Lowell Lecture
Mill Talk Panel Discussion: Many Voices, One Mission
Date & Time
April 2, 2024 at 7 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
Location
Arsenal Center for the Arts
321 Arsenal Street Watertown, MA 02472
Driving Directions
Speaker(s)
THE FOLK COLLECTIVE: The Folk Collective is a quarterly gathering of twelve select artists, musicians, and cultural thought leaders. Through an active exchange of ideas, creative collaboration, and partnership, we aim to foster and develop sustainable channels to invite and welcome diverse audiences, artists, and conversations to the Passim stage.
Alastair Moock is an award-winning singer-songwriter; a Grammy-nominated family musician; social justice and Songwriting educator for all ages; and co-founder of The Opening Doors Project, an anti-racist music organization. The Boston Globe calls him "one of the town's best and most adventurous songwriters," and The Washington Post says, "every song is a gem."
Anju is a singer, songwriter, producer, and performer shaped by the people and places in Minnesota and Massachusetts. Their music conjures imaginary lovers, scents of citrus, and visions of hairy brown skin under the sun. Anju was highlighted by NPR's All Songs Considered as an outstanding Tiny Desk Contest entrant. They are currently teaching young musicians piano, violin, and guitar and working on their debut full-length album.
Maxfield Anderson is an American roots multi-instrumentalist, teacher, writer, and music director living in Somerville, MA. As an artist, Maxfield aims to bring new light to honored traditions and to share the joy of making music with others.
Award-winning Tlingit artist Kim Moberg was born in Juneau, Alaska, and currently calls Cape Cod, MA home. Kim began playing guitar at age 14, but severe stage fright kept her from becoming a professional performer. In 2014 Kim set out to overcome her stage fright and wrote her first song. Kim teamed with Grammy-nominated producer Jon Evans to record two albums: "Above Ground" and "Up Around The Bend." Both have received worldwide airplay, charting on the Folk Alliance International Folk DJ charts and the NACC Radio charts. Kim and Jon are collaborating on her third album, which features songs that tie ancient prophecies to our current social environment. Kim's recognitions include the 2021 Rocky Mountain Songwriting Contest Finalist, the 2021 Great American Songwriting Contest Folk/Americana Finalist, and the 2020 CT Folk Grassy Hill Songwriting Competition Winner.
Lydia "LovelySinger" Harrell is one of Boston's musical treasures. Her sultry, soulful voice and evocative songwriting have garnered her the attention and respect of the nation's finest musicians and venues. Jazz and soul are where her heart is; however, Harrell has shown an unbreakable ability to mold herself into any musical situation. Whether performing with the Boston Pops, serenading NBA fans with America's national anthem, or lending her vocal talents to chart-topping deep house singles by British record label Reel People Music, Harrell's dedication to extracting the pure essence of the song is unmatched. In addition to her accomplishments as a musical artist, Lydia is a film/TV, voiceover, and theater actress.
Made up of a diverse cohort of twelve artists in the Greater Boston region, The Folk Collective has taken this challenge head-on, performing concerts in the club as well as out in the community that righteously push the boundaries of folk music…from themed concerts like Re-Imagining Lilith Fair to curated festivals such as We Black Folk to timely shows like the Indigenous Peoples Day event and the Inaugural Pride Month Celebration… The Folk Collective is not simply talking the talk. They walk it.
But it hasn’t been easy. Getting twelve talented artists of wildly diverse backgrounds together, most of whom did not know each other, to join forces, collaborate, and have hard discussions is not simple. Thankfully there was a plan. The Collective meet frequently and consistently to plan, to hash out, to discuss, to share meals…In doing so, they’ve become their own community.
And now, as the Collective is deep in the middle of its second and final season (a new cohort will be chosen for 2024-2026 season), one of the most exciting developments is the plan to use what has worked (and what hasn’t) from this exciting trailblazing initiative and create a template for other organizations to follow. Plans are in the works for The Folk Collective to present at the annual Folk Alliance conference. Other organizations around the country are taking notice of what Passim has tried to accomplish and are intrigued. Is this something that can be replicated? If so, what are the tools organizations need? The Folk Collective hope to answer those questions. They are a broad representation of a community, performing music “of the people” for their community.
Simply put, they are folk musicians.
Presenting Organization
Charles River Museum of Industry and Innovation
Contact
Bob Perry (director@charlesrivermuseum.org, 7812168723)
It's always been difficult to define folk music. It's always been difficult to define folk music. Digging back into history and across continents, it arguably derives from the German term volksmusik or "music of the people." So why is it then that for the last 50 years or so, the term conjures a very specific, consistent image, that of white men and women strumming guitars and singing in coffeehouses? Touchstones of Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, and John Prine are all worthy torchbearers of a genre, but that does not tell a full story and does not fully represent the "music of the people." So why is it then that for the last 50 years or so, the term conjures a very specific, consistent image, that of white men and women strumming guitars and singing in coffeehouses? Touchstones of Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, and John Prine are all worthy torchbearers of a genre, but that does not tell a full story and does not fully represent the "music of the people."
The Folk Collective, a cohort of twelve artists, musicians, artist-activists, and thought leaders, was created in 2022 by the arts non-profit organization and presenter Club Passim to address the challenge of representation and narrow definition in folk music. Passim has been at the center and forefront of folk music in this country for more than half a century, so the organization felt a duty to reframe the narrative and take action to create real change.
The panel discussion with the Folk Collective will explore folk music's historical roots and question why it's been narrowly defined. It aims to challenge this limited perspective by highlighting diverse voices and experiences often sidelined within the genre. Through inclusivity and authenticity, the discussion seeks to redefine folk music as truly reflective of the rich tapestry of human expression. This marks a pivotal moment in reshaping the narrative and fostering a more inclusive community within the genre.