PFS December Monthly Concert with Erin Costelo

Thursday, December 13, 2018
Doors 7pm | Music 7:30pm

Secure your tickets here!

**FREE FOR MEMBERS** While Supplies Last
**$10 For Not-Yet-Members**

CLICK HERE TO WATCH A PERFORMANCE OF ERIN COSTELO

CLICK HERE TO RSVP ON FACEBOOK

About Erin Costelo

Although she has been compared to icons like Carole King and Nina Simone, Erin Costelo’s fifth studio album cements her status as an utterly inimitable voice in Americana music.

Taking inspiration from sources as varied as Ryan Adams and Randy Newman, Sweet Marie is a genre-defying album that sounds at once timeless, timely and completely fresh.

The album features a host of great Canadian talent including, Glenn Milchem on drums (Blue Rodeo), Anna Ruddick on bass (Randy Bachman), Leith Fleming-Smith (Matt Mays) and Erin’s long-time guitarist and partner, Clive MacNutt.

On Sweet Marie, Erin looks at a world and industry that pushed her to the edge of ending her musical career – but she pushes back. Pulsing with a confident and cathartic energy, Erin’s voice soars even as her songs dive deep.

Sweet Marie will be released in Canada on Oct 19th on Erin’s own label Venue Records and to the rest of the world on October 26th through Compass Records.

A “Making of” documentary, directed by Amelia Curran will air on CBC TV in Fall 2018.

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO ERIN COSTELO ON SOUNDCLOUD

CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT ERIN COSTELO

**Ticketing Policy**

The Philadelphia Folksong Society is proud to offer its’ members one or two free tickets (depending on membership level) to our selected Monthly Member Concert and Monthly House Concert every month. Due to the large number of members and limited seating, we ask that members reserve tickets when they know they can attend. If a member has reserved a ticket and cannot make it to the member concert of their choosing, they must contact the PFS office by phone or email prior to the event to cancel. Failure to do so will result in an inability to reserve your free member ticket to the following member concert.

If you arrive at a PFS member concert and have not reserved a ticket, you will only be seated ten minutes before show time if seats are still available.

If a member concert is listed as “sold out,” please contact Katie Kresz at kkresz@pfs.org to secure your spot atop the waitlist. You will be notified prior to the concert if seats become available.

PFS asks that all members show respect to their fellow members and the Society through following this policy.

Saturday, 12/15: Radiant Others, Judith & Michael Winograd | 7:30pm Doors / 8pm Music

Click here to get your tickets!

$12 for Members *While Supplies Last* | $15 Not-Yet-Members | $18 Doors

New Sounds in Jewish Music: Haimish Harmonies wraps up with a broad look at cutting-edge players uniting for an adventurous program where familiar sounds take audiences to new places. Radiant Others, led by Klezmer trombone master Dan Blacksberg, re-imagines traditional music with trombone at the forefront, bringing the instrument beyond its traditional accompaniment role and into the spotlight. Judith Berkson (piano/voice) & Michael Winograd (clarinet), two leading voices in a new generation of Klezmer, create inventive takes on traditional music… with sublime results.

This concert is part of Haimish Harmonies, a series exploring Klezmer Connections at the Philadelphia Folksong Society in a monthly installment, curated by Philadelphia-based trombonist, composer, and premier Klezmer practitioner, Dan Blacksberg.

The series features a selection of artists who each offer unique insight into Klezmer music and sounds, both new and traditional, creating a crossroads of offerings where connections can be made.

Join us for open mic at our venue at 6156 Ridge Ave, Philly with Co-op Member Rob Lincoln as our host and featured performer!

Doors open at 7:00pm
Performances at 7:30pm
Guests will perform 2 songs
Featured Artists/Host will perform 4 songs
Sound will be provided.
We ask for a donation of $3 for members and $5 for non-members in order to continue our programming.
PFS Venue events are BYOB. BYO wristbands are $2 and require proof of ID.

Open mics will be held on first and third Wednesdays* and will feature different hosts and different artists. If you would like to host an open mic or have your act considered as a featured act, please email dhaney@pfs.org (featured acts perform 4 songs around mid-evening).

*Occasionally, the Wednesday on which open mic falls will change due to holidays

PFS December House Concert with Jason Ager and Rev. TJ McGlinchey

Thursday, December 20, 2018
Potluck/Doors 7:30pm | Music 8pm

Get your tickets here!

CLICK HERE TO RSVP ON FACEBOOK

About Jason Ager

Jason Ager is a dedicated father, a passionate college professor, and a hyper-literate original songwriter. Balancing a PhD in German Literature with a few days a week as a stay-at-home dad, Jason still plays more than 100 shows a year in the Mid-Atlantic region and beyond. On his third album, Porchlight, Ager’s talent as a storyteller shines as he weaves together the academic and the arcane into clever lyrics that reward the careful listener. Nestled comfortably atop classic soul, R&B, and rock influences, songs like “Overload” and “Everybody Needs Love” epitomize Jason’s ability to rouse hearts and minds in the same breath.

CLICK HERE TO VISIT JASON’S WEBSITE

CLICK HERE TO WATCH A VIDEO OF JASON AGER

About Rev. TJ McGlinchey

Reverend TJ McGlinchey has been busy since his debut release “Tell Me To Stay” in 2012. He’s played the Philadelphia Folk Festival, been featured on 88.5 WXPN, gotten married, bought a house and completed an MFA in Music Composition at Vermont College of Fine Arts. Look for his new album, “Still In Love” at your local iTunes store or Spotify playlist beginning February 2019.

CLICK HERE TO VISIT REV. TJ MCGLINCHEY’S WEBSITE

PFS and the hosts ask that guests act in a respectful manner and be considerate of the performers and other attendees–if you do not, you may be asked to leave by PFS staff or the hosts.

Advance registrations for this performance are REQUIRED.

Admission is free for PFS members and $10 for Advanced Tickets for non-members.

The location will be at the McGlinchey Residence in South Philadelphia. The specific address will be given on the confirmation for registration.

Please bring something to share! Pot luck at 7:30pm, music at 8pm.

PFS Presents Skerryvore

Sunday, January 6, 2019
Doors 7pm | Music 7:30pm

$12 for Members *While Supplies Last* | $15 Not-Yet-Members | $18 Doors

Get your tickets here!

CLICK HERE TO RSVP ON FACEBOOK

About Skerryvore

Twice winners of Scotland’s Traditional Music ‘Live Act of the Year’ Award (2016 & 2011), SKERRYVORE have been on a meteoric journey that has taken them from the remote Isle of Tiree on to International tours that have included performances in Central Park NYC, The Ryder Cup Louisville and the Shanghai Expo, China.
SKERRYVORE create a unique fusion of folk, trad, rock and Americana that represents all the different personalities and upbringing of the 8 band members who hail from different regions of Scotland.

Formed in 2005, the band marked their 10th anniversary in 2015 with a ‘Decade’ concert at Mossfield Stadium, Oban. After selling 3,000 tickets in ninety minutes, the capacity was increased and 6,000 visitors from all over the world enjoyed SKERRYVORE, joined by a host of guests including Dougie MacLean and legendary Irish musician Sharon Shannon.

The success of the Decade concert led to the creation of the band’s own annual festival, Oban Live that has now attracted over 10,000 attendees to enjoy international acts including KT Tunstall, We Banjo 3, Julie Fowlis and Capercaillie alongside SKERRYVORE.

2017 saw the release of the single Live Forever that provided the soundtrack for the Scottish tourism promotional campaign ‘Wild About Argyll’ and saw the single hit No.1 in the iTunes World Music chart. This was followed by the launch of the Live Forever Tour that has the band performing over 70 shows in the UK, Italy, Spain, Denmark, Netherlands and the United States.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH A VIDEO OF SKERRYVORE

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO SKERRYVORE ON SPOTIFY

CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT SKERRYVORE

Join us for open mic at our venue at 6156 Ridge Ave, Stuart Lewis as our host and featured performer! Stuart has requested to make this a black tie affair, so dress to the nines!

Doors open at 7:00pm
Performances at 7:30pm
Guests will perform 2 songs
Featured Artists/Host will perform 4 songs
Sound will be provided.
We ask for a donation of $3 for members and $5 for non-members in order to continue our programming.
PFS Venue events are BYOB. BYO wristbands are $2 and require proof of ID.

Open mics will be held on first and third Wednesdays* and will feature different hosts and different artists. If you would like to host an open mic or have your act considered as a featured act, please email dhaney@pfs.org (featured acts perform 4 songs around mid-evening).

*Occasionally, the Wednesday on which open mic falls will change due to holidays

PFS January Monthly Concert with Taarka

Friday, January 11, 2019
Doors 7pm | Music 7:30pm

Get your tickets here!

**FREE FOR MEMBERS** While Supplies Last
**$10 For Not-Yet-Members**

CLICK HERE TO WATCH A PERFORMANCE AND DOCUMENTARY ON TAARKA

CLICK HERE TO RSVP ON FACEBOOK

About Taarka

Described by SF Weekly as a “collision of Django Reinhardt and David Grisman,” Taarka is the new acoustic “supergroup” (Flagstaff Live) “presenting masterfully deep americana and gypsyjazz string band music!” Led by the husband-and-wife team of David Pelta-Tiller (mandolin, tenor guitar, vocals) and Enion Pelta-Tiller (five-string violin, vocals) Taarka fills out its unique sound with award-winning bassist Troy Robey and prodigious young guitarist Mike Robinson, Taarka is bringing their otherworldly, energetic music to venues across the US, Canada, Europe and Mexico.

David, a versatile picker raised in Virginia on a steady diet of bluegrass, Celtic, classical and gypsyjazz, and Enion Pelta-Tiller, an award-winning classically-trained violinist who can switch seamlessly between Bartok and bebop (not to mention Gypsy jazz, punk, rock, bluegrass) began their journey together in 2001. After meeting at a Brooklyn Browngrass gig, the two began a Gypsy jazz busker act in the New York City subway before hitting the road as Taarka.

Taarka’s live shows strike a balance between well-crafted songs and spirited instrumentals these days, expanding on its beginnings as a purely instrumental string band putting a modern spin on Gypsy and Eastern European folk music. Taarka has drawn from wide-ranging influences over the past 10 years. Sophisticated listeners would be able to distill flavors of Western and Eastern folk traditions, jazz, rock, bluegrass, old-time, gypsy, Indian, and Celtic music all in a string band setting. Taarka has lately been gaining notice for their songwriting, which is informed by traditional bluegrass, oldtime and folk from America and Europe, 19th century poetry, and rock inspired by performances with some of the greatest names in songwriting today, including Darrell Scott, Greg Brown, James McMurtry, and Nathan Moore, but which incorporates sweeping pop and popping gypsy elements.

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO TAARKA ON SPOTIFY

CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT TAARKA

**Ticketing Policy**

The Philadelphia Folksong Society is proud to offer its’ members one or two free tickets (depending on membership level) to our selected Monthly Member Concert and Monthly House Concert every month. Due to the large number of members and limited seating, we ask that members reserve tickets when they know they can attend. If a member has reserved a ticket and cannot make it to the member concert of their choosing, they must contact the PFS office by phone or email prior to the event to cancel. Failure to do so will result in an inability to reserve your free member ticket to the following member concert.

If you arrive at a PFS member concert and have not reserved a ticket, you will only be seated ten minutes before show time if seats are still available.

If a member concert is listed as “sold out,” please contact Katie Kresz at kkresz@pfs.org to secure your spot atop the waitlist. You will be notified prior to the concert if seats become available.

PFS asks that all members show respect to their fellow members and the Society through following this policy.

PFS Presents Gina Chavez

Friday, January 18, 2019
Doors 7:30pm | Music 8pm

Get your tickets here!

$14 for Members *While Supplies Last* | $17 Not-Yet-Members | $20 Doors

CLICK HERE TO RSVP ON FACEBOOK

About Gina Chavez

Austin musician Gina Chavez never thought she’d see the day when two women could marry in Texas. Then again, she never thought she would marry a woman.

“Heaven Knows,” the first single off her upcoming five-song EP, Lightbeam, is the musical journey of twelve years in love; a love Chavez never thought she would experience.

“I was 24, staunchly Catholic and I’d had great, healthy relationships. But I’d never been in love,” Chavez said. “Then I met this girl with a smile that made me question everything I thought I knew.”

Lightbeam, set to release on Friday, September 14, 2018, is a sonic departure for Chavez who is known for her signature style of bilingual Latin folk-pop that topped the iTunes and Amazon Latin charts with her award-winning album, Up.Rooted. The 2015 Austin Musician of the Year traded her acoustic guitar for the smooth tones of a Gibson hollow body, and called upon producer Dwight A. Baker (MISSIO, Alpha Rev, The Wind and The Wave, Josh Abbott Band) to lay down five soulful and diverse songs, that expand upon her previous work with same lively and sophisticated spirit that her fans have grown to love.

Lightbeam boasts intensely personal lyrics — heaven knows our souls, our story / the shape of your heart when you hold me / wouldn’t tear us apart or disown me” — strong melodic hooks and a pop aesthetic that showcase Chavez’s versatility as an artist.

“These are songs my heart has been wanting to sing for so long,” Chavez said. “To shout from the rooftops that I am in love! To tell the world about this incredible woman who lights me up and calls me to my best self, and show that our love is more than tolerable. It’s the kind of love we’re made for.”

Recorded in eight days at Matchbox Studios in Austin, Texas, the EP features some of Austin’s finest — Dave Boyle (keys), Conrad Choucroun (drums), and Steve Terebecki (bass) — on five unapologetically personal tracks that explore longing, faith, beauty, and sacrifice.

“I took some time to allow myself to write,” Chavez said. “No boundaries, no genres, just me and my guitar, and I was pretty surprised when these soul-tinged songs bubbled up. But this is the story my heart wanted to tell; the story what it means to be a Catholic Latina and fall in love with a woman; the story of what it means to live your heart no matter what the world says.”

Chavez and her wife, Jodi Granado, met at the University Catholic Center at UT Austin. The next decade would see the couple through the ups and downs of a long-distance relationship, coming out to friends and family, hiding their love while volunteering in El Salvador, and building a life together in Austin. Last year, Chavez and Granado, still practicing Catholics, tied the knot at Tiny T Ranch just east of Austin — two years after marriage equality became legal in Texas.

With 10 Austin Music Awards, an NPR Tiny Desk with more than half a million views, frequent tours as a cultural ambassador with the U.S. State Department, being named an official 2018 SXSW artist for the fifth year in a row with her six-piece band and a trip to Kyrgyzstan in April 2018, Chavez and her wife, Jodi, have embarked on a European mini-tour that kicks off the couple’s honeymoon and the release of “Lightbeam.”

CLICK HERE TO WATCH A VIDEO OF GINA CHAVEZ

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO GINA CHAVEZ ON SPOTIFY

CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT GINA CHAVEZ

PFS Co-op Presents: Fish Harmonics EP Release with special guest Mike Block (of Yo-Yo Ma’s Silk Road Ensemble)
Friday, January 25, 2019
Doors 7:30pm | Music 8pm

Secure your tickets here!

$10 for Members *While Supplies Last* | $12 Not-Yet-Members | $15 Doors
PFS is a BYO venue. $2 BYO Wristband (21+ with ID)

Watch Fish Harmonics here!

RSVP on Facebook here.

Join PFS as we celebrate the release of ONE, an EP of original music by Rob Curto with his ensemble, Fish Harmonics, featuring adventurous American roots music that takes you on a whirlwind, toe-tapping ride.

Influenced by celtic, old time, and modern bluegrass sounds, the band brings a unique free-wheeling and improvisational energy to both classic tunes and original compositions. “ONE” features Curto’s mastery of the piano and diatonic accordions, coupled with rhythmic arco bass playing by Chris Coyle (bass); old-timey strings by Brennen Ernst (banjo, guitar), Isaac Stanford (dobro), and Mazz Swift (fiddle); and percussion by Saantis Fenmu Davis with groove-oriented drumming by Doug Hirlinger.

“ONE” is a musical journey in itself, documenting the discovery of a new place, new music, and new collaborations in Philadelphia. Listening to the album will leave you with no doubt that you’ve just heard some of the best players around make something special. The irony? “One” listen isn’t enough. (Handy note: CDs of “ONE” will be available at the show for $10!)

Special guest Mike Block (Yo-Yo Ma’s Silk Road Ensemble) will start the evening off with a solo performance on cello. Block is a cello player, singer, and composer who is a Grammy Award-winning member of the Silk Road Ensemble. Block’s solo show features a mixture of original compositions and songs, arrangements of traditional folk music, and classical selections that draw inspiration from his diverse collaborations with artists such as cellist Yo-Yo Ma, fiddler Mark O’Connor, Indian tabla player Sandeep Das, and pop stars such as will.i.am, Stevie Wonder, and Bon Iver. www.MikeBlockMusic.com

ABOUT ROB CURTO & FISH HARMONICS

Rob Curto (composer, pianist, and accordionist) has spent the last 8 years touring extensively with his band Matuto, known for its distinctive “Brazilian-bluegrass” sound. Mixing the roots Americana stylings of the great Bill Monroe with rhythmic and melodic elements from Brazil, Curto has been part of a movement to establish the accordion as a versatile and important instrument in contemporary roots music.

In addition to Brazilian music, Curto has gained a reputation as an all-around master of the accordion and has been in high demand across genres. His musical collaborations include performing and recording with Latin Grammy award winner Lila Downs; Klezmer clarinetist David Krakauer; trumpeter/composer Frank London; Punjabi Indian singer Kiran Ahluwalia; and icon of Brazilian Forró, the great accordionist Dominguinhos. Curto is also an enthusiast of Irish button accordion and studies with acclaimed B/C box player, Billy McComisky.

Curto has toured internationally including across parts of Europe, Asia, and Africa, and has represented the United States State Department abroad. He has been a staple at festivals like Wintergrass, Red Wing Roots, and Rhythm and Roots, and made his Philadelphia Folk Festival debut with his band Forró for All in 2018.

Fish Harmonics is the new project of Curto, featuring an exciting and unusual blend of roots influences and deeply informed by Curto’s own rootings in jazz and improvisational mastery. True to form, the accordion is at the forefront of the group’s sound and there’s no denying the excitement of Curto’s flying fingers once the band starts a groove–and groove they do, with an impressive line-up of some of Philadelphia’s best musicians including Chris Coyle on acoustic bass, Doug Hirlinger on drums, and Brennen Ernst on banjo/guitar. The combination of arco bass with groove-oriented drumming and old-timey strings played with dizzying skill along with the accordion create a sound that’s somehow both familiar and new… and always an adventure. www.fishharmonics.com

ABOUT MIKE BLOCK

Mike Block is a pioneering cello player, singer, composer, and educator, hailed by Yo-Yo Ma as the “ideal musician of the 21st-Century.” Passionate about cross-cultural collaboration through music, Mike is committed to inspiring individuals and connecting communities. At home in a wide range of musical styles, through a multi-genre approach to composition, performance and education, he seeks to inspire audiences and empower musicians to find joy in the full world of music.

Mike is member of Yo-Yo Ma’s Silk Road Ensemble (SRE), having joined in 2005 while a student at The Juilliard School. Touring extensively throughout the world with SRE, he has been featured as cello and vocal soloist, contributed arrangements and compositions, and earned a Grammy Award in 2017 for their album, Sing Me Home. Mike also served as Music Director for SRE’s acclaimed opening concert of New York City’s Central Park SummerStage 2011 season “Night at the Caravanserai: Tales of Wonder”.

Acclaimed by the NY Times for his “vital rich-hued solo playing,” Block’s solo performances offer a rich mixture of core classical repertoire with original compositions. He has collaborated in performance and recordings with a variety of diverse musicians, including Will.i.am, Edgar Meyer, Stevie Wonder, The New York Philharmonic, Bon Iver, Zakir Hussain, Rachel Barton Pine, Allison Krauss, Mark O’Connor, Bobby McFerrin, Darol Anger, and Julian Lage. Mike is an active recording artist of original material, folk music and cross-cultural collaborations. He has an ongoing project to record all of the Bach cello suites in acoustically glorious bathrooms of famous concert halls, BachInTheBathroom.com.

PFS Presents Quarter Horse

Saturday, February 2, 2019
Doors 7:30pm | Music 8pm

Get your tickets here!

$12 for Members *While Supplies Last* | $15 Not-Yet-Members | $18 Doors

CLICK HERE TO RSVP ON FACEBOOK

About Quarter Horse

CLICK HERE TO WATCH A VIDEO OF QUARTER HORSE

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO QUARTER HORSE ON SPOTIFY

CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT QUARTER HORSE

PFS February Monthly Concert with Courtney Hartman and Tom West

Thursday, February 7, 2019
Doors 7:30pm | Music 8pm

Get your tickets here!

**FREE FOR MEMBERS** While Supplies Last
**$10 For Not-Yet-Members**

CLICK HERE TO RSVP ON FACEBOOK

About Courtney Hartman

You’ve seen Courtney Hartman as part of award-winning folk bluegrass act Della Mae at the Philadelphia Folk Festival, but you’ve never seen her like this before. Courtney Hartman is an acclaimed guitarist, singer and writer whose songs are luminous and expansive, drawing from the shadowed spaces of the intimate and natural. Acoustic Guitar Magazine recognizes her as a “distinctive guitar stylist… and a songwriter that delights and disturbs.” Her early years were spent playing folk and bluegrass with her siblings at festivals around the country. After leaving Colorado for the Northeast, Courtney joined up with folk quintet, Della Mae, touring internationally for seven years, releasing three records and garnering a GRAMMY nomination.

Her first solo release, Nothing We Say, drew ears to her work as a songwriter and solo artist. The EP runs with ruminations from the road, influenced by the Colorado foothills where she was raised and the Brooklyn window sill from where she wrote. In 2017, following the release, Courtney was nominated by Americana Music Association for Instrumentalist of the Year. Bill Frisell, Mike Campbell, Buffy St. Marie and Shazhad Ismaily are a few of the artists Courtney has created with as she continues to collaborate across cultures and disciplines, always seeking to bring voice to the hushed and inexpressible. Her newest release, a duo with Canadian songwriter Taylor Ashton, was met with anticipation and acclaim, hailed by PopMatters as “a delicate light glistening softly in the darkness.”

Whether she is following the thread of her traditional roots or exploring the rim of her own songwriting, Courtney continues to make music both timely and compelling, pulling on the antinomies that define her. She is currently based in Colorado and will be touring in 2019 in support of her next solo album.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH A VIDEO OF COURTNEY HARTMAN

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO COURTNEY HARTMAN ON SPOTIFY

CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT COURTNEY HARTMAN

About Tom West

Tom West is an Australian singer-songwriter performing music that traverses the rocky and undulating ground between simple, whimsical folk tunes and grand and moody soundscapes. Delivering shows where his purposeful songwriting, unforgettable voice and intricate arrangements come to the fore. Effortlessly shifting between performing solo or with his band where banjos, saxophones & guitars complete the ramshackle wall of sound he has drawn comparisons to the likes of Volcano Choir, Andrew Bird, The Lumineers, Of Monsters & Men & Ben Howard. West’s latest work explores new boundaries in his writing and composing.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH A PERFORMANCE OF TOM WEST

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO TOM WEST ON SPOTIFY

CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT TOM WEST

**Ticketing Policy**

The Philadelphia Folksong Society is proud to offer its’ members one or two free tickets (depending on membership level) to our selected Monthly Member Concert and Monthly House Concert every month. Due to the large number of members and limited seating, we ask that members reserve tickets when they know they can attend. If a member has reserved a ticket and cannot make it to the member concert of their choosing, they must contact the PFS office by phone or email prior to the event to cancel. Failure to do so will result in an inability to reserve your free member ticket to the following member concert.

If you arrive at a PFS member concert and have not reserved a ticket, you will only be seated ten minutes before show time if seats are still available.

If a member concert is listed as “sold out,” please contact Katie Kresz at kkresz@pfs.org to secure your spot atop the waitlist. You will be notified prior to the concert if seats become available.

PFS asks that all members show respect to their fellow members and the Society through following this policy.

PFS Presents OSOG

Friday, February 22, 2019
Doors 7:30pm | Music 8pm

$12 for Members *While Supplies Last* | $15 Not-Yet-Members | $18 Doors

Get your tickets here!

CLICK HERE TO RSVP ON FACEBOOK

About OSOG

OSOG stands for “On Shoulders Of Giants,” honoring their musical roots, and on the way to their unique sound, they have done some deep listening. You may be tempted to think: Americana, and that would be true, because their life-water comes from the same well. But the creature nurtured on it, was born on the crossroads, in the Middle East, with the world in its ears. The nine-person band features acoustic instruments, yet they are played with a 21st century sensibility. A song may open with poetic imagery and fingers pick out a delicate melody on the ukulele or mandolin, like a folk tune coming from an old soul, then something happens, a portal opens to the dark side, and everything changes. But in that intensity, you realize that it was always all there, paradise and the inferno are all part of the same whole. There’s a religious fervor to many of the songs, that resonates profoundly. It sounds like traditional Gospel and Blues, not because it is written in that manner or in imitation; if you listen to the music you soon realize that it is a raging devil-child of diverse influences (blues, folk, rock, punk, reggae – to name a few) and striking originality. OSOG’s music feels like traditional blues or gospel because they are harnessed to the same, ultimately subversive task: truth-telling.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH A VIDEO OF OSOG

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO OSOG ON SPOTIFY

CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT OSOG

PFS Presents Melanie Brulée

Get your tickets here!

Saturday, February 23, 2019
Doors 7:30pm | Music 8pm

$10 for Members *While Supplies Last* | $12 Not-Yet-Members | $15 Doors

CLICK HERE TO RSVP ON FACEBOOK

CLICK HERE TO WATCH A VIDEO OF MELANIE BRULÉE

About Melanie Brulée

Born in Cornwall Ontario to bilingual parents, Toronto-based Melanie Brulée interweaves her native language into her art like she crisscrosses musical genres: with ease. From the first listen, you can hear how her years living in Australia and France have influenced her style and sound. The first offering rich surf-style guitar tones and catchy hooks and the latter blurring the lines between audience and performer, like a speakeasy cabaret. What most might call Americana, folk-rock or country music, Melanie colours with her own distinctive essence, bringing a vintage respect to a modern sound. Seeing her ease onstage, it’s clear that’s where she feels most at home, quickly winning over audiences with her charisma.

Melanie’s striking stage presence, unique vocal stylings and expressive confidence have opened several doors for her since the release of her French album Débridée (2015), giving her the chance to build a solid team including management, booking, distribution and publishing. Critically acclaimed by media in Québec as well as across Canada, the album earned Melanie a Stingray Music Rising Star Award as well as three Trille Or nominations at Canada’s largest recognition of excellence in the arts outside of Québec. Melanie was featured on the official Ontario 150 anthem ‘A Place to Stand’ which was highly distributed across the province during 2017.

Her singles have been on regular rotation on CBC, Radio-Canada as well as Sirius XM satellite in Canada and the USA, allowing her to build a following and tour the continent playing near 100 shows per year. Most recent highlights include opening for Kathleen Edwards, Whitehorse and Amanda Marshall as well as performances at renowned festivals such as Mariposa Folk Fest, Luminato, Francofolies, Montreal Folk on the Canal and multiple performances at Yonge-Dundas Square. Most recently, Melanie has been spending significant time honing her craft as a songwriter in Nashville with some of Music City’s finest in preparation for her upcoming 2018 release.

The success of Débridée opened another unexpected door, allowing her to begin a conversation about mental health with her audience. She began running workshops on self-confidence with students across North America, encouraging young people to talk about their fears and anxieties, offering tips and tricks on dealing with depression, and sharing her story as a suicide loss survivor. “After my father’s passing, I remember being so angry. The truth is that without being able to express myself through songwriting, I’d be an absolute mess. Sharing my story with others has helped me get through the pain and loss and I hope that I can offer the same refuge to others through music and open conversation.” Melanie’s third full-length album Fires, Floods & Things We Leave Behind further explores themes of family, loss and addiction and will be released October 2018.

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO MELANIE BRULÉE ON SPOTIFY

CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT MELANIE BRULÉE

PFS Presents Bon Débarras

Friday, March 1, 2019
Doors 7:30pm | Music 8pm

$12 for Members *While Supplies Last* | $15 Not-Yet-Members | $18 Doors

Get your tickets here!

CLICK HERE TO RSVP ON FACEBOOK

About Bon Débarras

Bon Débarras unites the worlds of music, dance and poetry through a collaboration between Montreal artists Dominic Desrochers, Jean-François Dumas and Marie-Pierre Lecault. The group brings together a fusion of Quebecois folk music, traditional step-dancing and global influences, for a show that is full of fun and inventive energy. On guitar, banjo, violin and harmonica, the trio opens a door to their recollections of America and their music is at the intersection of various traditions. Bon Débarras’ energy taps into the rhythms of today and ventures boldly on the multi-faceted road to tomorrow’s dreams, in an atmosphere that transcends boundaries and ages.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH A VIDEO OF BON DÉBARRAS

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO BON DÉBARRAS ON SPOTIFY

CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT BON DÉBARRAS

PFS Presents The Black Feathers

Saturday, March 2, 2019
Doors 7:30pm | Music 8pm

Get your tickets here!

$12 for Members *While Supplies Last* | $15 Not-Yet-Members | $18 Doors

CLICK HERE TO RSVP ON FACEBOOK

CLICK HERE TO SEE THE BLACK FEATHERS PERFORM

About The Black Feathers

A favorite of the 2018 Philadelphia Folk Festival, we are delighted to be hosting The Black Feathers in the PFS venue!

The ability to write songs that are both modern and ancient is a rare thing. The product of an arcane art of weaving in traditional influences so thoroughly that they become the warp and weft of fresh creations.The Black Feathers, made up of Ray Hughes and Sian Chandler, are two such talents. They first became aware of the magic between them while collaborating on several musical projects, becoming The Black Feathers and life partners in 2012.

Americana, Folk, and Acoustic Indie Rock sensibilities coexist comfortably in their musical world, with Hughes’ guitar work buoying the kind of harmonies often only heard in family bands. It’s been an incredible couple of years for the The Black Feathers. Their debut album was met with critical acclaim and broke into the Top 10 in the iTunes Country chart and the Official UK Americana Chart. A live album recorded at The Convent in Stroud has also just been released and very well received. Tours in the UK, as well as an Irish tour supporting Eddi Reader, have kept Sian and Ray busy. They could easily rest on their laurels, but instead have been spending their downtime working on new material to be released as their ‘The Ghosts Have Eaten Well’ EP in 2018 with more new music on the way!

CLICK HERE TO WATCH A MUSIC VIDEO OF THE BLACK FEATHERS

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO THE BLACK FEATHERS ON SPOTIFY

CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE BLACK FEATHERS

March Monthly Concert with John McCutcheon

Sunday, March 10, 2019
Doors 1:30pm | Music 2pm

Get your tickets here!

FREE for Members *While Supplies Last* | $10 Not-Yet-Members | $15 Doors

CLICK HERE TO RSVP ON FACEBOOK

About John McCutcheon

No one remembers when the neighbors started calling the McCutcheons to complain about the loud singing from young John’s bedroom. It didn’t seem to do much good, though. For, after a shaky, lopsided battle between piano lessons and baseball (he was a mediocre pianist and an all-star catcher), he had “found his voice” thanks to a cheap mail-order guitar and a used book of chords.

From such inauspicious beginnings, John McCutcheon has emerged as one of our most respected and loved folksingers. As an instrumentalist, he is a master of a dozen different traditional instruments, most notably the rare and beautiful hammer dulcimer. His songwriting has been hailed by critics and singers around the globe. His thirty recordings have garnered every imaginable honor including seven Grammy nominations. He has produced over twenty albums of other artists, from traditional fiddlers to contemporary singer-songwriters to educational and documentary works. His books and instructional materials have introduced budding players to the joys of their own musicality. And his commitment to grassroots political organizations has put him on the front lines of many of the issues important to communities and workers.

Even before graduating summa cum laude from Minnesota’s St. John’s University, this Wisconsin native literally “headed for the hills,” forgoing a college lecture hall for the classroom of the eastern Kentucky coal camps, union halls, country churches, and square dance halls. His apprenticeship to many of the legendary figures of Appalachian music imbedded a love of not only home-made music, but a sense of community and rootedness. The result is music…whether traditional or from his huge catalog of original songs…with the profound mark of place, family, and strength. It also created a storytelling style that has been compared to Will Rogers and Garrison Keillor.

But it is in live performance that John feels most at home. It is what has brought his music into the lives and homes of one of the broadest audiences any folk musician has ever enjoyed. People of every generation and background seem to feel at home in a concert hall when John McCutcheon takes the stage, with what critics describe as “little feats of magic,” “breathtaking in their ease and grace…,” and “like a conversation with an illuminating old friend.”

Whether in print, on record, or on stage, few people communicate with the versatility, charm, wit or pure talent of John McCutcheon.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH A VIDEO OF JOHN MCCUTCHEON

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO JOHN MCCUTCHEON ON SPOTIFY

CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT JOHN MCCUTCHEON

**Ticketing Policy**

The Philadelphia Folksong Society is proud to offer its’ members one or two free tickets (depending on membership level) to our selected Monthly Member Concert and Monthly House Concert every month. Due to the large number of members and limited seating, we ask that members reserve tickets when they know they can attend. If a member has reserved a ticket and cannot make it to the member concert of their choosing, they must contact the PFS office by phone or email prior to the event to cancel. Failure to do so will result in an inability to reserve your free member ticket to the following member concert.

If you arrive at a PFS member concert and have not reserved a ticket, you will only be seated ten minutes before show time if seats are still available.

If a member concert is listed as “sold out,” please contact Katie Kresz at kkresz@pfs.org to secure your spot atop the waitlist. You will be notified prior to the concert if seats become available.

PFS asks that all members show respect to their fellow members and the Society through following this policy.

PFS Presents Les Poules à Colin

Friday, March 15, 2019
Doors 7:30pm | Music 8pm

$12 for Members *While Supplies Last* | $15 Not-Yet-Members | $18 Doors

Get your tickets here!

CLICK HERE TO RSVP ON FACEBOOK

About Les Poules à Colin

Taking their name from a traditional song, Colin’s Hens (formed in 2009) are five descendants of trad musicians who have been raised behind the scenes of folk festivals. They learned their trade with some of Quebec’s greatest traditional musicians in an area famous for its living heritage: Lanaudière.

Their strong stage presence demonstrates a contagious pleasure and projects the audience in a family and festive atmosphere. It is in 2010 that they record their first album. It is with Hébertisme Nocturne that they take to the stage in major cities in Canada, the United States and France, including festivals such as the Winnipeg Folk Festival, the Tadoussac Song Festival, the Sunfest , the Memory and Roots Festival, and many others.

These young artists continue their work of creation and record in 2014 their second album, Ste-Waves. The latter was nominated at ADISQ 2015 in the category Traditional Album of the Year. Broadcast on Quebec, the album has become a hit in record stores and the official video has exceeded 35,000 views. Ste-Waves has earned them a place on the North American and European folk trades scene by playing in several major festivals such as the Vancouver Folk Festival, Celtic Connections, the Vancouver Island Music Festival, the Festival du Voyageur and the International Festival. from Louisiana.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH A VIDEO OF LES POULES À COLIN

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO LES POULES À COLIN ON SPOTIFY

CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT LES POULES À COLIN

PFS Presents Catherine Britt

Friday, March 22, 2019
Doors 7:30pm | Music 8pm

Get your tickets here!

$12 for Members *While Supplies Last* | $15 Not-Yet-Members | $20 Doors

CLICK HERE TO RSVP ON FACEBOOK

About Catherine Britt

When you look at modern country music you can identify a diverse range of styles that have evolved from the traditional roots form. From pop country to bush ballads, acoustic folk-leaning songs to rousing country rock and the polymorphic blend of Americana. One Australian artist that can lay claim to all of these strains is Catherine Britt, a songwriter who has already packed a respected and highly acclaimed career into her first two decades as a recording artist. Now, in 2018, a new chapter begins with the release of her seventh studio album, Catherine Britt & The Cold Cold Hearts.

From Newcastle to Nashville, Catherine made the move to the home of country music at just 17 years old. It proved to be a brave decision that gave her immeasurable experience as a musician, insight into the machinations of the industry and a contract with the legendary RCA Records. Upon returning to Australia in 2009, Catherine set about recording her debut full length album Dusty Smiles and Heartbreak Cures, the first of five consecutive albums nominated for Album Of The Year at the CMAA (Country Music Awards of Australia). The accolades didn’t stop there. Along the way she has received five Golden Guitar Awards, the CMA Global Artist Of The Year award in 2010 and six ARIA Award nominations for Best Country Album.

Life has a way of throwing curveballs, both good and bad, and the last three years have seen Catherine fight and win a battle with breast cancer, marry her husband James and most recently, give birth to their first child. Out of those highs and lows comes Catherine Britt & The Cold Cold Hearts, an album that rattles and rolls with life, energy and honest, autobiographical songwriting.

The album was recorded in Catherine’s own studio, built in her backyard and dubbed the Beverley Hillbilly Studios. With engineer Jeff McCormack behind the desk, Catherine and The Cold Cold Hearts (Michael Muchow & Andy Toombs) self-produced the album with Bill Chambers guesting on all the tracks. “I came up with this idea three years ago on our honeymoon while we were traveling in our camper in WA. I didn’t know what to do next after Boneshaker but I knew I didn’t want to do the overseas thing again and that I wanted to do something more organic and at home. I thought of building the studio and doing it ourselves. I’ve always wanted to do one of those ‘artist and a band’ projects like Ryan Adams & The Cardinals and Emmylou Harris & The Hot Band. It’s still the artist but they have this band of mates behind them. When I was writing the album I was going back to when I was a kid and rediscovering that music that I grew up on. I thought about who would get that and pull it off and these guys were perfect. When you’re making a record and going out on the road it’s really important that there’s a good vibe and you’re all on the same page.”

CLICK HERE TO WATCH A VIDEO OF CATHERINE BRITT

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO CATHERINE BRITT ON SPOTIFY

CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT CATHERINE BRITT

PFS Presents The Kennedys

Saturday, May 11, 2019
Doors 7:30pm | Music 8pm

Get your tickets here!

$12 for Members *While Supplies Last* | $15 Not-Yet-Members | $18 Doors

CLICK HERE TO RSVP ON FACEBOOK

About 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 tour or in the creative realm.

Originally based in Austin, Texas, they spent a few years in the Washington DC area before moving to the East Village in New York City, where they have been based for most of the last two decades. The Kennedys are known nationwide as the hosts of the late lamented Dharma Café program on Sirius Satellite Radio, and on Broadway, they are regular cast members of Theatre Within’s annual tribute to John Lennon — working in that capacity with Patti Smith, Debbie Harry, Jackson Browne, Cyndi Lauper and a host of others.

Life on the road and time spent in the creative ecosystem of the Village have informed their songwriting over the course of 14 duo albums and half a dozen side projects, and Safe Until Tomorrow 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 Kennedys’ music has been described as uplifting, empowering and encouraging. In these turbulent times, they rise to the occasion with Safe Until Tomorrow.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH A VIDEO OF THE KENNEDYS

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO THE KENNEDYS ON SPOTIFY

CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE KENNEDYS

PFS December Monthly Concert with Erin Costelo

Thursday, December 13, 2018
Doors 7pm | Music 7:30pm

Secure your tickets here!

**FREE FOR MEMBERS** While Supplies Last
**$10 For Not-Yet-Members**

CLICK HERE TO WATCH A PERFORMANCE OF ERIN COSTELO

CLICK HERE TO RSVP ON FACEBOOK

About Erin Costelo

Although she has been compared to icons like Carole King and Nina Simone, Erin Costelo’s fifth studio album cements her status as an utterly inimitable voice in Americana music.

Taking inspiration from sources as varied as Ryan Adams and Randy Newman, Sweet Marie is a genre-defying album that sounds at once timeless, timely and completely fresh.

The album features a host of great Canadian talent including, Glenn Milchem on drums (Blue Rodeo), Anna Ruddick on bass (Randy Bachman), Leith Fleming-Smith (Matt Mays) and Erin’s long-time guitarist and partner, Clive MacNutt.

On Sweet Marie, Erin looks at a world and industry that pushed her to the edge of ending her musical career – but she pushes back. Pulsing with a confident and cathartic energy, Erin’s voice soars even as her songs dive deep.

Sweet Marie will be released in Canada on Oct 19th on Erin’s own label Venue Records and to the rest of the world on October 26th through Compass Records.

A “Making of” documentary, directed by Amelia Curran will air on CBC TV in Fall 2018.

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO ERIN COSTELO ON SOUNDCLOUD

CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT ERIN COSTELO

**Ticketing Policy**

The Philadelphia Folksong Society is proud to offer its’ members one or two free tickets (depending on membership level) to our selected Monthly Member Concert and Monthly House Concert every month. Due to the large number of members and limited seating, we ask that members reserve tickets when they know they can attend. If a member has reserved a ticket and cannot make it to the member concert of their choosing, they must contact the PFS office by phone or email prior to the event to cancel. Failure to do so will result in an inability to reserve your free member ticket to the following member concert.

If you arrive at a PFS member concert and have not reserved a ticket, you will only be seated ten minutes before show time if seats are still available.

If a member concert is listed as “sold out,” please contact Katie Kresz at kkresz@pfs.org to secure your spot atop the waitlist. You will be notified prior to the concert if seats become available.

PFS asks that all members show respect to their fellow members and the Society through following this policy.

Malelani Café Holiday Open Mic and Fundraiser

Friday, December 14th @ 7:00 p.m.

6734 Germantown Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 

Rusty and Jan will be hosting a special holiday open mic. Play your favorite Christmas/Chanukah/Holiday song. Don’t have a holiday song? No worries — we won’t turn you away. We will also be having an ugly sweater contest with prizes! Come out and join the fun!!

George will be preparing a special Turkey dinner with all the trimmings. It will be served buffet style and the cost will be $10 a person. Rusty and Jan will bring the Egg Nog!

NOW FOR THE FUNDRAISER PART:

We want grow Malelani Café as a music venue. As part of this goal, we will be upgrading sound equipment and the performance stage. If you have any equipment that you are no longer using, we would gratefully accept your donations.

Saturday, 12/15: Radiant Others, Judith & Michael Winograd | 7:30pm Doors / 8pm Music

Click here to get your tickets!

$12 for Members *While Supplies Last* | $15 Not-Yet-Members | $18 Doors

New Sounds in Jewish Music: Haimish Harmonies wraps up with a broad look at cutting-edge players uniting for an adventurous program where familiar sounds take audiences to new places. Radiant Others, led by Klezmer trombone master Dan Blacksberg, re-imagines traditional music with trombone at the forefront, bringing the instrument beyond its traditional accompaniment role and into the spotlight. Judith Berkson (piano/voice) & Michael Winograd (clarinet), two leading voices in a new generation of Klezmer, create inventive takes on traditional music… with sublime results.

This concert is part of Haimish Harmonies, a series exploring Klezmer Connections at the Philadelphia Folksong Society in a monthly installment, curated by Philadelphia-based trombonist, composer, and premier Klezmer practitioner, Dan Blacksberg.

The series features a selection of artists who each offer unique insight into Klezmer music and sounds, both new and traditional, creating a crossroads of offerings where connections can be made.

Holiday Performance at the Christmas Village with Lance Fingles

Tuesday, December 18th at 4:00 p.m.

Love Park – 1501 JFK Boulevard, Philadelphia, PA 

This is the last of three scheduled performances at the Christmas Village. This time we will be joined by our good friend Lance Fingles. We will be playing many of your Holiday Favorites. Come out and experience Christmas in the city!

PFS December House Concert with Jason Ager and Rev. TJ McGlinchey

Thursday, December 20, 2018
Potluck/Doors 7:30pm | Music 8pm

Get your tickets here!

CLICK HERE TO RSVP ON FACEBOOK

About Jason Ager

Jason Ager is a dedicated father, a passionate college professor, and a hyper-literate original songwriter. Balancing a PhD in German Literature with a few days a week as a stay-at-home dad, Jason still plays more than 100 shows a year in the Mid-Atlantic region and beyond. On his third album, Porchlight, Ager’s talent as a storyteller shines as he weaves together the academic and the arcane into clever lyrics that reward the careful listener. Nestled comfortably atop classic soul, R&B, and rock influences, songs like “Overload” and “Everybody Needs Love” epitomize Jason’s ability to rouse hearts and minds in the same breath.

CLICK HERE TO VISIT JASON’S WEBSITE

CLICK HERE TO WATCH A VIDEO OF JASON AGER

About Rev. TJ McGlinchey

Reverend TJ McGlinchey has been busy since his debut release “Tell Me To Stay” in 2012. He’s played the Philadelphia Folk Festival, been featured on 88.5 WXPN, gotten married, bought a house and completed an MFA in Music Composition at Vermont College of Fine Arts. Look for his new album, “Still In Love” at your local iTunes store or Spotify playlist beginning February 2019.

CLICK HERE TO VISIT REV. TJ MCGLINCHEY’S WEBSITE

PFS and the hosts ask that guests act in a respectful manner and be considerate of the performers and other attendees–if you do not, you may be asked to leave by PFS staff or the hosts.

Advance registrations for this performance are REQUIRED.

Admission is free for PFS members and $10 for Advanced Tickets for non-members.

The location will be at the McGlinchey Residence in South Philadelphia. The specific address will be given on the confirmation for registration.

Please bring something to share! Pot luck at 7:30pm, music at 8pm.

Lansdowne, PA

Fri, Dec 21 at Jamey’s House of Music w/Rootology

• Buy Tickets $15: https://jhom.ticketleap.com/rootology/dates/Dec-21-2018_at_0800PM
• RSVP on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/1972252626400776/

PFS January Monthly Concert with Taarka

Friday, January 11, 2019
Doors 7pm | Music 7:30pm

Get your tickets here!

**FREE FOR MEMBERS** While Supplies Last
**$10 For Not-Yet-Members**

CLICK HERE TO WATCH A PERFORMANCE AND DOCUMENTARY ON TAARKA

CLICK HERE TO RSVP ON FACEBOOK

About Taarka

Described by SF Weekly as a “collision of Django Reinhardt and David Grisman,” Taarka is the new acoustic “supergroup” (Flagstaff Live) “presenting masterfully deep americana and gypsyjazz string band music!” Led by the husband-and-wife team of David Pelta-Tiller (mandolin, tenor guitar, vocals) and Enion Pelta-Tiller (five-string violin, vocals) Taarka fills out its unique sound with award-winning bassist Troy Robey and prodigious young guitarist Mike Robinson, Taarka is bringing their otherworldly, energetic music to venues across the US, Canada, Europe and Mexico.

David, a versatile picker raised in Virginia on a steady diet of bluegrass, Celtic, classical and gypsyjazz, and Enion Pelta-Tiller, an award-winning classically-trained violinist who can switch seamlessly between Bartok and bebop (not to mention Gypsy jazz, punk, rock, bluegrass) began their journey together in 2001. After meeting at a Brooklyn Browngrass gig, the two began a Gypsy jazz busker act in the New York City subway before hitting the road as Taarka.

Taarka’s live shows strike a balance between well-crafted songs and spirited instrumentals these days, expanding on its beginnings as a purely instrumental string band putting a modern spin on Gypsy and Eastern European folk music. Taarka has drawn from wide-ranging influences over the past 10 years. Sophisticated listeners would be able to distill flavors of Western and Eastern folk traditions, jazz, rock, bluegrass, old-time, gypsy, Indian, and Celtic music all in a string band setting. Taarka has lately been gaining notice for their songwriting, which is informed by traditional bluegrass, oldtime and folk from America and Europe, 19th century poetry, and rock inspired by performances with some of the greatest names in songwriting today, including Darrell Scott, Greg Brown, James McMurtry, and Nathan Moore, but which incorporates sweeping pop and popping gypsy elements.

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO TAARKA ON SPOTIFY

CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT TAARKA

**Ticketing Policy**

The Philadelphia Folksong Society is proud to offer its’ members one or two free tickets (depending on membership level) to our selected Monthly Member Concert and Monthly House Concert every month. Due to the large number of members and limited seating, we ask that members reserve tickets when they know they can attend. If a member has reserved a ticket and cannot make it to the member concert of their choosing, they must contact the PFS office by phone or email prior to the event to cancel. Failure to do so will result in an inability to reserve your free member ticket to the following member concert.

If you arrive at a PFS member concert and have not reserved a ticket, you will only be seated ten minutes before show time if seats are still available.

If a member concert is listed as “sold out,” please contact Katie Kresz at kkresz@pfs.org to secure your spot atop the waitlist. You will be notified prior to the concert if seats become available.

PFS asks that all members show respect to their fellow members and the Society through following this policy.

PFS Co-op Presents: Fish Harmonics EP Release with special guest Mike Block (of Yo-Yo Ma’s Silk Road Ensemble)
Friday, January 25, 2019
Doors 7:30pm | Music 8pm

Secure your tickets here!

$10 for Members *While Supplies Last* | $12 Not-Yet-Members | $15 Doors
PFS is a BYO venue. $2 BYO Wristband (21+ with ID)

Watch Fish Harmonics here!

RSVP on Facebook here.

Join PFS as we celebrate the release of ONE, an EP of original music by Rob Curto with his ensemble, Fish Harmonics, featuring adventurous American roots music that takes you on a whirlwind, toe-tapping ride.

Influenced by celtic, old time, and modern bluegrass sounds, the band brings a unique free-wheeling and improvisational energy to both classic tunes and original compositions. “ONE” features Curto’s mastery of the piano and diatonic accordions, coupled with rhythmic arco bass playing by Chris Coyle (bass); old-timey strings by Brennen Ernst (banjo, guitar), Isaac Stanford (dobro), and Mazz Swift (fiddle); and percussion by Saantis Fenmu Davis with groove-oriented drumming by Doug Hirlinger.

“ONE” is a musical journey in itself, documenting the discovery of a new place, new music, and new collaborations in Philadelphia. Listening to the album will leave you with no doubt that you’ve just heard some of the best players around make something special. The irony? “One” listen isn’t enough. (Handy note: CDs of “ONE” will be available at the show for $10!)

Special guest Mike Block (Yo-Yo Ma’s Silk Road Ensemble) will start the evening off with a solo performance on cello. Block is a cello player, singer, and composer who is a Grammy Award-winning member of the Silk Road Ensemble. Block’s solo show features a mixture of original compositions and songs, arrangements of traditional folk music, and classical selections that draw inspiration from his diverse collaborations with artists such as cellist Yo-Yo Ma, fiddler Mark O’Connor, Indian tabla player Sandeep Das, and pop stars such as will.i.am, Stevie Wonder, and Bon Iver. www.MikeBlockMusic.com

ABOUT ROB CURTO & FISH HARMONICS

Rob Curto (composer, pianist, and accordionist) has spent the last 8 years touring extensively with his band Matuto, known for its distinctive “Brazilian-bluegrass” sound. Mixing the roots Americana stylings of the great Bill Monroe with rhythmic and melodic elements from Brazil, Curto has been part of a movement to establish the accordion as a versatile and important instrument in contemporary roots music.

In addition to Brazilian music, Curto has gained a reputation as an all-around master of the accordion and has been in high demand across genres. His musical collaborations include performing and recording with Latin Grammy award winner Lila Downs; Klezmer clarinetist David Krakauer; trumpeter/composer Frank London; Punjabi Indian singer Kiran Ahluwalia; and icon of Brazilian Forró, the great accordionist Dominguinhos. Curto is also an enthusiast of Irish button accordion and studies with acclaimed B/C box player, Billy McComisky.

Curto has toured internationally including across parts of Europe, Asia, and Africa, and has represented the United States State Department abroad. He has been a staple at festivals like Wintergrass, Red Wing Roots, and Rhythm and Roots, and made his Philadelphia Folk Festival debut with his band Forró for All in 2018.

Fish Harmonics is the new project of Curto, featuring an exciting and unusual blend of roots influences and deeply informed by Curto’s own rootings in jazz and improvisational mastery. True to form, the accordion is at the forefront of the group’s sound and there’s no denying the excitement of Curto’s flying fingers once the band starts a groove–and groove they do, with an impressive line-up of some of Philadelphia’s best musicians including Chris Coyle on acoustic bass, Doug Hirlinger on drums, and Brennen Ernst on banjo/guitar. The combination of arco bass with groove-oriented drumming and old-timey strings played with dizzying skill along with the accordion create a sound that’s somehow both familiar and new… and always an adventure. www.fishharmonics.com

ABOUT MIKE BLOCK

Mike Block is a pioneering cello player, singer, composer, and educator, hailed by Yo-Yo Ma as the “ideal musician of the 21st-Century.” Passionate about cross-cultural collaboration through music, Mike is committed to inspiring individuals and connecting communities. At home in a wide range of musical styles, through a multi-genre approach to composition, performance and education, he seeks to inspire audiences and empower musicians to find joy in the full world of music.

Mike is member of Yo-Yo Ma’s Silk Road Ensemble (SRE), having joined in 2005 while a student at The Juilliard School. Touring extensively throughout the world with SRE, he has been featured as cello and vocal soloist, contributed arrangements and compositions, and earned a Grammy Award in 2017 for their album, Sing Me Home. Mike also served as Music Director for SRE’s acclaimed opening concert of New York City’s Central Park SummerStage 2011 season “Night at the Caravanserai: Tales of Wonder”.

Acclaimed by the NY Times for his “vital rich-hued solo playing,” Block’s solo performances offer a rich mixture of core classical repertoire with original compositions. He has collaborated in performance and recordings with a variety of diverse musicians, including Will.i.am, Edgar Meyer, Stevie Wonder, The New York Philharmonic, Bon Iver, Zakir Hussain, Rachel Barton Pine, Allison Krauss, Mark O’Connor, Bobby McFerrin, Darol Anger, and Julian Lage. Mike is an active recording artist of original material, folk music and cross-cultural collaborations. He has an ongoing project to record all of the Bach cello suites in acoustically glorious bathrooms of famous concert halls, BachInTheBathroom.com.

PFS February Monthly Concert with Courtney Hartman and Tom West

Thursday, February 7, 2019
Doors 7:30pm | Music 8pm

Get your tickets here!

**FREE FOR MEMBERS** While Supplies Last
**$10 For Not-Yet-Members**

CLICK HERE TO RSVP ON FACEBOOK

About Courtney Hartman

You’ve seen Courtney Hartman as part of award-winning folk bluegrass act Della Mae at the Philadelphia Folk Festival, but you’ve never seen her like this before. Courtney Hartman is an acclaimed guitarist, singer and writer whose songs are luminous and expansive, drawing from the shadowed spaces of the intimate and natural. Acoustic Guitar Magazine recognizes her as a “distinctive guitar stylist… and a songwriter that delights and disturbs.” Her early years were spent playing folk and bluegrass with her siblings at festivals around the country. After leaving Colorado for the Northeast, Courtney joined up with folk quintet, Della Mae, touring internationally for seven years, releasing three records and garnering a GRAMMY nomination.

Her first solo release, Nothing We Say, drew ears to her work as a songwriter and solo artist. The EP runs with ruminations from the road, influenced by the Colorado foothills where she was raised and the Brooklyn window sill from where she wrote. In 2017, following the release, Courtney was nominated by Americana Music Association for Instrumentalist of the Year. Bill Frisell, Mike Campbell, Buffy St. Marie and Shazhad Ismaily are a few of the artists Courtney has created with as she continues to collaborate across cultures and disciplines, always seeking to bring voice to the hushed and inexpressible. Her newest release, a duo with Canadian songwriter Taylor Ashton, was met with anticipation and acclaim, hailed by PopMatters as “a delicate light glistening softly in the darkness.”

Whether she is following the thread of her traditional roots or exploring the rim of her own songwriting, Courtney continues to make music both timely and compelling, pulling on the antinomies that define her. She is currently based in Colorado and will be touring in 2019 in support of her next solo album.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH A VIDEO OF COURTNEY HARTMAN

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO COURTNEY HARTMAN ON SPOTIFY

CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT COURTNEY HARTMAN

About Tom West

Tom West is an Australian singer-songwriter performing music that traverses the rocky and undulating ground between simple, whimsical folk tunes and grand and moody soundscapes. Delivering shows where his purposeful songwriting, unforgettable voice and intricate arrangements come to the fore. Effortlessly shifting between performing solo or with his band where banjos, saxophones & guitars complete the ramshackle wall of sound he has drawn comparisons to the likes of Volcano Choir, Andrew Bird, The Lumineers, Of Monsters & Men & Ben Howard. West’s latest work explores new boundaries in his writing and composing.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH A PERFORMANCE OF TOM WEST

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO TOM WEST ON SPOTIFY

CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT TOM WEST

**Ticketing Policy**

The Philadelphia Folksong Society is proud to offer its’ members one or two free tickets (depending on membership level) to our selected Monthly Member Concert and Monthly House Concert every month. Due to the large number of members and limited seating, we ask that members reserve tickets when they know they can attend. If a member has reserved a ticket and cannot make it to the member concert of their choosing, they must contact the PFS office by phone or email prior to the event to cancel. Failure to do so will result in an inability to reserve your free member ticket to the following member concert.

If you arrive at a PFS member concert and have not reserved a ticket, you will only be seated ten minutes before show time if seats are still available.

If a member concert is listed as “sold out,” please contact Katie Kresz at kkresz@pfs.org to secure your spot atop the waitlist. You will be notified prior to the concert if seats become available.

PFS asks that all members show respect to their fellow members and the Society through following this policy.

March Monthly Concert with John McCutcheon

Sunday, March 10, 2019
Doors 1:30pm | Music 2pm

Get your tickets here!

FREE for Members *While Supplies Last* | $10 Not-Yet-Members | $15 Doors

CLICK HERE TO RSVP ON FACEBOOK

About John McCutcheon

No one remembers when the neighbors started calling the McCutcheons to complain about the loud singing from young John’s bedroom. It didn’t seem to do much good, though. For, after a shaky, lopsided battle between piano lessons and baseball (he was a mediocre pianist and an all-star catcher), he had “found his voice” thanks to a cheap mail-order guitar and a used book of chords.

From such inauspicious beginnings, John McCutcheon has emerged as one of our most respected and loved folksingers. As an instrumentalist, he is a master of a dozen different traditional instruments, most notably the rare and beautiful hammer dulcimer. His songwriting has been hailed by critics and singers around the globe. His thirty recordings have garnered every imaginable honor including seven Grammy nominations. He has produced over twenty albums of other artists, from traditional fiddlers to contemporary singer-songwriters to educational and documentary works. His books and instructional materials have introduced budding players to the joys of their own musicality. And his commitment to grassroots political organizations has put him on the front lines of many of the issues important to communities and workers.

Even before graduating summa cum laude from Minnesota’s St. John’s University, this Wisconsin native literally “headed for the hills,” forgoing a college lecture hall for the classroom of the eastern Kentucky coal camps, union halls, country churches, and square dance halls. His apprenticeship to many of the legendary figures of Appalachian music imbedded a love of not only home-made music, but a sense of community and rootedness. The result is music…whether traditional or from his huge catalog of original songs…with the profound mark of place, family, and strength. It also created a storytelling style that has been compared to Will Rogers and Garrison Keillor.

But it is in live performance that John feels most at home. It is what has brought his music into the lives and homes of one of the broadest audiences any folk musician has ever enjoyed. People of every generation and background seem to feel at home in a concert hall when John McCutcheon takes the stage, with what critics describe as “little feats of magic,” “breathtaking in their ease and grace…,” and “like a conversation with an illuminating old friend.”

Whether in print, on record, or on stage, few people communicate with the versatility, charm, wit or pure talent of John McCutcheon.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH A VIDEO OF JOHN MCCUTCHEON

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO JOHN MCCUTCHEON ON SPOTIFY

CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT JOHN MCCUTCHEON

**Ticketing Policy**

The Philadelphia Folksong Society is proud to offer its’ members one or two free tickets (depending on membership level) to our selected Monthly Member Concert and Monthly House Concert every month. Due to the large number of members and limited seating, we ask that members reserve tickets when they know they can attend. If a member has reserved a ticket and cannot make it to the member concert of their choosing, they must contact the PFS office by phone or email prior to the event to cancel. Failure to do so will result in an inability to reserve your free member ticket to the following member concert.

If you arrive at a PFS member concert and have not reserved a ticket, you will only be seated ten minutes before show time if seats are still available.

If a member concert is listed as “sold out,” please contact Katie Kresz at kkresz@pfs.org to secure your spot atop the waitlist. You will be notified prior to the concert if seats become available.

PFS asks that all members show respect to their fellow members and the Society through following this policy.