Cafe Carpe

SONG CIRCLE w/ TRICIA ALEXANDER $5
2023-07-26 18:30 - 20:30 (America/Chicago)
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, poets, and storytellers held somewhat regularly on the last Thursday of each month (unless interrupted by a pandemic).
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.

RICHARD GILEWITZ $20
2023-07-22 20:00 - 22:00
Ticket link (for the Saturday show) at bottom following bio and workshop information.
For nearly four decades, American fingerstyle wizard RICHARD GILEWITZ has fascinated listeners with 6 and 12-string finger gymnastics while spinning enchanting yarns of a seasoned raconteur. His concert performances around the world spill over with unexpected turns of the funnies, thought-provoking takes on life on the road, and tunes that propel the audience on a magical journey of sight and sound. His signature playing style delivers a technical diversity of banjo style patterns and classical arpeggios with a rhythmic percussive approach, exploring the history of guitar with sounds of folk to Americana, the blues to the classical, ragtime to pop, and somewhere in between.
In addition to his concert performances, his GillaCamp Guitar and Ukulele Workshops, Meet the Artist Seminars, Clinics, and Avenues for Success educational program for schools inspire players worldwide, providing opportunities for music lovers to work on their craft and young players to learn fingerstyle techniques and tips of the trade. (Richard is offering workshops Sunday for those who are interested- see below.)
Today, recognized world-wide as a performer who has a quirky take on everything around him, Richard continues to live up to this depiction with rousing shows filled with offbeat observations combined with his right-hand wizardry and heaps of technique. With Richard’s performances teeming with sparkles of mood mastery and wonderment, he shares a fresh impression of sound to the listener during his concert appearances and at his workshops.
Says Spectrum Magazine, “Much of the charm of a Gilewitz performance is in the stories he tells. He wondered aloud to the audience how many ducks he could take out in a fight if he were to be attacked by a flock of the sneaky waterfowl.”
“Ear-boggling” The Washington Post
“His complex, energetic originals have made Gilewitz popular on the festival and club circuits as a solo performer.” Guitar Player Magazine
”His performance style is very crisp and precise, allowing the personality of the music to shine through.” Dirty Linen Magazine
“His quick wit and twisted sense of humor has made him an entertainer as well as a fine guitarist.” Fingerstyle Guitar Magazine
WORKSHOPS OFFERED Sunday July 23rd 2023-

$35 per class/ $80 for all 3.

Sign up with Richard at rgilewitz@gmail.com
Must sign up Wednesday night July 19th
www.richardgilewitz.com www.gillacamp.com

All materials will be provided
All levels welcome!
“you’ll laugh as you learn!” – The Columbus Dispatch

10:30-11:30 Acoustic Guitar Kaleidoscope
The Fingerpicking Engine
Master the system of fingerstyle picking patterns, how
to play strategically with others, symphonic capo use
and tricks to obliterate stage fright

11:30-12:30 explore Open D tuning and the concepts of
note treatments, transfer options, harmonics, and the
variety of expressions available for performance.

1:30-2:30pm Ukulele adventures –
Match the fingerstyle picking pattern of your choice to an accompanying rhythm pattern while playing in a group setting.

J E SUNDE & ANNA VOGELZANG
2023-07-21 20:30 - 22:30
Two songwriters who are friends will share the evening- on stage together, trading songs. Ticket link follows bios.
J.E. SUNDE (Jonathan Edward Sunde) is a songwriter and composer based out of Minneapolis, MN. Jon studied western classical music with a vocal emphasis at the University of Wisconsin Eau Claire. Starting in college, Jon spent ten years making beautifully unusual music with The Daredevil Christopher Wright. He has since released three solo records with his most recent record, “9 Songs About Love,” released in November of 2020. With a love of songwriters and performers like Leonard Cohen, Nina Simone, and Paul Simon, Jon writes densely poetic songs with a bent toward the philosophical. Also, his voice sounds like some sort of weird angel.
ANNA VOGELZANG believes in the power of songs. Since 2004, she has independently released 7 award-winning albums and toured extensively throughout the US, opening for a wide range of acts from Gillian Welch to Sara Bareilles. Atwood Magazine says her songwriting is “beautifully visceral”, exuding “the kind of storytelling ability passed down through decades of folk tradition – it walks the line between the modern and the nostalgic”. Her voice has been described as “an ethereal, lucid thing” that “nets melodies like it’s catching monarchs”. A reviewer loves her “quirky melodies which showcase an artistic point of view”.
Anna — a melody-driving, songwriting, multi-instrumentalist — has spent her formative years spread across the country, learning the musical languages of the Midwest, West Coast, New England and all that lies in between. Building community from coast to coast, she has traveled with home on her fingertips, her music peppered with flavors of nostalgia and perpetual motion.

GOLDPINE
2023-07-19 19:30 - 21:30
Please call 920-563-9391 to reserve seats and to indicate whether you are likely to eat here that night.
GOLDPINE are Benjamin and Kassie Wilson. Formerly known as ‘My One and Only’, the duo has reimagined their “southern-soul,” “curious-grit” and emotionally honest lyrics into Goldpine.
Through a chance encounter in Nashville back in 2006, Benjamin and Kassie Wilson were sure of each other from the start. “Kassie knew she was going to marry me from the first time she saw me…and she was right,” Ben gloats. After nearly a decade of honing in on their sound, they’re ready to give the world their self-produced debut LP, One.
With this fresh start, Goldpine wastes no time showing what they stand for. Their lead single, “Wander Away,” is somewhat of a public service announcement about mental health. “We explored the ideas of separating yourself from worries and giving yourself a break,” Ben shares. “I think it’s so important that when we are in a place where we feel like we are in need, maybe that is the exact time to reach out to others who are also in need.” The track begins with a soft picking guitar, alongside Ben & Kassie’s unmistakable harmonies — sonically putting you at ease — leading up to a fuller sound that showcases Kassie’s powerhouse of a voice.
The sophomore single of One, “When I Get to Heaven,” takes you on a musical roller coaster ride. Starting off leisurely the track quickly turns into a toe-tapping tune, back into the subtle, raw vocals of the duo, ending with a gospel flair. “Sometimes, when I’m looking for rest in the midst of life’s hustle, I picture myself under this magnificent tree, just laying down in the grass,” Ben explains about the inspiration for the track. “It’s a heavenly place, where the atmosphere is at such peace and comfort…I’m reclining and in absolute rest there.”
Exposing the pains of severed relationships and unearthing the pursuits of love and purpose, Goldpine is cathartic, moody, raucous, and relevant…all intertwined into one. Veterans of making music, Ben and Kassie put their hearts and souls into this album. One is a snapshot of this season of their lives — symbolizing a new beginning and an homage to the halcyon journey of ‘My One and Only’ — leading them to where they are now. Laced with bold vocal harmonies and fervent lyrics, One, is the perfect introduction to Goldpine.
As their music evolved, the name didn’t necessarily grow along with it. “We were called My One and Only for about 5 years,” the two explain. “Throughout those years we realized that the name was putting out a certain vibe, of the depth of the music, that was not quite accurate with where our style was heading.” Drawing inspiration from their roots, the name Goldpine signifies their past and their future; Kassie grew up on Pines Road in Alabama, so ‘pine’ represents the past and ‘gold’ is the lasting and valuable element that represents the future.
Touring since 2016, they have been lessening the gap between music and the audience by disclosing their stories behind the lyrics at every venue along the way. From festivals like 30A Songwriting Festival and Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion, to listening rooms throughout the United States, Ben and Kassie have been offering their own brand of raw Americana to audiences large and small. Recent winners of the 2022 Rocky Mountain Songwriter Contest at the Red Lodge Songwriter Festival, and finalists in the Kerrville Folk Fest 2021 New Folk Competition, the duo’s bold harmonies are clearly a channel for their highly charged songwriting. Presented the “Discovery Award” in 2018 by acclaimed music critic Robert K. Oermann (Music Row Magazine), Ben and Kassie declared performance as their love-share to the world, and since then, have maintained the love and commitment they put into their shows.
Staying true to their vision from the very beginning, Goldpine continues to stand out. With their debut album of “heart-wrenching songs about loss, raucous tunes about how music is perceived as an art, and short songs about being over-zealous” on the way, 2022 shows an auspicious future for the pair.
“…a melding of raw acoustic music with meaningful lyrics that paint a picture of their and our journey.” -Eric Dahl, host of Fox 17 Rock & Review Radio & TV

JULIANNE MACARUS & DEAN MILANO
2023-07-15 20:00 - 22:00
Please call 920-563-9391 to reserve seats and to indicate whether you will dine with us that evening.
DEAN MILANO & JULIANNE MACARUS have worked together, in various groups of fellow musicians, for over forty years, participating in Chicago area’s vibrant music scene. Julianne collaborated with acclaimed songwriters JAMES MCCANDLESS and MICHAEL SMITH in performance and on albums, and been involved in theater.
In the seventies, Julianne joined Dean, Rick Shryock, and Jean Gordon Sredl, and the trio became a quartet called “The Casualaires.” The concentration was on Broadway and Swing music from the 20’s, 30’s & 40’s, along with country, jazz, some originals, and odd pieces you might not, otherwise, encounter.

Dean and Julianne worked together, in the 80’s, in Rubbaband, a group that won the Regional Marlboro Contest, (co-winners with The Sundowners), at The Bar RR, in Chicago; and, again, at The Dry Gulch, in Schiller Park, Illinois, a country western dinner theatre.

Meanwhile, Julianne played on two of Dean’s CDs, (“Songs about Stuff” and “Vestiges: More Songs about More Stuff”), and released a cassette album of original songs, called, “Miss my Baby.“

“Something to Think About,”is Dean’s latest CD.

HAYWARD WILLIAMS BAND
2023-07-14 20:30 - 22:30
HAYWARD WILLIAMS Buy tickets below bio- $15
“Williams is a strong singer-songwriter with seven albums to his name, but even by his high standards, “Every Color Blue” is a golden collection, his voice, heavy and light in one breath, emboldened by assuring church organ on “If You Want Me to Beg” and Memphis soul horns on “Paradise Springs” — and launching him closer to the Springsteen stratosphere than ever before.” – Piet Levy— Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
“Hayward Williams’ voice has that wonderful quality that draws people in from the next room to ask Who is that?… I will put this vocal (Fades Away) up against any track by the Great Ones, including Roy Orbison.” – Darrel Norman— ReverbRaccoon
Hayward will have a full band with him-
Charlie Koltak- drums. Jeremy Moses Curtis- bass James Rohr-keys

THIRD COAST BLUEGRASS
2023-07-13 19:30 - 21:30
Ticket purchase link follows the bio.
THIRD COAST BLUEGRASS (TCB) is a band of longtime friends and musical cohorts with deep roots in the Upper Great Lakes bluegrass scene going back to the 70’s. The lineup speaks (and picks and sings) for itself, in alphabetical order:

Marc Edelstein – Bass & Vocals
Ken Finkel – Banjo & Vocals
Peter Knupfer – Fiddle (& you don’t want the vocals!!)
Don Stiernberg – Mandolin & Vocals
Jerry Wicentowski – Lead Vocals & Guitar

TCB’s repertoire spans bluegrass classics, hidden gems, originals, and adaptations from amazing songwriters. The band highlights Jerry’s “true to the tradition” vocals, seamless trios and masterful instrumentals. With world class soloists Don and Peter stepping out front on the instrumentals with rock solid banjo from Ken, it’s as powerful as it is tasteful. Marc’s bass and Jerry’s rhythm guitar lay down the essential rhythmic foundation. As Don says, “Back to the roots of the hard grass with admired colleagues who are also great friends. What could be better?”

CORKY SIEGEL $35
2023-07-08 20:30 - 22:30
Ticket link follows bio. If anyone is having issues purchasing tickets using that link, please call 920-563-9391 and ask for help.
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.
Corky Siegel is known internationally as one of the world’s great blues harmonica players, blues pianist, singer-songwriter, creator of CHAMBER BLUES and the sole pioneer/composer of award-winning revolutionary works that weave blues and classical forms together. Co-founder of the SIEGEL-SCHWALL BAND, and Blues Hall of Fame Inductee, Corky Siegel has a catalogue of recordings on RCA, Vanguard, Alligator, and million selling blues/classical recordings on the iconic classical label Deutsche Grammophon. His close associations with the blues masters in the earlier days of Chicago blues, his essential part in the blues rock revolution, and his surprising success in bringing together blues and classical audiences make him a pivotal (though inconspicuous) figure in modern music history. “underappreciated national treasure” – DOWNBEAT MAGAZINE.

PIPER ROAD- SOLD OUT!!
2023-07-07 20:30 - 23:00
Word is that this will be an album release party. Ticket link follows bio.
PIPER ROAD is:

Randal Harrison – Fiddle
Bob Mason – Mandolin
Mark Hembree — Bass
Barry Riese — Guitar – Vocals
Bill Kangaroo — Washboard

Piper Road Spring Band was born into the age of rock & roll with individual backgrounds diverse as classical, cowboy, folk, blues and Dixieland. Influenced by some live performances of Doc Watson and Bill Monroe and the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band release of “Will The Circle Be Unbroken” in the early 1970’s, they put away the electric amps and guitars and developed a unique acoustic/bluegrass style. They never completely abandoned their musical roots and have blended Irish fiddle tunes with American country, big band, novelty and space-aged Grateful Dead inspired jams.
The band continues to swing! With their strong bond of friendship, commitment to quality musicianship and continuing support of a strong fan base, Piper Road invites you to join them as their show hits the road. The current Piper Road roster has accumulated over 100 years of experience performing together.

CLOSED FOR A FAMILY REUNION
2023-07-01 08:00 - 23:30

YAZMIN & BEAT ZERO
2023-06-30 20:30 - 22:30
Ticket link follows bios. Those of you who saw the Randy Sabien Trio here in December will have already been introduced to Yazmin’s talents. “She was incredible…… How brilliant is she? She is absolutely fantastic. What a voice, what a keyboard player, just absolutely extraordinary.” Nanci Griffith
YAZMIN & Beat Zero serve up a unique blend of lyric-driven folk-rock mixed with Cuban rhythms, jazz-informed harmonies and classical foundations. Blues, R&B, Funk, Timba, Latin Jazz, and Rock are all part of the recipe. Yazmin’s songwriting is honest and soul-baring, diving into subjects such as creative burnout, finding one’s life purpose, immigration, and of course, love. She weaves between both English and Spanish with ease, inviting listeners to cross between worlds with each note. You may be equally called to dance or to shed a tear before the night is over.
The show features Yazmin’s powerful keyboard playing and soaring vocals as well as the talents of her world-class band: Grammy-nominated Álvaro Benavides from New York City on bass and multi-instrumentalist Andrew Gillespie from Minneapolis, MN on drums.
Yazmin & Beat Zero are touring across the Midwest this summer. This is a rather momentous occasion for Yazmin as it’s the first time reforming her trio since the pandemic and since losing her father and lead violinist T Bruce Bowers to cancer in 2020. T Bruce was a founding member of the Lake Superior Big Top Chautauqua where Yazmin now performs in the house band. He was also one of her greatest musical collaborators. After several transformative years spent in grief and quarantine, Yazmin is ready to step fully into this next chapter and emerge with new wings, hence the tour’s title: The EMERGENCE Tour.
Raised by two professional musician parents, Yazmin started playing the piano and singing before she could walk. At age 12 while on the path of classical piano competition, she happened upon Afro-Cuban music for the first time and her life took a new direction. She spent over a decade studying Latin piano with Rebeca Mauleón-Santana in San Francisco and eventually moved to Cuba to continue her studies. Yazmin has toured nationally and recorded three solo albums. Highlights from her career include opening for Nanci Griffith, the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, and being featured on Michael Feldman’s Whad’Ya Know? radio program. Aside from music, she’s also an accomplished painter, dancer, teacher, and tour guide of the island of Cuba.
Alvaro Benavides, born in Caracas, Venezuela, began his musical studies at the age of 12 under the tutelage of his grandfather, a prominent trumpet player and music teacher from his native country. Later he attended Berklee College Of Music in Boston MA after earning a Best Entering Student Scholarship where he graduated as part of the Class of 2000. Moving to New York in 2004 he began working with local bands and artists in different genres. There he landed a gig with Pedrito Martinez and along with two other musicians, they formed the Pedrito Martinez Group. He recorded two studio albums and one live album and toured the world for a few years. This earned him a Grammy nomination and the opportunity to play with the likes of Wynton Marsalis, John Scofield, Steve Gadd, Ruben Blades, Issac Delgado and many more fantastic musicians in many different venues around the world. He currently plays with local musicians in the city and with his own band under his name. He also works as a musician and assistant MD for Pregones/PRTT theater in New York with sites in The Bronx and the theater district in Manhattan under Desmar Guevara, Musical Director for the theater.
Andrew Gillespie is a drummer and percussionist from Minneapolis, Minnesota. Having lived in Brazil and Puerto Rico, and spent considerable time in Cuba and New Orleans, he counts the traditions and roots of these locales as his chief influences. Andrew holds an individualized BA degree in music, Latin American studies, and Portuguese from a combination of the University of Miami and the University of Minnesota. Beginning in 2003, Andrew cut his teeth in many Latin, Brazilian and New Orleans groups in the Twin Cities music scene. In 2010 he relocated to New York where he worked with several New Orleans style brass bands, neo-soul and funk groups, including the Akie Bermiss Trio (of Lake Street Dive) who he still performs with currently. In 2016 he returned to the Twin Cities where he teaches private lessons, works on his piano skills, and performs with various groups.
Yazmin has toured nationally, recorded three albums and appeared on countless other recordings as a pianist, vocalist, or accordionist. Since she was 5 years old she’s been a regular performer in concerts and theatrical productions at the Lake Superior Big Top Chautauqua. She has opened for artists such as Nanci Griffith and the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band and been a guest on Michael Feldman’s Whad’Ya Know? radio program. The raw emotion of her songs is transmitted through her powerful stage presence, evocative lyrics, and full-hearted storytelling.
Yazmin teaches piano, composition, voice, and popular Latin dances. She composes music for television, film, and commercials, and owns and operates her personal music label and publishing company. In 2019, she founded Nautilus Exchange to lead dance-, art-, and music-focused tours of Cuba. In her art, Yazmin works primarily in acrylics, pastels, and charcoal.

SONG CIRCLE w/ TRICIA ALEXANDER
2023-06-29 18:30 - 20:30, 2023-05-25 18:30 - 20:30

DAVE RAMONT & GERALD DOWD $10
2023-06-24 20:30 - 22:30
Please call 920-563-9391 to reserve seats and to indicate whether you will be dining here. These talented gents opted for a slightly lower cover than they deserve in order to draw in the masses to check them out.

Dave & Gerald have been playing together for a couple decades, and on this night they’ll join on each other’s songs.

GERALD DOWD was called the “Hardest working drummer in Chicago” by WXRT’s Richard Milne, playing on over 100 records. He was Robbie Fulks’ longtime drummer and has played with Mavis Staples, Eddie Vedder, Prairie Home Companion, Neko Case, Marshall Crenshaw, George Jones and many more. But he’s also a singer/songwriter, his second full-length record Fathers Day out this August, following his oft-acclaimed debut Home Now. No Depression magazine said “Drunks, players & heartbreakers run amok in Dowd’s hook-heavy, cleverly crafted tunes. Their bad deeds are celebrated with humor and catchy pop melodies, influenced by everything from country to rock to R&B, all tied together with a great pop sensibility.” He celebrated it’s release by playing 13 straight hours with 16 bands, raising over $10,000 for the Greater Chicago Food Depository.

DAVE RAMONT has been playing around the Midwest and points beyond for years, releasing 4 records, populated by muddy skies, tipsy moons, spider bites and vagabonds. Mark Guarino of the Chicago area’s Daily Herald said his record Scrawny was “The finest collection of songwriting I’ve heard in a long time.” Dave has also produced records for other singer/songwriters and released 4 records with dick smith, a swillbilly band he co-founded. “These cats are mighty whacked. But they’re hella good. They take old forms and play the hell out of them in new ways. It’s bluesy old-timey, it’s inbred urbane country, it’s…hell, I don’t know what it is but I’m diggin’ it.” –Frank Goodman, puremusic.com

“I really felt under the charm of “Scrawny” and it’s always a pleasure to discover a new guy with a real musical personality. I’m looking forward to playing songs off the album.” Raymond Swennen, “Roots Revival” Radio ATL Bree, Belgium

“The world could always use another quality singer-songwriter with meaty lyrics, gritty vocals and a tight back-up band.” The Austin Chronicle

JACKSON EMMER $15
2023-06-23 20:00 - 22:00
Please call 920-563-9391 to reserve seats and to indicate whether you are likely to eat here.
JACKSON EMMER is an award-winning singer, songwriter, and producer from Carbondale, Colorado. His work blends humor with heartache, and tradition with exploration. Emmer’s writing is often compared to that of John Prine and Guy Clark. He has toured the US since 2009, collaborated with Grammy-winners, and co-written 40+ songs with folk music legend Tom Paxton. Emmer has opened for Robert Earl Keen, Sierra Ferrell, and Tim McGraw. His work has been featured in Rolling Stone, Billboard, 1200+ Spotify playlists, and 200+ radio stations worldwide.
“Few are writing songs like Jackson Emmer.” – Rolling Stone
Jackson Emmer has quietly built his reputation as a deft songwriter and commanding singer on the outskirts of country music. His gentle, lush, raspy vocals stand out in the crowded field of Americana. Emmer began singing at the unlikely age of 20. However, due to the arid, mountain climate, and the rigors of long bar gigs, Emmer’s vocal cords were soon in tatters. By 28, he had lost his voice completely.
Undeterred, Emmer saw this as an opportunity — a fresh start disguised as defeat. “I’m a quiet optimist. There is only one way: forward,” Emmer says. He rebuilt his voice from the ground up, learned to sing again, and a new sound emerged. The scars of mountain living forever sealed into his timbre. Lush with overtones, ghostly harmonics, and friendly grit, Emmer’s voice is better than ever.

SHITUNAUTS- Sunday
2023-06-18 19:00 - 21:30
The final day of a four day run with
WILLY PORTER PETER MULVEY RANDY SABIEN BILL CAMPLIN
occasionally known as The Occasional Quartet.
A conversation with music, from songwriter to songwriter, trading songs and stories, an amazing night of music to be shared with friends…four fine fellows join forces.
Extraordinary guitarist and singer/songwriter WILLY PORTER has been turning first time listeners into die-hard fans for more than two decades now with his signature, finger-picking guitar work and playful performing style. Porter is a major force in the worlds of Americana and contemporary folk and folk-rock music.
A live-wire on any stage, PETER MULVEY is an acoustic singer/songwriter/guitarist who, in fact, defies this categorization. His ferocious guitar playing whisks him through more tunings than he has fingers in the course of an evening, as he winds his way from full-throated rockers to deceptively plain-spoken musings.
BILL CAMPLIN has been an integral part of the Wisconsin acoustic music scene for many years both as a performer and as co-owner of this place. Bill is a strong guitarist with a beautiful tenor voice and he is noted for penetrating, intensely emotional performances of both his original songs and his interpretations of others such as Bob Dylan.
Dubbed “the past, present and future of jazz violin” by NPR’s Jazz Profiles, RANDY SABIEN is a regular at Big Top Chautauqua and has performed on A Prairie Home Companion and Austin City Limits. His instrumental skill on the violin, guitar, mandolin, and piano, in the genres of jazz, country, and rock, is legendary.
Shall be a fine evening- I shit you not.

SHITUNAUTS- Saturday
2023-06-17 20:30 - 22:30
The third day of a four day run with
WILLY PORTER PETER MULVEY RANDY SABIEN BILL CAMPLIN
occasionally known as The Occasional Quartet.
A conversation with music, from songwriter to songwriter, trading songs and stories, an amazing night of music to be shared with friends…four fine fellows join forces.
Extraordinary guitarist and singer/songwriter WILLY PORTER has been turning first time listeners into die-hard fans for more than two decades now with his signature, finger-picking guitar work and playful performing style. Porter is a major force in the worlds of Americana and contemporary folk and folk-rock music.
A live-wire on any stage, PETER MULVEY is an acoustic singer/songwriter/guitarist who, in fact, defies this categorization. His ferocious guitar playing whisks him through more tunings than he has fingers in the course of an evening, as he winds his way from full-throated rockers to deceptively plain-spoken musings.
BILL CAMPLIN has been an integral part of the Wisconsin acoustic music scene for many years both as a performer and as co-owner of this place. Bill is a strong guitarist with a beautiful tenor voice and he is noted for penetrating, intensely emotional performances of both his original songs and his interpretations of others such as Bob Dylan.
Dubbed “the past, present and future of jazz violin” by NPR’s Jazz Profiles, RANDY SABIEN is a regular at Big Top Chautauqua and has performed on A Prairie Home Companion and Austin City Limits. His instrumental skill on the violin, guitar, mandolin, and piano, in the genres of jazz, country, and rock, is legendary.
Shall be a fine evening- I shit you not.

SHITUNAUTS- Friday
2023-06-16 20:30 - 22:30
The second day of a four day run with
WILLY PORTER PETER MULVEY RANDY SABIEN BILL CAMPLIN
occasionally known as The Occasional Quartet.
A conversation with music, from songwriter to songwriter, trading songs and stories, an amazing night of music to be shared with friends…four fine fellows join forces.
Extraordinary guitarist and singer/songwriter WILLY PORTER has been turning first time listeners into die-hard fans for more than two decades now with his signature, finger-picking guitar work and playful performing style. Porter is a major force in the worlds of Americana and contemporary folk and folk-rock music.
A live-wire on any stage, PETER MULVEY is an acoustic singer/songwriter/guitarist who, in fact, defies this categorization. His ferocious guitar playing whisks him through more tunings than he has fingers in the course of an evening, as he winds his way from full-throated rockers to deceptively plain-spoken musings.
BILL CAMPLIN has been an integral part of the Wisconsin acoustic music scene for many years both as a performer and as co-owner of this place. Bill is a strong guitarist with a beautiful tenor voice and he is noted for penetrating, intensely emotional performances of both his original songs and his interpretations of others such as Bob Dylan.
Dubbed “the past, present and future of jazz violin” by NPR’s Jazz Profiles, RANDY SABIEN is a regular at Big Top Chautauqua and has performed on A Prairie Home Companion and Austin City Limits. His instrumental skill on the violin, guitar, mandolin, and piano, in the genres of jazz, country, and rock, is legendary.
Shall be a fine evening- I shit you not.

SHITUNAUTS- Thursday
2023-06-15 20:00 - 22:00
The first day of a four day run with
WILLY PORTER PETER MULVEY RANDY SABIEN BILL CAMPLIN
occasionally known as The Occasional Quartet.
A conversation with music, from songwriter to songwriter, trading songs and stories, an amazing night of music to be shared with friends…four fine fellows join forces.
Extraordinary guitarist and singer/songwriter WILLY PORTER has been turning first time listeners into die-hard fans for more than two decades now with his signature, finger-picking guitar work and playful performing style. Porter is a major force in the worlds of Americana and contemporary folk and folk-rock music.
A live-wire on any stage, PETER MULVEY is an acoustic singer/songwriter/guitarist who, in fact, defies this categorization. His ferocious guitar playing whisks him through more tunings than he has fingers in the course of an evening, as he winds his way from full-throated rockers to deceptively plain-spoken musings.
BILL CAMPLIN has been an integral part of the Wisconsin acoustic music scene for many years both as a performer and as co-owner of this place. Bill is a strong guitarist with a beautiful tenor voice and he is noted for penetrating, intensely emotional performances of both his original songs and his interpretations of others such as Bob Dylan.
Dubbed “the past, present and future of jazz violin” by NPR’s Jazz Profiles, RANDY SABIEN is a regular at Big Top Chautauqua and has performed on A Prairie Home Companion and Austin City Limits. His instrumental skill on the violin, guitar, mandolin, and piano, in the genres of jazz, country, and rock, is legendary.
Shall be a fine evening- I shit you not.

MARK DVORAK/ JIM CRAIG/ BILL CAMPLIN
2023-06-10 20:00 - 22:00
Please call 920-563-9391 to reserve seats and to indicate whether you are likely to eat here that night.
A lovely in-the-round song swap with JIM CRAIG MARK DVORAK and BILL CAMPLIN should make for a fantastic evening of music and camaraderie.

JIM came of age during the folk boom, “listening to Pete Seeger and Dave Van Ronk, but also more obscure musicians like Dock Boggs and Pink Anderson, folks who were off the map but were rediscovered in the early ’60s.” He was a regular at the Green Dragon Inn, where we came to know and love him for his understated warm grace. Jim has guitar chops and a beautiful baritone voice, and an interesting repertoire of songs.
He taught guitar at the Old Town School of Folk Music, jammed with figures in the Chicago folk scene such as Eddie Holstein and Steve Goodman. He is the owner of Hogeye Music in Evanston. He is a gentleman.

MARK DVORAK is a modern day troubadour who has never stopped performing, writing and recording. He has been called “a folk singer’s folk singer” with “an encyclopedic knowledge of traditional songs.” His original songs are described as “wondrous” and “profound.” Though Mark often appears in theaters and on festival stages, he is also at home in a more intimate setting. His concerts are a mix of the familiar and the new, traditional folk and standards from the American songbook. He plays authentic country blues guitar and picks great old-time banjo.
Mark enjoys involving his audiences in sing-along songs, just like The Weavers used to do, and mixes in his own well-crafted and infectious originals. Mark has a refreshing, down-to-earth stage presence, and is a very engaging performer. He sings with a clear, signature voice, and he likes to joke around with the folks who attend his shows. Throughout the program he’ll interject personal anecdotes and add a touch of history or social context to the performance.
“Masterful” Chicago Tribune
“The real deal. His show is funny, passionate, intimate & unforgettable” Old Town School of Folk Music
“One of a vanishing breed. Although all of us benefit from the tradition, Dvorak is one of the few who keep it alive.” Utah Phillips
And then there’s BILL CAMPLIN, who can sing and play guitar too. Amazing
Did I mention this will be a really fun in-the-round?

LOST SOULS
2023-06-09 20:00 - 22:30
Americana, blues, folk, and humor, this could be the band for you. Is it true they’ve won multiple awards and are incredibly good looking? Is it true they are masters of their instruments and on-stage behavior? Well, no – but you might enjoy them anyway.
THE LOST SOULS (previously known as Looper & Greg, What’s His Name & the Other Guy, Syd Hartha & the Monkeyminds, & Devil in the Outhouse) clearly have identity issues – but then again doesn’t the whole damn country these days? I mean – do any of us know who we really are? Which is precisely why an evening of music, frivolity, and drinking may be just what you need.
Greg on too many guitars and vocals. Looper on harmonica, lead guitar and vocals. And maybe some surprise guests.

JOE JENCKS w/ guest Heather Styka $25
2023-06-08 20:00 - 22:00
Ticket link will follow bio.
JOE JENCKS is a 25-year veteran of the international folk circuit, an award-winning songwriter, and celebrated vocalist based in Chicago. Merging conservatory training with his Irish roots and working-class upbringing, Joe delivers engaged musical narratives filled with heart, soul, groove and grit. Having penned several #1 Folksongs including the ever-relevant Lady of The Harbor, Jencks is also co-founder of the harmony trio, Brother Sun. From Festivals like Falcon Ridge, Kerrville, Mariposa, and Old Songs, to venues like Lincoln Center and Carnegie Hall, Jencks has enthralled diverse audiences with his approachable style. Joe is noted for his unique merging of musical beauty, social consciousness, and spiritual exploration. Blending well-crafted instrumentals and vivid songwriting, Jencks serves it all up with a lyric baritone voice that has the edgy richness of a good sea-salt caramel.
“Climb inside the songs of Joe Jencks, and you meet real people. His lilting melodies and warm, caramel tenor draw us closer to the stories he tells. Jencks finds the humanness that binds us to the people in his songs!”- Scott Alarik – Author of Revival and WUMB, Boston, MA
HEATHER STYKA is An award-winning songwriter with a #3 album on the FOLK-DJ charts, Chicago songwriter Heather Styka cuts to the truth with gutsy vulnerability. With a heartfelt croon that brings to mind Billie Holiday or Patsy Cline, Styka combines the lyrical intricacy of folk with a catchy melodic pop sensibility and the grit of classic country in songs that are smart and disarming. Heather Styka has released five studio albums and toured coast-to-coast. Her shows feel as intimate and candid as late night conversation, peppered with a quirky sense of humor and confessional storytelling. Armed with a guileless, unvarnished delivery, she’s equal parts wordsmith and entertainer.
“Heather’s songs capture moments, impressions, feelings, and thoughts in a way that connects with the listener, a lyrical wave that can carry one to shore with a solid conclusion, or go way out into the ocean, searching for an answer, insight, or direction” – Lilli Kuzma, WDCB-FM

TODD ALBRIGHT
2023-06-03 20:00 - 22:00
Please call 920-563-9391 to reserve seats and to let us know if you will be dining with us that night.
TODD ALBRIGHT is a country blues, twelve string guitar player and vocalist based in Detroit, Michigan. Grounded in the pre-war era of the blues tradition (1880-1939), Todd is a mindful purveyor of blues history. His repertoire upholds musical pillars such as Blind Willie McTell, George Carter, Blind Lemon Jefferson and Leadbelly. His life’s work continues the distinguished tradition of the very roots of American music as told by the African American musicians who created it.

Todd’s vigorous, gritty and soulful performances are accompanied by stories of the masters and a deep intuitive sense of respect for craft, providing audiences with a meaningful experience while creating a transcendent moment. One of the top blues guitarists in the world, Todd is the only contemporary twelve string player in his genre.
Todd began playing the blues while still a teenager, some twenty-five years ago. Initially, he was drawn to the sound of the finger-picked style and has since immersed himself in the foundational music and narratives of American culture. Over the years, Todd has shared the stage with artists such as Roy Book Binder, Charlie Parr, Paul Geremia, and Dakota Dave Hull.
Todd’s first full-length LP, Fourth Floor Visitor, was released by Jett Plastic Recordings out of Detroit, Michigan (2017). His latest album, Detroit Twelve String: Blues & Rags, is out now on Third Man Records (2017).

HARMONIOUS WAIL $20
2023-06-02 20:00 - 22:00
Ticket link will follow bio. Please come early to eat so that we can start the show at this 8:00 time.
HARMONIOUS WAIL
Featuring the SuperStar2020 winner, vocalist extraordinaire Maggie Delaney-Potthoff !
Americana flavored Gypsy Jazz on full tilt! Harmonious Wail combines the searing wit, humor and mandolin virtuosity of vintage Jethro Burns performances, the Continental panache of Django and charm of Edith Piaf inspired vocals to create a unique musical journey.
“In the gypsy jazz field, no one does it any better than the Madison, Wisconsin based group Harmonious Wail.”
-Jazz Review
”Intense playing & sense of purpose that never wavers… a mind altering experience.”
-The Washington Examiner

WHITNEY MANN/ Paul Otteson SOLD OUT
2023-05-27 20:00 - 22:00
Ticket link follows bios.
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.
Whitney’s friend PAUL OTTESON is a Madison-based songwriter who delivers literary inspired, artfully crafted songs in an intimate chamber folk style. Front man of the band Faux Fawn, Otteson is a tireless creator; having released several solo and full band albums over the past 10 years to great acclaim. After a multi-year hiatus, he returns with ballads to question the cruelty and loss of this age we live in; with hope-filled melodies to warm the heart and poetic verse to soothe the soul. He will do an opening set.

KAREN JOHNSON
2023-05-26 20:00 - 22:00
Please call 920-563-9391 to reserve seats and to indicate whether or not you will dine here that night.
KAREN JOHNSON grew up in West Allis, WI, surrounded by music. Her favorite spot was riding along in her dad’s old pick-up truck while listening to old country tunes. 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

LONESOME BILL CAMPLIN
2023-05-20 20:00 - 22:00
Please call 920-563-9391 to reserve seats and let us know if you will be dining here.
He will not appear in his birthday suit despite the day. I just learned this about Bill –
“Bill is a singer/songwriter and acoustic guitarist, playing professionally in the Milwaukee area since the late 1960s. Bill writes and arranges his own material and has produced a considerable body of work. Bill has been an integral part of the Milwaukee acoustic folk scene for many years.” and this
“Bill Camplin works with a group of 40 scientists working on contaminants and nutrients in the marine environment. He has more than twenty years experience …” and this
“Bill is a strong guitarist as well as a skilled singer with a beautiful tenor voice and great range. He is noted for penetrating, intensely emotional performances of both his original songs and his interpretations of others such as Bob Dylan.”
Will the real Bill Camplin please stand up?

TRACY GRAMMER/ Wes Collins
2023-05-19 20:30 - 22:30
Looking forward to the return of two wonderful songwriters: Tracy, who last played here in 2018, and Wes who came last year for a great evening with Ordinary Elephant and Rachael Kilgour. Wes will open the show. Ticket link follows the bios.
Called “a musician and singer of dazzling versatility” (No Depression), TRACY GRAMMER is among contemporary folk music’s most beloved artists. Renowned for her pure voice, deft guitar and violin work, and incantatory storytelling, Grammer has recorded and performed with Joan Baez and Mary Chapin Carpenter, headlined several of the nation’s top folk festivals, including and Falcon Ridge, and enjoyed 12 consecutive years as one of folk radio’s 50 top-played artists, both solo and with the late Dave Carter.

“One of the finest singers and musicians anywhere in folkdom.” – Boston Globe
​”A brilliant artist” – Joan Baez
“One of the most enduring, irreplaceable voices in American folk music.” – Anti-Heroin Chic

Grammer’s eleventh release, LOW TIDE, is the first of her albums to showcase her original songs. LOW TIDE was the ninth most-played album on folk radio in 2018 and was voted a Top 10 Album of the Year by Fish Records UK and Folk Alley. The buzz on LOW TIDE:

“Potent songcraft that reflects the tender and stubborn heart that got her here, and a way with words and
images that … marks the beginning of a new path to glory. A bold and beautiful collection.” -coverlaydown.com
“This is the voice of a songwriter who has made her peace with the past and who is ready — and
​more than willing — to move forward.” – Folk Alley
“A bold new sound, attitude and personal viewpoint…. engaging songs beautifully sung and arranged.” – Music Matters Review

WES COLLINS will start the show. At age 44, Wes and his wife Anita made a pact to become writers: she started writing fiction and Wes penned his first song. A few years later, they were both multi-award-winners in their fields. Collins more than makes up for lost time with songs so dense with ideas that a first listen only scratches the surface. Come for a haunting melody and some intricate fingerpicking and stay for the wit and deep literary intelligence. There is always more to find in a Wes Collins song.

He is a winner of the prestigious Grassy Hills New Folk Competition and a North Carolina Arts Council Songwriting Fellowship, and has been featured as a finalist in The Telluride Troubadour Contest in Telluride, CO; The Songwriter’s Serenade Competition in Moravia, TX; and The Wildflower Performing Songwriter Contest in Dallas, TX.

“His skill with the guitar makes the most of his imaginative arrangements and nuanced control of cadence and phrasing, underscoring the subtlety and bite of his lyrics. He credits many other singer/songwriters in his musical tent as inspiration, including Neil Finn, Gillian Welch, Bruce Cockburn, and Patty Griffin, but Collins is well on his way to establishing his own voice as one we should value.”— North Carolina Arts Council

JEFFREY FOUCAULT
2023-05-14 19:00 - 21:00
JEFFREY FOUCAULT– the prodigal son returns on Mother’s Day.
THE NEW YORKER:
“Jeffrey Foucault sings stark, literate songs that are as wide open as the landscape of his native Midwest”
UNCUT:
“The music of Wisconsin native Foucault is the kind so many aspire to but never attain: beat-up troubadour folk whittled to dolorous perfection”

MICHAEL HECHT & BILL CAMPLIN
2023-05-13 19:30 - 20:30
We may try to start this show earlier than the originally scheduled 8:00 time.
MICHAEL HECHT will read excerpts from literature, and BILL CAMPLIN will sing a song between each excerpt.
They have done this collaboration many times with different readings, and really enjoy the concept.
Readings will be from Let Us Now Praise Famous Men by James Agee,
as well as The Great Gatsby, Winnie the Pooh, and poetry by Whitman and 2-3 other poets.
Michael says “The readings at times might seem longer but hopefully every one will appreciate the great prose with an intersperse of poetry.”
