The Peace Café – the place people come to listen.
As June 14th rapidly approaches, so does the last coffeehouse of the season for the Peace Café. Yes, this Saturday will be your last chance to experience what so many others have since last March when we first opened the doors at the Peace Café. We have had a full year (+) of great music, laughter, fellowship and reflection. Last week Cece and Ruth gave the audience a whirlwind, around-the-world tour, and this week we have Sanctified opening for the fantastic Robert Messore.
Cece and Ruth had a great show at the Peace Café in May. Go Global! was the theme, and that is exactly what they did. Bringing on stage no less than 15 different instruments (including a hand piano, badran, a ‘63 Ovation guitar, calimbo, rain stick, banjo and many others), they played songs and music from about 18 different countries. The audience would have liked to hear more and hopefully they will come back next season to resume globe trotting with us all.
Some of the treats they brought to us were The Morrocca Song (Columbia), Pharaoh (England), Guantanamera (Cuba), Deepest Africa (a fantasy safari), Yeke Omo Mi (Nigeria), La Pistola & El Corazon (Spain), Umru Mayne (My Unrest in Yiddish), Accordian Song (Russian Folk Song), Sovay – The Female Highwayman (Celtic), and Jamaican Farewell. Many of these songs are passed down among family members in countries and have been collected by Cece and Ruth over the years. They each have a story behind them and these artists have a wonderful way of weaving these into their setup for each piece. They also had handouts for the audience that explained a bit about the songs and made it easy for everyone to join in on a few of the lyrics.
Gil Dube also joined us again and was brought to the stage to join Cece and Ruth in one song. As usual, his harmonica added a nice touch to their beautiful music and vocals.
To everyone that missed this performance, be sure to keep your eyes opened for them to come back next season. They were a truly grand experience and well worth coming to see again.
Meanwhile, anyone who remembers back to last April might recall that Robert Messore was the opening act for Steven Webb. Robert is described as one of the best finger-style guitarists in Connecticut, and many might claim his reach goes farther than this small state. As I think back to last April, I remember my pleasure to recognize the versatility he brought to the stage, not only in his talent but also his ability to react to the audience. We had kids there that night and he was able to swing from fine instrumental pieces to playful songs that the children would enjoy. He brought a clever wit, a nice voice and a great selection of songs. I now have a couple of his CDs (at a great price) that are among the ones I listen to most often.
Opening this week will be Sanctified (they used to call themselves Water to Wine). Coming up from
After the June 14th coffeehouse, the Peace Café will be closing for the summer. Music on the green will give you all an outlet for your musical yearnings, and we will have a chance to make some subtle, but necessary, improvements to the Peace Café. It has been a great first year and this should be a fantastic way to end the season.
Please come down to help us end with a bang. Bring friends and relatives and LET’S ALL HAVE A GREAT TIME at the Peace Café this Saturday, June 14th.
The Peace Café – Come and Hear the Music!
April 2008
The Peace Café – the place people come to listen.
Well, it is the last minute again and I am frantically trying to get the newsletter out. The season is rapidly coming to a close with just two (yes, 2) more coffeehouses before we shut down for the summer to do some repairs and enhancements that will make next season better than ever. We are starting to book the acts for next year (starting in October) and the line-up already looks grand.
The April coffeehouse was fantastic. There was a last minute change and the opening act magically became Jim “Bucky” Wallace. Bucky played a nice opening set with a variety of old and new folk tunes that everyone enjoyed. The reaction from the crowd was so good that we have started thinking of when he might come back again next year.
The Featured Artists in April were not strangers to anyone from
Starting with an old Otis Redding song, “Trick or Treat”, they set a nice mood and quickly slipped into “Stuck in the Middle with You”. They then told the audience to “get their kicks on” and played a great swing tune, “Route 66”. They played “Ain’t No Sunshine When He’s Gone”. Ava Cassidy’s “Fields of Gold”, and a lovely instrumental (Susan and David) version of “The Girl From Ipanema”.
Also on the play list for this very talented trio was “Changes”, “Baby You Can Drive My Car”, a great duet of “Somewhere Over The Rainbow” by Susan and Megan, and “Baby I Love You”. The audience called them back for an encore and were treated to “Billy Jean Is Not My Lover”.
As everyone expected, the show was great and the music lively. During the evening someone pointed out that The Peace Café was a great venue for live artists because it was a place people come to listen. Not a bad way to think of what we have here.
This month (TONIGHT!!!!!) we have Cece and Ruth coming to the Peace Café to sing and entertain us, but also to teach us some new songs, enlighten us about other countries and generally get us into a good mood to sing, dance and have fun. Playing for many years in many places, Cece and Ruth sing about love, war & peace, hearth & home, from the American West to the Celtic Isles. Their songs range from the silly to the sublime and there is indeed something for everyone. You wont want to miss this magic carpet ride to exotic places and times.
Next month we have a wonderful guitarist coming back to the Peace Café. Renowned for his superb finger style guitar work and with a proven range of songs that can please all ages, Robert Messore is the last show of the season and he is certainly a fantastic way to end our first year.
Don’t miss Robert Messore on June 14th.
Don’t miss Cece & Ruth tonight.
It was just a year ago that a band called #9 appeared at the Peace Café and entertained a packed house with their own versions of many songs written by The Beatles. Well, this year they came back and once again treated the Peace Café audience to a medley of songs that brought back memories, made feet tap and made hands clap. Never missing a beat, #9 reminded us all of that British foursome that hit the shores of
The band, #9, has remained fairly consistent since last year. Led by Geo Filippides on guitar, they include: Bob Glick (guitar), Dave Zerio (keyboards), Chris Griffin (horns & percussion), Chip Hulten (bass), Ralph Bushnell (drums), and, of course, Ken Sullivan and Ted Andrzejczuk (vocals). This show also featured Brian Griffin (sax, flute and piccolo) and Sharon Vocke (flute and clarinet).
#9 plays what they play out of love for what they do. Often playing at charity events, they are blessed twice – once by the people they help raise money for and once by doing what they enjoy doing. And they do it well. With a long list of songs they know and practice, they share a selection of songs that span the many years the Beatles played together. With album covers and video clips behind them, this was a true multimedia event with live artists making the music right there on stage.
Starting with All My Loving they proceeded through One After 909, Do You Want To Know A Secret and You Can’t Do That. Through the first set, which lasted over an hour, they gave us Baby You’re A Rich Man, Here Comes The Sun, Good Day Sunshine, She’s A Woman, Being For The Benefit Of Mister Kite, Help!, Penny Lane, Honey Pie, I Am The Walrus, Strawberry Fields Forever and many more.
After a short intermission for snacks and coffee, #9 was back and ready to play again. The second set included Maxwell’s Silver Hammer, Lady Madonna, Paperback Writer, I Want You (She’s So Heavy), Lovely Rita, This Boy, Savoy Truffle, When I’m Sixty Four, Oh Darling and While My Guitar Gently Weeps among several others. They then were called back for a beautiful encore - A Day In The Life.
As a way to celebrate the Peace Café’s 1 year anniversary, this was a great show and Geo suggested that #9 would be ready to do it again in March of 2009. You may want to mark down the second Saturday now to make sure you don’t miss what is sure to be a great event.
Meanwhile, coming next Saturday, April 12th, we are excited to have the Keith & Mazer Trio taking the stage at the Peace Café. Megan Keith and Susan Mazer have teamed up with David Keith to create a sound that has drawn excellent reviews at many local establishments. Megan was lead singer for Eight to the Bar, CT’s premier rhythm & blues band, and has toured
I am sure many of you have already heard their great music and if you haven’t, you really need to make sure you come to the Peace Café this Saturday (April 12th). They are a wonderful treat and considering they are local to
So mark your calendars, tell your friends and make sure you come down to the Peace Café on the 12th. The music is always good, the mood is always friendly and you can treat friends and family to a wonderful evening right here in the center of
Hope to see you there.
As winter rolls along, the Peace Café remains a warm haven for comfort and fellowship.
In February, we were again blessed with artists who came to share their art and talent with us all.
Dan Bonis brought a virtual museum of instruments that he used to create his beautiful music, a Weisenborg Guitar with wood from Hawaii, a Lap Steele, a Dobro and a Mandolin to name a few. His songs blended words and music that lured you to relax as you watched his intricate finger play. He sang Delivering the Cake, Irene and Patience And Hope from his CD.
The featured artists, Open Book, were sensational. Michele Rubin and Rick Gedney have been together for several years now with 2 CDs to their credit. Playing songs from both, as well as a few new offerings, they struck an early chord with the audience that lasted all evening. Starting with many of their originals – Downstream,
They really hit home with a personal song named There For You that was written from a parent to their daughter. The ended with a wonderful series of songs that included Love Is Everything, Waiting, No Time To Cry, and Grateful. This latter is how the audience felt as they belted out the loud final applause.
The Peace Café has a few more months of music for you before we stop for some needed repairs and improvements to the facility. In March, celebrating their appearance 1 year ago, we will have Number 9 playing their own brand of Beetlemania. This show will be held upstairs in the Meetinghouse top allow for additional room for the audience and the ability to utilize the video capabilities available.
In April, we are pleased to present The Keith and Mazer Trio who you may have seen at Smokin’ With Chris or other local haunts. May will bring the beautiful sounds of Cece and Ruth and then in June we have a double blessing. Sanctified is a group from another CT Church (like our Branches) that started singing together and found they really liked what they did and what it sounded like. This is a great chance to hear how music is impacting other Churches. The second blessing is the reappearance of Robert Massore, widely regarded as the best finger-style guitarist in the state. He was great last April and is sure to be so again.
As always, we are looking for people to join us in our effort to bring music, art and fellowship to our
Otherwise, please come and enjoy what we have and tell your friends. In a world that provides us all with a constant choice of music and babble through radios, ipods and such, to have the chance to hear live music created right before your eyes and ears is a treat that many have forgotten. It is becoming rarer and more expensive to find good live entertainment, and we at the Peace Café are trying to make sure that once each month you have an easy choice that is guaranteed to please. It is entertainment that can’t be beat. Don’t miss it!!!
A very busy month to start the New Year.
n January, we had a double feature at the Peace Café. In addition to our normal coffeehouse on the 12th, we were lucky enough to get Red Molly to come in for a Special Concert. Both shows were outstanding.
Lisa Martin kicked off 2008 with a wonderful performance on the 12th. Her emotionally charged music hit the spot for everyone as she played both old and new selections. Accompanied again by Bill Newton (Bass) and Brad Willard (Drums), Lisa shared songs and stories. She opened with a song about being a parent called Without You, that pulled on everyone’s heart strings. She sang Set Me on Fire, Touch the Sky, Anything For You Love and These Eyes. Then Lisa sang what she called a “positive love song” – Don’t Take It For Granted. For an encore, Lisa sang SuperWoman. Lisa’s music lulls you into the melody then makes you think or dream as the words catch hold. A great show.
Red Molly stepped onto our stage a week later and lived up to every expectation. With a variety of instruments and wonderful harmonies, Red Molly sings about everyday people in an everyday world. And they do it extremely well.
We had the pleasure of Dan Barry and a guest attending the show and Dan wrote a great review in the Hartford Advocate published on
Seeing Red
Red Molly sing the cheeriest murder ballads you’ll ever hear
By Dan Barry
“You guys are so polite!” chided Red Molly’s Laurie MacAllister after the audience’s applause lapsed into awkward silence. She was understating the obvious. We were in a church basement in
The trio — consisting of MacAllister, Abbie Gardner, and Carolann Solebello — runs the gamut from gentle folk to rowdy bluegrass, from plucky to tender. Some of their songs are originals, some of their songs are covers (think Patti Griffin and Nancy Griffith), but as a whole their material is full of salt-of-the-earth workers, highways, rest stops, self-righteous hookers, and sly Fried Green Tomatoes references. It’s a terribly fun ride. Their arrangements are carefully measured — no waste, no indulgences, no wanderings. Each musical moment is precisely picked so that most songs clock in around the three-minute mark. There’s no time to get bored, and the arrangements are too tight to ever be tedious.
Sharing one central stand-up microphone, the Mollies play banjo, guitar, mandolin, dobro, and acoustic bass, literally stepping forward and back to adjust their volume levels as they sing. Their three-part harmonies are especially notable, since the trio’s voices are profoundly coordinated in tone and texture as well as pitch. They’ll be spending the winter working on their first studio album, a follow-up to their debut live disc Never Been to Vegas . You can give them a listen at www.redmolly.com. If you want to see the Mollies, they’ll be around these parts again on March 8th, when they play the Sounding Board in
The full article can be found on the Hartford Advocate website: http://www.hartfordadvocate.com/article.cfm?aid=5392
Red Molly closed their show with May I Suggest, by Susan Werner. Laura, Abbie and Carolann sang this a cappella and there was not a dry eye in the house. Everyone there is eagerly awaiting Red Molly’s new CD due to be released around May of this year. This song is expected to be on the CD.
Coming up in February is another night of good music you wont want to miss. Following a Pot Luck Supper at the Church, the Peace Café will present Open Book. Made up of Michele Rubin and Rick Gedney, Open Book offers an exquisite musicality rooted in modern-day folk, tuneful rock and countrified jangle pop plus a lyrical perspective brimming with real life and mature emotion.
Opening that night will be Dan Bonis, Ever since his grandmother gave him an accordion as a 12 year old boy, Dan’s desire to learn, write and play music has grown. On Feb 9th, he may let us see how his talents have expanded to include guitar, banjo and his current obsession with lap-style slide instruments.
March 8th will be yet another repeat performance as the group that helped open the Peace Café a year ago will come back to rock the house again. Anyone remember a group named with a number?
The Peace Café is still growing and is looking for some help. We a\re eager to hear from anyone who would like to join our team and help us keep the arts alive at the Peace Café. Let us know if you can spare a little bit of your time and we will find a way to fit you in. There is no heavy lifting, lots of fun working and a great sense of accomplishment working with the Peace Café team.
Again, we need everyone to step up and help get the word out about the Peace Café. The artists that have played have all been exceptional and we are all blessed to have such a wonderful offering here at the First Congregational Church. Please try to tell 3 people this week about “a nice little place to enjoy music and fellowship on the 2nd Saturday of every month.”
Thanks and I look forward to seeing you next Saturday for Dan Bonis and Open Book.
December 2007 into 2008
Change can be good.
In December, we had an unusual opportunity. Two performers (artists), each very capable on their own, choosing to share the stage at the Peace Café. The question was how it would be shared. Each had their own style, their own sound. Each had their own topics and songs.
Lara Herscovitch and Jack Caldwell had met many years back when Jack had a television show interviewing artists about how they went about creating their art. Jump forward a few years (and all the changes in between) and the Peace Café asked them to come down and entertain our audience. Both loved the idea of sharing the stage once again but until they both got here, the planning was very individualistic.
So we tried something new – and it worked!!! Rather than a short Opening Act with a break followed by a longer Featured Set, we opted for each performer to play a solo set and then to play a combined set.
Individually, they were both fantastic. Lara singing in English and Spanish with songs that twisted and turned and often ended leaving you wondering if she would suddenly start up again after a pause. Her lyrics were thought provoking and laced with different views of the world around us. Jack, had a slightly quieter style with a mix of laughter, love and tears. His introductions were like appetizers and the songs left you both satisfied but wanting more.
Then came the challenge - how to pull two very different styles together. Lara and Jack decided that they would play one or two songs together but then started a “dueling artists” scenario where one would pick a song of their own to play and the other would respond with a “complimentary” song from their own repertoire. The result was a wonderful mix of songs and musical styles that had everyone enjoying the “competition” and the fun.
Although this may not work in every situation, it sure worked for Lara and Jack… and for those who attended it was a special treat. We will be looking for another chance to try this in 2008.
Speaking of 2008, the New Year has arrived and the January 12th Peace Café will be a wonderful recreation of a great 2007 show. Last year, Lisa Martin was kind enough to step in when another artist was suddenly unavailable. Lisa presented her emotionally charged acoustic folk rock to the pleasure of everyone and she is expected to bring it on again with some new songs and stories. Lisa’s lyrics makes you think, and at times to dream, as she shares her heart and music. If you missed Lisa Martin last year, you have a chance to redeem yourself on January 12th. The Church will offer a Pot Luck Supper before the coffeehouse, so please bring a dish to share and join us for dinner.
January 2008 is Double Special at the Peace Café. In addition to our normal coffeehouse on the 12th, we have been lucky enough to get Red Molly to come in for a Special Concert. These 3 ladies have developed a following throughout the northeast with rave reviews at every show.
“Everything Red Molly sings is delivered with tick-tight arrangements, crystalline vocals, and caramel harmonies. But what is most striking is the ardor they bring to everything they do, whether snuggling into the sweet parochialism of an old spiritual, or the gritty pathos of a Gillian Welch tune. They come on less like stars strutting for their minions than pals sharing their favorite songs. In the friendly world of the coffeehouse, that remains a star-making quality.”
–Scott Alarik, The
Red Molly is a female trio combining the talents of Laurie MacAllister, Abbie Gardner and Carolann Solebello. Weaving their voices in harmony over a myriad of strings (guitar, banjo, mandolin and dobro), Red Molly’s repertoire includes carefully-selected material, ranging from Appalachian ballads to 20th-century pop/country standards and contemporary folk. Resting on the belief that great songs shine with minimal handling, Red Molly digs down to the root of a song with simple, uncluttered arrangements, leaving plenty of room for three voices to carry it skyward.
Please let everyone know about Red Molly and don’t miss your chance to see them at the Peace Café. THEY ARE FANTASTIC! Tickets are $15 for this Special Concert and well worth every penny. Email peacecafe@firstchurchsouthington.org or call Dan Gabree at 860.621.8898 for tickets.
Now, the Peace Café needs some help. Change happens. Challenging? Perhaps, but often what comes out of the cocoon is beautiful. But we need some help as we evolve. Jenn Selmi, who has done such a great job managing our advertising/marketing effort, is moving on. We need someone to fill in and help manage this role. This is vital to our on-going success and we would really like to talk to anyone interested in helping out. No heavy lifting and lots of fun working with the Peace Café team.
Finally, we need everyone to step up and help get the word out about the Peace Café. The artists that have played have all been exceptional and we are all blessed to have such a wonderful offering here at the First Congregational Church. Please try to tell 3 people this week about “a nice little place to enjoy music and fellowship on the 2nd Saturday of every month.”
In February, the Peace Café will showcase Dan Bonis and BookEnds which is sure to be another great night.
Thanks and I look forward to seeing you next Saturday for Lisa Martin.
October / November 2007
Time flies…. And then the holidays are upon us.
I continue to find myself farther and farther behind with more and more to do. Yet every once in awhile I try to make sure that I step back and enjoy the little things that make life so beautiful… family, friends, the face of a child when they first learn something new, the sounds of music that are starting to be everywhere.
And speaking of music, I am reminded that the Peace Café started almost 1 year ago with the vision that it would be a place for people to relax and enjoy the creative beauty of those around us. To date we have had 20 artists (or groups thereof) on our stage and we have scheduled quite a few more going into 2008 (which is ominously near).
Looking back at the past 10 months, we have heard a variety of styles and sounds. Happy, sad, romantic, political, and some that were so very intertwined with life itself that you almost felt like you were there with the artist as he wrote the song on the stage.
Number 9 surprised everyone when a full 6 person rock band took the stage in our little coffeehouse and didn’t knock down the walls. The music was clear and everyone went wild.
Then we had Robert Messore using his intricate 12 string guitar to sing about baseball for the kids in the audience. Robert Webb and Bob Stanhope with their ballads. Eric Paradine who made everyone laugh with his love song for men, called the “DT Blues”. And of course, Guy-Michael Grande in his
But that is not all…. What about Meg Braun singing about “No More Happily Ever After” and Driving Reign who took Christian Music to a whole new level? Joel Blumert (with an on stage picture in the newspaper) and Robin O’Herin, guitars and vocals so unique and pure. And when one of our stars had a last minute cancellation, Lisa Martin stepped in with an amazing Featured Set. John Barber and JK Malm also stepped in at the last minute with great songs and the wonderful sounds of a mandolin.
Some of our recent shows have included Allison Tartalia who drove up from NYC with her keyboard and entertained us with some truly amazing music, including a song from the Off Broadway Show, “1918”, which she wrote the music for.
Meg Braun made a return performance to once again share the trials and tribulations of a young woman from
Then in November, Bobby Sweet came down from
And I haven’t even begun to look at the talented artists from the First Congregational Church that hosts this coffeehouse. Everyone at this church knows the amount of talent in the congregation so it is no surprise that several of our acts have included these artists. Mark Corcoran, Steve Nyren, and Joe Cipollini were joined by Steve McLean for a great show. Chip Hulten, Rich McCarty and Dee Elloian have all been up on the stage more than once, and the incredibly, beautiful voice of Lisa Cote, who was our Featured Artist in November.
Next up…. December is a special treat. Lara Herscovitch and Jack Caldwell have both been playing for several years and were happy for the chance to play together at the Peace Café. Lara is from NY and lives in CT. She narrowly escaped law school, and trained instead as a macro social worker. She has worked in the
Jack’s music is like a ride through
So, yes, after a thoughtful Thanksgiving and with Christmas just around the corner, I feel that there are indeed many blessings around me, and among them, the Peace Café shines brightly. I hope that more people start to realize that on one day every month they have the chance to enjoy something new, original and unique, a piece of living art that is enjoyed in the moment and then lives only in memories. The rules are very lax. You can come one month and not the next. The price is not very hard to manage and the quality of the entertainment is priceless. You owe it to yourself to come - at least once. Better yet, share this treat with a friend. Enjoy the beauty that God has empowered these artists to share with us all.
AS FALL BEGINS… IT STILL FEELS LIKE SUMMER
As we roll into October in CT, we find ourselves still wearing shorts and complaining about the heat. Well, weather in
In September. unfortunately, our featured performer had a serious health setback. Thankfully, Bizzy Bendor is recovering and we hope to have her rescheduled for a future coffeehouse. She is a special person with a special gift and we are sure the Lord is watching and planning her return to the stage to continue her musical ministry.
The Peace Café also must be under his careful eye, because miracles do happen here in
John Barber, one half of the original “BookEnds”, came with his wit and guitar, and was joined by John Karl (JK) Malm on his mandolin for a rousing set of music that had everyone tapping their feet. Playing a series of songs, old and new, John and JK pleased everyone with a virtual excursion through music history. Starting with “Easy Chair” they set a relaxed mood, and they continued with a few instrumentals that allowed JK to make the mandolin shine. John then sang a song written for his wife called “Angels Among Us”. They then went back in time, first with the old fiddle tune, “Red Wing” and then, suggesting that everyone think of a Civil War soldier with his rifle on his shoulder as he walked home again, they sang a song called “
John and JK played some
Emotionally charged acoustic folk rock is how Lisa Martin is described. An apt description to be sure. She shared her own stories and music with us all and warmed many hearts in the audience. Starting with a song about her mother, “Without You”, Lisa show that we had to be ready for both the words and the music, her voice and the guitar. She told of a 20 Years Ago Today competition where contestants had to write Beatles style songs. Creating something that was in a Beatles style without being a “Beatles song” proved harder than expected, but when she played the result “Set Me on Fire”, everyone approved.
She shared songs about breaking up, “This Way”, and her first “positive” love song. “Anything”, and then suggested that we needed to be careful when we judged people based on superficial appearances, “Good Love is Hard to Find”. JK came back on the stage to join Lisa on this song with his mandolin. Lisa encouraged the audience to sing along with some fun tunes like “Where Have All the Flowers Gone”, played a great rendition of SuperWoman and played a few songs by other artists, “Northern Girl”, “Greed” and “These Eyes”.
The message here for everyone is that Lisa was great and we are blessed to have her coming back in just a few months for another great evening of music. Mark your calendars now for January 12th.
This month (yes, it really is October already), we have a newcomer and a person who has already been on stage at the Peace Café. Allison Tartalia will be joining us for the first time. Her powerful and expressive performances are said to have a way of charming audiences. The secret weapons: fearless honesty, a quirky sense of humor and an extraordinary flair for songwriting. People have taken notice at festivals and venues around the country, and it is not unusual to see devoted fans singing along to her anthems of independence like Dorothy’s Reply and Absolutely Fabulous. Allison is able to keep listeners enthralled whether she’s taking things slow on a painfully honest ballad, turning up the funk, or just sharing a funny tale from her life between songs. A classically trained pianist and self-taught guitar player with a degree in theatre, Allison draws upon diverse influences to create her eclectic brand of jazz-infused acoustic pop.
Returning in October will also be Meg Braun. Meg was here back in July to open for Driving Reign and showed us that she has much to share. Using multiple guitars (and lots of tuning to fight the heat), she shared her stories and laughter with us all. Meg, who moved to
All in all, October should be a great coffeehouse at the Peace Café. Things continue to happen and we encourage you to come and bring friends and family to be part of our success. With each show we learn more about what we can do and we are now starting to plan for a new year of events and talent at the Peace Café in 2008. There are sure to be many new things in the months to come, including Pot Luck Suppers and Open Mic Nights. Got any ideas? Let us know.
August 2007
AS SUMMER WINDS DOWN AND THE KIDS GO BACK TO SCHOOL….
Sorry this is so late… The next Peace Cafe coffeehouse is TOMORROW (Sept 8th) and there have been some last minute changes.
First of all, the August coffeehouse was another success with Joel Blumert and Robin O’Herin providing the entertainment. Between the wonderful instrumental skills and the beautiful voices, the evening was great. Additionally, we had a surprise visit by the local newspaper. The Record Journal stopped by and blessed us with a great article, complete with photos of Joel on-stage. We always appreciate the publicity and this article was great.
Unfortunately, our featured performer for this month’s coffeehouse has had a health setback. The good news is that the Lord has protected her and she is recovering. However, her voice seems to be the last thing to get better and she will not be able to grace us with her talents.
There is, none the less, a Silver Lining to this cloud. Lisa Martin has agreed to be our Featured Artist this month (and once again in January). The feedback and reviews on Lisa are outstanding and this may be the best show all year. But this cloud had a double Silver Lining. Along with Lisa, we are pleased to announce that John Barber and JK Malm (with perhaps one more surprise) will be opening. They used to play as a band called BookEnds and are in the process of evolving into a new incarnation of that sound.
Emotionally charged acoustic folk rock is Lisa Martin’s hallmark sound. Drawing on diverse influences spanning the last three decades, Martin’s music bridges the elements of folk and rock, with her pop sensibilities always highly evident in the mix. She is always well received and captivates the audience with her powerful vocals, guitar prowess, heartfelt delivery and quick wit. Her live performances, which run the gamut from heartfelt songs of love and loss to her rollicking takes on life’s lessons, are steadily earning her a following of passionately loyal fans throughout the northeast.
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Her debut CD, “Set Me On Fire”, garnered 2 nominations in the Just Plain Folks Music Awards in 2001 and was also recognized in 2003, earning a Live Wire Award from the Springfield Republican, which recognized 10 local artists/bands for that year. Positive reviews from fans and critics continue to trickle in as Martin’s exposure grows. The CD features some outstanding players including Duke Levine (Mary Chapin-Carpenter) on electric guitars, Richard Gates (Paula Cole) on bass, Lorne Entress (Mark Erelli Band) on drums and Leah Kunkel on backing vocals, is the perfect vehicle for Martin’s passion filled originals.
Paul Loether and John Barber were “BookEnds”, a roving duo performing throughout Connecticut’s coffeehouse circuit. The duo recorded 2 CDs and entertained large and small audiences all over
All in all, September should be a great coffeehouse at the Peace Cafe. Despite the foibles, misfortunes and trials we all must occasionally face, things have a way of working out. It sometimes seems as if someone is watching over us all, and maybe challenging us to occasionally reach outside our normal little box.
July 2007
July 14th was yet another comfortable summer night in Connecticut, and another perfect evening for great music at the Peace Café.
The night started with Meg Braun who drove up from
Starting with three great songs “Longing”, “Not That Girl” and “No More Happily Ever After”, Meg set the stage for a story/song about her home back in
Meg will be back on October 13th with a friend of hers from NY (Allison Tartalia) to once again share her warmth and talents with the Peace Café. This is a not to miss opportunity.
Next up was Driving Reign. This five piece band filled the stage and everyone’s hearts with their music and message. Kicking things off with “Take My Hand”, the audience quickly realized that this band was something special. Tina Cianci’s vocals were outstanding and the music behind her was top notch. They then played “I Surrender” and got us all thinking about a window to the soul with “In Your Eyes”.
The band played extremely well together with Steve Cianci on lead guitar, ‘our own’ Dee Elloian on rhythm guitar, Tom Leone on Bass and Fernando Abreu on Drums. They played “Walk On” and “Leave It Alone” and then told a story of a brother that was having a very tough time. They wrote a song for him and shared it with us, called “Run to You”.
Driving Reign finished up their first set with “Matter of the Heart” and gave everyone a chance to grab refreshments and settle down for more of their great sound. In talking to people about the first set, the mood was that Driving Reign had a wonderful knack for mixing beautiful music with a glorious message. The subtlety of their art made it even better, as you found yourself easily blending into the music and ideas much like putting on very comfortable pair of slippers. Everyone in the audience felt like they were part of the music as Driving Reign played to us from the stage.
The second set was as good as the first. Starting with “My Driving Reign” and then “When the Darkness Meets the Dawn”, they helped us feel that there was always somewhere to turn, that we are never alone. They then sang “Be God” and “Sanctuary”, this latter being a song they pulled off of a CD they found in the $1 bin at Target, written by a band called I Die Daily. They blended several vocals together with Tina to create some very wonderful harmonies.
Keeping with their own unique style, they then did a version of “Amazing Grace” that was upbeat and great to listen to. They finished with “Gotta Have Jesus”
Driving Reign was a blessing to us all in July with fantastic music, great vocals and a wonderful message in each and every song. They are local and we hope they will come back again in the future to once again share their talents with the Peace Cafe.
August should be another great evening at the Peace Café. Joel Blumert will be opening and he brings so much talent and experience that you are sure to be awed. Joel has been active in the Folk/Blues scene in
Thanks to all who support the Peace Cafe. The music continues to be fantastic and gets better with each show. Please pass the word along that
June 2007
Eric Paradine and Guy Michael Grande drew a crowd to the Peace Cafe in June. A pleasant ‘almost’ summer night made for a great evening at the Peace Cafe and the music was exceptional.
Eric Paradine started things off with a series of songs that loosened the minds and had all the feet tapping. “When I Hear the Sirens”, “Guantanamo Bay” and the “Doctor Song” provided a mix of creative music and political/philosophical themes that set the mood for what was yet to come. Eric’s style was far from the “For my next song…” opening that we often hear, rather he tends to have a conversation going with the audience that lasts throughout his set. At times he even starts a song and stops to finish a thought or perhaps start a new one to pick up again at the end of the song. He moved on to “I’m Not Drinking” and then the “Canyons of San Diego (The Immigrant Song)”.
Eric showed a variety of styles and ideas in his songs, from “Building a Bridge” to “Digging a Hole”, he kept everyone amused, entertained and, at times, perplexed. He finished with a wonderful rendition of “When You Can’t Sleep at Night” played on the Ukelele. Eric showed warmth and artistry throughout his set and it was clear that the audience opened up to his music and his personality. He was a tough act to follow.
Luckily, the Peace Cafe had our first ever performer with 3 (count them) names. Guy Michael Grande, a favorite at the Southington FCC played a mix of old and new songs. He was clearly pleased to play at a place where he didn’t have to compete with a television playing sports or idle conversations at the tables in the audience. This venue was for the artist to shine, and everyone had come to see Guy’s light.
Starting with a favorite, “Old Boulevard”, the audience slid easily into his music. Wearing his traditional black on black, he made references to Batman (his hero) and sang a Johnny Cash song, “Ring of Fire”. Acknowledging one of his mentors who was in the audience, Gil Dube, he invited an aspiring singer (Sherry Mancuso) from the audience to join him on the stage along with Eric Paradine in singing “Bonfire Girls”.
Guy then shared a new song that he wrote for his father, “Whenever We’re Together”. Picking things up he moved onto “MaryAnne” (by Marshall Crenshaw) and then a Bob Dylan tune, “Tomorrow Night” from a time he described as ”back when songs had melodies”. He also sang “Lifeline” and had some help from Chip Hulten, Lisa Cote and great counterpoint guitar work from Eric Paradine on “Melinda”.
Guy finished up with another favorite of everyone, “So Much of What I Wanted” which left many wondering if it described a sense of melancholy or satisfaction.
Everyone at the Peace Cafe was satisfied by another night of great music and warm fellowship. Guy Michael even left us all with the thought that he may be coming back to CT in the future and would like to play again in this setting.
Coming in July are two rare treats. Meg Braun will be opening to provide a taste of what she will offer us when she comes back to headline in October. Her vivid lyrical imagery, drawn from her
Thanks to all who support the Peace Cafe. The music continues to be fantastic and gets better with each show. Please pass the word along that Southington has this treasure and join us on July 14th.
May 2007
May was busy at the Peace Café. Our regular coffeehouse went forward on the 12th and we had a special Youth Group coffeehouse on the 26th. Both were great and helped us to see new ways to make the Peace Café better for everyone.
May 12th started with a group called Even Steven. Including several members of our own Church, they played a great mix of tunes from Crosby, Stills and Nash to the Beatles. Newcomer, Steve McClean joined Even Steven for some very fine guitar work in the background, while Steve Nyren, Mark Corcoran and Joe Cipollini shared vocals and added rhythm guitar and harmonica. Many friends of the band came to cheer them on as they made their musical debut and everyone went away very happy with the result.
The featured artist on the 12th was Bob Stanhope who was billed as a mix between Tom Lehrer, Weird Al Yankovick, Harry Chapin and Billy Joel. Those who were there for his appearance were definitely treated to a little bit of each. Bob has been playing in front of audiences for quite a while and clearly knows how to open a dialogue that gets people involved in his show. He has a story behind each song he plays and in many cases finds a way to make the song touch the people in the audience in a personal way. For one song he reached out to all fathers who had daughters (his is getting married this August) and he sang “I Wish My Daughter Were Ugly” (so the boys would leave her alone and she would stay home with me). Another was a Love Song for men (men really don’t like “love songs”, but they liked this one), called “The DT Love Song”. Unfortunately it would not be fair to share the secret of this song with you here. You will have to listen to Bob Stanhope to understand why the Peace Café audience that night was in stitches as he sang this tune. He shared many funny songs, like “The Man My Dog Thinks I Am”, and a few that were more thoughtful (or provoking) like “The Sky’s On Fire” which remembers the events of September 11th, 2001. Bob offered our audience a variety of songs and topics that made us laugh, think and at times look back inside ourselves. We are already hoping that he will find the time to come back to the Peace Café and share his talents and blessings with us all again.
On the 26th the Peace Café opened its door for 2 local bands made up of young people from our own Church’s Youth Group and community. Starting with You Can’t Miss The Bear, a large crowd filled the Peace Café to listen to their own friends share their creative talents and songs. They were followed by Elotheos with its own brand of music and energy. The two bands pitched in to help each other set up and take down so that the room was almost constantly filled with their music. Each group offered its own mix of electric & acoustic guitar, bass, drums and vocals, and it was clear that the audience was happy with the music and wished they could play longer. Several people shared the names of bands interested in future Youth coffeehouses, so the prospects are good that this will happen again soon.
Special thanks go out to Cecilia Williams for taking charge and making this first Youth coffeehouse happen. Certainly others helped, both from the bands and her friends, but it was her vision and tenacity that turned an idea into a reality.
Coming up in June is a well-known favorite. Eric Paradine and Guy-Michael Grande will be at the Peace Café on June 9th to share the music that so many of us already know and love. This is definitely a coffeehouse that you wont want to miss. Tell your friends and bring your family. See you there.
April 2007
The Peace Café continues to evolve through the many possibilities for this venue. Experimenting with different tables and arrangements has allowed the Peace Café to become a wonderful, casual place for people of all ages. Adding new lighting and safe flickering “candles” on tables provides a quiet ambiance that matches the music and setting.
April saw our first Coffeehouse without any artists performing from our own Church. Although the crowd was far from what we had hoped for, those that did come were treated to a special mix of talented musicians.
Robert Massore opened the evening on the 14th by using his guitar as a drum for “The Eccentrics’ Hoedown”. Setting the rhythm in this way focused everyone’s attention on the guitar and when he started to play, the room was intently silent. Robert showed clearly why he is called one of the best finger-style guitarists in the state. He treated the audience to a variety of tunes, often carrying two different musical themes on his own. He also showed his dexterity by engaging the audience in conversation, adding an old Peter, Paul and Mary song about playing right field on a baseball team (for the kids in the audience), and singing many of his own songs. Favorites of the audience included: Northern Hospitality, Ithaca and “Monkey Takes a Chance”. He left the stage to a strong round of applause and many asked afterwards if he would be coming back to play again. We are talking to Robert about a Featured Artist set as soon as possible.
Knowing he had a tough act to follow, Steven Webb took the stage and played a series of love songs that relaxed and pleased everyone. He treated us to a special song written to his wife (who was also present) many years before. He played a couple of never before heard songs that really stood out, including “