Cafe Carpe

MARTHA SCANLAN w/ JON NEUFELD
2016-11-03 20:00 - 22:30 (America/Chicago)
MARTHA SCANLAN’s long-awaited third release, The Shape Of Things Gone Missing, The Shape Of Things To Come, is already being heralded as her best work yet. Given the beloved status of her first two records, that’s a tall order to fill.
The album is the result of a relative hiatus from the road; five years spent immersed in working and living on a 120 year-old small family cattle ranch in a remote corner of Southeastern Montana. Tongue River Stories was recorded on location there four years ago.
“I thought I was stepping back from music and writing,” says Scanlan, “but when these songs came together I realized that I have been writing them all along. There’s a beautiful congruence in music and working with cattle and horses- it’s all about the flow, finding the current in things. I was curious about how that would translate in the studio, how the landscape would come through.”
She couldn’t have found better company for such an endeavor; producer and long time musical collaborator JON NEUFELD brought fellow members of Black Prairie and the Decemberists, Dolorean and Amy Helm together into the studio for four short days. The record was mixed and mastered within ten.
“We wanted it to be a live, improvisational and collaborative process, to really let the current of the songs be the guide.”
The result is stunning.
The gift of a great storyteller is the bringing of the listener into the story, and the story into the listener. It’s not just the words of the songs that provide that rare lasting transformative alchemy that has become so characteristic of Martha Scanlan’s work, and earned her the small loyal cult following that seems to be steadily growing. It’s the space between the words, the current of things, the sound of the place itself.
Please call 920-563-9391 to reserve.

REBECCA LOEBE/ JESSE TERRY
2016-11-04 20:30 - 23:00
Experience two beloved, internationally touring singer/songwriters in one intimate show. Longtime friends JESSE TERRY and REBECCA LOEBE are teaming up for a five-state tour of the Midwest that will combine their powerful voices and award-winning songs for an unforgettable night. A must-see show!
A grand prize winner in the John Lennon Song Writing Contest and a first place winner in the International Songwriting Competition, Jesse Terry has recently performed at Bonnaroo, Musikfest and the legendary Philadelphia Folk Festival. Terry’s music has been featured in the CW’s “Hart of Dixie”, PBS’s “Roadtrip Nation” and ABC’s “Forever.”
You may have seen Rebecca Loebe, currently celebrating her 10th year on tour, on the first season of NBC’s “The Voice,” where coaches Christina Aguilera and Adam Levine fought to work with her after her show-stopping rendition of Nirvana’s Come As You Are. A winner of the Kerrville New Folk Songwriting Award, she tours non-stop and was recently ranked #9 on Alternate Root Magazine’s annual listing of the 30 Best Female Singers in America.
Together, Jesse and Rebecca have opened for and toured with the likes of The Civil Wars, Paula Cole, Gregory Alan Isakov, Marty Balin and Darrell Scott. Along the way, they have sold out legendary venues, concert series and theaters all over the US, the UK, Europe, Asia, New Zealand and Australia.
REBECCA LOEBE is a young singer-songwriter who grew up in Atlanta and has done time in DC, Boston and New York, now making her home in Austin, TX. She is known for her distinct voice, well-crafted songs and ability to bring an audience to her journeys, introducing them to the characters she meets and observations she makes as she travels. Rebecca has toured non-stop since 2009, averaging 150-200 shows per year as a headliner and as support for The Civil Wars, Ellis Paul, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Nicki Bluhm and the Gramblers, Matt the Electrician and others. Rebecca has won numerous awards for her songwriting, including the prestigious Kerrville New Folk Award, and has received recognition for her unique, powerful voice. In 2011 she was a featured contestant on the first season of NBCs The Voice, winning a spot on Team Adam and an iTunes Top 10 single worldwide with her captivating re-imagination of Nirvanas Come As You Are. Earlier this year she was ranked #9 on Alternate Root magazines annual listing of the 30 Best Female Singers in America.
“The wit of Dar, the bite of Ani, and the beauty of Norah – it was a treat seeing you perform last night!” – ADAM KUCIK (WYEP Pittsburgh)
JESSE TERRY is a singer/songwriter with an uncanny ability to weave tales of travel and homecoming, of sorrow and of redemption, into songs that are simultaneously timeless and fresh. Home is now the coastal village of Stonington, Connecticut, but Terry’s music reflects an amalgam of influences, from Nashville to Laurel Canyon. His melodic and lyrically-driven Americana fits naturally on a playlist between cuts from Josh Ritter, Jackson Browne, Ryan Adams and Neil Young.
Jesse is fresh off an appearance at Bonnaroo where he shared the stage with the likes of Gregory Alan Isakov, Bears Den and Guster. Bonnaroo also featured Terry on their 2015 NoiseTrade Mixtape alongside artists such as Brandi Carlile, Hurray for the Riff Raff, and Benjamin Booker. In August, Jesse performed four times at the legendary Philadelphia Folk Festival, whose headliners included Lyle Lovett, Arlo Guthrie and North Mississippi All Stars. Terry’s music was also recently included on Birdstone Records’ “Independent Celebration, Vol. 1” accompanied by songs from Ben Taylor, Rachael Yamagata and Grant-Lee Phillips.
“It’s not every day that you hear a voice like Jesse’s. His vocals are as clear as the cloudless blue sky and the lyrics flow as pure as a fresh mountain stream. He carries your emotions with a soothing flow. Jesse’s voice has been compared to that of Ryan Adams, Jackson Browne, Ray LaMontagne and James Taylor. Terry is the “real deal”!… Every composition on the album is well written and the production is simple and sweet.”- Josie Milner – Digital Rodeo
Please call 920-563-9391 to reserve.

KAIA FOWLER/ GERRY O'BEIRNE
2016-11-05 20:00 - 23:00
Local musician and friend Kaia had booked this date before we learned from Willy Porter that Gerry was in the States at that time and would like to play here. She very graciously agreed to split the evening with him. So you get to double your pleasure.
KAIA FOWLER’s music is a cross-blend of folk, blues, rock and Americana. Through supple, strong vocals and guitar playing that ranges from delicate fingerstyle to percussive strumming, Kaia shares songs that explore life’s longings, struggles and celebrations. Rooted in nature, Kaia’s songs resonate with strength and vulnerability as she explores wide reaches of emotional space.
“Sharing songs helps me connect with others,” says Kaia. “When I sing about my loves and losses, concerns and inspirations, fears and hopes, I help listeners recall their own experiences and feelings. There, in that moment, because of the magic of music and words, we understand one another better. We sense that we’re all in this together. I love that aspect of what I do most of all.”
Born in Ennis, County Clare, along Ireland’s music-rich west coast, GERRY O’BEIRNE is a renowned singer, songwriter and guitarist (6 and 12 string guitar, tiple, and ukulele, slide guitar among others). He grew up in Ireland and in Ghana in West Africa, and has since lived in England, California, and Mexico. He lives now near Dingle in Co Kerry. His own compositions blend the passion found in traditional music with the freshness of contemporary song.
Many of his songs have been embraced by the contemporary folk community. Maura O’Connell recorded Half Moon Bay, Western Highway, Shades of Gloria, and The Isle of Malachy. Mary Black recorded The Holy Ground as a title track. Cathie Ryan recorded Shades of Gloria and The Lights of San Francisco. Muireann Nic Amhloaibh has recorded Western Highway and The Isle Of Malachy on Daybreak: Fainne An Lae, and his music for Irish language lyrics on her latest album The Small Hours.
Gerry has toured the globe as a solo artist and with the Sharon Shannon Band, Patrick Street, Midnight Well, Andy M. Stewart, Kevin Burke, Andy Irvine, and the Waterboys. He has performed at the White House, opened for the Grateful Dead, and played electric guitar with Marianne Faithfull. He composed and recorded the score to River of Dreams, an artistic response to the River Shannon commissioned by the Irish Department of Arts and Heritage, and he has written music for film and theater.
Gerry has appeared on Garrison Keillor’s A Prairie Home Companion. His performance of Western Highway was chosen as an audio highlight on A Prairie Home Companion’s website. (http://www.prairiehome.publicradio.org/programs/20011110/)
As a producer, he has a large number of albums to his credit, including Promenade by Kevin Burke and Michael O’Dhomhnaill (winner of the Grand Prix Du Disque at Montreux), Irish Times by Patrick Street, Man in the Moon and Donegal Rain by Andy M. Stewart, First Foooting by Anam, The Connaughtman’s Rambles by Martin O’Conner, Up Close by Kevin Burke, Lifting the Veil and Sacred Space by Fiona Joyce, To Anyone At All by Clandestine, Fine Small Storm by Jen Hamel, The Willow by E. J. Jones, Silver Hook Tango by Australian singer-songwriter Kavisha Mazella, When Two Lovers Meet and I won’t go home ‘til morning by Sarah McQuaid and Lumina by Irish piper, low whistle player, and composer Eoin Duignan, which was hailed “a stunning achievement” by Hot Press, Ireland’s foremost music magazine.
Please call 920-563-9391 to reserve.

GURF MORLIX
2016-11-06 19:30 - 22:00
GURF MORLIX– a guy who cares- be sure to give him a listen Please call to reserve at 920-563-9391
The Sound of Infamous Integrity
Once, when asked by a promoter for a copy of his biography, Gurf Morlix responded with just two words, “legendary integrity.” He would later admit that his response was perhaps a bit pompous, “but true,” he added. “Well, half true anyway.” The story is a telling one, demonstrating not only Morlix’s directness, which is famous among his musical colleagues – or perhaps infamous, depending on who you ask – but also his dry sense of humor and no-bullshit approach to life, music, and the music business.
Had he sent the promoter a more traditional bio, it likely would have noted that Gurf was born in Lackawanna, New York (near Buffalo), saw the Beatles on Ed Sullivan, formed a band (in which Peter Case made his stage debut), moved to Austin to escape the cold and play music, befriended Blaze Foley and a bunch of other Austin characters, moved to Los Angeles, worked for more than a decade as Lucinda Williams’ guitarist, band-leader and backing vocalist, produced Lucinda’s acclaimed Sweet Old World and eponymous albums, famously left Lucinda, toured with Warren Zevon, moved back to Austin, produced a number of classic Americana albums you likely own if you are any kind of Americana music fan, played on many more albums you probably own if you fall into that category, got inducted into the Austin Music Hall of Fame, received the Americana Music Association’s “Instrumentalist of the Year” award, went on to make seven critically acclaimed albums of his own, and then toured the world supporting them. He now continues to play live, produce albums for the artists that move him, and make his own albums. He even goes fishing ever once in a while.
That’s the resume, but it’s Gurf’s integrity, combined his near innate sense of music and how to make it sound not just good, but great, that have attracted so many well-respected artists to work with him over the years – folks like Ian McLagan, Patty Griffin, Robert Earl Keen, Buddy Miller, Mary Gauthier, Tom Russell, Butch Hancock, Slaid Cleaves and Ray Wylie Hubbard, just to name a few. And, oh yeah, he can make nearly any instrument with strings either sing or growl, depending on the needs of the song, like no other musician out there.
Gurf’s eighth album, 2015’s Eatin’ At Me, kicks off with wailing guitars and an annual family car trip to “Dirty Ol’ Buffalo.” Never one to shy away from the gritty side of life, the portrait he paints of the rust belt city of his youth, with its rugged roads and smoky orange air, ain’t pretty, but it’s real and authentic to the core. Unlike the shiny city of today, all polished up with money and a thin coat of paint barely hiding the grease below, “Dirty Ol’ Buffalo” is the kind of place that stays with a person long after they’ve left.
The nine songs that follow on Eatin’ At Me have that same lasting quality and clearly come from a man who looks at life and the world around him, with all its grit and glory, unflinchingly. His songs tell tales of love and regret, happy memories and heartbreak, the kinds of things that stay will with a person, eating away at them, if allowed. What makes the songs unshakable is indeed Gurf’s “legendary integrity,” the authenticity of the characters he introduces, the empathy and fearlessness with which their stories are told, and the care with which the songs are made. No word, no note, is out of place, and like the many well-known and well-loved albums he’s produced and played on, Gurf’s own records are infused with his trademark grit and muddy groove resulting in quality that’s so real, listeners will feel it in their bones. Indeed, it’s the kind of album that stays with a person long after they’ve listened.
GURF’S MISSION STATEMENT – such as it is
OK, here’s the deal – My new album is out now. It’s called EATIN’ AT ME. It has a bunch of really good songs, I think, and the greatest album cover the world has ever seen. In my opinion, anyways. Let me know what you think about that.
I am the chief strategist, here at Rootball Records. I’m the only strategist. I’m the label. I’m the distributor. I’m the manager. I’m the booking agent, and I’m the one that sweeps up. I’m in charge. Of all of it. This is a one man operation.
If you’d like to buy a copy of EATIN’ AT. ME, it’s easy. You can get one now. Signed. Cuz you’re special. CLICK HERE
That’s my DNA on the copies I mail out to anyone who orders them. Those are my fingerprint smudges next to where I personalized the copy especially for you. Whatever it was you asked me to write. Well, pretty much. Within reason.
I do all this because I care. I care about the songs, which are my babies. I care so much about the sound. I obsess over the recording process more than you will ever know. Every note that was played has been considered extensively, from every possible angle. I try to find the exact placement for every part. From side to side, in the listener’s head. From top to bottom. From front to back. This is all extremely important to me. I once spent an entire afternoon at the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam, staring at the 5 or so paintings I thought were the ones that transcended time and space, thinking about how the mixes of my songs, and the sound of the albums I produce, could somehow represent the depth I found in those works of art. I’m not sure I have approached this level of art, but I’m trying as hard as i can. This is how much I think about all of this.
I put as much attention into the songs. I used to just get ’em to the point where they pretty much rhymed, and didn’t sound stupid, and then I called ’em done. I have learned a lot from all the amazing songwriters I have worked with, over the years. I think the most important thing I learned is to understand when a song is finished, or not. Ready to be played in public. Or not. I’ve learned that if the creative spark is right, it’s worth however much time it takes to hammer the song into whatever shape it takes. Some of these songs I have been working on for 5 years or more. They are not ready until they are as good as I can possibly make ’em.
I put as much thought into the album cover art, and I am fairly well proud of all my covers. A couple were done with a time restriction, and weren’t quite as good as they might have been, because of that. That will never happen again. The main lesson I have learned in all my years in the music business is that there are no deadlines. The powers that will be impose them upon you, but they never really mean anything. Years of experience have taught me that as hard as anyone pushes for a deadline, the date always falls away, and ultimately means nothing. Every time. I love the sound that deadlines make, as they whoosh past my ears.
Most of all, I really do care about you, the listener. A phony sounding line, but I am serious. I don’t do this for me. Well, maybe a little, but mostly I do this for you. I’m nothing without you. Sounds trite, but it’s true. I have been out there, on the road, for the past 5 or 6 years, trying to connect with people who like my music. It keeps getting better. That’s all I need to carry on.
OK – here’s the deal. Again. If I’m playin’ somewhere near you, please make the effort to come see me. You’ll laugh, and you’ll cry. You’ll get a good show. You’ll be glad you came. If you know a place you think I should play, let me know. If you wanna have me play a house concert, or know someone that might want to host one, let me know. I want to play anywhere anyone wants to listen. If you like any of the albums I’ve produced for other artists, please help support them. We all need all the help we can get.
Let’s talk.

IRISH SESSION
2016-11-09 19:00 - 21:00, 2016-11-23 19:00 - 21:00
2nd and 4th Wednesdays of each month, except when other Carpe musical events displace it.
Players and audience welcome.

NEW PIONEERS
2016-11-10 19:00 - 21:30
This five piece bluegrass ball of fire featuring vocals, banjo, fiddle, guitar, bass and mandolin appears here regularly on the 2nd Thursday of the month- except when they don’t. Its various members have been involved with traditional music locally, regionally, and nationally for many years.
The Pioneer’s lead singer and guitarist, Jerry Wicentowski, has been described by country music historian Bill Malone as “One of the finest singers in bluegrass music”. Jerry has also performed and recorded with such bluegrass greats as Tim O’Brien, Andy Statman, Byron Berline, Tony Trischka and others. Mike Schmidt of Spring Green, Wisconsin, is the group’s banjo player. This former French horn player has been a Nashville session musician and member of the popular Wisconsin-based bluegrass bands, Alive ‘n’ Pickin’ and the Piper Road Spring Band. He also performs occasionally with his wife Lori. Bruce King of Art Stevenson and High Water – also formerly of Alive ‘n’ Pickin’ – is on mandolin. Bruce and Mike are veterans of the Great Northern Bluegrass Festival in Mole Lake, WI – performing there every year from 1977 to 1982. Fiddle player Paul Kienitz is a member in good standing of regional bluegrass favorites, The Nob Hill Boys. Bass player John Jirak also has played banjo with various folks in the northeastern WI and Madison areas, most notably with the Green Bay based Fox River Flyer. As a bass player, he’s performed shows with the Chicago Bluegrass Band, Miltown Ramblers, Krause Family, Old Cool, Spare Time Bluegrass Band, Bob Steeno and The Old Truck, and Down From the Hills, and currently Madison’s newest, Kettle Moraine.
Like them on Facebook.

BILL CAMPLIN BAND
2016-11-11 20:30 - 23:00

CRIS PLATA TRIO
2016-11-12 20:30 - 23:00
CRIS PLATA was born in South Texas, the son of migrant workers. Those early days of living in different migrant camps and following the harvest from region to region, exposed Cris to a wide range of musical experiences.
His early musical experiences reflect his Mexican heritage. This heritage includes Norteno (Northern Mexico border music), conjunto (elements of both European and Mexican music fused by early residents of South Texas), and ranchera (Mexican country) music. Today, Cris describes this as “Mexican root’s” music.
Another strong influence stamped its mark on this man at an early age. This can be best described as the Texas singer-songwriter genre. Texas has long been the hot bed of musical talent that has been forged by its wide open vistas and its independent nature. Out of this landscape, Texas has “grown” notable and innovative singer-songwriters such as: Bob Wills (Texas swing), Townes Van Zandt and Lyle Lovett (masters of melodic story songs with a uniquely Texas soul), and Steve Earle (his “Guitar Town” is the epitome of gritty country-rock, a standard that Nashville writers have yet to reach).
With all of these influences, how do we describe Cris Plata’s music in a nutshell? Perhaps we will have to borrow the term Tex-Mex and redefine it. “Tex” would now stand for Texas singer-songwriters and “Mex” would stand for Mexican root’s music. But don’t let this definition confine your impression of his music. Just listen to his music and the best definition will be your own.
Please call 920-563-9391 to reserve.

SONG CIRCLE w/ TRICIA ALEXANDER
2016-11-15 19:00 - 21:00
Round robin song circle led by TRICIA ALEXANDER– (performer, poet, healer, “with a voice, music and lyrics that resonate the heart”) done informally, not from the stage, no microphones. This is a lovely gathering of singers, songwriters, musicians and music appreciators!
Traditional Round Robin protocol applies – everyone is part of the circle and has an opportunity to: play, pass or request a song from someone in particular or from anyone in the circle.
Everyone is welcome to attend. $5 cover for musicians and audience. Come early and have a bite to eat-

SATCHEL PAIGE & the GREAT APES
2016-11-17 19:30 - 21:30
The Great Apes are at it again, this time as a quintet. SATCHEL PAIGE on electric guitar and vocals, JACOB BICKNASE as rhythm man, KEVIN KNAPP on keys, ERIC MILLER on cello (and trumpet), DJ SCULLIN on electric guitar. Satchel says, “Come on out for a post-election celebration of our humanity! Things are coming together nicely, and we’re excited to share an evening of music with you. Cheers!”
Please call 920-563-9391 to reserve.

BRIAR PICKERS
2016-11-18 20:30 - 23:00
Take a “Monroe style” mandolin player, with a gravely voice, add a fiddle player obsessed with Kenny Baker, and apply that to a guitarist with a slightly modern bent, and you’d have THE BRIARPICKERS. This Madison-based trio (or quartet with bass) features Brian Ray, Paul Kienitz, and Starr Moss. They play a compelling blend of traditional Appalachian bluegrass, and old-time music, with just a pinch of the contemporary. The perfect compliment for a relaxed pub or dining atmosphere, as well as wedding ceremonies and cocktail sets.
Now a quintessential quintet! Just added Shauncey Ali (fiddle) and Mr. Mark Hembree (bass) to the lineup! Will be tons of twin fiddle, and Bill Monroe stories 🙂
Please call 920-563-9391 to reserve.

NATALIA ZUKERMAN
2016-11-19 20:30 - 23:00
NATALIA ZUKERMAN grew up in New York City, studied art at Oberlin, worked in mural arts in San Francisco, began her songwriting career in Boston, and now resides, writes, plays and paints in Brooklyn, NY. The daughter of classical musicians Eugenia and Pinchas Zukerman, Natalia found her sound in other strings – those on slide guitar, lap steel, dobro. She found kinship in the earthiness and honesty of folk, bluegrass, jazz and blues music.
She is also a talented visual artist.
Since 2001, Zukerman has released five studio albums and one live album – 2013′s Gypsies & Clowns, which was recorded live at SPACE in Evanston, IL. For the shows, Zukerman invited a big group of her musical friends to present over twenty songs from her catalogue, including the well-known tracks “Gas Station Roses,” “Brand New Frame” and “Howard Hughes.”
Gypsies & Clowns typifies Zukerman’s artistic process in that she’s a frequent collaborator. She’s worked with fellow musicians such as Janis Ian, Willy Porter, Susan Werner, Erin McKeown, AG, Garrison Starr and many others. She also joined with well-known folk singer/songwriters Anne Heaton, Antje Duvekot and Meg Hutchinson for an album in 2008, titled Winterbloom, which they also named the band. Since then, they have toured each year throughout November and December, offering both original and traditional songs inspired by winter. Zukerman has also performed at such festivals as Lilith Fair, Telluride Bluegrass Festival, Philadelphia Folk Fest, Michigan Womyns Fest, Sisters Folk Festival, Rocky Mountain Folk Fest and more. Her new album Come Thief, Come Fire is out 9/16 on Talisman Records.
The Boston Globe describes nationally touring songwriter, instrumentalist and band leader Natalia Zukerman’s guitar sound as “a strutting brass band one minute, a sighing lover the next.” The Philadelphia Daily News calls her album “Brand New Frame” (produced by Willy Porter) “a wise mix of rootsy styles from torch blues to country swing. If you’re a fan of Madeleine Peyroux, Bonnie Raitt or even Amy Winehouse, you’ll find stuff to connect with here.”
Please call 920-563-9391 to reserve.

HAYWARD WILLIAMS
2016-11-25 20:30 - 23:00
Milwaukee singer-songwriter HAYWARD WILLIAMS
“Looking at the bespectacled youth peering out from the album bio, you would never expect the smoky authoritative voice that swells from Cotton Bell. But maybe Williams’ appearance belies his age, this being the Milwaukee singer-songwriter’s third full length album. Williams’ is the voice of maturity and restraint, and by voice I mean not only his deep, resonant singing, but his approach, attitude, songwriting – the whole deal. Full of gentle, tender songs beautifully recorded, Cotton Bell presents nothing groundbreaking or startling. But the deeper you listen, the further you appreciate those sounds and songs. Dan McMahon’s guitar and pedal steel and dobro are consistently grace full and as a co-producer, he’s clearly a crucial ingredient to the impact of Cotton Bell. Strings and harmonies flesh out the songs beautifully throughout – Third track in ‘Mockingbird’ is a great example,just gorgeous to listen to, a breathtaking guitar solo, strings and harmonies swelling and subsiding, and Williams’ vocal melody glowing throughout.” Rhythms Magazine. (Australia)
Please call 920-563-9391 to reserve.

GAELYNN LEA
2016-11-26 20:30 - 23:00
GAELYNN LEA, the winner of NPR’s second annual Tiny Desk Contest, makes music like nobody else. Her sounds are steeped in the deep melodies of great Irish fiddle tunes, but her performance and singing style aren’t traditional. More than 6,000 artists submitted videos in which they performed an original song behind a desk of their choosing with the hope of winning a chance to play a Tiny Desk concert at NPR. Gaelynn Lea was the overwhelming favorite of our six judges.
Gaelynn is a musician and public speaker from Duluth, MN. She has been playing violin for over twenty years. First classically trained, she began learning traditional Celtic and American fiddle tunes at the age of 18. During her college years Gaelynn started sitting in with various folk/rock musicians and developed an improvisational style all her own. Eventually she also began singing and dabbling in songwriting. Gaelynn has played alongside many notable Minnesota musicians over the years, including Alan Sparhawk, Charlie Parr, and Billy McLaughlin.
“Karen Dalton and Joanna Newsom melt together in the form of Gaelynn Lea and set about absolutely obliterating your heart.” -Dan Auerbach (The Black Keys)
“The way her voice resonates is so unusual and beautiful, like nothing I’ve ever heard before.” -Jess Wolfe (Lucius)
Please call 920-563-9391 to reserve.

REBECCA REGO
2016-12-02 20:30 - 23:00
REBECCA REGO is a Wisconsin-born, Illinois-based singer-songwriter, best known as the front-woman for the Indie-Americana outfit Rebecca Rego & the Trainmen. The group is releasing their sophomore album, ‘Lay These Weapons Down’, in the autumn of 2016. Produced by Beau Sorenson (Death Cab for Cutie, Bob Mould, Superchunk), the new album is a departure from the band’s rootsier past. What hasn’t changed are the two things the group excels at: storytelling and sonic dynamism.
Rebecca has shared the stage with such acts as John Hiatt, Rodney Crowell, Joe Pug, Dave and Phil Alvin, Cory Chisel & The Wandering Sons, Sarah Jarosz, and many many more.
” Not often a voice strikes the listener as one that fits the music and lyrics so impeccably, but Rego offers a jazzy scat delivery topped with polished musicianship, making for an inspirational indie anthem.”
– Glide Magazine 2016
Praise for the debut record ‘Tolono’:
“I love [Tolono]!”
– Gene Shay (WXPN Philadelphia)
“[Tolono] is charmingly sincere and offers a genuine reflection of life’s well-travelled roads.”
-C’Ville Weekly (Charlottesville, Virginia)
“[Tolono] is an album worth celebrating, from Rego’s smart, attentive songwriting to her earthy and appealing Edie Brickell-like voice, to the rustic warmth of the band that chugs along behind her”
-Piet Levy Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
“[Tolono] is personal, sincere, charming and genuine.”
– CincyMusic.com
Rebecca will appear as a duo with Eric Fitts (primarily upright bass, but also some acoustic and electric guitar).
Please call 920-563-9391 to reserve.

FENDRICK AND PECK
2016-12-03 20:15 - 22:45
Full of wonderful spirit, creativity, and heart, FENDRICK & PECK ’s neo-traditionalist folk music is a brave concoction of mature lyrics with delicate melodies, exquisite harmonies, and a dash of old school. “Talent by soul mates,” said one audience member, and indeed, it would be hard to believe Madeline and Brian (newly engaged) met a mere 4 years ago. With a constantly evolving performance experience, filled with old poems that stir the heart, evocative songs played on aged acoustic instruments, and charming stories, an evening with them is food for the soul. They live and thrive in the awkward space between deep questions and deep knowing with sparkling humor and enthusiasm.
Their new full length album, The Sandhill Crane, release date September 25, is a real beauty with several new original songs as well as two covers (one written by David Olney and the other by Madeline’s Grandfather, Richard Fendrick). Producer Timothy Frantzich says of the new work, “These are good and important songs not only because of their immediate beauty and harmony…but also because they remind of us of our two way healing connection with nature.”
Please call 920-563-9391 to reserve.

LAMPLIGHTER- PETER MULVEY/PAUL CEBAR/BILL CAMPLIN/ KRIS DELMHORST- SOLD OUT
2016-12-08 20:00 - 22:30
SOLD OUT as of Friday 12/2. Please take a chance on some of the other wonderful shows in the lineup. We will post on our Facebook page the day of the show if any tickets become available.
Off to a grand start with a fantastic team-
Lamplighter sessions enlightment here
Who is PETER MULVEY and why does he lamptoon us each year?
Over the past 20 years, Mulvey has pursued a restless, eclectic path as a writer and musician – immersing himself in Tin PanAlley jazz, modern acoustic, poetry, narrative, and Americana stylings. Relentlessly touring as a headliner – his attitude is, “When you love what you do, you can work all the time,” – he has also shared the stage with luminaries such as Emmylou Harris, Richard Thompson, Ani diFranco, Indigo Girls, and Greg Brown, and has attracted an audience that stretches from Anchorage to Amsterdam.
In every aspect of his career, Mulvey draws on an extremely broad swath of influence; he is always reading, listening, and eager to hear new poetry, modern minimalist composers, old-time fiddle tunes, Argentinean trip-hop, or top-shelf bar bands. Said The Irish Times: “Peter Mulvey is consistently the most original and dynamic of the US singer-songwriters to tour these shores. A phenomenal performer with huge energy, a quick fire, quirky take on life, and an extraordinary guitar style. A joy to see.”
….Still, it is the live performance that defines that work. Night after night, whether performing solo, duo (with David “Goody” Goodrich), or sometimes even with a band, Mulvey attempts to be the sum of his parts, to draw on all the musical legacies he has studied, to make a fresh, vital moment out of everything he and the audience have brought to the table that night. “People need this. I need this. To come together in a room, to try to make music come alive, for real, for right now, and then to let it go…that is the whole deal for me.”
PAUL CEBAR Some idea of what Paul is about: “Milwaukee native Paul Cebar is a singing, strumming, and dancing museum of musical culture and a self-styled historian of myriad musical forms. Countless sounds pour forth when Cebar and his Milwaukeeans take the stage. New Orleans, Chicago, New york, Africa, Brazil, Cuba, jump-blues, gospel, jazz, reggae, calypso, soul and vintage R&B are sterting points for something that becomes uniquely Cebar. This mishmash helps reimagine and liven up obscure classics, and the band’s originals present new viewpoints on established styles.” The Onion AV Club
KRIS DELMHORST
“moody, euphoric, and transcendent” -LA Times
“bold and brilliant” -Boston Globe
“Delmhorst has become a favorite among music fans who like to be challenged as well as entertained.” – Music Box Online
“a work of lo-fi beauty… evidence of an artist taking flight” -Boston Herald
“As seamless and brave as it is brilliantly creative” -Irish Times
“a gorgeous, tender, evocative voice and a textured and varied musical palette” -Amazon
“warm and immediately accessible” … “a voice that breathes through the speakers” -All Music
BILL CAMPLIN is a folk singer/songwriter and acoustic guitarist who began playing professionally in the Milwaukee area in the late 1960s. Camplin writes and arranges his own material and interprets that of others. He was an integral part of the Milwaukee acoustic folk scene for many years and appeared regularly at various clubs including the Blue River Café, the Mine Shaft, and the 19th Street Coffee House. OMG LOL! turn out he owns Café Carpe in Fort Atkinson!

LAMPLIGHTER- PETER MULVEY/SIMON BALTO/CHRIS PORTERFIELD/ ANNA VOGELZANG
2016-12-09 20:30 - 23:00
Lamplighter sessions enlightment here
Who is PETER MULVEY and why does he lamptoon us each year?
Over the past 20 years, Mulvey has pursued a restless, eclectic path as a writer and musician – immersing himself in Tin PanAlley jazz, modern acoustic, poetry, narrative, and Americana stylings. Relentlessly touring as a headliner – his attitude is, “When you love what you do, you can work all the time,” – he has also shared the stage with luminaries such as Emmylou Harris, Richard Thompson, Ani diFranco, Indigo Girls, and Greg Brown, and has attracted an audience that stretches from Anchorage to Amsterdam.
In every aspect of his career, Mulvey draws on an extremely broad swath of influence; he is always reading, listening, and eager to hear new poetry, modern minimalist composers, old-time fiddle tunes, Argentinean trip-hop, or top-shelf bar bands. Said The Irish Times: “Peter Mulvey is consistently the most original and dynamic of the US singer-songwriters to tour these shores. A phenomenal performer with huge energy, a quick fire, quirky take on life, and an extraordinary guitar style. A joy to see.”
….Still, it is the live performance that defines that work. Night after night, whether performing solo, duo (with David “Goody” Goodrich), or sometimes even with a band, Mulvey attempts to be the sum of his parts, to draw on all the musical legacies he has studied, to make a fresh, vital moment out of everything he and the audience have brought to the table that night. “People need this. I need this. To come together in a room, to try to make music come alive, for real, for right now, and then to let it go…that is the whole deal for me.”
SIMON BALTO‘s work has garnered praise from critics both local, regional, national, and international.
Most people mention the voice first. It comes from deep within. Sounds like it means what it says. Then come the lyrics and the stories — ones about workers and lovers, mothers and sons, the dying and mourning, the prideful and the abused. Ones about the Midwest and the beauty and difficulty that characterizes life around here. There is a humanity in the songs that recalls the work of some of the folk tradition’s finest architects.
The songs linger. Exhale. Persist.
Irish music publication Deadly Music! has compared his songwriting to top-of-his-game, Blood on the Tracks-era Dylan. The Chicago-based music curator Music Means Family said the following: “An unbelievable talent, his layered folk ballads are reminiscent of Baez and Dylan, Guthrie and Prine. There is a deeply satisfying componentto each of his songs – a reminder of home, woodsmoke, and the first traces of your breath as winter begins to settle.”
He has been featured on Wisconsin Public Television, Wisconsin Public Radio, Big Top Chautauqua’s Tent Show Radio, Daytrotter, and has supported and shared stages with a wide range of artists in recent years, from Jason Isbell to Johnnyswim, Field Report to Anderson East, Peter Mulvey to Communist Daughter, Charlie Parr to Horseshoes & Hand Grenades.
In 2016, he will release Murmurations, a full-band record that features Shane Leonard (Kalispell, Field Report), Ben Lester (S. Carey, The Tallest Man on Earth, Aero Flynn), Steven Hobert, Kevin Rowe (Buffalo Gospel), and Amanda Rigell (Count This Penny).
CHRIS PORTERFIELD says he is “midwestern to the core” and we find no fault with that kind of core.
“The body remembers what the mind forgets,” Chris Porterfield reminisces on his acclaimed band Field Report’s sophomore record, Marigolden. The record is strewn with references to the inevitable tolls taken by the passage of time, and prolonged distance from home and loved ones.
The past couple of years have flashed by for Porterfield, who was thrust into the spotlight after years of musical reclusion. His Milwaukee-based band, Field Report (an anagram of his surname), was culled together in the studio while recording their 2012 self-titled debut. They suddenly found themselves championed by their former idols: offered support tours by Counting Crows and Aimee Mann, lauded by the likes of Mark Eitzel and Richard Thompson, and covered by Blind Boys Of Alabama.
The band honed itself from a septet to a quartet in the year that followed, focusing its sound and tightening the screws. With a heavy batch of songs under their arms, they retreated to snowy Ontario in December 2013 to record their sophomore album,Marigolden, with the help of producer Robbie Lackritz (Feist).
Spending two years roaming around the country playing tiny venues and sold-out amphitheaters alike, Porterfield was uncertain whether he was leading the charge toward an artistic epiphany or headed down a misguided path of self-destruction. Marigolden reflects this, as he ruminates across homesick tension and an un-grounded anxiety. But rather than wallow in melancholy, Porterfield finds solace and inspiration through his songs, which reveal themselves as uplifting and celebratory. The album is brighter than their 2012 debut, but somehow remains just as elegantly ominous.
Marigolden’s second track, the surprisingly catchy radio single “Home,” finds Porterfield on the road, hoping the home, wife, dog, and life he left behind in Milwaukee will still be there upon his return. “Leave the lights on,” he asks, “it might be nighttime when I get there, but I’m on my way home.” While the song contemplates lonesomeness, there is an undeniable sense of hope driving it. In “Summons,” the penultimate track, he recalls this thought, repeating, “I’ll be coming home to you” like a mantra. This sense of balance and symmetry across the album helps provide stability to the otherwise volatile themes. Case in point: the album starts with a sunrise in “Decision Day” and ends full circle with another in “Enchantment.”
Whether reconsidering sobriety in “Pale Rider,” sticking to tonic water in the bars of “Summons,” or cashing in a 30-day chip for a kiss in “Enchantment,” Porterfield’s relationship with alcohol runs through the current of nearly every song. Most notably in “Ambrosia,” where he find himself face to face with the reality of where his drinking is destined to lead.
The album runs the musical gamut, from the Traveling Wilburys-esque pop of “Home,” to the Neil Young-inspired piano ballad “Ambrosia,” to the electronic sonic landscape of “Wings.” While the compositions express a wide range in terms of genre, they find unity in themselves within the limits of self-imposed minimalism. In the studio, the songs were stripped down to the bones and built back up using only their essential elements.
ANNA VOGELZANG‘S melody-driven, multi-instrumental folk-pop ballads have been met with warm reviews (9/10, PopMatters) & landed her at festivals, conferences, and on bills with some of her heroes, including Sara Bareilles, Gillian Welch, Mirah, Anais Mitchell, Laura Gibson, Wye Oak, Steve Poltz, Amanda Palmer, & many more. Anna is currently touring in support of the Driftless EP, a home-spun, steadfast collection of gritty new-folk songs, many of which were written in 2014 as part of the song-a-week project RealWomenRealSongs. In 2015, she will return to the studio to work with producer Todd Sickafoose on her fifth LP. Vogelzang plays the banjo, ukuleles, guitar, and kalimba on stage, but has always been a singer who loves words and feelings first and foremost.

LAMPLIGHTER- PETER MULVEY/ BIRDS OF CHICAGO
2016-12-10 20:30 - 23:00
Enlighten yourself about Lamplighter sessions here.
Who is PETER MULVEY and why does he lamptoon us each year?
Over the past 20 years, Mulvey has pursued a restless, eclectic path as a writer and musician – immersing himself in Tin PanAlley jazz, modern acoustic, poetry, narrative, and Americana stylings. Relentlessly touring as a headliner – his attitude is, “When you love what you do, you can work all the time,” – he has also shared the stage with luminaries such as Emmylou Harris, Richard Thompson, Ani diFranco, Indigo Girls, and Greg Brown, and has attracted an audience that stretches from Anchorage to Amsterdam.
In every aspect of his career, Mulvey draws on an extremely broad swath of influence; he is always reading, listening, and eager to hear new poetry, modern minimalist composers, old-time fiddle tunes, Argentinean trip-hop, or top-shelf bar bands. Said The Irish Times: “Peter Mulvey is consistently the most original and dynamic of the US singer-songwriters to tour these shores. A phenomenal performer with huge energy, a quick fire, quirky take on life, and an extraordinary guitar style. A joy to see.”
….Still, it is the live performance that defines that work. Night after night, whether performing solo, duo (with David “Goody” Goodrich), or sometimes even with a band, Mulvey attempts to be the sum of his parts, to draw on all the musical legacies he has studied, to make a fresh, vital moment out of everything he and the audience have brought to the table that night. “People need this. I need this. To come together in a room, to try to make music come alive, for real, for right now, and then to let it go…that is the whole deal for me.”
In so many ways, we are a word weary culture, ever searching for ways to communicate in fewer and fewer words, letters, syllables…Our online, blogged out, you-tubed attention spans are truncated and fragmented like never before. BIRDS OF CHICAGO the collective centered around Allison Russell and JT Nero, reassert the simple notion – radical in these times – that beautiful words and music can still tap deep veins of emotion.
real midnight’s gonna come/ real midnight’s’ gonna come
real wolves at your door/ with blood on their tongues
now what you gonna do/ with your days left in the sun ?
ha da la ha
Stark, elemental imagery that feels like scripture, or a lost folk song recovered; the Birds draw heavily on the gospel tradition and the music feels like a new, secular gospel of sorts. For Birds of Chicago, every word counts. Every note counts. No gold-dusting, no filler. Music is the good news and Real Midnight, the band’s poignant new Joe Henry produced album, throbs with an urgency that feels quietly seismic.
Birds of Chicago was born in 2012 when Nero began writing for his vocal star-muse, Russell. Both were accomplished singer/songwriters with projects of their own, Nero with JT and the Clouds and Russell with the acclaimed Canadian roots outfit Po’ Girl, but together there was an unmistakable chemistry. Nero had found the perfect voice for his rock and roll psalms. Russell moved from being a primary songwriter to an interpreter, and her simmering restraint is deeply refreshing to a landscape scorched by post Voice/American Idol vocal gymnastics and over-emoting.
On Real Midnight, Birds of Chicago alternate moody rock swagger with the ghostliest of soundscapes. Produced by Joe Henry, a man whose expert blending of light and shadow is well known, the album is a melancholy – but never shoe gazing – suite, full of wayward, joyful, lonesome voices raised up against the night.
Music this raw and soul-rich demands to be experienced live, and Birds of Chicago have developed a fervent following, touring 200 nights a year since their formation in late 2012. For these Birds, singing for a room full of new people, hearts wide open, keeps off the cold and chases off the shadows. 2016 will find the band in constant motion – from sea to sea and beyond.

LAMPLIGHTER- PETER MULVEY BAND, featuring SistaStrings/ BIRDS OF CHICAGO
2016-12-11 19:30 - 22:00
Enlighten yourself about Lamplighter sessions here.
Who is PETER MULVEY and why does he lamptoon us each year?
Over the past 20 years, Mulvey has pursued a restless, eclectic path as a writer and musician – immersing himself in Tin PanAlley jazz, modern acoustic, poetry, narrative, and Americana stylings. Relentlessly touring as a headliner – his attitude is, “When you love what you do, you can work all the time,” – he has also shared the stage with luminaries such as Emmylou Harris, Richard Thompson, Ani diFranco, Indigo Girls, and Greg Brown, and has attracted an audience that stretches from Anchorage to Amsterdam.
In every aspect of his career, Mulvey draws on an extremely broad swath of influence; he is always reading, listening, and eager to hear new poetry, modern minimalist composers, old-time fiddle tunes, Argentinean trip-hop, or top-shelf bar bands. Said The Irish Times: “Peter Mulvey is consistently the most original and dynamic of the US singer-songwriters to tour these shores. A phenomenal performer with huge energy, a quick fire, quirky take on life, and an extraordinary guitar style. A joy to see.”
….Still, it is the live performance that defines that work. Night after night, whether performing solo, duo (with David “Goody” Goodrich), or sometimes even with a band, Mulvey attempts to be the sum of his parts, to draw on all the musical legacies he has studied, to make a fresh, vital moment out of everything he and the audience have brought to the table that night. “People need this. I need this. To come together in a room, to try to make music come alive, for real, for right now, and then to let it go…that is the whole deal for me.”
Peter’s band this night will feature Milwaukee siblings Monique and Chauntee Ross, SISTA STRINGS. Although they are classically trained and are passionate lovers of the classical music genre, their first love is gospel music. Their sound is soulful and fresh, a very unique blend of their eclectic musical background. Nathan Kilen will supply tasteful percussion.
In so many ways, we are a word weary culture, ever searching for ways to communicate in fewer and fewer words, letters, syllables…Our online, blogged out, you-tubed attention spans are truncated and fragmented like never before. BIRDS OF CHICAGO, the collective centered around Allison Russell and JT Nero, reassert the simple notion – radical in these times – that beautiful words and music can still tap deep veins of emotion.
real midnight’s gonna come/ real midnight’s’ gonna come
real wolves at your door/ with blood on their tongues
now what you gonna do/ with your days left in the sun ?
ha da la ha
Stark, elemental imagery that feels like scripture, or a lost folk song recovered; the Birds draw heavily on the gospel tradition and the music feels like a new, secular gospel of sorts. For Birds of Chicago, every word counts. Every note counts. No gold-dusting, no filler. Music is the good news and Real Midnight, the band’s poignant new Joe Henry produced album, throbs with an urgency that feels quietly seismic.
Birds of Chicago was born in 2012 when Nero began writing for his vocal star-muse, Russell. Both were accomplished singer/songwriters with projects of their own, Nero with JT and the Clouds and Russell with the acclaimed Canadian roots outfit Po’ Girl, but together there was an unmistakable chemistry. Nero had found the perfect voice for his rock and roll psalms. Russell moved from being a primary songwriter to an interpreter, and her simmering restraint is deeply refreshing to a landscape scorched by post Voice/American Idol vocal gymnastics and over-emoting.
On Real Midnight, Birds of Chicago alternate moody rock swagger with the ghostliest of soundscapes. Produced by Joe Henry, a man whose expert blending of light and shadow is well known, the album is a melancholy – but never shoe gazing – suite, full of wayward, joyful, lonesome voices raised up against the night.
Music this raw and soul-rich demands to be experienced live, and Birds of Chicago have developed a fervent following, touring 200 nights a year since their formation in late 2012. For these Birds, singing for a room full of new people, hearts wide open, keeps off the cold and chases off the shadows. 2016 will find the band in constant motion – from sea to sea and beyond.

LAMPLIGHTER- PETER MULVEY/ BEN BEDFORD/ JOSEPH HUBER/LOST LAKES
2016-12-14 20:00 - 22:30
Enlighten yourself about Lamplighter sessions here
Who is PETER MULVEY and why does he lamptoon us each year?
Over the past 20 years, Mulvey has pursued a restless, eclectic path as a writer and musician – immersing himself in Tin PanAlley jazz, modern acoustic, poetry, narrative, and Americana stylings. Relentlessly touring as a headliner – his attitude is, “When you love what you do, you can work all the time,” – he has also shared the stage with luminaries such as Emmylou Harris, Richard Thompson, Ani diFranco, Indigo Girls, and Greg Brown, and has attracted an audience that stretches from Anchorage to Amsterdam.
In every aspect of his career, Mulvey draws on an extremely broad swath of influence; he is always reading, listening, and eager to hear new poetry, modern minimalist composers, old-time fiddle tunes, Argentinean trip-hop, or top-shelf bar bands. Said The Irish Times: “Peter Mulvey is consistently the most original and dynamic of the US singer-songwriters to tour these shores. A phenomenal performer with huge energy, a quick fire, quirky take on life, and an extraordinary guitar style. A joy to see.”
….Still, it is the live performance that defines that work. Night after night, whether performing solo, duo (with David “Goody” Goodrich), or sometimes even with a band, Mulvey attempts to be the sum of his parts, to draw on all the musical legacies he has studied, to make a fresh, vital moment out of everything he and the audience have brought to the table that night. “People need this. I need this. To come together in a room, to try to make music come alive, for real, for right now, and then to let it go…that is the whole deal for me.”
BEN BEDFORD delivers intriguing sketches of America, its individuals, their victories and their struggles. Poignant, but never sentimental, Bedford’s portrait-like songs capture the vitality of his characters and draw the listener deep into the narratives. With three albums to his credit, Bedford’s songs tackle scenarios including homelessness, the plight of a Confederate soldier’s wife during the American Civil War, the aerial triumphs of Amelia Earhart, the life of Jack London, the murder of Emmett Till in 1955, John the Baptist, the poet Vachel Lindsay and even the 1973 standoff between members of The American Indian Movement and federal agents on the Pine Ridge Reservation. Often drawing upon history, Bedford’s songs have a strong sense of time and place. The songs are rich in sensory detail which allows the listener to hear, see and feel each narrative.
A true son of the heartland, Bedford dips into the deep inkwell of classic American literature and writes with the ‘old soul’ quality of his literary idols, such as John Steinbeck and Toni Morrison. All three of Bedford’s albums have charted highly on the Euro Americana charts and the Folk-DJ charts with What We Lost also charting highly on the Roots Music Report charts. In July of 2010, Bedford was named one of the “50 most significant Folk singer-songwriters of the past 50 years” by Rich Warren of WFMT-Chicago. The list, which included artists such as Bob Dylan, Townes Van Zandt, Judy Collins and John Prine subsequently appeared on the blog of journalist Eric Zorn on the Chicago Tribune website.
Bedford recently finished work on his fourth album, The Pilot and the Flying Machine, which features Diederik van Wassenaer (The Underhills, Dietrich Jon) on violin, Ethan Jodziewicz (Sierra Hull, Darol Anger) on double bass, Kari Bedford on harmonies and was engineered by Dave Sinko (Punch Brothers, YoYo Ma, Edger Meyer).
“The Illinois songwriter is a masterful storyteller who can turn what seem like obscure historical references for engaging tales rife with vivid, stark imagery.” Erik Ernst, The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
JOSEPH HUBER Will be Joseph’s Carpe debut. Singer/Songwriter/Multi-Instrumentalist Joseph played with the Milwaukee-based “streetgrass” group, the .357 String Band–a group that, despite its abrupt break-up, still continues to gain popularity, is known as one of the most influential groups in the recent insurgent underground country and bluegrass movements. Having moved from .357, Huber has honed his songwriting abilities immensely and now continues moving onward and upward captivating folks with his sincere and well-crafted songs under his own name and with his backing band. Whether it’s irresistible, fiddle-driven, danceable tunes or honest, heart-wrenching “songwriter” songs, Huber spans the spectrum and knows how to evoke joy or pain with the likes of the best.
His lyricism and introspective writing style has received high acclaim from many Americana enthusiasts. Huber released his 3rd solo album entitled ‘The Hanging Road’ under Nashville’s ‘Muddy Roots Recordings’ label in Spring 2014, following his self-released previous efforts, ‘Bury Me Where I Fall’ and ‘Tongues of Fire’, and has plans for yet another early 2017 release.
LOST LAKES is a collaboration between Corey Mathew Hart and Paul Mitch. The two met during a songwriting competition held by a local radio station. It wasn’t until they returned for a duets portion of the follow year’s competition that Corey saw Paul play bass and singing harmonies. The first time Corey and Paul played together, they clicked musically and personally. The collaboration has grown over the years, developing into a strong songwriting and production team with a focus on well-crafted tunes and tight vocal harmonies. Lost Lakes’ self-titled debut record bears witness to their talents and the fact the whole can be greater than the sum of its parts.
Recorded over a 9 month period, the recording process was a labor of love. Paul and Corey produced the record and enlisted percussionist Shane Leonard (Field Report, The Stray Birds) along with longtime bandmate Rusty Lee on keyboards to fill out the sound. The project was recorded in a shared warehouse space called the Dojo. Many of the basic tracks were recorded live in 2 separate sessions with overdubs done in small Thursday night sessions. Being fairly porous to the outside elements, the temperature in the Dojo ranged from 41 degrees to well over 100 over the course of the project, adding a sense of adventure to the sessions. Being able to take their time for this project gave Corey and Paul a lot of freedom to try different sounds and arrangements for songs they have been playing live for a couple of years. With no pressure, no deadline, and a giant warehouse space filled with eclectic gear, the two managed to create a record of the highest quality.
When it came time to mix the album, Corey and Paul called on an old acquaintance, Grammy award winning engineer Justin Guip. The two had met Guip years ago when they opened for The Amy Helm (daughter of Levon Helm) at a Barn show in Spring Green, WI. Guip also happened to have just finished a record with the Stray Birds that Shane Leonard played percussion on. The past and present collided, and the timing couldn’t have been better. Corey and Paul approached Guip about mixing the record and he was very excited about the songs and tracks that were laid down at the Dojo. Guip’s aesthetic greatly aligned with the vision that Paul and Corey had for the record, and the result is a compelling masterpiece.

LAMPLIGHTER- PETER MULVEY/ JOHN STATZ/ BRIANNA LANE/ JOSH HARTY
2016-12-15 20:00 - 22:30
Enlighten yourself about Lamplighter sessions here
Who is PETER MULVEY and why does he lamptoon us each year?
Over the past 20 years, Mulvey has pursued a restless, eclectic path as a writer and musician – immersing himself in Tin PanAlley jazz, modern acoustic, poetry, narrative, and Americana stylings. Relentlessly touring as a headliner – his attitude is, “When you love what you do, you can work all the time,” – he has also shared the stage with luminaries such as Emmylou Harris, Richard Thompson, Ani diFranco, Indigo Girls, and Greg Brown, and has attracted an audience that stretches from Anchorage to Amsterdam.
In every aspect of his career, Mulvey draws on an extremely broad swath of influence; he is always reading, listening, and eager to hear new poetry, modern minimalist composers, old-time fiddle tunes, Argentinean trip-hop, or top-shelf bar bands. Said The Irish Times: “Peter Mulvey is consistently the most original and dynamic of the US singer-songwriters to tour these shores. A phenomenal performer with huge energy, a quick fire, quirky take on life, and an extraordinary guitar style. A joy to see.”
….Still, it is the live performance that defines that work. Night after night, whether performing solo, duo (with David “Goody” Goodrich), or sometimes even with a band, Mulvey attempts to be the sum of his parts, to draw on all the musical legacies he has studied, to make a fresh, vital moment out of everything he and the audience have brought to the table that night. “People need this. I need this. To come together in a room, to try to make music come alive, for real, for right now, and then to let it go…that is the whole deal for me.”
Hailing from the song-rich soil of Minneapolis, BRIANNA LANE is the latest in a deluge of compelling songwriters flooding the region. Lane’s vocals are both confidant and fragile, running parallels to Mindy Smith or Americana veteran Patty Griffin. Behind Lane’s beguiling smile lies a heart that has had its share of heartache where songs like “In My Bones” and “Company” draw their inspiration. Her stories oscillate between a sense of urgency and resolve while seeking a tranquil balance.
JOHN STATZ recorded his last album with an all-star band in the middle of a Vermont ice storm. After years of DIY touring everywhere from Eastern Europe to Mexico, the Wisconsinite who now resides in Colorado fell in with fellow Midwesterner Jeffrey Foucault, a critically acclaimed songwriter and veteran of the americana circuit. A fan of Statz’s last album (2012’s Old Fashioned, produced by Bo Ramsey), Foucault offered to produce his next record while the two were on tour together in Colorado.
The resulting Tulsa is beautiful blend of soft americana and smooth folk with echoes of The Jayhawks and Whiskeytown. “John writes songs you can’t shake,” says Foucault. “They follow you around all day and run through your head at 3 a.m. Open hearted, horizon-line songs.”
“…lush melodies and a sense of time, space and place dominate his work, creating a sound that stops the listener in his or her tracks and once there, holds them spellbound… More than merely a set of songs, it holds together conceptually, making it the kind of album that figures to be a landmark of sorts in Statz’s still smoldering career. It’s simply that good.”– PopMatters
JOSH HARTY‘s unique blend of American music has become a must-hear for those who keep the tradition of country, blues and folk close to their hearts. The touring bug has never left him as he continuously travels across Europe and North America. More than just moving along, he’s spending plenty of time in the communities along the way, from Brooklyn to Haarlem, from London to Portland. Harty is always looking for that balance between the rolling road and the people who inspire him, trading stories around kitchen tables and theatre stages. His live shows prove that good storytelling combined with journeyman musicianship is as American as music gets.
“Josh Harty is a mid-West, singer-songwriter with a keen eye, observant lyrics and a fine, driving guitar-style that pulses with feeling and fire. . .Harty’s fretwork is crisp, zingy and always compelling, catching you unawares almost with hints of traditional country in the mix; Chet seems to hang in the background balance at times, followed by ole Doc Watson before he twists the tail, snapping free with a trace of Knopfler at his best and a clear grip of the very fundamentals of good quality modern country music/ Americana.. . . “Iain Patience, Elmore Magazine, 2016

LAMPLIGHTER- PETER MULVEY/SEASAW/ JEFF STEHR
2016-12-16 20:30 - 23:00
Enlighten yourself about Lamplighter sessions here
Who is PETER MULVEY and why does he lamptoon us each year?
Over the past 20 years, Mulvey has pursued a restless, eclectic path as a writer and musician – immersing himself in Tin PanAlley jazz, modern acoustic, poetry, narrative, and Americana stylings. Relentlessly touring as a headliner – his attitude is, “When you love what you do, you can work all the time,” – he has also shared the stage with luminaries such as Emmylou Harris, Richard Thompson, Ani diFranco, Indigo Girls, and Greg Brown, and has attracted an audience that stretches from Anchorage to Amsterdam.
In every aspect of his career, Mulvey draws on an extremely broad swath of influence; he is always reading, listening, and eager to hear new poetry, modern minimalist composers, old-time fiddle tunes, Argentinean trip-hop, or top-shelf bar bands. Said The Irish Times: “Peter Mulvey is consistently the most original and dynamic of the US singer-songwriters to tour these shores. A phenomenal performer with huge energy, a quick fire, quirky take on life, and an extraordinary guitar style. A joy to see.”
….Still, it is the live performance that defines that work. Night after night, whether performing solo, duo (with David “Goody” Goodrich), or sometimes even with a band, Mulvey attempts to be the sum of his parts, to draw on all the musical legacies he has studied, to make a fresh, vital moment out of everything he and the audience have brought to the table that night. “People need this. I need this. To come together in a room, to try to make music come alive, for real, for right now, and then to let it go…that is the whole deal for me.”
SEASAW is Eve Wilczewski and Meg Golz, who are the sea and saw respectively. Fate and a small-town restaurant in Freeport, IL brought them together for the first time in 2010. Seasaw collaborated through four years of long-distance until the summer of 2015, when Eve joined Meg in their current residence of Madison, WI. Seasaw has since grown their powerful and charismatic sound in a way that can only be accomplished when best friends are living and creating within blocks of each other.
Keeping their folk roots in the back of their mind, the eleven songs on Seasaw’s newest album ‘Too Much of a Good Thing’ (out July 22, 2016) venture head-first into the pop and indie-rock realm. The duo has transformed into a combination of commanding instrumentation, intricate harmonies, and refreshing wit that is uniquely Seasaw. Using the metaphor of a sunburn, ‘Too Much of a Good Thing’ is an exploration of metamorphosis – each song a new stage, insight, and conversation about the shared experience of any relationship. The album listens much like a mix-tape; all of the songs complimenting one another while elaborating further on the thesis of change. As a listener, you relate to the peaks and valleys of human interaction; the elation (suntan), the pain (sunburn), and finally, an acceptance (new skin).
Seasaw has had the honor of performing alongside: Lissie, Paleface, SOAK, Thao & the Get Down Stay Down, Run River North, You Won’t, Caroline Smith, Sonntag (formerly of Phox), We Are The Willows and many others.
JEFF STEHR is a singer songwriter from Milwaukee WI,
Jeff leads his five piece ensemble, The Tritonics, in updated varieties of Jamaican roots music; rock steady, ska and roots reggae. Their latest recording, Dance Crasher, was released in January 2016.
He also plays keyboards in the diverse, Americana oriented, John Sieger-led ensemble The Subcontinentals. Their most recent recording is The Early Years.
Jeff also writes and performs as a solo artist, banging out original songs and a diverse assortment of covers on a dreadnaught Martin guitar and a variety of Korg and Yamaha keyboard instruments.
Jeff is grateful for the experience gained and friendships made while playing in ensembles like World Roots, Brave New Groove, Mark Truesdell and The Lost Pioneers, C- Food Buffet, The Al Pike Blues Band and Mt. Zion Sound System.

CORKY SIEGEL & HOWARD LEVY HOLIDAY CONCERT
2016-12-17 20:30 - 23:00
They are here- the show will go on. If you decide not to come and seek a refund, you must contact Brown Paper Tickets before 7:30 tonight. Please also inform the Carpe at 920-563-9391.
CORKY SIEGEL and HOWARD LEVY: A Harmonica Convergence of Two Giants of Jazz and Blues
The contrasting musical conversations between these two giants of jazz and blues, both who are stellar performers on harmonica and piano, has proven to be a riveting edge-of-your-seat experience. Individuality, uniqueness, playfulness and adventure, are all trademarks of both the stylings of Siegel and Levy. They draw the audience in with an intimacy to their performance in a way that only old friends of several decades – with a special connection, can. They constantly conjole with a grand sense of humor while dazzling you with sheer jaw-dropping skill and virtuosity. They will definitely get you in the holiday spirit as they perform some seasonal classics with their own original twist.
Corky Siegel is, of course, the award-winning composer who, at a very young age, learned his craft at the feet of such legendary first generation bluesmen as Muddy Waters and Howlin’ Wolf and as a part of Siegel-Schwall Band. With his Chamber Blues ensemble, he is credited with moving the blues from smokey clubs onto the classical concert stage and obliterating musical categorization in the process.
Howard Levy is probably best known as a founding member of the GRAMMY winning group Bela Fleck and the Flecktones. He has recorded with a long list of greats such as Paul Simon and Dolly Parton, as well as frequent guest appearances performing on Garrison Keillor’s A Prairie Home Companion’s weekly National Public Radio show.
Any audience member who attended their last rare foray together can tell you this evening is definitely one not to be missed.

KEROSENE KITES HOLIDAY SHOW
2016-12-21 19:30 - 22:00
Kerosene Kites is an acoustic duo featuring two veteran Madison-area artists,BETH KILLE and ERIK KJELLAND of Mascot Theory. These highly decorated songwriters teamed up to release an album of original holiday tunes, Northstar Sessions, in December of 2014. After the taking home “Unique Album” and “Unique Song of the Year” honors at the 2015 Madison Area Music Association (MAMA) Awards for their first release, they decided to follow up with a new holiday-themed album, due out in December of 2016. Their shows feature tight harmonies layered over clever Americana-style tunes.
Please call 920-563-9391 to reserve.

STORY OF TWO
2016-12-22 19:30 - 22:00
STORY OF TWO is a high-energy acoustic rock duo from Boulder Colorado. This husband and wife duo features Fort Atkinson native Harmony Jones (Greenhalgh) on violin/voice and Brad Jones on guitar. Harmony and Brad play rock in the style of virtually every decade mixed with feisty world music arrangements. Since their first show in July of 2015, Story of Two have exploded onto the scene with a full schedule of shows across the US. 2017 has the duo performing even more, including a tour to Iceland in March. This fun-filled upbeat duo is guaranteed to get you toe tapping and singing along.
Please call 920-563-9391 to reserve.

BILL CAMPLIN and his band of elves
2016-12-23 20:30 - 23:00

SYD HARTHA & the MONKEYMINDS
2016-12-26 19:00 - 21:30
It’s Boxing Day, so what do you expect?
SYD HARTHA & the MONKEYMINDS (previously known as Devil in the Outhouse and What’s His Name & Some Other Guys) are Greg Valde, Brian “Looper” Lucas, Scott McCormick and whatever special guests we can dredge up to join us.
We will be offering our 10th annual traditional holiday concert – which is unlikely to include much holiday music. However, there will be Americana, folk, blues, comedy and group therapy services available.
Guitars, harmonica, accordion, vocals, accordion, shaker egg, and more!!
“Sure it’s juvenile and irreverent, but if you drink enough it’s not that bad.”
(anonymous satisfied customer)
Please call 920-563-9391 to reserve.

THE MERRY HORDE ANNUAL FOOD PANTRY BENEFIT
2016-12-28 19:30 - 22:00
Hark the Herald Horde sings! Loads of Fun, good music, great harmonies are the thoughts that come to mind whenever The Merry Horde performs. The oft repeated phrase following each performance is “…and a good time was had by all”. So join us for a historic romp through a medley of bluegrass, and selected tunes from the 60’s & 70’s with one of Fort’s own, locally harvested, bands. These guys may be getting up there, but they can still bash out the chords and belt out the harmonies that will make the hair on your arms stand straight up!?!
And to boot, this performance is for a good cause- all proceeds will go to the FORT ATKINSON FOOD PANTRY. The music and the fun are free. So bring some canned or packaged goods, or stop by your favorite ATM on the way down so you can make a cash donation of your choosing to the Food Pantry.
Please call the Cafe Carpe 920-563-9391 to reserve seats.
