Folk Project: The Minstrel

Tanglefoot (photo by Andy Koenig)

The Minstrel is a concert series run by the Folk Project, a non-profit folk music and arts organization. We use the facilities of the Morristown Unitarian Fellowship, 21 Normandy Heights Road, Morristown, NJ. Click to go directly to our next event.

We hold shows every Friday, year round, and the second Friday of the month is an open stage/audition night. The music we present is "folk" music in its broadest sense. That is, in addition to traditional American and ethnic "folk" music (in its purist definition), we welcome music of contemporary, primarily acoustic songwriters, and other types of music more folkie in attitude than in content. Shows start at 8PM; dress is casual. We serve coffee, teas, and baked goods. There is no alcohol or tobacco on the premises. Admission is inexpensive; on our regular Friday concerts we ask $7.00 on your way in, plus the rest of what you thought the show was really worth on your way out. This additional amount goes to supplement what we pay the feature performer. All tickets are sold at the door. No advance sales or reservations are necessary.

For all show information or directions call 973/335-9489 or send email to . To contact our volunteer coordinator, send email to .

General Information

	to see maps of our location		to receive e-mail notification of our shows
	for booking information		to see the performers list since 1976
	for information about our open stages		to go to our volunteers signup web page
	to forward a link to this page to a friend

Upcoming Performers

JUN 26: THE HICKORY TREE CHORUS and BILL GRIESE

The HICKORY TREE CHORUS is a 50+ member award-winning women's acapella choir based in Somersett County, NJ. Their staple is the "Sweet Adelines" (female version of Barbershop) 4-part harmony repertoire. But they apply that style to other genres of music from '30's jazz standards to Broadway to Beatles to novelty songs, all presented with a theatrical sensibility, choreography, and of course great harmonies. Folk Projectile Wendy Keilin is among the members of the group.

Our opening act is BILL GRIESE. A singer/songwriter with a traditional folk-rock approach, Bill delivers warm, smooth vocals and a relaxed pick-less guitar style playing introspective original material or refreshingly unexpected covers. A real charmer.

JUL 3: MIKE AGRANOFF and CARL CROCE

As the Minstrel's Program Chairman, MIKE AGRANOFF has been its public face for over 30 years. Many regular attendees have heard snippets of music from him at an Open Stage or in informal music sessions offstage. But he's also a regularly touring seasoned performer, and a full set from him can be pretty impressive. His prodigious skills on guitar, concertina, and piano are matched to a wide variety of music. Expect anything from irreverent parodies to traditional ballads; from blazing dance tunes to Joplin piano rags; from great chorus songs to his signature spoken-word recitations. In addition to some old favorites, expect brand new and long-abandoned songs from his vast repertoire along with musical help from some of the Folk Project's best musicians.

CARL CROCE is also a Folk Project member. He's known as the big guy with the big voice, and the big guitar. He belts out blues and folk favorites with strong guitar accompaniment.

JUL 10: Open Stage

The Minstrel provides this service to our local musical community and passing traveling professionals to be heard by the public and maybe to be booked for a future show. Those who wish to perform at the OPEN STAGE should visit www.folkproject.org/fp_minstopen.html . Those who wish to see and hear a wide variety of performers should attend. For full details on how to get a performance slot, click here.

JUL 17: BUCKY PIZZARELLI and KEN LELEN

This will be a must-see night for guitar aficionados. Literally a living legend, BUCKY PIZZARELLI has performed with everyone from Les Paul to Stephane Grappelli to Benny Goodman to Tiny Tim. Playing an unusual 7-string archtop guitar, Pizzarelli drew his influences from Django Reinhardt, Freddie Green and George Van Eps. In his 80s now, he has not slowed down an iota, and continues to blaze trails in the jazz guitar world.

Our opener KEN LELEN also makes points in the guitar world by playing vintage songs on vintage guitars. His collection of instruments may not be as large as his collection of songs, but many of them are considerably older than the material from the '20's and '30's he delivers with great charm, and a wealth of knowledge and back-stories on the material.

JUL 24: THE MINSTREL'S 34TH BIRTHDAY SHOW

Tonight the Minstrel celebrates not only its anniversary, but the musicians of the Folk Project, the organization that has sustained it for 34 years. The show will be comprised of 3 to 4 dozen Folk Project member musicians, who were combined into randomly chosen duos and trios about 3 weeks earlier. Each group performs one number they have worked up in the interim. It's a chance to see the seasoned pros and the kitchen musicians performing together in demonstration of the spirit that has been the lifeblood of the Project since its inception.

JUL 31: TOBY WALKER and BEAUCOUP BLUE

The Blues Revue summed it up neatly. TOBY WALKER is "...a brilliant remarkable guitarist. A pinch of Piedmont, a dash of Delta, a solid Chicago undercurrent minus the amplification, but not the electricity." At home with both wooden and steel guitars, Toby plays the classics as well as his own songs with an open style and a dash of humor.

Opener BEAUCOUP BLUE is the father-son team of David and Adrian Mowry. On flat top and resonator guitars, they perform original songs and blues classics, along with some distinctive treatments of music from the doo-wop era.

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