Wachusett Music

Godfrey Daniels is one of the oldest and most venerable music institutions in eastern Pennsylvania. A small neighborhood coffeehouse and listening room, it has long been a hangout for music lovers and aspiring musicians, and in the late 1970s, one of these was a young Moravian College student named John Gorka. Though his academic course work lay in Philosophy and History, music began to offer paramount enticements. Soon he found himself living in the club’s basement and acting as resident M.C. and soundman, encountering legendary folk troubadors like Canadian singer/songwriter Stan Rogers, Eric Andersen, Tom Paxton and Claudia Schmidt. Their brand of folk-inspired acoustic music inspired him, and before long he was performing his own songs — mostly as an opener for visiting acts. Soon he started traveling to New York City, where Jack Hardy’s legendary Fast Folk circle (a breeding ground for many a major singer/songwriter) became a powerful source of education and encouragement. Folk meccas like Texas’ Kerrville Folk Festival (where he won the New Folk Award in 1984) and Boston followed, and his stunningly soulful baritone voice and emerging songwriting began turning heads. Those who had at one time inspired him — Suzanne Vega, Bill Morrissey, Nanci Griffith, Christine Lavin, Shawn Colvin — had become his peers.

“THE CIRCUS”

Formed in Sleepy Hollow, New York in the late 90’s, Gandalf Murphy & the Slambovian Circus of Dreams is one of the best known and loved bands in their home state, singled out as Hudson Valley Magazine’s “Band of the Year” for the past 3 years. On stage they create an enchanting atmosphere, using traditional folk instruments, tasty electric guitar and the distinctive singing and songwriting of Joziah Longo. Citing influences as diverse as Hank Williams, Dylan, Bowie, Incredible String Band and early Pink Floyd, Longo describes the band’s music as “punk-classical-hillbilly-Floyd”, a mental rollercoaster of whimsical, thought-provoking songs. The Circus’ live shows are where the real magic comes down, earning them critical acclaim as well as a fiercly loyal following. Their last studio release, “Flapjacks From The Sky” has been hailed as a masterpiece by many and continues to make a buzz internationally as a great americana work of art. Their newest cd, “The Great Unravel” was released in August, 2008.

THE KENNEDYS

Inspiration is where you find it – and where it finds you. Open to every moment, the much-traveled married duo of Pete and Maura Kennedy have spun their personal experiences, musical influences and philosophical beliefs into nine previous albums of winsome original songs, frequently seasoned with exquisitely-performed cover tunes, that blend acoustic-based folk, rock, country, pop and secular gospel into an inclusively delightful sound that’s all their own.

After celebrating some of their favorite “road music” by other songwriters on their previous CD, Songs of the Open Road, Pete and Maura have recorded Better Dreams, their first CD of all-original material in seven years, inspired by a pair of seminars they conducted on “using dreams to unlock your creativity.” “We found that we were writing really interesting songs in and around the workshop sessions,” they explain. “All of these songs have something to do with the dreamtime,” where “we have a different kind of freedom there.”

Time and space become fluid in the dreams The Kennedys have translated into these songs. The cleansing “eternal now” flows through the CD-opening “Breathe,” which counsels, “Breathe into a new life, breathe out all the old times.” The tricky path to love is illuminated on “I Found a Road” and “Light My Way.” Real life nightmares rush into folk history (“Sago Mine,” about the January 2006 mining disaster in West Virginia) or flood the modern day (both “Give Me Back My Country” and “American Wish” lament the draining of civil liberties in post-9/11 America). The dream state itself can be a lifeboat (as on the Eastern-tinged title song and “In My Dreams”), an exhausting anchor (“No Mornings”), or, to mix metaphors, an exhilarating rocket ride to a metaphysical sock-hop (“Speed of Soul”). Appropriately, the CD concludes with an ethereal, near wordless hymn to the ultimate dream – peace (“Pacé”)

Whatever the scenario, The Kennedys use their full palette of vocal and instrumental colors to bring their songs to glowing life. Maura’s lead vocals range from comforting to yearning, from girlish to womanly, from exuberant to delicate, sometimes bolstered by her own sweet harmonies and those of Pete and several guests. As usual, multi-instrumentalist Pete provides a vibrant tapestry of chiming, jangling and twanging guitars, as well as mandolin, keyboards, bass and drums, interwoven with Maura’s sturdy acoustic rhythm guitar, harmonica and glockenspiel.

TRINA HAMLIN

With a rich, powerful voice, Hamlin reveals a rare confluence of Midwestern innocence, contemplative focus, and raw passion while adding a disarmingly sharp wit in her stage banter. She seamlessly moves from guitar to piano with self accompaniment on harmonica leaving many who have seen her wondering what she can’t do.

Regarded as one of the best harmonica players around, she presents a driving, sensuous rhythm in her performance reawakening audiences to the art of the instrument.

In the current climate of “sounds like” artists and “heard it before” lyrics, Trina offers an intelligent and refreshing musical experience. Her unique combination of ballads, folk-rock and blues has earned her a steady national following. Trina tours full-time throughout the US and Europe. Additionally, she is a much sought after harmonica player and percussionist, accompanying numerous nationally recognized singer/songwriters in the studio and live on stage.

Having earned a degree in professional music from Berklee College in Boston, she graduated to the club scene in New York City with the band Blue Leaves, and has gone on to write and co-produce five albums of her own. Trina was chosen as one of the “most wanted new artists” at the Falcon Ridge Folk Festival and has performed to a sold out crowd at the Newport Folk Festival in the company of Ani Di Franco, Dar Williams, and The Indigo Girls. She’s performed on The Late Show with Conan O’Brien, has had her music chosen as a backdrop for the CBS TV movie Friends at Last, as well as the WB’s series Dawson’s Creek. Her songs have also been featured on Bravo’s “Tale Lights”, Lifetime’s “The Things We Do For Love”, MTV’s “Real World”,. as well as ABC Family’s “Beautiful People.” In addition, Trina has performed concerts with Paula Cole, Duncan Sheik, Ricki Lee Jones, and John Hiatt, to name a few.

With unapologetic emotional freedom, Trina’s songs have the unique power to mirror and evoke the obvious and unspoken realities of life and being in love.

THE RAFTERS

The Rafters are Dave Fitzgibbons and Miki Bryan a husband and wife acoustic-pop-folk duo. Their music focuses on melody and lyrics evoking feelings of hope and a sense of nostalgia of simpler times. Meeting in college at UMASS Lowell, they had a few things to take care of before coming together musically. After 60+ Indigo Girls concerts, ten years of marriage, a daughter, a second on the way, and many road trips later, the Rafters were born.

MacTalla Mor

“Celtic Music For The Masses” From Caesars Palace Las Vegas, Montreal Canada and Central Park New York to Grandfather Mountain North Carolina and The Clearwater Great Hudson River Revival, MacTalla Mor Band is taking America by Storm! MacTalla Mor, Gaelic for Great Echo, is a hard driving powerful Celtic Roots Band whose dynamic rhythms pack festivals with Earth Shaking Dance Making Ground Breaking Celtic Roots Music. Bagpipes, Celtic drums, piano, organ, flute, whistles and Gaelic singing, this family band has it all, even a magician. “The Pipes Are Calling Resistance is Futile”! “Splendidly Eclectic” Dirty Linen Magazine “MacTalla Mor has it all”! Hartford Advocate- “A Gem! Melts the Walls between genres. A Musical Treasure.” IMRW Magazine-”Compelling and Powerful. Like a winding coastal road with spectacular views. This Band’s on Fire! You need to hear this” . Ale Street News-”Fun, Astonishing and always Terrific”! Celtic MP3s Magazine- “MacTalla Mo’r an Exciting Celtic Roots Band is Taking America by Storm” Citizen News-”Energetic, passionate, creative and powerful. MacTalla Mor Magic. Outstandingly structured lyrics ring of issues that we have been dealing with for centuries.” Luxury Experieince Magazine-”MacTalla Mor is a Hard driving, powerful Celtic Rock and Bagpipe Band. Celtic Rock, Celtic Reggae and Beautiful Vocals. Definitely 5 Stars. Must Hear! Celtic Radio-”The family band MacTalla Mor stands alone as the supreme example of AmeriCelt”. Celtic Beat Magazine-Traditional Gaelic singing (Sean-nos) and Puirt a’ Beul (Mouth Music) meets original Celtic Roots Rock and Fusion.

Folk Fans of All Ages

The Wachusett Valley Folk Festival is adding
something just for you:

A Family Stage

SoundScience Fun!

Chris Thompson will be presenting SoundScience Fun! an interactive sing along performance designed to introduce children of all ages to the science of sound and musical instruments.The performance invites audience participation in multiple ways: audience members are invited to sing along to songs including “I’m a Body Symphony,” “Wonderful Things About Strings” and “No Matter How you Twist it, It’s Still a Horn”; audience members volunteer to come up on stage to help with demonstrations; and through short activities that individuals can do as a group. The performance is open to people of all ages, though geared specifically for children. Audience members participate through demos, question and answer, sing-alongs and “movealongs” that help demonstrate the science of sound.

The Snacks

The Snacks, in the guise of ringleaders Pete and Maura Kennedy (The Kennedys), have been entertaining kids for over 10 years. Pete is the composer of the hit song, “Air Guitar,” made famous by Cathy Fink and Marcie Marxer, and the Kennedys regularly host riotous  air guitar sessions. Maura’s rocking guitar and fun-spirited vocals and, of course, her colorful garb, have inspired a legion of “guitar toting chicks.” All of their songs involve the audience as singers, dancers, and sometimes spontaneous songwriters, and the show always ends with a runaway conga line snaking around the venue. It’s rock’n'roll mayhem at its finest!