storm - Robert Bruey - Wicked Karma (Dee Harris & Todd Evans)
Gail Storm is a singer/songwriter/pianist who performs locally as well as on the national and international circuits. Her blues stylings embrace the root music she cherishes and provide a refreshing frame to other genres.
Singer-songwriter and fingerstyle guitarist Robert Bruey grew up in rural New England and lives on Long Island’s North Fork. His roots and how they have helped to shape him are reflected in the original music on his recently released CD, 'Carousel', and are even more evident during a live performance.
Wicked Karma - This is one of the most creative, eclectic, out there (yet in there), acoustic guitar duos to emerge in a long time. Dee Harris and Todd Evans have freed themselves to travel wherever they wish to go and have given birth to their own organic music form with no boundaries or confining genre limitations. -
Sat, Jan 3rd, 2015 7:30pmat The Congregational Church of HuntingtonThe Folk Music Society of Huntington will showcase some of its musically inclined members in a special concert set for Saturday, January 3 at the Congregational Church of Huntington, 30 Washington Drive (off Route 25A), Centerport. The following local artists and groups have been selected to perform short musical sets: Acoustic Apple (Gary Schoenberger and Stephen Angliss), Shawn Cullinane, Lois Morton, Rocket and the Launchers (Ken Korb, Lora Kendall and Suzanne Ernst), Alan Short, Roger Silverberg, Nick Vermitsky and Wild Ginger (Candace Baranello, Caren Jacobs and Maureen Keelty). Unlike most of the organization’s concerts, this one, which is slated to begin at 7:30 p.m., will not be preceded by an open mic. As a volunteer-run nonprofit organization, the Folk Music Society of Huntington is supported in large part through memberships. Although its First Saturday Concerts series usually features national and international touring artists, one evening each season is devoted to a Members Showcase Concert to enable some of its own talented members to display their musicianship, singing and songwriting skills. Tickets are $20 ($15 for FMSH members) and may be purchased online at www.fmsh.org with a credit card or at the door (cash and checks only). -
Sun, Jan 11th, 2015 1:00pmat South Huntington Public LibraryThe Folk Music Society of Huntington’s monthly Folk Jam/Song Circle/Sing-Along affords musicians and singers of all experience levels an opportunity to play, sing and hone their performance skills. Extending from 1-4 p.m. one Sunday a month at the South Huntington Public Library (145 Pidgeon Hill Road, Huntington Station), the Folk Jams are completely acoustic, unplugged events attended primarily by amateur musicians and those who love to sing, although visitors who just want to listen are also welcome. Song selections range across the broad folk milieu, but are often taken from the "Rise Up Singing" songbook. Admission is free and open to the public. Participants are asked to bring their voices, acoustic instruments, and a snack/non-alcoholic beverage to share.
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Thu, Jan 15th, 2015 7:30pmat Cinema Arts Centre - Sky RoomThe New Students are a Brooklyn-based band performing both original and traditional material in tight three-part harmony and an eclectic blend of folk, roots, alternative and Americana traditions. Members of the group hail from Long Island and Brooklyn, and include singer/songwriters and multi-instrumentalists Justin Flagg and Matt Gelfer, vocalist Briana Carlson-Goodman, bassist Sam Gelfer and percussionist Jason Rosoff. With one foot in the 21st century and the other planted firmly in the soil of American folk music, The New Students always deliver an animated and heartfelt performance featuring skillful acoustic instrumentation, compelling lyrics and quirky humor.
Pesky J. Nixon is a Boston-based Americana band whose unique brand of bombastic yet infectious energy, combined with their rich harmonies and musical versatility, draws the audience into their world of songs and stories. Members of PJN include Ethan Scott Baird (guitar and vocals), Jake Bush (accordion, harmonica, piano and vocals), Dan Carp (percussion and vocals) and Kara Kulpa (mandolin, fiddle and vocals). Drawing from influences that range from contemporary urban balladeers and rowdy Southern bluegrass to the wry wit of New England’s localized folk scenes, PJN creates an inviting yet challenging musical atmosphere with compelling vocal harmonies backed by instrumentation that includes zydeco-style accordion, virtuosic mandolin and a variety of tribal percussion instruments. -
Sat, Feb 7th, 2015 7:30pmat The Congregational Church of HuntingtonHailed by The Boston Globe as “two of the funniest entertainers on today’s music scene,” veteran performers Christine Lavin and Don White have brought their unique brand of clean and hilarious musical comedy to audiences across the U.S. since 2008 -- proving night after night that comedy can be smart, friendly, and breathtakingly funny without being vulgar or pejorative. Since emerging from the NYC singer-songwriter scene in the late 1980s, Christine Lavin has established herself as an entertaining tour de force. Quick on her feet, witty, insightful and engaging, she remains one of the most popular and respected performers in the genre. Christine has also been at the forefront of finding and promoting talented new artists. Don White is the latest artist whom she has championed. “He’s such an original; I sometimes call him a ‘blue collar intellectual,’ ” says Christine. A product of the rich Boston arts scene of the 1990s, Don developed his songwriter/performer chops at Club Passim and Olde Vienna Kaffehaus while honing his comedic skills at Catch a Rising Star in Harvard Square. These experiences -- along with his immersion in the Boston spoken word scene -- combine to make Don one of the few performers who brings a comic's wit and a poet's heart to his songs and stories. -
Sun, Feb 8th, 2015 1:00pmat South Huntington Public LibraryThe Folk Music Society of Huntington’s monthly Folk Jam/Song Circle/Sing-Along affords musicians and singers of all experience levels an opportunity to play, sing and hone their performance skills. Extending from 1-4 p.m. one Sunday a month at the South Huntington Public Library (145 Pidgeon Hill Road, Huntington Station), the Folk Jams are completely acoustic, unplugged events attended primarily by amateur musicians and those who love to sing, although visitors who just want to listen are also welcome. Song selections range across the broad folk milieu, but are often taken from the "Rise Up Singing" songbook. Admission is free and open to the public. Participants are asked to bring their voices, acoustic instruments, and a snack/non-alcoholic beverage to share.
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Thu, Feb 19th, 2015 7:30pmat Cinema Arts Centre - Sky RoomFor over 20 years, Cathy Kreger and her guitar have been touring throughout the Northeast performing in small theaters, bars, churches, colleges and homes,gathering a devoted following. Her musical style is a unique combination of adult contemporary and old blues, with an alternative folk flair. Noel Paul Stookey (of Peter, Paul and Mary) once said "No doubt about it. She has a great voice and really has her act together. — Steve Robinson, winner of the 2007 Long Island Blues Society's Blues Challenge, is a native Long Islander. He has been a carpenter, high school English teacher, commercial shell fisherman, truck driver, landscape crew foreman, air traffic controller, union rep., and computer programmer (and those are just some of the jobs). “It hasn’t been dull”, as Ellen, his wife, puts it. What he is now is one hell of a songwriter, guitarist, singer, and performer.
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Sat, Mar 7th, 2015 7:30pmat The Congregational Church of HuntingtonMiller’s Crossing is a Long Island-based bluegrass band known for its driving and soulful original and traditional music. Formed in 2004, the band is fronted by songwriter and mandolinist Marjorie Kelting, and features Jen Larson (guitar and vocals), Terry McGill (banjo and vocals) and Eric Howell (bass). -
Sun, Mar 8th, 2015 1:00pmat South Huntington Public LibraryThe Folk Music Society of Huntington’s monthly Folk Jam/Song Circle/Sing-Along affords musicians and singers of all experience levels an opportunity to play, sing and hone their performance skills. Extending from 1-4 p.m. one Sunday a month at the South Huntington Public Library (145 Pidgeon Hill Road, Huntington Station), the Folk Jams are completely acoustic, unplugged events attended primarily by amateur musicians and those who love to sing, although visitors who just want to listen are also welcome. Song selections range across the broad folk milieu, but are often taken from the "Rise Up Singing" songbook. Admission is free and open to the public. Participants are asked to bring their voices, acoustic instruments, and a snack/non-alcoholic beverage to share.
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Thu, Mar 19th, 2015 7:30pmat Cinema Arts Centre - Sky RoomJeff Scroggins is an acclaimed banjo player who has toured internationally with his band Jeff Scroggins & Colorado. A winner of the prestigious National Bluegrass Banjo Championship and dozens of state and regional banjo contests, Jeff’s fiery style and lightning-fast licks have earned him many fans worldwide. He also teaches for Swallow Hill Music in Denver, Colorado and is in demand as an instructor at many bluegrass music camps in the U.S. and abroad. Jeff will be joined by band members Tristan Scroggins on mandolin and Greg Blake on vocals and guitar, with special guest Larry Cohen (Silk City, Skyline) on bass. Long Island’s own Martha Trachtenberg and Tom Griffith will also join him for this performance. Mara Levine: Called one of the best singers of her generation by Christine Lavin, the folksinger and jewelry designer creates beautiful interpretations of fine traditional and contemporary folk songs. Reviewers have said Mara’s voice is reminiscent of folk icons Judy Collins and Joan Baez. Mara's second album, Jewels and Harmony, received stellar reviews, was the #1 album on the Folk DJ chart for January 2013 and placed #3 overall for 2013. Her version of Bob Franke’s “Straw Against the Chill” with Joe Jencks and her arrangement of Paul Simon’s “Leaves That Are Green” with folk-harmony trio Gathering Time both were #1 songs on the monthly Folk DJ charts. Jeff Scroggins and his band, along with members of Gathering Time, will join Mara for this performance. -
Sun, Apr 12th, 2015 1:00pmat South Huntington Public LibraryThe Folk Music Society of Huntington’s monthly Folk Jam/Song Circle/Sing-Along affords musicians and singers of all experience levels an opportunity to play, sing and hone their performance skills. Extending from 1-4 p.m. one Sunday a month at the South Huntington Public Library (145 Pidgeon Hill Road, Huntington Station), the Folk Jams are completely acoustic, unplugged events attended primarily by amateur musicians and those who love to sing, although visitors who just want to listen are also welcome. Song selections range across the broad folk milieu, but are often taken from the "Rise Up Singing" songbook. Admission is free and open to the public. Participants are asked to bring their voices, acoustic instruments, and a snack/non-alcoholic beverage to share.
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Thu, Apr 16th, 2015 7:30pmat Cinema Arts Centre - Sky RoomClaudia Russell and Bruce Kaplan are touring artists and self-described “late-bloomers” based in the San Francisco Bay Area. A smoky-voiced singer-songwriter and deft guitarist, Claudia is adept at adapting her expressive voice to a wide range of material, embracing multiple styles, and weaving them into a distinctive Americana sound – accompanied by her husband Bruce on mandolin and guitar. Claudia, who earned Best New Artist honors from Boston’s WUMB in 2000, following the release of her first album Song Food, released her fourth CD, All Our Luck is Changing, in 2013. Her songs have been heard on college and public radio stations across the country, while Claudia has been featured in Sing Out!, The Boston Globe and the San Francisco Chronicle, among other publications. One of her and Bruce’s songs also was featured on Christine Lavin Presents Just One Angel v2.0. Glen Roethel is a New York-based, California-born contemporary folk-pop-rock singer-songwriter with a penchant for positive intentional lyrics. A guitar player’s guitarist, he delivers both his original songs and his large repertoire of covers in lush baritone-tenor vocals accompanied by deft guitar and ukulele stylings. A founding member of the folk-rock harmony group Gathering Time, Glen is also a sought-after accompanist and producer -- as well as an instructor at Summersongs. Glen has released six albums of original music -- including his latest, Unfolding (2014), which contains three songs that were nominated for Posi Awards (the “Grammys” of positive music). Since returning to solo work in 2013, Glen has performed at venues across the U.S. He often improvises new songs on the fly. A generous, welcoming performer, Glen has been described as “spontaneous and exciting – like 1000 tiny fun bombs going off all at once.” -
Sat, May 2nd, 2015 7:30pmat The Congregational Church of HuntingtonBrother Sun celebrates the amazing power of three-part male harmonies – weaving contemporary and traditional folk with eclectic touches of blues, gospel, jazz and pop. Comprised of nationally touring singer-songwriters Joe Jencks, Greg Greenway and Pat Wictor, the trio has performed sold-out concerts across the U.S. and evoked standing ovations at the Falcon Ridge and Philadelphia Folk Festivals, among others. Brother Sun’s sophomore release, Some Part of the Truth, was the #1 album on the Folk DJ chart for 2013, while its self-entitled debut recording was #8 for 2011. -
Sun, May 17th, 2015 1:00pmat South Huntington Public LibraryThe Folk Music Society of Huntington’s monthly Folk Jam/Song Circle/Sing-Along affords musicians and singers of all experience levels an opportunity to play, sing and hone their performance skills. Extending from 1-4 p.m. one Sunday a month at the South Huntington Public Library (145 Pidgeon Hill Road, Huntington Station), the Folk Jams are completely acoustic, unplugged events attended primarily by amateur musicians and those who love to sing, although visitors who just want to listen are also welcome. Song selections range across the broad folk milieu, but are often taken from the "Rise Up Singing" songbook. Admission is free and open to the public. Participants are asked to bring their voices, acoustic instruments, and a snack/non-alcoholic beverage to share.
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Thu, May 21st, 2015 7:30pmat Cinema Arts Centre - Sky RoomLara Herscovitch is an engaging contemporary singer-songwriter with a voice “clear and smooth, like expensive liquor” (Northeast Performer). Her music blends acoustic folk with pop, jazz, blues and Latin influences. Hailed as “a remarkable performer” on WSHU’s Profiles in Folk, Lara has showcased at the International Folk Alliance Conference, served as the official Connecticut State Troubadour (2010-2012), and performed on A Prairie Home Companion and in John Platt’s “On Your Radar” series in NYC. Trained as a policy social worker, Lara has worked on behalf of disadvantaged populations in Asia, Latin America and the U.S. Small wonder, then, that echoes of the global themes of equity and social justice resonate throughout her music. Lara has recorded five studio albums, including her most recent release – Four Wise Monkeys.
Josh Joffen is a Long Island-based singer-songwriter whose songs are, by turns, rousing, funny, poetic and insightful -- blending modern and traditional folk and jazz influences with a rich palette of guitar voicings and open tunings. Josh is a two-time winner of the prestigious Kerrville New Folk Competition and a 2011 winner in the Great American Song Contest His songs have appeared in Fast Folk Musical Magazine and Sing Out! and have been recorded by such artists as Gathering Time and Mike Agranoff. With his warm, welcoming stage presence, Josh is equally at home before large and intimate audiences. He has performed at numerous clubs, coffeehouses and festivals. His most recent album, Postcard From Antigua, is a lyrical travelogue with songs set in locales from the Caribbean and the Middle East to his native New York.
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Sat, Jun 6th, 2015 7:30pmat The Congregational Church of HuntingtonCatie Curtis is a Boston-based singer-songwriter who has toured the U.S. and Europe for more than 20 years — including several performances at The White House, at two Presidential Inaugural Balls, at Carnegie Hall, and with Lilith Fair. Dubbed a “folk-rock goddess” by The New Yorker, she’s released 13 albums, recorded a duet with Kris Kristofferson for his CD The Austin Sessions, and was the grand-prize winner in the 2006 International Songwriting Competition. Catie has also won a slew of Boston Music Awards and had songs featured in numerous films and TV shows. -
Sun, Jun 14th, 2015 1:00pmat South Huntington Public LibraryThe Folk Music Society of Huntington’s monthly Folk Jam/Song Circle/Sing-Along affords musicians and singers of all experience levels an opportunity to play, sing and hone their performance skills. Extending from 1-4 p.m. one Sunday a month at the South Huntington Public Library (145 Pidgeon Hill Road, Huntington Station), the Folk Jams are completely acoustic, unplugged events attended primarily by amateur musicians and those who love to sing, although visitors who just want to listen are also welcome. Song selections range across the broad folk milieu, but are often taken from the "Rise Up Singing" songbook. Admission is free and open to the public. Participants are asked to bring their voices, acoustic instruments, and a snack/non-alcoholic beverage to share.
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Thu, Jun 18th, 2015 7:30pmat Cinema Arts Centre - Sky RoomBrooklyn-based singer-songwriters Jean Rohe and Matt Nakoa will perform during the Folk Music Society of Huntington’s Hard Luck Café series at the Cinema Arts Centre (423 Park Avenue, Huntington, NY) on Thursday, June 18. The 8:30 p.m. concert in the Cinema’s Sky Room will be preceded by an open mic at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $15 ($10 for Cinema Arts Centre and FMSH members). Both featured artists will be part of the “Most Wanted” Song Swap during this summer’s Falcon Ridge Folk Festival, having been selected by audience members from among 24 artists/acts who performed in its Emerging Artists Showcase last year. -
Sun, Jul 26th, 2015 12:00pmat Heckscher Park - Chapin Rainbow StageTom Paxton will headline the 10th Annual Huntington Folk Festival on Sunday, July 26 at Huntington, NY's Heckscher Park, located off Main Street (Route 25A). Extending from noon until l0:30 p.m., the free festival – co-presented by the Folk Music Society of Huntington and the Huntington Arts Council – is part of the 50th Annual Huntington Summer Arts Festival. Tom Paxton also is marking his 50th year as a touring artist.
Opening for Paxton on the park’s Chapin Rainbow Stage will be No Fuss and Feathers Roadshow. Prior to the evening concert, AcousticMusicScene.com and FMSH will host unplugged showcases and song swaps featuring more than three-dozen artists near canopy tents from noon until 6 p.m. Artists confirmed to perform during the afternoon include Acoustic Apple, Annika, Mark Allen Berube, Michael Braunfeld, Meghan Cary, Andrea Cetlin, Greg Cornell and the Cornell Brothers, Curtis & Carla, Generations: Mike & Aleksi Glick, Phil Henry, Jay Hitt, Karen Hudson, Josh Joffen, Stuart Kabak, Kalinec & Kj, Cecilia Kirtland, Scott Krokoff, Mara Levine, The Levins, Kirsten Maxwell, Lois Morton, Mark Newman & Naomi Margolin, James O’Malley, Elaine Romanelli, Shawn Taylor, Robinson Treacher and Bob Westcott. Click on "more info and tickets" for a complete schedule of afternoon performers.
The 50th Annual Huntington Summer Arts Festival is produced by the Town of Huntington, presented by the Huntington Arts Council, and sponsored in part by the New York State Council for the Arts, the County of Suffolk and Canon U.S.A. -
Sun, Aug 23rd, 2015 12:00pmatOn Sunday, August 23rd the Borderline Folk Music Club will again be sponsoring the annual Borderline Picnic which this year will be a tribute to Tom Paxton at our new venue, Germonds Park, 185 Germonds Road, West Nyack 10994. This event, which will run from 12:00 noon to 6:00 PM is FREE and open to the entire community. Schedule for the Borderline Folk Music Club Picnic: 12 noon – Kickoff and introductions , 12:10 – 12:25 Kirsten Maxwell , 12:27 – 12: 42 Lew Abramson , 12:44 - 12:59 Larry Kolker , 1:01 – 1:16 pm Kerri Powers , 1:18 – 1:33 pm Steve Suffett , 1:35-1:50 pm Dennis McDonough , 1:52 – 2:07 pm Anne Price and Rita Deutsch(Hudson River Rose) , 2:09 – 2:25 Maggie Seligman and Richard Brooker , 2:27- 2:42 Josh Joffen , 2:44-2:59 Barry and Brooks , 3:01 – 3:16 Mara Levine , 3:18- 3:33 Terry Kitchen , 3:35 – 3:50 James Durst , 3:52- 4:07 Robert and Susan Gelb , 4:07 – 4:22 Lydia Adams Davis , 4:26- 4:41John VandenOever , 4:44-4:58 Bob Wright/Bill Doerge , 5:00 – 5:15 John Guth , 5:15 – 5:25 Tom Paxton , 5:30 – 5:45 - Jean Ritchie Tribute , 5:45 – Finale sing-a-long – “Peace Will Come,” “Last Thing on My Mind” , Emcees: Bill Hahn (WFDU), Michael Kornfeld (AcousticMusicScene.com) and Joe Pszonek (WMSC) , We will also have a separate jam area for those wanting to jam and sing led by Bob Wright. Co sponsoring this year's festival are the Town of Clarkstown, Folk Music Society of NY (aka Pinewoods), AcousticMusicScene.com, the Folk Music Society of Huntington. and Tribes Hill. FREE admission; Bring your own food, drink, and lawn chairs. Those who don't can purchase it from the park concessionaire. Alcohol and pets are not permitted on premises.
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Thu, Sep 17th, 2015 7:30pmat Cinema Arts Centre - Sky RoomAnnika Bennett is an award-winning singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. Although she’s only 17, Annika’s songs reflect a level of craftsmanship and her lyrics a depth of wisdom that belie her youth. They are definitely not about teenage angst. She has written scores of songs and performed extensively throughout the New York metropolitan area.
Last year, Annika received ASCAP’s prestigious Robert Allen Award for Excellence in Songwriting and was the Audience Choice winner of WNYC Radio’s Battle of the Boroughs (Queens) competition.
Kirsten Maxwell is a folk music "triple threat." Her talent is equal parts singer, performer, and songwriter. Often compared to timeless singers like Joan Baez, Joni Mitchell, and Judy Collins, the 23-year-old is unlike any young female singer of her generation.
Over the past year, Kirsten has quickly made a name for herself on the Long Island music scene. Now venturing out into New England, she won a songwriting contest sponsored by the Rhode Island Songwriters Association (RISA) -- taking the prize with two original songs off of her debut album, Crimson. -
Sun, Sep 20th, 2015 1:00pmat South Huntington Public LibraryThe Folk Music Society of Huntington’s monthly Folk Jam/Song Circle/Sing-Along affords musicians and singers of all experience levels an opportunity to play, sing and hone their performance skills. Extending from 1-4 p.m. one Sunday a month at the South Huntington Public Library (145 Pidgeon Hill Road, Huntington Station), the Folk Jams are completely acoustic, unplugged events attended primarily by amateur musicians and those who love to sing, although visitors who just want to listen are also welcome. Song selections range across the broad folk milieu, but are often taken from the "Rise Up Singing" songbook. Admission is free and open to the public. Participants are asked to bring their voices, acoustic instruments, and a snack/non-alcoholic beverage to share.
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Sat, Oct 3rd, 2015 7:30pmat The Congregational Church of HuntingtonDue to a severe visa processing backlog, Irish Mythen, who had been slated to open the First Saturday Concerts series this season, cannot join us in October. While we hope to reschedule her performance, we are delighted that Vance Gilbert, a FMSH favorite, who was to perform for us in December, will instead grace us with his presence on Oct.3.
Vance Gilbert is not merely a talented singer-songwriter, but a consummate entertainer who possesses “the voice of an angel, the wit of a devil, and the guitar playing of a god (Fort Worth Star-Telegram).
With his engaging personality, wonderful biting wit, soulful and resonant tenor voice, and solid songwriting and performance skills, Vance Gilbert has been impressing audiences since emerging on the Northeast singer-songwriter scene during the early 1990s. Gilbert has since released many albums of his own, toured extensively, and opened tours for the late comedian George Carlin for two years.
Vance drew two standing ovations following his stirring performance for the Folk Music Society of Huntington’s First Saturday Concerts series in 2007. He also graced the Chapin Rainbow Stage at Heckscher Park in 2010 when he co-headlined the fifth annual Huntington Folk Festival with Susan Werner. -
Sun, Oct 11th, 2015 1:00pmat South Huntington Public LibraryThe Folk Music Society of Huntington’s monthly Folk Jam/Song Circle/Sing-Along affords musicians and singers of all experience levels an opportunity to play, sing and hone their performance skills. Extending from 1-4 p.m. one Sunday a month at the South Huntington Public Library (145 Pidgeon Hill Road, Huntington Station), the Folk Jams are completely acoustic, unplugged events attended primarily by amateur musicians and those who love to sing, although visitors who just want to listen are also welcome. Song selections range across the broad folk milieu, but are often taken from the "Rise Up Singing" songbook. Admission is free and open to the public. Participants are asked to bring their voices, acoustic instruments, and a snack/non-alcoholic beverage to share.
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Thu, Oct 15th, 2015 7:30pmat Cinema Arts Centre - Sky RoomCaroline Cotter is a travel-inspired singer-songwriter. Music has always been at the heart of her life, alongside an insatiable passion for travel and global exploration. Over the past ten years, Caroline has lived in and traveled to 27 countries on five continents. While writing and recording her first national release, Dreaming As I Do (which reached #5 on the Folk DJ chart earlier this year), she spent the last few years working for the Council on International Educational Exchange (CIEE) in Portland, Maine. CIEE provided amazing opportunities for international community and travel, and further inspired Caroline’s songwriting.
Prior to joining CIEE, Caroline spent time working in France, Portugal, Spain, and Thailand; studying yoga in India; and traveling in South America. In addition to writing songs in English, she sings in Spanish, French, Portuguese, Italian, and Sanskrit, and is always looking for beautiful ways to bring the world to her audience and to connect inter-culturally through her music. With a captivating soprano voice and award-winning songwriting, Caroline’s music takes you all over the world: from a Parisian salon, to an Indian ashram, to a bluegrass festival campfire, to the depths of the human heart.
Jay Hitt is a Pittsburgh, PA-based singer-songwriter whose musical versatility and down-to-earth folk style speaks to his audiences of the simple joys found in everyday life. A talent for vivid storytelling combined with crisp and delicate acoustic melodies makes it easy to understand why Jay's songs so effortlessly touch the hearts of his fans.
Jay has performed in many venues throughout the United States both as a solo artist and as a member of various bands. He impressed listeners at this summer’s Huntington Folk Festival and as part of the juried Emerging Artists Showcase at the 2015 Falcon Ridge Folk Festival. Jay has also written commercial music for radio advertising and a theme song for television. He’s received several songwriting awards and was a winner of the New Folk Competition at the New Jersey Folk Festival at Rutgers University in 2003. Jay has several albums of original songs to his credit -- including his most recent release, Greetings From the Wilderness (2013). -
Sat, Nov 7th, 2015 7:30pmat The Congregational Church of HuntingtonThe Bumper Jacksons are on a roll. Folding sounds of jazz, early blues, old-time music, and country swing into an exhilarating repertoire of modern American roots music, the DC-based band has brought a hard-driving party energy to countless dance floors. With three recent Washington Area Music Awards and many dozens of jubilant live shows under their collective belt, they released their second album, Too Big World, in July. It’s a sweetly balanced collection of hot swing numbers, heartbreak ballads, and late-night moonshine foot-stompers, as are the group’s live shows. Frontwoman and Florida native Jess Eliot Myhre (clarinet, vocals, washboard) honed her musical chops in jam sessions in the streets and clubs of New Orleans, immersed in the music that fuels the city’s humid, carnivalesque all-night parties. In 2012, she met Maryland-born fellow song-crafter Chris Ousley (guitar, vocals) in Washington, DC, and the two joined forces to form the Bumper Jacksons’ core. Chris’ background in old-time banjo and bluegrass music harmonized perfectly with Jess’s vintage jazz credentials; the songs the duo collects, arranges, and creates weave the high lonesome echoes of old rural America into the galvanizing sounds of the cities and artists that have defined American jazz, blues and swing. -
Sun, Nov 8th, 2015 1:00pmat South Huntington Public LibraryThe Folk Music Society of Huntington’s monthly Folk Jam/Song Circle/Sing-Along affords musicians and singers of all experience levels an opportunity to play, sing and hone their performance skills. Extending from 1-4 p.m. one Sunday a month at the South Huntington Public Library (145 Pidgeon Hill Road, Huntington Station), the Folk Jams are completely acoustic, unplugged events attended primarily by amateur musicians and those who love to sing, although visitors who just want to listen are also welcome. Song selections range across the broad folk milieu, but are often taken from the "Rise Up Singing" songbook. Admission is free and open to the public. Participants are asked to bring their voices, acoustic instruments, and a snack/non-alcoholic beverage to share.
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Thu, Nov 19th, 2015 7:30pmat Cinema Arts Centre - Sky RoomManitoba Hal has forged an international reputation for engaging and connecting with his audience through songs that are mournful, hopeful, silly, romantic and introspective. He proves that the uke can be small but mighty as he pulls out powerful blues riffs and melodies adding subtle important accompaniment using looping technology. His strong foundation in American roots / blues music, confident baritone voice, and distinctive original music have made him a solid draw at festivals, house concerts and soft seat theatres in Canada, the United Kingdom and Australia. He has performed at the Orangeville Blues & Jazz Festival, Kitchener Blues Festival, Winnipeg Folk Festival, Vancouver Island Music Festival, New York Uke Festival, Ukulele Festival of Great Britain and Melbourne Ukulele Festival and he has been a mainstage headliner at international ukulele festivals such as the Cairns Ukulele Festival and the Grand Northern Ukulele Festival.
Shawna Caspi is a guitar-picking, classically-trained folkie with a sweet-tooth for a good story, a sly lyrical wit, and a rich, powerful voice.
Shawna Caspi sings of love, travel, home, and heart, distilling each experience into a series of vibrant snapshots, coloured with humour and grace and arranged with care and craft. Her latest release, Apartments for Lovers, is a solo guitar and voice album that showcases her rich voice and remarkable fingerstyle guitar technique. -
Sat, Dec 5th, 2015 7:30pmat The Congregational Church of HuntingtonSusan Werner has never been one to adhere to just one musical style. A gifted singer-songwriter, who accompanies herself on both guitar and piano, she is known for her musical versatility and for her witty repartee during live performances. The classically trained and jazz-inspired Iowa native, who now calls Chicago home, has been delighting concert and festival audiences for two decades. Susan will perform one extended set beginning at 8:45 PM. A 15-minute refreshment break will follow the Open Mic. -
Sun, Dec 13th, 2015 1:00pmat South Huntington Public LibraryThe Folk Music Society of Huntington’s monthly Folk Jam/Song Circle/Sing-Along affords musicians and singers of all experience levels an opportunity to play, sing and hone their performance skills. Extending from 1-4 p.m. one Sunday a month at the South Huntington Public Library (145 Pidgeon Hill Road, Huntington Station), the Folk Jams are completely acoustic, unplugged events attended primarily by amateur musicians and those who love to sing, although visitors who just want to listen are also welcome. Song selections range across the broad folk milieu, but are often taken from the "Rise Up Singing" songbook. Admission is free and open to the public. Participants are asked to bring their voices, acoustic instruments, and a snack/non-alcoholic beverage to share.
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Thu, Dec 17th, 2015 7:30pmat Cinema Arts Centre - Sky RoomTwo Pennsylvania-based singer-songwriters – Michael Braunfeld and Meghan Cary – will be the featured performers during the Folk Music Society of Huntington’s monthly Hard Luck Café series at the Cinema Arts Centre (423 Park Avenue, Huntington) on Thursday, Dec. 17. The 8:30 p.m. concert in the Cinema’s Sky Room will be preceded by an open mic at 7:30 p.m. “Both Michael and Megan had coveted juried Quad Showcases during the recent Northeast Regional Folk Alliance (NERFA) Conference and also showcased their talents during this summer’s Huntington Folk Festival,” notes FMSH President Michael Kornfeld. “We look forward to welcoming these two gifted artists back to Huntington.”
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Tue, Dec 29th, 2015 7:30pmat Cinema Arts Centre - Sky RoomThe Folk Music Society of Huntington is pleased to partner with the Cinema Arts Centre in co-presenting "A Little Bit Of Folk: From Activism to Lyricism," the latest installment in archivist Bill Shelley's series of film & video clips and discussion, Rock Legends Live! This celebration of the incredible musicians and the powerful social messages that have made folk music an inspiring vehicle for change is set for Tuesday, December 29 at 7:30 p.m. at the Cinema Arts Centre (423 Park Avenue, Huntington). The nearly two-hour program will be followed by a reception in the Sky Room. Tickets are $15; $10 for Cinema Arts Centre and FMSH members (with your membership card). -
Sat, Jan 2nd, 2016 7:30pmat The Congregational Church of HuntingtonAcoustic Apple is Steve Angliss and Gary Schoenberger, musicians who love to cover songs that famous (and not-so-famous) artists have created. Both Steve and Gary are familiar faces at our open mics. Gary is a member of the Folk Music Society’s Board, helps facilitate the monthly Folk Jams at the South Huntington Library and distributes the weekly Long Island Concert Notes. Steve is an active Folk Society volunteer, and often helps set up our sound equipment. Both are regular participants at various Bluegrass and Electric Jams on Long Island. Most of the songs Acoustic Apple covers are Americana, Folk-Rock and Roots, but some Pop, Bluegrass and Bar-Band Rock always manages to sneak into the set-list. Be sure to visit their website “AcousticApple.com” and “Like” their Facebook page.
"Josh Joffen sings from the heart. He weaves melody around his rich lyrical poetry, binds it together with expressive (and impressive) guitar work in multiple tunings, adds smooth soothing vocals, and serves it all up to us with a warm dimpled smile. Whether he is using humor, singing a love song to his wife, expressing delight in his beloved tropical island of Antigua, sharing memories of his Greenwich Village past, or exploring his understanding of the strange dichotomies of human nature you immediately understand the deep intelligence of the man who can write songs like this, just as you immediately understand how much he thoroughly enjoys life. Josh doesn't just sing. He reaches out and embraces his audience, pulling them into his magical world. As a house concert presenter, I can say that it doesn't get much better than this." - Arlene Boumel, Boumel House Concerts, Coral Gables, FL
The Counterclockwise Ensemble is a guitar, strings and percussion quintet that plays contemporary American chamber music. Equally at home in a variety of genres, the group primarily plays the compositions of guitarist Rich Stein, sprinkling in pieces by Holst, Copland, Saint-Saëns and Brahms as well as traditional American and Irish folk tunes into their sets. The current ensemble includes Rich Stein (guitar), Andrew and Rebecca Perea (orchestral strings), Glen Saunders (double bass) and Jim Mansfield (percussion). -
Sun, Jan 10th, 2016 1:00pmat South Huntington Public LibraryThe Folk Music Society of Huntington’s monthly Folk Jam/Song Circle/Sing-Along affords musicians and singers of all experience levels an opportunity to play, sing and hone their performance skills. Extending from 1-4 p.m. one Sunday a month at the South Huntington Public Library (145 Pidgeon Hill Road, Huntington Station), the Folk Jams are completely acoustic, unplugged events attended primarily by amateur musicians and those who love to sing, although visitors who just want to listen are also welcome. Song selections range across the broad folk milieu, but are often taken from the "Rise Up Singing" and "Rise Again" songbooks. Admission is free and open to the public. Participants are asked to bring their voices, acoustic instruments, and a snack/non-alcoholic beverage to share.
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Thu, Jan 21st, 2016 7:30pmat Cinema Arts Centre - Sky RoomScott Krokoff weaves elements of folk rock and country pop genres to create evocative and introspective Americana songs that are both confessional and compelling. Influenced by his love of 1960s and 1970s music and accompanied by deft fingerpicking guitar work that combines the styles of James Taylor and Paul Simon with a slightly alt-rock edge, his music is imbued with an energy that reflects his own desire to dream big and live life to the fullest. Scott began his solo career more than a decade ago after playing in a 1990s college band. He has written and recorded three albums featuring original music dedicated to his philosophy that we must all take risks in life to follow and ultimately realize our individual dreams and goals. His most recent CD, Realizations and Declarations, Vol. 2, was released this year. Scott has played at venues throughout the New York metropolitan area and done shows as far away as Belgium. He recently performed in the 2015 Huntington Folk Festival. Robinson Treacher is an engaging, high-energy performing songwriter with a powerful voice and unique guitar stylings. Passionate, gritty and soulful, he has drawn comparisons to David Gray, Richie Havens and Van Morrison. “Like a tent revival shouter rooted in gospel and blues – a mix of silk and gravel – the sound is coming from a core somewhere deep,” wrote Richard Cuccaro in a Jan. 2015 Acoustic Live! in New York City cover story entitled Robinson Treacher - Soul Conjurer. Not one to be pigeonholed into one particular genre, he takes fibers from many -- from the bluesy soul of Otis Redding and Sam Cooke to the weathered back- country of The Band and Hank Williams -- and weaves them into his own distinct musical tapestry. Robinson has performed at venues throughout the New York metro area and across the country, including an appearance at the 2015 Huntington Folk Festival. His most recent album, Porches, was released in 2013.
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Sat, Feb 6th, 2016 7:30pmat The Congregational Church of HuntingtonFormed in Sleepy Hollow, NY in the late 1990s, The Slambovian Circus of Dreams has achieved near legendary status as a pioneering alt-folk/Americana jam band, while remaining on the fringes of the music industry. The Slambovians’ lively late-night musical extravaganzas have made the band Falcon Ridge Folk Festival favorites for more than a decade. The music of The Slambovian Circus of Dreams has been variously described as “hillbilly-Floyd,” “folk-pop,” “alt-country, roots-rock,” and “surreal Americana” -- a clear indicator of its singularly indescribable uniqueness. Dancing freely between all existing religious and philosophical mythologies, the music is uplifting, empowering, at times haunting, and a lot of fun. Elements of The Incredible String Band, Dylan, Bowie, Neil Young and the Decemberists are all part of the musical mix. Fronted by songwriter Joziah Longo (vocals/guitar/harmonica), the band features guitarist/mandolin player Sharkey McEwen, multi-instrumentalist Tink Lloyd (accordion, cello, uke, theremin, melodica); and new member Felipe Torres (percussion). It’s impossible to capture in writing what the experience of seeing the Slambovians live is really like. Come see for yourselves. -
Sun, Feb 14th, 2016 1:00pmat South Huntington Public LibraryThe Folk Music Society of Huntington’s monthly Folk Jam/Song Circle/Sing-Along affords musicians and singers of all experience levels an opportunity to play, sing and hone their performance skills. Extending from 1-4 p.m. one Sunday a month at the South Huntington Public Library (145 Pidgeon Hill Road, Huntington Station), the Folk Jams are completely acoustic, unplugged events attended primarily by amateur musicians and those who love to sing, although visitors who just want to listen are also welcome. Song selections range across the broad folk milieu, but are often taken from the "Rise Up Singing" and "Rise Again" songbooks. Admission is free and open to the public. Participants are asked to bring their voices, acoustic instruments, and a snack/non-alcoholic beverage to share.
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Thu, Feb 18th, 2016 7:30pmat Cinema Arts Centre - Sky RoomGreg Cornell and the Cornell Brothers (siblings in song, not in fact) is a Brooklyn-based roots music quartet featuring fiddle/mandolin, guitar, bass and percussion, along with tight three-part harmonies, that has played venues in New York, festivals and club dates in New England, and four shows at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival in Utah. The group’s musical repertoire features a blend of bluegrass, country, old-time and blues. Inspired by his literary and musical heroes -- Emerson, Whitman, Doc Boggs, Levon Helm, Gordon Lightfoot, Seldom Scene, Neil Young, Doc Watson and Jerry Garcia’s acoustic work -- singer-songwriter Greg Cornell writes stories of struggle and regret ending in hope. He uses nature -- especially the mountains and the sea -- as settings for his tales of yearning and redemption. Accompanying Cornell (guitar and vocals) will be Amanda Homi (harmony vocals and percussion), Chris Nattrass (upright bass) and Zack Bruce (mandolin and harmony vocals). (www.reverbnation.com/cornellbros)David Moss is a Brooklyn-based singer-songwriter and a 2011 winner of the prestigious Grassy Hill Kerrville New Folk Competition. Moss hails from Peoria, IL and began his musical journey playing cello and singing in various formats at a very young age. After earning a degree in cello performance from the University of Illinois (Urbana-Champaign), he moved to Austin, TX in 2007 and immersed himself in the music scene there for a number of years before relocating to New York. Besides performing as a solo artist and with his twin brother, Adam, he continues his cello career playing and composing with The Blue Hit, Ana Egge, Moishe Circus and Satellite Ballet, among others. Moss’ song “Jerusalem,” penned in 2010, was featured on “Democracy Now” in 2014 – the same year that he released an album entitled Songs for Willoughby. (www.mosssongs.com)
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Sat, Mar 5th, 2016 7:30pmat The Congregational Church of HuntingtonHosted by: Sonny Ochs Performers include: Greg Greenway, Kim and Reggie Harris, Colleen Kattau, Sharon Katz, Pat Wictor.Click more info & tickets for details
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Sun, Mar 13th, 2016 1:00pmat South Huntington Public LibraryThe Folk Music Society of Huntington’s monthly Folk Jam/Song Circle/Sing-Along affords musicians and singers of all experience levels an opportunity to play, sing and hone their performance skills. Extending from 1-4 p.m. one Sunday a month at the South Huntington Public Library (145 Pidgeon Hill Road, Huntington Station), the Folk Jams are completely acoustic, unplugged events attended primarily by amateur musicians and those who love to sing, although visitors who just want to listen are also welcome. Song selections range across the broad folk milieu, but are often taken from the "Rise Up Singing" and "Rise Again" songbooks. Admission is free and open to the public. Participants are asked to bring their voices, acoustic instruments, and a snack/non-alcoholic beverage to share.
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Thu, Mar 17th, 2016 7:30pmat Cinema Arts Centre - Sky RoomDavid Jacobs-Strain is a consummate Finger-style and slide guitarist and a song poet from Oregon who brings an old-school sensibility to a new generation of blues and roots. Although he plays in the blues tradition, David Jacobs-Strain isn’t from it. In his solo performances, you’ll hear echoes of Skip James, Charlie Patton and Tommy Johnson, and, perhaps, a song by Fred McDowell or Robert Johnson. But Jacobs-Strain is a modern roots musician, singer and songwriter. “”I come from the language of the country blues,” he notes, “but it’s important not to silence other influences. David is known for his virtuosity and spirit of emotional abandon; his live shows move from humorous, subversive blues to delicate balladry, and then swing back to swampy rock and roll. It’s a range that ties him to his own generation and to guitar-slinger troubadours like Johnson and Jackson Browne. Says Jacobs-Strain: “I try to make art that you can dance to, but I love that darker place where, in my mind, Skip James, Nick Drake and, maybe, Elliot Smith blur together… I’m fascinated by the way that rural blues inscribes movement and transience. The music that frees a singer keeps them on the run; there’s a crossroads where a thing can be enchanting but dangerous; damaging but beautiful.” -
Sat, Apr 2nd, 2016 7:30pmat The Congregational Church of HuntingtonSteve Gillette & Cindy Mangsen have been performing together for 25 years – sharing their love of traditional music, along with a bevy of original songs. Their performances are filled with rich harmony, compelling songs and a good dose of humor. Such musical luminaries as Garth Brooks, John Denver, Waylon Jennings, Josh Ritter, Linda Ronstadt and Tammy Wynette have covered Steve’s songs. Yet his own versions – featuring his warm baritone voice and unique fingerpicking guitar style (using a flat-pick and two fingers) – are among the best. Accompanying herself on guitar, banjo, concertina, or mountain dulcimer, Cindy is known for her compelling interpretations of traditional ballads, as well as for her own writing and her ear for harmony. Her latest solo album, Cat Tales, is devoted to “songs of the feline persuasion.” Jack Williams is a southern American troubadour who has earned critical acclaim for his fingerstyle guitar picking, expressive and resonant voice, and prowess as a songwriter and storyteller. A much sought-after artist on the contemporary folk and acoustic music scene, Jack performs an eclectic blend of musical styles. “You can hear both the white and black musical traditions in his writing,” says Phil Shapiro, host of Bound for Glory on Ithaca, NY’s WVBR-FM. “You can hear country; you can hear blues; you can hear jazz. He’s a poet who knows how to write simply. And he’s a remarkable, magical performer with graceful good humor and a hot guitar style.” Citing his artistry as “nothing short of amazing,” Rich Warren, host of the nationally syndicated The Midnight Special, originating from Chicago’s WFMT-FM, hails Jack for his “dazzling picking, expressive voice [and] unique and interesting songs.” And Tom Paxton, whom Jack has accompanied many times, refers to him as “one of my all-time favorite pickers.” -
Sun, Apr 10th, 2016 1:00pmat South Huntington Public LibraryThe Folk Music Society of Huntington’s monthly Folk Jam/Song Circle/Sing-Along affords musicians and singers of all experience levels an opportunity to play, sing and hone their performance skills. Extending from 1-4 p.m. one Sunday a month at the South Huntington Public Library (145 Pidgeon Hill Road, Huntington Station), the Folk Jams are completely acoustic, unplugged events attended primarily by amateur musicians and those who love to sing, although visitors who just want to listen are also welcome. Song selections range across the broad folk milieu, but are often taken from the "Rise Up Singing" and "Rise Again" songbooks. Admission is free and open to the public. Participants are asked to bring their voices, acoustic instruments, and a snack/non-alcoholic beverage to share.
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Thu, Apr 21st, 2016 7:30pmat Cinema Arts Centre - Sky RoomThe Kennedys are a cutting-edge hip folk couple who wield plugged-in acoustic guitars. However, local audiences -- like those across the nation and overseas -- have quickly figured out that Pete and Maura Kennedy defy the stereotypical notion of folk. Over the course of more than a dozen CDs and countless touring miles since 1995, the New York City-based husband-and-wife singer-songwriter duo has carved out its own niche in the indie music scene – somewhere between pop and acoustic rock, not too loud but brimming with super-sized energy. With “gorgeous boy-girl harmonies and catchy tunes” (Entertainment Weekly), The Kennedys can always be counted on to bring an exuberant mixture of folk, rock, country and pop. Last year, Pete and Maura marked 20 years as both a married couple and musical duo. During that time, they have released 15 albums – including three in 2015. They’ve spent more than two decades as touring musicians – both on their own and as members of Nanci Griffith’s Blue Moon Orchestra. The Kennedys have graced the stage at New York’s Carnegie Hall and London’s Royal Albert Hall; and entertained throngs of people at the Falcon Ridge, Newport and Philadelphia Folk Festivals with their own songs and choice covers. “Pete and Maura have performed for the Folk Music Society of Huntington a number of times and always draw an enthusiastic response from our audiences,” said Michael Kornfeld, the organization’s president. “We are delighted to welcome them back.”
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Sat, May 7th, 2016 7:30pmat The Congregational Church of HuntingtonTrue power inspires awe, and Irish Mythen packs a lot of it – lyrical, musical, and personal – into a relatively small frame. An Irish-born, Canadian-based contemporary folk artist with a powerful voice and a commanding stage presence, she’s been aptly called a force of nature. The 2015 East Coast Music Awards winner for roots album of the year, Irish Mythen has played concert halls and major festival stages the world-over and was a breakout sensation at last summer’s Philadelphia Folk Festival, where she wowed the crowd as the closing act. She’s shared stages with a number of musical luminaries and was invited to open for Melissa Etheridge on her 2016 Australia tour. A highly emotive and charismatic performer, Irish Mythen pours her heart and soul into her songs. A consummate entertainer, she combines powerhouse vocals with edgy humor and heartfelt storytelling. A native of County Wexford, Irish performs traditional Celtic tunes from her homeland and her own anthemic songs in a unique and thoroughly engaging style, filled with passion, intensity and raw energy. Cheryl Prashker will accompany Irish on percussion. Irish Mythen is an experience not to be missed. Join the globetrotting troubadour as she makes her New York metro area concert debut. -
Sun, May 15th, 2016 1:00pmat South Huntington Public LibraryThe Folk Music Society of Huntington’s monthly Folk Jam/Song Circle/Sing-Along affords musicians and singers of all experience levels an opportunity to play, sing and hone their performance skills. Extending from 1-4 p.m. one Sunday a month at the South Huntington Public Library (145 Pidgeon Hill Road, Huntington Station), the Folk Jams are completely acoustic, unplugged events attended primarily by amateur musicians and those who love to sing, although visitors who just want to listen are also welcome. Song selections range across the broad folk milieu, but are often taken from the "Rise Up Singing" and "Rise Again" songbooks. Admission is free and open to the public. Participants are asked to bring their voices, acoustic instruments, and a snack/non-alcoholic beverage to share.
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Thu, May 19th, 2016 7:30pmat Cinema Arts Centre - Sky RoomJoan & Joni is a tribute to Joan Baez and Joni Mitchell performed by singer-songwriters Allison Shapira and Kipyn Martin. In a musical journey from the 1960s to today, Allison and Kipyn demonstrate the effect Joan and Joni have had on their own musical development as modern musicians. Allison Shapira is a recovering opera singer who recently found her authentic voice as a folksinger and songwriter. Kipyn Martin is an award-winning Americana singer-songwriter whose roots sink into the banks of the Shenandoah River. Allison and Kipyn met during the Northeast Regional Folk Alliance (NERFA) conference in November 2013. Both classically trained singers and up-and-coming musicians in the DC-area folk scene, they soon realized their musical influences were similarly shaped by the folk revival music of the 1960s. Soon, Joan & Joni was born. Allison and Kipyn's power comes from their authenticity as performers; they touch people not just through their music but also through their passion and drive to inspire and connect with their audience. They perform a collection of timeless songs by Joan Baez and Joni Mitchell and reveal a few hidden gems from Joan and Joni's long musical catalogs. By weaving Baez and Mitchell's themes together with their own individual messages, Allison and Kipyn place an important part of American history in a modern context. Allison, who teaches public speaking and presentation skills as a way to help others find their voice, held a CD release party for her 2012 debut recording of original songs at Club Passim –- the famed Cambridge, Massachusetts coffeehouse venue where Joan Baez got her start in 1958. Dubbed “a beauty of a singer” by John Gorka, Kipyn was honored by the Washington Area Music Association in 2015 with a WAMMIE Award for New Artist of the Year. She has also received numerous awards in the Mid-Atlantic Song Contest and showcased her talents at a joint Southeast-Northeast Regional Folk Alliance Conference in 2014. For more information and to listen to music and view videos, visit www.joanandjoni.com. -
Sat, Jun 4th, 2016 7:30pmat The Congregational Church of HuntingtonAptly described as "the Renaissance man of American music," David Amram is a composer, a conductor, a soloist, an improvisational lyricist, an author, and a multi-instrumentalist who plays piano and various horns and whistles – as well as dozens of folkloric instruments from around the world. A pioneer in ‘world music’ dating back to before the term even existed, he’s been engaged in and has integrated many genres in his work -- including folk, jazz, classical and chamber music. Amram is considered a pioneer of the French horn in jazz. He has composed more than 100 orchestral and chamber works – including “Symphonic Variations on a Song by Woody Guthrie” (commissioned by the Woody Guthrie Foundation) and “Theme and Variations on Red River Valley.” He’s written two operas and numerous theatrical and film scores – notably including those for Splendor in the Grass and The Manchurian Candidate. He’s worked with such musical luminaries as Leonard Bernstein, Dizzy Gillespie, Nina Simone, Odetta, Bob Dylan, Steve Goodman, Levon Helm, Pete Seeger, Arturo Sandoval, Mary Lou Williams and many more. And he’s a musical luminary in his own right. Why, he’s even been immortalized in a popular children’s song by Raffi – “One for me and one for David Amram.” Many honors have been bestowed on Amram. He’s the subject of a documentary film entitled David Amram: the First 80 Years. He’s been the recipient of a Pete and Toshi Seeger Power of Song Award, several lifetime achievement awards, and six honorary doctorates. -
Sun, Jun 12th, 2016 1:00pmat South Huntington Public LibraryThe Folk Music Society of Huntington’s monthly Folk Jam/Song Circle/Sing-Along affords musicians and singers of all experience levels an opportunity to play, sing and hone their performance skills. Extending from 1-4 p.m. one Sunday a month at the South Huntington Public Library (145 Pidgeon Hill Road, Huntington Station), the Folk Jams are completely acoustic, unplugged events attended primarily by amateur musicians and those who love to sing, although visitors who just want to listen are also welcome. Song selections range across the broad folk milieu, but are often taken from the "Rise Up Singing" and "Rise Again" songbooks. Admission is free and open to the public. Participants are asked to bring their voices, acoustic instruments, and a snack/non-alcoholic beverage to share.
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Sun, Jun 12th, 2016 1:00pmatCrossroads Folk Festival Set for June 12 in Malverne. Tom Chapin Headlines Second Annual Event Benefiting Farm Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter Tom Chapin, whose illustrious career spans five decades, headlines the second annual Crossroads Folk Festival on Sunday, June 12. It will extend from 1-8 p.m. at Crossroads Farm on the grounds of the former Grossmann’s Farm, 480 Hempstead Avenue (intersection of Ocean Avenue), Malverne. The farm is located just one-quarter mile from Southern State Parkway Exit 17-S and also within a few blocks of the Long Island Railroad’s Malverne train station. The family-friendly festival will also feature performances by Long Island-based folk-rock harmony trio Gathering Time, New Jersey-based folk stylists Mara Levine and Mike Agranoff, and LI-based singer-songwriters Mike Barry, Marci Geller and Kirsten Maxwell, as well as a few local showcase artists (Acoustic Apple, Karen Bella, Robin Greenstein and Hank Stone) earlier in the day. In addition, the Folk Music Society of Huntington will host a jam tent for those amateur and professional musicians with a desire to play, sing or just listen, while there are a playground and farm animals to keep youngsters entertained. Tickets – priced at $20 ($10 for students and seniors 60 and over) are available for purchase online at crossroadsfolkfestival.com and will also be available at the gate for an additional $5. More details on the festival, including parking information, also appears on the website. “Prior to last year’s launch of the Crossroads Folk Festival, there hadn’t been a full-fledged folk festival in southwest Nassau since Nassau Community College discontinued its annual event a decade ago,” said Gathering Time’s Stuart Markus, a Malverne resident who has been advising the Nassau Land Trust’s Farm Advisory Committee. “This slate of musicians will appeal to people who aren’t necessarily died-in-the-wool folkies,” he maintained. “Anyone who enjoys acoustic music and appreciates good songwriting will dig these acts.” Nassau Land Trust Chairman Rick White said: “Since we started managing this land as open space, we’ve held a number of special events to spur public interest in our sustainably run organic farm, and to increase awareness of issues facing our environment. We’re expecting this to be the biggest of our summer events.” Festivalgoers are encouraged to bring lawn chairs or blankets. A number of vendors will have food for sale, while Lithology Brewing Company and other local brewers will pour microbrews. New York State wines and soft drinks will be available for purchase as well.
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Thu, Jun 16th, 2016 7:00pmat Cinema Arts Centre - Sky RoomNo Open Mic tonight. Please note earlier (7:00 PM) start time. The Folk Music Society of Huntington (FMSH) partners with the Northeast Regional Folk Alliance (NERFA), a regional affiliate of Folk Alliance International, in presenting a NERFA Showcase to close out the current season of its monthly Hard Luck Café series in the Sky Room at the Cinema Arts Centre (423 Park Avenue, Huntington, NY) on Thursday evening, June 16. The 8 p.m. concert will be preceded by an invitational mic beginning at 7 p.m. Among the talented artists who will each perform a song during the invitational mic are Mark Alan Berube, Jay Hitt, Lisa Jane Lipkin, Kirsten Maxwell, Cheryl Prashker, and others tba. “For this very special show, we have invited five artists who have recently had juried official showcases at annual NERFA conferences to share their talents with our audience,” says Michael Kornfeld, president of FMSH and vice president of the NERFA board of directors. “Aaron Nathans & Michael Ronstadt, Hayley Reardon, Amy Soucy and Jim Trick will participate in two hour-long song swaps that will be preceded by an invitational mic featuring artists from Long Island and the New York metro area who regularly attend the conferences.” Refreshments – including craft beer and wine – will be available. About the Featured Performing Artists Aaron Nathans & Michael Ronstadt: A singer-songwriter with a propensity for penning songs about subjects others haven’t has joined forces with a virtuoso cellist who hails from musical royalty (he’s Linda’s nephew) to form a duo that has been drawing critical acclaim. Aaron Nathans brings his brilliant, off-kilter world-view and warped sense of humor to live shows that are as captivating as his guitar work, voice and catchy melodies. Michael Ronstadt (cello, guitar, mandolin) carries on his family’s eclectic musical tradition with adventurous, mind-bending songs. The duo recently showcased their talents as part of John Platt’s monthly “On Your Radar” series in NYC. (www.aaronnathans.com, www.michaelronstadt.com) Hayley Reardon is a Massachusetts native noted for her thoughtful, vivid songwriting and engaging stage performance. Performer Magazine describes her music as “brilliantly moving folk/pop with a lyrical depth and soul.” In 2012, The Boston Globe Magazine named her a Bostonian of the Year for both her music and her work to pair it with a message of youth empowerment. In a live setting, Reardon’s soulful songs are carefully intertwined between thoughtful stories and soft, clever humor to form a comforting, yet commanding, stage presence. Hayley Reardon is full of heart, and what’s even better is that she has proven her ability to share that heart and make an audience feel her songs and stories just as strongly as she does. (www.hayleyreardon.com) Amy Soucy is a Beacon, NY-based contemporary folk chanteuse who writes evocative songs exploring the kaleidoscope of human experience (dreams, longing, forgiveness and healing) and sings them in a voice that’s been called “powerful,” “comforting,” and “angelic.” Dubbed “enchanting” by singer-songwriter Sloan Wainwright and “just gorgeous” by NJ folk radio DJ Joe Pszonek, Soucy’s 2015 debut album, This River, takes listeners on a soulful journey through a lush landscape of life, love and earth – full of timeless, poetic songwriting, soaring melodies and shimmering harmonies. The CD was among the top Folk albums of 2015 on both the Folk DJ Listserv and the Roots Music Report international radio airplay charts. (www.amysoucymusic.com) Jim Trick is a Massachusetts-based singer-songwriter who combines carefully crafted lyrics with acoustic guitar instrumentation featuring percussive, intricate and ethereal ranges, to create a powerful music experience. He cites Neil Finn, Bruce Cockburn, John Gorka and Charles Bukowski as influences. An engaging and entertaining performer, Trick connects with audiences through his music, words and real life perspective. As a touring member of Banding People Together, Jim travels throughout the U.S. and beyond, using music and behavioral science to help companies create collaborative strategies and improve leadership. He is also a frequent speaker at Boston's Berklee College of Music. (www.jimtrickmusic.com) -
Sat, Jun 25th, 2016 12:00pmatThe American Roots Music Festival at Caramoor is an annual day-long family-friendly celebration of acoustic music. Set on 90 acres of gardens and Italianate architecture in Katonah, Westchester County, NY – 40 miles northeast of New York City — the Caramoor Center for Music and the Arts is well known for its summer music festivals. The Folk Music Society of Huntington is delighted to again be a Cultural Partner of the festival and will have a presence there. “Caramoor is a nature paradise and the music takes place in several locations on the grounds so that folks can experience some of the environmental beauty as well,” says Maggi Landau, the festival organizer. She notes that during the daytime artists will be performing acoustic, unplugged sets in the Sunken Garden – “a quiet grove with the audience sitting on the ground literally at the feet of the artist” – as well as on the larger Friends Field. An evening concert featuring John Fulbright and Hurray for the Riff Raff will take place inside the Venetian Theater, for which there is reserved seating. Daytime performers include Sara Watkins, High Plains Jamboree, Man About A Horse, Dennis Stroughmatt et L'Esprit Creole, the Lowest Pair, Spuyten Duyvil, Silver City Bound, Matt Turk and Monica Rizzo, The Northeast Regional Folk Alliance (NERFA) presents Young Folk featuring Lula Wiles, Eric Lee and Eliza Paltauf. And Spuyten Duyvil leads The Social Music Hour. $25 daytime only tickets (excluding the evening performances) and full-festival tickets, priced at $35-$100 (including reserved seating for the evening concert) may be ordered by visiting www.caramoor.org. Attendees are advised to bring their own chairs for the daytime performances. Although limited food and beverages will be available for purchase, folks also can bring their own and enjoy picnicking on Caramoor’s spacious lawns. Visit www.caramoor.org or call 914.232.1252 Visit www.caramoor.org or call 914.232.1252 -
Sat, Jul 30th, 2016 12:00pmat Heckscher ParkSlaid Cleaves will headline the 11th Annual Huntington Folk Festival on Saturday, July 30 at Huntington, NY's Heckscher Park, located off Main Street (Route 25A). Extending from noon until l0:30 p.m., the free festival – co-presented by the Folk Music Society of Huntington and the Huntington Arts Council – is part of the 51st Annual Huntington Summer Arts Festival. Kirsten Maxwell will open for Slaid Cleaves. Prior to the evening concert, AcousticMusicScene.com and The Folk Music Society of Huntington will host unplugged showcases and song swaps featuring more than three-dozen artists near canopy tents from noon until 6 p.m. Artists slated to perform during the afternoon include Jeremy Aaron, Acoustic Apple, Blair Bodine, Addie Brownlee, Rob Carlson & Benefit Street, Greg Cornell and the Cornell Brothers, Dan and Faith, Bryan Gallo, He-Bird, She-Bird, Josh Joffen, Susan Kane, Judy Kass, Colleen Kattau, Rorie Kelly, Terry Kitchen, Ray Lambiase, Rich Lanahan, Eric Lee, Mara Levine, Dennis McDoNoUgh!, Lois Morton, My Dad's Truck, James O'Malley, Steven Pelland, Pluck & Rail, Hank Stone, Aly Tadros, Jessy Tomsko, Carla Ulbrich, Letitia VanSant, and more to be announced. -
Sun, Sep 18th, 2016 1:00pmat South Huntington Public LibraryThe Folk Music Society of Huntington’s monthly Folk Jam/Song Circle/Sing-Along affords musicians and singers of all experience levels an opportunity to play, sing and hone their performance skills. Extending from 1-4 p.m. one Sunday a month at the South Huntington Public Library (145 Pidgeon Hill Road, Huntington Station), the Folk Jams are completely acoustic, unplugged events attended primarily by amateur musicians and those who love to sing, although visitors who just want to listen are also welcome. Song selections range across the broad folk milieu, but are often taken from the "Rise Up Singing" and "Rise Again" songbooks. Admission is free and open to the public. Participants are asked to bring their voices, acoustic instruments, and a snack/non-alcoholic beverage to share.
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Sat, Oct 1st, 2016 7:30pmat The Congregational Church of HuntingtonNo Fuss And Feathers is the New York-based “heck-of-a-good-time” collaboration hatched by The YaYas (Catherine Miles and Jay Mafale), Karyn Oliver, and Carolann Solebello. The group -- which released its first CD, Traveling Circus, earlier this year -- opened for Tom Paxton during the 2015 Huntington Folk Festival, while its individual members have all previously performed for FMSH. Onstage, NFF is a dynamic, cohesive cocktail of delicious harmonies, infectious rhythm, and spontaneous hilarity — with award-winning songwriting always at center stage. Individually, the four are nationally touring performers who have charted at the top of Folk and Americana radio and appeared on stage at some of the nation's most respected festivals and venues. Collectively, they are an incorrigible bunch of musical co-conspirators bent on giving their audience an unforgettable show. Carolann, Karyn, Catherine, and Jay are four long-time friends who tour independently of each other, but decided it would be fun to play together sometimes. What started out as an occasional songwriters-in-the-round side project quickly evolved into a full-fledged band. Sometimes referred to as a modern folk quartet, No Fuss And Feathers is truly a mix of the styles of the three songwriting entities: pop-infused-literate folk, bluesy-country-tinged acoustic, and Brooklyn-edged-Americana. -
Sun, Oct 9th, 2016 1:00pmat South Huntington Public LibraryThe Folk Music Society of Huntington’s monthly Folk Jam/Song Circle/Sing-Along affords musicians and singers of all experience levels an opportunity to play, sing and hone their performance skills. Extending from 1-4 p.m. one Sunday a month at the South Huntington Public Library (145 Pidgeon Hill Road, Huntington Station), the Folk Jams are completely acoustic, unplugged events attended primarily by amateur musicians and those who love to sing, although visitors who just want to listen are also welcome. Song selections range across the broad folk milieu, but are often taken from the "Rise Up Singing" and "Rise Again" songbooks. Admission is free and open to the public. Participants are asked to bring their voices, acoustic instruments, and a snack/non-alcoholic beverage to share.
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Thu, Oct 20th, 2016 7:30pmat Cinema Arts Centre - Sky RoomThe Folk Goddesses is a Long Island-based folk trio comprised of “three snarky middle-aged women on a mission” – singer-songwriters Martha Trachtenberg, Judith Zweiman and Hillary Foxsong.
A founding member of the Buffalo Gals, Goddess Martha has worked in Nashville, done several TV commercials, and also performs both solo and with her husband Tom Griffith. Goddess Judith was part of the NYC folk scene and recorded numerous times for Fast Folk Musical Magazine (now Smithsonian-Fast Folk). She was also featured in several of the Fast Folk Revues at The Bottom Line. In lieu of having a midlife crisis, Goddess Hillary opted to pick up a guitar for the first time since junior high and embark on a career as a folksinger. Now, as one-third of the popular folk-harmony trio Gathering Time, she is also a respected songwriter and performer in her own right.
Tom Griffith is an award-winning singer-songwriter, producer and recovering jingle writer currently working the twelve-tone program. Newsday named his CD, 40 Years Later, the best Long Island CD of 2007. Tom has written songs for and with International Blues Challenge Award-winner Toby Walker and has produced tracks for him and a number of notable LI-based artists. A winner of two Clios, a Cannes Silver Lion, and a National Education Fiction Video Award for his tunes that have appeared in commercials and several movies, Tom recently finished creating music and sound design cues for the award-winning computer game Prominence. -
Sat, Nov 5th, 2016 7:30pmat The Congregational Church of HuntingtonJay Ungar & Molly Mason’s performance of Jay's haunting composition Ashokan Farewell — title theme of the acclaimed PBS mini-series The Civil War — earned the couple international acclaim. The soundtrack won a Grammy and Ashokan Farewell — originally inspired by Jay & Molly's annual fiddle and dance camps — was nominated for an Emmy. Of course Ashokan Farewell is only part of the story. Since joining forces in the late 1970s, Jay and Molly have become one of the most celebrated duos on the American acoustic music scene. With their inclusive sense of fun and their deep love of the music, they make each concert a musical journey. Their warmth and wit — coupled with consummate musicianship — have delighted audiences worldwide. Listen to the timeless renditions of hard-driving Appalachian, Cajun and Celtic fiddle tunes, stirring Civil War classics, sassy songs from the golden age of swing and country, stunning waltzes, and deeply moving original compositions. It's immediately apparent why Jay and Molly concerts warm the heart, feed the soul, and appeal to all ages. No wonder they continue to receive widespread critical praise. They've garnered legions of fans through their appearances on Great Performances, A Prairie Home Companion, their own public radio specials, and work on film soundtracks such as Brother's Keeper, Legends of the Fall, and a host of Ken Burns documentaries. And what of the event that inspired their signature tune? Jay and Molly's Ashokan Fiddle & Dance Camps — in New York's Catskill Mountains — remain a favorite learning vacation destination for music and dance enthusiasts all across the country. If you love American acoustic music, a Jay Ungar & Molly Mason concert is a must. -
Sun, Nov 13th, 2016 1:00pmat South Huntington Public LibraryThe Folk Music Society of Huntington’s monthly Folk Jam/Song Circle/Sing-Along affords musicians and singers of all experience levels an opportunity to play, sing and hone their performance skills. Extending from 1-4 p.m. one Sunday a month at the South Huntington Public Library (145 Pidgeon Hill Road, Huntington Station), the Folk Jams are completely acoustic, unplugged events attended primarily by amateur musicians and those who love to sing, although visitors who just want to listen are also welcome. Song selections range across the broad folk milieu, but are often taken from the "Rise Up Singing" and "Rise Again" songbooks. Admission is free and open to the public. Participants are asked to bring their voices, acoustic instruments, and a snack/non-alcoholic beverage to share.
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Thu, Nov 17th, 2016 7:30pmat Cinema Arts Centre - Sky RoomTexan Brian Kalinec and Pennsylvanian Kj Reimensnyder-Wagner met by chance during one of Brian’s shows in East Texas in 2013 when Kj happened to be in nearby Shreveport, Louisiana, where she was conducting a seminar in educational songwriting. Later that year, when she came down to Texas on a trip, they had a chance to play a few songs together. Their impressive combined sound – songs, voices and musicianship –convinced them that they should perform shows as a duo. They began to do so the following year. Swedish reviewer Staffan Soldy of Rootsy calls Brian “a combination of Woody Guthrie, John Steinbeck, James Taylor, and Rodney Crowell in the stories he tells.” Brian has been recognized in both the U.S. and Europe for both his songwriting and musicianship – winning the Songwriter Serenade in Texas and the Big Top Chautauqua in Wisconsin, placing second in the prestigious Woody Guthrie Songwriting Competition, and being named a finalist in the UK Songwriting Contest. He has performed at venerable festivals and venues in the U.S. and tours regularly in the UK. He and his wife Pam own Berkalin Records, whose roster features many well-respected singer-songwriters. Kj is a full-time touring singer-songwriter. She has performed across the U.S. and the UK as a solo artist and along with other artists (including Dougie MacLean, Ted Vigil and Steve Weisberg) at noted venues and festivals. Kj is also a recognized educator, trainer and multi-instrumentalist, providing keynotes, workshops, assemblies and residencies. She has mentored hundreds of teachers and students through story, song and songwriting. Kj has been awarded several distinguished honors for educational songwriting from the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, National Agriculture in the Classroom (NAITC), and the Visionary Award from Danville’s Child Development Center. -
Sat, Dec 3rd, 2016 7:30pmat The Congregational Church of HuntingtonRising from the milieu of lovelorn singer-songwriters, JOHN GORKA illuminates instead with his trademark wordplay, twisting, turning and tying words and phrases in the way a balloon artist creates complex creatures from simple balloons. Few contemporary songwriters coax language as deftly as Gorka.
For over two decades, Gorka’s keen ear has picked up the stories of those along his path, folding them into poetry and song. His keen perceptiveness inspires people from all over the world to share their stories. By involving those tales in his music, he escapes the trap of introspection that hobbles less gifted singer-songwriters.
John Gorka flies below the pop culture radar with an almost cult-like following that never fails to fill concerts. Speak with any of his fans and one instantly feels their enthusiasm and genuine affection. His shy, almost self-effacing stage presence rightfully focuses attention on the songs. His versatility on guitar and piano keeps his sets musically interesting, while his rich baritone effortlessly executes his bidding. And he’s never short of the sly comment or clever joke that invariably ignites his audience.
With his uncanny ability to work every nuance of language, capturing a wide array of topics and experiences woven into memorable melodies, John Gorka’s career continues to prosper and to garner ever-increasing attention.
“One can get goosebumps all over. There are many reasons: fresh lyrics, a stunning emotional baritone, and his twisted humor” New York Times. -
Sun, Dec 11th, 2016 1:00pmat South Huntington Public LibraryThe Folk Music Society of Huntington’s monthly Folk Jam/Song Circle/Sing-Along affords musicians and singers of all experience levels an opportunity to play, sing and hone their performance skills. Extending from 1-4 p.m. one Sunday a month at the South Huntington Public Library (145 Pidgeon Hill Road, Huntington Station), the Folk Jams are completely acoustic, unplugged events attended primarily by amateur musicians and those who love to sing, although visitors who just want to listen are also welcome. Song selections range across the broad folk milieu, but are often taken from the "Rise Up Singing" and "Rise Again" songbooks. Admission is free and open to the public. Participants are asked to bring their voices, acoustic instruments, and a snack/non-alcoholic beverage to share.
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Thu, Dec 15th, 2016 7:30pmat Cinema Arts Centre - Sky RoomSteven Pelland, a native of Fall River, Massachusetts, began his musical journey at the early age of seven, learning accordion and organ. His father, a professional guitarist and vocalist, inspired him to study electric bass and voice during his teens. At 19, Steven graduated from the Modern School of Music and began freelancing as a bassist on Boston’s jazz scene. During the past several decades, Steven has written hundreds of songs – 12 of which appear on his recent CD, These Days. A finger-style guitarist and vocalist, he cites Jackson Browne, Dougie MacLean, James Taylor and Johannes Sebastian Bach among his influences. A touring artist, Steven showcased his talents during last summer’s Huntington Folk Festival and at regional conferences of Folk Alliance International. (stevenpellandmusic.com) Aly Tadros, a native of Laredo, Texas, who now calls Brooklyn home, is a singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist (guitar, ukulele and vilhuela). Her music fuses folk, pop, Mexican and Middle Eastern influences. “It’s not your mama’s folk music,” Aly admits. Take the cool tone of Norah Jones, the guttural growl of Fiona Apple, and the unorthodox guitar work of Ani DiFranco – and you’ve got this half-Egyptian/half Texan songwriter who has performed more than 700 shows worldwide since her 2009 debut. A finalist in the prestigious 2016 Grassy Hill Kerrville New Folk Competition for Emerging Songwriters, Aly also showcased her talents during this year’s Huntington Folk Festival. “Her guitar writhes the floor of the mind, haunted by the honesty of her lyrics” (USA Today). She released her latest CD, Hungry Ghost, in November. (alytadros.com) -
Sat, Jan 7th, 2017 7:30pmat The Congregational Church of HuntingtonCANCELLED The Boxcar Lilies is an Americana trio from Massachusetts that has been wowing audiences with its lovely vocal harmonies since forming in 2009. The group has received accolades for its signature mix of folk, country, and bluegrass-tinged Americana music featuring spine-tingling, innovative harmonies and top-notch songwriting. Accompanying themselves on guitar, electric bass, washboard and cajon, Jenny Goodspeed, Stephanie Marshall and Susan Cattaneo have brought their uniquely warm sound and genuine and charming stage presence to venues and festivals up and down the Eastern seaboard and beyond. Falcon Ridge Folk Festival attendees voted the engaging trio “Most Wanted to Return” artists following the festival’s annual Emerging Artists Showcase in 2013, while The Boxcar Lilies also secured coveted official showcases at International and Northeast Regional Folk Alliance Conferences and impressed FMSH concertgoers during a previous appearance here.— The Boxcar Lilies—
Low Lily is a Vermont-based string and vocal trio that explores the roots and branches of American folk music with traditional influences and modern inspiration that weaves together a unique brand of acoustic music. Liz Simmons (vocals and guitar) Flynn Cohen (vocals, guitar, and mandolin) and Lissa Schneckenburger (vocals and fiddle) are masterful players with deep relationships to traditional music styles ranging from bluegrass to Irish, Scottish, New England, and Old Time Appalachian sounds. When you combine this with stellar composition skills and inventive arrangements, you get music that is rooted yet contemporary. As PopMatters notes, Low Lily has “an incredible knack for putting a little pop twist on a traditional folk/Americana sound.” “House Carpenter,” the opening track on the trio’s recent self-titled album, debuted as the most-played song on the international Folk DJ charts. This will be Low Lily’s first LI concert appearance.— Low Lily—
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Sun, Jan 8th, 2017 1:00pmat South Huntington Public LibraryThe Folk Music Society of Huntington’s monthly Folk Jam/Song Circle/Sing-Along affords musicians and singers of all experience levels an opportunity to play, sing and hone their performance skills. Extending from 1-4 p.m. one Sunday a month at the South Huntington Public Library (145 Pidgeon Hill Road, Huntington Station), the Folk Jams are completely acoustic, unplugged...
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Thu, Jan 19th, 2017 7:30pmat Cinema Arts Centre - Sky RoomThe Guthrie Brothers will perform the songs of Simon & Garfunkel, along with a few of their own, during the monthly Hard Luck Café series at the Cinema Arts Centre. With their tight vocal harmonies and acoustic guitars, brothers Jeb and Jock Guthrie emulate the signature sound of the iconic folk-rock duo. Stories and trivia will be interspersed with songs during a concert that is bound to have audience members smiling and singing along to such Simon & Garfunkel favorites as “Homeward Bound,” “Mrs. Robinson” and “Scarborough Fair.” -
Sat, Feb 4th, 2017 7:30pmat The Congregational Church of HuntingtonCliff Eberhardt has been a fixture on the acoustic singer-songwriter scene for several decades. Part of the Fast Folk Musical Magazine community of artists in New York City during the 1980s, he recorded for Windham Hill in the 1990s and later for Shanachie and Red House Records. He also was heard on popular commercial jingles for Coke and Chevrolet. Hailed as “One of the most talented musicians on the solo acoustic circuit” (Seattle Post Intelligencer), Eberhardt also has had his songs covered by such notable artists as Shawn Colvin, Cry Cry Cry, the late Richie Havens (with whom he performed and sang the title cut on his Windham Hill debut, The Long Road), and Buffy Sainte Marie. In 2013, he received a Helen Hayes Award for sound design in recognition of his original music and performance the previous year in The Taming of the Shrew at Washington, DC’s Folger Theater. He’s also recorded an album entitled Shrew Songs.— Cliff Eberhardt —
Louise Mosrie is an expressive and soulful southern folk-Americana singer-songwriter whose thoughtful, refined compositions are highlighted by her warm, crystalline voice. Although not too keen about the slow, sleepy ways of doing things in the small rural town in which she grew up, the melodies and imagery that emerged in her writing comes straight from the culture she once dismissed. Rich Warren of Chicago’s WFMT-FM describes Mosrie as “William Faulkner with a guitar.” Louise has been a winner in the prestigious Kerrville New Folk Competition and a “Falcon Ridge Most Wanted to Return” artist. Her latest release, 2014’s Lay It Down, was arranged and produced by Eberhardt.— Louise Mosrie —
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Sun, Feb 5th, 2017 1:00pmat South Huntington Public LibraryThe Folk Music Society of Huntington’s monthly Folk Jam/Song Circle/Sing-Along affords musicians and singers of all experience levels an opportunity to play, sing and hone their performance skills. Extending from 1-4 p.m. one Sunday a month at the South Huntington Public Library (145 Pidgeon Hill Road, Huntington Station), the Folk Jams are completely acoustic, unplugged...
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Thu, Feb 16th, 2017 7:30pmat Cinema Arts Centre - Sky RoomJon Shain is a veteran singer-songwriter and guitarist who's been turning heads for years with his words, his fiery acoustic guitar work, and his evolved musical style -- combining improvised Piedmont blues with bluegrass, swing, and ragtime. His newest disc, a duet album with Joe Newberry entitled Crow the Dawn, was released in January 2016. Shain grew up in Haverhill, Massachusetts and resides in Durham, North Carolina. In addition to recording and performing, Shain – whose work touches on the trials and tribulations of regular people, as well as themes of social justice – teaches Piedmont blues guitar and leads songwriting workshops. (jonshain.com)— Jon Shain —
Jessy Tomsko is a NYC-based singer-songwriter who originally hails from Philadelphia. Known for her catchy yet genuine and confessional style, Tomsko is a versatile vocalist, guitarist, pianist, and composer. Although writing and performing primarily in the ever-expanding “folk” genre, she first began experimenting with songwriting while attending a conservatory and earning a music degree in classical voice performance. Her roots in classical music and musical theater provided Tomsko with a solid musical foundation and inspired her along the way to finding her own voice. Tomsko has independently released several EPs and albums and is working on a new one, Wild and Good. (jessytomskomsusic.com)— Jessy Tomsko —
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Sat, Mar 4th, 2017 7:30pmat The Congregational Church of HuntingtonJoe Crookston an Ohio native now residing in Ithaca, NY, has been developing a reputation as an energetic, charismatic and thoroughly engaging live performer. He was among the artists voted "Most Wanted to Return" during the 2007 Falcon Ridge Folk Festival in upstate New York and wowed attendees in 2008 with a mix of his own lyrically compelling, narrative-style songs and choice covers (including a solo acoustic version of Supertramp's "The Logical Song") -- much as he did during the Falcon Ridge Preview Tour''s concert in Centerport earlier that year. A serious craftsman, Crookston has heeded his father's advice to work with his hands (and heart) in metal and wood. His latest album, Darkling and The BlueBird Jubilee has received critical acclaim. His previous release, Able Baker Charlie & Dog, a collection of songs inspired by stories ordinary New Yorkers from the Finger Lakes region related to him during his year-long travels under a songwriting grant from The Rockefeller Foundation, reached the top of the folk/acoustic radio charts and was recognized as Album of the Year during the 2009 International Folk Alliance Conference in Memphis, TN. His prior release, Fall Down As The Rain, was a Performing Songwriter Magazine Top 12 DIY independent recording. Joe Crookston also has been a finalist in several prestigious national songwriting contests. Come and enjoy Joe as he stands on stage holding his Martin OM 28, stompin his foot, singing songs about ruby red dresses, drunk roosters, ex-slaves, window washers, Polish Immigrants, Tinian Island, rutabagas and the cycles of life & death -- songs about the thread that runs through us all. For more information on Joe, click here to visit his website. -
Sun, Mar 12th, 2017 1:00pmat South Huntington Public LibraryThe Folk Music Society of Huntington’s monthly Folk Jam/Song Circle/Sing-Along affords musicians and singers of all experience levels an opportunity to play, sing and hone their performance skills. Extending from 1-4 p.m. one Sunday a month at the South Huntington Public Library (145 Pidgeon Hill Road, Huntington Station), the Folk Jams are completely acoustic, unplugged...
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Thu, Mar 16th, 2017 7:30pmat Cinema Arts Centre - Sky RoomCosy Sheridan first caught the attention of national folk audiences in 1992 when she was named a winner in the prestigious Kerrville New Folk Competition for Emerging Songwriters at the Kerrville Folk Festival in the Texas Hill Country and Telluride Troubadour as winner of the performing songwriter contest at the Telluride Bluegrass Festival in Colorado. She has been on the road ever since -- playing clubs, concert halls and coffeehouses throughout the country. A Cosy Sheridan concert is a wide-ranging exploration: love songs for adults - and practical philosophy for a complicated world. She has written about the stock market crash of 2008 and fall-out from uranium mining in the American southwest. She has re-written Greek myths: Persephone runs away with Hades the biker. And then there are her signature parodies on aging and women. Her songs are carefully crafted - and often shorter than the average folk song. “Cosy writes intelligent and clever lyrics with stickable melodies,” wrote Sing Out Magazine. She plays a percussive bluesy guitar style - often in open tunings and occasionally with two or more capos on the guitar. Sheridan has released 10 CDs, written a one-woman-show, and her music has appeared in books and film. She has taught songwriting, guitar and performance workshops at music camps for the past 15 years -- including The Puget Sound Guitar Workshop in Washington and The Swannanoa Gathering in North Carolina -- and is the director of The Moab Folk Camp in Moab, Utah. -
Sat, Apr 1st, 2017 7:30pmat The Congregational Church of HuntingtonJames Keelaghan is among today’s most-esteemed Canadian folksinger-songwriters. A Juno Award [Canadian Grammy] -winner, he has been hailed as “Canada’s finest songwriter” by Dave Marsh, a noted American music critic and historian. Others consider Keelaghan a poet laureate of the Canadian folk and roots music world. “[His] is a voice in contemporary Canadian songwriting that has helped us define who we are as a people,” says David Francey, himself a much respected, award-winning Canadian singer-songwriter. “He writes with great humanity and honesty, with an eye to the past and a vision of the future. He has chronicled his times with powerful and abiding songs, with heart and eyes wide open.” A Calgary native, who now calls Perth, Ontario home, Keelaghan has been plying his craft for more than 25 years. His music fuses contemporary folk with roots rock and Americana /Canadiana. "Among the most distinctive voices on the Canadian singer-songwriter scene, this baritone also is a masterful storyteller known for his literate and layered narrative songwriting," according to Michael Kornfeld, FMSH's president. Keelaghan’s love of language and of history is reflected in his songs; some of them touch on themes of social justice and problems facing society, while others — like “Cold Missouri Waters,” “Fires of Calais” and “Hillcrest Mine” — focus on tragic historical events. He’s also known for his interpretation of songs by others – including fellow Canadian Gordon Lightfoot, whose “Canadian Railroad Trilogy” Keelaghan covered on the tribute album Beautiful. FMSH is delighted to welcome James Keelaghan to grace our stage for the first time.— James Keelaghan —
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Sun, Apr 9th, 2017 1:00pmat South Huntington Public LibraryThe Folk Music Society of Huntington’s monthly Folk Jam/Song Circle/Sing-Along affords musicians and singers of all experience levels an opportunity to play, sing and hone their performance skills. Extending from 1-4 p.m. one Sunday a month at the South Huntington Public Library (145 Pidgeon Hill Road, Huntington Station), the Folk Jams are completely acoustic, unplugged...
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Thu, Apr 20th, 2017 7:30pmat Cinema Arts Centre - Sky RoomA pair of Philadelphia-based trios -- one all female, the other all male – share the billLadybird is a multi-instrumental, harmony-based folk/bluegrass trio hatched on a front porch – with whiskey under one wing and a banjo under another. Drawing on a wide array of influences spanning from the traditional American songbook to Swedish folk and jazz, these ladies (Cecilia Ferneborg, Laura Kay and Sarah Larsen) take to the stage with fiddle, dobro, banjo, guitar, and mandolin -- blending their powerful original songs with fresh takes on old folk and bluegrass favorites. (www.heythereladybird.com)— Ladybird —
The End of America is a band of friends, singers and travelers who blend three-part harmony with a rock and Americana style that’s sure to resonate with fans of Ryan Adams, CSNY and Dawes. Prior to launching the trio, Brendon Thomas, James Downes and Trevor Leonard all fronted other bands. Although their vocal chemistry also can be heard on their self-entitled debut CD and previously released EPs, the raw honesty of their performances is something to experience live. (www.theendofamericamusic.com)— The End of America —
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Sat, May 6th, 2017 7:30pmat The Congregational Church of HuntingtonCassie and Maggie MacDonald encompass everything you could ask for in a musical act; their talent is only surpassed by the joy with which they so generously share it. “Exciting and innovative” (Trad Connect), they have found the perfect balance between musical integrity and sheer entertainment. While still staying true to their Nova Scotia Celtic roots, they have explored and tested the boundaries of traditional music -- bringing a breath of fresh air to the genre with their original compositions and arrangements. Sisters, cohorts and collaborators, Cassie and Maggie have been enchanting audiences far and wide with their infectious energy, driving rhythms and lilting melodies. Equally at home playing tunes passed down through generations of musicians, as seamlessly weaving themes from the Moonlight Sonata into sets of surefire reels, Cassie and Maggie are turning heads wherever they go. And the music community has taken note. They “are among the top musical acts in demand on the Irish/Americana/Canadian scene,” according to Irish Music Magazine. “Be it their foot percussion accompanying driving Nova Scotian sets, their perfect blend of sibling harmonies, added to a stunning interplay on various instruments, a musical evening spent with Cassie and Maggie is a great night, altogether.” Named as Live Ireland Radio’s New Group and Female Vocalists of the Year, as well as Galaxie Radio Rising Stars, and Emerging Artists of the Year by Chicago’s Irish American News, Cassie and Maggie have also been nominees for numerous other awards. The MacDonald sisters have graced stages across Canada and Europe and made forays into the U.S., where they impressed audiences at the Milwaukee Irish Festival and the Philadelphia Folk Festival, among others. This will be their Long Island debut. -
Sun, May 7th, 2017 1:00pmat South Huntington Public LibraryThe Folk Music Society of Huntington’s monthly Folk Jam/Song Circle/Sing-Along affords musicians and singers of all experience levels an opportunity to play, sing and hone their performance skills. Extending from 1-4 p.m. one Sunday a month at the South Huntington Public Library (145 Pidgeon Hill Road, Huntington Station), the Folk Jams are completely acoustic, unplugged...
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Thu, May 18th, 2017 7:30pmat Cinema Arts Centre - Sky RoomTwo husband-and-wife duos share the bill.Toronto-based The Young Novelists are known for their beautiful harmonies and songs culled from their small-town roots. Think Johnny & June meets Shovels & Rope. Sharing a passion for storytelling, Graydon James and Laura Spink sing songs about small towns, redemption, love and loss. Since the release of their second full-length album, made us strangers, they have been touring Canada and the U.S. relentlessly, earning accolades wherever they go. They were recognized as Emerging Artists of the Year at the 2015 Canadian Folk Music Awards, won the Grassy Hill Songwriting Competition at the 2015 Connecticut Folk Festival, and were recently named as finalists in the NewSong Contest. The Young Novelists also earned coveted official showcases at the Folk Alliance International Conference, as well as at those of its northeast and southeast regional affiliates (NERFA and SERFA).— The Young Novelists —
At the heart of The Whispering Tree are singer-songwriter Eleanor Kleiner and multi-instrumentalist Elie Brangbour. With their deep-reaching sound, haunting vocals and vivid lyrics, this Beacon, NY-based Franco-American duo has been captivating audiences since meeting at music school in London in 2004. Full of imagery and stories of the human condition, The Whispering Tree’s songwriting is the backbone of its moody and melodic folk-rock sound and has been heavily influenced by the duo’s travels abroad. Named as first-place winners in the 2010 Songdoor International Songwriting Competition, The Whispering Tree are finalists in the 2017 Grassy Hill Kerrville New Folk Competition. Eleanor also was recently named as a finalist in The Philadelphia Songwriters Project’s songwriting contest. The duo has had coveted official showcases at NERFA conferences and has twice performed in the Falcon Ridge Folk Festival’s Emerging Artist Showcase.— The Whispering Tree —
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Sat, Jun 3rd, 2017 7:30pmat The Congregational Church of HuntingtonSince his emergence on the Boston music scene in 1990, Ellis Paul has earned accolades, awards, and a large fan base in recognition of his well-crafted songs, his high-energy stage presence, and his distinctive voice. As Kristian Bush, of the duo Sugarland, has said: “Ellis has a voice that is so powerful you know who it is the second he comes through your radio.” Now celebrating 25 years on the road, Ellis Paul has played some 5,000 shows – gracing stages at the Newport Folk Festival, Carnegie Hall, and clubs and coffeehouses the world-over. A prolific songwriter, he’s penned more than 500 songs. “His songs are literate, provocative and urbanely romantic.” (Scott Alarik, The Boston Globe). He’s recorded and released 20 albums, while his music has also been featured in a number of Hollywood film soundtracks – including several by the Farrelly Brothers – as well as commercials, documentaries and TV shows. "Despite his success and sense of history, Mr. Paul remains an artist with his eye on the future and an interest in discovering the transformative potential in his music." - The New York Times -
Sun, Jun 11th, 2017 1:00pmat South Huntington Public LibraryThe Folk Music Society of Huntington’s monthly Folk Jam/Song Circle/Sing-Along affords musicians and singers of all experience levels an opportunity to play, sing and hone their performance skills. Extending from 1-4 p.m. one Sunday a month at the South Huntington Public Library (145 Pidgeon Hill Road, Huntington Station), the Folk Jams are completely acoustic, unplugged...
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Tue, Jun 13th, 2017 7:30pmat Cinema Arts Centre - Sky RoomBill Shelley of Shelley Archives Inc. presents a Music Legends Live educational lecture with film clips on The Folk Movement of the 1960s and 1970s at the Cinema Arts Centre (423 Park Avenue, Huntington). FMSH is pleased to co-sponsor this special event, and its members will be afforded the same discount as Cinema members when purchasing tickets. Besides the tradition of preserving the songs of anonymous composers whose work was passed on from generation to generation, the folksinger-songwriters of the 1960s and 1970s added their own voices and stories to the folk tradition. From personal stories to political protests, these artists challenged our minds, entertained us, and recorded our history. With guitars in hand, they ruled the coffee houses and airwaves with their songs and struck a nerve with the younger generation. This program will feature filmed performances of such leading contributors to this genre as Phil Ochs, Cat Stevens, Jim Croce, Gordon Lightfoot, Don McLean, Janis Ian, Melanie, Steeleye Span, Bob Dylan, and Joan Baez, among others. -
Thu, Jun 15th, 2017 7:30pmat Cinema Arts Centre - Sky RoomThe Levins are a New York-based, harmony driven acoustic folk-rock duo who seek to make the world a happier place through their warm, spirited and uplifting music without skating over the complexities of life. Ira and Julia Levin are singer-songwriters who perform their original material with guitar and piano accompaniment, using unexpected harmonies and musical arrangements that make their songs both engaging and infectious. Says WFUV’s John Platt: “The Levins speak to our better selves with their crystalline harmonies and uplifting lyrics.” The duo had a coveted Formal Showcase at the 2016 Northeast Regional Folk Alliance (NERFA) Conference and won the 2011 Connecticut Folk Festival Songwriting Contest. (www.thelevinsmusic.com) Christine Sweeney is a young bluesy pop musician and singer-songwriter who has been active on the Long Island music scene for a decade. With a voice as powerful as it is sweet, she deftly handles poppy and playful without sacrificing genuine emotion. Her writing style is focused heavily on the feel of the lyrics, but the underlying music structure reveals that she’s no stranger to complexities in harmonies as well. Christine cites Joni Mitchell, Regina Spektor, John Mayer, Rilo Kelly and KT Tunstall among her influences. Her sometimes gritty, occasionally sugary vocals soar over her rhythmic guitar playing. (www.christinesweeney.com) -
Sat, Jun 24th, 2017 12:00pmat Caramoor Center for Music and the ArtsThe American Roots Music Festival at Caramoor is an annual day-long family-friendly celebration of acoustic music. Set on 90 acres of gardens and Italianate architecture in Katonah, Westchester County, NY – 40 miles northeast of New York City — the Caramoor Center for Music and the Arts is well known for its summer music festivals. The Folk Music Society of Huntington is delighted to again be a Cultural Partner of the festival and will have a presence there. “Caramoor is a nature paradise and the music takes place in several locations on the grounds so that folks can experience some of the environmental beauty as well,” says Maggi Landau, the festival organizer. She notes that during the daytime artists will be performing acoustic, unplugged sets in the Sunken Garden – “a quiet grove with the audience sitting on the ground literally at the feet of the artist” – as well as on the larger Friends Field. An evening concert featuring Rhiannon Giddens and Sarah Jarosz will take place inside the Venetian Theater, for which there is reserved seating. Daytime performers include The Mammals (featuring Mike & Ruthy), River Whyless, The Lonely Heartstring Band, Michaela Anne, Kaia Kater, Spuyten Duyvil, Anthony da Costa, Cole Quest & The City Pickers, The Brother Brothers, Eddie Barbash Band, and NERFA presents Young Folk featuring Brian Dunne and more artists TBA. $25 daytime only tickets (excluding the evening performances) and full-festival tickets, priced at $30-$90 (including reserved seating for the evening concert), may be ordered by visiting www.caramoor.org. Attendees are advised to bring their own lawn chairs for the daytime performances. Although food and beverages will be available for purchase, folks also can bring their own and enjoy picnicking on Caramoor’s spacious lawns. -
Mon, Jul 17th, 2017 7:00pmat Eisenhower ParkThe music of Harry Chapin will once again fill the summer night at Eisenhower Park in East Meadow on Monday, July 17, as multiple Long Island musicians, led by singer-songwriter Stuart Markus, perform the songs of the late singer-songwriter and social activist at the annual “Just Wild About Harry” tribute concert. The show will feature numerous songwriters and bands performing some of Chapin’s classic songs -- including “Taxi,” “W.O.L.D.,” and “Cat’s in the Cradle.” Concertgoers are asked to bring donations of nonperishable food to support Long Island Cares, Inc., the regional food bank and humanitarian organization founded by Harry Chapin in 1980. Photo of Harry Chapin by Robert Berkowitz/RSBImageWorks.com
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Sat, Jul 29th, 2017 12:00pmatSarah Lee Guthrie and The Mammals (featuring Mike & Ruthy) will co-headline the 12th Annual Huntington Folk Festival on Saturday, July 29, at Heckscher Park, located off Main Street (Route 25A) and Prime Avenue, in Huntington Village. Extending from 12 noon to 10:30 p.m., the free festival – co-presented by the Folk Music Society of Huntington and the Huntington Arts Council – is part of the 52nd Huntington Summer Arts Festival. The theme for the evening concert is Generations. Performing on the park’s [Harry] Chapin Rainbow Stage at 8:30 p.m. will be Sarah Lee Guthrie and The Mammals (featuring Mike & Ruthy). Talented artists in their own right, Sarah Lee is the daughter of Arlo Guthrie and granddaughter of Woody Guthrie, while Ruth Ungar is the daughter of Jay Ungar and Molly Mason. A special on-stage song swap -- NERFA Presents Young Folk: Alice Howe and Mike Tedesco – is set for 8 p.m. [NERFA is an acronym for Northeast Regional Folk Alliance.] Prior to the evening concert, Michael Kornfeld, who is president of both FMSH and NERFA and editor & publisher of AcousticMusicScene.com, and Joe Pszonek of Joltin Joe’s Radio Nowhere Internet Radio (streaming @ radionowhere903.com), will host unplugged showcases and song swaps from 1-6 p.m. These will take place near canopy tents on the upper lawn area overlooking the stage and will feature some three-dozen artists/acts from New York and several other states. The day’s musical festivities begin with an open mic at noon. Artists slated to perform during the afternoon include Jeremy Aaron, Clint Alphin, Alexis von Aulock, Emily Barnes, Tucker Bickell, Bill Buttner, Chris J. Connolly, Greg Cornell & The Cornell Brothers, Vincent Cross, Karen Dahlstrom, Folkapotamus, Marci Geller, Cosby Gibson & Tom Staudle, He-Bird, She-Bird, Gina Holsopple, Josh Joffen, Susan Kane, Judy Kass, Colleen Kattau, Rorie Kelly, Ray Lambiase, Mara Levine, Lori Llyn, Stuart Markus, Catherine Miles and Jay Mafale (The YaYas), Lois Morton, Emily Mure, Nico Padden, Steven Pelland, Katherine Rondeau, John Sonntag, Hank Stone, Christine Sweeney, Sweet Little Bloodhound, Toby Tobias, and The Whispering Tree. -
Sun, Aug 27th, 2017 12:00pmat Germonds ParkHundreds of folk, roots and bluegrass music fans from throughout the New York metropolitan area are expected to converge on Germonds Park in West Nyack, NY on Sunday afternoon, Aug. 27, for the eighth annual, picnic, concert and jam presented by the Borderline Folk Music Club and the Town of Clarkston. The Folk Music Society of Huntington is pleased to again co-sponsor the picnic, along with AcousticMusicScene.com, The Folk Music Society of New York (aka Pinewoods Folk Music Club), and Tribes Hill. The free event, extending from noon to 6 p.m., at the park located at 185 Germonds Road, will feature a musical tribute to Leonard Cohen, the influential and much-revered singer, songwriter and poet who died last November at age 82. Main stage performers (in order of appearance) include The Whispering Tree, Acoustic Apple, The Palisades, Loretta Hagen, Peter Calo, Ron Renninger, Josh Joffen, Terry Kitchen, Mara Levine, Jerry Korobow, Banjo Nickaru & Western Scooches, Judy Kass, Kate Copeland, Jeremy Aaron, Pat Harpe, Tom Cardullo, John Guth, and Leo Harmonay. Each artist will perform a mix of songs by Cohen and their own selections, while many are expected to join in singing Cohen’s classic “Hallelujah” during the finale. AcousticMusicScene.com’s Michael Kornfeld, who also serves as president of the Folk Music Society of Huntington and the Northeast Regional Folk Alliance (NERFA), joins Joltin’ Joe Pszonek, host of the Internet radio shows “Radio Nowhere” and “Finnigan’s Wake” (streaming online at www.radionowhere903.com), and Perry Stein of Ethical Brew Coffee House in Teaneck, NJ in emceeing the event. Aside from the pre-selected artists, there will be opportunities for people of all skill levels to participate in a jam and song circle led by Jerry Korobow and FMSH Board Member Gary Schoenberger -– so folks are encouraged to bring their instruments. The event is open to the entire community. Attendees are advised bring their own picnic lunch, lawn chairs and/or blankets. There also are shade trees and picnic tables in the park. Alcohol and pets are not permitted. Ample free parking is available in two lots. The Borderline Folk Music Club, a nonprofit organization that bills itself as the home of folk and roots music in Rockland County, has previously paid tribute to Tom Paxton, Si Kahn, Pete Seeger, Jean Ritchie, and Music of the Sixties during its annual picnics. Additional information, including driving directions, is available online at www.borderlinefolkmusicclub.org.
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Sun, Sep 17th, 2017 1:00pmat South Huntington Public LibraryThe Folk Music Society of Huntington’s monthly Folk Jam/Song Circle/Sing-Along affords musicians and singers of all experience levels an opportunity to play, sing and hone their performance skills. Extending from 1-4 p.m. one Sunday a month at the South Huntington Public Library (145 Pidgeon Hill Road, Huntington Station), the Folk Jams are completely acoustic, unplugged events attended primarily by amateur musicians and those who love to sing, although visitors who just want to listen are also welcome. Song selections range across the broad folk milieu, but are often taken from the "Rise Up Singing" and "Rise Again" songbooks. Admission is free and open to the public. Participants are asked to bring their voices, acoustic instruments, and a snack/non-alcoholic beverage to share.
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Sat, Oct 7th, 2017 7:30pmat The Congregational Church of HuntingtonLois Morton has been delighting audiences in the New York metropolitan area with her abundant charm and humorous songs of social commentary. Reinventing herself in retirement, Lois has gone from being an educator and therapist to a singer-songwriter with a rapier wit and surprisingly contemporary approach. Her show “As I See It” highlights Lois’ original, often hilarious songs that encourage us to laugh at ourselves, while she also brings to life the legendary Edith Piaf in a lecture-cabaret program featuring songs and stories. For more information, visit www.loismorton.com. Annie Mark has shared her country-tinged Americana-roots music with audiences from Nashville to Ireland. A New York native, she moved to the South at age 10, where she nurtured a life-long love of old-style country music and of songs that convey slice-of-life stories about people’s lives. Sung in her richly textured voice, her songs explore life’s journey and universal themes of love and loss, struggles and triumphs, shadows and light. Annie plays a mix of folk and country, with a little bit of blues-rock, accompanying herself on a strong, steady rhythm guitar. Kirsten Maxwell has been earning accolades and winning over audiences across the country. She was a finalist in the prestigious Kerrville New Folk Competition (2016) and an audience-voted “Most Wanted” artist at the Falcon Ridge Folk Festival. She took first place in a contest sponsored by the Rhode Island Songwriters Association (RISA) in 2015 and was a winner in the 2016 South Florida Folk Festival Singer-Songwriter Competition. She has had official juried showcases at several conferences hosted by regional affiliates of Folk Alliance International, has a coveted Formal Showcase at this fall’s Northeast Regional Folk Alliance Conference, and was part of NERFA Presents Young Folk showcases at the Mariposa and Philadelphia Folk Festivals. For more information, visit http://www.kirstenmaxwell.com. -
Sun, Oct 8th, 2017 1:00pmat South Huntington Public LibraryThe Folk Music Society of Huntington’s monthly Folk Jam/Song Circle/Sing-Along affords musicians and singers of all experience levels an opportunity to play, sing and hone their performance skills. Extending from 1-4 p.m. one Sunday a month at the South Huntington Public Library (145 Pidgeon Hill Road, Huntington Station), the Folk Jams are completely acoustic, unplugged events attended primarily by amateur musicians and those who love to sing, although visitors who just want to listen are also welcome. Song selections range across the broad folk milieu, but are often taken from the "Rise Up Singing" and "Rise Again" songbooks. Admission is free and open to the public. Participants are asked to bring their voices, acoustic instruments, and a snack/non-alcoholic beverage to share.
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Thu, Oct 19th, 2017 7:30pmat Cinema Arts Centre - Sky RoomFreddy & Francine is an Americana-soul duo comprised of Lee Ferris & Bianca Caruso. With voices reminiscent of Van Morrison and Aretha Franklin, their songs blend soul, R&B, folk, and Americana with a modern, yet timeless, appeal. The duo has released two EPs and three full-length CDs since 2008 and has performed at NYC’s Madison Square Park and at such notable festivals as Rocky Mountain Folks Fest, Sister’s Folk Fest, and this year’s Telluride Bluegrass Festival. “Ferris and Caruso have found their respective vocal soulmates, the kind of perfect harmonies that send a gripping shiver down the backbone of the listener” -The Deli Magazine “There is definitely a palpable chemistry between these musicians, with their vocals blending like milk and honey.” - No Depression
Miles & Mafale (formerly The YaYas) are three-time finalists in the prestigious Kerrville New Folk Competition, were audience-voted “Most Wanted” artists at the Falcon Ridge Folk Festival, have had official juried showcases at several music conferences hosted by regional affiliates of Folk Alliance International. Catherine Miles and Jay Mafale have spent much of the last few years concentrating on the collaborative project No Fuss and Feathers and touring in support of Traveling Circus (#22 Top Album of 2016 on the international Folk DJ chart). Miles & Mafale are now back in the studio, putting the finishing touches on a new duo album that’s slated for release later this year. -
Sat, Nov 4th, 2017 7:30pmat The Congregational Church of Huntington"Susan Werner, a clever songwriter and engaging performer, brings literacy and wit back to popular song,” according to The New Yorker, while the Chicago Tribune has aptly hailed her as “one of the most innovative songwriters working today.”
A favorite of FMSH audiences, Werner has never been one to adhere to just one musical style. A gifted singer-songwriter, who accompanies herself on both guitar and piano, she is known for her musical versatility and for her witty repartee during live performances. The classically trained and jazz-inspired Iowa native, who now calls Chicago home, has been delighting concert and festival audiences for more than two decades.
Besides her live performances, Werner is known for iconoclastic concept albums in which she updates traditional styles of music with sharp, witty, incisive lyrics. Her September 2017 release, An American In Havana, Werner’s 13th studio recording, is a collection of original songs inspired by two recent trips to Cuba and blends Cuban rhythms with Werner's signature storytelling, trademark songcraft, humor, and poetry – and will be featured in the show.
Werner also is the composer and lyricist for a forthcoming Broadway musical based on the film Bull Durham. -
Sun, Nov 12th, 2017 1:00pmat South Huntington Public LibraryThe Folk Music Society of Huntington’s monthly Folk Jam/Song Circle/Sing-Along affords musicians and singers of all experience levels an opportunity to play, sing and hone their performance skills. Extending from 1-4 p.m. one Sunday a month at the South Huntington Public Library (145 Pidgeon Hill Road, Huntington Station), the Folk Jams are completely acoustic, unplugged events attended primarily by amateur musicians and those who love to sing, although visitors who just want to listen are also welcome. Song selections range across the broad folk milieu, but are often taken from the "Rise Up Singing" and "Rise Again" songbooks. Admission is free and open to the public. Participants are asked to bring their voices, acoustic instruments, and a snack/non-alcoholic beverage to share.
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Thu, Nov 16th, 2017 7:30pmat Cinema Arts Centre - Sky RoomThe Belle Hollows is a Nashville-based contemporary folk trio comprised of siblings Jeremy and Rachel Johnson and their friend Robert Phaneuf. Launched in early 2016, the trio had the #2 album on the international Folk DJ chart for August 2016 and shared the month's most-played song ("A Different Kind of Rain"), while several other tracks from Miller’s Creek, its debut album, were in the top 20. The three previously spent the better part of a decade developing a unique vocal blend featuring tight harmonies as part of the newgrass band The Barrel Jumpers. As a reviewer for Maverick Magazine (UK) wrote, the "tasteful acoustic" music of The Belle Hollows "ought to appeal to fans of the likes of Nickel Creek and Alison Krauss." Bettman & Halpin play original folk/Americana. The Colorado-based acoustic duo’s performances combine high-energy upbeat bluegrass/roots-inspired compositions, beautiful ballads with soaring vocals and heartfelt lyrics, and groovy feel-good songs. Touring as a duo since 2008, Stephanie Bettman (singer-songwriter and fiddler) and Luke Halpin (multi-instrumentalist) are known for their storytelling and playful banter between songs, as well as for their hooky whole-hearted songwriting and instrumental prowess. Bettman & Halpin have been Falcon Ridge Folk Festival “Most Wanted” artists, grand prize-winners in the So Cal Live Acoustic Music Competition, and two-time featured artists at the Walnut Valley Festival in Winfield, KS. Their CDs have received much radio airplay and critical acclaim. -
Sat, Dec 2nd, 2017 7:30pmat The Congregational Church of HuntingtonIn a collaborative performance, a talented quintet of female singer-songwriters — Sloan Wainwright, Trina Hamlin, Sharon Goldman, Lara Herscovitch and Amy Soucy (along with Stephen Murphy on guitars) — carry the torch sparked by the groundbreaking 1997-1999 Lilith Fair tour. Two decades after Sarah McLachlan founded the all-female festival, the women will join forces on tunes penned by Lilith Fair luminaries (Shawn Colvin, Sarah McLachlan, Indigo Girls, Emmylou Harris, Tracy Chapman, Joan Osborne, Suzanne Vega and many more) plus original songs inspired by the spirit of Lilith Fair. Sharon Goldman: NJ-based singer/songwriter Sharon Goldman captivates audiences whether she is fingerpicking her acoustic guitar, gently tinkling the piano keys, or showing off her “beautiful voice and compelling stage presence” (Joe Jencks, Brother Sun). Honored as a Falcon Ridge Folk Festival Emerging Artist and NERFA Showcase artist, her latest album release, KOL ISHA (A Woman's Voice) is a bold, unique song journey that has been called “an extraordinary effort” (Wanda Fischer, WAMC). “Sharon Goldman has truly found her voice,” says WFUV’s John Platt. Trina Hamlin: Trina Hamlin combines gentle understanding with raw emotion in a way that is, quite simply, captivating from the first note. She seamlessly moves from guitar to piano with self accompaniment on harmonica leaving many who have seen her wondering what she can't do. Regarded as one of the best harmonica players around, she presents a driving, sensuous rhythm in her performance reawakening audiences to the art of the instrument. "Trina Hamlin's music smolders sweetly just before it sets the place on fire. Add in that irresistibly twinkling grin and you've got the foundation for a wonderful time." --Marilyn Rea Beyer, WUMB Boston Lara Herscovitch: “Pure musical poetry” (The Courier), Herscovitch is an “extraordinarily talented” (smother.net) singer-songwriter and former Connecticut State Troubadour, blending modern folk with blues, jazz, and pop influences into “marvelous, inventive and thought-provoking songs” (NJ.com). “A rising talent who is truly someone to watch for” (Acoustic Live in NYC), she has appeared on A Prairie Home Companion with Garrison Keillor and tours regularly from Maine to Miami. Amy Soucy: Beacon, NY-based Amy Soucy was the winner of the 2016 CT Folk Songwriting Competition and a 2016 Falcon Ridge Folk Festival Emerging Artist. She is well-known for her vocal talents (“as comforting as a walk in the autumn woods” — Joe Pszonek, Radio Nowhere) and her timeless, poetic songwriting. Amy has a lifetime of varied singing experiences (choral, musical theater, even opera) and has performed, recorded, written and harmonized with a wide range of musical artists. Sloan Wainwright: Defying standard categorization, singer/songwriter Sloan Wainwright consistently demonstrates her easy command of a variety of American musical styles — pop, folk, jazz and blues — held together by the melodious tone of her rich contralto, with the end result being a unique and soulful hybrid. Her family tree (brother and folk-music luminary Loudon Wainwright, nephew Rufus Wainwright, nieces Martha Wainwright and Lucy Wainwright Roche) reads like a who’s who of contemporary folk music, while media has praised her as "...one of those singers whose performance is a force of nature." -Sing Out Magazine -
Sun, Dec 10th, 2017 1:00pmat South Huntington Public LibraryThe Folk Music Society of Huntington’s monthly Folk Jam/Song Circle/Sing-Along affords musicians and singers of all experience levels an opportunity to play, sing and hone their performance skills. Extending from 1-4 p.m. one Sunday a month at the South Huntington Public Library (145 Pidgeon Hill Road, Huntington Station), the Folk Jams are completely acoustic, unplugged events attended primarily by amateur musicians and those who love to sing, although visitors who just want to listen are also welcome. Song selections range across the broad folk milieu, but are often taken from the "Rise Up Singing" and "Rise Again" songbooks. Admission is free and open to the public. Participants are asked to bring their voices, acoustic instruments, and a snack/non-alcoholic beverage to share.
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Thu, Dec 21st, 2017 7:30pmat Cinema Arts Centre - Sky RoomTickets for this event are available at the Cinema Arts Centre on the day of the performance. Prices are $10 for FMSH and Cinema Arts Centre Members / $15 for Nonmembers. There are no advance tickets for this event. Singer-Songwriters Carolann Solebello and Rich Lanahan & Gerry McKeveny share the bill during the monthly Hard Luck Café series at the Cinema Arts Centre (423 Park Avenue, Huntington) on Thursday, Dec. 21. The 8:30 p.m. concert in the Cinema’s Sky Room will be preceded by an open mic at 7:30 p.m.An award-winning, New York City-born and bred performing songwriter, Carolann Solebello is best known to folk audiences as a founding member of the Americana trio Red Molly. She now tours as both a solo artist and with the modern folk quartet No Fuss and Feathers.
Rich Lanahan is a Long Island-based folk-rock and Americana style singer-songwriter who also has played lead guitar for other performing songwriters and for various alt-country bands – including Fourteen Feet and The WellDiggers. Gerry McKeveny is an acoustic singer-songwriter and guitarist who has also been part of the popular Long Island-based folk harmony trio Gathering Time for the past five years. Rosanne Cash once commented on the “beautiful, emotionally potent lyricism” of his work. -
Sat, Jan 6th, 2018 7:30pmat The Congregational Church of HuntingtonFormed in Sleepy Hollow, NY in the late 1990s, The Slambovian Circus of Dreams has achieved near legendary status as a pioneering alt-folk/Americana jam band, while remaining on the fringes of the music industry. The Slambovians’ lively late-night musical extravaganzas have made the band Falcon Ridge Folk Festival favorites for more than a decade. The music of The Slambovian Circus of Dreams has been variously described as “hillbilly-Floyd,” “folk-pop,” “alt-country, roots-rock,” and “surreal Americana” -- a clear indicator of its singularly indescribable uniqueness. Dancing freely between all existing religious and philosophical mythologies, the music is uplifting, empowering, at times haunting, and a lot of fun. Elements of The Incredible String Band, Dylan, Bowie, Neil Young and the Decemberists are all part of the musical mix. Fronted by songwriter Joziah Longo (vocals/guitar/harmonica), the band features guitarist/mandolin player Sharkey McEwen, multi-instrumentalist Tink Lloyd (accordion, cello, uke, theremin, melodica); and Felipe Torres (percussion). It’s impossible to capture in writing what the experience of seeing the Slambovians live is really like. Come see for yourselves. -
Sun, Jan 14th, 2018 1:00pmat South Huntington Public LibraryThe Folk Music Society of Huntington’s monthly Folk Jam/Song Circle/Sing-Along affords musicians and singers of all experience levels an opportunity to play, sing and hone their performance skills. Extending from 1-4 p. primarily by amateur musicians and those who love to sing, although visitors who just want to listen are also welcome.
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Tue, Jan 16th, 2018 7:30pmat Cinema Arts Centre - Cinema 1CoSponsored by the Folk Music Society of Huntington
Cinema Arts or FMSH Members $11 | Public $16 | Includes reception
Get cozy in Greenwich village, the stomping ground for several folk music greats in the 60s, such as Richie Havens, Janis Ian, and more!
The cold winter season seems a perfect time to celebrate some of the talents who brought their special insights and energy to the folk movement by performing in Greenwich Village, making New York City a Mecca for the folk music performers, especially those just starting their careers.
This program will showcase such artists as Richie Havens, Janis Ian, Chad Mitchell Trio, Melanie, Carly Simon, and more.
Approx. 120 minutes. -
Thu, Jan 18th, 2018 7:30pmat Cinema Arts Centre - Sky RoomUp-and-coming New York City-based singer-songwriters Joshua Garcia and Sophie Buskin will share some of their songs — preceded by an open mic. -
Sat, Feb 3rd, 2018 7:30pmat The Congregational Church of HuntingtonAbbie Gardner, the fiery dobro player with an infectious smile, is a founding member of the all-female Americana trio Red Molly. After gracing stages from Denver to Denmark, and from Australia to Austin, the band took an indefinite hiatus in 2015. Although the trio has slated some gigs for this year, Abbie is also having a blast doing gigs with different bands, backing up her friends and stepping out into the spotlight on her own. No stranger to solo performing, she has three CDs to draw from -- each with award-winning songs. Tales of love and loss, both gritty and sweet, ride the back of her by-now familiar and formidable slide guitar licks. She channels Lucinda and Bonnie, but remains pure Abbie. Her first songbook was published in December 2016, while a new solo release is slated for this winter. Abbie’s husband, Craig Akin, who performs with the Americana-roots quartet Roosevelt Dime, will accompany her on upright bass. Goodnight Moonshine features Molly Venter and her husband Eben Pariser -- consummate performers who have traveled nationally and internationally, performing 100+ shows a year with their respective bands Red Molly and Roosevelt Dime. Co-writing often, Eben and Molly explore what it means to be in a healthy authentic relationship; both wholesome and irreverant, they sing of joy and grief in equal measure. Molly’s voice bends from a sweet moan to a gritty shout and back into a playful run in the space of a few bars, and “ it all goes down like silk,” according to American Songwriter Magazine. “Few singers turn first-time listeners into eternal fanatics as effortlessly as Molly Venter.” The emotional potency of her voice is surrounded and supported by a lush landscape of harmonies and minimalist orchestrations conceived by Eben on vocals and electric guitar. -
Sun, Feb 11th, 2018 1:00pmat South Huntington Public LibraryThe Folk Music Society of Huntington’s monthly Folk Jam/Song Circle/Sing-Along affords musicians and singers of all experience levels an opportunity to play, sing and hone their performance skills. Extending from 1-4 p. primarily by amateur musicians and those who love to sing, although visitors who just want to listen are also welcome.
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Thu, Feb 15th, 2018 7:30pmat Cinema Arts Centre - Sky RoomTickets for this event are available at the Cinema Arts Centre on the day of the performance. Prices are $10 for FMSH and Cinema Arts Centre Members / $15 for Nonmembers. There are no advance tickets for this event.
Ray Lambiase has been writing and performing his own songs for a number of years. His 2016 release, The Ballad of Three-Finger Brown, received considerable folk radio airplay.
Bill Lauter, who accompanies his distinctive baritone voice on guitar, has a repertoire of songs and instrumentals from folk and popular musical traditions.
More information on the artists can be found on their respective websites: raylambiase.com and billlauter.000webhostapp.com. -
Sat, Mar 3rd, 2018 7:30pmat The Congregational Church of HuntingtonGrammy Lifetime Achievement Award winner and folk icon, Tom Paxton, teams up with the Grammy winning singer/songwriter duo The Don Juans - Don Henry & Jon Vezner. -
Sun, Mar 11th, 2018 1:00pmat South Huntington Public LibraryThe Folk Music Society of Huntington’s monthly Folk Jam/Song Circle/Sing-Along affords musicians and singers of all experience levels an opportunity to play, sing and hone their performance skills. Extending from 1-4 p. primarily by amateur musicians and those who love to sing, although visitors who just want to listen are also welcome.
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Thu, Mar 15th, 2018 7:30pmat Cinema Arts Centre - Sky RoomSinger-songwriters Emily Barnes and Emily Mure share the bill during the monthly Hard Luck Café series at the Cinema Arts Centre (423 Park Avenue, Huntington) on Thursday, March 15. The 8:30 p.m. concert in the Cinema’s Sky Room will be preceded by an open mic at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $15 ($10 for Cinema Arts Centre and Folk Music Society of Huntington members) and will be available at the door. Barnes, who lives in Colorado, and Mure, of New York City, both performed during the 2017 Huntington Folk Festival last summer at Heckscher Park and also had coveted juried semi-formal showcases during last November’s Northeast Regional Folk Alliance (NERFA) Conference in Stamford, CT. Barnes also was a finalist in the prestigious Kerrville New Folk Competition for Emerging Songwriters last year, while Mure was part of the 2017 Falcon ridge Folk Festival Emerging Artists Showcase and also opened concerts for and sang harmonies with singer-songwriter Joe Crookston last year. More information on the artists may be found on their respective websites: www.emilybarnesmusic.com and www.emilymure.com. -
Sat, Apr 7th, 2018 7:30pmat The Congregational Church of HuntingtonApril showers usually bring May flowers. But the Lilies are coming to Long Island a month early. Touring artists The Boxcar Lilies and Low Lily share an April 7 bill as part of the Folk Music Society of Huntington’s First Saturday Concerts series. The 8:30 p.m. concert at the Congregational Church of Huntington (30 Washington Drive, off Route 25A, Centerport) will be preceded by an open mic at 7:30 p.m. The Boxcar Lilies, an Americana duo from Massachusetts, has been wowing audiences with its vocal harmonies since forming as a trio in 2009. Combining spine-tingling harmony and exceptional songwriting, The Boxcar Lilies have made a name for themselves with their signature mix of folk, country, blues, and bluegrass-tinged Americana music. Jenny Goodspeed (electric bass, guitar, vocals) and Stephanie Marshall (washboard, guitar, vocals) deftly weave their voices into a delicious whole—a sound that is sometimes delicate, sometimes gritty, but always innovative and soul stirring. Their trademark harmonies may have put The Boxcar Lilies on the Americana music map, but their genuine and charming stage presence and off-the-cuff banter have helped keep them there. Low Lily, a New England-based string and vocal trio, explores the roots and branches of American folk music with traditional influences and modern inspiration. Liz Simmons (vocals and guitar), Flynn Cohen (vocals, guitar, and mandolin), and Lissa Schneckenburger (vocals and fiddle) are masterful players with deep relationships to traditional music styles -- ranging from bluegrass to Irish, Scottish, New England, and old-time Appalachian sounds. When you combine this with stellar composition skills and inventive arrangements, you get music that is rooted yet contemporary. As PopMatters notes, Low Lily has “an incredible knack for putting a little pop twist on a traditional folk/Americana sound.” In March, Low Lily released 10,000 Days Like These, its first full-length CD. The trio’s previous self-entitled EP was released in 2015. This will be Low Lily’s first LI concert appearance. -
Sun, Apr 8th, 2018 1:00pmat South Huntington Public LibraryThe Folk Music Society of Huntington’s monthly Folk Jam/Song Circle/Sing-Along affords musicians and singers of all experience levels an opportunity to play, sing and hone their performance skills. Extending from 1-4 p. primarily by amateur musicians and those who love to sing, although visitors who just want to listen are also welcome.
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Thu, Apr 19th, 2018 7:30pmat Cinema Arts Centre - Sky RoomNew England’s Americana sister act Ari & Mia (featuring award-winning songwriters Ariel and Mia Friedman) share a concert bill with Sea Cliff, NY-based folk-rock singer-songwriter Roger Street Friedman (their uncle) during the monthly Hard Luck Café series at the Cinema Arts Centre (423 Park Avenue, Huntington) on Thursday, April 19. The 8:30 p.m. concert in the Cinema’s Sky Room will be preceded by an open mic at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $15 ($10 for Cinema Arts Centre and Folk Music Society of Huntington members) and will be available at the door. -
Sat, May 5th, 2018 7:30pmat The Congregational Church of HuntingtonHailed as “the songwriter laureate of modern city folk” (The Boston Globe), Lucy Kaplansky is a New York City-based contemporary folk singer-songwriter whose recordings have frequently topped the folk and Americana radio charts. A Chicago native, Lucy began singing in bars while still a teenager – even traveling to Norway to perform as a country singer. After high school, she headed to NYC– where she immersed herself in the then-flourishing Greenwich Village folk scene of the 1980s before opting to pursue a doctorate in psychology and start a private practice. Shawn Colvin, her frequent duo partner during the 1980s, and on whose Grammy Award-winning album Steady On she harmonized, lured Lucy back into music and produced her debut album, The Tide (1994). Two of Lucy’s subsequent recordings – Ten Year Night and Every Single Day – were cited as Best Pop Album of the Year by the Association for Independent Music. In 1998, Lucy teamed up with Richard Shindell and Dar Williams to form the folk supergroup Cry Cry Cry. The trio embarked on a national tour of sold-out concerts in support of its critically acclaimed and commercially successful self-titled album and recently regrouped for a series of concert and festival gigs. She and Shindell also reunited a few years ago to record and perform as The Pine Hill Project. Lucy also has toured and recorded an album as part of Red Horse with her Red House Records labelmates Eliza Gilkyson and John Gorka. An in-demand harmony singer, Lucy may be heard on albums by such artists as Bryan Ferry, Nanci Griffith and Suzanne Vega, while her luminous voice has been featured in films and on television. She also sings on tribute albums to Greg Brown and Bob Dylan. Lucy Kaplansky has previously wowed FMSH audiences. Join us as we welcome her back to help celebrate our 50th anniversary. -
Thu, May 17th, 2018 7:30pmat Cinema Arts Centre - Sky RoomFreebo, a veteran singer-songwriter and musical sideman (best known as Bonnie Raitt’s bass player for 10 years), was impressed upon first hearing Alice Howe perform during the 2016 Northeast Regional Folk Alliance (NERFA) Conference. After reconnecting with the young, up-and-coming artist a few months later at the 2017 Folk Alliance International Conference in Kansas City, Freebo invited Alice to record a few songs with him in California – and a musical partnership was forged. They have been touring together and backing each other on their respective songs in concert, while Freebo is producing Howe’s forthcoming debut full-length album. Alice Howe: With her soulful, impeccably tuned voice and well-crafted poetic lyrics, Boston area-based singer-songwriter Alice Howe is “at once of the moment and timeless, personal and universal,” writes Mark Walton in Americana UK. Her pure, distilled sound reflects a musical sensibility rooted in 1960s folk and 1970s Southern California songwriters. Alice’s 2017 EP You've Been Away So Long features her original song “Homeland Blues,” which debuted at #1 on the international Folk DJ top songs chart in April 2017. She participated in last year’s Falcon Ridge Folk Festival Emerging Artist Showcase and has performed at such venerable Northeast venues as Club Passim, Caffè Lena, and Caramoor Center for Music and the Arts. “...I could listen to her sing for hours. Her voice is beautiful as a bell, classic in that Joan Baez way, transporting, wistful…her vocal mastery and musicality are beyond her young years and her songs stay in my head for days.” -Antje Duvekot, singer-songwriter “Up there with the very best of Mary Chapin Carpenter, Gretchen Peters and Dar Williams” – Folking.com. Freebo: Freebo is a genuine folk, rock and blues icon who, after more than 40 years of recording and touring with many of the great artists of our time (Bonnie Raitt, CSN, Maria Muldaur, John Mayall, Ringo Starr, Dr. John, Neil Young, and more) is regarded as one of today’s most gifted singer-songwriters. A multi-award winner and finalist in numerous songwriting contests, Freebo was recognized as the Best Folk Artist - 2007 in the Los Angeles Music Awards. He has appeared on Saturday Night Live, The Muppets Show, The Midnight Special, and in concert with the legendary Spinal Tap. Freebo’s compassionate concern for the world and people around him, as evidenced both in his lyrics and his open stage banter, has helped him connect with listeners worldwide. With “Standing Ovation,” he provides insights about what kind of positive mark we hope to leave on the world upon our own passing. Where you stand with your pets and your partner is explored in “She Loves My Dog More Than Me.” A musical evening with Freebo will be astute, clever, and truly melodic. "Freebo is more than one of LA's best players, he's also a richly gifted and distinctive songwriter, as expressive in his writing as on a bass" - Paul Zollo, Songwriters On Songwriting "Freebo's intimate and go-down-easy personable vocals tie in light-hearted fare, social commentary and spiritual quest with love-sweet-love, and make it sound seamless." - Janet Goodman, Music News Nashville -
Sun, May 20th, 2018 1:00pmat South Huntington Public LibraryThe Folk Music Society of Huntington’s monthly Folk Jam/Song Circle/Sing-Along affords musicians and singers of all experience levels an opportunity to play, sing and hone their performance skills. Extending from 1-4 p. primarily by amateur musicians and those who love to sing, although visitors who just want to listen are also welcome.
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Sat, Jun 2nd, 2018 7:30pmat The Congregational Church of HuntingtonSince 1999, James Maddock’s boldly vulnerable songwriting, honeyed rasp, and distinct folk and Americana aesthetic have garnered acclaim from icons, peers, and taste-making media outlets like NPR, American Songwriter Magazine, Relix Magazine, and CMT Edge. “James Maddock possesses the kind of lived-in, craggy voice that would sound authoritative if he were singing the sports pages,” notes Relix. “Fortunately, he doesn’t need to do that because his compositional skills are a match for his delivery.” His consistency as a recording artist and a captivating live performer has attracted a devoted fan-base. -
Sun, Jun 10th, 2018 1:00pmat South Huntington Public LibraryThe Folk Music Society of Huntington’s monthly Folk Jam/Song Circle/Sing-Along affords musicians and singers of all experience levels an opportunity to play, sing and hone their performance skills. Extending from 1-4 p. primarily by amateur musicians and those who love to sing, although visitors who just want to listen are also welcome.
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Thu, Jun 21st, 2018 7:30pmat Cinema Arts Centre - Cinema 1Cassandra House, who released her debut full-length CD, The Roam, earlier this month, writes largely introspective songs and delivers them in her soulful and mellifluous voice. She’s drawn comparisons to Patty Griffin, Kathleen Edwards and Neko Case.
Quarter Horse, a six-member ensemble, has been rapidly building a following on LI and beyond. Elements of folk, rock, alternative, country, blues, and jazz are all part of its Americana sound. -
Sat, Jun 23rd, 2018 12:00pmat Caramoor Center for Music and the ArtsThe American Roots Music Festival at Caramoor is an annual day-long family-friendly celebration of acoustic music. Set on 90 acres of gardens and Italianate architecture in Katonah, Westchester County, NY – 40 miles northeast of New York City — the Caramoor Center for Music and the Arts is well known for its summer music festivals. The Folk Music Society of Huntington is delighted to again be a Cultural Partner of the festival and will have a presence there. -
Mon, Jul 23rd, 2018 7:45pmat Eisenhower ParkSeveral dozen of Long Island’s top folk and rock musicians will take to the stage in Eisenhower Park in East Meadow on Monday, July 23 to once again fill the air with the music of Harry Chapin, the late singer, Grammy Award-winning songwriter and social activist at the annual “Just Wild About Harry” tribute concert. The Folk Music Society of Huntington is pleased to again be a cultural partner and in-kind co-sponsor of this concert.
Slated to begin at 7:30 p.m., the free show will feature 17 acts -- including concert organizer Stuart Markus and his group Gathering Time -- performing such Chapin classics as “Taxi” and “Cat’s in the Cradle,” plus many lesser hits and fan favorites like “Flowers Are Red” and “The Rock.”
Concertgoers are asked to bring donations of nonperishable food to support Long Island Cares, Inc., the regional food bank and humanitarian organization founded by Chapin in 1980. “The annual Harry Chapin Tribute Concert in Eisenhower Park is always a very special event for all of us at Long Island Cares because so many of Harry’s fans attend and are extremely supportive of Long Island Cares and the work we do to assist the more than 316,000 Long Islanders struggling with domestic hunger and high food insecurity,” said Paule Pachter, the nonprofit organization’s chief executive officer. “It’s hard to believe it’s been 37 years since Harry’s untimely passing. Stuart Markus and the other talented performers featured have been keeping Harry’s musical legacy very much alive on Long Island for so many years.”
Besides Gathering Time, this year’s artist roster includes newcomers Toby Tobias, Robinson Treacher, and Mike Barry; as well as “Just Wild About Harry” veterans Frank Walker & Robin Eve, Grand Folk Railroad, Friends on the Journey, Robin Greenstein, Sid Cherry & Helene Schreier Pandal, Patricia Shih, MediaCrime, Karen Bella, Christine Solimeno, Jerry DeMeo, Debra Lynne & Melanie Fink, and Joe Iadanza, “I’m always very happy to be able to bring in some new talent I’ve had my eye on for the past couple of years, and to welcome back people who have been in and out over the years,” Markus said.
Long Island Cares’ staff and volunteers will be collecting donations of non-perishable food at a tent at the entrance to The Harry Chapin Lakeside Theatre. They also will be selling tee shirts and Harry Chapin CDs and distributing literature about the nonprofit organization’s programs and services.
Guests should bring their own lawn chairs or picnic blankets to the park, which is located off Merrick and Stewart Avenues in East Meadow. The concert will be held rain or shine --precluded only by thunderstorms. More information may be found online at www.nassaucountyny.gov/1767/Parks-Recreation-Museums. -
Sun, Jul 29th, 2018 12:00pmat Heckscher Park - Chapin Rainbow StageLegendary folksinger-songwriter Tom Rush (accompanied by up-and-comer Matt Nakoa) headlines the 13th Annual Huntington Folk Festival on Sunday, July 29, at Heckscher Park, located off Main Street (Route 25A) and Prime Avenue, in Huntington Village. Extending from 12 noon to 10:30 p.m., the free event — co-presented by the Folk Music Society of Huntington and the Huntington Arts Council — is part of the 53rd Huntington Summer Arts Festival.
An on-stage song swap featuring Long Island’s own Miles & Mafale and Carolann Solebello will precede Rush’s evening performance on the park’s [Harry] Chapin Rainbow Stage. Prior to the featured concert at 8 p.m., FMSH President Michael Kornfeld’s AcousticMusicScene.com and Joltin’ Joe Pszonek’s Radio Nowhere will host unplugged showcases and song swaps from 12 noon to 6 p.m. These will take place near canopy tents on the upper lawn area overlooking the stage and will feature more than three-dozen artists/acts from New York and several other states. Daytime schedules have been posted online at www.AcousticMusicScene.com, www.HuntingtonArts.org and also appear in the details for this event. (click more info and tickets)
Artists who will showcase their talents during the afternoon include:
From Long Island: Acoustic Apple, Karen Bella, Rorie Kelly, Cathy Kreger, Lois Morton, Anne O'Rourke, Nico Padden, Steve Robinson, Hank Stone, Christine Sweeney, Toby Tobias, Bob Westcott.
From Elsewhere: Antonio Andrade (PA), Rick Barth (NJ), Belle of the Fall (CT), Kate Callahan (CT), Meghan Cary (PA), Greg Cornell & The Cornell Brothers (NY), Kala Farnham (CT), Loretta Hagen (NJ), Marion Halliday (PA), Lara Herscovitch (CT), Gina Holsopple (upstate NY), Mara Levine (NJ), The Lied To's (MA), Austin MacRae (upstate NY), Dennis MC DoNoUgh! (NJ), The Meadows Brothers (CT), Randie O'Neill (NJ), Open Book (upstate NY), The Promise is Hope (MA), Ed Romanoff (NYC), Katherine Rondeau (NJ), Allison Rose (RI), Eugene Ruffolo (NYC), Sparrow Blue (MA), Kate Vargas & the Reckless Daughters (NYC).
Festivalgoers are advised to bring lawn chairs and blankets and a picnic supper (or walk into Huntington Village and enjoy a meal at one of its many restaurants).
The Huntington Folk Festival caps a weekend of folk, roots and Americana concerts and musical events. Long Island talent is spotlighted on Friday night, July 27, with a shared bill featuring folk-harmony trio Gathering Time and singer-songwriter Kirsten Maxwell. On Saturday afternoon, July 28, from 2-5 p.m., Phil LoFaso and the duo Acoustic Apple host two hours of open song circles, followed by an hour-long audience participatory set of Pirate Tunes and Sailor Songs with Scuttlebutt Stu (Stuart Markus) on the hill overlooking the Chapin Rainbow Stage. The Jeremy Kittel Trio, fronted by the acclaimed fiddler, takes the stage at 8 p.m.
The Huntington Summer Arts Festival is produced by the Town of Huntington, presented by the Huntington Arts Council, and sponsored in part by the New York State Council for the Arts, the County of Suffolk and Canon U.S.A. y night, July 27, with a shared bill featuring folk-harmony trio Gathering Time and singer-songwriter Kirsten Maxwell. On Saturday afternoon, July 28, from 2-5 p.m., -
Sun, Sep 16th, 2018 1:00pmat South Huntington Public LibraryThe Folk Music Society of Huntington’s monthly Folk Jam/Song Circle/Sing-Along affords musicians and singers of all experience levels an opportunity to play, sing and hone their performance skills. Extending from 1-4 p.m. one Sunday a month at the South Huntington Public Library (145 Pidgeon Hill Road, Huntington Station), the Folk Jams are completely acoustic, unplugged events attended primarily by amateur musicians and those who love to sing, although visitors who just want to listen are also welcome. Song selections range across the broad folk milieu, but are often taken from the "Rise Up Singing" and "Rise Again" songbooks. Admission is free and open to the public. Participants are asked to bring their voices, acoustic instruments, and a snack/non-alcoholic beverage to share.
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Thu, Sep 20th, 2018 7:30pmat Cinema Arts Centre - Sky RoomClint Alphin, a Nashville-based singer-songwriter, shares a concert bill with Huntington’s own Kirsten Maxwell when the monthly Hard Luck Café series resumes on Thursday, Sept. 20. The 8:30 p.m. concert in the Cinema’s Sky Room will be preceded by an open mic at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $15 ($10 for Cinema Arts Centre or Folk Music Society of Huntington members) at the door.
Clint Alphin won the 2017 Telluride Troubadour Competition, a nationally recognized performing songwriter competition, and had the opportunity to perform a short set on the main stage during the annual Telluride Bluegrass Festival, a roots-oriented music festival set amid Colorado’s rugged San Juan Mountains. Alphin, who moved to Nashville in 2003, hails from North Carolina and cites James Taylor, a fellow Tar Heel State native, as a major influence. Previously a Telluride Troubadour finalist in 2013 and 2015, Alphin also was a finalist in the 2015 Chris Austin Songwriting Contest and in the 2015 Grassy Hill Kerrville New Folk Competition. His vocal and musical chops were on display during last year’s Huntington Folk Festival and in the Emerging Artist Showcase at the 2017 Falcon Ridge Folk Festival. More information on him may be found online at www.clintalphin.com.
No stranger to Long Island audiences, Kirsten Maxwell is a multi-faceted young artist who has drawn comparisons to such timeless singers as Joan Baez, Joni Mitchell and Judy Collins. Her vocal range and ability allow her to move seamlessly between genres, broadening the scope of her performances. A prolific songwriter, she has been steadily winning awards, drawing accolades, and building her fan base. An audience-voted Most Wanted to Return artist following the Grassy Hill Emerging Artist Showcase at the 2016 Falcon Ridge Folk Festival, Maxwell also was a winner of the South Florida Folk Festival Singer-Songwriter Competition that year and took first place in a contest sponsored by the Rhode Island Songwriters Association (RISA) in 2015. She also has earned juried official showcases at Northeast, Southeast and Southwest Regional Folk Alliance conferences and was part of NERFA Presents Young Folk showcases at the famed Mariposa and Philadelphia Folk Festivals. (www.kirstenmaxwell.com) -
Sat, Oct 6th, 2018 7:30pmat The Congregational Church of HuntingtonPatty Larkin, a performing songwriter with 14 recordings and more than 30 years of touring to her credit, redefines the boundaries of folk-pop music with her inventive guitar wizardry and uncompromising vocals and lyrics. Her live shows continue to wow audiences with her imaginative wit, writing and guitar artistry. She has been described as “riveting” (Chicago Tribune), “hypnotic” (Entertainment Weekly), and a “drop-dead brilliant” performer (Performing Songwriter).
Recently an Artist-in-Residence at Berklee College of Music in Boston (from which she also holds an Honorary Doctorate of Music), and now on the faculty at of the Fine Arts Work Center in Provincetown, MA, Patty reflects: “I have been energized by the poets, writers and artists I have met while teaching, and I find myself on a journey to break down some of the predictable pathways that songs can travel.” Her 2018 release, Song Poems, reflects that. She describes the album as “a collection of poems I have spontaneously, organically set to song.” That process has inspired Patty in her own songwriting and has reignited her love for the sound of words. “The act of making music from poetry has been a very joyful one,” she says. “And what a beautiful thing it is to make a joyful noise.”
Her Oct. 6 concert will be Patty Larkin’s second appearance for the Folk Music Society of Huntington. -
Sun, Oct 14th, 2018 1:00pmat South Huntington Public LibraryThe Folk Music Society of Huntington’s monthly Folk Jam/Song Circle/Sing-Along affords musicians and singers of all experience levels an opportunity to play, sing and hone their performance skills. Extending from 1-4 p.m. one Sunday a month at the South Huntington Public Library (145 Pidgeon Hill Road, Huntington Station), the Folk Jams are completely acoustic, unplugged events attended primarily by amateur musicians and those who love to sing, although visitors who just want to listen are also welcome. Song selections range across the broad folk milieu, but are often taken from the "Rise Up Singing" and "Rise Again" songbooks. Admission is free and open to the public. Participants are asked to bring their voices, acoustic instruments, and a snack/non-alcoholic beverage to share.
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Thu, Oct 18th, 2018 7:30pmat Cinema Arts Centre - Sky RoomFolk Music Society of Huntington’s Hard Luck Café series @ the Cinema Arts Centre (423 Park Ave., Huntington) features the popular folk-rock and Americana duo The Kennedys. At well over a million miles of roadwork, including two stints as members of Nanci Griffith’s Blue Moon Orchestra, Pete and Maura Kennedy show no signs of slowing down either on the road or in the creative realm. Life on the road and time spent in the creative ecosystem of New York’s East Village have informed their songwriting over the course of 14 duo albums and half a dozen side projects, and Safe Until Tomorrow, its May 2018 release, is true to that tradition. What sets the album apart is the inclusion of several anthemic, rocking songs of social consciousness that convey a strong message best summed up in one of the song titles: “Be Silent No More.” The 8:30 p.m. concert is preceded by an open mic at 7:30 p.m. Tickets: $15 ($10 for Cinema or FMSH members) at the box office. -
Sat, Nov 3rd, 2018 7:30pmat The Congregational Church of HuntingtonIn the long, rich history of family groups in American roots music, the Chapins have a special place. Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter Tom Chapin, who previously performed for FMSH a few years ago, returns to share the stage with The Chapin Sisters -- the singer-songwriter duo comprised of his daughters Lily and Abigail. In this rare joint performance, they will sing their own original and traditional songs, as well as classics by Tom’s brother and their uncle, the late Harry Chapin. Selections from their respective recent releases, At The Turning Point and Ferry Boat, will be featured during the evening.
Hailed as “one of the great personalities in contemporary folk music” by The New York Times, Tom Chapin’s illustrious career spans five decades, 26 albums and three Grammys. He has covered an incredible amount of creative ground – maintaining two long and productive parallel musical vocations, both as a respected contemporary folk artist and a pioneer in the field of children’s music. Earlier this year, Tom was named Best Male Artist in the 2018 International Acoustic Music Awards.
Making music that a critic for The New York Times lauded as “tantalizingly close to beauty,” The Chapin Sisters carry on a proud family musical legacy. Since 2005, the sisters have garnered critical acclaim by forging a distinctive musical imprint in which they “wed lilting voices, dynamically complex vocal harmonies, and folk-influenced melodies to dark, wryly sarcastic lyrical content,” notes Amazon.com in an editorial review.
Donations of canned and other non-perishable food items will be collected for Long Island Cares - The Harry Chapin Food Bank. -
Sun, Nov 11th, 2018 1:00pmat South Huntington Public LibraryThe Folk Music Society of Huntington’s monthly Folk Jam/Song Circle/Sing-Along affords musicians and singers of all experience levels an opportunity to play, sing and hone their performance skills. Extending from 1-4 p.m. one Sunday a month at the South Huntington Public Library (145 Pidgeon Hill Road, Huntington Station), the Folk Jams are completely acoustic, unplugged events attended primarily by amateur musicians and those who love to sing, although visitors who just want to listen are also welcome. Song selections range across the broad folk milieu, but are often taken from the "Rise Up Singing" and "Rise Again" songbooks. Admission is free and open to the public. Participants are asked to bring their voices, acoustic instruments, and a snack/non-alcoholic beverage to share.
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Thu, Nov 15th, 2018 7:30pmat Cinema Arts Centre - Sky RoomTouring singer-songwriters Rachael Kilgour and Jesse Terry share the bill during the monthly Hard Luck Café series at the Cinema Arts Centre (423 Park Avenue, Huntington) on Thursday, Nov. 15. The 8:30 p.m. concert in the cinema’s Sky Room will be preceded by an open mic at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $15 ($10 for Cinema Arts Centre and Folk Music Society of Huntington members) and will be available at the door.
Rachael Kilgour is a passionate and engaging Minnesota-born and Boston-based performing artist whose songs merge the personal and political. Her sincere lyric-driven work has been called both brave and humane. A 2015 grand-prize winner of the esteemed international NewSong Music Performance & Songwriting Competition and a winner of the prestigious Kerrville New Folk Competition in 2017, she has performed at NYC’s Lincoln Center, The Kennedy Center in Washington, DC, and the ASCAP Music Café during the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah.
“When Rachael performs, a force of nature erupts,” writes Richard Cuccaro in an Acoustic Live! in New York City and Beyond cover feature. “She unleashes a palpable torrent of passion, whether singing about social justice or a searing personal revelation….The missives from her heart will win yours.” For more information, visit www.rachaelkilgour.com.
“Jesse Terry is a gentle soul with a formidable songwriting talent and a clear artistic vision,” says John Platt, host of Sunday Supper on New York’s WFUV.
A true musical journeyman, he has made it his mission to share his love of music fully and completely, without regard for shading his emotions or tempering his convictions. By his own definition, the Connecticut-based performing artist has never been a cautious individual, but rather one who finds inspiration and optimism in the solace and joy that making music brings him and which he can impart to others both through his recordings (five albums and an EP to date) and his live performances throughout the U.S., Europe, Greenland, and New Zealand. More information may be found online at www.jesseterrymusic.com. -
Sat, Dec 1st, 2018 7:30pmat The Congregational Church of HuntingtonFMSH Members Invitational Showcase featuring Steve Robinson, Joe Iadanza, Nico Padden, Cassandra House, and Toby Tobias.
Steve Robinson
Steve, winner of the 2007 Long Island Blues Society's Blues Challenge, is a native Long Islander. He has been a carpenter, high school English teacher, commercial shell fisherman, truck driver, landscape crew foreman, air traffic controller, union rep., and computer programmer (and those are just some of the jobs). “It hasn’t been dull”, as Ellen, his wife of 39 years, puts it. What he is now is one hell of a songwriter, guitarist, singer, and performer. Steve is a self-taught guitarist and has developed his own unique finger style combining driving rhythms with tasteful licks.
Joe Iadanza
Born of Italian immigrants and union activists, JOE IADANZA understands the passionate struggle of the American dream. Recalling Springsteen, Leonard Cohen, and Cat Stevens, this Long Island native’s music is rooted in classic folk: honest and raw. Iadanza has been heralded for his deeply personal songwriting, and fluid, percussive guitar playing. He continues to work with artists as a producer and songwriting coach, including with Americana artist, Carolann Solebello on her newest release, “Shiver”; and on Spuyten Duyvil’s “The Social Music Hour, Vol. 1”, which was nominated by the folk community for an ‘Album of the Year’ award. Look for a string of new original singles, Including the just-released “Thunder Road” and “Wrecking Ball”. Joe will be on the road with solo and co-bill shows beginning this fall. http://www.JoeIadanza.com
Nico Padden
Nico Padden is a one-woman folk-rock riot. Born and raised in a musician family in Farmingdale, NY, Nico was groomed from a young age for an operatic career. After graduating conservatory, she rejected the classical music path to forge on her own as a singer-songwriter. Her original music and voice have been compared to the likes of Brandi Carlile, Alanis Morisette, and Joni Mitchell.
Her catchy, heartfelt songs and fiery, soulful voice are crowd-pleasers everywhere she performs. A current resident of Queens, Nico has built up a supportive local New York following. She is currently touring the East Coast in support of her 2016 album entitled A Light in the Dark, which has had play on Folk Radio. Her song "White Flag," has been featured on WFUV's Sunday Supper show.
Cassandra House
Cassandra House is an Indie-Folk singer & songwriter hailing from Long Island, NY. Her passionate instrumentation and introspective lyrics have been a crowd favorite for fans of original music on the island & across the U.S. Cassandra's music has been described as comparable to the likes of Patty Griffin, Brandi Carlile & Kathleen Edwards.
Cassandra has been seen on stage with the likes of Amy Helm, Todd Schaeffer (of Railroad Earth), G.Love, Jen Chapin, Shannon McNally, Lucy Kaplansky, Andy Falco (of the Infamous Stringdusters) and Papadosio. Cassandra has played The Great South Bay Music Festival for 6 years (where she has shared a stage in the past with Railroad Earth, Colin Hay, Graham Nash, and Rusted Root), Falcon Ridge Folk Festival, Resonance Music Festival, Bradstock, The American Music Festival, and Brooklyn Bowl to rave reviews.
Her newest album, 'The Roam' is available on Spotify, Apple Music, iTunes, CD Baby & on the 'STORE' link on this website.
Toby Tobias
Born and raised in Johannesburg, South Africa, Toby has immersed himself in many genres of American Music while never leaving behind his roots in the rhythms and melodies of his homeland. His keen ear for intuitive arrangements is a hallmark of his writing and performance, and he has garnered a strong following on Long Island and in the tri-state area. He recently returned from his U.S tour of “One man’s struggle to find freedom for the rest of us – Journey From Johannesburg”. -
Sun, Dec 9th, 2018 1:00pmat South Huntington Public LibraryThe Folk Music Society of Huntington’s monthly Folk Jam/Song Circle/Sing-Along affords musicians and singers of all experience levels an opportunity to play, sing and hone their performance skills. Extending from 1-4 p.m. one Sunday a month at the South Huntington Public Library (145 Pidgeon Hill Road, Huntington Station), the Folk Jams are completely acoustic, unplugged events attended primarily by amateur musicians and those who love to sing, although visitors who just want to listen are also welcome. Song selections range across the broad folk milieu, but are often taken from the "Rise Up Singing" and "Rise Again" songbooks. Admission is free and open to the public. Participants are asked to bring their voices, acoustic instruments, and a snack/non-alcoholic beverage to share.
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Thu, Dec 20th, 2018 7:30pmat Cinema Arts Centre - Sky RoomConnecticut-based artists Belle of the Fall and Kate Callahan share the bill during the monthly Hard Luck Café series at the Cinema Arts Centre (423 Park Avenue, Huntington) on Thursday, Dec. 20. Both acts showcased their talents during this summer’s Huntington Folk Festival. The 8:30 p.m. concert in the cinema’s Sky Room will be preceded by an open mic at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $15 ($10 for Cinema Arts Centre and Folk Music Society of Huntington members) and will be available at the door.
Belle of the Fall is Tracy Walton and Julia Autumn Ford – an indie folk-rock pop alternative Americana duo. The two met when Walton produced Ford’s solo debut album in 2014 at his studio and spent the better part of the next year touring together as solo artists. They began to play on each other’s sets and sang harmonies together before becoming a duo in 2015. Walton’s weathered voice and upright bass complement Ford’s angelic vocals. Belle of the Fall has released two albums – Earthbound and Rise Up – both recorded at Walton’s On Deck Sound Studio, where Ford also now works -- so when they are not touring or working on their own projects, they are working with other artists.
Kate Callahan was Connecticut’s official State Troubadour from 2016-2018, which afforded her the opportunity to travel and perform music throughout the state. She is among the most awarded singer-songwriters in her home state – having been named the Hartford Courant’s Woman of Character and Best Singer-Songwriter in the 2017 CT Now readers poll, among other honors. Her live performances feature soulful, optimistic and uplifting original music – including songs about the earth, gratitude, marriage, love, and spirit -- plus select songs by Leonard Cohen and Bob Dylan. Callahan, who loves to use her voice to tell stories and weave anecdotes about the healing power of music throughout her concerts, also has a vocal empowerment coaching business. She recently released Triumph. -
Sat, Jan 5th, 2019 7:30pmat The Congregational Church of Huntington
Guy Davis once said: “I like antiques and old things, old places, that still have he dust of those who’ve gone before us lying upon them.” Blowing that dust off just enough to see its beauty is something Guy Davis has excelled at for more than 20 years of songwriting and performing. It’s no wonder his reverence for the blues masters who’ve gone before him has been evident in every album he’s ever recorded or concert he’s given.
Davis’s musical storytelling has been influenced by artists like Blind Willie McTell and Big Bill Broonzy, while his musicality draws inspiration from such artists as Lightnin’ Hopkins, Babatunde Olatunji and Sonny Terry (to whom he pays homage on his album, Sonny & Brownie’s Last Train).
The son of Ossie Davis and Ruby Dee, Guy Davis has spent his musical life carrying his message of the blues around the world — from the Equator to the Arctic Circle — earning him the title “A Ambassador of the Blues. His work as an actor, author, and music teacher earmark him as a renaissance man of the blues. Guy Davis previously graced the FMSH stage in 2006, and we are pleased to welcome him back. http://guydavis.com/wp/
Vance Gilbert is not merely a talented singer-songwriter, but a consummate entertainer who possesses “the voice of an angel, the wit of a devil, and the guitar playing of a god.” ( Fort Worth Star-Telegram)
With his engaging personality, wonderful biting wit, soulful and resonant tenor voice, and solid songwriting and performance skills, Vance Gilbert has been impressing audiences since emerging on the Northeast singer-songwriter scene during the early 1990s. A former multicultural arts teacher and jazz singer from the Philadelphia suburbs, he began playing open mics in the Boston area and soon attracted the attention of singer-songwriter Shawn Colvin. She invited him to be a special guest on a 1992 tour in support of her Fat City album. Gilbert has since released many albums of his own, toured extensively, and opened tours for the late comedian George Carlin. His songwriting and performance clinics at the Falcon Ridge Folk Festival, Northeast Regional Folk Alliance (NERFA) conferences, and the Rocky Mountain Song School have drawn rave reviews from attendees— as have his previous performances for FMSH and as a co-headliner during the 2010 Huntington Folk Festival.
http://www.vancegilbert.com/ -
Thu, Jan 17th, 2019 7:30pmat Cinema Arts Centre - Sky RoomTwo young groups from the New York metro area, All Types of Kinds and Kate Vargas & The Reckless Daughters, share the bill during the monthly Hard Luck Café series at the Cinema Arts Centre (423 Park Avenue, Huntington) on Thursday, Jan. 17. The 8:30 p.m. concert in the cinema’s Sky Room will be preceded by an open mic at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $15 ($10 for Cinema Arts Centre and Folk Music Society of Huntington members) and will be available at the door.
All Types of Kinds (ATOK) is a four-piece band with an apt moniker. This high-energy group performs an eclectic mix of music, ranging from folk to rap and nearly everything in between. ATOK is not a “boy band,” although its members joke that they are a “man-band.” And while they don’t have any planned choreography, all play instruments and write songs. The group’s members harmonize on both originals and choice covers, have a bit of a rock vibe, and it’s not uncommon for a smart rap to artfully make its way into a song.
From gigs in their home state of New York, to a recent summer tour in California followed by shows all over New England and down the coast to South Carolina, ATOK is building a fan base that can’t seem to get enough of its brand of music. Comprised of Billy Conahan, Ray Rubio, Rocco Stroker, and Berk O, ATOK takes its cues from the audience -- so that no two shows are ever the same.
A reformed wild child, in recent years Kate Vargas has traded the party for meditation, yoga, and a renewed focus on what she values most—her music. The New Mexico-raised, NYC-based artist is building ever more mindfully on her sound, and the music press is taking notice -- with Vargas earning praise from journalists at such media outlets as Billboard, NPR and the Huffington Post.
Vargas has packed houses from Ireland’s Westport Folk and Bluegrass Festival to The Troubadour in London, The Mansion on O Street in Washington D.C. to New York’s Bowery Electric. As evidenced on her most recent album, For The Wolfish & Wandering, which features Vargas singular folk-style storytelling, her songs are grounded in a darkly melodic, reverb-washed sonic palette of dream-pop, dusty folk and junkyard blues -- all carried by Vargas’ rough-hewn vocals and guitar playing. In equal measure, she channels a surprising array of artists -- from Tom Waits and 16 Horsepower to Lana Del Rey and K. Flay. She also cites Nina Simone as a musical influence. Joining Vargas in concert are her bandmates, The Reckless Daughters. -
Sun, Jan 20th, 2019 1:00pmat South Huntington Public LibraryThe Folk Music Society of Huntington’s monthly Folk Jam/Song Circle/Sing-Along affords musicians and singers of all experience levels an opportunity to play, sing and hone their performance skills. Extending from 1-4 p.m. one Sunday a month at the South Huntington Public Library (145 Pidgeon Hill Road, Huntington Station), the Folk Jams are completely acoustic, unplugged events attended primarily by amateur musicians and those who love to sing, although visitors who just want to listen are also welcome. Song selections range across the broad folk milieu, but are often taken from the "Rise Up Singing" and "Rise Again" songbooks. Admission is free and open to the public. Participants are asked to bring their voices, acoustic instruments, and a snack/non-alcoholic beverage to share.
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Sat, Feb 2nd, 2019 7:30pmat The Congregational Church of HuntingtonAmericana roots, rhythm and harmony quartet Rani Arbo & daisy mayhem has toured North America for 18 years — visiting coffeehouses, performing arts centers and festivals (including the Newport Folk Festival and the California World Music Festival, among others).
The band brings fiddle, guitar, bass and junk percussion to 100 years of American music that ranges from Appalachian ballads and Georgia Sea Islands tunes to Springsteen covers, songs by contemporary writers, and incisive originals. Its sound is “tight, with stylish, unexpected choices” (Acoustic Guitar), a mix of New Orleans grooves, old-time gospel harmonies, bluesy swing fiddle, and fiery electric and acoustic guitar. All four-band members sing lead, with Arbo’s alto at the helm. Rani Arbo & daisy mayhem has released seven CDs on Signature Sounds. Wintersong (2016) is its most recent release.
“Rani Arbo & daisy mayhem dig deep into their collective souls, finding joy in the moment, peace in the harmonies, and rapture in the rhythmic drive.” (The Hartford Courant).
More information on the band may be found online at raniarbo.com. -
Sun, Feb 10th, 2019 1:00pmat South Huntington Public LibraryThe Folk Music Society of Huntington’s monthly Folk Jam/Song Circle/Sing-Along affords musicians and singers of all experience levels an opportunity to play, sing and hone their performance skills. Extending from 1-4 p.m. one Sunday a month at the South Huntington Public Library (145 Pidgeon Hill Road, Huntington Station), the Folk Jams are completely acoustic, unplugged events attended primarily by amateur musicians and those who love to sing, although visitors who just want to listen are also welcome. Song selections range across the broad folk milieu, but are often taken from the "Rise Up Singing" and "Rise Again" songbooks. Admission is free and open to the public. Participants are asked to bring their voices, acoustic instruments, and a snack/non-alcoholic beverage to share.
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Thu, Feb 21st, 2019 7:30pmat Cinema Arts Centre - Sky RoomBryan Gallo and Anne O’Rourke, two young Long Island-based singer-songwriters, share the bill during the monthly Hard Luck Café series at the Cinema Arts Centre (423 Park Avenue, Huntington) on Thursday, February 21. The 8:30 p.m. concert in the cinema’s Sky Room will be preceded by an open mic at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $15 ($10 for Cinema Arts Centre and Folk Music Society of Huntington members) and will be available at the door.
Bryan Gallo is inspired by the pressures and consequences of living life romantically. Intrigued by both the sounds of alternative country-rock and wistful pop music, he embarked on a career as a performing singer-songwriter and began to pen songs that are deeply personal but still readily accessible. Steeped in reflective heartache, the lexicon of Gallo’s lyrics stands as a testament to his raw talent as a musician while weaving a flush and relatable narrative.
Gallo has performed at such noted venues as The Vail Leavitt Theater in Riverhead and the historic Guild Hall on LI’s East End; notable NYC clubs including Arlene’s Grocery, Pianos, and The Mercury Lounge; as well as at the Great South Bay Music Festival and the Montauk Music Festival. He released his debut album, The Party Guest, in late 2014 and a holiday-themed EP a year later. (www.bryangallo.com)
Anne O’Rourke hails from LI’s North Fork. Her music blends her love of indie, folk and musical theater, while her songs are about personal growth and reshaping the narrative into something positive. O’Rourke studied violin as a child, picked up her first guitar at age 14, and began writing songs at the urging of her instructor. Her passion for music and songwriting extends beyond the stage and into the classrooms of preschoolers with special needs, where she works as board-certified music therapist.
New to the music scene, O’Rourke showcased her talents during last summer’s Huntington Folk Festival and the Fresh Brewed Sessions Concert Series, and she also was featured on 90.1 FM’s Homegrown Long Island. Her debut self-titled EP - recorded with Huntington’s own Kirsten Maxwell and Carley Ridini (Car Astor) - was just released this winter. (www.anneorourkemusic.com) -
Sat, Mar 2nd, 2019 7:30pmat The Congregational Church of HuntingtonFreebo, a veteran singer-songwriter and musical sideman (who was Bonnie Raitt’s bass player for 10 years), was impressed upon first hearing Alice Howe perform during the 2016 Northeast Regional Folk Alliance (NERFA) Conference. After reconnecting with the talented newcomer at the 2017 Folk Alliance International Conference, Freebo invited Howe to record a few songs with him in California – and a musical partnership was forged. Each a compelling performer in their own right, they have been touring together and backing each other on their respective songs in concert, while Freebo produced Howe’s debut full-length album, Visions.
With her soulful, impeccably tuned voice and well-crafted poetic lyrics, Boston area-based singer-songwriter Alice Howe has a pure, distilled sound that reflects a musical sensibility rooted in 1960s folk and 1970s Southern California songwriters. Howe’s 2017 EP You've Been Away So Long features her original song “Homeland Blues,” which debuted at #1 on the international Folk DJ top songs chart in April 2017. She participated in that year’s Falcon Ridge Folk Festival Emerging Artist Showcase and has earned coveted official juried showcases during the conferences of two regional affiliates of Folk Alliance International.
After more than 40 years of recording and touring with many of the great artists of our time (Bonnie Raitt, CSN, Maria Muldaur, John Mayall, Ringo Starr, Dr. John, Neil Young, and more), Freebo has come into his own as a singer-songwriter. A multi-award winner and finalist in numerous songwriting contests, Freebo was recognized as the Best Folk Artist - 2007 in the Los Angeles Music Awards. He has appeared on Saturday Night Live, The Muppets Show, The Midnight Special, and in concert with the legendary Spinal Tap.
Alicehowe.com, Freebomusic.com -
Sun, Mar 10th, 2019 1:00pmat South Huntington Public LibraryThe Folk Music Society of Huntington’s monthly Folk Jam/Song Circle/Sing-Along affords musicians and singers of all experience levels an opportunity to play, sing and hone their performance skills. Extending from 1-4 p.m. one Sunday a month at the South Huntington Public Library (145 Pidgeon Hill Road, Huntington Station), the Folk Jams are completely acoustic, unplugged events attended primarily by amateur musicians and those who love to sing, although visitors who just want to listen are also welcome. Song selections range across the broad folk milieu, but are often taken from the "Rise Up Singing" and "Rise Again" songbooks. Admission is free and open to the public. Participants are asked to bring their voices, acoustic instruments, and a snack/non-alcoholic beverage to share.
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Thu, Mar 21st, 2019 7:30pmat Cinema Arts Centre - Sky RoomFunny Folk: Two New Jersey-based comical singer-songwriters -- Dennis MC DoNoUgh! And Carla Ulbrich -- share the bill during the monthly Hard Luck Café series at the Cinema Arts Centre (423 Park Avenue, Huntington, NY) on Thursday, March 21. ... more -
Sat, Apr 6th, 2019 7:30pmat The Congregational Church of HuntingtonDue to circumstances beyond our control, the First Saturday Concert featuring Cheryl Wheeler has been cancelled at the request of the performer.
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Sun, Apr 14th, 2019 1:00pmat South Huntington Public LibraryThe Folk Music Society of Huntington’s monthly Folk Jam/Song Circle/Sing-Along affords musicians and singers of all experience levels an opportunity to play, sing and hone their performance skills. Extending from 1-4 p.m. one Sunday a month at the South Huntington Public Library (145 Pidgeon Hill Road, Huntington Station), the Folk Jams are completely acoustic, unplugged events attended primarily by amateur musicians and those who love to sing, although visitors who just want to listen are also welcome. Song selections range across the broad folk milieu, but are often taken from the "Rise Up Singing" and "Rise Again" songbooks. Admission is free and open to the public. Participants are asked to bring their voices, acoustic instruments, and a snack/non-alcoholic beverage to share.
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Thu, Apr 18th, 2019 7:30pmat Cinema Arts Centre - Sky RoomTonight's Hard Luck Cafe concert at the Cinema Arts Centre has been canceled. Sean Altman of The Everly Set woke up this morning with a fever and no voice.
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Sat, May 4th, 2019 7:30pmat The Congregational Church of HuntingtonPete Seeger, the inspirational American folksinger, political activist, environmentalist and humanitarian – whose songs helped provide a musical backdrop for many of the historical movements of the 1960s through the early 2000s – would have turned 100 on May 3. Although he left us in January 2014 at the age of 94, his spirit and his songs – both those he wrote and those he helped to popularize – live on.
To mark the centennial of his birth, we have invited some talented Long Island -based artists to perform some of Pete’s songs, along with a few of their own. In the spirit of Pete, audience members who know the lyrics will be invited to join in. Singing along is part of the folk tradition. -
Sun, May 12th, 2019 1:00pmat South Huntington Public LibraryThe Folk Music Society of Huntington’s monthly Folk Jam/Song Circle/Sing-Along affords musicians and singers of all experience levels an opportunity to play, sing and hone their performance skills. Extending from 1-4 p.m. one Sunday a month at the South Huntington Public Library (145 Pidgeon Hill Road, Huntington Station), the Folk Jams are completely acoustic, unplugged events attended primarily by amateur musicians and those who love to sing, although visitors who just want to listen are also welcome. Song selections range across the broad folk milieu, but are often taken from the "Rise Up Singing" and "Rise Again" songbooks. Admission is free and open to the public. Participants are asked to bring their voices, acoustic instruments, and a snack/non-alcoholic beverage to share.
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Tue, May 14th, 2019 7:30pmat Cinema Arts Centre - Cinema 1FMSH joins with the Cinema Arts Centre in co-presenting the latest installment in Bill Shelley’s Music Legends Live series at the Cinema on Tuesday, May 14, at 7:30 p.m. Entitled Joni Mitchell: Happy 75th Birthday Celebration, this special program will feature archival footage of the Songbird of Saskatchewan performing some of her classic songs – including “Big Yellow Taxi,” “Both Sides Now,” “Chelsea Morning” and “Woodstock.”
After starting out performing folk songs in Canadian cafes and bars, Joni Mitchell migrated to California in the mid-1960s. There she befriended fellow musician David Crosby of The Byrds, who helped her to secure a record deal. Success followed with Judy Collins’ recording of “Both Sides Now,” before Joni found superstardom with her song “Woodstock” – made famous by Crosby Stills Nash and Young. Buoyed by the success of her albums Ladies of the Canyon and Blue, Joni became the decade’s most accomplished female singer-songwriter. She also used her skills as a painter to design numerous album covers for herself and others. Ever changing and challenging herself as a musician, Joni also experimented with jazz, fusion and electronica during the 1970s and beyond.
Tickets for this special event, which also includes a discussion and a reception afterwards, are $16 ($11 for CAC and FMSH members) and may be purchased in advance or at the door. -
Thu, May 16th, 2019 7:30pmat Cinema Arts Centre - Sky RoomAward-winning songwriters Lipkin & Hitt and Eugene Ruffolo share a bill during the monthly Hard Luck Café series at the Cinema Arts Centre (423 Park Avenue, Huntington, NY) on Thursday, May 16. The 8:30 p.m. concert in the cinema’s Sky Room will be preceded by an open mic at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $15 ($10 for Cinema Arts Centre and Folk Music Society of Huntington members) and will be available at the door.
Lipkin & Hitt: Pittsburgh’s Jay Hitt, an acoustic guitar-playing troubadour, has teamed up with New York’s Lisa Lipkin, a truth-seeking piano songstress to craft a musical world that is insightful, tuneful, often playful, and sheer delight. Since their meeting in 2012, Lipkin & Hitt have graced all manner of stages and continue to enchant and entertain audiences wherever they go.
Hitt -- who has a talent for vivid storytelling, combined with crisp and delicate acoustic melodies -- has twice been named Best Acoustic Musician by readers of the Pittsburgh City Paper and has received numerous songwriting awards. In addition to recording several albums and touring in support of them, his stage credits include Pittsburgh Light Opera productions of Always, Patsy Cline and Ring of Fire (a Johnny Cash revue). Lipkin’s songs have received such prizes as first place in a New York State Contest for Environmental Awareness and have been featured In the Tami Gold documentary, Passionate Politics. Her production credits include an award-winning children’s CD by Christine Pepe and Hitt’s Greetings from the Wilderness.
Eugene Ruffolo, perhaps best known to LI audiences as part of the Cosmic Orchestra during the monthly Soulful Sundown series in Manhasset, is a prolific and deeply personal NYC-based singer-songwriter. A first-prize winner in both the prestigious Telluride Bluegrass and Merlefest songwriting competitions, he is currently working on his eighth studio album. His previous recordings have received worldwide critical acclaim.
In addition to his original work, Ruffolo’s vocal talents, which a writer for Rolling Stone called “utterly intriguing,” have made him a favorite of many prominent artists with whom he has shared stages. Both in the studio and in live performance, he has worked with such diverse artists as Tony Bennett, Garth Brooks, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Kenny Loggins, Run DMC, Spyro Gyra, Livingston Taylor, Cheryl Wheeler, and David Wilcox. Ruffolo’s voice has been featured in numerous Hollywood films, and he has worked with noted director/producers Brian De Palma, George Lucas, Ennio Morricone, and Martin Scorcese. -
Sat, Jun 1st, 2019 7:30pmat The Congregational Church of Huntington"Susan Werner, a clever songwriter and engaging performer, brings literacy and wit back to popular song,” according to The New Yorker, while the Chicago Tribune has aptly hailed her as “one of the most innovative songwriters working today.”A favorite of FMSH audiences, Werner has never been one to adhere to just one musical style. A gifted singer-songwriter, who accompanies herself on both guitar and piano, she is known for her musical versatility and for her witty repartee during live performances. The classically trained and jazz-inspired Iowa native, who now calls Chicago home, has been delighting our concert and festival audiences for more than two decades. ... more
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Sun, Jun 9th, 2019 1:00pmat South Huntington Public LibraryThe Folk Music Society of Huntington’s monthly Folk Jam/Song Circle/Sing-Along affords musicians and singers of all experience levels an opportunity to play, sing and hone their performance skills. Extending from 1-4 p.m. one Sunday a month at the South Huntington Public Library (145 Pidgeon Hill Road, Huntington Station), the Folk Jams are completely acoustic, unplugged events attended primarily by amateur musicians and those who love to sing, although visitors who just want to listen are also welcome. Song selections range across the broad folk milieu, but are often taken from the "Rise Up Singing" and "Rise Again" songbooks. Admission is free and open to the public. Participants are asked to bring their voices, acoustic instruments, and a snack/non-alcoholic beverage to share.
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Thu, Jun 20th, 2019 7:30pmat Cinema Arts Centre - Sky RoomA pair of tickets to the Falcon Ridge Folk Festival (August 2-4) (Value $350) will be given to the winner of tonight's raffle.
Kyle Hancharick and Monica Rizzio, two touring singer-songwriters, whose music veers towards the Americana/country edge of folk, share a bill during the monthly Hard Luck Café series at the Cinema Arts Centre (423 Park Avenue, Huntington, NY) on Thursday, June 20. The 8:30 p.m. concert in the cinema’s Sky Room will be preceded by an open mic at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $15 ($10 for Cinema Arts Centre and Folk Music Society of Huntington members) and will be available at the door.
For Kyle Hancharick of Warwick, New York, it’s always been about the music. His passionate performances are punctuated by a crisp acoustic guitar and soaring tenor vocals , as revealed in his 2018 EP entitled Breathe. The four-song project consists solely of acoustic guitar, bass and vocals – and that’s all that’s needed for an artist whose roots are planted in contemporary folk music. Hancharick takes the world, processes it and turns it into song with his own special touch. He has a unique take on things and a view of the world others may not necessarily notice as he continues to grow as an artist – sharing his story and messages of love and peace. (kylehancharick.com).
Monica Rizzio grew up in the East Texas plains and moved to Cape Cod in 2004. The locals call someone who moves to but was not born on the Cape a Washashore – and the former Tripping Lily front woman’s acclaimed 2016 debut solo release was appropriately called Washashore Cowgirl. Rizzio blends Americana, bluegrass, country and folk song stylings into what she likes to call AmeriCountryGrass, Although she is the founder and co-owner of a roots-based music school on the Cape and also launched a nonprofit music production company (Vinegrass) that raises money for scholarships, instruments, and grants through concerts and an annual roots-music festival, Rizzio feels most at home when she is on stage sharing her songs. Says Tom Rush, an iconic folk artist with whom she’s previously performed: “I made the tactical error of inviting Monica Rizzio to share the stage with me at Symphony Hall and she went and stole the audience right out from under me.” (monicarizzio.com) -
Mon, Jul 15th, 2019 7:00pmat Eisenhower ParkFor the 15th straight year, more than two dozen of Long Island’s top folk and rock musicians will take to the stage in Eisenhower Park in East Meadow to perform the music of Harry Chapin, the late singer, Grammy Award-winning songwriter and social activist. The “Just Wild About Harry” tribute concert on Monday night, July 15, will feature 17 acts, including concert organizer Stuart Markus and his trio Gathering Time, performing some of Chapin’s classics including “Taxi” and “Cat’s in the Cradle,” plus many lesser hits and fan favorites like “WOLD” and “Mr. Tanner.” The concert, set for 7:15 p.m., is free, but concertgoers are asked to bring donations of nonperishable food to support Long Island Cares, Inc., the regional food bank founded by Chapin in 1980.
“The annual Harry Chapin Tribute Concert in Eisenhower Park is always a very special event for all of us at Long Island Cares because so many of Harry’s fans attend and are extremely supportive of Long Island Cares and the work we do to assist the more than 316,000 Long Islanders struggling with domestic hunger and high food insecurity,” said Paule Pachter, the nonprofit organization’s chief executive officer.
Markus added, “This year marks the 38th anniversary of Chapin’s death on the LIE at the age of 38, while en route to perform on the Eisenhower Park stage that now bears his name, so we’re doing something special: “Cat’s in the Cradle” will be done as a sing-along to a recording of Harry playing it solo-acoustic, where he laid out on the choruses for the audience to take part.”
Besides Markus and Gathering Time, this year’s artist roster includes newcomers Travis McKeveny and Pete Mancini, and returning performers Patricia Shih, Lisa Itts, Robin Eve & Frank Walker, Robinson Treacher, Debra Lynne, Media Crime, Karen Bella & Mara Levine, Jerry DeMeo, Sid Cherry & Helen Schrier Pandal, Toby Tobias, Mike Barry, Folk Goddesses, and Christine Solimeno, plus assorted side musicians.
In addition to collecting donations of non-perishable food at a tent near the entrance to The Harry Chapin Lakeside Theatre, Long Island Cares’ staff and volunteers will also be selling tee shirts and Harry Chapin CDs, as well as distributing literature about the organization’s programs and services.
Guests should bring their own lawn chairs or picnic blankets to The Harry Chapin Lakeside Theatre at the park, which is located off Merrick and Stewart Avenues in East Meadow. The concert will be held rain or shine, precluded only by thunderstorms. For more information, visit https://www.nassaucountyny.gov/1767/Parks-Recreation-Museums.
(Photo of Harry Chapin by Robert Berkowitz/RSBImageWorks) -
Sat, Jul 27th, 2019 11:00amat Heckscher Park - Chapin Rainbow StageGrammy Award-winning singer-songwriter Loudon Wainwright III headlines the 14th Annual Huntington Folk Festival on Saturday, July 27, at Heckscher Park, located off Main Street (Route 25A) and Prime Avenue, in Huntington Village. Opening for Wainwright on the park’s [Harry] Chapin Rainbow Stage that evening will be his daughter, Lucy Wainwright Roche. Extending from 11 a.m. to 10:30 p.m., with a dinner break from 6-8 p.m., the free event – co-presented by the Folk Music Society of Huntington and the Huntington Arts Council – is part of the 54th Huntington Summer Arts Festival.
Few songwriters have laid out their lives in song as graphically as Loudon Wainwright III, a 2010 Grammy Award-winner (Best Traditional Folk Album) for High Wide & Handsome: The Charlie Poole Project (with two previous Grammy nominations for I’m Alright in 1985 and More Love Songs in 1986). The singer-songwriter, humorist and actor is, perhaps, best known for his 1972 novelty song “Dead Skunk (in the Middle of the Road).” Maintains Stephen Holden of The New York Times: “Mr. Wainwright has proved to be far and away the most candid diarist among the singer-songwriters who … brought confessional poetry into popular song…”
Prior to the evening concert, Michael Kornfeld, president of the Folk Music Society of Huntington and editor & publisher of AcousticMusicScene.com, will host a series of song swaps from 12-6 p.m. These will take place near a canopy tent on the upper lawn area overlooking the stage and will feature more than 30 artists/acts from half-a-dozen states and a Canadian province. Unlike the unplugged showcases of previous years, these will be amplified. The day’s musical festivities begin with an open mic-song circle at 11 a.m.
Among the artists who will showcase their talents during the afternoon are Lisa Bastoni, Belle of the Fall, Melanie Brulée, Christian Diana, Roger Street Friedman, Genevieve, Sharon Goldman, Loretta Hagen, Marion Halliday, Joe Iadanza, Susan Kane, Judy Kass, Terry Kitchen, Scott Krokoff, Mara Levine, The Levins, Lipkin & Hitt, Annie Mark, Catherine Miles & Jay Mafale, Kate Mills, Lois Morton, Grace Morrison, Claudia Nygaard, Siobhan O’Brien, Anne O’Rourke, Nico Padden, D.B. Rielly, Eugene Ruffolo, Hank Stone, Jonathan Tea, and Toby Tobias.
The complete festival schedule appears below:
11:00 Open Mic – Song Circle 12:00 LI Guys of Note: Roger Street Friedman, Scott Krokoff, Toby Tobias 12:30 Emerging Talents: Genevieve, Marion Halliday, Kate Mills, Anne O’Rourke 1:30 A Musical Mix: Christian Diana, Annie Mark, Lois Morton 2:00 NJ Songsters: Sharon Goldman, Loretta Hagen, Jonathan Tea 2:30 Terry Kitchen, Mara Levine, Eugene Ruffolo 3:00 Kerrville New Folk Winners 2019: Lisa Bastoni, D.B. Rielly 3:30 Tribes Hill - Hudson Valley Songsters: Susan Kane, Judy Kass, Lipkin & Hitt 4:00 A Trio of Duos: Belle of the Fall, The Levins, Catherine Miles & Jay Mafale 4:30 Women of Note: Melanie Brulée, Grace Morrison, Claudia Nygaard, Siobhan O’Brien 5:30 FMSH Members Song Swap: Joe Iadanza, Nico Padden, Hank Stone 6:00 Dinner Break 8:00 Lucy Wainwright Roche 8:30 Loudon Wainwright III
Festivalgoers are advised to bring lawn chairs and blankets and a picnic supper (or they can walk into Huntington Village and enjoy a meal at one of its many restaurants).
The Huntington Folk Festival is part of an extended folk and Americana weekend at Heckscher Park. Long Island talent will be spotlighted on Thursday night, July 25, with a shared bill featuring folk-harmony trio Gathering Time and singer-songwriter Christine Sweeney. On Friday night, July 26, the Crys Mathews Trio will grace the stage. Although both concerts are set for 8 p.m., Kornfeld will conduct a 7:15 p.m. special on-stage interview-conversation with Matthews, the grand-prize winner in the 2017 NewSong Music Performance & Songwriting Competition. Crystal Bowersox – a rising star whose influences span across folk-pop, classic rock, soul, blues and country – closes out the weekend on Sunday night.
The Huntington Summer Arts Festival is produced by the Town of Huntington, presented by the Huntington Arts Council, and sponsored in part by the New York State Council for the Arts, the County of Suffolk and Canon U.S.A. -
Thu, Sep 19th, 2019 7:30pmat Cinema Arts Centre - Sky RoomLouise Mosrie is a nationally touring singer-songwriter with a soulful folk- Americana style. She has received numerous honors for her songwriting. These include being named a winner in the prestigious Grassy Hill-Kerrville New Folk Competition in 2009, winner of the 2010 Wildflower! Festival Performing Songwriter Contest, an audience-voted “Most Wanted to Return” artist following the Emerging Artist Showcase at the 2011 Falcon Ridge Folk Festival, and winner of the 2016 SolarFest Performing Songwriter Contest.
Mosrie’s thoughtful, refined compositions are highlighted by her warm, expressive, crystalline voice. Mosrie’s craft grew from a childhood culture clash between her British parents and her southern upbringing. Although not too keen about the slow sleepy ways of doing things in her small rural Tennessee hometown, the melodies and imagery that emerged in her writing came straight from the culture she once dismissed: stories of joy, love, struggle and heartbreak told through the South’s vivid characters and scenery.
“William Faulkner with a guitar” is how Rich Warren, host of the nationally syndicated The Midnight Special that emanates from Chicago’s WFMT-FM, has described Mosrie.
Pete Mancini is a Bellerose, NY-based Americana roots singer-songwriter who got his start as the frontman and primary songwriter of Butchers Blind, a critically acclaimed rock band from NYC. His debut solo album, Foothill Freeway, explores the Americana influences that were a hallmark of his work with his former band and reveals the influence of such songwriters as Guy Clark and Bruce Springsteen.
Mancini's songs have received glowing reviews and considerable radio airplay. In 2018, he released a live EP, Alive in Patchogue, while earlier this year, Diversion Records released his new roots rock-oriented studio album, Flying First Class. Although he frequently tours with his band, the Hillside Airmen, Mancini will appear solo acoustic for this show.
“It’s hard to believe Mancini hails from this area; his earnest voice and songs of world-weary struggles put him in line as a worthy successor to John Prine and John Hiatt as a premiere singer/songwriter whose work is destined to be covered by dozens of artists.”- Bob Smith (Good Times Magazine) -
Sat, Oct 5th, 2019 7:30pmat The Congregational Church of Huntington
— John Gorka —
Rising from the milieu of lovelorn singer-songwriters, JOHN GORKA illuminates instead with his trademark wordplay, twisting, turning and tying words and phrases in the way a balloon artist creates complex creatures from simple balloons. Few contemporary songwriters coax language as deftly as Gorka.
For over two decades, Gorka’s keen ear has picked up the stories of those along his path, folding them into poetry and song. His keen perceptiveness inspires people from all over the world to share their stories. By involving those tales in his music, he escapes the trap of introspection that hobbles less gifted singer-songwriters.
John Gorka flies below the pop culture radar with an almost cult-like following that never fails to fill concerts. Speak with any of his fans and one instantly feels their enthusiasm and genuine affection. His shy, almost self-effacing stage presence rightfully focuses attention on the songs. His versatility on guitar and piano keeps his sets musically interesting, while his rich baritone effortlessly executes his bidding. And he’s never short of the sly comment or clever joke that invariably ignites his audience.
With his uncanny ability to work every nuance of language, capturing a wide array of topics and experiences woven into memorable melodies, John Gorka’s career continues to prosper and to garner ever-increasing attention.
“One can get goosebumps all over. There are many reasons: fresh lyrics, a stunning emotional baritone, and his twisted humor” New York Times. -
Sun, Oct 13th, 2019 1:00pmat South Huntington Public LibraryThe Folk Music Society of Huntington’s monthly Folk Jam/Song Circle/Sing-Along affords musicians and singers of all experience levels an opportunity to play, sing and hone their performance skills. Extending from 1-4 p.m. one Sunday each month at the South Huntington Public Library (145 Pidgeon Hill Road, Huntington Station), the Folk Jams are completely acoustic, unplugged events attended primarily by amateur musicians and those who love to sing. Visitors who just want to listen are also welcome. Song selections range across the broad folk milieu, but are often taken from the "Rise Up Singing" or the new “Rise Again” songbooks. Admission is free and open to the public. Participants are asked to bring their voices, acoustic instruments, and a snack/non-alcoholic beverage to share.
The library staff has asked us to stress that amplifiers are NOT permitted at these jams.
Attendees are also encouraged to visit the Folk Music Society of Huntington’s website at www.fmsh.org for information about our Thursday night and Saturday night concerts. We would love to see you at these concerts. -
Thu, Oct 17th, 2019 7:30pmat Cinema Arts Centre - Sky RoomThe Everly Set: Noted NYC-based singer-songwriters Sean Altman & Jack Skuller pay tribute to their rock heroes, The Everly Brothers, in a show that takes you back to 1957 when teenagers Phil and Don Everly first burst on the scene and supercharged the vocal sound of rock’n’roll with sparkling harmonies that influenced The Beatles, The Beach Boys, Simon & Garfunkel, The Hollies, and The Bee Gees. Come and sing along to such hit songs as “Bye Bye Love,” “Cathy’s Clown,” “Wake Up Little Susie,” “All I Have To Do Is Dream,” “When Will I Be Loved,” “Crying In The Rain,” “Till I Kiss You,” “Love Hurts,” “Bird Dog,” “Claudette,” “Let It Be Me,” and more Everly (and Everly-influenced) classics from the late 1950s through the 1980s.
Blessed with a silky tenor voice that produced chills (The New York Times), Altman is widely viewed as the father of modern a capella. He co-founded and led Rockapella on the Emmy Award-winning PBS-TV series Where In The World Is Carmen Sandiego?, for which he co-wrote the theme song. Altman also currently sings a cappella with The GrooveBarbers and Doowopera, original pop songs on guitar as a solo artist, and original comedy songs as JEWMONGOUS.
Skuller is a recipient of the Holly Prize, an award made possible by the Songwriters Hall of Fame as a tribute to the legacy of Buddy Holly. A writer for The Deli Magazine referred to him as a teen idol in the wrong era, noting that Buddy Holly would be proud. Skuller has performed his original music around the country with Radio Disney. He has also been a regular performer with the acclaimed Losers Lounge tribute series at Joe’s Pub in NYC.
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Sat, Nov 2nd, 2019 7:30pmat The Congregational Church of HuntingtonRobert Jones and Matt Watroba have been musical partners since first meeting more than 20 years ago. Their relationship started when they hosted back-to-back radio shows on WDET-FM in Detroit, MI. Later on, they started performing together and in doing so discovered a friendship based on mutual respect and a love for traditional American music. For Matt and Robert, American roots music (folk, blues, spirituals, work songs, chants, etc.) is music that matters. This is the music that America and the world have in common. It is music that reflects history, social change, migration, hopes and dreams. It is music that is rich and diverse, direct and powerful. -
Sun, Nov 10th, 2019 1:00pmat South Huntington Public LibraryThe Folk Music Society of Huntington’s monthly Folk Jam/Song Circle/Sing-Along affords musicians and singers of all experience levels an opportunity to play, sing and hone their performance skills. Extending from 1-4 p.m. one Sunday each month at the South Huntington Public Library (145 Pidgeon Hill Road, Huntington Station), the Folk Jams are completely acoustic, unplugged events attended primarily by amateur musicians and those who love to sing. Visitors who just want to listen are also welcome. Song selections range across the broad folk milieu, but are often taken from the "Rise Up Singing" or the new “Rise Again” songbooks. Admission is free and open to the public. Participants are asked to bring their voices, acoustic instruments, and a snack/non-alcoholic beverage to share.
The library staff has asked us to stress that amplifiers are NOT permitted at these jams.
Attendees are also encouraged to visit the Folk Music Society of Huntington’s website at www.fmsh.org for information about our Thursday night and Saturday night concerts. We would love to see you at these concerts. -
Thu, Nov 21st, 2019 7:30pmat Cinema Arts Centre - Sky RoomLisa Bastoni and D.B. Rielly, both multiple award-winning singer-songwriers, are the featured performers during the monthly Hard Luck Café series at the Cinema Arts Centre (423 Park Avenue, Huntington, NY) on Thursday, Nov. 21. Bastoni and Rielly were named as winners of the prestigious Kerrville New Folk Competition for Emerging Songwriters held in the Texas Hill Country and also showcased their talents during the Huntington Folk Festival this summer. The 8:30 p.m. concert in the cinema’s Sky Room will be preceded by an open mic at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $15 ($10 for Cinema Arts Centre and Folk Music Society of Huntington members) and will be available at the door.
After inheriting her grandmother's guitar and a bag full of handwritten cover songs in 2017, Massachusets-based folk singer Lisa Bastoni returned to music after a 10-year absence. The mother of two had taken a break after spending time busking in Boston after college, but finding her grandmother's lyrics ignited something irresistible inside her: she says she felt the routines of her own life shaking loose.
Her new release, How We Want to Live, chronicles life changes -- including songs about the dissolution of her marriage and learning to live a new normal -- but more than anything, it finds the songwriter diving deeper into the life she craves. A 2019 Boston Music Award nominee for Folk Artist of the Year, Bastoni also was a grand-prize winner in the 2017 Great American Song Contest, participated in the 2017 Falcon Ridge Emerging Artist Showcase, and secured coveted juried official showcases at the Northeast and Southwest Regional Folk Alliance (NERFA and SWRFA) conferences.
D.B. Rielly is a real American songwriter who sings funny, openhearted, and touching songs with an everyman ease. The New York-based multi-instrumentalist has played live at the famed Montreaux Jazz Festival and at such notable venues as Lincoln Center, Staples Center, and The Apollo Theater. He has performed with B.B. King, The Boston Pops, and Chubby Checker, among others. Rielly has released four full-length albums. His 2018 release, Live from Chester, landed on several radio stations and publications’ annual “Best of” lists -- as did his 2017 release, Live from Long Island City. A top-five winner in the 2012 Great American Song Contest, Rielly also has been a runner-up, finalist or semi-finalist in a number of other songwriting competitions. He promises an “instantaneous cure for all afflictions” and adds: “I personally guarantee that if these here concocted remedies fail to eliminate all the trouble & woe that befall man or beast... I’ll eat a bug.” -
Sat, Dec 7th, 2019 7:30pmat The Congregational Church of HuntingtonPhil Ochs Song Night
Hosted by: Sonny Ochs — Performers include: Greg Greenway, Reggie Harris, Tom Prasada-Rao, and Pat Wictor
Phil Ochs was an American troubadour who passionately believed that he and his music could help change the world. Many of his songs became anthems for the anti-war movement during the turbulent 1960s, and his music continues to influence and inspire songwriters today – more than 40 years after his death. Among his best-known songs are “Changes,” “I Ain’t Marching Anymore,” “Small Circle of Friends,” “There But For Fortune,” and “When I’m Gone.”
Since 1983, Sonny Ochs, Phil’s sister, has been producing Phil Ochs Song Nights that feature talented artists who perform both Phil’s songs and their own to show that the art of topical songwriting is still alive and well. FMSH has presented several of these and is delighted to welcome Sonny Ochs back to host another one.
The evening’s featured artists are:
Greg Greenway - Originally from Richmond, VA and based in Massachusetts, Greg is a rare combination of instrumental expertise, a soulful and moving singer, and a powerful poet. He is one of those difficult-to-categorize performers. On guitar, piano, and ukulele, Greg is always surprising. He was 1/3 of Brother Sun, is 1/2 of Deeper Than the Skin, and entirely himself.
Reggie Harris – Hailing from Philadelphia, Reggie is a songwriter, a storyteller, and a lecturer. Having toured internationally for years with his wife Kim Harris, Reggie is now showing the world his singular solo voice. His songs rise with echoes of the Civil Rights Movement, Pete Seeger and Bernice Johnson Reagon. He also is the other half of Deeper Than the Skin.
Tom Prasada-Rao – Born in Ethiopia of Indian parents, Tom was raised in the Washington, DC area. He's won multiple Washington Area Music Awards and is a musician's musician. He is a masterful guitar player with a R&B feel. A singer-songwriter, he also plays violin, piano, and a guitar/sitar hybrid.
Pat Wictor - Born in Venezuela, Pat has lived all over the world but now calls New York home. His otherworldly musicianship has made him a much in-demand studio musician on his passion, the slide guitar. With flowing red hair and Zen-like calm, audiences love his understated presence, his beautiful songs, and the magic of his slide. Pat was one third of Brother Sun. -
Sun, Dec 8th, 2019 1:00pmat South Huntington Public LibraryThe Folk Music Society of Huntington’s monthly Folk Jam/Song Circle/Sing-Along affords musicians and singers of all experience levels an opportunity to play, sing and hone their performance skills. Extending from 1-4 p.m. one Sunday each month at the South Huntington Public Library (145 Pidgeon Hill Road, Huntington Station), the Folk Jams are completely acoustic, unplugged events attended primarily by amateur musicians and those who love to sing. Visitors who just want to listen are also welcome. Song selections range across the broad folk milieu, but are often taken from the "Rise Up Singing" or the new “Rise Again” songbooks. Admission is free and open to the public. Participants are asked to bring their voices, acoustic instruments, and a snack/non-alcoholic beverage to share.
The library staff has asked us to stress that amplifiers are NOT permitted at these jams.
Attendees are also encouraged to visit the Folk Music Society of Huntington’s website at www.fmsh.org for information about our Thursday night and Saturday night concerts. We would love to see you at these concerts. -
Thu, Dec 19th, 2019 7:30pmat Cinema Arts Centre - Sky RoomAnnie Mark has shared her country-tinged Americana-roots music with audiences around the U.S. ad Ireland. A New York native, she moved to the South at age 10, where upon hearing the music of the Carter Family and Johnny Cash, she nurtured a life-long love of traditional country music and songs that convey slice-of-life stories about people’s lives with a heartfelt simplicity.
Inspired by such singer-songwriters as Patti Griffin, Julie Miller, Nanci Griffith, Mary Gauthier, Leonard Cohen, and Bob Dylan, Mark’s songs explore life’s journey and the universal themes of love and loss, struggles and triumphs, shadows and light -- with a little humor thrown in. Accompanied by strong and tender acoustic guitar-playing, her richly textured voice runs the entire emotional spectrum -- sometimes velvety smooth, at other times raspy and raw with a little torch and twang thrown in.
A gifted singer-songwriter and finger-style guitarist, James O’Malley has been a mainstay on the Long Island folk scene for years. He writes knowingly of life’s foibles, triumphs and defeats, and delivers his songs in a gentle, subtle, whispering tenor that draws his listeners in.
Considered by many to be a consummate songwriter, whose songs are universal and often feature subtle humor, O’Malley is a two-time finalist in the Plowshares Songwriting Contest. His songs often take listeners on an emotional journey exploring family, relationships, human nature and the contemplation of life's choices. Critics have hailed him for his warm melodies, story-telling abilities and his way of charming audiences. O’Malley’s latest album, #4, was produced by Pete Kennedy and features news songs along with a couple of classics.
Andrea Randa is a former professional opera singer who decided to return to her singer-songwriter/country roots a few years ago after traveling to various open mics with her singer-songwriter children (Kirsten Maxwell and Nick Abushady).
Randa -- who cites Hank Williams, Patsy Cline, Neil Young and Linda Ronstadt among her musical heroes and heroines, recently recorded and released her solo debut recording, My Country -- a mix of commentaries on relationships as well as on the state of our country and the world. Topics include celebrating freedom, waking up to relationships that can never be, remembering that fear closes the heart while love opens it, recognizing that there are good sides and bad sides to repeating stories, and the excitement and anticipation of finally going home — the place where all hearts are united. -
Sat, Jan 4th, 2020 7:30pmat The Congregational Church of HuntingtonSince emerging from the New York City singer-songwriter scene in the late 1980s, Christine Lavin has established herself as one of the most entertaining, witty, insightful, and engaging folk artists.
While working as a waitress at the famed Caffe Lena in Saratoga Springs, NY in 1975, she met Dave Van Ronk, who encouraged her to relocate to NYC so that he could teach her how to play her guitar properly. She’s performed concerts across the U.S., Canada, and points beyond; recorded 24 solo albums, and produced ten compilations (including the popular On A Winter’s Night that spawned a number of multiple artist tours). She also was the creative force behind The Four Bitchin’ Babes, wrote an award-winning “mem-wha?” entitled Cold Pizza for Breakfast, hosted a radio show on WFUV, and was the keynote speaker at the 2016 Northeast Regional Folk Alliance (NERFA) Conference.
Her latest album, The Best of Christine Lavin, features two new songs and 18 of her most popular ones from 1983-2019. She started creating videos for her songs in 2011 and now also creates them for other artists as well.
NOTE: Christine will host a knitting circle at 7 p.m. (preceding the concert) and a Downton Abbey-style napkin-folding session during the intermission between her two 45-minute sets. -
Sun, Jan 12th, 2020 1:00pmat South Huntington Public LibraryThe Folk Music Society of Huntington’s monthly Folk Jam/Song Circle/Sing-Along affords musicians and singers of all experience levels an opportunity to play, sing and hone their performance skills. Extending from 1-4 p.m. one Sunday each month at the South Huntington Public Library (145 Pidgeon Hill Road, Huntington Station), the Folk Jams are completely acoustic, unplugged events attended primarily by amateur musicians and those who love to sing. Visitors who just want to listen are also welcome. Song selections range across the broad folk milieu, but are often taken from the "Rise Up Singing" or the new “Rise Again” songbooks. Admission is free and open to the public. Participants are asked to bring their voices, acoustic instruments, and a snack/non-alcoholic beverage to share.
The library staff has asked us to stress that amplifiers are NOT permitted at these jams.
Attendees are also encouraged to visit the Folk Music Society of Huntington’s website at www.fmsh.org for information about our Thursday night and Saturday night concerts. We would love to see you at these concerts. -
Thu, Jan 16th, 2020 7:30pmat Cinema Arts Centre - Sky RoomLong Island-based singer-songwriters Josie Bello and Hank Stone are the featured performers during the monthly Hard Luck Café series at the Cinema Arts Centre (423 Park Avenue, Huntington, NY) on Thursday, Jan. 16. The 8:30 p.m.concert in the cinema’s Sky Room will be preceded by an open mic at 7:30 p.m.Tickets are $15 ($10 for Cinema Arts Centre and Folk Music Society of Huntington members) and will be available at the door.
Josie Bello has been singing and creating songs since she was a little girl. Since the release of her CD Can’t Go Home to radio stations in June 2019, the album and eight individual tracks have maintained a continuous presence on the national and New York State Roots Music Report Top 50 Charts. Josie’s songs explore themes ranging from relationships, infatuation, and infidelity to aging. loss, addictions, and political partisanship. Along with her husband Frank, Josie organizes the Acoustic Stage at the Long Island Fall Festival in Huntington and is an active member of the Organization of Open Mic Performing Artists (OOMPA) -- a charitable organization that facilitates open mics throughout LI and sponsors music-centric fundraising events. She also hosts open mics in Greenlawn.
Hank Stone has been writing songs for decades. He played in Rock bands, hung out with some rough Folk, gets Jazzed up sometimes, has visited the Country, and is now as old as Classical music. So you never know quite what to expect when he hits the stage -- except that it will be heartfelt, witty, and entertaining. He has been known to sing songs about crayons, dogs, murder, and the Big Bang -- all in one set. He has independently released three albums featuring songs that offer a smorgasboard of narratives, character studies and mood pieces. -
Sat, Feb 1st, 2020 7:30pmat The Congregational Church of HuntingtonBuskin & Batteau have been winning hearts and minds with their soulful acoustic balladry and fun-filled performances for more years than they care to remember. After being on hiatus for a few years, the duo is back and brings its “irresistible amalgam of melodic, sensual pop, folkie grit and killer wit” (The Washington Post) to Long Island for a rare concert appearance.
David Buskin (piano, guitar) and Robin Batteau will be accompanied by virtuoso percussionist Marshal Rosenberg. Describing themselves as “hopelessly romantic,” “defiantly immature” and “usually hungry,” Buskin & Batteau have been Clio-winning jingle writers (“The Heartbeat of America” for Chevrolet, “All Aboard Amtrak” and “I’m Lovin’ It” for McDonald’s, among others). They have written songs that have been recorded by such notable artists as Judy Collins, Astrud Gilberto, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Bette Midler, Anne Murray, the Oak Ridge Boys, Peter, Paul & Mary, and Tom Rush (with whom they got their start in 1979 as his backup band). Yet, with their mix of talent, showmanship, Everly-crisp vocal harmonies and what Stephen Holden of The New York Times has called their “by turns acerbic, funny and plaintive” music and commentary, Buskin & Batteau are consummate entertainers in their own right.
Buskin & Batteau have performed on London street corners, in New York’s Carnegie Hall and at folk festivals throughout the U.S. They have shared Grammy, Emmy and Gold Record Awards and have performed and recorded with a host of other artists. They previously performed for FMSH in 2011. -
Sun, Feb 9th, 2020 1:00pmat South Huntington Public LibraryThe Folk Music Society of Huntington’s monthly Folk Jam/Song Circle/Sing-Along affords musicians and singers of all experience levels an opportunity to play, sing and hone their performance skills. Extending from 1-4 p.m. one Sunday each month at the South Huntington Public Library (145 Pidgeon Hill Road, Huntington Station), the Folk Jams are completely acoustic, unplugged events attended primarily by amateur musicians and those who love to sing. Visitors who just want to listen are also welcome. Song selections range across the broad folk milieu, but are often taken from the "Rise Up Singing" or the new “Rise Again” songbooks. Admission is free and open to the public. Participants are asked to bring their voices, acoustic instruments, and a snack/non-alcoholic beverage to share.
The library staff has asked us to stress that amplifiers are NOT permitted at these jams.
Attendees are also encouraged to visit the Folk Music Society of Huntington’s website at www.fmsh.org for information about our Thursday night and Saturday night concerts. We would love to see you at these concerts. -
Thu, Feb 20th, 2020 7:30pmat Cinema Arts Centre - Sky RoomJohn John Brown began writing songs in the winter of 2013, right after his twin boys were born, that would turn into his debut album "The Road". A critic for No Depression called the album, "a supple and suggestive blend of astute Americana accompanied by a quiet, reflective glow", while an Elmore Magazine writer dubbed him "one of the more promising young names in folk music today". John John's live performances have been garnering critical acclaim as well. In 2015 and 2017, he was chosen as a finalist in the Kerrville New Folk Competition for Emerging Songwriters. He went home a winner of the South Florida Folk Festival’s Singer-Songwriter Competition in 2016, and was part of the Grassy Hill Emerging Artist Showcase at the 2017 Falcon Ridge Folk Festival. Steeped in good storytelling and fingerpicking melodies, John John Brown seems to have discovered part of the mystery that surrounds the great singer-songwriter tradition.
Steve Robinson is a native Long Islander whose engaging songs are informed by his varied life experiences — as a carpenter, high school English teacher, commercial fisherman, truck driver, landscape crew foreman, air traffic controller, union rep, computer programmer, and more — combined with his life-long love of music and performing. A self-taught guitarist, he has developed his own unique finger style which combines driving rhythms with tasteful licks and smooth slide work. His music is firmly rooted in the blues, and breathes fresh life into tunes influenced by acoustic Americana, old-time jazz, soul, rock, pop, and country. Robinson represented Long Island at the prestigious 2008 International Blues Challenge in Memphis, TN as a winner in the 2007 Long Island Blues Challenge.
”Steve Robinson is one guy with talent to burn,” writes Ann Marie Harrington in Take Country Back magazine. “He possesses a pleasant, laid back and expressively soulful voice, he’s a gifted musician who plays with diversity and passion, and has a talent for well-written lyrics and an ear for a great melody.