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Help keep the dream alive after Fiddler's Dream was closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic by making a donation via PayPal:
We need your help... Fidd's is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization, and our coffeehouse engine needs volunteers to keep it running. Please consider helping out - greeting guests with a smile, making and pouring coffee and drinks, taking admission and even being an emcee. And you will get free admission for the night! What a deal!
To find out more about being a Fiddler's Dream Volunteer, contact our volunteer coordinator by SMS-texting your contact info to 602-997-9795. If you don't have a mobile phone, call and leave a message on our VMS at that same number. It's that easy!
The Dream Big CDs have arrived! All net proceeds to benefit Fiddler’s Dream!!! A minimum $10 is requested. If you’d like to purchase one but aren’t within driving distance for one of our pickup events at Fidd's (check our Fidd's Facebook page), let us know via FB message, or text message to or call 602-997-9795, or email nia@yellowdogs.com and we can figure out mailing details.
We are continuing our live and in-person events! We still observe mitigation methods and precautions, to do the best we can to minimize the chance for sharing more than beautiful music! We are doing our best to be inclusive to all who would like to attend, to include those in high risk or immune compromised status. N95 masks (or KN95 masks for the bearded) are required inside the music room area (except for the performer while performing), and beverages will be available for enjoyment outside in the lighted courtyard area; beverages may be enjoyed inside during the performance, just move your mask, take a sip, and return your mask to regular operating position (and fasten your seat belt)! We continue to improve our ventilation and air circulation - sometimes that means a door is left open, so please dress to suit the climate! Our goal is to get back to live music, and remain open for that beautiful exchange of energy that happens in the room - and we want our indoor area to be as safe as possible for all attendees. Please check our event listings for details on individual events.
Our Open Stage night is completely acoustic, and lots of fun whether you wish to play or simply enjoy the evening as part of the audience.
We recommend arriving before 6:29pm (if you are a musician, that will get you in on the first rotation, and if you just want to enjoy the music, you'll be there from the start!).
Doors will open by 6pm (often a bit sooner), and we start playing at 6:30pm. We do a one-song rotation and a time limit of no more than 4 minutes per turn. Play your turn - please no substitutions or giving your turn to another performer. Give the performer their time: unless you are invited to play with the performer, please don’t play-along with your instrument. Join the audience and listen! And please don’t play music outside, except to tune your instrument or quietly warm up a bit. Since we are all acoustic, sound does carry inside! Thank you for having fun with us as we celebrate 2023, our return to live music, and our 36th Anniversary!
Admission is $10 at the door. Cash is always appreciated, as we are not always able to take cards at this time.
We are opening to live events while keeping the safety of our audience and our performers in mind as our primary concern. The regular Fidd's room will have a capacity of 32, and masks will be required while in the room (N95, or KN95 for those with beards). Each performer may choose to remove their mask while on stage for their turn. We'll have hot coffee, hot water, cold water, and pop available for purchase for attendees to enjoy outside, with limited beverages inside - talk with the kitchen volunteer if any questions! Dress for the evening climate, as we have been leaving at least one of the south doors open to improve ventilation and fresh air flow!
Award winning songwriter Jason Moon is joined by fiddle player Tim Sadow for a night of story and song!
Jason Moon is nationally-known for being a versatile and dynamic performer who is both a seasoned troubadour and a dedicated advocate for our veterans. In his quarter-century touring the country, Jason Moon has entertained and inspired music lovers of all ages, in thousands of shows on hundreds of stages — from Summerfest's Harley-Davidson Main Stage to major national conferences to intimate house concerts. And Jason Moon is both well-respected and well-loved for the ongoing work he does with Warrior Songs, the non-profit he founded that helps military veterans find healing through music and art. Whether for ten or a thousand, at coffee houses and independent music festivals, Jason Moon weaves stories as well as humor into his music. Tailoring his performance to meet the unique requirements of each venue as he entertains and inspires both young and old, Jason Moon always makes it a unique, night to remember experience.
Jason Moon is a storyteller. His songs and performances make you feel like you are with a trusted friend reminiscing about the good old days. He invites you in, sits you down and makes you want to listen. Jason Moon is funny and wise, thoughtful and poetic, urgent and often heartbreaking. His gravelly voice is balanced by a unique flat picking guitar style evoking blues, folk and Americana genres. A winner of several awards and honors, Jason has been recognized for both his songwriting skills as well as his engaging performances. An evening with Jason Moon is always engaging and entertaining.
Jason Moon is also a veteran of the Iraq War, and the founder of the non-profit Warrior Songs, which brings healing to military veterans with PTSD through music and the creative arts. Based in Chandler, AZ, his folk/Americana musical style has been compared to the likes of: John Prine, Jim Croce and Greg Brown. Jason began his musical career as a teenager playing around campfires in the Northwoods of Wisconsin. He later attended UW-Oshkosh and was a driving force behind the burgeoning Fox Valley music scene of the late ‘90s. During this time, Jason released his first album, Naked under All These Clothes, in 1998. He also hosted several open mics, wrote dozens of songs, and played hundreds of shows until he deployed to Iraq in 2003. In Iraq, he performed frequently for his fellow troops, but for over five years after his return in 2004 he was unable to finish more than a single song despite songwriting being his greatest joy in life, the war had taken this simple pleasure away from him as emotions cut too deep to take pen to paper.
In 2010, Jason was interviewed for the documentary feature film On the Bridge (2011) and was asked to record one of his original songs for the film’s credit roll, an experience that energized him to finally begin to write songs again in earnest, and which ultimately led to the release of Trying to Find My Way Home (2011). Trying is an “accidental concept album” based on Jason’s own war experiences and on his attempts after his homecoming to regain the man he was before he was deployed.
Based on the success of Trying in the veteran’s community, Jason founded the nonprofit, Warrior Songs, which seeks to heal veterans through music. Warrior Songs helps veterans heal from the wounds of war by turning their stories into songs. The first compilation If You Have to Ask… Warrior Songs Vol. 1 released in 2016. Women at War: Warrior Songs Vol. 2 is currently in production and is scheduled to be released November 2018. Jason also tours around the United States performing a musical/education performance titled, The 7 Things You Never Say to a Veteran.
Jason has been featured by multiple media outlets, most notably Associated Press, National Public Radio, Public Radio International. He was also the subject of a news segment for the music channel Fuse in May 2013. He was awarded the Special Recognition Gold Medal in songwriting for the 2012 VA Creative Arts Competition in Boston, MA. He was recently awarded a WAMI for Best Singer/Songwriter in 2016. His song “Trying to Find My Way Home” won the 2016 Global Peace Song Award.
Tim Sadow is a classically trained violinist, violist and fiddler. His latest endeavors are the award-winning meditation CD “Peace In Every Moment” along with it's newly released followup, "Looking For The Timeless" with multi-instrumentalist Tom Moore, the 3-song EP "In The Presence Of Gravity" with guitarist Mike Kopp, and country/folk CD “Hierarchy Of Noons” by Wadlo, Klor & Sadow. He is currently performing with singer/guitarist Blaine Long, who had a fantastic appearance on the TV show The Voice. Check it out on YouTube! Tim has performed for many years with Arizona Music Hall Of Famer Walt Richardson, as well as long-time bandmate, singer, and guitarist Hannes Kvaran, and others. In the past he was the fiddler for The Brazen Heads, a fine Irish rock band. Other past projects include tracks on a CD by blues singer Francine Reed (a member of Lyle Lovett’s Large Band) and a track for the internationally known metal band Soulfly on special editions of their CD “Enslaved”. His playing was heard on an episode of Discovery Channel’s “A Haunting” and he has made multiple appearances on local television. In the past Tim was in the 1st violin section of the Tempe Symphony. In addition to performances and recording sessions, Tim provides private violin and viola instruction.
Admission is $10 at the door. Cash is always appreciated, as we are not always able to take cards at this time.
We are opening to live events while keeping the safety of our audience and our performers in mind as our primary concern. The room has a capacity of 32, and masks for the audience are required while in the room (N95, or KN95 for those with beards). We'll have hot coffee, hot water, cold water, and pop available for purchase for attendees to enjoy outside, with limited beverages inside - talk with the kitchen volunteer if any questions! Dress for the desert evening climate, as we have been leaving at least one of the south doors open to improve ventilation and fresh air flow!
Glen picked up his first guitar at the age of 13 and hasn't put it down since. Glen is a veteran performer and founding member of one of the most popular bands to emerge from Iowa, Jif and the Choosy Mothers. The band played to packed houses for more than 35 years and opened for the likes of ZZ Top and the Gin Blossoms. Following the retirement of that band, Glen developed a solo act that has been honed at coffee houses and clubs from Boston to Phoenix. Glen was also a pioneer in rock radio, having been a driving force in developing the Active Rock radio format. At 16-years-old he walked into WAAF Worcester/Boston and got a part-time job. From there it was a radio roadshow from Vermont and New Hampshire to Iowa, Wisconsin and Illinois. He was also half of the popular "Those Guys in the Morning" radio show on KRNA in Iowa City/Cedar Rapids for 13 years in the 80s and 90s. Then it was off to Madison, Wisconsin and station ownership and management. Glen has promoted more than 300 major concerts. He has also received Gold and Platinum records for his work on albums with Sevendust, Mudvayne, White Zombie and others. And he opened for the Gin Blossoms!
Mark Bishop Evans grew up in southern California where his major musical influences were Gordon Lightfoot, Bob Dylan, Peter, Paul and Mary and most all of the folk, folk rock and beach music of the early sixties. Originally a trumpet player, his desire to sing caused the transition to guitar in his early teens. Listening and playing the folk and protest music of the late sixties inspired him to begin writing his own songs. His musical migration has taken him through folk rock, pop, country, gospel and back to folk where it all began. It has been noted that he has a way with words and melodies, bringing them together in meaningful combinations intended to make you think and feel and even sing along. His music is an intriguing blend of folk, folk rock and ballads, lyrically rich in emotional content and melodically comfortable. It is commonly called close to the bone. Mark moved to north of Boston in the early 90's and spent a considerable time in the contemporary Christian, Folk and Singer/Songwriter circles learning and sharing his gifts. At the end of 2021 he moved back West and now resides in the Phoenix Arizona area, where he continues to explore the depths of the human condition, and how to meaningfully express that musically.
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Admission $10 at door, doors open at 7:30pm. N95 masks (or KN95 for the bearded!) are required inside the music room. We will have masks available at the door for your use too, if needed.
Thank you for your attendance, and having fun times with us as we celebrate 2023, our return to live music, and our 36th Anniversary year! Thanks especially for supporting the music, and the musicians who create such beauty and share with us!
The fabulous and legendary local jazz giant Pete Pancrazi starts out this special Friday evening of music. Pete has been "one to watch" in the Phoenix area since taking up residence here in 1990. Through the years, he has cultivated a large and loyal following. Audiences enjoy his nimble guitar work and warm vocals in settings ranging from solo proformances to shows with his trio and quartet at the top jazz venues in Arizona. Pete continues to delight audiences with a growing repertoire of original compositions, along with straight-ahead and Latin jazz classics.. He has released four CDs to date which includes a Christmas album that features holiday standards arranged with a jazz twist.
In addition to being a popular performer, Pete is also a sought-after private teacher and clinician and is currently on staff at Mesa Community College, where he teaches jazz theory, jazz combo and guitar.
Pete will be sharing the set with jazz guitarist Gary Wilson, and together they will do a set of Jazz standards and more... don't blame it on the Bossa Nova!!
Pete is an amazing musician, and loves engaging with the audience in the listening room setting of Fiddler's Dream. And we love the variety of music he chooses, always different and always beautifully interpreted.
At 9:05pm, our second set is In Cursive, an acoustic duo in their first appearance at Fiddler's Dream!
$10 at door, shared with the artists and venue. Cash is always appreciated, as we are not always able to take cards at this time. Doors open at 7:30pm.
We are opening to live events while keeping the safety of our audience and our performers in mind as our primary concern. The room has a capacity of 36, and masks are required while in the room (N95, or KN95 for those with beards). We'll have hot coffee, hot water, cold water, and pop available for attendees to enjoy, talk with the kitchen volunteer if any questions!
At 8pm: Frank Mackey is a local musician who has played in and around the valley for the last thirty or so years. Frank is a talented multi-instrumentalist and vocalist, and can play anything from guitar and harmonica, to the bagpipes! His band, The Keltic Cowboys, won the best of New Times Americana category, and his song "Kiss My Irish Ass" was used with Liam Neeson for the Guy Choice Awards on Spike TV back in 2015. As a soloist, Frank plays Folk, Irish and Blues with a mix of covers and originals. Frank's music continues to engage audiences everywhere, and tonight we are fortunate to have his music at Fidd's!
At 9:05pm, our second set is Jack Alves. Born into the N.Y. hot-bed of rock and roll, Jack Alves had the advantage of growing up in Long Island. In the 1950’s and early 60’s AM radio ruled the day, with D.J.s such as “Dandy Dan” Ingram, Gary Stevens, “Murray The K” and Alves’ mentor Bruce “Cousin Brucie” Morrow. At his Huntington, N.Y. high school, many garage bands flourished. Harborfields High encouraged these bands to play at school events. Alves credits the times and the environment with shaping his musical preference and teaching philosophy. “The music I was raised on consisted of vocal groups like The Four Seasons, Dion And The Belmonts as well as instrumental bands such as The Ventures and The Safaris. Doo Wop and solo vocalists also played a major role in my education.” Also, the rhythm and blues bands were a tremendous source of inspiration.
His playing gradually changed from electric, to solo acoustic guitar. Hank Cookenboo at KDKB radio introduced him to the music of Taj Mahal, David Bromberg, John Fahey and Leo Kottke.
“Once I heard Leo, I knew the acoustic guitar was for me. I loved being in bands and playing for dancers, but the simple solo voice of the wooden guitar was much more of a personal statement for me. I bought myself a crummy acoustic twelve string and never looked back!”
The techniques of solo guitar playing came quickly to Alves. By now, a life long guitarist in his mid-twenties, the one aspect of acoustic guitar he had trouble with was finger picking. “I just couldn’t seem to grown my nails properly; they would always break. As for the metal finger picks, they would usually fall off and drop into the sound hole.”
Strangely enough, this deficiency turned out to be a boon to Alves’ performing prowess. “People familiar with the genre would comment on how amazing my playing was. They seemed to be intrigued with the flat picking of tunes that were usually fingered. I couldn’t bring myself to tell them that it was ineptitude rather than skill that resulted in this approach.”
Alves finally developed his own finger style when he started dropping flat picks. “I couldn’t hold onto them and started to worry if maybe my playing days were numbered. But when I worked with David Bromberg, he assured me that there was no single school of finger picking, that players adapt to what’s necessary.” (See performances).
Alves has spent over 25 years as a guitar teacher in the Scottsdale area. “It’s truly rewarding work. I help my students get in touch with their music, and they keep me up to date on what’s happening. I wouldn’t have known Nirvana or Greenday if it wasn’t for the students.”
$10 at door, shared with the artists and venue. Cash is always appreciated, as we are not always able to take cards at this time. Doors open at 7:30pm.
We are opening to live events while keeping the safety of our audience and our performers in mind as our primary concern. We are doing our best to be inclusive to all who would like to attend, to include those in high risk or immune compromised status.
The room has a capacity of 36, and masks are required while in the room (N95, or KN95 for those with beards). We'll have hot coffee, hot water, cold water, and pop available for attendees to enjoy, talk with the kitchen volunteer if any questions!
Check our social media sites for updates to Friday's schedule: Facebook, Twitter , Instagram, and Meetup.
Songwriter, singer, guitarist, producer, Richard launched his music career out of the Boulder Colorado music scene. After working the Colorado clubs and concert venues with his band, Slumgullion, he wound up being invited into Chris Hillman‘s (Byrds, Flying Burrito Brothers, Manassas, Desert Rose Band) solo projects. This consisted of touring in the US and Europe, recording and collaborating with a host of “A” players and co-writing with Chris and Rick Roberts (Flying Burritos Brothers, Fire Fall) on the title song Clear Sailin’.
Studio work includes recording with the likes of Richard Burton, Steve Cropper, Al Perkins, Timothy B. Schmit, to name a few. Colorado was an important stepping stone for Richard’s career.
On to Arizona. The music scene embraced Richard from the beginning with recognition from the Arizona Country Music Association, being singled out as the Solo Performer of the Year by Best of Phoenix, and Emmy nomination and a Telly Award for scoring original music for TV and Videos. Richard’s Superstition Band conquered original county music to enthusiastic audiences throughout the state. Songs have also been crafted for other local artist that Richard produces as well as performing on many of the tracks.
Richard performs both as a solo artist and with his band. His latest release, Now and Then, features the best of local artists, studio musicians, producers and recording venues. His campaign, Listen Local, is an innovative project to call attention to and support of the incredible musicians that lend their talent to making recordings that rival national artists.
“Look, it’s about the music and how to reach an audience that appreciates how the music moves you. These days the expectation is to have a personal connection with the Artists. You, the music fan drive the direction music takes with your support. Be a fan, patron, music lover or pick up an instrument. You can’t lose.”
Limited seating and masking is required inside the room. N95 masks (KN95 for the bearded) are available at the door for you if needed!
Advance tickets are $10 at Link. Tickets at the door, if seating is available, will be $15. Doors open at 7:30pm.
Don't miss this special solo performance, and proceeds will benefit Fiddler's Dream! Thank you, Richard!
Check our social media sites for updates to Friday's schedule: Facebook, Twitter , Instagram, and Meetup.
We start off this Saturday evening with Denise Ingberg and her original music on the piano. She may do a solo set, or she may mix up the entire night with some musical pals - we will just have to see what she decides!
We are still working on the evening and who will be playing, so watch this space - but mark your calendar NOW so you won't miss this creative and talented pianist.
$10 at door, shared with the artists and venue. Cash is always appreciated, as we are not always able to take cards at this time. Doors open at 7:30pm.
We are opening to live events while keeping the safety of our audience and our performers in mind as our primary concern. The room has a capacity of 36, and masks are required while in the room (N95, or KN95 for those with beards). We'll have hot coffee, hot water, cold water, and pop available for attendees to enjoy, talk with the kitchen volunteer if any questions!
Check our social media sites for updates to Friday's schedule: Facebook, Twitter , Instagram, and Meetup.
Check our social media sites for updates to Saturday's schedule: Facebook, Twitter , Instagram, and Meetup.
We start off this Saturday evening with Weston Frederic Mate at 8pm, and Larry Hill at 9:05pm.
Weston Frederic Mate is a singer and songwriter who was a student of Joe Bethancourt, and who carries on that legacy of love of the music on guitar (and banjo, perhaps...) This young man has an eclectic blend of music and will bring some favorites for you! Weston has been sharing his music at Fidd's since he was in his 'teens, and we are so happy to still have his music at the coffeehouse. The event cover photo is of Weston playing at our 30th Anniversary event in the large Meeting Room!
Larry Hill is a singer and songwriter, and an interpreter of classic and modern covers. He builds and plays his HeliX banjos, and plays six- and twelve-string guitar. His original songs are strong and deeply moving, as are his interpretations of songs from other songwriters.
$10 at door, shared with the artists and venue. Cash is always appreciated, as we are not always able to take cards at this time. Doors open at 7:30pm.
We are opening to live events while keeping the safety of our audience and our performers in mind as our primary concern. The room has a capacity of 36, and masks are required while in the room (N95, or KN95 for those with beards). We'll have hot coffee, hot water, cold water, and pop available for attendees to enjoy, talk with the kitchen volunteer if any questions!
Limited beverages inside the room, just move your mask for a sip and then back into place - we are doing our best to be inclusive to all who would like to attend, to include those in high risk or immune compromised status. We appreciate your support as we continue to enjoy our 36th year of showcasing local and touring musicians in an intimate, listening room setting.
Based in New Orleans, Yes Ma’am combines street music and 20’s style blues to create their original sound. Born from punk ethics and refined by years of performing alongside The Big Easy’s most talented street musicians, Yes Ma’am captures the spirit of the south with their gritty blues and rock n’ roll. Matthew Bracken’s soulful vocals and his rotating cast of all star musicians have gained attention from The Voice, New Orleans “Best Of Street”, and the world over. Get ready for a full night of acoustic blues and more!
$10 at door, shared with the artists and venue. Cash is always appreciated, as we are not always able to take cards at this time. Doors open at 7:30pm.
We are opening to live events while keeping the safety of our audience and our performers in mind as our primary concern. The room has a capacity of 36, and masks are required while in the room (N95, or KN95 for those with beards). We'll have hot coffee, hot water, cold water, and pop available for attendees to enjoy outside, and with limited beverages inside - talk with the kitchen volunteer if any questions!
10th Annual “Play Music on the Porch Day” Goes Global, and the theme for 2023 is “Reach Beyond.” All participants are asked to reach outside their usual circles! Bring together from outside your culture, religion, political leaning, or ethnicity! Use this event to create connections outside your usual communities!
Fiddler’s Dream will be joining in the day with some music activities, watch this space!
Musicians from around the world will come together on August 26, 2023 to celebrate the 10th annual “Play Music on the Porch Day”. The event, which started as a simple idea in 2013, has grown into a worldwide movement that promotes community engagement and encourages residents to connect through the universal language of music.
“Play Music on the Porch Day” began with the question, “What if for one day everything stopped... I’m And we all just listened to the music?” This idea quickly spread, and in 2018, thousands of musicians from at least 70 countries and thousands of cities participated. Now, in 2023, the event continues to grow, bringing together musicians from across the globe, regardless of their differences, to find common ground through music.
The event is open to all, regardless of skill level or type of instrument. Musicians are encouraged to play on their porches, in their yards, or in public spaces. No porch is necessary. Just find a place to gather and celebrate music.
“Music is powerful and universal. It doesn’t matter if you play an Oud, a Guitarrón, a Nyckelharpa, or a Guitar. When you pick up your instrument and start to play, the world disappears and you get lost in the sounds. Music goes beyond words. It can transcend the most difficult barriers. It ties us together like a thread through our hearts” said the event organizers.
Join us on August 26, 2023 as we share our talents, our passions, and our music. Together let us show the world the power that music holds.
For more information and to join the movement, visit playmusicontheporchday.com.
Info@playmusicontheporchday.com
Dana Cooper is a poetic songwriter, an insightful storyteller, and a rousing musician whose performances engage and inspire audiences around the world. In 2022, Dana did 102 shows in 29 states, and we are so happy to have him back at Fiddler's Dream as he continues making and sharing his music in 2023 as his "I Can Face The Truth" CD release tour continues. That CD was voted #22 in American Highways 2022 Reader's Poll, and has received critical acclaim and radio play.
Dana's lifelong passion and devotion to music began in Kansas City at the age of 2. One of his earliest memories is going to the Calico Cat with his father, and singing along to Ernest Tubb and Hank Williams on the jukebox! At thirteen, he had begun writing his own songs, and by the time he turned sixteen he was regularly performing at the Vanguard Coffeehouse and Sign Coffeehouse in Kansas City. His awards include the 2014 Heritage Musician award from the Pilgrim Center for the Arts in Kansas City, MO and Folk Alliance International's 2015 Spirit of Folk award. He has performed on Austin City Limits, Mountain Stage and at the Kerrville Folk Festival. Coopers songs have been recorded by a long list of artists that include Trout Fishing in America, Rex Foster, Claire Lynch, Maura O'Connell, Pierce Pettis, and Susan Werner. Fellow singer-songwriter Buzz Holland has said Cooper is a person who can sing like an angel and play like the devil.
Limited seating and masking is required inside the room.
Advance tickets are $15 at Brown Paper Tickets. Tickets at the door, if seating is available, will be $20. Doors open at 7:30pm.
Don't miss this special solo performance!
8pm: Kimberly Atwood is an American singer and songwriter based in Nashville, Tennessee. Raised in the Ozarks, Kimberly Atwood’s core is rooted in her small-town, close-knit family upbringing. With a blue collar heritage and unshakable dream, Atwood relocated to Nashville determined to add dimension to her distinctive Classic Country sound. Kimberly Atwood’s songwriting tells stories of depression, loneliness, and heartbreak.
‘I wear sweaters and write sad songs’
From George Strait to Jimmy Buffett - numerous iconic influences have finely tuned Kimberly Atwood’s artistic voice, empowering her to write and sing about the blue corners of the soul.
9:05pm: TBA
Doors open at 7:30pm. $10 admission, shared with the performers and the venue. We serve seriously strong brewed coffee and some snacks, as well as water, teas, and sodas.
Fiddler's Dream has COVID protocols in place to protect volunteers, patrons, presenters, and musicians. N95 or better (KN95 for the bearded!) are available at the venue for you if needed, at no cost.
8pm: The late great Leonard Cohen once said that “being a songwriter is like being a nun: you're married to a mystery.” James Houlahan has been deeply engaged with that mystery for all of his creative life. Over the course of six albums, he has sought to explore and reveal this mystery through his craft, rooted in a wide spectrum of folk and Americana sounds. Influenced by writers such as Cohen, Bob Dylan, and Tom Waits, Houlahan’s music is a vast net cast in a sea of musical possibility. Bringing to the surface sonic treasures from the depths of an old yet vital collective American spirit. An odyssey of exploration, bent on unlocking the transformative powers of music. One song at a time.
Based in Los Angeles, Houlahan has been active on the local music scene since arriving from his native Boston in 2012. His music has found its way into commercials, television, and movies such as 2017’s “Little Pink House,” starring Catherine Keener. Until the pandemic broke in 2020, he was busy touring, playing stages throughout much of the American West and Europe. Having released two new albums over the past couple of years, he returns to touring with a slew of new songs. New desires for expression, humbled yet longing for the light of day and the open road.
Beyond the Borders, the sixth full-length album from singer/songwriter James Houlahan, was released on November 18, 2022. Recorded in Los Angeles at Stairway Studios with producer Fernando Perdomo, the album features 12 original songs and a version of Neil Young’s “Powderfinger.” Houlahan and Perdomo were joined in the studio by drummer Danny Frankel (Lou Reed, k.d. lang, Fiona Apple) and Scarlet Rivera (Bob Dylan) on violin. The songs span both the personal and the universal, combining themes of perseverance and new beginnings while exploring connections between people and the natural world. Houlahan says, “The last few years have brought all of us so much loss. It’s really wreaked a toll on everyone. And it seems like every day the headlines bring more calamity, more uncertainty. The songs on this album were meant to help propel a way forward through all of this, to find some light in all this darkness. They were songs that I needed to write, and I hope they prove useful to others.”
9:05pm: TBA
Doors open at 7:30pm. $10 admission, shared with the performers and the venue. We serve seriously strong brewed coffee and some snacks, as well as water, teas, and sodas.
Fiddler's Dream has COVID protocols in place to protect volunteers, patrons, presenters, and musicians. N95 or better (KN95 for the bearded!) are available at the venue for you if needed, at no cost.
Singer-songwriter-parking lot attendant Jamie Anderson has played her unique original songs in hundreds of venues in four countries including forty-seven US states. Proficient on guitar, ukulele, and mandolin, this musician with an expressive soprano is folk without the Birkenstocks, country without the big hair, and jazz without the weird chords. Her twelve recordings include the 2020 release Songs from Home. Jamie loves being a musician, so she doesn’t really park cars, but her mama said she should have something to fall back on.
Most of Songs from Home was written during the pandemic. When a musician loses months of gigs and is stuck at home, it seems the logical thing to do. She initially went into James Stephen’s Quebec studio (Ian Tamblyn, Lynn Miles) to record one song, “Six Feet Away,” and ended up recording six. Because it wasn’t safe for a whole band in the studio, James and Jamie played all of the instruments: guitar, ukulele, mandolin, banjo, bass, fiddle, tenor guitar, drums, and shaker. Jamie sang all the lead and backing vocals. In addition to the first song Jamie recorded “Marry Me,” a love song to Rachel Maddow (she’s married but if you’re going to dream, dream big), “Scene from a Café”, about running into an ex, and “Remember Me,” one long merry complaint about being a ukulele player where Jamie plays part of “Smoke on the Water” and yes, “Tiptoe Through the Tulips.” “Listen to Your Heart” covers more serious fare, homophobia and racism.
Laughter is a big part of Jamie’s live performance. Her offbeat song intros and stories help keep the performance fun, but don’t be surprised when she delves into more serious issues. She’s emceed at many events and she can hula hoop while playing the ukulele. When Jamie isn’t touring, she teaches music. Her popular YouTube channel has thousands of subscribers. One of her guitar instructional videos has gone viral, with 1.5 million views.
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Deidre McCalla doesn’t merely take the stage - she owns it. Her songs embody hope and celebration, struggle, loss, and longing - sometimes all in one song! Deidre McCalla learned at an early age that life begins with an acoustic guitar. Her first album, Fur Coats and Blue Jeans, was released on Roulette Records when Deidre was 19 and a student at Vassar College. Deidre later studied jazz guitar at the Wisconsin Conservatory of Music in Milwaukee, and released three albums with the pioneering women's music label Olivia Records.
A much beloved performer in folk and women's music circles, Deidre McCalla has shared the stage with a long list of notables that includes Suzanne Vega, Tracy Chapman, Holly Near, Odetta, Cris Williamson, and Sweet Honey in the Rock. She has taught Performance at Warren Wilson College's Swannanoa Gathering, and songwriting at Common Ground on the Hill. Deidre's work has been published in Home Girls: A Black Feminist Anthology, The Original Coming Out Stories, and Chrysalis: A Feminist Quarterly, and she is featured in The Power of Words: A Transformative Language Arts Reader. Deidre is a proud member of AFM Local 1000 and the North American Folk Alliance.
A Black woman, mother, lesbian, feminist, Deidre McCalla has long been in the forefront of Black musicians redefining the understanding of how Black folk do folk. Deidre is riding high on her current release Endless Grace which dominated the June 2022 Folk Radio Charts as the #1 Album with the #1 Song - Shoulder To The Wheel and the #3 Song - I Do Not Walk This Path Alone, and finished for the year as the #13 Top Album. PopMatters, Rhythms Magazine, and the Folk Alley Listener Favorites Poll ranked Endless Grace among the Ten Best Folk albums for 2022. In 2023 Deidre’s song Shoulder To The Wheel won the 19th Annual International Acoustic Music Award for Best Folk/Americana/Roots song.
Deidre McCalla’s songwriting reveals an unyieldingly honest perspective expressed with a lyric touch that relentlessly celebrates the power and diversity of the human spirit.
Sing Out! praises Deidre as one of our generation’s most important singer-songwriters and the Austin-American Statesmen describes her as a highly distinctive voice in a crowded field of contemporary folk music. With five independent albums to her credit, Deidre McCalla has touched audiences from Maui to Maine, church basements and college coffeehouses to Carnegie Hall.
In 2021 Deidre received a SERFA Award from the Southeast Regional Folk Alliance for distinguished service and exceptional contributions to folk music in the Southeast region of Folk Alliance International. Deidre McCalla's first Olivia Records album Don’t Doubt It is included in the LGBT Collection at the Smithsonian Institution's Museum of American History and listed by Ms Magazine as one of 25 Classic Women’s Music Albums.
Admission details coming soon, doors will open at 7:30pm. N95 masks (or KN95 for the bearded!) are required inside the music room. We will have masks available at the door for your use too, if needed.
Thank you for your attendance, and having fun times with us as we celebrate 2023, our return to live music, and our 36th Anniversary year! Thanks especially for supporting the music, and the musicians who create such beauty and share with us!
Fiddler's Dream is located one block north of Glendale Avenue on 17th Street, on the Southeast corner of 17th Street and Cactus Wren. Use the newly opened Sprouts grocery at 16th Street and Glendale as a landmark - we are one block further East on Glendale Ave, and when you reach 17th Street, turn North and go one block to Cactus Wren, turn right (East), and the next right takes you into the parking lot. We are on the grounds of the Phoenix Friends Meeting (Quakers).
1702 East Glendale Ave, Phoenix, AZ, 85020 is the street address to plug into your map app.
