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live music in Saratoga
Calendar of Events
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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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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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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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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!
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