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Anatomy of Exile
Anatomy of Exile
Saratoga Immigration Coalition presents Joshua Craze's performance-lecture overview of the refugee experience today.
All stories of exile begin with an ending.
A flight under the cover of darkness or a march to the border under a hot sun.
Some exiles shore up fragments of home against their ruin. Others flee themselves as a means of survival.
'The Anatomy of Exile' is a performance-lecture that traces the many lives of refugees in the 21st century. The performer, Joshua Craze, is a writer who has spent over a decade in the refugee camps of Sudan, South Sudan, Kenya, and elsewhere. In 2020, he conducted research in the archive of the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) in Geneva, while a writing fellow at the Embassy of Foreign Artists.
This performance draws together archival materials, refugees voices, and poetic fragments, to create a panoramic overview of the refugee experience today.
Free / Donations Welcome
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Folk Club Kids! Dance tunes, Sing Alongs & Stories! Free / infants – pre-k
Folk Club Kids! Dance tunes, Sing Alongs & Stories! Free / infants – pre-k
Folk Club Kids! Dance tunes, Sing Alongs & Stories! Free / infants – pre-k
Lena Go Round – Songwriter Showcase with Erin Harkes
Lena Go Round – Songwriter Showcase with Erin Harkes
Musician/comedian Erin Harkes continues her songwriters' series at Caffè Lena in October. This monthly showcase, curated and hosted by Harkes, spotlights rising talent, who take turns playing their songs and telling stories “in the round,” for an audience and for each other. Lena Go Round is inspired by the original music that has been the cornerstone of Caffè Lena’s 63 years in operation, and is quickly becoming a must-see event in the Capital District.
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Little Folks Series: Jenna Nicholls
Little Folks Series: Jenna Nicholls
Whether she’s belting out a New Orleans-style number on her ukulele, singing an original cowboy tune or lush ballad at the piano, this multi-instrumentalist gives vintage sounds a new life. Your kids will love Jenna's fun show!
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Still Rockin’ In the Free World: A Tribute to Neil Young
Still Rockin’ In the Free World: A Tribute to Neil Young
anadian rock legend Neil Young has had an outsized influence on contemporary music, with his brilliant songwriting, sprawling electric and acoustic alter egos, and restless attitude towards experimentation. He has equally influenced generations of sensitive singer-songwriters, guitar-wielding Americana acts, and grunge/noise acts like Nirvana and Sonic Youth. Young turns 79 in November, so tonight Caffè Lena celebrates his indelible mark on music with “Still Rockin' In the Free World: A Tribute to Neil Young.”
The performance joins six Capital Region acts: Rick Bolton, Coal Palace Kings, The Croaks,
Nick Ferrandino, Mike McMann and the UnderDawgs and Super 400. This eclectic line-up will interpret selections from across Young’s varied career.
This event isn't just about celebrating Young's iconic catalog; it's a fundraiser to support Caffe Lena's free and donation-optional open mics for songwriters, storytellers, musicians and poets. Caffe Lena offers the community nearly a dozen opportunities each month to share creative work in our historic listening room, supported by professional sound production and superb equipment. Open mics are where up-and-coming artists cut their teeth and develop their craft, continuing the work that Young inspires. Our open stage programs and jams are open to all ages and are all about craft and community.
Expect fresh takes on Young's classics, such as "Heart of Gold" and "Old Man," to his electrifying work with Crazy Horse on tracks like "Cinnamon Girl" and "Rockin' in the Free World." It’s a showcase of local talent, blending reverence for the past with an eye on the future of music.
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JAZZ at Caffe Lena with the Chuck Lamb Trio Featuring Stanley Jordan
JAZZ at Caffe Lena with the Chuck Lamb Trio Featuring Stanley Jordan
"A standing ovation immediately followed from an audience which collectively understood and appreciated the complexity and beauty of the art which had just been conjured by one of the world’s true music innovators . . . one who had just delivered a musical performance which will be hard to ever forget.” -AUSTRALIAN MUSICIAN (2022 Live Performance Review)
World-renowned, internationally acclaimed, 4x-GRAMMY® Award Nominated Guitarist STANLEY JORDAN will be Chuck Lamb's extraordinary special guest for the November edition of JAZZ at Caffe Lena. The Los Angeles Times aptly stated, "Genius is a word often tossed around in musical circles, but it has been rightfully applied to Stanley Jordan." In a career that took flight in 1985 with commercial and critical acclaim, guitar virtuoso Jordan has consistently displayed a musical persona of openness, imagination, versatility and maverick daring. Be it bold reinventions of classical masterpieces or soulful explorations through pop-rock hits, to blazing straight ahead jazz forays and ultramodern improvisational works, solo or with a group, Jordan can always be counted on to take listeners on breathless journeys into the unexpected.
The JAZZ at Caffe Lena series is hosted by resident composer, pianist, and jazz master Chuck Lamb, with support from music producer Joel Moss. Each month, Lamb invites a top-flight jazz artist to join his trio on stage. Lamb, a member of the Brubeck Brothers Quartet since 2002, is not only an exciting and emotive pianist but also a prolific composer of jazz, fusion, classical, and world music. Through these collaborations, the artists stretch their creative boundaries, exploring new musical landscapes and creating spontaneous, exhilarating performances.
JAZZ at Caffe Lena is made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.
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Skidmore Jazz Students
Skidmore Jazz Students
Enjoy an evening of diverse jazz styles and inspiring talent as the jazz music students of Skidmore College take the stage with their guitars, brass, reeds, keyboards, drums and vocals. They never fail to put on a truly engaging show of jazz standards and contemporary compositions. This free community concert gives Saratogians a chance to experience the hard work going on in Skidmore’s celebrated music department.
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Dana Cooper – Album Release
Dana Cooper – Album Release
Cooper honed his craft in Kansas City coffeehouses and clubs, leading to his 1972 Elektra Records debut. He built his reputation as a folk-country singer-songwriter over the decades on the club circuit while also collaborating with Lyle Lovett, Susan Gibson, Shake Russell, Kim Richey, Hal Ketchum, Kim Carnes, Susan Werner and more. Central to Cooper's unique artistry is his ability to connect with a live audience. His decades of experience shine through in the ease and humor he brings to the stage on Live at Caffe Lena: The Stories & Songs. This special album captures the magic of his Saratoga performance in front of an audience that was clearly having a great time. It marks the first time that Cooper's stories have been included on a recording. A portion of sales will benefit Caffe Lena's mission to provide music, connection and learning from a legendary venue.
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TrueSongs: Lyrics of Life 2024
TrueSongs: Lyrics of Life 2024
Now in its fifth year, TrueSongs is Caffe Lena's annual celebration of courage, resilience and caring. Seven local people who have faced a significant challenge have been paired with professional songwriters. Each team will take the stage together to share with us, through words and music, a story of overcoming adversity. It's an emotional and uplifting evening of true stories, and the songs they've inspired.
Each of our storytellers is representing a local nonprofit that helped them successfully overcome their life challenge. This year we will hear from a mother who made the decision to come to America to support her family back in Brazil (TriCounty Literacy Volunteers); a woman who nursed her mother through Alzheimers disease (Alzheimer's Association of Northeastern NY); a couple that found a way to stay in the home they love after one became wheelchair bound (Rebuilding Together Saratoga County); a military veteran who recovered from life-threatening PTSD (Alliance 180); a teen mother who is now preparing to graduate from nursing school (WAIT House); and a refugee from violence in El Salvador who now runs a cultural empowerment program in Albany (Capital District Latinos).
Our exciting line-up of songwriters is Ellis Paul, Carolyn Shapiro, Hayley Reardon, Joe Jencks, Mark Erelli, and Judy Kass.
This annual performance has outgrown Caffe Lena and will take place this year at Spa Little Theater.
TrueSongs 2024 is made possible by the generous support of Business For Good, with additional support provided by Carlton & Terry DeBrule.
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The Beatle Caffe
The Beatle Caffe
Curated and hosted by Dave Maswick and Joel Brown, the 2024 Beatle Caffe will feature several of the Capital District's most acclaimed acts, including Lori, Kenny and Ellie of the rock band Super 400, bluegrass favorites Jim Gaudet and the Railroad Boys, veteran duo Maswick and Brown, and Skidmore standouts "Question of the Century" and college phenom "Acearah".
Skidmore Songwriters
Skidmore Songwriters
A free community concert by students in Skidmore Senior-Artist-in-Residence Joel Brown’s semester-long songwriting workshop.
What better way to celebrate Skidmore College’s Songwriting Workshop than to showcase these talented students' work at Caffè Lena? Join Joel Brown and his class for a concert of sometimes nostalgic, sometimes fun, but always thoughtful songwriting! This community concert gives Saratogians a chance to experience the hard work going on in Skidmore’s celebrated music department. Free admission – donations welcome. Caffe Lena’s full menu will be available.
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Folk Heritage: Cohen, Ellis & Ellis
Folk Heritage: Cohen, Ellis & Ellis
For fans of acoustic blues, it just doesn't get any better than this. Three towering talents take us on a rollicking tour through the Delta, the Piedmont, the Paramount record catalog of the '20s and '30s, and pieces learned first-hand in the homes of the creators themselves.
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Lucy Kaplansky
Lucy Kaplansky
Lucy Kaplansky is an acclaimed singer-songwriter of rare talent, “a truly gifted performer with a bag full of enchanting songs” (The New Yorker) and “the troubadour laureate of modern city folk” (The Boston Globe). She has released eight critically acclaimed albums, two of which were awarded Best Pop Album of the year by the Association for Independent Music. But where she shines brightest is on the live stage. Maybe it's her background as a clinical psychologist, because there's nobody who helps us unwind, let our guard down, and open our hearts like Lucy Kaplansky. She makes every audience feel like a circle of old friends catching up and reconnecting. Kaplansky is also part of folk supergroup Cry Cry Cry with Dar Williams and Richard Shindell. Her recording of Roxy Music’s “More Than This” has over 12 million streams on Spotify, and she has been featured on NPR’s All Things Considered, Weekend Edition, and Morning Edition as well as BBC Radio, and CBS Sunday Morning, and has sung harmony on albums by Suzanne Vega, Bryan Ferry, Nanci Griffith and Shawn Colvin.
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Darlingside
Darlingside
Caffè Lena has been pivotal to Darlingside’s journey since 2013 when the band first performed as part of our Emerging Artist Breakout series. Annual shows here helped them gain national attention, with NPR describing their indie rock as “exquisitely arranged, literary minded, baroque folk-pop.” Their elegant compositions and unified voices have earned praise from Rolling Stone and The New Yorker, fostering a worldwide following.
Their fourth LP, Everything Is Alive, brings fresh new sounds. Exploring themes of personal and universal change, the album delves into big life decisions, emphasizing loss and redemption. Produced and recorded by the band and mixed by Tucker Martine (My Morning Jacket, Sufjan Stevens, Iron and Wine), it showcases Darlingside’s evolution while retaining signature harmonies and melodic sophistication.
Annie & The Hedonists
Annie & The Hedonists
Annie & the Hedonists transport us back to an age when heartache, boozing, and all sorts of romantic mayhem amounted to one big stylish adventure. From the gospel-rock of Sister Rosetta Tharpe to the irresistible swing of Fats Waller, the torchy, honey voice of Annie Rosen takes center stage, with super-tight, expert backing provided by husband Jonny Rosen on guitar, Peter Davis on clarinet, tenor guitar, piano, and vocals, Don Young on bass and vocals and Jerry Marotta on percussion/drums.
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Jonathan Greene and The Grand Boubousse
Jonathan Greene and The Grand Boubousse
Let The Grand Boubousse transport you to the era of speakeasies and swing dance halls! The Grand Boubousse, French for "Big Blowout," is an electrifying early jazz collective showcasing top Capital Region talent, including clarinet virtuoso Jonathan Greene, anchor of the popular gypsy jazz group Hot Club of Saratoga.
Born at the start of the last century, early jazz blends Black American musical traditions with European influences, creating the infectious rhythms and melodies that defined the Jazz Age.
Local swing clarinetist Jonathan Greene has spent the better part of the past three years living and performing in NYC, New Orleans, Paris, Berlin and the UK. Greene will present a night of 1930s' swing music featuring some of the most in-demand Northeast-based musicians. The band features swing pianist Mark Shane (who played with Benny Goodman), Brad Brose on guitar, Sean Cronin on bass, and Kevin Dorn on drums.
The ensemble revives classics from Louis Armstrong to Django Reinhardt, lighting up the room with high spirits and warm nostalgia. Whether you're a longtime jazz aficionado or new to the genre, Jonathan Greene and The Grand Boubousse promise an evening of irresistible rhythms and soulful solos that take you back to the golden age of jazz. And for fans of Greene’s work with Hot Club of Saratoga, this is a night not to be missed!
2 events,
Lena Go Round – Songwriter Showcase with Erin Harkes
Lena Go Round – Songwriter Showcase with Erin Harkes
Musician/comedian Erin Harkes continues her songwriters' series at Caffè Lena in October. This monthly showcase, curated and hosted by Harkes, spotlights rising talent, who take turns playing their songs and telling stories “in the round,” for an audience and for each other. Lena Go Round is inspired by the original music that has been the cornerstone of Caffè Lena’s 63 years in operation, and is quickly becoming a must-see event in the Capital District.
2 events,
Captain Fun Lunchtime Listening Hour
Captain Fun Lunchtime Listening Hour
All are welcome to gather at Lena’s from Noon to 1 PM on the last Friday of each month to enjoy musical memories and new discoveries. The playlist is selected by a different community member each month from the Captain Fun Listening Library of vinyl records in Lena’s lobby. Chuck “Rochmon” Vosganian spins the records and gets the conversation flowing. Bring a brown bag lunch. Coffee and tea are provided.
The Captain Fun Listening Library occupying the north wall in the Caffè Lena lobby is comprised of 1,516 vinyl albums and several hundred CDs selected from Al “Captain Fun” McKenney’s expertly curated collection. This treasure trove of folk, blues and jazz was left us in 2015 and we share it through our monthly listening hour, as Al wished. Enjoy the memories these records bring back, and dig deep into American roots music.
Frank Solivan & Jillian Lea
Frank Solivan & Jillian Lea
Frank Solivan is a powerhouse multi-instrumentalist whose raw talent and intense energy have made him a force in the bluegrass scene. Primarily known for fiery mandolin chops and soulful vocals, Solivan blends the drive of classic bluegrass with a fresh, modern edge. His impeccable musicianship and emotional original songs have earned him two GRAMMY nominations and multiple IBMA awards alongside his band, Dirty Kitchen, who are known for their tight, high-octane performances. Whether he's shredding on the mandolin or demonstrating his skill on the fiddle, Solivan’s command of the stage is undeniable.
Jillian Lea’s musical roots run deep. She was immersed in classical, folk, jazz, and Celtic traditions from an early age. Performing with her twin sister and mother at church, then later moving their act to Irish pubs, Jillian has always been a versatile player. Classically trained on the flute, she later turned her attention to the pennywhistle and, more recently, has fully embraced bluegrass, mastering the upright bass. With decades of experience under her belt, Jillian has toured internationally, playing stages across the U.S., Europe, and beyond, and teaching workshops along the way.
Together, Solivan and Lea are an incendiary, husband-and-wife fusion of grit, heart, and musical finesse. Combining family, tradition and celebration, they're the perfect fit for Thanksgiving weekend!
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Annie & The Hedonists
Annie & The Hedonists
Annie & the Hedonists transport us back to an age when heartache, boozing, and all sorts of romantic mayhem amounted to one big stylish adventure. From the gospel-rock of Sister Rosetta Tharpe to the irresistible swing of Fats Waller, the torchy, honey voice of Annie Rosen takes center stage, with super-tight, expert backing provided by husband Jonny Rosen on guitar, Peter Davis on clarinet, tenor guitar, piano, and vocals, Don Young on bass and vocals and Jerry Marotta on percussion/drums.
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