The Anam Cara Band returns to “4th Fridays at the Arts Cafe” at the Marlborough Arts Center, 231 North Main Street in Marlborough, CT on Friday, April 26, 2013 from 7:30 – 9:00 p.m. Anam Cara, Irish for “Soul Friend”, is an acoustic trio formed of their common appreciation for songs from the folk traditions of Ireland, Scotland and the States. With many years of experience in various bands among them, this collaboration unites three performers with distinct and varied backgrounds. They played last year to an audience who enthusiastically made them promise to come back, and the Arts Center is delighted that they will be doing just that.

The trio consists of Patrice Smith (guitar/vocals), Steve Prout (guitar/vocals/fiddle), and Karen Ziel-Bodhran (vocals/percussion). Their rich harmonies bring new energy to a catalogue of traditional favorites and original tunes. Their fans know that singing along is not only impossible to stop, but also sought for by the musicians. This fits with the convivial and interactive atmosphere of the Arts Cafe. All the musicians who play at the “4th Fridays at the Arts Cafe” comment on the excellent acoustics at the Arts Center, a fact enjoyed by both them and the audience.

Admission at the door is $8/individual and $15 for two. BYOWine. Coffee, tea, home-made cookies and other refreshments are available. The doors open at 7:00 p.m., so come early, browse The Gift Shop with its unique creations by regional artists, settle in with your refreshments, and prepare for a wonderful evening of music which begins at 7:30 p.m.

Marlborough Arts Center is a non-profit regional center for the fine arts, performing arts, and fine crafts. Check the website www.marlborougharts.org or telephone (860) 295-9389 for further details of this and myriad other artistic activities and membership opportunities.

The Marlborough Arts Center’s March 22, 2013 “4th Friday at the Arts Cafe” features the duo of Handler and Levesque, an extremely talented married couple whose music represents their varied interests. Judy Handler and Mark Levesque live in Vernon, CT but have researched music world-wide and have won many awards for it including a Greater Hartford Artist Fellowship and an award from the Guitar Arts Council. They play various guitars and mandolin during their concerts which range from Classical Swing and Folk, to Gypsy, Brazilian, and Latin American music. Their enthusiastic audiences remark on the variety and the “uplifting spirit” their music brings.

Handler and Levesque will play at the Marlborough Arts Center, 231 North Main Street, Marlborough, CT on Friday, March 22, from 7:30 – 9:00 p.m. The doors open at 7:00 so that attendees can come early, view the art in the Art Gallery and Gift Shop, get some refreshments and settle in for a fascinating concert. Admission at the door is $8/individual or $15 for two. BYO Wine. Other refreshments are available.

The Marlborough Arts Center’s very popular “4th Friday at the Arts Cafe” musical evenings continue with the dynamic duo The Sawtelles on Friday, February 22, 2013. The duo consists of Julie and Peter Riccio, a married couple whose music has delighted audiences for the past nine years. Julie plays the drums and angular guitar while Peter is the song writer and plays ukulele, a partnership that produces pop music described as shimmering and entrancing, adjectives that also describe their personalities and patter. They live in Planstville, CT and have played in various venues throughout the state including open air markets, feats that tests musicians and which they have mastered to the pleasure of audiences wherever they have played.

The Sawtelles will play at the Marlborough Arts Center, 231 North Main Street in Marlborough. The concert begins at 7:30 p.m., but doors open at 7:00 so that attendees have an opportunity to relax before the show, view the artworks in the Gallery and Gift Shop, and choose some refreshments. Admission at the door is $8/ individual or $15 for two. BYO Wine. Other refreshments are available.

The Marlborough Arts Center’s “4th Friday at the Arts Cafe” will present the trio “Seat of Your Pants” on Friday, January 25, 2013 at 7:30 p.m. at 231 North Main Street, Marlborough, CT. They are an acoustic folk/blues/bluegrass/country/old time/rock trio who are based in Marlborough but play in the music scene throughout the state. This trio is composed of Carolyn Brodginski on vocals/guitar/dulcimer, Mark Hall also on vocals plus percussion/cajon/cowbell, and Jeff Gorman on electric and acoustic bass/guitar/harmonica. Their tastes are quite varied and it is the variety of the music that creates the fun for them, and for their audiences. Plus, their personalities bring humor into their performances so that an evening with them is very interactive and a delight for all ages.

Their group formed serendipitously in 2011 when the three decided to play together just for fun after an impromptu performance by Carolyn and Jeff at the Marlborough Tavern on a night when Mark was playing with another band. It wasn’t long before they started hitting the coffee house circuit, many times playing by the seat of their pants after just a brief rehearsal – and “Seat Of Our Pants” was born. Audiences often sing along when they hear familiar tunes from folk/rock artists like Simon and Garfunkel, Joni Mitchell and James Taylor, as well as to their own versions of up-tempo songs you’d never expect to hear from an “unplugged band”. There are even some of their originals in the mix by this prolific trio.

The Marlborough Arts Center is a non-profit regional center for the fine arts, performing arts, and fine crafts. These “4th Friday at the Arts Cafe” evenings held in the Art Gallery add music and a convivial atmosphere to the beautiful setting and are an opportunity for people in the communities around to relax together and enjoy art in its many forms.

The concert begins at 7:30 p.m., but doors are open by 7:00, allowing a chance to see the art, visit the Gift Shop, and settle in for the music. Admission at the door is $8/individual or $15 per couple. BYOWine. Other refreshments are available. Visit the website www.marlborougharts.org or telephone (860) 295-9389 for more details on the many artistic activities offered by the Marlborough Arts Center.