Our thanks to David Hakan, and his Gypsy Wagon Mobile Recording Studio for bringing us outstanding music and conversation, and for the musicians that took time from their busy festival schedule to talk with, and play for our microphones: Alice Howe, Amanda Pascali, Beth Snapp, Cary Ray, Claudia Gibson, Clementine, Daniel Neihoff, Eric Kilburn, Hope Dunbar, Joanna Howerton and Michael Cross, John Lewis, Katy Vernon, Mcleod Nine and Scott Sean White.
Here are the archived recordings from the Friday night Official Showcase performances at the 2017 FAR-West Music Conference in Bellevue, Washington. The first of two nights of juried showcase performances included the talents of Larry Murante, The Singer And The Songwriter, Rupert Wates, Alice Howe, The Talbott Brothers, The Wardens, and Nathaniel Talbot.
Larry Murante (Washington)
Beautifully woven stories set the stage for a truly amazing artist who writes and sings about everyday folks, combining compassionate, socially conscious lyrics and an upbeat, joyful, folk/rock style. Larry is known for his soaring, mellifluous tenor, a strong rhythmic guitar style and an engaging stage presence. He was a Grand Prize Winner in the International John Lennon Songwriting Contest.
Rachel Garcia and Thu Tran create music as vibrant and diverse as their multiracial backgrounds. Their music and melodies cut across decades of classic American song forms, bending and blending genres to produce a unique sound with a fresh, clever and distinct approach to the classic traditions of American folk, jazz and blues.
Listen to The Singer And The Songwriter’s performance here:
This marvelous musician combines lyrics that are rich with social commentary, accented by phenomenal guitar work. He blends provocative lyrics with unforgettable melodies, wrapped around captivating stories. He writes from the heart about life, love, sorrow and sweetness. His songs are built on the foundation of fluid finger picking that are quietly powerful.
At once timeless and original, this Boston-based singer/songwriter combines a soulful, impeccably tuned voice with crafted poetry. A lifelong songwriter, Alice’s musical sensibility lies in ’60s folk and ’70s Southern California songwriters, with comparisons drawn to the pure, distilled sounds of Joan Baez and Kate Wolf. Her 2017 EP You’ve Been Away So Long features the original song Homeland Blues, #1 on the April Folk Radio Chart.
Balanced harmonies from this exciting folk/rock act ignite an amazing sound that is both optimistic and captivating. The Portland-based brothers blend guitars, mandolin, harmonicas and percussion to perfection. This talented duo is driven by warm, melodic vocals, diverse instrumentation and authentic storytelling. They are known for charming and energetic performances that blend singer/songwriter styles with folk, rock and pop.
These master musicians are a Banff National Park-based trio whose music and stories emanate from the very land they’ve protected for decades. Blending folk, roots and western styles, The Wardens reflect the pristine wilderness of the Rocky Mountains. Their music drips with Canadian authenticity, depicting a rich depth of truthfulness and stems from a life lived in the deep wilderness of the Canadian Rockies.
He is a singer, songwriter and organic farmer, whose music has ‘dirt under its fingernails,’ the product of decades of hard work and crafting – retuning, replanting, and retelling musical stories. He truly embraces the crafts of songwriting and guitar playing. His style is true American roots music, combining the soulful edge of tradition with the Pacific Nortwest’s legacy of freedom and innovation.
We continue our conversations with New Folk Songwriting finalists from the 2019 Kerrville Folk Music Festival in Kerrville, Texas.
