Entertainment
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Cantrip is a quartet of Scottish traditional musicians that has been stunning audiences on several sides of the Atlantic since the end of the last century with its driving blend of twin fiddles, pipes and guitar. The name is an Old Scots word meaning a charm, magic spell or piece of mischief and it aptly describes the unexpected twists and turns in their musical arrangements likewise the compelling potency of their musicianship. In its aspect of mischief it also nicely sums up the character and sense of humour of most, if not all, of the constituent members. Click here to hear Cantrip now! |
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Alone or with fellow musicians; guitar, fiddle, or banjo in hand, Bruce Molsky has been exploring traditional music from an astonishingly broad range of cultures over the past two decades– synthesizing them and refracting them through his own evolving sensibilities to the point where the sources of his inspiration transform themselves into a sound that is uniquely his. While most identified with traditional American old-time music, Molsky’s influences range from the Appalachian soul of Tommy Jarrell to Delta blues; from the haunting modal strains of Irish music to the rhythmically nimble music of Eastern Europe.
Bruce continues to tour extensively in the U.S. and Europe as a solo artist. He has performed at Lincoln Center in New York and The Smithsonian Folklife Festival in Washington, DC. The long list of great players with whom Bruce has worked includes luminaries like Mike Seeger, Liz Carroll & John Doyle, Dirk Powell, Kevin Burke, Stuart Duncan, Bill Frisell and Tony McManus. Bruce is highly sought-after as a fiddle and banjo teacher, and teaches his own intensive instrument workshop all over the U.S. He is a regular instructor at Mark O'Connor Fiddle Camp, Rocky Mountain Fiddle Camp, Alasdair Fraser's Valley of the Moon and Sierra Fiddle Camps, Swannanoa Gathering, and others. Click here to hear Bruce Molsky now! |
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IONA's music is a unique, acoustic weave of the traditional music of Scotland, Ireland, Wales, Cornwall, Brittany (France), the Isle of Man, Asturies and Galicia (Spain), as well as their transplants in America.. Blending songs, dance tunes, and aires into a rich and stunning tapestry, their style is outstanding in an arena where these traditions are seldom intertwined. Conceived in 1986, IONA was the musical offspring of lead singer, bouzouki, guitar and bodhrán player Barbara Ryan and wind section, Bernard Argent. With fiddlers Jim Queen (banjo and vocals as well) and Cassie Smith-Christmas and bass guitar player Chuck Lawhorn, IONA has become the leading Celtic group in the Mid-Atlantic region. They are all seasoned performers: entertainers who involve their audiences with the history and cultural backgrounds of the music, with teaching words to the songs -- even those sung in a Celtic tongue, with leading simple Breton dances, with humor, and with every emotion in the spectrum.
Click here to hear IONA now. |
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Tinsmith is a high-energy folk band playing traditional music of Ireland, Scotland and Appalachia. Citing influences from blues to bluegrass, from funk to jazz to mountain music, they bring traditional songs and tunes into the new century. Known for their fun and energetic performances and for the taste and delicacy of their arrangements, Tinsmith has been making audiences dance since 1997. They are three-time invitees at the North Texas Irish Festival in Dallas, Tx, and have played such prestigious gigs as The Barns at Wolf Trap Park for the Performing Arts, Potomac Celtic Festival, The Institute of Musical Traditions and Blackrock Center for the Performing Arts. Tinsmith has also been invited to perform at the National Folk Alliance Convention and has numerous WAMMIE (Washington Area Music Association) awards to its credit. Click here to hear Tinsmith now. |
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The Bog Band is a talented group of young people with a passion for Irish music. The band leader is Pete Moss (aka Mitch Fanning), a strings teacher at the Washington Waldorf School. Most band members play fiddle (many of them play multiple instruments), but the band also includes a variety of instruments including flute, guitar, bodhran, tin whistle, uilleann pipes, harp and cello. The Bog Band was created in September, 2004 when a group of sixth grade boys at the Washington Waldorf School (Bethesda, Maryland) and their strings teacher, Mitch Fanning, formed a fiddle club to play traditional Irish tunes. As their talent and success grew, other young musicians joined. Today, the Bog Band has about 15 musicians ranging in age from ten through teen (and beyond). The Bog Band has performed to great reviews at events and festivals throughout the Baltimore/Washington area including: Potomac Celtic Festival, The Folklore Society of Greater Washington, Smithsonian's Discovery Theatre, The DC Mayor's Awards Gala, Montgomery County Arts Council events, ShamRock Fest, and MetroPerforms! They have recorded two CD'S: "Got Bog?", a studio album, and "Own Their On Turf", a live session recording that captures the excitement and enthusiasm these musicians bring to their performances.
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Furnace Mountain consists of Dave VanDeventer on Fiddle and Vocals, Morgan Morrison on Bouzouki and Vocals, and Aimee Curl on Bass and Vocals, and includes transient members Danny Knicely on Mandolin, Zach Lester or Bodhran, and John Flower on Washtub. The band has graced stages near and far, from the Yangtzee River in China to the banks of the Shenandoah River, where they host the famous Watermelon Park Fest each year. The music of Furnace Mountain is at times lively and raucous, with spirited fiddle melodies weaving in and around the powerful rhythms of the bass and bouzouki. It is at other times poignant and poetic, with sublime vocal harmonies beautifully interpreting some of the oldest songs ever written. Furnace Mountain also performs a variety of original compositions, such as Scrampwang, Weezer's Dream, and the ever popular Spuds. |
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The Irish Inn Mates Bio and photo coming soon! |
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information@potomaccelticfest.org
The Potomac Celtic Alliance
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USA
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