Folk and Traditional Music

Upstate

Nothing
compares with being in the midst of a group,
singing with good courage. From my soprano
days in a boys’ choir to leading audiences
on choruses, it’s the most fun that I’ve ever
had and continues to be so.

Voices of New York

Sara Milonovich, a brilliant fiddler, singer, songwriter, and bandleader, released her CD Daisycutter in 2009. Described as “rural roots with an urban/world edge,” this album’s songs and music encompass folk, bluegrass, Celtic, zydeco, and American roots-rock music.

Songs to Keep

This essay describes the Traditional Arts of Upstate New York (TAUNY) project to share the documentation of traditional folk music of the North Country with recordings made between 1942 and 1967 by Marjorie Lansing Porter (1891–1973), with the production of a 40-page songbook, a 17-song CD, and a PBS documentary.

Hilt Kelly

Hilt and Stella Kelly and the Sidekicks were long central to Roxbury’s annual Fiddlers! programs, which started in 1994. Not only during these years but long before, Hilt and his music were important to old-time square dancing and music throughout the Catskills
region.

Remembering Yacub Addy

Yacub Addy, Ghanaian drum master from Latham, New York. A master of traditional music of the Ga ethnic group, a creator of new works rooted in tradition, and a committed educator, Yacub Addy is part of the renowned Addy family of drummers, singers, and dancers from Avenor, Accra, Ghana.

Good Read

Finally, there is a book worthy of Caffè Lena’s rich history. This big, beautiful, oversized hardcover is a love letter to the Caffè, the many musicians who’ve graced Lena’s tiny stage, and to folk music itself.

Artist Spotlight: Devesh Chandra

Artist Spotlight: Devesh Chandra

DEVESH CHANDRA has been learning the Tabla since the age of 3. He learned Indian Classical Music by accompanying his mother, renowned Sitar exponent Veena Chandra and he continues to perform with her.  Their mother and son duo has received national and international...

Joanie Madden

Irish flute player, Joanie Madden is named a 2021 National Heritage Fellow by the National Endowment for the Arts.

Upstate

The author’s search for a humorous song, collected by Frank and Anne Warner from Lena Bourne Fish who was born in the Adirondack region.

Upstate

An essay about the present and future of Adirondack folk music and the places to hear it.