THE NEW WORLD FOLK CLUB (MARCH 31ST): AT THE SCRATCHER- NYC

The New World Folk Club is a new intimate and educational folk music event on the last Saturday of each month at the Scratcher Bar, NYC. Hosted by Vincent Cross, two special guests are invited to collaborate on traditional and/or contemporary folks songs. Guests this month are Sam Harmet (mandolin/clarinet) & Erica Mancini (accordion).

(Thanks to Kimberlee Piper (LINK) for this pic from last month)

Sam Harmet (LINK) is a mandolinist, composer, improvisor, and music educator based in Brooklyn, NY. He can regularly be found performing with the Walter Thompson Orchestra, Karl Berger's Improvisers Orchestra, Mob Job, Erica Mancini, and other various jazz, klezmer, and experimental groups.

Erica Mancini (LINK)  is a Chicago-native born to Argentine parents who moved to New York City in 2009. She has performed in jazz bands, marching bands, gypsy jazz ensembles and other original and world music projects such as French reggae, original folk music from the Dominican Republic, and traditional Bavarian polka music.

Date: Saturday, March 31st

Time: 4-6pm

Location: The Scratcher Bar: 209 E 5th St, New York, NY 10003

Donation: $5

Co-sponsored by The Folk Music Society of NY

WELCOME TO THE FAMILY- IRISH BOUZOUKI

Before the Christmas I was in touch with Brian Lofthouse (LINK) a master instrument builder who now resides in Co Mayo, Ireland. The plan was to see if he might be able to make a cross between an Irish bouzouki and Gibson mango-cello- a  tall order indeed. The results of this experiment have finally been unleashed upon the world, and I cannot be happier with this interesting hybrid. Take a look at the process of construction below and the final outcome.  

Check out the images below to see the evolution.

THE LIFE AND TIMES OF JAMES "THE ROOSTER" CORCORAN- QAC GRANT

I'm very excited to share the news that the project The Life and Times of James "The Rooster Corcoran has received a grant from QAF New Works, which is  funded by the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, Greater New York Arts Development Fund. The project is to write a new collection of songs about this colorful Irish character who moved to NYC in the 1840s, and who I seem to be related to (LINK). An underground figure who was known as the King of the shantytown in his time, and is referred to in Gangs of New York. Stay tuned folks!

NEW WORLD FOLK CLUB: AT THE SCRATCHER- NYC

The New World Folk Club is a new intimate and educational folk music event on the last Saturday of each month at the Scratcher Bar, NYC. Hosted by Vincent Cross, two special guests are invited to collaborate on traditional and/or contemporary folk songs.  First guests are Gene Yellin (guitar) & Clarence Ferrari (fiddle).

Gene Yellin, a 40 year veteran of the New York bluegrass scene, has played with Hazel Dickens, Breakfast Special (Kenny Kosek, Andy Statman, etc), Yellin Grass (with his bluegrass banjo playing brother, Bob), Eastbound Freight and American Flyer (with Ben Freed). He is critically recognized as one of the best bluegrass singers to come out of the New York area.

Clarence Ferrari has performed with countless musicians including Pete Seeger, Tom Chapin, Tom Paxton, Roswell Rudd, Davey Arthur of The Furies, Les Binks of Judas Priest, and The Brooklyn Philharmonic. He has established his “fast and floating fiddle” to both Irish and bluegrass music.

Date: Saturday, Feb 24th

Time: 4-6pm

Location: The Scratcher Bar: 209 E 5th St, New York, NY 10003

Donation: $5

Co-sponsored by The Folk Music Society of NY

In Concert for Puerto Rico: Jan

It's a pretty serious mistep by the present administration and a misuse of power in against the folks in Puerto Rico. Months after Hurricame Maria, 60% of the power has not been restored. Pretty sad response overall with food aid and medical supplies. This concert is to aid that effort.

Date: Sunday, January 21, matinee show, 2 to 5 pm

With Bomba Yo, The Peace Poets, The Real Stormin’ Norman, The Brooklyn Women’s Chorus, Bev Grant, Frank Negron, Vincent Cross, Judy Kass, Mike Glick

Location: Hostelling International, 891 Amsterdam Avenue @ 103 Street, Manhattan

Cost: Donation: $15 in advance; $20 at the door ($17 for seniors, students)

TIX: www.eventbrite.com/e/in-concert-for-puerto-rico-on-the-upper-west-side-tickets-41846250261

LIKE AND SHARE OUR PAGE https://www.facebook.com/mikeglickmusician/ 

Greenwich Village Showcase: Jan 19th

Jeremy Aaron runs this very cool and old world/new world gig in the village. Yes the village! That place that seems to have spun a myth about itself and everything to do with folk music. There will be folk music I'm sure about that. I will be joined by US! (Judy Kass, Amy Soucy, Glen Roethel), Belle-Skinner, and Francis Falls (there pics are below). I'm sure there is something here to appeal to everyone.

The show runs from 7-11pm. I'd love to see you there! RSVPing to the Facebook Event

Location: Caffè Vivaldi: 32 Jones Street, New York, New York 10014

Cost: Donation

Time: 7-11pm

Last of the Year: Scratcher Sessions, Sunday Dec 17th

Come celebrate with us on the Lower East Side on Sunday, December 17th.  It will be my last show for 2017, and it should be cracker. My very special guest will be none other than Safia Jama! She will be reading some of her recently published poems. The decorations are up, the Guinness will be flowing and I'll be performing some upbeat murder ballads with some new experimental tunings. Come early as it's a short 45 minute set and we'd love to see you there.

Details: 

Location: 209 E 5th St New York, New York 

Call (212) 477-0030

Cost: Donation $5

Time: 7:15pm (45mins set)

** Followed by Chris Riffle 8:15pm

Facebook: Check out who else is coming and invite yourself.

Songs of Granite (movies)

Recently, for research on my new recording project about my colorful distant relative James 'the Rooster' Corcoran, I picked up the vinyl album, Joe and the Gabe, a collection of songs and tunes from Galway, I was taken by the sean nos (old style) singing of Joe Heaney. Having lived for many years near to his home-town of Carna in Galway myself, I was intrigued how he emerged out of this region, onto the stages of America and back again to bring Irish traditional music (500 songs) out to the world. This movie (not a documentary) is a fascinating glimpse into the possible world he inhabited: Stark, uncompromising and as mysterious as any story that has emerged from the West of Ireland. Not your typical type of movie, but it is worth checking out over the holidays.

The Young Tradition

I couldn't believe my good fortune the other day, as I was perusing the bins of a West Village record store (there is still hope) and I pulled out a perfect copy of So Cheerfully Round So Cheerfully Round. It was the perfect find as the singer Heather Woods, a veteran from the English revival some 50+ years ago, was scheduled to play a show at Christopher St a few blocks away. I knew this as Heather, like myself, is involved with the Folk Music Society of New York. 

What a fabulous night of ballads, historical songs, love and agricultural songs, and a lot from the humorous side. I particulary enjoyed 'Chicken on a Raft,' which is loaded with old navy phrases and colloquialisms. In addition to the old songs, she has written some dynamite new ones. Over the years, Heather has also acted as agent for other artists, run folk clubs, organized weekends and other events, and written about folk music for an assortment of publications. She was joined by some powerful singing friends, which included David Jones and Andy Wallace.

5th Annual Woody Guthrie: What a Hoot! (past event)

The 5th Annual Woody Guthrie Hoot brought together Guthrie fans from the Brooklyn Borough for a night of sing along choruses and dusty refrains. Not a seat was left vacant for nearly two hours of Guthrie's songs: From daunting political ditties like 'All You Fascists are Bounds to Loose,' to 'Hobbo's Lullabies,' 'Dust Storms' and any amount of 'Old Dusty Roads.' Thanks to Beth Kotkin, Joel Landy, Nancy Moccaldi, Anne Price, Kim Maier and Steve Suffet, all performing songs that former Brooklyn resident Woody Guthrie sang. The six performers will take turns leading songs, while providing instrumental and vocal accompaniment for each other. Please come prepared to sing along on choruses and refrains.

New Album: The Life & Times of James Corcoran

I wasn't on the road this year--as many of you noted. I needed time to write more material, so that I can have some new tunes to share with folks--always a good reason to tour.  I've been researching a colorful distant relative James 'the Rooster' Corcoran. Known to many as "King Corcoran of the Roost." He was an infamous character around the mid to late 19th century in NYC (he's mentioned briefly in the movie Gangs of New York. He immigrated to New York in 1844 from Balbriggan, Ireland, and set up a shantytown in Manhattan. The songs are coming along and the hope is to start recording new material in the new year. I'm not sure when it'll be finished, but the hope is that 2019 should be a good bet. Stay tunned!

DEC 3RD: FIFTH ANNUAL WOODY GUTHRIE HOOT, BROOKLYN

Round robin songfest featuring Vincent Cross, Beth Kotkin, Joel Landy, Nancy Moccaldi, Anne Price, and Steve Suffet, all performing songs that former Brooklyn resident Woody Guthrie sang. The six performers will take turns leading songs, while providing instrumental and vocal accompaniment for each other. Please come prepared to sing along on choruses and refrains.

Sponsored by the Good Coffee House at the Old Stone House, 336 Third Street in J.J. Byrne Park, between 4th & 5th Avenues, Brooklyn, New York. Cosponsored by the Folk Music Society of New York. $10 contribution.

FACEBOOK https://www.facebook.com/events/2246550632238269/

NYC- LIVE AT THE SCRATCHER, DEC 17TH

Just a note about the gig, and a disclaimer about the beard. I will look like this on the day of the gig. Though I might be wearing some type of a class of hat, which has yet to be decided. 

As you no doubt know the Scratcher Sessions is a highly coveted musical gig in NYC, as it's about one of the few places that the focus is entirely on the music. On the not so infamous, Lower East Side its been running for something like 9 years now, and some day a book will be written in which it will be shown to play a central role in NYC singer-songwriting history .

So be a part of history and come out and hear songs sung without the bells and whistles, but as natural as the day they were born. 

**Come early as it's a short 45min set, and it really flies. Stick around for the 2nd half act too!

DETAILS

(pic by Kimberlee Piper)

Washington Square Reunion, 2017

Another chance to pick with the legacy players of the folk revival. Those folks that were there when the big scare took place. The numbers get fewer, but the respect grows each and every year. My conversation with Roger Sprung now in his 87th year. This is always a highlight for me. He is a man that needs little introduction to the folk and bluegrass world, but if he does, then click the link. When it comes to bluegrass he was it's first NYC native to reach beyond the doors of the city and connect with its southern roots. taking trips down south to the major festivals to soak up the music at it's source. His opinions are many and a few moments with him are always memorable, as he expounds on the inner workings of the various instruments.

Soon after the event Frank Beecham posted a reflection on Facebook. Below I copy it in full, as I think he touches on how important the Reunion is to tradition of folk music in NYC. That is if tradition matters. 

An interesting thing happened at the 2017 folk and bluegrass reunion yesterday in Washington Square Park in Greenwich Village. What had long been a reunion of 1950s and 60s-era folkies got a major shot in the arm from a group of much younger players.

In fact, since I've been going to this "reunion" in 2006, younger players greatly outnumbered the originals. It seemed these younger people sensed that end of an era is coming for the first generation performers and wanted a chance to jam with them before it’s over.

Everyone wanted to play with Roger Sprung, 87, the man who single-handedly introduced progressive banjo playing to the folk movement and had performed with Woody Guthrie in the park in his younger days. The circle around him kept changing.

To me, it felt a lot like the torch being passed to a younger generation...as fewer and fewer of the old-timers of the 50s and 60s were there or still playing. This is a natural progression in any music, I assume, but it clearly is happening in the Greenwich Village folk scene.

I guess it’s appropriate in the same year that the Village Voice ceases to print and Rolling Stone is up for sale.

May the music live on!

(Thanks to Frank Beacham and Tara Linhardt for the use of their picture's below. I love the shot of Roger's banjo taken by Tara) 

17TH ANNUAL PARK SLOPE BLUEGRASS & OLD-TIME JAMBOREE -SEPTEMBER 15TH AND 16TH- (SPONSORED BY THE FOLK MUSIC SOCIETY OF NY)

Another extraodinary event that brings together the many spirits of old-time, bluegrass, folk and Americana is the Park Slope Jamboree. Essentially doing what it has been doing now for 17 years, acting as a rallying cry for old and new talent in NYC.  This year it was sponsored by the Folk Music Society of NY . Check out some of the pics below to sample the atmosphere. 

Check out some more fabulous images taken by the amazing Kimberlee Piper at this years Jamboree here!

Folk Music Documentrary: Extroadinary Ordinary

( I borrow some wonderful notes from Evy Mayer (folk music society of NY president).

I recently caught the NYC premier of a new documentary Extraordinary Ordinary People.  It's about recipients of the National Endowment for the Arts' National Heritage Fellowship award.  I was amazed at how important other musical cultures have managed to survive outside of their own countries, and they sure managed to cram a lot into this one short film.  While it is mostly musicians and dancers, they also feature artists and craftspeople. Sheila Kay Adams, who is one of the narrators and was one of the award recipients, played a short concert after the film. Also, Sidiki Conde played incredibly heartfelt songs about the people that inspire him. 

For those of you who can't see the movie, you can go to their website: mastersoftraditionalarts.org. Each of the artists featured here is a recipient of a National Endowment for the Arts’ National Heritage Fellowship,which is presently under threat from Mr. Trump.

EXPLORING TRADIGINAL FOLK MUSIC WORKSHOP -October 15th- (Sponsored by the Folk Music Society of New York)

Poets and songwriters have been altering traditional sources for contemporary audiences for centuries, creating what we can call "tradiginal" folk music, partly traditional and partly original. Among such artists have been Woody Guthrie and Bob Dylan. In this performance-talk expect an introduction to traditional folk styles of singing, instrumentation on acoustic guitar and banjo, along with contemporary lyrics that are so seamless that it is often difficult to know where the traditional song leaves off and the new song begins.

Held in a private residence on the Upper West Side of Manhattan near Broadway & West 98th Street. Seating is limited; reservations are required. Fee: $10 for Folk Music Society of New York members, $12 for non-members. The $10 member rate is also offered to students and educators. For reservations, location, and directions please e-mail John Ziv at johnziv@earthlink.net or call him at 212-662-6575.
 

**Pass along the information on Facebook by sharing the invite.

Note: It is not enough to just click GOING on Facebook. You also need to make a reservation by phone or e-mail.

17TH ANNUAL PARK SLOPE BLUEGRASS & OLD-TIME JAMBOREE -September 15th and 16th- (sponsored by the Folk Music Society of NY)

So it's almost time for the Park slope Bluegrass & Old-Time Jamboree! I've been going reqularly now since I arrived in NYC back in 2006. It  was then, and is still, one of the high points of American traditional music in NYC.  What I love more than anything is picking and listening to the jams that take place all through the day on Saturday. Check out the video below and you'll get the picture. The Jamboree attracts hundreds of musicians and fans of old-time and bluegrass music, and I hope to see some of  my picking friends hanging out and sharing some tunes.

The breakdown, for those who have never been is, (according to James Reams' website) "The day’s schedule features a full day of activities with workshops in rhythm guitar, fiddle, songwritingand more, plus all-day jamming, a special kid’s event, and an evening concert featuring many fine performers and special guests."

I'll be offering a workshop during the day (details below) and will be performing during the evening concert cycle, which kicks off at 6pm. I'm on first, so come early! 

Hope to see you there for a chat and chune!

The full menu for the workshops is not up yet, but I've been informed that they'll be taking place at two intervals: 12:30 - 1:40 and 1:50 - 3:00. 

I'll be taking an early slot (12:30 - 1:40) and offering an introduction to tradiginal folk music through a performance talk format. 

TRADIGINAL FOLK MUSIC WORKSHOP

Tradiginal is a term I coined that means songs that are partly traditional and partly original. Poets and songwriters have been altering traditional sources for contemporary audiences for centuries. Among such artists have been Woody Guthrie and Bob Dylan. Expect an introduction to traditional styles of instrumentation on acoustic guitar and banjo, along with contemporary lyrics that attempt a seamless synergy. 

**All participant will receive a free copy of Old Songs for Modern Folk, which reached #2 in the Folk DJ album charts in April 2016. Listen to three tracks from the album

Check out some Youtube links below of the acts that are performing.

The Grand Tour, Summer 2017

Some of you may have noticed my absence from the Facebook feed over the last couple of months. No alarm necessary - I think. I've been trying to take back some of the peace of mind that used to exist between one crime against humanity and another. I've not been idle with this time, and have been fortunate to travel to Italy for the 'grand tour' of Pompei, The Vatican, and Venice with all stops in between. I cannot believe that gigs have actually kept me from Italy for this long. I must remedy this for next year's European tour. Anyone??

Below are some pics and words on Brendan O'Shea's wonderful new album, sounds from the the Augusta Hertiage Center, and notes on the Sunnyside Singers Club.

Read on...

SUNNYSIDE SINGERS CLUB

The weekly Sunnyside Singers Club just recently had its monthly special guest slot with Brendan O'Shea. Brendan has become a good friend of mine since I moved to NYC, and hosts the Scratcher Sessions every Sunday (except the summer months). It's a sanctuary for songwriters, poets, and other artists from the hustle and bustle of city life. It pulls in some passing heavy hitters on occasion, and a bar without a TV screen is a rare thing these days. As for the Brendan's new album, it's a class act all the way. With Jefferson Hamer and Eamon O'leary (Murphy Beds) putting in some highly musical playing, it's one of my favorites in a long time.  I find that often the proof is in the pudding, and I was fortunate enough to get into the bowl at the Sunnyside Singers sho

Augusta Heritage Old Time Week, West Virginia

With no touring this summer, I was at last able to spend some time getting in some learning down in West Virginia.  On top of picking up some new banjo tunes from Travis Stuart and Tyler Hughs --check out Tyler's new album with Sam Gleaves-- it was incredible to meet such wonderful old time music enthusiasts from all over the world.  

I was also very fortunate to sit in with master artist Vesta Johnson in an old time session.Vesta is known for her vast repertoire of Missouri fiddling tunes, particularly dances tunes, including hoe-downs, hornpipes, two steps, waltzes, and schottisches. Now in her 90s, she regularly appears at local, regional, and national events. She is known for her vast repertoire of Missouri fiddling tunes, particularly dances tunes, including hoe-downs, hornpipes, two steps, waltzes, and schottisches.  

(Zoom in on the picture and you'll see me picking a 1919 Gibson L1 archtop, which was going for the bargain price of $900. I lost out to the bass player there (he had his eye on it first). What a sweet guitar. I'm still dreaming about it).

Here's a link to more images from the week, and plenty of fine performances too.

THE ANNUAL PARKSLOPE BLUEGRASS & OLD TIME MUSIC JAMBOREE.

This coming September 15-16th will be time for the annual PARKSLOPE BLUEGRASS & OLD TIME MUSIC JAMBOREE. I'll be hosting an introduction to songwriting and singing workshop during the day. Later that night there'll be concerts. Check the poster out for more details. Not to be missed! (if I do say so myself). Take note of the change in location to the Old Stone House (still in Parkslope).