LINEUP
INCLUDES R. CRUMB, JERRON “BLIND BOY” PAXTON,
SPIRIT FAMILY REUNION, WOMEN’S RAGA MASSIVE, BRUCE MOLSKY’S MOUNTAIN
DRIFTERS, ELIZABETH MITCHELL AND SUNI PAZ, INNOV GNAWA, AND MORE! 40+
BANDS.
FESTIVAL
WHICH HAS SOLD OUT EVERY YEAR INCLUDES BLUES, JUG BAND, OLD TIME,
BLUEGRASS, SONGWRITERS, MOROCCAN, PERUVIAN, PUERTO RICAN, IRISH, INDIAN,
TURKISH, SPANISH, BALKAN, ITALIAN, MEXICAN, DOMINICAN MUSIC, KIDS
MUSIC, AND MORE!
BROOKLYN FOLK FESTIVAL BECOMES NON-PROFIT, ENTERS 2ND DECADE
April 6th -8th, 2018
St. Ann and the Holy Trinity Church
Presented by the Jalopy Theatre & School of Music
“Diverse,
spontaneous, counter-cultural, and trenchant… One of the most vital and
spiritually sound folk-music events in the country.”
The 10th
annual Brooklyn Folk Festival will feature festival favorites Jerron “Blind Boy” Paxton (Brooklynite and
mainstay of the festival), R. Crumb with The East River String Band,
NPR Tiny Desk alums Spirit Family Reunion, and folk music legend John
Cohen with the Down Hill Strugglers. The festival also includes Indian
Classical Music from the Women’s Raga Massive, old time string band
music from Bruce Molsky’s Mountain Drifters, a performance for children
by Elizabeth Mitchell and Suni Paz, celebrating the release of their new
Smithsonian Folkways album, Grammy-nominated Moroccan band Innov Gnawa
(who have performed at Coachella and Lincoln Center), and much more!
Photos, poster, more information, Spotify playlist, etc., click
here.
This
year the festival brings home many favorite performers from its decade
long history, along with exciting new underground-grassroots folk and
traditional groups from New York City and around the nation. Celebrating
folk music from near and far, the Brooklyn Folk Festival will showcase
over forty musical acts as well as workshops, film screenings, dances
and contests in its most ambitious iteration to date.
In
addition to musical performances, the festival will also feature the
NYC premiere of the documentary “Linefork,” about living legend Kentucky
banjo player Lee Sexton, “How They Got Over” about the golden age of
Black gospel quartets and a 50th anniversary screening of
counter-cultural cult classic film “Gold” with rare Q&A with the
director. It also marks the release of the new album on the Smithsonian
Folkways label from Elizabeth Mitchell and Suni Paz.
Performers at the 10th Annual Brooklyn Folk Festival include:
Jerron Paxton
Spirit Family Reunion
Elizabeth Mitchell & Suni Paz
East River String Band with R. Crumb
Bruce Molsky’s Mountain Drifters
Innov Gnawa
Women’s Raga Massive
Thomas McCarthy
Bulla en el Barrio
Radio Jarocho
Brotherhood of the Jug Band Blues
Clifton Hicks
The Birdman of Rome
Feral Foster
Suzy & Eric Thompson
The Down Hill Strugglers with John Cohen
Mamie Minch & Tamar Korn
Steel City Jug Slammers
Piedmont Bluz
The HickHoppers
The Horse-Eyed Men
Eva Salina & Peter Stan
The Hayrollers
The Crimson Ragdolls
Wyndham Baird
Pat Conte
Little Nora Brown
The
10th annual festival has sold out every year and will remain at its
home, St. Ann and the Holy Trinity Church, in Brooklyn Heights, where
its world-famous stained-glass windows will frame the stage. The
Festival is produced by the newly non-profit Jalopy Theatre & School
of Music, located in Red Hook, Brooklyn. The three-day event has grown
in attendance and scope each year. The festival’s partnership with St.
Ann's allows for a main stage inside the church, room for food, drink
and vendors, plus a second stage and additional rooms for workshops and
film screenings.
Adding to the festivities, the Festival features the World Famous Banjo Toss, banjo throwing contest (as featured in Associated Press), a family-friendly square dance, a Saturday night Salsa dance, a Sunday
kid’s concert with Elizabeth Mitchell & Suni Paz and several open
jam sessions. There will also be group singing sessions and workshops in
blues guitar, old time banjo playing, fiddle and more, along with jam
sessions.
"This
10th annual Brooklyn Folk Festival promises to be a truly special event
as we expand the scope of the programming and welcome home favorite
performers from the history of the festival," Eli Smith, founder and
host of the Festival, said. "This year we expect a powerful array of
sounds, with music from a huge diversity of genres including blues, old
time music, traditional music from Morocco, Mexico, the Balkans,
Ireland, Puerto Rico, India and elsewhere, trad jazz, song writers, jug
band music and more!”
St.
Ann & the Holy Trinity Church is a National Historic Landmark,
built in 1844. An important example of Gothic Revival architecture in
America, the richly ornamented church is notable for its elaborately
vaulted roof and window tracery. Before it was removed in 1906, its
spire was the most visible landmark in Brooklyn and was used by ship
captains to navigate the harbor. The Festival will take place in the
main hall of the church, with workshops, film screenings and the square
dance in the side hall and upstairs rooms. Food, drink and retail
vendors will be on site.
The performances are separated into day passes, evening shows, and a full-festival three-day pass.
* The venue has seating for everyone. Seating assignments are on a first come first serve basis.
* These prices do not include service fees.
* All events including workshops and film screenings are included in ticket price.
*
St. Ann's Church and Parish Hall are wheelchair accessible. If you are
in a wheelchair and would like to take a workshop please email Lynette Wiley.
