Oct 7 - 13 - Caffe Lena

The sun was shining and Caffe Lena @ SPAC drew record crowds this past Saturday! That’s our Operations Director, Mateo Vosganian, on the drums with Wild Adriatic. Photo by Bryan Lasky.

Greetings – A crowd of nearly 1,000 happy people had the best time at “Caffe Lena @ SPAC” this past Saturday. It was truly heartwarming to see you all enjoying the sunshine, dancing with your kids, and bopping to the music. Let’s do it again next year!

When we talk about “the Caffe Lena story,” most people still think about the opening chapter, when the likes of Dylan and Guthrie were starting out on our stage. As someone who reads this newsletter, you’ve been tracking the evolution of our programming and mission and you know there’s a lot more to talk about. I’m hoping you’ll help us give the world a glimpse of today’s Caffe Lena. A film crew will be capturing Vanessa Collier’s album release double-header on Thursday for a special that will air on WMHT in 2025. Scenes from the evening concert–I hope including your smiling face!–will be mixed with footage of Vanessa participating in Caffe Lena On the Road. This community outreach will take place at one of our favorite On the Road sites, Saratoga Bridges, which serves people with intellectual disablities. These folks have become big fans of roots music because we treat them to the same bands you see in our listening room. Please come on Thursday and lend your cheers and smiles as we film the current chapter in Lena’s long story, where music brings us together in health and harmony.

See you at the show,
Sarah

– WEEK AT A GLANCE –

Monday
7 PM Open Mic Night
Tuesday
7 PM JAZZ AT CAFFE LENA: THE CHUCK LAMB TRIO w. RUSSELL HAIGHT
8 PM “Live From Caffe Lena” on WEXT 97.7 or 106.1 FM
Wednesday
10 – 10:30 AM FOLK CLUB KIDS
7 PM & 12 AM “Live From Caffè Lena” on Folk Music Notebook
Thursday
5 & 8 PM MOMENTUM SERIES: VANESSA COLLIER – ALBUM RELEASE
Friday
8 PM MELISSA FERRICK WITH OPENER SWEET PETUNIA
Saturday
8 PM JEFFREY GAINES
Sunday
9 AM Dharma Meditation with Pierre Zimmerman
7 PM EMILIE-CLAIRE BARLOW

– HIGHLIGHTS –

Sample Song | In-Person Tickets | Watch on Caffe Lena TVPianist Chuck Lamb’s special guest for this month’s JAZZ at Caffe Lena is Russell Haight. Haight is coordinator of the jazz program at Skidmore College. He has performed with luminaries such as Bobby Shew, Bill Watrous, Jim McNeely, and George Duke, and earned a Grammy nomination with blues artist Ruthie Foster in 2021. His album Go Forth, released in August 2024 on OA2 Records, has won a Silver Medal in the Global Music Awards, as did his 2017 release, Destination. Prior to joining Skidmore College, he was based in Austin for 20 years, where he maintained an active performance and touring schedule and served as an Associate Professor at Texas State University.

Sample Song | In-Person Tickets
Watch on Caffe Lena TV 5 PM Show | Watch on Caffe Lena TV 8 PM Show12-time Blues Music Award nominee and 4-time winner Vanessa Collier brings her new album, featuring her fiery saxophone and soulful voice. Praised by Rolling Stone as an “up-and-comer” and by American Songwriter as a “queen,” Collier’s performances fuse funk, soul, rock, and blues, fueling her meteoric rise.

This concert is being filmed for a television special. Please be aware that audience members may appear on camera.

Sample Song | In-Person Tickets | Watch on Caffe Lena TV

Renowned for intricate, intense guitar playing and passionate lyrics, Melissa Ferrick blends alternative rock, punk, and folk. With 18 albums and a history of sharing stages with icons such as Bob Dylan and Ani DiFranco, Ferrick is revered across the industry. Opener Sweet Petunia, a Boston-based duo, merges punk & folk.

Sample Song | In-Person Tickets | Watch on Caffe Lena TV

Soul-searching lyrics and powerful live performances. With only his voice, guitar and considerable charisma, Gaines has been the tour opener for Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Tracy Chapman, Stevie Nicks and Sheryl Crow. This intimate show sold out quickly last time, so don’t wait to get tickets!

Sample Song | In-Person Tickets | Watch on Caffe Lena TV

One of Canada’s leading jazz singers, Barlow guides her exceptional band through inventive takes on American Songbook classics, bossa novas, elegant ballads, and French chansons. Her massive online following is giving her a global audience, while her charming humor, romance, drama and infectious live energy wins the critics and live audiences. A handful of tickets just opened back up!