Three friends playing rock, folk, blues –
Offering jazz and Latin their dues;
A few jug tunes to add some spice,
With maybe some naughty and maybe some nice!
Drinking coffee is part of the share
Trying to keep the caffeine spare,
Cause these three players don’t need much
To keep their motors hot to the touch!
Pickin and drumming and singing the songs
With Dangerous on Decaf your night can’t go wrong!
Cafe open from 5–10pm with music in two live shows from 6–7:30 or 8–9:30 5$ Cover.
Call 518 326 2064 for reservations
Tapas Specials for Friday, August 24
Chicken Breast Wrapped in Cuban Pancetta
w/ Mango-Black Bean Salsa
over Saffron Rice & Plantains
Strip Steak Au Jus
w/ Pureed Yucca & Seasonal Veggie
Pan Seared Salmon
w/ Red Pepper Coulis
over Saffron Rice & Veggies
Friday August 17 Join pianist Dave Payette and saxophonist Brian Patneaude for an evening of jazz at this intimate venue featuring delicious Cuban-Spanish-American cuisine in a bistro setting.
Cafe open from 5–10pm with music in two live shows from 6–7:30 or 8–9:30 5$ Cover.
Call 518 326 2064 for reservations
~ Appetizers for Friday August 17th ~
Eggplant slider—grilled, w/avocado slices and guava paste on a multi grain roll
Chicken Croquettes—fried to golden brown perfection.
Scallops wrapped in house cured bacon, w/avocado sauce and veggie
~ Tapas Specials for Friday August 17th ~
Pan-seared Rainbow Trout, w/ a lemon-wine-garlic sauce over saffron rice and veggie
Carne Asada—Cuban Pot Roast w/ yucca and carrots over saffron rice
Cuban Chicken Wings w/a spicy mango sauce, served w/ rice, black beans and veggie
Pernil, pork shoulder marinated and slow roasted in Cuban herbs and spices, w/yucca fries and veggie
Vegetarian Risotto w/ seasonal veggies and goat cheese
I have gradually become known throughout the northeast for my smooth renditions of traditional swing tunes in tempos specifically suited for dancing. As a swing dance afficionado, my expertise on “music that motivates people to dance” enabled me to put together a variety of material on my CD, “Swing It!”, that defies the listener not to dance or at the very least begin the toe-tapping exercise. It includes a collection of vintage swing dance tunes arranged for the most discriminating dancers and listeners. The assembly of noted guest musicians appearing on “Swing It!” not only contributes to a distinctive and extraordinary recording, but is a testimony to the respect I have earned among my peers. I will soon be working on a new album featuring a trio, a quartet and my six-piece swing band, Patti-O and the Hip Hooligans.
Friday August 3 Charlie Smith & Rob Aronstein— Blues
Get rhythm when you get the blues. These guys have the stuff to get your feet happy as you start tapping your toes, bopping to the beat these cats lay down as they have for decades. Charlie can evoke that sophisticated big city Chicago blues in the vein of Otis Rush, or just as handily, take you on a river cruise of the Delta. Rob is going to tickle those ivories in a perfect weave to Charlie’s guitar licks. It’s a killer combination, it’s a blues sensation.
Cafe open from 5–10pm with music in two live shows from 6–7:30 or 8–9:30 5$ Cover. Call 518 326 2064 for reservations
Charlie Smith Engaging and dynamic performer, prolific songwriter, blues guitarist and vocalist of the highest caliber are just some of the descriptions one could apply to Charlie Smith. Entertaining listeners in New York’s Capital District for nearly 40 years, Charlie is happy to have found in the players listed below a virtuoso backing group equal to the task of expressing and extending his musical vision. For more on Charlie himself, click here (dedicated page under construction).
Rob Aronstein Piano, Hammond Organ, Vocals
Rob Aronstein has been working with and promoting Charlie and the Charlie Smith Blues Band since 1999, performing on and producing Charlie’s CD, “Hardly Ever Blue”. Rob currently performs with Charlie and as a solo and freelance pianist/organist.
~ Tapas Specials for Friday August 3rd ~
Cuban Egg Rolls w/ a dijon mustard sauce Arroz Con Pollo—Chicken stewed in an herbed tomato broth and cooked in a rice casserole Crab cakes w/ roasted red pepper sauce over saffron rice Cuban BBQ Ribs w/ a spicy guava glaze, served with yucca fries Grilled Strip Steak w/ a churrasco steak sauce, served with house made mashed potatoes Cilantro-Lime Tofu w/saffron rice and sauteed veggies
Mundo Nuevo is a musical quartet that is dedicated to preserving the classic repertoire of the Spanish speaking Caribbean, Mexico and South America. Lush vocal harmonies, acoustic guitars, bongo and flute deliver the music of Rafael Hernandez, Miguel Matamoros, Armando Manzanero, Antonio Carlos Jobim and many more of the composers that make up the Latin American Songbook.
Mundo Nuevo is a musical quartet that is dedicated to preserving the classic repertoire of the Spanish speaking Caribbean, Mexico and South America. Lush vocal harmonies, acoustic guitars, bongo and flute deliver the music of Rafael Hernandez, Miguel Matamoros, Armando Manzanero, Antonio Carlos Jobim and many more of the composers that make up the Latin American Songbook.
Plenty of on-street parking.
Cafe open from 5–10pm with music in two live shows from 6–7:30 or 8–9:30 5$ Cover. Call 518 326 2064 for reservations
APPETIZER
Spinach Salad w/ blackberries, blueberries and goat cheese, w/ a warm bacon dressing
TAPAS
Seafood Bouillabaisse….Shrimps, Scallops, Clams and Mussels in an herbed tomato broth served over saffron rice
Ropa Vieja….marinated and braised shredded beef, served w/ arroz con gandules
Sour orange marinated and grilled chicken breasts served w/ a roasted red pepper sauce, yucca fries and veggie
Grilled asparagus stuffed in a fried eggplant cutlet w/a tomato lime sauce
SAT & SUN…Jul. 28 & 29
Vegetarian Flamenco, served with eggs over easy and a portuguese roll……or w/o eggs for vegan option
Ropa Vieja w/ arroz con gandules, black beans and plantains
Spinach Salad w/ blackberries, blueberries and goat cheese, w/ a warm bacon dressing
Friday July 13 Annie & The Hedonists—Acoustic blues, swing, and folk!
…A band with a great lead singer and tight harmonies, covering an eclectic mix of acoustic music, torchy blues, standards, bluegrass, gospel, labor ballads, early jazz, …A wild ride across the vast acoustic music landscape Greg Haymes, Times Union
Annie and the Hedonists blew the place away Ralph Hunt, Heartland Music
Annie Get Your Fun! Tom Keyser, Times Union
Cafe open from 5–10pm with music in two live shows from 6–7:30 or 8–9:30 5$ Cover.
Call 518 326 2064 for reservations
~ Tapas Menu Specials for Fri Jul 13 ~
Chicken Croquettes w/ Spicy Chipotle Aioli
Spicy Grilled Chicken Breast W/Mango-Avocado Salsa, served with rice and beans.
Pan Seared Pork Tenderloin Medallions W/ Papaya Black Bean Sauce served with yucca fries
Sauteed Garlic Shrimp W/ Rum Sauce, served over saffron rice
Potato Kneidlach W/ sauteed seasonal veggies in a white wine sauce.
George Fletcher’s Folding Money Plays the Blues Live at Carmen’s Cafe Friday, July 6, 2012
George Fletcher’s Foldin’ Money plays a variety of blues that teeters on rock, occasionally jazz, and even a little reggae. Expect to hear Foldin’ Money’s takes on the music of Muddy Waters, Willie Dixon, Howlin’ Wolf, Little walter, Freddy King, Buddy Guy, Eric Clapton, …Stevie Ray Vaughan, George Benson, Bo Diddley, Jimi Hendrix and Carlos Santana. In addition, some standards from the great American songbook occasionally find their way in to the set as well as a bunch of great original tunes.
Cafe open from 5–10pm with music in two live shows from 6–7:30 or 8–9:30 5$ Cover.
Call 518 326 2064 for reservations
This Friday, July 6, is Paella Day at Carmen’s!
Sample Three Paellas—
Mark Emanation and Acoustic Sky Special Tribute To Ernie Williams This Friday, June 29 at Carmen’s
Shows at 6 & 8, $5 Cover
Mark Emanatian’s Acoustic Sky will be playing two shows on Friday, June 29. This special show will feature songs of Ernie Williams. Mark Emanatian was a longtime member of Ernie’s band and he will honor Ernie’s memory with acoustic renditions of some of Mr. Williams’ best loved tunes.
Folding Sky. Blues for the new century. Ancient Rhythms. Melodies from the turning of the earth. Songs that touch the sky while staying rooted in the ground. Beauty, power, passion, grace. Folding Sky will touch your heart, move your body and inspire your soul.
Folding Sky is first and foremost a band. A band in the old and real sense. Family. Committed. Telepathic. Folding Sky, based in Albany New York, has released 5 albums of original material: The brand new “Lost Roots” (2010), “Dancing with My Guitar” (2002), “Ghostyard” (2004), “FOUR DAYS IN THE GARDEN”(2006), and “Acoustic Sky” (2007). These albums have received rave reviews and have received extensive radio airplay. Anthony Sica of ELMORE Magazine called “Four Days In The Garden” “one of the best I’ve ever heard”. Folding Sky has been joined on stage by blues legend Big Time Sarah and guitar legend Rhett Tyler.
Led by Mark Emanatian, guitarist/singer/songwriter, who made a name for himself as the lead and slide guitarist for the highly acclaimed blues band Ernie Williams and the Wildcats. Emanatian recorded six independent-label albums with the Wildcats, co-producing and writing more than his share of the material. Emanatian has appeared on stage with blues notables such as Hubert Sumlin, Lonnie Brooks, and Buddy Guy. In addition, Emanatian has performed on stage with Patty Smith, Levon Helm, and Bruce Willis. Emanatian was voted Bandleader of the Year in 2000 by Metroland Magazine. After a decade with the Wildcats, Emanatian formed Folding Sky.
He is joined by the legendary drummer Al Kash. Kash, a master musician and force of nature, has toured and recorded for over thirty years. Kash, a self-taught drummer, started playing in 1964 in Perth, West Australia and moved to Sydney in 1969. There he joined Blackfeather and toured & recorded the self-titled album [with guest Bon Scott]. Kash moved to New York in 1977 and formed the Units/Fear of Strangers. His credits include Kim Simmonds/Savoy Brown, Billy C. Farlow, Commander Cody, Bo Diddley, Dave Hole, Ellen McIllwain, and Ernie Williams.
On bass is the longtime roots musician and extraordinary instrumentalist Tom Dolan. His impressive resume includes The Slugs; Good Friday; the Jim Carrey Blues Band; the Chromatones; and Dolan, Dolan, Dolan.
On co-lead guitar is the equally accomplished Grant Perry. Grant began his performance career as the cofounder of The Majestics, playing high school dances, college frat parties, and local clubs. Looking beyond the Capital Region for more musical opportunities, he traveled south and west. After adventures in Miami and Austin, Grant settled in the French Quarter of New Orleans Louisiana for nearly a decade, playing Bourbon Street clubs and local uptown venues such as Tipitinas. Moving west, Grant’s home base became San Francisco for the next decade, performing professionally in venues reaching from Las Vegas, Los Angles, Reno, and of course back home in San Francisco. Grant has backed well known artists such as, Elvin Bishop, Doug Kershaw, Frankie Ford, Vikki Lee, and Chris Rowan, just to name a few. He has recorded albums at Sea Saint Studios in New Orleans, Wally Heider Studios in San Francisco, and The Plant in San Francisco.
~ Dinner Specials for Friday June 29th ~
–Many Veggies are F-r-r-r-e-s-h from the garden–
APPETIZERS
Gazpacho….Served Chilled w Crackers
Chicken Croquettes
TAPAS SPECIALS
Corn Meal Crusted Salmon w/Grilled Peach Salsa, over Red Jasmine Basmati Rice
Cuban Chicken Wings w/Spicy Mango Sauce, Served w/Rice & Beans
Pulled Pork w/Guava BBQ Sauce, Served w/Yucca Fries
What do you get when you mix a spunky NYC cabaret singer with a burning ’60s rock band? Well, it ain’t cabaret!
Lisa Gordon on keys, harmonica and lead vocals, treats audiences to punchy covers of Grace Slick, torchy renditions of Dusty Springfield, Joplin, and more. Looking for Beatles, Kinks or Cream? Burning guitarist Rob Piorkowski, slick bassist Nick Bisanz and hot percussionist Johnny Easy blend their instrumental and vocal talent with harmonies that result in a DIRTY BOY sound much bigger than a quartet.
Cafe open from 5–10pm with music in two live shows from 6–7:30 or 8–9:30 5$ Cover.
Call 518 326 2064 for reservations
~ Specials Menu for Friday June 22nd ~
~ APPETIZERS ~
Shrimp and Scallop Cocktail
Eggplant sliders,
grilled, topped with avocado, and guava sauce, served on a multi grain dinner roll
~ TAPAS ~
Chicken breast
stuffed with chorizo, olives, raisins and onions, served with rice and beans
Beef tamales
served with yucca fries and seasonal veggie
Red snapper
w/ avocado sauce, served over saffron rice and veggies
Black bean patties
w/pineapple rice, seasonal veggies and lime creme
~ DESSERT ~
Strawberry shortcake
served on a house made biscuit, with fresh strawberries and creme fraiche
SATURDAY & SUNDAY
Pancakes with nutella mousse and salted caramel sauce Steak….filet mignon…. and eggs, served with home fries and toast
Friday August 24th Dangerous on Decaf— Blues, Jazz, Rockabilly
Carmen's Bistro 