Concerts & Events

Presented in partnership with the Chicago Park District, this Future Folk Festival concert, will feature Eva Supreme's Hymns Reimagined with PRAISE MOTHER SQUAD and Duane Powell.

Future Folk Festival draws inspiration from the definition of folk music provided by Folk Alliance International: “Folk is the music of the people, reflective of any community where they are from.”

Old Town School of Folk Music doesn't limit folk to any one genre or group of instruments, we prioritize connecting innovative, new, and global folk artists with diverse audiences. Providing a wide variety of music-related experiences with the purpose of strengthening Chicago's African American, Caribbean, Latinx, African, Asian, and Indigenous communities.

RSVP for the full series of Future Folk Festival events:

Future Folk Festival: Night 1

Future Folk Festival: Night 3

For more details follow Old Town School of Folk Music's Music Moves page at www.instagram.com/musicmoveschi

Eva Supreme's Hymns Reimagined

Eva Supreme is a walking love song to all things soulful. A genre-hopping vocalist, sonic storyteller, and creative conjurer, she lives for the magic that happens when music, spirit, and style collide. Known for her rich voice, radiant presence, and unmistakable je ne sais quoi, Eva doesn't just take the stage—she transforms it into a velvet dreamscape.

Rooted in gospel, jazz, funk, and experimental soul, Eva has lent her voice to powerful
collaborations and collectives, including background vocals for legendary artists like Cassandra Wilson, Jamila Woods, and Angel Bat Dawid. She is also a vibrant part of the revolutionary Damon Locks' Black Monument Ensemble, where liberation, sound, and spirit meet in bold sonic protest.

Her world is one of soft power and luxurious whimsy: gospel riffs wrapped in gold lamé, funk
grooves under moonlight, and jazz phrases whispered like secrets. She creates because she must, performing because it's the most honest way she knows how to live. From reimagining sacred hymns to curating spiritual-creative spaces through Spirit Supreme, Eva invites you to feel deeper, shine brighter, and move through the world with intention and flair.
A lover of vintage soul, divine timing, deep laughter, and bold self-expression, Eva Supreme
believes the only way to do your thing… is to do your thing. Unapologetically. Audaciously.
Supremely.

Hymns Reimagined is an immersive performance experience by Eva Supreme exploring sacred sound as a vessel for Black memory, survival, resistance, and return. Through live music, vocal ensemble, movement, spoken word, and projection, the work journeys through the spiritual and cultural lineage of the hymn—asking what we inherit, what we transform, and what remains when a people use sound to carry themselves home.

PRAISE MOTHER SQUAD

PRAISE MOTHER SQUAD is an intergenerational dance squad who explores the expansiveness of Black majorette dance (aka j-sette). They perform in a multitude of spaces including, but not limited to parades & processionals, theaters, churches, and park grounds to tell stories and connect with communities on Chicago's South & West sides. They have held partnerships and residencies with Old Town School of Folk Music, Chicago Cultural Center, Ragdale Foundation, Art Omi, Rebuild Foundation, and Chicago Dancemakers Forum. Their stories center the experiences of Black femmes who have been raised by single mothers, decided to receive abortions or remain childfree, tussle with mental illness to achieve wellness, and found a chosen family with queer siblings.

Founded by Aaliyah Christina, the squad features the following members: Keyierra Collins, Naomi Baty, Deja "Dej" Hood, Kopano, Giovi Antonio, & Samus Starbody.

Follow them on Instagram for more: @LiyahPlainJain & @praisemother.

Duane Powell

Duane Powell's love for music began in the 1970s, growing up immersed in Chicago's rich soul music scene. With uncles who were DJs and family connections to artists like Minnie Riperton, The Emotions, Chaka Khan, Miki Howard, and The Staple Singers, music was always close to home. In 1985, Powell entered the world of street promotions, working with prominent DJs in Chicago's burgeoning house music scene, beginning with Lil Louis. By 1990, he had become a sought-after marketing manager and consultant for clubs and DJs, including the historic Powerhouse. After joining Cargo Music Distribution as an import buyer in 1998, he went on to spend 12 years at the legendary Dr. Wax Records, where he earned a reputation as a tastemaker by helping break artists including Ledisi, Eric Roberson, Julie Dexter, Jill Scott, Raheem DeVaughn, and N'Dambi. In 1999, he launched SOUNDROTATION, further cultivating Chicago's underground soul scene and introducing audiences to emerging artists. His industry expertise has since taken him to panels and workshops nationwide, while his Rear View Mirror Sessions interactive lecture series has brought music history to institutions including UChicago Arts, Stanford University, the Detroit Institute of Arts, and the Chicago Public Library.

As a DJ and cultural curator, Powell has held residencies at iconic Chicago venues, including House of Blues, Virgin Hotels, the Museum of Contemporary Art, and Navy Pier. He has shared stages with legendary DJs and Grammy-winning producers, performed at festivals across the country, and opened for Frankie Beverly & Maze at the Taste of Chicago. In 2019, the Chicago Reader named him Chicago's Best House Music DJ, and in 2022, he represented the city in a featured set for Boiler Room TV. As a program partner with Rebuild Foundation and board member of the Frankie Knuckles Foundation, Powell continues to explore music's power to connect and move people. Through Sunday Service, his biweekly musical gathering blending gospel house, inspirational sounds, and tribal rhythms, he creates a spiritual space for his community, affectionately known as his congregation. The series opened the stage at Chicago Gospel Fest in 2022 and was featured at the Smithsonian Folklife Festival in Washington, D.C., in 2023.