Six HOURS OF CHANTING!!!

Rail Trail Cafe 

Sunday June 1st No raindate.

WEATHER WILL DECIDE THE DAY - Please check the Rail Trail Cafe Facebook page for cancellation.

CHECK RAIL TRAIL CAFE WEBSITE FOR MORE DETAILS.

Come to the Cathedral Under the Trees!

Come Chant, Dance, Pray!

Come celebrate the beginning of another magical summer of Chanting!

Join the Spirit Brothers, Ned & Lynn, Radharani and other Hudson Valley chant leaders!

Also Featuring Wonderful musicians:

Steve Gorn, Robert Bard, Avinash and many more!

WE CAN'T WAIT!

http://www.railtrailcaferosendale.org

Ami Fixler and Marty Reisinger: with acoustic Guitar and silver flute we serve up a sweet and eclectic mix of familiar and obscure tunes sure to satisfy your musical palate.

Julia Howl Haines and Matoaka Little Eagle will bring delight and beauty to you with their cross cultural adventures, interweaving music, voice, and stories. Their unique collaboration is magical, serendipitous. Really! So beautiful! 

Soar with your spirits as you hear original compositions and stories from Julia on the lever harp. Matoaka complements Julia's music with her Native songs, vocals, and stories.

 Julia Haines has a unique approach to the lever harp. Called a “harper among harpists” and a ‘hip harper” by the Irish press, she won First Prize for harp and voice at the O’Carolan Festival, Keadue, Ireland. Her radiant music fuses world, folk, rock, classical & improvisational influences.

Matoaka Little Eagle (Tewa, Apache, Chickahominy) is a culture bearer and educator. She celebrates diverse Native American cultures through song, dance, and story, promoting respect and tolerance. She has collaborated with David Amram, Pete Seeger, John Sebastian, John Cage, The Thunderbird American Indian Dancers, The Vanaver Caravan and many others, bringing great joy and inspiration to her audiences, here and abroad. Matoaka is proud to play Grandma Jingle Dress in the award winning contemporary Native pop musical, "Distant Thunder"

Bob Goldberg on ukelele and accordian. Bob is a composer who often leads accordion-based groups. He is equally at home with extended drones and novelty songs. @bobgoldbergaccordion https://www.instagram.com/ bobgoldbergaccordion/

YouTube: @famousaccordions927

Life-long disciple of the great folk traditions of the world, singer/songwriter Mario Rincon draws inspiration from Andalusia and Appalachia alike, crafting a bi-lingual blend of flamenco cante, Latin-American folklore, and classic Americana. He’s based in the Hudson Valley where he teaches private lessons and workshops.

mariorincon.com

Come join us for a roundtable discussion! Agenda decided by attendees.

How can we shape our futures through conversations that matter?

For over 30 years Amadou Diallo studied the rythms of Senegal, Mali and Guinea. People thought he was crazy, everyday singing and playing the Sufi drum (Hrim) on the streets of Dakar, Senegal.

But that was where he wrote so many of M’Bollo’s songs, and he knew one day he would bring his music to a wider audience.

Then in 2001 a miracle happened, and he got a contract to come to the U.S. playing djembe with the African Ballet Bugerabou.

Amadou settled in Rosendale, NY and in 2010 formed M’Bollo with local musicians The Schikowitz brothers.

Mbollo means “be together” and the music brings together the rich tapestry of African rhythms with western instruments and styles.

Together they reunite the western instruments with their African roots. The bass singing the “dun dun” (African bass drum ) and the banjo singing like “Ekonting”( ancient African banjo)

Take a walk on the wild side!

Meet Your Plant Neighbors- Intro to Botany on the Rail Trail

Join us for a botanical exploration of local plant life. We'll practice close observation of plants and learn about their anatomy, diversity, reproduction, and life habits.

Dress to be comfortable in whatever weather emerges- sturdy boots, layers of clothing, bug spray, and sun protection are recommended. 

Laura Wyeth is a horticulturist and lecturer of botany at SUNY New Paltz. Her life's mission is to help people connect with and understand plants.

Thanks so much! Laura

As a singer, songwriter, Steven Michael Pague has travelled the world bringing his uplifting, positive music and songs to venues both large and small. He creates an intimate atmosphere inspiring and inviting dancing, listening, participating in the song, sharing the vision, the dreams of longing, hope, love, light and joy. His style ranges from ballad to reggae, folk to rock and more…

Madárka (“little bird” in Hungarian) plays the traditional music you would have heard in the villages of Eastern Europe many years ago, slightly updated.

Drawing from the rich history of Klezmer, Roma, Balkan, Romanian and Russian folk music, we take listeners on a lively journey across borders and centuries. Our repertoire is flexible and diverse, encompassing high energy music perfect for circle dancing, Yiddish love ballads, Rom murder ballads, Romanian worker’s songs mixed with Appalachian fiddle, standards and bizarre old tunes you are unlikely to hear anywhere else.

The band features our primary vocalist Dushka Ramic who was raised in the former Yugoslavia and comes to us with a deep love of traditional music. Our instrumentation can include fiddle, mandolin, accordion, sax, cello, clarinet, keyboard, guitar, and percussion.

Music that transcends the ordinary—a sonic escape from everyday life.

That’s what drummer Walker Adams strives to deliver with his band

Telepathic Moon Dance.

After 30 years of experience behind the kit, Adams, who studied jazz

performance at Berklee, has a solid footing in all musical styles and

situations. He kept the beat for St. Vincent during her breakout years

and performed extensively with fusion bassist Percy Jones in his band

Tunnels.

In Telepathic Moon Dance, Adams fans the flames of his passion for

funk, jazz-fusion, world music, and EDM. He boldly aims to contribute

to a lineage spearheaded by artists Herbie Hancock, Jimi Hendrix,

James Brown, Fela Kuti, Daft Punk, Snarky Puppy, and Lettuce.

The live show blends studio production with spontaneous improv as

Adams plays drums and triggers loops and soundscapes. Joining him is a

revolving cast of incredible talent including keyboard legend Neil

Alexander, guitar icon Tony DePaolo, and saxophone maestro Steve

Frieder. Their mind-bending shows can often be seen at various upstate

NY venues such as The Falcon, CoSM, Angry Orchard, and more.

The band’s forthcoming album “The Portal” is the first of three albums

to be released in 2025. Accompanying each recording is an original

story that chronicles a soul’s journey through earthly incarnations

and cosmic voyages. Music videos will bring the story to life and give

deeper meaning to the listening experience. “It’s all about making

music that offers the listener a fresh perspective. Creativity in

music inspires a creative approach to life,” Adams says.

With an eclectic mix of moods and genres, TMD keeps your feet tapping,

your mind wandering, and your day a little more magical.

Find picture attached.

Classical and innovative Gamelan With Bill Ylitalo and friends… more info on the way.

Lisa Klotz is a singer, songwriter, teacher, activist and performer with songs that touch upon themes that include social justice, environmental awareness, women’s rights, empowerment, family, conflict resolution and spirituality. Lisa has passion for songs that speak to humanity, kindness, what we have in common, and a strong belief in the power of music – to bring people together, raise spirit and energy, to heal, and create peace.

In college, Lisa was introduced to the music of Holly Near and the women’s and peace movements. She helped organize song circles at the Seneca Women's Encampment, Take Back the Night marches in Ithaca, NY, and at her home. In 1986, she joined the Great Peace March from New York to Washington, DC and hosted Dennis Banks (founder of the American Indian Movement) when he was in NYC on a speaking tour. In the early 1990’s she helped to start a monthly pasta songwriting and sharing circle for the NYC Friends of Clearwater.

After a long period of teaching, education advocacy, and raising two daughters, she returned to singing and songwriting with the help of vocal teacher and mentors Sloan Wainwright, David Roth, and the SummerSongs community. She regularly performs at NERFA, Folk Alliance International, and SERFA and recently released her first CD "Morning Sun,” which made #32 for the most played on international folk radio stations in February, 2024. 

She is thrilled to have the opportunity to play here, with partner Mark Dann, and dear friends, Amy Soucy, Ben Silver, David Budd, Vito Pettrocito and Annie Roland and Carrie Chapman, in this nurturing cafe and venue Tara and Brian have lovingly created for our community. 

Shokoloko is an electro-acoustic improvising trio that taps into the diverse sounds and influences of America, Africa, Europe, Asia and beyond.

The band is: Joakim Lartey on drums, percussion and voice; Chris Lane on guitar and electric guitar, oud-guitar and banjo; Richard Carr on violin and electric violin.

Shokoloko is about dance, trance and community fun!

Devotional Music from around the world with Ned Leavitt, Joseph Jastrab, Steve Gorn, Avinash and surprises.

With intricate arrangements that move from rousing and joyful to thoughtful and dreamy, Spellbinder Orchestra aims to enchant in an age of disenchantment. Born in the bay area, California, the group blends original folk music with elements of classical, cabaret, eastern European and rock. The group features a variety of instruments such as ukulele, fiddle, cello, percussion, accordion, and harmonica. Their performances are described as lively with a touch of the theatrical. 

Now a bicoastal collective, the band, aka Brother Spellbinder, has appeared in both parts of the world including Woodstock's Bearsville, Pearl Moon and Colony, Beattie-Powers House, The Great Halloween Festival, Burning Man's Decompression, San Francisco's Edwardian Ball, WDST Radio Woodstock, The SF Free Folk Festival and SXSW unofficial showcases. With a background in social work and therapy, bandleader Alzara Getz finds inspiration in how people heal. Lyrics often flow from the uncensored mythical realm of the human psyche, or languish in the modern wasteland with a brush of poetry and whimsy, but a sprinkling of high octane vintage covers may make you reach for fire water and dancing shoes. With room for improvisation, the rotating cast of spellbinders bring spontaneity and surprise making each show a unique experience. 

https://www.instagram.com/p/CrTyea-tDFv (on Radio Woodstock)

https://youtu.be/dpigwGgutsU?feature=shared (sample of the full band sound from the other coast)

Press: 

"Spellbinder issue a record as aesthetically menacing as it is melodically captivating, and that’s something most any modern listener can get excited about."

Hollywood Digest

“Spellbinder has released their latest EP, When The Earth Was Still Flat, a 7-song indie folk meets acoustic pop fountain that spouts poetic grace in the middle of today’s non-poetic music jungle." The Miews

Instagram account here: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DIwfbysOwcm/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA== 

Can’t wait! Nick Collins is a local accordionist who has been delighting audiences in and around the Hudson Valley for over 10 years.   Playing a wide variety of traditional and popular music in many styles, Nick is thrilled to return to the Rail Trail Café!

Spontaneous compositions by four master improvisors:

David Lopato - keyboards

Jim Donica - bass

Chris Bowman - trapset, percussion

Peyton Pleninger: tenor and soprano sax.

The Artist Salon, hosted by Wild Arts Collective, is a monthly outdoor gathering where artists are invited to share works and ideas in progress. This is a space for collective imagining, where we support artists to envision, co-create, and get new perspectives on their work. The Artist Salon fosters the space for ideas to grow. No advanced sign ups required-if you’d like to participate, bring a piece of art(works in progress welcome) or an idea to share and a question for the group. We hope to see you there!

Bio: Spaghetti Eastern Music 

Can acid jazz and blues-fired guitar instrumentals co-exist with ambient soundscapes a la Fripp & Eno and intimate DADGAD-tuned vocal ballads straight out of the Nick Drake/John Martyn playbook? They can and do in Spaghetti Eastern Music, the critically-acclaimed solo project of Saugerties & NYC-based guitarist/keyboardist/vocalist Sal Cataldi. 

Cataldi’s much-varied sound is the product of an insatiable musical soul and a record collection rivaling the Smithsonian’s. His debut album, “Sketches of Spam,” the 16-track, 69-minute, genre-surfing release from (Bad Egg Records, 30003), was an hour-plus journey through contrasting moods, with instrumentals inspired by 70’s Miles, Krautrock, Ennio Morricone, Bhangra, Fripp & Eno and ECM’s icy guitar great Terje Rypdal giving way to bare-bones acoustic vocal tunes – ones oft anchored on unusual tunings, with narratives that chart the course of difficult loves, in styles that range from Brit Folk to Bossa Nova. In 2020, Cataldi followed this with a trio of acclaimed atmospheric singles that have been heard around the globe, “Her Lemon Peel Raincoat – Because It’s Raining,” “Peace Within” and “And This is Their New Hoax,” a COVID-19 musical editorial featuring samples of President Trump’s most noted denials to Cataldi’s soundpainting guitars and synths. His February 2021 release, “Blues for A Lost Cosmonaut,” is a well-reviewed nine-minute plus maxi single again in the ambient mode while October 2021’s, “Solo Guitar Score for 2x2x4,” is a bold solo electric guitar score to a dance piece recorded live at the Avant-Garde Arama Festival in Woodstock, inspired by his work with the guitar orchestra of Rhys Chatham and his love of Fripp and “White Light, White Heat”-era Velvet Underground.  In June2022, Cataldi released a new single in the acoustic singer-songwriter mode, “I Believe In Love,” one which received great press featuring “NY Slice” song of the day on WFMU. In January 2023, he followed with a duo of instrumental singles, “A Scanner Darkly” and “A Fresh Kill,” which also received significant airplay and press. In October 2023, he released the acoustic ballad, “Sweet Home Anywhere” and a funky instrumental “Jungle Blue.” In December 2023, he released “health,” a solo guitar score for a film by director/American Ballet Theater dance, Hanna Bass.

Spaghetti Eastern Music has received consistent critical raves, for live performances and the selective release of early mixes of works now fully realized on this debut disc. The New York Times says “the funk-tinged original instrumentals and acoustic vocal tunes have a beat unmistakably his own” while Time Out New York writes: "Cataldi's largely instrumental, Eastern-influenced jams are infused with some delicate guitar work and hauntingly moody atmosphere." Newsday adds: “Mad scientist-guitarist-keyboardist Cataldi brings da funk and throws it in a mixer with electronica, bebop and blues.” Called “truly excellent” by The Village Voice, “a wild ride, a fun name for some very good music” by Radio Woodstock, “beautiful and unique” by WFUV’s Mixed Bag, “triumphantly funkified” by UPI, “a stimulating soloist” by The New York Press and “a jazz virtuoso without the need to prove it” by Aquarian Weekly. Almanac Weekly’s John Burdick proclaims: “a unique voice, a surprising blend of exploratory fusion, electronica and indie song craft, from the Ennio Morricone overtones anticipated by his handle to currents of Krautrock, techno, modal folk and various world music styles” while Chronogram Magazine labels Spaghetti Eastern “cool, inspired, sophisticated, melodic and transcendent, a wave of sonic warmth and light.” East Coast Rocker/Rolling Stone writer John Swenson, the man who penned the liner notes to Frank Zappa’s “Shut Up n Play Yer Guitar,” may have put it best, “he’s the hippie guitarist playing to another dimension.” Hudson Valley One recently called Cataldi’s music: “Part Sergio Leone fever dream, part Ravi Shankar raga, a whirling dervish of musical creation,” while Psychedelic Baby Magazine labeled it “the perfect sonic tonic for these troubled times.”

The authority on all things Beatles, The Beatles Examiner recently praised the album’s “sharp soaring guitar jams” and called the distinctive cover of “Ticket to Ride,” “incredible, a wonderfully moody re-imagining” of the Lennon classic. Huffington Post dubs it “the perfect soundtrack for New York City life,” while WFMU’s Irene Trudel calls it “charmingly melodic and off-center,” while popular Zappa fan sites Idiot Bastard and United Mutations gave raves to his reinvention of “Sleep Dirt,” a Zappa acoustic instrumental rarity, which appears on the CD as “Nap Dust.” Cataldi’s music has enjoyed airplay on radio including WFUV’s “Mixed Bag,” SiriusXM, WKCR-FM, Radio Woodstock, WFMU, Oakland’s KALX, NYC-area college station including WCWP, WDFU, WVRK and WHPC and many more. The CD’s title is a lighthearted tribute to Miles Davis’ atmospheric classic, “Sketches of Spain,” one ripe for this digital overload and lunchmeat age!

Sal’s other current project, Hari Karaoke Trio of Doom, is a duo co-lead with Kansas City-based drummer D. Hitchcock, which includes guest appearances by legends like Eno/Brand X bassist Percy Jones. HKToD has released two critically acclaimed discs, “Escape Velocity” (1999) and “Geolago” (2002). Collector, Cataldi’s former “heavy metal bebop quartet,” released another genre-leaping critic’s fave, the all-instrumental “Almost Live” in (1999). Both of these bands have performed frequently in New York and beyond, at progressive clubs like the Knitting Factory. Cataldi recently teamed up with Alaskan playwright and poet Mark Muro as the Vapor Vespers for two critically-acclaimed new album of sonics and storytelling called “One Act Sonix” and “Ghosts Before Breakfast.” He is also half of the edge-pushing improvisatory/ambient electric guitar duo, Guitars A Go Go, with Hudson, NY-based guitarist Rick Warren, which released their debut disc, “Travel Advisory” in May 2020. He is also a member of the Hudson Valley space/surf rock quartet, spaceheater.

Cataldi is also remembered for the role he played in one of the most popular, kamikaze bands of the early-to-mid-90s downtown scene, the “clown pop princes of Brooklyn,” Frank’s Museum. This band was a popular attraction at New York-area clubs including CBGB, The Ritz, Tramps, Coney Island High, Lone Star Roadhouse and Maxwell’s in Hoboken. Cataldi’s guitar work and songwriting with the Museum can be found on four Brooklyn Beat compilations and two full-length CDs, “Den of Antiquity” (1992) and “Make Coffee, Not War” (1993). Cataldi was also featured on the 2010 release of Rhys Chatham’s 200 guitar orchestra, “A Crimson Grail” (Nonesuch) Live at Lincoln Center. Cataldi is also a journalist whose writing has been featured in The New York Times, Rolling Stone, NYStateMusic.com, No Depression, Adweek, Inside+Out Upstate NY, Huff Post and others. He is also host of Reading Is Funktamental, a monthly show about books about music on WGXC 90.7 FM.

Contacts:  Cell: 516.236.3817   Email: spaghettieasternmusic@gmail.com

Web: https://open.spotify.com/artist/73gcZJVIpQIMaQSOtKzA8C?si=yu_qtKbQTuCkkfOlTd8Apg

Spaghettieasternmusic.bandcamp.com 

Live Performance Videos:  https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLau0iuwO-klW64b-8Zv_R7BqEDnsnBTqw  Updated 3/24

Levanta brings together a quartet of extraordinary musicians and unique instrumentation, featuring original and classic tunes performed with ancient instruments… Ev Mann, Thomas Workman, Gabriel Dresdale, Timothy Hill

We’re holding a series of monthly discussions at our cafe. Inspired by our communities and ideas from The World Cafe by Juanita Brown. We want to shape our futures through conversations that matter.

A folk inspired singer songwriter from Woodstock, Malerie Day weaves heartfelt lyrics with tender yet powerful emotionality.  Her velvet vocals take center stage atop skillful finger picking guitar and bittersweet sentiments.  Inspiration by the likes of Joni Mitchell, Karen Carpenter and Adrianne Lenker are heard in her first full length record titled “Heaven Knows” now available on all platforms. 

Kirtan:Devotional Songs from around the world.

 Julia Howl Haines, Lever Harp and Maotoaka Little Eagle, Native vocals and percussion will bring delight and beauty to you with their musical adventures in the beautiful clearing of the Rail Trail Cafe.

 Julia Haines has a unique approach to the lever harp. Called a “harper among harpists” and a ‘hip harper” by the Irish press, she won First Prize for harp and voice at the O’Carolan Festival, Keadue, Ireland. Her radiant music fuses world, folk, rock, classical & improvisational influences.

Matoaka Little Eagle (Tewa, Apache, Chickahominy) is a culture bearer and educator. She celebrates diverse Native American cultures through song, dance, and story, promoting respect and tolerance. She has collaborated with David Amram, Pete Seeger, John Sebastian, John Cage, The Thunderbird American Indian Dancers, The Vanaver Caravan and many others, bringing great joy and inspiration to her audiences, here and abroad. Matoaka is proud to play Grandma Jingle Dress in the award winning contemporary Native pop musical, "Distant Thunder"

With Martin Keith: Violin, accordion, bass playing mixed Greek, Balkan, Middle Eastern and French Music. More info on the way…

The Artist Salon, hosted by Wild Arts Collective, is a monthly outdoor gathering where artists are invited to share works and ideas in progress. This is a space for collective imagining, where we support artists to envision, co-create, and get new perspectives on their work. The Artist Salon fosters the space for ideas to grow. No advanced sign ups required-if you’d like to participate, bring a piece of art(works in progress welcome) or an idea to share and a question for the group. We hope to see you there!

Sound from the ground. Celebrate summer with the second iteration of SMSC. Improvised and composed music arising from the ground of stone mountain farm. Deep geologic time sounding and echoing to tomorrow. Join Brian Farmer for an evening of  musical exploration and solace as we move from Spring to Summer. Be prepared to venture into never before heard sonic landscapes. Only once, here, together!

Jenn Bokoch (she/her) is a playwright, performer, educator, administrator, and storyteller. She has devoted her career to creating interview-based theater featuring underrepresented voices and utilizing various mediums such as puppetry, audio recordings, movement, and music. Her goal is to place real words, experiences, and stories onstage; both so that audiences can reflect upon them, and so that real people can see and hear themselves in a script. She is proud to hold an MA in Educational Theatre from New York University, and draws from this experience to elevate voices from the community in her theatre praxis.

Jenn's plays have been performed in New York and Los Angeles, with the support of organizations such as Dixon Place, The Center at West Park, Verbatim Performance Lab, Brooklyn Arts Exchange, and The Network of Ensemble Theaters, among others. She currently works as an Arts Partnership Manager at Marquis Studios in Brooklyn, and as a practicing full-spectrum Doula. As a performer, Jenn has worked as an actor onstage and in VO, voicing campaigns for Jergens, SmileCrafters, DSW, and numerous other commercials, PSAs, and audiobooks. She has also been a full-suit puppeteer for many years, including working as an original puppeteer for The Watcher from Sony Playstation’s Horizon Zero Dawn, and at the La Brea Tar Pits where she operated a life-sized Saber-Toothed Cat puppet built by the Jim Henson Creature Shop. Jenn is a former Parent Artist Space Grantee at BAX in Brooklyn; and has also received artist residencies at Subcircle, Millay Arts, The Omega Women’s Leadership Center, and more. Her greatest ongoing gig is that of being a Mom to her son Lawrence Matteo, age 6.

A vocal trio crossing the boundaries of composition and improvisation. Onome, Raphael Sacks and Sasha Bogdanowitsch, collectively come from a wide variety of musical backgrounds consisting of contemporary music, world music, folk, jazz, choral music, and music theater; all which figure prominently in forming their unique sound and approach to singing. LoomSong’s current repertoire consists of compositions by its members, new improvisational structures, and original arrangements of folk, jazz, classical and world music. 

LoomSong concerts are a tour de force of vocal pyrotechnics and brain-bending complexity, infused with warm, invitational opportunities to join in and sing along. 

https://www.loomensemble.com/2024/11/loomsong/

Devotional Music from around the world with Ned Leavitt, Joseph Jastrab, Steve Gorn, Avinash and surprises.

As a singer, songwriter, Steven Michael Pague has travelled the world bringing his uplifting, positive music and songs to venues both large and small. He creates an intimate atmosphere inspiring and inviting dancing, listening, participating in the song, sharing the vision, the dreams of longing, hope, love, light and joy. His style ranges from ballad to reggae, folk to rock and more…

Shokoloko is an electro-acoustic improvising trio that taps into the diverse sounds and influences of America, Africa, Europe, Asia and beyond.

The band is: Joakim Lartey on drums, percussion and voice; Chris Lane on guitar and electric guitar, oud-guitar and banjo; Richard Carr on violin and electric violin.

Shokoloko is about dance, trance and community fun!

Brad and Lesley Stoller are NYC-based singer-songwriter brothers who perform and record with their ensemble, The Stoller Bros Band. They are currently working on their second album, after their first ‘Stationary Sun’. Throughout the ‘70s and ‘80s, they performed perpetually in various Mid-Hudson towns, including Rosendale (where they lived), New Paltz, Red Hook and Woodstock. They return now, with much gratitude and love for their youthful years spent in the Hudson Valley.

Brad and Lesley are honored and overjoyed to have pedal steel extradaordinaire/dear old friend, Rob Stein sharing the Rail Trail stage.

Kate Prascher is a singer and multi-instrumentalist best known for her evocative songwriting. She was thrilled to be named a 2021 IBMA Songwriting Showcase finalist. Inspired by her Tennessee roots and influenced by master song crafters like Hazel Dickens and Gillian Welch, Kate is a versatile and engaging performer. Her songs are outspoken and sometimes tender, by turns playful and heart-piercing. Ink 19 described Kate’s "delicate and expressive singing" and “intangible vintage feel". 

Different performers are presenting their unique interpretation of a poem from my book just like that, poems paintings and practices.

They pick a poem that is meaningful to them, that moved them, helped guided their life or they just happened to open to that page.

 They pick it or it picks them and create a musical /dance movement interpretation.

Some of them are spontaneous collaborations creating something real and moving in the moment.

Masterful weavings of meaningful threads bring us all together.

This is an agenda free discussion about death. Topics decided by the people attending. Our influences are Henry Fersko-Weiss Death Doula training series.

Julia Howl Haines and Matoaka Little Eagle will bring delight and beauty to you with their cross cultural adventures, interweaving music, voice, and stories. Their unique collaboration is magical, serendipitous. Really! So beautiful! 

Soar with your spirits as you hear original compositions and stories from Julia on the lever harp. Matoaka complements Julia's music with her Native songs, vocals, and stories. Join the fun in the Fox Song and story. Travel with your minds in the "Circle of the Sky". Remember "The times" of love and romance in their "49'ers" medley of love songs. 

From 6:30 to 7:00, Julia will do a solo concert featuring more of her original compositions, in the lovely setting in the woods of the Rail Trail Cafe. 

Julia Haines has a unique approach to the lever harp. Called a “harper among harpists” and a ‘hip harper” by the Irish press, she won First Prize for harp and voice at the O’Carolan Festival, Keadue, Ireland. Her radiant music fuses world, folk, rock, classical & improvisational influences.

Matoaka Little Eagle (Tewa, Apache, Chickahominy) is a culture bearer and educator. She celebrates diverse Native American cultures through song, dance, and story, promoting respect and tolerance. She has collaborated with David Amram, Pete Seeger, John Sebastian, John Cage, The Thunderbird American Indian Dancers, The Vanaver Caravan and many others, bringing great joy and inspiration to her audiences, here and abroad. Matoaka is proud to play Grandma Jingle Dress in the award winning contemporary pop “Distant Thunder”.

Chanting with Ned & Lynn is for everyone regardless of experience. Chanting brings you to "beginners mind," where everything is in the sacred now. Chants range from deeply meditative to highly ecstatic. Using simple ancient Sanskrit mantras, we share our deep love for the Divine and the sacred - we also have fun!!

Ned & Lynn offer Sacred Chanting from many languages and traditions - Sanskrit, Native American, Sufi, Hebrew and Contemporary.

They welcome the audience to join them in call and response community chanting with simple mantras and beautiful melodies.

They have toured with Wah, sung with Jai Uttal and offered chants at Omega Ecstatic Chant, Bhakti Fest, Kripalu, Integral Yoga, Maverick in Woodstock and in many beautiful home settings. They were honored to sing for Amma with Wah in Boston.

Look for their CD, Bhakti Treasure, on iTunes, Amazon, CD Baby and on their website: BhaktiTreasure.com

"Beautiful CD - blessed drops of Bhakti Nectar" - Jai Uttal

"Ned & Lynn create heart-felt kirtan sangha wherever they sing " - Wah

Find Ned & Lynn on Facebook - for bookings: Nedleavitt@aol.com

To understand climate solutions, one must understand energy. Our global civilization runs on fossil fuels and we are all part of both the problem and the solution. The rate of adoption of zero-carbon technologies that run on electricity will be critical to meeting our climate goals. Come join educator, engineer, and environmentalist Samrat Pathania to explore how electrification of our machines (cars, buses, furnaces, etc.) will help achieve massive reduction in carbon emissions in this decade (and beyond). Samrat will also share why he has taken the Flight Free pledge (https://flightfree.org/).

Bio

Samrat Pathania is a former software engineer who currently teaches mathematics, physics, and computer science at Wallkill High School in Wallkill, New York. He is a New York State Master Teacher Emeritus and co-founder of the Educator Collective for Environmental Justice (https://www.ejforward.org/). Samrat is a passionate advocate for inquiry-based and climate solutions-centered STEM education, inside and outside the classroom. He is the Program Manager for Science and Sustainability at the Mid-Hudson Teacher Center @ SUNY New Paltz. Samrat is a Climate Reality Leader and has served as co-chair of the Hudson Valley/Catskills chapter of the Climate Reality Project. He is also a clean energy coach with New Yorkers for Clean Power and has assisted dozens of families with their transition to fossil-fuel-free households.

Samrat

Program Manager - Science and Sustainability

Mid-Hudson Teacher Center

"When Mother Nature arm wrestles with the invisible hand, she will always win."

Annie Roland and Carrie Chapman are Barely Lace. Since the 80's we have woven our voices together in a style we call acoustic trance.
Focusing on Original Compositions, we also interpret traditional and seasonal European ballads as well as some Contemporary Covers. These days we are pleased to be joined by Rusty Boris on bass and guitar.

Timothy Hill and Sasha Bogdanowitsch's duo creates an entry into a unique sonic world. Informed by traditional musics from around the globe, they utilize tunings based on the natural overtone series, giving the music a crystalline clarity. Employing voices, harp, zither, lyre, n'goni, and guitar, the resulting effect sounds both hauntingly familiar and refreshingly new.

Please join us and share your thoughts. Shaping our futures through conversations that matter!

Sarah Urech is originally from Switzerland and has called the Mohicanituck Hudson River Valley home for nearly 30 years. She will be singing jazz standards and songs from around the world with musicians Ann Belmont, Todd Anderson, and Fre Atlast, members of Hudson River Playback Theatre, and guest performers.

Sound from the ground. Celebrate summer with the second iteration of SMSC. Improvised and composed music arising from the ground of stone mountain farm. Deep geologic time sounding and echoing to tomorrow. Join Brian Farmer for an evening of  musical exploration and solace as we move from Spring to Summer. Be prepared to venture into never before heard sonic landscapes. Only once, here, together!

Devotional Music from around the world.

Ned Leavitt, Steve Gorn, Joseph Jastrab, Avinash

For over 30 years Amadou Diallo studied the rythms of Senegal, Mali and Guinea. People thought he was crazy, everyday singing and playing the Sufi drum (Hrim) on the streets of Dakar, Senegal.

But that was where he wrote so many of M’Bollo’s songs, and he knew one day he would bring his music to a wider audience.

Then in 2001 a miracle happened, and he got a contract to come to the U.S. playing djembe with the African Ballet Bugerabou.

Amadou settled in Rosendale, NY and in 2010 formed M’Bollo with local musicians The Schikowitz brothers.

Mbollo means “be together”

Jim Pospisil is a singer songwriter and multi instrumentalist from the Hudson Valley whose songs are marked by well crafted, sometimes quirky lyrics and themes from the personal to the profound. A mix of folk, blues, rock and more, his performances on guitar, mandolin, flute and harmonica  can be soft and subtle, or wild and energetic. He blends it all with a wry sense of humor, his goal is to make you laugh, cry, or think. Sometimes all at once. He performs cover songs as well, featuring fresh and creative arrangements.

Jim has just released his fourth album “Sleight Of Hand”, his most varied and ambitious release to date. The songs examine the trials of love, life and loss, and the challenge to rise above it all.

The Clear Light Ensemble is an improvisational musical collaboration divinely inspired by Classical Indian Ragas. It's a cosmic tapestry of diverse musical forms including world jazz, rock, classical, folk and avant guard

As a singer, songwriter, Steven Michael Pague has travelled the world bringing his uplifting, positive music and songs to venues both large and small. He creates an intimate atmosphere inspiring and inviting dancing, listening, participating in the song, sharing the vision, the dreams of longing, hope, love, light and joy. His style ranges from ballad to reggae, folk to rock and more…

Raindate: August 24th!

More specifics on the way…

This summer The Rail Trail Café has once again become a home for many wonderful chanting events. Chanting under the “cathedral of trees” has offered spiritual uplift and inspiration for many chant lovers. So many have come to sing, dance and pray in the open air responding to the devotional offerings of the Hudson Valley’s many gifted chant bands and kirtan leaders.

Chant offerings came from local Hudson Valley Kirtan leaders and musicians: The Spirit Brothers, Steve Gorn, Renee Radharani, Seth Lieberman, Arundhati, Ishwari, Ned & Lynn, and Krishna Devotees from Bhakti Bhandar. Most will return for this year’s event along with some new leaders.

Please come for some or all of the day. As always, there will be wonderful, healthy and delicious food available through the café. We are very grateful to the founders of the Café, Tara and Brian, for sponsoring this event and to Steven and Robin Larson who host the Café on their land. Admission will be by donation with proceeds going to benefit the Café

for any further info or questions contact NedLeavitt@aol.com 

Bill Ylitalo leads this homemade Gamelan with Mark Bernard, Brian Farmer and more!

The avant folk solo project of Sasha Bogdanowitsch, blending world music, folk, ambient and electronica. A selection of works featuring voice, lyre, kamelengoni harp, handpan, mountain dulcimer, fuyara and ney flutes, banjo, electronics and more.

“…winning authenticity …” New York Times

www.timbretree.com

Thomas Workman, Ev Mann, Gabriel Dresdale and Timothy Hill.

Levanta brings together a quartet of extraordinary musicians and unique instrumentation, featuring original compositions and improvisations with influences from Brazil to the Silk Road to the Australian outback.

A folk inspired singer songwriter from Woodstock, Malerie Day weaves heartfelt lyrics with tender yet powerful emotionality.  Her velvet vocals take center stage atop skillful finger picking guitar and bittersweet sentiments.  Inspiration by the likes of Joni Mitchell, Karen Carpenter and Adrianne Lenker are heard in her first full length record titled “Heaven Knows” now available on all platforms. 

Gamelan Kingston is a group of composers and performers exploring the musical possibilities of gamelan (a multi-timbral melodic percussion orchestra from Indonesia) in contemporary and traditional styles. Their diverse backgrounds combine to create new music and well as new collaborative possibilities with both artists and audiences. They present original works by members, many inspired by classical and experimental repertoire from Java and Bali. Members include: Jody Diamond, director, Sasha Bogdanowitsch, Katie Down, Dean Jones, Henry Lowengard, Gavin Ryan and Peter Wetzler

Sound from the ground. celebrate the harvest with the first iteration of SMSC. Improvised and composed music arising from the ground of stone mountain farm. Deep geologic time sounding and echoing to tomorrow. Join Brian Farmer and guests for an evening of  musical exploration and solace as we move from Spring to Summer. Be prepared to venture into never before heard sonic landscapes. Only once, here, together!.,

Drumsong Orchestra is a women’s drum and percussion ensemble founded and directed by Ubaka Hill. 

The Drumsong orchestra of the Hudson Valley performs world rhythms and songs rooted in women’s folkloric and contemporary music genres. Drumsong orchestra is a whole vibe for everyone to enjoy. 

Brazilian and American jazz with guitar, vocals, saxophone, flute, and percussion. Ann Belmont, Todd Anderson, Fre Atlast, and special guest Sarah Urech

annbelmont@verizon.net
Guitar/vocals/composer/arrang

Come join us for a community discussion. Let’s shape our futures with discussions that matter, tap into our collective intelligence!

As a singer, songwriter, Steven Michael Pague has travelled the world bringing his uplifting, positive music and songs to venues both large and small. He creates an intimate atmosphere inspiring and inviting dancing, listening, participating in the song, sharing the vision, the dreams of longing, hope, love, light and joy. His style ranges from ballad to reggae, folk to rock and more.

The Artist Salon, hosted by Wild Arts Collective, is a monthly outdoor gathering where artists are invited to share works and ideas in progress. This is a space for collective imagining, where we support artists to envision, co-create, and get new perspectives on their work. The Artist Salon fosters the space for ideas to grow. No advanced sign ups required-if you’d like to participate, bring a piece of art(works in progress welcome) or an idea to share and a question for the group. We hope to see you there!

A folk inspired singer songwriter from Woodstock, Malerie Day weaves heartfelt lyrics with tender yet powerful emotionality.  Her velvet vocals take center stage atop skillful finger picking guitar and bittersweet sentiments.  Inspiration by the likes of Joni Mitchell, Karen Carpenter and Adrianne Lenker are heard in her first full length record titled “Heaven Knows” now available on all platforms. 

Lead by Dorcinda Knauth. More info on the way..

Life-long disciple of the great folk traditions of the world, singer/songwriter Mario Rincon draws inspiration from Andalusia and Appalachia alike, crafting a bi-lingual blend of flamenco cante, Latin-American folklore, and classic Americana. He’s based in the Hudson Valley where he teaches private lessons and workshops.

Julia Howl Haines and Matoaka Little Eagle will bring delight and beauty to you with their cross cultural adventures, interweaving music, voice, and stories. Their unique collaboration is magical, serendipitous. Really! So beautiful! 

Soar with your spirits as you hear original compositions and stories from Julia on the lever harp. Matoaka complements Julia's music with her Native songs, vocals, and stories.

 Julia Haines has a unique approach to the lever harp. Called a “harper among harpists” and a ‘hip harper” by the Irish press, she won First Prize for harp and voice at the O’Carolan Festival, Keadue, Ireland. Her radiant music fuses world, folk, rock, classical & improvisational influences.

Matoaka Little Eagle is Native singer, dancer, storyteller, and educator who has introduced Native American culture to thousands of students, teachers, event goers, and professionals in a wide array of venues from schools, colleges, and museums, to prestigious cultural institutions like Symphony Space and the Cathedral of St. John the Divine. She is a lifetime member of the acclaimed Thunderbird American Indian Dancers, based in NYC and has collaborated with numerous arts and educational organizations. Her many collaborations with fellow performers and musicians include Pete Seeger, David Amram, and Ulali. Matoaka plays the role of Grandma Jingle Dress in the contemporary Native musical, Distant Thunder, through the Lyric Theater of Oklahoma City, which premiered in March, 2022 at the First Americans Museum in Oklahoma City. She currently resides in New Paltz, NY. matoaka.e@gmail.com. (845) 977-6146.

Join us as we return to this magical outdoor space for an early summer evening of stories! Let yourself be inspired by nature, or by memories that surface as we gather together. Our team of improvisational performers will enact your stories on the spot, building our connection as a community.

 The Rail Trail Cafe, right beside the parking lot on Stone Mountain Farm off Springtown Road, serves delicious food and drinks. Come early or stay later to eat and relax!

 All are welcome. Limited outdoor seating — feel free to bring your own folding chair! No reservations or tickets required. Donations gratefully accepted to support the performers.

 This outdoor show will be postponed in case of rain! If in doubt please check on Facebook (Hudson River Playback Theatre or Rail Trail Café.)

 Hudson River Playback Theatre, a New Paltz-based nonprofit ensemble founded in 1990, has performed by invitation in New York City, Boston, Washington DC, Montreal, London, and Frankfurt. HRPT was the 2019 recipient of the Arts Society of Kingston’s ASKar award for performing arts.

Different performers are presenting their unique interpretation of a poem from my book just like that, poems paintings and practices.

They pick a poem that is meaningful to them, that moved them, helped guided their life or they just happened to open to that page.

 They pick it or it picks them and create a musical /dance movement interpretation.

Some of them are spontaneous collaborations creating something real and moving in the moment.

Masterful weavings of meaningful threads bring us all together.

Joakim Lartey (percussion, voice, electronics) and Richard Carr (electric violin) invite you to an afternoon of open improvisation in sound, melody, rhythm and movement.

There may be a surprise guest or two…

Kate Prascher is a singer and multi-instrumentalist best known for her evocative songwriting. She was thrilled to be named a 2021 IBMA Songwriting Showcase finalist. Inspired by her Tennessee roots and influenced by master song crafters like Hazel Dickens and Gillian Welch, Kate is a versatile and engaging performer. Her songs are outspoken and sometimes tender, by turns playful and heart-piercing. Ink 19 described Kate’s "delicate and expressive singing" and “intangible vintage feel". 

Organized by Max Fass of course!

The 2025 edition of Balkan Music Afternoon at the Rail Trail Cafe will feature bands from around the Hudson Valley that play Eastern European dance and listening music.

We will celebrate the changing of the seasons as some villagers might in the Balkans. 4 pm til dusk.

Schedule to be announced in early September. Balkan dances will be taught throughout the afternoon.

Balkan Festival at the Rail Trail Cafe
Sunday, September 28, 2025

Sound from the ground. celebrate falling into Fall with the first iteration of SMSC. Improvised and composed music arising from the ground of stone mountain farm. Deep geologic time sounding and echoing to tomorrow. Join Brian Farmer and guests for an evening of  musical exploration and solace as we move from Summer to Fall. Be prepared to venture into never before heard sonic landscapes. Only once, here, together!.,

Conservatory (Salzburg).  20 years of classical/jazz piano study most recently with Kirk Nurock and Robert Helps.  Gamelon study at Brown University and UC Santa Cruz. Landmark Education: entire curriculum including leadership and communication programs.   Teaching appointments at Princeton, NYU, Connecticut College, Juilliard, School for Visual Arts and The Center for Creative Imaging.  

The Artist Salon, hosted by Wild Arts Collective, is a monthly outdoor gathering where artists are invited to share works and ideas in progress. This is a space for collective imagining, where we support artists to envision, co-create, and get new perspectives on their work. The Artist Salon fosters the space for ideas to grow. No advanced sign ups required-if you’d like to participate, bring a piece of art(works in progress welcome) or an idea to share and a question for the group. We hope to see you there!

www.wearewildarts.org

Shokoloko is an electro-acoustic improvising trio that taps into the diverse sounds and influences of America, Africa, Europe, Asia and beyond.

The band is: Joakim Lartey on drums, percussion and voice; Chris Lane on guitar and electric guitar, oud-guitar and banjo; Richard Carr on violin and electric violin.

Shokoloko is about dance, trance and community fun!

Please join us for a community sharing and discussion. Agenda decided by attendees.

Neetopk Keetopk ( Algonquin for My friends Your Friends ) a grass roots collective will be co-hosting our event.

Please join us for an afternoon of music, song and story.

Celebration starts at 1:00 pm and ends at 4:00

The Cloud Breakers will open the day with traditional drumming and singing

followed by a land acknowledgment and flute meditation

by Evan Pritchard, who will also introduce our theme Mending the Hoop.

Sarah Elizabeth will speak on regenerative farming,

Esi Lewis will talk about restorative justice, Matokah Little Eagle will perform and Sally Bermanzohn will

speak about Tending the Earth,

Annie Mardiney, local bird

rehabilitator, will introduce a few special birds,

and Elga Antonsen will share some poems

Many other presenters will make an appearance including Scott Belongi on cedar flutes.