“Young Folk” – Annika Bennett & Kirsten Maxwell
2015-09-17 19:30 - 22:30 (America/New_York)
TICKET INFO
Tickets for this event are available at the Cinema Arts Center on the day of the performance. Prices are $10 for FMSH and Cinema Arts Centre Members / $15 for Non Members. There are no advance tickets for this event.
Annika 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. A semi-finalist in the 2014 International Songwriting Competition, Annika also participated in RealWomen RealSongs – a group of female artists who each wrote a prompted song a week during 2014. Winner of the 2015 Your Big Break Contest sponsored by the Gold Coast Arts Center, Annika also closed out the juried Emerging Artists Showcase during this summer’s Falcon Ridge Folk Festival.

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.
Kirsten began singing and performing at age 5 as part of the Amato Opera Children’s Chorus. She continued classical vocal studies at The Crane School of Music, where she developed captivating control over an otherwise naturally passionate voice. Kirsten graduated from SUNY Geneseo last year with a BA in Creative Writing, which enhanced her innate songwriting abilities.

Vance Gilbert
2015-10-03 19:30 - 22:30
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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 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. His songwriting and performance clinics at the Falcon Ridge Folk Festival, Northeast Regional Folk Alliance (NERFA) conferences and the Rocky Mountain Song School also have drawn rave reviews from attendees.
“His catchy, pop-friendly melodies support keenly crafted, hard-hitting lyrics. His guitar is supple, his milk-warm tenor honest and gently acrobatic… He does not duck hard truths and never succumbs to the temptation to tie his points up in neat platitudes or truth-isms. He writes powerfully and uncompromisingly about the wrenching separation suffered by single parents, the tug between love’s desire and its demands, and the bitterness of being nonwhite in this Eurocentric culture… He is that rare performer for whom people lean forward in their seats as eagerly between songs as during them.” (The Boston Globe)

Caroline Cotter & Jay Hitt
2015-10-15 19:30 - 22:30
TICKET INFO
Tickets for this event are available at the Cinema Arts Center on the day of the performance. Prices are $10 for FMSH and Cinema Arts Centre Members / $15 for Non Members. There are no advance tickets for this event.
Caroline 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).

Bumper Jacksons
2015-11-07 19:30 - 22:30
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The 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.
Check out and play Bumper Jacksons’ feminist take on the Appalachian song “Come All You West Virginia Gals” via THE BLUEGRASS SITUATION:
Then check out the Bumper Jacksons’ cool take on the old gospel song, “Satan, Your Kingdom Music Come Down” via POPMATTERS from their new album Too Big World.

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Oh Canada! – Manitoba Hal & Shawna Caspi
2015-11-19 19:30 - 22:30
TICKET INFO
Tickets for this event are available at the Cinema Arts Center on the day of the performance. Prices are $10 for FMSH and Cinema Arts Centre Members / $15 for Non Members. There are no advance tickets for this event.
Manitoba 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.
Manitoba Hal Video
With her third album, Apartments For Lovers, Shawna Caspi taps right into those folk roots, stripping away the session musicians and elaborate arrangements of her previous records in favour of a simple, authentic sound – her solo guitar and voice. The result is a collection of songs that is close-up and honest, showcasing her warm vocals, classically-trained fingerstyle guitar playing, and intimate songwriting in a genuine, powerful way.
On Apartments For Lovers, Shawna creates delicate, quiet moments that are vulnerable and accessible even when she’s writing about someone else. Her songs are snapshots – moments that may appear small, but which subtly carry weight and offer greater depth thanks to her well-crafted lyrics.
“Some musicians make songwriting sound less of a craft and more of a life affirming obsession. Caspi’s compositions stand out as beautiful, complex and intricate…” – NOW Magazine, NXNE preview
For 15 years, Shawna has been playing the guitar she bought at the Ottawa Folklore Centre, one of Canada’s best loved music stores. This cherished instrument has accompanied her on tour through seven provinces, where she has played festivals including the Blue Skies Music Festival, the Summerfolk Festival, and the Deep Roots Music Festival. It was also her constant companion as she played on the long haul trains between Montreal and Halifax and between Vancouver and Toronto as part of the VIA Rail On Board Entertainment Program.
While she never had one particular musical influence growing up, Shawna found inspiration in a wide variety of independent Canadian singer/songwriters as she played and sang her way through the folk music scene. Some of these artists are now her peers, and she has shared the stage with several of her favourites, including Rose Cousins, Jon Brooks, James Keelaghan, Suzie Vinnick, and Garnet Rogers.
“Shawna Caspi has the rare gift of presence that immediately invites audience engagement, from the first strum of her skilled guitar playing to the last exquisite note she sings”. – Andy Frank, co-founder of Roots Music Canada
From cafes, soft-seat theatres, living rooms, festival stages, and yes, even trains, Shawna is making her living singing her stories across Canada. She loves the landscapes of her home country and while weaving them into her songs, she has also been portraying them on canvases. Shawna paints one-of-a-kind works of art inspired by the rich scenery she sees in her travels and makes them available for sale with her merchandise. Two of those paintings make up the front and back cover artwork for Apartments For Lovers.
Shawna’s Canadian folk roots are an intrinsic part of who she is. In fact, Shawna as a solo musician is exactly who she is as a person – warm, inviting, a storyteller, a traveller, a Canadian, an authentic artist. “And at the heart of everything”, she says, “I’m just a really big music fan”.
Shawna Caspi Video

Susan Werner
2015-12-05 19:30 - 22:30
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Susan 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.
She composes skillful songs that effortlessly slide between folk, jazz, and pop – all delivered with sassy wit and classic Midwestern charm.
Throughout her expansive career, boundless versatility has emerged as a hallmark of Werner’s talent, and has proven to be a quintessential ingredient of her engrossing musical persona.
“… a triply blessed artist who sings adroitly, plays the piano smartly and, best of all, writes songs of genuine distinction and high craft.” – Chicago Tribune
“It’s not enough to say she’s a brilliant, spectacular performer. She is pure genius in capturing the human experience and setting it to music. She’s also a chameleon, slipping seamlessly between cabaret, folk, gospel, classical and the blues.” – Source Media Group
Susan will perform one extended set beginning at 8:45 PM. A 15-minute refreshment break will follow the Open Mic.

Meghan Cary & Michael Braunfeld
2015-12-17 19:30 - 22:30
TICKET INFO
Tickets for this event are available at the Cinema Arts Center on the day of the performance. Prices are $10 for FMSH and Cinema Arts Centre Members / $15 for Non Members. There are no advance tickets for this event.
Two 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.”
Michael Braunfeld is a storyteller, whose songs capture the everyday struggles and triumphs of ordinary people. His characters – though wrapped in the particular circumstances of their own lives – have universal appeal. Michael has earned critical acclaim and industry recognition, including a slot in the 2013 Emerging Artists Showcase at the Falcon Ridge Folk Festival and two Quad Showcases at Northeast Regional Folk Alliance (NERFA) conferences. He was welcomed into the Writers’ Night family at Nashville’s famed The Bluebird Café in 2014.
Braunfeld’s dynamic guitar style, trading off between percussive strumming and intricate finger picked melodies, has been compared to that of John Fahey. His powerful vocals have been likened to those of Bruce Springsteen. As a songwriter, he evokes the best of Springsteen, Townes Van Zandt, Steve Earle, John Prine and his hero, Bill Morrissey. And onstage, Braunfeld is a commanding presence. (www.michaelbraunfeld.com)
Meghan Cary is a singer-songwriter who didn’t intend to be a musician. But when her then-fiancé unexpectedly died years ago, the former theater actress and successful voiceover artist picked up his guitar, figured out how to play it, and wrote her debut — earning her Billboard Magazine’s Critic’s Choice for Best Newcomer. “I wrote my grief into music and sang my way out of the abyss. I keep making music to help others move through loss and find joy again,” she says.
A passionate smoky-voiced singer, known for her unabashed willingness to connect with her audience, Cary brings listeners to their feet and, at times, to tears with high-energy tunes, masterful storytelling, and deeply personal lyrics that resonate universally. After pausing to raise two children, she returned to music a few years ago. Cary was part of last summer’s Emerging Artists Showcase at the Falcon Ridge Folk Festival. Her multi-instrumentalist husband, Peter Farrell, will accompany Meghan. (www.meghancary.com)

A Little Bit of Folk: From Activism to Lyricism
2015-12-29 19:30 - 22:30
A Little Bit of Folk: From Activism to Lyricism
Tuesday, December 29, 2015 at 7:30 p.m. at the Cinema Arts Centre
Tickets: $15; $10 for Cinema Arts Centre and FMSH members (with your membership card)
The 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).
Folk music has been a favorite for generations. Its artists have been promoters of world peace, civil rights, planetary concerns and humanitarian causes. This program will focus on much-loved musicians and the social causes that informed their music.
During the 1940s-1950s, Pete Seeger had a profound impact on the post-WWII generation with his activism for civil rights and social change. Among songs featured in this program will be Seeger with “What Did You Learn in School?” and others singing his classic “Where Have All the Flowers Gone” and “Turn, Turn, Turn.” Among the many other featured performing artists are Joan Baez, Tim Buckley, Leonard Cohen, Richie Havens, Melanie, Tom Paxton and Peter, Paul & Mary.
As 2015 comes to a close, let us always remember that the power of music can help change our world for the better.

Bob Westcott’s New Year Gala
2016-01-02 19:30 - 22:30
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Acoustic Apple
Steve Angliss and Gary Schoenberger (Acoustic Apple) are 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 Personal Facebook pages.
Acoustic Apple Video (with a little help from He-Bird, She-Bird)
Josh Joffen
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
Counterclockwise Ensemble
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).

Scott Krokoff & Robinson Treacher
2016-01-21 19:30 - 22:30
TICKET INFO
Tickets for this event are available at the Cinema Arts Center on the day of the performance. Prices are $10 for FMSH and Cinema Arts Centre Members / $15 for Non Members. There are no advance tickets for this event.
Scott 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.

The Slambovian Circus of Dreams
2016-02-06 19:30 - 22:30
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Formed 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.
“The Slambovians cast a wide net … (their) music seems to energize anyone who hears it.” – Relix Magazine
“One of Americana’s most original ensembles.” – Sing Out!
“Mightily impressive and hugely original” – Maverick Magazine – UK
“This band reminds me to write and perform with my whole heart and soul.” – Dar Williams

Greg Cornell & The Cornell Brothers + David Moss
2016-02-18 19:30 - 22:30
TICKET INFO
Tickets for this event are available at the Cinema Arts Center on the day of the performance. Prices are $10 for FMSH and Cinema Arts Centre Members / $15 for Non Members. There are no advance tickets for this event.
Greg 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)

Phil Ochs Song Night
2016-03-05 19:30 - 22:30
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Hosted by: Sonny Ochs — Performers include: Greg Greenway, Kim and Reggie Harris, Colleen Kattau, Sharon Katz, 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 – 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.
The Folk Music Society of Huntington was pleased to join with the Cinema Arts Centre in 2011 in co-presenting two screenings of the documentary Phil Ochs: There But For Fortune, during which Sonny Ochs, Phil’s sister, shared some thoughts on her brother and on the film.
Since 1983, Sonny 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 a couple of these and is delighted to welcome Sonny Ochs back to host another one.

Performing on March 5 will be Greg Greenway and Pat Wictor of the folk harmony trio Brother Sun, along with Kim & Reggie Harris, Colleen Kattau and Sharon Katz.

David Jacobs-Strain
2016-03-17 19:30 - 22:30
TICKET INFO
Tickets for this event are available at the Cinema Arts Center on the day of the performance. Prices are $10 for FMSH and Cinema Arts Centre Members / $15 for Non Members. There are no advance tickets for this event.
David Jacobs-Strain is a consummate fingerstyle 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.”
Jacobs-Strain grew up in Eugene, Oregon, in a community that was centered on cultural change and environmentalism. He sees a distinct connection between the principles embodied in his upbringing and the democracy of the blues. “I’m really into handmade culture and real people making real music,” he notes. “The voice. One guitar. Even at their simplest, the blues have always been a vehicle for expressing your own situation – whether as an individual or a community. There’s such power in that.”
Jacobs-Strain began playing on street corners and at farmers’ markets as a teenager he bought his first guitar with the quarters he saved up. Before he dropped out of Stanford to play full-time, he had already appeared at festivals across the country and was often billed as a blues prodigy – but he had to fight to avoid being a novelty act. “I wanted to tell new stories; it just wasn’t enough to relive the feelings in other people’s music,” he recalls.
David Jacobs-Strain has appeared at festivals from British Columbia to Australia – including such notable ones as Bumbershoot, Merlefest, Philadelphia Folk Festival and Telluride Blues Festival. He’s also taught at Jorma Kaukonen’s Fur Peace Ranch and has previously performed for the Folk Music Society of Huntington’s First Saturday Concerts series.

Steve Gillette & Cindy Mangsen plus Jack Williams
2016-04-02 19:30 - 22:30
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Steve 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.”

The Kennedys
2016-04-21 19:30 - 22:30
TICKET INFO
Tickets for this event are available at the Cinema Arts Center on the day of the performance. Prices are $10 for FMSH and Cinema Arts Centre Members / $15 for Non Members. There are no advance tickets for this event.
The 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.”

Irish Mythen
2016-05-07 19:30 - 22:30
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True 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.

“Joan and Joni Tribute” Allison Shapira & Kipyn Martin
2016-05-19 19:30 - 22:30
TICKET INFO
Tickets for this event are available at the Cinema Arts Center on the day of the performance. Prices are $10 for FMSH and Cinema Arts Centre Members / $15 for Non Members. There are no advance tickets for this event.
Joan & 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.

David Amram Band
2016-06-04 19:30 - 22:30
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Aptly 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.

Crossroads Folk Festival
2016-06-12 13:00 - 20:00
Crossroads Folk Festival Set for June 12 in MalverneTom 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.
www.crossroadsfolkfestival.com
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.
THE PROGRAM
Main Stage
1:00 to 1:45: Mike Barry
1:45 to 2:45: Showcase Artists:
– Acoustic Apple
– Karen Bella
– Robin Greenstein
– Hank Stone
2:45 to 3:30: Kirsten Maxwell
3:30 to 4:15: Marci Geller
4:15 to 5:15: Mike Agranoff
5:15 to 6:00 Mara Levine
6:00 to 7:00 Gathering Time
7:00 to 8:00 Tom Chapin
________________________________________
Jam Tent
All afternoon: song circles, sing-alongs, and song swaps.
Bring your instruments and voices.
3:00 to 3:30: pirate songs and sea chanteys with
Scuttlebutt Stu and Blood-Red Robin

NERFA Showcase: Aaron Nathans & Michael Ronstadt, Hayley Reardon, Amy Soucy, Jim Trick
2016-06-16 19:00 - 22:30
TICKET INFO
Tickets for this event are available at the Cinema Arts Center on the day of the performance. Prices are $10 for FMSH and Cinema Arts Centre Members / $15 for Non Members. There are no advance tickets for this event.
No 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.
“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.” 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. 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)

American Roots Music Festival
2016-06-25 12:00 - 23:00
The 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

11th Annual Huntington Folk Festival
2016-07-30 12:00 - 22:30
Slaid 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. Schedules for both the AcousticMusicScene.com and FMSH.org Acoustic Tents are below:
AcousticMusicScene.com Tent
(Hosted by Michael Kornfeld)
12:00 LI Artists Spotlight: Ray Lambiase, Richard Lanahan, Hank Stone
12:30 Aly Tadros, Jesse Tomsko
1:00 Fiddlin’ Around: Jeremy Aaron, Eric Lee
1:30 Terry Kitchen, Mara Levine, Dennis McDonough
2:00 Mass. Appeal: Dan & Faith, Steven Pelland
2:30 Kerrville New Folk Winners: Addie Brownlee, Josh Joffen
3:00 Hudson Valley Songsters: Susan Kane, Judy Kass
3:30 Colleen Kattau, James O’Malley
4:00 Blair Bodine, Letitia Van Sant
4:30 Funny Folk: Lois Morton, Carla Ulbrich
5:00 Rob Carlson & Benefit Street
5:15 Roots Round: Greg Cornell and the Cornell Brothers,
He-Bird, She-Bird, Pluck & Rail
Folk Music Society of Huntington Tent
(Hosted by Lee Ann Rush and Gary Schoenberger)
12:00 Open Mic
1:00 Acoustic Apple
1:15 Bryan Gallo
1:30 Carla Ulbrich
1:45 Richard Lanahan
2:00 Friends On The Journey
(Lora Kendall, Suzanne Ernst & Vincent Crici)
2:15 Letitita VanSant
2:30 Dennis McDonough
2:45 He-Bird, She-Bird
3:00 Hank Stone
3:15 Mara Levine & Terry Kitchen
3:30 Rob Carlson & Benefit Street
3:45 Steven Pelland
4:00 Rorie Kelly
4:15 Greg Cornell & the Cornell Brothers
4:30 James O’Malley
4:45 My Dad’s Truck
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).

No Fuss and Feathers
2016-10-01 19:30 - 22:30
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No 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.

The Folk Goddesses & Tom Griffith
2016-10-20 19:30 - 22:30
TICKET INFO
Tickets for this event are available at the Cinema Arts Center on the day of the performance. Prices are $10 for FMSH and Cinema Arts Centre Members / $15 for Non Members. There are no advance tickets for this event.
The 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.

Jay Ungar & Molly Mason
2016-11-05 19:30 - 22:30
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Jay 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.

Kalinec and KJ
2016-11-17 19:30 - 22:30
TICKET INFO
Tickets for this event are available at the Cinema Arts Center on the day of the performance. Prices are $10 for FMSH and Cinema Arts Centre Members / $15 for Non Members. There are no advance tickets for this event.
Texan 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.

John Gorka
2016-12-03 19:30 - 22:30
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— 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.

Aly Tadros & Steven Pelland
2016-12-15 19:30 - 22:30
TICKET INFO
Tickets for this event are available at the Cinema Arts Center on the day of the performance. Prices are $10 for FMSH and Cinema Arts Centre Members / $15 for Non Members. There are no advance tickets for this event.
Steven 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)

The Boxcar Lilies + Low Lily – CANCELLED DUE TO SNOW
2017-01-07 19:30 - 22:30
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— The Boxcar Lilies —

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.

— Low Lily —

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.
