Join local songwriters

Ralph Penunuri, Karl Smiley and Steven Mankle

for an evening of original music

Realta

Celtic Supergroup Ímar

There are many reasons to be excited about new Glasgow-based five-piece Ímar – not least a line-up featuring current and former members of Mànran, RURA, Talisk, Barrule, Cara, Mabon and The Lowground, whose collectively crammed trophy-cabinet includes a BBC Young Folk Award and several All-Britain/All-Ireland titles. By far the best and biggest reason, however, is how excited the band are themselves. It’s the combined commonality and diversity of background and influences that fuels Ímar’s unmistakable synergy, centered on the overlapping cultural heritage between Scotland, Ireland and the Isle of Man. All three places once shared the same Gaelic language – the name Ímar comes from a 9th-century king who reigned across this combined territory – and a similar kinship endures between their musical traditions.

Cascade Crossing

Carl Thor – piano, dulcimer, mando
Lori Prime – Fiddle
Rich Goss – guitar, percussion
Sarah Goss – Bass, whistle, oboe

Cascade Crossing is currently one of the hottest and most sought after bands in the Pacific Northwest region. They have developed a reputation for intense creativity, breadth of instrumentation, and energizing dance crowds. Cascade Crossing’s music is influenced by many styles, with touches of baroque, Caribbean, Celtic, Klezmer, traditional, northern, southern, jazz and ragtime. With many original tunes, expect the unexpected, from hard-driving reels to smooth, mysterious jigs. Using their wide range of instrumentation and styles, Cascade Crossing fills the dance hall with an exciting palette of musical colors and textures.

Ric Goldman

From Palo Alto, Ric teaches and calls contra and English Country dances as well as performing Morris dance.

Beginners lesson starts at 7:00pm (experienced dancers welcome) dance starts at 7:30pm

Each dance is taught.  No partner necessary (it’s traditional to dance each dance with a different partner)

First and Third Saturdays of the month except July, August. Occasional special dances.

American Strings:
An Evening with
Noel Paul Stookey

Hosted by the GRAMMY Museum’s Bob Santelli, director of popular music in the OSU College of Liberal Arts and the Majestic Theatre, the conversation and performance that comprises each segment of American Strings makes for a one of a kind opportunity to appreciate and know better the great American music tradition. This month will feature musician and Social Activist Noel Paul Stookey who has been altering the musical and ethical landscape of this country and the world for decades – both as part of the legendary folk trio Peter, Paul and Mary, and as a successful solo artist. Funny, irreverently reverent, thoughtful and passionate, Stookey’s voice is best known for his classic “The Wedding Song (There Is Love),” which has become a standard of American wedding playlists since the 1970’s. Most recently, Noel’s musical political commentary, “Impeachable” (based on the familiar melody of “Unforgettable,”) has reached viral status online, yielding more than a million Facebook and YouTube viewings. The American Strings series brings renowned artists from around the U.S. to Corvallis and Oregon State University for an in-depth look at how and why stringed instruments play such a profound role in American music.

The American Strings series brings renowned artists from around the U.S. to Corvallis and Oregon State University for an in-depth look at how and why stringed instruments play such a profound role in American music.

Portland FolkMusic Society presents

Singtime Frolics

a spring weekend of singing, jamming, learning, sharing and good food at Portland FolkMusic Society’s annual retreat.

Guest artist
Linda Allen

click HERE for more information

Máire Ní Chathasaigh & Chris Newman

Award winning harp and guitar duo from Ireland with a virtuosic blend of Irish, Ragtime, and much more.

Doors open 6pm with a potluck reception.

A house concert is an excellent opportunity to hear great music in a very intimate setting.

Tannahill Weavers

The Tannahill Weavers are one of Scotland’s premier traditional bands. Their diverse repertoire spans the centuries with fire-driven instrumentals, topical songs, and original ballads and lullabies. Their music demonstrates to old and young alike the rich and varied musical heritage of the Celtic people. These versatile musicians have received worldwide accolades consistently over the years for their exuberant performances and outstanding recording efforts that seemingly can’t get better…yet continue to do just that.

The Tannahills have turned their acoustic excitement loose on audiences with an electrifying effect. They have that unique combination of traditional melodies, driving rhythmic accompaniment, and rich vocals that make their performances unforgettable. As the Winnipeg Free Press noted, “The Tannahill Weavers – properly harnessed – could probably power an entire city for a year on the strength of last night’s concert alone. The music may be old time Celtic, but the drive and enthusiasm are akin to straight ahead rock and roll.”

Born of a session in Paisley, Scotland and named for the town’s historic weaving industry and local poet laureate Robert Tannahill, the group has made an international name for its special brand of Scottish music, blending the beauty of traditional melodies with the power of modern rhythms. Over the years the Tannies have been trailblazers for Scottish music, and their tight harmonies and powerful, inventive arrangements have won them fans from beyond the folk and Celtic music scenes.

In 2011 the band was inducted into the Scottish Traditional Music Hall of Fame, and in 2014 they were joined by innovative piper Lorne MacDougall.  Lorne comes with a high pedigree, having arranged and performed pipes for the Disney Pixar movie “Brave”, Dreamworks “How to Train Your Dragon 2”, and the BBCs “Dr Who”, along with a long list of other accomplishments.

As they embark on their 50th anniversary year in 2018, they are firmly established as one of the premier groups on the concert stage.  From reflective ballads to footstomping reels and jigs, the variety and range of the material they perform is matched only by their enthusiasm and lively Celtic spirits.”An especially eloquent mixture of the old and the new.”            –New York Times

Scotland’s Tannahill Weavers play acoustic instruments, but the atmosphere at their shows is electric. The quartet is as tight and as versatile as any band in the Celtic music revival. They can summon rock ‘n’ roll intensity or haunting introspection.”
– The Boston Globe, Boston MA

“…as close to perfect as it gets in an imperfect world.”     – Sing Out!

“…the Weavers’ unpretentious manner and superlative playing set them apart from most other Celtic groups… In a world where good taste has become a scarce commodity, the Tannahill Weavers are a wealthy bunch.”     – The Charleston Gazette, Charleston, SC

“…world class musicians with passion and a healthy sense of fun, keeping alive and making accessible the very heart of the tradition itself.”     – Mojo Magazine

The Nettles

Laura Brophy – fiddle;
Kevin Johnsrude – guitars;
Michael Proctor – bass;
Brian Bucolo – percussion;

The Nettles are well-known on the West Coast for their original approach to contra dance music. Playing traditional music from all over the world, The Nettles create a strong rhythmic groove under soaring improvisations. Rhythmic drive and melodic fluidity allow The Nettles to propel contra dances into the stratosphere.

Kelsey Hartman

Since I am a “contraholic,” I can often be found any given weekend dancing or calling a contra dance. My inspiration for calling comes from Frannie Marr, who got me thinking that there was life in contra off the dance floor, and Nils Fredland, whose callers’ workshop at American Week (BACDS) in 2012 spurred me down the caller’s path.

Beginners lesson starts at 7:00pm (experienced dancers welcome) dance starts at 7:30pm

Each dance is taught.  No partner necessary (it’s traditional to dance each dance with a different partner)

First and Third Saturdays of the month except July, August. Occasional special dances.

DRÅM

Dråm is a Swedish folk music group specialized in the sackpipa, the Swedish bagpipe. Dram means “drone” in a Swedish dialect.

Dram’s members, Erik Ask-Upmark and Anna Rynefors have both received the prestigious Zorn award and the title of Riksspelman (official master musician) for their playing and exposure of the Swedish bagpipes.

Aside from the Swedish pipes, Dram’s other instruments include different Swedish folk whistles and the nyckelharpa keyed fiddle.

Doors open 6pm with a potluck reception.

A house concert is an excellent opportunity to hear great music in a very intimate setting.

NOTE: Different location – Methodist Church Community Hall

Campaign for Reel Time
From Portland

• Betsy Branch – fiddle
• Mark Douglas – piano
• Bill Tomczak – reeds, percussion

Campaign for Reel Time is an exciting Northwest band featuring Betsy Branch on fiddle and guitar, Bill Tomczak on clarinet, saxophone and percussion, and Mark Douglas (tonight) on piano.    With their mix of instruments and improvisatory natures, plus their deft interweaving of dance-music genres, you never know what to expect from this trio, other than stimulating and inventive dance music.  Their delight in playing together translates to the dance floor, and you are likely to hear plenty of laughter from the stage.

Isaac Banner

A long-time contra dancer and Seattle transplant, I’ve worked for several years to become known in the Pacific Northwest for my particular blend of humor and dance instruction. With contagious excitement, a warm cadence, and a cheerful personality, I strive to bring moments of magic into the lives of newcomers and veteran dancers alike. Contra has always held a special place in my heart and I try to share that love with every dance I visit.

Beginners lesson starts at 7:00pm (experienced dancers welcome) dance starts at 7:30pm

Each dance is taught.  No partner necessary (it’s traditional to dance each dance with a different partner)

First and Third Saturdays of the month except July, August. Occasional special dances.

Salem Folklore Community’s
33^st Annual

Westwind Weekend

of music and dance

A beautiful setting on the Oregon Coast.  A pristine, sheltered beach, tidepools galore, wildlife in the water, woods, and air, hikes that lead to superb vistas up and down the coast.  It’s a weekend at the beach, with music and friends old and new.  It’s always sunny at Westwind, AND it almost always rains.  Which is to say, any weather can happen.

A growing, family friendly community.  More than a fourth of those who attend the Westwind Weekend are young people.  Kids bring their friends.  They dig in the sand, play Frisbee, hike, play cards, dance, play music, drink hot cocoa, help out, hang out, and build lasting memories.

Non-stop music jams.  At any moment you’ll find swing favorites on the front porch, old-time in the shed, and Irish/contra tunes in the kitchen.  Some of the finest musicians in the Willamette Valley come to Westwind and are joined by folks just learning to play and everyone in between.

Contra dancing and more.  Friday and Saturday evenings feature the Westwind All Star Orchestra playing tunes, and dance programming that’s aimed at all ages and abilities. Expect family dances, contras and squares, and a set of Scandinavian favorites. Also find musicians jamming and swing or zydeco dancing underway outside the main hall.

Camper-led workshops.  Gumboot dancing, daisy chain squares, swing chords, beach talk, favorite folk songs: come with your special talent to share or learn something you’ve never heard of before. Sunday morning expect time for singing the gospel of our non-denominational love of community.

A Saturday camper concert. Enjoy listening to the crazy, creative, and sublime as your fellow campers perform, or put together your own high or low art performance and step up onto the whale bone stage.

Happy, hearty vegetarian food.  Beth Littlewolf has been our cook for 25+ years. She makes wonderful fare that brings us all together in the historic Wilson Lodge for family-style meals.  Meals at Westwind include snack Friday evening, breakfast, lunch, and dinner on Saturday, and early-wake up breakfast fare plus brunch on Sunday.

Note different location: OSU MU Ballroom

Countercurrent

From Seattle:

• Brian Lindsay – fiddle
• Alex Sturbaum – guitar

Countercurrent is a contra dance and folk music band in western Washington, featuring driving guitar, foot percussion, lyrical fiddle, and harmony vocals.

Tarka Ayres

Tarka Ayres credits contra dance with helping keep her mental stability through school. She started dancing in 2004 and has called dances in Oregon and Washington since 2012. Dancers appreciate her ability to integrate new dancers into the community, her clear teaching and succinct calling, and her choices of challenging dances.

Beginners lesson starts at 7:00pm (experienced dancers welcome) dance starts at 7:30pm

Each dance is taught.  No partner necessary (it’s traditional to dance each dance with a different partner)

First and Third Saturdays of the month except July, August. Occasional special dances.

Sophie & Fiachra Trio

The Sophie & Fiachra Trio are a group of musicians sans frontières who refuse to let the Atlantic sunder their love of their own and other’s Irish and Québecois musical traditions.
Comprising of Irish uilleann piper Fiachra ORegan, Québec fiddler/singer Sophie Lavoie, and guitarist André Marchand, the trio take traditional Irish and Québécois traditional music, blended with Lavoies lithe and masterful compositions. Their choice of songs will “captivate the most casual listener”.
“Its refreshing to hear a traditional band reference the present with such subtlety and finesse”

-Quotes from Siobhán Long, of The Irish Times

Released in 2016, Un canadien errant features a mixture of Irish & French-Canadian traditional music and song. It has been nominated for Traditional Album of the Year for the ADISQ awards in Quebec and Traditional Album of the Year in the Canadian Folk Music awards. In the latter, the album also gets Sophie Lavoie a nomination for Best Trad. singer of the year for her vocal tracks.

The 3^rd Annual Corvallis Guitar Festival is just around the corner and will provide a bumper crop of talent, entertainment, and participation in the world of classical guitar and ukulele! The three concerts, workshop, lecture and Master Class will all be taking place at the 1^st Presbyterian Church on 8^th St downtown Corvallis on Saturday May 11^th starting at 10:00am in the morning through 9:30pm in the evening.

The concerts feature Ian O’Sullivan, a great Hawaiian classical guitarist and ukulele musician, and Grammy Award winning classical guitarist Bill Kanengiser. Also, in line with our goal to bring local guitarists out of the woodwork, there will be a short concert performed by the Corvallis Guitar Ensemble led by Cameron O’Connor.

Tickets for the concerts are now available downtown at Grassroots Books and Music store on 2^nd St, Corvallis; tickets are also available online at Brownpaper Tickets: https://cgf2019.brownpapertickets.com/.

More information is available on the Guitar Society website: www.corvallisguitarsociety.org

It’s going to be an inspiring and hugely enjoyable event with a wide variety of guitar (and ukulele) music styles so mark your calendars, and here’s the schedule:

10:00am – 12:00pm Masterclass with Bill Kanengiser: 4 students, 30 mins each    free

1:00 – 2:00pm            Featuring James Bishop Edwards, Cameron O’Connor & Tom Strini     free
Discussion and music performance from the period 1750-1800 when the newly developing early Classical six single string guitar and the traditional five and six course Baroque double string guitar were contemporary. The lecture includes two historical instruments: a 1798 Italian guitar (Fabricatore) and an 1800 Spanish guitar (Benedid).

2:30 – 3:30pm            Hawaiian Guitar and Ukulele Concert featuring Ian O’Sullivan    ticketed

4:00 – 5:00pm            Ukulele and Hawaiian Music Workshop with Ian O’Sullivan     free
A brief history of the ‘ukulele, prominent players and style, strumming and picking techniques, chord melody, and arranging for ‘ukulele as a solo instrument vs ensemble.

7:00pm- 7:30pm            Corvallis Guitar Ensemble Concert Directed by Cameron O’Connor    ticketed

7:30pm – 10:00pm         Closing Concert: Classical Guitarist Bill Kanengiser    ticketed