Keynote Speakers on the Main Stage
Keynote Speaker William Rivers Pitt
 William Rivers Pitt is a dedicated political observer, writer, and activist. He was the managing editor and remains a frequent contributor to Truthout.org. Currently, he serves as the editorial director of Progressive Democrats of America. Mr. Pitt is the author of four books, including House of Ill Repute: Reflections on Wars, Lies, and America's Ravaged Reputation in 2006.
"Notify the NSA, William Rivers Pitt is at it again! These eloquent, outraged, wry, and accessible essays arrive like an emergency airlift of compassion, lucidity, and hope." - Barry Crimmins, author of Never Shake Hands With A War Criminal Keynote Speaker Frances Moore Lappé - www.smallplanet.org
 Frances Moore Lappé is the author of 16 books, beginning with the 1971 three-million-copy bestseller Diet for a Small Planet, which awakened a whole generation to the human-made causes of hunger and the significance of our everyday choices. Her newest book, Getting a Grip: Clarity, Creativity, and Courage in a World Gone Mad, arrived in bookstores in September, 2007. Ms Lappé is the recipient of more awards and honors than you can shake a stick at, including 17 honorary doctorates. She and her daughter Anna co-founded and operate the Small Planet Institute in Cambridge, MA.
"A small number of people in every generation are forerunners—in thought, action, and spirit—who swerve past the barriers of greed and power to hold a torch high for the rest of us. Lappé is one of those." -Howard Zinn
Music on the Main Stage
Performers Listed Alphabetically
Anaïs Mitchell - www.anaismitchell.com
" Mitchell's compositions are undeniably lovely. They drag listeners in with a fiery earnestness that demands notice."-Exclaim! Magazine
Listening to this 25-year-old singer/songwriter performing her meticulously written songs and fervently singing them in a distinctive, almost childlike voice, you'd think it was her life mission to rouse the hearts and minds of her listeners with an acoustic guitar. Her big-thinking folk albums play like front-porch serenades.
Anaïs has been on an exciting road, from tending a Vermont sheep farm to releasing independent CDs to touring with Ani Difranco. Not one to rest on her laurels, she recently wrote and staged the folk-opera Hadestown, which was based on the myth of Hades and Eurydice.
Barefoot Truth - www.barefoottruth.com
 "Barefoot Truth is one of the more promising young roots-rock bands on the indie circuit these days." -ThisIsModern.net
Young and roots-rock are the defining terms for Barefoot Truth. Their heartfelt, melodic songs are performed with a wide array of instruments including upright bass, lap steel guitar, stomp box, congas, didgeridoo and lead harmonica. Despite using classic folk instruments, Barefoot Truth is clearly a band of the 21st century. With each member just over 20 years old, Barefoot Truth is a true product of the download age; they advocate spreading music through any medium possible, including file sharing. In December 2007, the band launched www.freebft.com, a website dedicated to free downloads of their shows and studio albums. The band is also one of two nationwide who are members of 1% for the Planet.
Bonepony - www.bonepony.com
 "It makes you feel good inside." That's the catchphrase that Nashville's Bonepony uses to describe what they do, and you'd be hard-pressed to find someone who has seen the band that doesn't agree. They've been making people feel good inside for years as they crisscross the nation, bringing their unique brand of "Stomp Rock" to the masses with all the fervor of a traveling tent revival mixed with arena-rock spectacle. "We play our hearts out," says Bonepony front man and founding member Scott Johnson. "I don't know any other way to play these songs." Bonepony has toured with acts such as Bob Seger, Santana, and ZZ Top; they have played at countless open-air festivals such as Farm Aid, the Telluride Bluegrass Festival, and SolarFest 2000, and they have rocked nearly every theater, concert hall, club, and roadside honky tonk in the United States and Canada.
Boréal Tordu - www.borealtordu.com
 "A fun brand of rootsy acoustic music that's accessible and features top-notch musicality and singing." - Sam Pfeifle, The Portland Phoenix
Boréal Tordu began when fiddler Steve Muise and singer Robert Sylvain discovered a mutual interest in the music of their shared Acadian heritage. While signs of their parents' French culture can still be found in Maine, it has been almost lost to their generation after years of forced assimilation. More than a revival, their music represents a continuation of musical traditions passed down from the Acadians, the Québécois, the unique French-speaking people of the Republic of Madawaska, and milltowns all over New England.
The Born Again Floozies - www.bornagainfloozies.com
 Steve Albini has described them as "off the hook." Paste magazine chose their song to lead off their December/January 2007 CD sampler. Their college radio campaign debuted on CMJ's "Most Adds" chart at #15 and is just getting into full swing. David Cowling of Americana UK called their material "marvelous stuff." Triple R Records calls them "Fellini-esque songmongers." And in the Netherlands, Hanx magazine gave them 3.5 out of 4 stars in an elaborate review in Dutch that we don't understand and won't even attempt to translate.
A voluptuously surreal performance troupe, the Floozies feature a singer who plays guitar the way most people play the piano and a rhythm section comprised of two tap dancers and a tuba. Whether jamming on the slide trombone or smashing cymbals against all available surfaces, the Floozies conjure up an exuberant mix of cabaret and contemporary music. Their theatrical flair should make them this summer's most unusual and unexpected treat-thus keeping up the SolarFest tradition of going beyond (in this case well beyond) your standard festival fare.
Chuck E. Costa - www.chuckecosta.com
 "Chuck donates his voice & soul so entirely...so as to give the impression that he composes as he sings...simply abandoning himself for the sake of the music." - Mark Bailey, Music Research Assoc, Yale Univ.
Chuck was the winner of the 2007 Solarfest Singer/Songwriter Competition. In addition he has been a finalist in several prestigious competitions and was recently featured on NPR's "All Songs Considered" open mic. He has shared the stage with Pete Seeger, The Weepies, The Samples, and October Project, to name a few. Chuck resides on the Connecticut shoreline where he writes and performs regularly.
Crowfoot - www.crowfootmusic.com
 "If this trio is playing a dance or a festival anywhere near you, be there!" - Sing Out Magazine
Crowfoot weaves musical influences from England, Ireland, Quebec, and the Appalachian Mountains into a captivating fusion that delights dancers and listeners alike. Into this meeting ground of traditions they incorporate their own distinctive original compositions and songs. Having cut their teeth on the contra dance circuit, Crowfoot has gained a reputation for their trancelike grooves, subtle interplay, and unstoppable energy.
Crowfoot will be joined by caller Nils Fredland of Keene, NH, who sometimes plays the trombone or his feet while calling dances.
Dar Williams - www.darwilliams.com
 "Dar Williams may be the best female singer/songwriter in America today." - Stereo-type
The thing is, people believe Dar Williams. People believe her because-if you've ever seen her before-you know that she is a terrific performer: funny, communicative, and powerful. But more than that, Dar Williams is a great writer for the next generation. Dar is a believer, and she puts her beliefs into action as a longtime friend of SolarFest, as a founder of the Echoes Initiative to help raise funds and awareness for community causes, and as the owner of a solar-powered home. In addition to touring with performers like Joan Baez, Ani Difranco, and Shawn Colvin, Dar has found the time on the road to write a guide to healthy eating and two children's books. She is releasing her ninth album this year. We are immensely grateful for her donation of this year's SolarFest performance.
Emma's Revolution - www.emmasrevolution.com
 "The epitome of great, contemporary political music" -Sing Out Magazine
Emma's Revolution is a musical uprising of truth and hope from award-winning activist songwriters Pat Humphries and Sandy O. Featured on NPR, "Democracy Now!" and winners of the John Lennon Songwriting Grand Prize, their songs have been performed around the world. In May of 2002, Pat's song "Swimming to the Other Side" was featured on NPR's "All Things Considered." In an interview, Pete Seeger said, "The powers that be can control the media, (but) it's hard to stop a good song. Pat's songs will be sung well into the 22nd century." The tremendous and unprecedented response by NPR listeners made Pat's CD, Hands, the #1 seller on Amazon.com for the next three days, even outselling Eminem.
Ian Ethan Case - www.ianethancase.com
 New England native Ian Ethan Case started his musical explorations playing piano, drums, saxophone, electric bass, and guitar. On his self-produced debut CD, Ascendant (2002), Ian played all five instruments, achieving a full-"band" sound through multi-track overdubbing. Only after studying jazz theory, arranging, and sound engineering at the Berklee College of Music in Boston, did he find his true calling in the double neck acoustic guitar as a natural vehicle for sharing his multi-layered, compositions in a live solo setting. He has developed a wide variety of highly-original playing techniques that take full advantage of 18 strings, two fretboards, and his experience as a multi-instrumentalist and composer launching him into new musical territory.
Gregory Douglass - www.gregorydouglass.com
 "He's very, very good, both as a guitarist and piano player, but the true ace here is the voice. The singing is almost TOO good." -Katarina Josephsson, Trots Allt (Örebro, Sweden)
Native Vermonter Gregory Douglass is an undeniable talent. With five critically acclaimed independent CDs under his belt, 25-year old Douglass delivers the songwriting skills of an "old soul" and "the voice of an angel" (Seven Days). His evocative amalgamation of contemporary folk, pop, and rock have been compared to Tori Amos, Jeff Buckley, Patty Griffin, and Rufus Wainwright. Douglass' numerous accolades include being a finalist for both the 2005 International Songwriting Competition and the 2004 Independent Music Awards. He was the winner of the 2003 GrammyFest Awards in New York City, as well as the inaugural performer on the American Red Cross "Save A Life Tour" in 2003. This is Gregory's third SolarFest appearance.
Guagua - www.guaguavt.com
 "It's an exuberant sound that's artful and unique." - Seven Days
Sometimes a song title speaks volumes and Not Your Mama's Samba pretty much says it all. Burlington's Guagua found their groove when composers Raph Groton and Geoff Kim invited some musician friends to flesh out some of their Cuban and Brazilian flavored tunes - in front of a live audience. The resulting "psychotropical jazz" combines the euphoric effect of guitar, piano, and horn melodies layered over tropical African, Caribbean, and Brazilian polyrhythms.
Haale - www.haale.com
 "[Haale] sings with a supple, blissful Persian flair and the intensity of an arena rocker. While she quotes mystic poets or slashes guitar riffs, her electric band of downtown New Yorkers kicks out hypnotic grooves, taking cues from Iranian traditions and psychedelic rock." - Boston Globe
Bronx-born Haale (as in halle-lujah ) is of Iranian descent; her name means "the halo around the moon." Her songs are trance-inducing, rhythmically propulsive, and lyrically engaging tapestries that draw on both Persian mystical and American psychedelic musical traditions. Haale burst onto the music scene in 2007 and spent the year touring internationally at venues such as the Bonnaroo Festival, SXSW, and the Mimi Festival in France. She performed at David Byrne's Nonesuch-sponsored series at Carnegie Hall, recorded with Sean Lennon (on Before the Skies), and has shared the stage with such diverse artists as the legendary Hugh Masakela and Odetta. On her breathtaking full-length debut No Ceiling, Haale explores themes of transformation and evolution. She sings in both English and Persian above a riveting soundscape of percussion, psychedelic guitars, and soaring strings.
New Groove Orchestra - www.newgrooveorchestra.com
 "Moves through old-school funk, big-band jazz, and classic soul with surprising precision" - Mondo Magazine
This band is a ten-piece flavorfest for the feet with enough rhythm and blues to make anyone move. It's hard to believe that the New Groove Orchestra began as a jam in the cramped basement of McGill University's Douglas Hall only a few years ago. They have quickly gone from playing dormitory ballrooms to being well known on the Montreal scene and playing popular venues from Toronto to New York. The New Groove Orchestra's music takes inspiration from Tower of Power, Steely Dan, Aretha Franklin, The RH factor, Soulive, and Sharon Jones, to name a few.
The Starlings - www.starlingsmusic.com
 "The Starlings clearly have a deep appreciation for the classics but are by no means a retro act. Simply a terrific one." - Miles Of Music Magazine
Based in Seattle, the Starlings have captured the ears of fans in the Northwest and beyond. They've received accolades from Maverick magazine and Americana UK and spent 8 weeks on John Richards' list of "Top Ten Northwest Bands" on KEXP. They have also shared the stage with performers such as Todd Snider and the Avett Brothers. Elemental themes create the Starlings' solid repertoire. From a pin-dropping ballad to a foot-stomping barnburner, their images linger: empty boxcars, twilight on the prairie, divining rods, riverbeds, the long drive home, and an underlying wonder at the mystery of it all.
Performers on the Family Stage
Performers Listed Alphabetically
Jennings and Ponder - www.folktale.net
 Tim Jennings and Leanne Ponder have been with SolarFest since its inception, and we wouldn't have it any other way. Their storytelling is most marvelous; the way they share the threads and weave the tales captivates our audiences and has been doing so for years. Since the first SolarFest, when Jennings and Ponder invited the audience up onto the main stage to get out of the rain, they have been among our most warm and flexible performers. One year they cast their spell on hundreds as they told a scary, macabre, and wonderfully mournful story from the main stage at night. We have great affection for these two masters. Over the years, Jennings and Ponder's presence has thickened the SolarFest stew considerably, adding a flavor much appreciated by both audiences and organizers and helping to make SolarFest the unique event it is.
John Porcino - www.johnporcino.com
Each year John Porcino spins some 200 performances, workshops and in-service trainings throughout the Northeast and beyond. His performances are a mix of stories and songs, sparked to life with warmth, humor, a playful touch of audience participation, a twist of music from around the world, and a message of caring for our planet and each other. John is co-editor of the book Spinning Tales, Weaving Hope: Stories of Peace, Justice and the Environment, and gives many performances and workshops on these themes for groups such as Educators for Social Responsibility, Audubon Society of New Hampshire, The Lacawac Wildlife Sanctuary (PA), The Clearwater Revival (NY), and The Presbyterian Family Services (KN).
Puppet Pageantry - www.jravenarttile.com
 The All Species Puppet Troupe is returning to SolarFest with a new original show, following the success of last year's Easter Island pageant. The Troupe, led by artist Janice Walrafen, is a collection of life loving folks who, "in recognizing life's interdependence, dance, sing, and make merry while turning the evolution of human potential".
Poetry Live!
Poetry Live! offers cutting-edge spoken-word performances by some of the areas most dynamic poets. The show will feature multi-media presentations that weave poetry with music and dance, as well as solo performers who explore the power of the pure spoken word. Two sections will be presented over the weekend: these are not the same program. Hosted by Cathy Salmons, performance poet, dancer and owner/director of Studio Bliss: Center for Expressive Movement, in Rutland. Cathy founded the award-winning VOX POP poetry and music ensemble, and taught poetry at Boston University and as a poet-in-the-schools with the Massachusetts Arts Council; she remains on the graduate faculty of Lesley University and the Community College of Vermont.
Rick Davis - www.totallyuselessskills.com
 Rick is delighted to return to SolarFest. He spent four years as a clown with Ringling Brothers Circus and has performed at Epcot Center, Radio City Music Hall, The White House, and on the Bill Cosby Show. For 26 years he has been touring colleges and festivals, teaching us all the skills we didn't learn in 5th grade.
Roger the Jester - www.ijest.com
 "What?!? You haven't heard about Roger the Jester yet? You will. You can't really describe him in words. You have to see him in person. In open-mouth admiration of his work." - Pete Seeger
Roger Reed discovered his inner Jester 27 years ago on the streets of Boston. In 1979 he joined the Swiss theatre troupe Mummenschanz. After their Broadway engagement, Roger took to the road to "recreate the wandering lifestyle of a Medieval fool." That decision has left a trail of laughter throughout 23 countries. Roger now bases his buffoonery in the Berkshires of Massachusetts.
Singer/Songwriter Finalists
In addition to the Main Stage "Playoffs" each of the ten talented finalists in the SolarFest Singer/Songwriter Competition will also perform a set on the Family Stage.
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