Newsletter

December 16 – 22

We kick off our 65th Anniversary Year on Lena Spencer's birthday, January 4, with a slideshow & conversation with Caffe Lena's sound engineer and house photographer, Joe Deuel. Tickets are moving fast for this just-announced special event on JAN 4 so don't delay! Joe is the man in the sound booth who makes our shows sound so good. For decades he has been bringing his camera to work, and the result is a treasure trove of photos spanning five decades. Joe's memory of the artists he has worked with is as sharp as his wit. You'll hear his stories about Lena and the myriad performers he has run sound for, from John Hartford and Townes Van Zandt, Dave Van Ronk and Utah Phillips, to Billy Strings and Anais Mitchell. What a perfect start to our 65th anniversary year!
Newsletter

December 9 – 15

Thanks to Chuck Lamb's monthly Jazz at Caffe Lena series, this venue has become on the Capital Region's premiere stages for jazz. Grammy-nominated saxophonist Jimmy Greene, praised as “one of the most striking young tenors of recent years” by Jazzwise Magazine, will join our resident jazz master, pianist Chuck Lamb (Brubeck Brothers Quartet), along with drums and bass. Greene has performed and recorded with Horace Silver, Harry Connick Jr., and Ron Carter, to name a few.
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December 2 – 8

Nicknamed the "Gypsy-jazz Warbler” by the New York Times, Eva-Marie is a transatlantic bandleader, singer, author, and actress now based in Brooklyn. Her French popular songs are rooted in the Django tradition, with Balkan Gypsy and folk influences. She has racked up nearly 100 million views on YouTube & is regarded as the international ambassador of "1930s Paris." 
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November 25 – December 1

Solivan's impeccable mandolin chops and original bluegrass have earned him two GRAMMY nominations and multiple IBMA awards alongside his band, Dirty Kitchen. Multi-instrumentalist Lea joins her husband to create an exciting show that combines family, tradition and string-band celebration. The perfect fit for Thanksgiving weekend!
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November 18 – 24

Jazzmeia Horn makes her Saratoga debut in Caffe Lena's Momentum Series this Sunday. This rising singer is caring jazz forward. With two Grammy nominations to her name, Jazzmeia is redefining jazz tradition with an exuberant, intellectual approach that is exciting a new generation of fans. “Horn is among the most exciting young vocalists in jazz, with a proud traditionalism that keeps her tightly linked to the sound of classic figures like Nancy Wilson and Betty Carter, but a vivacity of spirit and conviction that places her firmly in the present.” – The New York Times
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November 11-17

Join your neighbors at Spa Little Theater this Saturday for an extraordinary performance of true stories & new songs celebrating the ways people help each other through life's challenges. TrueSongs demonstrates how Caffe Lena uses music to support both artistic expression and social connection. The show pairs six local people who have overcome significant challenges with professional songwriters to share true stories through words and music. Our exciting line-up of songwriters is Ellis Paul, Carolyn Shapiro, Hayley Reardon, Joe Jencks, Mark Erelli, and Judy Kass. Our organizations are TriCounty Literacy Vols, Alzheimer's Assoc, Rebuilding Together Saratoga County, Alliance 180, WAIT House and Cap Dist Latinos.
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November 4 – 10

You don't have to be home alone spending quality time with your frazzled nerves on Tuesday. Caffe Lena will be open! We have a storytelling open mic, with a featured storyteller whose lineage on this soil far pre-dates the USA and its volatile horse races, political and otherwise. David Kanietakeron Fadden is Akwesasne Mohawk, a painter, a storyteller, and a member of the family that founded Six Nations Iroquois Cultural Center in Onchiota, NY. So get your voting done, then come on over to Lena's, set aside the march of events, and immerse yourself in stories. We still have a good number of seats available for the remarkable Michael McDermott on Thursday (don't miss his song below), and Ryanhood on Sunday. The others are sold out, or about to be sold out. 
Newsletter

October 28 – November 3

Odetta, once a household name, sang traditional folk songs. Many people have sung those same songs, but Odetta sang them unlike anyone else. She sang field hollers and folksongs with majesty, and infused every note with the whole story of America. It is that commitment and passion that Gina Coleman and Misty Blues are paying tribute to when Gina sings the songs Odetta made famous. On the brink of a national election, it feels like a perfect time to revisit the songs that helped our people through hard times and powered their liberation.
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October 21 – 27

Need a breather this week? Take a couple hours and come on over for a show. Put aside the news cycle and unwind with music. We have a line-up of really fine artists over the next few days and we'd love to see you sitting at one of the tables enjoying yourself. Our own Reese Fulmer has developed into one of the Capital Region's stand-out original musicians. His show this weekend is already sold out and, yes, that makes us all pretty proud, doesn't it? On Thursday we have English singer-songwriter John Smith for this month's Bright Series show. He's creating a real stir in the indie folk world. House favorite Professor Louie returns on Saturday, and we wrap up on Sunday with early jazz from Brooklyn's Lovestruck Balladeers. Enjoy the leaves, get some rest, and don't forget to listen to your favorite music.
Newsletter

October 14 – 20

Tom Paxton's first weekend at Caffe Lena was in September, 1960. The Caffe was only four months old. Eisenhower was soon to turn over the Oval Office to Kennedy. It was a long time ago. Generations of music lovers know Tom Paxton's lyric, "Are you going away with no word of farewell / Will there be not a trace left behind." After six decades as one of the music world's most influential and prolific songwriters--a clear voice for sanity and compassion--Paxton is bidding farewell to life on the road. He will be coming to Caffe Lena one last time this Friday, and he'll be at the Eighth Step in Schenectady on Saturday. The in-person show at Lena's is currently full, but you can stream it live from home HERE.