Compiled by Michael Kornfeld
More than 125 concerts, open mics and jam sessions slated for October through mid-November 2008 appear in this installment of the Long Island AcoustiCalendar. In addition to a lot of talented homegrown talent, touring artists of note visiting
Wednesday, 10/1
Acoustic Long Island features three 30-minute sets by emerging artists on the singer-songwriter scene from the New York metropolitan area (Ron Renninger, Gretchen Witt and Andrew Fortier), 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 2nd 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,
Roots n’ Ruckus, a night of folk, old-time and blues music, at Jalopy,
Thursday, 10/2
Phil Minissale, the finger-pickin’ good Long Island Blues Boy who’s now 21, plays Toast Coffeehouse,
Old Time Jam with Zot’s Dream (jug music featuring banjos, washboard, washtub bass, tin-can drums, etc), Freddy’s
Friday, 10/3
First Friday Bluegrass Night features Royal Pine and Fresh Baked, at Jalopy,
Freebo, singer-songwriter and former bass player-band member with Bonnie Raitt, performs for the Garden Stage at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Central Nassau,
Joe Iadanza, LI-based singer-songwriter and folk-rock artist, performs a 45-minute set of original songs from his new album, Traveling Salesman, showcasing his percussive fingerstyle guitar grooves and soaring poetic vocals, and later joins Brooklyn-based alt-country/folk singer-songwriter Larrin Gerard on a few numbers during her set, at Once & For All, 8 East Main Street, Patchogue. 9 p.m. No cover.
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).
Bill Carney’s Jug Addicts, lively Brooklyn-based jug band, performs Barbes,
James O’Malley, a gifted and gentle-voiced LI-based singer-songwriter and two-time finalist in the Plowshares Songwriting Contest, performs as part of the BNL Music Club’s concert series, Brookhaven Center at Brookhaven National Laboratory, William Floyd Parkway (1.5 miles north of Exit 68 on the Long Island Expressway), Upton. 7 p.m. 631-344-5139. $10. All visitors to the Laboratory ages 16 and over must bring a photo ID.
PeaceSmiths Topical, A-Typical, Folk Music, Poetry and Whatever Coffeehouse features composer, singer and instrumentalist George Mann and Friends, along with new age acoustic guitarist Jeff Curits and a few numbers by Sonny Meadows, First United Methodist Church, 25 Broadway/Route 110 (southernmost end near Merrick Road/Montauk Highway), Amityville. 8 p.m. (www.peacesmiths.org). 631-798-0778. $7 suggested donation.
Brett Ratliff, Appalachian traditional singer & musician, performs as part of the Traveling Troubadour Concert Series at The Good Coffeehouse Music Parlor at the Brooklyn Society for Ethical Culture, 53 Prospect Park West,
The Rhythm Kings Acoustic Duo, Popei’s Clam Bar, 451 Middle Country Road (Route 25A), Coram. 9 p.m.-midnight.
Saturday, 10/4
Little Toby Walker, masterful fingerstyle country blues guitarist and all-around entertainer, returns to Long Island to celebrate the release of both a new CD and DVD as he opens the 40th season of the Folk Music Society of Huntington’s First Saturdays Series, Congregational Church of Huntington, 30 Washington Drive (just off Route 25A), Centerport. 8:30 p.m. concert is preceded by an hour-long open mic at 7:30 p.m. (www.fmshny.org). 631-425-2925. $20 in advance; $22 at the door; $15 for FMSH members. Tickets available in advance via Brown Paper Tickets. Toby, who teaches at Jorma Kaukonen’s Fur Peace Ranch Guitar Camp, also will conduct a guitar workshop from 3-5 p.m. Participation is limited and advance registration is necessary. $35.
Miller’s Crossing, a LI-based bluegrass group whose repertoire is comprised primarily of originals, performs during the Harvest Festival at Palmer Vineyards,
Saturday Night Jam, Sunny’s,
Smokey’s Western Roundup, western swing, Jalopy,
Sunday, 10/5
Sunday Street Acoustic Series at the University Café features Eilen Jewel and her band performing a mix of originals and timeless folk, country, jazz and blues standards (Phil Minissale, the Long Island Blues Boy, opens), Stony Brook Union building, Stony Brook University. 2 p.m. (www.universitycafe.org). Tickets are $15 in advance and $20 at the door (if available).
Ponkiesburg Pickin’ Party, weekly traditional acoustic music jam features dashes of country, old-time, bluegrass, blues and folk at Kili, 81 Hoyt Street (between State & Atlantic), Brooklyn. 4:30-7:30 p.m.
Hank Stone, LI-based singer-songwriter, performs at Gabrielsen’s Country Farm,
Stephane Wrembel presents The Django Experiment, French virtuoso guitarists plays in Reinhardt’s style, Barbes,
Monday, 10/6
Open Mike with Dave Drew, Bartini Bar,
Tuesday, 10/7
Buddy Merriam & Back Roads, LI bluegrass stalwarts, Checkmate Inn,
Wednesday, 10/8
Open Mic, Cool Beanz,
Open Mic, The Cup,
Open Mic, Life Café,
Open Mic, Spike Hill,
Roots n’ Ruckus, a night of folk, old-time and blues music, at Jalopy,
Thursday, 10/9
Open Mic Night, hosted by talented singer-songwriter and percussive fingerstyle guitarist Joe Iadanza, features music and poetry (tonight’s featured act is poet Kempton Van Hoff), Canvas Gallery,
Friday, 10/10
Johnny Cuomo, LI-based acoustic roots artist, plays the Grounds and Sounds Café at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Stony Brook on
Grand Folk Railroad ((Susan Cohen and Mike Christian), Once & For All,
Saturday, 10/11
Iain Campbell Smith, a gifted and witty singer-songwriter on tour from the land down under, performs for The Eclectic Café at the Unitarian Universalist Society of South Suffolk,
Lucy Kaplansky, one of the finest contemporary singer-songwriters, Boulton Center for the Performing Arts, 37 West Main Street, Bay Shore. (www.boultoncenter.org). 631-969-1101. 8 p.m. $35; $30 for members.
Live at the Conklin Barn, an evening of acoustic music arranged by local singer songwriter Roger Silverberg and also featuring Deborah Lombardi, Phil Kennelty , and Open Book (a talented duo from NYC’s northern suburbs), at the historic Conklin Barn, New York Avenue (Route 110), just south of High Street, Huntington. 8 p.m. $10, includes refreshments.
Buddy Merriam and Back Roads play bluegrass music during a Harvest Festival at Palmer Vineyards,
The Folk-Groovin’ Café,
Saturday Night Jam, Sunny’s,
An Acoustic Evening with John Sebastian and David Grisman, Inter
Smokey’s Roundup, western swing at Barbes,
The Steve Edwards All-Star Acoustic Revue features performance by Homegrown String Band and others on the New York Avenue Acoustic Stage during the 2008 Long Island Fall Festival at
Sunday, 10/12
Folk Jam and Sing-Along sponsored by the Folk Music Society of Huntington, a monthly gathering for mostly amateur musicians and those who love to sing, 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.
Gathering Time, folk-rock harmony trio (featuring Glen Roethel, Stuart Markus and Hillary Foxsong) that has been capturing attention and fans with its spirited blend of folk and acoustic originals, stylistic interpretations of choice covers, and wonderful three-part vocal harmonies, and friends play the New York Avenue Acoustic Stage during the 2008 Long Island Fall Festival at Huntington. Also in and around
Buddy Merriam and Back Roads play bluegrass music during a Harvest Festival at Palmer Vineyards,
Ponkiesburg Pickin’ Party, weekly traditional acoustic music jam features dashes of country, old-time, bluegrass, blues and folk at Kili, 81 Hoyt Street (between State & Atlantic), Brooklyn. 4:30-7:30 p.m.
Stephane Wrembel presents The Django Experiment, French virtuoso guitarists plays in Reinhardt’s style, Barbes,
Monday, 10/13
Buddy Merriam and Back Roads play bluegrass music during a Harvest Festival at Palmer Vineyards,
Open Mike with Dave Drew, Bartini Bar,
Wednesday, 10/15
Acoustic Strings N Things, presented by the Smithtown Township Arts Council, includes an open mic and featured performers, Mills Pond House, 660 Route 25A,
The Long Island Fingerstyle Guitar Club hosts an open mic night at Westbury Friends Meeting House,
Open Mic, Cool Beanz,
Open Mic, The Cup,
Open Mic, Life Café,
Open Mic, Spike Hill,
Roots n’ Ruckus, a night of folk, old-time and blues music, at Jalopy,
Thursday, 10/16
The Kings County Opry presents an evening of old-time, old style and bluegrass music at Freddy’s,
Phil Minissale, the finger-pickin’ good Long Island Blues Boy who’s now 21 and sporting his new debut release, plays some tasty tunes at Bobbique,
Friday, 10/17
Bluegrass music with Five Deadly Venom (9 p.m.) and Astrograss (10:30 p.m.), Jalopy,
Magpie, husband and wife folk duo, Our Times Coffeehouse, Ethical Humanist Society building,
Saturday, 10/18
Folk Music Society of Huntington’s Hard Luck Café features Lara Herscovitch (an award-winning, Connecticut-based singer-songwriter, whose music blends acoustic/folk, pop and world styles) and LI’s own David Bailey at the Congregational Church of Huntington, 30 Washington Drive (just off Route 25A), Centerport. 8:30 p.m. concert is preceded by an hour-long open mic at 7:30 p.m. (www.fmshny.org). 631-425-2925. $10; $7 for FMSH members.
Miller’s Crossing, a LI-based bluegrass group whose repertoire is comprised primarily of originals, performs during the Harvest Festival at Palmer Vineyards,
Sunday, 10/19
Marshall Crenshaw, a singer-songwriter who has penned such songs as “Someday, Someway” (1982) and the title track from 2007 film “Walk Hard,” performs as part of the Sunday Street Acoustic Series at the University Café, Stony Brook Union building, Stony Brook University. 2 p.m. (www.universitycafe.org). Tickets are $25 in advance and $30 at the door (if available).
Miller’s Crossing plays bluegrass music during a Harvest Festival at Palmer Vineyards,
Ponkiesburg Pickin’ Party, weekly traditional acoustic music jam features dashes of country, old-time, bluegrass, blues and folk at Kili, 81 Hoyt Street (between State & Atlantic), Brooklyn. 4:30-7:30 p.m.
Saturday Night Jam, Sunny’s,
Stephane Wrembel presents The Django Experiment, French virtuoso guitarists plays in Reinhardt’s style, Barbes,
Monday, 10/20
Open Mike with Dave Drew, Bartini Bar,
Tuesday, 10/21
Brooklyn Songwriters Exchange hosted by local songwriter Rebecca Pronsky and featuring Jack Grace Band and Libby Johnson, Union Hall,
Wednesday, 10/22
Acoustic Strings N Things, presented by the Smithtown Township Arts Council, includes an open mic and featured performers, Mills Pond House, 660 Route 25A,
Open Mic, Cool Beanz,
Open Mic, The Cup,
Open Mic, Life Café,
Open Mic, Spike Hill,
Roots n’ Ruckus, a night of folk, old-time and blues music, at Jalopy,
Thursday, 10/23
Metropolitan Klezmer at Jalopy,
Friday, 10/24
Chad and Jeremy, the folk-rock duo that was part of 1960s “British Invasion” of our shores, Boulton Center for the Performing Arts, 37 West Main Street, Bay Shore. (www.boultoncenter.org). 631-969-1101. $40; $35 for members.
Paul Geremia, noted blues guitarist and singer, performs as part of the Traveling Troubadour Concert Series at The Good Coffeehouse Music Parlor in the Brooklyn Society for Ethical Culture building, 53 Prospect Park West at 2nd Street, Park Slope, Brooklyn. 8 p.m. (www.gchmusic.org). 718-768-2972. $15; $6 for children.
Saturday, 10/25
Buddy Merriam and Back Roads play bluegrass music during a Harvest Festival at Palmer Vineyards,
The Mud Brothers, an old-timey string quartet, Barbes, 376 9th Street (corner of 6th Avenue), Park Slope, Brooklyn. 8 p.m.
The Song Box presents a guitar-fiddle duo featuring Russ Seeger and Jason Bergman on a co-bill with a new LI-based trio comprised of Cecilia Kirtland, Leslie Zimei and Maag Stanley, performing in a basement studio in a private residence in
Saturday Night Jam, Sunny’s,
Livingston Taylor, a wonderful singer-songwriter who really connects with audiences, helps launch a new "First Acoustics" folk and jazz concert series at the First Unitarian Congregational Society in Brooklyn, Pierrepont Street and Monroe Place, Brooklyn Heights. 8 p.m. (www.firstacoustics.org). 718-288-5994. $25, $30.
Sunday, 10/26
4th Annual Celebration of Long Island Talent, hosted by WFUV’s John Platt, features Johnny Cuomo (folk, roots and Celtic artist), Caroline Doctorow (singer-songwriter, whose latest album celebrates the music of Richard and Mimi Farina), Homegrown String Band ((inspired by the rural string bands of the early 20th century, LI’s Jackofsky family has been performing trad. music and lively originals together for more than a decade), Joe Iadanza (singer-songwriter and folk-rock artist, whose new debut album, Traveling Salesman, showcases his percussive fingerstyle guitar grooves and soaring poetic vocals) and Lois Morton (a singer-songwriter with a flair for writing witty songs), Lapham Meeting Room at the Port Washington Public Library, One Library Road, Port Washington. 2-5 p.m. Free.
Folk Music Society of Huntington’s 40th Anniversary Luncheon, Meehan’s, 371
Buddy Merriam and Back Roads play bluegrass music during a Harvest Festival at Palmer Vineyards,
Ponkiesburg Pickin’ Party, weekly traditional acoustic music jam features dashes of country, old-time, bluegrass, blues and folk at Kili, 81 Hoyt Street (between State & Atlantic), Brooklyn. 4:30-7:30 p.m.
Monday, 10/27
Open Mike with Dave Drew, Bartini Bar,
Wednesday, 10/29
Acoustic Strings N Things, presented by the Smithtown Township Arts Council, includes an open mic and featured performers, Mills Pond House, 660 Route 25A,
Open Mic, Cool Beanz,
Open Mic, The Cup,
Open Mic, Life Café,
Open Mic, Spike Hill,
Roots n’ Ruckus, a night of folk, old-time and blues music, at Jalopy,
Thursday, 10/30
Arlo Guthrie and Jean Ritchie are among those slated for induction into the Long Island Music Hall of Fame during its second induction award ceremony and fundraising gala at the Garden City Hotel in Garden City. For more information, call 631-828-3914.
Coming Up in November …
Saturday, 11/1
Saturday Night Jam, Sunny’s,
Susan Werner, a gifted, witty and versatile singer-songwriters and all-around entertainer, who is among the best live performers on the scene today, makes a return visit to LI as part of the 4oth season of the Folk Music Society of Huntington’s First Saturdays Series, Congregational Church of Huntington, 30 Washington Drive (just off Route 25A), Centerport. 8:30 p.m. concert is preceded by an hour-long open mic at 7:30 p.m. (www.fmshny.org). 631-425-2925. $23 in advance; $25 at the door; $18 for FMSH members. Tickets available in advance via Brown Paper Tickets.
Sunday, 11/2
Pat Cannon & her Foot and Fiddle present a blend of dance and musical styles (including clogging, square dancing, tap, Irish step dancing, country music, bluegrass, swing and Cajun) at the Patchogue Theater for the Performing Arts, 71 East Main Street, Patchogue. (www.patchoguetheater.com). 3 p.m. $14.
Bennett Harris, fingerstyle blues guitarist, with Gary Brooks on bass, Farmingdale Public Library,
Sunday Street Acoustic Series at the University Café features singer-songwriter Terence Martin, making his fourth visit (opener Caroline Doctorow will perform songs from her new CD celebrating the music of Richard and Mimi Farina), Stony Brook Union building, Stony Brook University. 2 p.m. (www.universitycafe.org). Tickets are $15 in advance and $20 at the door (if available).
Monday, 11/3
Open Mike with Dave Drew, Bartini Bar,
Wednesday, 11/5
Acoustic Long Island features featuring three 30-minute sets by emerging artists on the singer-songwriter scene, 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 2nd Street), Brooklyn. For information, call Alison Kelley, 718-636-6341.
Thursday, 11/6
Phil Minissale, the finger-pickin’ good Long Island Blues Boy who’s now 21 and touting his debut CD, plays Toast Coffeehouse,
Return to the Dream (Martha Trachtenberg, Tom Griffith, Diane Garisto and Andy Huenerberg), along with singer-songwriters Laura Jean Binkley and David Dircks(host of Acoustic Long Island in St. James), perform as part of the Live in the Lobby series at the Patchogue Theater for the Performing Arts, 71 East Main Street, Patchogue. (www.LiveinTheLobby.org). 631-207-1313. 7:30 p.m. $10.
Friday, 11/7
Jud Caswell, a gifted singer-songwriter from Maine, who has garnered well-deserved recognition and awards for his well-crafted songs, which he delivers in a warm and resonant voice, aided by his solid fingerstyle guitar playing, performs at The Good Coffeehouse Music Parlor in the Brooklyn Society for Ethical Culture building, 53 Prospect Park West at 2nd Street, Park Slope, Brooklyn. 8 p.m. (www.gchmusic.org). 718-768-2972. $10; $6 for children.
First Friday Bluegrass Night,
Bennett Harris, fingerstyle blues guitarist, with Gary Brooks on bass, Syosset Public Library,
Island Songwriters Showcase, Border’s Books, Jericho Turnpike, Syosset. 8 p.m. Featured performers to be announced, followed by an open mic. Those wishing to perform must sign-up with Vinny Crici at 7:30 p.m. (www.islandsongwriters.org).
Ken Whiteley, a top-notch Canadian roots musician, songwriter and producer, makes a rare
Saturday, 11/8
The Eclectic Café features singer-songwriter James Lee Stanley at the Unitarian Universalist Society of South Suffolk,
The Folk-Groovin’ Café,
Saturday Night Jam, Sunny’s,
Sunday, 11/9
Folk Jam & Sing-Along sponsored by the Folk Music Society of Huntington, a monthly gathering for mostly amateur musicians and those who love to sing, 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.
Bennett Harris, finger-style blues guitarist, with Gary Brooks on bass, Baldwin Public Library,
Sunday Street Acoustic Series at the University Café features Mary McCaslin (an influential singer-songwriter and song stylist) on a co-bill with Mustard’s Retreat (Michigan-based duo of David Tamulevich and Michael Hough now celebrating their 30th anniversary as performers), Stony Brook Union building, Stony Brook University. 2 p.m. (www.universitycafe.org). Tickets are $20 in advance and $25 at the door (if available).
Ponkiesburg Pickin’ Party, weekly traditional acoustic music jam features dashes of country, old-time, bluegrass, blues and folk at Kili, 81 Hoyt Street (between State & Atlantic), Brooklyn. 4:30-7:30 p.m.
Monday, 11/10
Country Blues Jam at Jalopy,
Open Mike with Dave Drew, Bartini Bar,
Wednesday, 11/12
Acoustic Strings N Things, presented by the Smithtown Township Arts Council, includes an open mic and featured performers, Mills Pond House, 660 Route 25A,
Open Mic, Cool Beanz,
Open Mic, The Cup,
Open Mic, Life Café,
Open Mic, Spike Hill,
Roots n’ Ruckus, a night of folk, old-time and blues music, at Jalopy,
Thursday, 11/13
Open Mic Night, featuring music and poetry, Canvas Gallery,
Friday, 11/14
Shawn Colvin, contemporary singer-songwriter, Boulton Center for the Performing Arts, 37 West Main Street, Bay Shore. (www.boultoncenter.org). 631-969-1101. $60; $55 for members.
Grounds and Sounds Café at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Stony Brook on
Saturday, 11/15
Bethany and Rufus, "First Acoustics" concert series, First Unitarian Congregational Society in Brooklyn, Pierrepont Street and Monroe Place, Brooklyn Heights. 8 p.m. (www.firstacoustics.org). 718-288-5994. $25, $30.
Folk Music Society of
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