A special month at Caffe Lena

Kat Wright has a voice that is both sultry and dynamic, delicate yet powerful, gritty but highly emotive and nuanced. Add to that voice enough stage presence to tame lions and you get total enchantment. There’s soul flowing in and out of her rock ‘n’ roll. Kat Wright (vocals), Bob Wagner (guitar) and Josh Weinstein (bass).

Singer, songwriter, guitarist, and pianist John Gorka raises goosebumps with his soulful baritone and sharp observations. Whether he’s performing a song brimming with love and loss, a keenly felt vignette about daily life, biting social commentary, or just plain old down-home humor, John displays an unerring grasp of words, melody, and the details that trigger universal understanding.

Bill Staines was a wise and gentle songwriter from New Hampshire who performed on the Caffe Lena stage more than any other performer in our 62 year history. Twice a year from 1968 to 2021, Bill would make his way back to Saratoga to sing original songs that have become universal in the folk world. Bill passed away on Sunday, December 5th, 2021. Tonight we gather in his name to keep the flame burning bright. Emcee Joe Bruchac will be presenting Reggie Harris, Taylor Whiteside (Bill’s long-time fiddler and harmony vocalist), Joy Bennett & Chris Koldewy, Vivian Nesbitt & John Dillon, and Kate Blain. Each will perform two of Bill’s songs, plus one original that connects to his legacy.