Cornstock, a three-day celebration of roots and acoustic music, will be held at Lazy Brook Park near the intersection of Routes 6 and 92, two miles east of Tunkhannock, from Friday to Sunday, Sept. 2 to 4.
Entering its fourth year, the Cornstock Folk Festival, which will be held from Friday to Sunday, Sept. 2 to 4, continues to attract a broad pallet of musicians to Lazy Brook Park in Tunkhannock. Professor Louie and the Crow Matrix (above) will headline this summer’s event, which features free camping with the purchase of a weekend pass at $50 per adult.
“Why leave? Soak up the good,” said Anthony Hannigan, who coordinates Cornstock with his wife and fellow musician Jillian Hannigan. “Sitting around a campfire under a clear sky, gazing up at the stars, and listening to the sounds of banjos, harmony singing, fiddles, and guitars can restore our spirits.”
Night-time jams lead to all-day concerts, with world-class acts delivering a variety of grassroots music on two stages.
Aaron “Professor Louie” Hurwitz formed the Crowmatrix in 2000, pulling together an ensemble of seasoned musicians who had honed their skills performing with legendary folk artists like Bob Dylan, Van Morrison, Steve Forbert, Levon Helm, Rick Danko, and Joe Jackson. Their 2009 album “Whispering Pines” was nominated for five Grammies.
It is the uniqueness of each band that makes the Cornstock roster so exciting. Other highlighted acts for the 2016 festival include Roy Williams and the Human Hands, Bobtown, and the Brummy Brothers.
Williams (above) grew up in Clarks Green in a Lackawanna County home where popular music was a mainstay. Influenced by Neil Young, Buffalo Springfield, and the Beatles, he began playing gigs in the Scranton area. It was in New York City that he met guitarist Stephane Wrembel, who introduced him to her unique style of Gypsy Jazz. Now based in Brooklyn, Williams plays regularly with renowned fiddle player Alex Hargreaves.
Bobtown (above) also comes from New York and offers an unconventional take on traditional folk and Americana. The five-member band features three female musicians: Karen Dahlst on guitar; Katherine Etzel on drums, accordion, and ukulele; and Jen McDearman on percussion. Alan Lee Becker adds banjo, guitar and dobro, and Fred McDearman plays bass. Bobtown members share vocal duties and excel in harmonizing.
The Brummy Brothers (above) are relatively new to the scene, but their original blend of bluegrass, rock and improvisation quickly led to the 2014 album release “On Our Way” and a rigorous touring schedule of nearly 100 gigs per year. Band members include guitarist Andrew Morris, bassist Dave Brumberg, Eric Brumberg on mandolin, and Russell Gottlieb on banjo.
Poor Man’s Gambit and Vintage Drive round out the list of visiting bands.
Regional and local acts on the bill this summer include Hickory Project, Coal Town Rounders, Bug Tussle, JP Williams Blues Band, Sassafras, Dishonest Fiddlers, Couple Days, Texas Rose, and Take 2. Pappy Biondo and Dylan Starsky from Cabinet and Anthony Hannigan of Hickory Project comprise Launch PAD, a jam band that will host one of the festival’s two late-night shows.
Anthony and Jillian Hannigan work together not only solicit top-notch musicians, but to also enlist a wide variety of vendors to meet the needs of those visiting the festival for just a day and those who take advantage of the free camping option. There are numerous activities for kids, and those under 16 are admitted free. The overall atmosphere, Jillian maintains, is hard to beat.
“Of all of the festivals I’ve been to, I think Lazy Brook Park provides the nicest venue,” she stated. “The creek, the trees, the mountain views – it really is an idyllic place. Staying all weekend is the best way to experience the park and festival.”
Last year’s campers were the first to seek the cooling waters of Tunkhannock Creek when day time temperatures became unseasonably warm. Campers are also encouraged to bring their instruments and get in on jam sessions and pickin’ parties that can pop up anywhere at any time.
“There’s just something magical about campfire jams under the stars and an early morning dip in crystal clear Tunkhannock Creek,” Jillian remarked. Nonetheless, she noted, day passes are also available.
Prior to the start of the festival, the fourth-annual Northeast Strings Workshops will be held at the Dietrich Theater in Tunkhannock. Beginning at 9 am on Friday, Sep. 2, five hours of instruction will cover mandolin, banjo, guitar, and jamming.
“‘Jam’ is the term used when two or more people get together and share songs on their instrument or voice,” Anthony explained. “No rehearsal, no arrangements, just pure song bliss.”
The cost to participate in the strings workshop is $50, and space is limited. Workshop participants can also purchase weekend passes to Cornstock at a reduced cost and set up camp a night earlier than the public.
For more information on the string workshops and the festival, visit www.cornstockfestival.com and like the Cornstock Folk Festival page on Facebook.
