Wednesday, February 29, 2012

ERIK FRANDSEN and OSCAR ISAAC: ACTORS SINGING!!



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

WHERE: 116 MacDougal Street, NYC
WHEN: March 24th, 2012
7:00PM SHOW

Legendary Greenwich Village Singer-Songwriter, actor, playwright and guitarist extraordinaire, ERIK FRANDSEN, shares the stage for one night only with actor-musician OSCAR ISAAC, star of the latest Coen Brothers feature film.

Well into his 4th decade as a performer and showman, Erik Frandsen has developed an encyclopedic repertoire of Jazz, Blues and Folk standards. From Basie to Sinatra to Robert Johnson, Erik continues to 'wow' audiences with his effortless skill on guitar. Combined with his romantic and witty originals, it's no wonder why the Boston Globe has called ERIK FRANDSEN "The straight Cole Porter." Erik's entertaining style on stage can hardly be replicated.

Trained in the Arts at Juilliard, OSCAR ISAAC displays his versatility as an actor who needs no stand-in to expertly play any traditional or contemporary Folk, Rock and Roots songs. The star of several feature films, OSCAR ISAAC is currently on location in NYC shooting the latest offering from the Coen Brothers, Inside Llewyn Davis- a fictionalized account Dave Van Ronk's autobiography, The Mayor of MacDougal Street. Not so coincidentally, in the movie, Oscar plays Llewyn Davis, a musician who makes his name and earns his keep at the Gaslight.
The venue for this show is, in fact, the very space that was once the most coveted gig on the coffeehouse circuit. Today, 116 MacDougal Street is the proud custodian of the history and tradition of the old Village Gaslight Café.

This show is one in a series of events 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 or in advance at http://www.eventbrite.com/event/2977155753

SPACE IS LIMITED. Come early! Two for one drinks 5pm-7pm



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Tuesday, February 28, 2012

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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Thursday, February 23, 2012

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

Tuesday, February 21, 2012

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

Monday, February 6, 2012

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.