AUGUST HAPPENINGS @ THE FOLK PROJECT

The Folk Project Presents

The 6TH annual New Jersey Uke Fest

WHEN: Friday, August 24 (7:00-11:00 pm), and Saturday, August 25  (8:15 am to 10:30 pm.). 
WHERE: Ukrainian American Cultural Center of New Jersey, 60C North Jefferson Rd, Whippany, NJ

Open Uke Jam 
WHEN: Sunday, August 26, 10:30 am.
WHERE: on the Morristown Green
For tickets and info, www.FolkProject.org/NJUkeFest, njukefest@folkproject.org or 973-370-4UKE (4853).

Abe Lagrimas, Jr. and Gracie Terzian

an evening of Jazz stylings on the ukulele
WHEN: Friday, August 24, 7:30 pm. 
WHERE: Ukrainian American Cultural Center of New Jersey, 60C North Jefferson Rd, Whippany, NJ on
TICKETS: Advance tickets are available for $20; the price is $25 at the door.
This event is part of the New Jersey Uke Fest but open to the general public.  For tickets and info, www.FolkProject.org/NJUkeFest, njukefest@folkproject.org or 973-370-4UKE (4853).

Victoria Vox and The Aloha Boys with Alan Distajo

an evening of pop-folk and traditional Hawaiian music on the ukulele
WHEN: Saturday, August 25, at 7:30 pm.
WHERE: Ukrainian American Cultural Center of New Jersey, 60C North Jefferson Rd, Whippany, NJ   
TICKETS: Advance tickets are available for $20; the price is $25 at the door.  For tickets and info, www.FolkProject.org/NJUkeFest, njukefest@folkproject.org or 973-370-4UKE (4853).
This event is part of the New Jersey Uke Fest but open to the general public.

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The Minstrel Acoustic Concert Series

Cliff Eberhart

WHEN:  Friday, August 3, 7:30 pm. 
WHERE: The Minstrel, Morristown Unitarian Fellowship, 21 Normandy Heights Rd., Morristown,
TICKETS: Adults $10; children 12 and under, free. 
For more info call 973-335-9489 or go to www.folkproject.org.  Handicapped accessible; free parking.
Louise Mosrie opens. 

Open Stage

WHEN: Friday, August 10, at 7:30 pm. 
WHERE: at The Minstrel, Morristown Unitarian Fellowship, 21 Normandy Heights Rd., Morristown
TICKETS: Adults $5; under 25, free. 
For more info call 973-335-9489 or go to www.folkproject.org.  Handicapped accessible; free parking.

George Wurzbach

WHEN: Friday, August 17, at 7:30 pm. 
WHERE: at The Minstrel, Morristown Unitarian Fellowship, 21 Normandy Heights Rd., Morristown
TICKETS: Adults $10; children 12 and under, free.  For more info call 973-335-9489 or go to www.folkproject.org.  Handicapped accessible; free parking.
Circle Round the Sun opens. 

Closed for NJ Uke Fest – The Minstrel will be closed on Friday, August 24 for the NJ Uke Fest. See www.FolkProject.org/NJUkeFest for more info.

No Fuss and Feathers 

WHEN: Friday, August 31, at 7:30 pm. 
WHERE: at The Minstrel, Morristown Unitarian Fellowship, 21 Normandy Heights Rd., Morristown
TICKETS: Adults: $10; children 12 and under, free. For more info call 973-335-9489 or go to www.folkproject.org.  Handicapped accessible; free parking.
Michael Arthur opens. 

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Swingin’ Tern Contra Dances

Paul Morris will call the contras. The band will be Bow Strategem.  Beginners’ workshop at 7:30 pm.  No partner necessary. Please carry in clean soft-soled shoes for dancing. 

WHEN: Saturday, August 4, from 8 to 11 pm
WHERE: The First Presbyterian Church Parish House, 14 Hanover Road, East Hanover.  
ADMISSION: Adults $12; students $5.  Listeners welcome (admission applies).  For more information, call 973-295-6864 or go to www.folkproject.org.

Bob Isaacs will call the contras. The band will be Unbowed. Beginners’ workshop at 7:30 pm.  No partner necessary. Please carry in clean soft-soled shoes for dancing.

WHEN: Saturday,  August 18 from 8 to 11 pm
WHERE: The First Presbyterian Church Parish House, 14 Hanover Road, East Hanover.
ADMISSION: Adults and students: Free! (donations accepted).  Listeners welcome.  For more information, call 973-295-6864 or go to www.folkproject.org.

Funding has been made possible in part by funds from Morris Arts through the New Jersey State Council on the Arts/Department of State, a Partner Agency of the National Endowment for the Arts.

FOLK PROJECT PRESENTS 5TH ANNUAL UKE FEST NEXT WEEKEND

THE FOLK PROJECT PRESENTS

New Jersey Uke Fest

WHEN: August 25-26, 2017; Friday 7:30-10:30pm; Saturday 9:00am-11:00pm; an outdoor Jam on the Green in Morristown on Sunday, Aug. 27.
WHERE: Ukrainian American Cultural Center of New Jersey, 60-C North Jefferson Road, Whippany
TICKETS: Advance Full Fest $100

Meals

All Attendees to the New Jersey Uke Fest are welcome to join the performers and staff for Saturday Lunch and Dinner. Both will be a hot buffet available as either Meat or Vegan (Lunch $12 / Dinner $18). Those who wish to bring their own food are welcome to do so.

Join us for the 2017 New Jersey Uke Fest, the Folk Project's fifth annual ukulele festival!

We will have everything you've come to expect from a uke fest: concerts, workshops, vendors, open mics, jams and more! Performers include Kimo Hussey, Danielle Ate the Sandwich, Rachel Manke, The Lords of Liechtenstein, and The Curt Sheller Jazz Trio, all of whom will also be presenting workshops. We are also happy to include Christine DeLeon, Marc Dutton, Debi Velasco, and Makalina as additional workshop presenters.

A Full Fest ticket is a full immersion into the world of Ukulele, starting with a concert on Friday evening, then six hours of workshops on Saturday, a second concert on Saturday evening, and still time for jamming on Sunday. A Saturday Full Day ticket allows you to join us for all the workshops and the evening concert.  A Workshops- Only ticket gives you a chance to learn from some of the best ukulele instructors around. A Concerts-Only ticket gives the non-player the opportunity to participate in the Uke-tastic event that is the New Jersey Uke Fest.

General Schedule

Friday

• 7:00 -7:30pm - Pre-fest performance by members of the Morristown Uke Jam
• 7:30 -10:30 - Concert featuring Danielle Ate the Sandwich and The Lords of Liechtenstein

Saturday

• 8:15 - 9:15am Registration
• 9:15 - Noon – Workshops
• Noon to 1:00pm - Lunch and Open Mic Contest
• 1:00 - 5:30pm Workshops
• 5:30 - 7:30pm Dinner Break
• 7:30 - 11:00pm Concert featuring Kimo Hussey, Rachel Manke, The Curt Sheller Jazz Trio, Open Mic Contest Winner

Sunday

• 10:30am - Jammin’ on the Green with the Morristown Uke Jam Meet-up Group

Performers

Kimo Hussey is one of Hawaii's preeminent ukulele players and instructors. Combining his love of the ukulele with his knowledge, experience, and confidence, Kimo's ability to impart knowledge relevant to technique, practice, and having fun is unmatched. We are honored to have him headline this year's festival.    facebook.com/KimoHusseyUkulele

Danielle Ate the Sandwich has been touring since 2009, cultivating an online following from her homemade videos on YouTube. Her unique style of online marketing brings her music to the audience she affectionately refers to as "Fanwiches." Her songs can be thoughtful, heavy, and serious, but Danielle rarely takes herself too seriously She's known for her quirky lyrical twists and for delivering witty and honest stage banter in her live shows.    danielleatethesandwich.com

Rachel Manke has been called one of the brightest stars in the ukulele universe, and loves sharing her astounding technique and beautiful singing with audiences young and old. She has appeared on stages that range from the Ashokan Uke Fest and Funky Frets Uke Fest to Garrison Keillor's A Prairie Home Companion. Rachel has a teaching style that is fun, relaxed, and accessible. She employs basic teaching methods with learning objectives and multi-sensory approaches. Most importantly, humor and emphasis on the overall joy of making music is central.    rachelmanke.com

Inspired by their affection for jazz improvisation, the Curt Sheller Jazz Trio reworks timeless classics on  How About More Uke? replacing the standard guitar backing with a ukulele played with skill and creativity by Sheller himself. Alongside drummer Ed Rick and Eric Schreiber on electric bass, Sheller reveals that the ukulele can be utilized as a serious and vibrant instrument. curtsheller.com/trio

The Lords of Liechtenstein is a contemporary folk band based in New York City. It started as a duo project of two brothers, Dan and Noah Rauchwerk. The Lords often draw comparisons to The Everly Brothers for their harmonic sensibilities and to The Smothers Brothers for their mischievous onstage interactions. They write purposeful lyrics to tell musical stories that fluctuate between heart-wrenchingly sad and outlandishly ridiculous topics. The Lords have been featured on NPR's syndicated Mountain Stage program. Their newest album, Downhill Ride to Joyland, is a raucous fifteen-song romp through the ups and downs of human existence. thelordsofliechtenstein.com

Workshops, Vendors, and the Open Mic Contest

Workshops being offered this year range from Blues, Jazz and Ragtime to the Great American Songbook all the way to Irish Music. There will be techniques workshops for both the left and right hand, fingerpicking, performance skills and even some of the funkier playing styles including tapping, chucking and slapping to add more dimension to your playing style. Most of our workshops will be able to accommodate all levels of players from the barest beginner through the most accomplished players. This year we have tried to incorporate some workshops for the non-ukulele players who accompany uke players where ever they go. We have songwriting, lei making and even a Hula workshop.

We turn the lobby of the Ukrainian Center into a vendor marketplace showcasing all things ukulele, including gig bags, straps, capos, tuners, poi balls, hula dolls, stained glass ukuleles, jewelry to wear while performing,  and of course, ukuleles. The Ukulele Kids Club will be joining us to help spread the word of all the good they do with music therapy in hospitals nationwide.

One of the best loved events that we have at the New Jersey Uke Fest is the Lunch Time Open Mic Contest. While enjoying lunch, attendees are given the opportunity to participate in an Open Mic Contest. The winner of the contest will get to perform a song during the Saturday evening concert.

Sponsors of the New Jersey Uke Fest

The Folk Project, Ohana Ukuleles, Morristown Inn, Mainland Ukes, Strumstick, Sam Ash, Morris Arts, Funky Frets, The Hug Strap, Gigy, Mara Levine Jewelry, S.L.R. Stained Glass Studio

4TH ANNUAL NJ UKE FEST TO BE HELD THIS WEEKEND

4th Annual New Jersey Uke Fest, presented by The Folk Project

WHEN: August 26th and 27th, 2016. The event consists of a Concert on Friday evening at 8:00PM, over six hours of ukulele related workshops on Saturday from 9:00AM till 5:30PM and a second Concert on Saturday Evening at 7:30PM 
WHERE: Ukrainian American Cultural Center of New Jersey located at 60C North Jefferson Road, Whippany, NJ.
TICKETS: $90 Regular Full Fest
Tickets can be purchased on-line(credit card or check) at www.folkproject.org/njukefest or at The Minstrel any Friday evening (cash/check).
For more information, call 973-370-4UKE (4853) or go to njukefest@folkproject.org.

At the New Jersey Uke Fest, we know that there is something special about the ukulele.  It is unlike any other instrument.  When ukulele players get together, they can't help but have fun.  The best way to experience that is to attend the New Jersey Uke Fest.  We will have some great concerts, plenty of workshops for all skill levels, vendors, an open mic for those who want to share their talents, and group jams.

The 2016 New Jersey Uke Fest performers are: JUNO-nominated virtuoso instrumentalist JAMES HILL, Prohibition-era jazz ensemble VICTOR & PENNY, American roots / blues man MANITOBA HAL, Beatles tribute band, the Fab Faux performer JIM BOGGIA, and Progressive Ukulele Rock band COUSIN EARTH.

JAMES HILL can produce sounds that are edgy, bluesy and raw. And he can do it on a ukulele. He can also pull off a breathtaking range of musical styles and riffs on this underdog four-stringed instrument with equal measures of virtuosity and good humor. Check out this singer-songwriter’s performance and you’ll be a ukulele believer.

 

 

VICTOR & PENNY - Celebrate a time when style mattered and class was king, They feature tight harmonies, dazzling guitar work and a fiery ukulele. This corset-tight duo crafts clever original tunes and brings a modern voice to Prohibition-era jazz with charm and hot licks. They are an "absolute rollicking blast.”

 

MANITOBA HAL has forged an international reputation for engaging and connecting with his audience through songs that are mournful, hopeful, silly, romantic, and introspective. He proves that the uke can be small but mighty as he pulls out powerful blues riffs and melodies, adding subtle important accompaniment using looping technology.

 

 

 

JIM BOGGIA - For more than 20 years, Jim Boggia has been winning over fans, critics, contemporaries and luminaries alike with his uncompromising devotion to the sort of winsomely nostalgic, emotionally direct song craft that's impervious to age. Boggia performs with the well-known New York City-based Beatles tribute band, the Fab Faux, as well as Mad Dogs & Dominos, an 18-piece collective headed by a heavyweight roster that includes Blues Brothers alum Lou Marini and producer John Leventhal. Oh, and he plays a mean ukulele.

 

COUSIN EARTH is a Brooklyn-based Progressive Ukulele Rock band. With both an original repertoire and a vast array of covers, Cousin Earth brings both a sense of playfulness and technical ability to the music they play. From shredding ukulele solos and 4–part vocal breakdowns to interweaving themed medleys, the band is sure to catch the attention of any music lover. Presenting a multitude of styles including Rock, Fusion, Ragtime, Funk, Bluegrass, Hip Hop, and even Electronica, no musical style is off-limits for this up-and-coming live act.

During the day on Saturday the 27^th, there will be over six hours of WORKSHOPS for all levels of players. Workshops including: Beginning Blues for Uke, Lyricism and Line: How to Make the Ukulele Sing, The Beatles on 4 Strings, The Jazz Toolbox for Ukulele, The Many Sounds You Can Make With a Ukulele, and more.

The Folk Project is a non-profit 501C Corporation whose mission  is to present high caliber folk music performances, dances and instructional workshops for the public and members; to encourage development of musicianship, performance, storytelling and dance skills in the Northern New Jersey area and provide interesting social and learning activities relating to traditional and participatory folk music and dance.