2011 Performer Bios (Stay tuned for our 2012 line-up!)
*If you would like to be considered as a performer for the 2012 Bread & Roses Festival, please contact us via the 'Contact' page.
Itchy Feet (Big Band Jazz)
Itchy Feet plays an eclectic mix of straight-ahead jazz and hard-driving swing. Formed in 2009, the band led by Wayne Branco is a nonet with six horns, keys, bass and drums. The band's repertoire spans several jazz eras, incorporating a mix of styles from dixieland to modern jazz. Many arrangements were adapted from those of the big bands of Count Basie, Stan Kenton, Buddy Rich and Woody Herman. Others were written by trumpeter and arranger David Johnson, and put a new spin on classics written by legendary jazzmen, including Miles Davis and John Coltrane.
The Angkor Dance Troupe
The Angkor Dance Troupe was formed in 1986 by Cambodian refugees of the Khmer Rouge holocaust. Lowell's Cambodian American community, estimated at more than 25,000 people, is the second largest in the country. When they resettled in Lowell, they brought a passion to carry their cherished cultural traditions -- to practice and perform, to teach their children, and to see their art preserved for future generations of all cultures. A central part of the Angkor Dance Troupe's mission is to provide cultural, recreational and educational opportunities for inner city youth. As a community struggling to put down roots in a new homeland, Cambodian dance provides a poignant reminder of the beauty and spirituality of their culture and helps them build a more stable foundation for their children.
Raging Grannies
In 1998 two women picked up the Granny songbook and began singing for peace and justice on the streets of Boston. Today the Boston gaggle has more than 20 active members. They sing counter-recruitment songs outside of high schools. They sing to change the CORI laws and against foreclosures and healthcare shortfalls in front of the state house. Wearing their hats and carrying their banner they march, sing and rage for peace and justice whenever and wherever they can.
Ten Tumbao
Tumbao is a Cuban word meaning rhythm, flavor, style and flair and the name of the group means "Have Tumbao"; which is exactly what they invite you to do every time they play! These talented musicians have enough energy to light up a whole city and they share their love and enthusiasm for what they do with audiences of all ages, backgrounds and walks of life. A Ten Tumbao show will stimulate your senses, and is known to cause spontaneous acts of unstoppable dancing, which is exactly what we're hoping for at this year’s 27th annual Bread and Roses Festival! We welcome them to this year’s fabulous lineup!
Zili Misik
Zili Misik has been bridging cultures, generations, and continents for eleven years. With captivating sounds that evoke the African continent, Zili retraces routes of forced exile and cultural resistance through diasporic rhythm and song. Powerful Haitian, Brazilian and West African rhythms infuse Zili's original creations and traditional folksongs. Reconnecting Haitian mizik rasin, Jamaican roots reggae, Afro-Brazilian samba, Afro-Cuban son, and African American spirituals, blues, jazz and neo soul, Zili Misik honors its influences while creating a sound that is uniquely its own. All female, Zili takes its name from Haitian spiritual entity, "Ezili" who is envisaged as mother, lover, and warrior. Zili's songs are sensual, political, self-reflective, positive, and invoke love. Zili Misik is the 2008 Boston Music Awards winner for "Outstanding International Act of the Year", and we are thrilled to have them here for an amazing Bread & Roses Festival performance!
Bread & Puppet Theater Presents: Man = Carrot Circus
The Bread and Puppet Theater is a politically radical theater ensemble, active since the 1960s, currently based in Glover, Vermont. It has received National Endowment for the Arts grants and numerous awards from the Puppeteers of America and other organizations. Some have heard echoes of the Roman phrase “bread and circuses” or the labor slogan “Bread and Roses.” The theater runs a program where apprentices help produce and act in the performances. Bread and Puppet Theater will present the “Man = Carrot” circus, for children of all ages. It is based on the revelation that upright man rooted in dirt was created in the image of the upright carrot rooted in dirt. - The audience is welcome to examine all the masks and puppets after the performance, and cheap art will be for sale.
Nick Vandenberg
Nick Vandenberg began playing music as a kid in the hills of West Virginia, where he grew up. After earning a degree in music composition in 2004 from Ohio University he left for Los Angeles where he spent the next four years as an audio engineer and composer for television and film. In 2008 Nick relocated to Lawrence MA to reconnect with long-time friend and musical collaborator Geoff Goodhue. Recently Nick, in collaboration with New Relic Media, completed a documentary film/video-guided walking tour about the 1860 fall of the Pemberton Mill in Lawrence, MA. Nick co-wrote/directed the film as well as composed and engineered the original musical score and sound design. The Path: Fall Of The Pemberton Mill, winner of best cinematography in a documentary at the Boston international film festival, can be seen at www.tourlawrence.org
Tom Juravich
Tom Juravich grew up in upstate New York, the son of a factory worker. He was in his first band, “The Strikers” at 13 and played guitar and sang his way through high school and college. By the late 1970s, he was working the folk circuit in New England, playing in places like the Iron Horse, the Folkway and Club Passim. In 1980 Juravich went back to his roots during a bitter strike in Massachusetts. The United Auto Workers (UAW) recorded a song he wrote about the strike, and later released his album Rise Again which sold 10,000 copies. The title cut which has been called “labor’s new anthem”. As a singer, songwriter and interpreter of songs, Tom Juravich gives us music that grabs hold of real life, focuses on the things that matter and gives them back to us through the stories of people we can't help but know. At the core of Juravich’s music is his voice. Rich and sure, it resonates through songs he sings, filling them out and making them his own.
Elana Brody
"Cosmic." - Bobby Mcferrin
"The most angelic voice I've ever heard. She's like a songbird." - Cheryl Cole, British popstar and judge on X-Factor
Melodic and adventurous, the new folk music of Elana Brody is "Magic." A pianist and virtuosic singer, her concerts are filled with imaginative stories and songs that she makes up on the spot. Last year, you could hear her improvising folk songs into the ears of subway passengers, and belting on busy corners in Brooklyn. In June, she auditioned for Simon Cowell's reality show the X-factor. Simon told her "You're totally nuts. But you're brilliant." She grew up singing folk songs and performing musicals with her sisters in the mountains of Virginia. A child of hippie parents, she was influenced first by the music of Joni Mitchell, Carole King, and Solas. Her tastes evolved to include all sorts of pop and indie music; and then while studying at Berklee College of Music, she picked up a love for virtuosity and poly-rhythmic jazz.
"You wanna know where the wild things go, follow Elana Brody, she'll take you there."
Ana Vinagre & Her Portuguese Ensemble
Fadista performer Ana Vinagre was born in the fishing village of Buarcos, Figueira da Foz, Portugal. Following in the footsteps of her sister, mother, and grandmother, Ana began singing fado professionally at the age of 13 as a member of her local folk dancing group. Vinagre toured in Europe, until immigrating to the United States with her husband and singing partner Jose in 1972. Settling in New Bedford, they continue to perform extensively. Ana is accompanied by Jose Silva on the twelve-string guitar, Viriato Ferreirra on the viola de fado, and Peter Pimental on the bass. The fadista expresses the soulfulness of this music tradition. Today, Ana is one of the area’s best-known and respected fadista singers. We are delighted to welcome Ana Vinagra to the Bread & Roses Festival.
Craig Harris
Using hand drums, assorted percussion instruments, puppets, stories, and songs, drummer/percussionist, author, photographer and music educator, Craig Harris and Drum Away The Blues celebrates the music of the world and inspires creative expression. Playing drums and percussion since his teens, Harris has performed in concert and/or recorded with many internationally known artists. A highly respected music journalist/photographer, his articles, reviews, and photographs have appeared in newspapers, magazines, and websites around the globe and he's authored three books on world and folk music. Possessing a Masters in education, and Massachusetts teaching certification in music, Harris taught in public schools for more than 25 years.
Taller Borinqueno
Taller Borinqueno is a local Puerto Rican youth dance group from the Lawrence, MA area, directed by Vanessa Espendez. They’re a regular here at the Bread and Roses festival and we welcome them back for our 27th annual festival!
Mill City Slam
FreeVerse!'s mission is to introduce and nurture the culture of spoken word poetry in partnership with youth in the city of Lowell. We work with community agencies and organizations to broaden this culture and expand. FreeVerse! is just that, free verse. Not this formatted style poetry. Teach teens to write through their tribulations. Find voice in verse. We are not voiceless. Produce hope through pages, and courage from the grip of a pen. Free. Verse. Let free. Verse. Let free. Voice.
Veronica Robles Dancers
Veronica Robles dance group introduces youth ages 10-17 years old to Latin American culture through dance and related art disciplines. The dancers perform in several venues, festivals and cultural events and at Veronica's TV show in a Telemundo Boston broadcast on Saturdays 10 AM. Veronica Robles, multi-talented media personality has won the affection and respect of the public; thanks to her stage presence and the freshness of her performance. Above all she has been honored for her commitment to working for the well being of children, especially young women. In 2000 Veronica created the Latino Art and Culture Initiative at Centro Latino de Chelsea.
Henry Lappen
Some entertainers are skilled at one particular thing: singing, dancing, acting. They are therefore easy to describe. But Henry Lappen? Let’s see. There’s Henry the Juggler, a man capable of juggling balls, clubs, rings and even torches while on stilts, or on a tightrope. Then, there’s Henry the Bird, performing “Birds in their Habitat,” a funny but also educational look at our feathered friends. Also, there’s Henry as “Lapinsky,” portraying the life of an Eastern European immigrant juggler. Henry Lappen has been teaching and performing juggling for 25 years and has studied at California’s Dell’Arte School. As, perhaps, Yogi Berra might put it: There’s only one Henry Lappen, and the Bread and Roses Labor Day Heritage Festival is indeed lucky to have all of them.
N.E. Civic Ballet
The New England Civic Ballet (NECB), based right here in Lawrence, gives talented young dancers from the local area an opportunity to perform professionally, while also giving them the freedom to develop both artistically and personally. Founded in 1996, the NECB retains no continuous company, but casts all roles through open auditions and invitations. This combination of personal freedom, quality education and professional excellence has made NECB a vital participant in the local cultural scene. NECB’s productions have included Sleeping Beauty (spring, 2000), Cinderella (March, 2003) and The Nutcracker (December, 2003). They recently created and produced The Enchanted Glen, an original ballet. The Bread and Roses Festival is proud to list itself among the New England Civic Ballet’s performance accomplishments.
O’Shea-Chaplin Irish Dancers
We are one of the longest established Irish dancing schools in the country. Founded by Rita O'Shea-Chaplin in Galway, Ireland 50 years ago. The school has been located in the greater Boston area since the early 1960's. Rita and her instructors teach children and adults of all ages. Our students have won many local, regional and national championships and their ceili and choreography teams have captured many North American titles.
Jasper Som
With a background in classical violin, 18-year-old Cambodian-American Jasper Som developed an adept musical skill at a young age. At thirteen, he picked up a guitar and was creatively influenced by Michael Jackson and Stevie Wonder. At fifteen, Jasper was a participating student of the Lowell Community Health Center’s Teen Coalition. Jasper is heavily involved in the Lowell community and has become a sought after young talent, playing for youth organizations such as United Teen Equality Center and the Revolving Museum. Jasper’s raspy-soulful singing, accompanied by his acoustic guitar features songs about nature, family, Lowell, and fears. Jasper aspires to be an advocate for stronger musical and performance education, and to someday play all over the world.
Sons and Daughters of Alexander the Great
Dance Group
The Sons and Daughters of Alexander the Great are well-known throughout the Boston area and perform through a number of venues - cultural festivals, stage performances, parades, as well as social functions. Over 1,100 young professionals and students have danced with the group over the years. Currently, 20 young men and women practice weekly, learning and performing traditional dances. We perform dances mainly from the region of Macedonia but also from other areas of Greece, including Epirus, Thessaly, and Thrace. All of the group's costumes are authentic and hand-made in Greece.