IndianaFolk

Friday, March 23rd, Amy Obenski

Tim Piazza — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 03:35:19 +0000

One of the real treats of hosting house concerts is the occasional email that comes out of the blue with an artist we’ve never heard of, who is passing through on the way to Europe or Alaska, or some far away place and touring along the way.

Amy is one of those performers. An incredible voice, mesmerizing and clever lyrics, Amy is adept on both piano and guitar. She just released her 4th album of jazz-influenced folk and she’ll be joining us for one of those rare Friday night shows. You can listen in on some of Amy’s music at her website: http://www.amyobenski.com/

Saturday, February 18th, Annie and Rod Capps

Tim Piazza — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 19:29:53 +0000

Songs about broken things and poignant little ponderings are delivered with a rootsy vibe, a touch of twang and a soulful groove. Annie and Rod are on a musical journey that began in 1982, culminating into a symbiotic sound that reflects their deep and intuitive understanding of each other. Annie’s disarming, earthy voice and solid command of her guitar are punctuated by Rod’s effortless accompaniment and beautiful solo work. Together they weave unforgettable melodies that are at once intricate and sparse – musically completing each others’ sentences.

We are really looking forward to sharing this duo with you. They first joined us in 2005 after we listened to an absolutely stunning CD, and only after the show learned that this was their first house concert, and they fell in love with the experience. This is Annie and Rod’s first return to Evansville since 2007, and you won’t want to miss them! Annie’s songs are quirky and fun, Rod’s musicianship is just incredible. This will be a show that is not to be missed.

Annie and Rod have recorded a half-dozen CDs and played major music festivals and listening rooms across the country. They have often shared the stage with our friends Small Potatoes, and create a similar warm presence when they perform. Here’s a little taste of their music with a full band:

Click here to view the embedded video.

Saturday January 21st, Dennis Stroughmatt et L'Esprit Créole

Tim Piazza — Sat, 10 Dec 2011 22:56:59 +0000

After returning to Illinois from Louisiana, Dennis began a long odyssey that eventually culminated in the forming of Creole Stomp in 2002. And since that time he and his band have carried the torch of French Creole music and culture across North America performing a blend of music from the state of Louisiana and old upper Louisiana. Their unique sound and mix of ancient and modern Mississippi River valley musical tradition positions them as the only band to encompass French Creole and Folk Music from the entirety of the old Louisiana Territory. And although Dennis continues to play with many of his Louisiana based friends on occasion, you can always find him at the helm of Creole Stomp playing somewhere from San Diego to Boston.

Saturday, November 19th, Bernice Lewis

Tim Piazza — Sat, 10 Dec 2011 22:54:45 +0000

With three decades of performing festivals, concert halls, coffeehouses, colleges, and house concerts, along with a half dozen acclaimed CDs, Bernice Lewis has built a solid national fan base. She is also a published poet, a producer, and an educator extraordinaire. Bernice studied vocal improvisation with Bobby McFerrin, guitar technique with Alex DeGrassi and Guy van Duser, and songwriting with Rosanne Cash and Cris Williamson — has been a featured performer on NPR’sMountain Stage program, as well as at the Kennedy Center.

In 1987, she was a finalist in the prestigious New Folk Songwriting Contest at the Kerrville (Texas) Folk Festival, where she continues to be a main stage favorite. Her ballad, “Bridges That Hold,” was included in Peter, Paul and Mary’s Lifelines video (PBS). She was featured in Yoga Journal for her work with sound and yoga, and has shared the stage with many renowned artists, including Dar Williams, Dixie Chicks, Patty Griffin, Pete Seegar, Ellis Paul, Rory Block, Livingston Taylor, Odetta, Christine Lavin, Marty Sexton, Patty Larkin, Catie Curtis… it’s a long list.

Seats are $12, and you can reserve your seat online by hitting the Reserve Seats tab.

This is a Saturday show, starting at 8PM and you are welcome to arrive as early as 7PM for social mixing and grabbing your favorite spot.

You can pay online via PayPal or just bring cash or a check. All funds go directly to the artist, and this is how they make their living. We’ll put out snacks and beverages, and you’re welcome to bring something to share, which makes it all the more fun!

Remember, seating is limited to 25 spots, so it’s best to reserve early by hitting the Reserve Seats tab!

Saturday, October 22nd, John Flynn

Tim Piazza — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 22:04:09 +0000

We are truly pleased to announce the return of the amazing John Flynn to our concert series. John was originally brought to my attention by Vern Crawford, who for years ran a venue in Carbondale, Illinois called Cousin Andy’s Coffeehouse. John is a talented songwriter and singer, a remarkable and inspiring individual, and someone I always look forward to seeing when he comes our way. This is John’s fourth return to the cabin and we’re sure seats will fill fast.

Singer-songwriter John Flynn draws from a significant body of work, ranging from his early country offerings to story songs, love songs, songs for kids, funny songs, songs of social justice and meditations on loss, tolerance, faith and hope. The 54 year-old former Nashville staff songwriter and father of four spurned touring when his children were young, but as the kids grew older superlatives began to welcome their dad’s arrival to the national folk stagxoric “Train to New Orleans” tour following Hurricane Katrina. And Kris Kristofferson recited the lyrics to John’s song “Without You with Me” at Stephen Bruton’s funeral. Ramblin’ Jack Elliott himself has called Flynn the undiscovered “John Lennon of the plasma generation”!

Seats are $12, and you can reserve your seat online by hitting the Reserve Seats tab.

As usual, the show starts at 8PM and you are welcome to arrive as early as 7PM for social mixing and grabbing your favorite spot. You can pay online via PayPal or just bring cash or a check. All funds go directly to the artist, and this is how they make their living. We’ll put out snacks and beverages, and you’re welcome to bring something to share.

Remember, seating is limited to 25 spots, so it’s best to reserve early by hitting the Reserve Seats tab!

Click here to view the embedded video.

Friday, September 16th, 2011: Andrew McKnight

Tim Piazza — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 23:24:58 +0000

We are truly thrilled to bring back our friend, Andrew McKnight. He has played in Evansville a few times, but not since 2004. This is a rare Friday night show, which we did so that we wouldn’t compete with the Ferdinand Folk Festival.

Andrew is a great guy. As a former environmental engineer, he can’t help but be involved in some of the environmental issues that plague the eastern mountains and he has an encyclopedic depth of interest in the history of the Civil War. He’s a keen observer and that is reflected in the stories woven into his songs.

When Andrew was last here, he took a day-long drive through southern Illinois and when he returned, he had penned a song called “Hard Times in the Heartland”. The first performance of this song was at our kitchen table in the spot where I’m sitting right now. This made the cut on his 2005 CD titled “Beyond Borders”.

Andrew has recorded several CDs published through a record label that he launched, expertly plays a Martin guitar, and well, he just sets the bar really high. Every Andrew does, he does to a high level of polish. I know you’ll enjoy his solo performance.

Of course, you can learn a lot from Andrew’s website, but here’s a quick quote: “Since permanently leaving his corporate environmental engineering career in 1996, award-winning folk and Americana artist Andrew McKnight’s musical journey has traced half a million miles of blue highways, and earned him a wealth of critical acclaim and enthusiastic fans for his captivating performances and five CDs.”

Seats are $12, and you can reserve your seat online by hitting the Reserve Seats tab.

Remember, seating is limited to 25 spots, so it’s best to reserve early by hitting the Reserve Seats tab!

Click here to view the embedded video.

Saturday, August 27, 2011: Jubal's Kin

Tim Piazza — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 10:13:45 +0000

It’s a real joy for us is when the stars align–the gap in our schedule meshes perfectly with the touring schedule of an act that we fall in love with on first listen. This is one of those times! If you like Carolina Chocolate Drops, Sarah Jarosz, or Gillian Welch, you’ll be right at home with Jubal’s Kin. This trio of siblings take Old Time traditional music and infuse it with a new pulse, a heartbeat for modern times. Jubal’s Kin is definitely something a little bit different from what we usually bring to the cabin. They are a young trio at the beginning of their music career, and we are very fortunate to have them join us.

Roger Amundsen, the senior sibling, is a three-time Florida Old Time Music Champion. Gailanne Amundsen, while still in her mid-teens, has already been honored with the title of Grand Champion Old Time Music Fiddler for Tennessee and Rustic Fiddle Champion for Florida. With younger brother Jeffery, they create a sound that is flawless and fresh, honest and time-honored, tastefully seasoned with the textures of fiddle, guitar, mandolin, bass, and banjo.

This is going to be a great show! This is a rare opportunity to hear a group that is already taking off on the festival circuit, but is still relatively unknown on the airwaves. You really won’t want to miss this one! I have to agree with what No Depression magazine had to say: “This is a band to watch closely, as their refreshingly honest and innovative recuts of classic old-time/urban folk songs and excellent musical talents will take them far. Now you can say you knew them when…”

Please make your reservations on our website at http://indianafolk.com/seats/

As usual, we’ll put out some snacks and a little wine and lemonade, and you’re welcome to bring something to share or just for yourself. The show starts at 8PM and you are welcome to arrive as early as 7PM. This will be a very unique show, so please come out and join us!

Click here to view the embedded video.

Saturday, July 23, 2011: Buddy Mondlock

Tim Piazza — Sun, 10 Jul 2011 22:43:40 +0000

Our next house concert is one that I have been looking forward to for the past couple of years. Buddy Mondlock writes songs that other songwriters like to put on their own albums. I’m stunned that we could even bring him here, but his booking agent worked it out for us.

When Buddy made his first trip to Texas, Guy Clark heard him singing under a tree at the Kerrville Folk Festival and liked it. So Guy went back to Nashville, opened the door and said, “listen to this kid, he’s good!”

David Wilcox recorded Buddy’s song “The Kid” on his first record for A&M. Buddy then did some writing with Garth Brooks. Janis Ian heard him singing at the Bluebird Cafe and asked him if he’d like to write with her. Their song “Amsterdam” got recorded by Joan Baez. Nanci Griffith asked Buddy to sing on a show she was taping for Irish television. She ended up liking that song so much that she recorded “Comin’ Down In the Rain” on her Grammy Award winning collection “Other Voices, Other Rooms.” Garth became a star and “Every Now and Then” ended up on his album “The Chase.” Then there was the Album “Everything Waits to be Noticed written and recorded with Art Garfunkel and Maia Sharp.

Don’t miss out on this opportunity to hear one of the truly great songwriters and discover why singers like Linda Rondstadt and Emmylou Harris perform his songs. Seats for this show are $15 and we are limited to just 25 spots. Please make your reservations on our website at http://indianafolk.com/seats/

We’ll put out some snacks and a little wine and lemonade, and you’re welcome to bring something to share or just for yourself. The show starts at 8PM and you are welcome to arrive as early as 7PM. This will be our last show of the summer, so please come out and join us!

Click here to view the embedded video.

Saturday, June 18th: Dana and Sue Robinson

Tim Piazza — Tue, 31 May 2011 12:54:44 +0000

I like thoughtful and poetic lyrics. The kind that comes from sitting in a quiet woods and letting your mind contemplate the big questions and the small events, and how they’re connected through some cosmic strand that can only be rightfully expressed through music. I get the sense that Dana Robinson has spent quite a bit of time in reverent contemplation among the trees.

Dana and Sue Robinson have developed quite a following in southern Indiana since we first brought them here in 2003, and it makes me glad because they have become great friends over the years and we really enjoy seeing them. Dana is a masterful songwriter and guitarist, capable mandolinist, and sublime fiddler. Sue plays banjo and sings with a pure sound as fresh as spring water. Together, they’re warm and entertaining, presenting a show that you will leave you smiling and satisfied, like comfort food for the soul.

You can learn more about Dana and Sue at their website at http://www.robinsongs.com

The doors will open at 7pm and you are welcome to arrive any time after that. The show will start at 8pm, so make sure you’re here before then. As always, we’ll put out some snacks out on the table, our lemonade, and a bit of wine and we invite you to bring something to share, if you wish. As with all of our shows, you must reserve your seats in advance. There is an option to pay via PayPal, or you can simply bring money the night of the show.

Saturday, May 21, 2011: Jill Jack

Tim Piazza — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 13:50:21 +0000

Every once in a while you’ll come across an artist who is so deeply connected with the muse that gives birth to their talent that it just seems to cast a glow around them. Maybe it’s just me, but I think Jill Jack is one of those talents. Okay, so maybe it’s just me and the city of Detroit where she has won thirty Detroit Music Awards since 1997. “I have had such a beautiful life so far. I wouldn’t trade the struggles, heartbreaks, and losses for the anything because they made me who i am today. I know that this year has so many opportunities..i just gotta move out of the way of them and let them happen.” That’s Jill in her own words.

A few of my friends in Evansville got to experience Jill Jack first hand when she played a Concert at the Cabin in 2007. I have been looking forward to her return to Evansville ever since, and I hope you’ll join us for this time. Jill usually plays with a full band, but her voice and energy really shine in the intimacy of her rare solo performances. And of course, it’s about the songs, too. Jill is a storyteller, reflective, and inspirational. This is a very rare opportunity to experience one of Detroit’s musical treasures here in our corner of Indiana. Please join us!

The doors will open at 7pm and we’ll have some snacks out on the table, our lemonade, and a bit of wine and you’re also welcome to bring something to share. As with all of our shows, you must reserve your seats in advance. There is an option to pay via PayPal, or you can simply bring money the night of the show.

Click here to view the embedded video.