David Amram is a living legend. A pioneer of jazz French horn, a virtuoso on piano, numerous flutes and whistles, percussion, and dozens of folkloric instruments from countries from around the world, Amram has an inventive witty sense of humor and it is evident with his impressive song lyrics. He has collaborated with some of the best actors and musicians ever, including Leonard Bernstein, Dizzy Gillespie, Langston Hughes, Dustin Hoffman, Willie Nelson, Lionel Hampton and hundreds more. David Amram has composed over one hundred orchestral and choral music scores as well as music for Broadway Theatre Films, including the classic text for the film Splendor in the Grass and The Manchurian Candidate, and has authored several books. A true musician’s musician, David is beloved by The Philadelphia Folk Festival appearing many times over the years and this national treasure is not to be missed at this rare up close and personal Philadelphia appearance.
2013 was a good year for Michael Braunfeld. He was awarded a prestigious slot on the Emerging Artists Showcase at the Falcon Ridge Folk Festival and was also selected for a coveted Quad Showcase at the Northeast Regional Folk Alliance Conference. There was a Saturday night round at the legendary Bluebird Cafe in Nashville and his eighth appearance at the Philadelphia Folk Festival. There have been sold-out shows, two new limited edition EPs and a collection of new material that is winning new fans over at each stop down the road. Not bad for somebody just returning from a decade-long hiatus from writing and performing.
Michael recorded his debut album, Some Things Aren’t Worth Crying For in 1991, when he was just 16 years old. Despite his youth, he was unafraid to tackle topical issues such as homelessness and the environment. His love songs on that release, written when he was a sophomore in high school, took listeners back to a time when everything mattered and nothing was unimportant. When It All Comes Down … Live followed and showcased Michael’s intense live performances. Still addressing issues that mattered to him, such as child abuse and coming of age in a nation at war, the songs on When It All Comes Down definitely became more personal. The songs “Circles,” still a crowd favorite after nearly 20 years, and “Tonight” received national airplay, propelling Michael onto the stages of some of the most prestigious venues and festivals around. He continued performing and honing his craft, headlining on the coffeehouse circuit and opening for acts like Jonatha Brooke, Bill Morrissey, John Wesley Harding, Bill Miller and Eric Andersen. Steel City was recorded before a packed Steel City Coffee House and captured the communion between artist and audience that came to be the hallmark of Michael’s shows.
In 2001, Michael traded life on the road for the stability of marriage and family life. While occasionally coming out of retirement for offers that truly meant something to him on a personal level, Michael seldom left the solitude of his studio. He channeled his creative energy into working with Philadelphia area arts organizations and began producing and promoting artists and events. Michael is currently co-artistic director (along with his father, Andrew) of the Spring Gulch Folk Festival.
It was at Spring Gulch in 2011 where a one-off, impromptu performance with the incomparable Buskin & Batteau as his band had unintended consequences. “I just wanted to sing a song for my son on his birthday,” Michael said of the appearance. However, he soon found himself being invited to perform again at the 50th annual Philadelphia Folk Festival. From there, the calls from his fans (and arm twisting from his peers) for him to return to the stage have not stopped. Michael is currently in the studio recording his long-awaited fourth album. 2014 looks promising, indeed.
Whether addressing topical issues or sharing personal stories that often leave his audiences feeling that he has somehow, in some way, invaded their privacy, Michael’s performances combine a powerful guitar style with a seemingly endless supply of urgency. And he has a pretty sneaky sense of humor too.