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Branford Folk Music Society
The Branford Folk Music Society sponsors the Branford Folk
Coffeehouse, a monthly concert of folk music, September through May,
at the First Congregational Church, on the green in Branford,
Connecticut.
The group also holds monthly "house hoots" at members'
homes, open to all for informal singing and playing, and produces a
monthly newsletter with schedules and information on concerts and
folk performers in Connecticut and the region. Branford Folk Music
Society members receive a copy of the newsletter in the mail, as
well as discounts in admission to our coffeehouse concerts.
Become a member of the Branford Folk Music Society.
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Branford Folk Coffeehouse
The Branford Folk Coffeehouse is in the auditorium of the First
Congregational Church of Branford, 1009 Main Street, Branford, CT. To get
there, take I-95 Cedar Street exit #54, go south on Cedar Street to the
end (crossing Route 1), turn left on Main Street. The Congregational
Church is the brick church on the green (on the right). Wheelchair
accessible. Concerts begin at 8:00 P.M. Please note our new admission
prices: Unless otherwise specified, admission is $15 for nonmembers, $12
for members, and $5 for children 12 and under. For more information, call
203-488-7715.
Email: branfordfolk@yahoo.com
Please contact us if you are interested in helping the coffeehouse as a
volunteer. In particular, refreshment donations will be welcomed.
If you are wondering if a concert will be held on an evening when the
weather is bad, please call 203-488-7715. (There is no one at the church
who can give out concert information.) Also, cancellations will be posted
on WTNH Channel 8.
35th Anniversary Schedule
To celebrate Branford Folk Music Society's 35th anniversary season and
to honor Folk Legacy's 45 years of making music available to all, we have
built our performer schedule around the people who have been recorded by
Folk Legacy Records. (Indicated by * in the schedule below)
September 13, 2008: Cliff Haslam* with the Ancient Mariners
It's the Branford Folk Music Society's 35th anniversary year and what
better way to kick off the celebration on Sept. 13 than with the
remarkably rich, full baritone voice of Madison's Cliff Haslam joined by
the Ancient Mariners, a Guilford-based chantey group that grew out of the
Ancient Mariners Fife & Drum Corps. An interpreter of traditional music
of his native British Isles, Haslam was appearing at the Branford Folk
Music Society in its formative years and was a featured performer during
the society's 30th anniversary season. He offers up boisterous drinking
songs, moving ballads and songs of the sea. He is noted for his
good-humored, crowd-pleasing performances that require a lot of audience
participation on choruses. With the Ancient Mariners Chanteymen - Larry
Donahue, Davy Jones, Kevin Brown, Neil O'Brien and Dave Tiezzi - lending
their voices, it should be a rousing evening. As part of its 35th
anniversary season, the society is also paying tribute to 45 years of
Folk-Legacy Records located in Sharon. Haslam is the first of seven
artists appearing during this 2008-09 season that have recorded for the
record company headed by Sandy and Caroline Paton, who will join us on
Dec. 13.
Listen to this audio webcast for
the September 13th concert (5 m. 44 s.; MP3 format).
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The Ancient Mariners
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October 11, 2008: Watersign
It all started with a challenging question that musician David Kleiman
came up with: "What are all the ways the human voice can be used as
an instrument?" Anxious to explore, he approached his friend and
fellow singer Joy Bennett. They discussed forming a singing group that
would specialize in vocal harmonizing. They found a third member in Steve
Mayer, a friend of Joy's, and in 1993 the group was on its way. In 1994,
Ellen Weiss enriched the group with her voice. All possessed a deep
regard for traditional folk music so that would certainly be one major
thrust for the group and, indeed, it has remained so over the years. The
group has stayed true to their original expectations of being a means to
experiment with vocal harmonies. At least 50 percent of the music they
perform at concerts is a cappella. And when they do bring on the
instruments, there is, under the umbrella of folk music, a diversity to
what they do that is based on their varied musical backgrounds.
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November 8, 2008: Ed Miller*
This is a long overdue return visit to Branford for Ed Miller who has
been hailed as "one of the finest singers to come out of the
Scottish Folksong Revival" and as "one of Scotland's best
singing exports." Originally from Edinburgh, he has for many years
been based in Austin, Texas, where he gained graduate degrees in folklore
and geography at the University of Texas. He's a true guitar-wielding
folkie who wins his audiences over with a sweet but powerful voice, a
great ear for material, and equal doses of populist politics and wry
humor. His multiple roles and approaches to music and song make his
performances and recordings that much more rewarding. One of his seven
albums appeared on Folk-Legacy Records.
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December 13, 2008: The Paton Family* (Founders, Folk Legacy Records)
For a rare treat Caroline and Sandy will be joined by their sons,
Robin and David for an evening of family oriented music.
January 10, 2009: Bob Zentz*
Bob is a singer of songs, old and new, about people, places and times
gone by, a player of dozens of the usual (and unusual!)
"unplugged" folk instruments, a collector of stories in verse,
a teller of "the tales behind the songs", a commentator on the
ecology of the human spirit, and a scholar of the evolution of
"homemade music".
February 14, 2009: An evening of real Irish music with PV O'Donnell, Bonnie Milner* and Dan Milner*
PV O'Donnell is a master fiddler in the Donegal style. He played his
first recital at the age of 4. Bonnie and Dan Milner are well known for
their singing of traditional music, both as soloists and as a duet. Their
material is drawn from a number of traditions, including Ireland, sea
music, English ballads, etc. They also sing some contemporary pieces that
have the feel of old songs. PV and the Milners will delight you as they
trade tunes, songs, stories, reminiscences, poetry ... There is no
telling where the night may lead.
March 14, 2009: Brian Peters
Traditional songs and music from England with squeezeboxes and guitar.
"A singer, guitarist and melodeon player of rare ability" -
Dirty Linen (USA).
April 11, 2009: Cindy Kallet* and Grey Larsen
Cindy Kallet and Grey Larsen each well known and loved for their
decades of music making have joined musical forces in a new duo.
May 9, 2009: Bill Staines*
"Any new song that can live comfortably beside the well-worn
songs of folk tradition has a good chance of surviving the test of time.
Such, we believe, are the songs of Bill Staines" - Charles
"Sandy" Paton, Folk Legacy Records.
Previous concerts at the Branford Folk Coffeehouse
Branford Folk Photo Gallery
The Branford Folk Music Society is a member of
the North American Folk Music and Dance Alliance,
and the Arts Council of Greater New Haven.
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The Branford Folk Music Society primarily books
"traditional" and/or "traditions based" acoustic
music, rooted in the Anglo-Celtic and/or American folk genres, and other
traditional forms, such as Cajun, French Canadian, Klezmer, etc. We are
also open to booking "traditions based" performers who write
their own material provided their music demonstrates a knowledge and
respect for these long established traditions.
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The Branford Folk Music Society posts monthly concert listings on the
following web sites and blogs:
Guidezilla.com at http://guidezilla.com/
americantowns.com at http://www.branford.americantowns.com/
Nonprofit Bulletin at http://www.nhbulletin.blogspot.com/
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Gear up for our spectacular 35th Anniversary season!
Branford Folk Music Society T shirts for sale now
Pick up one for yourself (and a friend too!) at any of our nine concerts from September thru May.
Or you can order by email: branfordfolk@yahoo.com
T shirt: Large centered color logo on ice gray background: $15
Polos and Henley styles with small color logo on left chest: $20 (by special order)
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Branford Folk CD Openers
Got CD's? Frustrated by that pesky shrink wrap that is so
difficult to remove?
Fret no more! Branford Folk Music Society has the perfect solution!
The Branford Folk 30th Anniversary CD opener!
Get one and you can be listening to the new CD's you buy at our
concerts as soon as you get in your car. Branford Folk CD openers
make the perfect Valentine's gift, housewarming present and will
come in handy during the summer folk festival season. Priced at
just $2.00 so you can get them for all your friends and place one
near every CD player in your home. Pick them up at the next
concert!
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Folk Music on the Radio
WNHU (88.7 FM, West Haven, CT):
"The Folk Show", John Mazza, Barbara Ruth and others, Sunday noon-2:00 P.M.
wnhufolk@yahoo.com
http://www.newhaven.edu/wnhu/
WSHU (91.1 FM, Fairfield, CT) and WSUF (89.9 FM, Noyack/Greenport, NY):
"Profiles in Folk", Steve Winters, Friday 10:00 P.M.-Midnight.
"Prairie Home Companion", Saturday 6:00-8:00 P.M.
"Thistle and Shamrock", Fiona Ritchie, Saturday 8:00-9:00 P.M.
"AcoustiConnections", Walt Graham, Saturday 9:00-10:00 P.M.
http://www.wshu.org/
Branford Folk Music Society
P.O. Box 441
Branford, CT 06405
http://folknotes.org/branfordfolk/