BRATTLEBORO — The Northern Roots Traditional Music Festival - set for Saturday and Sunday, Jan. 25 and 26, includes performances by noted musicians, workshops, and a session of pub singing.
Now a cornerstone of the traditional music calendar in New England, the festival, directed by Keith Murphy, continues to offer a unique showcase of a variety of northern musical traditions, including Irish, Scottish, English, and French Canadian.
The festival, which musters the considerable local talent in the area as well as a select roster of regional guests, begins Saturday, Jan. 25, at noon, with a full slate of daytime participation and performance activities at the Brattleboro Music Center, including workshops, panels, mini-concerts, and a dance band class.
A special “family track” includes a concert and a dance for all ages.
This year's Saturday performers include:
• John Roberts, who plays concertina and banjo, and sings the traditional folksongs of his native Britain.
• Debra Cowan, who performs a cappella and with guitar in the great tradition of folk singers like Joan Baez and Judy Collins.
• lydia ievins, who plays nyckelharpa and five-string fiddle for Scandinavian and English Country dancing.
• Katie McNally, who made waves in both the American folk music scene and abroad since the release of her debut album, Flourish, in 2013.
• Neil Pearlman, multi-instrumentalist, step dancer. and host of podcast TradCafe.
• Piper Joey Abarta and fiddler Nathan Gourley, two of America's great young trad musicians.
On Sunday, Jan. 26, a series of “boisterous participatory sessions” - pub singing, French Canadian and Irish tune jamming, and more - will take place at McNeill's Brewery on Elliot Street.