2012-2013
BRIEF SCHEDULE OF PERFORMERS
See below for more information
September 15, 2012- Liz Queler and Seth Farber, with Joey Farber
October 20, 2012– ellen cherry
November 17, 2012– Danaher and Cloud
January 19, 2013– Ken and Brad Kolodner
February 16, 2013– Pat Wictor
March 16, 2013– Jane Rothfield and Allan Carr
April 20, 2013– CosySheridan
May 18, 2013 – Dana Cooper
About the North Elk Coffee House
Atmosphere
The North Elk Coffee House is held on the third Saturdays of September through November and January through May. Guest performers present live music in a variety of styles, including: Celtic, Blues,Bluegrass, Jazz, and traditional American folk music. All members of the community are welcome to attend. The Coffee House seats 110 people at small, candlelit tables, in the friendly and intimate style of the coffee houses of the 1950’s and 1960’s. There are desserts, snacks, and coffee, tea, soda, and water available for a suggested donation. The audience is mostly comprised of adults, but there are also families in attendance. The coffee house is smoke-free and alcohol-free, and has no religious affiliation.
Location
The North Elk Coffee House is located in North East, MD, a small community on the northern tip of theChesapeake Bay. We are housed in the parish hall of St. Mary-Anne’s Episcopal Church.
From the north, take Route 95 south to Exit 100A. Follow the left lane on the exit ramp, Route 272 south, toward North East. From the exit, go about two miles, into the town ofNorth East(crossing Route 40 and a small railroad bridge). After the bridge, we are about one half mile farther along, on the right side. It is a large white-sided building with a front porch. Look for the blue and white North Elk Coffee House sign out front. There is on street parking and a parking lot across the street, adjacent toNorthEastUnitedMethodistChurch.
From the south, take Route 95 north to Exit 100A. Follow the right lane on the exit ramp, Route 272 south. Then follow the directions above.
Time Schedule
The doors open at 7:00 P.M.The music of one of our upcoming performers is played in the background, as people visit the kitchen for snacks and drinks. At 7:30the guest artist begins their performance. They play two sets of music with a short break in between. The evening ends by approximately9:30 P.M.
Suggested Donation
Your donations are collected at the door on the night of the performance. Tickets are not distributed in advance. The suggested amounts are $8 for adults and $6 for children, under 18. All money that is collected, beyond the cost of running the coffee house, is donated to The Meeting Ground, an organization that supports the homeless individuals and families in Cecil County, Maryland. Read more about The Meeting Ground at: www.meetingground.org .
Volunteers
The North Elk Coffee House is completely managed and staffed by volunteers. Without their help, our monthly shows would not be possible. There are opportunities to assist with setting up and taking down the room on the day of the performance and baking for and working in the kitchen during the show. If you are interested in joining our other volunteers you can contact Rick Waterhouse through the St. Mary Anne’s Church office: 410 287 5522.
CD Sales
A lighted table is set up on which the artist’s CD recordings and other information are displayed. The audience may purchase the guest artist’s recordings before and after the show and at intermission. Guest artists normally greet the audience and sign CDs at intermission and at the end of the evening.
Nearby Services
Main Street has many shops selling antiques, craft items, artwork, and food, all within walking distance. There are also “fast food” restaurants, including McDonald’s, Wendy’s, and Burger King, just a two- minute drive from the coffee house.
Publicity
You may look for announcements about the coffee house on this web page. We also announce the performances in the Wilmington News-Journal, the Baltimore Sun, and the Cecil Whig. Information is sent for announcement on WVUD (FM 91.3), the radio station at theUniversityofDelaware,Newark,DE. WVUD has a weekday morning folk program called “Roots”, on which they make concert announcements and sometimes have performers as guests. You may also look for our banner in front of the Parish Hall during the week before the performance.
For Potential Performers
The North Elk Coffee House is a non-profit venue operated as a community outreach of St. Mary Anne’s Episcopal Church. Artists receive $300 for the evening’s performance of (2) 45-minute sets of music. The Coffee House provides stage and sound equipment, although performers are strongly encouraged to bring their own microphones, effects boxes, etc., as desired. A committee meets in June to select artists for the coming season. Musicians interested in playing at the North Elk Coffee House should send a CD and promotional information about themselves to:
North Elk Coffee House
C/oSt.Mary Anne’s Church
315 S. Main Street
North East, MD 21901
2012-2013 Schedule of Performers
September 15, 2012- Liz Queler and Seth Farber, with Joey Farber
We had such a great response from our audience last March, when Liz Queler and Seth Farber and their son, Joey Farber, played the coffee house that we invited them back this season. We are so happy that they could arrange to be with us again! Liz and Seth performed at the coffee house several years ago. Joey joined them, when they returned last year, and played rhythm accompaniment on the Cajon, a drum box that originated inPeru. With Joey’s rhythms and voice added to Liz’s guitar and vocal melodies and Seth’s keyboard and harmonies, the performance presented by this talented family is amazing!
Liz and Seth are both the products of musical families themselves. Liz’s mother was a conductor of opera’s, which gave Liz the opportunity to sing with the NYC Children’s Opera Chorus at LincolnCenter, setting her musical career in motion from a young age. After attending BerkleeCollegein Boston, Liz jumped to the contemporary music scene as a backup singer for Cliff Eberhardt. As a composer and studio musician, Liz keeps busy with commercial jingles including ones for Meow Mix, Exxon, Sprite and Estroven. She has also worked on several soundtracks, highlighted by Disney’s “The Little Mermaid”. Seth grew up in New York City, playing in the clubs on Bleecker Street. His career has seen recording sessions and performances with Billy Joel, Bon Jovi, Lucinda Williams, Roseanne Cash and Joan Osborne, a six-year run as the assistant conductor and keyboardist for the Broadway musical Hairspray, and work as arranger, accompanist, and producer for the late folk/blues legend Odetta. Liz’s latest solo release, “No Small Wonder”, sparked the Washington Post to write: “Liz Queler is a fine singer/songwriter with the ability to pull you in with both her lilting melodies and affecting folk-based story songs. Her talent is undeniable”; and the Boston Herald to call Liz “one of the most beautiful singers and melodic writers on the coffeehouse scene today.” A composer in his own right, Seth’s music has been used extensively by many networks including HBO, PBS, VH1, Biography, MTV, Bravo, Comedy Central and Animal Planet. Seth and Liz collaborated on composing songs from the poetry of Edna St. Vincent Millay – “The Edna Project”. And they both tour with the children’s rock band, “Brady Rymer and The Little Band That Could.” You won’t want to miss the performance by this vastly talented couple as they begin our new season in September! Get a preview of their songs at: www.lizqueler.com .
October 20, 2012– ellen cherry
You may have also seen and heard ellen cherry during our 2011-12 season. ellen is returning with her energetic guitar and vocals, and we couldn’t be happier! Involved in all aspects of the music business – writing, performing, recording, and producing – ellen has recently released (New) Years, an updated version of an earlier CD, and started her own recording studio: Wrong Size Shoes. In October, you can join us to hear ellen, when she slows down long enough to perform on our stage!
ellen cherry is a Baltimore-based singer and songwriter, who has twice been awarded grants by the Maryland State Arts Council; one for vocal music and one for music composition. She has released several CDs of original music and has composed music for film and television. In 2010 she was nominated for an Emmy Award for her song “We Are Baltimore”, which was commissioned by the Fox Network. Ellen also composed the score for a shadow puppet piece entitled “Alonzo’s Lullaby”, which was awarded the prestigious UNIMA Citation of Excellence. Recently, ellen was commissioned to write and record an album of songs about women in history by the Maryland Historical Society, and she is serving as the Music Director for the prestigious Stoop Storytelling Radio Program. As the director of the BlackRockCenterfor the Arts wrote: “ellen is a storyteller at heart. Her songs are musical short stories filled with ear-catching metaphors, quirky characters, and hummable melodies. You will enjoy a great evening of her stories and songs in October by spending the evening with the talented ellen cherry. You can hear samples of her music at: www.ellencherry.com .
November 17, 2012– Danaher and Cloud
We have tried to schedule Kate Danaher and her partner, Amy Cloud, for a few seasons now but our schedules never meshed. But we finally found a date in common during the 2012-13 season, and you will be the beneficiaries, when you join us to hear their wonderful performance in November! Between them, Kate and Amy play the fiddle, guitar, banjo, mandolin, autoharp, ukulele, and mountain dulcimer. And with instrumentation like that, you know there will be traditional folk songs. Stories and tunes from Kate’s Irish background are mixed with traditional American folk music to create the evening’s entertainment – a special one for sure.
Kate Danaher and Amy Cloud are musicians and storytellers, traveling the world in the style of the ancient bards who visited courts and country inns with their songs and oral histories. Their performance is a blend of Irish and American folk music and wonderful stories. Over the years they have played together at festivals and concerts, including the Philadelphia Folk Festival, the Appel Farm Arts and MusicCenter, Kennett Flash, The Kimmel Center, and the Colony Café in Woodstock, New York. They have performed as an opening act for The Chieftains, Maria Muldaur, and Eric Andersen. Kate and Amy say that they believe “in every life there is a story, and in every story there is a song.” Come out to the coffee house in November to hear a unique performance of story and song that will warm a cold, fall evening and leave you with joy in your heart. You can hear some of Danaher and Cloud’s music by visiting: www.danaherandcloud.com .
January 19, 2013– Ken and Brad Kolodner
Families of musicians seem to be a theme this year at the North Elk Coffee House. This month we welcome Ken Kolodner and his son, Brad. Ken has built a fantastic career as one of the finest hammered dulcimer players in the country. Over the last three years, Brad has begun joining his dad on stage. Now that Brad has finished college, he and Ken have begun touring on a more regular basis. We are so lucky to have been able to schedule these musicians, who live inBaltimorebut travel the world. Besides hammered dulcimer, Ken is also an old-time fiddler. Brad plays claw hammer banjo, banjola, fretless banjo, guitar, and fiddle, and he does the singing in their polished musical arrangements. Join us as Ken and Brad perform selections from their internationally acclaimed recording of Appalachian and original music: “Otter Creek”.
Ken has performed with the hammered dulcimer and fiddle in a life infused with traditional music. He is a sought-after teacher, who was even invited to create a course in old-time fiddling for MelBay. Ken had a featured solo in an Emmy-nominated CBS-TV Christmas special and has many recordings to his name. Though Brad more recently entered the folk music world, he did it with flash – he was the 2010 winner of the Takoma Park Old-Time Banjo festival, after playing for just over two years. At that festival, Brad was awarded a Kevin Enoch banjo and given a performance spot at The Birchmere. Together Ken and Brad now make annual performance tours of North Carolina, and have played on the stages of the Helicon’s Winter Solstice Concert, the Maiden Creek Old Time Festival, and the KennedyCenter. And they’ve appeared on “Bound for Glory”, the longest-running radio concert broadcast in the United States! As Sing Out! Magazine said in April, 2011, “Ken Kolodner is a world class multi-instrumentalist…Otter Creek is a joyous recording featuring two fine musicians who play excellently. There must be something special to that father-son thing.” Come hear them for yourself at the coffee house in January. You can get a taste of their music at: www.kenkolodner.com and www.bradkolodner.com .
February 16, 2013– Pat Wictor
If you haven’t heard a live performance on the slide guitar, you won’t want to miss Pat Wictor, when he plays our stage for the third time. Pat returns to the coffee house this month, with his wonderful voice backed by skilled accompaniment on his lap-slide guitar, to engage the audience with songs that mirror the development of American folk music and his own personal musical journey. His original compositions and arrangements of folksongs and songs by other artists highlight his love of the rural country, gospel, and blues traditions. Pat now has a busier schedule, since adding tours with the harmonious trio, “Brother Sun”, so we are especially glad he could come back to perform for you.
Though born in the United States, Pat’s family lived in Venezuela, Holland, Norway, and England, before he arrived back in Americaas a teenager. After teaching for a few years he began his performance career, which included shows at venues throughout the North East and Mid-Atlantic Statesas well as tours in the Mid-West and Texas. Pat was a finalist in the New Folk competition at the Kerrville Folk Festival in 2007. He now has recorded 6 albums of music, including his most recent release: “Living Ever-Lovin’ LIVE”, a collection of live performances from his 2009 tour. In fact a few of the songs on this CD were recorded live at the North Elk during Pat’s performance that season! Join us in February to hear an evening of the music of Pat Wictor, which prompted Gene Shay, host of The Folk Show on WXPN radio, to comment: “Pat Wictor’s songs, his blues tinged slide guitar and mellow performance style impress the hell out of me. Watch out for this guy. He’s a terrific new talent.” Not so new anymore, but still vastly talented! You can read more about Pat and sample his music by going to www.patwictor.com .
March 16, 2013– Jane Rothfield and Allan Carr
Thanks to a suggestion from one of our patrons, we discovered the music of Jane Rothfield and Allan Carr, and we are so happy we did! They will be our performers at the March coffee house, bringing you traditional music fromScotland,New England, and the American South. Jane and Allan are husband and wife – yes, I guess this is the year of the musical family at the North Elk! Jane plays fiddle, for which she has composed many original tunes, and Allan sings and plays guitar. They have been playing together for over 30 years, so don’t miss the beautiful music they make at the coffee house this month.
Allan grew up in Aberdeen– Scotland, not Maryland- surrounded by the traditional music of the Northeast of that country. He began singing traditional songs in his teens and was soon winning traditional singing competitions throughout Scotland. He is a fine interpreter of the music of the Scottish tradition. Jane is an award-winning fiddler with roots in the traditions of Appalachia. She is a composer and a teacher of fiddle and claw hammer banjo. Her music has been presented on NPR’s Thistle and Shamrock program. In 2008, Jane released “iFiddle, theyBanjo” on iIFiddle Recordings (her own label) featuring Jane’s fine fiddling and the banjo of several outstanding guest artists. Allan and Jane met and started playing together in the 1980s. They recorded CDs of traditional music and have appeared on the nationally broadcasted radio shows, “The Flea Market” (from Chicago) and “Mountain Stage” (from the Mountain State of West Virginia). Make sure you join us for this exciting duo in March. You can sample some of their music and see an incredible photo of Jane kicking up her heels while playing the fiddle at: www.janerothfield.com .
April 20, 2013– CosySheridan
When we first heard Cosy Sheridan’s philosophy on aging gracefully in her song, “Botox Tango” and her humorous retelling of the Punic Wars in her song entitled, “Hannibal Crossed theAlps”, we knew we had to invite her to perform at the coffee house. We are so happy to be able to host Cosy for a return performance this month! CosySheridanis an inventive lyricist and guitarist and will keep you laughing and thinking throughout her sets. She was a big hit when she visited us in spring of 2010 and we know you will enjoy hearing her this season as well.
Cosy Sheridanfirst played on the national circuit in 1992 when she won songwriting contests at the Kerrville Folk Festival and the Telluride Bluegrass Festival and released her critically acclaimed CD, “Quietly Led” on Waterbug Records. Since then she’s been on the road with her music and at home in Moab, Utah, writing songs in her 1955 travel trailer-turned-studio. Cosy has now released 5 more CDs of songs that showcase her wit and wisdom. She has played on a wide variety of stages, from Carnegie Hall to The Dr Demento Show. But don’t get the idea that Cosy Sheridan is all humor. Her poignant and reflective song, “George and His 88 Keys” – about her grandfather – will have you tearing up. Acoustic Guitar Magazine wrote, “If I I were going to throw an all-girl dinner party at which I wanted to laugh and cry from the hors d’oeuvres to the chocolate pudding, Cosy Sheridan is the first woman I’d invite.” See why we are so excited about bringing Cosy and her music back to our stage this April! Read more about Cosy Sheridan at: www.cosysheridan.com
May 18, 2013 – Dana Cooper
Dana Cooper started performing more than 40 years ago at age 16, and is still driven by the constant desire to tap deeper into his own experience. Signed to a contract by Elektra Records in 1973, his talent has taken him around the world, performing inEuropeand nearly every state in theUnion. He has been a featured performer on prestigious TV and radio folk music programs, including Austin City Limits and Mountain Stage. Dana is also a yearly regular on the main stage at the esteemed Kerrville Music Festival. This month you can see him on our stage as well!
Dana Cooper plays six-string guitar and sings songs that share the truth of life as he sees it. He is committed to both the ideas and the music, which creates a fine balance between art and craft. Dana Cooper doesn’t try to fit into musical categories. Instead, he performs as an acoustic singer-songwriter presenting contemporary songs that draw on folk, blues, rock, reggae, pop and country. Dana Cooper thinks of himself as a role model for younger musicians, and backs it up with speaking engagements at songwriting workshops across the country. Help us conclude our 2012-13 season with an evening of wonderful music by Dana Cooper! You can hear some music, including the song he sang with Lyle Lovett at: www.danacoopermusic.com .