Denver – Swallow Hill Music Association is hard at work putting the finishing details on the Denver Folk & Roots Festival for Saturday, March 31, 2007. This cross-cultural music experience is presented in the unique setting of one of the finest acoustic concert halls in America, the Ellie Caulkins Opera House at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts.

The evening will begin at 6 p.m. with a series of four showcases, including Denver’s revered flamenco guitarist, René Heredia, who will be joined by celebrated dancer, "La Churumbela." Storyhill, an extraordinary singer/songwriter duo, will follow, then Sons & Brothers, Colorado’s hottest new Bluegrass band, will take the stage. Liz Carroll & John Doyle’s dazzling Irish fiddle and guitar virtuosity is guaranteed to give a great finish to the first half of an amazing evening of music.

Following the intermission, the second half of the evening will begin with world-class mandolinist Mike Marshall and his South American all-star band, Choro Famoso. Marshall and Choro Famoso will then be joined by the stunning Colombian singer/songwriter, Claudia Gómez. Closing the evening is the headlining act, Taj Mahal Trio, who personifies our theme of commitment to and global knowledge of roots music. Taj Mahal's abiding interest in musical discovery, particularly in tracing many American musical forms back to their roots in Africa and Europe, has led him to the Caribbean, West Africa, Hawaii, Europe, the South Pacific, Australia, South America, and all over the continental U.S. His music reflects his global perspective, incorporating sounds from everywhere he's lived and traveled. A self-taught musician, he plays more than 20 instruments, including the National Steel and Dobro guitars. His remarkable voice ranges from gruff and gravelly to smooth and sultry.

The emcee for the evening will be Denver's Godfather of Folk, Harry Tuft. Tuft is responsible for sowing the seeds of Swallow Hill through his establishment of the Denver Folklore Center, an staple of not only Denver's folk and music community, but of the entire Western region of the United States.

Swallow Hill is also pleased to announce a special mandolin workshop with Mike Marshall on Sunday, April 1. The workshop will run from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. with a lunch break. This is an extraordinary opportunity to spend three hours working with Marshall in a group setting, and is recommended for intermediate and advanced students.

For tickets visit www.swallowhillmusic.org or call (303) 777-1003.

About Swallow Hill Music Association:
Helping people make music since 1979 years, Swallow Hill Music Association is one of the largest institutions of its kind in the United States as a source for folk, roots and acoustic music. With more than 2,100 members—some of whom are also volunteers—Swallow Hill provides a place to celebrate music that is rarely heard elsewhere in the Rocky Mountain Region. Three concert venues house more than 150 performances a year, featuring some of the world's great artists as well as up-and-coming new talent. The Julie Davis Music School at Swallow Hill provides a valuable and affordable extra-curricular educational resource to the community with more than 50 music instructors involved in more than 240 adult classes and 70 children's classes annually.

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