BIFF keeps the music alive for 2017 with the popular Singer-Songwriter Showcase. Festival goers are invited to hang with their favorite filmmakers in the Filmmaker Lounge at the Lazy Dog while listening to great music and discovering hot local talent.
4pm – Kenny Lee Young
Kenny Lee Young began singing in multiple choirs at the age of 10. It wasn’t until he was 23 when he recorded his first solo album “All Sides of the Spectrum” in 2004 with Dave Malinich at Guitar Sound Studio. Kenny moved to Colorado in 2005 and has been independently recording demos and singles such as “Weight of the World”, “Standing Still”, “Color Me with Your Love”, and “Busy Bees”. He has actively been playing shows and festivals for the past 10 years, and has been touring as a solo/duo act and with a band project called “Natural Geometry”. Kenny’s soulful and rhythmic acoustic tunes have landed him a sponsorship with Teton Guitars and supporting national acts like Common, Brad Corrigan, Katy Z, Kenneth Stringfellow, and Rich Robinson
6 pm – Antonio Lopez
www.antoniolopezmusic.com
Antonio Lopez has the “it” factor. There are those in the know and those who don’t know yet. His acoustic soul and modern folk sound garner comparison to artists such as Amos Lee and Paul Simon. A sixth-generation Coloradan, Antonio was born and raised in Alamosa and now resides in Longmont.
He has released three albums independently and plays 200 shows a year. Previous accolades include song of the year winner in The Southwest Independent Music Awards. Antonio has collaborated with artists such as folk luminaries Don Conoscenti and Daniel Valdez (Santana, Linda Ronstadt).
8pm – Bryce Merritt
http://www.brycemerritt.com
Bryce Merritt is a soulful pop singer whose powerhouse vocals, honest lyrics, and quirky charisma set him apart from the crowd. An Oklahoma native, Bryce discovered a knack for songwriting and performing from a young age, eventually immersing himself in a catchy pop sound that resonates deeply with both him and his audiences. Drawing inspiration and influence from the likes of Stevie Wonder, John Mayer, and Maroon 5, Bryce’s music boasts infectious groove and showcases his vulnerable songwriting, simultaneously creating an intimate connection with audiences and leaving them no option but to dance. Versatile in his musical ability, but always true to himself, Bryce is bringing a fresh soul-pop blend to the scene that you won’t be able to get out of your head.
5pm – Bethel Steele
www.bethelsteele.com
Americana-inspired song-slinger Bethel Steele has toured from Portland, Maine to Austin, Texas sharing songs and stories with listeners. After releasing four studio projects in Boston, MA, Steele is now based out of Fort Collins, Colorado. Kelly Walker, DJ of the Sundilla Radio Hour says this of Bethel’s music: “You cannot help but be moved and perhaps changed a little for the better in listening to it.” In 2016, Bethel’s heartfelt songwriting and authentic performance were recognized with finalist slots at the Rocky Mountain Folks Festival Songwriter Showcase (CO), the Wildflower! Performing Songwriter Competition (TX), and Kerrville’s New Folk Competition (TX).
7pm – Girlfriend Duties
www.girlfriendduties.bandcamp.com
Girlfriend Duties is a folk rock band from the Boulder-Denver area of Colorado. The band’s sound contains threads of Americana, indie, soul, bluegrass, folk, rock and pop. Girlfriend Duties consists of two sisters, Savanna and Jenny Wright and their long time friends and classmates, Patrick Smith (drums) and Nils Jenson (lead guitar). The whole band was born and raised in Boulder, Colorado. The Wright sisters will be performing much of the Girlfriend Duties original material in their acoustic set. The Wright sisters both grew up singing/writing songs. Their range of instruments includes guitar, banjo, bass guitar, and mandolin.
4pm – Bella Musser
www.bellamusser.com
Bella Musser projects a mature voice with sultry, gravelly undertones. Her music blurs traditional genres, mixing elements of indie/pop rock, adult alternative, and R&B with acoustic styling. She blends introspective lyrics with playful melodies and mixed-meter compositions.
6pm – Halle Tomlinson
www.halletomlinsonmusic.com
Halle Tomlinson is an up and coming artist in the music scene. As seen on season 11 of The Voice, her jazzy and soulful influences combine to create an original sound unlike anything else. At a young age Halle began teaching herself how to play piano and honing in her songwriting which led to her learning guitar, drums, and bass while training with incredible mentors including Fall Out Boy and Hanson. Some of her biggest concerts have been at Red Rocks, Lollapalooza, and many more exceptional venues. Halle hopes to take the world by storm, join the ride.
8pm – Melissa Ivey
www.mzivey.com
Melissa Ivey is an award-winning Singer/Songwriter and Youth Educator from Denver, CO. Her musical journey began at the age of 9 when a local Denver Musician visited her elementary school and ignited her passion to be a performing musician. By age 14 she was writing, recording and performing on the Bay Area indie punk scene as front girl for teen band Manic Notion in the late 1990’s. Upon her return to Denver, she began playing open mic events with her acoustic guitar and powerful soulful voice; quickly attaining a diverse fan base and community support. The success of her EP, Lovers and Stars, has gained recognition in Europe, local radio and E! Entertainment’s “Celebrity Weddings”. Ivey is a featured artist in Comcast’s two-time Emmy Award winning show “The Stage – Colorado” and Diego Ramos’ Music Scene -The Movie, a documentary on the hottest talents in Denver. She is a creative and dynamic music teacher and has traveled the globe entertaining, collaborating and sharing the beauty of music.
5pm – Amy Kress
www.amykressmusic.com
Ever since she could remember, Amy Kress has been a musician at heart. It’s a language she speaks fluently, something that became immediately apparent when she released her debut album, Secret Music, in January 2015. At the tender age of 8, she wrote her first song and never stopped writing–what she lacked was the confidence to play her music for an audience. It took a breast cancer diagnosis in 2011 to make her realize that her dream to share her music needed to be realized before it was too late. Amy’s story is one of resilience, strength, and determination. Now a multiple time cancer survivor she is living every day with a passion for life. Amy released her second album, Fly, in July 2016, which pairs deeply moving topics with electronic dance music, a combination that leaves the listener inspired and wanting to know her whole story.
7pm – John Common
www.johncommon.bandcamp.com
John Common wishes he were a filmmaker or a painter, but due to a run-in with his older brother’s record collection at an impressionable age, he ended up with an obsession for making music instead. He’s constantly writing songs… they range from raucous and snarly, to experimental and introspective, and lately, grooved, layered and darkly beautiful. At his core, he’s a writer. And so it goes: you get an idea, you write a song, you write 20 more, and you make a record… Next thing you know you’re on tour with a bunch of friends wondering why you’re standing in a parking lot at load-in somewhere in Ohio drinking warm vodka out of a bottle you hid next to the spare tire in the back of the van. You play the show totally housed and start making up new lyrics on the spot because why the fuck not. Your band stares blankly at you. The audience stares blankly at you. Later that night in the pungent motel room that smells like bad decisions and cheap shampoo, you stare blankly at yourself. And it hits you with thundering clarity: this is stupid. So you vow to quit music, grow up, and go get a job or whatever.
But a few weeks later, you get an idea, you write a song…
Dance, eat and drink! Parties at Rembrandt Yard and Hotel Boulderado 5:30-7:30pm
Espresso! merges two musical traditions with red-hot interpretations of American swing and Gypsy jazz. This upbeat, classy, infectious music comes alive with powerful instrumental leads and vocals in French and English. Espresso includes an abundance of Colorado talent: the spectacular Bill Pontarelli (clarinet), 2016 National Mandolin winner Jordan Ramsey (mandolin), Emily Reynolds (guitar), Gary Sloan (bass). Bill and Emily have performed for years at venues in and around the Front Range. Jordan Ramsey joined in 2010, greatly enriching the group dynamic. Bass man Gary Sloan has been putting it all together since 2014 to create our saucy swing sound.
www.facebook.com/Amelie-Quartet
Parisian World Music ranging from Gypsy Jazz and Argentine Tango to Gypsy Nouveau. The quartet is comprised of Dave Willey (accordion), Maggie Sallee (violin), Gary Sloan (bass) and Kevin Garry (guitar). Chanteuse Roberta Daria joins the Quartet performing Edif Piaf standards, Parisian torch songs and Brazilian Bossas.
Rembrandt Yard
5-7pm
http://www.billkoppermusic.com
Bill Kopper is a Boulder, Colorado based guitarist known for his expertise in American Jazz and Blues, and Brazilian Samba and Choro. Adept on electric, classical, and 7-string classical guitar (commonly used in Samba and Choro), he is featured on a diverse selection of recordings, from his own CDs “Samba de Chueca” and “El Oeste”, Jazz vocalist Rene Marie’s “Black Lace Freudian Slip” and the soundtrack of her one-woman show “Slut Energy Theory”, the Samba/ Pagode group Ginga’s eponymous EP release, Choro Clarinetist Dexter Payne’s most recent disc “Pra Voce”, Vocalist Sonya Vallet’s debut recording “Moments in Passing”, Jazz Saxophonist Nelson Rangell’s disc “Soul to Souls”, trumpet master Brad Goode’s “Polytonal Dance Party” and “Chicago Red”, Peruvian songstress Cristina Mendoza Vidal’s debut release, “La Aurora, Icaros from the Amazon” (a tune from that disc “Cayal” was featured on the enviro-doc “A Fierce Green Fire”, narrated by Robert Redford, Meryl Streep, and Isabel Allende), among many others. He is currently an instructor of guitar at the University of Colorado/Denver where he has taught for the last five years, and divides his time musically among the Samba/Pagode group Ginga, the Brazilian Choro/Forro group The Dexter Payne Quintet, the World Jazz group The Hip Richies,Brad Goode’s Polytonal Funk Project, and the Wedding/Event Band Peter Yellen and Dressed in Black.
5:30-7:00pm
Opening Night Gala at the Longmont Museum & Cultural Center,
400 Quail Rd
Longmont
http://www.longmontallstars.com
Hot jazz combo comprised of the top jazz students from the St. Vrain Schools.
10:00pm-1:00am The Filmmaker Lounge @ The Lazy Dog 1346 Pearl Street, Boulder
Homegrown ska and reggae tunes inspired by mountain living – The Alcapones is a group from the Front Range, CO area with a mix of vocal and instrumental music that brings a new-school feel to the sound made popular in Jamaica during the 1960s. From raw originals to jazz/ska/reggae fusion, you will find that The Alcapones’ styles continuously inspire your feet on the dance floor. Raise your Spirit and celebrate life like a gangster of love!
Doors open @ 8pm
Music @ 9pm
Hotel Boulderado
License #1
Jeremy Mohney can keep your feet moving no matter what. If you’re a fan of swing dancing, swing music, jazz, music in general, or just being alive, this guy is a great choice. His saxophone, voice, band and original songs and material all sing and swing with a rhythm that is as fresh as his band makes it.
10:00pm-1:00am The Filmmaker Lounge @ The Lazy Dog 1346 Pearl Street, Boulder
Rock, jazz, hip-hop, soul, funk and more!
Funk, rock, jazz, progressive, bluegrass and psychedelic!
Boulder Theater 6:15-7:15pm
www.reverbnation.com/bobrebholz.com
Bob Rebholz has played and recorded with national artist’s Images, Peter Kater, DKO. Toured Europe with Tom Jones, as well as played in sections with Nancy Wilson, James Taylor, Diane Schuur, Linda Ronstadt, Natalie Cole, The Temptations, Four Tops. Bob was a performer on the GRAMMY nominated recording Jumpin’JazzKids-A Swinging jungle Tale (55th GRAMMY Awards 2012) along with Al Jarreau, Hubert Laws and DeeDee Bridgewater.
Ron Bland has been a professional musician for over forty years, playing virtually all styles of music in every setting from concert hall to theatre to the recording studio. At home on both the electric and double basses, he has performed with jazz greats including Dizzy Gillespie, George Benson, Eddie Daniels, Billy Taylor and Doc Severinson. Ron has appeared with the Colorado Symphony and Colorado Springs Symphony Orchestras as well as in performance with Earth Wind and Fire, Andrea Bocelli, Pavarotti, Marvin Hamlisch, Linda Ronstadt, Rosemary Clooney, Billy Crystal and many others.
Doug Roche has over 40 years of experience as a freelance Jazz pianist. He currently resides in the Denver area, performing with many of Denver’s finest musicians. He is a member of the Denver Jazz Quartet, and PoeJazz (a blend of Jazz and Poetry).
Doug likes to stay active in Jazz education. He teaches jazz piano and theory privately at his “Studio By The Lake”. He taught on the faculty of CCJA (Colorado Conservatory for the JazzArts), working with High School kids in Jazz combos.
