Caffe Lena’s Picks of August 2024

Caffè Lena’s Top Picks for August 2024
A RAINBOW OF AMERICANA AND INDIE FOLK
518 MUSICIANS SUPPORTING EACH OTHER
WOMEN JAZZ GREATS
A FOLK HERITAGE PERFORMER
THIS GLORIOUS EARTH
All events are at Caffè Lena unless otherwise noted
NEWCOMER OF THE MONTH
Rainbow Girls
Genre: Americana/Indie-Folk
Date: Wednesday August 14, 7 p.m.
What: Their sound is a big and boisterous mix of alt-country and Americana, with a bit of ethereal folk thrown in. (Think the Avett Brothers, but all female.)
Sample song: You Must Not Feel the Way I Do
Quote: “A gang of sweet angels punching you in the heart.”
– For Folks Sake
Tickets & Info

COMMUNITY STAGE: JAM SESSIONS, 518 MUSICIANS & WORKSHOPS
Monday Open Mic
Date: Monday August 5, 12, 19, & 26,  7 p.m.
More Info There is no cost, but a $3 – $5 donation is requested.
What: During the past three decades, Lena’s open mic has been recognized with “Best of” awards from Metroland Magazine, The Alt Weekly, The Saratogian Reader’s Poll, and Saratoga’s Fab Five.

MUST SEE
Judith Owen & Her Gentlemen Callers
Genre: Jazz
Date: Saturday August 31, 8 p.m.
What: Join British-born singer Judith Owen and her New Orleans sextet for an electric evening featuring music from her latest release, Judith Owen Comes Alive. Celebrating the music of the female singers, pianists, and band leaders who inspired her as a young woman. Meet the trailblazing, but often forgotten, “Unapologetic” Jazz and Blues ladies of the ‘40s & ‘50s, such as Nellie Lutcher, Julia Lee, and Blossom Dearie, who were singing about sex and enjoying it at a time when women were “supposed” to be singing about romance. Then enjoy Owen’s fabulous, full-tilt interpretations of the powerhouse women who followed, such as Aretha Franklin and Nina Simone.

This hi-octane performance is a throwback with a fresh feel, complete with a look, sound, and style that speaks of these groundbreaking and hugely entertaining women.
Sample song: Trouble in Mind
Press quote: “A bomb of energy, she is magnificent, powerful, inescapable.” – Toutelacutlure.com
Tickets & Info

LIKELY TO SELL OUT
Folk Heritage Series: Al Stewart
Genre: Folk/Blues
Date: Two dates – Tuesday August 27 at 7 p.m. and Wednesday August 28 at 7 p.m.
What: Al Stewart came to stardom as part of the British folk revival of the sixties and seventies. 19 studio albums, top 20 radio chart-toppers and two Platinum records later, he still tours the world year and year out sharing laughter, history lessons and brilliant artistry.
Sample song: Year of the Cat
Press quote: “This venerable singer-songwriter is still doing what he does best, and clearly his best is as good as ever.” – Miami Herald
Tuesday Tickets & Info: August 27
Wednesday Tickets & Info: August 28

PICK OF THE MONTH
This Glorious Earth: Paul Winter with Chuck Lamb
Genre: Jazz/Classical
Date: Two dates – Friday August 23 at 8 p.m. and Saturday August 24 at 8 p.m.
What: This is truly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Known for his profound performances Solstice performances at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in Manhattan, this will be his first time playing in a club setting since he was a young man just embarking on a career that has brought him seven Grammy Awards. The saxophonist, composer and bandleader founded Living Music as the recording context for his ensemble, the Paul Winter Consort, and his community of colleagues, which includes some of the world’s finest jazz, world, and classical musicians, along with notable voices from the great symphony of wildlife. This weekend, Winter will share his wide-ranging experiences in the musical traditions and natural environments of the Earth.

Winter will be joined by resident Jazz at Caffè Lena Series steward, composer, pianist and jazz master Chuck Lamb.  Lamb, who has been a member of the Brubeck Brothers Quartet since 2002, is not only an exciting and emotive pianist in his own right, but also a prolific composer of jazz, fusion, classical and world music.
Sample song: Sun Singer
Quote: “No one in the music world has been more ambitious or creative in exploring the ways musicians can create soundscapes in dialogue with the surrounding world. And he has been doing it for decades, all over the globe, from Siberia to the Grand Canyon. His website notes that Winter has “traveled on rafts, dog sleds, mules, kayaks, tug-boats and Land Rovers” to engage in this lifelong project of musical outreach.” – Ted Gioia, The Honest Broker
Tickets & Info: Friday August 23
Tickets & Info: Saturday August 24