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Join us for an evening with local folk music group Ash+Eric L’Esperance (fka The Promise is Hope) and singer/songwriter Jesse Terry! Members of the public are invited to join us virtually for a broadcast of this performance at livestream.com/ClarkUniversity.
Please note: This event is only open to members of the Clark campus community who are currently enrolled in the Clark University Covid-19 testing program. Audience members must be masked and vaccinated (or have received an exemption from the University). Clark ID required for entry. Members of the public are not invited to join us in person at this time.
Bios
- Ash+Eric L’Esperance: “Folk that makes you feel stuff” is exactly what Ash & Eric L’Esperance (spouses & band mates) set out to create through their collaborative project, The Promise is Hope. Their music marries two distinctly talented songwriters whose sound draws from the deep and vast well of the roots music tradition. Ashley’s airy and intoxicating tone (think Alison Krauss) blends beautifully with Eric’s sweet, deep voice (think Cat Stevens). The two artists complement each other in every respect, as with one voice they take their listeners on an exploration of the deep mysteries within nature and human relationships. With tightly woven harmonies, two acoustic guitars, and intimate songwriting, the pair presents a beautifully moving, inspired & connected live set. PopMatters says, “It is folk music, but folk that doesn’t find any quick or easy comparisons. Instead, it might be said that the L’Esperances have found their unique path within the storied tradition.”
- Jesse Terry‘s seventh album, When We Wander, is the first he wrote since becoming a parent. So it’s no surprise the family theme courses through many of its 12 songs. His music career has been a family project ever since he became a full-time touring artist a decade ago. The life of a touring family inspired the album’s title track. “When we wander, when we wander / Don’t it feel like we’re finally found.” But in the face of the pandemic, he has found that “wandering is not just a literal thing. We’ve followed our hearts with so many decisions in 2020-2021, and have found that there are many ways to wander and be free and brave.” One of those ways has been going virtual. He says that his livestream concerts have “become the highlight of my week and the thing that sustains us emotionally and financially. And an amazing community has sprung up from these concerts.” The stage had been Jesse’s home for a decade. He plays around 150 shows a year, from Bonnaroo to the Philadelphia Folk Festival, the 30A Songwriters Festival to AmericanaFest. When the pandemic canceled concerts and delayed the album’s release, he pivoted to performing online and found a strong new connection to his fans, who had helped fund his albums all along. “My musical tribe has always been there for me,” he says with gratitude.