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Quote:
First 10 acts sign on for '08 folk festival
By BDN Staff
Thursday, March 13, 2008 - Bangor Daily News


BANGOR - The first 10 of more than 20 performing groups that will be featured in the American Folk Festival on the Bangor Waterfront Aug. 22-24 have been signed up, according to Heather McCarthy, the festival’s executive director.

Among the groups already committed are Diunne Greenleaf and Blue Mercy, Jesse McReynolds and the Virginia Boys, Jeffery Broussard and the Creole Cowboys, Chino Nunez and Friends, and Hassan Hakmoun.

A special collection of performers with an accent on Franco traditions also will be featured: Chuck and Albert, Genticorum, the JP Cormier Trio with guest Joe Cormier, the Beaudoin Legacy, and a Franco-American House Party with Don Roy, Lucie LeBlanc Ouellette and Marce Lecouture.

Following in the footsteps of many great Texas blues singers, Diunne Greenleaf blends elements of gospel, jazz, R&B and soul to create her own unique style of blues. She will appear with her band Blue Mercy.
Jesse McReynolds started performing 60 years ago with his brother as Jim & Jesse, part of the first generation of bluegrass greats. McReynolds still captivates audiences with his mandolin, signature brother-style duet singing and band, the Virginia Boys.
Jeffery Broussard, heir to a family musical legacy in zydeco, leads one of southwest Louisiana’s hottest new dance bands, the Creole Cowboys.
Percussionist, bandleader, pianist, arranger and composer Chino Nunez brings his salsa orchestra to Bangor’s festival. McCarthy predicts the dance tent will sizzle with the energy and excitement of the New York group.
Having grown up with the musical form of the Gnawa people of Morocco, Hassan Hakmoun performs a mesmerizing blend of Islamic mysticism and hypnotic African rhythms, according to McCarthy.
To celebrate the 400th anniversary of the founding of Quebec City this year, and in recognition of the large portion of Maine which shares the French heritage, the festival will present performers from various French traditions.

They include Chuck and Albert (formerly of the Acadian group Barachois); Genticorum from the heart of Quebec’s vibrant musical heritage; the Beaudoin Legacy, celebrating Louis Beaudoin’s traditional music, song and step dance; the Cape Breton fiddle of the JP Cormier Trio with special guest Joe Cormier (JP’s father); and a Franco-American House Party featuring Don Roy, Lucie LeBlanc Ouellette and Marce Lecouture.

The American Folk Festival is produced by the Bangor Folk Festival, in partnership with the city of Bangor, Eastern Maine Development Corp., the National Council for the Traditional Arts, the Maine Discovery Museum and the Maine Folklife Center at the University of Maine.

For more information about the 2008 American Folk Festival, visit http://www.americanfolkfestival.com, call 992-2630 or contact the American Folk Festival at 40 Harlow St., Bangor 04401, 207-992-2630.

Source: Heather McCarthy, executive director, American Folk Festival on the Bangor Waterfront.

Some links because I'm nosy curious - - - - -

Diunna Greenleaf & Blue Mercy Band
2008 - Nominated for Traditional Blues Female Artist of the Year
http://www.diunna.com/about.htm

Jesse McReynolds and the Virginia Boys
Bluegrass
http://www.jimandjesse.com/

Jeffery Broussard & The Creole Cowboys
Zydeco Dance Music - - Echoing the Creole Past, Charting Zydeco’s Future
http://www.jefferybroussard.com/

Chino Nunez and Friends
Salsa percussionist
http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G1-162990171.html
http://www.myspace.com/chinonunez
Good music but in spanish
http://www.chinonunez.com/navigation.html

Hassan Hakmoun
http://www.hassanhakmoun.com/bio.php
(Being born in Marrakech makes you automatically cool and interesting, imho Wink )
Bumping this up - this is where I was yesterday! Grin

I had a wonderful afternoon. I started at about 3pm with the Johnny Hiland Band! I'm so glad I had the chance to hear him. He plays country guitar, but he definitely enjoys the blues. Hometown boy doing just fine in Nashville. His website - http://www.johnnyhiland.com/

On my way in to the festival, I stopped for a bit to hear Genticorum. They are a group from Quebec. They were very interesting and had some cute stories to tell. The crowd was loving them.
http://www.genticorum.com/en/home.html

After Johnny Hiland's set, Diunna Greenleaf & Blue Mercy took the stage. However, from where I was hanging (with DebD at the Fairpoint Communications booth) I couldn't hear her well with the coming and going of patrons. I vowed that when she took the stage again at 9:15 that I would give her more attention.

After consuming, homemade ice cream and some potato chip fries (again, not very adventurous - no salmon on a stick, alligator nuggets or Portuguese sausage for me) we came back to the Hollywood Slots Hotel for a breather. This is a very nice hotel. It's billed as "luxury" and I do believe it is that standard for Bangor. It's brand new; it just opened this past Wednesday. The top 3 floors are not open as of yet but I believe they will be in the next few weeks. I haven't ventured into the gaming rooms and I probably won't on this trip.

Upon returning to the festival, I head a bit of the Gospel group, Maggie Ingram & the Ingramettes. This was a group of ladies with very powerful voices. http://www.americanfolkfestival.com/asse...am_08_.pdf

I decided to wander down to the craft vending area and check out the items for sale. It was a very wide variety from various kinds of jewelry to salsa, hats to decoritive rugs, stonewear to sweaters. It ended with the Dance Stage where I had the EXTREME pleasure of hearing Chino Nunez & Friends. The dance floor was packed with young and old alike, grooving to the Salsa beat. If I had a friend (or two) with me, we certainly would have tried to have squeezed onto the floor as well. As it was, I stood at the side of the stage and enjoyed the latin rhythm. They have a beautiful horn section - and who doesn't like HORNS!
http://www.chinonunez.com/

I arrived back in time to see Diunne Greenleaf and Blue Mercy (after a pit stop for a baked potato and homemade whoopie pie). THIS WAS THE SET TO SEE! What an amazing performer she is with a band backing her that is incredible. Nothing I can say can compare to hearing her. http://www.diunna.com/

On the walk back to the hotel, I heard a little of Junk Yard Band at the Dance Stage. I'm VERY tempted to make a return today at 1pm to hear them play. Very cool sound! I'll let you know if I'm able to go and listen to them. http://www.americanfolkfestival.com/asse..._Yard_.pdf

To listen to some of the artists I mentioned and most that I didn't you can go to the AFF website:
http://www.americanfolkfestival.com/cont...erformers/
Under their name if it says "Listen" click it and listen! Smile
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