Cathedral Arts Live Presents Upstate, a ?Harmonic Maelstrom? of Original Sound -- With an Opening Set from Jersey City?s A Cappella Darlings Cabaret Sauvignon

JERSEY CITY -- Cathedral Arts Live is thrilled to welcome Upstate, an adventurous blend of folk, R&B, jazz, gospel, and rock ?n roll, on February 28, 2020, at 7 pm.

Upstate first emerged from New York?s Hudson Valley in 2015 with their critically acclaimed debut, "A Remedy." The Poughkeepsie Journal raved that the group ?need[s] nothing more than their voices to channel rhythm and stoke your emotions,? while The Alt hailed them as ?toe-tapping, contagious, and fun.? The album earned the band festival performances from Mountain Jam to FreshGrass, as well as a slew of national headline dates and support slots with everyone from The Felice Brothers and Phox to Marco Benevento and Cory Henry.

The band features Melanie Glenn, Mary Kenney, and Allison Olender on vocals; Harry D'Agostino on bass, Ryan Chappell on mandolin, and Dean Mahoney on caj?n. Their sound, lineup, and even their name have all undergone dramatic metamorphoses. Challenging and thrilling, those changes have finally culminated in the sextet?s dazzling new album, a collection that showcases both their remarkable growth and their adventurous blend of folk, R&B, jazz, gospel, and rock and roll.

"Healing" is the band?s first album with new member Allison Olender, their first with four contributing songwriters, and their first since shortening their name from Upstate Rubdown.

?Allison brought this new energy and a fresh perspective,? reflects Mary Kenney. ?She came from this country/folk background as a singer/songwriter, and her presence definitely reinvigorated our musicianship and helped us hone in on where we were going.?

It?s also their first project to be produced by Wood Brothers percussionist Jano Rix, who helped the group embrace their transformation and lean into their unique lineup without sacrificing any of the gorgeous harmonies, eclectic arrangements, and unforgettable performances that have defined the band.

?The last few years have been about learning who we are,? says Upstate bassist Harry D?Agostino. ?We?ve been knocking off milestone after milestone on the road, and as the touring?s snowballed, I feel like we?ve really come into our own. It?s been a process of discovering our identity.? www.upstatelovesyou.com

Kicking off the evening of sweet harmonies is a set by Jersey City?s own Cabaret Sauvignon, a female a cappella quartet beloved for their delightful and engaging performances. Cab Sav?s repertoire covers tantalizing tunes across the decades, from torch to today?s top 40, along with a few original compositions. Their soaring vocals and intimate harmonies bring a fresh spin to old favorites and new depth to today?s hits. www.cabsavjc.com

Tickets are $20 in advance, $25 at the door. Hot food and cold beverages available for purchase. Doors open at 7 p.m. Visit www.cathedralartslive.org to purchase tickets.

Cathedral Arts Live at Grace Church Van Vorst
39 Erie St, Jersey City, NJ 07302

Now in its fifth season, Cathedral Arts Live aims to create a transcendent musical experience and strengthen our community by welcoming and celebrating a diverse group of artists, performers, and audiences in our beautiful space.

Remaining Cathedral Arts Live 2020 Season

MARCH 27, 2020
VickiKristinaBarcelona is a power trio of musical veterans, Rachelle Garniez, Amanda Homi, and Terry Radigan, who rearrange songs of Tom Waits with inventive 3-part harmonies and virtuoso instrumentation. Apollo Sonders a four-piece ensemble playing a heartfelt mixture of soul, modern R&B, and indie pop-rock will kick off the performance.

APRIL 17, 2020
NYC musical collective ShoutHouse presents ?off the rails? complex grooves, poetic hip-hop, high-octane vocals, and instrumental solos for a cutting-edge concert experience.

This program is made possible in part by funds from The New Jersey State Council on The Arts/Department of State, a partner agency of The National Endowment for the Arts, administered by The Hudson County Office of Cultural & Heritage Affairs, Thomas A. Degise, County Executive, and The Board of Chosen Freeholders.

For additional information contact cathedralartslive@gmail.com

LEGENDARY DUO WALTER PARKS & ROB CURTO PERFORM REELS, SPIRITUALS, AND SWAMP BLUES ON JANUARY 17, 2020

Cathedral Arts Live is delighted to once again host the incomparable Walter Parks, performing with accordion ace Rob Curto on January 17, 2020 at 7 pm. BCB Bank is proud to sponsor this special night of live music at Grace Church Van Vorst.

Storyteller, singer-songwriter and finger-picking guitarist Walter Parks, a Florida native now living in Jersey City, enchants audiences with his creative mix of swamp blues, folk and jazz delivered sometimes in an ambient style and sometimes in a gritty-rootsy style. www.walterparks.com

Rob Curto is an accordionist, composer, arranger, and keyboardist based in New York and Philadelphia. He is a founding member of the band Matuto which was chosen to represent the United States State Department overseas as part of the American Music Abroad program in 2013 and 2015. He has released 4 CDs as a bandleader and is a prolific composer and arranger. www.robcurto.com

The duo's collaboration marks Parks? third appearance at Cathedral Arts Live. He previously delighted audiences with a solo performance, a reimagining of traditional spirituals with Jersey City singer Vivian Sessoms, and a reunion with Stephanie Winters, his former bandmate from The Nudes.

?Along the path of a serious artistic career, certain situations, places and/or people eventually take us to a crossroads,? said Parks. ?In working with Richie Havens for ten years I arrived at this juncture ? I could take the route of being good, or go beyond, rising to my fullest potential and embracing, or at least striving for, the excellence that I knew was in me. The latter is a scary choice but satisfying beyond measure if one can deliver the excellence one is capable of. A new sense of pride and confidence empowers wherein raw accomplishment motivates far more than does the ego. Grace Van Vorst Church is such a crossroads, where one is naturally inspired to do one's best work instead of settling for less, for to do so would be boringly evident by contrast amidst such glorious sonic and visual beauty, having been created long ago by fellow artisans rising to their own occasions.?

Tickets are $20 in advance, $25 at the door. Hot food and cold beverages available for purchase. Doors open at 7 p.m. Visit www.cathedralartslive.org to purchase tickets.

Cathedral Arts Live at Grace Church Van Vorst
39 Erie St, Jersey City, NJ 07302

Now in its fifth season, Cathedral Arts Live aims to create a transcendent musical experience and strengthen our community by welcoming and celebrating a diverse group of artists, performers, and audiences in our beautiful space.

Cathedral Arts Live 2019-2020 Season

FEBRUARY 28, 2020
An adventurous blend of folk, R&B, jazz, gospel, and rock ?n roll Upstate creates a ?harmonic maelstrom? of original sound. The night opens with soaring vocals and intimate harmonies from the all-female a cappella quartet Cabaret Sauvignon.

MARCH 27, 2020
VickiKristinaBarcelona is a power trio of musical veterans, Rachelle Garniez, Amanda Homi, and Terry Radigan, who rearrange songs of Tom Waits with inventive 3-part harmonies and virtuoso instrumentation. Apollo Sonders a four-piece ensemble playing a heartfelt mixture of soul, modern R&B, and indie pop-rock will kick off the performance.

APRIL 17, 2020
NYC musical collective ShoutHouse presents ?off the rails? complex grooves, poetic hip-hop, high-octane vocals, and instrumental solos for a cutting-edge concert experience.

This program is made possible in part by funds from The New Jersey State Council on The Arts/Department of State, a partner agency of The National Endowment for the Arts, administered by The Hudson County Office of Cultural & Heritage Affairs, Thomas A. Degise, County Executive, and The Board of Chosen Freeholders. We also thank our Sponsor BCB bank for their generous support.

For additional information contact cathedralartslive@gmail.com

NOVEMBER 22, 2019 - 7 PM

CATHEDRAL ARTS LIVE WELCOMES BACK THE DOWN-HOME SOUNDS OF FAN-FAVORITE ABBIE GARDNER--WITH AN OPENING SET FROM NEW JERSEY'S OWN SEAN KIELY!

Singer and songwriter Abbie Gardner resumed her solo adventure after more than a decade of touring with Americana darlings Red Molly. Tales of love and loss, both gritty and sweet, ride the back of her by-now familiar, formidable slide guitar licks. Winner of the 2008 Lennon Award for "The Mind of a Soldier" and 2008 American Songwriter Magazine Grand Prize Lyric Winner for "I?d Rather Be," she channels Lucinda Williams and Bonnie Rait, but remains pure Abbie.

?Cathedral Arts Live is such a great part of the Jersey City music scene,? said Gardner. ?A true community-based series bringing regional and national acoustic acts to a gorgeous listening room. I can?t wait to end my year of touring the country with this local show in my adopted hometown." www.abbiegardner.com

Kicking off the night is a performance by Jersey City-based singer-songwriter and guitarist Sean Kiely, whose melodies were described by WFMU?s Pat Byrne as taking ?the listener to a place high above the astral plane, a place of comfort and warmth, glimpsed at in dreams but always unable to describe when conscious.? His latest EP "It Sure Was Good" is a deeply felt collection of songs of loss and love. He is currently working on his second full-length record. www.seankielymusic.com

PURCHASE TICKETS: www.cathedralartslive.org

Tickets are $20 in advance, $25 at the door. Hot food and cold beverages available for purchase. Doors open at 7 pm.

Cathedral Arts Live @ Grace Church Van Vorst
39 Erie St, Jersey City, NJ 07302

Now in its fifth season, Cathedral Arts Live aims to create a transcendent musical experience and strengthen our community by welcoming and celebrating a diverse group of artists, performers and audiences in our beautiful space.
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Cathedral Arts Live 2019-2020 Season

JANUARY 17, 2020
Legendary duo Walter Parks & Rob Curto perform reels, spirituals, and swamp blues for a soaring Americana sound.


FEBRUARY 28, 2020
An adventurous blend of folk, R&B, jazz, gospel, and rock ?n roll Upstate creates a ?harmonic maelstrom? of original sound.


MARCH 27, 2020
VickiKristinaBarcelona is a power trio of musical veterans, Rachelle Garniez, Amanda Homi, and Terry Radigan, who rearrange songs of Tom Waits with inventive 3-part harmonies and virtuoso instrumentation.


APRIL 17, 2020
NYC musical collective ShoutHouse presents ?off the rails? complex grooves, poetic hip-hop, high-octane vocals, and instrumental solos for a cutting-edge concert experience.

For additional information contact cathedralartslive@gmail.com