Adrienne
Hamilton
Prom Queen Alt |
Offering a fresh take on the singer/songwriter genre,
Adrienne combines soulful musings with creatively composed piano
driven melodies. Her newly-released EP (August 2006)
titled The Mailman's Daughter is authored with notable musicianship,
as she delivers pop-friendly rhythms and rhymes through quirky
and often off-kilter chording. Philadelphia Songwriter's
Project Contest Winner 2006. |
Ben Arnold
Singer-Songwriter |
Unwittingly dreamy, delightfully impetuous and uniquely
human, Ben Arnold arrived on the national scene with his Ruffhouse/Columbia
release, Almost Speechless (1995). In Case I'm Gone Tomorrow named
Top 10 Indie Release by Performing Songwriter Magazine (2000). Ben
recorded and toured with pals Jim Boggia, Scott Bricklin and Joseph
Parsons as 4 Way Street. Rolling Stone called his latest release
Calico (SCI Fidelity Records) "a real keeper." Five of
those songs appeared on CBS' Joan Of Arcadia. Ben has appeared on
The World Cafe, E Town and XM Cafe, and toured the U.S. and Europe,
sharing stages with David Gray, Ben Folds, Lucinda Williams, Moxy
Fruvous, Randy Newman, and Townes Van Zandt. Currently recording
his newest songs with members of The Rickie Lee Jones Band and Pete
Thomas from Elvis Costellos' The Attractions. |
Billy
Dominick
Original Fiddle Tunes
|
Founding member of Wheetstone Bridge, Acoustic League
of Justice, Buddha's Kitchen--currently the fiddle player with Celtic
Rock Band Barleyjuice. |
Bob
Beach
Folk, Blues |
Harmonica based folk, blues and more. Featured artist
at Philadelphia Folk Festival 2004 and 2002, DelMarva Folk Fest,
and Forksville Folk Fest. Often employed as a back-up musician both
live and in studio. Producer of Philadelphia Jug Band cd and many
others. |
Box
Five
Classipop
|
Box Five mixes Mozartian song structures and chord
progressions with bratty Brit-rock hooks into a genre they like
to call "classipop". Recently on CBS News, several city
paper and philly weekly. |
Cabin
Dogs
Cosmic American Blues
|
"Robert and Richard Kwait have a timeless sound
that resonates from deep within the soul of the American heartland...Their
music touches a common nerve that places them firmly among the standard-bearers
in a direct line of descent from Woody Guthrie to The Band and Jerry
Garcia." - Clint Harding, 88.1 FM KDHX St. Louis. Invited to
play Newport Folk Festival (2004). "Band on the Verge"
- Relix Magazine (Aug. 2003); WXPN Philly Local Artist of the Week
(2002). Set to release new album on Woodstock Records in early 2006.
|
Carsie
Blanton
Folk Pop |
Carsie Blanton is a young singer-songwriter recently
transplanted to Phoenixville. Originally from rural Virginia, a
hint of the Blue Ridge can still be heard in her sweet, soulful,
jazz and blues-influenced folkpop. |
Charles Nolan
Singer-Songwriter |
One man poetry slam, sung and spoken - blend of folk,
rockabilly, jazz and cabaret. Survivor of Greenwhich Village 60's
folk scene and New York 21st century folk scene. |
Cherri Poet
Hip-hoppin' Reggae/Poetry |
Hip-Hop, Reggae...Poetry fusion. Hip -original flows;
coupled with beats that grabs the attention instantly. Cherri Poet
focuses on meaningful lyrics; spittin words that touch the average
person on a mental level; yet catches the attention of those who
simply love hot beats and hot hooks. She talks about real life issues...like
how we as a people find ourselves stifling our own progress. With
Cherri Poet on the show...expect a thrill. |
Chris
Adams
Folk Singer-Songwriter |
Classically trained, this powerful performer fuses
the precise agility of his traditional background and the soulfulness
of the blues genre with his penchant for venturing past the confines
of the ordinary. Listening to his music takes one on a journey that
is at once melodic and extraordinary. |
Chris
Chandler
Folkenword |
Chris Chandler is an award winning storyteller performing
250 shows a year for nearly 20 years. It is compelling theater,
with themes ripped from the pages of history books, current events,
and personal reminiscences.
|
Christina
Ward
Scary Folk |
Kind of depressing-if you listen to the words-folk
music. Voted most likely to not succeed as a musician by her parents
and immediate family members.
|
Connie Koppe
French Cabaret |
French cabaret music comes out of the era around WWII.
The lyrics are about people’s lives and about love, including
all its good and bad variations. Connie and Katt are two of a quartet
who perform French Cabaret, including the songs of Jacques Brel,
Michele LeGrande, Edith Piaf and others.
|
David
Kleiner
Contemporary Folk Rock |
Sing Out Magazine raves This Human Heart, David's
latest CD, " takes on passengers for the agelessly repeating
journeys of bitterness, aching, loss, devotion, fulfillment, and
passion that embrace the realities of loving. Kleiner’s vocals
have a rough quality that is intense, and with love songs, it’s
all about intensity and passion." This Human Heart has been
heard on radio stations around the world, including WXPN. PSP Vote
Song Contest Winner for "Stand Up for Freedom" co-written
with Mick Choder; Plowshares Contest Recognized Finalist; Folk Factory
People's Choice Winner.
|
Devin
Vail
Acoustic Rock |
Devin's songs tell a story and create a vibe. There
is always a strong rhythmic component, and he often shuffles, swings
or uses 6/8. Devin is as eclectic as his home town of NYC. |
| Electric
Man |
|
Eric
Schwartz
|
uh...you just have to see it to believe it.
|
Frank Malley
Traditional British Isles Ballads |
Frank finds the power and poetry of some ancient songs
to be irresistible and shares those songs with today's folk audiences
who rarely hear them.
|
Jacob
Balshan
World Music |
Jacob sings original lyrics in Hebrew with original music accompaniment
on classical guitar. He also sings in other languages including,
English, French, Spanish, Russian, Persian, Greek, Arabic and others.
His song: "Habididut" and his CD Love Songs in Hebrew
were nominated for best song and album in Just Plain Folks contest
of 2004. |
Joe
Donato
acoustic pop/ rock |
Heartfelt lyrics together with pop driven acoustic
rock.
|
Jim Klingler
Mostly
Jug Band and Blues
|
Style based in folk broadly defined but rooted in
the 60’s folk revival – but loving new directions. Infected
by the Jug Band bug in the early 60’s and never got better.
Finger style guitar and a love of a ragtime feel. Harmony is a big
thing – and getting people involved. Prefers to sing with
rather than sing to. Played a number of venues and festivals, mostly
with the Philadelphia Jug Band or with Bob Beach or Terry McGrath. |
John C. Fuhr
Trad |
Bluegrass. |
John
Conahan
Piano Singer-Songwriter |
John was not able to attend this year's event,
but we thank him for the use of his keyboard! |
John
Faye
Modern Pop/Rock
|
Combining radio-ready hooks with straight-for-the-carotid
lyrics, IKE frontman John Faye sings with equal parts abandon and
clarity. His immediately recognizable voice vacillates effortlessly
between empathy and rage, coming off like a worldly older brother
for a generation of emo kids, who just need a hug and some early
Costello records. |
John
Shaughnessy
Melodic Pop-Folk |
Acoustic folk rock, with a passion for classic pop
melodies. Eclectic and emotive songwriting running the gamut from
silly(sometimes cynical), to spiritual or even inspirational, depending
on the mood. |
Jon Dichter
Django Reinhardt meets Billy Crystal |
Philly local pick of the day at least a dozen times,
a ton of CDs. |
Joy Thiessen
Singer-Songwriter
|
Mellow, lyrical, melodic. When pressed, Joy admits
to having "many musical accomplishments." |
Katie
Barbato
Acoustic Rock |
Melodic tunes that rock gently with honest lyrics.
Featured on WXPN 88.5
|
| Ken Kweder |
|
| Kevin Lynch |
Still trying to figure it out…
|
Kevin
So
Singer-Songwriter |
"Kevin So is beginning to do for young Americans
what Bob Dylan did
for the '60s generation. Carving his songs from sweet r&b, hot
rock, hip-hop, and folk-pop, he presents his life and times in brash
strokes of insight, wit, and empathy." -- Boston Globe. Making
a name for himself as a boundary-stretching singer songwriter, So
has garnered the attention and praise from Billy Bragg, Richie Havens,
David Wilcox, Peter Yarrow, and Keb' Mo'. He has opened for Joe
Cocker, Randy Newman, Boz Scaggs, Richie Havens, Amos Lee, Billy
Bragg, Mary Lou Lord, Livingston Taylor, and Dar Williams, and performed
at such notable venues as the Kerrville Music Festival (main stage),
the Fillmore West, The Kennedy Center, and The Beacon Theater. |
Kyle
Justin
Soul |
Soulful music with pop hooks reminiscent of the Motown
era. Weekly Winner World Cafe Live Best of Philly Rising, Top 5
Finalist - Philadelphia - "Have A Nice Gig" Contest. |
Leigh
Goldstein
Singer-Songwriter |
Melodic pop oriented movie songs. |
Liam's
Wake
Acoustic Folk in a Pop Coat |
Take the homegrown nature of a folk song and wrap
it in the likeability of a great pop song and you'll find what Liam's
Wake brings to the table. From the same vein as Paul Simon,
Bob Dylan, David Gray and Dave Matthews. Beta Hi-Fi Winner, Finalist
for Folk Alley National Open Mic contest. |
Lou
Lanza
Jazz/Traditional and Retro Pop Vocal
|
"Superior to Kurt Elling, Michael Buble, Peter
Cincotti, and Jamie Cullum, Lanza already finds himself, in spite
of the difference in age, at the same level of expressiveness of
Mark Murphy, Al Jarreau, and Andy Bey." - Tribuna da Imprensa.
Top male jazz vocalist of 2004 in the reader's poll of Rio de Janeiro's
Tribuna da Imprensa. To be included in noted jazz critic and historian
Scott Yanow's upcoming book, The Jazz Singers, as one of the top
500 jazz vocalists of all time. |
Melody
Gardot
Acoustic Jazz |
"A phenomenal singer" – Mike Doughty
(Artist, ATO Records) Pull down your shades and light some candles.
A simple, yet poignant blend of jazz and folk is headed your way.
At 22, singer-songwriter Melody Gardot has a hauntingly smooth voice
that can melt even the coldest of hearts. City Paper Peoples Choice
Awards "To our eyes, nobody's a more inspiring, more talented
fighter than young singing-songwriter phenom Melody Gardot. She
turned the pain of a life-changing car accident into surprisingly
mature and utterly enthralling music. " Won Beta Hi Fi Music
Festival - 2006 at World Cafe Live. |
Michelle
Nagy
Sex/R&B/Folk |
Sexy Folkie, R&B Music. Won a Barrymore for Singing,
and nominated for a Barrymore for composition. Colgate Country Showdown
winner for Philly 2004. |
Mick
Choder
Singer-Songwriter
|
Tireless campaigner for what is right. He also sings
and plays some musical instruments. |
Miles Thompson
Folk, Blues and Roots |
Original songs in the Folk, Blues and American Roots
traditions. Winner, 2006 X-Fest Songwriter Contest, sponsored by
the Extreme Folk Scene.
|
Pat Smith
Folk,Pop,Rock,Friend |
Story songs that relate a message. |
Sherry
Somach
Jazzy Blues |
A dash of jazzy blues, a dab of swing, a pinch of
humor...slow roasted over the flame of emotional passion... simmered
to a perfect blend of Neo-Nostalgia. |
Something
Black
Punk Folk |
An eclectic blend of original, traditional, and classic
rock music with an emphasis on vocal harmony. Awards/Special Accomplishments:
most depressing performance by the Tri-state Psychiatric Association. |
Spider
Miranda
Singer-Songwriter |
Mining the same territory as Dylan, Marley, and Cat
Stevens, singer-songwriter Spider Miranda combines intricate wordplay
and folk-inspired rhythms to create a bittersweet, often humorous,
and sometimes unsettling vision of life at the beginning of the
twenty-first century. |
Sue
and Steph of Stargazer Lily
Pop Rock |
Sue and Steph front Philadelphia based rock band Stargazer
Lily and are known for their harmonies and emotionally involving
songs. Energetic and sexually charged live performances have been
selling out shows since 2000. Released 4 records as Stargazer Lily.
Local radio play, Song placement on National TV shows including
Joan of Arcadia. |
Stephen
DiJoseph
Singer-Songwriter
|
Dijoseph, known for his award-winning CD pianopoetry,
explores unusual guitar tunings and playing styles in the singer-songwriter
genre. His current CD "Hypnotized" is being released
Sept 2006. Nominated for best composer-phila city paper music awards.
Winner best instrumental cd, Just Plain Folks 2000. |
Stephen
Marmel
Singer-Songwriter |
“One Man Sound Sensation”–Phila.
Weekly. Expert finger-picking acoustic guitar stylings, instrumental
compositions, and heartfelt song-writing. |
The
Sisters Three
Acoustic Crazy Folk
|
Raw, real, honest! Look out for bits of passion in
the air! When these three sisters sing in harmony everyone forgets
to care about whatever it is that ails them! Bringing back some
of the good stuff. Elixer for the Human Heart voted top 10 best
indie releases of 2005, Performing Songwriter Magazine; Top five
"artists to watch", Relix. Received national airplay.
|
THROG
Indie Rock |
THROG is an indie rock power trio that is about giving
the audience more than their money's worth. If you loved the great
rock bands of the seventies then you will love THROG. Quite simply,
THROG rocks! First place in The Music Factory (Norristown) Band
Songwriter Contest in the Rock category. |
Vincent
Tomasso
Acoustic Pop Rock |
Well crafted, catchy Pop Rock songs. |
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