Bowery Stage Concert Schedule
Concert Schedule for 2021
The Bowery Stage is an intimate 88 seat listening room and musicians tell us that the acoustics provide some of the best sounds they’ve experienced. We usually have two 45 minute sets with an intermission that provides an opportunity to meet the performer(s). You are welcome to bring a bottle of wine and we’ll supply the glasses and uncorking for a small donation. Small fruit plates and other refreshments are available. Performers love us!
We are continually planning concerts and shows for 2021 and 2022. Check out our website for regular updates.
Upcoming Concerts
From Texas’ upper east side near the arts hamlet of Winnsboro, award-winning singer-songwriters Lynn Adler and Lindy Hearne connect with audiences coast to coast. Honored to be selected by the Texas Commission on the Arts to serve on the state’s official Texas Touring Roster, the husband-wife duo enjoys the title of Official Texas Touring Artists for the September 2020-2022 touring season. (Adler & Hearne have served on the roster since 2014.) Their music is a signature blend of original folk, jazz and blues with deep Texas roots. With 12+ recordings and decades of touring between them, their repertoire is playful, poignant and poetic – including sparky love ballads, historically based tributes, quirky story songs, and anthems of justice and peace. Raised by musical families and nurtured by music ensembles through college, the two met in Nashville, and now pay it forward together in performances from listening-room venues, festivals and community events to churches, libraries, schools and house concerts. Lynn co-wrote the theme song for the hit PBS children’s TV series Wishbone. Her diverse writing background brings added experience to the duo’s workshops and presentations. Lindy sang in the famed Texas Boys Choir as a child, and for several years he and his band were Roy Clark’s backup group performing with Roy from Las Vegas to Hee Haw to Carnegie Hall. Adler & Hearne’s songs share a common bond with the human experience of us all. The vibe of their shows is a thoughtful balance: equal parts campfire song circle and concert hall polish, punctuated with humor and spirit.
Born in 1960 in the United States, Miguel Antonio began his musical training on piano at the age of four. By age eight Miguel was learning classical guitar and by age fifteen began performing professionally. Mr. Antonio attended the music school at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas and afterwards, travelled to Spain for a more in depth study of Flamenco guitar. During his career, he has studied with Pepe Romero and many others.
As an accompanist, Miguel has toured with Jose Greco and others worldwide. As a performer and educator, Miguel combines Flamenco, Classical and Latin American folk music in his concerts. He also conducts master classes for universities and guitar societies worldwide. In addition, Mr. Antonio is also a Luthier, restoring and repairing guitars of every type and exotic stringed instruments from around the world.
The Music of Simon & Garfunkle by Swearingen & Kelli
November 28 at 5:00 pm
Tickets on Sale September 13th, 2021
Swearingen & Kelli recreate the music, memories and magic of the most famous folk-rock duo of our time, Simon & Garfunkel. AJ Swearingen has been performing this music for twenty years with mastery of Paul Simon’s intricate guitar playing. His deep baritone blends perfectly with Kelli’s angelic vocals delivering a true tribute to the sound of the 1960’s Greenwich Village, NY coffeehouse performances.
The duo is on a mission to share this iconic music to new audiences around the country. Both artists were heavily inspired by the great 70s singer-songwriters, but their unique ability to channel the sounds of Simon & Garfunkel is immediately apparent when you hear them perform these classics songs live.
This show has played to sold-out halls across the country and we’re excited to have them come to our town. It’s only in an intimate listening room like The Bowery Stage that you can experience the sound as it was back then.
2022 Concerts
Martin Sexton in Concert
January 23, 2022 at 5:00 pm
*Tickets on Sale September 17th*
The real thing…a star with potential to permanently effect the musical landscape and keep us entertained for years to come. -Billboard
Singer-songwriter Martin Sexton is like an ultra-active antenna, adventuring through the static to grab a clear signal. When he dials in on one station, he then quickly shifts to the next one. This everchanging attention span drives his family crazy, but it’s ingrained in Martin, dating back to his childhood when he would tear through television primetime programming.
This ability to hone in on little defining moments suits Martin as a songwriter as evident by his latest EP, 2020 Vision. This is Martin’s first release in 6 years, and it is a poetically emotive and an elegantly evocative pandemic scrapbook. “In one song, I’m building a treehouse with my son. In another song, I’m crossing America and seeing the beauty in people rising through adversity and loving each other,” Martin details.
The recordings were tracked virtually during lockdown and produced by three-time Grammy-nominee John Alagia, best known for producing John Mayer’s breakout album, Room For Squares. Mayer, who has always championed Martin as a foundational influence, makes a special guitar solo cameo on one of the EP’s singles, “Calling on America.” This 4-song collection will be available on the digital platforms, and also issued as a handsomely-packaged vinyl release.
Martin’s ever-shifting focus also manifests itself in his freewheeling musicality. He nurtured a critically-acclaimed trademark aesthetic through embracing soul, folk, blues, rock, pop, and sweet balladry. His last album, 2015’s Mixtape of the Open Road, garnered raves from the Wall Street Journal, Billboard, Folk Alley/NPR Music, and Relix Magazine.
http://martinsexton.com/news
Walt Wilkins in Concert
February 12, 2022 at 7:30 pm
*Tickets on Sale October 12th*
“Songwriter, singer, traveler, troubadour – the calling I answered, the life I chose, the way I make my way.
I chose to go full time on this road 25 years ago. Its been a spiritual quest, an amazing trip, at turns heartbreaking & transcendent. In that time I’ve made 9 solo records, 4 records with The Mighty Mystiqueros, 1 with my wife Tina, and there’s a new live record with my friend Kevin Welch. I’ve had 100 or more songs recorded by other artists, traveled a fair part of the world, and had some very, very large times. I have these anchors: Wednesdays with my brothers The Mystiqueros at The Saxon Pub in Austin, the 1st Sunday of every month at Luckenbach, The Red River Songwriters Festival on the last weekend of January in the mountains of northern New Mexico, and Waltstock & Barrel, a Texas wine, beer & music festival near Fredericksburg on the 1st weekend of April. I move around a lot.
The C & C Show with Mary Dibbern, featuring soprano Courtney Stancil and tenor Christopher Leach, will be returning to the Bowery Stage on September 12. They first performed as a group on the Bowery Stage as part of the Sunday Classical Series in 2018. Pianist Mary Dibbern, a specialist in vocal accompaniment and opera coaching, has performed here numerous times. She has been Music Director of Education for The Dallas Opera since 2012 and is also Artistic Director of Secular Music for St Matthew’s Cathedral Arts. After graduating from Southern Methodist University (MM in Piano Performance), she moved to Paris, France, where she studied with Nadia Boulanger and Pierre Bernac, Gérard Souzay and Dalton Baldwin. Dibbern has long been in demand for vocal recital collaborations and recordings, and she has authored eight books on French composers.
Soprano Courtney Stancil, a native of Houston, Texas, received degrees in Vocal Performance from Sam Houston State University (BA, 2012) and Southern Methodist University (MM, 2015) where she performed in major roles in a variety of musical productions. She has been engaged by The Dallas Opera’s Education and Outreach program for four seasons as a Teaching Artist and as Touring Artist in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex.
Tenor Christopher A. Leach (a native of Kingsville, Texas), performs regularly in the Dallas-Ft Worth metroplex with The Dallas Opera’s Education and Outreach productions including the title role of Doctor Miracle, Eddie Pensier (The Bremen Town Musicians), Miguel (Pépito), Don Giovanni (The Three Little Pigs), and Dandini (The Billy Goats Gruff). With the Fort Worth Opera, he created the role of Senator Ralph Yarborough in David T. Little’s opera JFK (2016). Leach is active as recitalist for a variety of groups in the metroplex.
The trio will be recording their first CD together in the fall of 2021, a collection of songs by American composer Mary Howe, produced by Toccata Classics (London).
Sofia Talvik in Concert
March 16, 2022 at 7:30 pm
*Tickets on Sale November 16th*
Unmistakably Nordic in flavor, Sofia Talvik somehow still conforms to American interpretations of her own original music, a North Sea siren blending sparkle and melancholy. A veteran performer with 7 full length albums as well as numerous EPs, singles and tours behind her.
Growing up in Sweden her music has always had a special tint of her Scandinavian heritage, making her a favorite among music lovers, but her 16 month, and 37 state long tour, through the USA (in an RV) has moved her music closer to the Americana tradition. The adventure on the road spurred a lot of emotions, both those of triumph and joy, but also those of self doubt and defeat – all of which found their way into the songs of her 2015 album “Big Sky Country”.
Living like a musical nomad, moving from place to place, slowly but steadily building her audience through her heartfelt and personal performances she got to experience the USA in a way few people do. The people she met opened their homes and hearts to her and some of them even made it into her songs. But the new album is not a diary from her tour, it’s more of a storybook of emotions, new and old in which everyone can find their own place.
Sofia’s debut album Blue Moon was released in 2005 to much critical acclaim followed by Street of Dreams in 2007 which features a duet with indie pop icon Bernard Butler from British band Suede, released on her then newly formed record label Makaki Music. Continuing a steady pace of releasing albums Sofia released her album Jonestown, named after the tragic 1978 event in Jonestown, Gyuana, 2008, and was the first Swedish female artist to play the Lollapalooza festival in Chicago, that same year.
“It’s not often that an album takes your breath away, and I hate to sound hyperbolic, but “Florida” actually has several “Oh my God!” moments of sheer beauty.” – CD Baby
about Sofia Talvik’s 2010 release Florida, and album inspired by spending a few hot summer months in Florida in 2009.
Sofia who toured the US several times from her first success at the Lollapalooza festival in 2008 has been invited to officially showcase at SxSW 3 years as well as to The Folk Alliance International Conference in 2012, completed a 16 month long tour of the US promoting her 5th release The Owls Are Not What They Seem. The tour took her through 37 states and she did over 250 concerts. She’s been noted in media all over the the world for her impeccable live performances and captivating stage presence. In October 2013 she released her album Drivin’ & Dreaming LIVE an album with live recordings from her U.S tour.
In March 2014 Sofia Talvik released the EP “FOLK” – a six track special. A hauntingly beautiful EP of old Swedish folk songs in a new modern presentation.
“Folk is as short as it is blissful. It gracefully bows to tradition. Sofia Talvik captivates the listeners with the soul and emotions of these folk songs. The Swede is one of those singer-songwriters who turns everything she touches into gold.” – Lie In The Sound
April 2015 Sofia’s 6th studio album “Big Sky Country” was released. A storybook of adventures and hardships, about sometimes doubting yourself but also finding strength within yourself. 10 original songs written on the road as well as in the contemplation after, beautifully packaged in a simple yet powerful production. “Big Sky Country” also contains a cover of “Starwalker” by Buffy Sainte-Marie. The album is being distributed in the USA and Canada by ILS/Caroline/Universal. The album was appointed 4th best americana album of the year by U.K newspaper The Telepgraph.
After having continued her tradition of releasing an original Christmas song, every year for over 10 years, Sofia released her Christmas album “When Winter Comes” in 2017. The album reached no 5 on Folk Radio Charts in the USA, and Sofia was the 3rd most played folk artist of the month of December.
The latest album “Paws of a Bear” released in September 2019 gained a lot of critical acclaim in both the U.S and Europe, charting on the top lists of U.S Folk Radio, Roots Music Report and Euro Americana Charts. The first single “Take Me Home” stayed in the top 10 of U.S Folk Radio Charts for several months. Many of the songs of the album are on the theme of home and identity.
Voices about “Paws Of A Bear”:
“A keen songwriter, the indie folk artist crafts beautiful soundscapes of subtle, rootsy timbres that place the pristine storyteller’s voice at their center. In this case of developing savvy arrangements that highlight her haunting vocals, the roots music that Talvik develops is of a similar tapestry to Joni Mitchell, tapping into that same knack for soul-stirring clarity and resonance. Between, however, is something of a different nature. Open-air production sets the scene for an evocative and atmospheric release from the Swedish folk artist.” – PopMatters
“This album is solid gold from start to finish” – Americana Highways
“Talvik’s voice is a thing of thing of singular beauty.” – Goldmine Magazine
“Talvik has created a mellow, indie-folk, 10-song masterpiece.” – Ditty TV
Geoff Clapp is a one of a kind drummer who’s feel and style are only matched by his kind and generous spirit. He plays what he describes as a mix of the “heady New York and soulful New Orleans” drum styles. Geoff is a true artistic rarity in progress.
He has played and toured with some heavies, including Donald Harrison, Terence Blanchard, Ellis Marsalis, Wynton Marsalis, Jason Marsalis (vibes), Peter Martin, Reuben Rogers, Peter Bernstein, Aaron Goldberg, Frank Morgan, Ron Blake (SNL), Eric Reed, Charlie Hunter, Delfeayo Marsalis and the Uptown Jazz Orchestra, LOUQUE, James Tealy, Jamil Sharif, Wess “Warm Daddy” Anderson, Matt Ray Trio, Jermey Pelt, Evan Christopher, Petr Cancura, Sam Fribush Trio, and Wycliffe Gordon.
Geoff was also active with Wynton Marsalis’ Lincoln Center educational programs in the five boroughs of NYC, as well as with Melissa Walker’s Jazz House Kids with Christian McBride workshops in NJ inner city school system. To this day, Geoff continues to tour, educate and record his musical gifts and its ability to reach deeper into our consciousness to facilitate emotional, mental, and spiritual expansion.
“The music of Geoff Clapp and his virtuoso collaborators is a joyful and uplifting testimony.
Thanks to County Line Magazine for their support
of live music on The Bowery Stage and in all of East Texas!