Cafe Carpe

HAYWARD WILLIAMS
2016-11-25 20:30 - 23:00 (America/Chicago)
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.

IRISH SESSION
2016-11-23 19:00 - 21:00, 2016-11-09 19:00 - 21:00, 2016-10-26 19:00 - 21:00
2nd and 4th Wednesdays of each month, except when other Carpe musical events displace it.
Players and audience welcome.

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.

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.

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.

SONG CIRCLE w/ TRICIA ALEXANDER
2016-11-15 19:00 - 21:00, 2016-10-20 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-

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.

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

NEW PIONEERS
2016-11-10 19:00 - 21:30, 2016-10-13 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.

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.

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.

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.

MARTHA SCANLAN w/ JON NEUFELD
2016-11-03 20:00 - 22:30
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.

THE PINES
2016-10-29 20:30 - 23:00
Songwriters DAVID HUCKFELT and BENSON RAMSEY along Benson’s brother ALEX RAMSEY craft their music with a filmmaker’s keen eye for detail and framing, blending celestial, ethereal atmospherics with rich, warm vocals and earthy acoustic instruments. It’s a gripping brew that demands your total presence, transporting you into vividly painted musical and lyrical snapshots.

THE PINES
2016-10-28 20:30 - 23:00
Songwriters DAVID HUCKFELT and BENSON RAMSEY along with Benson’s brother ALEX RAMSEY craft their music with a filmmaker’s keen eye for detail and framing, blending celestial, ethereal atmospherics with rich, warm vocals and earthy acoustic instruments. It’s a gripping brew that demands your total presence, transporting you into vividly painted musical and lyrical snapshots.
“simply and eloquently stated sonic poetry…the real deal.”
-Acoustic Guitar
“Richly resonant indie-folk in the vein of Bon Iver, Calexico and Mason Jennings”
-The Onion A.V. Club
“a hushed mix of acoustic and electric guitars and keyboards creates a kind of haunted landscape…an affecting portrait capturing an American journey”
-All Music
“a soundtrack of American gothic intensity…a stunner of an album.”
-All Music
“a dusty and often ghostly take on Americana”
-CBS Minnesota

LUCY KAPLANSKY- SOLD OUT
2016-10-22 20:30 - 23:00
Tickets only available if someone cancels. Please click on the link below and leave a note and some contact info in the Discussion section to state your desire for tickets.

LUCY KAPLANSKY is a rare vocal talent, “a truly gifted performer…full of enchanting songs” (New York Times). Blending country, folk and pop styles, she has the unique ability to make every song sound fresh, whether singing her own sweet originals, covering country classics by June Carter Cash and Gram Parsons or singing pop favorites by Lennon/McCartney and Nick Lowe. Lucy’s iconic voice has has been featured in film and on television, including commercials like Chevrolet’s iconic “Heartbeat of America” jingle. A Billboard-charting singer and one of the top-selling artists on Red House Records, she has topped the folk and Americana radio charts and has been featured on shows throughout the world from NPR’s Weekend and Morning Editions to BBC Radio to CBS Sunday Morning. One of the most in-demand harmony singers, Lucy has sung on countless records, performing with Suzanne Vega, Bryan Ferry, Nanci Griffith and Shawn Colvin.

Raised by a piano-playing mathematician and a homemaker in Chicago, Lucy began singing in bars when she was still a teenager, even traveling to Norway to perform as a country singer. When she was just out of high school, she took off for New York City, where she became part of the renaissance of the Greenwich Village folk scene centered around Folk City and the Fast Folk recordings. Her compatriots included Suzanne Vega, The Roches, Steve Forbert and John Gorka as well as her frequent duo partner Shawn Colvin. The New York Times said it was “easy to predict stardom for her,” but instead, Lucy got a doctorate in psychology and started a private practice.
Eventually Shawn Colvin lured Lucy back to music, producing her debut album The Tide (1994). Red House founder Bob Feldman was blown away by the release and signed her right away. Since then, she has released six solo albums with Red House and released radio-charting albums with the folk supergroups Red Horse (with Eliza Gilkyson and John Gorka) and Cry Cry Cry (with Dar Williams and Richard Shindell).
Lucy continues to perform all over the world. When not performing, she lives in New York City, where she enjoys spending time with her husband and daughter.

KAREN JOHNSON
2016-10-21 20:00 - 22:30
KAREN JOHNSON started performing at the Café Carpe in 1998. She says she counts herself so very fortunate to have the opportunity to perform at such a wonderful place! (aww.. Ed.)
Karen retired early from her career as a 4th grade teacher. She now enjoys many opportunities to visit her grown children.
Joan Baez, Nanci Griffith, and Alison Krauss are just a few of her favorite artists. Listening to the Country Radio in her dad’s old Chevy truck sparked her love for old country songs of which a few find their way onto her song list.
You can preview her on these YouTube videos:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z6pYX8uK25o

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

Please call 920-563-9391 to reserve.

ANNA TIVEL & JEFFREY MARTIN
2016-10-19 19:30 - 22:00
ANNA TIVEL and JEFFREY MARTIN – you can’t go wrong with this double hitter
ANNA TIVEL has spent some quality hours in a dodge caravan repeating lyrical lines over and over until the words fall in time with the windshield wipers, or until the gas light comes on.
Anna gained a number of fans by playing with PETER MULVEY for 5 nights of last year’s Lamplighter series. We count ourselves proudly among them.
A nationally touring artist with a deep love of quiet stories, Anna is beginning to carve a place for herself in the songwriting world. She was a winner at this year’s Kerrville Songwriting Contest, and has shared the stage with heroes and friends across the country.
Anna was raised in the forest and farmland of rural northern Washington and currently calls Portland, OR home. Her songs reflect both the stark colors of small town life, and the hard, sharp lines of the city. Anna’s album, Before Machines, was hailed by No Depression as “raw, yet superbly composed and executed, intelligent, personal and deeply expressive.” Her newest album, Heroes Waking Up, was produced by guitar mastermind Austin Nevins (Josh Ritter, Anais Mitchell, Kris Delmhorst). The album was released by Portland’s well-loved Fluff and Gravy Records and called “vastly expressive in its stark beauty,” by Glide Magazine.
“Portland songwriter Anna Tivel is a favorite over at Hearth. She’s a deft, clever songwriter with a knack for observing the small, subtle beauties of our lives.” – Kithfolk
“Raw yet superbly composed and executed, as well as intelligent and personal and deeply expressive in their experience, observation and storytelling, the fifteen tracks on Before Machines don’t just serve as an absorbing and utterly worthwhile listen but as indisputable evidence that the folk scene is in good hands with both its longtime artists and newcomers alike.” – No Depression
“To be sure, these are organic songs that freely reveal the poetry of the mind, heart and soul, the sharp imagery of the world translated into sound, and both the simple and complex things represented sentimentally and at length.” – Examiner
“Anna Tivel’s voice is haunting, exhibiting the timbre of a precocious child, whispering to a teddy bear underneath the covers.” – The Bluegrass Situation
“Anna Tivel brings a raft of beautiful songs with brine-soaked images of Pacific Northwest tidepools, oceans, and the birds that wheel above them in the gray skies.” – Devon Leger, No Depression
She and JEFFREY MARTIN are touring all over the United States. Jeffrey quit teaching to go back on the road.
Born in Texas in 1984, Jeffrey Martin quickly made his way to the Northwest where he discovered in nature and in people what would be the deep well for much of his songwriting. His father was a lover of stories, especially in music, and Martin was raised with a careful ear cocked and listening to Neil Young, John Prine, Jackson Browne, Bob Dylan, and Harry Chapin. He was fortunate to live in Eugene, OR for much of his adolescence, where in the late 90’s and early 2000’s there was a strong and steady flow of folk songwriters touring through. Leo Kotke, John Gorka, and David Wilcox were huge inspirations.
In 2011 Jeffrey Martin caught a lucky break, a chance encounter with a prominent local promoter at a rowdy dive bar. Through that meeting he was invited to open for Tracy Grammer and then David Wilcox, which then lead to a few small tours, and eventually a finalist slot in a national songwriting competition in New York City and a successful national tour.
Martin’s music has been likened to the styles of Josh Ritter and Joe Pug, with an attention to storytelling reminiscent of Harry Chapin and John Prine. Since 2011 Jeffrey has released two full length albums (Gold in the Water (2011) and Dogs in the Daylight (2014)), and one EP entitled Build a Home (2012.) Also in 2014, Martin signed to the sensational Portland record label Fluff and Gravy Records, where he still makes a happy musical home, along with fellow artists Mike Coykendall, Nick Jaina, Fernando, Dan Stuart, Richmond Fontaine, Anna Tivel and others.
“He’s an incredibly rare find among today’s glut of singer-songwriters: a songwriter whose songs are immediately affecting. These are the kind of songs that can change you.” –Devon Leger NO DEPRESSION
“Jeffrey Martin can write a heavy-hitter and sing it too. He’s good backstage company, and a solid bet for any club in the country…” –Jeffrey Foucault
PORTLAND MERCURY: “Jeffrey Martin’s music is not widely known, which is a shame, because he might be the best songwriter in Portland. With lyrics that read like Raymond Carver stories and a voice that’s one breath away from breaking completely apart, Martin’s songs are beautiful, sparse, and utterly devastating. . . . If there is any justice in the world, Martin’s music will soon reach a wider audience and inflict devastation on a much larger scale.”
PLEASE CALL TO RESERVE at 920-563-9391.

AN EVENING w/ SLAID CLEAVES
2016-10-15 20:30 - 23:00
SLAID CLEAVES spins stories with a novelist’s eye and a poet’s heart.
Childhood friend Rod Picott, who has co-written with Slaid on several indelible blue-collar vignettes over the years (“Broke Down,” “Sinner’s Prayer,” “Bring It On,” “Black T-‐shirt”) says, “Slaid is my favorite co-writer. He’s a smart writer with a gift for wringing the most out of a melody. Slaid understands that the song has to rule. He’s patient and unwavering in his pursuit of the best.”
SLAID is doing this tour with Scrappy Jud Newcomb.
“I’m glad I found Slaid Cleaves, because my life would have been poorer without him. You’ll feel the same, I think, when you listen to this beautifully crafted album. Listen, go to one of Slaid’s shows, take a friend, and pass on the news: Not all the good guys wear hats.”
—Stephen King
“A sharply observant songwriter with a deep appreciation for the ageless fundamentals of folk, country, and rock … one of the country’s most compelling roots artists.”
—Peter Margasak, Chicago Reader

LOST LAKES
2016-10-14 20:30 - 23:00
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 record 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.
COREY has the honor of being chosen as one of 24 performers for Overture’s Rising Stars showcase September 28th in the Capitol Theater.
“Overture’s new local talent search held auditions throughout the spring and summer at six sites across Dane County. The best and brightest will take the Capitol Theater stage in a major showcase as part of Overture’s 10th Anniversary Celebration. ”
Corey is known for his voice and unique stylings.
“Nobody in town sings like this…” – Kevin Lynch (The Capital Times)
“…starkly authentic and full of promise.” – Rich Albertoni (The Isthmus)
2007 Madison Songwriter if the Year (awarded by Madison Songwriters Group)
2007 Midwest Song Contest – Honorable Mention

LORINE NIEDECKER POETRY FESTIVAL OPEN MIKE
2016-10-14 18:30 - 19:30
The 2016 Lorine Niedecker Wisconsin Poetry Festival is scheduled for Friday, October 14 and Saturday, October 15.
It kicks off this night with an open mike for attendees. Public is welcome to come listen.
Click poetry festival link to get the complete schedule of events, location, and list of presenters.

IRISH SESSION
2016-10-12 19:00 - 21:00
First of what is hoped to be a regular thing- 2nd and 4th Wednesdays of each month, except when other Carpe musical events displace it.
Players and audience welcome.

CLAUDE BOURBON
2016-10-08 20:30 - 23:00
Ready for a unique and talented take on a wide range of musical traditions? CLAUDE BOURBON is known throughout Europe and America for amazing guitar performances that take blues, Spanish, Middle Eastern, and Russian stylings into uncharted territories. Each year Bourbon plays more than 100 shows around the world.
Claude has played countless venues, including Glastonbury Festival, Isle of Wight Festival, Colne Great British & Blues Festival, Rock O’Z Arene, Avenches, Switzerland, among others. He has shared the stage in Europe and the USA with countless musicians, Calvin Russel, Charlie Morgan (Elton John, Gary Moore), Jan Akkerman (Focus), Steve Grossman (Miles Davis), Herbie Armstrong ( Van Morisson), Jose barrense Dias and many more.
Now based in the UK, some of this guitarists’ influences allow us a fascinating insight into this remarkable musician; Paco De Lucia: Deep Purple’s Richie Blackmore; Joaquin Rodrigo; JJ Cale, Monty Python; JS Bach and Fleetwood Mac’s Stevie Nicks….
One reviewer even noted that although “Claude’s roots were in blues, that is like saying Leonardo da Vinci was a painter”. Intrigued ?
Experience an evening of exploration in the unique ambiance of the Thumb !
“… not a same ole same ole gig…”
“ Claude Bourbon is a unique figure today… his playing is almost indescribable“ – The Hook, Charlottesville, USA
“Never heard anyone get that much beautiful sound out of a J-45”, Bob, Tucson, AZ
“Do you know what Medieval guitar sounds like? I didn’t either ‘til I hooked up with Claude! This is some cool stuff, and he’s French and everything!” Dolores River Brewery, Dolores, CO
“A breathtaking acoustic fusion of blues, jazz, folk, classical and Spanish guitar from a stunning guitar virtuoso…”Altadena News, USA”
“…This accomplished artist offers tender, compelling performance through highly developed precision. His sound instantly creates ambience – from haunting Spanish moods to lyrical, romantic jazz, Claude Bourbon provides both a rich evening of music for lovers, and a real treat for music lovers…”, BBC, UK
http://www.reverbnation.com/claudebourbon
Please call 920-563-9391 to reserve.

MIKE DOWLING
2016-10-07 20:30 - 23:00
MIKE DOWLING – bottleneck blues, vintage swing, ragtime, and more, played with grace, wit and dazzling dexterity
Mike doesn’t come through that often, so don’t miss the opportunity to hear this world-class guitarist.
“Dowling is one of the most relaxed and highly skilled acoustic guitar players of his generation that I have ever heard. Everything he performs appears natural and deceptively effortless, and with a tone, particularly when he plays slide guitar that is very much his own and that very few others can emulate. His vocals have an engaging edge and alongside his consummate guitar skills there was nothing to criticize. After a number of encores a member of the audience spontaneously stood up and gave a heartfelt thanks to Mike for such a wonderful evening.”
October 2003 performance review, Blues in Britain.
Please call to reserve.

AN EVENING W/ WRITER ISABEL ABBOTT
2016-10-01 20:00 - 22:00
Join the inimitable and incandescent ISABEL ABBOTT as she reads from her new book, Salt + Honey, followed by a book signing.
In her own words:
“I make art installation in the forms of hieroglyphic maps and feathered and papered wings of desire. I study and serve as a presidential merit scholar at Chicago Theological Seminary, exploring intersections of embodiment and sexual ethics, interreligious engagement as a secular humanist, religious ritual and cartography of faith. I live in a city that houses my stories, and I am always on my way back to Mexico and my beloved. I write medical anthropology on the wandering womb, secular prayers and love letters. With an anti-oppression orientation, presence and devotion to the shadow and inexplicable light, I serve on the thresholds, bringing over fifteen years of professional experience as a birth and death doula, sex educator and artist, all of this entering into the creation of now. And I bake pies and hunt for lilacs and again and again return to the open road.
I love this world. Love for coffee consumption, and the late night sounds of my alley cat, the trust of solitude, the hum of neon, the call of the secular pilgrimage, the insistence of contradictions, and heat. Love for the human and holy hedonistic hearts, for solid ground and belonging to the body, rough housing with words and re-envisioning the old myths, giving voice to the unnamed. A hunger for the sacred and profane, the return to the salt water, the study of adaptation and insistence on movement and messy beautiful things.”
Please call to reserve at 920-563-9391.

GIRLS OF SMALL FOREST
2016-09-30 20:00 - 22:30
Indie-folk SMALL FOREST’s roots stretch out from the beautiful Door County peninsula in Wisconsin. Songwriting team JEANNE KUHNS and MARYBETH MATTSON sing original tunes and obscure covers across the peninsula and throughout the Midwest. They are played on Simply Folk and Lily Kupbeats Folk Festival Show on WDCB.
With lyrics that are both poetic and deliberate, Small Forest offers a new twist on the folk genre enchanting listeners with a balance of sweet and salty vocals, unique harmony arrangements, an undeniable charm. They perform with passion and honesty in a style that has been dubbed Indie-Progressive-Folk-Pop.
JEANNE KUHNS – Singer/Songwriter, Acoustic Guitar, Percussion
Jeanne has released several albums over the last several years with a variety of musicians including her previous band, Lost Mothra. She founded and runs the Woodwalk Concert Series in Door County and also owns Lost Moth Gallery in Egg Harbor, WI where she shows her own acrylic and watercolor paintings as well as the work of guest artists.
MARYBETH MATTSON
Prior to joining Kuhns and Palmer and creating the new band, Small Forest, Mattson released her first album of all original music in 2012, entitled “Relative Hunger,” with Patrick Palmer on bass and Dan Smrz on drums, and featuring Seth Raddatz on lead/electric guitar and Anna Sacks’ harmonies on select tracks.
Please call 920-563-9391 to reserve.
