Down Home Live!
Down Home Live! – On the Lower East Side
For the best in Old-time Country & Jazz, Blues, Pre-Blues and original songs, come on down to Banjo Jim’s on the 2nd Saturday night of every month, hosted by Eli Smith of Down Home Radio.
This Month:
Saturday March 13th from 8 till Late! No Cover!
Hosted this month by Ernie Vega
8pm – Boom Chick - Roots music and original songs
9pm – So Brown - Country Blues and Originals
10pm – Ernie Vega – Blues, Folk & Original Songs
11pm – Hawke and Owl - Banjo tunes and songs, originals
12am – American String Conspiracy - Roots music and original songs
Banjo Jim’s is located at:
9th St. & Ave. C
NYC
www.BanjoJims.com
And don’t forget to check out Down Home Radio Show,
Hosted by Eli Smith
“The Cangelosi Cards are one of the best bands I’ve seen anywhere. They have a great live show, perfect for dancing! I envy any one who has not yet seen them because you now have the chance to see them for the first time! They keep it strictly real, playing traditional New Orleans style jazz, but continue to see at as a living tradition- and as such bring in influences from outside the cannon, such as country, blues, and early popular music. The level of musicianship is brilliant, bring your dancing shoes!”
- Eli Smith
Producer/Host Down Home Radio
Check out some of their tracks, recorded live @ Banjo Jim’s:
The Cards play every Monday @ Banjo Jims starting at 9pm.
They also play many other nights through out the week.
For more information, click here.
Down Home Lives of the Past:
Saturday February 13th from 8 till Late! No Cover!
Hosted this month by Ernie Vega
8pm – Cal Folger Day – Folk and Blues Singer.
9pm – Æ – Wonderful and unprecedented mix of songs from the Balkans and Eastern Europe, mixed and mashed with ballads from the American South.
10pm – Ernie Vega – (Blues, Folk & Original Songs)
11pm – Willy Gantrim & The Phantoms – Early country songs, blues, and originals. Great stuff!
12am – Rashad Brown – Blues and Folk songs.
Saturday January 9th from 8 till Late! No Cover!
8pm – Feral Foster – Blues, great original songs, street preacher style slide guitar!
9pm – The Calamity Janes – Awesome old time string band!
10pm – The Dust Busters featuring Peter Stampfel! – Old-time String Band and more!
11pm – Radio Jarocho - “A New York City-based project devoted entirely to the son jarocho and fandango traditions from southern Veracruz, Mexico.” These guys are great.
12am – Ernie Vega (Blues, Folk & Original Songs)
Saturday December 12th from 8 till Late! No Cover!
CD Release Party! – for the East River String Band’s new album and Dom Flemon’s new album!
8pm – The Bill Murray Experience - Early Jazz, Blues and Folk songs.
9pm – The Dust Busters – Old-time String Band, Jug Band Music and more!
10pm – East River String Band - Blues and Old-Time duet
11pm – Dom Flemons of the Carolina Chocolate Drops – Multi-instrumentalist and a songster. Playing in a broad range of old-time, blues, country, string band styles.
Saturday November 14th from 8 till Late! No Cover!
8pm – Mimi Lavalley & Dan Fram- Old-time and originals duet.
9pm -The Dough Rollers – Awesome blues, old-time and country!
10pm – The Dust Busters – Old-time String Band, Jug Band Music and more!
11pm – Boom Chick – Originals, Country, Blues and Early Rock n’ Roll.
Saturday October 10th from 8 till Late! No Cover!
8:30pm – Gary Keenan of American String Conspiracy – Blues and Originals.
9:30pm – John Houx – Original and folk songs.
10:30pm - Peter & Zoe Stampfel w/ Eli Smith - Original “freak-folk” stylings from the Stampfel Family.
11:30pm – The Cangelosi Cards – Awesome New Orleans jazz, blues, swing, you name it. See my review below. This band is not to be missed! And bring your dancing shoes.
Saturday Sept. 12th from 8 till Late! No Cover!
Tompkins Square Records’ Red Fox Chasers CD Release Event:
Tompkins Square Label and Down Home Radio host Eli Smith present a night to celebrate the new release of “I’m Going Down To North Carolina: The Complete Recordings of The Red Fox Chasers, 1928-1931”.
8:30pm – Ernie Vega (Blues, Folk & Original Songs)
9:30pm – The Whistling Wolves
“The best harmonica/ukulele/fiddle/guitar/whistling/banjo/jew’s-harp/mandolin/bass/vocal harmony group I know of. Great traditional music with a few originals thrown in.”
10:30pm – The Dust Busters featuring Peter Stampfel! – Old-time String Band and more!
11:30pm – East River String Band - Blues and Old-Time duet
Saturday July 11th from 8 till Late! No Cover!
8:30pm – Jackson Lynch – Country Blues guitar picker.
9:00pm - The Dolly Sods - Old-time string band.
9:50 – Jessy Carolina – Folk/Blues, etc. singer and song writer. She’s awesome , stay late!
10:30pm – The Dust Busters featuring Peter Stampfel!
11:30pm - The Cangelosi Cards – Awesome New Orleans jazz, blues, swing, you name it. See my review below. This band is not to be missed! And bring your dancing shoes.
Saturday June 13th from 8 till Late! No Cover!
7pm – Paul Thorton (of the Godz)
8pm – Cassie Jenkins – Old-time banjo songs & tunes
8:30pm – Rashad Brown – Country Blues
9:00pm- Alicia Jo Rabins – Excellent fiddler, songwriter
9:45 - Feral Foster – Blues, great original songs, street preacher style slide guitar!
10:30pm – The Dust Busters (Old Time String Band, Jug Band Music, Ballads, Originals, – Fiddle, Guitar, Banjo, etc.)
11:30pm - The Cangelosi Cards – Awesome New Orleans jazz, blues, swing, you name it. See my review below. This band is not to be missed! And bring your dancing shoes.
Saturday May 9th from 8 till Late! No Cover!
8:15pm – Ernie Vega (Blues, Folk & Original Songs)
9:00pm- Frank Hoier (Originals and Folk songs)
9:45 - Brotherhood of the Jug Band Blues (Jugband, Blues, Original Songs, etc.)
10:45pm – The Dust Busters (Old Time String Band, Jug Band Music, Ballads, Originals, – Fiddle, Guitar, Banjo, etc.)
11:30pm – John Houx – Excellent folk singer and song writer
Saturday April 11th from 8 till Late! No Cover!
8:30pm – Mike Ellison – Blues, Folk and Original Songs
9:00pm- East River String Band – Duo playing rural country blues and popular music of the 20’s and 30’s.
9:50 - Dom Flemons of the Carolina Chocolate Drops – Multi-instrumentalist and a songster. Playing in a broad range of old-time, blues, country, string band styles.
10:45pm – Peter Stampfel, Eli Smith & Walker Shepard – Old-time fiddle, banjo and guitar, songs, traditional, original…
11:30pm - late The Cangelosi Cards – Awesome New Orleans jazz, blues, swing, you name it. See my review below. This band is not to be missed! And bring your dancing shoes.
Saturday March 14th from 8 till Late! No Cover!
8:30pm – Bob Malenky – Awesome country blues, Bob Malenky has toured, played and recorded with the likes of Sonny Terry and Muddy Waters! Not to miss.
9:15pm- The Dust Busters – Newly formed old-time string band featuring Walker Shepard, Craig Judelman and Down Home Radio host Eli Smith.
10:15pm – The Tillers – String band on tour from Ohio. They’re great!
11:15pm - late The Cangelosi Cards – Awesome New Orleans jazz, blues, swing, you name it. See my review below. This band is not to be missed! And bring your dancing shoes.
Saturday February 14th from 8 till Late! No Cover!
Happy Valentine’s Day!
9pm- Beep! Trio – Down Home Live steers off course, washing up on the mysterious yet beautiful island of jazz! This is a really great piano trio from Oakland, CA.
10pm -Allison Williams – Formerly of the Forge Mountain Diggers, Allison is on tour from Tennessee promoting her new CD, and she’s bringing a band!
11pm – The Sturdy Beggars – A new string band featuring Walker Shepard, Craig Judelman and Down Home Radio host Eli Smith (me) with Hubby Jenkins on guitar & bones. Come check us out!
Midnight – Feral Foster – Blues, original songs, street preacher style slide guitar!
Saturday January 10th from 8 till Late! No Cover!
8pm – Willy Gantrim – Early country songs, blues, and originals. Great stuff!
9pm- Ken Waldman – Alaska’s fiddling poet accompanied on banjo by Eli Smith. Excellent poetry set to old -time music, not to be missed!
10pm - Feral Foster – Blues, original songs, street preacher style slide guitar!
10:45pm – Eli Smith – Old-time banjo and guitar, songs, ballads, traditional, original…
11:30pm – late The Cangelosi Cards – Awesome New Orleans jazz, blues, swing, you name it. See my review below. This band is not to be missed! And bring your dancing shoes.
Saturday December 13th from 8 till Late! No Cover! Guest hosted by Alex Battles
8pm – Mimi Lavalley – Country/Bluegrass/Rock songwriter
9pm- The Swing State String Band – Old-Time string band with banjo, fiddle and guitar.
10pm - “Brother Bob” & “Sleepy” Lester – Awesome guitar/harmonica blues duet. 
11pm – Banjorama - “Dedicated to the banjification of the universe” featuring Alex Battles, Artie Stile and Ernesto Gomez.
12pm – Bryan Dunn
Saturday November 8th from 8 till Late! No Cover!
8pm – Eli Smith – Your host play some old-time, new time, good time music for ya on banjo, gee-tah, pan pipes and more.
9pm- Al Duvall – “Mr. Duvall provided a morally hygenic entertainment for our balloon ascension”. -Mauch Chunk Knights of Pythias (Awesome, funny, bizarre original songs played on tenor banjo!)
10pm - Hilary Hawke - “Hilary Hawke’s band is exactly what she is…Deep lyrics and smart sense to arrangements, with just enough touch of the good feelings that only a banjo could bring!” Ezine articles 2008″
11pm till late - The Cangelosi Cards – Awesome New Orleans jazz, blues, swing, you name it. See my review below. This band is not to be missed! And bring your dancing shoes.
Saturday October 11th from 8 till Late! No Cover!
8pm – Surprise guest!!??
9pm- Feral Foster – Blues, street preacher style slide guitar!
10pm pm - Whistling Rufus - “The best harmonica/ukulele/fiddle/guitar/whistling/banjo/jew’s-harp/mandolin/bass/vocal harmony group I know of. Great traditional music with a few originals thrown in.”
11pm till late - The Cangelosi Cards – Awesome New Orleans jazz, blues, swing, you name it. See my review below. This band is not to be missed! And bring your dancing shoes.
Saturday September 13th from 8 till Late! No Cover!
8pm – Surprise guest!!??
9pm- Ernie Vega – Excellent Folk/Blues singer and songwriter
10pm pm – Eli Smith - Your host finally decides to play a later set at his own show!
11pm- “Brother Bob” & “Sleepy” Lester – Awesome guitar/harmonica blues duet.
12am - Jessy Carolina – Folk/Blues, etc. singer and song writer. She’s awesome , stay late!
Saturday August 9th from 8 till Late! No Cover!
8:00 – – Eli Smith – Old-time banjo and guitar, songs, ballads, traditional, original…
9pm- Ken Waldman – Alaska’s fiddling poet accompanied on banjo by Eli Smith. Excellent poetry set to old -time music, not to be missed!
10:00 pm – The Otis Brothers – Awesome country blues and old-time blues string band music!
You heard them on Down Home Radio, now hear them live!
11pm- Sana Ndiaye and the Ekonting Peace Band – Awesome folk music group from Senegal, West Africa.
12am – Jack Grace Band – Old school country band writing excellent originals.
Saturday July 12th from 8 till Late! No Cover!
8:00 – – Eli Smith – Old-time banjo and guitar, songs, ballads, traditional, original…
9pm- Hogzilla- Bluegrass/Country/Folk group playing traditionals and originals. Great group!
10:00 pm – Hubby Jenkins – Awesome country blues!
11pm- Brotherhood of the Jug Band Blues – Traditional Jug Band blues songs and great originals by harmonica player and songwriter Ernesto Gomez (and its his birthday, almost)!
12am – Bob Malenky – Awesome country blues, Bob Malenky has toured and played with the likes of Sonny Terry and Muddy Waters! Not to miss.
Saturday June 14th from 8 till Late! No Cover!
THE EAST RIVER STRING BAND’S CD & LP RELEASE PARTY!
8:00 – – Eli Smith – Old-time banjo and guitar, songs, ballads, traditional, original…
9pm- Terry Waldo – Terry Waldo is considered one of America’s premier performers and presenters of Ragtime and Early Jazz, he is the protege of the legendary Eubie Blake, who called Waldo “an extension of my own musical self.” Waldo has played countless New York jazz venues, including Carnegie Hall, produced and starred in nine different musical revues. He recently appeared on the Tonight Show to perform his own composition, “The Laughing Blues,” with Leon Redbone. Waldo produced a popular radio series for NPR called This Is Ragtime and authored an award-winning book by the same title.
10:00 pm – East River String Band – Duo playing rural country blues and popular music of the 20’s and 30’s. Check out their new CD/LP “Some Cold Rainy Day” with artwork by R. Crumb!
11pm - The Cangelosi Cards – Awesome New Orleans jazz, blues, swing, you name it. See my review below. This band is not to be missed! And bring your dancing shoes.
Saturday May 24th from 8 till Late! No Cover!
Last minute addition to the lineup! – 8:00 – Willy Gantrim – Early country songs, blues, and originals. Great stuff! Look out for an interview with Willy, coming soon on Down Home Radio.
8:30 – Eli Smith – Old-time banjo and guitar, songs, ballads, traditional, original…
9pm- John Houx – Excellent folk singer and song writer
10:00 pm Alicia Jo Rabins – Excellent fiddler, songwriter
11pm - Alex Karlinski – Excellent, funny, lefty singer, song writer and parodyer (yes he plays electric folks!) On tour from Europe!
Saturday April 12th from 8 till Late! No Cover!
8pm – Feral Foster – Blues, street preacher style slide guitar!
8:45 – Kenny Kosek – One of America’s finest fiddlers; he has played and recorded with numerous bluegrass and new acoustic bands, including Country Cooking, Breakfast Special, Bill Keith and Tony Trischka. In addition, he has worked with artists as diverse as Laurie Anderson, Steve Goodman, John Denver, James Taylor, Jerry Garcia, Loudon Wainwright III and The New Blue Velvet Band.
9:30 - Fresh Baked Bluegrass - New York based bluegrass band playing traditional style as well
as more modern and original songs.
11pm – 12:30am-Miss Tess – Vintage style songwriter exploring jazz, country, blues, etc. on tour from Boston. Winner of the 27th biannual Open Mic Shootout at Eddie’s Attic in Decatur, GA!
12:30am -???? More Music!!!
The Cangelosi Cards will not be appearing this Saturday because of an out of town engagement. But check them out at Banjo Jims every monday night!
Saturday March 8th from 8 till Late! No Cover!
8pm: The Tillers – Banjo, guitar, fiddle, bass, etc -playing old and new songs, personal and political themes
8:45: Eli Smith – Old-time banjo and guitar, songs, ballads, traditional, original…
9pm: Mat Callahan & Yvonne Moore - Original Leftist political songs.
10:pm The East River String Band - Duo playing rural country blues and popular music of the 20’s and 30’s
11:pm The Cangelosi Cards – Awesome New Orleans jazz, blues, swing, you name it. See my review below. This band is not to be missed! And bring your dancing shoes.
Saturday Feb. 16th from 8 till Late!
8pm Eli Smith – Old-time banjo and guitar, songs, ballads, traditional, original…
8:30 Frank Hoier -Traditionals and great original songs performed on guitar and harmonica!
9:15 Diapensia – Old-time banjo and guitar duet, on tour from Baltimore, MD!
10:00 Al Duvall -Born on Pancake Day, 1877, in Wryneck-on-Bellend, Shysterchestershire, England, in the Royal Workhouse for Children, where his parents were inmates. He was deemed ineligible for residence, as he had living parents, and expelled immediately. He learned the motions of banjo playing in London, as a toilet trader,and later worked the music halls as The Albino Blackface Singer, The World’s Weakest Strongman, and That Git With The Bloody Kazoo. During military service in Borneo at the Liberation Massacre of 1904, he was killed by a cannibal. His last words were: “There’s a man after my own heart.” His wandering spirit continues to entertain crowds to this day.
11pm The Cangelosi Cards – Awesome New Orleans jazz, blues, swing, you name it. See my review below. This band is not to be missed! And bring your dancing shoes.
Saturday Jan. 12th from 8 till Late!
8:30- Eli Smith – Old-time, Blues and Original Songs
9pm – American String Conspiracy -Blues, Country, Folk, Original Songs on various string instruments!
10pm- Alex Battles & The Whisky Rebellion- Great classic country style singer/songwriter. Two thumbs up! Alex is the leader of the Whiskey Rebellion, a country band based in Brooklyn, NY.
11pm- Vincent Cross & Good Company – Great bluegrass band playing original songs- “New Songs, Old Sound.”
Saturday Dec. 8th from 8 till Late!
8:30 – Chappy – Folky fusion music
9:30 – The Y’all Stars – A great bluegrass band from right here in NYC!
11pm – Feral Foster – Blues, street preacher style slide guitar!
12am- The Square Struts – Blues, old-time, etc.
Saturday Nov. 10th- from 8 till late!
8-8:45: Curtis Eller’s American Circus – “New York’s angriest yodeling banjo player, he sings about pigeon racing, performing elephants and Jesus, all of which he has seen with his own eyes.”
9-9:45: Bob Malenky – Awesome, real deal delta and piedmont blues.
10-10:45: Delta Dream Box – Delta blues from the 1920’s and 30’s and “Classic” female vocal blues from the 20’s, Memphis blues from the 30’s and 40’s.
10:45-11:30: Eli Smith – Old-time, Blues and Original Songs
11:30 Cangelosi Cards – New Orleans Jazz, Swing, Blues, Country- Not to be missed, be ready to dance!
Check out some of their tracks, recorded live @ Banjo Jim’s:
Saturday Oct. 6th- from 8 till late!
8:30 – 10pm: Joe Hickerson – Librarian and Director of the Archive of Folk Song at the Library of Congress, a “vintage, pre-plugged, paleoacoustic folksinger,” he’s great! ($5 Cover, he’s coming all the way from Washington D.C!) Bob Dylan recommends Joe on p. 143 of his autobiography “Chronicles” and I recommend him too! This is gonna be a great show!
10:15pm- 1am: Eli Smith w/Special Guests, the Roots ‘n’ Ruckus Collective, playing a whole bunch of blues, old time and original material. These folks are great!
11-11:20pm: Randy Credico – Political stand-up comedy. What’s funnier than politics?! Randy’s great, highly recommended.
Special 2 Nights of Down Home Live!
Friday Sept. 7th & Saturday Sept. 8th from 8 ’till Late
Part 1- Friday:
8pm- Eli Smith playing old time, blues, and originals on guitar and banjo
8:30pm- Chelsea String Band, old time string band music with guitar, banjo and fiddle
9:30pm- Al Duvall, ragtimey, banjo, old type popular music
10:30 (Ms.) Mamie & Bob, gut bucket and classic blues
Part 2- Saturday
8pm-11pm or later- Roots ‘n Ruckus Collective- This is a great group of people, playing mostly blues and original songs based here in New York. Not to be missed!
Peter Siegel and Eli Smith will be playing their double banjo music at 10pm
Sat. August 11th
8pm: Eli Smith – Old-Time and blues
8:20pm Pat Conte
Pat the legendary singer/guitarist and curator of the Secret Museum of Mankind will be playing selections from his new solo album!
9:20pm The Otis Brothers
Pat and Bob in their awesome duet set-up, playing blues, pre-blues, old-time and gospel on banjo, fiddle & guitar. These guys can sing!
10:20pm Raul Otis & The Blues Serenaders
A great blues band fronted by Raul Otis (Bob Guida) and featuring the staff of Retrofret, the amazing guitar store by the Gawanus Canal! These guys are excellent, and as you might imagine have by far the nicest instruments of any band around. Check out the Stroh fiddle!
11:20pm Cangelosi Cards 11:00 – Late
Sat. July 14th 8pm-Late
Bastille Day & Woody Guthrie’s 95th Birthday!
Feral Foster 8-8:45pm
Country Blues and Folk Songs. The host of the Village Ma’s “Roots & Ruckus” night appears at Banjo Jim’s!
Peter Siegel & Eli Smith 8:50-9:15pm
2 Oldtime banjo players playing simultaneously.
“We don’t do that one.”
Bob Malenky 9:15-10pm
Country Blues
Los Differentes de Gabriel Ramirez 10-10:50
Mexican Norteño band playing corridos (ballads) with guitar, accordion, etc. They’re great!
Cangelosi Cards 11:00 – Late
“The Cangelosi Cards – One of New Yorks hardest working bands- When you hear them, you will understand. Simply the music makes people happy! The Cards perform Dixie Land, Swing and Blues. Tamar is truly an original singer and has a wonderful stage presence. Professional and talented amateur swing dancers come down and add to the atmosphere greatly!”
Check out some of their tracks, recorded live @ Banjo Jim’s:
Get Some Cash for Your Trash
Pretend There’s A Moon
Four or Five Times
Bill Bailey
The Cards play every Monday @ Banjo Jims starting at 9pm.
They also play every Wednesday night @ the Telephone Bar
(2nd Ave between 9th & 10th st.)
Sat. June 9th 8pm-Late
The Otis Brothers 8-9pm
The great blues and folk singers of Queens. Not to be missed!
Brotherhood of the Jug Band Blues 9-9:45pm
Country blues and original jug band music
Eli Smith 9:50-10:15pm
Oldtime, Blues, Pre-blues, Country
Traditional & Original songs
East River String Band 10:15-11:00
Gut-bucket bluesy guitar pickin’ and singin’ duet.
Cangelosi Cards 11:00 – Late
Sat. May 12th 8pm-Late
Bogs Visionary Orchestra 8-8:45pm
Original songs, folk based but contemporary experimental
2nd Fiddles 9-9:50pm
Ragtime Blues
Eli Smith 10-10:30pm
Oldtime, Blues, Pre-blues, Country
Traditional & Original songs
Miss Mamie 10:30-11:15
Gut-bucket classic bluesy guitar pickin’ and washboard rubbin’
Cangelosi Cards 11:30pm – Late
Sat. March 24th 8pm-Late
Eli Smith 8-8:30pm
Oldtime, Blues, Pre-blues, Country
Traditional & Original songs
Mat Callahan & Yvonne Moore 8:30-9:30pm
- Original Leftist political songs, great stuff.
Bob Malenky +
The Brotherhood of the Jug Band Blues (& Friends)
9:30-10:45pm
Outstanding Country Blues and original Jug Band Music
Cangelosi Cards 10:45pm – Late
Sat. February 17th 9pm-Late
Eli Smith 9-9:30pm
Oldtime, Blues, Pre-blues, Country
Traditional & Original songs
Peter Stampfel, John Cohen, Pat Conte, Betty Berkin and Walker Shepard 9:30-11pm
A founder of both the Holy Modal Rounders and The Fugs, Stampfel is not to be missed! He’s playing banjo and fiddle with a mix of his own awesome original songs as well a traditional material. John Cohen both as part of the New Lost City Ramblers and in his own solo work, field recordings, films, photographs, etc. is extraordinary. Pat Conte, is also really one of my all time favorites, both as part of the Otis Brothers and solo. His “Secret Museum of Mankind” CDs on Yazoo are fundamental, definitely check out his old radio show on WFMU. Betty Berkin and Walker Shepard come highly recommended. This will be a great show.
Mark Tipton & Friends 11:00-Late
Mark Tipton and his awesome trumpet will be leading an equally awesome New Orleans style jazz band. Anything could happen.