“With three strong songwriters whose voices blend beautifully, the future of the folk trio is in good hands. Gathering Time has really come into its own with Keepsake.” – Graham Dean, WBCR, Great Barrington, MA and WRPI, Troy, NY
Voted best band runner-up (and top folk band) in the 2011 Long Island Press readers’ poll, Gathering Time is like a high-energy Peter, Paul & Mary or a co-ed Crosby, Stills & Nash, with various parts of The Byrds, Joni Mitchell, the Eagles and America mixed in; a head-turning folk-rock harmony trio described recently as “getting a whole beehive-full of buzz” on the northeast regional folk scene.
No less an authority than WFUV’s John Platt has written that they are “among the finest performers in the New York metropolitan area, whatever the size of the venue, from a house concert to an outdoor festival,” with “harmonies that can charm the birds out of the trees, strong original songs, and a savvy repertoire of cover songs, ranging from traditional folk to classic rock. They appeal to audiences of all ages.”
Special Guest Mara Levine:
Called “one of the best singers of her generation” by Christine Lavin, folksinger and jewelry designer Mara Levine has been creating beautiful interpretations of fine traditional and contemporary folk songs for many years. She has an ear for both new songs and for classics that can be reshaped to sound fresh and new.
Levine’s album Jewels and Harmony was the #1 album on folk radio in January, 2013 and also had the top two songs – “The Dutchman” and “When I Sing With You.” Her version of Bob Franke’s “Straw Against the Chill” with Joe Jencks and her arrangement of Paul Simon’s “Leaves That Are Green” with Gathering Time both reached #1 as singles on the Folk Radio Chart, and Jewels and Harmony was the #3 album for 2013.
Join us for an exhilarating evening of great music in the intimate setting of the Our Times Coffeehouse.
Suggested Donations For This Performance:
Adults: $15
Students (w/IDs): $10 Children under 12: $6 (very young children are free) Tickets on sale at the door. Sorry, no pre-sales are available.
The Our Times Coffeehouse, staffed entirely with volunteers, has been presenting live music for over 26 years. OTC is dedicated to supporting affordable folk music on Long Island, and over the years has hosted hundreds of outstanding performers in a warm, intimate setting. The Our Times Coffeehouse is a joint project of the Ethical Humanist Society of Long Island (EHS) and the Long Island Progressive Coalition (LIPC), with the assistance of the Research and Education Project of Long Island (REP-LI).
Singer-songwriter: acoustic guitar, harmonica, vocals – contemporary folk with touches of gospel, blues, jazz and pop
Born and raised in Johannesburg, South Africa, TOBY has immersed himself in all genres of American Music of the last 50 years. His interest in African Rhythms & World Music, coupled with his keen ear for highly intuitive arrangements, has been the hallmark of his writing and performance styles, and he has garnered a strong following of listeners on Long Island and beyond. A graduate of the prestigious Rubin Academy of Music in Jerusalem Israel, he continues to search for material that stays as close to his musical roots as possible while at the same time reaching for new and exciting musical universes.
THE TOBY TOBIAS ENSEMBLE is a Long Island-based band, under the direction of South African-born guitarist and composer, Toby Tobias. The music of THE TOBY TOBIAS ENSEMBLE can best be described as Modern Folk/Jazz, influenced by Funk & World Rhythms. This description, however, does not do justice to the fantastic arrangements and joyful exhilarating sounds of the band. The Ensemble is comprised of some of Long Island’s best and most innovative musicians. Together they have strung together an impressive and eclectic array of original and popular tunes which they perform and have performed at numerous venues throughout Long Island & NYC over the past several years. From a simple duo to a 7-piece larger Ensemble, they have found the right mix of songs, orchestration and performance ability to delight and enthrall crowds wherever they have the opportunity to perform.
Join us for an exhilarating evening of great music in the intimate setting of the Our Times Coffeehouse.
Suggested Donations For This Performance:
Adults: $15
Students (w/IDs): $10 Children under 12: $6 (very young children are free) Tickets on sale at the door.
Sorry, no pre-sales are available.
The Our Times Coffeehouse, staffed entirely with volunteers, has been presenting live music for over 25 years. OTC is dedicated to supporting affordable folk music on Long Island, and over the years has hosted hundreds of outstanding performers in a warm, intimate setting. The Our Times Coffeehouse is a joint project of the Ethical Humanist Society of Long Island (EHS) and the Long Island Progressive Coalition (LIPC), with the assistance of the Research and Education Project of Long Island (REP-LI).
The Our Times Coffeehouse is proud to present Greg Greenway and Pat Wictor from Borther Sun. They will be performing as a duo. They celebrate the amazing power of two-part male harmonies, singing contemporary folk with touches of gospel, blues, jazz and pop.
Join us for an exhilarating evening of great music in the intimate setting of the
Our Times Coffeehouse.
Suggested Donations For This Performance:
Adults: $20
Students (w/IDs): $10 Children under 12: $6 (very young children are free) Tickets on sale at the door. Sorry, no pre-sales are available.
The Our Times Coffeehouse, staffed entirely with volunteers, has been presenting live music for over 25 years. OTC is dedicated to supporting affordable folk music on Long Island, and over the years has hosted hundreds of outstanding performers in a warm, intimate setting. The Our Times Coffeehouse is a joint project of the Ethical Humanist Society of Long Island (EHS) and the Long Island Progressive Coalition (LIPC), with the assistance of the Research and Education Project of Long Island (REP-LI).
Our Times Coffeehouse is proud to present The Levins, whose My Friend Hafiz CD was selected by WFUV’s John Platt as a top 10 CD of 2013.
Their harmony-driven acoustic music features both guitar and piano, along with tightly blended unison vocals. They are 2014 Falcon Ridge Emerging Artists, Connecticut Folk Festival Songwriter winners and South Florida Folk Festival Songwriter Finalists. Their albums have garnered invitations to collaborate and perform nationally and in Amsterdam and England. Their new CD Trust hit the Top Ten on the Folk DJ charts. “Their voices fit together like water and ice, like heat and steam,” wrote R. Cuccaro in Acoustic Live NYC & Beyond.
Ira and Julia met at an open mic at the Freight and Salvage in Berkeley, CA at a singer/songwriter competition. They married in 2002 and in late 2010, they left their respective bands—as well as their comfort zones on the West Coast—and moved to New York to pursue music full-time, together.
Join us for their exhilarating performance in the intimate setting of Our Times Coffeehouse.
Suggested Donations:
Adults: $15
Students (w/IDs): $10 Children under 12: $6 (very young children are free) Tickets on sale at the door. Sorry, no pre-sales are available.
The Our Times Coffeehouse, staffed entirely with volunteers, has been presenting live music for over 25 years. OTC is dedicated to supporting affordable folk music on Long Island, and over the years has hosted hundreds of outstanding performers in a warm, intimate setting. The Our Times Coffeehouse is a joint project of the Ethical Humanist Society of Long Island (EHS) and the Long Island Progressive Coalition (LIPC), with the assistance of the Research and Education Project of Long Island (REP-LI).
This evening of music features two very talented singer/songwriters: Josh Joffen and James O’Malley. These original and energetic artists will perform both separately and do a few songs together, all starting at 8 PM at the coffeehouse.
Josh Joffen
JOSH JOFFEN is a two-time winner of the Kerrville Folk Festival’s songwriter competition. The son of a schoolteacher and a rabbi-turned-artist who met at a chess club in Greenwich Village, Josh made his own pilgrimage to the Village after college to learn the art and craft of songwriting and performing. He learned well; Josh has been a featured artist at festivals, clubs, coffeehouses, house concerts, and colleges around the North and Southeast. Good Times Magazine declared, “Eventually, we could see Joffen’s name listed along with artists such as John Hiatt, Jon Tiven, and David Olney in terms of songwriting – the compositions, melodies, and most of all the soul on display here are all first rate. . .Score one for Long Island for a change; Joffen’s sometimes jazzy tempos but always heartfelt lyrics will prove he’s a force to be reckoned with in coming years.”
JAMES O’MALLEY is a hugely talented lyricist and musician who writes knowingly of life’s foibles, triumphs and defeats. He delivers his songs in a subtle, whispering tenor that completely draws the listener into the story he is telling. Critics praise the New York area artist’s warm melodies, story-telling abilities and his way of charming audiences. “He is an accomplished finger-style guitarist whose singing will remind you of a genial Paul Simon and his engaging stage presence makes him a must see performer,” said Music Matters in a 2015 review of his latest album. “The vocals and guitar tell his stories with just a light touch of instrumental support. This is O’Malley’s best work yet. Here is an artist who knows how to take sweetness seriously. O’Malley’s melodies catch your attention from the first listen.”
Our Times Coffeehouse, staffed entirely with volunteers, has been presenting live music for over 25 years. OTC is dedicated to supporting affordable folk music on Long Island, and over the years has hosted hundreds of outstanding performers in a warm, intimate setting. The Our Times Coffeehouse is a joint project of the Ethical Humanist Society of Long Island (EHS) and the Long Island Progressive Coalition (LIPC), with the assistance of the Research and Education Project of Long Island (REP-LI).
Suggested Donations:
Adults: $15
Students (w/IDs): $10 Children under 12: $6 (very young children are free) Tickets on sale at the door. Sorry, no pre-sales are available.
Our Times Coffeehouse is pleased to do right by St. Patrick with a double feature of the Irish: red-headed “tornado of sound” Rorie Kelly and the totally original and engaging Honor Finnegan, once a finalist in the Paddy Music Expo in Limerick.
Rorie Kelly
RORIE KELLY – “Independent, free, and full of complexity. Difficult to cage. Rorie Kelly is that type of indie rock,” wrote LI Pulse Magazine. Kelly’s aggressive acoustic guitar style complements her raw, powerhouse vocals. First-time listeners often comment, “I can’t believe that voice came out of that body.” She has released two albums and in 2014 the singer/songwriter toured the country, showcasing at SXSW in Austin, summer NAMM in Nashville and at home in New York City and LI. This past year she performed all over the Northeast and is currently working on a new album.
HONOR FINNEGAN – is the Susan Boyle of quirky indie folk, only hotter. Her songs are humorous, then heartbreaking, with melodies that soar. Based in NYC, she has been making a splash in the northeastern regional folk scene with her original songs and ukulele playing. She combines elements of musical theater, comedy, traditional folk and poetry. Finnegan has shared the stage with Buskin & Batteau, Sloan Wainwright, and David Massengill. She is a member of Tribes Hill, a folk music collective based in the Hudson Valley and a finalist in the 2011 Connecticut Folk Festival Songwriting Competition..
Our Times Coffeehouse, staffed entirely with volunteers, has been presenting live music for over 25 years. OTC is dedicated to supporting affordable folk music on Long Island, and over the years has hosted hundreds of outstanding performers in a warm, intimate setting. The Our Times Coffeehouse is a joint project of the Ethical Humanist Society of Long Island (EHS) and the Long Island Progressive Coalition (LIPC), with the assistance of the Research and Education Project of Long Island (REP-LI).
Suggested Donations:
Adults: $15
Students (w/IDs): $10 Children under 12: $6 (very young children are free) Tickets on sale at the door. Sorry, no pre-sales are available.
Cathy Kreger – “Her voice could make a bulldog break his leash to hug a hound!” says one fanatic fan. Armed with only an acoustic guitar and a voice as clear as cool water, Cathy Kreger delivers more pure music per minute than a bevy of roadhouse rockers. Her irresistible voice and guitar has earned her a place on stage with world-class acts, including: Bonnie Raitt, David Bromberg, The Band, Patty Larkin, Maria Muldaur, Taj Mahal and Aztec Two-Step.
For over 20 years, this girl and her guitar have been touring throughout the Northeast performing in small theaters, bars, churches, colleges and homes, gathering a devoted following. Her musical style is a unique combination of adult contemporary and old blues, with an alternative folk flair. Noel Paul Stookey (of Peter, Paul and Mary) once said “No doubt about it. She has a great voice and really has her act together.
Her original songs of true-life stories will pierce your heart, evoking tears and laughter along the way. Kreger turns folk, rock, blues, and pop influences into a lyrical and melodic style that is as passionate as it is polished. She has released four CDs to date. Her latest CD release Pure Imagination has garnered rave reviews, securing her a place in the singer-songwriter/acoustic arena.
Kirsten Maxwell – Joni Mitchell and Gordon Lightfoot had a love child, raised with the help of godmothers Judy Collins and Maria Muldaur. Surely this is how singer/songwriter Kirsten Maxwell got her start. A listen to her voice and turn-of-phrase/lyrics, and these luminaries will be brought to mind. A prolific songwriter, Kirsten was awarded first place in a contest sponsored by the Rhode Island Songwriters Association. (RISA) and opened for Michael Johnson in concert in November. She was selected for a coveted slot in the Suzi Wollenberg Folk DJ Showcase at the 2015 Northeast Regional Folk Alliance (NERFA) Conference. Kirsten is also a finalist in the 2016 South Florida Folk Festival Singer Songwriter Competition. She will perform at the Festival in January along with the other finalists. Kirsten’s evocative renderings, coupled with her naturally passionate voice, often bring audiences to tears — whether she’s playing a concert hall or a farmer’s market.
Kirsten released her debut album, Crimson, this year. The first standout element of this recording is the purity of Kirsten’s voice. Sweet, with a presence and intimacy. A compilation of eleven original songs on love and longing, Crimson is the kind of album you embrace when it’s time to let go. Her backup musicians include Mark Newman (Guitar, Dobro, Lap Steel and Mandolin), Shawn Murray (Drums) Don Celenza (Electric Bass), Bill Heller (Piano), Mike Hall (Upright Bass), Mauro Refosco (Percussion) and Sierra Knotts (Violin).
Our Times Coffeehouse, staffed entirely with volunteers, has been presenting live music for over 25 years. OTC is dedicated to supporting affordable folk music on Long Island, and over the years has hosted hundreds of outstanding performers in a warm, intimate setting. The Our Times Coffeehouse is a joint project of the Ethical Humanist Society of Long Island (EHS) and the Long Island Progressive Coalition (LIPC), with the assistance of the Research and Education Project of Long Island (REP-LI).
Suggested Donations:
Adults: $15
Students (w/IDs): $10 Children under 12: $6 (very young children are free) Tickets on sale at the door. Sorry, no pre-sales are available.
Bill Staines – The Our Times Coffeehouse is pleased to present folk troubadour Bill Staines on Friday, January 15, 2016. His annual January visit for more than 25-years is a Coffeehouse tradition. Join Bill and the friends of the Our Times Coffeehouse welcoming in the New Year.
For more than 45 years, Bill Staines has been on the road singing his songs at the country’s top festivals, concerts, clubs and coffeehouses. His songs have been recorded by musicians including Peter, Paul and Mary, Nanci Griffith, and Jerry Jeff Walker. Staines writes about cowboys, Yukon adventures, fishermen and everyday working people. This is an artist who plays over 200 dates a year and puts 65,000 miles on his car annually. His lovely, infectious melodies, his warm, smooth baritone and his prowess on the guitar make him one of the most popular singers on the folk music circuit.
Bill Staines has recorded 26 critically acclaimed solo albums, including two for children, and in addition to all his performances, he continues to write and release new original music. “Bill Staines has been my hero since 1977,” stated Nanci Griffith. “He carries on where Woody left off—carrying on the tradition of stories and characters you wish you knew.”
Our Times Coffeehouse, staffed entirely with volunteers, has been presenting live music for 25 years. OTC is dedicated to supporting affordable folk music on Long Island, and over the years has hosted hundreds of outstanding performers in a warm, intimate setting. The Our Times Coffeehouse is a joint project of the Ethical Humanist Society of Long Island (EHS) and the Long Island Progressive Coalition (LIPC), with the assistance of the Research and Education Project of Long Island (REP-LI).
Suggested Donations:
Adults: $15
Students (w/IDs): $10 Children under 12: $6 (very young children are free) Tickets on sale at the door. Sorry, no pre-sales are available.
Claudia Schmidt – If it were the intention of the creator or creators of this universe to perfectly blend together the night sky with moon and stars, it might have been their intention as well to deliver Claudia Schmidt as their messenger of reminder.
To say that Schmidt is simply a performer with a talent to entertain would be a miscarriage of understatement. Schmidt takes her audiences into her world as easily as the child who discovers the endless universes that exist in a cardboard box.
From lying on sandy beaches under an endless barrage of northern lights, to the expected anguish and frustration of spinning tires on cars stuck deep in snow, from the age-old struggle of change between adolescence and adulthood to the observation of sheer idiocy, she leaves it to the imagination of her audience to conjure their own images of her storytelling and song. No interpretation of a Claudia Schmidt song or story is wrong-she invites audiences to tie their associations to her style.
Schmidt weaves her way through her concert in much the same manner as a jester. Interwoven anecdotes, revealing her past and present, bring people to expect a relationship between themselves and memories driven deep with the passage of time. The concert is an endless display of self-realization through humor and longing, leaving audience members yearning to become an integral part of her world. Having performed on stages across the country, Schmidt has developed the ability to remain fresh. She enjoys her talent to entertain as much as the audience enjoys being entertained.
Our Times Coffeehouse, staffed entirely with volunteers, has been presenting live music for 25 years. OTC is dedicated to supporting affordable folk music on Long Island, and over the years has hosted hundreds of outstanding performers in a warm, intimate setting. The Our Times Coffeehouse is a joint project of the Ethical Humanist Society of Long Island (EHS) and the Long Island Progressive Coalition (LIPC), with the assistance of the Research and Education Project of Long Island (REP-LI).
Suggested Donations:
Adults: $15
Students (w/IDs): $10 Children under 12: $6 (very young children are free) Tickets on sale at the door. Sorry, no pre-sales are available.
Spuyten Duyvil – “Those masters of high-octane Americana, Spuyten Duyvil, have achieved a breakthrough on their new CD, “The Social Music Hour Vol, 1.” – John Platt, WFUV
“Infused in blues and smoked with folk…. This album is an Americana treasure chest.” – Easy Ed, No Depression
“This is as close to a musical “Come to Jesus” moment as you’ll get outside the gospel roots of the deep south. Yonkers, NY based Spuyten Duyvil are the real deal when it comes to roots revivalist Americana music. Historians, outstanding songwriters, accomplished musicians and a musical family atmosphere converge to make some of the most outstanding music around today.” -William Hurley, The Alternate Root TV
Seeing a Spuyten Duyvil (pronounced “SPITE-en DIE+vul”) show for the first time is like “throwing a cherry bomb into a lake” (Rich Warren, WFMT). It wakes you up. Their brand of original and traditional American Roots music blends Olde Time, Blues, 2nd Line, Bluegrass, and Folk Rock with a pinch of Punk Rock energy to create a uniquely modern mix. Lead by song-writing couple, Mark Miller and Beth Kaufman, this six piece powerhouse brings barn burning energy to venues throughout the Northeast and Midwest.
It’s an exciting time for the Hudson Valley based band. They have just released their third full length CD, “The Social Music Hour Vol 1”. A love letter to the Anthology of American Folk Music, the project features lyrically relevant, known but not worn out, open for suggestion songs that thrives with re-interpretation. Familiar, forgotten words find new meaning in this historically informed but thoroughly contemporary treatment. Old wood, plaster, real spaces, vintage guitars and hot tubes are captured in warm, analog tones by studio designer and engineer Jim Keller (Willie Nelson, Nellie McKay). Recorded by the full band (no click, no net), the tracks burst with life, joy and vitality.
Since it’s release in March, “The Social Music Hour Vol. 1” has received a lot of love on the radio with airplay on over 225 stations including rotation on SiriusXM’s The Village. The CD reached the #2 spot on the International Folk Radio Airplay chart AND the Roots Music Report Traditional Folk Album Chart AND Airplay Direct’s Top 50 Americana/AAA Albums. In May, “The Social Music Hour Vol. 1” dominated the The Roots Music Report’s Top 50 Contemporary Folk Song Chart taking the #1 and #2 spots.
Their 2013 CD, “Temptation” made it to #7 on the Folk DJ Chart in it’s first full month out. “I’ll Fly Away” grabbed the #2 spot. “Temptation” also made it to the top #20 on the Roots Music Report and into the top #30 on the Roots 66 Airplay Chart. Their 2011 release “New Amsterdam” landed on a dozen DJ Top 10 lists and received a nomination for the Alternate Root TV’s “2011 Top American Roots Album”.
2014 saw the band tour the Northeast, Midwest and Northern California with featured shows at Citi Field (Formerly Shea Stadium), Winter’s Eve at Lincoln Center, and The Philadelphia Folk Festival’s main stage.
In 2015, the band’s release shows included WNTI Live On-Air (NJ), Rockwood Music Hall Stage II (NY), Acoustic Celebration (CT), Club Passim (MA), One Longfellow Square (ME), Caramoor’s American Roots Music Festival and WFMT’s Folkstage (IL).
Drop them on a large festival stage and they electrify the crowd. Place them in a listening room and their stripped down acoustic sets connect powerfully. Tireless organizers, they have created, booked and hosted the UrbanH2O concert series in Yonkers, NY and festival workshops (including ‘The Backstage Sessions’ and ‘The Social Music Hour’) encouraging collaboration between artists and the audience at the Philadelphia Folk Festival, The Folk Alliance International Conference and Caramoor’s American Roots Music Festival.
New CD “The Social Music Hour Vol. 1” (rel. 3.14.15) By The Numbers:
Radio:
International Folk Radio Airplay Chart
#2 Album
#3 Artist (total plays)
6 songs in the Top 25 Songs
3 month in the Top 10 Albums
5 months in the Top 25 Albums
#2 Airplay Direct Top 50 APD Americana / AAA Albums
#2 Traditional Folk Album – Roots Music Report
#1 and #2 Contemporary Folk Song – Roots Music Report (same week)
#4 Folk Song – Roots Music Report
#19 Alternate Root Magazine Roots 66 Airplay Chart
Top Ten Songs Of The Week (Hot Time In The Old Town) – The Alternate Root Magazine
In Rotation on SiriusXM’s The Village
“Totally irresistible! … This one will get a LOT of airplay on KPR.” Bob McWilliams, Kansas Public Radio
“… the band’s arrangements, energy, and attitude always amaze me …big sound, big drama, big groove… They give each one what it needs to stand out” – Stephan Winnick, The Huffington Post
“Raucous Roots…” – Phillip Lutz, The New York Times
Temptation (rel. 2013)
“I’ll Fly Away” hits #2 song and “Temptation” hits #7 album on October 2013’s International Folk DJ Radio Play Chart
“Temptation” reaches #27 on December 2013’s The Roots 66 International Airplay Chart
“Temptation” reaches #20 on Roots Music Report Folk Top 50 Radio Airplay Chart October 2013
“Temptation” enters Top 20 of Roots Music Report Folk Top 50 Internet Radio Airplay Chart December 2013
“To me they are the hottest new band in folk music … and one of the best” – Legendary DJ Gene Shay ~ WXPN – Top Host Pick of 2011
—Ear Candy Music Contest Winners — “Pure Americana at its best, Spuyten Duyvil takes the traditional sounds of the American south and makes them fresh and new. The band’s musicianship is outstanding and Beth Kaufman’s soaring vocals tie them all together.” – College News, Boston Hannah International
“This group is terrific! High energy and original approaches to their own songs and traditional tunes.” – Wanda Adams Fischer, The Hudson River Sampler, WAMC
“New Amsterdam” (rel 2011) – Top CD lists for 2011
Nominated for Best American Roots Album by The Alternate Root TV WMFT
Rich Warren’s Favorite CDs of 2011 – Chicago, IL WXPN Year in
Our Times Coffeehouse, staffed entirely with volunteers, has been presenting live music for 25 years. OTC is dedicated to supporting affordable folk music on Long Island, and over the years has hosted hundreds of outstanding performers in a warm, intimate setting. The Our Times Coffeehouse is a joint project of the Ethical Humanist Society of Long Island (EHS) and the Long Island Progressive Coalition (LIPC), with the assistance of the Research and Education Project of Long Island (REP-LI).
Suggested Donations:
Adults: $15
Students (w/IDs): $10 Children under 12: $6 (very young children are free) Tickets on sale at the door. Sorry, no pre-sales are available.
Called “one of the best singers of her generation” by Christine Lavin, folksinger and jewelry designer Mara Levine has been creating beautiful interpretations of fine traditional and contemporary folk songs for many years. She has an ear for both new songs and for classics that can be reshaped to sound fresh and new.
