The Oceana Folk
Series enters its seventh season at the Hart Middle School
Auditorium featuring fine performances of traditional and
contemporary acoustic music. Season tickets are $30 and tickets for individual performances are $10 at the door. Performances
begin at 7:30 PM.
January 28th: The series will open with a concert by the Detroit-based folk duo, Lac La Belle. Lac La Belle juxtaposes the early decades of recorded rural American music with decaying Rustbelt aesthetic. A tradition is re-imagined- or maybe just resumed- in the ‘future-rustic’ swirl of accordion, mandolin, banjo, ukulele, and resonator guitar. The instrumentation echoes another era, but is employed for a music of now.
Jennie Knaggs mined folk music first hand, meeting and playing with musicians of Central and Southern Appalachia during her course of travel and advocacy work in the region. Her snapping rhythm guitar, mandolin and accordion playing are all in fine display with Lac La Belle. She is the 2000 Hollerin' Champion of Wise Co., Virginia and Letcher Co., Kentucky, and she gracefully applies her vocal techniques in the duo's original works with her soaring and yodeling vocals. Knaggs has studied opera and has toured Ukraine and Europe in various vocal ensembles, and recently performed and taught as an artist in residence in Labro, Italy. She continues to sing with the fifteen piece Odu Afrobeat Orchestra, and in 2010 she performed as a principal vocalist in Matthew Barney's upcoming film "Khu."
Nick Schillace is recognized as a solo instrumentalist who has contributed to the American Primitive guitar canon with his releases Box Canyon (2005) and Landscape and People (2008.) Raised by folk and blues enthusiasts, he acquired early training at Augusta Heritage in Elkins, West Virginia. Schillace draws on this background as he sings and plays banjo, mandolin and resonator guitar in Lac La Belle. Other recent work includes tenor guitar in Odu Afrobeat Orchestra, electric guitar in Indoorpark (with percussionist Jon Moshier) and the experimental/traditional group Duo un Duo with bassist Joel Peterson. Schillace has toured and performed with other fingerpicking greats, including Bert Jansch, Peter Lang, Jack Rose, Keenan Lawler, Eric Carbonara and Glenn Jones. Considered an authority on early 20th century American fingerpicking guitar styles, Nick is sought after as an instructor both privately and in workshop settings.
February 11th: The Oceana Folk Series will present the dynamic duo of Matt Watroba and the Rev. Robert B. Jones. Every since their first meeting, over twenty years ago, Robert Jones and Matt Watroba have been musical partners. Their relationship started when they hosted, back to back, radio shows on WDET-FM, Detroit. Later on they started performing together and, in doing so, they discovered a friendship based in mutual respect and a love for traditional American music. Now, Matt and Robert literally travel the nation extolling the virtues of “Music That Matters”. For Matt and Robert, American Roots Music (Folk, Blues, Spirituals, Work Songs, Chants, etc.) is music that matters. This is the music that America and the world have in common. It is music that reflects history, social change, migration, hopes and dreams. It is music that is rich and diverse, direct and powerful.
Matt Watroba brings a very special set of talents to the stage whenever he appears as a folk musician. His excellent guitar playing, mellow voice, friendship with his audience, and knowledge of his presentations is impressive. Add to that Matt’s own special brand of humor and you are in for a most entertaining and enlightening evening. You will feel his obvious love of folk music, both traditional and contemporary--the writers and performers, the heroes and villains. Matt sings songs of compassion, inner strength, humor, and every day living. He sings songs that you will feel and remember for a long time. You will love his music, you will love the journey that his music takes you on, and you will love the place that his music takes you to. His love of folk music has led him to his position of Producer/Announcer at WKSU FolkAlley.com at Kent State University. He was formerly the radio host for "Folks Like Us," a position he held for over 20 years on WDET-FM (Detroit).
For over 20 years Robert Jones has been a champion of American Roots music, with a special emphasis on traditional African American music. He is also a storyteller, a preacher, an artist, and a teacher. Stories, spirituals, blues, work songs, field hollers, country music, folk songs, gospel and original songs are all a part of fabric of America’s culture. This is the music that gave the world jazz, R&B, bluegrass, rock and even Hip Hop. They give insight into the way that we have lived and the ways that we continue to live together, Furthermore, it is the responsibility of the artist to pass along and to build upon that which has been learned from earlier generations.
March 3rd: Annie & Rod Capps will appear on March 3. Songs about broken things and poignant little ponderings are delivered with a rootsy vibe, a touch of twang and a soulful groove. Annie and Rod are on a musical journey that began in 1982, culminating into a symbiotic sound that reflects their deep and intuitive understanding of each other. Annie’s disarming, earthy voice and solid command of her guitar are punctuated by Rod’s effortless, accompaniment and beautiful solo work. Together they weave unforgettable melodies that are at once intricate and sparse – musically completing each others’ sentences.
Over the years, Annie and Rod have done it all; from rock to musical theater and while they continue to draw from a wide range of genres and influences, what comes out is a hybrid sound all their own. Genuine and playful; effortless and endearing; this duo has been enchanting audiences in quality music venues, house concerts, coffeehouses and festivals throughout their home state of Michigan and beyond.
April 28th: The 2012 Oceana Folk Series will conclude on April 28 with an appearance by the internationally acclaimed acoustic guitarist Peppino D’Agostino. Peppino D'Agostino is an international treasure who is charting a personal journey through the compositional fingerstyle guitar genre. Peppino is known for his dynamic and mesmerizing performances covering and blending folk, Irish, Italian, Brazilian, flamenco and jazz traditions. A musician that has received immense critical recognition, his 2002 album "Every Step of The Way" was awarded a 3rd place tie with Leo Kottke in Acoustic Guitar Magazine's Players' Choice Awards for 'BEST ACOUSTIC ALBUM OF ALL TIME'. In the same set of awards, Peppino additionally brought home another 3rd place tie for 'FINGERSTYLE GUITARIST OF THE YEAR', as well as receiving a 2nd place award in the category of 'ACOUSTIC GUITAR OF THE YEAR', for his signature Seagull Artist Series guitar, featuring the new compound-curve design.
In 2007 Peppino was also voted 'BEST ACOUSTIC GUITARIST' by the readers of Guitar Player magazine in GP's 2007 Reader's Choice Awards, and performed at the Montreal International Jazz Festival. In 2010, Peppino released "Nine White Kites" his first new album of all original compositions since the award winning "Every Step of the Way." "Nine White Kites" was ranked by Acoustic Guitar Magazine as one of "The Best Acoustic Albums of 2010" He is also a featured performer on the "Guitar Masters" tour along Andy Mckee and Eric Johnson, that will be touring performing arts centers late 2010 through early 2011.
The Oceana Folk Series is a project of the Hart Public Schools and is supported by local sponsors and patrons and season tickets are now on sale. Those interested in becoming sponsors or patrons or in purchasing season tickets should contact Auditorium Manager Tom Kirk at 873-6270 or tkirk@hart.k12.mi.us.
