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“A Joyful Noise!” Gospel Dinner led by Soulist Garland Nelson
“A Joyful Noise!” Gospel Dinner led by Soulist Garland Nelson
Saratoga will be thrilled to learn that A Joyful Noise is back! This is a soul-cleansing dinner hour of music directed by Soulist Garland Nelson. Nelson leads Lena's Inspirational Voices gospel choir for a late afternoon of joyful noise. Songs range from traditional gospel and contemporary church music to soulful pop classics. Audience participation is downright thunderous. It's impossible to stay quiet or in your seat as Garland Nelson stirs up the Spirit!
Dinner served to your table is an integral part of this cultural event and is included in your ticket price. Your plate will be heaped with traditional food from the Carribbean. Coffee and tea is included. Caffe Lena's drink and dessert menu will be available a la carte.
This event is made possible by the generous support of Dottie Pepper and David Normoyle.
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The Michael Mills Magic Show
The Michael Mills Magic Show
He's back! After a four-month run of shows at Caffe Lena in 2024, magician Mills returns with an all-new show featuring jaw-dropping surprises, quick wit, and an unforgettable good time.
Michael’s performance is playful, surprising, and packed with moments that will leave you laughing, amazed, and wondering if you can trust your own eyes.
This show is the perfect way to hit pause on life's to-do list and just have a great time. Bring your curiosity—and someone to share the 'Did that really just happen?!' moments with!
Recommended for ages 14+
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Irish Music Ensemble With Oona Grady and James Gascoyne
Irish Music Ensemble With Oona Grady and James Gascoyne
10 Weeks - Wednesdays from 12 - 1 PM, January 29 - April 9th
Lena Go Round – Songwriter Showcase with Erin Harkes
Lena Go Round – Songwriter Showcase with Erin Harkes
Musician/comedian Erin Harkes continues her monthly songwriters' series at Caffè Lena. 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 65 years (this year!) in operation, and is quickly becoming a must-see event in the Capital District.
The line up for January is Amélie, John Glenn, Drew Jacobs, and of course, Erin!
Amélie
Local singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Amélie takes inspiration from ‘60s and ‘70s folk rock to create acoustically driven narrative songs with lilting melodies and vocals somewhat reminiscent of Linda Perhacs. She released her debut single, “Ridgewood Sun,” in 2021, and in 2022, she released “Antietam,” the first in an ongoing series of songs, in a variety of styles, produced by one of her music heroes, Dave Nachmanoff. Her most recent release is 2024’s “Dreams of Marmalade,” an experiment in ‘60s sunshine pop, which showcases her love of elaborate harmonies and rhyming lyrics with a lot of syllables. Amélie is half of folk duo Question of the Century, who performed at Caffè Lena's “Beatle Caffè” in November 2024 and have done live sessions for WEXT and WSPN.
John Glenn
John Glenn is a singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist known for his deeply personal and introspective music. Born in Austin, TX, and currently based in Albany, NY, Glenn is the creative force behind both the indie-rock band Stellar Young and the electronic project LiketheAstronaut. His work seamlessly blends intimate, heartfelt lyricism with diverse musical influences, reflecting both the complexities of his personal journey and his evolving creative vision.
Drew Jacobs
Drew Jacobs is an award-winning Songwriter and singer from Latham. He's performed in shows and festivals across the country including the South by Southwest Festival in Austin Texas. He's received local and national airplay including Sirius Satellite Radio. His latest CD "Get Your Ha-Ha's Out" was recorded live by WAMC Radio.
Erin Harkes
Local favorite Erin Harkes has been called the busiest woman in show biz (NYS Music). She is regularly voted Best Singer/Songwriter, Solo Musician and Comedian in the Capital Region by the Times Union Reader’s Poll and The Alt. She took home the 2020 Thomas Edison Award for Best Solo/Duo Artist of the Year.
Adding to her entertainment portfolio in 2012, Harkes decided to try her hand at standup comedy. Since then she’s performed in nearly every major club in NYC, Toronto and Montreal, as well as being a regular at Funny Bone Comedy Clubs across the country. She likes to say that music is her spouse and comedy is her mistress. She tries to give them equal amounts of love and attention. Whether singing songs or telling jokes, Harkes commands attention every time she steps foot on stage.
Erin began writing her own songs at age 19 and has released four albums of original material since then. Her first CD was aptly titled “Bar Napkins and Magic Markers” due to the crude way the lyrics were jotted down during her college years.
Her music comes from triumphs over tragedy. Though sometimes somber there’s always a resounding theme of resilience. The power of her voice and the emotion that comes through her lyrics make you want to sit and listen to every word. Erin’s lyrics tell stories of her life, sung through a big voice that’s often compared to Janis Joplin. Hearing Erin sing is a powerful experience that grabs anyone within earshot.
Erin’s spontaneity and willingness to perform won her a spot on “Battle of the Instant Bands” on the Jimmy Fallon show in April of 2010. Having only 20 minutes to prepare with an impromptu band made up of complete strangers, Erin won over both Jimmy Fallon and the studio audience by naming the band (“Fallon Angels”) and the song (“Free Jimmy”) – the band performed the song with Erin on vocals to an explosive audience response and easily won the contest.
Erin is regularly voted Best Singer/Songwriter, Solo Musician and Comedian in the Capital Region by the Times Union Reader’s Poll, The Alt and the Metroland. She has been the subject of several cover stories by all of those newspapers. She is definitely a local favorite. Erin has had the privilege to have shared the stage with national acts such as 10,000 Maniacs, Spin Doctors, Pat Benatar and one of her musical idols, Beth Hart. In comedy she has worked with Jeff Dye, Judy Gold, Demetri Martin, Craig Robinson and Mark Normand.
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Lee DeWyze
Lee DeWyze
Following his win on American Idol's Season 9, DeWyze set out to demonstrate his songwriting skills in addition to his stellar vocal chops. Over the past 15 years his emotional, authentic ballads have been heard in more than 100 TV shows, movies, trailers, and commercials, and on stages around the world.
DeWyze’s most recent studio album, Gone For Days, is a soul-searching homage to small town life, lush nature, nostalgia and yearning. With shades of his idols Cat Stevens and Paul Simon, the profound yet frank songs are his most honorable and vulnerable to date. It's hitting the sweet spot of fans, rapidly rising to #1 on the iTunes Singer-Songwriter Charts following its release in September, 2024
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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.
Momentum Series: The Suitcase Junket
Momentum Series: The Suitcase Junket
One of the defining features of The Suitcase Junket’s music is the use of unconventional instruments and repurposed materials. Matt Lorenz, who performs as The Suitcase Junket, is a homesteader currently living in rural Massachusetts. He often creates his instruments from salvaged items like old suitcases, gas cans, and other discarded objects, which adds a distinct and raw quality to the sound. Growing up in Cavendish, Vermont, Lorenz began playing piano at age five, and later took up violin, saxophone, and guitar. During his years at Hampshire College in Amherst, Massachusetts, he studied music and adaptive instrument design, a pursuit that included building a prototype for a drummer who couldn’t use their legs, where they’d be able to play the bass drum and hi-hat through a system of pulleys. After college, he headed to Europe on a $150 plane ticket, ran out of money in Barcelona, and spent a year playing music in the streets. “That’s where I learned how to sing loud, which got me figuring out what my voice could do,” Lorenz notes. Once he’d returned to Amherst, he formed the band Rusty Belle with his sister Kate and, several years later, started The Suitcase Junket with the aid of a guitar he’d found in a dumpster. Lorenz chose the name as a nod to his longtime love of collecting old suitcases, including an antique that he’s refurbished into a bass drum, and to a secondary definition of junket, i.e. “a pleasure excursion.”
Matt Lorenz’s vision, manifest in The Suitcase Junket, developed in the tension between the grand and the solitary. Grand in its imagery, sound, and staging. Solitary in its thrift and self-reliance. What instruments he requires, Lorenz builds from scratch and salvage. What parts five players would perform, he performs alone. The spectacle of his one-man set bears constant comparison to legends of showmanship, brilliance, madness, and invention.
While audiences are captivated by his solitary form and the show itself, Lorenz, who homesteads with rescue dogs and chickens in rural Western Massachusetts, is most serious about the songs. He has been building a catalog, writing a world into existence. Solitary on stage and on the road, his mind is crowded with characters, narratives, voices, imagery, sounds as wide and varied as mountain throat singers and roadhouse juke boxes, plus newsreels of the planet’s destruction and salvage. With his latest project, The End is New, which he refers to as “doom-folk,” Lorenz’s grand vision for the song overrides the how of it.
“The things I value are under attack,” he reflects. “And writing songs and making art are the methods I have for responding. I have tried to use my observations and reflections of the world bent through my fun-house-mirror mind to show what I see; a planet stressed. ... There’s a heavy mix of hope and desperation in the sound and lyrically I was trying to be a mirror to society using truth, myth, confessions and stories.” In addition to his musical pursuits, Lorenz is passionate about coffee, gardening, bees, dogs, birds, mushrooms, tinctures, making his own wine and maple sugaring season.
The Momentum Series is made possible by the generous support of Joseph and Luann Conlon in honor of Thom O'Neil.
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Little Folks Series featuring LITTLE ROOTS
Little Folks Series featuring LITTLE ROOTS
Folk duo Little Roots is Annie Lynch Stevenson and Maggie Shar, who believe that music is for Everyone! Maggie and Annie select and write tried and true old-time tunes and American folksongs that are enjoyable for people of all ages. Their show is fun and accessible, including banjo, guitar, harmony singing, movement songs and Crankies! This show is engaging folk music for kids, that grown ups like too.
Made possible by the generous support of Kevin & Claudia Bright.
Ryan Montbleau (Solo)
Ryan Montbleau (Solo)
Usually seen fronting his powerhouse band, Ryan Montbleau’s intimate, honest lyrics and spirited, dynamic delivery create a whole different impact when stripped-down for a solo show. “It’s still me just pouring my heart out,” he says, as he’s been doing since the early 2000s. NPR’s Mountain Stage compared his “eloquent, soulful songwriting” to Bill Withers and James Taylor, while Relix hailed his “poetic Americana.” With a passionate fanbase, Montbleau’s live shows are nothing if not communal events.
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Ryan Montbleau (Solo)
Ryan Montbleau (Solo)
Usually seen fronting his powerhouse band, Ryan Montbleau’s intimate, honest lyrics and spirited, dynamic delivery create a whole different impact when stripped-down for a solo show. “It’s still me just pouring my heart out,” he says, as he’s been doing since the early 2000s. NPR’s Mountain Stage compared his “eloquent, soulful songwriting” to Bill Withers and James Taylor, while Relix hailed his “poetic Americana.” With a passionate fanbase, Montbleau’s live shows are nothing if not communal events.
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Storytelling Open Mic Featuring Kent Busman
Storytelling Open Mic Featuring Kent Busman
After 38 years of directing Camp Fowler in the Adirondacks, Kent has come up with quite a few stories. Drawing from experiences and imagination his stories hope to bring you into a world of adventure, wonder, and hope.
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Irish Music Ensemble with Oona Grady and James Gascoyne
Irish Music Ensemble with Oona Grady and James Gascoyne
Irish Music Ensemble with Oona Grady and James Gascoyne
Poetry Open Mic Featuring Adonis Richards, aka Sincerely, Donnie
Poetry Open Mic Featuring Adonis Richards, aka Sincerely, Donnie
Adonis Richards, aka Sincerely, Donnie, an Afro-Latino poet, writer, DEIB advocate, and restorative practices advocate, is currently the program coordinator for the Office of Intercultural Affairs at Union College. Adonis has published three poetry collections, most recently Reflections of a Hopeless Creative, and established a media and writing company, Lucid Writers. He also hosts a monthly poetry/spoken word open mic for the Schenectady community at Electric City Barn. His true passion is storytelling, mainly capturing the voices of the community and making sure they're heard.
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The Clements Brothers: CANCELED DUE TO A MEDICAL ISSUE
The Clements Brothers: CANCELED DUE TO A MEDICAL ISSUE
“Pitch perfect sibling harmonies and gossamer sounds.” (Americana UK)
Identical twins George and Charles Clements first played Lena's stage with the hugely popular Lonely Heartstring Band. Their breakout 2023 duo album, Dandelion Breeze, "staked its claim as one of the year’s best debuts." (Folk Radio UK) With roots, rock, bluegrass, jazz, and classical influences, George (on guitar) and Charles (on bass) make groovy, serene music that "unassumingly and softly seeps into your soul." They are joined by drummer Mike Harmon for a show of seamless vocal harmonies, instrumental virtuosity, and a genuine love of song.
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Goodnight Moonshine feat. Molly of Red Molly
Goodnight Moonshine feat. Molly of Red Molly
This duo combines the evocative voice and songwriting of Molly Venter, known for her sublime singing in vocal trio Red Molly, with husband, Oberlin-trained guitarist Eben Pariser of New Orleans style jazz band Roosevelt Dime.
Venter’s voice, which can be called both “biker-chick smoky” (New Haven Register), and “like silk” (American Songwriter Magazine), pairs with trance-induced stream-of-consciousness writing in songs that probe the depths of inner experience.
Their show is punctuated by banter that openly explores the complexities of marriage, the Creator, birth, life, death and the roller coaster that is everyday life. For Venter and Pariser, It is the way they make space for each other while staying true to themselves that defines this music, and marriage.
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Peak Jazz Series: Soggy Po’ Boys
Peak Jazz Series: Soggy Po’ Boys
This New England band was an audience favorite at "Caffe Lena @ SPAC 2023" and we've been eager to bring them back to Saratoga ever since. With guitar, reeds, brass and drums, the Po' Boys get the walls shakin'! Their line-up of seven A-list players is spreading the good news of New Orleans music across the northeast and beyond, playing at concert halls, street corners, festivals and libraries alike. They go beyond NOLA jazz to include the myriad traditions that flow through that city, from traditional Caribbean tunes, to Meters funk, soul, and brass band / street beat music. Hard to imagine a more joyful way to spend a cold February night than with the Po' Boys at Lena's!
The Peak Jazz Series is made possible by the generous support of Joseph & Luann Conlon in memory of Corrine Simonds.
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JAZZ at Caffè Lena: The Chuck Lamb Trio with Special Guest John Fedchock
JAZZ at Caffè Lena: The Chuck Lamb Trio with Special Guest John Fedchock
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.
February's show is the Chuck Lamb Trio, and Chuck's special guest, trombonist John Fedchock.
John Fedchock’s illustrious career in jazz has spanned over four decades. Since his emergence on the scene in 1980, Fedchock has established himself as a world-class trombone soloist, a heralded bandleader, and a GRAMMY-nominated arranger.
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Irish Ensemble with Oona Grady and James Gascoyne
Irish Ensemble with Oona Grady and James Gascoyne
LEARN AND ARRANGE
IRISH DANCE MELODIES, EXPERIMENTING WITH ADDING CHORDAL AND HARMONIC, WEDNESDAYS 12 - 1 PM, Starting 1/29 - 4/9
Yasmin Williams
Yasmin Williams
“When Yasmin Williams plays guitar, she conjures new possibilities and stories from the instrument.” – Rolling Stone
Acoustic fingerstyle guitarist Yasmin Williams has an unorthodox, modern style of guitar playing, using various techniques including alternate tunings, percussive hits, and lap tapping in her music to great effect. Williams’ “radiant sound and adventitious origins have made her a key figure in a diverse dawn for the solo guitar” (The New York Times). Her music has been described as rich, harmonious, and “in a lot of ways, the joy and possibility she brings to the guitar reminds me more of Eddie Van Halen than any of the other fingerstyle guitarists to whom she’s compared” (NPR Music).
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Oshima Brothers with opener Madeleine Roger
Oshima Brothers with opener Madeleine Roger
Oshima Bothers, a Japanese-Italian alt-pop sibling duo from the coast of Maine, make open-hearted music with exhilarating, almost unbelievably smooth vocal harmonies and groovy guitar lines. With keys, bass, drums and looping, they create a sonic experience that is contemporary, danceable and yet full of poetic observation about big things going on in the world. Their unique music is fueled by technical tinkering, aesthetic brilliance and devotion to human connection. Embracing a DIY approach, they produce every inch of their songs and videos from scratch, including a 45-minute album-movie. Maine Public Radio says their “harmonies can’t be beat. They are uplifting and, let’s face it, we need uplifting these days.”
Winnepeg singer-songwriter Madeleine Roger has a riveting, intimate style that unites lyrical prowess and breathtaking melodies that linger long after they're sung. “Madeleine's excellent songwriting, ear for traditional-sounding melodies, fabulous voice, and skillful guitar playing give them a timeless quality, though they speak directly to our time.” - Stan Rogers Folk Festival.
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65th Anniversary Folk Heritage Series: Tom Chapin
65th Anniversary Folk Heritage Series: Tom Chapin
In a career that spans six decades, 27 albums and three Grammy awards, Hudson Valley troubadour Tom Chapin has covered a lot of creative ground. He began performing as a teenager in the early 1960s, playing in Greenwich Village folk clubs alongside his siblings Harry and Steve as The Chapin Brothers. Over the decades his music career has encompassed both songs for adults and pioneering work for children. He has performed on Broadway as the lead in Pump Boys and Dinettes and served as host of TV’s National Geographic Explorer.
In addition to his remarkable output of smart, thoughtful, funny and beautiful songs, Chapin has long been an advocate for environmental causes, issues of hunger and social justice, and a supporter of music and the arts in public schools.
Tom will accompany himself on guitar, banjo and autoharp.
“Tom Chapin is at the top of his game … warm, wise, whimsical, and anthemic – and very right for our times.” (WFUV)
Photo by Joe Dueul
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Bright Series: Jennifer Knapp with opener Flamy Grant
Bright Series: Jennifer Knapp with opener Flamy Grant
We were already booked, but there was no way we could pass up the chance to bring these two trailblazers to our audience so we made room for a matinee. Knapp is a Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter, author, speaker, and advocate. Her career includes the remarkable achievement of selling over one million albums with her first three releases: the Gold-certified “Kansas” (1998), “Lay It Down” (2000), and “The Way I Am” (2001). Alongside this commercial success, Knapp has been honored with four Dove Awards and garnered two Grammy nominations. She is the first major artist in the Christian music realm to openly discuss LGBTQ+ identity. Her courageous stance sparked national dialogue and led to appearances on Larry King Live and the TEDx stage. She founded the non-profit organization Inside Out Faith, dedicated to advocating for LGBTQ+ rights within faith communities.
We're thrilled to welcome opener Flamy Grant back to our stage. She's a powerhouse vocalist, intrepid songwriter, and acclaimed drag queen from western North Carolina who blends folk, gospel, and roots, transporting audiences with therapeutic, theatrical storytelling and song. Her 2022 debut record, Bible Belt Baby, garnered international attention when it reached the #1 spot on the iTunes Christian Charts.
Momentum Series: Henhouse Prowlers
Momentum Series: Henhouse Prowlers
Founded two decades ago with the simple desire to play original and powerful bluegrass, this Chicago-bred quartet now finds themselves at the intersection of performance, diplomacy, and education.
Onstage, the group's enthralling performances give audiences a sense of how much they love what they do. On record, including their latest offering, 2023’s Lead and Iron, released via Dark Shadow Recording – the band explores their collective life experiences through songwriting and intricate instrumentation. While bluegrass is the undeniable foundation of the Prowlers’ music, the band bends and squeezes the traditional form into a keenly developed sound all their own.
Working with the U.S. State Department and under their own nonprofit, Bluegrass Ambassadors, the Prowlers have toured over 25 countries across the globe. The group's experiences with people and musicians across Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East have shaped the band’s worldview and broadened the group’s direction towards bridging cultural gaps with music, educational programs, and workshops. Using traditional American music as a foundation, connecting folk music, customs, and history the world over, the Prowlers incorporate international elements into their already robust repertoire of unique traditional American music.
Whether playing live or presenting seminars, wherever they are, the Henhouse Prowlers find and spread the commonality we share as human beings through the universal language of music.
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Rochmon Record Club Listening Party: Traffic’s “John Barleycorn Must Die”
Rochmon Record Club Listening Party: Traffic’s “John Barleycorn Must Die”
In 1968, after their 3rd album was released, guitarist Dave Mason left for his solo career, Steve Winwood joined Blind Faith, and Traffic disbanded. In 1970 Steve Winwood, started recording songs for a solo album and missed working with his bandmates in Traffic, a few phone calls later Traffic was reunited with Steve Winwood, drummer Jim Capaldi, and woodwind player Chris Wood. No one called Dave Mason. The resulting album, “John Barleycorn Must Die” is a masterpiece of acoustic progressive rock, melding English Folk, Rock, Blues, R&B and Jazz. Featuring the title song, “Glad”, “Freedom Rider”, Empty Pages and 2 more “John Barleycorn Must Die” is a wonderful listen with loads of great stories. As always Rochmon will have some surprises in store! For Rochmaniacs at a distance, Rochmon Record Club will also be streaming live on Caffè Lena TV. Tickets at caffelena.org
A Rochmon Record Club Listening Party is meant to inform and deepen our understanding of the history of the individual performers, songs, and stories that went into the making of this classic album. By listening together, we hear the music again for the first time. Rochmon Record Club takes place on the 3rd Tuesday of the month at Caffè Lena in Saratoga Springs (caffelena.org).
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Irish Music Ensemble with Oona Grady and James Gascoyne
Irish Music Ensemble with Oona Grady and James Gascoyne
LEARN AND ARRANGE
IRISH DANCE MELODIES, EXPERIMENTING WITH ADDING CHORDAL AND HARMONIC WEDNESDAYS 12 - 1 PM, January 29 - April 9
Bluegrass Jam
Bluegrass Jam
Our jams are all about sharing songs, making new friends, and enjoying a relaxing and casual evening of irresistible string band music.
ALL are welcome to join the circle for an afternoon or evening playing and listening to classic grass, new grass and folk favorites. We sometimes refer to our genre as eclectic acoustic.
Red Spruce and Adirondack Song Dogs will kick off each session with a few tunes then open the floor for musicians to lead their favorite bluegrass tunes and folk music, backed up by the other pickers in the gathering. Simple tunes are always popular! So sharpen up your axe, come prepared with your song, and let us hear some good old fast, high and lonesome, some slow and low, or a good old favorite. All are welcome!
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Peter Muller & The Kindred Souls with Cassandra Kubinski
Peter Muller & The Kindred Souls with Cassandra Kubinski
Pete and Cassandra have both headlined their own shows on Lena's stage. A chance meeting revealed a shared love of piano pop, and a taste for mining the inner workings of the human heart to tell stories that inspire. Both artists have come to the intimate folk club stage following careers that took them far and wide.
After excelling at Princeton, and helping to revolutionize the field of quantitative trading – transforming Wall Street as we know it – Pete Muller returned to music, the passion of his teen years. Backed by his band, The Kindred Souls, Pete delivers songs that grapple with the push and pull of responsibility and desire, predictability and adventure, commitment and temptation. His passion for truth-telling and urge to heal is palpable and infectious.
Cassandra Kubinski is an actress, singer-songwriter and music world activist based here in Saratoga. In addition to selling out her Caffe Lena shows over the past couple years, she has opened for or shared stages with the Goo Goo Dolls, 10,000 Maniacs, Anna Nalick, Dickie Betts, Lana Del Rey, and many more. Her piano-driven pop shapeshifts from fierce and powerful, to demure and catlike in a single set. She is, in the words of none other than Billy Joel, “very similar to the singer/songwriters of the late 70s; she proves that the genre can still be transcendent.”
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Hot Club of Saratoga
Hot Club of Saratoga
Step into the vibrant atmosphere of 1930's Paris with Upstate New York’s premier gypsy swing ensemble, Hot Club of Saratoga! Specializing in the timeless sounds of Django Reinhardt, this dynamic group blends virtuosic musicianship, intricate rhythms, and heartfelt passion to create an unforgettable evening of music. Their music brings the magic of hot swing to life.
Meet the Artists:
Chuck Kish (Rhythm Guitar): Chuck brings the signature “la pompe” rhythm style to life, providing both chordal backup and percussive drive. Self-taught and a dabbling luthier, Chuck even plays a guitar he built himself!
Dylan Perrillo (String Bass): A conservatory-trained bassist, Dylan has toured with legends like Stéphane Wrembel and Aurore Voilqué, holding the ensemble together with his inventive and versatile playing.
Tucker James (Violin): A sought-after violinist and fiddler with a degree in Violin Performance, Tucker transitions seamlessly between jazz, classical, and folk styles, giving his all to every performance.
Jonathan Greene (Woodwinds): With lyrical phrasing and a mastery of multiple styles, Jonathan has shared stages with the likes of Jay Leno and Marcus Roberts, headlined DjangoFest NW, and performed at Freihofer's Saratoga Jazz Festival.
Brad Brose (Lead Guitar): After years performing in legendary jazz manouche clubs across Europe alongside artists like Tchavolo Schmitt and Stochelo Rosenberg, Brad brings his authentic Parisian swing to the stage whenever possible.
This ensemble’s collective experience and talent shine through in every note, whether you’re an avid fan of gypsy jazz or experiencing this timeless genre for the first time. Don’t miss this opportunity to immerse yourself in the lively and elegant world of Hot Club of Saratoga.
Let the music transport you—straight to the heart of 1930s Paris!
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Mary Fahl – Formerly of October Project
Mary Fahl – Formerly of October Project
Fahl first achieved fame as lead singer and co-founder of the mid-1990s NYC-based chamber-pop group October Project, a band known for their lush harmonies, sweeping melodies and Fahl’s unique and powerful vocals. After two records on Epic, Fahl went on to pursue her own muse, whether that meant writing and recording songs for movies (including the theme for the Civil War epic “Gods and Generals”), singing arias and medieval Spanish songs for Sony Classical or releasing a unique album-length take on “Dark Side of the Moon."
More recently, Fahl launched her own label, Rimar Records, and her pop releases have garnered an Indie Acoustic Award for Best Live Album for Live at the Mauch Chunk Opera House (filmed for PBS) and a 2020 Independent Music Award for her holiday album, Winter Songs and Carols.
Her latest release is Can’t Get It Out of My Head, a look back at her greatest inspirations: Pink Floyd, George Harrison, Moody Blues, ELO, The Rolling Stones, Neil Young and others. For Mary, this is a tribute to the music that defined her as an artist, and for fans it's a way to hear these foundational songs with new ears.
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Irish Ensemble with Oona Grady and James Gascoyne
Irish Ensemble with Oona Grady and James Gascoyne
LEARN AND ARRANGE
IRISH DANCE MELODIES, EXPERIMENTING WITH ADDING CHORDAL AND HARMONIC ACCOMPANIMENT WEDNESDAYS 12 - 1 PM, January 29 - April 9
Lena Go Round – Songwriter Showcase with Erin Harkes
Lena Go Round – Songwriter Showcase with Erin Harkes
Fiercely popular musician/comedian Erin Harkes hosts a monthly showcase of emerging & established songwriters from the Capital Region.
Musician/comedian Erin Harkes continues her monthly songwriters' series at Caffè Lena. 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 65 years (this year!) in operation, and is quickly becoming a must-see event in the Capital District.
The line up for February is Bryan Thomas, Gabby Hammond, Anthony “The Bear” Cubbage and of course, Erin!
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Crys Matthews
Crys Matthews
Join us for an unforgettable evening with Crys Matthews, hailed as “the next Woody Guthrie” and one of the most compelling voices in social justice music today. A powerful lyricist, Matthews weaves compassionate dissent, hope, and love into songs that resonate deeply with audiences, tackling themes like immigration, the opioid crisis, Black Lives Matter, and gun safety.
Her critically acclaimed album Changemakers solidifies her place among legendary social justice artists like Sweet Honey in the Rock and Holly Near. Known for her warm heart, strong voice, and ability to bridge divides, Matthews uplifts and inspires, offering a much-needed message of hope and encouragement in challenging times.
A seasoned performer, Matthews has graced prestigious stages across the country, including Lincoln Center (as the 2017 New Song Music and Performance Competition grand prize winner), the Kennedy Center, Sundance Film Festival, and Kerrville Folk Festival. Her TED Talk, “Sing, Don’t Shout—An Alternative Approach,” reflects her philosophy of using music as a tool for connection and conversation.
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CAPTAIN FUN LUNCHTIME LISTENING HOUR
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.