SF’23 Musical Performers

 A Wide Range of Great Performers on Solar-Powered Stages

Afro-Caribbean — Ambient Instrumental — Americana Roots Rock — Celtic — Contemporary Folk — Environmental Education Songs — Global-Groove — Grammy-Nominated Reggae — Call & Response — Jazz Folk — Latin Funk — Salt-water Country —  Snarling Energetic Guitar — Stories with a Twang …and the return of the SolarFest Singer-Songwriter Showcase

Etana Singer, songwriter, and humanitarian Etana is a powerhouse vocalist and 2 X Grammy Award nominee. It a been a decade since her debut as a reggae artist, she is now a recognized and respected entertainer in her native Jamaica and is also well known worldwide. Born Shauna McKenzie, the young talent migrated to the United States for the opportunity. Briefly, it pursued a pop music career before rediscovering her roots as an adult and adopting the moniker Etana, “The Strong One” in Swahili.

The return home spurred the evolution of her sound and is evident in her body of work expressed as the fusion of folk, soul, jazz, and reggae. Etana taps into the likes of Marcia Griffiths, Etta James, and Miriam Makeba for harnessing a deeply emotional sound, and she is the modern embodiment of their influence.

In 2018 Etana released her first Independent album produced by her company, Freemind Music titled. “Reggae Forever.” The album soared to #1 on the reggae billboard charts as she headlines a tour through the United States. Etana became the 1st female to receive back-to-back number 1 albums on the Billboard Reggae Charts. A few months later, Reggae forever was nominated for the 61st Annual Grammy Awards in the Best Reggae Album category. The nomination by The Recording Academy marked the first time in over twenty years that a woman was nominated in the category. In 2019, she released the eight-track EP Dimensions, then a full-length album Gemini released in 2020. Her latest album Pamoja (2021), earned Etana her 2nd Grammy Nomination. The album features Vybz Kartel, Damian Marley, and Stonebwoy.
Website: https://etanamusic.com/
Music: https://etanamusic.com/listen-juke

Dar Williams A perennial favorite, she has supported and been with us from the very early days. Dar has been reaching audiences of all ages with her songs, stories and wry humor for more than 25 years. She has performed with legendary folk artists and is now a luminary herself; she has recorded 20 CDs, is an author and teacher at Wesleyan University.

“Good and bad things happen, and it’s not necessarily a reward or indictment. I’ve just got to meet it.” Williams observes. “Like, I’m bringing my whole life to this moment; it will surprise me, challenge me, show me where I was wrong, even make a fool out of me, but my job is to show up and not take adversity personally. Real happiness doesn’t have to feel like Snoopy dancing with Woodstock; it can just be knowing you have the resilience to meet whatever comes to you. I will call that a good life.”
Website: https://www.darwilliams.com/
Music: https://www.darwilliams.com/product/f/Music/intro/

Lara Herscovitch Winner of SolarFest’s 2011 Singer-Songwriter showcase. A singer-songwriter-poet-performer gem performing with her terrific band the Highway Philosophers, Lara was described in The Boston Globe as “a luminous voice and a buoyant stage presence… big-hearted lyrics embrace the sum of life… Herscovitch’s music blows on the embers of a lagging spirit…” Sound Waves Magazine calls her music “expertly written prose… songwriting at its best… good for your ears AND your soul.” Acoustic Live in NYC adds about the former State Troubadour of CT, “She possesses not only a huge reservoir of musical talent and a voice with a bell-like clarity, but a keen sense of global concern and a fierce intellect…It might seem too good to be true, but true it is.”
Website: https://LaraHerscovitch.com
Music: https://laraherscovitch.com/music

HuDost “Electric-Folk, Americana, Global-Groove ensemble, HuDost, performs with refined wildness and has a new album that reached #4 in the Canadian National Folk/Roots/Blues Chart for March, 2022 and #9 in the US Folk Radio Charts for January, 2022.

They have been fortunate to have incredible performance opportunities throughout the years and have toured internationally since 2006 collaborating with wild, astonishing, and respected artists, musicians, dancers, and activists. HuDost are committed advocates/activists for the nonprofit organization ONE.
Website: www.hudost.com
Music: https://open.spotify.com/artist/0BIeOh1cW8WcV6kyeYhQyG?si=jsVI2TbfTJadsag68CFPNg&dl_branch=1

Maple Run Band is a four piece Americana roots rock band from Vermont. Their signature sound is driven by the harmonies of multi-instrumentalist Trevor Crist and drummer Nicole Valcour, and the sometimes earnest, sometimes tongue and cheek lyricism of their original songs.

The band borrows from a melting pot of musical genres rock, country, folk, bluegrass, and more, to create a roots driven sound defined by poetic lyrics and tight musical arrangements. Their second album, “Used To Be The Next Thing” was released in late 2022 to critical acclaim, and spent several months on the RMR Americana charts, the AMA Americana charts, and the Alt-Country charts.
Website: https://www.MapleRunBand.com
Music: https://open.spotify.com/artist/6cJDuGOnAAgYHKju3NCz32

Ray Vega Band A native of the South Bronx, Ray Vega is a veteran of the bands of Tito Puente, Ray Barretto, Mongo Santamaria, Mario Bauza, Luis “Perico” Ortiz, Hector LaVoe, Johnny Pacheco, Larry Harlow, Pete “El Conde” Rodriguez and Louie Ramirez to name a few. The Ray Vega Latin Jazz Quinteto is Vega’s Vermont based ensemble which presents original compositions by Vega which combine elements of Jazz, Latin and Funk elements.

“(Ray Vega’s) creating a very, very valuable bridge from the classroom to the bandstand…That’s the magic that Ray brings. He transcends academia and makes it real” -Todd Coolman
Website: https://rayvegamusic.com/
Music: https://rayvegamusic.com/music

House of Hamill Whether they’re ripping through a set of original jigs and reels, adding lush three-part harmonies into traditional folk ballads, or cracking up an audience with stories from the road, House of Hamill puts on a show that captivates audiences.

They present a “cohesive and effervescent acoustic sound,” one with its “own personalized signature…with strong flavors of Celtic, folk and folk-rock.” – Steve Pfarrer, Daily Hampshire Gazette
Website: www.houseofhamill.com
Music: https://open.spotify.com/artist/0tQvB7Tf6Hd2RzlJM4eQal

Featuring Special Guests: The Falcon Ridge Festival “Most Wanted” Preview Tour