Flavorful FolkFest

August 24, 2007 01:59 pm

— BY RUTH RICE
RRICE@TRIBDEM.COM
From true blues to the zing of zydeco, Johnstown FolkFest 2007 is brewing up a musical stew that has something for every taste.
This year’s FolkFest will take its usual Labor Day weekend slot – Friday through Sept. 2 – at Festival Park, 90 Johns St. in downtown Johnstown.
The biggest name on the menu, at least as far as name recognition, is A.J. Croce, son of the late Jim Croce, known for hits such as “Bad, Bad Leroy Brown” and “Operator.”
“He’s a fantastic performer in his own right,” Shelley Johansson, Johnstown Area Heritage Association marketing director, said of A.J. Croce. “He sings and plays the piano. He plays blues, jazz, folk and pop.
“He has a wonderful voice and is engaging. We’re fortunate to have him. He should be a big draw.”
Johansson also is looking forward to seeing Druha Trava, a group from the former Czech Republic that takes American bluegrass and gives it a special spin.
Their name means “second grass” in the band’s native Czech language.
“It’s been a long time since we had some good bluegrass,” Johansson said. “They should be popular.”
The Tossers, a Celtic rock band based in Chicago, should be another crowd-pleaser.
The seven-piece band plays the traditional instruments of Celtic music, beefed up with guitars and drums.
“Their roots are Celtic, but they’re going to rock out,” Johansson said.
This year’s requisite zydeco act is Dwayne Dopsie and the Zydeco Hellraisers, who have been described as “high-energy zydeco at something approaching the speed of light.”
“Dwayne is an accordion genius,” Johansson said. “He adds a saxophone and makes it work.”
Slavic Soul Party, a horn band with a Balkan influence, is made up of first-generation immigrants from Europe and Asia.
Eric Lindell, a favorite at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, plays soul and romping New Orleans rhythm and blues.
Bill Kirchen, who performed at FolkFest 2004, is a rockabilly legend.
“He’s the most entertaining performer I’ve ever seen,” Johansson said.
Tres Chicas is made up of three female veterans of the alternative country scene. Their harmonies of folk, country, soul, gospel and Celtic influences blend with a full band.
Scott Miller and the Commonwealth combines the emotional honesty of singer-songwriter with the swagger and enthusiasm of rock ’n’ roll.
Known as the modern-day godfather of Americana music, Oklahoma native James Talley has been compared with Woody Guthrie and Bob Dylan.
Last Train Home performs country rock, the McKay Brothers play roots music from Texas and Gigi Dover and the Big Love belt out Southern soul.
Johansson said Too Slim and the Taildraggers, which specializes in Southern rock, win the prize for best name.
“It’s a fun sampler,” Johansson said of the mix of musical styles that is FolkFest.
“You get to hear music you might not seek out. You might not realize you like it until it comes across your earlobes.
“And if you don’t like it, you can go on to something else.”
Johansson said the goal of FolkFest is to gather every kind of American roots music.
“Roots is a more meaningful term than folk,” she added.
“The musicians get exposure to other music, and they give us feedback about what they like.”
Performers with a local or regional connection get the chance to play before a larger audience, while the national acts get to see the local talent, Johansson added.
The Marauders, a three-piece band from Altoona, is known for its punk-influenced rockabilly music.
Grinning Mob is a Johnstown-based rock band that played at FolkFest 2005.
Jennifer Drummey & The Small Band, headed by singer-songwriter Drummey, a Johnstown native, performs folk, jazz and rock.
Jackson Monsour, a singer-songwriter from Bedford, blends rock with reggae and folk with an emphasis on the melody and the message.
Jazz in Your Face, a festival perennial, is Johnstown-based and has performed big band jazz since 1988.
Bill Deasy, a singer-songwriter from Pittsburgh, is the former front man for Gathering Field.
Blues guitarist Jimmy Adler, veteran of the Pittsburgh blues scene, is known for his special blend of Chicago blues and West Coast jazzy jump.
Jimmy Sapienza and Five Guys Named Moe is a Pittsburgh-based group that delivers jazz standards.
Music lovers can access links to FolkFest acts and hear their favorite performers at www.johnstownfolkfest.org.
At FolkFest, food is on almost equal footing with the music, and there will be several new palate teasers.
“We’re going to have barbecued ribs and collard greens, Cuban sandwiches, pita sandwiches and Italian and Mexican food,” Johansson said.
Beulah United Methodist Church will serve pigs in a blanket, haluski, pierogi and chili. Ferndale Hockey Club will offer hot dogs, hamburgers and nachos and cheese. The Learning Lamp will have ice cream. Moxham United Methodist Ministries will sell apple dumplings and ice cream. St. John Gualbert Cathedral will have pulled pork sandwiches.
Once again, free shuttles will ferry passengers to and from Festival Park.
Riders will be picked up at marked shuttle stops near the downtown parking garages, the Vine Street, Joseph Johns and Fulton Connor towers and at the bottom of the Inclined Plane, which also will be free to ride throughout FolkFest.
Trolley riders will be taken to the drop-off/pick-up point at the Johns Street Bridge entrance to the festival.
Parking will be available at all downtown parking garages.
A handicapped parking lot will be available at Washington and Johns streets.
The shuttle, sponsored by AmeriServ Financial, also will take riders to and from the Cambria City Ethnic Festival.
This shuttle will pick up passengers at the Eternal Flame across from Point Stadium and drop them off at Fourth Avenue and Chestnut Street in Cambria City.
Shuttle hours are 5:30 to 11:30 p.m. Friday, noon to midnight Saturday, and noon to 11:30 p.m. Sept. 2.
The shuttle will not stop at Hiram G. Andrews Center in Upper Yoder Township this year.
Johansson said that rising fuel costs and decreased ridership caused the cancellation of that route.
The Log House Arts Festival will sponsor a shuttle from Hiram G. Andrews to the Community Arts Center of Cambria County, 1217 Menoher Blvd., during its festival, which will be held from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sept. 2.
The log house shuttle also will deliver passengers to FolkFest, but only during Log House Arts Festival hours.

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