Schedule of Events

Bear in mind that The Bridge Coffee House only exists during these times; the Little Theater and main stage are also used for other events.

Saturday, January 20

Open stage returns!  Come in to see what hidden talent lurks within the hills of western Pennsylvania!  The pre-registration lineup is already killer.  If there is any time left, performers/readers can sign up the evening of the event; but show up early for a better chance of getting scheduled.  Performances begin at 7:30.

Saturday, February 17

Bluegrass comes to The Bridge with Rick Malis of The Dog Run Boys.

Past Events

Saturday, November 18

Unfortunately, Keith Hershberger came down with a serious strain of catscratch fever (no kidding) and couldn't make it.   Stay tuned; he SHALL return!

But... Franklin's own Eddie St. Clair came to the rescue and rocked the place with a full evening's set.  Eddie has been performing his original songs since 1986 in coffeehouses, clubs, and festivals across the east coast. His music encompasses a range of styles that include acoustic folk, blues, rock-a-billy, and ballads. As a writer and a native of Hubbard Ohio, Eddie has written a number of songs that describe life in the Northeast. His song "Youngstown" honors the plight of the steelworkers who lost their jobs in the mid-1970s. A children’s favorite, "Ten" describes the adventures of a young boy who tries to fly with homemade cardboard wings, collects beer cans, and prays for a "Lake Erie" snow so that his school will close. "Road Trip" recounts the route taken by carefree, young couple driving through Ohio, Pennsylvania, and New York. Even though Eddie is considered a regional folk songwriter, he has had only a handful of performances in either Ohio or Pennsylvania until recently. Eddie performed in the summer bandstand concert series as well as Applefest 2000. Eddie’s 1997 recording Same Old Change was available at the show.

Saturday, October 14

Another Songwriter's Circle!  This main-stage performance featured Carol Lee Espy, Jim DiSpirito of Rusted Root, Tracy Drach (for her main stage debut), WYEP's Heather Kropf (who had her debut CD for sale), Dave Hanner of the legendary Corbin-Hanner Band, and Korel Tunador & Frank Spadafora of Crisis Car.

Saturday, August 19

The Yves Jean Band returned to The Bridge.   The lively music of YJB, lead by Haitian native Yves Jean, consists of a melange of danceable, accessible styles: funk, soul, rhythm and blues, world beat, rock and jazzy fusion. YJB’s recent CD, Been Many Days Empty, has sold very well in the regional National Record Marts. The group often tours throughout the East and Midwest, opening for a variety of crossover acts such as Ekoostik Hookah, Robert Bradley's Blackwater Surprise, Dark Star Orchestra and Bernie Worrell. When in their hometown of Pittsburgh, fans can find Yves Jean gracing the stage at larger clubs such as Nick's Fat City or playing the mainstream rock festivals such as the Walnut Jam, M-Squared and the WDVE Rocker. In 1999, the group won the Rock Challenge contest at the now-defunct Graffiti Showcase club in Pittsburgh, beating out over 150 other entries. Yves Jean Band consists of: Matt Vucic, drums; Anthony Fugate, percussion; Dirk Miller, guitar; Yves Jean, bass and vocals; Aaron Troskosky, saxophone; and Kent English, keyboards.

Dave Brown, who was last seen playing lead guitar for Mama Tongue, returned with his three-piece jazz band. Over the past 18 years, Dave has recorded and toured with various jazz groups led by Nathan Davis, Eric Kloss, and Dwayne Dolphin, as well as being a founding member of the progressive jazz quintet, The Dave Harger Group. He has also played onstage with such legendary musicians as Herbie Hancock, Larry Coryell, James Moody, and Joe Henderson among others. Taking a break from the jazz world in 1994, Dave co-founded the rock band The Gathering Field with singer/songwriter Bill Deasy. After the regional success of the their song "Lost in America", the band was signed to Atlantic Records in 1996 and spent 3 years touring the country with various acts like Vertical Horizon, Rusted Root, Storyville, and The Pat Magee Band. Gathering Field also played opening slots for artists such as Tom Petty, K.D. Lang, Toad the Wet Sprocket, and Blue Rodeo. In addition to being a guitarist, Dave has also made a name for himself as a producer on such releases as Rusted Root's "Cruel Sun" as well as their remake of the Santana hit "Evil Ways" for Jodi Foster's film "Home for the Holidays". He has also produced releases for Push, Carol Espy, Sho'Nuff, all 3 Gathering Field CDs, and a soon to be released CD by the talented singer Rachel McCartney. Returning to his jazz roots, he performed at this show with his new progressive trio featuring drummer Dave Throckmorton and bassist Steve Landay.

Performances begin at 8:00, but we'll be playing jazz music and the Celtic Cafe will have the grill fired up at 6:00.

Saturday, September 9

We wrapped up the summer blues & jazz barbecue series with Terry Steele's Jazz Band, and Sweet Jane & The Djam, featuring Cindy Lyons.

Saturday, July 15

The first of our summer blues & jazz barbecue series!  We featured Pittsburgh's Crisis Car, whose members Korel Tunador and Frank Spadafora have been featured at our songwriter's circles.  Former Rusted Root member Jenn Wertz performed with her new band, and we finally snagged bluesmaster Max Schang, with his band featuring Tim Graziano and Jim Richley.

Sunday, June 18

Rusted Root drummer Jim Donovan returned to The Bridge to lead a drumming workshop from 2-4 p.m. in the Little Theater. Donovan’s drumming helped launch Pittsburgh-based alternative rock band Rusted Root to multi-platinum status and national stardom with their blockbuster CD, When I Woke. While the band is on hiatus, Donovan is working on several projects, including the soon-to-be-released debut CD of world music group Mamma Tongue.

This workshop was appropriate for any level of player, and beginners were welcome. Students learned a variety of cross cultural rhythms, musical techniques and concepts to further enhance their understanding of rhythm & drumming. Donovan also focused on listening and rhythmic ear training as it relates to playing in a group situation and developing musical creativity. For more information on the workshops, see Jim Donovan’s website.

Saturday, May 20

Drach 'N Droll!, an eclectic acoustic trio made up of Pittsburgh’s Tracy Drach, David Bennett, and Vince Camut. Utilizing guitar, cello, percussion, and Drach’s rich vocals, Drach 'n' Droll is an irresistable mix of harmony, thought-provoking lyrics, and rhythm. The band primarily plays original folk, but also blues, swing, and jazz.

Dave Kress has a BA in Chemistry and English from the University of Connecticut, an MA from the University of New Hampshire, and an MFA from Penn State University. He has worked as a chemist and a technical writer, as well as a guitarist with bands in New England and Pennsylvania. His stories, poems, and essays have appeared in a number of journals, including Northwest Review, Sport Literate, and Slow Dancer. He lives in Warren, Rhode Island, and teaches writing at Roger Williams University.

Saturday, April 15

CD release party with Conneaut Lake native Jim Williams, featuring Dave Hanner of Corbin/Hanner Band.  Jim performed songs from his third CD, entitled One Star.  Featured reader was Ann Pancake.   Ann received her PHD from the University of Washington. She's published both fiction and creative nonfiction in a number of journals, including Shenandoah, The Virginia Quarterly Review, The Massachusetts Review, and others. She's received an NEA and won the Thomas Wolfe Fiction prize and the Emerging Southern Women Writers Award. She teaches at Penn State--Behrend Campus.

Saturday, April 30

Drumming workshop with Rusted Root's Jim Donovan!   Another one coming soon!

Saturday, March 18

The Bridge welcomed the return of former Rusted Root member Jenn Wertz and Stephanie Helsell, previously known as  Lovechild.   Jenn & Steph performed at The Bridge in January, 1988, to a standing room-only crowd.  Also appearing was Franklin's own Mykel Paul, known previously as Michael Showers.  Mykel Paul has been touring extensively throughout the eastern U.S. and Europe, performing his original compositions.

Saturday, February 26

What a legendary show!  Rusted Root drummer Jim Donovan came to showcase his new band Mamma Tongue. Based in New York City, Mamma Tongue featured Tibetan singer Dadon Dawadolma, Cameroon singer Kaissa Doumbe, and composer John McDowell.

Mamma Tongue performs an exciting blend of African, Tibetan, and American music. "Passionate, intense, exhilarating, driving," are some of the words used to describe this unique combination of African music and rhythms with an edge of American/ European driving dance music. Mamma Tongue has appeared at the Montreal Jazz Festival, Ottawa Jazz Festival, Lincoln Center, the United Nations, and Festivals throughout North America and Europe.

Composer/Pianist John McDowell has performed internationally for the past twenty years and has appeared with such artists as Sting, Rusted Root, and Roger McGuinn of the Byrds. Drummer/ Vocalist/Songwriter Jim Donovan is a founding member of multi platinum recording artists Rusted Root. Vocalist Dadon Dawadolma was the most recognized singer in Tibet before she fled the country to work for Tibetan freedom. She has appeared around the world at various festivals including the Tibetan Freedom Concert. Vocalist Kaissa Doumbe is from Cameroon and has sung with West African recording artistes Salif Keita, Manu Dibango and Papa Wembe.

Percussionist Michael Wimberly plays and records internationally with groups such as The Paul Winter Consort, Micky Hart, Steve Coleman's 5 Elements, Parliament Funkadelic, and jazz artist Terumasa Hino. Bassist Ken Rich has recorded with David Byrne, Laurie Anderson, Lou Reed, and Debra Harry.

Also featured was Pittsburgh’s Yves Jean Band, whose music encompasses of a variety of styles including funk, soul, rhythm & blues, fusion, rock, and world beat. The band consists of front manYves Jean (bass), Dirk Miller (guitar), Matt Vucic (drums), Jeremy Fletcher (saxophone, flute), and Anthony Fugate (percussion, background vocals). Yves Jean Band has performed at many Pittsburgh venues such as Graffiti, Club Laga, The Attic and The Pittsburgh Deli Company. In addition to Pittsburgh-area shows, fans have enjoyed the band's music in other parts of Pennsylvania and West Virginia. Some of the highlights so far have included M-squared (Market Square, downtown Pittsburgh) and Coca-Cola Star Lake Amphitheater's Second Stage with Dave Matthews Band.

Saturday, January 15

Saturday, January 15, the Bridge Coffee House welcomed singer/songwriter/guitarist Kenton Kovich. A Berklee College of Music graduate, Kovich joined the original Janis Joplin backup band, Big Brother and The Holding Company, in 1979, but soon left the band to work on his own songwriting, and to perform in the band Mountainside while living in southern California. In the early ‘90s, Kovich lived and performed in London England, then relocated to Memphis to join the Captain Boogie Band, then on to Nashville to work on a publishing contract and perform solo acoustic gigs.

In the mid-1990’s, Kovich’s father died, leaving him a home in Cambridge Springs, and Kenton took the opportunity to escape the big cities and settle into western Pennsylvania. It was here that he met fellow musician J.D. Hopkins, and formed his current band, That Dog in Egypt. The band will soon release their debut CD, which will feature music rooted in classic folk rock, with influences by artists such as Bob Dylan, The Byrds, and The Beatles. Over the past few years, Kovich has played venues including The Blue Planet Café, Cuppacino’s, The Arcade Coffeehouse, The Roadhouse Theater, 1000 French, and Julienne’s.

Also featured at this Bridge Coffee House was the amazing 3-D projection show of the stereo photography of Michael Henderson of Franklin.

Saturday, November 20

The Bridge Coffee House featured Bollo Mah Kissey, an original worldbeat band featuring elements of Afrikaans, Xhosa, and Zulu music, "mixed with energetic funk, lyrical ballads, and percussive breakdowns". Led by South African award-winning (Grammy equivalent) singer/songwriter Clarabelle van Niekirk and backed by a solid line-up of talented musicians, Bollo Mah Kissey bring a fresh new sound to American audiences.

Clarabelle and her band were featured in the 1998 Klein Karoo Nasionale Kunstefees (National Arts Festival) in Oudtshooren, South Africa. Their self-titled CD, Bollo Mah Kissy, to be released the day of this month’s performance, showcases the band’s musical and imaginative range. CD’s were available for the very first time for sale at this show.

Bollo Mah Kissy are:

Clarabelle van Niekirk, British-born Meg Dennehy, Clayton & Mark DeWalt of Grove City, Steve McMurray of Franklin, Lisbet Searle-White of Meadville, and Joe Sherry of Meadville.

Saturday, October 16

Cool jazz was the theme for this performance. The evening featured Catro, a jazz band that combines some of western Pennsylvania’s and eastern Ohio’s finest players. Joining Catro for the evening was Erie Blue singer Bob Grant. Catro performs widely throughout the area and has been featured in the 1997 and 1998 Mellon Jazz Festivals in Pittsburgh and other regional arts festivals.

Guest vocalist Bob Grant ("Big Dog") began singing as a youth in the South in churches, contests, and jam sessions. His style reflects his heritage and his influences. Among them are Ray Charles, BB King, and Joe Williams. Whether it’s a big outdoor festival concert or an intimate club date, Bob’s performances bring audiences to their feet.

Catro also features band leader and keyboardist Mark DeWalt of Grove City, saxophonist Art Nance of Pittsburgh, drummer John Schmidt of Pittsburgh, and bass player Tim Graziano of Youngstown.

Featured poets were Vera Saeli and Joule Bazemore. Both Clarion University students, Saeli and Bazemore have published in The Oil City Review, and have read in Clarion and Oil City.

Saturday, October 9 Songwriter's Circle

The Clarks return!  You asked for them, so Scott Blasey & Rob James, of MCA recording artists The Clarks were back to join the songwriter's circle on Saturday, October 9.  We figured, what better way to kick off the 1999-2000 season than on the big stage!  (We hope you didn't mind us skipping September...)  We were also happy to announce the return of WYEP's own Heather Kropf.  Heather knocked our socks off back in July, so we just had to get her back.

Also returning to the stage were:  Pittsburgh-area musicians Carol Lee Espy, Jim DiSpirito of nationally-acclaimed Rusted Root, Corel Tunador, Frank Spadafora, and Jere Bucek of Crisis Car, and Phil Harris. For those who have yet to attend a songwriter's circle, it is a unique event, in that all featured musicians share the stage at one time, each taking turns at playing their own music in a round robin-type of progression.  The  intimate setting.affords the audience a rare opportunity to hear personalized acoustic versions of the artists' music.

Saturday, July 31, 1999

The Bridge presented its fourth concert in the continuing Songwriter's Circle series on the big stage of the Barrow-Civic Theatre.  This show featured the return of Pittsburgh-area musicians Carol Lee Espy, Rusted Root's Jim DiSpirito, Griff Humphreys and Dale Cinski of Ice Cream Headache, Paul Tabachneck and Gar Misra of  Stone Soup, Corel Tunador and Frank Spadafora of Crisis Car, and Randy Venturini.  New to the Barrow-Civic stage was folk rock musician Keith Hershberger, Heather Kopf, Doc Horvath, and Dave Hanner of the Corbin/Hanner Band.

November, 1998

November 21 - Singer/songwriter Brad Yoder. A native of Harrisonburg, Virginia, Brad attended Eastern Mennonite High School, and continued his education at Goshen College, where he received degrees in Music and German, with a minor in French. Brad has written songs in English, as well as both German & French, and for the last seven summers has worked for Concordia Language Villages, a network of summer camps where youth learn world languages and the cultures where they are spoken. Brad recently spent the summer touring as part of the Carnegie Museum Summersounds series, and has just released his first CD, Best Sunday Heart. Brad will be appearing with fellow Pittsburgh musician Keith Hershberger.

Also featured will be poetry by Paula Closson-Buck. Paula received her Ph.D. in English from Ohio University and is the recipient of two Pennsylvania Council on the Arts Individual Artist fellowships in Poetry. She is also a recipient of Shenandoah's Boatwright Prize for Poetry. Her poems have appeared in such journals as The Ohio Review, The Antioch Review, Willow Springs, Denver Quarterly, and Shenandoah. The Acquiescent Villa, her first book of poems, was published by LSU Press in Fall of 1998. Paula is currently Associate Professor of Writing and Writing Program Director at University of Pittsburgh at Bradford.

What you missed (or were you there?)

January, 1998

January 17th - Our evening with Brokenstraw and Love Child was a raging success! Sorry to all the folks who were turned away because of space limitations.

February, 1998

February 21st - We had another packed house with Armor and Sturtevant, Terry Steele and his Slippery Rock jazz quartet. poetry, fiction, and non-fiction by Rebecca Christy, Shirley Dickson, Robert Hines, and Bill Gaisford; writers featured in The Oil City Review. Sorry once again for those who had to stand!

March, 1998

March 7th - We featured the talent of our area’s youth with our annual Youth Night. Once again it was a great success, thanks to the work of many volunteers, and coordination by Nate Edmondson.

March 21st - The Mark DeWalt Jazz Trio treated us to some great jazz. Readings from our own Phil Terman were fantastic; aside from being co-founder of The Bridge, Phil has a book of poems, The House of Sages, that will be published sometime this year.   He has published poems in many journals, including Poetry Magazine, The Kenyon Review, The New England Review, The North American Review, and others.  Phil received an Acadamy of American Poets Prize. He is an Associate Professor of English at Clarion University, where he started The Oil City Review,

Saturday, March 28th - This year's Songwriter's Circle was the biggest ever! This year's show featured the return of last year's performers; Scott and Rob from The Clarks, Carol Lee Espy, Jim DiSpirito of Rusted Root, Griff & Dale of Ice Cream Headache, and Jenn Wertz, joined by Lovechild cohort Stephanie Helsell. Paul & Gar of Stone Soup made the scene and said it was the best gig they've ever played! See a great shot of the 1996 Songwriter's Circle onstage here.

April, 1998

April 18th - Forsyth Special, featuring Brian Hunt and Irish tenor John Hoyle from Brokenstraw, and poetry by Ellen Smith. On display will be the linoleum block print work of Mary Hamilton. Get a sneak preview of Mary's work here!

May, 1998

May 16th - An evening of tribute to the late guitar master Bill Huber of Oil City. Also, poetry by the Bridge Coffee House poets.

September, 1998

September 19th - Stone Soup returns! Paul & Gar return to the little stage to perform some new stuff from their yet unreleased new CD. Visit their website here. Also on hand will be poet Chuck Joy of Erie.

October 17th, 1998

Saturday, October 17th - Songwriter's Circle IV! Join us in celebrating the release of Carol Lee Espy's second CD, Stars in the Back Yard. Also performing onstage will be Jim DiSpirito & Jim Donovan of Rusted Root, Dale Cinski & Griff Humphreys of Ice Cream Headache, Phil Harris of Hipster Dufus, Frank Spadafora & Korel Tunador of Crisis Car, Randy Venturini, and sax player extroadinaire Terry Steele. The show starts at 8:00 pm.

October 24th, 1998

Saturday, October 24th - The Bridge Coffeehouse presents a mix of blues, jazz, and rock with the Warren-area band DJAVA. DJAVA features the bold vocals, guitar, and conga work of Cindy Lyons, former New Dylans keyboardist Reese Campbell, percussionist Ricco Hines, guitarist, vocalist, and writer Jamie Haight, bassist/vocalist Dan Warmbrodt, and drummer John McGuire, formerly of bands such as The New Dylans, Mad Hatter/Dark Horse, Capture, and Paris. Having only been in existence for one year, DJAVA has performed in local venues such as Warren’s First Night New Year’s Eve celebration, St. Marys Hometown Days, and has already opened for bands such as 10,000 Maniacs and shared venues with the likes of Rusted Root. This Saturday’s appearance will be an unusual intimate evening with this powerful six-piece band.

Also featured will be poetry by local writer, Michael Dittman. In 1994, Mike attended a graduate poetry workshop in Prague Czechoslovakia, sponsored by the University of New Orleans. That same year, he was awarded the Adrian and Vonna Hicks Prize for Poetry. His works have appeared in Goliard, The Carletonian, Transitions Abroad, International Living, Oil City Review, and the Erie Daily News.

Take me back to the menu, Phil!

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