THE FOLKSOUL BAND

The Folksoul Band creates new music from old traditions, combining horns, vocals, wild rhythms, and New Orleans Mardi Gras spirit to create music for celebration and dancing.

Leslie Vogel – Piano and accordion
Walden Whitham – Saxophone and Flute
Saibhung Singh Khalsa – Stand-up Bass
Tara Greenblatt – Drums
Fred Simmons – Trombone

“…The only group I’ve seen who consistently coaxes people out of hibernation, thawing out their inhibitions is the Folksoul Band. Everyone makes it onto the dance floor at their shows. They make it there, shimmy and shake there, and most impressively stay there until the end. The universality of the music coupled with the casual and spirited nature of the performers allow this freedom to take place. They come to party not for the audience but with the audience. And they do this in such a welcoming way that their shows are great parties every time. At the height of such a party if the doors were to open the revelers would take it to the streets, dancing, regardless of the weather.” -Andrew Hannah, NH.

Here is our latest Folksoul video, created in response to the current social climate that we live in.  It’s called Civil Society. Enjoy!

Drawing new impulses from old traditions–it is the living tradition of Mardi Gras dance music and New Orleans that is celebrated here–the city that gave us Louis Armstrong and Fats Domino–the fathers of jazz and rock’n’roll. We go back to the roots to find the spirit that has its source Down There, and we follow its branches of Motown, Soul, and R&B, that reach out to all of us as Americans and even beyond. We go there with horns and guitar, keys, and rhythm, and stellar vocals covering all kinds of dance tunes, and we discover ourselves in the mix, as does our audience. It’s new and old music, coming out of the oldest and most vibrant of American traditions. The American Folksoul embraces all.This band enjoys a good Mardi Gras parade, with our trombone, clarinet, tuba, accordion and percussion, and we enjoyed parading with Granny D when she ran for US Senate in NH, and as we do in Peterborough every Children In the Arts Spring Festival, and during Mardi Gras season, and at our own Folksoul Music Festival.Our music is music that’s alive and gets the party going.
It’s dance music, with a natural and organic acoustic balance that does not rely on volume to reach people’s hearts and souls.No other band sounds quite like this one, or makes music exactly like it. It is high-spirited music generated by the musicians and the instruments themselves, and it’s an interesting assortment on both counts!

The Folksoul Band has appeared at many events including:
• stART On The Street Festival, Worcester, MA, 2012
• Clearwater Festival-Croton-on–Hudson, NY, 2010
• Mammapalooza Festival, NYC, 2009
• The Cake Shop, NYC, 2009
• Harlow’s Pub, Peterborough, NH, (regular appearances)
• The Fitzwilliam Inn, NH, 2010
• Tupelo Music Hall, Londonderry, NH, 2008
• Del Rossi’s Trattoria, Dublin, NH
• Antrim in the Evening Music Series, Antrim, NH
• The High Mowing School, Wilton, NH
• The Solstice Festival, Winchendon, MA
• The Mariposa Museum, Peterborough, NH
• Union Mill Café, Peterborough, NH
• The Meeting School, Rindge, NH
• Peak into Peterborough Series, Peterborough, NH (annually)
• Peterborough Farmer’s Market, Peterborough, NH (regular appearances)
• Art Opening, Lowell, MA
• Children and the Arts Festival, Peterborough (annually)
• Granite State Music Festival
• Mardi Gras Celebrations
• Private parties and weddings