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American Roots Music Series

Calendar/Event Details

2023 AMERICAN ROOTS CONCERT SERIES EVENTS

Now in it's 17th year, this popular summer concert series at Deception Pass State Park is a celebration of America's wide variety of musical traditions. Come tap your toes and enjoy the fun at one of Washington's most beloved -- and beautiful --  state parks. 

Time: All concerts are 7-8 p.m.
Location: All concerts are held at North Beach Amphitheater

JULY

DRÓMENO
July 8
Drómeno is a traditional ensemble presenting regional folk music from the Greek mainland and beyond, overlapping into the surrounding regions and finding the musical legacy that connects the traditions of the Balkans. Featuring clarinet and voices, the instrumentation includes accordion, saxophone, violin, oud, bouzouki, zourna, guitar, laouto, kanun and percussion, and enables the group to span the sounds of Greek music, from western Macedonia and Ipiros, through Thessaly, Thrace and Asia minor.

LOS FLACOS
July 15
With deep roots in traditions spanning Latin America, Los Flacos seamlessly weaves harp, violin, a spectrum of Andean flutes, many forms of percussion and regional stringed instruments to create an ever-changing sound. In performances, Los Flacos present their favorite Latin American regional folk styles from southern Mexico and the Caribbean to South America with careful attention to the intricacies of each tradition. Still, Los Flacos are not strict traditionalists. While remaining faithful to their roots, they always pour their own voices and expression into the music.

QUICKDRAW STRING BAND
July 22
Emerging from the American string band tradition, Quickdraw String Band plays a repertoire of Old-Time, Early Bluegrass, Country Blues, and Ragtime, including some of their own originals. Experienced and hard-working, they have been performing around the Pacific Northwest off and on for the past twenty years. Their style defies categorization into any singular genre but is solidly grounded in acoustic tradition. Their sound consists of various configurations of mandolin, fiddle, guitar, dobro, bass, banjo, and vocals.

JENNER FOX
July 29
Jenner Fox tells the stories of people and places with unparalleled compassion and respect. Jenner comes from a family of river guides. He followed the family river trade and recorded his debut album to make some extra money selling CDs on the boat ramp after rafting trips. Five albums later, a decade of cutting his teeth on the river and road, Jenner is a storyteller, a cargo bike advocate, a Pacific NorthWesterner, and a rare kind of songwriter. 

AUGUST
FOLEADA
Aug. 5
Foleada is a Seattle-based Forró band with a focus on Pé de Serra style. Forró is the heartbeat of Northeast Brazil and it draws on many musical styles, from Afro-Brazilian music like samba and baião to European polkas. On the other hand, Forró dance borrows from Cuban salsa and Samba de Gafieira, a Brazilian ballroom dance. In other words, it’s a partner dance and it’s a lot of fun! The band features Brazilian vocalist Adriana Giordano, accordionists Jamie Maschler and Gabe Hall-Rodrigues, Michael Catts on bass, Jeff Busch and Sam Esecson on percussion

THE RHAPSODY SONGSTERS 
Aug. 12
The Rhapsody Songsters . 

DUENDE LIBRE 
Aug. 19
Duende Libre is a dynamic and uplifting quintet that blends elements of Afro-Cuban jazz with Brazilian samba, American funk, and traditional West African music into a unique sound of their own. Duende Libre features longtime collaborators Alex Chadsey (piano, keyboards & compositions), Farko Dosumov (electric bass), and Jeff “Bongo” Busch (drums & percussion), Frank Anderson, a dynamic and engaging vocalist, drummer, and dancer, and Chava Mirel, electrifying singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist. 

PLU STEEL BAND 
Aug. 26
PLU Steel Band is a steel pan drum ensemble featuring students, alumni, and faculty of Pacific Lutheran University’s Department of Music.  

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