Joe Jencks At the Eighth Step
Troubadour Joe Jencks opens the Eighth Step’s 58th season Saturday in Proctors cozy The Addy theater (upstairs at 432 State Street, Schenectady).
Singer-songwriter Jencks headlined WAMC’s Wanda Fischer-hosted On the Road version of Hudson River Sampler in August at Music Haven; a spot he earned through fine area shows so frequent he seemed to live here. Actually, a Chicagoan, he’s a constant presence in folk, alternative and Americana radio through prolific recordings: 10 solo albums and three with harmonizing trio Brother Sun.
Joe Jencks singing at Music Haven
At Music Haven, Jencks sang lyrics he adapted from Pete Seeger’s inspirational 1955 testimony before the House Un-American Activities Committee. As Jencks sang, Seeger stressed his right to sing for anyone. Jencks echoed Seeger’s defense of cherished freedoms, and dropped a verse of Seeger’s “If I Had a Hammer” into his song.
In a similarly strong message song, dual US and Irish citizen Jencks praised South Africa’s pluralism before hailing his grandfather Felix Kilbride’s courageous immigration here in the sentimental “Rose of Tralee.” Jencks said Kilbride arrived via Ellis Island before recounting the horrifying recent arrest of Hopi tribal people in Arizona for failing to produce green cards. This set up the pro-immigration “Lady of the Harbor” – Lady Liberty. Many fans knew Jencks’s words and sang along here and in “Bells of Freedom.” Jencks reached back to historic prison recordings as source for his “Take this Hammer,” a tool of hope and defiance.
Jencks never went preachy. He’s just too good a musician for that; too skilled and subtle, with a robust guitar and strong, low-pressure voice. His original lyrics had the same topical bite as vintage sources that inspired him, powered by compassion and principle. In other words: folk music of heartfelt authenticity and virtuoso skill.
Joe Jencks sings Saturday at 7:30 p.m. in Proctors The Addy. Tickets: $28 in advance, $30 at the door, $45 priority (center front). www.8thstep.org 518-434-1703
The Eighth Step season continues with Kemp Harris Sept. 27, Mustard’s Retreat Oct. 3, Tom Rush with Matt Nakoa Oct. 18, Whispering Bones: An Evening of Ghost Stories Oct. 28, Ms. Music: Jackie Alper Nov. 1, John McCutcheon Nov. 14, and “Very Slambovian Christmas” (holiday show by the Slambovian Circus of Dreams) Dec. 6.
Seven Porches, 14 Bands on Saturday
Schenectady’s third end of summer Porchfest offers a migratory music experience free to fans wandering the city’s tree-shaded GE Plot neighborhood.
All photos from Porchfest 2024
The two busiest porches, at 1095 Ardsley Rd. and 1183 Stratford Rd., each host three acts; so staying at one porch works, too.
While parking is less dense/problematic than some might expect, most wanderers roam from porch to porch on bicycles, scooters, skateboards, roller-blades or just on foot. Google Maps locates the two most distant porches at 18 minutes apart on foot, just less than a mile. Food trucks by the Broken Inn and Greek On the Run serve on Rugby Rd. and Ardsley Rd. while porta-johns also await.
The music ranges from Gospel by the Calvary Choir and Musicians to classical with the Chirignan-Hardage duo, blues by The Evidence, Latin-jazz dance music by Alex Torres and his Latin Orchestra, jazz by players and singers including brass bands Signature Brass, Backyard Brass and Brass Abbey. One plays in alpine lederhosen with happy oompah oomph and features trumpeter Steve Weisse. He auditions porches and performers and rounds up support by the American Federation of Musicians (all musicians are paid), the Mohawk Valley Society for Live Music, the Music Performance Trust Fund, Mona Golub, the Schenectady County Legislature Arts and Culture Fund, Stewart’s Shops and the Schenectady Foundation.
All this support means PorchFest is free to fans; so we can all sample stuff we’ve never heard of. I recommend this. Like something? – stick around. Or, not? – just drift; something else is right around the corner. For example, in the past, I’ve been pleasantly surprised by the inventive pop group Nice Hockey, and expect more surprises Saturday.
Ignore the loud cannon shots that signal scores by the Union College football team, playing close by the Douglas Rd. porch that presents two jazz groups.
Check www.schenectadyporchfest.org for who’s playing when, on which porch and how to find them.
Jazz Dessert
Stella Pasta Bar serves a jazz dessert Saturday: the newly formed MS Organ Trio. MS is prolific, restless reeds player and composer Matt Steckler, who forms a new band every few minutes. OK, I exaggerate; but he often creates fresh contexts for his compositions.
The MS Organ Trio is Steckler, saxophones and flute, Jon LeRoy, organ; and Pete Sweeney, drums. Show time is 6 p.m. for this free-admission weekly showcase. Steckler says they play “Right after Kevin Carey’s group at Porchfest!”
FYI, Stella Pasta Bar is at 237 Union St., Schenectady; it’s the bar and dining room space downstairs from the Van Dyck Music Club, which has also resumed presenting live music.
Hoke's Jukebox 