SCHEDULE: (click on a name to find out more about the performer)

FRIDAY, JULY 16
11am-12pm Big Fish
12pm-1pm Mark Hobbs
1pm-3pm The Bluestem Reunion Band
3pm-4pm Mary, Merv & Don
4pm-6pm SMALL POTATOES

Indoor Music: TBA
Olivia Kaspyk, harp
Jaime Encalada, South American pan flute

 

SATURDAY, JULY 17
11am-12pm The Beaumonts
12pm-1pm Macyn Taylor
1pm-2pm Kent Rose
2pm-3pm Jim Green "The Wandering Endorphin"
3pm-4pm Trillium
4pm-5pm Amy Dixon Kolar
5pm-7pm LOU & PETER BERRYMAN

Indoor Music:
Mim Eichman, hammered dulcimer
Dave Kolars, guitar

 

SUNDAY, JULY 18
11am-3pm Open Mic - (that means YOU can perform!) contact Off Square Music to schedule your performance! A few half hour slots remain open- email Don to sign up!

Indoor Music:
Lillian Reasor, Irish harp

 

FEATURED PERFORMERS AT THE FAIR:

SMALL POTATOES
www.smallpotatoesmusic.com

“Jacquie Manning and Rich Prezioso combine cleverly witty with powerfully poignant songs, along with well chosen covers to present an unusually entertaining and involving repertoire engagingly delivered. Prezioso's song "1000 Candles, 1000 Cranes" is one of the most outstanding songs of the past 50 years." Rich Warren The Midnight Special - WFMT Radio, Chicago, IL. We are proud to present Small Potatoes at the Fair for you on Friday.

 

LOU & PETER BERRYMAN
www.louandpeter.com

"...the musical chemistry only gets better with time. The Berrymans offer refreshing observations on the human condition in a style blending folk music with musical comedy. And they manage to translate it all into hilarious
songs that have become folk classics, including "Double Yodel," "A Chat with your Mother," "Your State's Name Here," and "Cow Imagination." The humor draws on Lou's gifts as a melody writer, accordion player, and vocal comedienne, as well as Peter's guitar and vocal skills and extraordinary lyric writing... Few can resist laughing out loud by the middle of the second song; this stuff grows on you... These
two delightfully twisted imaginations continue in full bloom..."
Art Wojtowicz, musicHound Folk; The Essential Album Guide. PS. Lou is a fiber artist, too! We are proud to present Lou & Peter Berryman at the Fair for you on Saturday.

PERFORMERS AT THE FAIR:

FRIDAY, JULY 16:

 
Big Fish
kent.fishburn@gmail.com
With Kent Fishburn and Debbie Firak on guitars and Marty Brunkalla on Mandolin and Fiddle, Big Fish offers up a smooth blend of music from Swing, Blues and Folk, to classic old Jazz standards.
 
Mark Hobbs
www.markhobbsmusic.com
Mark’s songs will leave imprints on your heart, and it’s likely that you’ll experience the full gamut of emotions, from heartache to laughter, during his intimate performances.
 
The Bluestem Reunion Band
dkolars@comcast.net
Bluestem was a DeKalb fixture for several years in the 1980's. Original members Dave “DK” Kolars, Mike O’Connell, Dale Ludwig join up with new member Mike Warfel to revive the old songs and play their own brand of traditional and not-so-traditional music. The band specializes in bluegrass music with driving instrumentation, 3- & 4-part harmonies, and a good time. Who could ask for more?
 


Mary, Merv & Don

Mary Lai delivers fresh renditions of familiar tunes and memorable originals with passionate vocals and guitar. Her music has been called "magical," "deeply moving," reminiscent of Judy Collins and Eva Cassidy but with a voice all her own.
Merv Collins is a finger-style, acoustic guitarist whose years and years of experience provide comprehensive and beautiful renditions of folk, classical, and popular tunes.
Don Humbertson has one of those voices that instantly gets your attention. Deep, resonate and passionate, Don covers a wide variety of folk standards on his 12 string guitar.
 
Olivia Kaspryk
olivia-harp@hotmail.com
Olivia has been a student of harp and piano for the past 10 years. At 15 years old, she is well on her way to becoming an outstanding musician.
 
Jaime Encalada
www.inkapirka.com
Jaime has played the South American pan flute both solo and with his group, InKaprika, all over the midwest. A native of the Republic of Equador, his expertise with this instrument is evident in performances that are both enchanting and spellbinding.

 

SATURDAY, JULY 17

 
The Beaumonts
beaumontsusa@ameritech.net
Local acoustic trio, Andy Andrick, Gloria Burchfield, and Len Gilard, combine a wide range of music including 50’s, 60’s, Beatles, Elvis, Country, and original music by Len, topping it off with 3-part harmonies. Over 100 years combined experience entertaining audiences with a variety of music and comedy. See them at Johnny Appleseed Festival, Farmers Markets, Stage Left Café, Senior functions, and the Midwest Fiber & Folk Art Fair.
 
Macyn Taylor
www.myspace.com/macyntaylor
Macyn Taylor is an accomplished guitar player and singer. At 15 years old, she is an undergraduate student at the UW-Milwaukee majoring in finger-style guitar performance. Performing since she was seven, Macyn loves to play many different styles of music and is the 2009 East Troy Bluegrass Festival guitar playing champion. In 2009, Macyn was given an award for “most promising new talent” by Acoustic Guitar Magazine.
 
Kent Rose
www.kentrose.com
Kent Rose was described by T.J. Simon of musicbox-online.com as, “dressing like Buck Owens, singing like Dwight Yoakam, and writing songs like Buddy Holly.” Kent performs hillbilly and rockabilly songs that are familiar and comforting, as well as originals inspired by these classics. In 2010 Kent was featured as U.S. Cellular customer Kent in a national commercial promoting free incoming calls.
 
Jim Green "The Wandering Endorphin"
www.wanderingendorphin.com
The Wandering Endorphin is the musical alter ego of Singer/Songwriter Jim Green. Not bound by the usual sonic possibilities of the acoustic guitar, Green creates enchanting to percussively driven soundscapes drawing forth percussive rhythms, harmonics, and double pull-offs with a piano-like approach. This 2004 Guitar Idol Champion has been named “One of the best independent artists in the Midwest” by the Editors of Billboard Magazine.
 
Trillium
www.trilliumtheband.com
has an eclectic repertoire ranging from
Celtic to ragtime to bluegrass that appeals to all ages & most musical tastes! Equally at home in venues from festivals to house concerts, Trillium has appeared throughout IL, WI and IN. Music from their three cds: Crossing the Stream, The Moody Leprechaun and Over the Waterfall has been featured on many folk radio programs throughout the U.S. 
 
Amy Dixon-Kolar
www.amydixonkolar.com
Amy Dixon-Kolar ‘s distinctive vocals and fluid guitar uniquely showcase her original music, as well as the traditional, folk, and Celtic music which make up her repertoire.
 
Mim Eichmann
www.trilliumtheband.com/aboutus.htm
The artistic director and choreographer of Midwest Ballet Theatre, while rehearsing for a Celtic-themed program, Mim stood next to a musician playing the hammered dulcimer and fell in love with the instrument on the spot!

SUNDAY, JULY 17

 
Lillian Reasor
www.lillianrosereasor.weebly.com
Seventeen year old Lillian Reasor is an internationally award winning Irish Harper. She performs, teaches, and composes Irish music in the Chicagoland area.

 

Off Square Music Board of Directors working the board at the 2009 Midwest Fiber & Folk Art Fair. From left: Roger Benson, Keith Johnson, Kent Fishburn, Don Humbertson, and Andy Andrick

The Fair is proud to partner with Off Square Music of Woodstock, IL, www.offsquaremusic.org. Together we will bring you some tuneful memories of your time at the Fair. We are so pleased to be working with OSM!

Off Square Music is a non profit volunteer-based organization dedicated to the promotion, preservation, and enjoyment of folk music. OSM does several events throughout the year:

  • Open Mic Night at Stage Left Cafe is held twice monthly and features budding and seasoned artists alike and an added bonus: a featured artist performs midway through the evening.
     
  • OSM coordinates musical events at the Woodstock Harvest Festival, held annually on the 3rd Sunday of September. The day is filled with fun and music including a fiddle contest, guitar contest, banjo
    contest, an acoustic music jam and an open mic.
     
  • OSM coordinates music at the Farmer's Market on the Square in Woodstock May - Oct.

 

"I love the fair. The music was especially appreciated (both upstairs and downstairs)."
comment from survey

"You've had great musicians good food and wonderful ambience. Keep up the great work. Looking forward to the 2009 fair!"
comment from survey

 

Some past Performers: