The Folkadelics

The Folkadelics’ debut album is exactly as advertised: it is not a folk album, fo’ sho’, boys and girls. This fine and dandy brain wrap is woven from threads of reggae, ska, bursts of funk, splashes of tie-dye spaciness, ratta-tat-tat hip-hop, and stone-ground rock ‘n’ roll.

The key to The Folkadelics’ sound is that there isn’t a key. You could point to the rhythm team of drummer Tom Barraco and bassist (and trombonist!) Drew Kelly, whose catalog of beats turns the world into one big ol’ happy ‘hood; or multi-instrumentalist Sam Miller’s vocals and guitar/harmonica/beatbox/clarinet workouts; or maybe Gavin Cummings’ super-sweet mandolin playing (when he’s not playing the trumpet or singing); or the powerful, soul-slathered vocals of frontwoman Danny Faraone – you could point to any one of the above, but you’d have to point at them all. And the all is The Folkadelics, folks – a very talented band of players.

Not A Folk Album is bookended by the yin/yang of “Nice Guy Felon” and “Siraj’s Song”: the former is a total psychedelic comic book story built from turn-on-a-dime rhythm change-ups and playful group vox, while the latter is a stripped-to-its-soul lovely acoustic tribute to a fallen soldier – a friend of the band whose life ended under mysterious circumstances. (“He came back in a casket one day/and the government won’t tell us why.”)

In between, The Folkadelics pull off the fine feat of doling out an eclectic mix of sounds that never loses its focus – and always invites a closer listen. Put an ear to “Vinyl Wax” for instance, and you’ll realize that its massive wall of sound may be anchored by Kelly’s bass, but it’s Cummings’ delicate mando flutters that provide the tune’s buoyancy. “Down The Well” is way funky, but it’s Miller’s nasty-ass blues harp that bumps things over the top. (Check out the fade on that one, by the way: the jam-inviting vocal closer “And I know someday I’m gonna make it home” holds its own as a crazy/cool blanket of beat expands and contracts in the background. This ought to be a killer live.) The band is putty in Faraone’s hands as she lets loose with the s-s-s-sexy kiss-off of “Wasted”, backing her leave-me-be delivery with everything from stop-and-go dynamics to a churning down-the-road outro. “Psychobabble”’s rapped-out lyrics and wokka-wokka rhythms are mixed in the foreground, but there are some cool layers of vocals and horn lines to be found just beneath the upper crust.

The album’s biggest risk/surprise/triumph is The Folkadelics’ take on Johnny Cash’s “Folsom Prison Blues”, ushered in by a reverb-and-tremolo-soaked guitar quote of the tune’s trademark riff, slowed to a crawl and trailing off into the ozone as the band settles into a big-time funky groove. Faraone tells the tale as a wah-pedaled guitar grunts and groans behind her; drummer Tom’s father Rob Barraco guests with some tasty piano; and the whole ensemble manages to turn a country classic into a total butt-bumping funkfest.Fun? Darn tooting.

Talented? Oh, yeah. A possibly-deceptive band name? Yep. This truly is Not A Folk Album. And if The Folkadelics are a folk band, it’s of a world of their own making – which sounds like a pretty cool place to live, actually.

*****

Brian Robbins’ world of his own making revolves around the Earth at www.brian-robbins.com - Jambands.com

"I Highly recommend them as serious entertainers. There was an energy that came from the multi-talented groupd that was electric" - Bowery Boogie- A lower East Side Chronicle

Once in a blue moon, a band comes out with an album that combines an assortment of genres to create a sound guaranteed to make you shuffle your feet all day and night. A great example of this euphoric experience is The Folkadelics from New York City and their debut album, Not A Folk Album. A blend of funk, reggae, blues and soul encompass their style that will infect your soul with good vibrations and groovy rhythms, something that will brighten your day even if it's filled with dark clouds.

With a trinity of vocalists consisting of guitarist Sam Miller, mandolin player Gavin Cummings, and the Joplin-esque Danielle Faraone accompanied by Tom Barraco on drums and Dew Kelly on bass, The Folkadelics have a groundbreaking approach to their music that sets them apart from everyone else. Amazing tunes that are bound to make you dance guarantee a swell time whenever these guys perform live and/or when you press play. Every time I hear The Folkadelics I just want to party, their music will put you in the mood to just let it all hang out and let yourself go.

Now it's the most difficult part of this weekly literary expedition. I get to line all the tracks off of The Folkadelics' Not A Folk Album and pick which ones will be chosen and which ones will be left to the imagination. It's like picking my favorite piece of candy, when there are so many good tunes where do I start? Anyways, here goes something: "Nice Guy Felon" has that funky groove that makes you bob your head while sitting back and relax, dynamic rhythms that will put you into a trance. "Wasted" showcases Faraone's powerful voice to the fullest, smooth as silk but at the same time having the ability to hit you like an atomic bomb. "Vinyl Wax" is driving and pulsating, definitely an energizing tune that will electrify you in no time. Now don't just sit there after reading this without doing something about it!!! Grab yourself a copy of The Folkadelics' Not A Folk Album if you know what's good for you.

The Folkadelics will be embarking on a tour of the east coast region of The United States starting at The Stephen Talkhouse in Amagansett, NY on December 8th and ending the trip at the official release party for Not A Folk Album at The Best Buy Theater located in Times Square in the heart of The Big Apple on December 22nd. While you wait for The Folkadelics to jam up your favorite music venue, check out their full-length debut Not A Folk Album. It'll hypnotize you and make your body move like it never has before. - 990 WBOB

It’s all in the name. While this saying does hold true in many circumstances and situations, nothing could be further from the truth when talking about Brooklyn NY based band The Folkadelics; however, the name of their new release, Not a Folk Album, clears things up just a little. The Folkadelics are anything but 100% folk – They are a pleasurable mix of Jimmy Cliff reggae fire, Dylan-esque songwriting, the ska-punk feel of Bradley Noel and Sublime, and Ohio Players funk with a female lead vocalist, beat-boxing, four part harmonies, horns and a wah-wah mandolin, and their 1st full length offering, Not a Folk Album, is a proper introduction to this talented group of musicians.

The Folkadelics are headed up by female vocalist Danny Faraone, a natural on stage with a soulful, Gwen Stefani-esque voice, Sam Miller on vocals, guitar, beatbox, harmonicas and clarinet, Gavin Cummings on vocals, mandolin, and trumpet, Drew Kelly on vocals, bass and trombone, and Tom Barraco on drums, and the new release is packed full of special guests, including drummer Tom Barraco’s father, Rob Barraco, keyboardist for Dark Star Orchestra , percussionist Ian Cummings, a former member of the band, Michael Miller, father of Sam Miller, and Patrick Cummings, Gavins father, who founded Brian Moore Guitars and iGuitar. It was recorded by Sean “Shamus” McCabe, the engineer and producer for Minutes Like Ours, and was produced and mixed by indie producer Steve Wall (Fikus, Matisyahu, Lucius), who apprenticed and now collaborates with engineer John Siket (Moe., Trey Anastasio, Mike Gordon, Dave Matthews Band) at Gardentone Studios in Brooklyn, NY.

2012 has been a banner year for the group originally formed in Ithaca, NY, starting with a sold out New York City concert cruise. They were the opening act for Rusted Root, The Werks and The Wailers, and performed at some of the most popular festivals in the country, including Dark Star Jubilee, Strange Creek Campout, Catskill Chill, Finger Lakes Grassroots Music Festival, where they had previously won a 2011 battle of the bands competition. They finished their first major tour with a much anticipated headlining performance at The Brooklyn Bowl.

The album opens with Nice Guy Felon, a song with a ska feeling and reggae backbeat, introducing the listener to the band’s driving beats and urban style set against Faraone’s soothing voice. The first single released off the album, Vinyl Wax follows, a radio-ready tune highlighting dual lead vocals and a catchy hook, with Faraone and Miller seamlessly trading verses throughout. Other highlights on the album include BiPolar Blues, a song with a basic blues beat, which is the only thing basic about it – Blaring horns, beatboxing and amazing harmonies make this a groove-heavy funk favorite on the album; Maintain, an uplifiting song with unique chord progressions and drum fills; and the Johnny Cash hit Folsom Prison Blues, with Rob Baracco on keys. Folsom is the most commerically viable of all the songs on the album, though none of the tracks could be considered sub-par. Faraone’s vocals singing this naturally gritty song are phenomenal, and the rest of the band provide ample harmonies, adding to the fullness of the song. Psycho Babble is an amusing, just-for-fun selection with a Duke Ellington jazz standard chorus – “It don’t mean a thing if you ain’t got that swing”, but the shining star on the album is the finale, Siraj’s Song. With simply a guitar and two part harmonies from Faraone and Miller, the song tells the story of a best friend who became a soldier and was killed on his base under questionable circumstances, with a line of the song repeating ”and the government won’t tell us why, no Uncle Sam won’t tell us why.” It’s a powerful, organic singer/songwriter 60's style protest song that does fit the bill of what you would think of a traditional folk song. “Yeah, that one is all true,” songwriter/guitarist Sam Miller stated in a recent conversation with Appalachian Jamwich, “A good friend of mine was shot in his sleep at a Navy base in Maryland. We never found out what really happened.”



Not a Folk Album is a very easy to listen to offering that appeals to a wide range of audiences and has a certain amount of commercial appeal that will do nothing but help the band gain additional exposure and fans. They are very unique in the style of music they play, with complex “rapped” lyrical arrangements and beatboxing sharing the stage with a soulful songstress and reggae/funk fills. The release is less “jam-heavy” than the group’s live shows, which is understandable considering it is a studio effort, but any true “jamband” fan can appreciate what they bring to the table – Music that leads instead of follows, creating their own sound instead of copycating off someone else’s success and style - The Folkadelics are NOT just another folk band and this release is definitely, without a doubt Not a Folk Album. - Appalachian Jamwich

The Folkadelics took the stage like a refreshing breeze through the Sounstage, and proceeded to impress the masses with their harmonies and solid songwriting. Dany Faraone, the female vocalist, boasts a powerful voice with soul, confidence, with a pinch of funk thrown in for good measure, and who doesn’t love a focused mandolin player? For an opener, I thought, you couldn’t ask for much more. - Appalachian Jamwich

The evening began with Brooklyn, NY's own Folkadelics. Female lead vocalist Danny Faraone has a powerful stage presence, with confidence, soul and a pinch of funk thrown in to boot. Four part vocal harmonies, mandolin wah wah, reggae and Calypso influences, this band has carved out a unique sound with powerful vocals - They chose the original Rock Slow for the opener, a proper choice with funky fills and a swinging sound, but the highlight of their set was their version of Folsom Prison Blues, and it seemed the crowd agreed, moving from behind the shadows onto the dancefloor, seemingly drawn out by the harmonies like a snake being led out of a wicker basket by a turban-topped charmer. - GratefulWeb

Also on tap this holiday weekend, May 25-28, is the 10th annual installment of StrangeCreek Campout—a multi-day, multi-band affair occurring once again at Camp Keewanee in Greenfield.

As per the event's name, StrangeCreek is perennially headlined by jam band staples Max Creek and Strangefolk. While this is also the case for the 2012 affair, no fewer than 75 other acts, including Donna The Buffalo, Dopapod, Ryan Montbleau Band, The McLovins, Rustic Overtones and Toubab Krewe, will ensure incessant audio on all five stages all festival long.

"It is a pleasure to be invited to play with such an amazing lineup of talented musicians," notes singer Danny Faraone of the band The Folkadelics, a funky fivesome from Brooklyn slated to grace the festival's main stage from 5:30 to 6:45 p.m. on Friday, May 25. "We are thrilled to share the stage with everyone and hope to really 'enhance the dance' of the patrons at this awesome event!"

Tickets are $110 and include access to all shows and wooded camping. To obtain yours, kindly point your browser to strangecreekcampout.com. - The Valley Advocate

"The Folkadelics were probably my favorite band of the day..." - 411Mania.com

“The Folkadelics blend seemingly disparate influences such as Metallica, Nickel Creek and Sublime to create a wholly new sound that is guaranteed to make you move.” - Jeff Kent, WDFH - WDFH

Indeed, though Falcon Ridge always digs deep to find the right mix of music, this year’s list of performers is truly a masterwork....acts brought back by popular demand after last year’s impressive turn-out for the Friday afternoon emerging artists competition; joining them in the rotation will be Chris O’Brien, a solo singer-songwriter whose voice and energy crackle on stage, and fellow winners The Folkadelics and Barnaby Bright, both of whom come highly recommended. - CoverLayDown.com

The Falcon Ridge/Grassy Hill Emerging Artists Showcase is not a contest, and artists won’t be judged per se, although the audience is surveyed as to which ones they’d like to see return the following year to participate in a Most Wanted Song Swap. This year’s Most Wanted Song Swap will feature Barnaby Bright, The Folkadelics, Chris O’Brien and Spuyten Duyvil. - AcousticMusicScene.com

The Folkadelics from Brooklyn, NY was one of the bands that caught me by surprise. I didn’t get a chance to learn much about the band prior to the show, but as soon as the band took the stage I could tell we were in for something special. The Folkadelics combine funk, hip-hop, reggae, and rock and blend together a concoction of sounds that is all their own. At one point in their set Rob Barraco from Dark Star Orchestra joined the band on keys; what a treat!
- Buckeye Music Magazine

"The opening act, The Folkadelics, a folky funk-rock group that hails from our Ithaca, New York started off the night on a more fun, entertaining note. They were definitely psyched to be playing in their hometown, which really helped energize the rather lacking crowd at the beginning of the night. Especially notable was the female vocalist, Danny Faraone, a new addition to the group who provided a burst of soul that managed to draw in the audience and really get them dancing to songs like “Bad Idea.” That, along with a sick harmonica/beat box solo from the guitarist, Sam Miller, which I had never heard of before then. Overall, the Folkadelics started off the night right and finished off with a well-deserved encore. They’ll be playing at Grassroots Festival this summer in Ithaca and I suggest checking them out if you’re in town."

- The Cornell Daily Sun

"My favorite part of the festival-handsdown- is being exposed to new music. I picked up a few new favorites, but my ultimate favorite this year was The Folkadelics. This Brooklyn band had funk, reggae and a mandolin player. What more could you ask for? Power vocals from a female songstress? You got it thanks to Danny Farone, loved every minute of her crooning." - Observer-Dispatch: Fushion by Cassandra Baber

They are paired with a group that "takes a little bit of reggae, mixes it with some funky three-part harmony vocals, adds a touch of hip-hop, and the essence of something that your parents may have listened to in the 60's." This recipe is served up by the Brooklyn-based ensemble 'The Folkadelics.' They have developed a local following here because of previous play-dates and a couple of local connections, so they could be the surprise big draw of the weekend. - Saratoga Today

Danny Faraone had amazing vocals and energy, reminiscent of Gwen Stefani’s sound. She was clear and strong, belting out the high notes with confidence. - Beyond Race

"The Folkadelics are one of those bands that blur the lines of musical genres and are just a pleasure to listen to. They just seem to make everyone who's listening bop with happiness - I dare you to try and sit still." - Examiner