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Cafe
Cabaret features national and local favorites
and up-and-coming new performers.
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Carol
Denney
Carol
Denney,
satirist, musician, and social
activist, was voted 'Best of the
Bay 2001' by the SF Bay Guardian
and 'Best Solo Performer' in the
East Bay Express 2002 readers'
poll. Denney was part of Free
Radio Berkeley's original clandestine
crew, is the creator and editor
of the satirical newspaper, "The
Pepper Spray Times", and
is a regular performer at the
Freight and Salvage, Laborfest
events, and, of course, picket
lines and demonstrations.
"Politics
and song served friendly as breakfast"...
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Lost Prophets
Lost
Prophets describe their
sound as a fine eclectic blend
of country flavored progressive
folk with a dash of acoustic
rock thrown in for extra spice.
Their original songs combine
humor, heartache, love and social
consciousness with fine vocal
harmonies and acoustic guitars.
Nathan and Rose Craver have
a long history with the Folk
Festival. Nathan volunteered
and performed at the first Festival
(in 1976!) and the pair first
decided to make harmony together
after a Harmony Workshop at
the 1987 Festival. Lost Prophets
performed at the 1989 and 2001
festivals and Rose served as
the Festival Coordinator in
1990. They are happy to be back
for 2002!
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Hali
Hammer
Hali
Hammer has been living and playing
in the Bay Area since 1984.
She is a singer-songwriter and
has won several awards for her
songwriting ability. She sings
with Freedom Song Network and
for many causes. She also plays
out in the area. Hali has a
monthly pot luck jam the 1st
Sunday of the month that is
listed in the Folknik. Tapes
and CDs are in the lobby! She
is accompanied by her partner,
Randy Berge, on lead guitar.
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Anderson-Gram
"Anderson-Gram
is a wonderful husband and wife duo
from Hampton, NH who play a delightfully
easy going blend of folk, country
and bluegrass. Gayle has a fine folk
voice, strong, honest, and a little
bit sweet. Bob provides nicely understated
baritone harmonies. He can also take
a turn at lead vocals and he has a
rugged smoky quality."
"So,
we've got two strong singers that
work well together and a relaxed,
entertaining musical style. Now the
only question is how good are the
songs. Well, they're pretty darn good
too...all of them are nicely constructed
clear pictures of everyday life. Gayle
Anderson-Gram and Bob Gram have been
playing together since 1992. They
have been married since 1997. It shows.
Everything fits so well together."
~
Kris Garnjost, Jam Music Magazine,
July 2001
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Peter
Kasin
Peter
Kasin was raised in Berkeley,
where he was exposed to folk
music at an early age. He took
up Irish fiddling in late 1985,
and soon after, inspired by
hearing Alasdair Fraser perform,
he took up Scottish fiddling.
In 1989, Peter went to his first
chantey sing at San Francisco
Maritime National Historical
Park after hearing a recording
of Ewan MacColl and A.L. Lloyd.
In the summer, 1991, before
getting hired at Park, he crewed
aboard a sailing replica of
the BOUNTY, visiting East Coast
ports and learning from local
chantey singers. Peter currently
leads the monthly chantey sings
at the Maritime Park and organizes
music for the Park's Festival
Of The Sea. He, along with bandmates
Shay Black, Dick Holdstock,
and Riggy Rackin, is a member
of the sea music band Nauticus,
and is also active in the San
Francisco Scottish Fiddlers.
Peter's fiddle and voice can
be heard on several maritime
music recordings. His love of
traditional music is almost
exceeded by his love of Chinese
and Italian food.
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Tinker's
Damn
Tinker's
Damn is an instrumental ensemble
exploring the vast moors and
mountains of Irish and Scottish
traditional music.Greg Hines
perfected his driving guitar
style and crackling mandolin
in the Celtic Rock group, Annwn.
Tom Wagner, fiddler, also performs
with the widely popular vocal
trio, Oak, Ash and Thorn. Joe
Cadora, bouzouki and tenor banjo,
is a refugee from several Bay
Area rock bands. Tony Higgins,
whistler extraordinaire, and
Ann McChesney-Young, button
acccordion, round out this quintet's
unique blend of music of the
Shamrock and Thistle.
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 Sherry
Austin
A
San Francisco native, Sherry
Austin grew up in the Bay Area.
Her move to the Santa Cruz mountains
near Soquel four years ago,
was "the best thing that
ever happened to me", according
to Sherry. She discovered a
thriving musical community in
Santa Cruz, and with the help
and encouragement of friends,
she started performing a year
and a half ago.
Sherry's
rendition of "Drive-in
Movie" and the Fred Eaglesmith
tribute CD, "20 Odd Hollers"
has been described by the Toronto
Star as "ethereally lonesome".
Brabant News out of Canada,
describes her voice as "Rita
Coolidge meets Judy Collins".
Sherry
has appreared on KPIG's live
show, "Please Stand By"
several times, and "Good
Morning Monterey Bay" on
KSCO. Her dream-come-true however,
was opening for Fred Eaglesmith
at the Kuumbwa Jazz Center in
Santa Cruz in November 2000.
She recently had the opportunity
to open for another of her heros,
Ray Wilie Hubbard, on January
19th, 2002.
A
self-avowed "Fredhead",
Sherry performs a number of
Eaglesmith's tunes, as well
as covers of many other singer/songwriters.
She's written and performs a
number of her own compositions.
Her first CD is being recording
at Rancho Armadillo Recorders
in Aptos, and is due out this
summer.
Performances this year include:
March
2nd-Kuumbwa Jazz Center- opening
for Chuck Brodsky
March 7th- San Benito House,
Half Moon Bay
March 10th- Brookdale Bluegrass
Festival
August 17th-Fred Eaglesmith
Charity Picnic- Ontario, Canada
http://www.sherry-austin.com
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Jay
Howlett
Jay
Howlett is a singer/songwriter
with a powerful baritone voice
that you can feel. Independent
Songwriter Magazine says "Jay's
voice carries a profound wisdom
and depth that flows out of
every breath, every syllable."
An accomplished performer, Jay
writes simple, honest songs
about life in and around America
and the experiences that bring
us together and tear us apart.
Troubadours still exist on the
"new folk" scene and
this award winning songwriter
is one of them.
Since
the release of his 1998 self-titled
CD Jay has hit the roads of
America touring and performing.
From Hawaii to Maine with stops
in Nevada, Colorado, Texas,
New Mexico, Arizona, Wyoming,
Oregon, Massachusetts, New Hampshire,
Utah, and through out California,
Jay has played Festivals, Clubs,
Coffee Houses, Bars and two
different clothing optional
resorts.
August
2002 brings the release of Jay's
newest CD "American Ghost
Town" and another tour
of the US and beyond.
"Now
I could talk about Jay Howlett's
easy way with the guitar. The
way his fingers just plunk out
a rhythm like a tugboat winding
'round that old Mississippi.
Or the way he maneuvers the
breadth of a chord by the use
of multiple, whole-punched capos.
But it's that voice of his that
stands out most, and those words
he writes and sings so well.
With the clear phrasing of Johnny
Cash and a voice reminiscent
of Gordon Lightfoot, Howlett's
song serenade is a poet's journey
on a ride yhou wish would know
no end; nor has it since I BOUGHT
his CD." ~ Jean Bartlett--The
Pacifica Tribune 3/24/01
"Jay's
powerful voice comes through
loud and proud with the great
root sound of Americana Music!"
~ Independent Songwriter Magazine
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Riggy
Rackin
Riggy
Rackin has been squeezing
sweetness out of a little box
for over 30 years. Performing
Nautical, Pastoral & Pub
Song, he's been a stalwart salt
of the Hyde Street Chantey Sings,
Berkeley's Starry Plough, and
San Francisco's own authentic
British folkclub, The Castle.
His
instrumental group, NAUTICUS,
offers its unique "Sweet
Music of the Salt Sea"
to enliven any event.
Riggy
has recently taken a new direction
and produced a CD of shape-note,
seaman's mission, and Eastern
European sacred songs, titled
"Search Hills and Valleys
Through.
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Mare
Wakefield
Mare
(pronounced Mary) cut her teeth on
John Denver and Karen Carpenter --
hey, it¹s not her fault her parent
were square! Teenage years in Texas
meant Reba MacEntire and Hank Williams
Jr. were thrown in with The Cure and
The Smiths, and a long fermentation
in Oregon has given her a love of
folk music and webbed feet (okay,
we haven¹t really checked her
feet, but the rumors are flying).
What could this stir-fry of styles
could possibly result in? Silliness,
angst and twang, all delivered with
a delightful stage presence.
Mare
has gained a devoted following throughout
the Northwest thanks to her refreshing
songs and the vocal versatility she
possesses. The range and power of
her voice are what set her apart from
the crowd, and have earned her comparisons
to such female vocalists as Joni Mitchell
and Gillian Welch while giving her
a sound that is distinctly her own.
Her voice and lyrics transport the
listener, and many who have seen her
shows recognize that they have witnessed
something special.
"The
songs, the voice, the band is just
plain good! A voice a bit reminiscent
of early k.d. lang, poignant story-telling,
diverse scenarios. Wakefield's humor
and technique shine from a powerful
voice that reaches both ends of the
scale." ~ Nicki Ehrlick, Victory
Music Review Magazine, Seattle, WA
"Wakefield
has a clear, energetic and confident
voice that bounces off the band's
thick walls quite well and even holds
humor." ~ Scott D. Lewis, The
Rocket, Seattle, WA & Portland,
OR
"Why
you aren¹t a national figure
already can only be chalked up to
the music business. Your voice, the
sublime intelligence of your lyrics
and production are first rate."
~ George Maida, DJ WCVE FM, Richmond,
VT
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Laura
Kemp
Touted
as one of "the top five of
all unsigned folk/acoustic-rock
artists" (Folk-Web, Boston),
Laura is best known for her impressive
guitar work, powerful voice, and
emotionally charged concerts.
Her unique brand of acoustic poetry
has been compared to the likes
of Bob Dylan and Nancy Griffith
and her refined confidence and
uncompromising frankness on stage
have earned her numerous Favorite
Female Performer honors in the
Northwest, as well as performances
at Bumpershoot, High Sierra Music
Festival, and the Oregon Country
Fair. "Kemp¹s voice
(is) a soaring instrument that
is undeniably accomplished, filled
with emotion and yet never weighted
down." ~ Music Matters Review,
NY
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Richard
Adrianowicz
Richard's
interest in traditional music
began in the early 70s. He was
part of several groups in the
San Francisco Bay Area, the best
known of which was Out of the
Rain with whom he recorded two
studio cassettes, "A Common
Treasury" and "Song
of the Wage Slave." Richard
also produced a cd of the band,
a compilation of live recordings
comprised of songs and tune sets
not found on the two cassettes.
Most recently, Richard performed
with Ricky Rackin in the nautical
duet "R&R Ashore."
Richard
has had an interest in sea music
early on, having been inspired
by hearing Jon Bartlett and Dick
Holdstock at the San Diego Folk
Festival around 1976. He is one
of the regular shanty singers
at San Francisco's Hyde Street
Pier, which just celebrated the
twentieth anniversary of the monthly
shanty sings held aboard either
the schooner C.A. Thayer or the
square-rigger Balclutha. Richard
has just released a solo CD of
sea shanties and sea songs which
features a chorus of singers from
Hyde Street Pier.
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