| Christopher Shaw -troubadour/storyteller
"Here is an artist who finds goodness in human nature and traditional values colored by the humor of off-centered contemporary life ... Chris is a homespun visionary who somehow has managed to find humor in the contemporary chaos without turning it into cynicism." - The Record, Troy, NY As a descendant of steamboat pilots, "pathfinders," and other rustic archetypes of the Adirondack region of New York State, Christopher Shaw is steeped in the lore of the American Northeast. He carries forward the tradition of the great troubadour/storytellers who have enlivened parlors, taverns, and roadsides since America's colonial times. |
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| Rani Arbo & daisy mayhem
Superb musicianship, a love for diverse musical roots, and buckets of soul are the ingredients for this acoustic brew led by Rani Arbo, former lead singer and fiddler for New England roots band, Salamander Crossing. Centered on her expressive vocals and freewheeling fiddling, Rani and band perform a bracing, delightful mix that dips into swing, country, blues, and originals. The Boston Globe says, "Arbo's sultry vocals rivet the listener with the ring of truth. A musician who can follow an aggressive fiddle break with mournful cello accents while singing distinctively different lead vocals is a force to be reckoned with." Daisy Mayhem includes Salamander Crossing colleague, Andrew Kinsey on bass, banjo, whistle, and ukulele, along with Anand Nayak on guitar, and Scott Kessel on percussion. |
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| Pete Watkinson
An English “...solo singer/guitarist with an excellent repertoire, technique and stage presence (some call it loquacity!)” Pete's performances are peppered with wit as well as some fine playing and singing. He's got a relaxed, easy-going style with a voice that ranges from all the gusto of a strong shanty singer to the sensitivity of a heart-wrenching ballad singer. With a clear, controlled voice that can cut across a crowded room and then bring out the mellowest of notes in a manner that has brought some of the noisiest venues to silence. |
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| Wintergreen
"tasty arrangements for guitar, mandolin, hammered dulcimer, psaltery and bass, seasoned with some fine harmony singing ..." -singout Jared Polens, Alice and Larry Spatz are a delightful folk trio, performing a mixture of traditional and contemporary music from the British Isles and America, along with their own compositions. Their programs feature instrumentals based on dance tunes, intricate three-part vocal harmonies and a wide variety of folk instruments. Among other places, this trio has appeared at the Troy Music Hall, WNYT-TV Albany (NBC), Caffè Lena in Saratoga Springs, NY, the Clark Art Institute in Williamstown, MA, and has performed several concerts in Germany. |
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Gail Griffith will be the caller
for the Saturday night dance.
She has been a member of The Pickin’ & Singin’ Gatherin’ for 24 years and a caller for 23. She specializes in introducing people of all ages to traditional American, English, Welsh, and German dances. In the past few years she has branched out to many local dance series as well, calling a unique variety of friendly, silly, and challenging dances which please people of all ages and abilities. |
