Featured Events
30jun6:00 pm- 7:15 pmVirtual Intermediate Blues Harmonica with Seth Holzman Begins!
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Virtual Intermediate Blues Harmonica
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Virtual Intermediate Blues Harmonica (Ages 16 and up)
Thursdays, 6pm – 7:15pm ET, June 30th through August 25th
No Class Thursday, August 18th, 2022
Let’s continue to work on the songs we did in Blues Harmonica 1, including Slim Harpo’s “Something Inside Me” & “Raining In My Heart”, Little Walter’s “Last Night” & (with Muddy Waters) “Hoochie Coochie Man”, Sonny Terry’s “Bring It On Home To Me”, etc. Additionally, let’s work on songs or parts of songs that both you and I may suggest for the class. We’ll continue to work on techniques such as bending, vibrato, and tongue-slapping. For our Zoom classes, have a 10-hole diatonic key of C major harmonica (such as the Hohner Special 20, Hohner Pro Harp, or equivalent) for the first class. Required text may be purchased for $10.00. However, if you already have the Blues Harmonica 1 text, there’s no additional textbook fee.
Note: This class is not for beginners. If you have not taken the Blues Harmonica 1 class, the instructor will need to talk with you to make sure that you have the necessary skills and knowledge to take this course.
Time
(Thursday) 6:00 pm - 7:15 pm EDT
Location
Philadelphia Folk School Virtual Classroom
Zoom
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7jul7:00 pm- 9:30 pmPFS Presents Philly Songwriters in The Round 7/7 at 7pm
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PFS Presents Philly Songwriters in
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PFS Presents Philly Songwriters in The Round
Featuring: Aaron Nathans, Lili Añel, Kyle Swartzwelder, & Phil Henry
Thursday, July 7th, 2022
Doors 6:30pm | Music 7:00pm
$15 Members | $18 Not-Yet-Members | $15 Streaming
Come experience a unique night of incredible songs, storytelling and collaboration in an intimate listening room environment. Aaron Nathans will host an in-the-round concert showcasing some of the best local Philadelphia songwriters and storytellers.
About the Artists:
AARON NATHANS
Aaron Nathans’ mission is to write songs about things no one else has written about before. Like a song about male bonding between a guy and his barber. Or the onslaught of the outside world upon a new parent. Surely somebody’s written that song, right? Ok, find it.
Aaron, who lives in the Philadelphia area, describes his songs as wild-mind, bittersweet acoustic music. He’s one of a million guitar-slinging singer songwriters, but you’ve never heard anyone quite like Aaron, with his warped sense of humor and off-kilter view of the world.
His shows include humorous, meandering stories that will keep you every bit as captivated as the music itself — beautiful guitar work, catchy melodies, and his sweet baritone voice and eye-popping vocal range.
Aaron’s songwriting was honored by the Kerrville Folk Festival, which named him a New Folk Finalist in 2018 and 2011.
LILY ANEL
Lili Añel, New York native, now based in Philadelphia, captivates her audience with her unique style which she calls a hybrid of “Jazz/Folk/Soul/Pop”. Whether engaging you in one of her original songs or reinterpreting Nina Simone, she makes these classics her own, holding the listener in the in the palm of her hand, be it live or on record.
Moving to Philadelphia in 2004, Lili soon gained the support of the city’s thriving music community, with performances throughout the Lehigh Valley and neighboring New Jersey, often supporting artists like, Robert Cray, Cassandra Wilson, Raul Midón, BB King, Boz Scaggs to name a few. Winning over audiences and headlining her own shows, she has become a favorite of Philadelphia’s music scene. You will be uplifted by her voice and her songs.
“Her songs are consistently excellent” – Christopher Louden, JazzTimes
“Lili sounds like no one but herself; a rare gift in an industry of clones”
– Brent Black Bop-N-Jazz
KYLE SWARTZWELDER
A veteran of the folk scene, award winning songwriter Kyle Swartzwelder has been winning audiences over with his deft lyrical storytelling and dynamic live performances. Kyle started out in the coffee shops around the University of Delaware with his father’s 1968 Ovation Balladeer. After several years of cultivating his songwriting, Kyle moved on to the folk clubs and coffeehouses in the Philadelphia region and quickly developed a reputation as a top-notch songwriter and performer.
Recommended if you like – Lyle Lovett, Jeffrey Foucault, Josh Ritter, early Jackson Browne, early Neil Young.
PHIL HENERY
Singer-songwriter Phil Henry exudes the skill of a craftsman and the authenticity of an artist. He builds detailed worlds and characters who speak through Phil’s words, with “…vivid lyrical imagery that captures the imagination.” (Seven Days, VT) The upbeat acoustic rhythm and melodic sensibility and lush instrumental treatment is no carbon-copy of popular or folk radio songs, but is instead an expression of Phil’s individuality and craft.
The new album, Chasing Echoes, which debuted at #2 on the Folk Alliance International’s Folk Radio Chart for Top Albums October 2020, is an alchemy of Phil’s vibrant songwriting and the energy of his live performing band Phil Henry and the News Feed. (Photo by Robert Cleary)
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(Thursday) 7:00 pm - 9:30 pm EST
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10jul6:00 pm- 7:00 pmPFS Presents The Kruger Brothers 7/10
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PFS Presents The Kruger Brothers
Sunday, July 10th
Doors 6pm | Music 7pm
$30 VIP Reserve Tickets | $18 for Members | $22 Not-Yet-Members | $26 Doors
Due to the constantly changing reality surrounding the global health crisis of COVID-19, the FIRST priority of the Society is the health and well-being of our community. After raising hundreds of thousands of dollars for artists through our Digital Concert Venue, we are thrilled to welcome you back to our Roxborough Venue, 6156 Ridge Ave, Philadelphia, PA!
Tickets are available IN PERSON at the PFS Venue or streaming Online here at folkfest.org
All persons entering the Philadelphia Folksong Society at 6156 Ridge Ave. Philadelphia, PA 19128 must provide proof of vaccination or negative PCR test within 72 hours and wear a face mask per the venue’s agreement with the artist that this will be a masking ENFORCED performance. If the person does not have an appropriate face mask, per CDC guidelines no vented masks or gaiters, PFS will provide one. Inability to adhere to these protocols will lead to a warning then a removal without refund. PFS’ COVID protocols will be reviewed at each board meeting as the pandemic continues.
About The Kruger Brothers
Born and raised in Europe, brothers Jens and Uwe Kruger started singing and playing instruments at a very young age. Growing up in a family where music was an important part of life, they were exposed to a wide diversity of musical influences. The brothers were performing regularly by the time they were eleven and twelve years old, and they began their professional career in 1979. Jens’ and Uwe’s first public performances were as a duo, and in just a few years they were busking on the streets of cities throughout eastern and western Europe.
CBS Records contracted with Jens and Uwe when Jens was just seventeen years old, and shortly thereafter, the Krugers hosted a radio show on SRG SSR, the Swiss Public broadcast group. Several years later, the brothers teamed up with bass player Joel Landsberg, a native of New York City who also had a very extensive musical upbringing in classical and jazz music (studying with jazz great Milt Hinton), thus forming a trio that has been playing professionally together since 1995. Together, they established the incomparable sound that The Kruger Brothers are known for today. The trio moved to the United States in 2002 and is based in Wilkesboro, NC.
Since their formal introduction to American audiences in 1997, The Kruger Brothers’ remarkable discipline, creativity and their ability to infuse classical music into folk music has resulted in a unique sound that has made them a fixture within the world of acoustic music. The honesty of their writing has since become a hallmark of the trio’s work.
In their ever-expanding body of work – Jens Kruger (banjo and vocals), Uwe Kruger (guitar and lead vocals), and Joel Landsberg (bass and vocals) – The Kruger Brothers personify the spirit of exploration and innovation that forms the core of the American musical tradition. Their original music is crafted around their discerning taste, and the result is unpretentious, cultivated, and delightfully fresh.
In addition to their regular concert schedule, The Kruger Brothers perform these classical pieces regularly with select symphony orchestras and string quartets throughout the country.
Through their numerous CD releases, radio and television performances, lectures, and collaborative efforts, The Kruger Brothers’ powerful artistic statement continues to inspire and enlighten audiences and musicians around the world.
Time
(Sunday) 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm EST
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13jul7:00 pm- 9:00 pmPFS Member Music Club Talks Neil Young's Album Harvest Moon
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July PFS Member Music
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July PFS Member Music Club 7/13/2022 @7pm
We love and miss our PFS Members, so we wanted to find a way to regularly see your faces and have a chance to socialize in this socially distant world!
I have personally very much been enjoying participating in a book club over Zoom, so I decided to create a PFS Member MUSIC club! We’ll pick a different album to listen to every month and discuss what we love, what we don’t, how the album affected us, and have a lovely conversation over Zoom! The PFS Member Music Club takes place on the 2nd Wednesday of every month at 7pm – for this month that’s Wednesday, June 13th!
For this month’s PFS Member Music Club, we’ll be individually listening to Neil Young’s album Harvest Moon and then coming together on Zoom to discuss the music!
Sign up to get the Zoom link for Member Music Club.
Feel free to reach out to me via email to mhebertwilson@pfs.org with any questions or concerns. Stay healthy, and be well.
Molly Hebert-Wilson
(pronouns she/her/hers)
Education and Membership Manager
Time
(Wednesday) 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm EST
Location
Philadelphia Folk School Virtual Classroom
Zoom
Organizer
20jul7:00 pm- 10:00 pmPFS/PASA DIGITAL Open Mic with Rob Lincoln
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PFS & PASA -
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PFS & PASA – Digital Open Mic Night 7/20/22 at 7pm EST
Due to the constantly changing reality surrounding the global health crisis of COVID-19, the FIRST priority of the Society is the health and well-being of our community. Following the wild success of its first livestream with Mari Black on March 13, 2020, the Society has worked to keep the music playing, lift spirits, and make sure the artists in our extended Folk Family can continue to live day to day. We all know music is a universal language and we will be utilizing it as we present artists local, regional, and international – old favorites and new discoveries – to a digital audience of music lovers from the comfort of their own homes!
PFS’ bi-weekly Open Mic nights have been a fixture in the Philadelphia music community since they piloted in our pop-up venue in 2017. In 2019, PFS partnered with PASA to run one open mic a month to showcase original music and fulfill both organizations’ missions. We hope to continue to fulfill our missions while giving artists an outlet to perform and workshop their music.
While normally our Open Mic Nights are $3 for PFS Members and $5 for Not-Yet-Members, we are offering Digital Open Mic Night for FREE. If you have the ability and comfort in making a donation in any size, we would truly appreciate it!
WE WILL BE USING ZOOM FOR THE OPEN MIC NIGHT AND ENCOURAGE YOU TO DOWNLOAD THE ZOOM APP TO YOUR PHONE, TABLET, OR COMPUTER FOR EASE OF USE! DOWNLOAD AT: HTTPS://ZOON.US
We thank you so much for your support and understanding in a time of so much uncertainty. Sending much love to our entire extended folk family. Stay well.
Time
(Wednesday) 7:00 pm - 10:00 pm
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5nov8:00 pm- 10:00 pmPFS Presents The Black Feathers
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Rescheduled From 2020: PFS Presents
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Rescheduled From 2020: PFS Presents The Black Feathers
November 5, 2022
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 SEE A LIVE VIDEO OF THE BLACK FEATHERS
About The Black Feathers
A favorite of the 2018 Philadelphia Folk Festival, and a smash show at PFS in 2019, we are delighted to bring back The Black Feathers to 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.
“Once in a blue moon, the whole soars far above the sum of its parts. That’s what happens when The Black Feathers perform live”
– Black Mountain News, North Carolina
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. Their music quickly draw the interest of listeners, but it is the stage chemistry that will keep them riveted.
Having already built up a loyal following in the UK, The Black Feathers have been spreading their wings across the US. They have performed at Philadelphia Folk Festival and AmericanaFest, and have also been awarded official showcases at the North East Regional and Far-West Folk Alliance conferences.
With a new single and a live album in the pipeline, these are exciting times for what FATEA refer to as “a duo of undeniable talent”.
CLICK HERE TO WATCH A MUSIC VIDEO OF THE BLACK FEATHERS
Time
(Saturday) 8:00 pm - 10:00 pm EST
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8dec8:00 pm- 10:00 pmPFS Presents Cassie and Maggie
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PFS Presents Cassie & Maggie
Thursday, December 8th
Doors 7:30pm | Music 8pm
$15 for Members | $18 Not-Yet-Members | $22 Doors | $18 Streaming
CLICK HERE TO RSVP ON FACEBOOK
Due to the constantly changing reality surrounding the global health crisis of COVID-19, the FIRST priority of the Society is the health and well-being of our community. After raising hundreds of thousands of dollars for artists through our Digital Concert Venue, we are thrilled to welcome you back to our Roxborough Venue, 6156 Ridge Ave, Philadelphia, PA!
Tickets are available IN PERSON at the PFS Venue or STREAMING ONLINE here at folkfest.org!
All persons entering the Philadelphia Folksong Society at 6156 Ridge Ave. Philadelphia, PA 19128 must provide proof of vaccination or negative PCR test within 72 hours and wear a face mask per the venue’s agreement with the artist that this will be a masking ENFORCED performance. If the person does not have an appropriate face mask, per CDC guidelines no vented masks or gaiters, PFS will provide one. Inability to adhere to these protocols will lead to a warning then a removal without refund. PFS’ COVID protocols will be reviewed at each board meeting as the pandemic continues.
About Cassie and Maggie:
Nova Scotian sisters Cassie and Maggie have been lighting up the world with their unique blend of traditional and contemporary Celtic instrumentals and vocals. Appearing on stages across North America, the UK, and Europe the sisters have enchanted audiences far and wide with lively fiddle, piano and guitar arrangements, stunning sibling vocal harmonies in both English and Gaelic, all complemented by their intricate and percussive stepdancing style.
“2016 Live Ireland Radio’s “
“Be it their foot percussion accompanying
Time
(Thursday) 8:00 pm - 10:00 pm EST
Organizer
14jan8:00 pm- 10:30 pmPFS Presents Wallis Bird – Member Concert
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Due to the constantly changing
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Due to the constantly changing reality surrounding the global health crisis of COVID-19, the FIRST priority of the Society is the health and well-being of our community. After raising hundreds of thousands of dollars for artists through our Digital Concert Venue, we are thrilled to welcome you back to our Roxborough Venue, 6156 Ridge Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19128 while still offering streaming options when available!
All persons entering the Philadelphia Folksong Society at 6156 Ridge Ave. Philadelphia, PA 19128 must provide proof of vaccination or negative PCR test within 72 hours and wear a face mask per Philadelphia mandate starting April 18th. If the person does not have an appropriate face mask, per CDC guidelines no vented masks or gaiters, PFS will provide one. Inability to adhere to these protocols will lead to a warning then a removal without refund. PFS’ COVID protocols will be reviewed at each board meeting as the pandemic continues.
PFS is excited to re-open our Philadelphia Folksong Society Music Venue! Please join us in welcoming these incredible acts to #KeeptheMusicPlaying
About the Artist:
WALLIS BIRD
The front cover of Irish born, Berlin based WALLIS BIRD’s new album features a black and white photograph of a hand. A cursory look might not reveal anything unusual, but it only takes a moment to recognize it’s no ordinary hand. In the shadows there’s a stump where the little finger should be, and something seems off about the other digits too. Some will understand its significance: they’ll have seen it strumming an upside-down, right-handed guitar, picking in unorthodox style, forming unconventional chords. The hand, you see, is WALLIS BIRD’s, and it’s there because, having spent much of her life trying to exist despite its restrictions, she’s reached a point where she recognizes that, in many ways, it’s always been vital to her lived reality. With this has come a realization of “who I am, what I am, and what I don’t want.” HANDS documents her subsequent process of change, and its consequences, with typically distinctive style, making it – hands down, naturally – one of the most honest albums you’ll hear at a time when honesty is at a premium.
If 2019’s exceptional Woman represented an ambitious state of the world address, HANDS – also known as NINE AND A HALF SONGS FOR NINE AND A HALF FINGERS – finds BIRD turning the spotlight onto herself, raising issues that are sometimes far harder to confront, only to emerge optimistic and whole. Among these are issues of trust, alcohol abuse, stagnation, self-censorship and self-improvement, some addressed through personal recollections of crucial moments accumulated over the last two years. Each, however, is delivered by a voice uncommonly blessed with joy, ingenuity and empathy.
As 2019 came to an end, BIRD found herself with time enough to reassess her relationship with her hand – and indeed herself – so decided to take a rare break. She’s released six albums since 2007, for which she’s won two Meteor Awards, Ireland’s annual music prize – mostly recently for Best Female Artist – and a prestigious 2017 German “Musikautorenpreis” (Music Author Prize), not to mention two further nominations for the Choice Music Prize, Ireland’s equivalent to Britain’s Mercury Prize. In addition, she’s racked up over a thousand shows during the past decade, earning a reputation worldwide for passionate, energetic, good-humored concerts. She began her sabbatical by quitting alcohol, a decision at the heart of ‘I Lose Myself Completely’, and four days later, she recalls, “I went to Philipp Milner (producer / musician, Hundreds)’s house to make some music, and my world opened up like an orchid.” Subsequently, she details, the album “was recorded in fifty weeks, primarily in Philipp’s farmhouse studio in Wendland, my studio in Berlin, and Marcus Wuest’s in Sandhausen, where I’ve recorded all my albums.”
HANDS was completed with ‘The Power Of A Word’, a hushed showcase for shimmering synths and a notably ethereal vocal. At the heart of the track – as with so much of HANDS – is self-examination, change and acceptance. “Up until recently,” BIRD concludes, “I simply treated my hand as something additional, not primary to my story. But, during this pandemic, when everything in my usual life was scattered, I found myself wondering ‘Who am I? What am I? What story do I leave behind?’ My story had been one of stubborn ‘I can do it just as good as anyone’, but this new chapter in my life has been about letting go of over-controlling, handing things over to others, being comfortable with my surroundings and colleagues, and knowing I’m understood. Right now, I’m a passenger, a guest in my life, because the album has been so collaborative and so out-of-bodily written, almost hypnotically. And I love it!”
And it shows. So let’s see those HANDS in the air. After all, there’s a lot to celebrate here…
Time
(Saturday) 8:00 pm - 10:30 pm EST
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PFS Mission
The Philadelphia Folksong Society (PFS) is dedicated to preserving the past, promoting the present, and securing the future of folk music and related forms of expression through education, presentation, and participation
Philadelphia Folksong Society | 6156 Ridge Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19128 (215) 247-1300 © 2017 All Rights Reserved