Jencks: “Resonant, honey-rich voice...open-hearted humanity” WFUV-fm
McCalla: "Alluring contemporary folk…both inspired and inspiring" ROOTS MUSIC REPORT
**Tickets: $29 General Admission / $27 Advance / $40 Gold Circle
Location: The Addy Theatre at Proctors
DEIDRE McCALLA: Her songwriting reveals an unyieldingly honest perspective expressed with a lyric touch, celebrating the power and diversity of the human spirit. A Black woman, mother, lesbian, and feminist, her songs embody hope and celebration, struggle, loss and longing.
McCalla grew up around the folk scene in New York City’s MacDougal Street, where she started her career in its coffeehouses. Moving on to California into the epicenter of the Women’s Music movement, she put out three records on the prestigious Olivia Records label. She has shared the stage with a long list of notables including Suzanne Vega, Tracy Chapman, Holly Near, Odetta, Cris Williamson, and Sweet Honey in the Rock. In short, she has long been in the forefront of Black musicians ‘redefining how Black folk do folk,’ as she puts it.
Her phenomenal current release Endless Grace (2022), her first in several years, soared to #1 on FAI folk radio charts both as an album and for its song “Shoulder to the Wheel” - a total of three songs from the album were charted. Meanwhile, numerous reader and listener polls around the country ranked Endless Grace among their ten best folk albums of 2022. “Shoulder…” went on to take IAMA’s 2023 “Best Folk/Americana/Roots” award. Welcome back, Deidre!
“Crafts winsome melodies that suggest deeper currents running alongside her carefully observed lyrics” -Berkeleyside
JOE JENCKS
International touring musician, award-winning songwriter, and celebrated vocalist, brings performances of musical beauty, social consciousness and spiritual exploration. Or to put it more informally, he is one hot singer!
Merging conservatory training with his Irish roots and working-class upbringing, Jencks delivers mesmerizing musical narratives fleshed out with heart, soul, groove and grit. He blends his well-crafted instrumentals and vivid songwriting, serving it up in a lyric baritone voice with the edgy richness of a good sea-salt caramel.
A founding member of the folk superstars Brother Sun, he has penned several #1 folksongs including the ever-relevant and gorgeous “Lady of The Harbor,” Jencks has become a fan favorite throughout North America and most certainly here at The Step, where his Spring ‘23 show-stopping version of “What A Wonderful World” with Susan Werner still echoes.
“Tells our stories, his story, and the untold stories, as an American folk master can - with heart and unfettered perfection.” SIRIUS XM RADIO