July 17 - 22, 2001 ~ Sherman, NY
Amompondo is a Marimba and Percussion group from Cape Town, South Africa. This dynamic group, whose music has reached over 30 countries on every continent has been performing for over 20 years.
Formed in 1979 by Mzikantu Zungula "Dizu" Plaatjies, the son of a traditional herbalist and healer, the core group consisted of seven young- boys from the same neighborhood in Langa township outside Cape Town. Twenty years later, Plaatjies, Mzwandile Qotoyi, Mandla Lande, Simpiwe Matole, Blackie Mbizela, Michael Ludonga and Xola Miambo, are still bound by the same dedication to African music and culture.
During the turbulent early '80's, the group went from being mere Cape buskers and cultural activists to being an internationally acclaimed percussion ensemble. To this achievement, may be added the fact that not only are they accomplished musicians, but educators in their own right. Their recent 5-week tour of northern Europe demonstrated this beyond a shadow of a doubt.
The Bardo's are a constantly evolving and changing group of Rennaissance and Pagan gypsy musicians. Artists all in their own rights, the Bardo's often include members of other bands, many of whom have been Starwood favorites in the past.
& Friends
ACE's own feisty redhead returns for her 21st (good grief) Starwood concert! Any performance by Victoria features a unique blend of wry humor and straight-up spirituality, in acoustic styles that have ranged from a-cappella, to folk, pop, rock, and a touch of Ricky Martin. With a new modern-day Goddess to "honor" and some very special guests - including long-time harmonizer Lisa Lefkort - you'll definitely want to catch Vicky's opening set Friday night!
Kenny Klein is a musician, writer, and photographer currently living in Los Angeles. Originally from New York City, Kenny spent seven years (on and off) travelling the U.S. doing Renaissance festivals. It was an interesting experience, especially the part where Kenny played dirty songs for drunks all day.
Kenny is the fiddler at the Saddle Ranch Chop House, a high profile saloon on the Sunset Strip in West Hollywood. He plays there in a duo every night (every damn night...except Starwood) at 9:30 on weekdays and 8:30 on weekends until about 11:00 each night.
Kenny actually likes to play Blues, Rockabilly, Bluegrass, Celtic and English Folk, and newer alternative style music the best, but at work he fields requests for everything from Charlie Daniels to Metallica to JZ. What the hell, it's a living. Kenny does have a lot of original music, and you can find it under the music heading. He plays guitar, fiddle, mandolin and bass, sings, writes, and arranges, but you guessed all of that.
Hear samples of their music!
Lia Fail (Stone of Destiny) is a bond of friends and fellow
musicians drawn together musically and spiritually to the haunting melodies
of their Celtic roots. The coming together of eight musicians with such
varied backgrounds and yet a common vision can best be described as the
rekindling of an ancient fire and the harbinger of a vision yet to be
unfolded.
Khearan, Sybil, Sean, and Tracy first gathered to amuse themselves with
harmonic vocal exploration. They longed to weave the sounds of the flute
and fiddle with chanting vocal counterparts. A chance encounter in an
Irish Language class between Tracy, Khearan, Pat and Nikki began the unfolding
of the sound that is now Lia Fail. Pat and Nikki had just returned from
Ireland and were searching for kindred spirits. Tracy and Khearan could
hardly believe that they had found exactly what they had wished for.
Dan, who has performed with Khearan on several projects, was intrigued
about the possibilities for djembe percussion to enhance the haunting
rhythms being created by harmonies, flute and guitars.
The opportunity to blend the well-trained traditional Irish flute and
fiddle playing of Pat and Nikki respectively with the contemporary Celtic
sounds of a band already forming, seemed almost to good to be true.
The final chapter in the formation of Lia Fail was written when Felim
Collins, a longtime friend of Pat's, came to America with Pat's encouragement.
Felim seemed to be a part of Lia Fail before he even arrived in the USA.
Somehow it just felt right.
These eight musicians began to develop a style of traditional and contemporary
Irish acoustic music that capitalizes on energetic arrangements, complex
harmonies and foot stomping percussion.
The rest is history in the making. Follow us... Follow your Destiny...
No Reservations offers a show like no other. They are Ojibwe and Oj/Cree people from northern Ontario, with a seperate and distinct cultural background, with indigenous spiritual practices, sense of community and feel for the land.
Performing a mixture of original songs and classic rock covers, many of their songs relate specifically to the experience of being on the Northern landscape. Others evoke the stuggle of indigenous peoples under foreign laws and governments. This canadian Aboriginal band invites people to dance and their spirits to fly. Come enjoy the flavor of the North Country.
A Raven has been known to appear as a special guest and dance with the audience.
The One hat Band is Family Folk-y Fiddle Fun! A staple over lunch, this family favorite is a group whose stage and street performances have engaged listeners and watchers in a family doing something (anything) together and doing it well.
Wynne Paris is truly a multidimensional troubador. From Washington, D.C.,
Wynne is a soulful guitarist and student of the Sarod (an esoteric Indian
instrument), and is developing his own unique style of world music called
Raga-Rock. A touring musician focused on ecstatic use of music,
reflecting the current sound that's on fire in the Berkeley/SF music scene
dance focus! Recently he's been touring "the consciousness circuit";
yoga centers, hot springs resorts, benefit concerts, worldbeat festivals,
and the occasional nightclub gig.
As an activist/producer, Wynne has been producing radio broadcasts to
the New Republic of Congo, in an effort to save an endangered primate,
the Bonobo. He has launched non-profits and done fund raising for
Tibetan activism and written music for Radio Free Tibet.
As a composer he has been recently working with kirtan, a type
of ecstatic chanting that is sweeping the yoga/new consciousness scene.
He has spent the past six years creating a lifestyle and livelihood that
gives voice to the spiritual longing and multi-cultural influences that
are slowly gaining acceptance in mainstream society. Currently he's experimenting
with the funky use of loops and live musicians and Indian and middle eastern
instruments, dance and poetry.
Owain Phyfe is a vocalist with The New World Renaissance Band, and the founder of Nightwatch Recording, specializing in the performance of ancient music in English, Spanish, Italian, Welsh, German, French, Provencal and latin. His music has aired worldwide and on over 300 radio stations across North America.
Workshops: Ancient Music for the 21st Century
The Reelies are a Celtic folk band from New York City, made up of celtic harpist and vocalist Erika Lieberman, guitarist Joe Matzzie, fiddler Ali Kaplan and percussionist Dan Gruber. Their repetoire is an eclectic mix of traditional jigs, reels, airs and songs from Ireland, Scotland, Brittany, Wales, and the Isle of Mann, as well as some traditionally-inspired originals. The Reelies can be found playing the Irish pub scene in Manhattan, as well as many festivals in the tri-state area, including the New York Renaissance Festival in Tuxedo, NY. The languages of their songs vary from English to Irish, Scots and Manx Gaelic. Fun, free-spirited and feisty, the Reelies are "good craic"... in fact, if you're not dancing by the time they're done with you, you should consider being fitted for a pine box and a lily!
World Beat performs all original World Music, mixing rhythms, melodies and instruments from around the world, with a special focus on percussion styles. They've played at hundreds of venues including Gathering of the Vibes, Drumming in the New Millenium in Egypt (December 1999), Drums Around the World, Horde Tour, and ongoing private shows.