Coffeehouse Concerts
Intimate concerts upstairs in the Andrea Retz Paternoster room at the Walton Theatre.
Admission is free, donations appreciated.
Coffee, tea, and desserts available.
Upcoming Coffeehouse Concert
Kate McDonnell
Sunday, October 20, 2024
6pm-8pm
Walton Theatre
30 Gardiner St., Walton, NY
Music on the Delaware welcomes singer/songwriter Kate McDonnell to the Walton Theatre, 30 Gardiner Pl, Walton, NY, on Sunday, October 20, for the second coffeehouse of the 2024 fall season. The coffeehouse concert hours are from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. and are free to the public with donations to Music on the Delaware gratefully accepted. Desserts and drinks are provided.
Regional musician Kate McDonnell has captivated audiences all over the world with her award-winning songwriting, her unusual deft guitar style, and her jaw-dropping voice. Inspired by Joan Baez recordings as a youngster, Kate taught herself to play her mother’s guitar, upside down. Her family’s musical abilities continued to nurture Kate’s music. During high school and college years, she performed with her twin sister, which led to appearances with several other bands. In 1989 Kate started writing her own songs and began racking up serious critical recognition in the early 90s, when she was named a New Folk Finalist at the Kerrville Folk Festival in Texas and a finalist at the Falcon Ridge Folk Festival Showcase in New York State. A number of albums followed, including “Where the Mangoes Are.”
Kate took a sabbatical from music in 2006 to earn a master’s degree in social work and has been a child therapist since then. But music drew her back to writing and recording in 2020, and the CD “Ballad of a Bad Girl” was a result.
This Coffeehouse at the Walton Theatre concert will feature numbers from her very latest CD, “Trapeze.” For more information about Kate, see www.katemcdonnell.com.
Sloan Wainwright
Sunday, November 17, 2024, 6pm-8pm
Music on the Delaware is pleased to present singer/songwriter Sloan Wainwright as the November 17 performer at the Music onthe Delaware Coffeehouse in the Walton Theatre. The concert runs on Sunday from 6:00 to 8:00 pm on the second floor of the theatre.
Sloan is a songwriter, singer, performer, teacher, mentor and collaborator. A unique hybrid of pop, folk, jazz and blues, Wainwright’s music is unified by her melodious tone and rich, powerful contralto. Over the course of a 30-year career in music, she has played the great concert halls, the most storied listening rooms and top music festivals while also teaching at the nation’s leading music retreats. In addition, she has released 11 original CDs.
Most of all, Wainwright is an artist. As a member of an acclaimed family of artists (brother Loudon Wainwright, sister-in-law Kate McGarrigle, nephew Rufus Wainwright and nieces Martha Wainwright and Lucy Wainwright Roche), Wainwright has charted an artistic path all her own, one based in close observation, joy, and spiritual connection.
Sloan’s music can be found at www.sloanwainwright.com or on YouTube.
Randy Hulse, Sr. Sounds of Nashville
Sunday, January 19, 2025, 6pm-8pm
Music on the Delaware’s Coffeehouse at the Walton Theatre opens its spring 2025 season on January 19 at 6:00 p.m. with singer/guitarist Randy Hulse in a program titled “Sounds of Nashville.”
Randy is a long-time dance band musician in the Delaware County area as well as a seasoned, popular soloist. He performs frequently at local events such as street fairs, farmers’ markets and town and family celebrations. In summer of 2024, Randy could be heard at Music on the Delaware’s June Porchfest and the August Walton Farmers’ Market.
For fun renditions of familiar country, country-western, 50’s pop songs and sing-alongs, Randy’s coffeehouse event is sure to please everyone.
Yolanda Bush, Evan Jagels, & Wyatt Ambrose
Sunday, February 16, 2025, 6pm-8pm
Music on the Delaware’s February Coffeehouse at the Walton Theatre will feature area musicians Yolanda Bush, Evan Jagels and Wyatt Ambrose performing as a trio called the Coolwater Collective. The free concert will occur on Sunday, February 16, 2025, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. in the parlor of the Theatre, 30 Gardiner Place, Walton, NY 13856. As with all coffeehouse events, drinks and desserts will be available, with donations gratefully accepted.
Yolanda Bush and the Coolwater Collective Trio is a must-see musical ensemble blending Jazz, Blues, and unexpected selections to create an unforgettable musical experience. The trio consists of Yolanda Bush on Voice and Percussion, Evan Jagels on Upright Bass, and Wyatt Ambrose on Guitar. All three are experienced musicians and performers.
Yolanda has been singing and drumming for over four decades. She is versatile in numerous styles, which include Blues, Jazz, Rock, and R&B. Born in Chicago where she was surrounded by music, she went on to study trumpet and choral music and perform in a wide variety of ensembles. Yolanda is a prolific songwriter and has performed widely as a solo guitarist and singer. She has been influenced by many artists including Etta James, Aretha Franklin, Miles Davis, Jimmi Hendrix, and Joni Mitchell.
Evan Jagels is both a passionate educator, currently serving as Lecturer and Artist in Residence at Hartwick College in Oneonta, and a versatile jazz performer, having shared the stage with many notable musicians. He is co-founder of Duo Extempore, and with pianist Nicole Brancato, recently created and presented a musical history of the Walton Theatre as a part of its 110th anniversary celebration. Evan also heads the newly formed Killdeer Trio, which performed a Music on the Delaware coffeehouse concert of improvised experimental jazz in Spring of 2024.
Also a member of KilldeerTrio, Wyatt Ambrose is a guitarist, educator, and composer. He is currently Artist in Residence and Adjunct Professor at Hartwick College and works with liberal arts and music students in private lessons, ensembles, and classroom settings teaching jazz, popular music and aural skills. He is often in demand as a backup performer.
Local Seisiun with Bill Seneschal
Sunday, March 16, 2025, 6pm-8pm
Darcy Gibson & Friends
Sunday, April 13, 2025, 6pm-8pm
The April 13, 2025 Coffeehouse at the Walton Theatre offered by Music on the Delaware will present Darcy Gibson, Jackie Gibson and Chris Cleveland with “Harmonies of the Beatles.” The coffeehouse, which is free, runs from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. and takes place in the Andrea Retz Paternoster room on the second floor of the Theatre, 30 Gardiner Place, Walton, NY 13856. Drinks and desserts will be available, with donations gratefully accepted.
Darcy Gibson has brought most of the Beatles’ catalog to life on stage in one form or another over the years. As the leader of bands like Sgt. Pepper’s Phony Hearts Club Band and the Justice League he performed most of the Beatles' albums in full detail, employing an array of talented friends and family to round out the band and orchestra. Now he is joined by two veterans of the aforementioned groups to present stripped-down and intimate arrangements of Beatles' songs that will focus on the incredible harmonies they created throughout their entire career. Join Darcy, Jackie Gibson and Chris Cleveland for an evening of fun and beautiful songs.
Darcy Gibson has been part of the local music scene for the last couple decades. He is currently performing original music with his two brothers in the band Mr. Paperback (youtube.com/@Mr.Paperback). For nearly twenty years he helped lead the SUNY Oneonta Frank Zappa Ensemble the Mothers of Intention, while concurrently leading and performing in the Justice League and Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. Darcy was a member of many other bands over the years, including The Stamp Collectors, the Sultans, Steerhead/Mystical Steerhead Faction, Whitestone, Eclipse and Purloin, and he performed more informally with many others. He was also the musical director of the Oneonta Theatre Stage Players and has been involved with local theatre in the Oneonta area for years.
Jackie Gibson teaches orchestra and modern band at Delaware Academy Central School, where she has taught for nearly ten years. Prior to that she taught general music and chorus at Schenevus Central School. She performed for years as a violinist with the Little Delaware Youth Ensemble and then as an adult led the LDYE prep-orchestra. Jackie graduated from the Crane School of Music (SUNY Potsdam) where she studied voice and violin. She has been a member of the Justice League, singing and performing on multiple instruments including piano, keyboards, violin, mandolin, French horn and percussion. She has also been involved with school musicals and plays, both at Schenevus and at DA.
Chris Cleveland is the Administrator of Otsego Christian Academy. His family owns and operates the Eighth Note music store, where Chris also works as a piano tuner/technician. Chris and his wife Anita were the leaders of Whitestone, a Christian group which served as the worship team at Community Gospel Church and performed locally for about twenty years. Chris performed lead and support vocals, guitar and drums in Whitestone. Chris was also a member of Sgt. Pepper’s Phony Hearts Club Band, playing guitar and providing lead and support vocals. He was also an occasional member of the always-changing Justice League, providing vocals, guitar, percussion and sound effects.
Drank the Gold
Sunday, May 18, 2025, 6pm-8pm
Coffeehouse Concerts
In-person at the historic Walton Theatre
September 2024-May 2025
Shows 6:00pm - 8:00pm on select Sundays
September 15, 2024
Jazz Manouche/Gypsy jazz of Paris in the 20's & 30's.
October 20, 2024
Contemporary singer-songwriter & guitarist performing songs from her new release "Trapeze".
November 17, 2024
Talented contralto with old, new, & in-progress originals & covers.
January 19, 2025
Randy Hulse, Sounds of Nashville
Long-time dance band musician perofrming country, western, & 50's rock 'n roll.
February 16, 2025
Yolanda Bush, Evan Jagels, & Wyatt Ambrose
A blend of blues, jazz, rock, & R&B.
March 16, 2025
Local Seisun & Bill Seneschal
An Irish session with tunes & songs for St. Patrick's Day.
April 13, 2025
Darcy Gibson & Friends
The wonderful world of Beatles' harmony.
May 18, 2025
Oona Grady & James Gascoyne with old-time, Celtic, original songs & tunes.
Coffeehouse at the Walton Theatre
Music on the Delaware (MOD)'s Coffeehouse began in the fall of 2009. This program complements our mainstage concert season at the Walton Theatre. The Coffeehouse events take place on the second floor of the Walton Theatre in the intimate Andrea Retz Paternoster Room on the third Sunday of every month from September through May (except December).
Coffeehouses highlight local and regional musicians playing a variety of types of music such as traditional, classical, jazz, and folk, and includes singer/songwriters. The events are free to the public, but donations are welcomed by MOD to help support operating costs. The site is excellent for acoustic music with only minor amplification needed for balance and voice. Volunteers provide desserts, coffee and tea. Attendees come and go as they wish during the relaxed, casual performances.
During the pandemic of 2020 through spring of 2021, our Coffeehouses went virtual. A livestream option continued through February 2024. On a more limited basis, we plan to include additional, occasional, virtual-only programs to attract musicians from far away.
We hope to see and welcome many of you at our next Coffeehouse!
Coffeehouses at the Walton Theatre
A glimpse into the intimate community coffeehouse.
© Music on the Delaware 2021-2024