Event Info
John Gorka, Antje Duvekot
From New Jersey, John Gorka is a world-renowned singer-songwriter who got his st...
8:00pm - 11:00pm
$24 ($20 members)
Event Description
From New Jersey, John Gorka is a world-renowned singer-songwriter who got his start at a neighborhood coffeehouse in eastern Pennsylvania. Though small, Godfrey Daniels was and is one of the oldest and most venerable music institutions and has long been a hangout for music lovers and aspiring musicians. In the late 1970’s, John was one of these aspiring musicians. Although his academic coursework at Moravian College lay in Philosophy and History, music began to offer paramount enticements. Soon he found himself living in the club’s basement and acting as resident MC and sound man, encountering legendary folk troubadours like Canadian singer-songwriter Stan Rogers, Eric Andersen, Tom Paxton and Claudia Schmidt. Their brand of folk-inspired acoustic music inspired him, and before long he was performing his own songs – mostly as an opener for visiting acts. Soon he started traveling to New York City, where Jack Hardy’s legendary Fast Folk circle (a breeding ground for many a major singer-songwriter) became a powerful source of education and encouragement. Folk meccas like Texas’ Kerrville Folk Festival (where he won the New Folk Award in 1984) and Boston followed, and his stunningly soulful baritone voice and original songwriting began turning heads. Those who had at one time inspired him – Suzanne Vega, Bill Morrissey, Nanci Griffith, Christine Lavin, Shawn Colvin – had become his peers.
Blending uncommonly beautiful vocals with one of the sharpest poetic sensibilities in her field, Antje Duvekot has a remarkable ability to make us believe she is whispering secrets in our ear, and we know that she believes every word she sings. New Siberia is her third studio album and a masterpiece of the modern folk genre. She assembled it herself with a fresh confidence enhanced by the fan loyalty displayed on Kickstarter.com. Again produced by folk legend Richard Shindell, the cinematic ensemble sound showcases Duvekot's bold, sure-footed path through emotional terrain most artists dare not even enter. "Musically, I think I am in the strongest place I've ever been," says Duvekot.
No one writes quite like Antje, who was influenced lyrically by the very greats -- Dylan, Joni Mitchell, Paul Simon and Leonard Cohen, who are Mt. Rushmore-like figures to her. "Antje is the rare artist who can write about the social and the personal in the same breath,'' says folk icon Ellis Paul. "Her voice has a sound of innocence and naivete which makes razor-sharp insights into the human condition.'' Adds producer Neil Dorfsman, who has worked with Dylan, Bruce Springsteen and Sting: "She creates an entire, detailed world in verse, and takes you there with beautiful and understated melody. Her songs are stunning paintings of color and shade.'' And as Springsteen biographer Dave Marsh says, "Antje is the whole package.''
http://johngorka.com
http://www.antjeduvekot.com
http://www.roguefolk.bc.ca/concerts/ev14030920
Venue
St. James Community Hall
3214 W. 10th Ave.
In-Person Event
Sun. March 9th 2014 + Add to Calendar
St. James Community Hall
