Events
Coming Sunday, April 14, 6PM!
Announcing …the inaugural Folk Club of Reston & Herndon Song Circle at the ArtsBarn. This is a chance to hear some of our members in a more in-depth way in a beautiful listening venue. Four songsters will be featured and will alternate sharing their songs. Jennifer Katt is happy to host our first group of diverse and talented performers, who describe themselves as follows:
Cindy McConnell
I’ve enjoyed performing at Northern Virginia wineries, bars, and coffee shops since 2002, with similar gigs in Maryland, New York, and Pennsylvania over the years. I usually perform solo but earlier on was part of the short-lived yet awesome South of Sane band. I cover a wide range of folk and rock artists; just a few influences include Elton John, Christine Kane, Aimee Mann, Joni Mitchell, Kacey Musgraves, Stevie Nicks, John Prine, and Neil Young. In honor of my beloved animals, I support greyhound and equine rescue/adoption groups with any music proceeds.
Al Hobson
Growing up, my biggest regret is telling my Step-Mom “no” when she offered to get me guitar lessons in 5th grade. I never learned to play any musical instrument, so when I retired, I made it a personal goal to learn guitar. In 2014, a few years before retirement, I started taking lessons and joined the Folk Club. Like many endeavors I've had a few false starts and stumbles along the way, but I have also discovered the wonderful love and support of this musical community which has kept me going. Some of my favorite singer-songwriters are Paul Simon, Gordon Lightfoot, Jackson Browne, Eric Clapton, Dewey Bunnell, Jim Croce, Harry Chapin, and of course, all The Beatles.
Devon Bright-Patterson
I am a Georgia-based folk and queericana songwriter. I started learning guitar at the Old Town School of Folk Music in Chicago and was invited to join a youth band led by my first teacher. I picked up songwriting seriously at 18, playing alongside my wildly talented girlfriend Waylon Elsberry, a few of whose songs I look forward to sharing with you all. I currently play drums and guitar with another of Waylon’s band members in a group we call Sun Upset. In recent years I’ve been most influenced by Meg White (of The White Stripes), Elliott Smith, Jayne County, Bright Eyes, and the Rugburns.
Joe Shade
I started out in St. Louis, playing in glam rock bands when the local music scene was mostly southern boogie. I left town in the late 1970s and headed to New York City, which ultimately resulted in a record on Chiswick Records with a band called “Pin-Ups”. Afterwards my songwriting partner and I were chosen to participate in an ASCAP workshop run by Rupert Holmes on “New York Pop.” After abandoning the music business, I began again in 2001. In 2007 I worked with Billy Bragg on the Jail Guitar Doors project, producing several benefit concerts with local area musicians. I am grateful for the Folk Club, where I’m a regular, and know how special it is when people actually listen.
Reserve your seats below, or send an email to Jen Katt at jenkatt@comcast.net
Upcoming Concerts at the ArtsBarn!
saturday, march 23, 2024
Shenandoah Run is an eight-member folk ensemble from the Washington, DC area. Formed in 2011, the band performs traditional and contemporary folk music in a manner that delights a diverse mix of music lovers of all ages.
SR showcases the spirited sounds of Americana, along with the occasional country or bluegrass tune, and delivers a rousing mix of music and styles. The members’ vocal and instrumental savvy, coupled with a strong desire to keep folk music alive and fresh, are key to the group’s success.
“…This was as fine an evening of music as I’ve experienced with any professional band. It’s impossible to choose the most impressive part: The soaring harmonies, the brilliant instrumentalists, the fantastic vocals by the ladies … wherever this band pops up next, do yourself a favor and get out to see them.”
thursday, april 25, 2024
From Iceland to Italy, and all over the U.S., San Francisco based band Dirty Cello brings the world a high energy and unique spin on blues, rock, and Americana. Led by vivacious cross-over cellist, Rebecca Roudman, Dirty Cello is cello like you’ve never heard before. From down home blues and rock with a wailing cello to virtuosic stompin’ Americana, Dirty Cello is a band that gets your heart thumping and your toes tapping!
“Dirty Cello’s music is all over the map: funky, carnival, romantic, sexy, tangled, electric, fiercely rhythmic, and textured, and only occasionally classical.” Oakland Magazine
“The band plays every style imaginable, and does some fantastic covers. (Their rendition of “Purple Haze” is incredible.) But what is most spectacular about them is hearing the depth of soul in Roudman’s playing—it goes beyond what most people would expect from the instrument. She plays it with so much heart, you’ll wonder why more bands don’t have a cellist.” Good Times Santa Cruz
“A five-piece string ensemble that truly pushes the envelope and breaks the barriers, they blend blues, bluegrass and world music sounds with roots in the world of European classical music in a style that is unique and refreshing.” Cloverdale Reveille
“The group seamlessly careens from blues to bluegrass and rock in a way that really shouldn’t make sense but somehow does.” LA Times
“The ensemble plays a range of eclectic tunes in ways you won’t hear anyone else dare to attempt.” – Argus Courier
“Anyone who’s been in an audience when the San Francisco Bay Area Dirty Cello takes the stage knows that something unique happens whenever cellist Rebecca Roudman and ensemble come face to face with living, breathing (and whooping and shouting) fans.”
– Strings Magazine
friday, May 24, 2024
Introduced to the guitar at age nine by her father, himself a singer/songwriter, Michelle Swan has pursued a musical path ever since. After studying classical musical and clarinet performance at Towson State University, Michelle entered the Baltimore-Washington acoustic folk music scene in 1990, performing at local open-mics and coffeehouses. She currently has 3 full length recordings of original music and continues to record and perform all over the DC metro area and beyond.
Self-reflective and acutely observant, Michelle deftly weaves lyric and note together to create intensely personal songs that tell of sentiments and circumstances nonetheless familiar to everyone.
Over the years, Wilcox has provided support for or shared a stage with a diverse cross-section of musical talent including Peter Mayer, Tom Prasado-Rao, Jen Chapin, L.J. Booth, Stacey Earle, Pierce Pettis, and Peter Case.
“Doug Alan Wilcox has the soul of a poet and the songs to prove it. He immediately became a favorite guest on the Acoustic Highway.”
– Barry Graham, Folk music producer / WHRV FM
“Wilcox’s honey soaked vocals can exhibit swagger and occasionally a sadness…..”
– Brian Tucker, Bootleg magazine
Saturday, July 6, 2024 7pm
https://www.houseofhamill.com/home
Pennsylvania-based House of Hamill is a fixture on festival stages across the US, and have shared their music and stories on the country’s premier folk stages. Their version of “Pound a Week Rise” rose to #1 on the US Folk DJ charts, and the video for their all-violin cover of “Sweet Child O’ Mine” amassed over 16 million views on Facebook, where it was shared over 400,000 times. Their latest release, “Folk Hero,” captures perfectly the frenetic energy and eclecticism of their always engaging live show. A lively collection of original instrumentals, reimagined folk ballads, and new songs that showcase the trio’s versatility, “Folk Hero” is the third House of Hamill album to be funded entirely by their fans.
Whether they’re ripping through a set of original jigs and reels, adding lush three-part harmonies into traditional folk ballads, or cracking up an audience with stories from the road, House of Hamill puts on a show that captivates audiences from the very first note.
Saturday, July 20, 2024 7pm
Award winning singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Jim Fowler has written 500+ songs over four decades. Jim mixes folk, country, rock and jazz into a unique acoustic/electric brew. Included in Jim’s musical toolbox are various guitars, electric bass, ukuleles, mandolin, banjo and harmonica. Expect to hear some fancy pickin’ and meet some funky characters during Jim’s energetic performance.
Steven Cutts finds it hard to stick to one genre for very long. He’ll shift from country to social commentary, mix in something old-timey- sounding, and finish with a bit of the blues. He has been writing and performing in the DC area for over thirty years. Steve likes to get out to the Folk Club of Reston/Herndon when he can and has played recently at the Takoma Park Folk Festival, during Tenleytown Art All Night, and on the Shab Row stage in Frederick. Steve has had the great good fortune to record many of his songs with engineer (and bassist) Jim Robeson backed by some of the region’s great players. He posts recordings for streaming and download on hiswebsite ThePrimeCutts.com, and he can be heard on streaming platforms such as Spotify, Apple Music, and Soundcloud.
Saturday, Aug 10, 2024 7PM
Attention all Sam Robbins fans! His December concert was such a big hit I am bringing Sam back for a return engagement! He has agreed to come play at the Artsbarn again on August 10th! Don’t miss out!
Sam Robbins is often described as an “old soul singer songwriter.” A Nashville based musician whose music evokes classic 70’s singer songwriters like James Taylor and Neil Young, Sam adds a modern, upbeat edge to the storyteller troubadour persona. An avid performer, he has gained recognition from extensive touring and as one of the six 2021 winners in the Kerrville Folk Festival New Folk competition, one of the largest and most prestigious songwriting competitions in the country.
Saturday, sept 14,2024
“Mendelson Plays McGuinn” is a captivating retrospective of Roger McGuinn’s career. Jason uses period instruments and storytelling to share this music with a wider audience. Jason evokes the vibe of Roger’s solo concerts through the lens of a new generation.
After moving to Alexandria, Virginia in 2010, Jason participated in a wide variety of musical projects, including playing in the Kennedy Center house band for their Pete Seeger tribute, and hosting the Clara Barton Sessions. He performed regularly with Jonny Grave, Alex Parez and the Hell Rojos, and Genesis tribute Selling Fairfax by the Pound.
His original project MetroSongs received attention from The Washington Post, Northern Virginia Magazine, Virginia Public Radio, WAMU-FM, and WJLA-TV, for writing, recording, and performing an original song for each of Metro’s 91 station locations, based on the geography, history, and ethnography of each neighborhood. Since 2020, he has called the Shenandoah Valley home and serves on the board of nonprofit organization StreetWise Studios, Inc. supporting the local music ecosystem.
The jangle of the 12-string guitar that fueled the folk-rock boom of the 1960’s is something Jason always comes back to, and is happy to share with audiences today.
Saturday, October 12, 2024
Rupert Wates was born in London and studied at Oxford University. He has been a fulltime songwriter since the late 1990s, when he signed a publishing contract with Eaton Music Limited. In London he worked with some of the best performers in the city. Moving in 2001 to Paris, Wates formed his own quartet and began playing live regularly. In fall 2006 he came to the US. He is now based in New York City and Colorado. Since coming to the US, he has won more than 50 songwriting and performing awards.
His music is an eclectic mix of acoustic, melodic art/folk, with flavors of jazz, vaudeville and cabaret. He has released twelve solo CDs. They have received outstanding reviews in the international online press and tracks from them have been played on radio all over the world.
Saturday, November 9, 2024
Durham, NC’s Jon Shain is the 2019 International Blues Challenge winner in the solo duo category. Shain had the good fortune to learn directly from a number of NC’s older blues players, and became a member of Big Boy Henry’s backing band. He got his start playing his own music with NC roots rockers Flyin’ Mice. Jon was a finalist (along with FJ) in the 2009 International Blues Challenge in Memphis and the 2008 and 2018 winner of the Triangle Blues Society’s Blues Challenge and 2006 winner of NC’s Indy award for Best Folk Act. He has shared stages with the likes of Keb’ Mo’, John Hiatt, and Jackson Browne. Shain’s newest album, Never Found A Way to Tame the Blues, recorded along with long-time collaborator FJ Ventre was released 2021.
FJ Ventre and Jon began playing music together in 1982 when they met in high school. FJ went on to University of Massachusetts-Lowell, earning a B.A. in Music Performance and Sound Recording. He remained in the Boston area, performing in the city’s vibrant music scene. Since relocating to Chapel Hill, NC in 2000, Ventre has performed with his own group The Swang Brothers, as well as most of the Triangle’s roots acts. In addition to performing as a sought-after sideman, he spends his time behind the mixing board, engineering at his own Good Luck Studio. With Jon, they have become sought-after producers in the folk/Americana genre, producing several charting Folk and Blues albums in the last few years.
Friday, december 13, 2024
Hiroya was recently featured in the January/February 2024 edition of Acoustic Guitar. This is a return visit to the Artsbarn by this one-of-a-kind composer, guitarist and singer-songwriter from Kyoto, Japan.
He began playing the five-string banjo when he was thirteen, and took up the guitar shortly after. In 2000, Hiroya received a scholarship to Berklee College of Music and came to the United States. He formed his own group in Boston “INTEROCEANICO (inter-oceanic)” which consists of unique musicians from different continents including Latin Grammy Colombian singer Marta Gomez. The group released three acclaimed records (“The Other Side of the World”, “Confluencia” and “Where the River Shines”). Hiroya has released three solo albums (“Solo”, “Heartland” and “Places”).
Hiroya has been leading concerts internationally including several appearances at Blue Note(NYC), United Nations and Japanese National Television(NHK). In 2018, Hiroya won 2nd place in International Finger Style Guitar Championship.
“…chops, passion and warmth. Zealously recommended!” -Jazz Review.com
“HiroyaTsukamoto takes us to an impressionistic journey ” -Boston Herald
“The fingerpicking is delicate, fluid, and beautifully detailed” -Acoustic Guitar Magazine
Friday, May 16, 2025
“A breathtaking acoustic fusion of blues, jazz, classical and Spanish guitar from a stunning guitar virtuoso…” Altadena News, USA”
Ready for a unique and talented take on a wide range of musical traditions? Claude Bourbon is known throughout Europe and America for amazing guitar performances that take blues, Spanish, and Middle Eastern stylings into uncharted territories.
Claude’s inimitable style incorporates all five digits on each hand dancing independently but in unison, plucking, picking and strumming at such speed and precision that his fingers often seem to melt into a blur. Thousands of people in the UK, Europe and USA have enjoyed listening to this virtuoso and for the majority of his audience it is an experience that compels them to return again and again to hear and watch him play, as his fingers lightly dance over the strings of his guitar and create a unique sound that is ’Claude’.
Some of this guitarists’ influences allow us a fascinating insight into this remarkable musician; Paco De Lucia: Deep Purple’s Richie Blackmore; Joaquin Rodrigo; JJ Cale; JS Bach….
Claude has played countless venues, including Glastonbury Festival, Isle of Wight Festival, Colne Great British & Blues Festival, Rock O’Z Arene, Avenches, Switzerland, among others. He has shared the stage in Europe and the USA with countless musicians, Calvin Russel, Charlie Morgan (Elton John, Gary Moore), Jan Akkerman (Focus), Steve Grossman (Miles Davis), Herbie Armstrong ( Van Morisson), Jose barrense Dias and many more.