PACHECO AND AMRAM RATTLE AND HUM

The Tom Pacheco and Alana Amram show was a great success!!

A packed house full of friends, new and old, were treated to an astounding show put on by Alana and the Rough Gems. Alana came through with her lovely voice and stage presence earning a place in the memories of those seeing her for the first time. This was Alana's first gig on MacDougal Street. She got a helping hand from Greenwich Village icon as legendary singer Vince Martin joined Alana on vocals for an unforgettable rendition of his beautiful song, "Snow Shadows."

Tom's set was full of energy from the moment he stepped on stage. He's known for his ability to pull his audience on stage with him and this show was no exception. The intimate setting of the old Village Gaslight was more than fitting for a man who sings about the unifying force that binds us all together. Happy to be back on the street where it all began for him, Tom made believers of the folks seeing him for the first time.

With the intent to forge new alliances between the veterans of Folk City with the up and coming Folk, Rock and Roots stars of today, FRIENDS OF MIKE PORCO got off on the right foot with the pairing of the great Tom Pacheco and shooting star Alana Amram.


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MANY thanks to Michael Patrick for video taping the event and streaming it on the web for those who couldn't make it to the show. Lots of fans around the US and Europe were tuned in to see and hear the fist ever FRIENDS OF MIKE PORCO production at 116 MacDougal Street. Unfortunately, some of the audio for Alana Amram and the Rough Gem's set was lost. Tom's set was captured in its entirety, however. A work in progress but very thankful that there was a recording made of the magical evening.

Link to the show can be found HERE


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ACOUSTIC FOLK MUSIC RETURNS TO ORIGINAL VILLAGE GASLIGHT

JOIN US!

The world famous coffeehouse at 116 MacDougal Street comes alive again as the former Gaslight Café hosts a night of acoustic Folk music.

WHEN: Saturday, February 25th, 2012

TOM PACHECO, one of the most prolific songwriters of our time, headlines the double bill with starlet ALANA AMRAM, the daughter of legendary composer David Amram.

This will be the first in a series of unique "one night stands" hosted by FRIENDS OF MIKE PORCO, the former owner of Gerde's Folk City. Doors open at 5. Show at 7. $10 at the door. SPACE IS LIMITED. Two for one drinks 5pm-7pm

Advance Tickets:
http://www.eventbrite.com/event/2772034229

FOLK CITY @50: RECORDED AT GERDE'S FEBRUARY 1962

BIG JOE WILLIAMS and his custom made 9 string. Bob Dylan said to be in the audience for nearly every set that week, even sitting in with Joe on occasion. Recorded February 26th, 1962. Get this rare copy HERE











And recorded by student and young friend, Stefan Grossman, on February 3rd and 10th 1962, REVEREND GARY DAVIS Live at Gerde's Folk City. Rev Davis is remembered for teaching his style and traditional blues licks to everyone from Dave Van Ronk to Bob Weir. Brilliant recording complete with interaction from the Gerde's faithful....and typical Gerde's background sounds of glasses clanging and cash register bells ringing.
Buy it HERE

TODAY IN 1961: ZIMMY GETS ON STAGE AT GERDE'S FOR THE FIRST TIME

Fifty one years ago today: according to Clinton Heylin's book Stolen Moments, February 6th 1961 was the Monday where Bobby Dylan played the Gerde's Folk City Hoot for the first time. Back then, everyone was a complete unknown and had to draw a number from the hat to determine the order of appearance on the famed stage. At some point in later years, Folk City employed the use of a numbered deck of playing cards chosen by randoms face down to figure out the pecking order for the Hootenanny. The peformance rule for Hoots....rarely followed to the letter...was 3 songs or a 15 minute time limit. With chatty musicians and the potential for relentless story telling through song, it's no wonder the Hoots started early and ran well into Tuesday morning. Dylan was turned away the week before because of his youthful looks. He was just one of 2 or 3 dozen singer/songwriters who showed up every Monday to play for free.

Bobby would end up doing a string of open mics at Gerdes well into March. By then, he had befriended Dave Van Ronk and his wife and part-time promoter, Terri Thal. Van Ronk and Thal had enough pull with Mike Porco to convince him to sign the kid up to eventually be an opening act at Folk City. That would come later, on April 11th 1961, when he would open up for John Lee Hooker. In the meantime, this Dylan kid's name had been circulating around the square. The applause meter in Mike's head probably told him that he just may have the goods. And if you had the goods, odds were, you gained a following. And if you "had-a the following" as my grandfather used to say, you were always welcome to play at Gerde's. In a little over a year's time, Bob Dylan's following would be in the millions and couldn't be contained within Gerde's alone.

The Hootenannies on 4th and Mercer were already becoming legend before Robert Zimmerman even left Dinkytown. Many of Greenwich Village's soon-to-be stars got their first attention and accolades from their exposure on the Folk City stage. Gerde's was already "on the map," but because of Bob Dylan's success born there, Mike Porco never had a shortage of artists flocking from all over the country to try and become the next big star. Tom Paxton, John P. Hammond, Phil Ochs, David Bromberg, José Feliciano, Paul Simon, The Roches.....into the 70s with Willie Nile, Steve Forbert, Jack Hardy, David Massengill, Lucinda Williams.....you get the picture.

A LIFETIME BETWEEN 117 AND 116 MACDOUGAL STREET

Here's a riddle:
What's the difference between 117 and 116?
Answer: 34 years.

Well, at least that's the answer when we're talking about Tom Pacheco and those MacDougal Street addresses. Tom rented an apartment at 117 MacDougal Street and hosted some of the most star-studded songwriter's circles back in the mid-to-late 1970s. On Saturday, February 25th, 2012, he'll be doing a gig on his old street for the first time in over three decades, performing at the club at 116 MacDougal.

That club, of course, was the world famous Gaslight Café. After several other alterations of that very space, it is now more conspicuously known simply as 116 MacDougal. The music and spoken word-driven venue has re-opened its doors fancying itself on becoming the proud custodian of the history and tradition of the diverse artistry once on display there.

Pacheco will be sharing the stage with another name familiar to the Gaslight: Amram. Legendary composer and Jack Kerouac collaborator, David Amram, will have his Family name represented by his daughter, Alana Amram. This will be Alana Amram's first time gracing the stage at 116 MacDougal. She was practically raised "on the road" having musicians as parents and over the years, she has been able to carve out a Folk Rock style she can call her own. With her band, The Rough Gems, she's toured the country and currently is in support of her latest album release, Snow Shadows. It's a spirited album illuminating the songs of another Village luminary (and fellow Brooklynite), Vince Martin.

Oddly enough, even though Tom Pacheco lived practically across the street from the Gaslight, this will only be his second appearance at 116 MacDougal. Some recording stars didn't play the Gaslight very often because they were regular performers at one of the several other clubs in the Village. Tom Pacheco was one such performer. He was loyal to the Gerde's Folk City crowd and when he took paying gigs in the Village, they usually were there. Richie Havens also can be described that way. He played Gerde's occasionally but not as often as the Cafe Wha?, a club that became his home turf.

THE VILLAGE GASLIGHT CAFÉ

First open in 1958, The Gaslight was a relative latecomer to the MacDougal Street coffeehouse circuit. Even so, The Gaslight holds the distinction of being ground zero for Greenwich Village's pivot from the 1950's Beatnik Era into what became known as the Folk and Blues Revival era. Spoken word and bongo drumming became less popular as artists expressing themselves through song took over the Village crowd. It drew aspiring singers from all over the country as the 1960's "Folk Scare" grew and grew. Its location on the street may have played a large role in its popularity with the musicians. At night, it was (and still is) the most heavily traveled part of the Village. On top of that, it was directly downstairs from the alcohol-serving bar, The Kettle of Fish. One only need to walk upstairs for a swig and walk back downstairs to play on stage.

Even my grandfather's place, Gerde's Folk City, couldn't claim such distinction as it was known strictly as a Folk, Roots, Blues and Gospel venue. Although it had a liquor license, it was somewhat of a "destination" bar as it was all the way across the Square on 4th and Mercer. Not until the 70s did Gerde's welcome spoken word and comedy onto its stage.The Gaslight Café, however, offered its patrons diverse entertainment from the get go. Personalities the likes of Jack Kerouac, Bill Cosby, Mississippi John Hurt, Allen Ginsberg, Dave Van Ronk, Tom Paxton, Gregory Corso, Jimmy James (later known as Jimi Hendrix), and Gerde's favorite son, Bob Dylan, overlapped as booked acts on the Gaslight stage.

Several of the 1960s Folk stars who were playing for a hat full of quarters at places like the Café Wha? and the Gaslight graduated to what Dave Van Ronk called in his memoir "the first honest-to-God Folk club in the Village," Gerde's Folk City. Once Folk City was up and running in early 1960, Singer/Songwriters looking for a shot at super stardom, aspired to play its Union wage-paying room for the increase in exposure. Performers like Bob Dylan, Phil Ochs, John Hammond Jr. and Peter, Paul and Mary would be discovered on the Gerde's stage, but they started out by playing the baskethouses to gain recognition with the music lovers of the street. As Peter Yarrow relayed to me, the Gaslight, Cafe Wha? and Gerde's were home to him as the 1950s became the 1960s. Even still, some Folk Singers continued to play pass-the-hat rooms like the Gaslight well into their recording careers.

Tom Pacheco remembers those magical days in the Village well. Part premonition, and perhaps part fate, Tom has been putting the finishing touches on a new song entitled, "MacDougal Street." I was in the audience when he played it on stage for the first time just two months ago. That's when I told him about my new venture, FRIENDS OF MIKE PORCO, a production company looking to bring Gerde's Folk City veterans to the stage at 116 MacDougal. Having Tom be the inaugural headliner was not only timely and logical, it was meant to be.

PACHECO'S EARLY YEARS

Like Alana Amram, Tom grew up the offspring of a famous musician. His father, Tony, toured pre-WWII Europe along side master Jazz guitarist, Django Reinhardt. Learning Flamenco and Classical styles early on, it soon was 1950s Rock and Roll that Tom played the most. Later, the Folk music that spawned out of New York beckoned him to Greenwich Village to become an artist.

Tom first showed up on MagDougal Street from his hometown of New Bedford, MA in 1965. His first all-original Folk vinyl release came out that year when he was just 19 years old. Later, known more as a Rocker in a band called The Ragamuffins, he occasionally shared the stage at the Wha? opening up for Jimmy James and The Blue Flame (AKA Jimi Hendrix) in Greenwich Village before Jimi exploded on the UK scene.

It wasn't long until Tom was known to all the other musicians in the Village and in 1974, two of his gems were recorded by Richie Havens and Jefferson Starship. Co-written with Victorio "Roland" Mousaa, "Indian Prayer" landed on Havens' Mixed Bag II album. "All Fly Away" was recorded on the Starship's Dragonfly disc. Tom, meanwhile, never stopped writing original material, and around that time, started to host Songwriter gatherings in his apartment on MacDougal Street. Friends and acquaintances would sit in the round, drink wine and polish off songs that would later become part of the historic fabric woven into the Music scene that is still buzzing in Greenwich Village.

With a handful of albums under his belt, it was time for a change of scenery for Tom. In 1978, he moved to Woodstock but his songwriter exchange concept was carried on in the Village by fellow Folk City performer, Jack Hardy. Tom's un-named 117 co-op was the forerunner to the songwriter exchange later known as Fast Folk. Jack would become legendary as host of songwriter workshops in his Bedford and Houston apartment that lasted every Monday for 35 years until his unexpected death in March 2011.

As Richard Cuccaro wrote in Acoustic Live in March 2009:

Right as Tom was leaving the Village for Woodstock (then later, Texas, Nashville and Ireland), a group of songwriters would gather at The Cornelia Street Cafe to critique each other and eventually record their music. Before that, however, Tom's apartment at 117 MacDougal Street was the first place the Fast Folk crowd would gather to play. The list includes Jack Hardy, The Roches, Rod MacDonald, David Massengill, and Steve Forbert. Tom stayed up late and everybody came through there. He heard all their new songs. One night Roger McGuinn came by to play "Chestnut Mare," a classic Byrds song. Another night in January, 1976, writer Larry "Ratso" Sloman, brought Phil Ochs over. Phil had already gone through a severely depressed episode. He picked up Tom's guitar and asked if he could play a song, asking Tom what he'd like to hear. Tom requested "Pleasures of the Harbor." Phil, appearing eerily calm and quiet played it. He said, "Inspiration used to strike. It doesn't strike any more." Soon afterward, in April, he hung himself. Tom was shattered.

LIFE AFTER 117 MACDOUGAL

Between 1978 and 1986, Tom based his operations in the musical hubs of Woodstock, Austin, TX and Nashville. In 1987, a six week invite to Ireland became a 10 year stay. Tom never stopped writing and had 6 album releases in Europe.

By 1997, Pacheco had returned to Woodstock once again and has been there ever since. In the year of his return, he recorded one of his seminal albums, Woodstock Winter. Friends and Woodstock locals, Levon Helm and Rick Danko of The Band, leant Tom a hand in the recording. Danko would record two more of Tom's songs on his posthumously released album, Times Like These and in 1998, The Band would record "High Cotton" and "If I should fail," two more songs co-written by Tom on Jubilation, their final studio album. In 2002, the Pacheco and Roland Mousaa composition "Indian Prayer" received new recognition, this time with Ol' Pete Seeger playing banjo on the new recording. Tom Pacheco's new CD, Luminol, is the latest release in a recording career that started over four decades ago. Luminol exemplifies Pacheco's extraordinary ability to weave an inspiring message into the fragile subject matter of today's world.



The circle is almost complete. He'll be playing songs from his storied odyssey on Saturday, February 25th at 116 MacDougal -the former Gaslight- just a stone's throw from where it all began for one of the most prolific songwriters of our generation.


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ABOUT FRIENDS OF MIKE PORCO



This will be the first in a series of unique "one night stands" hosted by FRIENDS OF MIKE PORCO the production company started with the intent on carrying on the tradition and legacy of Gerde's Folk City's original owner, Mike Porco. For two decades, Folk City offered a stage to established stars but also allowed the next generation of Folk, Rock and Roots musicians to blossom and flourish.


Doors open at 5. Show at 7. $10 at the door. SPACE IS LIMITED. Two for one drinks 5pm-7pm


Advance tickets may be purchased here:

http://www.eventbrite.com/event/2772034229/efblike



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TOM PACHECO ALANA AMRAM POSTER

BREAKING NEWS- PORCO/GASLIGHT VENTURE ANNOUNCED

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contact: Lanie Zipoy | 646.399.8650 | lanie.zipoy@gmail.com
 
TOM PACHECO AND ALANA AMRAM CONCERT SET FOR
116, HOME OF THE FORMER GASLIGHT CAFÉ,
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 25TH
 
 
New York, NY, January 19, 2012 -- The world famous coffeehouse at 116 MacDougal Street comes alive again as the former Gaslight Café, now known as 116, hosts a night of acoustic folk music on Saturday, February 25, 2012.

Tom Pacheco, one of the most prolific songwriters of our time, headlines the double bill with starlet Alana Amram, daughter of legendary composer David Amram.

Tom Pacheco's new CD, Luminol, is the latest release in a recording career that started over four decades ago. Luminol exemplifies Pacheco's extraordinary ability to weave an inspiring message into the fragile subject matter of today's world. Tom’s father, Tony Pacheco, was a jazz guitarist who played with Django Reinhardt as well as solo in the clubs of Europe before returning to the U.S. to raise a family and open a music store, where he also taught guitar. Tom released his first solo album, Turn Away from the Storm, in 1965.  
 
Alana has forged a musical career of her own. Her latest work, Snow Shadows, is a spirited album illuminating the songs of another Greenwich Village luminary, Vince Martin.
From 1958 to 1971, the Gaslight Café served as the incubator for some of the most in demand folk musicians, poets and comedians in America.  Famed artists, including Bob Dylan, Jimi Hendrix, Bruce Springsteen, Wavy Gravy, Jack Kerouac, and Allen Ginsberg, often graced the West Village stage.

This concert will be the first in a series of unique "one night stands" hosted by Friends of Mike Porco, who was the former owner of Gerde's Folk City where Bob Dylan made his 1961 debut.
 
Doors open at 5:00 pm. The show is at 7:00 pm. Tickets are $10 at the door or in advance at https://www.eventbrite.com/event/2772034229.
 
For more information, visit www.116macdougal.com or http://folkcityatfifty.blogspot.com/.
 
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ABOUT 116
In the former Gaslight Café space, 116 opened in 2011, and a new strain of history began. Under the ownership of Blk Market Membership’s Memo Erkaya, and Bar 13′s Thomas Sullivan and Larry Blum, the legend continues. Music, poetry, bands and DJs; cocktails and beers flow daily. New additions to the space include a jukebox and a photo booth. House WiFi is complimentary and the phone lounge is at the top of the stairs.  For more information, visit www.116macdougal.com.

ABOUT FRIENDS OF MIKE PORCO LLC
Friends of Mike Porco LLC is a production company set up by the grandson of the founder and former owner of the legendary Greenwich Village club, Gerde's Folk City. Upcoming shows and performances produced shall continue in the tradition that made Gerde's world famous: Providing a stage to established recording stars as well as the new generation of Folk, Rock and Roots musicians.
 

BRUCE LANGHORNE: Tambourine Man - VERY FIRST solo album release from Gerde's original one man house band

A cursory look at Bruce Langhorne's bio and musical credits, one may think that somewhere along the line he would've had at least ONE album of his own mixed in. Not so...until now.

Released in November, the aptly titled TAMBOURINE MAN is a collection of tracks (a few waiting in the can for some 20 years!) that capture several facets of the man himself. Not an easy task considering his resume and cast of friends and associates.

While a young man, native New Yorker Bruce Langhorne took his chops to Greenwich Village in the early '60s where he had the opportunity to befriend and perform with a who's who list of Folk Revival up and comers.

One of those friends was an established recording artist named Brother John Sellers. Although Bruce and Gospel Singer Brother John never recorded anything formal, it was their association forged at Folk City that effectively was a showcase for Langhorne's ability to play strings behind a wide variety of acts. He made a career of recording BEHIND a diverse crowd, but at Folk City, he played LIVE along side them. It became evident to all that he knew his way around a guitar.

Langhorne and Sellers became the Gerde's Folk City house band in the early days as Brother John MC'd quite often and would normally have Bruce accompany his Gospel singing. Bruce met a host of other musicians there and began his recording career playing with another set of Gerde's alumni, The Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem. He was hired by Texas Songbird Carolyn Hester to play guitar on her 1961 Vanguard release and that was where he first recorded with harmonica player, Bob Dylan. Both Ms. Hester and Mr. Dylan are just a couple in a long line of Folks won over by Bruce's personality.

Bruce made friends easily in the Village and proved himself in the studio by making other songwriter's recordings better.

From his website www.brucelanghorne.com:

Bruce Langhorne was one of the most important session guitarists of the 1960s, particularly in the early years of folk-rock. He is most famous for playing on some of Bob Dylan’s records, particularly 1965′s Bringing It All Back Home, Dylan’s transitional release from folk to folk-rock. However, he actually played with numerous musicians making the change from folk to folk-rock in the second half of the 1960s, including Tom Rush, Richard & Mimi Fariña, Richie Havens, Gordon Lightfoot, Eric Andersen, Fred Neil, Joan Baez, and Buffy Sainte-Marie. He also played on some other instruments; performed live with Bob Dylan, Judy Collins, the Fariñas, and others; and produced Ramblin’ Jack Elliott. He has also done soundtrack work, including scoring Peter Fonda’s The Hired Hand.
~ Ritchie Unterberger

When new Gerde's sensation Dylan got his own recording contract, the two reunited in the studio for the Freewheelin' sessions and, more predominantly, on the BRINGING IT ALL BACK HOME album. It was Bruce who inspired Bob's song, Mr. Tambourine Man, hence the name of his debut album.

"We thought of other titles," Bruce says deadpan, "but that was the only one that seemed to make any sense." To all who know Bruce, he is more a force of nature than man. Thirteen songs can hardly explain his true nature, but they provide a glimpse into the kind of person he is and the character he possesses.

If you're looking for finger-pickin' Folk Rock and Roots, look elsewhere. What you'll hear is a one-of-a-kind blend of Latin, Spiritual, Jazz, African and Funk atmospheres succinctly wrapped around impassioned stories and sentiment only Bruce weave.

Songs like 'Hard headed woman,' 'Subaru,' 'Chihuahua' and 'Perfect love' give the listener a sampling of Mr. Langorne's wit. Sprinkled in with such entertaining tales are even more musically intricate World beats. 'Samedi' ends in a near-rap and the bluesy 'Bottom of the sea' has a serious tone but 'Aunt Sally' and 'Mary' balance out any heavy thoughts. 'Mary' is a take on 'Mary had a little lamb that both Jim Henson and Paul Simon would approve of. (You'll just have to listen for yourself to understand!)

The layered sounds on 'The wind' and 'Angels' seem to capture Bruce's spiritual nature. 'The Wind,' with Bruce's famed Turkish drum in the forefront, has a tribal quality where 'Angels' has the ethereal sound of an ascenscion towards heaven. As the whimsical wrap up to the disc, it seems like the perfect music to play for someone floating to a better place wearing smiles and rainbows and a big white loincloth:)

I've only spent a few hours with the man on two separate occasions but I can honestly say that his positive nature is contagious and palpable. Where his memory fails him, his charm and sense of compassion take over.

Unabashedly, part of the marketing material for TAMBOURINE MAN state that "All proceeds go directly to Bruce." Well shouldn't they? It's only been 50 years in the making. He's seen the ugly side of the music business. He shouldn't have to be shy about being honest. If the executives at Starbucks heard the sounds on this record, it would sell a million copies!!

I had the rare opportunity to purchase my copies of the disc directly from Bruce at his home in Venice, CA. As we made the exchange, I had the bright idea to write a review of the CD for this blog. As I mentioned it to Bruce, with impeccable timing, he says, "If sales slump, I can say it was because your review was shit and that Bob Porco is a fucking liar."

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Living on his property is a visual artist and his budding family. Bruce gushes about the infant saying that the baby already knows what it's taken him a lifetime to learn. I ask what he means and to give an example, he recites a message he once received in a fortune cookie: A place is reserved in paradise for those who make their companions laugh.

'Nuff said.

[step one: log on to brucelanghorne.com]
[step two: Buy the disc...and get some hot sauce while you're there]