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Denise Allen’s Folk Art Exhibit
10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
House of Zion Church, 42 West Main Street, Fonda, NY
Admission: $10, proceeds go to the Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce Scholarship Fund
For more information, contact 518-673-2382
Denise Allen’s Textile Folk-Art Exhibit, with the official unveiling of her 9-11 story quilt. The film Waking up With Denise E. Allen, a brief film produced by Hallmark TV, will also be shown. Denise is a folk artist and master craftswoman who predominately focuses on themes of African American colonial life and country living, creating a one-of-a-kind textured artwork employing various techniques, prints, dolls and story cloths. Her work has been featured nationally and internationally, and the 9-11 story cloth unveiled here will be housed at the forthcoming 9-11 memorial in New York City.

The John D. Calandra Italian American Institute, Queens College, CUNY presents the
“Documented Italians” Film and Video Series
Spring 2010
SHOWY AND 5'2": THE WORLD FAMOUS PONTANI SISTERS (2004), 55 min.
Rebecca Shapiro, dir.
6 p.m.
John D. Calandra Italian American Institute, Queens College, CUNY, 25 West 43rd Street, 17th Floor, New York, NY
Free and open to the public.
Seating is Limited
Please call (212) 642-2094 to pre-register with the Calandra Institute. Be prepared to show a photo ID to the building’s concierge.
Third-generation Italian Americans Angie and Tara Pontani and “adopted sister” Helen Burkett began dancing together professionally during the late 1990s. As The World Famous Pontani Sisters, they present burlesque entertainment with an ironic sensibility, combining tap, Las Vegas show girl routines, 1960s go-go dancing, and other forms in a post-modern mélange. They have been described as “curvaceous punk rock Rockettes” (Philadelphia Weekly), “cornerstones of the burlesque revolution” (Chicago Sun), and “glamorous Italian Stallions that live up to the ‘World Famous’ part of their name” (Village Voice). Rebecca Shapiro’s documentary tells their story using interviews with the sisters and their families as well as performance and behind-the-scenes footage.
Post-screening discussion with The World Famous Pontani Sisters led by Joseph Sciorra, Calandra Institute.

El Taller Boricua presents SALSA WEDNESDAYS Doors open 5:30 p.m. 1680 Lexington Avenue, 105 St. & 106 St., The 6 Train to 103rd St., New York, 212/831-4333 February 3 Battle of the DJs — DJ Cisco vs DJ Broadway February 10 Grupo Latin Vibe February 17 Orlando Marin and Orchestra February 24 Fajardo y sus Estrellas

Tantshoyz Yiddish Dance
presented by The Center for Traditional Music and Dance’s An-sky Institute for Jewish Culture and the Workmen’s Circle
7-10 p.m
Discussion of archival video of dance from 6:30-7:00 p.m.
Workmen’s Circle/Arbeter Ring, 45 E. 33rd St. (between Madison and Park Ave. in Manhattan
Admission: $10 ($8 for CTMD and Workmen’s Circle Members). Pay at the door.
Questions call Pete at 917-326-9659
Tantshoyz Yiddish Dance events are now held at the Workmen’s Circle on the first Thursday of each month. Come learn the traditional Jewish dances of Eastern Europe. This month̵s event will feature a master dance leader and live klezmer music by some of New York’s leading klezmer musicians. Beginners are welcome!

Caffè Lena presents
Jo Henley
8 p.m.
Caffè Lena, 47 Phila St., Saratoga Springs, NY, 518-583-0022
Cost: $15 advance/$17 at the door (How to get tickets)
This nimble, stripped down five-piece folk band from Boston (with frontmen originally from Schenectady) plays a wealth of original material inspired by blues, country, folk, pop, and rock, and throws in a few covers just for fun. The players are Andy Campolieto and Ben Lee writing songs and playing guitar, with Jordan Santiago and Tim Weed on violin, Harry Hussey on bass, and Tien-Yi Lee breathing light into the songs with her jazz-inflected drumming.

Claire Lynch with Bristol Mountain Bluegrass
8 p.m.
The Smith Opera House, 82 Seneca Street, Geneva, NY
Cost: $15
Buy tickets online
Claire Lynch’s sweetly pure voice has always been in high demand. Dolly Parton, Linda Ronstadt, Ralph Stanley and Emmylou Harris (among others) have called on her to sing on their records, while Lynch’s original songs have been covered by A-list folks in the acoustic world. But it’s Claire Lynch leading her own band that garners the most accolades, including 2 Grammy nominations, countless specialized awards and other nominations. Opening for Claire Lynch, will be Bristol Mountain Bluegrass. The Bristol Brothers have worked together for thirty years as entertainers in traditional music. They’ve been featured on the Nashville Network, on PBS, on local and national radio.

The Folk Music Society of New York announces its annual
Weekend of Folk Music
Warwick Convention Center, Warwick, NY 10990
A friendly getaway filled with informal participatory music making; a weekend with music all around. You’ll find instrumental jams, ballad singing, contemporary songs, traditional songs, and whatever! And, yes, there are also jigsaw puzzles and people out skiing, sledding, shopping, and hiking. The Warwick Center is in the rural hills northwest of New York’s Greenwood Lake area, just 50 miles northwest of New York City with 465 beautiful acres and 7 miles of hiking trails. The activities are in a cluster of three buildings joined by both indoor and covered outdoor walkways with a central gathering room with a fireplace and several other smaller gathering areas. The center is ideal for informal music making. More information and a reservation form are available at www.folkmusicny.org. Reservations may also be made directly online at www.winterfolkwknd.eventbrite.com. Information by phone: 718-672-6399.

Contra Dance
Live music by Alan Thomson & Colin McCoy
Kathryn Wedderburn, Caller
Beginner learn-how session at 7:30 p.m., dancing begins at 8:00 p.m.
Old Songs Community Arts Center, 37 S. Main St., Voorheesville, NY, 518/765-2815, oldsongs@oldsongs.org
Admission to the dance: $10
Contra Dancing is a participatory and social evening. In the beginner session, you will learn to swing, balance, ladies chain, and right hand star along with many other figures. In an evening of dancing there will be many contra dances (parallel lines facing each other), circle dances, and New England squares. You don’t need a partner...there are always plenty of helpful partners available. Please wear clean soft-soled shoes to protect the wood floor. The dances will be preceded by a POTLUCK SUPPER at 6:30 p.m. for anyone who would like to partake.

The World Music Institute presents
Samulnori Drums and Dances
Noreum Machi
8:00 p.m.
Peter Norton Symphony Space, Broadway at 95th Street, New York
Tickets $25, WMI Friends $21, Students $18
Spectacular percussion dialogues, shamanic chants and acrobatic dances! Korea’s Noreum Machi troupe has been noted for its performances of the samulnori percussion music that has captivated audiences throughout the world over the past three decades. An exhilarating modern adaptation of the ancient p’ungmul nori farmers ritual, samulnori represents the soul of Korea and helped galvanize the student movement and re-engage Koreans with their traditions. The group is led by Kim Juhong, who studied with Kim Duk Soo, an original member of Samul-Nori.

Caffè Lena presents
Ladies Sing the Blues
Sponsored and Hosted by the Saratoga Acoustic Blues Society 8 p.m.
Caffè Lena, 47 Phila St., Saratoga Springs, NY, 518-583-0022
Cost: $20-Benefit for Caffè Lena (How to get tickets)
Tonight the Capital District’s best women singers belt the blues to benefit the region’s finest acoustic blues venue—Caffè Lena! Back in the 1920s blueswomen from the Delta were among the first black singers recorded, they were the first blues singers recorded, and they were instrumental in spreading the 12-bar blues throughout the country. Tonight Caffè Lena and the Saratoga Acoustic Blues Society honor the enduring gifts of Ma Rainey, Bessie Smith, Memphis Minnie, Sippie Wallace, as well as the original modern blues of the featured singers. Accompanied by a crew of excellent sidemen too numerous to list here, we bring you the dynamite vocals of Sarah Pedinotti, Becky Walton, the Dwyer sisters, Gail Sparlin, Annie Rosen, Caroline MotherJudge Isaachson, Mikki Bakken, and Thomasina Winslow.

The Dewey Hall Folk Series presents
DAVID REED
7:30 p.m.
Dewey Hall, 91 Main Street, Sheffield, MA
Suggested Donation: $10; Refreshments
Mark your calendars for the first Saturday of each month — beautiful, intimate setting, checkered tablecloths, superior acoustics, and exceptional local, national, and international musicians. DAVID REED with special guests Mary Knysh and Sam Earnshaw bring rollicking guitar and banjo finger-pickin’

Albany Institute of History and Art presents
Hudson Handiwork
1-4 p.m.
Albany Institute of History and Art, 125 Washington Avenue, Albany, NY 12210, 518.463.4478 or 518/346-7008, E-mail: information@albanyinstitute.org
Cost: Cost: FREE, with museum admission (Adults: $10.00, Seniors: $8.00, Students w/ID: $8.00, Children 6-12: $6.00, Children under 6: free. Members are always free)
Take a first-hand look at traditional crafts inspired by the river. Expert craftsmen who will demonstrate their skills include an Iroquois lacrosse-stick maker, a woodcarver who specializes in sculpting birds, and a bluestone carver. This event is part of the Institute’s Folk Arts Speaking/Demonstration Series; see also January 10, January 31, and February 21 programs.

Caffè Lena presents an
Anti-Super Bowl Night Out! James Keelaghan
With Opener Doug and Telisha Williams 7 p.m.
Caffè Lena, 47 Phila St., Saratoga Springs, NY, 518-583-0022
Cost: $18 advance/$20 at the door (How to get tickets)
Do you know the difference between a touchdown and hoedown? Answer: hoedowns are fun! Get off the couch and come to Caffè Lena for a night of quality entertainment with one of Canada’s finest singer-songwriters, James Keelaghan. This poet laureate of the folk and roots music world has earned a Juno Award, and critical acclaim from Australia to Scandinavia. His passionate mix of roots rock, Americana, and contemporary folk contains fascinating, true historical tales, and a treasure trove of gems that developed deep inside the human heart. His 2009 album is House of Cards (Borealis Records). Openers Doug and Telisha Williams hail from Martinsville, Virginia, in the shadow of the Blue Ridge Mountains, where boarded up factories stand as monuments to how fast the world can change. Like the very best singer-songwriters, this duo gives voice to the struggles of everyday people, as well ghosts of the past.

NYS Arts presents BOOTSTRAP YOUR MUSIC BUSINESS A webinar series created to help musicians, composers, and performers achieve success in the marketplace Course 2: Multimedia Skills for Artists Instructor: Dejha Ti Webinar Course: $25 for all 3 sessions Register online NYS ARTS BOOTSTRAP YOUR MUSIC is a series of online seminars (webinars) offered in real time, and comprised of three courses with three different instructors. After each session, the instructor is available on the Bootstraps Blog to answer your questions..anytime...day or night. Once you sign up, you will be emailed the web address and login information. Session 1: Tuesday, February 9, 4:30-6:00 p.m. — Webcasting and Podcasting Live webcasting and podcasting technologies have opened up opportunities for artists to connect with their fans in an interactive fashion. This lesson will cover the challenges of live webcasting/podcasting gigs and other content, including working with venues, legalities, content creation and industry standards. Session 2: Tuesday, February 16, 4:30-6:00 p.m. — Dealing with Audio, Video and Graphic files for beginners What are FLAC, MOV, H.264, PNG, PDF, FTP and AIFF? Which should I use and for what platform? Optimizing video, audio and graphics for various platforms can be complicated but necessary for artists to distribute their work in digital and physical formats. Learn how to optimize your files using design and editing software. Session 3: Tuesday, February 23, 4:30 - 6:00 p.m. — Communication – What are you trying to say? What good are these technology and software skills if your content isn’t communicating? We will take a look at the importance of content creation at the intersection of branding, visual communication and information organization. Apply this lesson to your album art, handbills, gigs and promotional campaigns. Philadelphia-based multimedia designer, Dejha Ti, leverages versatility for creative problem solving. She utilizes various technologies and skills-design, programming, branding, live webcasting, and video/audio production to create high quality interactive experiences. Her philosophy: deliver concept-driven content via the platform that best connects with the audience. Every project is unique and demands the flexibility of cross industry collaboration. Her approach blends creative processes with entrepreneurial operations.

Marni Gillard’s Adult Storytelling Class 7 - 9 p.m. February 9, February 23, March 9, March 23, April 6, and April 20 Marni’s Story Studio, 833 Parkside Ave., Schenectady, NY 12309 Cost: $120 for the 6-session series, $5 discount if you bring a friend Call 518/381-9474 or email marnigillard@earthlink.net to register “Finding Ourselves in Stories”—We will find and share tales with each other. We’ll refer to life tales in our conversational work, but this course is about finding stories in scripture, folktales, myths, and poems. I’ll provide story sources, but feel free to bring your own. Plenty of parking on safe, well-lit street.

Arts Westchester and New Urban Jazz present

Westchester Musicians for Haiti Relief

Proceeds Benefit the Hôpital Albert Schweitzer in Deschapelles, Haiti
8:00 p.m.
White Plains Performing Arts Center, located on the 3rd Floor of City Center, downtown White Plains, NY
Tickets: $25. Call 914/328-1600 or www.wppac.com
For more information, volunteer opportunities or donations, please visit www.newurbanjazz.com, or email Bob Baldwin at baldwin77@aol.com, Tom van Buren at tvanburen@artswestchester.org, or The Haitian Heritage Group c/o of Joseph Revers at R_Koki@yahoo.com
Local Westchester County Recording Jazz Artists and ArtsWestchester Respond to the Haiti Crisis with the “Westchester Artists for Haiti Relief” Concert. Proceeds will benefit the Hôpital Albert Schweitzer in Deschapelles, Haiti, under the directive of the Haitian Heritage Group, a Westchester-based non-profit organization. The concert lineup includes local recording artists who represent a concert series at the Arts Westchester beginning in February, and have all donated their time and talents to lend to the Haitian community, locally and abroad with the hopes to assist in the efforts of the devastated island nation. The Westchester Artists for Haiti Relief concert will feature a combination of Jazz and R&B flavors from a plethora of Westchester-based Music groups. Confirmed to appear are Wali Ali (guitar), original Atlantic Starr members Porter Carroll and Sharon Bryant, Flutist Ragan Whiteside, Singer/Pianist Mala Waldron, Jazz Vocalist Lynette Washington accompanied by Pianist Dennis Bell, as well as Bob Baldwin (Piano/Arranger), Erik Perez (drums) and Dave Anderson (Bass). In addition, the Haitian community Choir of the French Speaking Baptist Church of White Plains and Haitian vocalist Carlos Estimar will also perform. The Haitian Heritage group will be represented by Joseph Revers and Sherleen Saintil.

The World Music Institute and Flamenco Festival S.L. presents
Gala Flamenca – 10th Annual New York Flamenco Festival
Pastora Galván * Manuel Liñán * Belén López * Rocío Molina
7:30 p.m.
New York City Center, West 55th Street between 6th and 7th Avenues, New York
Info: 212-545-7536
Tickets $35, $45, $55, $75, $90; WMI Friends $30, $40, $50, $70, $85, CityTix: (212) 581-1212
Special $200 gala tickets include tapas and wine reception with artists. Call (212) 545-7536 for details
This year’s gala features important new figures in flamenco dance: the sensuous Pastora Galván, a versatile dancer able to navigate easily between classic and modern flamenco; Manuel Liñán, a master of technique who is steeped in tradition and known for his dramatic choreography; the passionate Belén López, who has caused a sensation in flamenco circles in recent years; and Rocío Molina, the fiery dancer who has “become one of the finest soloists in the world today (New York Times).”

6:00pm Andalucía Lounge at New York City Center
Pre-concert dance class for ticket holders only

The Ukrainian Museum, the Center for Traditional Music and Dance (CTMD) and New York Bandura Ensemble/Bandura Downtown present
present
NIGHT SONGS FROM A NEIGHBORING VILLAGE: MICHAEL ALPERT & JULIAN KYTASTY IN CONCERT
Ballads, Folksongs, and Instrumental Music from the East European Jewish and Ukrainian Traditions
7:00 p.m.
Ukrainian Museum, 222 East 6th Street, New York, NY, between 2nd and 3rd Avenues
Admission $15 for adults, with discounts for seniors/members
For reservations call The Ukrainian Museum at (212) 228-0110.
Admission price includes concert performance, access to the Museum’s exhibitions, and a post-concert reception with the artists in the Museum’s lower-level gallery space.
For further information call The Center for Traditional Music and Dance at 212-571-1555 ext. 35.
Night Songs from a Neighboring Village brings together two musical traditions—East European Jewish and Ukrainian—that have existed side by side for centuries and influenced each other profoundly. “Night Songs” was originally created by Alpert and Kytasty to accompany the “Tracing An-sky” exhibition at New York’s Jewish Museum, and since 1993 they have performed the program internationally as a duo as well as in tandem with the Brave Old World klezmer band and the Canadian-Ukrainian group Paris-to-Kyiv. The program draws from the rich legacy of Ukrainian folk and liturgical song, the virtuosic art of the bandura (Ukrainian harp-lute), klezmer music, Yiddish folk song, and the music of the Hasidim. The evening offers beautiful songs, sounds, and melodies, appealing to audiences of all ages and cultures. Michael Alpert (voice, accordion, guitar, violin) has been a pioneering figure in the renaissance of East European Jewish klezmer music for 25 years, and is noted for his original Yiddish songs on contemporary themes. He is internationally known for his performance, teaching, and research, and for his recordings with Brave Old World, Kapelye, Khevrisa, David Krakauer, Theo Bikel, and Itzhak Perlman. Raised in a Yiddish-speaking family, he is considered the finest traditional Yiddish singer of his generation. Julian Kytasty (bandura, voice, folk flutes) has won international acclaim for his work with the bandura. A third-generation bandurist raised in Detroit, Michigan, he integrates a deep and respectful knowledge of his instruments’ past with a contemporary musical sensibility. He has performed in venues ranging from the steps of a village church in Brazil to Carnegie Hall, and has composed for film, theater, and modern dance, as well as for bandura. The founder and director of the New York Bandura Ensemble, he continues to teach bandura nationally at the Emlenton Bandura Summer Camp in Pennsylvania.

Folk Music Society of New York, Inc./New York Pinewoods Folk Music Club presents
Concert: Johnson Girls, Songs of the Sea
Joy Bennett, Alison Kelley, Bonnie Milner, and Dierdre Murtha
7:30 p.m.
Polytechnic University, Dibner Auditorium, 5 Metrotech Center in Downtown Brooklyn, 11201
General Admission is $20. Members of the Folk Music Society, $10, children, and full-time students under 22 are free.
Tickets are available at the door or online
For information: www.folkmusicny.org or 718-672-6399
With a sound that has been called exciting, haunting, uplifting, and full of harmony, the Johnson Girls give hair-raising performances of powerhouse chanteys, tender ballads and just plain fun songs, bringing audiences to their feet wherever they go. The Johnson Girls are an energetic all-woman, mostly a cappella, group performing folk music with an emphasis on songs of the sea and shore. Each member of the group, Joy Bennett, Alison Kelley, Bonnie Milner, and Dierdre Murtha, brings a specialty and style to the ensemble. The Johnson Girls’ extensive repertoire of both traditional and contemporary music includes songs with an Afro-Caribbean influence, songs of the inland waterways, of fishing, mining, Irish, Anglo-American, Italian and French Canadian ballads and work songs, and much more. Sea music may well have been the first “world music.” Ships’ crew members from many countries were heavily influenced by the music they heard from one another. Their work songs and other shipboard music incorporated the different rhythms and styles from their own often diverse cultures as well as those they encountered during their voyages. The Johnson Girls came together in 1997 following the Mystic Seaport Sea Music festival to burst through the barrier of this previously male-dominated genre.

The World Music Institute and Flamenco Festival S.L. presents
10th New York Flamenco Festival
Rocío Molina
8:00 p.m.
New York City Center, West 55th Street between 6th and 7th Avenues, New York
Info: 212-545-7536
Tickets $30, $35, $45, $65, $80; WMI Friends $25, $30, $40, $60, $75
The Málaga-born Rocío Molina has become a major star in the flamenco world at the age of 25. Through her work with the Compañía María Pagés, Mujeres with Belén Maya and Merche Esmeralda (seen at the 2008 Flamenco Festival), and performances with her own company, she has been regarded as a revelation in flamenco dance. This program features the New York premiere of Oro Viejo (Old Gold), where she explores the passage of time accompanied by three dancers, a singer, and musicians (guitar, percussion, palmas).

6:30 p.m. Andalucía Lounge at New York City Center
Pre-concert dance class for ticket holders only

Caffè Lena presents
Jonathan “Jazz” Russell and the Doc Scanlon Trio
8 p.m.
Caffè Lena, 47 Phila St., Saratoga Springs, NY, 518-583-0022
Cost: $15 advance/$17 at the door (How to get tickets)
Jonathan Russell is an exciting fourteen-year-old jazz violinist who bridges generational and cultural gaps with improvised jazz. His performances in Europe and throughout the United States at clubs and jazz festivals such as the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival and the Bohém Jazz Festival in Hungary have earned the respect and praise of seasoned jazz musicians such as Wynton Marsalis, Bucky Pizzarelli and the late Les Paul. Jonathan will be accompanied by Albany’s own Doc Scanlon Trio, known for their hot swing jazz of the 1920s through the 1940s. Their song list includes the great standards of Gershwin, Berlin, and Porter, as well as the jazz of Django Reinhardt, Fats Waller, and Benny Goodman. This is a versatile trio with a big sound, red hot solos and tight three-part harmony vocals.

The World Music Institute and Flamenco Festival S.L. presents
10th New York Flamenco Festival
Compañía María Pagés
8:00 p.m.
New York City Center, West 55th Street between 6th and 7th Avenues, New York
Info: 212-545-7536
Tickets $30, $35, $45, $65, $80; WMI Friends $25, $30, $40, $60, $75
María Pagés, one of the leading innovators in modern flamenco, is known for the sinuous movement of her “endless arms” and her charismatic stage presence. Born in Seville, the award-winning Pagés gained international recognition as a principal dancer with the companies of Antonio Gadés, Mario Maya and Rafael Aguilár before creating her own company in 1990. For this festival, her acclaimed 15-member troupe presents Self-Portrait, the introspective and soulful program that won the Giraldillo Prize for Best Show at Seville’s 2008 Bienal de Flamenco.

6:30 p.m. Andalucía Lounge at New York City Center
Pre-concert dance class for ticket holders only

Caffè Lena presents
Dance Flurry’s Folk Oasis
11 a.m. - 11 p.m.
Caffè Lena, 47 Phila St., Saratoga Springs, NY, 518-583-0022
Cost: Free with Dance Flurry Wristband, $10 per show without
Caffè Lena teams up with Dance Flurry organizers to provide a foot-rest and refueling spot for tired dancers. The public at large is welcome, too. We’ll have hot meals, delicious desserts, and loads of great music. The following schedule is subject to some change, but not total change. Stay tuned as the big day approaches!
1:00 AM Nightingale
12:30 PM Bernstein Bard Trio
2:00 PM Jean Rohe’s Latin Band
3:30 PM Miss Tess & the Bon Ton Parade
5:00 PM Doo Wop with the Flipsydz
6:30 PM Mark Rust
8:00 PM De Temps Antan
9:30 PM Andrew and Noah Van Norstraand

RESTYS CD Release Party
8:00 p.m.
The Arts Center of the Capital Region, 265 River Street, Troy, NY 12180
Cost: $9; Advance tickets receive a free copy of the new CD
Call 518/273-0552 x 231 for tickets
Hometown folk rockers, RESTYS, are celebrating the highly anticipated release of their first album. And they won’t be doing it alone. The night will commence with the fantastic realism and hard-hitting lyricism of New York native Newspaper Joe. Joe’s dirt road will lead up a hill where the top-notch traditional bluegrass of Arcramdale’s Old Croken Stillers will pick and sing to both heaven and earth. Then, with no where else to go, RESTYS will attempt lift-off with the help of some special guests. Finish it off with a late night DJ Dance Party and you’ve got a very special night!

The World Music Institute and Flamenco Festival S.L. presents
10th New York Flamenco Festival
Compañía María Pagés
7:00 p.m.
New York City Center, West 55th Street between 6th and 7th Avenues, New York
Info: 212-545-7536
Tickets $30, $35, $45, $65, $80; WMI Friends $25, $30, $40, $60, $75
See February 13 event.

5:30 p.m. Andalucía Lounge at New York City Center
Pre-concert dance class for ticket holders only

Caffè Lena presents
John Doyle and Karan Casey
7 p.m.
Caffè Lena, 47 Phila St., Saratoga Springs, NY, 518-583-0022
Cost: $22 advance/$24 at the door (How to get tickets)
Karan Casey has long been one of the most innovative, provocative and imitated voices in Irish traditional and folk music. From her early years as a jazz performer in Georges Bistro in Dublin, to her heady days in New York with the celebrated Irish band Solas, to her now blossoming solo career, she has sold over half a million albums. Karan is a frequent guest on A Prairie Home Companion and has been featured on two Grammy-winning CDs. Tonight she performs with former Solas bandmate John Doyle. Doyle’s gifts as a guitarist, songwriter, vocalist, and producer have played an essential role in the ongoing renaissance of Irish traditional music. Impossibly in demand in the studio and on the road, blessed with an acute ear, a wicked sense of rhythm, and a seemingly endless stream of magic in his playing, John Doyle is one of the most prolific figures in folk and traditional Irish music.

Tony’s Polka Band
2:30-6:30 p.m.
Polish Community Center, 225 Washington Ave Ext, Albany, NY 12205, 518/456-3995
Cash bar, and Polish-American kitchen will be open.

Zydeco Vacation
8 p.m.
The Smith Opera House, 82 Seneca Street, Geneva, NY
Cost: $15
Buy tickets online
Members of Zydeco Vacation have been recognized by and performed at events alongside some of Louisiana's most legendary entertainers, including Buckwheat Zydeco, Nathan and the Zydeco Cha-Chas, Beau Soleil, and Terence Simien. Zydeco Vacation"is slowly but surely becoming one of the country’s most sought after “Zyde-Cajun” experiences. Combining virtuosic blues accordion with the age old scrub board, once this dance party gets cookin’, it becomes a good old-fashioned Louisiana donkey-straw party.

The Folklife Center and the Children’s Department at Crandall Public Library are hosting:
Lake Lovers concert with the Swing Peepers
1:30-2:30 p.m. (Doors open at 1:15 p.m.)
Community Room, Crandall Public Library, 251 Glen Street, City Park, Glens Falls, NY 12801, 518.792.6508
Cost: Free
The Swing Peepers, a vocal-harmony and multi-instrumental duo (Matt Witten and John Hadden), perform inventive, earth-friendly and interactive songs and stories. The Swing Peepers are lively, improvisational, and endearingly goofy. Most songs and stories are participatory, and body movement is part of the action. The Swing Peepers also draw out the creativity of audiences by having them participate in creating impromptu songs and stories. Together, Matthew and John recorded and co-produced A Few Good Tools: Songs for the Earth, a CD of environmental songs recently. Matthew Witten performs original songs as well as sing- & move-alongs for all ages. His original songs with poetic lyrics evoke strong imagery and are representative of a variety of musical styles and traditions including French, Eastern European, Celtic, and swing. Matthew has a congenial stage presence and a clear voice accompanied by guitar, accordion, and banjo. John Hadden, a singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, has performed in a wide variety of musical groups, ranging from classical choral, madrigal, barbershop and stage, to folk, rock ‘n roll, and contempory a cappella bands.

COAHSI (Council on the Arts & Humanities for Staten Island) presents
Art as a Small Business
7 p.m.
COAHSI Office, 1000 Richmond Terrace, Bldg. G, Staten Island, NY
Please RSVP to Melanie Cohn, 718-447-3329
Art as Small Business: A monthly meeting for artists who are interested in learning how to make their artwork a money-making venture.

COAHSI (Council on the Arts & Humanities for Staten Island) presents
Publishing 101: Literature, Art, and Photography
5:30-7:30 p.m.
Richmondtown Library, 200 Clarke Avenue, Staten Island, NY
For info, or to RSVP: Ginger 718.447.3329 or gshulick@statenislandarts.org
Publishing 101: Learn about the different ways to get your book, art, and photographs published, whether independently, through an agent or directly through a publisher. Panelists include 2009 Original Work grantee Susan Amesse; Sarah Lumnah, Assistant Editor at St. Martin’s Press; and Amber Terranova, Photo Editor at PDN (Photo District News).

Hamilton Hill Arts Center presents a
Contemporary African Religions in America: Panel Discussion A Black History Month Activity
4:30-5:30 p.m.
Schenectady County Community College, 78 Washington Avenue, Schenectady, NY 12305, (518) 381-1200
Cost: Free; donations welcome
Hamilton Hill Arts Center, the African-American Cultural Arts Center of the Capital Region, celebrates Black History Month with a series of activities.

Information Session on Upcoming Staten Island Teaching Artist Institute
5-7 p.m.
Randall Room, Building G at Snug Harbor (1000 Richmond Terrace), Staten Island, NY
To RSVP for the Info Session, or for questions, please contact Kelly Kuwabara, Arts in Education Program Director at COAHSI (Council on the Arts & Humanities for Staten Island), kkuwabara@statenislandarts.org
Please join COAHSI, Sundog Theatre, and The Center for Arts Education for an information session about our upcoming Staten Island Teaching Artist Institute. The Institute itself will be held on March 20th and 27th, April 10th, and May 8th, and will also include an intensive internship component. Intended to provide working artists with tools to work in school classrooms, it is open to all artistic disciplines, and to both novice and currently practicing teaching artists. You do not need to have teaching experience to apply. There is a competitive application process, and applications will be available at the session. The Staten Island Teaching Artist Institute is funded by the Staten Island Foundation and New York Community Trust.

The World Music Institute presents
Masters of Persian Music
Hossein Alizadeh, Kayhan Kalhor, & Hamid Reza Nourbakhsh
8:00 p.m.
Skirball Center for the Performing Arts at NYU, 566 LaGuardia Place at Washington Square South, New York
Tickets $30, $40; WMI Friends $25, $35; Students $18
This program features three important figures in classical Persian music: tar (long-necked lute) maestro Hossein Alizadeh; Kayhan Kalhor, a virtuoso of the kamancheh (spike-fiddle) who has been instrumental in popularizing Persian music in the West through his solo concerts and work with Ghazal and Yo-Yo Ma’s Silk Road Project; and Hamid Reza Nourbakhsh, a student of Mohammad Reza Shajarian and one of the finest Iranian vocalists today. Their program features new works drawing on Persian classical music and ancient Sufi and contemporary poetry.

Tinariwen, Fool’s Gold , DJ Joro Boro Doors open 6:00 p.m., Concert starts at 8 p.m.
Highline Ballroom, 431 W, 16th St., New York, NY 10011 (between 9th and 10th Ave.), (212) 414-5994
Tickets $25.00 in advance, $30.00 day of show. Buy tickets online.
Tinariwen (Tamashek for “empty places”) is a musical band formed in 1982 in Moammar al-Qadhafi’s camps of Tuareg rebels. They play in the Tishoumaren (“music of the unemployed”) style, and sing mostly in the French and Tamashek languages. Their songs mostly concerning independence for their people from the government of Mali. They are said to be the first Tuareg band to use electric guitars. Having recorded many albums available on cassette over their eighteen years, the group recorded their first album for the CD format in December of 2000; the album was known as The Radio Tisdas Sessions and was their first recording available outside of Africa. Fool’s Gold is a Los Angeles collective that weaves together western pop aesthetics with African rhythms and melodies. The group started as a side project of two young LA musicians, vocalist/bassist Luke Top and lead guitarist Lewis Pesacov, who set out to explore their shared love of various forms of African music (specifically Congolese, Ethiopean, Eritrean and Malian), Krautrock, and 80s dance influenced pop music. They quickly wrote a few inspired songs and asked friends, friends of friends and even strangers to join them on stage. DJ Joro Boro is spinning pre show.

Hamilton Hill Arts Center presents
“Black Pride: Street Photography by Jeffrey Horne”
7-9 p.m. Opening Reception
Jerry Burrell Gallery, Hamilton Hill Arts Center, 409 Schenectady Street, Schenectady, NY 12307, (518) 346-1262
Cost: Free; donations welcome. Refreshments served.
Hamilton Hill Arts Center, the African-American Cultural Arts Center of the Capital Region, celebrates Black History Month with a series of activities.

The World Music Institute and Flamenco Festival S.L. presents
10th New York Flamenco Festival
José Antonio Rodríguez
8:00 p.m.
Skirball Center for the Performing Arts at NYU, 566 LaGuardia Place at Washington Square South, New York
Tickets: $40, $50; WMI Friends: $35, $45; Students: $18
The award-winning guitarist José Antonio Rodríguez presents “Córdoba …en el tiempo,” his acclaimed program of original music. Dedicated to the city of his birth, the program reflects his memories of one of Spain’s most vibrant and romantic cities. Rodríguez, a versatile and innovative guitarist in contemporary flamenco, has composed music for orchestra, ballets, and film (Carlos Saura’s Flamenco and Iberia), and at the age of 20 was the youngest artist to receive the title of Official Guitar Teacher for the Córdoba Music Conservatory. He is joined by Sebastian Cruz (vocal), Chico Gallardo (guitar), Agustin Diassera (percussion), and the captivating dancer Daniel Navarro, who appears as guest artists.

Akademie St. Joseph presents
VLADO KUMPAN AND HIS MORAVIAN MUSICIANS
8 p.m.
Stern Auditorium/Perelman Stage, Carnegie Hall, 57th Street and Seventh Avenue, New York, NY
Tickets: $12.50-$55
Program featuring repertoire from Bohemia and Moravia including works by Miloslav Procházka, Jirí Tesarík, Antonín Žvacèk, and Ladislav Kubesch

Caffè Lena presents
The Three Rix: Rik Palieri, Rick Nestler and Ricki Bala
8 p.m.
Caffè Lena, 47 Phila St., Saratoga Springs, NY, 518-583-0022
Cost: $15 advance/$17 at the door (How to get tickets)
Old friends Rik Palieri, Ricko Nestler, and Rich (aka Ricky) Bala take the stage as a trio for the first time for an evening filled with songs both old and new, familiar and obscure, and from poignant to just plain zany! Playing individually and together in various combinations on guitars, banjos, mountain dulcimer, and perhaps even the Polish bagpipe, there will plenty of chances for singing along, foot tapping, knee slapping, and belly laughing! Rik Palieri has performed on the Caffè stage in recent years with his friend Utah Philips as a member of the Rose Tatoo. He hosts The Songwriter’s Notebook, a TV show now archived at The Library of Congress, and wrote The Road is My Mistress, a book about his musical trips around the world. Ricko Nestler wrote the Hudson River anthem, The River That Flows Both Ways. One of the original members of The Sloop Singers, Ricko has often played in concert with Pete Seeger, and has a seemingly endless knowledge of river songs and shantys. Ricky Bala performs solo and in the folk trio “The Barefoot Boys,” and with storyteller Jonathan Kruk as “The Hudson River Ramblers.”

The Golden Link Folk Singing Society presents
Tracy Grammer, fiddler
7:30 p.m. Rochester Christian Reformed Church, 2750 Atlantic Ave, Penfield, NY
Admission: $15/members, $18/Non-members, $10/students
Tracy is a classically trained violinist, turned folk singer and guitarist.

The World Music Institute and Flamenco Festival S.L. presents
10th New York Flamenco Festival
Marina Heredia and the Chekara Arab-Andalusian Orchestra of Tetouan
8:00 p.m.
Town Hall, 123 West 43rd Street between 6th Avenue and Broadway, New York, NY
Tickets: $40, $50, $60; WMI Friends $35, $45, $55; Students $18
This program brilliantly brings together flamenco with the Andalusian repertoire of Morocco (al-ala) – music that originated in the courts of Sevilla, Granada, and Córdoba during the Golden Age of Andalusia (9th-13th centuries) when Muslims, Jews and Christians co-existed in southern Spain. Marina Heredia is an entrancing voice from Granada and important figure in the new generation of flamenco singers who has graced all the major Spanish festivals and performed with Pepe Habichuela, José María Gallardo, and Maria Pagés, among others. She shares the stage with the Chekara Arab-Andalusian Orchestra of Tetouan, which has collaborated with many of flamenco’s leading singers, including Enrique Morente, Carmen Linares, Arcángel, and Jaime El Parrón (Heredia’s father). Founded over 50 years ago by the famed Abdessadak Chekara, the orchestra is now directed by violinist and singer Jallal Chekara, Abdessak’s musical heir and nephew, and includes musicians on violin, oud (lute), kanun (zither), guitar, and percussion, and dancer Jara Heredia.

Songwriters in the Round Brian Coughlin, host
Featuring: John Cadley, Paul Swiatek, Taylor Buckley, and Perry Cleaveland
8:00 p.m.
Tango Café, 389 Gregory St., Rochester, NY
Admission: $8
John Cadley, from Syracuse is one remarkable songwriter! His solo CD, The Closer I Get, recorded in Nashville in 2007, was a nominee for Best Bluegrass CD in the 2009 Just Plain Folks Music Awards, an international competition of over 40,000 CDs. John’s song, “Time,” was #1 on the national bluegrass charts for three months, as recorded by Lou Reid and Carolina, with backup vocals by Vince Gill and Ricky Skaggs. John’s band The Lost Boys was voted Syracuse’s Best Bluegrass Group for 2009 in the Syracuse New Times Readers’ Poll. Their two self-produced CDs, Middle of Nowhere and Black Dog, have both won Syracuse Area Music Awards (SAMMYs) for Best Bluegrass/Folk Recording. Paul Siatek returns again this year with his guitar, his banjo, his dulcimer and a satchel full of terrific songs. You will probably be singing along to his brilliantly composed song about the seven deadly sins. Two outstanding instrumentalists rounding out the evening on stage will be Taylor Buckley and Perry Cleaveland. Taylor is a three-time Montana State fiddle champion and has written and toured with fiddle virtouso, April Verch. For the second time this year the marvelous mandolin player, Perry Cleaveland, returns with some hot licks and runs that will leave you breathless. He plays in numerous bluegrass bands including Lost Time, Bristol Mountain Bluegrass, The McCarthy-Paisley Band and he is seen regularly performing with Birds On A Wire.

The Mid-Atlantic Region of Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann presents its annual
Hall of Fame Ceili
7:00 p.m. - 12:00 a.m. Ceili
Open session from midnight to 4:00 a.m.
Mineola Irish Center, 297 Willis Avenue, Mineola, Long Island, NY 11501, 516/746-9392
For more information, please contact Terry Rafferty (traff5788@aol.com; 201-288-4267) or Pat Kearney (mulliganquinn@hotmail.com; 631-698-3305)
This year’s honorees include accordionist Joe Burke, concertina player Mons. Charlie Coen & the late fiddle player Mike Brady. Joe Burke, from Co. Galway, is an Irish legend. A multiple All-Ireland champion and stalwart of the New York music scene in the 1960s and 1970s, he is still remembered for the seminal albums he recorded with Andy McGann & Felix Dolan. Mons. Charlie Coen has won seven All-Ireland competitions and remains one of the most popular East Galway musicians to emigrate to New York. Mike Brady, from Flagmount, Co. Clare, was a former student of of P.J. Hayes, a member of the Patsy Tuohy club and one of the most loved dance musicians in the area. Music for the night will be provided by the Hall of Fame All-Star Ceili Band, featuring Joe Burke, Mon. Charlie Coen and Friends.

Fat Saturday for the Arts
6:30 p.m. - Midnight
The Arts Center of the Capital Region, 265 River Street, Troy, NY 12180
Cost: $15 Advance/$20 at the door
Visit tickets.revolutionhall.com or The Arts Center for tickets
For those unable to travel to New Orleans for this year’s Mardi Gras celebration, Revolution Hall and Brown’s Brewing Company will play host to “Fat Saturday for the Arts,” a benefit to support the Arts Center of the Capital Region. Live music for the event will be provided by Captain Squeeze and the Zydeco Moshers. Emceed by regional comic celebrity Erick James, other activities will include juggler and stilt walker Sean Fagan, exquisite face painting, belly dancing with Habiba and her divas, and a fortune teller. Authentic Cajun cuisine and Hoodoo Voodoo Ale from Brown’s Brewing Company will be available, alongside the King’s Cake. A silent auction with work by area artists and items from local businesses will be held to benefit the Arts Center of the Capital Region. Artists interested in donating works of art for the benefit may contact Lainy at the Arts Center at (518) 273-0552 x 229. Donating artists receive a free ticket to the event!

Caffè Lena presents
Jim Gaudet and the Railroad Boys
8 p.m.
Caffè Lena, 47 Phila St., Saratoga Springs, NY, 518-583-0022
Cost: $16 advance/$18 at the door (How to get tickets)
So Far, So Good is this band’s first venture on the rails together but the result is a collection of memorable, hard driving, original compositions, featuring authentic three-part harmony and stellar musicianship. The quartet features Jim Gaudet on guitar and vocals, Bob Ristau on harmony vocals and bass, Sten Issachsen on mandolin and Fender Telecaster, and Tim Wechgelaer on harmony vocals and fiddle. Together they play blend traditional mountain music with Gaudet’s diverse, contemporary songwriting and memorable melodies “that’ll get you singing along even on first listen.” (Nippertown)

The Mid-Atlantic Province of Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann presents its
Hall of Fame Ceili
Ceili from 7:00 p.m.-12:00 a.m. Open session begins at midnight and runs until 4:00 a.m.
Mineola Irish Center, 297 Willis Ave., Mineola NY, 516-746-9392
For more information, please contact Terry Rafferty (201-288-4267) or Pat Kearney (631-698-3305)
The Mid-Atlantic Region of Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Eireann will hold its annual Hall of Fame Ceili to honor and celebrate accordionist Joe Burke, concertina player Mons. Charlie Coen and the late fiddle player Mike Brady. Joe Burke, from Co. Galway, is an Irish legend. A multiple All-Ireland champion and stalwart of the New York music scene in the 1960s and 1970s, he is still remembered for the seminal albums he recorded with Andy McGann and Felix Dolan. Mons. Charlie Coen has won seven All-Ireland competitions and remains one of the most popular East Galway musicians to emigrate to New York. Mike Brady, from Flagmount, Co. Clare, was a former student of of P.J. Hayes, a member of the Patsy Tuohy club and one of the most popular dance musicians in the area. Music by the Hall of Fame All-Star Ceili Band, featuring Joe Burke, Mon. Charlie Coen and Friends.

Hamilton Hill Arts Center presents a Film Series:
“Exploring Black Exploitation Films as Protest”
4 p.m.
Hamilton Hill Arts Center, 409 Schenectady Street, Schenectady, NY 12307, (518) 346-1262
Cost: Suggested donation: $5.00
Hamilton Hill Arts Center, the African-American Cultural Arts Center of the Capital Region, celebrates Black History Month with a series of activities.
2/20: Shaft and Black Caesar
2/21: Dolomite and The Spook Who Sat by the Door

Native American Winter Festival
11 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Niagara Gorge Discovery Center, Niagara Falls, NY
Call 716 603-4546 for more info
11 a.m. Introduction to the day, Allan Jamieson, Sr. then Snow shoe walk led by NYS Parks, (15 minute talk, half hour walk)

12 noon Snowsnake talk by Tuscarora Snowsnake team 20 minutes, then outside demonstration half hour to 45 minutes

1 p.m. Native American storytelling and drumming with Allan Jamieson, II (repeat snow shoe walk)

2 p.m. Repeat Snowsnake talk and demonstration

2:30 p.m. Last snowshoe talk and walk

3 p.m. Repeat Storytelling and dancing

3:45-4:00 p.m. Wrap up

Children’s activities will be ongoing starting at 12 noon with headdress making, coloring, and hand crafts, led by Marjorie Correa.

Albany Institute of History and Art presents
Tell Me a Story
1-4 p.m.
Albany Institute of History and Art, 125 Washington Avenue, Albany, NY 12210, 518.463.4478, E-mail: information@albanyinstitute.org
Cost: FREE, with museum admission (Adults: $10.00, Seniors: $8.00, Students w/ID: $8.00, Children 6-12: $6.00, Children under 6: free. Members are always free)

Tell Me a Story gives voice to the Hudson through various cultural forms of traditional storytelling, including music, dance, and song. Presenters will include a Congolese mbira player, dancers from a Guyanese Hindu temple, a Senegalese griot (a storyteller who uses a traditional spiked harp instrument), and an Iroquois storyteller. This event is part of the Institute’s Folk Arts Speaking/Demonstration Series; see also January 10, January 31, and February 7 programs.

Story Circle at Proctors
Hunger with Mary Murphy and Nancy Marine Payne
2 p.m.
Proctors Theater (The Fenimore Gallery, upstairs), 432 State Street, Schenectady, NY
$16 (coupon discount at StoryCircleatProctors.org
To purchase tickets, go to Proctor's web site, or visit the Box Office at Proctors, or call them at (518) 346-6204.
Anyone who has ever wanted something, really wanted it, knows that hunger doesn’t only pertain to food. This afternoon, our tellers will explore the humor, longings and driving desire behind hunger.
See also March 14 and April 18 storytelling events.

Steve Zeitlin Honored for Black History Month
4:00 p.m.
Marjorie Eliot’s Sugar Hill parlor, 555 Edgecombe Avenue, New York, NY

Steve Zeitlin, director of City Lore reports that Marjorie Elliot who runs jazz concerts in her Sugar Hill parlor each week decided to host a concert in his honor during Black History Month. Steve thought it “the silliest thing I’d ever heard,” but Marjorie asked why shouldn’ Black History Month be a moment that Blacks can honor Whites, too? See the City of Memory page to learn more about Marjorie Eliot’s Jazz Concerts and see why Steve is "happy to be honored."

Everheart Band
5:00 p.m.
Johnny’s Irish Pub, 1382 Culver Rd., Rochester, NY 14609
For more information, call 585/224-0990 or visit www.everheartband.com
Band members include: Darren Everhart on bodhran, percussion and vocals, Trace Wilkins on guitar and vocals, and Mark Indelicato on guitar.

The World Music Institute and Flamenco Festival S.L. presents
10th New York Flamenco Festival
Compañía Israel Galván
7:00 p.m.
Skirball Center for the Performing Arts at NYU, 566 LaGuardia Place at Washington Square South, New York, NY
Tickets: $40, $50; WMI Friends $35, $45; Students $18
Israel Galván, a rebel and traditionalist who has been called “revolutionary” and “a genius,” is known for his incredible footwork punctuated by moments of stillness and silence. Since appearing in 1994 in Compañía Andaluza de Danza under the direction of Mario Maya, he has won flamenco’s most prestigious awards, including Spain’s National Dance Prize. His show “La Edad de Oro” (The Golden Age) strips flamenco to its bare essence, sculpting a form that is both steeped in tradition and intoxicated by the moment. Galván is joined by the renowned vocalist Fernando Terremoto, son of the legendary Terremoto, and guitarist Alfredo Lagos, with artistic direction by Pedro G. Romero.

Museum at Eldridge Street presents
Desert Sands Concert With Burton Greene and Perry Robinson
3 p.m.
Museum at Eldridge Street, 12 Eldridge Street, Between Canal and Division Streets, New York, NY, 212.219.0888
Adults: $20, Students and Seniors: $12
RSVP to: hgriff@eldridgestreet.org or call 212.219.0888 x 205
Legendary pioneers of free jazz and the downtown scene and close friends since the mid 1960s, Burton Greene and Perry Robinson combine technical acumen and improvisational brilliance to deliver totally pleasurable Jewish-themed jazz. Their telepathic rapport is in sharp focus in this intimate concert and together they provide a true oasis for a cold winter day!

Caffè Lena presents
Jonathan Edwards
7 p.m.
Caffè Lena, 47 Phila St., Saratoga Springs, NY, 518-583-0022
Cost: $22 advance/$24 at the door (How to get tickets)
Warm as summer sunshine, real as the truth, intimate as a long overdue visit between old friends…such is a Jonathan Edwards concert. He may be best known for his million-selling 1971 song “Sunshine (go away today…),” but this is one veteran performer who is neither grizzled nor nostalgic. In the past four decades his talents have graced fifteen albums, including Little Hands, selected in 1987 by the National Library Association as a “Notable Children’s Recording.” He has performed throughout North America, collaborated with artists from Emmylou Harris and Jimmy Buffett to Cheryl Wheeler, and contributed to two movie soundtracks.

The Arts Center of the Capital Region presents
A How-To Workshop for Advocates
ARTS ADVOCACY PRIMER
5:30 p.m.
The Arts Center of the Capital Region, 265 River Street, Troy, NY 12180
Cost: Free
Brush up on the issues, get the talking points, and learn how easy it can be to advocate directly to your legislators on Arts Day! This fiscal year, there has been an unprecidented short-fall in arts funding—we have all felt the pinch. At this workshop, you’ll learn where the money comes from and how to ensure that the funding continues. RSVP to Lainy Slyder at lainy@artscenteronline.org.

Hamilton Hill Arts Center presents
The Art of Protest by Miki Conn
4-5:30 p.m.
Schenectady Community College, 78 Washington Avenue, Schenectady, NY 12305, (518) 381-1200
Cost: Suggested donation: $5.00
Hamilton Hill Arts Center, the African-American Cultural Arts Center of the Capital Region, celebrates Black History Month with a series of activities.

The Gotham Center for New York City presents the first program in their Gotham History Forum Series for Spring 2010:
Naked City: The Death and Life of Authentic Urban Places
6:30 p.m.
CUNY Graduate Center, 365 Fifth Avenue at 34th Street – Recital Hall, New York, NY
FREE. Reservations required. www.gc.cuny.edu/events
As cities have gentrified, educated urbanites have come to prize what they regard as “authentic” urban life: aging buildings, art galleries, small boutiques, upscale food markets, neighborhood old-timers, funky ethnic restaurants, and old, family-owned shops. These signify a place’s authenticity, in contrast to the bland standardization of the suburbs and exurbs. But as CUNY Grad Center sociologist Sharon Zukin shows in Naked City (Oxford University Press), the rapid and pervasive demand for authenticity – evident in escalating real estate prices, expensive stores, and closely monitored urban streetscapes – has helped drive out the very people who first lent a neighborhood its authentic aura: immigrants, the working class, and artists. Please join the author and panelists Samuel Zipp, Brown University, Thomas Angotti, Hunter College, CUNY, and Clara Irazábal, Columbia University, as we examine how the idea of “authenticity” has become a central force in making cities more exclusive. Book signing to follow.

Community Arts Partnership presents a
ARTS MARKETING FORUM
7 p.m.
CAP ArtSpace inside Center Ithaca in downtown Ithaca, NY
Note: Center Ithaca Main entrance will be locked. Enter via the Ticket Center/Visitor Center, directly to the left of 15 Steps
After a very successful and well-attended first session, we’re pleased to invite interested artists to the second monthly Arts Marketing Forum. Attendees should come with a willingness to share their own experiences and learn from the successes (and challenges) of others in the group!

COAHSI (Council on the Arts & Humanities for Staten Island) presents
Distribution of Music Panel
7:30-9:30 p.m.
Wagner College, Spiro 2, Staten Island, NY
Questions? Racquel 718.447.3329
Get Your Music Heard! Come to this discussion and learn about all the ways you can get your music distributed—either online, through the radio, or in ways you didn’t think of! Thinking of starting your own label? Let’s talk about it. Join Bill Donnelly of Laughing Dog Studios, and Rich Russo, host of “Anything, Anything” on 101.9RXP, as we talk about ways to get your music heard. Want your song played on 101.9? ANY band or musician that comes to this discussion should bring ONE song on a CD, and it must be 3:30 or less (no expletives, please!). Rich will choose one CD at random, and play that song on his show. Who doesn’t want a little free air time? Join music professionals for this FREE talk. Bring your questions, and you’ll find out how to get your music HEARD!

Hamilton Hill Arts Center presents a
Contemporary African Religions in America: Panel Discussion A Black History Month Activity
6:00-7:50 p.m.
Union College, 807 Union St., Schenectady NY 12308, 518 388-6000
Cost: Free; donations welcome
Hamilton Hill Arts Center, the African-American Cultural Arts Center of the Capital Region, celebrates Black History Month with a series of activities.

The New School presents
Riggio Forum: ANNE WALDMAN
6:30 p.m.
The New School, Wollman Hall, (enter 66 West 12th Street), New York, NY
Admission: $5; FREE to all students with ID
Tickets: 212.229.5488
The well-known New York poet and activist reads from and discusses her recent book Manatee/Humanit (Penguin, 2009) and her ongoing project Iovis: Colors in the Mechanism of Concealment. Waldman founded the Jack Kerouac School of Disembodied Poetics at the Naropa Institute in Colorado with Allen Ginsberg, where she is currently director of the Writing and Poetics MFA program. Moderator Robert Polito, director of the Writing Program.

Save the Date!
ARTS DAY 2010
Keep the Arts Alive in NY State!
All day in Albany
NYS ARTS organizes a yearly advocacy effort where arts leaders and artists from all corners of New York State will meet lawmakers in Albany to make the case for protecting the New York State Council on the Arts budget. Arts leaders and advocates will explain and demonstrate how state funding for the arts revitalizes communities and families and how this investment contributes to the economy and social vitality of the entire state. Come show your support for the arts and make your voice heard on February 24, 2010! Sign up here. This year HEARING ROOM A in the LOB is NYS ARTS Arts Day Headquarters and is also the location of the Rally and Hearing. Starting at 9 a.m., check in and pick up Arts Day tips and tools, advocacy handouts, Arts Day buttons, and meet and greet fellow advocates. NYS ARTS has reserved and paid for a limited number of parking spaces in the VISITORS lot at the LOB, in Albany. Reserve your parking space for $12.

PLACE, RACE, AND STORY: Essays on the Past and Future of Historic Preservation
Author Talk with Ned Kaufman
Co-sponsored by the Historic Districts Council and Neighborhood Preservation Center 6:30 p.m.
Neighborhood Preservation Center, 232 East 11th Street, New York, NY
RSVP required: 212-228-2781 or info@neighborhoodpreservationcenter.org
Free Admission but space is limited.
Join us for a discussion with author, teacher Ned Kaufman about his new book Place, Race, and Story, in which he shows how central themes in the American experience shape the preservation of heritage-themes of race and diversity, progress and tradition, love of place and lust for property. Ranging from the eighteenth-century roots of preservation practice to the dilemmas facing New York today, these essays, many available for the first time, outline a re-energized, progressive preservation practice for the twenty-first century.

Museum at Eldridge Street presents
Save the Deli Reading and Book Signing With David Sax
7 p.m.
Museum at Eldridge Street, 12 Eldridge Street, Between Canal and Division Streets, New York, NY, 212.219.0888
Cost: Free
RSVP to: hgriff@eldridgestreet.org or call 212.219.0888 x 205
Deli fanatic and journalist David Sax has toured the world, interviewing deli owners and famous deli lovers (like Ed Koch, Ruth Reichel, and Mel Brooks), tried his hand cutting sandwiches at Katz’s and voyaged to the heart of deli country, whether New York, LA, Montreal, Paris, London, or Poland. The result is his witty new book Save the Deli, in which Sax rhapsodizes about the tastes, aromas, and lore of the delicatessen. Join us for a reading and book signing at Eldridge Street, in the heart of the old Jewish Lower East Side where these delicatessens once-upon-a-time flourished. Pickles will be served!

The Arts Center of the Capital Region presents
A Workshop for Artists and Art Administators
Nuts + Bolts: Marketing for Artists and Non-Profits
7:00 p.m.
The Arts Center of the Capital Region, 265 River Street, Troy, NY 12180
Cost: Free
RSVP to jill@artscenteronline.org
What is marketing? What are some inexpensive tools that can be used to market your products and creations? How can you market on a shoestring and how can you keep track of what works and what doesn’t? Find out in this free workshop, as part of Nuts and Bolts, a series of free workshops for artists and arts administrators brought to you by the Arts Center and the Capital District Community Loan Fund.

The Margaret Explosion
7:30- 9:30 p.m.
Little Theatre Cafe, 240 East Avenue, Rochester, NY 14604, 585-232-3906
For more information, contact 585-288-0880 or email paul@therefrigerator.net
Peggi Fournier on sax, Bob Martin on guitar, Ken Frank on bass, and Paul Dodd on drums are the Margaret Explosion. All songs are spontaneously composed and performed live! Margaret Explosion is one of the the most original and unusual bands in Rochester, exploring all sorts of musical dimensions linked to free jazz, Third World Melodies, exotic instrumentation, and a spacey enveloping sort of music that echoes the works of Scandinavian saxophonist Jan Garabeck and other Europeans.

6 Weeks Intensive Argentinean Tango Workshop conducted by Anabella Lenzu Starting February 25th! Dates: 2/25, 3/4, 3/11, 3/18, 3/25 and 4/1, 2010 Mark Morris Dance Center 3 Lafayette Avenue, Brooklyn, NY Tango (Beginner Level) Thursdays 6:30 - 7:30 p.m. Tango-Milonga (Intermediate Level) Thursdays 7:30 - 8:30 p.m. Beginner Level: is an introduction to the Tango vocabulary of movement where you discover how to walk in a close embrace. Learn the language of Tango and express your passion! Topics and Fundamentals: Balance (posture, tango walk), rhythms (single and double-time), connection (communicating with torso, tango embrace), leading and following techniques, technical control, musicality, and styles. Previous Tango experience and partner not required. Intermediate Level: This session will concentrate on the Milonga rhythm of Tango. Whether you are a beginner or have already taken your first Tango Steps, your dance is not complete until you can master the fun, fast Milonga style of Argentine Tango. This will be a 6-week session concentrating on the basics of Milonga, starting with walking to the fast syncopated rhythms, learning turns, combinations and more! Previous Tango experience required. For more information, email info@anabellalenzu.com

The Gallery of New York Folk Art presents
Opening Reception for Exhibition featuring the work of Denise Allen
Due to inclement weather, the opening reception scheduled for this evening, Feb. 25, is cancelled. Reschedule date is TBA; please check back with us later for more details.
Thank you
5 p.m.-7 p.m.
Gallery of New York Folk Art, 133 Jay St., Schenectady, NY
Contact: 518.346.7008, email: lisa@nyfolklore.org
Opening wine-and-cheese reception with opportunity to meet folk artist and master craftswoman Denise Allen. See exhibition notice below (exhibitions notices follow calendar).

February 25, 2010 - March 26, 2010

Hamilton Hill Arts Center presents an
Adult Drumming Class by Zorki Nelson A Black History Month Activity

Niskayuna High School, 1626 Balltown Road, Niskayuna, NY, 518/382-2511
Pre-registration requied. Contact Niskayuna Adult Education Program
Hamilton Hill Arts Center, the African-American Cultural Arts Center of the Capital Region, celebrates Black History Month with a series of activities.

The John D. Calandra Italian American Institute, Queens College, CUNY presents the
The Philip V. Cannistraro Seminar Series in Italian American Studies
Spring 2010
Diva: Defiance and Passion in Early Italian Cinema
Angela Dalle Vacche, Georgia Institute of Technology
6 p.m.
John D. Calandra Italian American Institute, 25 W. 43rd Street, 17th floor, New York
Free and open to the public. Seating is limited.
Please call (212) 642-2094 to pre-register with the Calandra Institute. Be prepared to show a photo ID to the building’s concierge.
The Italian “diva film” of the silent era provided a forum for denouncing social evils and exploring new models of behavior among the sexes. These melodramas of seduction, betrayal, abandonment, and public reputation communicated both the spiritual and the demonic. Oscillating between a vibrant life-force of modernity and a suffering figure of the Catholic mater dolorosa, the diva presented a vision of—if not always a realistic hope for—self-discovery and emancipation. In her presentation, Angela Dalle Vacche will discuss actresses such as Francesca Bertini, Lyda Borelli, and Pina Menichelli to show how the diva film contributed to the modernist development of the “new woman.”

Lissa Schneckenburger with Bethany Waickman
8:00 p.m.
Lovin’ Cup Brews & Bistro, RIT-300 Park Point Dr., off Jefferson Road, Henrietta, NY
Admission: $15 at the door, $10/student (with ID)
The traditional music of New England can be as warm and comforting as a winter fire or as potent and exhilarating as a summer thunderstorm. Lissa is a master of both moods, a winsome, sweet-voiced singer who brings new life to old ballads and a skillful, dynamic fiddler who captures the driving rhythm and carefree joy of dance tunes old and new. Lissa’s fiddling is uplifting and lively, and her singing is gentle and evocative.

Caffè Lena presents
Toby Walker
8 p.m.
Caffè Lena, 47 Phila St., Saratoga Springs, NY, 518-583-0022
Cost: $15 advance/$17 at the door (How to get tickets)
Without a doubt, Toby is one of the very finest acoustic blues musicians alive today. This outstanding musician won the Best Performer in all categories at the prestigious International Blues Challenge in Memphis, TN. From the opening bars of his high-energy Piedmont style, it is easy to see why: He makes six strings sound like a thundering army of six hundred! He plays blues, rags, hot country picking, and coaxes more out of a guitar than you can imagine, but the originality doesn’t end there. He is also a skilled singer and songwriter who draws inspiration from traditional and contemporary music. Be ready for lots of laughs, great songs and entertaining stories as Toby tells the humorous and heartwarming tales of other masters, talks about his inspirations, and astounds with his authentic 1930 National Steel Guitar.

The World Music Institute (WMI) presents
Nine Heavens: Niyaz
7:30 p.m.
Le Poisson Rouge, 158 Bleecker Street, New York
Tickets: $18 in advance/ $23 at door; WMI Friends $13 in advance/ $18 at door
This show is a 18+ general admission, standing event
Niyaz brings together musical cultures from Iran to Turkey, South Asia and beyond. The three-member ensemble, vocalist Azam Ali (Vas), multi-instrumentalist Loga Ramin Torkian (Axiom of Choice), and producer/remixer Carmen Rizzo (Seal, Alanis Morisette) fuses Persian, Turkish, and Indian musical traditions with electronic dance rhythms. The band sets the poetry of Persian Sufi mystics Mowlana (Rumi) and Amir Khosrau to a swirling, hypnotic beat.

Folk Music Society of New York, Inc./New York Pinewoods Folk Music Club announces
Michele Choiniere
Franco-American Singer-Songwriter in Concert
7:30 p.m.
Broadway Mall Community Center, 96th St. and Broadway, on the center island, New York, NY 10025
General Admission is $15. Members of the Folk Music Society, $12; children and full-time students under 22, $6.
Tickets can be purchased at the door, or online ($2 service fee).
For information, call 718-672-6399.
Michele Choiniere was born into a musical Franco-American family in northern Vermont, and from an early age performed traditional Franco-American music with her father Fabio, an accomplished harmonica player. In 1995, she began writing and composing her own songs and has performed throughout New England, Quebec and France. Her lyrics and music focus on nature, romance and social issues connected to being Franco-American. Writing and singing in both English and French, Michele powerfully expresses her cultural identity as a bilingual Franco-American from the New England borderlands. Her repertory and vocal style are as eclectic as they are evocative: jaunty French cabaret songs rub elbows with contemplative ballads and pop-tinged lyrical folk melodies. The overarching emotion of this music is a dark gaiety, sophisticated and brooding.

Gandalf Murphy and the Slambovian Circus of Dreams
8:00 p.m.
Harmony House, 58 East Main Street, Webster, NY
Hosted by Ralph Hunt and Judy Gradford
For more information, contact 585/328-3103 or www.heartlandconcerts.org
Formed in Sleepy Hollow, New York in the late 90s, Gandalf Murphy & the Slambovian Circus of Dreams is one of the best known and loved bands in their home state, singled out as Hudson Valley Magazine’s “Band of the Year#8221; for the past 3 years. On stage they create an enchanting atmosphere, using traditional folk instruments, tasty electric guitar, and the distinctive singing and songwriting of Joziah Longo.

Hamilton Hill Arts Center presents
“Haiti, The Story of a Nation,” featuring Jean-Remy Monnay, co-founder of Soul Rebel Performance Troupe A Black History Month Activity
2 p.m.
Schenectady Central Library, McCheseny Room, 99 Clinton Street, Schenectady, NY 12305, 518.388.4500
Cost: Free
The Hamilton Hill Arts Center welcomes Remy to Schenectady. Remy was born and raised in Port-au-Prince, Haiti and came to the United States to pursue a career in acting. He recently co-founded Soul Rebel Performance Troupe. The program will include: *a historical lecture and original monologue presented by Remy
*displays of Haitian art and photographs
*recorded music selections from Haiti
*a selection of Haitian books and literature from SCPL
Cindy Schmehl, Executive Director of To Love a Child, will speak about her recent trip to Haiti following Remy’s presentation. We will be collecting school supply kits and hygiene kits in quart-sized bags for her organization to send to the Orphanage of Good Faith in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Donations may be dropped off at the Central Library through March 31, 2010.

Baye Kouyate
8 p.m.
The Smith Opera House, 82 Seneca Street, Geneva, NY
Cost: $15
Buy tickets online
“I am griot,” the man says in French-accented English. It is no small thing. He’s part of an honored tradition, a caste of people in West Africa who throughout the ages have acted as the society’s musicians, storytellers, historians and messengers. He has a centuries-old griot (gree-oh) name to prove it: Baye Kouyaté (Bye Koo-ya-tay). He is a bandleader and world-class percussionist who specializes in the talking drum. And he is most certainly a storyteller.

Caffè Lena presents
Decade Concert: The 1970s at Caffè Lena
Featuring Livingston Taylor
8 p.m.
Caffè Lena, 47 Phila St., Saratoga Springs, NY, 518-583-0022
Cost: $40 (How to get tickets)
Tonight we step back in time to the 1970s, an especially fine decade in Caffè Lena’s 50-year history and for the popular music world in general. We’re pleased to present one of the decade’s great voices for this special concert, Livingston Taylor. Liv arrived in the Boston music world in 1968 at the age of eighteen and recorded his first album for Atlantic Records at nineteen. His songs, including “I Will Be in Love with You” and “I’ll Come Running;” and, recorded by his brother James, “I Can Dream of You,” “Going Round One More Time,” and “Boatman” (off the double Grammy-winning album Hourglass), are memorable favorites of the 1970s Top Forty radio charts. While he toured the world with the likes of Linda Ronstadt, Jimmy Buffett, Fleetwood Mac, and Jethro Tull, he also managed to squeeze in a couple visits to Caffè Lena. It’s an honor to welcome him back.

Peruvian Drumming: Theo Torres
2:00 p.m.
East Meadow Public Library, 1886 Front Street, East Meadow, New York
For information and reservations, 516/794-2570
Join Peruvian composer and musician Theo Torres for an afternoon of drumming and percussion. This free program will explore how traditional percussion instruments continue to play an important role in Peruvian cumbia, salsa, and huayno music. A hands-on workshop follows the program. This program is sponsored in part by the Folk Arts Program of the New York State Council on the Arts.

Appalachian Old Time Jam
Wild Root String Band
2:00-5:00 p.m.
Tango Café South Wedge area, 389 Gregory St., Rochester, NY
The WildRoot Stringband plays Southern style Old-Time music from the Appalachian regions of North Carolina, the Virginias, and Tennessee. With Tom Owens on fiddle, Michelle Burack on banjo, David Frenzel on guitar, and Bruce Brown on standup bass. If you are interested but can’t make it, this will be held again the 4th Sun of next month, March 28.

The Lark Camp—Celebration of World Music, Song & Dance 2010 30 Years of Lark Camp — This year with over 90 instructors! July 30 - August 7, 2010 Lark Camp PO Box 1176, Mendocino, California 95460 USA (707) 964-4826 registration@larkcamp.com Music & Dance Workshops * Cabins * Dances * Parties * Sessions * Great Food * Dance Hall * Dining Hall * Camping * Fire Circles * Redwoods * Full Camp 8 Days * 1/2 Camp 4 Days Lark In The Morning Music Celebration was started in 1980 to provide a venue to allow traditional musicians and dancers to get together and share their music and dance (A music and dance party with educational overtones). This event is an open forum for musicians, singers and dancers to exchange ideas and learn without being in a rigid school structure. You are free to take as many or as few of the workshops offered as you like; jam sessions 24 hours a day, big dances every evening. Many workshops for the professional as well as the beginner! Registration For Lark Camp 2010 Is Open! We won’t cash your check or charge your credit card until January 1, 2010. See the list of Lark Camp 2010’s staff. See photos from Lark Camp 2009 and other years.

The Folklife Center at Crandall Public Library presents
Great River of the Mountains
7:00 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Crandall Public Library, 251 Glen Street, City Park, Glens Falls, NY 12801
Contact: 518.792.6508, email: degarmo@crandalllibrary.org
Cost: Free
This new exhibition showcases the photos and stories of Croswell Bowen, Carl Carmer and Margaret Bourke-White’s exploration of the Hudson River some 70 years ago.

October 2009 - May 2010

The Gallery of New York Folk Art presents
An Exhibition featuring the work of Denise Allen, folk artist and master craftswoman from Palatine Bridge, NY
Opening wine-and-cheese reception with the artist: Thursday, February 25, 5 p.m.-7 p.m.
Gallery Hours: 10 a.m - 4 p.m.
Gallery of New York Folk Art, 133 Jay St., Schenectady, NY
Contact: 518.346.7008, email: lisa@nyfolklore.org
Cost: Free
As a folk artist who predominately focuses on themes of African American colonial life and country living, Allen creates one-of-a-kind textured artwork employing various techniques, prints, dolls, and story cloths. Her work has been featured nationally and internationally, and in February 2010, she will be unveiling her latest piece, a 9-11 story cloth that will be housed at the forthcoming 9-11 memorial in New York City.

February 25, 2010 - March 26, 2010

Taller Boricua presents:
4 SOLO EXHIBITIONS BY:
Keith O. Anderson, Melissa A. Calderon, William Coronado AND Chanika Svetvilas
Curated by Marcos Dimas and Christine Licata
Opening Friday, January 22, 2010, 6-9 p.m.
Gallery Hours: Tuesday through Saturday, 12-6 p.m.
Thursday 1-7 p.m., Closed Sunday and Monday
Taller Boricua Galleries at the Julia De Burgos Latino Cultural Center, 1680 Lexington Avenue, NYC, N.Y. 10029, 212.831.4333
For more information, contact the Taller Boricua: contact@tallerboricua.org

Keith O. Anderson creates site-specific installations and objects that transform unassuming materials such as raisins, cotton puffs, black-eyed peas, clothespins, and straight pins into an unconventional visual vocabulary of social and political critique and commentary. In “Matière Première /Raw Material,” Anderson’s work reveals the transitory relationships and nature of everyday items and symbols, offering unexpected meanings and insights into the world around us.

In “Osmosis,” Melissa A. Calderon incorporates installation, photography, and sculpture to explore the concepts of multicultural identity and gender. Her work examines the stereotypes and the controversial symbols of the transnational Latino experience. Calderon integrates the duality present in acculturation by paying homage to the significant contributions and traditions of Latino culture, as well as challenging the negative, commercialized ideologies that have become synonymous with it.

In William Coronado’s paintings, flesh becomes the medium through which the boundaries between the metaphysical and the physical aspects of human existence are explored. At once gestural and corporeal, his exhibition “Skin Deep” simultaneously embodies the psychology of existence and the biology of being. Through a combination of distortion and representation, Coronado challenges the viewer to experience separate realities as well as reexamine the broader issues of identity and gender.

Chanika Svetvilas’ site-specific installation “Import / Export,” uses familiar commercial and domestic objects and materials such as toy soldiers, rubber gloves, and plastic, plaid shopping bags as metaphors to transcribe the cultural and social challenges within migration and immigration. Her multidisciplinary work also includes layers of international corporate logos merged with global branding. These iconic, self-referential symbols reveal the paradoxical relationships between consumerism, commodities, transculturation, and ultimately, globalization.

January 22, 2010 – March 6, 2010

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