50th Philadelphia Folk Festival

[JEStanek]

Here are some photos from last weekend's 50th Philadelphia Folk Festival. Thankfully the fest got pushed up a week a couple years ago to meet school openings or fest would have been this week for Hurricane Irene (6 years to the weekend after Katrina hit).

Personal highlights for me were Frank Solivan and Dirty Kitchen (very good band with a fantastic banjo player), Trombone Shorty, and David Bromberg. I had a chance to watch Mike Compton play his Gil F4 with some of the John Hartford String Band (I think I missed there set) and Frank Solivan with Barry Mitterhoff during post fest jams. So wonderful to hear these guys play together. The piper is Dennis Hangey who has been opening the evening concerts at fest forever. He's played more fests than anyone I think.

I didn't take tons of photos of the Fest itself as I was working, it was raining or I'm learning to put down the camera and enjoy the music... This will give a little flavor. The cigarbox instruments were made by a crafter. The dulcimer is made by Archie Smith of North Carolina. I loved the walnut soundholes.

Jamie

[JEStanek]

Here are the others from the jams. I watched Barry, Frank and the others in their circle play for 1.5 hours. What a treat. Two fantastic mandolins very well played. They traded and were struck by how different they were from each other. Barry has an incredible economy of left hand movement. His fingers hardly moved at all.

Jamie

[JEStanek]

One of Mike... Lighting was very low at the jam. I tried to keep the colors true but...

Jamie

[Marty Henrickson]

Nice photos, Jamie. I recognize Barry Mitterhoff and Mike Compton (who else could wear overalls and tie-dye with such ease and style?), who is the Frank you mention? (pardon my ignorance) Looks like a good time!

[JEStanek]

Thanks.

Frank Solivan (a Cafe Member) with Frank Sollivan and Dirty Kitchen.

Jamie

[crazymandolinist]

Thanks to Facebook, I'm tempted to "like" all your photos. Since I can't do that lemme tell you those are some cool sights. That Gilchrist mandolin is pretty much exactly what I'd like to have.

[JEStanek]

There are a few more on my facebook page. I didn't want to clog up the Cafe.

Jamie

[EdHanrahan]

Neat! Haven't been there in quite some time, since my Philly friends moved to West Va.

Nice hardware on the uke: "non-tuning" fork for a tailpiece, and the saddle obviously plays on key!

[journeybear]

There are a few more on my facebook page. I didn't want to clog up the Cafe.

Clog away! Why not? Two of my favorite things - mandolins and festivals - seems relevant to me!

I wanted to go this year - well, I always want to go, but there was extra incentive. This was the 50th, and they had a great lineup. Plus one of my bands was playing on the main stage, instead of just in the campgrounds - the Philadelphia Jug Band. It's been ten years since the last time (also the first time), and that was one of the happiest experiences of my musical career. Would have liked to have made it, but I am now some 1500 miles further away than I used to be. Anyway, I have seen some photos and gotten some reports, and a good time was had by all.



(BTW, at the above link, I am on #1, #3, and #4, on which I also play slide on my steel tenor guitar. Ain't braggin', just sayin'.)

[Ivan Kelsall]

Unless he's got 2 Michael Lewis mandolins,it looks like Frank Solivan's swapped the original ornate tailpiece out for a 'standard' style one. What make of mandolin is Barry Mitterhoff playing ?. I can't quite make out the name in the pic.,it doesn't remind me of a maker that i know of,but i'd bet that he made it sound terrific,he's a great player,
Ivan

[Beanzy]

Love the cigar box pics and the close-up of the mandolins with the confetti are great.

Love to see more.

[journeybear]

There is a ton or two of pics here - 868 of 'em. My buddies are on page 12, there is mando content on pages 19, 29, 25, and - well, you're on your own!

[JEStanek]

Barry is playing a Buckeye. Frank's Lewis has bound f-holes. I think Barry's may have a mahoganny back... I overheard them chatting as I was shooting but not paying close enough attention. The Dirty Kitchen band has a banjo player that sounds like a jazz guitarist! And his bass player is a hoot. Here's a public link to the FB album. Most of those photos are of my daughter and the Great Groove Band which is a recurring band of kids at Fest who practice for 3 days and open the Sunday evening concerts.

Jamie