The Troubadour Acoustic Concert Series™

Time: 7:30 PM unless otherwise noted. 2nd Fridays are usually Open Stage/audition night. (Check the schedule for rare exceptions.)

Location: Morristown Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, 21 Normandy Heights Road, Morristown, NJ, a smoke & alcohol free environment. DIRECTIONS

Admission: On May 31st, Troubadour is changing its admission price from $10 with a heavy emphasis on donations to a set $20 admission price / $15 for Members. Children 12 and under may attend free, but must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.

Streaming: All Troubadour concerts may be viewed in person or live-streamed, except as noted.

For More Information: Email troubadour@folkproject.org or call 973-335-9489.

Buy Troubadour tickets online: You may purchase tickets in advance for Troubadour Acoustic Concert Series shows by clicking on the In-person Tickets link in the show listing below.  Online sales cease a bit before midnight on the day before the event. Tickets will still be available at the door on the day of the show unless the event is completely sold out, in which case there will be a prominent notice posted on this website. Some events accept admissions payment only at the door, with no advance sales.

***  Admission: $20/$15 (FP members); 12 and under free with adult.***

Featured Act: Muriel Anderson
Photo of Muriel Anderson
 

Muriel Anderson is a guitarist and harp-guitarist who embraces music from all over the world with grace, joy and gentle humor. She is the first woman to have won the National Fingerstyle Guitar Championship. Her CD “Nightlight Daylight”, was chosen as one of the top 10 CDs of the decade by Guitar Player Magazine. Muriel’s facility across the genres of folk, classical, bluegrass, popular and international music is revered by guitarists worldwide. Among those she has performed or recorded with are Chet Atkins, Les Paul, Victor Wooten and Tommy Emmanuel. Her live performance is enhanced by a projected multi-media display of images and video clips on a screen behind her.

Opening Act: Alex Prezzano
Photo of Alex Prezzano
 

Alex Prezzano is a premier acoustic guitarist, songwriter, and composer. His range is extraordinary, his playing precise, and his arrangements inspiring. His repertoire ranges from the American Songbook classics like “Over the Rainbow” to a sparkling rendition of the Beatles “Ticket to Ride,” a longing version of Cyndi Lauper’s “Time After Time,” a flashy piece from the Renaissance like “Canarios,” and a slew of wonderful originals. Alex is based in NYC and has performed in Broadway shows, and at beloved venues throughout NYC and North America. And he’s quite the singer, too. “All we can say is wow!”


In-person Tickets
    Live Webcast ($20)

3 International Guitar Masters

leading workshops all day for all levels, beginner through advanced,
culminating in a fabulous evening concert for everyone


Workshops for guitarists with concert and meals – 10:00 AM to 10:30 PM ($138 advance registration only)

Evening Concert for all – 8 PM to 10:30 PM ($35 at the door, +$1.25 service fee if purchased online)

Three masters of the acoustic guitar, Beppe, Chris and Jon, give a full day of
instruction, including lunch, dinner, snacks and evening concert — a complete program for all levels, dedicated to the proposition that everyone goes home a better player.
Photo of Beppe Gambetta

Beppe Gambetta brings American and European Roots together in a blend of energetic grooves and passionate melodies, giving new life to wide range international and American musical sources. He is songwriter of great depth and maturity, whose original songs seamlessly blend contemporary influences with traditional roots. His flatpicking styles range from Doc Watson to Moravian folk music to everything in between and beyond. and are characterized by flashy licks, intricate cross-picking patterns, open tunings, and fluid slides up and down the neck of the guitar.

1
Born in Genoa, Italy, he is known worldwide as a bluegrass ambassador, having performed with such luminaries as Norman Blake, Mike Marshall, David Grisman, Charles Sawtelle, John Jorgenson, David Grier, Tony Trischka, Dan Crary, Gene Parsons of the Byrds, and more.

Chris Newman is a renowned Celtic guitarist, famed internationally as a member of The Boys of the Loch, for his duet work with Máire Ní Chathasaigh, and, of course, for his stunningly brilliant arrangements on guitar.

1
Acoustic Guitar Magazine calls his abilities “Dazzling.” Dirty Linen says it is “nothing short of brilliant.” The Sunday Tribune of Ireland called his playing “Terrific: brilliant, beautiful, rich, virtuosic, delightful, classic, perfect!”

Jon Shain is a veteran singer-songwriter and recording artist, who’s been turning heads with his lyrics, fiery acoustic guitar work, and his evolved musical style – combining improvised piedmont blues with bluegrass, swing, and ragtime.

1
A noted author of several celebrated guitar instruction books, Jon has won the International Blues Challenge in Memphis, Tennessee and his band has performed with David Grisman, Tony Rice Unit, Hot Tuna, and the Dixie Dregs. He has headlined as a solo and with duo partner FJ Ventre throughout the USA and Europe, opening shows for John Hiatt, Keb’ Mo’, Little Feat, and many other roots legends

THE NJ GUITAR SUMMIT WORKSHOP SCHEDULE

Each workshop leader will teach their “specialty” to each group of guitarists: Advanced, Intermediate and Beginner.

Beppe Gambetta: American flatpicking and introduction to Mediterranean guitar approach

 

Jon Shain: Introduction to acoustic blues guitar in fingerpicking technique

 

Chris Newman: introduction to Celtic Guitar in flatpicking style (for beginners and intermediate) and introduction to improvisation (in the advanced class)

 

SCHEDULE: 

INTRODUCTION: 9:30 – 10:00 a.m. 

Meet your teachers to discuss and help you determine your best workshops

FIRST SESSION: 10:00 – 11:15 a.m.

Beppe – Beginners     Chris – Intermediate     Jon – Advanced

SECOND SESSION: 11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.

Beppe – Intermediate     Chris – Advanced     Jon – Beginners

LUNCH: 1:00 – 2:30 p.m. 

JAM SESSION: 2:30 – 3:15 p.m.

THIRD SESSION: 3:30 – 4:15 p.m.

Beppe – Advanced     Chris – Beginners     Jon – Intermediate

DISCUSSION PANEL:  4:30 – 5:30 p.m.

All three instructors will discuss the guitar and the Summit with all attendees.

FOLLOWED BY:

THE EVENING MEAL

SOUND CHECK

8:00 P.M. CONCERT




Photo of
Photo of Chris Newman, Beppe Gambetta and Jon Shain

Halloween Show – LIVING Performers Wanted

Evidence is emerging of a spectral disturbance at MUUF…ectoplasmic slime leaking under locked closet doors, strange lights in the sun-basement, and eerie noises emitting from the FP sound system. Once again we approach the thinning of the veil between worlds. The Folk Project Halloween show at the Haunted Mansion is all that stands between our ordered existence and a full scale “Ghostbuster Class” outbreak of otherworldly mayhem. It is a well known fact that music and costumes have a miraculously repellent effect on the creatures of the dark. Last year’s show was a signature event, let’s do it again! Come add your voices to the defense of the Light! Prizes for various song and costume categories. Delicious desserts will be provided. October 25th 7:30 PM  —> To perform, signup at halloween@folkproject.org

Photo of
 
Donnie Kehr Sings Billy Joel with opening act Jay Wilensky as Vic, the Lounge Singer

The Troubadour proudly presents: Donnie Kehr singing the songs of Billy Joel and Jay Wilensky performing as “Vic, the Lounge Singer”

 

***  Admission: $20/$15 (FP members); 12 and under free with adult.***

Featured Act: Donnie Kehr Sings Billy Joel
Photo of Donnie Kehr Sings Billy Joel
 

Donnie Kehr, an extraordinary singer-songwriter, pianist, Broadway regular, Billboard Top 100 recording artist, and all-around fun guy to spend an evening with. Donnie is featured on two Grammy Award winning albums: The Who’s ‘Tommy’, produced by Pete Townshend & Sir George Martin, and Jersey Boys produced by Bob Gaudio. He has performed on the Tonight Show, David Letterman, Good Morning America, and the Oscars. His film credits include Jersey Boys directed by Clint Eastwood; Oliver Stone’s Wall Street; Chaplin with Robert Downey Jr. Donnie’s our perfect Halloween “Billy Joel”.

Special treat: Donnie’s first set will be the songs of Billy Joel. His second set will be an all-request set where the audience will name a popular tune and Donnie will play it.

Opening Act: opening act Jay Wilensky as Vic, the Lounge Singer
Photo of opening act Jay Wilensky as Vic, the Lounge Singer
 

“Vic the Lounge Singer” is renowned for his creamy, smooth vocals and the sincere passion he brings to his classic renditions of standards from the Great American Songbook. Vic is played by our own Jay Wilensky, lead singer for the Reeds, Rhythm and All That Brass and leader of the Folk Project’s Monday Night online song circle, Songs that Sing to Me.

The Folk Project Open Stage, North Jersey’s premier open  stage, is back live on the second  Friday of every month. The  Main Stage features two-song (or  ten  minutes, whichever is shorter) sign-up slots for our audience. To sign up to perform email Chairman Todd at openstage@folkproject.org.

Admission: $7 at the door only (tickets for the live show not available online.)  Children 12 and under free but must be accompanied by parent or guardian.

Split Bill: Buskin and Batteau and The April Fools! (Lavin, Forster & Ulbrich)
Comedy Song Night features Buskin & Batteau and The April Fools!: Christine Lavin, John Forster & Carla Ulbrich – an awesome amalgam of some of the funniest people on earth. Individually, these award-winning performers have accomplished more on stage, television, radio, movies and recordings than imaginable. Collectively, they create an evening of uncontainable musical hysteria and laughter.
Photo of Buskin and Batteau
David Buskin and Robin Batteau

Buskin & Batteau run the gamut from topical irony to terminal silliness and their instrumental virtuosity, soaring vocal harmonies and unparalleled lyric-writing prompts standing ovations and rhapsodic reviews.

Photo of The April Fools! (Lavin, Forster & Ulbrich)
 
Christine Lavin is the Folk World’s long-reigning Queen of the Intelligently Absurd. She has an eye for the ironic and finds the absurd in the news and everyday life, then puts it into song. John Forster  has a twisted sense of humor, delightfully skewed view of the human condition, and prodigious skills as a pianist. Carla Ulbrich is a longtime favorite of Dr. Demento thanks to her rapier wit and keen observational eye for the absurdities of everyday living.

***  Admission: $20/$15 (FP members); 12 and under free with adult. ***

No opening act this week.

Photo of Windborne
 

Conjuring up echoes of the late lamented Canadian group “Finest Kind”, Windborne is a harmony-driven quartet of 30-somethings who revel in the vocal traditions of the British Isles and early American folk song. To this they add vocal harmony traditions around the world from the Balkans to South Africa. They sing either acapella, or with spare accompaniment on banjo, fiddle, and percussion.

***  Admission: $20/$15 (FP members); 12 and under free with adult.***

Featured Act: Guy Davis
Photo of Guy Davis
 

While Guy Davis is a two-time, back-to-back Grammy nominee for Best Traditional Blues, his performances blend roots, blues, folk, rock, rap, spoken word, and world to address the frustrations of social injustice, touching on historical events, and common life struggles. His storytelling is sometimes painful, deep, and real, underlined by gentle tones from his guitar or banjo fingerpicking.

Video: Walk On
Opening Act: Marry the Sea
Photo of Marry the Sea
 

The soaring vocal power of Marry The Sea delivers timeless messages of love and empowerment from the landscape of our modern world. Marry the Sea is Kat De Bari and Rebecca Farnham. Their original compositions and pitch-perfect harmonies transform listeners and inspire souls with music that is enlightening and transcendent.

Video: Hold On

***  Admission: $20/$15 (FP members); 12 and under free with adult.***

Featured Act: Newberry & Verch
Photo of Newberry & Verch
 

Longtime Troubadour attendees will fondly remember April Verch. She’s been packing the place for 20 years. She’s now performing with world-renowned Ozarks banjo player, guitarist and songwriter Joe Newberry as Newberry & Verch. Joe Newberry comes from a family of singers and dancers. He took up the guitar and banjo as a boy and learned fiddle tunes from great Missouri fiddlers. April Verch grew up listening to her Dad’s country band play for dances in the Ottawa Valley, Ontario. She started step dancing at age three and fiddling at age six. Together, they display the roots of their music, their love of performing, and their strong musical connection. Original songs join timeless classics. Lively fiddle and banjo numbers combine with traditional dance steps to illustrate happy times when people made their own fun.

Opening Act: Dave Murphy

With his newest release, award-winning singer-songwriter Dave Murphy—dubbed a “musical Raymond Carver”—carries his audiences on a fearless, heartfelt journey towards surrender and redemption. A migration through seasons of loss and gain, joy and sorrow makes his seventh studio album, A Heart So Rare, his most honest, and compelling collection yet. It features guest appearances by James Maddock and Mark Erelli. Based in New Jersey, Murphy is an accomplished performer who has toured four countries, received international radio airplay, and shared stages with artists such as Steve Forbert, Suzanne Vega, Alejandro Escovedo, and Jimmie Dale Gilmore.

Video: Red

The Folk Project Open Stage, North Jersey’s premier open  stage, is back live on the second  Friday of every month. The  Main Stage features two-song (or  ten  minutes, whichever is shorter) sign-up slots for our audience. To sign up to perform email Chairman Todd at openstage@folkproject.org.

Admission: $7 at the door only (tickets for the live show not available online.)  Children 12 and under free but must be accompanied by parent or guardian.

***  Admission: $20/$15 (FP members); 12 and under free with adult.***

Featured Act: Muriel Anderson
Photo of Muriel Anderson
 

Muriel Anderson is a guitarist and harp-guitarist who embraces music from all over the world with grace, joy and gentle humor. She is the first woman to have won the National Fingerstyle Guitar Championship. Her CD “Nightlight Daylight”, was chosen as one of the top 10 CDs of the decade by Guitar Player Magazine. Muriel’s facility across the genres of folk, classical, bluegrass, popular and international music is revered by guitarists worldwide. Among those she has performed or recorded with are Chet Atkins, Les Paul, Victor Wooten and Tommy Emmanuel. Her live performance is enhanced by a projected multi-media display of images and video clips on a screen behind her.

Opening Act: Alex Prezzano
Photo of Alex Prezzano
 

Alex Prezzano is a premier acoustic guitarist, songwriter, and composer. His range is extraordinary, his playing precise, and his arrangements inspiring. His repertoire ranges from the American Songbook classics like “Over the Rainbow” to a sparkling rendition of the Beatles “Ticket to Ride,” a longing version of Cyndi Lauper’s “Time After Time,” a flashy piece from the Renaissance like “Canarios,” and a slew of wonderful originals. Alex is based in NYC and has performed in Broadway shows, and at beloved venues throughout NYC and North America. And he’s quite the singer, too. “All we can say is wow!”


In-person Tickets
    Live Webcast ($20)

3 International Guitar Masters

leading workshops all day for all levels, beginner through advanced,
culminating in a fabulous evening concert for everyone


Workshops for guitarists with concert and meals – 10:00 AM to 10:30 PM ($138 advance registration only)

Evening Concert for all – 8 PM to 10:30 PM ($35 at the door, +$1.25 service fee if purchased online)

Three masters of the acoustic guitar, Beppe, Chris and Jon, give a full day of
instruction, including lunch, dinner, snacks and evening concert — a complete program for all levels, dedicated to the proposition that everyone goes home a better player.
Photo of Beppe Gambetta

Beppe Gambetta brings American and European Roots together in a blend of energetic grooves and passionate melodies, giving new life to wide range international and American musical sources. He is songwriter of great depth and maturity, whose original songs seamlessly blend contemporary influences with traditional roots. His flatpicking styles range from Doc Watson to Moravian folk music to everything in between and beyond. and are characterized by flashy licks, intricate cross-picking patterns, open tunings, and fluid slides up and down the neck of the guitar.

1
Born in Genoa, Italy, he is known worldwide as a bluegrass ambassador, having performed with such luminaries as Norman Blake, Mike Marshall, David Grisman, Charles Sawtelle, John Jorgenson, David Grier, Tony Trischka, Dan Crary, Gene Parsons of the Byrds, and more.

Chris Newman is a renowned Celtic guitarist, famed internationally as a member of The Boys of the Loch, for his duet work with Máire Ní Chathasaigh, and, of course, for his stunningly brilliant arrangements on guitar.

1
Acoustic Guitar Magazine calls his abilities “Dazzling.” Dirty Linen says it is “nothing short of brilliant.” The Sunday Tribune of Ireland called his playing “Terrific: brilliant, beautiful, rich, virtuosic, delightful, classic, perfect!”

Jon Shain is a veteran singer-songwriter and recording artist, who’s been turning heads with his lyrics, fiery acoustic guitar work, and his evolved musical style – combining improvised piedmont blues with bluegrass, swing, and ragtime.

1
A noted author of several celebrated guitar instruction books, Jon has won the International Blues Challenge in Memphis, Tennessee and his band has performed with David Grisman, Tony Rice Unit, Hot Tuna, and the Dixie Dregs. He has headlined as a solo and with duo partner FJ Ventre throughout the USA and Europe, opening shows for John Hiatt, Keb’ Mo’, Little Feat, and many other roots legends

THE NJ GUITAR SUMMIT WORKSHOP SCHEDULE

Each workshop leader will teach their “specialty” to each group of guitarists: Advanced, Intermediate and Beginner.

Beppe Gambetta: American flatpicking and introduction to Mediterranean guitar approach

 

Jon Shain: Introduction to acoustic blues guitar in fingerpicking technique

 

Chris Newman: introduction to Celtic Guitar in flatpicking style (for beginners and intermediate) and introduction to improvisation (in the advanced class)

 

SCHEDULE: 

INTRODUCTION: 9:30 – 10:00 a.m. 

Meet your teachers to discuss and help you determine your best workshops

FIRST SESSION: 10:00 – 11:15 a.m.

Beppe – Beginners     Chris – Intermediate     Jon – Advanced

SECOND SESSION: 11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.

Beppe – Intermediate     Chris – Advanced     Jon – Beginners

LUNCH: 1:00 – 2:30 p.m. 

JAM SESSION: 2:30 – 3:15 p.m.

THIRD SESSION: 3:30 – 4:15 p.m.

Beppe – Advanced     Chris – Beginners     Jon – Intermediate

DISCUSSION PANEL:  4:30 – 5:30 p.m.

All three instructors will discuss the guitar and the Summit with all attendees.

FOLLOWED BY:

THE EVENING MEAL

SOUND CHECK

8:00 P.M. CONCERT




Photo of
Photo of Chris Newman, Beppe Gambetta and Jon Shain

Halloween Show – LIVING Performers Wanted

Evidence is emerging of a spectral disturbance at MUUF…ectoplasmic slime leaking under locked closet doors, strange lights in the sun-basement, and eerie noises emitting from the FP sound system. Once again we approach the thinning of the veil between worlds. The Folk Project Halloween show at the Haunted Mansion is all that stands between our ordered existence and a full scale “Ghostbuster Class” outbreak of otherworldly mayhem. It is a well known fact that music and costumes have a miraculously repellent effect on the creatures of the dark. Last year’s show was a signature event, let’s do it again! Come add your voices to the defense of the Light! Prizes for various song and costume categories. Delicious desserts will be provided. October 25th 7:30 PM  —> To perform, signup at halloween@folkproject.org

Photo of
 
Donnie Kehr Sings Billy Joel with opening act Jay Wilensky as Vic, the Lounge Singer

The Troubadour proudly presents: Donnie Kehr singing the songs of Billy Joel and Jay Wilensky performing as “Vic, the Lounge Singer”

 

***  Admission: $20/$15 (FP members); 12 and under free with adult.***

Featured Act: Donnie Kehr Sings Billy Joel
Photo of Donnie Kehr Sings Billy Joel
 

Donnie Kehr, an extraordinary singer-songwriter, pianist, Broadway regular, Billboard Top 100 recording artist, and all-around fun guy to spend an evening with. Donnie is featured on two Grammy Award winning albums: The Who’s ‘Tommy’, produced by Pete Townshend & Sir George Martin, and Jersey Boys produced by Bob Gaudio. He has performed on the Tonight Show, David Letterman, Good Morning America, and the Oscars. His film credits include Jersey Boys directed by Clint Eastwood; Oliver Stone’s Wall Street; Chaplin with Robert Downey Jr. Donnie’s our perfect Halloween “Billy Joel”.

Special treat: Donnie’s first set will be the songs of Billy Joel. His second set will be an all-request set where the audience will name a popular tune and Donnie will play it.

Opening Act: opening act Jay Wilensky as Vic, the Lounge Singer
Photo of opening act Jay Wilensky as Vic, the Lounge Singer
 

“Vic the Lounge Singer” is renowned for his creamy, smooth vocals and the sincere passion he brings to his classic renditions of standards from the Great American Songbook. Vic is played by our own Jay Wilensky, lead singer for the Reeds, Rhythm and All That Brass and leader of the Folk Project’s Monday Night online song circle, Songs that Sing to Me.

The Folk Project Open Stage, North Jersey’s premier open  stage, is back live on the second  Friday of every month. The  Main Stage features two-song (or  ten  minutes, whichever is shorter) sign-up slots for our audience. To sign up to perform email Chairman Todd at openstage@folkproject.org.

Admission: $7 at the door only (tickets for the live show not available online.)  Children 12 and under free but must be accompanied by parent or guardian.

Split Bill: Buskin and Batteau and The April Fools! (Lavin, Forster & Ulbrich)
Comedy Song Night features Buskin & Batteau and The April Fools!: Christine Lavin, John Forster & Carla Ulbrich – an awesome amalgam of some of the funniest people on earth. Individually, these award-winning performers have accomplished more on stage, television, radio, movies and recordings than imaginable. Collectively, they create an evening of uncontainable musical hysteria and laughter.
Photo of Buskin and Batteau
David Buskin and Robin Batteau

Buskin & Batteau run the gamut from topical irony to terminal silliness and their instrumental virtuosity, soaring vocal harmonies and unparalleled lyric-writing prompts standing ovations and rhapsodic reviews.

Photo of The April Fools! (Lavin, Forster & Ulbrich)
 
Christine Lavin is the Folk World’s long-reigning Queen of the Intelligently Absurd. She has an eye for the ironic and finds the absurd in the news and everyday life, then puts it into song. John Forster  has a twisted sense of humor, delightfully skewed view of the human condition, and prodigious skills as a pianist. Carla Ulbrich is a longtime favorite of Dr. Demento thanks to her rapier wit and keen observational eye for the absurdities of everyday living.

***  Admission: $20/$15 (FP members); 12 and under free with adult. ***

No opening act this week.

Photo of Windborne
 

Conjuring up echoes of the late lamented Canadian group “Finest Kind”, Windborne is a harmony-driven quartet of 30-somethings who revel in the vocal traditions of the British Isles and early American folk song. To this they add vocal harmony traditions around the world from the Balkans to South Africa. They sing either acapella, or with spare accompaniment on banjo, fiddle, and percussion.

***  Admission: $20/$15 (FP members); 12 and under free with adult.***

Featured Act: Guy Davis
Photo of Guy Davis
 

While Guy Davis is a two-time, back-to-back Grammy nominee for Best Traditional Blues, his performances blend roots, blues, folk, rock, rap, spoken word, and world to address the frustrations of social injustice, touching on historical events, and common life struggles. His storytelling is sometimes painful, deep, and real, underlined by gentle tones from his guitar or banjo fingerpicking.

Video: Walk On
Opening Act: Marry the Sea
Photo of Marry the Sea
 

The soaring vocal power of Marry The Sea delivers timeless messages of love and empowerment from the landscape of our modern world. Marry the Sea is Kat De Bari and Rebecca Farnham. Their original compositions and pitch-perfect harmonies transform listeners and inspire souls with music that is enlightening and transcendent.

Video: Hold On

***  Admission: $20/$15 (FP members); 12 and under free with adult.***

Featured Act: Newberry & Verch
Photo of Newberry & Verch
 

Longtime Troubadour attendees will fondly remember April Verch. She’s been packing the place for 20 years. She’s now performing with world-renowned Ozarks banjo player, guitarist and songwriter Joe Newberry as Newberry & Verch. Joe Newberry comes from a family of singers and dancers. He took up the guitar and banjo as a boy and learned fiddle tunes from great Missouri fiddlers. April Verch grew up listening to her Dad’s country band play for dances in the Ottawa Valley, Ontario. She started step dancing at age three and fiddling at age six. Together, they display the roots of their music, their love of performing, and their strong musical connection. Original songs join timeless classics. Lively fiddle and banjo numbers combine with traditional dance steps to illustrate happy times when people made their own fun.

Opening Act: Dave Murphy

With his newest release, award-winning singer-songwriter Dave Murphy—dubbed a “musical Raymond Carver”—carries his audiences on a fearless, heartfelt journey towards surrender and redemption. A migration through seasons of loss and gain, joy and sorrow makes his seventh studio album, A Heart So Rare, his most honest, and compelling collection yet. It features guest appearances by James Maddock and Mark Erelli. Based in New Jersey, Murphy is an accomplished performer who has toured four countries, received international radio airplay, and shared stages with artists such as Steve Forbert, Suzanne Vega, Alejandro Escovedo, and Jimmie Dale Gilmore.

Video: Red

The Folk Project Open Stage, North Jersey’s premier open  stage, is back live on the second  Friday of every month. The  Main Stage features two-song (or  ten  minutes, whichever is shorter) sign-up slots for our audience. To sign up to perform email Chairman Todd at openstage@folkproject.org.

Admission: $7 at the door only (tickets for the live show not available online.)  Children 12 and under free but must be accompanied by parent or guardian.

***  Admission: $20/$15 (FP members); 12 and under free with adult.***

Featured Act: Muriel Anderson
 

Muriel Anderson is a guitarist and harp-guitarist who embraces music from all over the world with grace, joy and gentle humor. She is the first woman to have won the National Fingerstyle Guitar Championship. Her CD “Nightlight Daylight”, was chosen as one of the top 10 CDs of the decade by Guitar Player Magazine. Muriel’s facility across the genres of folk, classical, bluegrass, popular and international music is revered by guitarists worldwide. Among those she has performed or recorded with are Chet Atkins, Les Paul, Victor Wooten and Tommy Emmanuel. Her live performance is enhanced by a projected multi-media display of images and video clips on a screen behind her.

Opening Act: Alex Prezzano
Photo of Alex Prezzano
 

Alex Prezzano is a premier acoustic guitarist, songwriter, and composer. His range is extraordinary, his playing precise, and his arrangements inspiring. His repertoire ranges from the American Songbook classics like “Over the Rainbow” to a sparkling rendition of the Beatles “Ticket to Ride,” a longing version of Cyndi Lauper’s “Time After Time,” a flashy piece from the Renaissance like “Canarios,” and a slew of wonderful originals. Alex is based in NYC and has performed in Broadway shows, and at beloved venues throughout NYC and North America. And he’s quite the singer, too. “All we can say is wow!”


In-person Tickets
    Live Webcast ($20)

3 International Guitar Masters

leading workshops all day for all levels, beginner through advanced,
culminating in a fabulous evening concert for everyone


Workshops for guitarists with concert and meals – 10:00 AM to 10:30 PM ($138 advance registration only)

Evening Concert for all – 8 PM to 10:30 PM ($35 at the door, +$1.25 service fee if purchased online)

Three masters of the acoustic guitar, Beppe, Chris and Jon, give a full day of
instruction, including lunch, dinner, snacks and evening concert — a complete program for all levels, dedicated to the proposition that everyone goes home a better player.
Photo of Beppe Gambetta

Beppe Gambetta brings American and European Roots together in a blend of energetic grooves and passionate melodies, giving new life to wide range international and American musical sources. He is songwriter of great depth and maturity, whose original songs seamlessly blend contemporary influences with traditional roots. His flatpicking styles range from Doc Watson to Moravian folk music to everything in between and beyond. and are characterized by flashy licks, intricate cross-picking patterns, open tunings, and fluid slides up and down the neck of the guitar.

1
Born in Genoa, Italy, he is known worldwide as a bluegrass ambassador, having performed with such luminaries as Norman Blake, Mike Marshall, David Grisman, Charles Sawtelle, John Jorgenson, David Grier, Tony Trischka, Dan Crary, Gene Parsons of the Byrds, and more.

Chris Newman is a renowned Celtic guitarist, famed internationally as a member of The Boys of the Loch, for his duet work with Máire Ní Chathasaigh, and, of course, for his stunningly brilliant arrangements on guitar.

1
Acoustic Guitar Magazine calls his abilities “Dazzling.” Dirty Linen says it is “nothing short of brilliant.” The Sunday Tribune of Ireland called his playing “Terrific: brilliant, beautiful, rich, virtuosic, delightful, classic, perfect!”

Jon Shain is a veteran singer-songwriter and recording artist, who’s been turning heads with his lyrics, fiery acoustic guitar work, and his evolved musical style – combining improvised piedmont blues with bluegrass, swing, and ragtime.

1
A noted author of several celebrated guitar instruction books, Jon has won the International Blues Challenge in Memphis, Tennessee and his band has performed with David Grisman, Tony Rice Unit, Hot Tuna, and the Dixie Dregs. He has headlined as a solo and with duo partner FJ Ventre throughout the USA and Europe, opening shows for John Hiatt, Keb’ Mo’, Little Feat, and many other roots legends

THE NJ GUITAR SUMMIT WORKSHOP SCHEDULE

Each workshop leader will teach their “specialty” to each group of guitarists: Advanced, Intermediate and Beginner.

Beppe Gambetta: American flatpicking and introduction to Mediterranean guitar approach

 

Jon Shain: Introduction to acoustic blues guitar in fingerpicking technique

 

Chris Newman: introduction to Celtic Guitar in flatpicking style (for beginners and intermediate) and introduction to improvisation (in the advanced class)

 

SCHEDULE: 

INTRODUCTION: 9:30 – 10:00 a.m. 

Meet your teachers to discuss and help you determine your best workshops

FIRST SESSION: 10:00 – 11:15 a.m.

Beppe – Beginners     Chris – Intermediate     Jon – Advanced

SECOND SESSION: 11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.

Beppe – Intermediate     Chris – Advanced     Jon – Beginners

LUNCH: 1:00 – 2:30 p.m. 

JAM SESSION: 2:30 – 3:15 p.m.

THIRD SESSION: 3:30 – 4:15 p.m.

Beppe – Advanced     Chris – Beginners     Jon – Intermediate

DISCUSSION PANEL:  4:30 – 5:30 p.m.

All three instructors will discuss the guitar and the Summit with all attendees.

FOLLOWED BY:

THE EVENING MEAL

SOUND CHECK

8:00 P.M. CONCERT




Photo of Chris Newman, Beppe Gambetta and Jon Shain

Halloween Show – LIVING Performers Wanted

Evidence is emerging of a spectral disturbance at MUUF…ectoplasmic slime leaking under locked closet doors, strange lights in the sun-basement, and eerie noises emitting from the FP sound system. Once again we approach the thinning of the veil between worlds. The Folk Project Halloween show at the Haunted Mansion is all that stands between our ordered existence and a full scale “Ghostbuster Class” outbreak of otherworldly mayhem. It is a well known fact that music and costumes have a miraculously repellent effect on the creatures of the dark. Last year’s show was a signature event, let’s do it again! Come add your voices to the defense of the Light! Prizes for various song and costume categories. Delicious desserts will be provided. October 25th 7:30 PM  —> To perform, signup at halloween@folkproject.org

 
Donnie Kehr Sings Billy Joel with opening act Jay Wilensky as Vic, the Lounge Singer

The Troubadour proudly presents: Donnie Kehr singing the songs of Billy Joel and Jay Wilensky performing as “Vic, the Lounge Singer”

 

***  Admission: $20/$15 (FP members); 12 and under free with adult.***

Featured Act: Donnie Kehr Sings Billy Joel
 

Donnie Kehr, an extraordinary singer-songwriter, pianist, Broadway regular, Billboard Top 100 recording artist, and all-around fun guy to spend an evening with. Donnie is featured on two Grammy Award winning albums: The Who’s ‘Tommy’, produced by Pete Townshend & Sir George Martin, and Jersey Boys produced by Bob Gaudio. He has performed on the Tonight Show, David Letterman, Good Morning America, and the Oscars. His film credits include Jersey Boys directed by Clint Eastwood; Oliver Stone’s Wall Street; Chaplin with Robert Downey Jr. Donnie’s our perfect Halloween “Billy Joel”.

Special treat: Donnie’s first set will be the songs of Billy Joel. His second set will be an all-request set where the audience will name a popular tune and Donnie will play it.

Opening Act: opening act Jay Wilensky as Vic, the Lounge Singer
Photo of opening act Jay Wilensky as Vic, the Lounge Singer
 

“Vic the Lounge Singer” is renowned for his creamy, smooth vocals and the sincere passion he brings to his classic renditions of standards from the Great American Songbook. Vic is played by our own Jay Wilensky, lead singer for the Reeds, Rhythm and All That Brass and leader of the Folk Project’s Monday Night online song circle, Songs that Sing to Me.

The Folk Project Open Stage, North Jersey’s premier open  stage, is back live on the second  Friday of every month. The  Main Stage features two-song (or  ten  minutes, whichever is shorter) sign-up slots for our audience. To sign up to perform email Chairman Todd at openstage@folkproject.org.

Admission: $7 at the door only (tickets for the live show not available online.)  Children 12 and under free but must be accompanied by parent or guardian.

Split Bill: Buskin and Batteau and The April Fools! (Lavin, Forster & Ulbrich)
Comedy Song Night features Buskin & Batteau and The April Fools!: Christine Lavin, John Forster & Carla Ulbrich – an awesome amalgam of some of the funniest people on earth. Individually, these award-winning performers have accomplished more on stage, television, radio, movies and recordings than imaginable. Collectively, they create an evening of uncontainable musical hysteria and laughter.
David Buskin and Robin Batteau

Buskin & Batteau run the gamut from topical irony to terminal silliness and their instrumental virtuosity, soaring vocal harmonies and unparalleled lyric-writing prompts standing ovations and rhapsodic reviews.

Photo of The April Fools! (Lavin, Forster & Ulbrich)
 
Christine Lavin is the Folk World’s long-reigning Queen of the Intelligently Absurd. She has an eye for the ironic and finds the absurd in the news and everyday life, then puts it into song. John Forster  has a twisted sense of humor, delightfully skewed view of the human condition, and prodigious skills as a pianist. Carla Ulbrich is a longtime favorite of Dr. Demento thanks to her rapier wit and keen observational eye for the absurdities of everyday living.

***  Admission: $20/$15 (FP members); 12 and under free with adult. ***

No opening act this week.

 

Conjuring up echoes of the late lamented Canadian group “Finest Kind”, Windborne is a harmony-driven quartet of 30-somethings who revel in the vocal traditions of the British Isles and early American folk song. To this they add vocal harmony traditions around the world from the Balkans to South Africa. They sing either acapella, or with spare accompaniment on banjo, fiddle, and percussion.

***  Admission: $20/$15 (FP members); 12 and under free with adult.***

Featured Act: Guy Davis
 

While Guy Davis is a two-time, back-to-back Grammy nominee for Best Traditional Blues, his performances blend roots, blues, folk, rock, rap, spoken word, and world to address the frustrations of social injustice, touching on historical events, and common life struggles. His storytelling is sometimes painful, deep, and real, underlined by gentle tones from his guitar or banjo fingerpicking.

Video: Walk On
Opening Act: Marry the Sea
Photo of Marry the Sea
 

The soaring vocal power of Marry The Sea delivers timeless messages of love and empowerment from the landscape of our modern world. Marry the Sea is Kat De Bari and Rebecca Farnham. Their original compositions and pitch-perfect harmonies transform listeners and inspire souls with music that is enlightening and transcendent.

Video: Hold On

***  Admission: $20/$15 (FP members); 12 and under free with adult.***

Featured Act: Newberry & Verch
 

Longtime Troubadour attendees will fondly remember April Verch. She’s been packing the place for 20 years. She’s now performing with world-renowned Ozarks banjo player, guitarist and songwriter Joe Newberry as Newberry & Verch. Joe Newberry comes from a family of singers and dancers. He took up the guitar and banjo as a boy and learned fiddle tunes from great Missouri fiddlers. April Verch grew up listening to her Dad’s country band play for dances in the Ottawa Valley, Ontario. She started step dancing at age three and fiddling at age six. Together, they display the roots of their music, their love of performing, and their strong musical connection. Original songs join timeless classics. Lively fiddle and banjo numbers combine with traditional dance steps to illustrate happy times when people made their own fun.

Opening Act: Dave Murphy

With his newest release, award-winning singer-songwriter Dave Murphy—dubbed a “musical Raymond Carver”—carries his audiences on a fearless, heartfelt journey towards surrender and redemption. A migration through seasons of loss and gain, joy and sorrow makes his seventh studio album, A Heart So Rare, his most honest, and compelling collection yet. It features guest appearances by James Maddock and Mark Erelli. Based in New Jersey, Murphy is an accomplished performer who has toured four countries, received international radio airplay, and shared stages with artists such as Steve Forbert, Suzanne Vega, Alejandro Escovedo, and Jimmie Dale Gilmore.

Video: Red

The Folk Project Open Stage, North Jersey’s premier open  stage, is back live on the second  Friday of every month. The  Main Stage features two-song (or  ten  minutes, whichever is shorter) sign-up slots for our audience. To sign up to perform email Chairman Todd at openstage@folkproject.org.

Admission: $7 at the door only (tickets for the live show not available online.)  Children 12 and under free but must be accompanied by parent or guardian.

***  Admission: $20/$15 (FP members); 12 and under free with adult.***

Featured Act: Muriel Anderson
Photo of Muriel Anderson
 

Muriel Anderson is a guitarist and harp-guitarist who embraces music from all over the world with grace, joy and gentle humor. She is the first woman to have won the National Fingerstyle Guitar Championship. Her CD “Nightlight Daylight”, was chosen as one of the top 10 CDs of the decade by Guitar Player Magazine. Muriel’s facility across the genres of folk, classical, bluegrass, popular and international music is revered by guitarists worldwide. Among those she has performed or recorded with are Chet Atkins, Les Paul, Victor Wooten and Tommy Emmanuel. Her live performance is enhanced by a projected multi-media display of images and video clips on a screen behind her.

Opening Act: Alex Prezzano
Photo of Alex Prezzano
 

Alex Prezzano is a premier acoustic guitarist, songwriter, and composer. His range is extraordinary, his playing precise, and his arrangements inspiring. His repertoire ranges from the American Songbook classics like “Over the Rainbow” to a sparkling rendition of the Beatles “Ticket to Ride,” a longing version of Cyndi Lauper’s “Time After Time,” a flashy piece from the Renaissance like “Canarios,” and a slew of wonderful originals. Alex is based in NYC and has performed in Broadway shows, and at beloved venues throughout NYC and North America. And he’s quite the singer, too. “All we can say is wow!”


In-person Tickets
    Live Webcast ($20)

3 International Guitar Masters

leading workshops all day for all levels, beginner through advanced,
culminating in a fabulous evening concert for everyone


Workshops for guitarists with concert and meals – 10:00 AM to 10:30 PM ($138 advance registration only)

Evening Concert for all – 8 PM to 10:30 PM ($35 at the door, +$1.25 service fee if purchased online)

Three masters of the acoustic guitar, Beppe, Chris and Jon, give a full day of
instruction, including lunch, dinner, snacks and evening concert — a complete program for all levels, dedicated to the proposition that everyone goes home a better player.
Photo of Beppe Gambetta

Beppe Gambetta brings American and European Roots together in a blend of energetic grooves and passionate melodies, giving new life to wide range international and American musical sources. He is songwriter of great depth and maturity, whose original songs seamlessly blend contemporary influences with traditional roots. His flatpicking styles range from Doc Watson to Moravian folk music to everything in between and beyond. and are characterized by flashy licks, intricate cross-picking patterns, open tunings, and fluid slides up and down the neck of the guitar.

1
Born in Genoa, Italy, he is known worldwide as a bluegrass ambassador, having performed with such luminaries as Norman Blake, Mike Marshall, David Grisman, Charles Sawtelle, John Jorgenson, David Grier, Tony Trischka, Dan Crary, Gene Parsons of the Byrds, and more.

Chris Newman is a renowned Celtic guitarist, famed internationally as a member of The Boys of the Loch, for his duet work with Máire Ní Chathasaigh, and, of course, for his stunningly brilliant arrangements on guitar.

1
Acoustic Guitar Magazine calls his abilities “Dazzling.” Dirty Linen says it is “nothing short of brilliant.” The Sunday Tribune of Ireland called his playing “Terrific: brilliant, beautiful, rich, virtuosic, delightful, classic, perfect!”

Jon Shain is a veteran singer-songwriter and recording artist, who’s been turning heads with his lyrics, fiery acoustic guitar work, and his evolved musical style – combining improvised piedmont blues with bluegrass, swing, and ragtime.

1
A noted author of several celebrated guitar instruction books, Jon has won the International Blues Challenge in Memphis, Tennessee and his band has performed with David Grisman, Tony Rice Unit, Hot Tuna, and the Dixie Dregs. He has headlined as a solo and with duo partner FJ Ventre throughout the USA and Europe, opening shows for John Hiatt, Keb’ Mo’, Little Feat, and many other roots legends

THE NJ GUITAR SUMMIT WORKSHOP SCHEDULE

Each workshop leader will teach their “specialty” to each group of guitarists: Advanced, Intermediate and Beginner.

Beppe Gambetta: American flatpicking and introduction to Mediterranean guitar approach

 

Jon Shain: Introduction to acoustic blues guitar in fingerpicking technique

 

Chris Newman: introduction to Celtic Guitar in flatpicking style (for beginners and intermediate) and introduction to improvisation (in the advanced class)

 

SCHEDULE: 

INTRODUCTION: 9:30 – 10:00 a.m. 

Meet your teachers to discuss and help you determine your best workshops

FIRST SESSION: 10:00 – 11:15 a.m.

Beppe – Beginners     Chris – Intermediate     Jon – Advanced

SECOND SESSION: 11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.

Beppe – Intermediate     Chris – Advanced     Jon – Beginners

LUNCH: 1:00 – 2:30 p.m. 

JAM SESSION: 2:30 – 3:15 p.m.

THIRD SESSION: 3:30 – 4:15 p.m.

Beppe – Advanced     Chris – Beginners     Jon – Intermediate

DISCUSSION PANEL:  4:30 – 5:30 p.m.

All three instructors will discuss the guitar and the Summit with all attendees.

FOLLOWED BY:

THE EVENING MEAL

SOUND CHECK

8:00 P.M. CONCERT




Photo of
Photo of Chris Newman, Beppe Gambetta and Jon Shain

Halloween Show – LIVING Performers Wanted

Evidence is emerging of a spectral disturbance at MUUF…ectoplasmic slime leaking under locked closet doors, strange lights in the sun-basement, and eerie noises emitting from the FP sound system. Once again we approach the thinning of the veil between worlds. The Folk Project Halloween show at the Haunted Mansion is all that stands between our ordered existence and a full scale “Ghostbuster Class” outbreak of otherworldly mayhem. It is a well known fact that music and costumes have a miraculously repellent effect on the creatures of the dark. Last year’s show was a signature event, let’s do it again! Come add your voices to the defense of the Light! Prizes for various song and costume categories. Delicious desserts will be provided. October 25th 7:30 PM  —> To perform, signup at halloween@folkproject.org

Photo of
 
Donnie Kehr Sings Billy Joel with opening act Jay Wilensky as Vic, the Lounge Singer

The Troubadour proudly presents: Donnie Kehr singing the songs of Billy Joel and Jay Wilensky performing as “Vic, the Lounge Singer”

 

***  Admission: $20/$15 (FP members); 12 and under free with adult.***

Featured Act: Donnie Kehr Sings Billy Joel
Photo of Donnie Kehr Sings Billy Joel
 

Donnie Kehr, an extraordinary singer-songwriter, pianist, Broadway regular, Billboard Top 100 recording artist, and all-around fun guy to spend an evening with. Donnie is featured on two Grammy Award winning albums: The Who’s ‘Tommy’, produced by Pete Townshend & Sir George Martin, and Jersey Boys produced by Bob Gaudio. He has performed on the Tonight Show, David Letterman, Good Morning America, and the Oscars. His film credits include Jersey Boys directed by Clint Eastwood; Oliver Stone’s Wall Street; Chaplin with Robert Downey Jr. Donnie’s our perfect Halloween “Billy Joel”.

Special treat: Donnie’s first set will be the songs of Billy Joel. His second set will be an all-request set where the audience will name a popular tune and Donnie will play it.

Opening Act: opening act Jay Wilensky as Vic, the Lounge Singer
Photo of opening act Jay Wilensky as Vic, the Lounge Singer
 

“Vic the Lounge Singer” is renowned for his creamy, smooth vocals and the sincere passion he brings to his classic renditions of standards from the Great American Songbook. Vic is played by our own Jay Wilensky, lead singer for the Reeds, Rhythm and All That Brass and leader of the Folk Project’s Monday Night online song circle, Songs that Sing to Me.

The Folk Project Open Stage, North Jersey’s premier open  stage, is back live on the second  Friday of every month. The  Main Stage features two-song (or  ten  minutes, whichever is shorter) sign-up slots for our audience. To sign up to perform email Chairman Todd at openstage@folkproject.org.

Admission: $7 at the door only (tickets for the live show not available online.)  Children 12 and under free but must be accompanied by parent or guardian.

Split Bill: Buskin and Batteau and The April Fools! (Lavin, Forster & Ulbrich)
Comedy Song Night features Buskin & Batteau and The April Fools!: Christine Lavin, John Forster & Carla Ulbrich – an awesome amalgam of some of the funniest people on earth. Individually, these award-winning performers have accomplished more on stage, television, radio, movies and recordings than imaginable. Collectively, they create an evening of uncontainable musical hysteria and laughter.
Photo of Buskin and Batteau
David Buskin and Robin Batteau

Buskin & Batteau run the gamut from topical irony to terminal silliness and their instrumental virtuosity, soaring vocal harmonies and unparalleled lyric-writing prompts standing ovations and rhapsodic reviews.

Photo of The April Fools! (Lavin, Forster & Ulbrich)
 
Christine Lavin is the Folk World’s long-reigning Queen of the Intelligently Absurd. She has an eye for the ironic and finds the absurd in the news and everyday life, then puts it into song. John Forster  has a twisted sense of humor, delightfully skewed view of the human condition, and prodigious skills as a pianist. Carla Ulbrich is a longtime favorite of Dr. Demento thanks to her rapier wit and keen observational eye for the absurdities of everyday living.

***  Admission: $20/$15 (FP members); 12 and under free with adult. ***

No opening act this week.

Photo of Windborne
 

Conjuring up echoes of the late lamented Canadian group “Finest Kind”, Windborne is a harmony-driven quartet of 30-somethings who revel in the vocal traditions of the British Isles and early American folk song. To this they add vocal harmony traditions around the world from the Balkans to South Africa. They sing either acapella, or with spare accompaniment on banjo, fiddle, and percussion.

***  Admission: $20/$15 (FP members); 12 and under free with adult.***

Featured Act: Guy Davis
Photo of Guy Davis
 

While Guy Davis is a two-time, back-to-back Grammy nominee for Best Traditional Blues, his performances blend roots, blues, folk, rock, rap, spoken word, and world to address the frustrations of social injustice, touching on historical events, and common life struggles. His storytelling is sometimes painful, deep, and real, underlined by gentle tones from his guitar or banjo fingerpicking.

Video: Walk On
Opening Act: Marry the Sea
Photo of Marry the Sea
 

The soaring vocal power of Marry The Sea delivers timeless messages of love and empowerment from the landscape of our modern world. Marry the Sea is Kat De Bari and Rebecca Farnham. Their original compositions and pitch-perfect harmonies transform listeners and inspire souls with music that is enlightening and transcendent.

Video: Hold On

***  Admission: $20/$15 (FP members); 12 and under free with adult.***

Featured Act: Newberry & Verch
Photo of Newberry & Verch
 

Longtime Troubadour attendees will fondly remember April Verch. She’s been packing the place for 20 years. She’s now performing with world-renowned Ozarks banjo player, guitarist and songwriter Joe Newberry as Newberry & Verch. Joe Newberry comes from a family of singers and dancers. He took up the guitar and banjo as a boy and learned fiddle tunes from great Missouri fiddlers. April Verch grew up listening to her Dad’s country band play for dances in the Ottawa Valley, Ontario. She started step dancing at age three and fiddling at age six. Together, they display the roots of their music, their love of performing, and their strong musical connection. Original songs join timeless classics. Lively fiddle and banjo numbers combine with traditional dance steps to illustrate happy times when people made their own fun.

Opening Act: Dave Murphy

With his newest release, award-winning singer-songwriter Dave Murphy—dubbed a “musical Raymond Carver”—carries his audiences on a fearless, heartfelt journey towards surrender and redemption. A migration through seasons of loss and gain, joy and sorrow makes his seventh studio album, A Heart So Rare, his most honest, and compelling collection yet. It features guest appearances by James Maddock and Mark Erelli. Based in New Jersey, Murphy is an accomplished performer who has toured four countries, received international radio airplay, and shared stages with artists such as Steve Forbert, Suzanne Vega, Alejandro Escovedo, and Jimmie Dale Gilmore.

Video: Red

The Folk Project Open Stage, North Jersey’s premier open  stage, is back live on the second  Friday of every month. The  Main Stage features two-song (or  ten  minutes, whichever is shorter) sign-up slots for our audience. To sign up to perform email Chairman Todd at openstage@folkproject.org.

Admission: $7 at the door only (tickets for the live show not available online.)  Children 12 and under free but must be accompanied by parent or guardian.

***  Admission: $20/$15 (FP members); 12 and under free with adult.***

Featured Act: Muriel Anderson
Photo of Muriel Anderson
 

Muriel Anderson is a guitarist and harp-guitarist who embraces music from all over the world with grace, joy and gentle humor. She is the first woman to have won the National Fingerstyle Guitar Championship. Her CD “Nightlight Daylight”, was chosen as one of the top 10 CDs of the decade by Guitar Player Magazine. Muriel’s facility across the genres of folk, classical, bluegrass, popular and international music is revered by guitarists worldwide. Among those she has performed or recorded with are Chet Atkins, Les Paul, Victor Wooten and Tommy Emmanuel. Her live performance is enhanced by a projected multi-media display of images and video clips on a screen behind her.

Opening Act: Alex Prezzano
Photo of Alex Prezzano
 

Alex Prezzano is a premier acoustic guitarist, songwriter, and composer. His range is extraordinary, his playing precise, and his arrangements inspiring. His repertoire ranges from the American Songbook classics like “Over the Rainbow” to a sparkling rendition of the Beatles “Ticket to Ride,” a longing version of Cyndi Lauper’s “Time After Time,” a flashy piece from the Renaissance like “Canarios,” and a slew of wonderful originals. Alex is based in NYC and has performed in Broadway shows, and at beloved venues throughout NYC and North America. And he’s quite the singer, too. “All we can say is wow!”


In-person Tickets
    Live Webcast ($20)

3 International Guitar Masters

leading workshops all day for all levels, beginner through advanced,
culminating in a fabulous evening concert for everyone


Workshops for guitarists with concert and meals – 10:00 AM to 10:30 PM ($138 advance registration only)

Evening Concert for all – 8 PM to 10:30 PM ($35 at the door, +$1.25 service fee if purchased online)

Three masters of the acoustic guitar, Beppe, Chris and Jon, give a full day of
instruction, including lunch, dinner, snacks and evening concert — a complete program for all levels, dedicated to the proposition that everyone goes home a better player.
Photo of Beppe Gambetta

Beppe Gambetta brings American and European Roots together in a blend of energetic grooves and passionate melodies, giving new life to wide range international and American musical sources. He is songwriter of great depth and maturity, whose original songs seamlessly blend contemporary influences with traditional roots. His flatpicking styles range from Doc Watson to Moravian folk music to everything in between and beyond. and are characterized by flashy licks, intricate cross-picking patterns, open tunings, and fluid slides up and down the neck of the guitar.

1
Born in Genoa, Italy, he is known worldwide as a bluegrass ambassador, having performed with such luminaries as Norman Blake, Mike Marshall, David Grisman, Charles Sawtelle, John Jorgenson, David Grier, Tony Trischka, Dan Crary, Gene Parsons of the Byrds, and more.

Chris Newman is a renowned Celtic guitarist, famed internationally as a member of The Boys of the Loch, for his duet work with Máire Ní Chathasaigh, and, of course, for his stunningly brilliant arrangements on guitar.

1
Acoustic Guitar Magazine calls his abilities “Dazzling.” Dirty Linen says it is “nothing short of brilliant.” The Sunday Tribune of Ireland called his playing “Terrific: brilliant, beautiful, rich, virtuosic, delightful, classic, perfect!”

Jon Shain is a veteran singer-songwriter and recording artist, who’s been turning heads with his lyrics, fiery acoustic guitar work, and his evolved musical style – combining improvised piedmont blues with bluegrass, swing, and ragtime.

1
A noted author of several celebrated guitar instruction books, Jon has won the International Blues Challenge in Memphis, Tennessee and his band has performed with David Grisman, Tony Rice Unit, Hot Tuna, and the Dixie Dregs. He has headlined as a solo and with duo partner FJ Ventre throughout the USA and Europe, opening shows for John Hiatt, Keb’ Mo’, Little Feat, and many other roots legends

THE NJ GUITAR SUMMIT WORKSHOP SCHEDULE

Each workshop leader will teach their “specialty” to each group of guitarists: Advanced, Intermediate and Beginner.

Beppe Gambetta: American flatpicking and introduction to Mediterranean guitar approach

 

Jon Shain: Introduction to acoustic blues guitar in fingerpicking technique

 

Chris Newman: introduction to Celtic Guitar in flatpicking style (for beginners and intermediate) and introduction to improvisation (in the advanced class)

 

SCHEDULE: 

INTRODUCTION: 9:30 – 10:00 a.m. 

Meet your teachers to discuss and help you determine your best workshops

FIRST SESSION: 10:00 – 11:15 a.m.

Beppe – Beginners     Chris – Intermediate     Jon – Advanced

SECOND SESSION: 11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.

Beppe – Intermediate     Chris – Advanced     Jon – Beginners

LUNCH: 1:00 – 2:30 p.m. 

JAM SESSION: 2:30 – 3:15 p.m.

THIRD SESSION: 3:30 – 4:15 p.m.

Beppe – Advanced     Chris – Beginners     Jon – Intermediate

DISCUSSION PANEL:  4:30 – 5:30 p.m.

All three instructors will discuss the guitar and the Summit with all attendees.

FOLLOWED BY:

THE EVENING MEAL

SOUND CHECK

8:00 P.M. CONCERT




Photo of
Photo of Chris Newman, Beppe Gambetta and Jon Shain

Halloween Show – LIVING Performers Wanted

Evidence is emerging of a spectral disturbance at MUUF…ectoplasmic slime leaking under locked closet doors, strange lights in the sun-basement, and eerie noises emitting from the FP sound system. Once again we approach the thinning of the veil between worlds. The Folk Project Halloween show at the Haunted Mansion is all that stands between our ordered existence and a full scale “Ghostbuster Class” outbreak of otherworldly mayhem. It is a well known fact that music and costumes have a miraculously repellent effect on the creatures of the dark. Last year’s show was a signature event, let’s do it again! Come add your voices to the defense of the Light! Prizes for various song and costume categories. Delicious desserts will be provided. October 25th 7:30 PM  —> To perform, signup at halloween@folkproject.org

Photo of
 
Donnie Kehr Sings Billy Joel with opening act Jay Wilensky as Vic, the Lounge Singer

The Troubadour proudly presents: Donnie Kehr singing the songs of Billy Joel and Jay Wilensky performing as “Vic, the Lounge Singer”

 

***  Admission: $20/$15 (FP members); 12 and under free with adult.***

Featured Act: Donnie Kehr Sings Billy Joel
Photo of Donnie Kehr Sings Billy Joel
 

Donnie Kehr, an extraordinary singer-songwriter, pianist, Broadway regular, Billboard Top 100 recording artist, and all-around fun guy to spend an evening with. Donnie is featured on two Grammy Award winning albums: The Who’s ‘Tommy’, produced by Pete Townshend & Sir George Martin, and Jersey Boys produced by Bob Gaudio. He has performed on the Tonight Show, David Letterman, Good Morning America, and the Oscars. His film credits include Jersey Boys directed by Clint Eastwood; Oliver Stone’s Wall Street; Chaplin with Robert Downey Jr. Donnie’s our perfect Halloween “Billy Joel”.

Special treat: Donnie’s first set will be the songs of Billy Joel. His second set will be an all-request set where the audience will name a popular tune and Donnie will play it.

Opening Act: opening act Jay Wilensky as Vic, the Lounge Singer
Photo of opening act Jay Wilensky as Vic, the Lounge Singer
 

“Vic the Lounge Singer” is renowned for his creamy, smooth vocals and the sincere passion he brings to his classic renditions of standards from the Great American Songbook. Vic is played by our own Jay Wilensky, lead singer for the Reeds, Rhythm and All That Brass and leader of the Folk Project’s Monday Night online song circle, Songs that Sing to Me.

The Folk Project Open Stage, North Jersey’s premier open  stage, is back live on the second  Friday of every month. The  Main Stage features two-song (or  ten  minutes, whichever is shorter) sign-up slots for our audience. To sign up to perform email Chairman Todd at openstage@folkproject.org.

Admission: $7 at the door only (tickets for the live show not available online.)  Children 12 and under free but must be accompanied by parent or guardian.

Split Bill: Buskin and Batteau and The April Fools! (Lavin, Forster & Ulbrich)
Comedy Song Night features Buskin & Batteau and The April Fools!: Christine Lavin, John Forster & Carla Ulbrich – an awesome amalgam of some of the funniest people on earth. Individually, these award-winning performers have accomplished more on stage, television, radio, movies and recordings than imaginable. Collectively, they create an evening of uncontainable musical hysteria and laughter.
Photo of Buskin and Batteau
David Buskin and Robin Batteau

Buskin & Batteau run the gamut from topical irony to terminal silliness and their instrumental virtuosity, soaring vocal harmonies and unparalleled lyric-writing prompts standing ovations and rhapsodic reviews.

Photo of The April Fools! (Lavin, Forster & Ulbrich)
 
Christine Lavin is the Folk World’s long-reigning Queen of the Intelligently Absurd. She has an eye for the ironic and finds the absurd in the news and everyday life, then puts it into song. John Forster  has a twisted sense of humor, delightfully skewed view of the human condition, and prodigious skills as a pianist. Carla Ulbrich is a longtime favorite of Dr. Demento thanks to her rapier wit and keen observational eye for the absurdities of everyday living.

***  Admission: $20/$15 (FP members); 12 and under free with adult. ***

No opening act this week.

Photo of Windborne
 

Conjuring up echoes of the late lamented Canadian group “Finest Kind”, Windborne is a harmony-driven quartet of 30-somethings who revel in the vocal traditions of the British Isles and early American folk song. To this they add vocal harmony traditions around the world from the Balkans to South Africa. They sing either acapella, or with spare accompaniment on banjo, fiddle, and percussion.

***  Admission: $20/$15 (FP members); 12 and under free with adult.***

Featured Act: Guy Davis
Photo of Guy Davis
 

While Guy Davis is a two-time, back-to-back Grammy nominee for Best Traditional Blues, his performances blend roots, blues, folk, rock, rap, spoken word, and world to address the frustrations of social injustice, touching on historical events, and common life struggles. His storytelling is sometimes painful, deep, and real, underlined by gentle tones from his guitar or banjo fingerpicking.

Video: Walk On
Opening Act: Marry the Sea
Photo of Marry the Sea
 

The soaring vocal power of Marry The Sea delivers timeless messages of love and empowerment from the landscape of our modern world. Marry the Sea is Kat De Bari and Rebecca Farnham. Their original compositions and pitch-perfect harmonies transform listeners and inspire souls with music that is enlightening and transcendent.

Video: Hold On

***  Admission: $20/$15 (FP members); 12 and under free with adult.***

Featured Act: Newberry & Verch
Photo of Newberry & Verch
 

Longtime Troubadour attendees will fondly remember April Verch. She’s been packing the place for 20 years. She’s now performing with world-renowned Ozarks banjo player, guitarist and songwriter Joe Newberry as Newberry & Verch. Joe Newberry comes from a family of singers and dancers. He took up the guitar and banjo as a boy and learned fiddle tunes from great Missouri fiddlers. April Verch grew up listening to her Dad’s country band play for dances in the Ottawa Valley, Ontario. She started step dancing at age three and fiddling at age six. Together, they display the roots of their music, their love of performing, and their strong musical connection. Original songs join timeless classics. Lively fiddle and banjo numbers combine with traditional dance steps to illustrate happy times when people made their own fun.

Opening Act: Dave Murphy

With his newest release, award-winning singer-songwriter Dave Murphy—dubbed a “musical Raymond Carver”—carries his audiences on a fearless, heartfelt journey towards surrender and redemption. A migration through seasons of loss and gain, joy and sorrow makes his seventh studio album, A Heart So Rare, his most honest, and compelling collection yet. It features guest appearances by James Maddock and Mark Erelli. Based in New Jersey, Murphy is an accomplished performer who has toured four countries, received international radio airplay, and shared stages with artists such as Steve Forbert, Suzanne Vega, Alejandro Escovedo, and Jimmie Dale Gilmore.

Video: Red

The Folk Project Open Stage, North Jersey’s premier open  stage, is back live on the second  Friday of every month. The  Main Stage features two-song (or  ten  minutes, whichever is shorter) sign-up slots for our audience. To sign up to perform email Chairman Todd at openstage@folkproject.org.

Admission: $7 at the door only (tickets for the live show not available online.)  Children 12 and under free but must be accompanied by parent or guardian.