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A
monthly folk and alternative music coffeehouse at All Souls
Church, Greenfield, MA, featuring some of the best sounds in
New England. The third Saturday evening of each month,
Coffee & Soul has regular Open Mic Sessions (hosted by
"Open Mike" Chrisman: 413-337-4297) and an annual
Winter Solstice Concert on December 21.
2004
- 2005 Schedule
2002
- 2003 Schedule:
Contact:
Diane Dix (413) 773-5018
music@uugreenfield.org
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September
21, 2002: Cheryl Wheeler
Bernice Lewis opening
Although
there are better known performers of folk and country than
Cheryl Wheeler, there are few, if any, with more talent. As
a songwriter, Cheryl has penned numerous country hits, while
winning the respect and admiration of performers ranging
from Bette Midler to Maura O'Connell. She also has a
marvelously expressive voice that is the equal of any female
singer on the coffeehouse circuit today. Yet while her songs
can certainly touch the heart, she also possesses a wickedly
funny sense of humor. If Cheryl quit singing tomorrow, she
could without question make a fine living as a stand-up
comedian. Despite her low-key, self-deprecating manner,
Cheryl is truly one of the shining lights on today's folk
scene. Songwriter's songwriter and rising star Bernice Lewis
opens.
(Top
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Cheryl
Wheeler Website
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October
19, 2002: James Durst and Friends
Francis Doughty opening
Quietly touring the planet since 1965, James Durst has
performed for audiences of all ages in 44 countries
throughout the Americas, Europe, Scandinavia, the Middle
East, Southeast Asia, in Russia, Azerbaijan, Japan, Korea
and India. Drawing from a rich and ever-evolving repertoire
of distinctive original and collected songs in 18+
languages, James offers a global perspective and underscores
the sense of interconnectedness we share with all of life.
He engages each disparate audience in a participatory
journey distilled from his travels, musically monitoring the
pulse of the human condition, bringing us closer to our
world and each other. To date, he has a dozen recordings and
a pair of award-winning children's videos to his credit.
James'
appearance at Coffee & Soul is a release party for his
latest CD, Element of
Surprise. He will be joined by friends Ferne Borke,
Bruce Kahn and many of the A Choired Taste backup group that
sang on the recording. Distinctive guitarist Francis Doughty
opens. A half-hour open mic begins the show.
(Top
of Page)
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James
Durst Website
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December
7, 2002: Relative Strangers
Laura Wood opening
Relative
Strangers is Clayton Sabine, Rose Gerber & Steve West,
playing and singing each other's songs as a "neofolkcountrypop"
collective since March 2001. The spark of this combination
was a mutual thirst for quality songmaking and a longing for
well-sung songs. The blend of voices, songs and
personalities fell together seamlessly, and live
performances soon followed. Audiences were attracted to the
unique harmonies and informal presentation as they were to
the substance of the songs, intense acoustic American music
with a splash of humor.
Relative
Strangers has recorded 13 songs, now being released as their
self-titled debut CD.
"The
authenticity, eclectic styles and gorgeous harmonies make Relative
Strangers a compelling document that comes pretty close
to capturing the magic of their live sets."
—
Dave Madeloni, Brattleboro Reformer
Laura
Wood opens. A half-hour open mic begins the show.
(Top
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Relative
Strangers Website |
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January
18, 2003: Rani Arbo and Brooks Williams
Scott Alarik opening
In
October 2001, Rani Arbo and Brooks Williams joined forces to
create a new duo show that blends the fiddle and guitar,
their two rich voices and a powerful and eclectic collection
of original, traditional and cover songs. Longtime veterans
of the national folk scene with numerous albums behind them,
Arbo and Williams are delighted with their favorite side
project.
Rani
Arbo is known for her sublime, smooth vocals, fiery fiddling
and her haunting, beautiful songwriting. Once the lead
singer for Salamander Crossing and now fronting her own
band, daisy mayhem, the Boston
Globe penned: "Arbo's voice is smart and sultry,
with winking nuances…Her fiddling is…elegant and sinewy,
shimmering with sly wit and mystery. She is, in all the
important ways, already a star of the first order."
Brooks
Williams is an intelligent, soulful songwriter and eclectic
masterful guitarist. While many musicians are content to
stay within a narrow stylistic vein, Williams has continued
to explore new musical horizons and has absorbed and
distilled his musical search into a distinctive, personal
style. Dirty Linen
magazine said of Williams, "A consummate artist,
Williams ranks among America's musical treasures."
Put
these two talents together and you have the recipe for a hot
duo. Singer songwriter (and Boston Globe folk columnist)
Scott Alarik opens. A half-hour mic begins the show.
(Top
of Page)
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Rani
Arbo Website
Brooks
Willimas Website |
February
8, 2003 The Stone Coyotes - Benefit Concert for All
Souls!
The Stone Coyotes are a family trio. But as one writer put
it, "Don't expect lace curtains, casseroles or
Partridge Family kitsch. With songwriter Barbara Keith on
guitar and vocals, husband Doug Tibbles on drums, and
stepson John Tibbles on bass, this band rocks - and they
mean it." Their songs are grounded in rock, country,
punk, folk and blues with an unmistakable sound that is
instantly recognizable.
The Stone Coyotes have quite a history. Barbara began her
career at the Cafe Wha? in Greenwich Village, and was soon
recording for MGM/Verve, A&M and Warner Brothers Her
songs have been covered by Tanya Tucker, Lowell George,
Delaney and Bonnie, Barbra Streisand, the Dillards, Hank
Snow and others. Her husband Doug Tibbles had been a TV
writer for such shows as "The Munsters",
"Bewitched", "My Three Sons",
"Family Affair", "Andy Griffith",
"Love American Style" . Unhappy with show biz in
general, they gave back Barbara's major label advance and
went underground. Doug took up drums and his son John took
up bass at age eleven. Reclusive by choice, the band moved
from L.A. to Western Massachusetts to write and woodshed.
They began playing the occasional show while recording in
their cellar.
When best selling author Elmore Leonard ("Get Shorty",
"Jackie Brown", "Out of Sight") walked
in the Troubadour in L.A. one night looking for inspiration
for his sequel to "Get Shorty", he discovered The
Stone Coyotes. They became the model for Chili Palmer's next
adventure, "Be Cool". Leonard included some of
their lyrics and dedicated the book to them. He and the band
made a string of appearances together around the country.
"Be Cool" is currently being developed as a major
motion picture.
"The Stone Coyotes rocked and shocked…with their
AC/DC meets Patsy Cline sound…" — Toronto News
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February
15, 2003: Paul Rishell and Annie Raines
Paul Rishell honed his craft during the folk and blues
revival of the 1970s. Obsessed of a singular drive and
passion, he soaked up all he could learn playing alongside
blues masters Son House, Johnny Sines and Howlin' Wolf. He
released his first CD in 1990 to critical acclaim. Paul's
signature voice speaks of joy, pain and ultimately the
triumph of soul and spirit. While he is internationally
recognized as a keeper of the country blues flame, his
mastery of the electric guitar has put both critics and fans
alike on notice that there's no reason to pigeonhole his
prodigious talents.
Annie
Raines took up harmonica while in high school and dropped
out of college to pursue a musical career. Influenced by the
trademark sounds of Muddy Waters, Little Walter and Sonny
Boy
Williamson, she played with Louis Meyers and James Cotton
and has recorded with Rory Block, Pinetop Perkins and Hubert
Sumlin, as well as with former band-mate Susan Tedeschi. She
has been hailed as one of today's top blues harpists with
her authentic tone, style and soulful approach, and now
plays mandolin in addition to singing, writing and playing
keyboards.
Annie
and Paul met during the recording of his second CD in 1993.
Their amazing chemistry was apparent from the start, and
they have performed together ever since. The duo appeared on
Garrison Keillor's A Prairie Home Companion, and played with
John Sebastian's J Band on Conan O'Brien's Late Night show.
They were quickly established as one of the world's most
creative and dynamic duos.
Winners
of the W.C. Handy Award, Paul Rishell and Annie Raines form
an explosive blues combination, infusing their performances
with the inspiration of blues tradition as well as the power
of their unique musical chemistry.
"…they
have a musicianly rapport and a wide embrace of styles, from
Delta heartache to Chicago drive, that make for world class
blues."
—
PULSE!
A
full-hour open mic begins the show.
(Top
of Page)
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Paul
Rishell and Aniie Raines Website |
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March
15, 2003: Scott Alarik and Laura Wood
You many recognize Scott Alarik's name from his regular
byline in the Boston
Globe, where he has been the principal folk music writer
since 1987. He was also the founding editor of the New
England Folk Almanac, is the folk correspondent for WBUR-FM's
noontime news show Here and Now, and has written about folk music for the magazines Sing
Out!, Performing Songwriter and Billboard.
Before
moving to Boston, however, the Minnesota-bred Alarik was a
popular performer on the national folk circuit and a regular
guest on public radio's A Prairie Home Companion. With his
rich bass voice and articulate finger-picked guitar, Alarik
mixes his own songs with old folk classics, lacing them
together with what the Boston Globe's Jeff Mclaughlin called
"delightfully wry, backbeat wit." Timothy Mason,
music director of Club Passim, wrote in the Folk
Almanac that Alarik "mixes rich, sweet ballads
which remind us why folk music got popular in the first
place with some original gems that seem timeless."
"It
has been my pleasure many times to follow him onstage, and I
have rarely found an audience in such a good mood as when
he's just been there."
— Garrison Keillor, author and host of A Prairie Home
Companion
Laura
Wood has made a name for herself in Western Massachusetts.
The multi-talented musician sings, composes film scores,
writes progressive acoustic songs and plays guitar as well
as percussion. She has headlined at most of the area's major
acoustic venues such as the Iron Horse, Passim, and Café
Lena, performed at major women's music festivals coast to
coast and worked with artists like Richie Havens, June
Millington and Country Joe McDonald.
"A
fabulous mix of folk and rock. Terrific songwriting with a
voice reminiscent of k.d. lang combined with Melissa
Etheridge's guitar work."
—
Elizabeth Versace, EmcEmc2 Productions
A
full-hour open mic begins the show.
(Top
of Page)
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Scott
Alarik Website
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April
19, 2003: Christine Lavin
Peter Nelson Opening
Doors
open at 7:00 pm but knitters are invited to arrive at 6:30
pm to join Christine in a knitting circle!
Singer/songwriter/guitarist/concert
artist Christine Lavin has recorded 14 albums of original
material, sings her own songs and the songs of others on
three disks of the Four Bitchin' Babes (a group she founded,
nurtured and performed in during the '90s) and has put
together and produced eight compilations showcasing the
works of dozens of singer/songwriters. She has won a NAIRD
award, two New York Music Awards, four ASCAP composer
awards, the Kate Wolf Memorial Award and the 2001 Backstage
Bistro Award for Outstanding New York Singer/Songwriter of
the Year.
A one
woman entertainment package of theatre, comedy and song,
Christine Lavin's concerts are events, the stage filling
with an amazing cast of characters who cross her path in
song. But the main character is Christine herself and her
sweetly skewed genius for making the ordinary in our lives
so extraordinarily funny. She tells stories, twirls glowing
batons on stage, and has most recently incorporated a
digital phrase sampler into her live concert, enabling her
to create improvised lyrics (and intricate vocal harmonies)
on the fly.
"Christine
Lavin puts delightful melodies behind witty, perceptive
observations about life."
—
The New York Daily News
"A
garrulous comic observer of contemporary manners."
—
The New York Times
Peter
Nelson, whom Christine calls "an American songwriter
treasure" opens.
(Top
of Page)
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Christine
Lavin Website |
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May
3, 2003: Robin Lane and the Chartbusters
Ray Mason Opening
The voice and the sound that definted early '80s post-punk pop for tens of thousands of ardent fans in the New England area and beyond are back. The legendary Robin Lane and the Chartbusters have reformed behind the arrival of a new recording of brand new and previously unreleased material. Having toured nationally behind two albums on Warner Bros. Records, not to mention selling 60,000 of their first independent recording on their own, Ms. Lane and the band members separately went on to other endeavors. Always remaining on good terms, the original magic endures.
Robin Lane has long been acknowledged as an extraordinarily gifted and insightful songwriter, as well a one of the unmistakable voices in rock music. Time has only enriched her vision and further honed her skills.
"Though Blondie's Debbie Harry and The Pretenders Chrissie Hynde have had more hits and better press, Robin Lane looms as the most talented female artist to come out of new wave rock…"
- Geoffrey Hinds, Washington Post
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Robin
Lane Website
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17, 2003: Broque
Drawing
upon blues, jazz, British pop and Flamenco influences,
guitarist Mark Hershler and cellist Gideon Freudmann (CelloBop)
pool their collective musical talents to stretch and
reinterpret classical styles. In their own words, its "Bach, Blues, and Beyond!"
A
classical musician by training, Freudmann earned a Bachelor
of Fine Arts degree in Cello Performance from the University
of Connecticut. Since that time, Freudmann has distinguished
himself as one of New England's finest solo cross-genre
cellists, performing in literally hundreds of venues
throughout the United States, including a featured
performance at the New Directions Cello Festival in New
York. His solo CDs featuring exclusively original songs and
lyrics have received international distribution, extensive
national and international airplay and glowing critical
reviews. The raspy voiced Herschler is best known as a folk
singer and, according
to the Valley Advocate, "Freudmann's diverse tastes and
talents are obvious. His classical background also gives him
the technical skills needed for his wide range of
styles."
A
full-hour open mic begins the show.
(Top
of Page)
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June
7, 2003: Mad Agnes
Robert Nichols Opening
Fans
will be delighted to hear that Adrienne Jones and Margo
Hennebach have teamed up again as Mad Agnes, performing their
almost-acoustic originals and haunting interpretations of Celtic
traditionals. Expect stunning harmonies, breathtaking
instrumentation, captivating storytelling, and a big dose of
whimsy in the bargain. Both accomplished songwriters and solo
performers in their own right, together Hennebach and Jones are
one unforgettable voice.
Adrienne
Jones is a 19-year veteran of the guitar and a recent finalist
in three national songwriting competitions. Of her second CD
release, Talking River,
Dirty Linen magazine
praised her "expressive ability to wrap meaning around a
lyric with the simple rise or fall of a note."
The
music of Margo Hennebach has been described as
"contemporary and timeless" by the Star Gazette and
"captivating" by Sing
Out! Magazine. A finalist in songwriting competitions,
including Kerrville and Napa Valley, she backed up several Fast
Folk artists including John Gorka and Rod MacDonald, before
devoting herself to solo and band projects.
Mad
Agnes also features Mark Saunders on vocals, acoustic, electric
and National steel guitars. After graduating from the Hartford
Conservatory with a degree in classical music, Mark toured with
several bands before landing in acoustic singer/songwriter
circles as a favorite sideman. He brings edge and color to Mad
Agnes with captivating style.
Robert
Nichols opens. A half-hour open mic begins the how.
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Mad
Agnes Website |
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All Souls UU
Church
399 Main Street, P.O. Box 542
Greenfield, MA 01301
413.773.5018
uugreenfield@uugreenfield.org
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