In collaboration with Buscadero magazine:
James Maddock: vocals, guitar
Brian Mitchell: piano, accordion, vocals
Chris Buhalis: vocals and guitar
Graham Weber: vocals and guitar
Chris Murphy: violin
Alex Valle: mandolin, dobro and pedal steel guitar
We promised it—and here it is: a truly memorable event!
We close our 37th Season with something that calling a “concert” would almost be an understatement: what takes the stage is a remarkable piece of music history! The stage of the cave on Via Perrone will host an exceptional, one-of-a-kind Songwriters Night—a true Hootenanny, like those that set small Greenwich Village clubs ablaze in 1970s New York: a semicircle of chairs, a handful of singer-songwriters, beating hearts, and songs intertwining freely between stage and audience. A magical atmosphere that made venues like the Gaslight, the Bitter End, and Gerde’s Folk City legendary comes back to life in Turin, in the only club in Italy that can claim this heritage, having hosted giants such as Pete Seeger, Townes Van Zandt, Odetta, Ramblin’ Jack, Rick Danko, and Guy Clark. There is no setlist for this concert: what happens on stage is pure magic—an instant spark. The songwriters will try to surprise one another, interacting among themselves and with the audience in a continuous flow of stories and melodies. This 35th event, in addition to closing our Season, officially marks the end of the side events of the Townes Van Zandt International Festival, which—after the official date on May 17 in Figino Serenza—finds its most natural, intimate, and glorious conclusion at FolkClub.
Here are the stars of the evening:
James Maddock: The beloved rocker from Leicester, now based in New York, with a raspy voice that recalls the warmth of Rod Stewart and the urgency of Steve Forbert. In intensity, his music is often compared to Springsteen’s, with whom Maddock frequently performs.
Brian Mitchell: The “engine” of the evening, collaborator of Dolly Parton, Bob Dylan, and Levon Helm, and widely regarded as one of the finest pianists and accordionists around. He has contributed to five Grammy Award–winning recordings with Levon Helm, B.B. King, and Les Paul. Since 2015, he has been inducted into the New York Blues Hall of Fame. He often tours with Maddock in both the U.S. and Italy—a country he feels closely connected to, also due to his roots. He looks like he stepped out of a Scorsese film and truly is the spark that ignites every performance: his overflowing piano and acrobatic accordion deliver breathtaking solos.
Graham Weber: Frontman of the Restos and a central figure in the Austin music scene, Weber is the songwriter who inherited the baton from the legendary Butch Hancock in directing the major tribute that the city of Austin dedicates every March 7 (Townes Van Zandt’s birthday), a monumental event that precedes the renowned SXSW festival.
Chris Buhalis: The Michigan songwriter deeply loved by Townes Van Zandt (who sang on his debut album). Buhalis finally returns to Italy after the wonderful 2019 tour with Gurf Morlix (producer of Lucinda Williams), Andrew Hardin (guitarist for Tom Russell), and singer-songwriter Blackie Farrell, author of one of the most beautiful songs ever written: Sonora’s Death Row.
Chris Murphy: An Irish soul raised among the sounds and concrete of New York. A violinist and eclectic multi-instrumentalist with over 30 years of career, he is the favorite violinist of Steve Wickham of the Waterboys. Murphy brings a touch of magic, adding unpredictability and poetry, moving between ancestral folk and improvisational flashes that captivate audiences.
Alessandro Valle: Completing the circle, the pedal steel and mandolin of the longtime musician for Francesco De Gregori. His masterful touch will add the necessary “Americana” depth to an event of this scale, bridging overseas sounds with Italy’s great singer-songwriter tradition.
jamesmaddock.net
grahamweber.com
chrismurphymusic.com
chrisbuhalis.com
alexvalle.com
