 |
|
|
| Friday, April 1 @ 8 PM |
MEG HUTCHINSON |
$12/10 |
 With Special Guest: Jay Mankita
Performing Songwriter Magazine calls this Berkshire singer/songwriter, " .
. . a master of introspective ballads filled with understated yearning and an
exquisite sense of metaphor." As a newcomer to the folk world, she won
songwriting awards at Kerrville, the Rocky Mountain Folks Fest, Telluride and
Merlefest. She's a small-town idealist with modern sensibilities, resulting
in a style that's something like a cross between Lake Wobegon and Sheryl
Crow. www.meghutchinson.com |
| Top |
| Saturday, April 2 @ 8 PM |
MICHAEL JERLING |
$12/10 |
 With
Special Guest: Nadine Laughlin
One of our favorite local sons, Michael Jerling is a nationally touring
songwriter who happens to live here in Saratoga and who has played annually at
Lena's for decades. His dry wit, poignant insights, and broad taste in
American roots music drive a repertoire that is alternately rocking, riotous,
and memorably touching. He comes with long-time collaborator Tony Markellis on
bass, and wife Teresina Huxtable (of Huxtable, Christenson & Hood) on reed
organ. michaeljerling.com |
| Top |
| Sunday, April 3 @ 7 PM |
PAUL ASBELL |
$12/10 |
 With Special
Guest:Jeremy
Wallace
Once described as an "underground legend," and "well-kept
secret," Paul is now a cat that's out of the bag! He's a
personable, engaging steel string wonder from Chicago's South Side who
makes his beautiful instrumental versions of "Will You Still Love Me
Tomorrow" and "Stardust" seem right at home in a set that
focuses on unique arrangements of blues and jazz standards, old-time country
songs and other American roots classics. His playing has been praised far and
wide by the likes of David Bromberg, Vintage Guitar Magazine, Roy Book Binder,
Sing Out! and more. www.paulasbell.com |
| Top |
| Wednesday, April 6 @ 7 PM |
BATTLEFIELD BAND |
$22/20 |
 Named after the Glasgow suburb of Battlefield, where the group was
formed by four student friends, Battlefield Band have been on the world's
roads for just on 30 years now, distilling their own unique form of the
Scottish spirit and bottling it in concert and onto disc. Inspired by their
rich Celtic heritage and Scotland's exciting contemporary cultural scene,
the band performs under the banner "Forward With Scotland's
Past". Their repertoire is a mix of old and new, played on a unique fusion
of ancient and modern instruments--bagpipe, fiddle, synthesizer, guitar,
cittern, flute, bodhran and accordion. Angry, joyful, raucous, and
contemplative, their music is most importantly accessible to all.
www.battlefieldband.co.uk |
| Top |
| Friday, April 8 @ 8 PM |
SKIDMORE JAZZ ENSEMBLES |
$5 |
 Proceeds
to Benefit Caffe Lena
Squeeze yourself in with the adoring crowds for a night of jazz featuring
student musicians from Skidmore College's nationally renowned music
department. You'll hear everything from standards to cutting edge pieces
played on a huge variety of instruments: keys, drums, guitar, bass, reeds,
vibes, flute, and always some fabulous, torchy singing. This is a fun night out
for performers and audience alike--give it a try! www.skidmore.edu/academics/music/curriculum/skidjazz.htm
Painting: Stephanie
Chivers, Berkshire County High School |
| Top |
| Saturday, April 9; 7 to 11 PM |
A READING OF OUR OWN: A Celebration of Local
Women's Poetry |
$5 |
 In
celebration of the Tenth Annual National Poetry Month, we offer this sampling
of fabulous poetry written by some of our region's finest poets. More than
twenty women offering a wide range of writing and performance styles will read
from their own work. You’re sure to hear something that will inspire,
enrich and captivate you. This event is co-sponsored by Hudson Valley
Writer’s Guild and Albany Poets Inc.
Poets include: Chrys Ballerano, Therese Broderick, Wendy
Burbank, Brio Burgess, Francelise Dawkins, Kristen Day, Shirlee Dufort, A.C.
Everson, Emily Gonzalez, Carol Graser, Kim Henry, Sue Jefts, Linda Kaplan, Mary
McCarthy, Victoria Moore, Mary Panza, Judith Prest, Sally Rhoades, Cheryl A.
Rice, Sharon Stenson, Karin Maag Tanchek, Barbara Vink, Rachel
Zitomer |
| Top |
| Sunday, April 10 @ 7 PM |
PADDY KEENAN & PATSY
O'BRIEN |
$18/15 |
  Uillean piper Paddy Keenan is a legend of Irish
music and founder of the Bothy Band. His virtuosity has led to the nickname
"the Jimi Hendrix of the pipes." More recently, due to his genius for
improvisation and counter-melody, he has been compared to jazz great John
Coltrane. Singer-songwriter-guitarist Patsy O'Brien plays regularly with
Keenan and with Eileen Ivers. His original work crosses over the boundaries of
Celtic, folk and jazz and his singing and playing are super fine.
www.paddykeenan.com / www.patsyobrien.com |
| Top |
| Friday, April 15 @ 8 PM |
MARK TOLSTRUP & FRIENDS |
$12/10 |
 CD Release
Celebration
With a unique musical blend of wisdom and abandon, Mark has forged a vibrant
combination of acoustic blues and ragtime that will send you on a journey to
the backroads of America, from New Orleans to Tin Pan Alley. This is a show for
fans of Son House, Robert Johnson, Blind Blake and other classic '30s
bluesmen. But along with players such as Van Ronk, Rory Block and John Hammond,
Mark is moving the tradition forward, putting his own spin on the classics and
adding a handful of worthy originals. He performs on vintage instruments,
including guitar, tenor banjo and National steel body guitar. Mark's new CD
was produced by Tony Markellis. www.marktolstrup.com |
| Top |
| Saturday, April 16 @ 8
PM |
ROBIN HUW BOWEN |
$15/12 |
 Robin
Huw Bowen is the foremost player of the uniquely Welsh "triple harp,"
as well as a campaigner for its revival. With obscure origins in the eighteenth
century, the harp was popular for a time throughout Europe, in art music as
much as folk, but was later superseded by the pedal harp. The instrument lived
on only in Wales and became known as the national instrument in the nineteenth
century. Robin Huw Bowen is a scholar of Welsh music, a charming personality on
stage, and a world-renowned player of this complex and beautiful
instrument. www.nancycarlinassociates.com/robinhuwbowen.shtml |
| Top |
| Sunday, April 17 @ Noon to
Midnight |
LOCAL-THON IV |
$10 |
 A Benefit for Caffe Lena!
This annual mini-marathon, the kinder and gentler offspring of the 50-hour
Folk-a-Thon of our wilder days, offers a cross-section of this region's
world-class musical talent. Caffè regulars team up with pros from around
town in an entertainment extravaganza that features all styles, ages, genres,
and combos. You're guaranteed to come away with a new favorite or two. All
musicians are donating their time and effort to support their favorite little
folk club on Phila Street!
Featuring: Rosanne
Raneri • Acoustic
Circus • Big
Medicine • The
Schmooze • Maul, Markellis
& Haskell • Boxes of
Squares • Maggie Doherty
& Zac Rossi • Thirteen/Four • Jupiter Circle
w/Denise McDonald • Broadcast
Live • Horse in a
Box • Ray
Giguere • Nor’Easter • Jocelyn
Arem • Addie &
Olin • John Kribs
• Mark Tolstrup • Mikki
Bakken • Scott
Smith • Sirsy Duo
• Brian Gibney • Brittany &
Zac Kissinger • Bourbon
Renewal • Mary Migliozzi
Band • Soul
Session • Parwana
• Phil Henry Dan Berggren• Frank
Jaklitsch• John Kirk &
Trish Miller• Richie
Ortiz• Mudfunk• Matt McCabe &
Gary Blodgett• Kara
Storti• Ben Davis &
Sarah Pedinotti (w/Peter Davis & Dave Pedinotti)• Maurizio• The Ashdown
Brothers• Paul
Brisbin• Margot Malia
Lynch• Katy Farone &
Chantal• Dave Brundadge.
Not to mention the star-studded list of Hosts: Garland Nelson • Ray
Pashoukos • Willie the Moak • Gary Moon • Kate
Blain More
on Localthon IV |
| Top |
| Wednesday, April 20 @ 7
PM |
THE BOBS |
$22/18 |
 The Bobs are known for their
incredible live performances, witty, tuneful, original material, and outrageous
covers of classic songs. They present shows that are part theater, part comedy,
part performance art, and, most of all, unique. Their a cappella "band
without instruments" uses voices and body percussion to fill a room with
an orchestra of harmonious sound as they present a repertoire that ranges from
soulful to satire, amazing to moving, and familiar to unimaginable. Formed in
the Bay Area in 1981, the Bobs have sold out venues around the world, released
twelve albums, earned four Grammy nominations, gained legions of adoring fans,
and won just about every a cappella award there is to win.
Special guests All About Buford, winners of the Boston Regional Harmony
Sweepstakes, will get the night off to a thrilling start. www.bobs.com
Openers All About Buford had to
cancel |
| Top |
| Friday, April 22 @ 8 PM |
STEVE GILLETTE & CINDY
MANGSEN |
$14/12 |
 Steve's originals, including "Darcy Farrow." "Happy
Hour" and "Back on the Street Again" have been recorded by the
likes of Tammy Wynette, Ian & Sylvia, Gordon Lightfoot and Garth Brooks. A
superb guitarist, Steve's performances have long inspired glowing reviews
and loyal fans. Cindy plays dulcimer, guitar, banjo and concertina and sings
with a smooth, silky voice utterly lacking in affectation. In concert, these
long-time Caffè Lena favorites cover a variety of country and folk
styles, blending world-class professionalism with down-home, informal
charm. www.compassrosemusic.com |
| Top |
| Saturday, April 23 @ 6 PM |
BILLY JONAS |
$10/$5 for kids |
 Special
Family Concert!
A Billy Jonas performance is an explosion of energy. In singalongs, bangalongs,
whisperalongs, as well as improvised songs, his primary instrument will be YOU!
Concerts begin with a simple "tuning" of the audience; from there a
whimsical trajectory carries listeners through stories of life, love, and
triumph over 'Murphy's Law.' Jonas' engaging (and we mean for
All ages!) original pieces are played on fanciful "industrial
re-percussion" instruments made from found objects. Jonas' recent work
has garnered a Parents Choice Gold Award, and inclusion on the New York Times
"Best" listing. www.billyjonas.com |
| Top |
| Saturday, April 23 @ 9 PM |
JONATHAN BYRD AND DROMEDARY |
$12/10 |
 North
Carolina's Jonathan Byrd writes new songs with an authentically old-time
southern style with deep roots in his childhood as the son of a country
preacher. Dromedary, the recent subject of an "All Things Considered"
feature, is a world music duo from Georgia that blends the music of the
American south with folk music from Portugal, Spain, South America, the
Caribbean and Africa. The combination of the two forces is superb. What
you'll hear is the characters created by Jonathan--lovers, sailors, slaves
and slavers--expressing longing, love, tragedy and hope to the backdrop of
Dromedary's charango, Appalachian dulcimer, mandolin, cumbus and flamenco
guitar. www.jonathanbyrdanddromedary.com |
| Top |
| Sunday, April 24 @ 5:30
PM |
POTLUCK SEDER FOR VOLUNTEERS AND
MEMBERS |
|
| This will be a fun gathering on the second
night of Passover for folks both familiar with the Seder tradition and for
those brand new to it. It's our way of celebrating the hard work of our
best supporters--those who wash the dishes, brew the coffee, sweep the floors,
and donate their hard-earned money to keep the music playing every weekend.
Please RSVP by April 17 by e-mailing sarah@caffelena.com, or by calling
518-583-0022. |
| Top |
| Friday, April 29 @ 7 & 9:30
PM |
JOHN RENBOURN AND JACQUI
MCSHEE |
$18/16 |
 Master guitarist John Renbourn and vocalist Jacqui McShee, founders of
the seminal British folk-rock band Pentangle, bring to the stage a rich
repertoire developed over four decades of musical collaboration. John takes
listeners through a landscape of masterful playing in a fusion of British and
Celtic folk music with jazz, blues, ragtime, classical, Middle Eastern and
pre-Renaissance music.
Known for her easy soprano and wide-ranging tastes, Jacqui has remained a
constantly experimenting presence in Pentangle through it's many personnel
changes. www.john-renbourn.com |
| Top |
| Saturday, April 30 @ 8 PM |
DON AND VICTORIA ARMSTRONG |
$14/12 |
 These
long-time Caffè favorites return to Lena's from their home in the
Rio Grande Valley of New Mexico. Their sweet, joyful, original songs are
flavored by the sounds and images of the American southwest. Victoria has one
of the richest, loveliest voices ever heard on our stage and supports the band
on keyboards and guitar. Husband Don joins in with vocal harmonies and leads
with driving Latin guitar. Old friends Tony Markellis on bass and Ed Lowman on
fiddle round out the sound. In addition to a busy touring schedule, the
Armstrongs are highly acclaimed songwriters whose work has been recorded by
Judy Collins, John Denver, Bill Staines, and many others. |
Top
Previous | Next |
|
