Trio performing at Folk Guild chapter’s event
Glen Roethel with Us! — featuring the duo of Judy Kass and Amy Soucy — will be the featured performers as the Kingston chapter of the Hudson Valley Folk Guild continues its 2017-18 coffeehouse series on Saturday, March 3, at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of the Catskills, 320 Sawkill Road, town of Ulster.
The coffeehouse performances start at 7:30 p.m. with an open mic format (sign up is at 7 p.m.) before and after the featured performers.
Us! is what happens when three “seeker” singersongwriters join their eclectic talents and musical influences to create a sound that is infectiously harmonic, delicately robust and full of unexpected twists and turns. Roethel will be joined by his talented friends, Kass and Soucy. The trio combine their voices to lift up causes of social justice unity, and the connectedness of all things.
Roethel is one-of-a-kind artist, gifted vocalist and dazzlingly musical acoustic guitarist. His rich baritone-tenor, effortless fretting and vibrant personality light up stages solo and in ensemble with vocal marvels such as Sloan Wainwright and Gathering Time (harmony trio [formerly]). An award-winning songwriter, Roethel has electrified juried showcases for Folk Alliance, S.M.A.F., Falcon Ridge Folk, Cape May Singer Songwriter with songs that are memoirs, anecdotes, tender love songs and anthemic calls for unity and empowerment.
Based in New York, Kass quickly draws in her audience with soulful vocals, no-nonsense lyrical storytelling and genre-bending exploration of guitar and piano. Her original music blends generous amounts of folk, jazz and blues with songs that cover the full gamut of mood and experience. Kass’ 2014 debut album, “Better Things” and her recent release, “Beyond the Ash and Steel,” both received notable airplay, topping Folk and Roots radio charts for months after their release and appearing on the Folk DJ List of Top Albums for the years 2014 and 2016, respectively.
Soucy is a Beacon-based contemporary folk chanteuse who writes evocative songs exploring the kaleidoscope of human experience (dreams, longing, forgiveness and healing) and sings them in a voice that’s been called “powerful,” “comforting” and “angelic.” In 2016, she was selected for a coveted spot in the Emerging Artist Showcase at Falcon Ridge Folk Festival and took home first prize in the CT Folk Songwriting Competition.
The open mic portion of the evening is a great opportunity for newcomers and seasoned performers to share their music with a welcoming, appreciative audience. All styles of music or spoken word, folk and beyond, piano available.
Admission to the coffeehouse is $6 general admission and $5 for Folk Guild members and seniors. For more information on the coffeehouse series, call (845) 229-0170 or send an email to hvfolks@aol.com.