News & Updates — folk

One of my favorite 60s pop heroes, the NYC-born (Blackfoot Indian & Afro-Caribbean heritage) Richie Havens brought a rhythmic flair to folk guitar and with his searing vocals combined to bring new life to both classic & popular material, as well as his own tunes. His style melded urban doo-wop and gospel influence, 60s rock/pop, Indian music, Greenwich Village lefty folk, R&B, spirituals and protest blues. He was a mesmerizing solo performer deep into his years.

Multi-instrumentalist Huddie Ledbetter was especially noted for his playing of the 12-string guitar and soulful delivery of topical lyrics. He did four stints in prison (including one for murder) and even broke out of jail once. Twice he was pardoned for his talents. He became a popular figure on the lefty folk scene ("Bourgeois Blues") and was one of the first folk-blues artists to tour Europe. Songs like "Goodnight Irene", "Midnight Special", "Black Betty", "I Got Stripes", "Boll Weavil" and others are still often covered by a variety of bands to this day.

What if Brian Wilson, Arthur Lee, Elliott Smith, Ralf Hütter, Eliades Ochoa, Nino Rota and Ennio Morricone went on a vision quest to Peru and brought a 4-track with them? What if they hung out and jammed with Los Wembler's De Iquitos at an itinerant circus in the jungle, bumped into Alejandro Jodorowsky in the midst of filming a lost epic in the Temple of The Sun at Machu Picchu, and were abducted (along with their tapes) by a sexy alien piloting a glowing UFO? Curious? Then come with C.A.M.P.O.S. on an audio journey to find out what that could...

Peace & Rhythm Crew recommends the latest album called Impredicible from the really great Peruvian band Bareto - and it is indeed "unpredictable"!! Very wide-ranging soundscontained therein! Each record they do tops their previous effort (I put a track from their Grammy-nominated previous CD Ves lo que quieres ver  on my Rough Guide to Psychedelic Cumbia  plus they did a great compendium of their last 10 years with 10 Años),  and this is their most evolved outing to date. From chicha to reggae to psychedelic folk to electronica and places in between and beyond, the band crafts indescribably beautiful original soul vibrations, meditations...

"Peace & Rhythm Presents" is a weekly eclectic music series every Wednesday night at The Root Cellar, downtown Greenfield's newest music venue. This premier season features bands and performers of various genres and styles, including funk, world music, jazz, reggae, rock, folk, DJs and more. Every Wednesday is FREE ADMISSION, 21+. Doors open at 8, music starts pumping at 9 and goes until 1230. ---Wed, July 27...The Boogalistics (soul-jazz/funk) and Doctor Thing (freak-out psychedelic jazz-funk) - The Boogalistics bring fresh energy to the classic sound of soul jazz. Boogaloo, soul-jazz, funk, this brand new group out of Northampton will satisfy...