Performers for the 2018 National Folk Festival

Albert Lee

rockabilly

Malibu, California

Nicknamed “Mr. Telecaster,” this rockabilly guitar icon is noted for his unique picking technique, melodic sensibilities, and lightning speed.

The Bing Brothers Band feat. Jake Krack

old-time string band

Marlinton and Huntington, West Virginia

One of the Mountain State’s finest old-time bands ably carries on their Appalachian musical legacy with a rousing, hard-driving style.

The Chankas of Perú

Andean scissors dance

Port Chester, New York

Carrying on the legendary danza de las tijeras (scissors dance), an ancient, highly acrobatic indigenous ritual dance from the southern Andes of Peru.

Clinton Fearon & the Boogie Brown Band

reggae

Seattle, Washington

A core member of the famed Gladiators and living legend of Jamaican roots reggae delivers the message and the groove.

Dancing On Air Crew

b-boying

Charleston, South Carolina

Gravity-defying head spins, twirling windmills, and rapid-fire footwork are hallmarks of this urban dance style that lies at the core of hip hop culture.

Greenbelt S.I.T.Y. Stars

precision jump rope team

Greenbelt, Maryland

A young champion precision jump rope team with dazzling acrobatic moves, agility, speed, style, and a positive message.

Imamyar Hasanov & Abbos Kosimov

Azerbaijani kamancha and percussion

San Francisco and Sacramento, California

Haunting melodies of the Azerbaijani spiked fiddle supported by dazzling percussion—sounds honed over centuries along the famed Silk Road routes of eastern and central Asia.

Jason Samuels Smith

tap dance

New York, New York

One of the most acclaimed tap dancers of his generation, a bona fide “hoofer” who upholds a great American dance tradition with verve and style.

Jeghetto

puppetry

Chapel Hill, North Carolina

Recycled materials take on life as astonishing 21st-century puppets—breakdancing androids, dinosaurs, dreadlocked cellists, and more—that connect with kids of all backgrounds.

Liz Carroll & Jake Charron

Irish

Chicago, Illinois

Acclaimed for her virtuosity and creativity, this Chicago-born fiddler is among the most influential and celebrated in the world of traditional Irish music.

Mangum & Company

gospel brass "shout band"

Charlotte, North Carolina

This gospel trombone choir will raise the roof with its heavenly “shout band” harmonies, a musical tradition unique to the United House of Prayer for All People.

Mariachi Los Camperos

mariachi

Los Angeles, California

Soaring, impassioned vocals, a magnificent violin section, and superb showmanship—one of the finest mariachis in the world.

Marquise Knox

blues

St. Louis, Missouri

Channeling the power of old-school masters, this prodigiously talented 27-year-old is the future of the blues.

Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper

bluegrass

Charlestown, Indiana

Ten-time IBMA Fiddle Performer of the Year leads a powerhouse band, creating dynamic traditional bluegrass that has propelled them to the top of the American bluegrass scene.

Michael Winograd & the Honorable Mentshn

klezmer

Brooklyn, New York

With sounds rousing, raucous, and poignant in turn, this all-star band fronted by one of today’s premier klezmer clarinetists is leading the modern renaissance of klezmer.

Nicolae Feraru

Romanian cimbalom

Chicago, Illinois

Stunning virtuosity and deep musical passion have made this master of the cimbalom a revered figure in Chicago’s Eastern European communities.

Nukariik

Inuit throat singing

Ottawa, Ontario

A rarely heard tradition, Inuit throat singing blends breath and voiced sound to create playful, rhythmic melodies and imitations of sounds in nature.

Orquesta SCC

salsa dura

Bronx, New York

These “new kings of salsa dura” are leading a renaissance of driving, socially conscious Latin music that brings the energy of the barrio back to salsa.

Phil Wiggins Blues House Party

Piedmont blues and dance

Takoma Park, Maryland

A harmonica wizard and a master of dance lead an exuberant celebration of Piedmont blues music and dance inspired by the rural house parties of their youth.

The Quebe Sisters

Texas fiddling and western swing

Dallas, Texas

Divine three-part-harmony singing and fiddling from the Lone Star State—think Bob Wills’ Texas Playboys meet the Andrews Sisters.

Rahzel

beatboxing

New York, New York

Redefining the possibilities of the human voice, this one-time member of The Roots sparked a beatbox renaissance.

The Red Trouser Show

circus arts

Wilton, New Hampshire

This dynamic street circus duo combines precision acrobatics with daring feats and nonstop laughs, and a breathtaking finale that ends high in the air.

Sounds of Korea

Korean music and dance

New York, New York

In exquisite traditional attire, with powerful ritual drumming, lush music, and expressive dances, this accomplished ensemble offers a powerful journey into the heart of Korean culture.

Steve Riley & the Mamou Playboys

Cajun

Mamou, Louisiana

Both deeply traditional and forward-looking, this band sets the standard for modern Cajun music—sophisticated, soulful, and never failing to move both body and spirit.

photo credit: Edwin Remsberg Photographs

Tremé Brass Band

New Orleans brass band

New Orleans, Louisiana

From the storied Tremé neighborhood, and firmly rooted in community parade traditions, one of the Crescent City’s most beloved brass bands.

West African Highlife Band

highlife

El Cerrito, California

Acclaimed Nigerian bassist Babá Ken Okulolo and his all-star band deliver the irresistibly danceable sounds of classic highlife.

Yves Lambert Trio

Québécois

Montreal, Québec

Led by a towering figure in traditional Québécois music, this brilliant trio mines the rich musical heritage of “La belle province” to create a one-of-a-kind musical experience.