KC Cafe Radio’s live coverage from the 2016 Folk Alliance Region West conference got underway Friday night, October 14, with a showcase featuring musical talent from California, Washington, North Carolina, Alberta, Canada, and Colorado. Performances featured Rachel Garlin, Uncle Bonsai, Jamie Laval Duo, Scott Cook, Mollie O’Brien & Rich Moore, and March to May. Here are the archived recordings of the performances:
Rachel Garlin
A far-from-weary world traveler with new and different stories delivered with an infectious on-stage joy. As an accomplished guitarist, vocalist, crafter of inspired melodies, and storyteller, she serves up themes that are fresh and moving. She seamlessly weaves her middle school teaching skills with a natural stage presence to deliver tasty folk, rock, roots, and bluegrass flavors.
Listen to the performance here:
Download the performance here: Rachel Garlin
Uncle Bonsai
Original, contemporary folk/pop music. With soaring and intricate 3-part harmonies and incisive humor, accompanied by only an acoustic guitar, the trio delivers unflinching portrayals of first-world problems, underachievers, and the passing of time and genes — the truth of everything seemingly buried somewhere under the family tree. Crowd pleasers and perennial favorites in multiple venues/festivals.
Listen to the performance here:
Download the performance here: Uncle Bonsai
Jamie Laval Duo
U.S. National Scottish Fiddle Champion creates rapt audiences with his passionate, virtuosic performances, uncanny imitation of Highland bagpipes, and engaging stories and humor. Jamie performed for Her Majesty the Queen and presented a TED Talk.
Listen to the performance here:
Download the performance here: Jamie Laval Duo
Scott Cook
A roots balladeer with a rare personal warmth, he has distilled the stories collected over a decade of near-constant touring across Canada, America, Europe, Asia, and Australia into straight-talking, keenly observant verse. His shows are mesmerizing and fun. Hard miles notwithstanding, he still believes that songs can change people’s lives, and, in turn, change the world.
Listen to the performance here:
Download the performance here: Scott Cook
Mollie O’Brien and Rich Moore
For 30 years her Grammy-winning voice and his stellar guitar accompaniment (and side-splitting patter) have treated audiences to classic interpretations of America’s most popular music along with an impressive canon of original tunes. Genre-defying, ear-pleasing, heart-opening, laughter-inducing performances are their stock in trade. A marriage of music and mirth: few do it as well or as (seemingly) effortlessly.
Listen to the performance here:
Download the performance here: Mollie O’Brien & Rich Moore
March to May
Serendipitously meeting around a campfire on the Washington coast, March to May overlays driving, rhythmic guitar and the mellifluous timbre of Celtic harp, with rich vocal harmonies, haunting melodies and riveting lyrics. Their live performances are heartwrenchingly captivating and unabashedly raw, charming the audience with an undeniable onstage chemistry.
Listen to the performance here:
Download the performance here: March to May