Farshid Etniko in Concert

Sunday
May 18th

7 pm

$7

Farshid Etniko is an exciting local ensemble that blends musical traditions from many parts of the world, old and new, from Middle Eastern music to jazz.

Where magazine, March 2003 by Amanda Doyle:

…Such is the effect of St. Louis based Farshid etniko, whose seamless blend of middle
eastern instruments, latin beats, American blues sensibilities and plenty of other
make it one of the most engaging bands on the city’s music scene.
…It seems inevitable that the group’s music would be such a melting pot of traditions,
both cultural and musical.

Sauce magazine, January 2004, by Lisette Dennis:

Farshid etniko cooks up music with Iranian, East Indian and African spices. For Farshid, three different cities and countries, three different cultural environments and three different languages result in music that is not limited to one tradition.

St. Louis Post Dispatch, special section, December 2002:

Extremely talented and versatile musicians, Farshid Etniko combines gypsy, jazz, latin and world music to create unique sounds from original creations to jazz standards and songs with a latin flavor and Persian touch.

Playback magazine CD review October 2002 by Peggy Reilly:

Farshid etniko's music can be enjoyed in so many ways. The skill the band displays with their instruments makes each performance a form of visual entertainment. After one performance, you are hooked and end up buying a copy of their CD anyway.

Folk Fire May/June 2002 by Gretchen Tomzic:

"Where are you from?" by Farshid Soltanshahi features the diverse musical abilities of Farshid etniko in a masterful musical mix of classical, jazz and blues that traditions into jazz and blues with a Persian flavor.

From Chicago

THE SPARES

Thursday
May 22nd

9 pm

$12

The Spares make twangy, bluesy, roots music-call it alt-country or
Americana. The Chicago duo writes and sings about characters in hard places,
like a nine-to-five company man who quits his job in search of meaning
("Mexico") or a marriage in peril ("Waiting for the Smoke to Clear"), whose
stories hint at love and truth in ways that the characters themselves don't
always recognize. Their lyrics are thoughtful and honest, just as their
acoustic music is raw, beautiful, and compelling.

Don E. Curtis - Lap Steel Guitar Workshop I & II - E7 and C6 Tuning

Sunday

June 1st

1 & 4 pm

$30 each

$50 Both

Beginning to Intermediate E7 Lap Steel Guitar Workshop with Don E. Curtis:
This 2 hour long workshop is designed for
the novice or beginning to intermediate Lap
Steel players. We will cover the history and
evolution of the steel guitar and it’s most
common Tunings, Important beginning techniques,
scales, bar slants and basic right &
left hand techniques. Several songs will be
included as well as a “Question and Answer”
session. A Lap Steel with 6 or 8 strings in the
E7 Tuning is suggested but not required. A
small tape recorder and/or notebook is suggested.
Tablature will be provided…
Cost is $30.00

Beginning, Intermediate, Advanced C6 Lap Steel Guitar Workshop with Don E. Curtis:
This 2 hour long workshop is for the intermediate
to advanced steel guitarist in the C6
Tuning. We’ll cover changing tunings,
Slants, Scales, Several Tunes, advanced techniques,
“Steel Tricks”, and a “Q&A” session
All levels are welcome. A Lap Steel in C6
Tuning with 6 or 8 strings is suggested but
not required. A small tape recorder and/or
notebook is suggested. Tablature will be provided...
Cost is $30.00
Both Workshops are highly recommended!

SALT OF THE EARTH

Sunday
June 8th

7:00 pm

$7

A roots group with a straightforward and unassuming style, a sound that is stripped down to its core, and songs that come straight from within, Salt of the Earth formed early in the spring of 2003. The members are Lynne Reif on lead vocals, rhythm guitar, and occasional harmonica, Mike Schrand on bass, baritone guitar and vocals, Jake Brookman on cello and Jim Hieger on lead acoustic guitar, banjo, and vocals. Both Lynne and Mike have a history playing and singing in the St. Louis-based Roots-Rock band Belle Starr (1996-2002). Jake is a classically trained cellist who has played in groups ranging from symphony orchestras to punk bands, and Jim is a self-taught all-natural lead player with performance roots in the "jam band" circle. Salt of the Earth features Lynne's songwriting, which aims to chew on life in a heartfelt way, and spans the genres of pop, folk and blues. The band puts down rhythmic instrumental accompaniment complemented by rich melody and harmony lines. Sit back and listen to the music. Thats all there is.

Music Folk Concert Series Presents "OPEN MIC NIGHT"

Sunday
June 22nd

7:00 pm

FREE

Open to all singer/songwriters with original material and the desire to play in front of an audience.

· Acoustic instruments only.
· Must have ten minutes of original material.
· Only ten slots available.
· Contact Music Folk at musicfolk@musicfolk.com or call 314-961-2838 and ask for Mark

Sign up between 6/08/08-6/15/08

Ben Bedford

Sunday
July 13th

7:00 pm

$7

Ben Bedford is a singer-songwriter from Springfield, Illinois now promoting his studio album, Lincoln's Man. The album was recorded in September in Nashville, Tennessee and produced by former Nanci Griffith guitar/Dobro player, Chas Williams. With a degree in history from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Bedford's narrative songs transcend time and place while illuminating universal truths.

In the title track, “Lincoln's Man,” Bedford illustrates the struggle of a southern boy who joins the Union Army against the wishes of his family. Among “gentlemen and rakes,” the soldier wrestles with loneliness, pride, fear and stoic acceptance of his duty. All the while, the young man knows, “the devil's out there pickin' bones along the timberline.” In “Migrant Mother,” Bedford brings to life the mysterious figure in Dorothea Lange's photograph by the same name. With reverence, Bedford serenades the woman whose “wearied look and worried way” succinctly encapsulated the sacrifice and suffering of the Great Depression.

Recently, he has been touring the Midwestern U.S., toting his unique songs to intimate audiences in such cities as Madison, Wisconsin, Columbia, Missouri, and Champaign, Illinois.

In May of 2007, Ben served as one of the invited professional writers at the Listening Room International Songwriting Retreat in Gotland, Sweden. Following the retreat, he completed his first tour of Sweden and Denmark.

Some of Bedford's musical influences include Townes Van Zandt, Guy Clark, Gordon Lightfoot, Richard Shindell, and Patty Griffin.

"Beautiful and unusual story songs that take the listener to the heart of the matter".
Diana Jones
Singer-Songwriter
Nashville, Tennessee

"Bedford's sound is rich like the historical area that surrounds him. Blessed with a natural voice for storytelling and a way with a melody he makes a lasting impression. Tales of ordinary people doing extraordinary things populate his songs. He doesn't really sound like anyone else and yet it's a compfortable fit from the first listen. The songs remind me of phtographs come to life."
Bill Lavery
Village Records

“Somehow Ben's songs work the same way (for me) as, say, Steinbeck's Travels With Charlie did. We're experiencing the landscape of Americana. He somehow brings these long-lost images and issues direct to the modern-day heart .”
Jeff Wiens
Singer-Songwriter
Littleton, Colorado

The Gordons

Saturday

July 19th

7:30 pm

$12.50

"With their warm, glowing vocal harmonies and impeccably clean and uncluttered picking, the Gordons bring to mind that most listenable of all bluegrass bands, the great Flatt & Scruggs. And, like Flatt & Scruggs, the Gordons are wide-ranging in their song selection. Above all these qualities, however, is the fidelity with which the group conjures up memories of a sweet rural world now long vanished."

-Edward Morris
Journalist and Former Country Music Editor
Billboard Magazine

The Gordons have been bringing their music to audiences for three decades, touring throughout the Midwest and the Carolinas, playing clubs, fairs, festivals and colleges. For the past two years, they have performed live in Dublin on R.T.E., Ireland's national television network. The Gordons were hosted by the Irish Bluegrass Music Club, who have invited them back for another tour this Fall. On hearing End Of A Long Hard Day, Richard Gladney of the Irish Bluegrass Music Club, said "Rest easy, Mr. Monroe. Your music is in good hands."

Alex Usher Autoharp Workshop

Sunday July 20th

2-4 pm

$20

Alex Usher has collected and performed folk songs for over fifty years. She has amassed a treasure trove of songs that work well with children, and used them through the years to amuse her own four children (who later joined her and her husband on the stage) as well as to entertain youngsters at the St. Louis Children's Hospital where she was the volunteer "Music Lady" in the late 1970s. In the early days of TV she was a regular performer on several children's series on PBS Channel 9 in St. Louis. (in one she was a jack-in-the-box who popped out and did a song and a dance in each episode!) She still shares her music with her grandchildren and their classmates.

More recently she has specialized in playing the autoharp as a solo instrument. She is a National Autoharp Champion, a four-time winner in the International Competition at the Walnut Valley Festival in Winfield KS, and has made several solo autoharp CDs in the last several years. Currently she does a program of folk songs called "Hand-me-down Music" for the Missouri Humanities Council, and gives many other performances, primarily in the St. Louis area.

Rich Simmons with

Prairie Soul

Sunday July 27th

7 pm

$7

Like parts that don't fit, but somehow work beautifully together... A little country, some folk and acoustic rock with just a touch of bluegrass... A veritible stew of songs-- some familiar, some not, all American... Guitar, mandolin, fiddle, harmonica, bass, and voices... This patchwork quilt is Prairie Soul.

Writing songs for over twenty years, Rich Simmons has honed his craft and gained regional attention for his insightful, finely wrought songs. His sense of melody and strong, multi-layered lyrics have caught the ears of audiences and critics alike. Coupling his sense of humor with his unique rhythm guitar style, his live shows have been enjoyed by a growing number.

"Wow! Wow! Wow! Just got a pile of new stuff and FLESH BLOOD AND BONE is on the top of the rotation."
Ken Raisanen, WOAS

"Anyone who's got an [acoustic] show, I cannot imagine them not playing this."
Naomi Soule, co-host of the Acoustic Edge, KCLC