Folkie Fest: Unstoppable Women of Song

One of the most popular Folkie Fest shows is our nod to Women’s History Month. This year we have some of our favorites are returning and some new voices are joining us for the first time! Favorites Claudia Jacobs and Rorie Kelly will perform solo; Maria Fairchild performing with Annie Mark as “The String Sisters” and newcomers Lauren Jayne and Marian Mastrorilli.

Claudia Jacobs, a long time fixture on the NY music scene is equally comfortable singing, writing and interpreting music in the Americana, blues, Jazz, and even country-ish traditions. Few performers can fill a stage so completely with joy, pain, injustice, humor, hope and sass. Dubbed “Long Island’s Favorite Soul Singer” by the Long Island Press and “One of the New York area’s finest female singer-songwriters” by WFUV’s John Platt. She debuted her new project CB Jacobs and the Say Hey Crew this past summer. www.claudiajacobs.com

Rorie Kelly is an award-winning singer/songwriter/ladybeast from Long Island. Her mission in life is to spread healing through art, and to remind you to love yourself with the fierceness of a kitten that doesn’t know it is tiny. Her music has been featured in film and TV shows, received radio airplay around the world, and led her to perform at the Obama White House in 2016. Her most recent album Shadow Work is about shining a light in the darkness and healing wounds. The production is big and dark, and performed largely by just two people – Rorie herself, and her father/production partner, Kevin Kelly. “It was exciting to us to see just how much power we could pack into these songs as two humans in a studio with a vision,” says Rorie. The songwriting looks deeply into topics like self worth, growth and letting go, and how our culture treats people who don’t fit the mainstream “default.” The opening song, “Full Moon Charm Bracelet,” was featured in the 2021 film Hearts and Vines, which won a Telly Award for Use of Music. For more information or to contact Rorie, visit www.roriekelly.com.

Long-time local favorites Annie Mark and Maria Fairchild have teamed up: The String Sisters bring a mix of classic country blues, old time, and original songs to the stage. Between the two of them, they’ve played from Florida to Ireland, and British Columbia to London. Featuring guitar, banjo, and mandolin, their writing explores life’s journey, struggles, and triumphs, with wit and wisdom. What’s better than hearing Annie or Maria sing? Hearing them harmonize together!

Marian Mastrorilli has been writing and performing in the NY area since her late 20's. After claiming Huntington as a new hometown in 2018, she's been making headway in Long Island’s acoustic community. She’s been a featured performer at North Shore Original Open Mic and Music from the Hive; and has appeared at the L.I. Fall Festival, B.J. Spoke Gallery, Bellmore Bean, Milano Bean, Finley’s, and Shandon Court usually backed by her husband Glenn Govier on bass.

Marian is recording a new CD and releasing singles along the way. The first, Cardinal in the Snow, tells of finding hope during a time of despair in the unexpected beauty of nature. She released two highly successful CD with her former band, Project Mercury. Diversity and the element of surprise are cornerstones of Marian's approach to music. Songs can be moody, sensitive or playful; built with a keen melodic sense; dynamics; and rich harmonies. Lyrics are poetic, introspective or witty, delivered with a distinctive voice that tries on different personas: sensitive balladeer, sultry chanteuse, rocker chick. www.marianmastrorilli.com.

For Lauren Jayne, songwriting has become the light that moved her through the dark storms of life and giving her the ability to thrive. It was always something to hold on to when there was nothing else. The power of creativity makes her unstoppable. Both healing and transformative, her songs have given Lauren purpose. As a result of dealing with depression, When faced with a loss of identity, music brought a sense of belonging, allowing her to start to recognize her strengths. When her songwriting developed, so did her confidence. There's still a stigma surrounding mental health disorders which left Lauren unable to speak openly about her struggles. On my path to recovery, writing allowed Lauren to look beyond my limitations because it moved thoughts and feelings from her mind to paper. https://laurenjaynemusic.com

Folkie Fest offers an ongoing concert series with local acoustic artists in the spirit of folk music as envisioned by the late Pete Seeger. We provide a listening space and support live, local, singer/songwriters sharing their original work. A portion of the proceeds are donated to the community center, and a 50/50 raffle is held to benefit Long Island Cares: The Harry Chapin Food Bank.

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