The Middletown Press (Middletown, CT)
Women duos performing this weekend
Two women duos are scheduled to perform Jan. 31 and Feb. 1 at the Buttonwood Tree in Middletown.
Connecticut singer-songwriters, Kate Callahan and Anne Marie Menta, will come together for one night of original music at the Buttonwood Tree, 605 Main St., at 8 p.m. Friday.
Callahan served as Connecticut State Troubadour from 2016 through 2018 and was named Best Folk Artist of the year in July 2019. Callahan is a soulful and optimistic performer, who recently created a program called “Affirming Voices” that empower individuals to find their authentic and unique voice.
Menta is a longtime favorite songwriter from New Haven, who recently released her fourth recording, “Sky Tonight.” The new tunes are moving song memoirs where autobiography meets storytelling, the personal meets the universal, and friends and family embrace love. Appearing with Anne Marie will be Bob Csugie on bass and Cadence Carroll on harmonies.
Tickets are $15 at the door; to reserve, call 860-347-4957 or visit https://buttonwood.org/
Cathy Kreger and Caroline Doctorow take the Buttonwood stage at 8 p.m. Feb. 1 to perform a seasoned set of folk. Cathy’s powerhouse blues-style vocal blends beautifully with Caroline's delicate, more sorrow-filled soprano.
With an acoustic guitar and a voice as clear as cool water, Cathy Kreger delivers more pure music per minute than a bevy of roadhouse rockers. Her irresistible voice and guitar playing has earned her a place on stage opening for world-class acts, including Bonnie Raitt, David Bromberg, The Band, Patty Larkin, Maria Muldaur, Taj Mahal and Aztec Two-Step and many others.
Kreger has been touring for 30 years throughout the Northeast performing in venues such as IMAC, Katherine Hepburn Theater, Chapin Rainbow Stage, Silver Cloud Bluegrass Festival, To date, she has released four CDs; her latest is titled “Pure Imagination.” Most recently, she co-wrote the title track “Elements” of the documentary “Impressarios and Visionaries” with film producer Steven Taub.
Doctorow has been called a great champion of American folk music. Her most recent album Dreaming in Vinyl reached No. 2 on the national folk radio airplay charts and No Depression Magazine says: “Caroline Doctorow has been responsible for some of the sweetest songs of the modern folk idiom.” In 2018 she received The Alexander Award from the Long Island Arts Council, and an official New York State Proclamation from State Senator John E. Brooks, honoring her many years of work as a folksinger. She appears in the Christopher Lucas film “Pete Seeger Legacy” along with Taj Mahal. Guy Davis, Dar Williams, John Cohen and others, a project which celebrates Pete Seeger's legacy and 100th birthday. In addition to eleven solo albums, she released the first retrospective of the work of ’60s folk icons Richard and Mimi Fariña, titled “Another Country,” which received critical acclaim. Her songs and her voice have been heard on soundtracks on the large and small screen. She is the daughter of the late worldrenowned author E.L. Doctorow.
Tickets are $15 at the door; to reserve, call 860-347-4957 or visit https://buttonwood.org/ Former state troubadour joins songwriter Jan. 31