One Longfellow Square is one of Portland, Maine’s most charming and versatile, non-profit performing arts and concert venues, offering a warm and intimate atmosphere and setting the stage for unforgettable live music, performing arts, and community events.
Located in Portland’s West End at the entrance to the city’s vibrant Arts District, One Longfellow Square accommodates a wide range of events including film, theater, dance, and of course, live music.
Rock My Soul, a community choir based in South Berwick, brings a heart-warming, spirit-soaring holiday show filled with joy, energy, and music guaranteed to move you! We sold out this show last year, so we highly recommend you book your tickets now!
No finer way to spend a wintry evening with family and friends, than at One Longfellow Square, Portland’s Listening Room.
By supporting our public shows, you help us bring joy and uplifting music to outreach performances at memory care facilities, nursing homes, correctional facilities — wherever the joy of song can lift up spirits!
Please consider becoming a friend of Rock My Soul and ProjectMusicWorks!
Lúnasa, one of the most influential bands in the history of Irish traditional music, celebrate its twentieth anniversary in 2017. Named after an ancient Celtic harvest festival in honour of the Irish god Lugh, the group that Folk Roots magazine once called an “Irish music dream team” was formed from members of some of Ireland’s greatest bands and over the years has proven its mettle time and again, having sold over a quarter of a million records, performed more than 2,000 shows in high-profile concert venues across 36 countries, and collaborated with many notable artists outside the tradition. Two decades ago they ascended to the forefront of contemporary Irish music, and there they’ve remained, a leading voice in the genre and the standard against which others are compared.
The seeds were sown in 1996, when all-Ireland fiddle champion Seán Smyth (Donal Lunny’s Coolfin), bassist Trevor Hutchinson (The Waterboys) and guitarist Donogh Hennessy (Sharon Shannon Band) embarked on a series of trio gigs in Scandinavia. Together, they began to develop a new sound that they sensed had incredible promise. Upon returning home to Ireland, they invited flute player Michael McGoldrick (Flook, Toss the Feathers) and uilleann piper John McSherry (Coolfin) in toadd sonic depth. A tour of Ireland as “Seán Smyth and Friends” followed that yielded a series of live recordings that would become the basis of their critically acclaimed eponymous CD debut.
1997 was the pivotal year. It began with a tour of Australia, the first under the Lúnasa flag, which included virtuoso flute player Kevin Crawford (Moving Cloud) as a temporary stand-in for McGoldrick. Hennessy recalled how the band “went down a bomb” there, a feeling the Sydney Morning Herald echoed when it marveled at the group’s live energy and how excitement for their heavy, rhythmic sound “[sent] shock waves through the audience.” These tours cemented the band’s musical approach and established their sterling reputation as a live act. But it was the release of Lúnasa later that year that put it all together: the album was a fast best-seller, topped Hot Press magazine’s folk charts, and made the band a darling of the traditional music scene. The band’s new musical direction proved fertile artistic ground, indeed.
Lúnasa’s second album Otherworld followed in 1999 and raised their profile further, with New York’s Irish Voice newspaper declaring them “Ireland’s newest supergroup” and “the hottest Irish acoustic band on the planet.” By this time, Crawford had not only become a full time band member, but the group’s live show was attracting significant international attention. The Times of London praised them for demonstrating “that there is far more to the Celtic tradition than the cliches of Riverdance,” while the South China Morning Post described how the band “get[s] all but the dead up and dancing.” The Japan Times recommended them “[to] any fan of real Celtic music who wants to work up a sweat.”
The addition of master uilleann piper and whistle player Cillian Vallely (Riverdance, Bruce Springsteen) in early 1999 galvanized the group’s sound and led to their celebrated third album, The Merry Sisters of Fate (2001). A hit with critics, the album’s strength led MOJO magazine to name the band “the new gods of Irish music,” adding that “nobody since the Bothies has wielded such a thrilling rhythmic underlay.” Billboard raved that “anybody who listens can’t help but find them contagious.” It seemed like the band the Washington Post once said was “determined to drag Irish folk music kicking and screaming into the 21st century” had achieved what they set out to do. “Even the final fade promises much,” Roots World wrote. “You know they’re heading into the future, not obscurity.” Lúnasa’s next two releases, 2003’s Redwood and the 2004 live album The Kinnitty Sessions, continued to deliver on the band’s promise. They toured heavily for both and received much deserved accolades for their efforts. The 2003 Quebec City Summer Festival awarded them with the “Coup de Coeur Miroir” prize for their performances while The Kinnitty Sessions won Irish Music Magazine’s “Best Traditional Album” award for 2005 and was nominated for “Folk Album Of The Year” at the 2004 BBC Radio 2 Awards. “The results,” Australia’s Daily Telegraph wrote of The Kinnitty Sessions “are a wonderful affirmation of the powers of this band and this tradition.”
Things changed a bit for the band with their sixth album, Sé. It was the first Hutchinson produced, which gave them an increased measure of control over their sound, but it was also the first without Hennessy, who left shortly before the album was recorded. Instead of finding Hennesy’s replacement right away, they filled the lacunae he left with three guitarists, Tim Edey, Paul Meehan (who stayed on to tour), and Conor Brady, and the results were spectacular. In its review, Hot Press lauded Sé, saying “Lúnasa are at that place where the past meets the future,” adding “they reveal a spirit few of their contemporaries can equal, as they seem to choose from a palette containing a range of sounds and moods not available to more mortal players.” The concert reviews were better than ever, too, with NPR’s All Things Considered hailing the band’s live show, saying “Lúnasa’s trademarks have always been the subtle rhythmic segues between tunes and the way they ratchet up the intensity during each set of music. […] There’s real passion in the performances.” After The Story So Far…, a 2008 “best of” compilation, the band followed in 2010 with Lá Nua, their first self-released album since Lúnasa. Lá Nua featured more original compositions than any of the band’s previous albums and was seen as a breath of fresh air, with Sing Out magazine calling it “another ineffable masterpiece” and the Irish Echo newspaper ranking it second on its list of the “Top Ten Traditional Albums of 2010.” That year, the group also appeared on the opening track of singer-songwriter Natalie Merchant’s Leave Your Sleep, an album the Wall Street Journal called “an ideal fit between poetic and musical rhythms.” Lúnasa’s contribution to it was roundly praised. Then, in, 2013 the band released Lúnasa with the RTÉ Concert Orchestra, a bold collaboration with the in-house orchestra of Ireland’s national broadcaster, RTÉ. With a new guitarist Ed Boyd (Flook, Kate Rusby, and Cara Dillon) in the fold and a set of remarkable arrangements written by Niall Vallely, the album “[built] on the group’s immediately recognizable sound and [gave] their music an exciting new dimension” (Irish Echo). Its release led to groundbreaking performances in Ireland, France, and the US that critics called “a successful blend of articulation and raw nerve end pulse” (fRoots). While there have been collaborations between orchestral and traditional groups before, none have matched this album’s excitement or intensity.
In recent years, Lúnasa has continued to tour, dazzling crowds all over the United States, Canada, Japan, and Europe. In addition to major collaborations with the likes of legendary singer-songwriter Mary Chapin Carpenter (2015) and bluegrass superstar Tim O’Brien (2016), they’ve introduced star musician Colin Farrell (Project West, Grada) to the band, who has been sharing fiddle duties with Smyth and who brings enormous talent and an innate understanding of the group’s sound. Legendary Irish fiddler Kevin Burke once said that “maintaining the unique, intimate qualities of a musical tradition while at the same time meeting and fulfilling the demands of the contemporary music world is a difficult juxtaposition to achieve, yet Lúnasa have managed to accomplish exactly that.” From the start, the band’s complex arrangements and unique sound reshaped the boundaries of traditional music and energized audiences the world over. Twenty years on, the group continues to evolve, playing new music that is as state-of-the-art and aggressively infectious today as it was so long ago.
In 2018 and after an extended break from the studio, Lúnasa celebrated 20 years on the road with an exciting new album “Cas” breaking new ground for the band by adding vocals for the first time. Long term friends and collaborators Natalie merchant, Mary Chapin Carpenter and Tim O’Brien joined with blues legend Eric Bibb and Irish folk singer Daoiri Farrell.
- ADVANCE PURCHASE: $25
- AT THE DOOR: $35 GENERAL /$15 SENIORS AND STUDENTS
- All tickets will incur an additional $5.50 surcharge.
- MEMBERS: Please click here to ensure you are logged in so your discount is reflected above and applied at checkout.
- All surcharges and member discounts will be calculated at checkout.
- Click Here to learn how our ticket surcharge supports OLS.
This year the Portland Jazz Orchestra’s Holiday Show promises to be a swinging time! The PJO will be performing will be performing holiday music from the libraries of Duke Ellington, Natalie Cole and Harry Connick Jr. and more. In addition to this wonderful holiday composition, the PJO will also be performing more contemporary holiday big band classics while featuring powerhouse vocalist, Katie Oberholtzer! This annual beloved holiday show at One Longfellow Square promises to be a fun-filled, swinging affair!
You are cordially invited to OLS’s second annual Jazzy Jingle & Mingle! Thursday, at 5:30pm at the Cumberland Club followed by Night 1 of the PJO’s Holiday Show, 8pm at One Longfellow Square.
One Longfellow Square
This special fundraising event supports the work we do to nurture emerging talent on our stage. The Portland Jazz Orchestra has been an incredible partner in this endeavor, bringing student jazz ensembles on stage with them to play a ticketed performance in a professional venue. The evening includes heavy hors d’oeuvres, cocktails, live music provided by a USM student jazz ensemble, dedicated parking, and premium seating at the PJO Holiday Show at One Longfellow Square. We’ll also be auctioning off a few bespoke items and experiences you won’t find anywhere else!
Thank you to Coffee By Design for sponsoring the reception in memory of Cissie, the one who inspired a love of jazz. We are so grateful to Coffee By Design’s unwavering support of the Portland Jazz Orchestra series at One Longfellow Square!
- ADVANCE PURCHASE: $25
- AT THE DOOR: $35 GENERAL /$15 SENIORS AND STUDENTS
- All tickets will incur an additional $5.50 surcharge.
- MEMBERS: Please click here to ensure you are logged in so your discount is reflected above and applied at checkout.
- All surcharges and member discounts will be calculated at checkout.
- Click Here to learn how our ticket surcharge supports OLS.
This year the Portland Jazz Orchestra’s Holiday Show promises to be a swinging time! The PJO will be performing will be performing holiday music from the libraries of Duke Ellington, Natalie Cole and Harry Connick Jr. and more. In addition to this wonderful holiday composition, the PJO will also be performing more contemporary holiday big band classics while featuring powerhouse vocalist, Katie Oberholtzer! This annual beloved holiday show at One Longfellow Square promises to be a fun-filled, swinging affair!
Inanna, Sisters in Rhythm, are excited to return to One Longfellow Square, for their annual Winter Solstice Celebration. Inanna has been playing together since 1989, and chose their name after the ancient Sumerian Goddess who was worshiped more than 4,000 years ago when it is believed that the drummers were predominantly women. Her story of descent and reemergence is celebrated on the Winter Solstice, and in some versions of the myth Inanna is called back to the upper world through the sound of the drum. In this season, when the nights are longest, Inanna,
Sisters in Rhythm, through their rich harmonies and powerful percussion, welcome back the return of the light. The band has traveled throughout the world to study with master drummers, in particular, Famoudou Konaté, Yaya Diallo, Layne Redmond, Glen Velez, and Babatunde Olatunji.
Inanna has recorded seven full-length albums, performs in the US and abroad, teaches classes and workshops, and is frequently invited into the school systems. Through their teaching, the members of Inanna seek not only to provide musical education, but also to cultivate vibrant community.
American Roots band Low Lily celebrates the Solstice! This high energy show will feature instrumentals alongside impeccably arranged songs to honor the season. Between them, the musicians play mandolins, guitars, fiddle, banjo, and sing in three part vocal harmonies.
With the release of their latest record ‘Angels in the Wreckage’ (produced by Dirk Powell), the New England-based band LOW LILY brings their infectious sound to a new level. With the energy of fiddle music, the introspective quality of contemporary folk, the precision of bluegrass, and the drive of Americana, the members of Low Lily combine their individual talents into one stunning soundscape.
Low Lily has shared their signature sound with enthusiastic audiences throughout North America and the UK, garnering two #1 songs on international folk radio and two Independent Music Award wins. In 2018, the band released a full-length album with 2X award-winning title track “10,000 Days Like These” and their original song “Hope Lingers On”, which has been sung by choirs around the world as an anthem for peace and justice.
“Low Lily brandishes their formidable individual folk foundations within a collective sound that’s as smart with sense of pop phrasing and flair as it is roots-savvy.” –Roots Music Report
“[Low Lily has] an incredible knack for putting a little pop twist on a traditional folk/Americana sound… it’s a blend that works beautifully.”
–PopMatters
Katie Matzell is thrilled to debut her “Love Letter” to Bonnie Raitt, whom she calls her favorite artist of all time and greatest musical influence. Join Katie and her stacked band of exceptional musicians: Cilla Bonnie, bass and vocals; Max Cantlin, guitar and vocals; Sean Morin, guitar and vocals; Dawson Hill, keyboard and vocals; Chris Sweet, drums; Emma Stanley, trumpet; John MacLaine, trombone; and Andrew Halchak, saxophone and flute. Join us for a celebration of the music of Bonnie Raitt, as we cover the hits and deep cuts that span her decades-long career in music.
Katie and the band will be joined by a very special guest, Larry John McNally, a Bangor native who penned “Nobody’s Girl” and “Slow Ride” for Raitt. LJM continues to record and perform both as a solo artist and with his trio in clubs and concert venues from Tokyo to Kokomo. He is well known in many circles as a songwriter’s songwriter. His moody, guitar-driven, lyrical, thoughtful songs have been covered by artists from Don Henley (who rarely does outside songs) to Bonnie Raitt, Rod Stewart, Joe Cocker, Jennifer Warnes, the Staple Singers and Aaron Neville. LJM’s own recordings are coveted treasures among his devotees and delightful finds for those who happen upon them for the first time.
Katie Matzell is a singer, songwriter, and performer from Portland, Maine who released her debut EP in 2018, followed by a series of singles and live recordings. MaineToday called her 2018 debut “fierce and dazzling,” adding that Matzell’s vocals are “sweet, full and gorgeous” with a “richness to them that make the songs burst all the more.” The Deli Magazine said “Matzell’s voice, both effortless and simple, floats above a sea of washy keys and pocket grooves, calling comparisons to not only her influences of the past (Bonnie Raitt and Aretha Franklin), but to her contemporaries — Norah Jones and Emily King immediately come to mind.” Matzell was nominated by the New England Music Awards in 2018 for Female Performer of the Year. She continues to write new music for release in the near future.
Lyle Divinsky made his living in the New York City subways for over 5 years. While singing underground by day and above ground by night, he slowly crafted his self-released album, Uneven Floors, which launched him into ears around the globe – reaching #2 on the UK Soul Charts and radio in every continent.
He wasn’t able to tour around it though, because within weeks of the release, he was picked up by the Colorado funk powerhouse, The Motet, which took him to some of the biggest stages in the country – from Red Rocks and Madison Square Garden to legendary venues like Tipitina’s in New Orleans and The Fillmore in San Francisco, as well as festivals like BottleRock, Summercamp, Electric Forest, Bumbershoot, Jam Cruise, and so many more.
He has truly taken his music from Subways to Stadiums.
When the world shut down, it gave us all time to pause and reflect upon who we are, what drives us… to recognize the complexities of this world and what it is to live in it. This drove Lyle into one of the most prolific creative periods of his life. The only thing… none of it was in the funk idiom, so the decision had to be made. After 5 years, 2 studio albums, 2 live albums, over 600 shows and over 10 million+ streams with The Motet, it was time to get back to his journey.
Lyle Divinsky made his living in the New York City subways for over 5 years. While singing underground by day and above ground by night, he slowly crafted his self-released album, Uneven Floors, which launched him into ears around the globe – reaching #2 on the UK Soul Charts and radio in every continent.
He wasn’t able to tour around it though, because within weeks of the release, he was picked up by the Colorado funk powerhouse, The Motet, which took him to some of the biggest stages in the country – from Red Rocks and Madison Square Garden to legendary venues like Tipitina’s in New Orleans and The Fillmore in San Francisco, as well as festivals like BottleRock, Summercamp, Electric Forest, Bumbershoot, Jam Cruise, and so many more.
He has truly taken his music from Subways to Stadiums.
When the world shut down, it gave us all time to pause and reflect upon who we are, what drives us… to recognize the complexities of this world and what it is to live in it. This drove Lyle into one of the most prolific creative periods of his life. The only thing… none of it was in the funk idiom, so the decision had to be made. After 5 years, 2 studio albums, 2 live albums, over 600 shows and over 10 million+ streams with The Motet, it was time to get back to his journey.
Primo Cubano, which translates into Cuban Cousins, has been practicing and performing traditional Cuban music for the past 16 years in Maine. In June of 2023, they were invited to perform at the 2024 Havana Jazz Festival. A friend of the band, Greg Martens, a local producer and promotor, extended the invitation and was a prime component for bringing Primo Cubano to Cuba for the first time.
Trumpet player Marc Chillemi, quickly began organizing the trip with Greg, to bring 7 musicians from the group. In addition, Greg invited another local artist, Darby Sabin from Farmington. An all-star band was put together for Darby by Greg, which included such artists as George Porter Jr, one of the founders of the New Orleans funk band The Meters, and drummer and percussionist Wally Ingram, from Sheryl Crow’s band of the 90s.
By October of 2023, Primo Cubano singer Eric Winter joined Marc to help organize the trip. Eric has been to Cuba several times to study with some of Havana’s greatest musicians. Eric scheduled a week of lessons and rehearsal sessions with percussionist Rolando Salgado Palacio, from the Afro-Cuban Allstars. Primo Cubano rented a rehearsal studio in the artist district called, Verdado.
The band was scheduled at two venues, and by the third day Primo Cubano was asked to perform at some of the local restaurants and bars throughout the city. The most memorable experience was when many of the local musicians and festival organizers commented; “Primo Cubano is the first group from the United States to perform their music” – Son Cubano, the national music of Cuba. Not only was this an unimaginable experience, it was the long-life dream of conga player, Lenny Hatch.
Primo Cubano was invited to return to Cuba to perform at the 40th Annual Havana Jazz Festival in January of 2025. This experience has inspired the group to keep learning and practicing this music they love and have shared with salsa dancers and music lovers throughout New England for over a decade.
Blog Mentions
