2024 Folk Festival Line Up

Acacia Sears is a Baltimore-based singer songwriter whose work is rooted in true life stories, thick with metaphor and imagery, percussive while being

poetic. She has released two indie rock albums and one children’s album, and is preparing to record her next indie rock album in the Spring of 2024.

John Darnielle of The Mountain Goats is also a fan, saying "Any songwriter would preen if they wrote melodies like Acacia Sears does; every one's a gem."

Aliza Gottlieb has been singing with her guitar in her room for years. She collaborates and plays for her duo “Rummy in the River,” and always enjoys a good jam sesh. She is excited to share her love of folk music with the splendid community of Takoma Park.

Erin Frisby (they, them), Selena Benally (she,her), and Alyson Cína (she, her) debuted Ammonite on The National Museum for Women in the Arts "The Tea" program launching an inaugural year that included the Fort Reno summer concert series, features on Bandcamp and Country Queer, charting in the top 40 for the year on AltQ radio, headlining Frederick Pride, playing Rockville Pride, and a sold out show at The Rex Theater, as well as the opening night of Artomatic DC 2024. TCGB! has shared the stage with acts like Desert Sharks, Nicole Yun, Quiet Hollers, Twin Limb, Knifing Around, Flowerbomb, and Ecstatic International.

Recently, Ammonite contributed a track to Yesterday and Today: D.C. does Dischord, alongside Ted Leo, The Dismemberment Plan, Outerloop, and J Robbins.

The band just returned from their first tour and has received a Maryland State Arts Council grant for recording new music.

Ammonite is a Maryland-based trio stirring up their love of country, punk, folk, rock, Blues, and roots music to tell stories of Queer joy and heartache, to challenge social oppression, and to celebrate community.

Amor y Luz is a Latin American classical crossover duo providing a transformational experience for audiences through powerful lyrics, sing-alongs, and dance. The duo explores soaring vocal harmonies and a vintage Latin American repertoire informed by their Irish-Afro-Puerto Rican and Czech-Italian-Spanish-American heritages. Kutasha Silva is the ethereal singing siren and professional cellist, and Amy Vitro is the playful “band in a box” piquing listeners’ curiosity about what instrument she will play next. Through performance, the classical crossover duo aims to inspire intercultural dialogue and educate audiences with the extensive contributions of women composers throughout the Americas. Together they are on a mission to spread well-being, joy, and inspiration to all who listen.

Amoreena is an independent singer-songwriter who has written more than 250 songs (and counting). Her music touches on several genres including soft rock, baroque pop, and piano folk. Lyrical themes focus on introspection, her Greek ancestral roots, and current events. With her captivating vocals and compelling storytelling, she invites listeners to embark on a profound journey.

(Those who enjoy Amoreena's music are often fans of Tori Amos, Regina Spektor, Elton John, and Sinead O'Connor.)

Ardmore's specialty is Celtic-flavored folk: 19th-century ballads by Irish emigres longing for home, IRA anthems about teenage martyrs, tongue-twisting sing-alongs like “Rocky Road to Dublin” and beautiful lilting melodies like that of “Wild Mountain Thyme."

Ardmore's four members may have played in bluegrass, rock and jazz bands, but as Ardmore they coalesce around Celtic-flavored folk, from mournful 19th-century ballads penned by emigres of the Irish diaspora to Pogues covers to original tunes about Civil War combatants of Irish descent. Ardmore is comprised of Silver Spring's own Don Walters (mandolin); Matthew Dunne (bass); Eric McCleaf (guitar); and Amy Nazarov (vocals).

Big Sky Quartet is an award-winning folk/roots band from Central Pennsylvania that has been creating and performing original music together for over fifteen years. Named Best Trio (2019) and Best Folk Band (2021) by the Central PA Music Awards, the band is known and loved for its joyful melodies, stand-out three part harmonies, and truly uplifting live performances.

Big Sky Quartet was also awarded Best Album in 2021 for their latest release, Red Fire Rising, featuring original songs written by Sarah Fiore.

Traveling the East Coast and playing small and big stages, Big Sky Quartet connects with diverse audiences wherever they perform–and they bring a whole lot of love and uplift to their crowds.

Blank Page are a high school duo based in Maryland. They found their name from the 2-Time GRAMMY nominated War and Treaty song and that connection furthered when the CMA nominated duo commented praise for Blank Page on Instagram. They are experienced live performers and talented creators of original music. Members of the Americana Music Association, contestant on You God's Music, and participants in the Advanced Songwriting Camp at the Country Music Hall of Fame, are all worthy identities for this talented duo. Filled with joy and gratitude, they spread those feelings throughout their performance. Avery Grace is the powerhouse vocalist of the duo who won the international Celebration of Music contest in 2020, and Jack Robert is the multi-instrumentalist who has performed at the Bluebird Cafe and Ford Theatre. Together they are your new favorite duo, Blank Page.

Praised for their breadth of timbre and emotion, Cello, World captures audiences of all ages with their dynamic musicianship and light-hearted on-stage banter. They infuse their programs with original improvisatory arrangements of both traditional folk tunes and classical music works, taking their audiences on unique auditory adventures.

Notable programs include a series of interactive Sephardic music concerts and a featured segment on the Virginia-based series Live from the Rug Shop. In 2020, their theme and variations based on the Turkish-Ladino melody “Avre Este Abajour” earned them an inaugural emerging artist grant from Emergent Seed, an organization devoted to supporting the careers of DC-based performers.

Committed to community and educational outreach, Cello, World has developed interactive programs for audiences of all ages. Their highest priority is to engage their listeners in active learning and inspire others to think differently and creatively about music.

Cello, World, consists of cellists Susanna Mendlow and Devree Lewis having a good time and playing their favorite music, all while entertaining their audiences along the way. Classical, world music, jazz - they've got it all.

Cherry Blossom Special is a progressive bluegrass band based in the Washington DC area. The band features Nick Cameron on mandolin and vocals, Justin Heath on guitar, Mari Carlson on Fiddle, and Greg Mulley on bass. A truly unique ensemble, each musician draws on a distinct set of influences and together they create a one of a kind sound that bridges the gap between the traditional and the experimental.

A truly unique ensemble, Nick, Justin, Mari and Greg each draw on a distinct set of influences and together they create a one of a kind sound that bridges the gap between the traditional and the experimental.

Cody Summit is a singer/songwriter and roots musician from Baltimore Md. He plays guitar in a fingerpicked style rooted in country blues and traditional folk, and often slide on resonator and weissenborn style guitars. Cody played the Takoma Park Folk Festival in 2022, and had the pleasure of opening for critically acclaimed singer songwriter Charlie Parr in May 2024. Cody is excited to return for the 2024 Takoma Park Folk Festival!

Collide brings together cello and guitar, rock and folk, rural and urban, craftsmanship and creativity for a sound that is inviting, thoughtful, and fun.

Formed in 2019 by Washington, DC singer/songwriter Catherine Messina Pajic and California-bred musician Daniel Ogden, Collide lands at the intersection of indie, folk, country, and rock. Performing and composing since college, Catherine had put her artistic inclinations on hold to raise a family. Then she met Daniel - a rhythm and bass guitarist, drummer, and cellist, who had played in cover bands for decades.

Together, they appear regularly at local pubs, cafes, art shows, and farmers markets, offering original ballads and upbeat songs you can dance to.

They say that Irish immigrants got a taste for corned beef from New York’s kosher butchers, and a new culinary tradition was born.

In the same way, we want to put Irish, Scottish, Eastern European Jewish, and French Canadian dance music and songs into conversation with one another and see what arises. And the sum is greater than its parts. Rollicking bulgars and freylekhs roll into whirling polkas and reels; Yiddish songs of love and solidarity make space for bluegrass solos.

Corned Beef Hash is a trio of seasoned multi-genre, multi-instrumental musicians, with decades of experience bridging traditions and eras. As far as we know, we are the only band in the DC/Maryland/Virginia area—or even the Eastern USA, or even possibly the world—hitching itself to these varied cultural horses and seeing where they’ll take us.

Fanfaire is a DC-based folk trio of female multi-instrumentalists and songwriters, Meredith Wallace, Kimberly Harris and Tanya Aranguren, showcasing three-part harmonies in folksongs that range from haunting to contemplative to anthemic. Meredith Wallace (violin/banjo/mandolin) and Kimberly Harris (rhythm guitar, U-bass) are long time members of DC's 18th Street Singers, a fifty-voice ensemble bringing fresh and accessible choral music to DC. Tanya Aranguren (keyboard/ukulele) is a self-produced folk pop solo artist under Tanya A. Bonded by strong friendship, the band retreats to Lost River, WV regularly to write and arrange music. In 2023, they released their trio of debut singles and are currently recording a full length album with the working title of Lost River Sessions.

Fire in the River is a folk-rock-pop collaboration of Washington, DC area musicians, Dahna Goldstein, Abby Martin, and Sumner McRae. Their music features original songwriting, textured acoustic arrangements, and plenty of three-part vocal harmony. The band, who met as teammates on the Washington Wolves women's ice hockey team, have been playing music (and hockey) together since 2011.

Award winning funky-folk artist Freddy Hall, deemed "a true artist of the human condition" by Performer Magazine, has a natural gift of entertaining. As a passionate storyteller, Hall fuses compelling lyrics with captivating melodies and groovy music. Freddy has played guitar for many Tony Award winning Broadway shows, and his musicality has been featured on Disney+ and This American Life. Freddy's single, "That's What You Do" earned him a WAMMIE Award (Washington, DC) and became a finalist for The Great American Song Contest.

Currently Freddy is playing guitar for the new Broadway production of "The Outsiders," with music written by the beloved Americana group Jamestown Revival. Hall is working on an EP and a fall tour.

Gabriel Koempel is a multifaceted musician and visual artist known for his captivating live performances and innovative compositions. A multi-instrumentalist and audio professional, Gabriel's debut album, Cinemagraphs, features 11 original compositions that span a variety of genres including jazz, classical, folk, traditional, orchestral, film, neo-soul, and R&B. This album, a testament to his versatility and artistic vision, showcases collaborations with friends and colleagues from his university days. In addition to his work as a performer and producer, Gabriel is also an educator, dedicated to inspiring the next generation of musicians. Whether on stage or in the studio, Gabriel Koempel delivers a performance that resonates deeply with audiences. Don't miss the chance to experience his dynamic artistry live at the Takoma Park Folk Festival!

What do you get when you combine a Funky drummer & bassist, with Reggae Blues vocalists & guitarists? Groovadelics - Reggae Soul Rock with a Funky backdrop! DMV grown featuring Dean Simmonds (vocals), Kevin Brown (bass), Gustavo Solares (vocals/guitar), David Grinspoon (vocals/guitar) and John Ackerly (drums). Coming at you to make you dance, Takoma Park's own Groovadelics!

Happy Lime is Amy, Priscilla, and Teresa who perform funky chill covers with a bunch of 3 part harmonies.

Henry is an acoustic artist based in DC. Originally from Austin, Texas, he grew up around music his whole life, learning drums, mandolin, and guitar. He is currently travelling up and down the east coast busking, playing open mics and small gigs.

For two decades, ilyAIMY has played everywhere - bait shops to biker weeks to clothing-optional resorts - nationwide. Similarly adventurous songwriters, the band features multiple lead singers, innovative acoustic guitar, and even beatboxing. Rapid-fire lyricism is softened with cello and lush harmonies for "a welcome jolt in folk" as likely to rock out as break into a barbershop quartet. “Imagine, if you will, the rhythm section of Earth Wind and Fire teamed up with the folk sensibilities of Steeleye Span and you will have ilyAIMY,” says Vance Gilbert. And they bring that same infectious energy, eclectic musicianship, and hilarious stage banter to festival stages and living room house concerts alike.

Jade is a DMV born-and-bred artist who has spent her professional career in the local DC theatre space and returned to music over the past 3-4 years, writing for the last two. She has played at local bars, porch-fests, and open mics in Greenbelt, Bethesda, and DC. Professionally, now, Jade works with college theatre students across the country as the membership coordinator for the honors organization Alpha Psi Omega.

Jade draws inspiration from Paul Simon, Joni Mitchell, Taylor Swift, Olive Klug, and Jensen McCrae, among many others. In her free time, she crochets, paints, works on her children's novel, watches Dimension 20, hikes, and hangs out with her 14-year-old tuxedo cat, Miss Wanda.

John W. Warren is a classical guitarist, composer, and publisher, originally from Santa Cruz, California, now residing in the Washington, DC area. Specializing in Latin American classical guitar, Warren performs his own cmpositions as well as the music from Brazil, Cuba, Spain, and Latin America. Warren has performed in the United States, Brazil, Peru, Mexico, and Spain. Warren is the Director and Associate Professor of the Graduate Program in Publishing at George Washington University.

Bruno Lucini is a percussionist & Drummer who demonstrates through his music an openness to the world’s cultural diversity and its wide vocabulary of rhythms and instruments. As a world-fusion musician, he performs a unique hybrid/mix set of percussion & drums, showcasing coordination, independence and Polyrhythms. Originally from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and now residing in Washington, DC, Lucini performs Samba, Forro, Bossa and Brazilian Jazz, as well as Salsa, Son, Songo, Timba, and Latin Jazz.

John W. Warren, on classical, acoustic, and electric guitar, with Bruno Lucini, an amazing percussionist from Brazil, perform Latin Classical Psychedelic: rhythmic and melodic music from Brazil, Latin America, and Spain; classic popular and jazz instrumentals from the 50s and 60s; original compositions; and instrumental arrangements of contemporary music.

'We are unlike anything else, crossing multiple boundaries and genres. Our repertoire exceeds 125 pieces of Brazilian, Latin, classical, jazz, folk, electronica romantica, and other genres, all performed by memory. Audiences invariably love our music, which is both familiar and quite different, relaxing yet musically interesting. As was said about the Grateful Dead: "We are not the best at what we do; we are the only ones who do what we do." '

Juels Bland is a local singer songwriter. And possibly other things.

Karen Collins & the Backroads Band play classic country music. Their original songs have an authentic vintage sound and include shuffles, two-steps, and buckle-polishing slow tunes.The twang continues with a list of covers that range from Hank Williams and Ernest Tubb, to Patsy Cline and Loretta Lynn, with dashes of rockabilly (Wanda Jackson and Chuck Berry) thrown in.

Lead by Karen Collins, a coal miner’s daughter from Southwest VA (vocals, rhythm guitar), the band features Ira Gitlin (lead guitar & vocals), James Key(bass) and Pat Puglisi (drums & vocals). The band has recorded three CDs, "Tail Light Blues", “No Yodeling on The Radio” and "Daddy Can I Use The Car". All three recordings feature original songs penned by band members as well as couple of well chosen covers. The CDs have received airplay and enthusiastic reviews in the US, Canada, and Europe.

Karen Collins & The Backroads Band are one of the Washington, DC area's top honky-tonk bands. The band has won multiple WAMMIE (Washington Area Music Association) awards: Karen – “Country Vocalist,” Ira – “Country Instrumentalist,” Karen Collins & The Backroads Band – “Country Duo/Group.”

Laura Baron is an accomplished singer-songwriter, known for her ability to inspire and entertain. Her unique blend of indie folk, finger snapping jazz, and world influences adds depth and richness to her songs, making her award winning music both engaging and inspiring.

Through her body of work Laura has a remarkable talent for delving into the heart of the matter. Her captivating voice and compelling lyrics transport the audience to magical places creating a truly immersive experience.

Laura has received many awards and recognition for her work, including several Wammies for her album, "Heart of the Great Unknown." She is also the winner of four Mid-Atlantic Song Contest Gold Awards. Her latest album, "Beauty in the Broken," produced by Marco Delmar will be released in Oct. 2024.

"...discover a voice you need to hear." -- WPFW FM

Laura Baron wakes up each day with a pen in her hand and a song waiting to emerge. Her songs are a unique blend of indie folk, blues and jazz with world influences. Her many albums have won much acclaim including several Wammies for her album, "Heart of the Great Unknown." She is joined today by the amazing Jon Nazdin on bass and Cletus Kennelly who will be adding awesome harmonies. Laura's newest album, "Beauty in the Broken" is set for an Oct. 24 release.

Lea Holz is an emergent singer-songwriter and Wisconsin native who performed her way across the American West, Midwest, and South before landing in Washington, DC. Specializing in soulful ballads with confessional lyrics, Lea’s stirring original songs resonate at the intersection of love, loss, and the complex nature of our emotional lives. When she’s not sipping coffee over a candlelit keyboard, you can find Lea performing music around DC’s vibrant open mic scene.

Lulu’s Fate is a trio based in the Washington, DC area, performing a variety of traditional American music as well as original and “new traditional” songs and tunes. Comprised of Tom Espinola (guitar, mandolin & vocals), Kristen Jones (cello & vocals) and Kara Bolling (vocals), the group combines virtuosic instrumentals with tight three-part harmonies to create new interpretations of traditional Appalachian music. They also mix in a variety of country blues, Dixieland, sea chanteys, southern string band tunes, covers ranging from Hank Williams to Tom Waits, and original instrumental tunes.

Their performance roster includes the Washington Folk Festival, Takoma Park Folk Festival, Kingman Island Bluegrass & Folk Festival, Institute of Musical Traditions, and the Calvert Marine Museum. They were a showcase artist at the 2014 Southeast/Northeast Regional Folk Alliance conference. Their debut EP, “The Blackest Crow,” was voted Best Debut Recording by the Washington Area Music Association in 2014.

Lynn Hollyfield Blend a powerful singer, crisp acoustic guitar player and a heartfelt observer of the world and you have, Singer-Songwriter, Lynn Hollyfield. Her “indie-folk-pop style” (Leicasterbangs, UK) reflects an infusion of many influences including great jazz artists, such as Ella Fitzgerald, to more contemporary influences of Patty Griffin, Carrie Newcomer, Mary Chapin Carpenter. The resulting blend is her own voice mingling wit, a smoky sweetness and thoughtful reverie to her songwriting and performance.

Look Up, a new release from Singer Songwriter, Lynn Hollyfield, is a striking collection of 12 original songs, set in beautiful arrangements. The arrangements feature voice, guitar, ukulele, piano and vibraphone, all of which illuminate Hollyfield’s multi-instrumental skill and versatile singing style. Hollyfield’s songs have well-crafted melodies, stand-alone lyrics and marked emotional depth. The songs explore a variety of genres including contemporary folk, jazz, blues and one with a bossa nova feel. Timely themes including climate change, women’s rights, love, relationships, moving forward, comfort and empathy, finding our way and bringing light into the world. Special guest artists add their magic to some of the tunes and include Tom Prasada-Rao, Jess Eliot Myhre, Kristen Jones (ilyAIMY) and John Peiffer. Just Begin, Jezebel and Liam’s Lullaby were recent winners in MidAtlantic Songwriting Contest for Folk, Jazz/Vocal and Children’s Categories respectively.

Lynn's songwriting has received multiple awards in the MidAtlantic Songwriting Contest, India International Song Writing Contest, UK Songwriting Contest and Post Music Awards. Lynn has received multiple WAMMIE Nominations for best Folk Vocalist, Artist of the Year, Songwriter of the Year and Best Albums of the Year for Layers and In the Balance. Lynn Hollyfield supports other musicians by hosting a popular open mic for the Songwriter's Association of Washington at the New Deal Cafe in Greenbelt, MD, produces Concerts at the Homegrown Coffeehouse, Accokeek, MD and is the Music Director for the Celebration Center for Spiritual Living, Falls Church, VA.

Marilyn Hucek, is an American-Chilean Artist and singer-songwriter born in Washington D.C.. After dreaming of being a pop star since before she can remember, Marilyn auditioned for The Voice with hopes of finally starting her career. After not securing a spot on the TV show, Marilyn had all but lost hope in a career as an artist. During the stay-at-home order of 2020 her father, who suffered from early onset Alzheimer’s, contracted coronavirus. Marilyn returned to songwriting, which she had used to express her emotions since she was young, and gave life to a special song she dedicated to her father and soon became her debut single, "Memories". Since then, Marilyn has released several singles and two EP's which collectively received more than four million streams on Spotify. Marilyn is currently working on new music, and plans to release an EP in 2024.

For more than 20 years, composer and multi-instrumentalist Mark Sylvester has regularly performed around the Washington, DC, area as a solo guitarist, as a singer/songwriter, and with numerous folk, world, classical, rock, and jazz groups. His recordings of original compositions include music for solo acoustic guitar, award-winning chamber music for classical banjo, and scores for live site-specific theater productions. Mark's primary musical influences and interests include folk and world music, cool jazz, prog rock, minimalism, American primitive and contemporary guitar music, and J.S. Bach.

Introduced to the guitar at age nine by her father, himself a singer/songwriter, Michelle Swan has pursued a musical path ever since. After studying classical musical and clarinet performance at Towson State University, Michelle entered the Baltimore-Washington acoustic folk music scene in 1990, performing at local open-mics and coffeehouses. She currently has 3 full length recordings of original music and continues to record and perform all over the DC metro area and beyond.

Self-reflective and acutely observant, Michelle deftly weaves lyric and note together to create intensely personal songs that tell of sentiments and circumstances nonetheless familiar to everyone.

She currently has 3 full length recordings of original music and continues to record and perform all over the DC metro area and beyond. Self-reflective and acutely observant, Michelle deftly weaves lyric and note together to create intensely personal songs that tell of sentiments and circumstances nonetheless familiar to everyone.

"Enemy in my Scope," cowritten with Ranger Dave Williams, who the song is written about, won the Gold Award for Best Song in the the Folk Acoustic Category in the Mid Atlantic Songwriting Contest and 3rd place Grand Prize for overall Best Song.

Founded in 2014, Miyako Taiko is a Japanese drumming group based in the Washington DC area and part of the Mark H Taiko School.

Miyako Taiko aims to strengthen its members’ practice of taiko, develop relationships within the taiko community, and broaden public knowledge of the art and traditions of taiko.

In Japanese, taiko simply means "drum," though the term has also come to refer to the art of Japanese drumming, also known as kumi-daiko

Taiko has been part Japanese culture for centuries: in war (to send signals and intimidate enemies), in Buddhist and Shinto religion, in Noh and Kabuki theater.

The art of kumi-daiko, performing as a group, is relatively new - from the 1950s

Created by Daihachi Oguchi, a jazz drummer who wondered why taiko were never played together, he formed the first taiko drum ensemble.

Taiko has spread around the world, with groups ranging from professional touring ensembles to school and collegiate groups, to community taiko groups like us!

No Part of Nothin’, a Maryland/Washington DC-area based band, plays bluegrass and classic country songs featuring tight harmonies, great stories, original songwriting, and virtuoso lead work by some of the region’s best bluegrass pickers. From the festival stage to local clubs and restaurants, this band is attracting attention. They were named as a Wammie 2021 finalist for best bluegrass band.   

The band features Michelle Murray on vocals and guitar, Jeff Karn on mandolin and vocals, Vince Forcier on bass and vocals and Keith Arneson, a former member of the U.S. Navy band, Country Current, on banjo and vocals.

The band has received airplay on Bluegrass Country Radio, The Bluegrass Jamboree, and WAMU's Open Mic Program, and performs regularly in the D.C. Metropolitan area.

They have also appeared at prestigious venues including The Birchmere, Union Stage, The Sultanna Downrigging Festival, The State Theatre, and the Circa Blue Festival where the opened up for the Seldom Scene.

During its history the Poor Ellen Smith band went through several changes in personnel. The band got its start with Stephen Galbraith and Armin Hadamer, both guitar. They produced a CD called "The Back Porch Sessions" in 2008. Soon after they were joined by Barry Brian (bass) and Howard Parks (harmonica). Then Barry and Stephen left, Matt Kramer (guitar), Lara Suppan (vocals), and Steven Miller (bass) came on board. The sound got a bit jazzier, which can be heard on some of the 2011 recordings. Then the band was blown in all directions. It was in 2017 that Armin and Barry resuscitated Poor Ellen Smith with the help of Jim Salman (guitar). They recorded a few songs in 2018. In 2019 Jeff Becker (bass) replaced Barry and Chris Curro joined on percussion. The band has been active in the greater Washington area and played venues like the Takoma Park Festival, Hank Dietle's, New Deal Cafe, Sandy Springs Museum, Beans in the Belfry, Potomac Overlook Regional Park, and others.

Poor Ellen Smith is a seasoned Americana band bringing to you the songs and acoustic guitar sounds of vintage Bluegrass, Blues and Country. The band proves that the musical traditions of icons like Doc Watson and Norman Blake are as strong as ever.

Imagine the voice of Sara Bareilles mixed with the honesty of Joni Mitchell and the poetic lyricism of Ani DiFranco. If there's one word to describe Rebecca Berlin it is alchemy. Her musical style, “folk with a twist”-blends the narrative quality of traditional folk with elements of jazz and musical theater, and she is known for unique melodies and song structures, vulnerable storytelling and a voice that cuts through the noise. After taking a 13 year break from music to pursue dance and build her career as a Pilates/Yoga/Gyrotonic teacher, Rebecca burst back into the music scene in 2023 and is rapidly gaining attention as a writer, singer and performer. Past releases include “Anatomy of a Breakdown” (2006), and “Grief Triptych” (2023); her upcoming album, “Questions and Answers”, is set to release in the Fall of 2024.

Growing up between Medellín and DC, SOROCHE’s founder and songwriter Richard Benjumea always felt trapped in a cultural purgatory; never fully belonging to any one country. He found comfort in his parents' Cumbia and Vallenato, as he did with the Punk and Ska he would later discover in his teenage years. Looking for an outlet to mix all these sounds together, he found like-minded musical misfits hailing from Colombia, Mexico, Bolivia, and the US. SOROCHE sings original songs in Spanish and English, with themes that cover the entire immigrant experience.

Born in DC, based in Baltimore, SOROCHE seeks to transmogrify Cumbia, Punk, Ska, folk, and everything in between into a danceable alchemy that crosses cultural dancefloors.

Hailing from Washington, DC, Samiah is an up and coming Rock Artist/Front Woman, with a penchant for writing infectious tunes and relatable narratives. Inspired by internationally acclaimed Artists like Evanescence, Incubus and 10 Years, Samiah’s music journey began as a way to expressed nuanced emotions through music, where words fail. Being an avid storyteller, Samiah is greatly influenced by real life, drawing inspiration for her music from personal experiences and hardships, allowing her to invoke strong emotions in people. Apart from invoking emotions, Samiah also seems to have a unique innate competency to ingeniously present music in multiple styles, all while maintaining a consistent brand, one of the factors that make this artist one to keep an eye out for. Leading her band, with the same name (Samiah), the empowering female musician seeks to positively influence society with her music, and is well on her way to becoming one of the most phenomenal artists in our generation.

Award-winning songwriter Steven Gellman is a quintessential Americana/Folk singer with "insightful original songs and homespun stories [that] provide a soul-warming folk rock respite in a busy, chilly world." (Donn B. Murphy, The National Theater) His songs tell stories of everyday life wrapped in notes that will have you humming along in a style that Billboard Magazine has described as "intensely sensitive and impressively intelligent at the same time.” Gellman has performed at acclaimed venues such as the Birchmere and Club Passim and has opened for the likes of Al Stewart, Richie Havens, Dar Williams, and Cheryl Wheeler among others. The Steven Gellman Trio features Seth Kibel, the Mid-Atlantics premier woodwind specialist on flute, clarinet and sax, and Margaret Wolfe (formerly of Venus Rising), on harmony vocals, harmonica and percussion.

You've been told to stay away from strangers.

It's time you ignore that advice and embrace Strangers That Clique, a band that's taking the DC area by storm with its unique fusion of funk, hip hop, and rock.

Finalists for Best Funk Band and Best Funk Song in the 2024 Washington Area Music Awards (Wammies), Strangers That Clique shines like a beacon of toe-tapping creativity in today's world of samples, DJs and stale radio rock.

Tight beats, pounding bass, roaring guitars, slick rhymes, majestic horns, passionate vocals and memorable, daneable hooks define the band, which calls DC home and crafts original tunes that stand out from region's sea of cover bands. Have a seat and hit play, and you'll discover these Strangers have the grooves you've always wanted but thought you'd never find.

The band's newest album, The Heavy After Hours (2024), is available NOW on all streaming platforms and is a culmination of their creativity since their inception in 2018.

The Takoma Mandoleers Mandolin and Guitar Orchestra was founded in 1923 in Takoma Park by Herman von Bernewitz, and is now based in Arlington, Virginia. Our repertoire includes folk, international, classical, contemporary and typical music of the early 20th century mandolin orchestra. Conductor Ernesto Lima-Parets studied in Cuba’s Selective Art Education Schools System, earned a master’s degree in conducting from Georgia State University and is assistant conductor of the Georgetown University Orchestra. Past conductor and summer workshop conductor Nicoletta Moss Miller earned a master’s degree in conducting from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and is pursuing a doctorate in musical arts at the University of Kentucky.

The Takoma Mandoleers Mandolin and Guitar Orchestra was founded in Takoma Park, Maryland in 1923 and is now based in Arlington, Virginia. New members are always welcome.

Your friendly neighborhood anti-fascist klezmish band!

We are making our ancestors proud, playing the original anti-fascist music: klezmer, spreading joy, building community and standing up against fascism.

Based out of Mt. Pleasant, DC, and playing throughout the DMV, Two Dollar Bill tells lyrically-driven stories of heartbreak, change, and self-reflection through sweet harmonies and set-stealing lead guitar. Americana for fans of Gillian Welch & Dave Rawlings, Neil Young, the Secret Sisters and New Riders of the Purple Sage.

Two Dollar Bill is deeply inspired by folk traditions, both here and globally. Members of the group come from diverse musical backgrounds and are thrilled to share their original songs with the beautiful community of Takoma Park today.

The Washington Balalaika Society was founded in 1988 by a group of Washington-area musicians interested in studying and performing the music of Russia, Ukraine and Eastern Europe on traditional Russian folk instruments including the balalaika, domra, bayan, gusli, and some wind and percussion instruments.

The Society's initial membership of eight has grown to more than 50 and the WBS orchestra is now the largest of its kind in America, with musicians of all ages and at all levels from beginner to professional. We welcome experienced musicians who can read music and want to learn to play our instruments to join us.

The Orchestra presents more than a dozen concerts each year, including our annual Spring and Fall Series, as well as at festivals, parks, in concert series and at other public and private venues, and we've expanded our repertoire to include music of many cultures.

The WBS Orchestra currently has openings for string, wind and percussion instrument players, as well as vocalists. Musicians with some experience (though not necessarily with Russian instruments), and the ability to read music, are encouraged to contact us to find out about how you can get involved. A limited number of 'loaner' instruments are available, and lessons are offered on balalaika, domra and bayan. We also welcome folk interested in helping with publicity and management operations of the orchestra. We hope you enjoy our music and will consider joining us!