Old-Time music is the real thing: music the way it is supposed to be, played for the sheer joy of swapping songs and having a good time. Come to our own back porch session and bring your guitar or banjo, fiddle or mando, bones, what have you. Just for the fun of it!

Traditional Irish and Celtic music session.

Come join us for an evening of jigs, reels, hornpipes, polkas, and songs. All musicians, singers, dancers, and other lovers of Irish music welcome. Hosted by Ed Saultz and Fred Gilmartin.

Winner of the esteemed national Kerrville New Folk Songwriting Award, Indian Summer Music Award, Lehigh Valley Music Award and the 2010 Silver Arrow Award for Outstanding Contributions to Native American Music, in addition to a Best Female Artist NAMMY (Native American Music Award) nomination, Jackie Tice is walking in the footsteps of other crossover artists like Buffy St. Marie and Bill Miller who interweave the spirit of indigenous philosophy into accessible folk, rock and jazz musical styles. Brooklyn-based World percussionist, Rich Stein and blues/jazz guitarist, Spencer Reed, make up the Ensemble that dazzles with their brilliant improvisations.

www.jackietice.com/ -  Listen to sound clips

Perennial Godfrey’s favorite Bruce Katz returns with his hot jazz tinged powerhouse blues. With his big, old Hammond B-3 and Leslie rumble and keyboard flash, Bruce fronts a group of the hottest musicians you will ever hear. Both Bruce and bassist Rod Carey worked with the legendary Ronnie Earl and the Broadcasters, and recently guitar slinger Mike Williams joined the band. The Bruce Katz Band don’t mess with words…their music is all instrumental, straight from the heart, and they have a reputation for playing long, hot sets. There are not too many performances that can move you like this one. A Bruce Katz show is not just something you hear, it’s something you FEEL!

www.brucekatzband.com

$18.50 plus $1 processing fee - Advance Sale

The spawning ground for new artists! Open Mike features a grab bag of regional talent. During each 3-song/15-minute set, you may hear anything from guitar pickers and budding singer-songwriters to pianists, fiddlers, comedians, poets, and storytellers. Many a notable act started here. Watch history in the making! Sign-up is just before 7:00 p.m.

Lucky are we to add Bluegrass music to our monthly community jams! Join Fred Gilmartin and friends for a fine music circle in the tradition - bring your instruments and voice, or come just to listen and tap your feet.

Godfrey’s is pleased to present storytelling. Join us and the Lehigh Valley Storytelling Guild for this special night. Bring a story to tell.

www.lvstorytellers.org/

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A trio combining the talents of singer/instrumentalists Laurie MacAllister, Abbie Gardner, and Carolann Solebello, Red Molly are regulars at Musikfest and Falcon Ridge Folk Festival. Weaving their voices in harmony over a myriad of strings - guitar, banjo, mandolin, and Dobro - Red Molly's repertoire includes carefully selected original and cover material, ranging from Appalachian ballads to 20th-century pop/country standards and contemporary folk. Resting on the belief that great songs shine with minimal handling, Red Molly digs down to the root of a song with simple, uncluttered arrangements, leaving plenty of room for three voices to carry it skyward. Lovely!

www.redmolly.com -  Listen to sound clips

For over 10 years, Sean, Alison, Fionna, Tom & Al have been pleasing fans with high energy. Formed in 1996, the band has released 3 albums, performed everywhere from intimate pubs to festival stages, and brought their inspired love of their shared musical heritage to an ever growing fan base. The band’s rich tradition in Celtic, folk, classical and contemporary music, merges with their striking vocal harmonies, intricate fiddle styles, multi-instrumental talent and a penchant for compelling rhythms to solidify their footing on the traditional. Original compositions, innovative arrangements and an all embracing passion for fun, freshen the mix for a show that has been described as "sheer ceili aerobics!"

www.BlackwaterMusic.com/ -  Listen to sound clips

Swing is back - big! This is the night: Western swing, big band Dixieland, and more. Bring sheet music. All instruments welcome.

We were introduced to – and blown away by – Michael’s live performance when he accompanied our own John Gorka here at the Ice House. Hailed as the world’s leading solo bassist, he has been pushing back the boundaries of what is possible on the bass guitar for over two decades. Whether he’s adding percussive sounds to harmonic overtones, using two eBows, or the full features of his custom-made hyper bass, seeing him play is every bit as important as the mesmerizing music he creates. And nowhere is better to experience this than in our intimate listening room.

As an added bonus, we are fortunate to have finger-style guitarist Jamie Willard opening for Michael. He was described as “Intricately detailed, a pleasure not only to listen to but to see”. And upon hearing Jamie play, finger-style guitar virtuoso Tommy Emmanuel praised him as a gifted guitarist with a wonderful sense of melody. 

This will be an evening of exceptionally creative music. Reserve your seat today!

www.manthing.com -  Listen to sound clips

A member of Saffire –The Uppity Blues Women, Ann is no stranger to Godfrey’s stage. This year Ann was nominated again for Traditional Blues Female Artist of the Year. Additionally, the final Saffire release, “Having the Last Word,” has been nominated as acoustic blues album of the year, and the documentary “Hot Flash” has been nominated as DVD of the year. WOW! In 2008 she was nominated for a Blues Music Award (formerly W.C. Handy Award) as Pinetop Perkins Piano Player of the Year. Her first solo album, Music Makin’ Mama, was nominated as Album of the Year in both the Traditional Blues and Acoustic Blues categories, and her composition Elevator Man was nominated as Song of the Year. Adept on the ivories, she’ll tickle your funny bone as well!

www.annrabson.com -  Listen to sound clips

Sponsored by Compact Disc Center

Thanks in no small part to our membership program, Godfrey's celebrates 34 years of presenting the best in live music in the Lehigh Valley. We've turned our annual Anniversary Bash into a special Members-only concert, open and free to all our members. Not yet a member? Time to join up! Hosted by our own Dave Fry, a full evening of music with Eilen Jewell and her jazzed-up country-soul band.  Pre-concert dessert buffet.

Boise-born and Boston-based, Jewell has quickly distinguished herself as one of the rising stars of a new generation of roots musicians. No Depression raves that “Jewell is showing she can wander with the best of them, and write riveting song-stories about her adventures along the way.” Indicative of Jewell’s strong following in Europe, The Word in the UK described her as “A voice of real distinction [that] manages to transcend some powerful influences and pierce the fog long enough for her own point of view to emerge.”

Since WXLV introduced us to Eilen a few years ago, she has twice packed the house at Godfrey's, so make your reservations today.

www.EilenJewell.com/  -  Listen to sound clips

Keeping in the tradition, our own Dave Fry is our Master of Ceremonies, with his guitar, mandolin and banjo, his wry commentary on life as a working-class arts entrepreneur, and a bag full of audience-tickling shenanigans.

 

www.DaveFryMusic.com -    Listen to sound clips  

Additional Details:

You must be a member to attend this concert.

Visit our Membership page for more information.

Friends of Godfrey's level = Admittance for one person only
Companion Members = Admittance for up to two people
Family, Sustainer & Patron Members = Admittance for up to four people

The spawning ground for new artists! Open Mike features a grab bag of regional talent. During each 3-song/15-minute set, you may hear anything from guitar pickers and budding singer-songwriters to pianists, fiddlers, comedians, poets, and storytellers. Many a notable act started here. Watch history in the making! Sign-up is just before 7:00 p.m.

A low-volume get-together for swapping songs and riffs with other blues players. Hosted by Tavern Tan featuring Doug Ashby, Tom Axcel, Andrew Brubaker, and Dave Joachim.

Everything about Peppino D’Agostino and his art -- virtuoso acoustic guitarist, composer, singer, teacher and all-around entertainer -- is rooted in his heritage. It's fitting then that his latest CD is titled Made in Italy. Voted Best Acoustic Guitarist in May 2007, on Made in Italy, Peppino introduces the listener to composers and singer/songwriters such as Gino Paoli or Sergio Endrigo or Fabrizio De André, translating lyrics, just to show that Italian music has many nuances. Each of his concerts is different than the last, as Peppino feeds off each individual crowd to decide what he's going to play and sing, acting as a filter between the music and his audience. It doesn't matter what order the songs flow out of D'Agostino. All of them are guaranteed to entertain and enlighten us.

www.Peppinodagostino.com -   Listen to sound clips  

$19.50 plus $1 processing fee - Advance Sale

Toby Walker is a unique, accomplished fingerstyle guitar virtuoso. Adept at blues, rags, and hot country picking, Toby coaxes more out of a guitar than anyone can imagine, and the originality doesn't end there. He is also a skilled singer and songwriter who draws inspiration from traditional and contemporary music. Toby learned directly at the feet of Eugene Powell, James "Son" Thomas, Etta Baker, and R.L Burnside, among others.  The talent, passion, and soul of a Toby Walker performance reflects these travels. Whether it is telling the humorous and heartwarming tales of other masters, talking about his inspirations, or astounding you with his mastery, his performances are a feast for the senses. Those fortunate enough to attend one of his shows will vouch for that. 

www.littletobywalker.com -   Listen to sound clips  

Join a friendly group of Songwriters in the Round, be inspired and turn your works in progress into polished gems. If you're an experienced writer or have just always wanted to write a song, come share the craft of songwriting. Hosted by Steve Walker.