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singer/songwriter
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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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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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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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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.