Caffe Lena – Week at a Glance

Greetings – For this first newsletter of the new year, I’m happy to share some great news: our Annual Fund Drive was a success! The goal was $75,000. The final tally: $88,212! We never take your support for granted. We know you care about many causes, and nonprofits doing important work are all vying for your attention. The fact that you share our faith in the power of music, and in Caffe Lena’s special way of delivering it, means the world to us. We pledge to make the best use of the opportunity you’ve given us to bring music, learning and connection to our stage and to the wider community in the coming year. Thank you.

The sleeper show in this week’s lineup is Thursday’s concert by Alla Boara. This is part of our Nordlys Global Voices Series. It will come as no suprise that there are fewer bands from overseas touring in the USA this year. We’re keeping the series going by finding bands based in the USA carrying on global roots traditions. Band leader Anthony Taddeo discovered Italian folksongs via Alan Lomax’s field recordings of Italian-American immigrants in the 1950s. Taddeo was a student at the New School for Jazz & Contemporary Music at the time. As a graduate student he immersed himself in the ancient regional styles of Italy, and introduced jazz elements to update the pieces for modern audiences. The result is this 6-piece ensemble of spirited, inventive jazz artists playing Italian songs that date back hundreds of years. You’re not going to hear this anywhere else, so come on Thursday and enjoy something truly fresh & exciting!

See you at the show,
Sarah