The Award Winning Harper’s Back Porch Revue

Catch Our Next Performance

Up Next! December 20, 2025, Saturday @ Harper College’s Drama Lab (Black Box Theatre), 3:00pm
We are thrilled to be hosting Grammy Award Winner Dom Flemons at Harper College on May 21, 2006 for a free concert at noon in the Performing Arts Center.

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Back Porch Revue – Who are we?

Harper’s Back Porch Revue is not just a college music ensemble, it’s an adventure!

We focus on all forms of American folk music prior to 1940 (although we occasionally play things that are more modern). We’ve learned that it’s not just about playing the songs, but that the songs that we’ve shared for hundreds of years teach about America. We’ve sung about John Henry and the building of this country. We’ve incorporated the rhythms that came from Africa and infuse all of our music now. And, long standing themes in our American dialog emerge. For instance, this music is permeated with murder ballads. We’ve found songs from the 1500s on the British Isles (variations on Matty Groves) that made the journey across the Atlantic to tell stories of murder. So, lest you think that America’s fascination with murder is a modern thing, it isn’t. And if you think that the Revue is only about the music, it’s about more.

There is a social element. When you join the Revue, you join a group of like-minded people who love music, love to play music and love to talk about music. You will also play concerts in settings including concert halls, libraries, and unique outdoor areas. We’ve even played in people’s yards!

We’ve had members who are 16 years old and others well into their 80s! This is music that truly knows no age. We have some people who have been with us since we started in 2017, and we have new people join every season. We are looking for players of all stringed instruments and percussionists as well.

We start rehearsing a new set of songs, and accept new members, every January and September and we end those semesters with a performance on the Harper College campus. We draw on those songs when we play at off campus locations throughout the year as we seek to raise awareness of what we do in the Community Music and Arts Center and share that with community members.

Harper’s Back Porch Revue is led by Scott Cashman and Bekr Ali. Members agree to perform in public at least twice per semester. For information, visit our course page or contact Scott Cashman, scashman@harpercollege.edu.

Awards

Palatine Library’s Float in the 2024 4th of July Parade, part of the Palatine Jaycees Hometown Fest, won Best Overall Float! We are now the Award Winning Harper’s Back Porch Revue!!

Past Performances

July 3, 2025: This Land is Your Land: American Folk Music of the 20th Century. Harper College Pavillion (outdoor).
June 28, 2025: American Folk Music at the German Beer Garden, Spring Valley Nature Center, Schaumburg, IL.
May 24, 2025: When They Looked at Folk Music: The Grateful Dead @ 60. Indian Trails Public Library, 355 Schoenbeck Rd, Wheeling, IL. Audience comments: “Big fun, toe tapping music”, “It was enjoyable and interactive with the crowd singing along on some songs.”
May 17, 2025: Celebrating The Music of Kris Kristofferson, John Hartford and Stephen Foster. @ Harper College Drama Lab Theatre.

Listen to Our Music

Reviews

Best Part of My Week!

I’ve been playing bass with Harper’s Back Porch Revue since it began in the Fall semester of 2017. Although it’s listed as a “class”, it’s also a lively performing group of people of all ages, from novice to expert, featuring acoustic guitars, banjos, mandolins, ukuleles, fiddles, percussion, vocals and more. We learn about and play classic old-time American folk, country, and blues music, and instructors Scott Cashman and Bekr Ali do a great job keeping it fun and letting each player create his/her own part to fit the songs, with gentle guidance. It’s a group learning process, and the performance vibe is friendly and collaborative. It’s always the best part of my week!

— Bev R.

Can’t Thank You Enough!

Hi Scott, I wanted to reach out to you and thank you for all that you do for the Back Porch Revue. You inspire so many to get back into music and enjoy playing in a group. I can’t thank you enough for encouraging me to join and then, in your quiet manner along the way, to have me try a solo here and there. I have loved getting back to cello and singing. I am grateful for you.

— R.V.

Very Much Enjoyed!

Very much enjoyed the bluegrass, country and folk music provided by these 10 musicians. Their music was from an era long forgotten but still appreciated.

— Concert Attendee

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