The Tucson Folk Festival strolls back into Downtown Tucson this weekend, Friday, April 5, to Sunday, April 7.
The event features more than 150 performances and 400 musicians across six stages at and near Jácome Plaza.
The headliners include Steve Poltz (see related story), Lisa Morales Band, Keith Secola, Leslie Mendelson, The Cross-Eyed Possum, Eagle Rock Gospel Singers, Baba Marimba, and Mariachi Nuevo Azteca de Tucson.
Mendelson, whose new album, “After the Party,” is set for release in June, has been lauded by collaborator Jackson Browne.
“Leslie’s melodies are timeless,” he reportedly said.
“They reach me way back in my youth somewhere. I hear traces of Burt Bacharach and Carole King, and hooks and passages that remind me of the pop songs I grew up hearing on the radio.”
A Grammy Award-nominated artist, Mendelson worked with three producers on “After the Party:” the legendary Peter Asher (James Taylor, Linda Ronstadt, Bonnie Raitt), the young, in-demand Tyler Chester (Madison Cunningham, Sara Bareilles, Sara Watkins) and her longtime songwriting partner, three-time Grammy Award-winner, Steve McEwan. Recorded at Jackson Browne’s studio Grove Masters in Santa Monica, she was joined by guitarists Waddy Wachtel and John Jorgenson, bassists Leland Sklar and Derrick Anderson, and drummers Jim Keltner and Abe Rounds.
On “After the Party,” Mendelson crafts a distinctive folk-rock, pop-Americana flavor, evoking the sounds of Laurel Canyon, peppered with grit and a sharp wit. “After the Party” has its roots in pop art.
“‘After the Party’ was inspired by an Andy Warhol mixed media piece,” she said. “I’m a big Andy Warhol fan. I actually have the print.
“I was looking at it one day and I thought it was a really good title for a song. I started singing the melody and then it became this vibe of being there. I put myself in that world, all the grit and the glamour of it all. That inspired the song and I thought it would be a good album title too.”
If You Can’t Say Anything Nice… Mendelson called her new album a continuation of the last record, “If You Can’t Say Anything Nice..,” which covered anxiety and darkness.
“I touched on a lot of topics like depression,” she said. “I wouldn’t call it a ‘dark’ record, but I was definitely going through it. Looking at the state of the world, it’s hard out there. People are not OK. It’s just not easy out there.”
At the Tucson Folk Festival, the six festival stages each present a unique listening atmosphere highlighting historic sections of Downtown Tucson. The Presidio Museum Stage takes place inside the historic walls of the Presidio San Agustín where a 150-year-old Sonoran house serves as the performer green room. The North Church Stage leaves plenty of room for dancing as some of Tucson’s best blues, country and original americana bands take the stage. The Court Stage, Telles Stage, and three workshop and song circle tents surround the Old Town Artisans block, providing more intimate listening experiences for acoustic-oriented acts. All stage venues are within walking distance of Jácome Plaza (corner of Stone & Pennington).
A full stage schedule, as well as more information on the 2024 Tucson Folk Festival, can be found at tucsonfolkfest.org.
This article appears in Mar 28 – Apr 4, 2024.
