Use your highest register to recite The Low Anthem

My dad has met, been roommates, and generally fraternized with renowned musicians for the better part of his life. He took up residence in LA in his youth and hob-knobbed with the California musical elite. While, not a musician himself, he consistently surrounded himself with pretty quality artistic spirits. His small stories that time have swirled in my mind like a kaleidoscope. The ideal social context: music all about, musicians in and out.

The reason I mention this, is that my father became decidedly star-struck upon meeting Jesse Winchester a few years back. Giddy, actually.

Winchester is the quintessential heart-tugging, ex-patriot songwriter. A little-known Canadian perfectly elucidating the even lesser-known Tennessee Waltz that so many tortured souls have tried to put to song: "Oh my, but you have a pretty face/You favor I girl that I knew/I imagine that she's back in Tennessee/And by God, I should be there too/I've a sadness too sad to be true."

I mean Jesse Winchester is pretty amazing- see for yourself. But I should admit that I was quite embarrassed to see my father gushing so plainly over an artist. I mean, this was supposed to be Gene Landis, the bee's knees, the radio station hip cat, my personal rock critic, too cool for school. Time passed, and I pushed my cool judgment of this moment deep into the back of my brain.

Then, this year, I saw The Low Anthem at Johnny Brenda's in Philadelphia. I mean, I dug the recordings that I had heard from them almost a year before. But seeing them that night, going from the raunchy stomp of "Don't Let Nobody Turn You Around," to the hush of "This Damn House," and the final string strum of their Cohen cover "Bird On a Wire," I was taken.

After the show I was chatting about folk music and the Philadelphia Folk Festival with TLA's singer and English-hornsman Ben Knox Miller. I held in my preschoolish adoration for their set, we hit it off, and exchanged cell phone numbers to try and connect later. Safe from embarrassment- I had kept myself together. Or so I thought.

After we had booked TLA for the Folk Fest, and some normal small talk texts back and forth, and I had listened to their EP way too many times on repeat, I had a little too much wine one night and got the perfect idea to text Ben and let him know "I think you are in my favorite band right now..." and so on and so forth. I have worked in the music industry in many forms over the last decade, and you'd think that I know better than to blurt these kinds of things, to become, essentially, my father's son.

But it's true. The Low Anthem is a poignant, scream to whisper folk band. I accept my father's cloak of unabashed, unrelenting admiration for the truest music I can find. Turn off the lights and listen to "Oh My God, Charlie Darwin," and I think you'll join me in writing the next epic Cameron Crowe flick.

I can't wait to see them at the Philly Folk Fest on August 16. I may try to apologize for my shameful text. But I might also paint "I love the Low Anthem" or "Ben Know Miller for president" on my chest.

I still haven't decided.

The flavor of the week.

As we sit and consider our own marketing for the Philadelphia Folk Festival, I was so happy that a friend sent me a link to what has become my new favorite website:

YourLogoMakesMeBarf.com

My personal favorite barf logo:


Continental! Tell me what you think...

The professional

Here at the Philadelphia Folksong Society, we have officially announced two of the toppermost names at the Philadelphia Folk Festival, August 14-16, 2009 at Old Pool Farm in Schwenksville, PA. (banjo head roll please...)

The Decemberists


The Derek Trucks Band


They, along with other new acts West Philadelphia Orchestra and Shannon Lambert-Ryan with RUNA, are joining a pretty unbelievable lineup of acts:

Alela Diane


Del McCoury



and more: Adrien Reju, Boris Garcia, Caravan of Thieves, Chris Kasper, Ellis Paul, Enter The Haggis, Erik Mongrain, Frog Holler, Gene Shay, Joe Pug, Justin Townes Earle, Langhorne Slim, Marissa Nadler, Rebirth Brass Band, Sara Hickman, Slo-Mo featuring Mic Wrecka, Sonny Landreth, The Folk Brothers, Tom Rush, Tony Trischka, Wissahickon Chicken Shack, Women in Docs, Works Progress Administration, Zach Djanikian

Get discounted tickets at folkfest.org now

a new blog life

This is a new day. I will blog more:

-consistently
-engaged-ly
-personnally

Keep checking back. Don't leave me now.

Peg Leg Sam had it worse than you...

A few months back, my flatmate Zach came in ecstatic about a website that promotes folk culture, folklore, music, and Appalachian life. He played a video called "Born for Hard Luck"-a doozy of a short film documentary about Peg Leg Sam Jackson.

Talk about a fascinating life. Peg Leg was severely injured by a train-hop gone bad. His face was mutilated, his leg amputated, and his story...enriched.

The video, which you can see by clicking here, follows Peg Leg through the American South, as he sells snake oil and wins over hometowns with his insane harmonica jives and illegible speech.

I rave about this to Seth Holzman, harmonica virtuoso and music teacher here at Philadelphia Folksong Society and Seth informs me that Peg Leg came through the area, and even played our very own Philadelphia Folk Festival. Here is a shot, where you can see the man and the myth, and the classic homemade Philly Folk fence:

Music for every Philadelphia child!

I have been kept from sleep for many nights this week. Philadelphia schools, despite recent claims for change, continue to lose music and arts education programs by (give or take) 20% every year. At times of economic uncertainty, audiences attend less performances, arts organizations are hit hard, and undoubtedly, schools cut music and arts education.

Despite research and evidence that suggests that music and arts engage the spatial-temporal neurons of the brain, raise test scores, and help with important developments in the brain, it seems like many seem to buy in to the idea that music and arts are subsidiary. I disagree. And I would love to see the Philadelphia Folksong Society lead a charge to help make music and arts available to every single child in Philadelphia.

It is a lofty endeavor. It will require a coalition involvement of arts organizations; families; churches, synagogues, and mosques; school administrators; foundations; corporations; artists; and others. Uniting such groups can prove especially daunting, but the alternative is devastating. By partnering, Philadelphia could send a clear message that arts are too important to be swept aside.

A coalition plan could see individuals and organizations 1) building awareness about our concerns and 2) implementing programs to change the contextual framework of music and arts education. The coalition would build awareness at arts and cultural events. What is more, an implementation plan would involve schools and principals as well as community artists offering free or affordable music and arts classes outside of schools.

The connection for the Philadelphia Folksong Society is obvious. Not only is education a focal point of our mission, but folk arts call on the person-to-person interaction that such a coalition effort would require. My entire world-view and thought processes have been altered and shaped by my understanding of music. Now it is time to come together and build a cultural landscape that can carry into every facet of Philadelphia life.

It's more than cheesesteaks and cream cheese here.

More about October's Monthly Concert

Click here to check out the press release for the show!

It is getting picked up by a good deal of press.
For the basic info:


Philadelphia Folksong Society presents
Michael Chapman (UK)
w. Jack Rose

U.S. Opening Date
Sunday October 5, 8pm

Commodore Barry Club
6815 Emlen Street (R8 train)
Philadelphia, PA 19119

Free for members, $5 for non-members
email LLandis@Pfs.org for more details

First Monthly Concert of 2008

I'm pumped that Michael Chapman and Jack Rose are touring together in the East coast. Chapman has been making great folk music since the 60's and Rose graced the Philadelphia Folk Festival stage this year, and really expanded a few minds. It's always interesting to shake up the UK and American accents as well.

All this to say I am glad that the Philadelphia Folksong Society is hosting these two as the kick-off to the 2008-09 monthly concert series. We have a date set: Sunday, October 5, 2008 at 8pm. Venue is TBD...just too torn about where to place this show in and around the city. Monthly concerts are always free to members, and it will be $5 for anyone else.

If you haven't heard Jack Rose, it will be worth your while, (read: personal recommendation).

The thinking for the new season is that it may be interesting to get what is sometimes seen as the fringe of PFS mission (folklore, crafts, international music, participation, culinary arts) and bring it in the fold in a multi-dimensional way. Rather that just have a showcase or concert, I think it would be wild to have crafts all through the room, a storyteller kick off the night, showcase the artist/s, and then end with a jam or sing....

Thoughts?

Proliferation of Ideas

I started my graduate classes at Villanova University yesterday. I am extremely excited by a few things, namely, being in a context where there is a proliferation of ideas and learning. What's more, it seems that my program (Master's in Public Administration) will be able to give practical studies for the organizations with which each student is working. This will hopefully mean that PFS will benefit from much of the course that I am working through. One of the first projects in my Structure and Theory of Organizations class is to develop a formal SWOT analysis and theory of change for the organization. I believe this is serendipity, as PFS is in the heart of strategic shifting and transition.

Enough with the director speak.... I had an incredible Philadelphia Folk Festival, as aided by beautiful friends, volunteers, strangers, and jammers. Thanks to everyone who made it a huge success. I don't soon want to lose the feeling of engaging so intimately with other musicians, music-lovers, or artists. In short, I can't wait for Fall Fling! Check out FallFling.org if you are interested.

Also, I just created a "badge" for PFS through Six Degrees. What it is, basically, is a web-based application (a widget) that can let people know about or contribute to a non-profit organization. Check it out: