CELSO MACHADO

Virtuoso Brazilian guitarist, percussionist, multi-instrumentalist and composer, Celso Machado transports his audiences through the richness and diversity of Brazilian music and beyond.
“Celso alone is a force of nature ...Up close, Celso Machado is probably the most musical person I know. He performs, composes, publishes, records, teaches, and makes music out of literally everything he touches. In his magical hands bottles of water, rocks he finds on the beach, his own body and, of course, almost any musical instrument I could name - plus some I couldn't… sing beautiful songs. For me, Celso Machado is the truest of musical Renaissance men and the ultimate one-man band."
-Malcolm Gould, producer of Jogo da Vida and the program OnStage at Glenn Gould Theatre, CBC Records


links:
Website :: Watch
Fri. Aug. 20 - Alberta Rose Theatre, 8:45pm

KIMYA DAWSON

Kimya Dawson met Adam Green in a record store in upstate New York, and the duo formed a band called the Moldy Peaches. They began playing the anti-folk scene in New York City, and slowly built a very loyal following. Since the Moldy Peaches went on hiatus a few years ago and Kimya began playing solo, she'sopened for artists like They Might Be Giants, Regina Spektor, Third Eye Blind, and the Butchies.
"She is one of those rare birds that make you feel like she needs you as much as you need her ... and her fans/friends have been doing the same for her. Since the release of early Moldy Peaches recordings she has been hearing people say 'thanks for making me realize that I am not the only one out there who feels like this' - and to this she replies 'thanks for making me realize that I am not the only one out there who feels like this.'"
-K Records
Both as a member of Moldy Peaches, and as a solo artist, Dawson has toured extensively throughout the US and Europe. She's released four solo albums, and Moldy Peaches' music was featured in the soundtrack to the major motion picture Juno in 2007.

links:
Website
Sat. Aug. 21 - Wonder Ballroom, 10pm

THOMAS MAPFUMO

Thomas Mapfumo, born in Marondera, Zimbabwe in 1945 is also sometimes called the Lion of Zimbabwe. A world class performer and activist, Thomas Mapfumo has been imprisoned for his political lyrics and his music is banned from most Zimbawean radio stations. Mapfumo is responsible for blending traditional Shona mbira music with western instruments and a political message ripe with innuendo and traditional proverbs. He established the musical style "Chimurenga" (the Shona word for struggle). In the 1970s Zimbabwe's people fought a war of independence against their Rhodesian rulers. Out of that grew Chimurenga, which is based on the Shona majority's chiming, cyclical rhythms, patterns and melodies of the mbira. Mapfumo has shared the stage with countless musical activists, including Bob Marley.

links:
Website :: Watch :: Interview
Fri. Aug. 20 - Wonder Ballroom, 9pm

THAO AND MIRAH, MOSTLY UNPLUGGED

Thao and Mirah return to Portland after a recent five week North American tour with The Most Of All. That tour featured songs and bands of both artists smashed together for a wildly compelling rock show. This once-in-a-folking-lifetime set offers the same energy, chemistry, collaboration and musicianship on a more intimate level, with different songs and arrangements from each songwriter's catalog and a closeness you can get only when you unplug most everything.

links:
Mirah Website :: Thao Website
Sun. Aug. 22 - Holocene, 11pm

LAURA GIBSON

Laura Gibson lives in Portland, sings songs and plays a nylon-stringed guitar. She grew up in a small isolated logging town called Coquille, in the South Coast region of Oregon - the daughter of the town's kindergarten teacher and a forest ranger. She couldn't tell you what band put out what particular album in what year, but she could probably describe where she was, how she felt and what you talked about when she first met you - or what the trees looked like the last time her heart was broken. She likes trees.

links:
Listen
Thurs. Aug. 19 - Mission Theater, 9:30pm & Sun. Aug. 22 - Holocene, 10pm

LOCH LOMOND

Loch Lomond stuns. Effortlessly combining symphonic chamber pop with the most raw, visceral and expert melodic acrobatics, the co-ed sextet employs the distinct use of harmonic vocals, mandolin, theremin, bass clarinet, and all manner of exclamatory percussion minutia to foil the even more distinct and arresting voice of lead singer/multi-instrumentalist Ritchie Young. Luring the listener with the unique range and power of his voice, Young is able to switch from high-pitched fragility to alto thunder in the turn of a phrase, yet he knows the power of restraint intuitively, saving vocal tornadoes for emotional apexes buoyed by string swells and moving arrangements.

links:
Listen
Sun. Aug. 22 - Doug Fir Lounge, 11pm

PETER YARROW

Peter Yarrow (of Peter, Paul and Mary) is an American folk singer, who found fame in the 1960s with the legendary group Peter Paul and Mary. Yarrow is, to this day, a performer and political activist. Few groups of any genre have logged more years (45) or miles (countless) in direct, yearly touring - spreading the message and engaging the next (now four) generations. Yarrow's songwriting helped create some of Peter, Paul & Mary's most famous songs, including "Puff the Magic Dragon," "Day is Done," "Light One Candle," and "The Great Mandala." During its now-legendary career, the trio won five Grammys, produced 13 Top 40 hits (6 reached Top 10), and created eight gold and five platinum albums.

links:
Website :: Watch
Thurs. Aug. 19 - Mission Theater, 9:30pm

DAN BERN

Dan Bern is best known for his prolific songwriting, wit and electric live persona. He has released a dozen albums and performed worldwide everywhere from coffee shops to Carnegie Hall. Since releasing his first album for Sony in 1997, Bern has amassed a strong following built on touring and his prodigious output of songs in all forms. When not touring, Bern has been writing songs for motion pictures- for the Jake Kasdan/Judd Apatow music biopic-spoof Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story, Jonathan Demme’s documentary, Jimmy Carter: Man From Plains and this year Bern recorded tracks for Demme's Off-Broadway production of Beth Henley's Family Week, including a duet with Emmylou Harris, and composed songs for the Judd Apatow film Get Him to the Greek, starring Russell Brand and Jonah Hill.

links:
Website :: Listen
Thurs. Aug. 19 - Sisters of the Road Cafe, 6pm
Thurs. Aug. 19 - Mission Theater, 9:30pm
Sat. Aug. 21 - BuyOlympia Kids' Stage, 4pm
Sat. Aug. 21 - Mississippi Studios, 10:15pm

VAGABOND OPERA

European Cabaret! Vintage Americana! Balkan Belly Dance! Neo-Classical Opera! Old World Yiddish Theater! Welcome to the six-piece, Portland, Oregon-based Vagabond Opera. The Washington Post describes Vagabond Opera as “a band of ceaseless charisma, boundless energy, impeccable musicianship and more than a little touch of both the naughty and exotic.” The group delivers passionate offerings of Bohemian cabaret for young and old. Paris hot jazz, gut bucket swing, tangos, Ukrainian folk-punk ballads, klezmer and vigorous originals meet a world of riverboat gambling queens, Turkish belly dancers, and the enigmatic Marlene Dietrich. Weaving elements of Kurt Weil, Duke Ellington and Edith Piaf with absurdist flair, theatrics and an old world mood, Vagabond Opera presents the new wave of opera–lusty voices singing in 13 languages and presenting a cabaret of rich musical phrasing, sparkling lyrics and indomitable stage presence, all played with exuberance, skill and a gritty Vagabond edge. This is Opera liberated and reinvented for everyone!

links:
Website
Watch
Fri. Aug. 20 - Alberta Rose Theatre, 10:30pm

DAMIEN JURADO

Many of Damien Jurado's songs spin concise, literate tales of quiet everyday despair, which often earns him comparisons to short story writer Raymond Carver. But his storytelling bent - not to mention his ambivalence toward confessional material - arises from a stronger grounding in traditional folk.
"Seattle singer-songwriter Damien Jurado has been releasing emotionally understated albums since 1997. Usually sung without any support other than his voice and guitar, his words and melodies trickle from his mouth like wine from a bottle tipped on its side. The lines don't come out with much drama, even if it seems like they should. On 'What Were the Chances' from his latest release, Caught in the Trees, he whisper-sings: 'Does your husband know I call you sweetheart? Does he know I call you at all? It's not like we're cheating, we're only meeting in hotels and not your home.'"
-The Oregonian

links:
Listen :: Watch
Sat. Aug. 21 - Mississippi Studios, 11:15pm

DOLOREAN

For nearly a decade Al James’ Dolorean has been writing and recording music in Portland, Oregon. In support of their three albums, (Not Exotic, Violence In The Snowy Fields, You Can’t Win) Dolorean has toured throughout Europe, Scandinavia, The United Kingdom and The United States. Laboring in the studio, they’ve crafted beautiful, thought-provoking pop music that has amassed praise by album collectors, music critics, housewives, bloggers, filmmakers, writers and musicians around the globe.

links:
Website :: Listen :: Watch
Sat. Aug. 21 - Mississippi Studios, 9:15pm

PORTLAND CELLO PROJECT

Since the group's inception in late 2007, they have performed with a veritable "Who's Who?" list of Portland musicians - Laura Gibson, The Dandy Warhols, Horse Feathers, Mirah and Loch Lomond, just to name a few. The cello is more or less the only constant in this amorphous collective from Portland, Oregon - yet there is an organizer holding this anarchic display of controlled chaos together. You'll see him sitting in the back row of the cello section at all of these shows, as if to appear an anonymous member of the horde. This is Douglas Jenkins. Jenkins, who often pens 15-20 new scores for each performance, has led the band through two previous CDs of original songs and covers, and has been at the heart of the band's rise to great popularity in their hometown.

links:
Website :: Watch
Thurs. Aug. 19 - Mission Theater, 9:30pm

HOLCOMBE WALLER & BEN LANDSVERK

15 years ago, Ben and Holcombe first collaborated on vocal arrangements for a college singing group. Today their work spans multiple albums and live performances, including Holcombe's critically acclaimed 2005 album "Troubled Times" and his upcoming album "Into the Dark Unknown" (Winter 2011). They've toured the United States and Europe both as a duo and with Holcombe's ensemble, The Healers. In the gorgeous natural acoustics of The Old Church, Holcombe and Ben will perform an intimate concert of original and cover songs on piano, guitar and organ in a style pointing to some of their favorite influences: Simon & Garfunkle, Gillian Welch and David Rawlings, Patty Griffin, to name a few.

links:
Website :: Listen
Thurs. Aug. 19 - The Old Church, 9:15pm

RAYMOND BYRON AND THE WHITE FREIGHTER

Everybody's got stories and histories and back-stories but when the lights go out and the s$!* goes down, what good'll they do you? What we need is courage, sanctity, and some love (carnal, secret, even troubled.) We need Son House or Charley Patton, nothin' but clapping hands, and a hoarse voice telling us about Gawwwd, the Devil, that WOMAN. We need blues and we need beats smashing outta the back end of a Cadillac in some back-end-town. And we get all of that with Raymond Byron and the White Freighter (formerly Castanets).

links:
Website
Sun. Aug. 22 - The Woods, 6pm
(Sunday Sun Cookout hosted by Stooping Bear & Kill Rock Stars)

AMY ANNELLE

Amy Annelle is a modern-day songwriter whose work balances imagination with a reverence for America's restless, divergent musical past. This unusual artist has been recording and touring for over a decade, crafting "richly textured, exotic song-worlds that bear little resemblance to standard voice-and-guitar folk songs" (Billboard). Through many seasons, across many miles, Annelle's path has focused an elusive "American" vision and a musical identity that is equally furtive and forthright. Her body of work (three albums under her own name and four with the retired 'Places' moniker) has earned critics' favor and a modest following in North America, Europe & Asia. Annelle's newest album, "The Cimarron Banks," is her third on the artist-run High Plains Sigh label.

links:
Website
Thurs. Aug. 19 - Mission Theater, 9:30pm
Sun. Aug. 22 - The Woods, 3:30pm
Sun. Aug. 22 - Holocene, 9pm

MARY FLOWER

Mary Flower is renowned for a uniquely personal vision of roots music that blends ragtime, acoustic blues, and folk - technically dazzling yet grounded in the down-to-earth simplicity of early 20th century American music. With eight albums under her belt, Flower has earned rave reviews from critics and audiences alike for her unassuming vocals, but it's her instrumental skill - a mastery of the difficult Piedmont blues guitar that takes most players a lifetime to hone - for which Flower is most celebrated.

links:
Website :: Watch
Sat. Aug. 21 - Mississippi Studios' BarBar Patio, 4pm

SALLIE FORD & THE SOUND OUTSIDE

Sallie Ford hails from Asheville, North Carolina, just east of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Enjoying a musical upbringing surrounded by performers, she grew up playing the guitar and the violin in addition to singing. On a whim, Ford pulled up her Carolina roots and moved across the country to Portland, Oregon, where she has been writing songs since 2006. She met drummer Ford Tennis and bassist Tyler Tornfelt in 2008, and then a year later met lead guitarist Jeff Munger while he was performing on the streets. Though inspired by the vocal stylings of old jazz, blues and soul singers like Billie Holiday, Bessie Smith and Etta James, Sallie and her three-piece band, 'The Sound Outside,' also seek a contemporary sound to throw into the mix. Continuing to enjoy the musical community in Portland, Oregon, Sallie Ford and The Sound Outside self-released their first EP 'Not An Animal' in May 2009. Their debut full-length album is forthcoming, and has a release date planned in Fall 2010.

links:
Website :: Listen
Sun. Aug. 22 - Doug Fir Patio, "Pickin' on Sundays," 3 & 5pm

NATYA LEELA

Natya Leela Academy is the only Bharathanatyam (South Indian Classical Dance) company within Portland city limits. Our mission is to teach Bharathanatyam, one of the traditional, ancient dance styles of India, and enable students to discover the dancer within. Subashini Ganesan, artistic director, choreographer and founder of Natya Leela Academy, has 30 odd years of experience studying, performing, and interpreting Bharathanatyam. She has performed internationally and has presented her original choreographies at the NW Folklife Festival (Seattle), Ten Tiny Dances (Portland, collaboration with Portland Taiko) and at the World Music and Dance Concert Series (Salem Public Library), to name a few. She teaches in her own studio on SE 8th & Belmont and in various Portland Public schools.

links:
Website
Fri. Aug. 20 - Alberta Rose Theatre, 10pm

ROLL ON COLUMBIA (A Documentary Film)

In early May of 1941, an unemployed Woody Guthrie and his wife, Mary, packed their three children into a battered Pontiac and left southern California for Portland, Oregon. All he had waiting for him in the Northwest was the vague possibility of writing songs for a documentary film about the dams being built on the Columbia River. When Guthrie arrived with his guitar and family, the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) took pity and gave him a thirty-day contract as a temporary employee, paid at the rate of $266.66 per month. Guthrie was expected to write a song a day--which he nearly did, producing 26 songs in 30 days, including American folk classics Roll on Columbia, Jackhammer Blues, Pastures of Plenty, and Grand Coulee Dam. (University of Oregon, 2000)

Thurs. Aug. 19 - Mission Theater, 7:30pm

ROLL OUT, COWBOY (A Documentary Film)

His tour bus is broken, he bought his house for a thousand bucks, and his hometown’s population is 120 and shrinking. Roll Out, Cowboy’s Chris Sand is the face of the dying American West. Except for one thing: He raps.
The Woody Guthrie protégé looks like a cowboy, but writes songs like LL Cool J. When rap music hit the North Dakota airwaves, he grew up rhyming to the pulse of irrigation pumps. The result? A music fusion of—country/hip hop/folk.
The documentary follows Sandman the Rappin’ Cowboy as he tours America during the 2008 Presidential election. He travels from red state to blue and back again. We witness band break-ups, town groupies—even a brief flirtation with commercial truck-driving, when a particularly impoverished Sand needs to make ends meet.
This is not the romanticized, Roy Rogers version of the American frontier. This is Sandman. The cowboy who raps.

links:
Website :: Watch
Fri. Aug. 20 - Alberta St. Pub, 7:30pm

THE CALEB KLAUDER COUNTRY BAND

With pedal steel, fiddles, mandolin, acoustic guitar, upright bass and drums, the Caleb Klauder Country Band captures the sounds of Honky Tonk, Old-Time, Cajun, and Western Swing. The Caleb Klauder Country Band features Caleb on vocals, guitar and mandolin; Ned Folkerth (Pinetop Seven, Lewi Longmire) plays drums; Paul Brainard (Richmond Fontaine) plays dobro, six string electric and steel guitar; Betse Ellis (The Wilders) plays fiddle and sings; Stephen "Sammy" Lind (Foghorn Stringband) plays fiddle and guitar and sings; Jesse Emerson (Amelia, Flatirons) plays the bass fiddle.

links:
Website :: Listen
Sat. Aug. 21 - White Eagle, 11:30pm

TRAGOS AMARGOS feat. LUZ ELENA OF Y LA BAMBA

Luz Elena Mendoza draws from both her strict Catholic upbringing as an only daughter of a Mexican immigrant and a debilitating illness that led her to fall away from her faith, to create what LA Weekly calls "Devendra Banhart-influenced art-folk with hazy femme vocals and traditional Mexican sounds." Tragos Amargos started out as a side project for Luz Elena who's main band is Y La Bamba . She and her drum teacher Paul Cameron began writing songs together and before long were playing shows around Portland. The other members of Y La Bamba soon joined in and before long it became obvious that Paul should join Y La Bamba and leave Tragos Amargos behind.
Tragos Amargos on occasion will still play out , sometimes as a two piece and other times with additional friends helping out . The combination of Luz's vocals and Paul's intricate guitar work is spine-tingling, and often enough you don't know who you should be watching. You never quite know who's going to show up to help out , but it's always a special treat.

links:
Website
Fri. Aug. 20 - Alberta Rose Theatre, 8pm

MAMADOU THIOUB

Master drummer Mamadou Thioub is a teacher of Senegalese rhythms for djembe, dun, kenkeni and sangban. "We all have a heartbeat," Thioub says. Mamadou will bring traditional music and dance of Senegal, West Africa to the Portland Folk Festival.

links:
Watch
Sat. Aug. 21 - Wonder Ballroom, 8pm

JIM PAGE

Jim Page is a lyrical genius with a guitar. This man personifies the word ‘free-flow.’ Page takes to the mic and the song invents itself on the spot; his talent is a natural wonder.” He has shared the stage with the likes of Bonnie Raitt, Emmylou Harris, Michelle Shocked, Leftover Salmon, Mickey Hart, J.J. Cale, Robert Hunter, and John Hammond. His songs have been performed by Christy Moore, Michael Hedges, John Trudell, The Doobie Brothers, Joanne Rand, Casey Neill, and (yes) David Soul. Often cited for his biting political pieces he is in constant demand by the social movements of the day.
“More reminiscent of the Woody Guthrie I heard as a boy than anyone I’ve listened to in the intervening years” - Philip Elwood, San Francisco Examiner

links:
Website :: Listen
Fri. Aug. 20 - Alberta St. Pub, 9pm

EZZA ROSE

Ezza Rose was born and raised in Julian California a small gold rush town on the border of the Anza Borrego desert and San Diego county line. She moved to Los Angeles to attend a small conservatory for performing arts in 2006. After finishing her degree she took off to Portland to pursue her studies. Coming from a town with a heavy folk and bluegrass scene she found herself writing in primarily these veins. She played solo for a little over a year at open mics in Portland when she stumbled across Hoyt Emerson (banjo, percussion, typewriter, and accordion) and Aubrey Webber (cello, and back up vox). The three of them began to play shows together and picked up John Vecchiarelli (drums), and William Joersz (upright bass). The group now plays in venues ranging from hole in the wall bars to some of Portland’s most coveted stages.

links:
Listen Sun. Aug. 22 - Rontoms, 8:15pm

JACKSTRAW

Jackstraw’s music springs from the traditional core of Bluegrass. The band mixes original and traditional songs, shaping them through wicked harmonies & ferocious pickin’. Jackstraw delivers a fresh take on the energy, vigor & soul of Bluegrass, while remaining true to it’s spirit and tradition. “ . . . enough hell-bent speed to make a punk band envious!”

links:
Website :: Listen Thurs. Aug. 19 - Mission St. Theater, 10:30pm

FENBI INTERNATIONAL SUPERSTARS

Inspired from ethnic music of communities from around the world, The Fenbi International Superstars set out on a mission five years ago to create music representing their distinct heritage - and the character of the Pacific Northwest. Whether it's a shout out to Irish drinking music, or a nod to the Rembetika traditions of the underground Greek world of the early 20th century - The Fenbi International Superstars are sure to bring enough energy and panache to stir even the most steadfast and critically withdrawn.

links:
Website :: Watch
Fri. Aug. 20 - The Know, 10:20pm

STEFAN JECUSCO

Stefan Jecusco's recordings have been passed around like a secret between musicians for years. Jolie Holland and Sam Parton have both covered his songs and his artwork has appeared on multiple records. Still, people have not known what to make of him. He does not fit neatly into a simple category. His songs describe an emotional landscape between fluorescent lights, drug-testing facilities, and all-night drives into the desert. Although he uses the palette of American blues and Appalachian ballads, Jecusco moves away from an ironic references and seeks to build a living folk idiom out of cultural debris. With the goats-head banjo hewn of forty thousand year old wood, and a Tarot deck of his own devising, Jecusco enters folk music via the great art underground, more like prophet more than a supplicant. Stefan Jecusco was raised Mormon in Utah before starting his own religion and band with friends. He lived in vans, freezers, and storage units for 7 years before re-discovering couches. He is also a member of the old time band The Dickel Brothers.

links:
Listen
Thurs. Aug. 19 - Backspace, 8:30pm

ADAM SHEARER

Adam Shearer is the songwriter behind the internationally famous party group WEINLAND. He is also one of the three songwriters behind the mega-buzzed about galactic supergroup The Alialujah Choir (which also features members of Norfolk and Western/M.Ward). His solo sets usually include a bunch of crooning, some day drinking, and a guest or two; from time to time.

links:
Listen
Sun. Aug. 22 - Doug Fir Patio, "Pickin' on Sundays," 4 & 6pm

FUTURE HISTORIANS

The band tiptoes the line between pop and folk like pros by layering peppy, syncopated tracks with guitars, drums, trumpet, toy piano, lap steel, banjo and keys. Backed by a quartet of polished Portland musicians, Future Historians frontman Dave Shur can make your heart feel warm and broken all in a two-minute song.

links:
Listen
Sun. Aug. 22 - Rontoms, 9pm

WINTERHAVEN

It's not the excitement for the upcoming album, or the fanfare of the hype surrounding a band that concerns Winterhaven. Forged from a blue collar mold that celebrates the days of finding music on your own, Winterhaven strives to play energetic shows that you'll remember. The rootsy country rock sound they play is meant to remind people that a band doesn't need to invent the wheel again, they just want you to never forget that moment you both shared together.

links:
Listen
Sun. Aug. 22 - Rontoms, 9:45pm

EARL WHITE BAND

Earl White is one of a distinguished few black Americans reviving the music that was once an integral part of rural black communities and life on the plantations in the South. In 1971 he helped found the North Carolina based Appalachian dance group, The Green Grass Cloggers, and bequeathed his name to a popular syncopated dance step “The Earl,” still taught at clogging workshops today. Earl White is known for his energetic, driving, nearly trance-inducing style, as well as his arsenal of unusual tunes. White started playing fiddle in 1974 and spent long periods collecting fiddle tunes in the mountains, mostly from white fiddlers who at times credited black sources for some tunes and stylistic elements.
Sat. Aug. 21 - Mississippi Studios BarBar Patio, 5pm

FREAK MOUNTAIN RAMBLERS

The Freak Mountain Ramblers present a unique blend of Rock 'n Roll, Bluegrass, Alternative Country, and Country Blues. With a lineup including 3 members of the inimitable and notorious Holy Modal Rounders/ Clamtones amalgamation of the '70s and '80s, FMR has its roots in the underbelly of the alternative music scene that existed at that time both in Portland and across the country. Unlike any other band in the Pacific Northwest, FMR presents a show where the spotlight rotates among 5 lead singer/songwriters, each with his own distinct character and approach to life and music. The 6th member is a veteran drummer with his own tale to tell, and even an occasional song to sing.

links:
Website :: Listen
Sun. Aug. 22 - Laurelthirst Pub, 6-8pm

DAVID INGERSON

David Ingerson has been singing traditional Irish songs for over 30 years. He has visited Ireland seven times, attending music and singing festivals and schools, collecting songs, and researching the backgrounds of songs. During his visits he has studied traditional singing under dozens of Irish singers, including Paddy Tunney, Roisin White, and Seamus MacMathuna. He has performed on the stages of folk clubs throughout the Northwest, including the Northwest Folklife Festival in Seattle, and presented workshops at folk singing camps and festivals.

Sat. Aug. 21 - Land, 1pm - Sean-nos (Old Style) Irish Singing workshop (no experience needed)

JANE KEEFER

Jane has been teaching and performing since the mid 70's, including 8 years full time in the Pacific Northwest. Now retired from her third career as a science librarian, Jane continues to share her knowledge of traditional musics. She is for the most part self-taught, which means her technique is not always "correct" in a classical sense. Still, having a penchant for analysis, over the years she's worked out some 1200 instrumental arrangements, some of which will soon be published by Mel Bay. Classes, workshops, and lessons include flatpick and fingerpicking guitar, clawhammer and 3-finger banjo, strum and fingerpicking mountain dulcimer, mandolin, and fiddle. Performances features old-time songs and tunes, mixed in with a few newer pieces.

Sat. Aug. 21 - Land, noon - Introduction to Clawhammer Banjo (advanced beginner to intermediate)

MYSHKIN'S RUBY WARBLERS

Myshkin's Ruby Warblers is an ever-evolving crew of genius gamblers whose passions range from tango to electronica, old time to modern classical to jazz, and each leave an imprint of their unique talents on the music. Myshkin plays an 80 year old martin tenor guitar, a vintage gibson six string, and a jumbo lowden acoustic. Her voice is her finest instrument though, and she wields it like a fortune teller, an acrobat, a hunter, a gift.
"...like some sort of sympathetic wizard, New Orleans singer Myshkin serves you with a warm and gorgeous mix of very macabre folksongs and neo romantic gypsy music." - Kindamuzik.com

links:
Website :: Listen
Sun. Aug. 22 - Doug Fir Lounge, 10pm

SEA OF BEES

Julie Ann Bee is an epically rare musician who performs with the kind of intuitive knowing and organic talent that defies logic and defines great artists. Performing under the name Sea Of Bees, crowds are left in awe of the laser beam pull of Jules' captivating voice. Her sets are as equally captivating whether on the big stage with a full band or with Jules simply strumming her guitar along to that entrancing voice in the simplest of settings. Get ready to hear a lot from and about Sea of Bees from here on out. It's her time.

links:
Website :: Watch
Thurs. Aug. 19 - Backspace, 10:30pm

ADAM AND KRIS

Nationally acclaimed acoustic duo Adam + Kris have been performing together forever. They have shared the stage with Dave Carter and Tracy Grammer, Caroline Aiken, Chris Chandler and Anne Feeney, Cheryl Wheeler, Bob Wiseman, Carmaig DeForest, Laura Love, Austin Lounge Lizards, Leftover Salmon, The Asylum Street Spankers, Peter Yarrow, and countless others. They have toured across the United States and Canada, playing their original music at concerts and festivals. Adam + Kris are regulars at The Oregon Country Fair and The Kerrville Folk Festival in Texas, and have also played The High Sierra Music Festival, Mission Folk Festival, Park City Arts Festival and many others.

links:
Website
Sun. Aug. 22 - Laurelthirst Pub, 9:30pm

SARAH HAUSER

Sarah Hauser, current President of the Portland Storytellers Guild, is known for her quirky sense of humor. She tells stories to children and adults in a variety of venues. She is fond of folk tales and stories with talking mice. She is excited to be a part of the first ever Portland Folk Festival.

links:
Website
Fri. Aug. 20 - Star E Rose, 9:30pm

ANNE RUTHERFORD

Anne Rutherford tells original and vintage stories that are funny, moving and smart. She engages audiences with vivid performances spiced with music and improv. Her specialties include original fiction, Pacific Northwest folklore, and vintage tales of humor and suspense. First place winner of the Liar's Contest at this year's NW Folklife Festival, Anne is in her eleventh year of professional storytelling throughout the Northwest. She is a teaching artist in the schools with Young Audiences of Oregon and The Right Brain Initiative, a member of the Portland & Seattle Storytellers Guild and the National Storytelling Network.
links:
Website
Fri. Aug. 20 - Star E Rose, 8:10pm & Sat. Aug. 21 - Land, 3pm

BRIAN CUTEAN

Brian Cutean is a stellar example of the unreconstructed hippie-folkie archetype: Gandalf-esque appearance, penchant for convoluted puns, and socially and psychically conscious songs, not to mention an uncanny ability to sprinkle fairy dust on any audience and instantly get everyone on his wavelength. Cutean's protean, peripatetic path has spanned two decades and several states, often including Oregon. A teller of wild tales filled with wordplay, wonder and colorful guitar chops; a songwriter-performer with an unusual and thoughtful voice in these days of swift change, overwhelming news and a glut of manufactured culture
"Cutean runs the gamut from activist to seer..."
-The Grand Rapids Press

links:
Website :: Listen
Sat. Aug. 21 - Mississippi Pizza, 8pm

LOUIS LEDFORD

Louis Ledford's land is the "Old Weird America" Greil Marcus wrote so emotively about. His stories seldom end with a hero on the proverbial mountaintop. His narratives are typically told by the losers, those close to the edge, in the grandest sense. His forthright, Southern tales match the songwriting craftsmanship of Kris Kristofferson and the rolling piedmont fingerpicking style exemplified by Etta Baker. Ledford lives hopefully in New Orleans where wonders never cease and music grows wildly like Cat's Claw on old buildings. "Ledford achieves what Woody Guthrie was so good at, making an instant connection with the listener. It's an intimacy that is hard to pin down, he sings from the heart, plays the guitar beautifully."
- Americana U.K.

links:
Website :: Listen
Sat. Aug. 21 - Mississippi Pizza, 9pm

LEE COREY OSWALD

Jovi meets Slayer meets Natalie Merchant! Wait, that's not right. Bolsheviks meets Orwellian Socialism meets post-civil war reconstruction era lingering racism! Wait, that's definitely not right. Apparently I'm terrible at comparing existing artists as a means to describe Lee Corey Oswald. That's a good thing. The boys swap genres like partners at an end of the world orgy. Punk rock, folk, indie rock, and rock and roll all meet up for a humble yet humbling experience when you grant your ears and eyes the privilege of their experience. Lyrically the boys seem to have found a pinpoint way of telling the stories and sharing the feelings of our modern, overly informed while under-informed, seemingly lost generation. As we stumble our way through the darkest regions of overbearing consumerism and moral ambiguity, it's voices like these that vocalize the poignant truths we all feel but lose when we try to project them. I mean all that- it totally sounds like a bunch of garbage, but fuck it, they are great. Their harmonies are great, the songs are there, and they're pretty good looking too. Oh yeah, beer. They're a haven for drinking fans with a music problem.

links:
Website :: Watch
Sun. Aug. 22 - Rontoms, 10:30pm

BEAR FEET

In the summer of 2008, long time friends Taylor Shultz and Elena Hess were inspired to create something different; music that is both unique and refreshing in contrast to the NW indie rock scene, but also commemorative of folk's musical roots. After many stages and experimentation with lineup, Elena and Taylor joined with Sam Kachel, Celeste Vieira and Sam Johnson to became Bear Feet. Drawing inspiration from folk, jazz, gypsy, blues and roots, Bear Feet combines traditional with contemporary, to bring you a foot-stompin', harmony wailin', helluva good time.

links:
Website :: Watch
Thurs. Aug. 19 - Backspace, 9:30pm

THE LOWER 48

Finding harmonies in the youth's hope and melancholy, The Lower 48 craft folk-rock songs you could swear you have been humming for years. The upstarts braid together nimble lyrics, haunting harmonies, and deceptively simple arrangements, making the beautiful noises of lives still to be lived.

links:
Website :: Listen
Sat. Aug. 21 - White Eagle, 9:30pm

YOYODYNE

Portland band Yoyodyne has been playing together in the Northwest since 2006, and released their newest CD – Advice – this past spring. The band is a delectable snack full of succulent melodic pop harmonies, tasty beats–with a reverby flavor of surf and the earthy hint of Roots Rock. Emily Vidal’s sincere alto vocals conjure distant memories of Rebecca Gates (Spinanes), while her warm bass lines wrap themselves around you tightly. Johnny Keener’s voice ranges from soft crooning to solid rock strength and his guitar has a voice all its own. Jason Greene’s drumming can charge you up, tease you playfully, and even evoke quiet evenings by the water. "Yoyodyne’s smart rock and sweet, call-and-response lullabies offer a pretty, uplifting soundtrack." -Willamette Week

links:
Website
Sat. Aug. 21 - White Eagle, 10:30pm

VIC CHESNUTT TRIBUTE WITH SCOTTY C & FRIENDS

As a songwriter myself, Vic Chesnutt moved me like no other. Folk singer? Rock singer? Blues singer? He was all of those. I think of him as the Bob Dylan of my generation. His poetry leads the listener down roads that previously had not existed. Dark, twisting, even scary, his fascinating wordplay was daring, to say the least. But there was always, just out of the corner of your vision, a wink and a smile and a touch of humor in everything he did. He was a wonderful man, always funny and a joy to hang out with, and above all, a fascinating songwriter. Scotty C. will be joined by local musicians including Robert Figora on guitar & Glenn Walters on percussion. Vic may be gone, but his music will never be forgotten. -Scotty C.

Fri. Aug. 20 - Star E. Rose

MO PHILLIPS & ROCK 'N' ROLL KINDY

Mo Phillips writes kids songs from his secret ninja laboratory in the Portland, Oregon. In the old days, Mo played crazy jazz and psychedelic math rock on three continents to much acclaim. Mo grew up recreating Neil Young and the Rolling Stones in his bedroom, and after some university years trying (unsuccessfully) to cross D. Boon with John Coltrane, he fell back into his classic rockin' ways. It has been said that Mo's album Train Beard sounds like Black Francis joined Wilco to make a kids album.

When not doling out the goods to the young set, Mo is a husband, a dad, an Early Childhood Educator, and teaches his program Rock 'N' Roll Kindy to kids all over the Portland area.

When not making bands with the youngest rockers, Mo performs interactive shows of his own that respect the intelligence of young people with wit and irreverence, without being strictly scatological. This is music built for kids and parents alike!

links:
Website
Sat. Aug. 21 - BuyOlympia Kids' Stage, noon

ANNE WEISS

Combining contemporary folk, blues, acoustic funk, gospel music, and smatterings of classical phrasing and Latin rhythms, Anne is known for her enormous bluesy voice, great guitar chops, and striking stage presence. She draws on the richness of her life - classical pianist turned songwriter/guitarist, NY street gang member, mountaineer, social activist, – and distills that experience into songs that are poetic, political, humorous, and sensual, resonating with the deep questions and the ultimate joy of life. Anne’s first recording work was with Shawn Colvin and Patty Larkin. It wasn’t long before she was opening concerts for Richie Havens and Dar Williams. A decade later, Anne has performed with everyone from power folk singer/songwriter Ani DiFranco to country blues heroes Cephas & Wiggins.

links:
Website
Sat. Aug. 21 - Mississippi Pizza, 7pm

JOHNNY AND JASON

Johnny Keener and Jason Greene play music for young kids and their adults. They do performances and workshops, mostly in the Portland, OR area. The two first met in 2000 while working at the Portland Children's Museum. The two have teamed up to craft music for kids that is exciting and fun, as well as artistically satisfying. They are committed to inviting kids into the musical process providing them with a positive experience that they won't forget.

links:
Website
Sat. Aug. 21 - BuyOlympia Kids' Stage, 1pm

BROTHERS YOUNG

"The musical landscape is littered with family music acts, some brilliant (The Jackson 5, The Pointer Sisters, The Everly Brothers), some less so (The Osmonds). Thankfully, the sibling band we have in Portland, The Brothers Young, falls squarely in the former category. Formed by brothers Dustin, Dillon, Ritchie (also the front man for Loch Lomond) and Michael Young, the group (which also includes Levi Ethan Cecil and Trevino Brings Plenty) play the cut up method with their sound, letting lazy programmed beats carry folk guitar picking and precise, unforced singing. Their latest album, the recently released The Sun Says He’s God, puts all of these aspects on display, rolling along with an unhurried grace that only the most assured musicians could pull off well." - Robert Ham, Oregon Music News

links:
Website :: Watch
Thurs. Aug. 19 - Ella St. Social Club, 11pm

PETOSKEY

"Angie Kuzma carries her new 5-piece band through beautifully crafted fun folk fairy tales always exuding a touch of classy sophistication." - Showdeer Presents

links:
Website :: Watch
Thurs. Aug. 19 - Ella St. Social Club, 10pm

ANNA PAUL AND THE BEARDED LADY

Suspend time and spin it around you like a well-knit sweater. Imbue it with Lucky Strike smokiness and Ovaltine sweetness and then squeeze it through 1920s vintage instruments, vintage microphones, vintage countenance and inflection: You've got AnnaPaul and the Bearded Lady. With a joyful and almost scholarly attention to rarely-heard songs like "Button Up Your Overcoat," "The Sheik of Araby" and Gershwin's "Somebody Loves Me," AnnaPaul and the Bearded Lady value authenticity and a respect for history unseen in most "retro" bands. This is not kitsch, not hipster irony - this is living music.

links:
Website
Fri. Aug. 20 - The Know, 8:30pm

STAG HARE

"Stag Hare ripples into the meditative psych territory with a heavy earthen smell rising out of every track on their second self-released album. Tones shimmer over the rhythmic chug of tribal percussion, fraught with chimes and more than a hint of campfire smoke. Though they ride quite easily through the free-folk valley, the din that sometimes finds its way into that genre at is kept at bay (see early Badgerlore); instead allowing the loose song-forms to take on dream-like qualities. As the band introduce vocals somehow shoegaze and forest folk careen into each other in a fevered hallucination that definitely begs to be repeated. Black Medicine Music is a strong second statement from this project, even garnering some mastering help from RSTB fave Adam Forkner whose work makes a good touchstone for where this release is rooted." - Raven Sings The Blues

links:
Website :: Watch
Thurs. Aug. 19 - Ella St. Social Club, 9pm

YARN OWL

Hatched in the autumn of 2007, Yarn Owl met through the college radio station KZUU 90.7 fm in rural town of Pullman, WA. With shared influences of independent music these boys bring folk, jangle, and pop, with 60's inspiration to the stage. Songs about the wilderness, the lush fields of the Palouse, and relationships are their lyrical focus. Yarn Owl consists of Tim Meinig (Band of Horses), Tyler Armour, Ted Powers, and Javier Suarez. Performing at the recent Birds on a Wire Folkfest and Seattle's Folk Life has brought increased attention to Yarn Owl amongst the northwest music scene. Yarn Owl is pleased to be performing at the inaugural Portland Folk Festival!

links:
Website :: Listen
Fri. Aug. 20 - The Know, 9:20pm

KASEY ANDERSON

Kasey Anderson is a Portland, OR songwriter whose newest album, Nowhere Nights, earned glowing reviews from Paste, Blurt, Q Magazine, and The Oregonian, among many others. Since moving back to Portland - after spending 2009 touring and living in Europe and the UK - Anderson has maintained a constant touring schedule, headlining his own two-month national tour and supporting the likes of Steve Earle, Peter Case, John Doe and Carrie Rodriguez. Peter Ames Carlin of the Oregonian described Anderson as "One of those striking American voices; a whole new combination of folk, country, rock ‘n’ roll and all those lit/philosophy/social studies classes we took," and that description is apt, as Anderson weaves evocative, literate lyricism with songs that draw from influences that swing from Townes Van Zandt to the Sonics. "A literate workingman's poet." - Paste

links:
Website :: Listen
Fri. Aug. 20 - Alberta St. Pub, 10pm

CELILO

Celilo pushes the boundaries of Americana with ambient Pink Floyd-esque atmospherics, languid tempos, burnt molasses vocals and eagle-eyed Steinbeckian observation. They evoke comparisons to the classic songwriters of the 1970's while drifting into the modern frontier with their soundscaped arrangements creating a noir blend of psychedelia, Americana and indie rock, incorporating the mythology and imagery of the rivers and bridges of their hometown Portland, Oregon. They are currently in the studio with producer Gregg Williams (Blitzen Trapper) working on a new EP to be released in support of a 2010 Fall Tour of the UK!

links:
Listen
Sun. Aug. 22 - Rontoms, 11:15pm

LEONARD MYNX

Leonard Mynx grew up a half mile from Mark Twain's grave. A half mile past that, an old prison of brick and iron loomed over the headstones and the houses of the town. Its siren marked the hours of the day. During the Civil War, along the river that had served as the life of the town was the site of the most infamous Union prison camp, or death camp, as it was referred to in Dixie. Once a bucolic and charming little village, in the late twentieth century the town was plagued by floods, prisons and the death of American industry until it rotted and all but died out. It was during this period that Leonard Mynx served his sentence there, until finally, he escaped.

links:
Listen :: Website
Sun. Aug. 22 - Rontoms, 7:30pm

MIKE FEKETE

A native of Northeast Ohio, and current resident of Olympia, Washington, Mike Fekete composes for and performs solo guitar drawing influence from the Takoma tradition as well as the Windham Hill sound. A member of the vibrant scene of young guitarists carrying forward the ideals of American Primitive Guitar founded by the late John Fahey, Fekete will be featured on the upcoming fourth volume of the critically acclaimed guitar anthology series, Imaginational Anthem. George Winston has called him “one of the great new 21st Century guitarist/composers.”

links:
Website :: Watch
Sat. Aug. 21 - Mississippi Pizza, 6pm

TOM SCHRAEDER

Without releasing an album, 23-year-old Tom Schraeder garnered critical praise from his live performance at Lollapalooza, CMJ, and from demos which began circulating the States. After the positive response, Schraeder booked his third headlining show and released the compilation of demos to a sold out Chicago crowd. The EP was titled, "The Door, The Gutter, The Grave" because those are the three things Schraeder continues to have one foot in. Chosen as one of the Onion A.V. Club's "Top 5 Artists to Watch in 2008," his songwriting has been called, "earnest" and "adventurous" by CMJ.com. It inspired Chicago Magazine's Noah Isackson to declare, "Tom Schraeder [is] on the brink of stardom," and prompted Jim Derogatis of the Chicago Sun-Times to write, "sophisticated...a real talent."

links:
Website :: Listen
Sat. Aug. 21 - Mississippi Pizza, 5pm

RUBY FEATHERS

Lindsie Reitz (The LRE, Hawkeye) decided to take on her own musical project in late 2009 by forming this six piece psychedelic/country/rock explosion in Portland, Oregon. Waves of slide guitar and electric banjo give this sound it's unique character while the sweet harmonies of Lindsie and Danielle's voice give power to the songs.

links:
Website
Sat. Aug. 21 - Lot 13, 2pm

WILL WEST

North Carolina native Will West has called Portland home since the summer of 2002. He performs solo acoustic or with variations of a band called The Friendly Strangers. They perform a blend of modern roots & folk music with a touch of improvisation. Instrumentation includes banjo, fiddle, cello, trumpet, lap slide, upright bass, percussion & other surprises. He's currently working on a new album to be ready in November 2010.

links:
Website
Sat. Aug. 21 - Lot 13, 3pm

MADISON BEAUDET

Madison Beaudet is a scavenger. He goes along picking up bits and pieces of ideas, blending them together to create a synthetic originality. He is guided by the philosophy that even though every idea has been thought, it's unlikely they've been thought in this order. This is most evidenced in his song "John Stuart Mill Allusionary Blues". An early version of this song was published in September/October issue of American Songwriter in 2009, placing 3rd in a lyric competition. He is a theif and a liar, but in all the years I've known him he has only stolen what he needed and lied sincerely. -C.A. Sharp

links:
Website
Sat. Aug. 21 - Lot 13, 4pm

BITTERROOT

Inspired by Mother Earth and angry at big brother, Bitterroot peacefully roams around Oregon playing folk, rock, country, and blues, and singing harmonies. Members: Colt Haney on guitar, mandolin, and vocals; Foster Haney on guitar, harmonica, and vocals; James Parker on bass and vocals. The three write the band's originals together and apart. They're just now finishing up the last bit of studio work, and their debut EP will be out in September.

links:
Sat. Aug. 21 - Lot 13, 6:45pm

DAVE ORLEANS

Dave Orleans is a singer, songwriter, guitarist, and naturalist/environmental educator, specializing in earth-friendly, family-style music -- a lively blend of original and "recycled" songs and stories about the natural world and our place in it. He has performed in the Portland area since 2005, most notably at the Portland Children's Museum, Oregon Country Fair, Salem Arts Fair, Oxbow Regional Park campfires, Children's Clean Water Festival, Muddy Boot Organic Festival, and Green Sprouts Organic Baby Festival. He is active in the Portland FolkMusic Society and the Children's Music Network. Contact Dave about his music at: earthsinger@comcast.net.

Sun. Aug. 22 - The Woods, 8:37pm