SPRINGVILLE - Springville Center for the Arts has Open Mic Night on the last Friday of every month at Art’s Cafe in Springville. Don’t miss out on Open Mic Night this Friday, January 30th from 6:30-8:00pm, hosted by local WNY folk group, Kody & Herren.

Open Mic is open to all ages and welcomes musicians, poets, singers, comedians, and more. Participants are encouraged to perform with an instrument or acapella as back tracks are not permitted. The stage is free for both new and experienced performers to share their work. Attendees will experience a variety of performances, including original songs, covers, poetry, stand-up, or storytelling.

Kody & Herren are multi-instrumentalists based in Springville, composed of Nick Kody and Lydia Herren. They perform on guitar, violin, harmonica, mandolin, and more. They perform a mixture of original songs and covers in the roots, blues, and folk genres. As hosts of Open Mic, they will be opening and closing the night with a special performance and emceeing the event. If interested in hosting a future Open Mic Night, contact Performing Arts Director, Anna Krzemien, for more information at scaannakrzemien@gmail.com.

Those who wish to participate in Open Mic must sign in at the Art’s Cafe counter as early as 6:00pm. For any questions upon arrival, check in with a barista and they will assist you. Each performer is typically allowed five minutes of stage time (equals to about two songs), occasionally with the option to perform once more if there is time available at the end.

BRAZILIAN GUITAR DUE TO PERFORM AT FOLK NIGHT

Every first Thursday of the month, Springville Center for the Arts presents an evening of live music with alternating players at Art’s Cafe called Folk Night. On February 5th from 6:30-8:00pm, a Brazilian Guitar Duo will be performing, featuring classical guitarist Penn Watson.

Penn Watson is a Buffalo-based musician and teacher. He began playing guitar at age ten, fell in love with classical guitar at fifteen, and graduated from SUNY Fredonia with a Bachelor’s in Music Performance in 2019. Some of his performance highlights include the Mary Seaton Room at Kleinhan’s Music Hall, Mannes Concert Hall at The New School in NYC, and a karaoke bar in Chiang Mai, Thailand. This will be his first time performing at Art’s Cafe in Springville.

Folk Night is curated by Ben Collier, a local educator and folk musician. Ben is a collaborator and volunteer with Springville Center for the Arts, booking the main act musicians and performing songs of his own.

March’s Folk Night will feature Loretta Mayfield and the O’Donnell Brothers in their group, The Blue Velvet Band. Visit SpringvilleArts.com for updates on future Folk Night musicians.

JAZZ NIGHT FEATURING TORCH SINGERS

Every second Thursday of the month, Springville Center for the Arts presents Jazz Night at Art’s Cafe, hosted by a local group of musicians named Cat Jones. On February 12th, Cat Jones will be joined by a selection of vocalists performing torch songs as a way to kick off Valentine’s Day weekend.

Cat Jones is led by William Cocca, a retired music teacher from the Springville school district. Each month they perform jazz standards ranging from the 40s to the present, with selections from the Great American Songbook - and a touch of Latin, too! While the musicians rotate, the core instrumentation stays fairly consistent, featuring trumpet, bass, guitar, percussion, and piano.

February’s Jazz Night will be accompanied by torch singers Becca Roudebush, Lydia Herren, Kelly Ann Campbell, Mike Criscione, and more. They will be singing songs in the torch genre, which is most characterized by themes of heartbreak, longing, and devotion.

Art’s Cafe is located at 5 East Main Street, Springville, NY. Donations for any of the above events are encouraged to help fund Springville Center for the Arts’ future programs. For more information, visit SpringvilleArts.com or call 716-592-9038.