Recently found pictures of Gerde's splendor

Mike Porco, Frank Christian, John Porco

Rob Stoner, Joan Baez, Bob Dylan, Eric Andersen

Mark Spoelstra, Bob Dylan at Gerde's basement

Mark Spoelstra

Richard Tucker, Karen Dalton

Joan Baez, Bob Dylan

Mike Porco SPEAKS

Published on Feb 25, 2013

MIKE PORCO was the much loved owner of the famed cabaret, Gerde's Folk City. From 1960-1980, a constellation of Folk and Folk Rock stars got some of their earliest professional gigs there. Bob Dylan, Judy Collins, Paul Simon, Peter Yarrow, Tom Paxton, Phil Ochs, John Hammond Jr, José Feliciano, Eric Andersen, Richie Havens, The Roches, Emmylou Harris, Steve Forbert, Danny Kalb and a host of established Folk and Blues artists called Gerde's HOME. Arlo began there, Cisco ended there and Dylan came back to kick off the Rolling Thunder Revue. Truly New York's Center of Folk Music. (Praise to Dan Behrman for recording and sharing. Special thanks to Erik Frandsen for preserving Mike Porco's business card)

Click play to hear Mike Porco explain the rules for the Monday night Hootenanny

Programs from Folk City's 20th Anniversary Dec '79

THIS DATE IN GERDE'S HISTORY-Bob Dylan plays the Hoot

Bob Dylan at Gerde's Folk City

Fifty two 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 two 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.



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Friends of Mike Porco LIVE at The Gaslight 2012

David Amram Quartet 12.15.12
(Photo Sidney Danz)

Frank Christian 10.27.12

Alana Amram and the Rough Gems
with Vince Martin
2.25.12

Tom Pacheco 2.25.12

Erik Frandsen 3.24.12
with Kate Sland

Oscar Isaac 3.24.12

John Goodman with Oscar Isaac

Randy Burns 4.28.12
(Photo Frank Beacham)

David Massengill 4.28.12
(Frank Beacham)

Randy Burns, Bob Porco, David Massengill
(Frank Beacham)

Roy Bookbinder 5.26.12
(Photo Frank Beacham)

Stefan Grossman 5.26.12
(Frank Beacham)

The Dirdy Birdie Jug Band 6.23.12
(Frank Beacham)

Zoë and Peter Stampfel 6.23.12

Judy Gorman 7.28.12

VAGABONDO! movie premiere 7.12.12
with Vince Martin

Rod MacDonald 8.2.12
with Randy Burns, Mark Dann
(Frank Beacham)

Jonathan Kalb 8.25.12
(Frank Beacham)

Paul Geremia 8.25.12

Steve Katz and Danny Kalb 9.22.12
(Photo Sidney Danz)

John Kruth, Steve Katz, Danny Kalb 9.22.12
(Sidney Danz)

Vince Martin, Bob Porco
Mike Porco Tribute 10.27.12
(Frank Beacham)

Ted Lyons, Sally Spring 10.27.12 

POEZ 10.27.12

Sally Spring 10.27.12

Louise Mosrie 11.17.12

Cliff Eberhardt 11.17.12

David Amram Quartet 12.15.12

Frank Christian
1952-2012

FOUR O'CLOCK FLOWERS AT THE GASLIGHT

The FRIENDS OF MIKE PORCO series at the Gaslight has featured many of the original artists from the Folk and Blues Revival of the 1960s and 70s.

This January 19th, 116 MacDougal is proud to showcase a duo formed only a couple of years ago- the Four O'clock Flowers.

String master Ernie Vega and the scintillating singer Samoa Wilson perform stark versions of Country Blues, Gospel-blues, Old-Time, & Jazz classics (as well as original compositions) that are stripped down to their barest elements. Sounding like ghosts from a by-gone era, they illustrate the simple elegant power of these great songs.


Their pairing is relatively new, but they're not new to the scene.
The legendary Jim Kweskin, whose history goes back to the birth of the Cambridge Folk scene, said he revived his respected jug band and his career a few years ago for just one reason: to introduce listeners to the young vocalist Samoa Wilson. Some years later, she met Ernie Vega at the fabulous Jalopy Theater, a venue fast becoming Brooklyn's center of Folk, Roots and the Art of the Jug.

Their synergy was apparent to each other since day one. Wilson's diverse influences paired nicely with Vega's command of a broad repertoire of songs.

The duo grips their audiences right from the get-go. The heavenly vocals of Samoa Wilson and the fiery guitar and harmonica of Ernie Vega will transport you to a time when the Village was still bohemian and old-time music was all there was.

James O'Brien of the Listening Room reviewed Samoa Wilson's 1997 CD backed by the Jim Kweskin Band:

"Samoa Wilson, lithe, modern and powerfully gifted in voice, brings a cutting edge vision to the ensemble. There is, conversely, something about her presentation that defies the moment." 

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I really couldn't think of a better way to wrap up the first year of the FRIENDS OF MIKE PORCO series. After all, it's about connecting generations with the power of song. SAMOA WILSON and ERNIE VEGA are worthy torch bearers for the future of the NEW Greenwich Village scene. Please come and enjoy!!

FOUR O'CLOCK FLOWERS
with special guests
116 MacDougal St, NYC
January 19, 2013
7PM

Jim Kweskin and the Four O'clock Flowers at 116 MacDougal
The Gaslight, NYC

FRANK CHRISTIAN - A man with no equal

A word from Lisi's heart...

'RIP: Frank Christian, of sudden pneumonia, brilliant international singer-songwriter based in NYC, writer and singer of "Where Were You Last Night?", member of original creative renaissance of Folk City and Cornelia Street troubadours and bohemians of the late 70's through 80's and continuing now, a true friend, the consummate gentleman, a reliable and sardonic cheerer-upper even when his own spirits flagged. He always had a good word, a bon mot, a spontaneous joke, a sly wink and considered thought for each person. He was suave, sweet, had impeccable grace and manners and felt things deeply. What a talent. Played on Nanci Griffith's Grammy-winnning CD, backed Odetta and made his own series of incredible jazz-tinged, virtuoso CDs. Insightful thinker, serious when appropriate, man of conscience, smart as a hoot owl in the highest rafters of this barn-with-its-roof-blown-off of ours, this soulful and eternal collection of cosmopolitan chuckle-makers, visionaries and poets. Oh, Frank. We love you. You are the best and we miss you.'

Odetta, Frank Christian, Folk City (Photo Teddy Lee)