Join PFS in welcoming Sharon Goldman for a PFS House Concert!
Sharon Goldman (www.sharongoldmanmusic.com) is a New Jersey-based singer-songwriter known for her intelligent, inventive storytelling has led to appearances in the Falcon Ridge Folk Festival Emerging Artists showcase; the NERFA Folk-DJ and Boston One-Day showcases; and John Platt’s popular On Your Radar series. Several well-received albums have been spun on folk and public radio across the country and Sharon has performed in top coffeehouses, listening room series and house concerts around the Northeast. Folk fans might remember her as part of a “Chicks with Dip” Joni Mitchell’s Blue: a 40th Anniversary Tribute tour from 2012-2014; while songwriters also know her as founder and writer of the popular blog Songwriting Scene.
Her latest album, KOL ISHA (A Woman’s Voice), takes her artistry in a new and unique direction: She has dug deep into her Orthodox Jewish childhood and emerged with a bold, imaginative song cycle that is by turns deeply feminist, conflicted and yearning, tracing her own journey to find her voice as a passionate woman; a lifelong questioner; and a constant seeker. She delves into memories of prayers and rituals; of roads not taken; and of voices not heard (The concept of Kol Isha is found in traditional Jewish communities, where women are not supposed to sing publicly in front of men). She also mines the stories of biblical and mythical women — such as Lilith, the Sabbath Queen and the lovers in the Song of Songs — for creative inspiration.
Like most personal artistic explorations, KOL ISHA is shot through with more questions than answers. It highlights conflicts born of contradictions and competing loyalties. It reflects Goldman’s hunger to know herself and her place in the world — with a deep level of honesty that comes through even in song stories that are totally imagined.
KOL ISHA is the project that will speak to anyone who has ever tried to rediscover childhood rituals; who has struggled to tap into their own truth; has drawn close to something and then pushed it away; and who has struggled to understand his or her own decisions and actions.
Sharon Goldman’s journey is uniquely her own but she invites us to connect with the spirit of candid reflection and transformation.
According to singer-songwriter and activist Si Kahn, “Sharon Goldman has done something quite remarkable, merging the cadences of ancient Hebrew liturgy with a contemporary feminist perspective on modern Jewish and American life. Despite its historic roots, her work is easily accessible to anyone who appreciates intelligent, poetic, musically-compelling folk.”
KOL ISHA, released in August 2016, was co-produced with Stephen Murphy (Sloan Wainwright, Amy Soucy) and engineered by Mark Dann. It features Cheryl Prashker on percussion, Craig Akin on upright bass and Laura Wolfe on harmonium and violin. The album includes guest appearances from Red Molly’s Abbie Gardner on dobro (on “Lilith”), Brian Prunka on oud and Amy Soucy on background vocals.
PFS and the hosts ask that guests act in a respectful manner and be considerate of the performers and other attendees--if you do not, you may be asked to leave by PFS staff or the hosts.
Advance registrations for this performance are REQUIRED.
Admission is free for PFS members and $10 for non-members.
Venue is located at the Spear Residence in Philadelphia, PA. Precise address given the Friday before the event or when tickets are sold out, whichever comes first! The address will also appear on the confirmation immediately after purchasing your ticket!
Please bring something to share! Pot luck at 7:00pm, music at 7:30 pm.