boch center

It has been an insane few weeks, which is an understatement to say the least since that could apply to the entirety of 2020 if not the last four years. We don’t mean to lay our politics out there, but whatever your beliefs, 2020 can’t end soon enough.   

Luckily, we were able to talk to the multi-talented Kemp Harris to bring a little light into this terrible year.  Kemp is a quintuple threat – actor, songwriter, composer, singer, storyteller – and we are probably missing a few other talents in there.  

Kemp was a teacher in Boston for 40 years and has gone on to be a powerful presence on the stage, from your local coffeeshop to the Boch Center stage, his open armed and vulnerable approach to his work make for must watch and must listen performances.  

Kemp and Chuck sat in an empty restaurant to talk about current events, storytelling, teaching, living and performing your beliefs rather than poking the bear.    

That will make more sense when you listen.  

As we were told by our friend Ralph Jaccodine, Kemp is the real deal. 

It’s hard to know where to start when talking about our next great artist. And it wasn’t a surprise to Hallways when Joe Spaulding asked Kevin Roosevelt Moore, Aka Keb’ Mo’, to be an honorary Chair at the FARHOF.

Over 25 years, Keb’ Mo’ has collected 5 GRAMMY Awards for his Blues-meets-Americana Signature sound. If you haven’t had the pleasure to hear his work in action, just picture a musical cross between the legendary blues of Robert Johnson and infectious groove of Jack Johnson

Keb’ Mo’ will connect with you at his show, or even on film. He’s collaborated with some of the most talented and respected artists and directors of our time. And when President Obama invites you to perform at “A celebration of American creativity” at the White House along with the likes of Buddy Guy, James Taylor, Usher, Carol Burnett and Esperanza Spalding... you’re in pretty good company.

We sat with Mr. Moore at Berklee School of Music and talked about putting musicians into musical buckets, collaborative writing and how women need to be in charge.  

We look forward to having our honorary Chair, GRAMMY winning, Blues-Americana guest Keb’ Mo’ join us someday at the FARHOF / Boch Center, and we hope you enjoy this conversation as much as we did.

Ani DiFranco’s music, songwriting and performances are only part of the story of her success as an artist that rings true in the Folk Americana Roots extended family. It’s also the connection to those who have grown up with her and the ongoing conversation she has with her audience. This is the essence of the Folk artist, that engagement with the people, whether in person, or straight from the vinyl or the streaming platform.   

Ani began her musical journey at the age of 9 in Buffalo, NY. House concerts, open mics, and a caring folk family helped give rise to this GRAMMY winning artist with 20 albums in her archives to date. Through The Righteous Babe Foundation she has supported multiple grassroots cultural and political organizations and causes including abortion, gay and women’s rights to name only a tiny fraction.   

Ani has recorded with Prince, performed with Cyndi Lauper, and has been covered by Chuck D of Public Enemy. And although her roots are in folk, her collaborative spirit reverberates throughout a diverse musical catalog.  She also released in 2019 her memoir No Walls and The Recurring Dream which you can purchase on her website at righteousbabe.com.  

In this episode of HALLWAYS, Ani talks about being mentored by her folk community at open mics and the importance of pushing that envelope as far as you can. And it was as if Joe Spaulding, our fearless FARHOF leader and CEO of The Boch Center in Boston had whispered in Ani’s ear our mission statement when she emphatically offered… “When it’s the music of the people, the people have something to say!” 

In January 2020, the Folk Americana Roots Hall of Fame journeyed to New Orleans for the annual Folk Alliance  International Conference. The meeting brought together the artists and supporters who keep storytelling alive and well, and it is a unique opportunity for all musicians of different generations and styles to listen, perform and learn. Over the next 3 months, the Hallways team will bring the meeting to you through music and conversation… starting with Executive Director of the FAI, Aengus Finnan. 

Since 2014, Aengus has led the Alliance, and he happens to be the first non-American Director – A Dublin-born, Canadian-raised artist and humanitarian. Aengus knows first hand the touring life of a folk musician, and has recorded three of his own albums, including award winning songs. He has produced highly successful music festivals, and as an administrator of the arts, he has seen the importance of musical culture and community. As a musical anthropologist of sorts, Aengus teaches us all about the music of “Americana before America” and that we cannot lose sight of our roots of Folk. 

We were honored to get to know Mr. Finnan and have a conversation about where the Folk Alliance has been and where it is heading. We talk about the voice of the Indigenous artist that cannot be forgotten, and should be celebrated, and the responsibility we have to care for ourselves and others, and a planet that allows us to keep sharing the story, from one generation to the next.

Hallways is created in Partnership with the Boch Center and Above The Basement – Boston Music and Conversation. 

www.folkamericanarootshalloffame.org

www.abovethebasement.com

https://www.folk.org

Hallways is proud to report that our next guest Patty Griffin has received a 2020 Grammy award! This is the third Grammy for our friend Patty Griffin, a New Englander from Maine with with a heart in Boston heritage and a love for music that goes back to her family roots in Ireland.   

We caught up with Patty just before her performance at the 60th anniversary of Club Passim event at the Boch Center’s Schubert Theater.   

As an artist covered by music icons from Emmylou Harris to Kelly Clarkson, it is obvious how her music resonates with so many people. All you need to do is listen to her and a guitar on stage to appreciate all she contributes, down her own Hallway of this music culture and the Folk Americana Roots Hall Of Fame.