The Fall 2001 CoffeeHouse Series is under way at Pennsylvania College of Technology, with four more musical performers scheduled through November.
The series, which is sponsored by the Student Activities Office at Penn College, kicked off Aug. 21 with a performance on the patio by the acoustic duo Kate & CJ. It continues on Tuesday, Sept. 18, with a show presented by hammered-dulcimer virtuoso Matthew Abelson.
Rounding out the series will be Bari Koral on Tuesday, Oct. 2; devon on Tuesday, Oct. 16; and Kaki King on Tuesday, Nov. 13. All of the performances are free and open to the public. The shows begin at 8 p.m. in the CoffeeHouse, located on the first floor of the Alvin C. Bush Campus Center at Penn College.
Abelson, a Princeton, N.J., native, was introduced to the hammered dulcimer at age 6. Although he started primarily with Irish tunes, Abelson's repertoire now includes traditional American music, as well as classical, renaissance, jazz and original works. In his performances, he complements the music with traditional stories, personal anecdotes and humor. Abelson now performs, records and teaches full-time, appearing extensively at colleges, universities, major festivals and coffee houses throughout the Mid-Atlantic region, Michigan and his home state of Ohio. In May 1999, he took first place at the Mid-East Regional Hammered Dulcimer Competition.
The Bari Koral Band has been voted one of the best live acts of the year in New York "Newsday" and named "most likely to succeed" by "The Village Voice." Through live performances and sales of her self-titled independent EP and a subsequent independent release, "Joy," Koral has established an impressive fan base in the New York area and beyond. She continues to perform at a variety of premier venues in New York and was featured in a live cable broadcast on New Year's Eve along with The Doobie Brothers and cast members from "Saturday Night Live."
Just 18 years old, devon makes music with a raw, confessional tone that has been described as "powerhouse folk" and "edgy folk." Her fresh approach reflects musical influences like Liz Phair, Lucinda Williams and Ani DiFranco. For the past two years, she has been invited to tour with the Dave Matthews Band, performing on second stages at their amphitheater dates. Her debut CD was recorded in 1999 with Dave Matthews Band bassist Stefan Lessard and producer John Alagia.
Kaki King closes out the series on Nov. 13 with her unique guitar style.
For more information about the Fall 2001 CoffeeHouse Series at Penn College, call (570) 327-4537 or visit on the Web .