Club Passim's Folk Collective to Host Two-Day Event 'We Black Folk Fest'

Club Passim's Folk Collective will host the two-day event 'We Black Folk Fest' on February 4 and 11, putting Black Folk artists who are often overlooked in the genre at the forefront. Organized and curated by award-winning digital media artist and Folk Collective member Cliff Notez and their company HipStory, the festival will trace folk music back to its origins and feature some of the best black folk musicians in the New England area. Tickets are on sale now at passim.org. 

“We Black Folk is an opportunity for folks to have a deeper understanding of the phrase  ‘we are not a monolith', a phrase that we continue to wish we did not have to remind people of, " said Cliff Notez. “Not only are we diverse in what we are willing to explore, but we are diverse in what we've been willing to create and give to the world. And this is our opportunity to take it back… because it's ours.”

Artists participating in the celebration include Anjimile, Kemp Harris, Aisha Burns, Pink Navel, Grace Givertz, Haasan Barclay, Chris Walton, Melo Green, as well as Folk Collective members Cliff Notez, Naomi Westwater, Stephanie McKay, Almira Ara, and Gabriella Simpkins.

"The We Black Folk festival is an exciting opportunity for me to engage in the black folk community of Boston and also to support and emphasize the foundational presence of black American musicians and the tradition of American folk music," said award-winning artist Anjimile.

A program of Passim, the Folk Collective represents Boston's new genre of artists and musicians who are dedicated to exchanging ideas and developing projects that aim to expand and diversify the musical and cultural offerings. The initiative is artist-led and artist-forward, with a focus on exploring the essence of folk music. 

We Black Folk Festival will take place on February 4 and 11 at 7:00 p.m at Club Passim. Tickets are on sale at passim.org. Club Passim is located in Harvard Square at 47 Palmer St., Cambridge, MA 02138. 

About HipStory

Through HipStory, Cliff and his team create unique, innovative, and inspiring art to redefine the future of media by producing professional audio and video content that tells compelling stories. The company has helped local artists and creatives share their work, emphasizing closing the gap between music circles and cultural divides. 

About Passim

The mission of Passim is to provide truly exceptional and interactive live musical experiences for both performers and audiences, to nurture artists at all stages of their career, and to build a vibrant music community. Passim does so through their legendary listening venue, music school, artist grants and outreach programs. As a nonprofit since 1994, Passim carries on the heritage of our predecessors-the historic Club 47 (1958-1968) and for-profit Passim (1969-1994). We cultivate a diverse mix of musical traditions, where the emphasis is on the relationship between performers and audience and teachers and students. Located in Harvard Square, Passim serves Cambridge and the broader region by featuring local, national and International Artists. Our ultimate goal is to help the performance arts flourish and thereby enrich the lives of members of our community. For a complete schedule, visit www.passim.org.

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