Nassau Community College Presents Its Annual Folk Festival

Music fills the early spring air at Nassau Community College this week, as the Faculty/Student Association offers a musical smorgasbord of folk music from around the world.It is a 33-year rite of spring for the College to invite the community to experience the multicultural music of our global society and the traditional sounds that connect America's present to its past. This year's line-up reflects that tradition with an eclectic mix of new and returning performers."Our festival has always had a multicultural, international approach," said festival coordinator Phyllis Kurland. "It is designed to bring folk music to Nassau County, to highlight the cultural expressions of different groups of people."During the three days this week, Wednesday through Friday, festivalgoers can see a total of 18 performers, who hail from around the globe, as well as local artists, including the NCC vocal ensemble and student performance poets. Participants run the gamut from well-known folk artists such as Peter, Paul & Mary's Peter Yarrow, to new acts, among them the "Hip Hop Hoodios," Latino-Jewish musicians who combine Latin rhythms, alternative rock and rap with traditional Jewish tunes and outrageous lyrics.Over the three days, the artists will perform 35-40 minute sets for 4 1/2 hours per night. For those who may want to take a break from the music, a craft fair is held in conjunction with the festival each night. A variety of handcrafted items will be available for sale, some made by student organizations.Children can partake of a special concert on Friday, with "Spirit Wing," This Native American trio performs traditional American Indian songs in a folk/acoustic music tradition.Three days of free music! What a great way to shake off those winter blahs!

Wednesday, Mar. 24

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The Holmes Brothers - Sherman and Wendell Holmes, with Poppy Dixon, perform gospel, low-down roadhouse blues, soul, "barroom country," and pure pop music.

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Oscar Brand and Free-Flowing Salt - Oscar helped start NCC's festival and has performed at it ever since. His credits include over 70 albums, 57 years of his own radio program and on and off-Broadway plays.

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Battlefield Band - This group from Scotland mixes old and new songs, playing them on ancient and modern instruments, including bagpipes, synthesizers, fiddles, and guitars.

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Khac Chi - Unusual music performed on rare, unique native instruments performed by master Vietnamese musicians.

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Joyce Anderson - An up and coming fiddler, who plays and sings both traditional and original material.

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Robin Greenstein - A singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist.Thursday, Mar. 25

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Richard Shindell - Port Washington's craftsman of song.

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Lucy Kaplansky - Singer/songwriter.

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Harlem Blues and Jazz Band - Featured in Ken Burns' documentary, "Jazz," these musicians are veteran performers from the '20s, '30s and '40s. Known as a "walking, playing history of American music."

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Spirit Wing - Three Lenape musicians sing original and traditional songs of the Native American experience.

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NCC Vocal Ensemble

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Reggie Cabico and NCC Student PoetsFriday, Mar. 26

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Spirit Wing - The group returns for a children's concert (10:30 a.m.)

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Peter Yarrow - The legendary artist performs with his daughter, singer/songwriter Bethany Yarrow.

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Little Toby Walker - An accomplished fingerstyle guitarist and singer who draws upon folk, ragtime, country, and blues.

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Hip Hop Hoodios - Latino-Jewish musicians create hip-hop out of Latin rhythms, alternative rock and traditional Jewish music.

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Buddy Merriam and Back Roads - A Long Island bluegrass favorite.

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K.J. Denhert - A performer of urban folk and jazz.

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Eric Schwartz - A singer/songwriter with an offbeat view of the world.

33rd Annual Folk Festival