The Second Festival of Traditional American Music

The international arts organization CEC Artslink, in collaboration with the US Embassy in Moscow and the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress, is pleased to announce the second Traditional American Music Festival.

From March to May 2013, three prominent U.S. traditional music ensembles will tour nine Russian cities, including Saint Petersburg and Moscow. 

The festival’s aim is to acquaint Russian audiences with some of the most interesting and authentic music traditions in the United States. The participating groups have all greatly influenced the development of musical culture while preserving the traditional heritage of their genres.

With performances and presentations in St. Petersburg, Moscow, Nizhny Novgorod, Yekaterinburg, Kaliningrad, Chelyabinsk, Tolyatti, Kirov and Ulyanovsk, the Traditional American Music features the sounds of acoustic jazz, contemporary music played on traditional conjunto instruments, western swing, vintage country, bluegrass, jazz, swing standard and traditional Texan violin music.

Each of the performing groups – Los Texmaniacs, The Quebe Sisters Band and the Modern Blues Masters trio– are highly acclaimed and renowned performers in the US.  Their contributions to American and world folk music culture are valued both by exacting critics and millions of listeners world-wide.

All of the bands participating in the festival were specially selected by the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress. In the tradition of the festival, each of these groups will be performing in Russia for the first time.

For the second year in a row, the Festival of Traditional American Music will introduce concert goers to vibrant American music traditions completely unknown to the Russian public, blurring the boundaries between the two vastly different countries through a remarkably candid musical dialogue.

Festival participants and dates:

The Quebe Sisters Band 

In 2000, The Quebe Sisters Band (pronounced Kway-bee)burst onto the music scene and immediately began captivating audiences, ultimately winning them the nickname “The Pride of Texas.” For more information visit the web-site.

March 22 - Moscow, DOM Cultural Center

Modern Blues Masters: Phil Wiggins, Guy Davis and Samuel James

The Modern Blues Masters is the ultimate acoustic blues trio, performing music that brings a new dimension to blues by combining cross-cultural and contemporary influences.

April 4 - Saint Petersburg, St. Petersburg Jazz Philharmonic Hall          

April 6 - Nizhny Novgorod, National Center for Contemporary Art

April 8 – Kirov, Theatre on Spasskaya

April 11 – Moscow, DOM Cultural Center

Los Texmaniacs

Los Texmaniacs is a conjunto group hailing from Texas, founded by legendary musician Max Baca. For more information visit the web-site.

May 11 - Saint Petersburg, St. Petersburg Jazz Philharmonic Hall          

May 13 – Tolyatti, Tolyatti Philarmonic

May 15 – Ulyanovsk, House of Culture

May 17 – Moscow, DOM Cultural Center

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