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Folk music is an impossible-to-define style of music. In the corporate music world, if it’s a singer-songwriter playing an acoustic guitar, it’s folk music. Among scholars, folk comprises songs of unknown source handed down from generation to generation. And then there are those who point to folk’s long tradition of bringing people together to make a better world. Here at Caffe Lena, we happily embrace all of the above. If you’re in the community-building folk camp, you’ll like this week’s schedule.

We just passed the 102nd anniversary of Lena Spencer’s birth. In 1960 she introduced espresso to Saratoga Springs and baked desserts for the weekend shows. By the ’70s she’d become a bold and colorful impresario whose off-the-beaten-path venue was part of ushering in the singer-songwriter era and moving American music forward. She did not do it alone. Change was in the air. Lena opened her doors to a community that was excited about new music, freedom, creativity and fun. And that brings us to today, the beginning of Caffe Lena’s 65th Anniversary Year–and the community that you are a part of!

On January 1, Caffe Lena will enter it’s 65th year. Reaching that milestone has a lot to do with great music that stands the test of time. But just as important is a thriving downtown, a community that supports its independent businesses, and people who love to get out of the house and enjoy what’s happening. Among the many thousands (like you!) who have played a part in sustaining the Caffe, there a few heroes who stand out. One of the best known is our front-of-house sound engineer, Joe Deuel. He has worked here for the better part of five decades. From washing dishes and shopping for Lena Spencer’s groceries, to mixing sound for live shows and maintaining our early websites, Joe has been pivotal to the Caffe’s survival. Throughout all those years, he documented concerts and life around the venue with photographs. . .

Byron Isaacs of The Lumineers (left) and Peter Cole are the Lost Leaders. They bring their retro pop-rock and back to Lena’s on Sunday night. Irresistible personality Cole, along with two-time Grammy-winner Isaacs, have branched out from their early commitment to Americana and entered a retro pop/rock universe. Born out of Levon Helm’s legendary Midnight Ramble and quickly celebrated in the pages of RELIX, No Depression and The Huffington Post, their journey continues in their newest collection, Hungry Ghosts, an exploration of desire and acceptance.

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!

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.

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.” 

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!

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

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.