News Our Times

Alisa Amador
&
Genevieve

Friday, March 20 at 8 PM

Next up at Our Times Coffeehouse: a double bill of Alisa Amador and Genevieve.

Alisa Amador’s music is a synthesis of the many styles she has absorbed: rock, jazz, funk and alternative folk, all wrapped in the spirit of the Latin music she grew up with. Vance Gilbert described her style as “Shawn Colvin meets Joni Mitchell has lunch with Amy Winehouse meets Suzanne Vega and Diana Krall.” Her soulful singing, poetically incisive lyrics, and syncopated rhythms are likely to make you cry, laugh and dance all within one set.

A true Renaissance woman, Genevieve recently returned to the US after working with wildlife in the middle of the South African bush. She is now busy building a multi-media platform she refers to as “edutainment.” Combining her music with her award-winning photography and newly published novel, she is using her unusual experiences to create a unique series that combines science and art and champions environmental and other social causes. When she isn’t performing, presenting at schools and community centers, or doing photo shoots, she is advocating for a variety of organizations and writing and producing music for licensing opportunities. Occasionally, she sleeps.

Our Times Coffeehouse is in the Ethical Humanist Society building, 38 Old Country Road, Garden City, two miles west of Meadowbrook Parkway. Doors open at 7:15 PM that evening for ticket sales.  For more information, call 516-741-7304.

The Kennedys

Friday, February 21 at 8 PM

2020 marks the 25th anniversary of River of Fallen Stars, the album that launched the career of The Kennedys. Pete and Maura wrote the songs while touring Ireland and England as members of Nanci Griffith’s Blue Moon Orchestra, and the misty sonic quality of 12-string guitars, combined with lyrics that were poetically and mystically uplifting, gave the record a unique and evocative sound that touched listeners across the US and Europe.

This year, the duo will be playing the entire album in sequence at selected theaters and festivals, with the original arrangements and guitar sounds. It will be the first time many of the songs have ever been heard live on stage. Their hope is that this reboot of River of Fallen Stars will not only evoke happy memories for those who took the album to heart two and a half decades ago, but it might also spark a new cycle of creative inspiration and optimism for kindred jangle poets around the world.

You can hear this amazing performance right here on Long Island on Friday, February 21 at OTC.  The Kennedys are recognized for their harmonies and instrumental prowess, blending elements of country music, bluegrass, Western swing and janglepop. When performing live, Pete plays the acoustic guitar, electric sitar, bass and ukulele, while Maura plays acoustic and electric guitars and uke. They have performed in clubs and theaters throughout the United States, on a cruise, and at Bill Clinton’s first and second inaugurations. The Kennedys were awarded the Kate Wolf Memorial Award by the World Folk Music Association in 2001.

Our Times Coffeehouse is in the Ethical Humanist Society building, 38 Old Country Road, Garden City, two miles west of Meadowbrook Parkway. Doors open at 7:15 PM that evening for ticket sales.  For more information, call 516-741-7304.

Bill Staines

Friday, January 17 at 8 PM

Our Times Coffeehouse is pleased to present folk troubadour Bill Staines, who performs on Friday, January 17, 2020 at 8 PM. Join Bill and the friends of Our Times Coffeehouse welcoming in the New Year and the new decade. This year we are celebrating 30 years of his annual January visits! His wonderful songs, his warm, smooth baritone, his prowess on guitar, his charm and his gentle humor, make Bill Staines one of the most popular singers on the folk music circuit today.

He is also a favorite of other folk singers and a significant influence on many. His songs have been recorded by other musicians, including Peter, Paul & Mary, Nanci Griffith, Makem & Clancy, Grandpa Jones, Priscilla Herdman and Jerry Jeff Walker. Over 80 of Staines’ songs have been published in three songbooks. His radio and television appearances have included A Prairie Home Companion, Mountain Stage, The Good Evening Show, and he has hosted local programs on PBS and network television.

Our Times Coffeehouse is in the Ethical Humanist Society building, 38 Old Country Road, Garden City, two miles west of Meadowbrook Parkway. For more information, call 516-741-7304.

Alice Howe
and
Freebo

Friday, November 15 at 8 PM

Alice Howe and Freebo perform next at the coffeehouse. These two create a memorable evening of music, uniting a folk-rock-blues legend with a young artist becoming well known in the national folk scene.

With her soulful, impeccably tuned voice, Alice Howe is “up there with the very best of Mary Chapin Carpenter, Gretchen Peters and Dar Williams” (Folking.com). Her song “Homeland Blues” debuted as #1 on the April 2017 Folk-DJ chart, and this past May she released her first full-length album, Visions, produced by Freebo.

From world renowned bassist (Bonnie Raitt, CSN, John Mayall, Maria Muldaur, Ringo Starr, Neil Young, Dr. John, Loudon Wainwright) to award-winning singer/songwriter,  folk-rock Blues icon Freebo‘s music touches your heart with songs of life, love, dogs, and the human condition. He is well-regarded for his high level of musicality coupled with his thoughtful and powerful use of words in song lyrics as well as in prose and narrative. He has also appeared on the classic TV shows Saturday Night Live, Midnight Special, The Tonight Show and in concert with the legendary Spinal Tap.

Our Times Coffeehouse is in the Ethical Humanist Society building, 38 Old Country Road, Garden City, two miles west of Meadowbrook Parkway next to the blue water tower. For more information, call 516-741-7304.

Heather Pierson Band

Friday, October 18 at 8 PM

The Heather Pierson Band features three musicians from three very different backgrounds, bringing their skills, quiet charm, and down-to-earth honesty to bear on songs that bring to life the sounds of the streets of New Orleans and the valleys of Appalachia and everywhere in between. Their live performances feature Heather’s multi-genre songwriting, their instrumental virtuosity, and stirring three-part vocal harmonies.

Heather Pierson (lead vocals, acoustic guitar, tenor banjo, piano) is an award-winning singer/songwriter, pianist, and performer. From New Orleans traditional jazz to blues to rousing Americana and poignant folk, Heather’s songs and musicianship embody joy, honesty, and a desire to share from the heart.

Davy Sturtevant (cornet, dobro, fiddle, mandolin, harmony vocals) is a sideman extraordinaire and an accomplished
singer/songwriter of his own, wielding both an arsenal of stringed and brass instruments and a gorgeous tenor voice.

Shawn Nadeau (bass, harmony vocals) is a self-taught phenom who brings an unassuming rock-solid foundation and a keen awareness to every moment of every song, informed by over two decades of wildly varying musical performances, from punk rock to reggae to jazz.

Tom Chapin

Friday, September 20 at 8 PM

We are thrilled to welcome Tom Chapin for the first concert of our 2019-20 season. The clear, gritty, tender poetry of Chapinʼs storytelling rides on top of elegantly sparse musical arrangements. Tom accompanies himself on guitar, banjo, autoharp, and mandolin.

In a career that spans five decades and three Grammy awards, the Hudson Valley troubadour has covered an incredible amount of creative ground. In addition to his work as a recording artist and concert performer, Chapin has acted on Broadway, as well as working extensively in films, television and radio. As a music-maker, the multi-talented singer/songwriter/guitarist has maintained two long and productive parallel careers, both as a highly respected contemporary folk artist and as a pioneer in the field of children’s music. Chapin has established a reputation for insightful, heartfelt songcraft, masterful fingerpicking, and charismatic live performance.

Chapin is a board member of WhyHunger, the organization which Tom’s older brother, the late singer-songwriter/activist Harry Chapin, founded in 1975. He also remains active in a variety of environmental causes, as well as efforts on behalf of music and the arts in our public schools.

House of Hamill

Friday, June 21 at 8 PM

Philadelphia-based Irish/Folk duo House of Hamill takes the stage at Our Times Coffeehouse on Friday, June 21. Both members Rose Baldino and Brian Buchanan are accomplished traditional fiddle players and classical violinists, with over 25 years of writing and performance experience between them. Together, they write unusual new fiddle tunes and exciting, unpredictable original songs while breathing new life into traditional and contemporary songs.

Click here for their song “Pound a Week Rise.”

Both are confident and unique lead vocalists, and the blend of their two voices in harmony is hypnotic and irresistible. Whether House of Hamill is playing songs from their debut album “Wide Awake” (2016) or stomping through a set of original jigs and reels from their follow-up “March Through Storms” (2018), their chemistry onstage is always engaging and often hilarious. In the summer of 2018, their quirky all-violin cover of “Sweet Child Of Mine” went viral, amassing over 15 million views and more than 400,000 shares on Facebook in just a few weeks, and was picked up by publications all over the world.

AT THIS SHOW: raffle tickets, $5 each, for a pair of tickets that are worth $400 at this year’s Falcon Ridge Folk Festival. Includes three days of festival and camping.

Matt Nakoa

Friday, May 17 at 8 PM

Matt Nakoa grew up on a small goat farm in Smyrna, NY and began composing music as a teenager. Following a formative stint as a classical pianist, Matt won scholarship to attend Berklee College of Music in Boston. There he studied alongside soon-to-be Grammy winners St. Vincent and Esperanza Spaulding, among others. After college, Matt toured with his band, The Fens, and eventually landed in New York City’s vibrant piano bar scene. Matt quickly became a star performer at Manhattan’s Brandy’s Piano Bar, with lines outside the door each Saturday night. He was dubbed the “Most Wanted Artist” at the Falcon Ridge Folk Festival in 2014.

Matt’s first solo album, Light In The Dark (2012), is an eclectic pop opus. In contrast, A Dozen Other Loves (2014), explores a simple acoustic palette. This intimate collection has earned many songwriting awards, including a win at Kerrville Folk Festival’s prestigious New Folk Competition. Additionally, Matt’s piano music has received favorable reviews in publications including The New York Times, and his film scoring has been featured by Disney. Matt now tours internationally, recently performing at The White House, throughout India, and regularly with folk music icon Tom Rush.

Double Bill
Joshua Garcia

Mark Wahl

Friday, March 15 at 8 PM

Joshua Garcia is a folk singer-songwriter whose music and writing style draw from the influences of his musical heroes Woody Guthrie, Bob Dylan, and Johnny Cash. Born and raised in Los Angeles, Joshua now resides in Astoria, Queens. His strong baritone and wide-ranging blues style guitar work combine with a deadpan sense of humor.

Mark Wahl is a singer-songwriter, guitarist and luthier. Mark’s songs are often poignant vignettes with powerful use of metaphor and simple, compelling melodies. His full-time passion is making and repairing fine guitars, and says, “When I need a break I play them and write songs. I’m a lucky guy.”

Little Toby Walker

Friday, February 15 at 8 PM

Internationally and nationally acclaimed Toby Walker has been hailed as a roots music fingerstyle guitar wizard. He has toured the US, England, Wales, France, Scotland, Germany, Belgium, Austria, Cyprus, Canada, and Holland. Walker has been featured in The New York Times, the London Sunday Times, the London BBC, Sirius-XM radio and was the first place recipient of the International Blues Challenge Award, Solo division, given out by the Blues Foundation in Memphis, TN. 

Walker blends the styles of blues, ragtime, country, bluegrass, rock and old time jazz into his own unique style.  Jorma Kaukonen of Hot Tuna and the Jefferson Airplane says “Flat out… you have to hear this great musician… I’m blown away” and employed Walker to teach at his famous Fur Peace Ranch Guitar Camp for several years. In 2010 Walker won the NY Music Award for “Best Instrumental CD,” sharing the honors with Mariah Carey, Rufus Wainwright and Judy Collins among many others. Carnegie Hall acknowledged his rare talents and  hired him to augment and teach in their “American Roots” program aimed at honor level middle school students.

Toby’s passion for blues, rags, folk, and other traditional American music drove him to leave an apartment crammed full of recordings, books and instruments for the Mississippi Delta, Virginia and the Carolinas where he tracked down some of the more obscure – but immensely talented – music makers of an earlier era. He learned directly from Eugene Powell, James “Son” Thomas, Etta Baker, and R.L. Burnside, among others. Click here for his fabulous rendition of “The Bootlegger’s Blues.”