Folk Matters
June 8, 2008
The Portland FolkMusic Society is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting folk music and arts in the greater Portland area. The mission of the organization is to preserve, present and promote folk music and arts.
This month the PFS welcomes two very special artists to the stage of Carvlin Hall, a great mid-size acoustic room tucked into the south side of SE Portland’s Ladd’s Addition. On Friday, June 13, the PFS will present an evening of three great acts: Tom May, host of River City Folk; a set by Portland trio Sky in the Road; and another folk and Irish-leaning trio called Rite of Spring.
Originally from western Nebraska, May has called Toronto, Boston, St. Louis, Omaha and now the Pacific Northwest his home. On 12- and six-string guitars, he accompanies his baritone voice with intricate stylings not often heard in folk music. Stories, humor and occasionally, even the Irish pennywhistle introduce the songs featured in his concerts. Just a glimpse at Tom May’s 33 years as a professional folksinger shows writing and playing his own music, sharing his life through his songs and travels, with folks throughout the U.S., Canada and overseas and hosting and performing weekly on River City Folk.
May has toured with and opened for many well-known artists such as Gordon Lightfoot, Alabama, Willie Nelson and many others. He currently performs and tours solo or with his acoustic trio and has released 12 critically-acclaimed albums. His most recent release, Blue Roads, Red Wine, is now in the stores and is, in his words, "an opportunity to reflect and rejoice on the entire journey (of life). With 11 new songs, this album might be May's best ever. His recordings have played on public and commercial radio from coast to coast, as well as overseas.
May produces and hosts the national radio/TV broadcast River City Folk.The show is heard weekly on over 200 radio stations from Alaska to New York. The show highlights the vitality of the acoustic music scene by featuring diverse performers and styles. The radio version celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2005 and remains one of the premier showcases for acoustic singer/songwriters nationally.
May also coordinates and founded Winterfolk, an annual SRO charity concert at Portland, Oregon’s Aladdin Theatre, which has become one of Portland's largest annual acoustic music festivals. "Tom May sounds a little like the young Stan Rogers with a dash of Ian Tyson…His rich, round, full voice caresses each song before he lets it go." (SingOut Magazine)
Sky in the Road is the performing name of singer/songwriter threesome Daniel Rhiger, Dean Warner and Rahmana Wiest. As a threesome, they have made music together since 1998. Rhiger plays guitar, Warner is usually found playing a mandolin, but also plays guitar, and pulls out lap steel, banjo, and fiddle on occasion. Wiest plays harmonium and percussion. Three-part harmonies are laced into their tunes, with the three of them trading lead. They describe themselves as carrying the torch of American folk, paying homage to people and place in their songs, spicing them up with eastern European and Celtic music, bluegrass and jazz. Rhiger's songwriting has won awards including two songs honored in Billboard’s 1991 National Songwriting Contest.
Sky in the Road has recently released two new CDs, Where Everything Is Music and Tahonetaclah, Mountain of Fire. "...Sky in the Road combines bluegrass, pop, singer-songwriter folk, chant, world music touches and simmering passion in all their music...utterly engaging...unusual and exquisite...contagious songs...you have a sense of an ancient Persian poem relayed through Celtic music, all of it building to remarkable crescendos that wash over the listener..." (Victory Music)
Rite of Spring features the multi-instrumental skills of Terry Prohaska, who plays hammer dulcimer, guitar, banjo, alto and bass recorder and hurdy gurdy. He is matched with bassist Lynn Atwood and guitarist Michael Atwood. All three sing and there is an emphasis on harmony and audience participation as they perform music from their CDs: Crystal Creek, Seaward Robin and Strangers to Comrades.
Admission for the show is $10 for PFS members, $12 General Admission, $5 ages 12-18. Kids under 12 years of age are free. There are no advance sales, just tickets at the door. There is no smoking and no alcohol, but there are food and beverages available and it is a relaxed and enjoyable spot to bring the family or meet friends or make new friends who love folk music!
Membership in the Portland FolkMusic Society offers a variety of experiences. Details can be found at the PFS website (www.portlandfolkmusic.org), a fascinating site that will help amateurs and professionals interested in Portland’s diverse folk scene see what is going on every week of the year.