2008 PERFORMERS

The following acts are scheduled to perform at the 2008 Lowell Folk Festival®. For schedule and venue, please visit our schedule page when it becomes available.

Please check back occasionally for updates as the performer list will continue to grow.

MUSICAL ACTS as of July 16, 2008
Kontiwennenhá:wi – Carriers of the Words
	Akwesasne Women Singers Territory of Akwesasne - New York, Ontario and Quebec Singing is an important medicine of the Kanienkehaka (Mohawk) people, one of the Six Nations of the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois Confederacy), and the wonderful women’s singing ensemble Kontiwennenhá:wi uses this medicine both to benefit their community and to share with outside audiences the beauty of their cultural traditions.
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Andrew Nemr and Rocky Mendes
	Rhythm tap dancing New York and Massachusetts Andrew Nemr’s and Rocky Mendes’ feet almost seem to float above the stage as they execute intricate, effortless steps. Nemr and Mendes are two of the “Young Lions” of the great American tap dance tradition, which was embodied by their mentor, the late Jimmy Slyde, who passed away in May of 2008.  Slyde, a longtime resident of Hanson, Massachusetts, was one of the last of the great generation of rhythm tap masters. An elegant dancer, he graced stages from Harlem to Paris, appeared in numerous films, and was regarded as one of the great stylists in the genre. Andrew Nemr and Rocky Mendes have both known and been mentored by Jimmy Slyde since they were teenagers and regard him as a major influence as well as a dear friend. Andrew Nemr, who met Jimmy in 1993, says that Slyde was “the preeminent dispatcher of wisdom,” who “always pushed to have you be on the edge, and wanted you to try new things.”  Jimmy Slyde was a favorite at the Lowell Folk Festival in the 1990s.  Andrew and Rocky are honored to carry on his storied tradition and bring the vibrancy, musicality and elegance of Jimmy Slyde’s beloved art – rhythm tap dance – back to Lowell Folk Festival audiences.
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Alex Meixner Band
	Polka Allentown, Pennsylvania Alex Meixner carries on a family polka tradition brought to America four generations ago by his Austrian great-grandfather.   Building upon family musical foundations, this dynamic young master of the diatonic button accordion has a fresh, musical voice that has made him one of the most exciting performers on the American polka scene.   The Meixner family’s musical heritage started with Alex’s violin and cornet-playing great-grandfather Leopold, who emigrated from the Austrian province of Burgenland to the U.S. in the mid 1920s.  Home to Germanic, Hungarian, and Croatian speaking inhabitants, Burgenland’s blend of diverse musical traditions shaped Leopold Meixner’s repertoire and that of subsequent generations of Meixner musicians, including Leopold’s son Alfred, who was affectionately known as “Skeeter.”
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Balla Kouyaté
	Malian balafon Medford, Massachusetts Balla Kouyaté, from Mali, is a virtuoso player of an ancient instrument called the balafon, the West African ancestor of the marimba, the xylophone, the vibes, and a host of related instruments. Kouyate’s family roots go back over 800 years to Balla Faséké Kouyaté, the keeper of the Sosso Bala, the first balafon, and the first of an unbroken line of djelis, or griots, in the Kouyaté clan. Djelis are the oral historians, musicians and performers who keep alive and celebrate the history of the Mandé people of Mali, Guinea and other West African countries. Kouyate, now based in Massachusetts, continues this classic tradition, with his brilliant, dazzling instrumental solos and original compositions.
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Don Roy Trio
	Maine French fiddle Gorham, ME Don Roy has been called “the dean of Franco-American fiddling in Maine,” a title which reflects both his skilled playing and his dedication to sharing his musical heritage.  House parties with fiddling and singing were a weekly occurrence among Don’s extended family in the Winslow area, and he joined the family music-making tradition by taking up the guitar at age 6. His uncle Lucien Mathieu, recognized his talent and encouraged him to take up the fiddle at age 15. Don traveled with his “Uncle Lou” to the homes of noted fiddler friends and to fiddle contests throughout New England and Canada, where Don refined his skills.  He now leads the Don Roy Trio, one of the finest Franco-American ensembles in the country.
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Dynasty Carnival Parade
	Carnival mas band Boston, Massachusetts One of the hallmarks of Carnival is the mas band, a group of revelers bedecked in elaborate, hand-made costumes expressing a spectacular theme. This summer marks the 35th anniversary of Boston’s Carnival and for the first time, the Lowell Folk Festival will be treated to this thrilling celebration by one of Boston’s great Caribbean mas groups, Dynasty. This group was formerly known as Mas Women and Men and is one of Boston’s original Carnival groups.  Led by Cynthia Coker and her husband Stephen (“Mr. C”), Dynasty has played a key role in presenting the colorful Trinidadian Carnival traditions to Boston for over 30 years.
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Gund Kwok
	Chinese Lion Dance Boston, MA Gund Kwok, the only Asian women lion and dragon dance troupe in the United States, will perform the lion dance Sunday in the street performance area.  While both the lion and dragon dances are traditionally male artforms, Gund Kwok was created to give Asian women an opportunity to learn and perform these strenuous martial art dances. Gund Kwok, which means “heroine” or “hidden strength” in Chinese, symbolizes women's power and strength.  The troupe was founded in 1998 by the Rev. Cheng Imm Tan.  Its members represent many diverse Asian communities and include women of varying ages and occupations.  At its core, Boston based Gund Kwok is a deeply committed community organization and since its inception, the troupe has donated all its performance fees to causes that empower Asian women.
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Helder Moutinho
	Portuguese fado Lisbon, Portugal Helder Moutinho is a rare male star in the constellation of great fado singers from Portugal. As a boy in Oeiras, on the outskirts of Lisbon, birthplace of fado, Moutinho spent countless hours transported by the emotive and elegant songs traded in the traditional fado circles. The raw emotion of fado singing and instrumentation, which Moutinho describes as “the other kind of blues,” as well as its rootedness in his beloved native city, inspired his career as one of the form’s leading contemporary singers and composers.
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Henry Gray & The Cats
	Blues and boogie-woogie piano Baton Rouge, LA   Henry Gray’s seven decade long career as a blues and boogie-woogie pianist spans both the geographical and musical roots of the genre and makes him arguably one of the most influential blues musicians of the past half-century.  At 82, Henry continues to deliver his rollicking, two-fisted boogie-woogies and passionate blues to audiences throughout the world.
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The Jerry Grcevich Tamburitza Orchestra
	Tamburitza North Huntingdon, Pennsylvania Jerry Grcevich has devoted his life to mastering tamburitza, the complex string band music native to Croatia, Serbia, Bosnia and other regions of the former Yugoslavia.  Master of all five instruments of the tamburitza ensemble, he is generally recognized as one of the most accomplished prim players in the world.  Jerry leads a six-piece ensemble of master tamburitza musicians whose virtuosic playing of this brilliant, exciting Balkan style will captivate anyone with a love of acoustic stringed instruments.
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Lonesome River Band
	Bluegrass Virginia and Tennessee In the mid-70s through early 90s, the world of bluegrass experienced a musical evolution.  The high lonesome mountain vocals and deep country sound of first-generation bluegrass bands would be augmented by a rock and roll energy and swagger.  Bands like JD Crowe and the New South, Boone Creek, and of course The Lonesome River Band were the key groups in forming this new sound.  The Lonesome River Band’s signature tight harmonies, solid instrumentals and innovative repertoire produced one of the most distinctive ensembles in all of bluegrass. This year will mark the band’s 26th anniversary.  It is an enduring legacy.
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Mariachi Estampa de America
	mariachi and norteño Boston Area The soaring sounds of violins, vihuela, bajo sexto, guitarrón and accordion (yes accordion) come drifting out of El Rancho Grande restaurant in Chelsea where Mariachi Estampa de America performs most every night.  Mariachi Estampa de America, or the “Stamp of America” (as in the sounds of the Americas) is made up of musicians with roots in Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador and the United States.   The group represents an emerging tradition that incorporates aspects of Massachusetts’ multiple Latino traditions.  Chelsea is home to a wide array of Latino nationalities, where there has been a noted history of tension between the various groups.  Mariachi Estampa de America bridges and transcends these differences and brings together musicians from many backgrounds to create this joyful celebratory music.
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Sister Marie Knight
	Gospel Brooklyn, NY Sister Marie Knight, the “sanctified shouter,” first attracted attention while singing in the choir as a young child in the 1930s at the Oakwood Avenue Baptist Church in Newark, New Jersey. Since her early years at the church, through a full career as the writing and touring partner with gospel legend Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Knight has participated and added to the canon of African American Gospel music.  Her partnership with Tharpe led to a groundbreaking blend of gospel, secular blues and jazz whose impact can be still heard today in music ranging from traditional gospel to popular R& B.  All of this was done at a time when being a female African American touring musician meant that much of the country was working against you.  Knights' contributions are great.  At this year’s Lowell Folk Festival, along with pianist Dave Keys, she will show how a lifetime of musical innovation is still boiling strong in spirit, voice, and praise.
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Mighty Sam McClain
	Rhythm and Blues Epping, New Hampshire Mighty Sam McClain is one of the finest soul and R&B singers alive, equally at home belting out a blues classic like “Down Home Blues, or crooning Sam Cooke’s “A Change is Gonna Come.” His primary influences, he says, are Bobby Blue Bland and Al Green, and there are echoes of both these great singers in his work, but he’s more versatile than either and his music packs the same emotional punch.  McClain’s latest recording, One More Bridge to Cross, demonstrates that, after more than four decades of musical ups and downs, Mighty Sam is at the peak of his career.
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Penpa Tsering
	Tibetan music and song Somerville, Massachusetts Just down the road from the Lowell Folk Festival lives a world-class musician from half-way around the globe: Somerville’s Penpa Tsering is a master of the music of his native Tibet, the land at “the roof of the world.” His presentations deftly weave together mesmerizing performances of traditional song and dance; explanations of Tibetan philosophy, religion, and culture; and demonstrations of his outstanding musical skills on 14 of Tibet’s traditional instruments.
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Pilon Batuku
	Cape Verdean funana Pawtucket, Rhode Island Representing New England’s vibrant Cape Verdean communities, Joao Cerilo and his band Pilon Batuko bring the irresistible rhythms of Cape Verdean music to this year’s Lowell Folk Festival. Joao Cerilo is the stage name of bandleader, singer, and accordionist Joao “John” Cerilo Monteiro. Since emigrating to Rhode Island in 1982, Cerilo has become a cultural ambassador for traditional Cape Verdean music, a beloved bandleader who performs regularly in community social clubs and a recognized master teacher.
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Puerto Plata
	Dominican musica de guitarra Denver, Colorado/Dominican Republic The elegant and expressive singer Puerto Plata is the last recognized master of his generation of Dominican musicians. Despite his 84 years, he exemplifies the resurgent vigor of the once-repressed musica de guitarra traditions of the campesinos and barrios of his native Dominican Republic—including son, bolero, bachata, and bachata-style merengue. Despite their different rhythms, points of origin, and lyrical emphases, each of these styles represents the fruitful fusion of Spanish and African musical roots in the fertile ground of the Spanish-speaking Caribbean. In recent years, a younger generation has revitalized interest in these guitar-based Dominican song and dance styles and Puerto Plata has emerged as an elder statesman, a masterful exemplar of what many now consider the golden age of Dominican guitar music.
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Redd Volkaert Band with Cindy Cashdollar
	American country guitar styles Austin, Texas Redd Volkaert, the “telecaster guru”, is no household name, but in the world of “twang” guitar there is a cult of Redd.  In Austin, Texas where he now lives, players on their way to their own gigs will stop into Volkaert's regular Saturday afternoon sessions at the Continental Club — where the band plays for tips — to get a cold beer and a free guitar lesson. There he is on the Continental stage, putting his vintage ’53 Telecaster through its paces.  As The Austin Chronicle states, he’s  “all over the guitar like grease on a pork chop, quoting jazz, country, blues, and Western swing as effortlessly as turning on the lights in the living room.”  With a disarming modesty, he makes his guitar do things that leaves other players shaking their heads, thinking, “Should I practice more or just quit?”  Joining Redd and his band is the First Lady of Steel Guitar, Cindy Cashdollar, a master musician and one of the few women to take up the lap steel and slide guitars as well as the dobro. Together, these two guitar virtuosos trade some blazing licks.
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Réveillons!
	Quebecois Montreal, Quebec In French, the imperative Réveillons! means “wake up!” The band named Réveillons! has embraced that energizing command as its mission.  It aims to do nothing less than re-awaken a collective memory of the roots of Quebecois music.The appearance of Réveillons! at the Lowell Folk Festival coincides with the 400th anniversary of the founding of Quebec in July of 1608.  During the intervening four centuries, a distinct musical style developed around the kitchen hearths and in the dance halls of the region. The descendants of French immigrants passed down songs and stories in the mother tongue, slowly incorporating influences from the music of their Irish and Scots neighbors to create a uniquely Quebecois repertoire. Réveillons’ own repertoire draws from throughout this musical history, and also incorporates bold interpretations and new compositions that showcase the continued dynamism of traditional music in the 21st century.
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Jeffery Broussard & the Creole Cowboys
	zydeco Lafayette, Louisiana A hot, new band has made its appearance on Southwest Louisiana’s zydeco scene, delivering great, pack-the-floor renditions of Creole classics as well as its own brand of contemporary zydeco.  Jeffery Broussard & The Creole Cowboys features the masterful accordion and singing of front man Jeffery Broussard and the exciting Creole fiddle of D’Jalma Garnier III.   Drawing inspiration from earlier Creole music legends like fiddler Canray Fontenot and Jeffery’s father, accordion player Delton Broussard, Jeffery Broussard & The Creole Cowboys are interpreting this musical legacy for a new generation, and presenting it with contemporary flair.
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Rosie Ledet and the Zydeco Playboys
	Zydeco Iota, Louisiana Unfortunately, Rosie is not able to participate at this year's festival due to illness. Fortunately, the Festival has been able to arrange for the inspired zydeco music of Jeffery Broussard & the Creole Cowboys to take her place in Lowell. Please see the entry above for this new entry in the Lowell Folk Festival lineup.
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Skordalia
	Greek Massachusettsota, Louisiana Skordalia is a Boston-area Greek band that specializes in the lively, festive dance music of the mainland, the Aegean islands, and Asia Minor.  Many of the songs that Skordalia plays come from the island of Mytilene (Lesbos), a short distance off the Western coast of Turkey.  For centuries Mytilene was part of the Ottoman Empire, only becoming part of modern Greece in 1912. The culture and music of the island’s Greek population were heavily influenced by Asia Minor, particularly the ancient city of Smyrna (present day Izmir).  While much of the music that Skordalia plays comes from Mytilene, they also perform dimotika, rebetika, and other traditional dance music from throughout the Greek world. Theirs is the music of the taverna and the Café Aman; of the feast day and the festival grounds.  Skordalia’s unique sound has earned them a stellar reputation with the Greek community in the United States, and they frequently travel to play for dances and celebrations throughout the East Coast.
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The Skatalites
	Jamaican ska The members of the Skatalites are living legends of Jamaican music, founding fathers of the modern Jamaican sound.  Four decades ago the group virtually invented ska, the upbeat dance music that spawned rock steady and reggae, and inspired three waves of British and American ska revivalists.  A triumphal 1983 reunion performance at the Reggae Sunsplash festival led the group to reform themselves on a permanent basis in 1986.  For nearly twenty years, the modern incarnation of this legendary band has brought classic ska to audiences around the world.  Billboard has called the group “. . . Jamaica’s supreme instrumental band,” and Rolling Stone’s description is: “The Skatalites – Jamaica’s answer to the Motown house band and Booker T. and the MG’s combined.”
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Suhas Rao Ensemble
	Carnatic violin Westwood, Massachusetts Suhas Rao, 17, is an exciting and versatile young performer on the Carnatic violin. Carnatic music, the classical music from South India, boasts of origins dating back 4000 years. From an early age, Suhas has been dedicated to learning, understanding and appreciating this complex art form.  Now an up and coming talent in the Carnaticmusic scene, he has performed all over the United States and in India. As Suhas states, "I can't imagine not playing or singing.  Carnatic music; it's just something that runs through my veins."
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TREAD
	Irish and Canadian music and dance Canada, Ireland, and the United States TREAD brings together five brilliant musicians and dancers from Ireland, Canada and the United States. Together they exuberantly explore the world of Celtic music and dance from both sides of the Atlantic.  Harpist Triona Marshall, fiddler and step dancer Jon Pilatzke, step dancers Nathan Pilatzke and Cara Butler, and guitarist Jef McLarnon seamlessly blend the music and dance traditions of Ireland, Irish America and the Ottawa Valley of Canada with their mix of elegant harp, fiery fiddle, driving guitar, and exhilarating dancing. All of the members of TREAD are also long-time touring members of the world-renowned ensemble, The Chieftains. Paddy Maloney of the Chieftains recognized the strong musical bond that the five musicians and dancers had developed, and suggested that they perform at Matt Molloy’s Bar in Westport, County Mayo, while on a break from touring in 2005. It was a magic night, both for the performers and the audience, and TREAD was born.  The Lowell Folk Festival marks their first US festival appearance.
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The Whitetop Mountain Band
	Old-time Whitetop, Virginia Emily and Thornton Spencer have been leaders of this legendary old-time stringband from Grayson County for over 20 years. Famous among dancers for its unerring rhythms, The Whitetop Mountain Band is the most celebrated string band in the Blue Ridge. Founded by the late Albert Hash, beloved luthier, violinmaker, fiddler and friend of all, Whitetop has always performed the music of western Grayson County. This is the area where Virginia’s two highest mountains, Whitetop and Mt. Rogers, are located.
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2007 Lowell Folk Festival Performer List