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September 2022

Steve and Kristi Nebel

Steve & Kristi Nebel

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Steve and Kristi Nebel (KNEE-bell) bring passion, finesse, and beauty to their audiences with their songs of social justice, knife-edge observations, stories they have picked up in their travels, and pure, simple love.

They have traveled extensively, having done nine tours in UK folk clubs and festivals and toured the Midwest and East coast.  They have recorded more than ten CDs, mostly of their own songs.

Kristi’s solo CD, for which she was nominated “Western Swing Female Performer of the Year” in 2014, is a combination of traditional western swing and Steve’s Americana songs.

The Nebel’s style is informed by a wealth of experience playing their instruments and lending their voices to the other for a blend that exceeds the sum of two parts.  They are known for their working portrayals of fishermen and common people in Steve’s songwriting.

“Raven Speaks” is a collaboration with Native American poet Duane Niatum.  It is a commentary on global climate change using “Raven” of Native American mythology as a main character in some of the songs, and certainly in Niatum’s poetry.

Their most recent production, “Tandem,” is the sparsest of their recordings and features only the bass guitar, and guitar along with their two voices.

They also work with a third musician as the Americana trio, Cosmo’s Dream ensemble which has toured the UK, and Midwestern US.  They currently reside in Tacoma, WA.

Hank and Claire

Hank and Claire

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Hank and Claire are Hank Payne and Claire Favro, who have been singing tight-harmony duets together since 2008. In that time they’ve released two CDs, gotten married, and settled near Seattle, WA. Hank and Claire perform folk (traditional and contemporary), swing, standards, and a few originals. Hank’s “Shade Tree Mechanic” won a prize in the 2016 Tumbleweed Music Festival Songwriting Contest. They sing a cappella or with guitar, bowed psaltery, dulcimer, banjulele and mando-guitar.

We met in 2008 studying therapeutic music. Right away we knew our voices blended well and we realized we wanted the same things musically and in life. Both of us have been making live acoustic music for years, stretching back to coffee house days of the 60’s though in different parts of the country: A little songwriting, the occasional paid gigs at weddings and community events, a real concert or two.

Neither of us gave up our day jobs, but kept our guitars close at hand. Each of us also longed for a singing partner. So when we started out at age 58 to explore the possibilities for singing, playing, collaborating, sharing lives—right away we needed to figure out what Hank and Claire would represent, what would drive our choice of songs, what would make us different from any other folksinging duo.

It’s partly in the songs we choose. We don’t care so much what style they come from—pop, jazz, gospel, folk. We don’t worry about whether they are original, traditional, and/or contemporary. We are drawn to songs that touch us in the heart or in the funny bone.

And it’s partly in the spirit with which we make the songs our own and share them with you. We are dedicated to perpetuating the tradition of live music, recognizing its powerful potential for building community and nurturing the human spirit.

CD:  Heart of the Matter (2010): covers of Tom Paxton, Michael P. Smith, Bill Gallaher, Chuck Pyle, Lou and Peter Berryman and others, as well as Hank Payne originals.

CD:  Home at Last (2014): covers of Doc Watson, George Harrison, Jay Ungar, Pete Seeger, Utah Phillips, and more, plus Hank Payne originals.

“Enjoy sweet harmonies, a bit of sentiment, some fun, and a big dose of heart? You’ll love Hank and Claire.”   -Portland Folklore Society review

“Guitars, psaltery, and dulcimer back the lovely lead and harmonizing voices. All clean, clear and full of   life—just like when you see them in person.”  – Chris Lunn, founding member International Folk Alliance

 

Special programs available:

Pete Seeger: The Man and the Music

Hank and Claire take listeners back in time with their banjo and 12-string guitar as they sketch the line from Pete’s passion for social justice issues (labor, war, civil rights, and the environment) to the music he inspired.  Learn the back stories and sing along with songs like “Where Have All the Flowers Gone?” and “Turn, Turn, Turn.”

“Hank and Claire’s work presenting the music and philosophy of Pete Seeger is an important contribution to the one warm bloodline of activism and compassion that is the last, best hope of mankind.”   -Tom May, River City Folks

Hootenanny, Then and Now

Hank and Claire share their love of live music-making in an hour of community singing, complete with back stories and all the chorus words.  There’ll be songs that you already love, like “Freight Train” and “Last Thing on My Mind” plus some from today’s creative folkies. Find out where the 60’s Folk Revival came from and come prepared to SING!  Raise your voices with your neighbors in celebration of life, love, rivers, trains, and who knows what else?

“Truly consummate professional performers, seamlessly blending well researched history, visuals, live music and audience participation into a memorable experience.”  -Poulsbo Public Library, Washington State

“Simplicity and honesty in the sound and arrangements of lovely tunes.”  -Tom May, River City Folks

William Pint and Felicia Dale

William Pint and Felicia Dale

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The Oceans of the World in Song

The music of the sea — maritime music, nautical music. Whether they be contemporary songs with the sea as a theme, ancient ballads of fearsome pirates, or shanties, (or ‘chanties’, if you prefer) the traditional work songs sung aboard the tall ships to organize the labor of the crew enabling small groups of men to accomplish tremendous feats of strength.

Those crews were English, Irish, Welsh, German, French, from the West Indies, The United States and other sea going nations, but the music itself was inspired by the oceans that link all these places together and cover two thirds of our precious planet.  William Pint and Felicia Dale take all of this as a source of inspiration for their music – giving it their own spin.  The result is an unusually energetic and exciting approach to folk music.

William Felicia have boundless enthusiasm for creating music and sharing it with their audience.  Critics have delighted in their recordings and crowds have listened, laughed, shed a tear and sung along with them wherever they have played.

With guitar, hurdy-gurdy, octave mandolin, violin, whistles, harmony, joy and pure energy, Pint and Dale entertain and perhaps enlighten as well, giving listeners an insight into another age. There is humor and drama on a great scale.

The hurdy-gurdy or vielle-à-roue (a rarely seen and heard musical instrument dating from the 12th century) features a keyboard and a cranked wheel. It produces sounds similar to a bagpipe with drones, melody and rhythmic percussion.  Traditionally used in French dance tunes, it is capable of a wide range of musical expression.

William and Felicia record on Waterbug, one of America’s most respected independent labels. At this time they have recorded ten critically acclaimed albums:  Port of Dreams, Hearts of Gold, Round the Corner, When I See Winter Return, Hartwell Horn, White Horses, Seven Seas, The Set of the Sail, Blue Divide, and Midnight on the Seas.  Eight of these albums are devoted to music of the sea, primarily traditional songs from the great Age of Sail.

A concert performance will include traditional and contemporary songs and tunes gathered from their many travels, songs and music from the rich heritage of the sea, and, of course, the inevitable hands-on hurdy-gurdy demonstration to a group of fascinated onlookers.

Lyrics to their recorded songs, reviews, concert tour dates, biographies and additional information can be found at www.pintndale.com.

Dan Lowe

Dan Lowe

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Although he primarily writes for the Country market and Film and TV, Dan Lowe describes himself as a ‘Roots/Americana’ artist. His music is eclectic, interweaving elements of rock, country, folk, jazz, the blues, and R & B. When asked what makes his music unique, Dan says, “It’s taking all of the above and blending them into something that I typically perform on solo acoustic guitar!” While he is currently based in Nashville, Tennessee, Dan typically bounces between there and Portland, Oregon.

“I was born and raised in Alaska, where I got swept up in Beatlemania and the British Invasion at an early age,” Dan says in describing his background. “My love for all kinds of music propelled me to learn any instrument I could get my hands on, although I concentrated heavily on the piano and guitar – as they were the primary tools used in songwriting, which became my obsession. I really believe that my love of music – in all forms – is what has kept my own both timeless and contemporary.”

Along the way, Dan has won several awards and honors as both a songwriter and a performer, but his current pride and joy is the upcoming release of his new album, “No Running From The Storm (Songs Of Life, Love, And Loss)” by Dan Lowe & The Skeletal Remains.

Dharmika Henshel

Dharmika Henschel

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Dharmika Henshel sings original and adopted songs to illuminate extraordinary moments in our ordinary lives.  She has been performing music for children and adults for over twenty-five years, on festival and venue stages between Los Angeles and Seattle.  She sings about rivers, mountains and oceans, fires and floods, teenagers and aging, the banking crisis and relationship crises, our internal voices and finding our voice, earworms, and more.  Take a journey with Dharmika’s music and let her stories take you home.

Waterbound

Waterbound

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Waterbound brings together Steve Akerman and Mimi Geibel, and they bring us new twists to fiddle tunes, folk, and Celtic-inspired music, as well as Metis, Canadian, and Swedish tunes with an unusual combination of instruments.  Playing mandolin and autoharp, they will tug at your emotions with that Celtic sense of longing, wonder and joy.  Mimi and Steve layer beautiful melodies in what they call their “vertical medleys.”  Their music travels the high seas of the restless heart; from the British Isles, and round the Horn to San Francisco.  From rollicking sea chanteys to melodies of love and longing, they will carry you on a journey of life, passion and fiddle tunes.

Chico Schwall

Chico Schwall

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William (Chico) Schwall was born in Illinois and has lived in Oregon for half a century. He has sung at Labor rallies. designed music for theatre productions, created folk song camps for kids, played in pit bands, fiddled for dances, guested with the Eugene Ballet and Symphony, Oregon Bach Festival and Oregon Festival of American Music, released three albums of original music and traveled the country, often by rail, playing festivals, concerts and venues of every stripe.  He says “I play a couple or three instruments, ignore genres and try to tell you something you don’t already know. I sing mostly my own songs, but I don’t shy away from heritage material from all over space and time.”

He currently curates a concert series, “Chico Schwall’s American Roots,” now in its fourth season, and tries to learn something new every day. He believes there IS enough to go around, that history matters and hearts can heal.

Phoenix

Phoenix

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Based in Salem, Oregon ‑ the folk pop duo Phoenix consists of award‑winning songwriters Tim and Kathy Crosby ‑ who have performed together from Las Vegas to Nashville, in large venues and small.  Now being compared to the likes of Willie Nelson, Gillian Welch, and David Rawlings ‑ Phoenix rises in the joy of a sound that highlights the multi‑instrumental talents of both musicians while focusing on a variety of vocal styles and abilities.  Together they have collaborated on several CD=s and are known far and wide for their songwriting abilities and high energy entertainment style.

Kathy has also recorded a virtual workshop for the 2022 Virtual Tumbleweed Music Festival:  “I Wrote a Song, Now What Do I Do With It?”

SeaStar

SeaStar

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SeaStar is Adam “Captain” Chambers, Fae Wiedenhoeft (WEE-den-hauft), and Michael Falcone.  They are honest, hardworking folks who love a good gathering of people to commune with.  Over the last 12 years, SeaStar has played SO MUCH music!  They have played in bars, coffeehouses, train stations, hardware stores, video arcades, house concerts, big auditoriums, and have toured in eight countries, including Canada, Scotland, Ireland, Poland, and Turkey!

SeaStar has performed at Tumbleweed every year since 2014.

Music is medicine in a broken world; SeaStar hopes to continue to raise the vibration and create something beautiful.  You can learn more about SeaStar at their website, http://www.weareseastar.com/.

Bellows and Squawk

Bellows & Squawk

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Upbeat Vaudevillian Swing

Bellows & Squawk give you our unique interpretations of neglected gems from the American Song Book.

Despite our profound respect and reverence for song writers, we have sometimes been known to take liberties with a lyric.  Among our artistic influences we count Mickey Katz, Spike Jones, Slim Gaillard, Ethel Merman, Sophie Tucker, Count Basie, Bert Williams, George Burns, and Gracie Allen.

Bellows & Squawk’s performances have been well received at nursing facilities, street corners, funerals, charity benefits, farmers markets, coffee houses, and festivals such as Art in the Pearl in Portland, Oregon; Tumbleweed Music Festival in Richland, Washington; NW Folklife Festival in Seattle; the Nanaimo Fringe Festival in British Columbia; and at several restaurants and hotels in Guatemala.

© 2021 Tumbleweed Music Festival - Sponsored by Three Rivers Folklife Society & the City of Richland | Co-sponsored by Northwest Public Broadcasting, OneWorld Telecommunications, Southam Creative, Print Plus, Artmil Design, and Gearhead Grip and Electric.
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