The Popdose Interview: Novelist David Jackson Ambrose

David Jackson Ambrose is a novelist whose first book, State of the Nation has been published by The TMG Firm.  It chronicles the lives of three friends in Norristown and King of Prussia, Pennsylvania during a time in the late ‘70s and early ‘80s when black teens were being abducted and murdered in Atlanta. Though the connections between the murders in Atlanta and the lives of three African-American teens in Pennsylvania seem disparate, the main characters — Santos, Dion, and Luqman — are presented by Ambrose as a triad of contradictions in an environment where a low murmur of terror always seems present. I spoke to David Jackson Ambrose about his novel — and how some of the issues he raises in it relates to the lives of folks in 2018.  This interview has been edited for clarity.

David Jackson Ambrose, author of the novel, State of the Nation.

Ted Asregadoo:  After reading your novel, it kind of reminded me of the movie “Get Out” and even the video for “This is America” by Childish Gambino. There are scenes in both the movie and the video where we see a black man running in terror. There’s a range of terror that’s woven throughout your novel that goes from a murmur to moments of sheer fright.  Talk about what you were looking to detail for your readers?

David Jackson Ambrose:  Timing is really is very important, and although I started this book as a thesis project several years ago, the fact that it was published at a time there seems to be this zeitgeist or movement toward expressions by people of color I do think it’s very apropos for you to make that connection to those other artists. The book was described by my publisher as a neo-horror story, but typical readers would read this and not really see some of the tropes you do see in most horror stories.  That’s sort of my argument that, for people of color, the horror is in everyday existence in trying to endure through certain microaggressions that the larger mainstream society inflicts upon them. So the relationship to the murders that took place in the late 1970s sort of pinpoints how the black body is in a constant state of jeopardy. And so, these youth who are in this story are affected by these murders — even though they are quite a distance away from the location where it’s happening.

Ted Asregadoo:  Your main characters are dealing with their sexuality in ways that deviate from what’s accepted in the communities they live in — at least what’s accepted by society on the surface. For Santos, his sexual experiences seem to revolve around older (and presumably straight) men. Dion’s transsexuality is used almost like a commodity in prostitution, while Luq is more in the category of “Questioning.” They are outliers whose expressions of individuality often conflict with the larger community’s sense of what’s considered “normal.”  You seem to be highlighting a moral conservatism within a black community that can also be terrifying to those who don’t quite fit in. Is that correct? This is what I took away… you know, the three guys are kind of marginal individuals in that community.

David Jackson Ambrose:  They are. But given their age, and their experience, they really haven’t focused a lot on their sexuality as something to be named or identified in a specific way…since they have been victimized at very early ages by adults.  It was just their lived experience — without questioning it much. I also feel that some young people may not necessarily identify one way or another in categorizing their sexuality at the time. [For the story] I wanted [the sexuality of the main characters] to be somewhat fluid — even though Dion identifies more toward the feminine.

Ted Asregadoo:  What I took away was that sexuality or sex itself doesn’t seem that enjoyable for the characters. It doesn’t seem like an act to engage in to express love or pleasure borne out of a mutual attraction. It’s expressed in such a way that doesn’t have any kind of intimacy. As I was reading this, I thought: “Wow. These poor guys. They can’t seem to find that connection with somebody who loves them for who they are.”

David Jackson Ambrose:  Yes. Sex has been a means to an end for many of them because they were victimized at an early age. It a means to attain certain things — whatever they value. Whether it be money, a quick solace, or just something to do because they’re bored and they’ve been acculturated to sex as something that’s done — rather than sexuality relating to affection or love.   

Ted Asregadoo:  Toward the end of the novel, Luq’s friend, Toni — also known as White Girl and Cheryl — gives him a tutorial on white truth and black truth when it comes to traveling by bus. But she shows herself as having a split identity. It’s like people aren’t who they say they are…and she’s constantly code switching depending who she’s with. But toward the end of the novel, Toni’s tutorial on these two different truths centers on these characteristics:  “Black people are honest about their shit. If they want your money, they will ask if you have a couple of dollars…but white people are not as forthcoming. They will act officious and focus on rules and laws to a degree that seems maniacal, but that is a distraction to make you feel off kilter. Meanwhile, they are picking your pocket, or backing you into a corner so that their crony can hit you over the head.”  While even Luq is amazed by Toni’s monologue on different truths, Toni’s not entirely a reliable narrator on the way the world works. I mean where did this come from? Did she make this up? Is it borne out of any kind of experience?

David Jackson Ambrose:  I read Ta-Nehisi Coates who says that race is a construct — and it’s for specific reasons. All of these characters in the story, and how they present themselves to one another, is not necessarily dishonest. But, as you said, they code switch and perform for identities dependent upon other people they interact with. I was hoping that I was being true to Toni and what she was supposed to represent — but I wanted to push on that a little bit to show that all identities are in transition.

Ted Asregadoo:  When Toni said “They will… focus on rules and laws to a degree that seems maniacal,” it reminded me of white reactions I’ve heard on talk radio when black males have been killed by the police. The maniacal focus on “complying with the police” is repeated to such a degree on these talk shows that it completely overlooks why so many black folks are terrified of the police in the first place.

David Jackson Ambrose:  One of the minor characters in the book, Silas, was discussing this with the boys that the police are here to do specific things. They are here to do one thing for people of color, and here to do another thing for white people. They are here to maintain control when it comes to the black body. They are here for the safety of the majority — in most cases. And that’s a different thing for black people. The police aren’t really to really protect you. They are here to make sure you stay in control — or in compliance — which is why we have on social media all these clips of people calling the police when people of color are out picnicking or selling water…they are not being controlled, so the police are called to get people of color back in control. Why (as a black person) would you comply with the police when you are in fear that you may not get out of this interaction alive. When I watch the police show “Cops” you see a very different interaction with people of color than you do with white people. Sometimes I’m astounded by the behavior of white people with the police. They are very combative. Women often physically assault the police. And that is not dealt with tasers or shootings as you see with people of color. Even personally. Recently, I was driving and was lost. I was near a police station and saw a police officer walking into the building, so I put my window down to ask him for directions. His first response was to put his hand on the butt of his gun. That sent a very specific message… designed to remind me of my place in society. I did want to address that in my book, but not in a big way. I just wanted to show some of the microaggressions that happen with police interactions.

Ted Asregadoo:  Yeah, and there was one part in your book where there was a cop who was African-American and he was by far one of the harshest enforcers of that sense of, you know, “You gotta stay in your place.” Growing up, did you ever have that kind of interaction with the police?

David Jackson Ambrose:  Oh yeah. I’ve had many encounters when I was younger. Now that I’m growing older, I’m not much of a threat. But, yeah, those scenarios fictionalized depictions of things that happened when I was younger. My family was one of two African-American families in a very affluent middle-class neighborhood. So when we first moved in, there were numerous encounters with the police where we told that a bike was reported missing — and we had to account for our whereabouts. You know, the story I’m telling I think resonates with a larger population — and not just people of color. Many Americans feel that their voices haven’t been heard. And many people who live in parts of the country that are not on the coasts feel that they’ve been silenced or marginalized. And the locating my novel in King of Prussia and Norristown, Pennsylvania is indicative of the larger society — how many of us feel overlooked. And there may be some rage that’s currently part of our political climate. So I really wanted to tap into that. So that’s why I thought it was a good idea to use these locations because you don’t really read about Norristown or King of Prussia in fiction and the effects de-industrialization had on families who live in these towns.

Ted Asregadoo:  Yeah, a lot had changed in the ‘80s and ‘90s in that part of the country. A lot of good paying jobs just went away, and there was a lot of downward mobility.

David Jackson Ambrose:  Yes, that’s what I wanted to highlight in my book. They were struggling to stay afloat in this changing economy, and so the characters were contributing in the way they could. I mean, they were minors, but they were trying to help their families stay afloat. One of the mothers worked for huge portions of time away from home to make money, but in doing that meant that she had to leave her children unsupervised for long periods of time.

Ted Asregadoo:  Because it seems most conversations will eventually include the presidency of Donald Trump and those who support him, there’s been a lot of talk post-election about white folks who feel “forgotten” or “overlooked” — much like the characters in your books. However, they feel they’ve been overlooked in favor of blacks, women, immigrants, and gays cutting in some imaginary line where jobs as a gateway to middle-class happiness should go to deserving folks who work hard but are disadvantaged by these larger forces aligned against them. That’s kind of the narrative that Trump has tapped into. This anger at not getting raise for 20 years, or losing your house, or a spike in opioid addiction in your community, and the fact that there aren’t any good paying jobs. And on the news there are stories about the economy is going great, we’re out of the recession, and things are looking better. There’s also been a lot of focus on this subsection of white folks who supported Trump and voted for him overwhelmingly. I find it interesting that conservatives used to lay blame on poverty around moral failings. You know, “You’re just too lazy” or the family structure doesn’t have the right moral center, and it’s up to the individual to pull themselves up by their bootstraps. However, some liberals would highlight institutional forces that contribute to the plight of the poor. Now, it seems conservatives — because of Trump’s view of the world — have flipped their views and now embrace what liberals used to highlight, but it’s only for white folks who voted for Trump. That’s the disadvantaged minority at this point.  

David Jackson Ambrose:  Yeah, it’s easy to think of some pedigree of being born here and of a certain race that should allow you to have access to what the country has to offer and that others should not have access to that…it’s a lot easier to think that it has to do with laziness and that people of color have been given certain things, and I’m curious to know…because we’re hearing that people are doing better and there are more jobs…I’m curious to know if that’s really true. Because people I know continue in the same circumstance that they were in 10 years ago.  

Ted Asregadoo:  Well there seem to be two things happening in the economy. Yes, there are more jobs available, but they are not good paying jobs. Yes, there have been raises that have given. Payrolls, in general, have gone up around 2.8 percent, but unfortunately, those raises have been eaten up by inflation, so you didn’t really get a raise.

David Jackson Ambrose:  It’s not that different from how things have always been. There’s always been this elite, top percentage of people, who create this friction between working class and poor people as enemies of one another — while they continue to make a money grab. I don’t know how anyone can perceive Donald Trump having their best interest at heart. I’m hoping my book will be able to resonate with people…that they’d be able to perceive that, at the root of things, we have a commonality — or something that’s shared. In the cycle of capitalism where things look like they are getting better, and there are improvements, there are people who can’t keep up.  And, bringing it back to my novel, these are people who are struggling to keep up but have been left behind because of massive changes to the economic landscape they live in.

Ted Asregadoo:  Thank you for taking the time to talk about your book State of the Nation and, more generally, the state of the nation in 2018.

David Jackson Ambrose:  Thank you as well. You’ve been very generous and it’s been good talking to you.  

Radio City With Jon Grayson & Rob Ross: Episode Seventy-Seven

Radio City With Jon Grayson & Rob Ross:  Episode Seventy Seven

We’ll keep it very brief with the show’s description, except to say LISTEN TO THIS ONE!  This episode is simply FUN and JOYFUL.  Guaranteed – you will feel good after listening to Jon and Rob do that thing.

Yet another reason to never miss an instalment of Radio City…  it’s the perfect elixir to lift up your spirits.

Radio City With Jon Grayson & Rob Ross:  Episode Seventy Seven


The podcast will be on the site as well as for subscription via iTunes and other podcast aggregators. Subscribe and let people know about Radio City, as well as Popdose’s other great podcasts David Medsker’s Dizzy Heights and In:Sound with Michael Parr and Zack Stiegler.

Popdose Exclusive Song Premiere: Kevin Harrison & True North, “If Today I Should Die”

Popdose once again brings you something brand new in a summer filled with interesting, fresh sounds.  This time, we present Americana-driven Kevin Harrison & True North, hailing from New York, New York and a track from their upcoming E.P., Howl.

Recorded in the Catskill Mountain of New York, Kevin Harrison & True North enlisted the expertise of acclaimed producer Simone Felice (The Lumineers) for the EP Howl. Five days of barn sessions and campfires produced a collection of five songs that illustrates a band that is as comfortable playing heavy rock – like lead track “Practice What You Preach” – as it is playing acoustic ballads, entirely unplugged, such as “Lost In The Snow”, with its haunting piano melody (courtesy of band friend Sloan Marshall).

Close your eyes and give this a listen.  Then tell us what you think – or feel.

Howl E.P. will be released on Friday, September 7th, 2018.

http://www.kevinharrisonmusic.com

A Fan’s Notes: Newport Jazz Festival 2018

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Louis Armstrong once famously said, and I paraphrase, that all music is folk music because all music is made by folk. The 2018 Newport Jazz Festival, presented by Natixis Investment Managers, apparently set out to determine whether all music is jazz too. The weekend’s offerings as chosen by Artistic Director Christian McBride were wildly diverse and wildly successful in blurring lines that separate musical genres.

Before I begin I must offer the usual disclaimer about how it’s impossible to see all the acts over the course of the three-day festival. I saw what I could and my failure to mention any artist in particular is not a commentary on their performance. Friends tell me that I managed to miss some great stuff. But that’s alright because I heard some great stuff too.

Let’s begin at the beginning, on Friday. Attending Nate Chinen’s presentation on the 1958 film Jazz on a Summer’s Day, much of which was shot at that year’s Newport Jazz Festival, was both interesting and informative and proved to be a nice way to ease into the weekend.

It didn’t take long for it to become apparent that this year’s festival was going to push the boundaries of jazz. Two of the acts I saw on Friday afternoon had no bass player but they did have tabla players. Rudresh Mahanthappa, who turned in a scorching set of Charlie Parker-inspired “Bird Calls” at the festival a few years ago was back with his Indo-Pak Coalition. Mahanthappa featured on alto sax in a group that also included a guitar player and the aforementioned tabla player. The music they made was clearly influenced by the sounds of Indian and other near Eastern music. As always, the Newport crowd proved not only accepting but appreciative of music that was outside of the mainstream.

Charles Lloyd is celebrating his 80th birthday this year and the celebration included three sets, with three different groups, on the three days of the festival. On Friday, Lloyd was featured with his group Sangam. He started the set on piano, moved over the drums, and eventually picked up his saxophone and flute for another set that was very much influenced by world music and once again featured the sounds of the tabla as played by Zakir Hussain. Eric Hartland provided solid support on drums.

In between the two world music sets was a crowd-pleasing solo piano set from Michel Camilo. The pianist delighted the audience with his fiery take on Dave Brubeck’s “Take Five” and a lovely rendition of his own “Sandra’s Serenade” which he dedicated to his wife.

The day ended for me with Living Colour on the main stage. Living Colour you say? Yes indeed. Remember what I said about pushing the boundaries. The hard rock band played nothing that you would normally think of as jazz, and I’m sure that some of the more conservative festival-goers were a bit taken aback, but for the most part, the succeeded admirably in winning the crowd over. The band was something of a fish out of water but we were reminded of where we were by lead singer Cory Glover’s exclamation — “Jazz!” — at the end of several pounding rock songs.

The Friday night concert at the International Tennis Hall of Fame is always an interesting affair. I could be wrong but it seems that very few people who come to the tennis stadium on Friday night come to Fort Adams for the daytime shows and vice-versa. That’s a shame because people are missing some great music. This year, the Friday night show featured a scintillating set of guitar music from Pat Metheny. As great as Metheny’s band is, I was most taken with his solo acoustic work.

José James has made several appearances at the festival in recent years. His set has always included a delightful Bill Withers medley. This year James took it to another level with an entire set of Withers covers and it was thrilling. All of the hits you would want to hear were there including thrilling takes on “Grandma’s Hands,” and “Who Is He (and What is He to You).” James is a hugely talented young performer and I look forward to following his career, including his Don Was-produced album of Withers covers that will come out in the fall, going forward.

On Saturday there was a deluge. What was acceptable to me in terms of weather during the Woodstock era was not so acceptable today. I can tell you that the show went on without me and included both Metheny and James reprising their Friday night sets as well as performances from Roy Hargrove, Charles Lloyd’s New Quartet, Laurie Anderson & Christian McBride, Andra Day, and Jon Batiste.

Thankfully, Sunday’s weather was more clement, if a bit warm. It was a fine day to close out this year’s festival and I was there early to catch the Harold Lopez-Nussa Trio on the Quad stage. Lopez is based in Havana and his group includes his younger brother Ruy López-Nussa on drums. The trio, with Lopez leading on piano, played a scorching set of Afro-Cuban jazz that had the audience leaping to their feet in appreciation.

Acclaimed drummer Nate Smith had accompanied José James on Friday night and Saturday afternoon and he returned with his own group, Kinfolk, on Sunday. Naturally, the drummer-led group focused on rhythm but there was more than enough melody to go around too. Kinfolk strong improvisational skills from all of its players and together with the solid rhythmic basis that Smith laid down it added up to a powerful set of music.

Charles Lloyd’s final appearance of the weekend took place on the main stage on Sunday and was billed as Charles Lloyd & Friends. The friends included Lucinda Williams who may have seemed like an unlikely choice to many but proved to be a great one as she shined on songs like “Dust” and “Ventura” that the pair had recorded together for the Vanished Gardens album.

Gregory Porter is another artist who has made several festival appearances in recent years. Porter always brings his smooth as silk delivery to the proceedings but this year he took it up a notch by adding some fire to the mix. He is simply one of the finest singers we have these days and his powerful Newport set included splendid renditions of “Liquid Spirit,” and “Musical Genocide.”

Before I knew it, the weekend was nearly over but there was one last act to play out on the main stage and it was an act that I looked forward to indeed. As you might expect if you’ve ever had the chance to see them live, George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic did not disappoint. Clinton, who has announced that this is his final tour, performed like he could go on another 20 years. Gone was the multi-colored hair but still there were hits like “Flashlight” and beloved characters like Sir Nose d’Voidoffunk. The tradition of scorching guitar work as established by players like Eddie Hazel, Garry Shider, and Glen Goins continues in the person of DeWayne “Blackbyrd” McKnight. There is no indication that Clinton’s retirement means the end of P-Funk. Long may they run.

And there you have it, my Newport Jazz Festival 2018. Prior to the festival, it was announced by the RI Governor Gina Raimondo and festival impresario George Wein that the festival will remain at its current location (which is a state park) for 40 more years. Good news indeed. I’m already looking forward to next year.

Exit Lines: Flights of Fancy

New wine is being poured into old bottles on and Off Broadway. I’m not sure when Sir Philip Sidney’s Arcadia, written sometime before Manhattan was a thing, was last tackled on our stages, but here it is again–in somewhat revised form. Taking top billing this incarnation is the supergroup The Go-Gos, whose hits from the 80s, when New Wave was a thing, give Head Over Heels its backbone. This is one of the more out-there concepts for a jukebox musical, a form that’s hard to get right (for every Mamma Mia! and Jersey Boys that hits, there’s a Lennon, Ring of Fire, The Times They Are A-Changin’, etc., that doesn’t), but amidst an unusually robust summer for Broadway openings it mostly works as breezy entertainment.

After a convoluted production history that started at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival three years ago (and lost original adaptor Jeff Whitty, of Avenue Q famein the process) what’s playing at the Hudson is the work of Spring Awakening personnel including director Michael Mayer, choreographer Spencer Liff, lighting designer Kevin Adams, and some of the cast. The shows are similar, in that we get some form of the original story as book, interspersed with rockin’ tunes that bring the text up to date. The seams do show from time to time: for dramatic reasons Sir Philip could not have envisioned, one character, the romantically frustrated Mopsa (Taylor Iman Jones), goes on vacation, cueing, what else, “Vacation.” Narrative poems are hard; jukebox musicals, harder still.

Mopsa’s just one of the characters with a “lust to love” in Head Over Heels. Taking my cue from the show, which just goes with it, I’ll keep the plot summary brief. The kingdom of Arcadia, you see, runs on “the beat,” which is being siphoned off by Pythio, the Oracle of Delphi (played by Peppermint, the first transgender woman to headline a Broadway show). Pythio has their reasons, which the king, Basilius (Jeremy Kushnier), must divine, or forfeit the land. Everyone else has heartache: the lonely queen, Gynecia (Rachel York), their daughters, plumply entitled Pamela (Bonnie Milligan) and shyly beautiful Philoclea (Alexandra Socha); viceroy Dametas (Tom Alan Robbins) and his daughter, Mopsa, Pamela’s handmaiden. A handsome if befuddled shepherd, Musidorus (Andrew Durand), winds up getting everyone’s goat, as relationships across the rainbow are forged in an open-minded, musical-comedy way. Go-Gos diehards who blame her for the group’s fall will be appalled that the show has raided Belinda Carlisle’s catalog as well, but Head Over Heels must assure us that “Heaven Is a Place on Earth.”

Or at least, the Hudson Theatre, for a couple of blissfully silly hours. It’s hard to believe that Kushnier, the Ren of the Footloose musical, is now running a kingdom, but he and York, musical theatre royalty, got the beat. So does Durand, a pleasantly goofy hunk for his co-stars to fall for, and fall over. There’s not a weak link in the entire cast, even if Peppermint’s part, that of the magical LGBTQ person of color, is fairly stock (see also Kinky Boots). Give Head Over Heels a chance to woo you (the finger-snapping choreography and fairytale sets are part of its charm offensive) and you’re sure to “Get up and Go.” Sir Philip Sidney might even approve.

Three more nights to see Twelfth Night at Shakespeare in the Park, so line up. The ninety-minute distillation of a play that makes Head Over Heels look like a model of narrative clarity is a genuine NYC happening, the happiest night I spent this summer. All credit due its fast-rising composer (and Feste), Shaina Taub, who, with co-directors Kwame Kwei-Armah and Oskar Eustis, has conceived of a truly delirious Illyria, bursting with zydeco, blues, and show tunes. Tony winners Nikki M. James (Viola) and Shuler Hensley (Sir Toby Belch) lead the ensemble, with a marvelous Malvolio (Andrew Kober) bringing down the house with the show’s equivalent of Jesus Christ Superstar‘s “King Herod’s Song.”

But the true star of the show, breathing new life into Shakespeare’s comedy of mistaken identities and dueling agendas, is New York, via the company’s Public Works program. The Public has been engaging with community groups like the Brownsville Recreation Center, Military Resilience Foundation, and Children’s Aid for several years, and here they all are, onstage at the Delacorte, harmonizing with the Bard and some of the city’s great musical theater talents. This Twelfth Night is a romp, but it’s also a testament to the spirit of my fellow residents, and I was completely moved by its spectacle of kinship. Play on!

Speaking of musicals: Pretty Woman, the last of the summer openers, now on Broadway.

Dizzy Heights #45: The Alliteration Show

No talkie bits this week. First day of school for the kids, birthday celebrations, picking the boy up at camp, blah blah blah.

This idea is definitely a one-shot thing, at least in its current form. I went after song titles that were two words, each starting with the same letter. And I went A to Z, almost literally (with apologies to the letters Q and X). Of course, I broke my own rules twice, when I used a song with an ampersand (hey, it was the letter U, I got desperate), and in one instance, I used a title that was the same word twice, which is not alliteration but repetition (again, letter Y, got desperate).

Multiple people asked me to use “Disco Duck.” And believe me, I thought about it, then thought better of it.

Artists making their Dizzy Heights debut this week: Ben Folds (solo), Burning Sensations, Elvis Costello (WHAT), The Go-Betweens, The Go-Go’s, Guided by Voices, k.d. lang, The Kinks (this cannot be happening), Neurotic Outsiders, Stone Poneys, Tasmin Archer, and Tom Petty. Seriously, thank goodness for Tom Petty, or I don’t have a ‘Z’ song.

Bands coming back for another tour of duty: Basement Jaxx, Franz Ferdinand, The Housemartins, The Jezabels, Joe Jackson, Pet Shop Boys, Propaganda, The Rolling Stones, Squeeze, The Ting Tings, The Trashcan Sinatras, and Tribe. Speaking of Tribe, I pull a segue that my 1993 self would high five.

Thank you, as always, for listening.

Live Music: Newport Folk Festival 2018

To view individual photos or a slideshow, click below. All Photos ©2018 Nikki Vee.
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Folk Festival weekend has come and gone here in Newport, RI and in keeping with tradition, the festival offers an array of artists who continue to carry the torch for traditional folk music. But over recent years the Newport Folk Festival has evolved to include a mixture of modern and traditional folk, roots, and blues music while seeking to expand the scope of “folk.” The Folk Festival of today, while it does have its share of fantastic folk and Americana roots bands, also includes the sounds of soul, funk, and rock and roll. The crowd is younger and the torch has been passed. This festival has become so popular it has gained the reputation of a quick sell-out before the acts are even announced, up to nine months before the event. When I say “quick,” I mean in just a few short hours. So if you’re thinking about making the trip one of these years, keep your eyes peeled and your ears open around about November so you don’t miss the initial ticket sales.

This year there were 78 bands, plus an open mic at the start of each of the three days. If I wrote about all of them you would be reading this until next year’s festival. So instead I’ll give you a rundown of my favorites from this year.

I have a musical bias and it’s very real. I am a fan of alternative, funky, and soulful sounds. But my musical tastes are eclectic and I love live shows so I’m in my element at Newport. Festivals give us the special opportunity to check out a large number of bands we may never have known existed and I love a band that brings something for my eyes as well as my ears. Stage clothes, costumes, lighting, the deliberate presentation. This year’s festival wasn’t short of acts that can bring that package. They included St. Vincent, Lucius, Fantastic Negrito, Tank and the Bangas, Khruangbin, and Valerie June just to name a few. 

Fantastic Negrito brought his special blend of blues, neo-soul, and psychedelic rock to the main stage. His 2017 album The Last Days of Oakland made a fan of Bernie Sanders with its message about capitalism. His music could be the soundtrack for us all at a time when a powerful resistance movement is underway in this country. Google Negrito some time, he’s got an interesting story.

Moses Sumney was an act I thought I didn’t have time for but since I had been running back to the Quad stage for Glorietta, I had to pass Harbor stage where Moses had just begun his set. Things happen for a reason and I’m glad I made the stop because he brought something special to the festival with his Baroque Pop. I enjoyed his set so much I was late to the Quad. I still got there for the rocking Glorietta, the “supergroup” of folk which includes members of Deer Tick, Middle Brother, Delta Spirit, and Dawes.

Believe it or not, I had never heard Sturgill Simpson despite his previous appearances at the festival. With 78 acts spread over three days sometimes you just can’t make it to every stage for every act but this year I made it a point to catch him on the main stage. He brought a raucous set of his unique brand of alternative country and roots rock. He performed to a very large enthusiastic crowd who knew how to make him feel welcome. 

The wonderfully talented Jason Isbell from Muscle Shoals Alabama and his wife, the lovely and talented Amanda Shires (who also made a solo appearance at this year’s festival), shared their magic with an enthusiastic crowd as they closed out the first day of the festival on the main stage. I’ve seen Isbell a few times and he’s always had the talent but it seems that since his recovery he has soared to new heights helped along by his marriage, the birth of a child, and his amazing band, the 400 Unit. Isbell just gets better and better as time goes on.

Day two brought American soul singer Curtis Harding to the main stage. His flavor of soul is a contemporary fusion of blues, gospel, psychedelia, R&B, and rock. It was a perfect stew to satisfy my craving. 

Tank and the Bangas hail from New Orleans and they brought a big show with high energy funky soul. If you aren’t moving at their show you must be in a coma. Hip-hop and spoken word are injected to make it even more interesting than it already is. The band was formed in 2011 by Tarriona “Tank” Bell. They’re tight, organic, and they don’t play by your typical New Orleans jazz rules. Bell reminds me of a female version of George Clinton. I loved the performance and it was hard to take my eyes off her. The audience was off the hook and just about brought that tent down.

Jenny Lewis and Courtney Barnett both brought their own brand of indie rock to the stage in much different fashion. Courtney Barnett brought a hard-driving, energetic set of rock and roll and it’s no mystery that she is a crowd pleaser. She is a natural on stage. One-time actress Lewis (formerly of Rilo Kiley) adds folk and alt-country into her sound. Besides, she wore a wicked cool outfit and played a unicorn guitar.

Day three began with the Preservation Hall Jazz Band and it was a great way to start the day. Their set put everyone in a great mood for the day to come. It was a day that also included reggae legends Toots and the Maytals, and Gary Clark Jr. so it leaves just enough room to tell you about two acts I’d never heard of or seen before: Jen Cloher, and a band called Khruangbin (say THAT three times fast.) Cloher plays straight-ahead folk rock and she does it hard. Courtney Barnett joined her on stage and the duo created quite a dynamic presence. The take no prisoners attitude of their performance was appreciated by the crowd at the Harbor stage.

I saw myself in my past life when bassist Laura Lee of Khruangbin took the stage in all her costumed glory. The bass has always been my favorite instrument and when it’s played by a woman in calculated stage attire, well those are the ingredients that light my fire. This one was a real treat for me as this band is a psychedelic rock band which injects funk into their sound to make it extra special. Together, they are heavily influenced by the music of the Middle East and Thailand and you could say their style is instrumental-soulful-psychedelic funk. But I won’t put a label on it because this band enjoys challenging conventional genres.

The day and weekend came to a close with Jon Batiste, who performed with the Dap-Kings. The assembled group led a rendition of “A Change Is Gonna Come,” for the finale of the festival. Many of the artists who performed over the weekend joined Batiste on stage including Nicole Atkins, Preservation Hall Band, Brandi Carlisle, Hiss Golden Messenger, and there was a  surprise appearance by Leon Bridges. When Mavis Staples arrived, the crowd of musicians on stage parted the way and made room for the Queen and a blistering civil rights-themed set ensued. Often, fans sour at an artist’s political commentary during a show but this time it was deemed necessary and was welcomed by the crowd.

As the sun set on the hot and humid weekend it was apparent that everyone had forgotten about the physical discomfort of the weather and had joined together for a weekend of unity and love. 

Newport Folk Festival 2018

To view individual photos or a slideshow, click below. All Photos ©2018 Nikki Vee.
[See image gallery at popdose.com]

Folk Festival weekend has come and gone here in Newport, RI and in keeping with tradition, the festival offers an array of artists who continue to carry the torch for traditional folk music. But over recent years the Newport Folk Festival has evolved to include a mixture of modern and traditional folk, roots, and blues music while seeking to expand the scope of “folk.” The Folk Festival of today, while it does have its share of fantastic folk and Americana roots bands, also includes the sounds of soul, funk, and rock and roll. The crowd is younger and the torch has been passed. This festival has become so popular it has gained the reputation of a quick sell-out before the acts are even announced, up to nine months before the event. When I say “quick,” I mean in just a few short hours. So if you’re thinking about making the trip one of these years, keep your eyes peeled and your ears open around about November so you don’t miss the initial ticket sales.

This year there were 78 bands, plus an open mic at the start of each of the three days. If I wrote about all of them you would be reading this until next year’s festival. So instead I’ll give you a rundown of my favorites from this year.

I have a musical bias and it’s very real. I am a fan of alternative, funky, and soulful sounds. But my musical tastes are eclectic and I love live shows so I’m in my element at Newport. Festivals give us the special opportunity to check out a large number of bands we may never have known existed and I love a band that brings something for my eyes as well as my ears. Stage clothes, costumes, lighting, the deliberate presentation. This year’s festival wasn’t short of acts that can bring that package. They included St. Vincent, Lucius, Fantastic Negrito, Tank and the Bangas, Khruangbin, and Valerie June just to name a few. 

Fantastic Negrito brought his special blend of blues, neo-soul, and psychedelic rock to the main stage. His 2017 album The Last Days of Oakland made a fan of Bernie Sanders with its message about capitalism. His music could be the soundtrack for us all at a time when a powerful resistance movement is underway in this country. Google Negrito some time, he’s got an interesting story.

Moses Sumney was an act I thought I didn’t have time for but since I had been running back to the Quad stage for Glorietta, I had to pass Harbor stage where Moses had just begun his set. Things happen for a reason and I’m glad I made the stop because he brought something special to the festival with his Baroque Pop. I enjoyed his set so much I was late to the Quad. I still got there for the rocking Glorietta, the “supergroup” of folk which includes members of Deer Tick, Middle Brother, Delta Spirit, and Dawes.

Believe it or not, I had never heard Sturgill Simpson despite his previous appearances at the festival. With 78 acts spread over three days sometimes you just can’t make it to every stage for every act but this year I made it a point to catch him on the main stage. He brought a raucous set of his unique brand of alternative country and roots rock. He performed to a very large enthusiastic crowd who knew how to make him feel welcome. 

The wonderfully talented Jason Isbell from Muscle Shoals Alabama and his wife, the lovely and talented Amanda Shires (who also made a solo appearance at this year’s festival), shared their magic with an enthusiastic crowd as they closed out the first day of the festival on the main stage. I’ve seen Isbell a few times and he’s always had the talent but it seems that since his recovery he has soared to new heights helped along by his marriage, the birth of a child, and his amazing band, the 400 Unit. Isbell just gets better and better as time goes on.

Day two brought American soul singer Curtis Harding to the main stage. His flavor of soul is a contemporary fusion of blues, gospel, psychedelia, R&B, and rock. It was a perfect stew to satisfy my craving. 

Tank and the Bangas hail from New Orleans and they brought a big show with high energy funky soul. If you aren’t moving at their show you must be in a coma. Hip-hop and spoken word are injected to make it even more interesting than it already is. The band was formed in 2011 by Tarriona “Tank” Bell. They’re tight, organic, and they don’t play by your typical New Orleans jazz rules. Bell reminds me of a female version of George Clinton. I loved the performance and it was hard to take my eyes off her. The audience was off the hook and just about brought that tent down.

Jenny Lewis and Courtney Barnett both brought their own brand of indie rock to the stage in much different fashion. Courtney Barnett brought a hard-driving, energetic set of rock and roll and it’s no mystery that she is a crowd pleaser. She is a natural on stage. One-time actress Lewis (formerly of Rilo Kiley) adds folk and alt-country into her sound. Besides, she wore a wicked cool outfit and played a unicorn guitar.

Day three began with the Preservation Hall Jazz Band and it was a great way to start the day. Their set put everyone in a great mood for the day to come. It was a day that also included reggae legends Toots and the Maytals, and Gary Clark Jr. so it leaves just enough room to tell you about two acts I’d never heard of or seen before: Jen Cloher, and a band called Khruangbin (say THAT three times fast.) Cloher plays straight-ahead folk rock and she does it hard. Courtney Barnett joined her on stage and the duo created quite a dynamic presence. The take no prisoners attitude of their performance was appreciated by the crowd at the Harbor stage.

I saw myself in my past life when bassist Laura Lee of Khruangbin took the stage in all her costumed glory. The bass has always been my favorite instrument and when it’s played by a woman in calculated stage attire, well those are the ingredients that light my fire. This one was a real treat for me as this band is a psychedelic rock band which injects funk into their sound to make it extra special. Together, they are heavily influenced by the music of the Middle East and Thailand and you could say their style is instrumental-soulful-psychedelic funk. But I won’t put a label on it because this band enjoys challenging conventional genres.

The day and weekend came to a close with Jon Batiste, who performed with the Dap-Kings. The assembled group led a rendition of “A Change Is Gonna Come,” for the finale of the festival. Many of the artists who performed over the weekend joined Batiste on stage including Nicole Atkins, Preservation Hall Band, Brandi Carlisle, Hiss Golden Messenger, and there was a  surprise appearance by Leon Bridges. When Mavis Staples arrived, the crowd of musicians on stage parted the way and made room for the Queen and a blistering civil rights-themed set ensued. Often, fans sour at an artist’s political commentary during a show but this time it was deemed necessary and was welcomed by the crowd.

As the sun set on the hot and humid weekend it was apparent that everyone had forgotten about the physical discomfort of the weather and had joined together for a weekend of unity and love.