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| Saturday, July 1 @ 8 PM |
LINN BROWN WITH JOEL BROWN & DAVE MASWICK |
$12/10 |
 linnbrown.com | www.skidmore.edu..brown | www.davemaswick.com
San Francisco singer-songwriter Linn Brown has been performing on the folk circuit for decades, becoming especially well known in Boston and Chicago where she sang with Dan Fogelberg and the Dean Brothers.
This concert will feature a collection of her honest, timeless songs about hearts; lost, broken and on the mend. She'll be joined by guitarist Dave Maswick of the Stony Creek Band, and her brother, Skidmore music faculty member Joel Brown, who is well known to Caffè Lena audiences for his recent concerts with Triple Play. |
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| Sunday, July 2 @ 7 PM |
LUCY KAPLANSKY
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$18/16 |
 www.lucykaplansky.com
Fusing alternative country, roots rock and folk music, Lucy Kaplansky presents her songs with warmth, power and a gorgous, evocative voice. Blend all that musical talent with funny stories, cogent remarks, and self-effacing wit and you have a deeply satisfying night of entertainment.
Raised in Chicago, Lucy began as a professional psychologist, switching courses a decade later to become a full-time singer/songwriter. Since then she has released five solo albums on Red House, two of which have received the top award from the Association For Independent Music in the pop category.
She has worked with Nanci Griffith and Shawn Colvin and toured America and Europe on her own, as well as with Dar Williams and Richard Shindell as Cry, Cry, Cry. |
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| Wednesday, July 5 @ 7 PM |
POETRY OPEN MIC
With Featured Reader Lyn Lifshin |
$3 |
 Poetry Open Mic takes place on the first Wednesday of every month. Our host is poet Carol Graser. Each participant will read two short poems or one longer poem. The featured reader will perform for about twenty minutes.
Lyn Lifshin has written more than 100 books and edited 4 anthologies of women writers. She has taught poetry and prose writing for many years at universities, colleges, high schools and her workshops have been a major influence on many area poets. Her work has been praised by Robert Frost, Ken Kesey, Richard Eberhart, and Ed Sanders. Her newest book, The Daughter I Don't Have, was published by Plan B press in December 2005. |
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| Friday, July 7 @ 8 PM |
HAPPY BALKY & THE GOOD LIVIN'
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$10 |
 www.myspace.com/happybalkyandthegoodlivin
This exhuberant young "mountain pop" band from Ballston Spa made their Caffè Lena debut last spring in our Emerging Artists Breakout. They won us over right quick and we decided to bring them back for a weekend evening.
Why we like them: strong chops, rootsy yet contemporary, sparkling melodies, inventive and often comical lyrics, positive energy.
Happy Balky features "Odie Morningstar" on guitar and vocals, "Glenn Bacon" on banjo and vocals, "The Stranger" on mandolin and harmonica (and some other stuff, too), and "Stagger Lee" handles the low end.
Give them a try! You just might discover a new favorite. |
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| Saturday, July 8 @ 7 & 9:30 PM |
FAIRPORT CONVENTION ACOUSTIC TRIO
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$22 |
 www.fairportconvention.com
Fairport Convention is one of the great English musical institutions. Formed in 1967, the group revolutionized traditional British Isles music by fusing it with rock music, exposing a whole generation to their musical heritage while at the same time creating an exciting new genre.
While the ensuing decades have seen a number of personnel changes (past members have included Richard Thompson, Ian Matthews, and the late Sandy Denny, among many others), the band has continued to make great music, its top-notch musicianship and its link with England's rural traditions providing continuity through the decades.
Fairport has also won any number of awards: last year their classic 1969 album, Liege & Lief, was voted Most Influential Folk Album of All Time in a ballot of the public run by the BBC.
Fairport's "acoustic trio" (our favorite way of hearing them at Lena's!) is comprised of singer/guitaristand founding member Simon Nicol, multi-instrumentalist Chris Leslie, and violinist Ric Sanders. They'll tackle everything from fiery fiddle duos to thoughtful self-penned ballads and traditional favorites like "Banks of the Sweet Primroses," all with the great humor and finesse of true folk veterans. |
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| Sunday, July 9 @ 7 PM |
KEVIN WELCH, KIERAN KANE & FATS KAPLIN |
$12/10 |
 www.deadreckoners.com
When Nashville songwriters Kieran Kane and Kevin Welch sit down together, the room is instantly engulfed in a softly glowing bonhomie. It’s a glow stoked by fast-flying quips and the way Kieran and Kevin seamlessly complete one another’s musical sentences.
They're on the road touring in support of their brand new Compass Records album, Lost John Dean. Probing the world of meth addicts, escaped prisoners, and love-addled suckers, they take us on a journey into the dark and bring us out the other side.
These guys are at the top of their profession, having written songs for Waylon Jennings, Roger Miller, Jimmie Dale Gilmore, Reba McEntire, Charlie Pride, Ricky Skaggs, and many more.
They're joined on the album and on tour by Nashville multi-instrumentalist Fats Kaplin, who is regarded as one of the music industry’s leading multi-instrumentalists for his studio work on fiddle, pedal steel, accordion, mandolin, guitar and more. |
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| Friday, July 14 @ 8 PM |
WORK O' THE WEAVERS
Celebrate Woody Guthrie's Birthday!
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$15/12 |
 www.workotheweavers.com
What better way to celebrate Woody Guthrie's birthday than with a foursome that sings his songs for audiences across America.
When the original Weavers first formed in 1948 they drew from international music and traditional ballads, work songs and hymns, lullabies and the songs of Woody Guthrie and Leadbelly. A string of hits followed including 'On Top Of Old Smoky,' 'Wimoweh,' 'Midnight Special,' 'Tzena, Tzena,' Woody Guthrie's 'So Long, It's Been Good To Know Ya' and, of course, Leadbelly's 'Goodnight Irene.'
With faithful adherence to the original arrangements, Work O' the Weavers provides an echo of the original music and some insight into the Weaver's story, one that resonates ever so strongly in these troubled times.
The band features David Bernz on banjo, James Durst on guitar, Mark Murphy on bass, with all three singing in harmony with vocalist Martha Sandefer. |
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| Saturday, July 15 @ 8 PM |
ROY HURD WITH FRANK ORSINI & MEADOW MERRY |
$14/12 |
 www.royhurd.com
Roy Hurd is one of the Adirondack's best known singer/songwriters, loved by thousands of die-hard fans inside the Blue Line and beyond. His lyrics reflect the country independence and love of nature, family and good times that is so much a part of life in the mountains, with crowd-pleasing melodies that range from roadhouse rock to sweet folk ballads.
For more than a decade he left his northern home to work in Nashville for Warner/Chappell, penning songs for top country acts such as Paul Brant, The Oak Ridge Boys, Duane Steele. and Jo Dee Messina.
He's back home now, playing around the area and teaching school kids about ecology and songwriting. He'll be supported in this show by the superb fiddling of Frank Orsini and the lovely harmony vocals of his daughter and singing partner, Meadow Merry |
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| Sunday, July 16 @ 7 PM |
JUPITER CIRCLE
With Special Guest Adam Klein
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$14/12 |
 "Nocturnal dreaming infused with a dose of jazz-groove and the dramatic dissonance associated with Kronos Quartet and Steve Reich." -The Saratogian
www.jupitercircle.com
Jupiter Circle's sound has been described as expansive and definitively American.
Their primarily instrumental repertoire is the work of Saratoga's composer-arranger-pianist Elizabeth Woodbury, who brings a wide array of styles --jazz, classical and world music-- into her captivating soundscape.
She is in demand as an accompanist for modern dance ensembles and serves as an adjunct professor in Russell Sage College's dance department.
Other ensemble members are saxophonist Mike Flanagan, cellist and bassist Jeff Parker, violinist Michael Emery, percussionist Zak Trojano, vocalist Shari Meg Parslow, and tabla player Louis Hotchkiss.
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| Thursday, July 20 @ 7:30 PM |
Tom Rush
Late Addition
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$30 |
 Tom Rush first introduced the world to the songs of Joni Mitchell, Jackson Browne and James Taylor over thirty years ago, and has been captivating audiences throughout the country ever since with his romantic, gently rustic folk music and warm, witty stage presence. In recent years, Tom Rush's Club 47 concerts have filled New York's Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center and Boston's Symphony Hall. A live show in the intimacy of Caffe Lena is a not-to-be-missed treat.
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| Friday, July 21 @ 7 & 9:30 PM |
GIBSON BROTHERS
With Special Guest Abigail Washburn
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$20/18 |
 "To say they've got the classic brother duet thing down is an understatement; they own it."
-Michael Eck, No Depression
www.gibsonbrothers.com
Genuine country boys from the farthest northern reaches of New York State, the Gibsons grew up on old-time music.
In their teens they began playing at church and it's been a steady ascent ever since. Their songs reflect the elegance of Emmylou Harris, the country harmonies of Buck Owens and Don Rich, and the picking of Bill Monroe and the Stanley Brothers.
 After ten years of touring they made their Grand Ole Opry debut in 2003 and have released a record a year since then. With their most recent, Red Letter Day, released on Sugar Hill this year, "Eric and Leigh take their place among the bluegrass elite." -David McGee, Barnes & Noble
Nashville's Abigail Washburn plays banjo for the acclaimed string band Uncle Earl. As a solo artist she is gathering national attention for her beautiful and unique folk songs sung in both chinese and english."
Note: this show was originally scheduled for July 28 |
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| Saturday, July 22 @ 8 PM |
MOP AND BUCKET COMPANY
Improv Comedy Troupe |
$12/10 |
 www.mopco.org
Based in Albany, the Mop & Bucket Co. is the area's oldest improvisational theater troupe. Co-directors Michael Burns and Byron Nilsson have skimmed the cream of the regional crop of improvisors, assembling a top notch troupe that will shatter your expectations.
Admit it---you've tried a local improv show, and you laughed. Then, on the way home, you realized that the whole show had been kind of like eating cotton candy. No substance.
Your hunger for a real theatrical experience had only been staved off for an hour, not sated. By the time you got out of the car, you had written the whole thing off. That's not the way it is with a MopCo show! They guarantee a richer experience*. It's as simple as that. Try them once, and you'll be hooked!
*Void where prohibited by fussiness. Some audience participation required. |
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| Sunday, July 23 @ 7 PM |
MUDFUNK
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$5 |
"... If you truly love NEW music and artists that are pushing boundaries then you will love Mudfunk. Seriously, this is probably the most unique sound I've heard in many, many years. . . Thank you Mudfunk!" - UNSIGNED MUSIC MAGAZINE
www.mudfunk.com
Mudfunk is an unusual two-piece funk and soul collaboration headquartered in Albany. The songwriter is Sean Rowe, who pairs his gravelly voice and vibrant guitar playing with the avant-garde percussion of Marco Haber.
Listen to a couple tunes, and before you know it you'll be on a head-bobbing, foot-thumping, eye-closing journey beyond the conventional.
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| Friday, July 28 @ 8 PM |
GEORGE DREW & BERNICE MENNIS
An Evening of Poetry
With Special Guest Rosanne Raneri
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$10 |
 www.turningpointbooks.com/drew.html | Bernice Mennis sample poems
This performance will feature two regional poets who are both dynamic readers and writers.
George Drew was born in Mississippi and raised there and in New York State, where he currently resides. He has just released his third book of poems, The Horse's Name Was Physics. It's a remarkable and meticulously-drawn portrait of the work and lives of the scientists who brought about the dawn of the nuclear age.
“George Drew has captured the high tragedy of the terrifying human achievement in physics in the critical years between the two great wars . . . A courageous undertaking, involving not only science but also politics and history, and not only tragedy but also pathos and comedy as they played into the lives of such leading performers as Einstein, Heisenberg, and Oppenheimer, among others. A work to savor, to be read and reread as poetry, as drama, and as history.” —Harry Staley, All One Breath
Bernice Mennis has taught literature, writing and poetry for twenty years at regional colleges and adult degree programs and at Great Meadows, Washington and Raybrook Prisons. Everyday life in the Adirondacks--nature, animals, politics, life, loss, what is and what is possible--all inspire her beautiful poetry.
Note: this show was originally scheduled for July 21 |
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| Saturday, July 29 @ 7 to 10 PM |
OPEN HOUSE & OPEN MIC
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FREE! |
Caffè Lena joins Saratoga's celebration of the beginning of racing season by opening our doors and stage to visitors, musicians, poets and entertainers of every stripe.
Come at 7 to sign up to perform, or just stop in for a cup of coffee and a tour of our historic room. Performances will run from 7:30 to 10 PM. |
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| Sunday, July 30 @ 8 PM |
POETRY SLAM
With Special Guests the Intangible Slam Fam
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$3 |
This hot new approach to poetry performance is actually a live competition judged by members of the audience. Our Slam, hosted by the gracious and personable Dan Stalter, is open to anyone who wishes to sign up.
Each poet gets three minutes (plus a ten second grace period) to read one poem in the first round. Participation in subsequent rounds will be based on the judges' ratings. The winner will be the reader with the highest cumulative score.
The atmosphere tends to be on the rowdy side with the entire audience weighing in on the judge's scores, and poets focusing on material that is performance-oriented and often, but not always, edgy and political.
Our special guests will be the Intangible Slam Fam, a group of poets comprised primarily of alumni and present members of the Oneonta State Poetry Slam Team. Oneonta State has sent a team to nationals for five consecutive years now, making it at least to semi-finals each time. They have also made finals twice and took second place last year in West Chester, PA. |
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