Crooked Still
Based in Boston, MA, Crooked Still is a nontraditional bluegrass quintet featuring banjo, fiddle, cello, double-bass and vocals. The band's most recent CD, Some Strange Country, showcases musical prowess on re-imagined traditional songs and originals, with a surprising cover of the Rolling Stones' "You Got the Silver." "[Our] music is not just 'alternative bluegrass,'" noted fiddler Britanny Haas, sister of the talented cellist who appeared with Alasdair Fraser last year. "It's at another level now: artful but still grounded in that funky string band thing."

Crooked Still ~ Nontraditional Bluegrass/New Folk
Monday, November 7, 2011 - 7:30 p.m.

Alpha Yaya Diallo
Originally from Guinea, West Africa and now based in Canada, Alpha Yaya Diallo has an international reputation for excellent musicianship and exciting live shows. In addition to dexterous acoustic and electric guitar playing, Diallo is a skilled performer on a variety of percussion instruments and the balafon, a traditional wooden xylophone. He pens his own compositions, and will appear with a bassist, drummer, percussionist and dancer.

Alpha Yaya Diallo ~ African Guitarist / Singer with Percussion & Dance
Saturday, January 7, 2012 - 7:30 p.m.

Alpha Yaya Diallo's performance is made possible by
WESTAF, the Western States Arts Federation, and the
National Endowment for the Arts.

Eric Bibb
A native New Yorker with deep roots in the American blues and folk traditions, Eric Bibb has lived in Sweden and Britain. His rich vocals, passionate lyrics and assured finger-picking technique are brought to the stage with "grace, elegance and gentleness" according to the Dayton Daily News. Bibb appeared solo at the Crescent City Bay Blues Festival in 1997; in this performance he will be accompanied by Grant Dermody on harmonica.

Eric Bibb ~ Gospel-infused Folk-Blues
Tuesday, February 14, 2012 - 7:30 p.m.

Tlen-Huicani
Tlen-Huicani, meaning "the singers" in the Aztec language, is one of the most faithful interpreters of the traditional music of Veracruz and most of Latin America. Featuring respected maestro and harp virtuoso Alberto de la Rosa, the quintet makes the lovely "harpa jaroca" (folk harp) the centerpiece of its festive music. "...a particularly glorious treatment...rich throated vocalists harmonize on lushly melodic motifs," said the Chicago Reader.

Tlen-Huicani ~ Traditional Folk Music of Veracruz, Mexico & Latin America
Thursday, March 29, 2012 - 7:30 p.m.

Pure Prairie League
One of country rock's pioneering forces, Pure Prairie League (PPL) has a rich 42-year history, from its Ohio beginning as friends playing cover tunes to the present-day band featuring founding member/pedal-steel innovator John David Call, veteran bassist Mike Reilly, drummer Rich Schell and guitar ace Donnie Lee Clark. The eponymous first album (RCA, 1972) introduced the Norman Rockwell/Saturday Evening Post cover with trademark cowpoke "Sad Luke," and Bustin' Out went multi-platinum, bringing classic songs "Falling in and Out of Love," and "Amie." "They've still got it," said a recent viewer.

Pure Prairie League~ County Rock Legend
Sunday, May 20, 2012 - 7:30 p.m.