Cafe Carpe

BEATLES SINGALONG FUNDRAISER
2024-10-06 18:30 - 20:00 (America/Chicago)
Local Musicians will be leading the crowd in Beatles tunes in this fundraiser for the Democratic Party of Jefferson County.
“So bring your singing voice to ring in the joy of this coming election’s VOTE FOR A BRIGHTER FUTURE!

A free will donation to the Jeff Dems is suggested at the door.
The Jeff Dems will have a hot soup/chili bar, also for a free will donation.
Carpe will be selling drinks, chips & dip, and desserts.

MUSICIANS (to date) include: Mark Furst & Brian Lucas (Fort/Brothers Quinn), Karen Johnson (Fort), Ruthanne Taylor (Lake Mills), Chip Cruz (Watertown/Madison), Karen & Jim (Fort/ 2nd Chances), Annelies Howell (Madison/German Art Students), Ben Knowles (Fort/Three Thin Dimes), Josh Harty (Madison), Guzzo Pinc & Cha Cha Holt (Fort/Les Oiseaux) and maybe a few surprises!
Through song, through our voices literally coming together, we hope this moment of connection will inspire you to TAKE ACTION in the next month- whatever that looks like to you – action that will inch us closer to electing leaders who will support the vision of a world that includes, well…peace and love…or at least striving toward peace and love…and definitely one where The Beatles are the soundtrack

Now that’s a pretty sweet way to help change the world.”

FOUR SHILLINGS SHORT- A Samhain/Halloween Concert
2024-10-10 19:30 - 21:30
Ticket link follows description:
A SAMHAIN CONCERT with Music, Poetry & Folklore celebrating the Ancient Celtic Bonfire Festival of Winter with FOUR SHILLINGS SHORT .The husband/wife duo of Aodh Og O’Tuama from Cork, Ireland and Christy Martin from California, bring together music, stories and folklore from the Celtic lands to celebrate the Ancient Celtic Bonfire festival of Samhain, known as Féile na Marbh (the Feast of the Dead). Samhain (pronounced ‘sow-in‘ meaning ‘the Summer’s end’) marks the end of harvest, beginning of Winter and the Celtic New Year. Traditionally celebrated at the end of October/beginning of November it is the origin of Halloween, All Hallows Eve, All Souls Day and Dia de los Muertos.
It is believed that on Samhain or ‘Ancestor night’, the border between the world of the living and the dead is thinnest. Candles are lit at the graves of loved ones, offerings of food and drink left out for the Ancestors and bonfires lit throughout the countryside. Many of our modern day customs are based on Samhain including ghost stories, Halloween costumes, bobbing for apples, and the jack-o-lantern.

BAD POSTURE CLUB
2024-10-11 20:00 - 22:00
BAD POSTURE CLUB is a Minneapolis-based folk duo made up of Maren Day and Morgan Kavanagh. Their songwriting explores themes of home-places, memory, and family. Purposefully open and sparse, they craft intricate and experimental harmonies with their two voices, banjo, guitar, and a 100 year old portable pump organ. Bad Posture Club invites the listener to hear the power in quiet, intimate music, and offers warmth and reflection through song.

LEE KANEHIRA & The Chicago Blues Piano Trio CD release party
2024-10-18 20:15 - 22:15
LEE KANEHIRA & The Chicago Blues Piano Trio CD release party! They will be joined by special guest Joe Nosek, harmonica player from the Cash Box Kings. Bio follows ticket link.

Lee was The winner of 2018 Chicago Blues Piano Contest and also was a featured artist for the Otis Span Tribute concert at the 2024 Chicago Blues Festival. She regularly tours throughout Europe, Asia, and North America as a solo artist (and as a member of the Cash Box Kings).

She recorded her new album, “The Chicago Blues Piano Trio!!” with John Lauler(upright bass), Derek Hendrickson(drums) who are also from the Cash Box Kings. We’re going to celebrate the timeless charm of classic blues and boogie-woogie piano!!

CHICAGO FARMER
2024-10-19 20:15 - 22:15
The son of a small town farming community, CODY DIEKHOFF logged plenty of highway and stage time under the name CHICAGO FARMER before settling in the city in 2003. Profoundly inspired by fellow midwesterner John Prine, he’s a working-class folk musician to his core. His small town roots, tilled with city streets mentality, are turning heads North and South of I-80.
“I love the energy, music, and creativity of Chicago, but at the same time, the roots and hard work of my small town,” he shares. Diekhoff grew up in Delavan, Illinois, with a population less than 2,000. His grandparents were farmers, and their values have always provided the baseline of his songs.
He writes music for “the kind of people that come to my shows. Whether in Chicago or Delavan, everyone has a story, and everyone puts in a long day and works hard the same way,” he says. “My generation may have been labeled as slackers, but I don’t know anyone who doesn’t work hard – many people I know put in 50-60 hours a week and 12 hour days. That’s what keeps me playing. I don’t like anyone to be left out; my music is for everyone in big and very small towns.”
He listened to punk rock and grunge as a kid before discovering a friend’s dad playing Hank Williams, and it was a revelation. Prine and Guthrie quickly followed. The name Chicago Farmer was originally for a band, but the utilitarian life of driving alone from bar to bar, city to city – to make a direct connection to his audience and listener, took a deeper hold.

PATSY O'BRIEN
2024-10-24 19:30
More below ticket link:

Hailing from Cork in the south of Ireland, award-winning songwriter and much sought-after guitarist PATSY O’BRIEN is renowned for his ability to meld songwriting and guitar styles seamlessly. It’s a trait that caught the attention of NPR who featured his arrangement of The Star Of The County Down (see below) on their All Songs Considered program.

“Falls in the void between Van Morrison, Robbie Robertson and Jethro Tull’s Ian Anderson” -New Haven Advocate
“Smart, stylish…an outstanding singer guitarist.” -New York Irish Voice
“Wow wow WOW…. literally one of the best shows I’ve ever seen…engaging, wonderful songwriting, knock-your-socks-off guitar playing” – Concert review from Coaldale CO

STEVE COHEN & JIM OHLSCHMIDT
2024-10-26 19:30
(Ticket link follows bios.)Jim and Steve have been working together as a duo since 2017, performing at Summerfest, the Harley-Davidson Museum complex, and other area venues.
JIM OHLSCHMIDT is a Sheboygan native who began playing guitar in the late 1960s. His musical career began with the release of his debut album, Behind The Eye, in 1977. Since then he has released numerous CDs as a solo performer, including a series of recordings dedicated to the music of Mississippi John Hurt. Jim has spent the past 30 years working as a professional guitarist in cities such as Milwaukee, Birmingham, Cincinnati, and Minneapolis. Jim’s work as a guitarist in touring bands have taken him around the world to engagements in Norway, England, Scotland, Japan, and Australia.
The heart of Jim’s musical world is his solo work on acoustic guitar. In addition to his catalog of solo recordings, Jim is featured in many YouTube videos performing his original compositions and arrangements. He has also been a featured instructor at music camps and programs such as Alabama Folk School’s Guitar Weekend.
STEVE COHEN is a Milwaukee-based award winning harmonica player. He has been sponsored by Hohner Inc. since 1986. He is also a singer, and guitarist, and long time leader of the Leroy Airmaster Blues Band. He has released 9 albums of music and has performed as a sideman on dozens of other recordings. He has written 5 harmonica instruction books that are in the catalog of the Hal Leonard Corporation, and has performed the harmonica parts on over a dozen other Hal Leonard instruction books. He taught music at UWMilwaukee for 5 years, and at the Wisconsin Conservatory of Music, as well as privately. He performs regularly in numerous musical ensembles. He also maintains a vinyl record resale business.

ROUND ROBIN w/ TRICIA ALEXANDER
2024-10-30 18:30 - 20:30, 2024-11-20 18:30 - 20:30
Round robin 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, poets, and storytellers held somewhat regularly on the last Wednesday (formerly Thursday) of each month.
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- therein lies our sustenance.

ELLIS PAUL
2024-11-01 20:15 - 22:15
ELLIS PAUL doesn’t just write songs; he’s a guitar-carrying reporter who covers the human condition and details the hopes, loves, losses of those he observes, turning their stories into luminous pieces of music that get under your skin and into your bloodstream. And much like the artists who have influenced him, everyone from Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan and Paul Simon to the singer-songwriter who is undoubtedly his greatest inspiration, Woody Guthrie, Paul weaves deeply personal experiences with social issues and renders them as provocative works that are as timely as they are timeless.
More bio follows ticket link:

Born and raised in Maine, Paul attended Boston College on a track scholarship and in the evenings became a fixture on the city’s open mic circuit. After winning a Boston Acoustic Underground songwriter competition, he caught the ear of folk luminary Bill Morrissey, who produced his indie album Say Something in 1993. This led to a seven album contract with Rounder Records and the 1994 album, Stories. His songs have appeared in several blockbuster films (Me, Myself, and Irene; Shallow Hal, Hall Pass) and have been covered by award winning country artists (Sugarland, Kristian Bush, Jack Ingram).
Through a steady succession of albums of his own – a remarkable 23 releases so far – and a constant touring presence around the world, Paul’s audience has grown into a loyal legion of fans. Along the way, he has picked up an impressive number of awards including the prestigious Kerrville New Folk Award, 15 Boston Music Awards, An Honorary Doctorate from the University of Maine, the 2019 International Acoustic Music Awards Artist of the Year and most recently his album, The Storyteller’s Suitcase, was named the 2019 NERFA Album of the Year.
His new album “55” touches on the necessity of gratitude in a difficult era of the pandemic and divided political stances on his own imprint, Rosella Records.

TIM GRIMM
2024-11-02 20:00 - 22:00
TIM GRIMM is a bit of a Renaissance man in the performing arts world, forging a rich and varied career that blends his love of songwriting, travel, and acting in theatre, film and television. For most of his 25-year career as a storytelling balladeer in the tradition of John Prine, Woody Guthrie, and Bob Dylan, Tim has written primarily about community, history, family, and social issues – often framed by his strong sense of place and the many years he spent on the family farm he built in rural Indiana. His songs are filled with rural characters and landscapes, written and sung with vivid warmth and intimacy.

BUDDY MONDLOCK
2024-11-08 20:15 - 22:15
BUDDY MONDLOCK writes songs. He does it so well that some great songwriters have recorded his songs on their own albums- Guy Clark, Nanci Griffith, and Janis Ian, to name just a few. You might’ve heard his song “The Kid” (recorded by David Wilcox, Peter, Paul and Mary and Cry, Cry, Cry) and maybe even sung it yourself around a campfire. He draws you into his world – where a single snowflake follows the trajectory of a relationship, where you get you pocket picked by a Roman cat, where you might swim over the edge of the world if you’re not careful and where dreams that don’t come true still count.
Mike Lindauer will accompany Buddy on fretless bass.
More bio follows ticket link-

“I first saw Buddy Mondlock while hosting the Ballad Tree, a tradition at theKerrville Folk Festival. This kid in a bathing suit walked up and played “No Choice” to an audience of 30 – 40 people. By the time he got to the secondverse, he had 200 people singing along with him. He blew me away! Payattention to Buddy; he’s a great writer!”
Guy Clark
“As acclaimed as he is as a songwriter, he is a fine performer who can create his share of magic with his high clear voice and inventive acoustic guitar.” David Johnson – Boston Globe
“One of my favorites, Mondlock is brilliant in his word choice, poignant in his observations and powerful in his presentation.” Kathleen Hudson – Kerrville Daily Times
His latest album, Filament, finds him exploring some new territory, both sonically and rhythmically. Produced by Brad Jones, known for his creative approaches to singer/ songwriters, songs like “Problem Solved” and “Sunlight In My Pocket” are propelled along by drums and percussion. Others are painted with woodwinds and string arrangements. Buddy is at heart a storyteller and the songs cover a lot of territory too, ranging from a young artist who finds fame too soon in the title song, to the wonders and mysteries found in “The Dark,” a song he co-wrote with the great Guy Clark.
When Buddy’s not on the road you can find him in Nashville but he grew up in Park Forest, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago. He didn’t have a troubled childhood. His parents were nice to him. They paid for guitar lessons when he was ten and they never said, “when are you going to get a real job?” He sang Crosby, Stills and Nash songs with his sisters and answered his little brother’s questions from the top bunk. A few years away at college puzzling over Homer and Plato and then he was back. Living in the big city this time and playing open mics at Chicago’s crucible for songwriters in those days, the famed Earl of Old town. He once opened for the amazing Steve Goodman there on New Year’s Eve. Buddy was 21. Says he could have walked out of there that night and gotten hit by a bus and he wouldn’t have felt like life cheated him at all.
When Buddy made his first trip to Texas from his native Chicago, Guy Clark heard him singing one of his songs under a tree at the Kerrville Folk Festival and liked it. So Guy went back to Nashville, opened the door and said, “listen to this kid, he’s good!” A publishing deal and a U-Haul headed south soon followed.
People were starting to pay attention. In 1987 he was a New Folk Award Winner at Kerrville and he released his first album called “On the Line”. Over the next few years
David Wilcox recorded “The Kid” on his first record for A&M. Buddy did some writing with this other new kid in town named Garth Brooks. Janis Ian heard him singing at the Bluebird Cafe and asked him if he’d like to write with her. Their song “Amsterdam” got recorded by Joan Baez. Nanci Griffith asked Buddy to sing on a show she was taping for Irish television. She ended up liking that song so much that she recorded “Comin’ Down In the Rain” on her Grammy Award winning collection “Other Voices, OtherRooms.” Garth became a star and “Every Now and Then” ended up on his album “The Chase.”
Buddy was touring all over the U.S. by this time playing coffeehouses and the occasional festival (he’d become a regular on the main stage at Kerrville). And there were trips to Europe too. Buddy’s second album, produced by Steve Addabbo in 1994, got picked up by Son Records, a small label in Ireland started by the band U2, and he was well received on the island of poets. He’s toured there consistently ever since. 1996 was a good year. Peter, Paul and Mary recorded “The Kid” and then asked the kid himself to sing with them on their “Great Performances” TV special. He won a Kerrville Music Award for Song of the Year that autumn for “The Kid” too.
Since then he’s released a string of critically acclaimed solo recordings on his own label and on EMI. And in 2003 Buddy toured North America and Europe with Art Garfunkel and Maia Sharp in support of their album “Everything Waits To Be Noticed” which they wrote and recorded together as a trio. “Filament” will be his seventh album.
In recent years Buddy has been writing songs with military veterans through a program sponsored by an organization called Music Therapy of the Rockies and he includes several of those songs in his shows (and one on his new album). “This has been such a powerful experience and I’m honored to have been trusted with these stories of trauma and of triumph too,” he says.
Buddy and Maia Sharp have also been collaborating on a new musical called, “The Girl In the Red Dress.” It includes several songs from their project with Art Garfunkel and a slew of new material from Buddy and Maia. Set in a world where “The Leader” has banished all color as subversive, the story focuses on a young woman who must learn to believe in herself and comes to find that she can actually make a difference.
In addition to writing and touring Buddy also teaches songwriting. Along with one day workshops across the US and Europe he has also been a staff instructor at the Swannanoa Gathering, the Kerrville Folk Festival Song School, the Sisters Folk Festival Song Camp and retreats like Ellis Paul’s New England Songwriter Retreat and Cedarsongs in Tennessee.

KAREN JOHNSON
2024-11-09 20:00
Please call 920-563-9391 to reserve seats and to let us know if you will be dining here that night.
KAREN JOHNSON grew up in West Allis, WI, surrounded by music. One of her favorite memories is listening to old country tunes with her dad while riding along in his old pick-up truck. At a young age, Karen learned to play the Tamburitza and sing harmony as a member of the American Croatian Silver Strings Tamburitzans. Now playing the guitar, she has been performing at various venues since 1998 but loves playing in the Carpe’s listening room.
Karen sings songs of her favorite artists including Joan Baez, Nanci Griffith, Alison Krauss, and Suzy Bogguss, to name a few.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dclx2nwDJNY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z6pYX8uK25o

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1z6AN79G3TE

VON CARPE FAMILY SINGERS- Homeless Coalition Benefit
2024-11-14 19:30 - 21:30
A reprise of last year’s successful benefit- all proceeds will go to the Homeless Coalition of Fort Atkinson.

The Von Carpe Family Singers will include Karen Reinhardt and Jim Marousis, sister Lisa Reinhardt, brother Eric Reinhardt and his partner Frankie Ciccarelli, daughter Laura Christianson and grandson Camdyn James, daughter-in-law Stephanie Kilkenny, perennial crowd favorite Brian “Looper” Lucas, as well as the WAMI-nominated Krause Family Band!
Here is the link for streaming- there will be a DONATE button on the screen so you can watch and support.

Come early and have dinner at the Carpe. Eat, drink and be merry while you support a good cause. Hope to see you there! Tickets are limited so order yours early.

ANNE HILLS
2024-11-15 20:00
“ANNE HILLS is such an exquisite singer that it’s understandable that people might be swept up in the pure beauty of her voice and thereby overlook her writing. That would be a mistake. For me, Anne’s writing, in songs like ‘Follow That Road’ and many others, is as direct, melodic and deep as any work being done today. She is quite simply one of my absolute favorite songwriters.”— Tom Paxton
More bio follows ticket link:

Anne is one of the most beloved voices of the contemporary folk music scene, receiving awards and recognition for her live performances, her unique solo and collaborative recording projects, and her overall artistry and benefit work. Her song “Follow That Road” was the title cut of the Martha’s Vineyard Songwriter Retreat and has been a certified folk classic since the late 1990s. Whether she is singing her own songs, the words of six-year-old Opal Whiteley, or her song settings of the Hoosier poet James Whitcomb Riley; accompanied with her guitar, banjo, or simply a Tibetan bell, she puts her whole heart and soul into the moment. You won’t want to miss a chance to hear her songs and stories in person.
The AllMusic Guide says, “A stunning soprano tone has made Anne Hills one of contemporary music’s premiere vocalists … Her knack for writing heartfelt songs [has] brought her to the upper echelon of her craft.”

KELLY HUNT
2024-11-16 20:00
KELLY HUNT
“Standing shoulder to shoulder with contemporaries like Gillian Welch and Rhiannon Giddens…folk music harking back to the stripped-down sounds of Leadbelly, Robert Johnson and Woody Guthrie.” — JOHN VAITES [AMERICANA UK]
On the walls of any local used music shop there hangs a gallery of mysteries. Picked up and handed down across the decades, each instrument contains the imprints and stories of those who have played it before, most of which remain untold. For New Orleans-based songwriter Kelly Hunt, the most intriguing of these stories is the origin of her anonymous calfskin tenor banjo. “I really wasn’t looking for it,” she says, “but I opened up the case and found a note saying, ‘This banjo was played by a man named Ira Tamm in his dog and pony show from 1920 to 1935.’ It was unlike any banjo I’d ever heard…so warm and mellow, with an almost harp-like quality to it, very soulful”—apt words for the Memphis native’s debut album, Even The Sparrow, which was released in May 2019 and nominated for the International Folk Music Awards “2019 Album of the Year.”
The daughter of an opera singer and a saxophonist, Hunt was raised in Memphis, TN amidst a motley mélange of musical influences ranging from Rachmaninov to Joni Mitchell to Mississippi John Hurt. She grew up singing in choirs, poring over poetry books, and writing her own music as a matter of course, first on piano then 5-string banjo. After being introduced to the banjo in college while studying French and visual arts, Hunt began to develop her own improvised style of playing, combining old-time picking styles with the percussive origins of the instrument. After college, Hunt embarked on a rambling path through career pursuits in farming, French breadmaking, and visual arts, ultimately landing in Kansas City, where she would go on to write and record her debut album, Even the Sparrow.
While reminiscent of modern traditionalists such as Gillian Welch, Even The Sparrow reveals an ineffable quality that hovers beyond the constraints of genre, à la Anais Mitchell and Patty Griffin. Over the span of a dozen songs, Hunt’s penchant for storytelling and intriguing arrangement cast a spell which No Depression describes as “the musical equivalent of a book you can’t put down, one you’ll want to revisit again and again to catch every nuance and turn of phrase.”
In “Men of Blue & Grey,” what begins as a Reconstruction-era ballad about the repurposing of Civil War glass plate negatives in a greenhouse roof soon becomes a meditation on the hope that growth and life may one day be able to emerge from the ruins of suffering and haunting of violence. “Across The Great Divide” turns an otherwise traditional accounting of spurned love into a philosophical epic of the ethics of forgiveness and freedom, evoking the ideas of Søren Kierkegaard and Walt Whitman.
(ALEXSI CAMPAGNE was also scheduled to appear this day, but the whims of the Canadian government’s visa promise will keep him away. We hope to reschedule for next year.)

Caplan/ Whitcomb CELLO DUO
2024-11-21 19:30 - 20:30
What could be better than the cello? Two cellos! Fort’s own BENJAMIN WHITCOMB and rising star DAVID CAPLAN (who has been regularly subbing with the Chicago Symphony!) join forces to bring you an eclectic and fun variety of cello duo works, including pieces by Paganini, Beethoven, Popper, Faure, plus some Brazilian dances and a classic rock arrangement!

WATTLE & DAUB/ BEN MULWANA
2024-11-22 20:00 - 22:00
Round Robin with WATTLE & DAUB and BEN MULWANA
Fuller bios follow ticket link:

Wattle & Daub’s authentic acoustic voice is rooted in their passion for the power of the folk music tradition. From the heart of the midwest, in northern Illinois, husband and wife singer-songwriters, Tim and Susan Mocarski are dedicated to keeping folk culture alive and kicking through participation, social commentary, and entertainment.
Their debut album, Struggles and Love (2017) garnered immediate praise from folk radio hosts such as Nick Noble of the Folk Revival on WICN, FM who proclaimed it one of his “picks for top albums of 2017.” Middle of the Road (2020) contains songs ranging from just plain fun to those focused on what it means to be human in these times, our loves and our experiences.
With Trees in the Breeze (2023) the duo continues offering their take on the world around them touching on personal experiences and encounters in their lives. Their simple vocals and sparse instrumentation reflect what they bring to a live performance and encourage participation.
“Wattle & Daub… comes armed with a brace of bold, inventive, sometimes highly personal originals and choice covers that are equal part spirited and gritty, poignant and tender.” — Scott Engstrom, President of the Lake County Folk Club
Tim (guitar, banjo, harmonica, vocals) met Susan (guitar, mandolin, vocals) back in 2013 listening to live local music at a bar in Kenosha, Wisconsin. A year later they started writing and performing together. Three years later, they got married – twice. The first time because they had to, the second because they wanted to, but that’s a whole other long story.
“I think that ‘Luckiest One’ is a perfect example of how things come out when you honor your own individuality. It’s really a special song that everyone in the world should get to hear.” — Corky Siegel
BEN MULWANA is a Ugandan-born and raised artist residing in Wisconsin. With songs about love, loss and everything in between, Ben’s band project “Ben Mulwana and the Village” is made of a groovy, rock and soulful sound from a group of amazing musicians.
“MR. MULWANA”
Ben released his debut album, “Mr Mulwana”, on May 1st 2024; and it is available on all streaming platforms. The album “Mr. Mulwana” is about growth, in music, mind and soul. “I built the studio I recorded in from scratch with the goal of recording all the songs in it. I thought of giving up several times, and several times I got back up and kept going. This album is the musical representation of this process, all the ups and downs, the struggle and the joy of it all.”
Review: https://www.jsonline.com/story/entertainment/music/2023/06/01/8-best-milwaukee-music-releases-for-june-2023-from-partyat4-you-win-direct-hit-and-more/70269834007/

CARMEN, KOSTIA & STAS VENGLEVSKI
2024-11-23 20:00 - 22:00
These talented musicians will play in a few different configurations this evening, as a trio, some solo, some duo- none to disappoint. Carmen has played the Carpe numerous times with Willy Porter. This time she will be sharing songs from her debut solo album, Room To Grow, with internationally renowned musicians, Kostia (piano) & Stas Venglevski (bayan accordion), whom will each also take a turn sharing their unique stories & compositions.
More bio following ticket link:

CARMEN NICKERSON’s debut solo studio album, Room To Grow, received 2024 WAMI awards for folk/country album of the year as well as song of the year for Emily. Besides fronting her own band, Carmen collaborates with nationally acclaimed singer/songwriter, Willy Porter. Porter/Nickerson released an album of co-writes titled, Bonfire to Ash, in 2016.
Carmen Nickerson’s musical journey is a testament to her deep-rooted connection with heartland values. Growing up on a farm in Iowa, she breathed in the essence of working-class sensibilities, cherished family bonds, and the profound richness of the land. These authentic roots form the very essence of Carmen’s music, effortlessly reflecting the truths and pressures of her life.
The Milwaukee Journel Sentinel says,“her shimmering voice seizes the spotlight.”
KOSTIA EFIMOV, who trained as a concert pianist in St. Petersburg, came to America to record with Narada Records. He blends a wide range of styles into his playing, including classical, jazz and pop. He performs with The Daryl Stuermer Band (of Genesis fame) as well as many other regional acts. His original compositions are treasured throughout the world and have been heard on Sex in the City, in many national commercials, soundtracks, ringtones & more. In addition, Olympic figure skaters have frequently chosen Kostia’s music for their routines.
“It’s hard to believe all the sounds are coming out of one piano!” Indianapolis Star, Indianapolis
STANISLAV, “Stas,” VENGLEVSKI, a native of the Republic of Moldova, is acclaimed as a virtuoso of the Bayan. Stas is an Accordionist, a Musician, an Arranger, an Entertainer and a Teacher. Stas’ repertoire includes his original compositions, a broad range of classical, contemporary and ethnic music. He has toured extensively as a soloist throughout the former Soviet Union, Canada, Europe, and the United States, including numerous performances with Doc Severinsen, Steve Allen and with Garrison Keillor on the Prairie Home Companion Show. The brilliant artistry and musical virtuosity of Stas afford an expanded dimension in music and an innovative musical adventure to the audience. Beyond his artistry he is a consummate entertainer capable of engaging any audience.

SISTASTRINGS
2024-11-24 18:00
The Ross sisters are back in Wisconsin for some larger shows at Stoughton Opera House (sold out) and the South Milwaukee Performing Arts Center, and asked if they could do a show here. We had to think about it for a second.
So happy we are to have them return.
Tickets are likely to sell quickly. If you already have tickets for one of the shows mentioned above, please give others a shot at seeing them.
We will open at 4:00 with a petite menu which will be shared in advance of the show via e-mail.
SISTASTRINGS

LIMITED THANKSGIVING WEEK HOURS
2024-11-27 08:00 - 2024-11-29 16:30
We will closed Wednesday the 27th and Thanksgiving Thursday the 28th, as well as Friday lunch.
Reopening at 4:30 on Friday November 29.
Our daughter will be home, and that is a good enough excuse for us.

LOST SOULS
2024-11-29 19:45
They always push to start the show earlier, but that can only happen if you get here early and allow enough time (at least an hour) for our very small kitchen to feed you. We set the time at 7:45, BUT will start the show only when all who came at a reasonable time to allow for eating have been fed. We will limit the menu in order to feed people faster.
Bio follows ticket link:

The LOST SOULS are Looper Lucas & Greg Valde (with some surprise musical guests if we’re lucky). These two have been playing together around these parts for over 25 years – under an array of monikers. You may have known them as “What’s his name & the other guy,” “Devil in the Outhouse,” or “Syd Hartha & the Monkeyminds.” Folks often ask if they are twins, but they’re not. Fun fact: same sperm, different mothers. As for music, expect some stirring and rousing americana, blues, country, and humor.
“Sure it’s juvenile and irreverent, but if you drink enough it’s not that bad.”
(anonymous satisfied customer)

JOHNSMITH
2024-11-30 20:00 - 22:00
JOHNSMITH is one of those artists so often under-recognized – he possesses a genius that cannot be denied, ignored, or overlooked. For the past forty-plus years, Johnsmith has been sharing his music all across America and abroad. He has become a favorite at festivals, clubs, and house concerts alike. In addition to being a Kerrville New Folk Winner, Johnsmith has released nine solo CDs to rave reviews, leads musical tours to Ireland, leads Idaho rafting trips, teaches songwriting, and has served as a staff songwriter in Nashville.

With his faded jeans, his twinkly blue eyes, and his infectious smile, John immediately connects with audiences. You get the sense of a man who loves his life, his family and friends, and who loves nothing more than sharing that love in song and stories all across this land.

BEATS WORKIN'
2024-12-05 19:30
Though not unique it is no less true that ‘BEATS WORKIN’ is the outgrowth of a series of jam sessions attended by 5 guys who love traditional bluegrass music, while believing that the genre is not set in stone, and that through the joy of making music, tasteful and creative contributions are waiting to be discovered (We think Bill would be proud!). As we each looked at the other 4 and concluded those guys are near-irreplaceable, the transition to a band seemed quite natural.
Band bio follows ticket link:

THE BAND:

VIKTOR BRUSUBARDIS– bass, vocals
Viktor began performing on the bass in the spring of 2021, joining members ofChicken Wire Empire, The Milbillies, and co-founding the Milwaukee bluegrass band “SugarBush”. He has shared the stage with artists Dead Horses, Chicken Wire Empire, Billy Bronsted (Billy Bronsted and the Bluegrass Buddies), Mike Mangione (Mike Mangione and the Kin), and others. Viktor enjoys exploring different genres including Jazz, Classical, Bluegrass, Folk, Americana, and Old Time Music. While Viktor is not playing the bass he performs as a classical cellist in Milwaukee’s Festival City Symphony and teaches cello in the Milwaukee YouthSymphony Orchestra’s Progressions program. During his summers he participates in festivalssuch as the Musiques et Vignes en Confluence festival in the Loire Valley of France, the Gott istgut festival in Struppen Germany, Latvian Song and Dance Festivals in Canada and the United
States, and other local festivals. Currently, Viktor regularly performs with groups Beats Workin’,
Sugar Bush, Milwaukee Hotclub, and Cream City Hotclub.

KEN FINKEL Banjo and vocals
Ken got involved in Bluegrass while at the University of Rochester (NY), Largely self-taught, he made his way to Cincinnati where he met Dede Wyland and Jim Price through mutual friends. During a gig in Chicago, they came down along with Peter Knupfer and Dan Crownover. Turned out they formed Grass, Food, and Lodging. In their five years together, they built a strong regional following and gained national recognition, appearing on the Prairie Home Companion, and many prestigious festivals around the country. Following GF&L, Ken had his own booking agency,
representing Bluegrass, Roots, Blues, and Irish musicians and doing event booking and stage management- Summerfest, Bastillle Days, etc. A long career in the software industry followed. The passion for Bluegrass was reignited when GF&L had reunions in 2013 and 2015.

PETER ROLLER- Dobro
Peter is a longtime performer and composer of fingerstyle and slide guitar music. In the ‘80s he was main accompanist for 1st generation bluesman Yank Rachell, acting as Producer and playing guitar on his Grammy-nominated Blues Mandolin Man album. In the ‘90’s Roller’s original lap slide instrumental Rancho Mirage was included on the popular compilation Masters of Acoustic Guitar, while he also performed and recorded with dance band Paul Cebar & the Milwaukeeans, gospel quartet The Masonic Wonders, and Violent Femmes bassist Brian Richie. After retiring as Professor Emeritus of Music from Alverno College, Roller returned to his early love for Bluegrass and old-time Country Dobro, writing adventuresome pieces and performing with eclectic band The Resonators along with Beats Workin.’

JOHN STINEMAN- Mandolin, vocals
Growing up in Wabash, IN , John was introduced to Bluegrass music by the many people who migrated from Appalachia for employment. Upon witnessing an exceptional flat picker in the local music store he decided he could “do that “, bought a guitar and commenced. After refining his musicianship and moving to Florida he founded The Kitchen
Table Boys, his first success in music .He eventually became a member of Big Timber Bluegrass, a long time Orlando based band that had been founded by Chubby Anthony, who had fiddled with the Stanley Brothers, and later featured frequent guest appearances by Chubby Wise, legendary fiddler with Bill Monroe in the late 1940’s. Upon moving to Asheville , NC in 2001 he co-founded One Leg Up, a five piece swing ensemble that toured the Southeast until 2019.
During the pandemic John relocated to Northern Illinois and has returned to playing Bluegrass music, concentrating on mandolin, as a member of Beats Workin.’

JERRY WICENTOWSKI– Guitar, lead vocals
As a teenager growing up in New York City, Jerry was inspired to sing Bluegrass music by the performances of first-generation artists. His high clear voice carries on the tradition of the pioneers of Bluegrass, but his singing is far from a pale imitation or carbon copy of those early greats. Jerry’s performances have uniqueness, depth of feeling, and most important, respect and reverence for the music. He revisited the material of one of his early inspirations in his most recent CD tribute to Mac Wiseman entitled, ‘Thanks, Mac!’. Mac himself praised Jerry’s work saying, “Jerry, I’m very flattered by your interpretation of my material and I think it’s a wonderful piece of work! I heartily endorse it, and I’m very pleased that you’re carrying on my legacy.” In October 2019, just prior the pandemic, Jerry featured material from his recording on the stage of the historic Station Inn in Nashville.

WHITNEY MANN/ HAYWARD WILLIAMS
2024-12-07 20:30
Bios follow ticket link. Tickets are $20 in advance, $25 day of show

As a girl, WHITNEY MANN dreamed of a life in Country music. “I daydreamed all day, every day, of singing songs that I wrote in front of thousands of people,” she says. At the age of four, she began writing her own songs, and two decades later she realized her version of success by opening shows for legends like Willie Nelson, George Jones, and Loretta Lynn on big country stages and in theaters throughout the Midwest.
Whitney put down her guitar to raise a family. But songwriting is in her bones. It’s an itch that will perpetually need to be scratched. Her old songs are about love and truth and heartbreak. And to listen to her new material, you’ll realize that she’s stayed true to form – except now she’s looking for a fight.
HAYWARD WILLIAMS is a veteran singer/songwriter from Milwaukee, WI.
Growing up in Wisconsin in the 80’s and 90’s convinced Hayward Williams to search for something more out there in the world. Foregoing higher education, he joined a band and learned much about what to do and what not to do in the Midwest music scene. Playing in pubs for many years , getting thick skin and finding a notably sharp tongue, avenues opened up to Williams. Headlining European tours, major US festivals and a few trips to Australia later, Hayward has carved out an impressive niche in the folk music business.

SHITUNAUTS Thursday
2024-12-12 20:00
First show of a 4 day run.
WILLY PORTER PETER MULVEY BILL CAMPLIN KATIE DAHL
(Randy Sabien has a prior commitment but will become the 4th beetle for the Saturday and Sunday shows.)

SHITUNAUTS- Friday
2024-12-13 20:30
Second show of a 4 day run.
WILLY PORTER PETER MULVEY BILL CAMPLIN SATCHEL PAIGE
(Randy Sabien has a prior commitment but will become the 4th beetle for the Saturday and Sunday shows.)

SHITUNAUTS- Saturday
2024-12-14 20:15
Third show of a 4 day run.
WILLY PORTER PETER MULVEY BILL CAMPLIN RANDY SABIEN

SHITUNAUTS- Sunday
2024-12-15 18:00
Last night of a 4 night run. Showtime is 6:00. We will open at 4, and are serving food.
WILLY PORTER PETER MULVEY BILL CAMPLIN RANDY SABIEN

THE DONJUANS "Snow, Snow, Snow Show"
2024-12-19 20:00
By their name you might assume that The DONJUANS rely merely on their good looks. However, you will be impressed to know that the group includes two GRAMMY® Award-winning songwriters, DON HENRY and JON VEZNER. Their song, “Where’ve You Been” (recorded by Kathy Mattea) was the first song in country music history to sweep all major song of the year honors including the GRAMMY®, ACM®, CMA, and the Nashville Songwriter’s Association International (NSAI) awards.
Fuller bios follow ticket link:

“Jon Vezner writes about the details, the details of our hearts and feelings. His gift is in speaking to these ordinary things which connect us to one another. And in recognizing their simple beauty, he transforms them into something extraordinary.”  Mary-Chapin Carpenter
“The crowd was won over by [Don Henry] this guy and his guitar. Long may he write.”
​ – Dirty Linen
Grammy award-winning songwriter, Nashville based, JON VEZNER is a tunesmith of rare sensitivity and dry wit. His catalogue of recorded songs, topped by the poignant “Where’ve You Been,” reflects his straight-to-the heart sensibility and emotional awareness. Vezner weaves the particulars of his own feelings with the lives of people he has known into universal themes that deeply touch listeners’ emotions.
Vezner was honored with a Grammy for “Best Country Song” and the Nashville Songwriters Association “Song of the Year” in 1990, for “Where’ve You Been”, the true story of Vezner’s grandparents, co-written with Don Henry, and recorded by Kathy Mattea. “Where’ve You Been” was also honored as “Song of the Year” by the Country Music Association (CMA) and the Academy of Country Music (ACM).
Jon’s catalogue of songs reads like a songbook itself, interpreted and recorded by the greats in the business as varied as the songs themselves; artists such as Martina McBride, Janis Ian, John Mellencamp, Nancy Griffith, Faith Hill, Clay Walker, Diamond Rio and Native American recording artist, Bill Miller. Other co-penned songs recorded by Kathy Mattea include “A Few Good Things Remain,” “Time Passes By,” “Whole Lotta Holes,” “Slow Boat,” “Who’s Gonna Know,” “All Roads to the River,” “The Innocent Years,” “Calling My Name,” “Trust Me,” and most recently the touching ballad “Ashes in the Wind.” Singles written by Vezner include “If I Didn’t Love You” by Steve Warriner, “Has Anybody Seen Amy” by John and Audrey Wiggins, “Then What” by Clay Walker, and “You’re Gone” by Diamond Rio.
Born in Minnesota, Jon Vezner began his musical career as lead singer and bassist in high school, going on to earn a B.A. degree in music education and music theory at Minnesota Southwest State University in the mid 70′s. Vezner’s preparation as a music educator was well earned, but songwriting was and remains his main interest, the next logical step in his career led him to Nashville in the 80′s.
Graduating with a B.A degree has also led to another labor of love, producing CD projects and earning a growing list of production credits with artists such as Danny O’Keefe, Victoria Shaw, and singing legend Patti Page.
Grammy Award winner DON HENRY ‘s songs have been recorded by legends like: Ray Charles, Patti Page and Conway Twitty, By country crooners like: Gene Watson, John Conlee and B.J. Thomas, By young hit makers of today like: Blake Shelton, Lonestar and Miranda Lambert….and the list goes on.
And he’s shared the stage with performers as diverse as Joey Ramone to Keith Urban.
The wit and wisdom of Don’s songs are widely renowned whether it’s campfire favorites, the hilarious “B.F.D.” and biker lullaby “Harley”, to the wonderfully poignant tribute to Martin Luther King “Beautiful Fool”, and of course his Grammy Award winning country classic “Where’ve You Been”.
