Catch them now before they play Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, The Kennedy Center, The Grand Ole Opry, and Late Night TV!
Opening Night Gala at Jalopy Theatre, Thursday Sept 28th. Get your tix HERE
The 9th Brooklyn Americana Music Festival BKAMF takes place along the waterfront at The Dumbo Archway, Jalopy Theatre, 68 Jay St, Sunny’s, and Superfine.
September 28, 29, 30 and October 1st, 2023
Joy Clark is a rising star in Americana. Appearances on Ellen and Jimmy Kimmel Live; recently played her hometown New Orleans Jazz Fest. and signed to Righteous Babe Records. Summer tour opening for Allison Russell.
In 2022 Brittany Ann Tranbaugh‘s queer Americana heartbreaker “Kiss You” was awarded Song of the Year in the John Lennon Songwriting Contest which led to her record with Grammy-winning producer Tyler Chester (Madison Cunningham, Margaret Glaspy, Watkins Family Hour).
Since she was 12 years old, Samoa Wilson has a voice the New York Times calls “sweet, effortless, old-timey”. Raised in the riverbed of traditional North American folk music, under the wing of jug band and folk legend Jim Kweskin. Honeyed renditions of haunting, captivating, often little-known soul blues.
Evrette, hails from the Blue Ridge Mountains, a singer-songwriter deeply rooted in Appalachian music. Her musical journey commenced at the tender age of 6 when she stumbled upon the region’s iconic dulcimer and autoharp. Her family later relocated to Tennessee, where she joined an award-winning choral group. Everette weaves soulful melodies exploring the profound beauty of the Appalachians through her expressive and captivating voice.
Neha’s credits include headlining at the famous off-Broadway show “Sleep No More,” performing with her songwriting project at Lincoln Center, and being a recurring guest of Dan Zanes, multi-grammy award winner. She has also sung works by Pulitzer Prize winner David Lang and performed in an immersive sonic experience at Rockefeller Center created by avant-garde American composer Sxip Shirey.
AC Sapphire – Winner of Relix Magazine’s 2022 Sonic Showdown, and Grand prize winner in the 21st Annual New Song Music competition. Her latest album Desert Car released on American Standard Time Records is a stunning, shimmering collection of electric rock songs served as nostalgic souvenirs. Ac Sapphire has toured with Lauren Ruth Ward, First Aid Kit, Amos Lee, Langhorne Slim & Victoria Williams.
Taylor Plas is an Americana/Soul/Folk singer/songwriter based in New York. With their work described as “raw,” “powerful,” “controlled chaos,” Their debut album Slow to Tune is available on BandCamp, and all other streaming platforms. Accompanied by multi-instrumentalist “Downtown” Rashad Brown
Ever More Nest A native of North Louisiana, Ever More Nest’s Kelcy Wilburn (“Kelcy Mae”) was equally influenced by the gospel, country, and blues of her Bible Belt hometown as she was by artists of her generation: Cranberries, Counting Crows, Tori Amos, Radiohead, et al. At 18, she moved to New Orleans, where she found the freedom to be herself and sing. On tour as a trio, festival resident band 2023.
Native New Yorker Saudia Young is an Ameripolitan 2023 Awards nominee. Her sultry vocals and powerhouse sound mines the black roots of country and rock & roll, bringing vintage sounds into the future. Honoring the black roots of country and rock and roll, combining rhythm and blues, Bo-Diddley Rockabilly, and Dark Americana.
Born in Salem, Massachusetts, to undocumented parents from Costa Rica, Rams Montero taught himself how to play the guitar and piano while teaching at a primary school in the Dominican Republic. Based in Brooklyn, Rams is writing songs invoking both Latin and country songwriters from the 70s like Rigo Tovar, Chico Che, Johnny Cash and Lee Hazelwood.
Hannah Juanita (Austin TX) left her home state of Tennessee in her early twenties to ramble the world, trying new things and gathering stories. Eventually, at 30, she found herself living in a Hostess step-van-turned- cabin on the side of a mountain in Washington state, in a relationship that had her feeling lonelier than actually being alone. So she packed up her things, namely her dog Loretta and a guitar, and got the hell out of dodge. She landed in Nashville and is now a staple at honky tonks around Music City. Hannah Juanita was highlighted in Grammy.com, who listed her one of the five women creating the future of country music.
Mose Wilson is a singer/songwriter/guitarist based out of Nashville,TN. With heavy bluegrass and blues influence, a voice like Lead Belly, and writing like Billy Joe Shaver. The country and blues singer-songwriter from the foot of Sewanee Mountain in Tennessee, picked up his first instrument at the age of 2, was leading music in church by the age of 5, and was touring with his blues band by his early 20s. Recently toured the US supporting Melissa Carper and Hayes Carl.
Charles Burnham is a violinist and composer. Highly imaginative style encompasses bluegrass, jazz, delta blues, and punk. He initially became renowned for his work on James “Blood” Ulmer‘s Odyssey album.
When Brooklyn collective Gentleman Brawlers performs, it’s more than a concert: It’s an electrifying experience. Led by creative duo Becca Fox and Matt Walsh, the band channels musical inspo Talking Heads with their distinct brand of Afrofunk and indie dance music that becomes a visual as well as auditory feast on stage.
“If you can MOVE you can DANCE!” shouts an exuberant Fox from the stage — or from the dance floor, where she’s joined the crowd. Gentleman Brawlers loves to engage an audience, and the audience loves them right back. Gentleman Brawlers has opened for Cimafunk, Fantastic Negrito, & Los Amigos Invisibles.
Seth Kessel is inspired by everything from from Elvis Presley, Howlin’ Wolf, Johnny Cash, Django Reinhardt, to The Clash, and Bad Brains, the influences are abundant on his latest album Ride on Through, released June 2021. Born in New York City and raised in Brooklyn
“Wyndham Baird’s husky renditions of otherwise unheard of folk jams carry the same water as his patently eclectic originals. Lifting urban love affairs to the stuff of Gospel, and twisting his own stories into universal folk anthems. This old soul’s found room to honor Dylan, Cohen and 60’s icons throughout his 7 song album.” The Deli Magazine
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Festival Fundraiser – Sunday, September 10th, 2023
Superfine 6pm – 9pm
Samoa Wilson, Miss Maybell, Mikey & The Ribeyes, and more!
Brooklyn Americana Music Festival is a semi annual event:
WATCH Opening Night 6/23/23 at Jalopy Theatre.
Often hailed as “the next Woody Guthrie,” Nashville resident Crys Matthews is among the brightest stars of the new generation of social justice music-makers. A powerful lyricist whose songs of compassionate dissent reflect her lived experience as what she lightheartedly calls “the poster child for intersectionality,” The Bluegrass Situation called Matthews’s gift “a reminder of what beauty can occur when we bridge divides.”
B.E Farrow tours with Grammy winner Dom Flemon’s and plays on his ‘Black Cowboys’ Smithsonian’s Folkways album. The chart topping ‘No Time for Enemies’ by Gangstagrass features Farrow on his signature fiery fiddle. Americana Music Association ‘Musician of the year’ nominee.
With roots in the Mississippi Delta, Chicago, and the Piedmont of Virginia, Richmond-based guitarist and songwriter Justin Golden’s origins are deeply vested in the blues. His debut record, Hard Times and a Woman, encompasses the full breadth of the genre: country blues, Americana, soul, and folk indie roots.
Tiger Alley (Austin TX) are British Guitarist Sophia Johnson, and Texan fiddle player Katy Rose Cox. Born in El Paso, TX, Katy Rose began her musical journey at age 5 and later “cut her teeth” as a fiddler in New York City in a speed metal bluegrass band selling out CBGBs, and writing scores as the original timekeeper for “The Moth”. Sophia Johnson, originally from Birmingham England, began her path as a guitar “shredder” first with classical music at age 7. Her family bluegrass band ‘The Toy Hearts’ toured the world. Sophia was voted “Best Western swing female guitarist” Ameripolitan awards, Memphis TN.
Saturday, June 24th Brooklyn Bridge Park PRIDE Stage: KJ Denhert is a Queens born Grenadan-American NYC folk jazz legend whose career spans forty years, 10 albums, with legions of devoted fans worldwide.
Albanie Falletta was born in Louisiana, and grew up hearing live Cajun, Zydeco, Blues and Gospel. She plays lead guitar in New Orleans, Austin TX and New York City – at the heart of the bustling early jazz, acoustic blues, and folk scene.
Native New Yorker Saudia Young is an Ameripolitan 2023 Awards nominee whose songs mine the black roots of country, and rock & roll.
Feral Foster draws from the deep wellspring of early blues, country, and jazz to tell contemporary, human stories. Village Voice ‘Best Folk Artist’.
Brooklyn’s Taylor Plas powerhouse soul folk singer duets with funk blues artist Rashad Brown
BBC Radio 2 favorite British Danni Nichols now based in Nashville TN, grew up on the American roots music record collection of her Anglo-Indian grandmother;
Bobby Blue is a Costa Rican New York latin folk artist – picture Indigo Girls meet Calexico.
Tone’s Bluegrass Jam takes place in Brooklyn Bridge Park, Pier 6 Flower Gardens Saturday June 24 from 2pm – 5pm. Literally a ‘field trip’ from their home at Sunny’s Bar.
Sunday, June 25th Festival partner Superfine winner of the LGBTQ Chamber of Commerce Award, NYC Pride 2022 host Sunday Brunch Bands including M Shanghai Stringband.
68 Jay St Bar in Dumbo double bill. West Virginia born Olivia Ellen Lloyd whose debut album Loose Cannon drew comparisons to John Prine (Rolling Stone Country) and was featured on The Bluegrass Situation.
Alex Battles, the Ohio native who created both the Cash Hank Hootenanny and The Johnny Cash Birthday Bash;
Sunny’s Bar Fri June 23 hosts Alex McMurray (New Orleans) Winner Big Easy Award Best Roots Rock Artist and Off Beat Magazine Best Country Folk Artist 2022;
Sunny’s Sat June 24 Jazz singer Alexa Barchini, the daughter of an opera singer, fuses her voice with the cultural tapestry that surrounded her upbringing;
Sunday June 25 hosts Japanese fiddle player Ken Shoji joined his father’s bluegrass band as a teen, and holds court at Sunny’s every Sunday.
10 Amazing Summer things to do in Dumbo and Brooklyn Bridge Park
