Compiled by Michael Kornfeld
A lot of good live acoustic music is on tap for
We’re About 9, a stellar trio from
Later in the month, talented Toronto-based singer-songwriter David Celia performs for Acoustic Long Island in St. James (May 21) and The Song Box house concert series in
[For more information on these and many other live music choices on
Thursday, 5/1
Johnny Cuomo, LI-based singer-songwriter, Molly Malone’s,
Rorie Kelly, John-Flor & Friends, local singer-songwriters perform Live in the Lobby at the Patchogue Theatre for the Performing Arts,
Old Time Jam with Zot’s Dream (jug music featuring banjos, washboard, washtub bass, tin-can drums, etc), Freddy’s
Friday, 5/2
Island Songwriters Showcase, Border’s Books, Jericho Turnpike, Syosset. 8 p.m. Featured performer Bob Westcott followed by an open mic. Those wishing to perform must sign up at 7:30 p.m. (www.islandsongwriters.org).
NA Folk band presents an evening of Hungarian folk music at The Good Coffeehouse Music Parlor at the Brooklyn Society for Ethical Culture, 53 Prospect Park West, Brooklyn. 8 p.m. (www.bsec.org). 718-768-2972. $10; $6 for kids.
PeaceSmiths Topical, A-Typical, Folk Music, Poetry and Whatever Coffeehouse features choir Harmonic Insurgence + open time, First United Methodist Church,25 Broadway/Route 110 (southernmost end near Merrick Road/Montuak Highway), Amityville. 8 p.m. (www.peacesmiths.org). 631-798-0778. $7 suggested donation.
Siobahn Quinn and Michael Bowers, acoustic duo, The Garden Stage at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Central Nassau,
The Rhythm Kings Acoustic Duo, Popei’s Clam Bar,
Saturday, May 3
Falcon Ridge Preview Tour concert features four artists chosen by Falcon Ridge Folk Festival attendees last year as their “Most Wanted” to return emerging artists – Joe Crookston (a gifted singer-songwriter from Ithaca,NY by way of Ohio and Seatlle), Anthony da Costa (a prolific and talented 17 year-old singer-songwriter from Pleasantville, NY who was a winner in the prestigious Kerrville New Folk Competition last year), Lindsay Mac (a young and talented Boston area singer-songwriter and cellist who plays the cello like a guitar) and Randall Williams (a gifted, conservatory-trained singer-songwriter and captivating guitarist). Folk Music Society of Huntington’s First Saturdays Series, Congregational Church of Huntington,
Williams, who is partial to the use of partial capos in standard and alternate tunings (Indeed, he wrote the book on them for Hal Leonard) also conducts a two-hour Partial Capo Techniques Workshop for guitarists from 4-6 p.m. $25 in advance by sending a check made out to Folk Music Society of Huntington to
Miller’s Crossing, LI-based bluegrass band, Fadeley’s Deli Pub,
Sunday, May 4
Brooklyn Songwriters Exchange, Brooklyn Lyceum,
Folk Jam and Sing-Along sponsored by the Folk Music Society of Huntington, a monthly gathering during which everyone joins in on songs primarily from the book Rise Up Singing, Huntington Public Library, 338 Main Street, Huntington. 1-4:30 p.m. Free.
Homegrown String Band (Inspired by the rural string bands of the early 20th century, LI’s Jackofsky family has been performing plays trad. music and lively originals together for more than a decade), Longwood Public Library, 800 Middle Country Road, Middle Island. 2 p.m. (www.longwood.suffolk.lib.ny.us). 631-924-6400.
Ponkiesburg Pickin’ Party, weekly traditional acoustic music jam, Kili,
Songs by the Sea Free Concert Series features sea shanty singer John Corr in the Fire Island Lighthouse Keepers Quarters. 3 p.m. Presented by the Fire Island Lighthouse Preservation Society with support from
Sunday Street Acoustic Series at the University Café features Canadian singer-songwriter Garnet Rogers, Stony Brook Union building,
Monday. 5/5
Lucky 13 Songwriter Series features local artists Susan De Vita, Marci Geller, Cathy Kreger and Terry Winchell, Mirelle’s Restaurant,
Tuesday, 5/6
Buddy Merriam & Back Roads, LI bluegrass stalwarts, Checkmate Inn,
Wednesday, 5/7
Acoustic Long Island hour-long open mic followed by a 45-minute set by Michael Johnathon, folksinger-songwriter and host of the syndicated “WoodSongs Old-Time Radio Hour,” Deepwells Mansion, Route 25A (just west of Moriches Road intersection), St. James. 8-10 p.m. (www.acousticlongisland.com). Free.
Folk Open Sing, sponsored by the Good Coffeehouse and the Pinewoods –Folk Music Society of New York, Ethical Cultural Society building (basement), 53 Prospect Park West (near Second Street), Brooklyn. For information, call Alison Kelley, 718-636-6341.
Open Mic, Cool Beanz,
Open Mic, The Cup,
Open Mic, Life Café,
Open Mic, Spike Hill,
Thursday, 5/8
Beaucoup Blue, a top-notch Philadelphia-based father and son acoustic blues and roots duo known for its blend of soulful voices, solid musicianship and rousing live performances, perform for the Babylon Village Arts Council’s 2nd Thursdays Concerts. Adrian Mowry plays six- and 12-string guitars, while his dad, David plays six-string, slide and dobro guitars. The two trade-off on vocals. Although strongly rooted in the blues, the duo’s music draws on country, folk, soul, R&B, and jazz as well and is a tasty mix of originals penned by both Mowrys, along with select covers. Astoria Federal Savings Bank,
Johnny Cuomo, LI-based singer-songwriter, Molly Malone’s,
Friday, May 9
James Reams & the Barnstormers present an evening of old-school bluegrass at The Good Coffeehouse Music Parlor at the Brooklyn Society for Ethical Culture, 53 Prospect Park West,
Dar Williams, one of the most engaging and gifted female performers on the contemporary acoustic music scene, Landmark on
Saturday, May 10
Arlo Guthrie Solo
Michael Johnathon, folksinger-songwriter and host of the syndicated “WoodSongs Old-Time Radio Hour,” performs for The Eclectic Café at the Unitarian Universalist Society of South Suffolk,
Sunday, 5/11
Brooklyn Songwriters Exchange, Brooklyn Lyceum,
Ponkiesburg Pickin’ Party, weekly traditional acoustic music jam, Kili,
Monday, 5/12
Two Last Turkeys, a quintet playing Appalachian-style string band music, Iona, 180 Grand Street (between Bedford and Driggs), Williamsburg, Brooklyn. 7:30-10 p.m. No cover.
Wednesday, 5/14
Acoustic Long Island hour-long open mic followed by a 45-minute set by featured performer Liz Longley, a young, Pennsylvania-based singer-songwriter with a lovely voice who went to school with the Long Island Blues Boy, Deepwells Mansion, Route 25A (just west of Moriches Road intersection), St. James. 8-10 p.m. (www.acousticlongisland.com). Free.
Open Mic, Cool Beanz,
Open Mic, The Cup,
Open Mic, Life Café,
Open Mic, Spike Hill,
Thursday, 5/15
Johnny Cuomo, LI-based singer-songwriter, Molly Malone’s,
Singer-songwriters John Wesley Harding and Richard Julian are among the artists slated to perform during a benefit concert for Develop Don’t Destroy Brooklyn at Southpaw, 125 Fifth Avenue, Park Slope, Brooklyn. 8 p.m. Tickets are $12 in advance and $15 at the door.
Friday, 5/16
Homegrown String Band (Inspired by the rural string bands of the early 20th century, LI’s Jackofsky family has been playing trad. music and lively originals for more than a decade), HPL Café at the Huntington Public Library, 338 Main Street, Huntington. 7:30 p.m. Free. 631-427-5165.
We’re About 9, an engaging contemporary acoustic trio from
Saturday, 5/17
The Folk Music Society of Huntington’s Hard Luck Café features singer-songwriter Arlon Bennett and the maritime group Stout, Congregational Church of Huntington,
Steve Forbert, the folk-rock singer-songwriter best known for his 1979 album Jackrabbit Slim and its sprightly hit single “Romeo’s Tune,” plays the
LI-based fingerstyle blues guitarist Bennett Harris and his acoustic trio present an evening of the blues at the Plainview-Old Bethpage Public Library,
Sunday, May 18
Annual Jean Ritchie Folk Concert features Atwater-Donnelly, a Rhode Island-based duo who have been playing Celtic, American and traditional folk music, along with some original songs, together for 20 years, Port Washington Public Library, One Library Drive, Port Washington. 3-5 p.m. (www.pvpl.org). 516-883-4400. Free.
Brooklyn Songwriters Exchange, Brooklyn Lyceum,
Ponkiesburg Pickin’ Party, weekly traditional acoustic music jam, Kili,
Wednesday, 5/21
Acoustic Long Island hour-long open mic followed by a 45-minute set by featured artist David Celia, a talented Toronto-based musician and songwriter whose musical style is a blend of roots rock, folk and pop, Deepwells Mansion, Route 25A (just west of Moriches Road intersection), St. James. 8-10 p.m. (www.acousticlongisland.com). Free.
Open Mic, Cool Beanz,
Open Mic, The Cup,
Open Mic, Life Café,
Open Mic, Spike Hill,
Thursday, 5/22
Johnny Cuomo, LI-based singer-songwriter, Molly Malone’s,
Friday, 5/23
Steve Robinson, LI singer-songwriter, Irish Cottage, 1010 Park Boulevard, Massapequa. 8 p.m. No cover.
Saturday, 5/24
Bob Dylan 67th Birthday Celebration features The Kennedys, Pat Wictor and Johnny Cuomo playing songs by and inspired by Bob as part of the Sunday Street Acoustic Series at the University Café,
David Celia (a talented Toronto-based musician and songwriter whose musical style is a blend of roots rock, folk and pop) and Jim Tepe (a talented local singer-songwriter and guitarist) perform in a basement studio in a private residence in
Susan McKeown, Dublin-born and New York-based songstress, Barbes, 376 9th Street at 6th Avenue, Park Slope, Brooklyn. 10 p.m.
Monday, 5/26
Two Last Turkeys, quintet playing Appalachian string band music, Iona, 180 Grand Street (between Bedford and Driggs), Williamsburg, Brooklyn. 7:30-10 p.m. No cover.
Wednesday, 5/28
Acoustic Long Island has drawn artists from far and wide, and this night features a 45-minute set by its third visiting artist from Utah as Andy Shelton brings his acoustic jazz-folk stylings to the Deepwells Mansion, Route 25A (just west of Moriches Road intersection), St. James. 8-10 p.m. The first hour is an open mic. (www.acousticlongisland.com). Free.
Open Mic, Cool Beanz,
Open Mic, The Cup,
Open Mic, Life Café,
Open Mic, Spike Hill,
Thursday, 5/29
Dan Bern, Music Hall of Willimsburg, 66 North Sixth Street, Wiilliamsburg, Brooklyn. 9 p.m. $20.
Johnny Cuomo, LI-based singer-songwriter, Molly Malone’s,
Free Grass Union, LI-based bluegrass band, Elijah Churchill’s Public House, 1031 Fort Salonga Road (Route 25A), Northport. 7:30-10:30 p.m.
Friday, 5/30
Acoustic blues guitarists Stefan Grossman and Tokio Uchida perform as part of the Traveling Troubadours Series at The Good Coffeehouse Music Parlor at the Brooklyn Society for Ethical Culture, 53 Prospect Park West, Brooklyn. 8 p.m. (www.bsec.org). 718-768-2972. $15; $6 for kids.
Homegrown String Band (Inspired by the rural string bands of the early 20th century, LI’s Jackofsky family has been playings trad. music and lively originals together for more than a decade), Floyd Memorial Library, Greenport. 7 p.m.
Suzanne Vega,
Wretched Refuse String Band , Jalopy, 315 Columbia Street, Brooklyn. 9 p.m. $10.
Saturday, 5/31
Fourteen Feet, LI roots rockers play acoustic, RS Jones, 153 Merrick Avenue, Merrick. 7:30 p.m.
The Tobacco Roadies (a LI-based Americana band featuring singer-songwriter and guitarist Bob Westcott, Ken “The Rocket” Korb on harmonica and mandolin, and Mike DeGeronimo keeping the beat) shares a bill with pianist Jacqueline Schwab (who performs on the soundtrack of Ken Burns’ Grammy-Award winning soundtrack for “Civil War,” among other PBS films) for the Last Licks Café at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Huntington, 190 Browns Road, Huntington. 7:30 p.m. open mic precedes 8:30 p.m. concert. (www.lastlickscafe.org). $15; $13 for seniors and students. Advance tickets can be purchased at brownpapertickets.com.
And coming up in June…
Sunday, 6/1
Brooklyn Songwriters Exchange, Brooklyn Lyceum,
Ponkiesburg Pickin’ Party, weekly traditional acoustic music jam, Kili,
Sunday Street Acoustic Series at the University Café features Steve Tilston, a British singer-songwriter and fingerstyle guitarist, Stony Brook Union building, Stony Brook University. 7 p.m. (www.universitycafe.org). Tickets are $18 if purchased by 5/29 and $22 at the door (if available).
Tuesday, 6/3
Buddy Merriam & Back Roads, LI bluegrass stalwarts, Checkmate Inn,
Wednesday, 6/4
Acoustic Long Island hour-long open mic followed by a 45-minute set by Amy Speace,
Folk Open Sing, sponsored by the Good Coffeehouse and the Pinewoods –Folk Music Society of New York, Ethical Cultural Society building (basement), 53 Prospect Park West (near Second Street), Brooklyn. For information, call Alison Kelley, 718-636-6341.
Open Mic, Cool Beanz,
Open Mic, The Cup,
Open Mic, Life Café,
Open Mic, Spike Hill,
Thursday, 6/5
Johnny Cuomo, LI-based singer-songwriter, Molly Malone’s,
Old Time Jam with Zot’s Dream (jug music featuring banjos, washboard, washtub bass, tin-can drums, etc), Freddy’s
Friday, 6/6
Aztec Two-Step, the harmonious duo of Rex Fowler and Neal Shulman, Boulton Center for the Performing Arts, 37 West Main Street, Bay Shore. 8 p.m. ( www.boultoncenter.com). 631-969-1101. $35.
Island Songwriters Showcase, Border’s Books, Jericho Turnpike, Syosset. 8 p.m. Featured performer followed by an open mic. Those wishing to perform must sign up at 7:30 p.m. (www.islandsongwriters.org).
Cady Finlayson presents an evening of spirited fiddling and Irish ballads at The Good Coffeehouse Music Parlor at the Brooklyn Society for Ethical Culture, 53 Prospect Park West, Brooklyn. 8 p.m. (www.bsec.org). 718-768-2972. $10; $6 for kids.
PeaceSmiths Topical, A-Typical, Folk Music, Poetry and Whatever Coffeehouse, First United Methodist Church,25 Broadway/Route 110 (southernmost end near Merrick Road/Montuak Highway), Amityville. 8 p.m. (www.peacesmiths.org). 631-798-0778. $7 suggested donation.
Gathering Time, acoustic trio with wonderful vocal harmonies (featuring Glen Roethel, Stuart Markus and Hillary Foxsong), The Garden Stage at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Central Nassau,
The Rhythm Kings Acoustic Duo, Popei’s Clam Bar,
Saturday, 6/7
Phil Minissale, the finger-pickin’ good Long Island Blues Boy who’s now 21 and readying to release his debut album, plays the Spoon Coffeehouse, 27A
Amy Speace & The Tear Jerks perform as part of the Folk Music Society of Huntington’s First Saturdays Series, Congregational Church of Huntington,
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