Song Circle

Share a song, lead a song, request a song, or listen as we go round the circle. Song Circle is free and open to all who wish to participate.  Bring your own instrument, borrow one, or just sing.

All levels Welcome!

Visit the Imagine Coffee Facebook

Shook Twins

Born and raised in Sandpoint Idaho, Shook Twins are an Indie folk-pop band now hailing from coniferous forested Portland, Oregon. Identical twins, Katelyn and Laurie Shook, Kyle Volkman and Niko Daoussis form the core quartet. Central elements of the Shook Twins’ sound are a wide range of instrumentation, including banjo, guitar, electric and upright bass, mandolin, electric guitar, electronic drums, face drum (beatbox), glockenspiel, ukulele, banjo drumming and their signature golden EGG. Beautiful twin harmonies, layered upon acoustic and electric instrumentation coupled with Laurie’s inventive use of percussive and ambient vocal loops, and Katelyn’s repurposed telephone microphone, set their sound apart, creating a unique and eccentric blend of folk, roots, groove and soul.

The Nettles

Laura Brophy – fiddle;
Kevin Johnsrude – guitars;
Michael Proctor – bass;
Brian Bucolo – percussion;
The Nettles are well-known on the West Coast for their original approach to contra dance music. Playing traditional music from all over the world, The Nettles create a strong rhythmic groove under soaring improvisations. Rhythmic drive and melodic fluidity allow The Nettles to propel contra dances into the stratosphere.

William Watson

William Watson, a resident of Eugene, OR, danced his first contra in 1989 and began calling in Texas in 1992. Having called numerous contra events in cities coast-to-coast, William’s extensive experience and soothing voice project a calm confidence. His vigilant and thoughtful dance programming ensures a variety of figures, transitions, and sequences to entertain and support new dancers while offering the occasional challenge for the more advanced. His calling proficiency and sensitivities ensure everyone has a good time.

Beginners lesson starts at 7:30pm (experienced dancers welcome) dance starts at 8:00pm

Each dance is taught.  No partner necessary (it’s traditional to dance each dance with a different partner)

First and Third Saturdays of the month except July, August. Occasional special dances.

First and Third Sundays

The first Sunday of the month will be dedicated to Balkan dances and the third to Israeli.

All levels Welcome!

Visit the Imagine Coffee Facebook

Third Thursday Imagine Open Mic Night

Traditional Coffeehouse Music, Poetry and Standup Comedy

Solos – Trios, signup & keyboard setup 6:30 pm.

With the launch of Imagine Coffee’s Third Thursday Imagine Open Mic Night, Corvallis now has three solid weeks of Open Mics every month.
Hosted by a collective of seasoned local songwrights and creatives, the unique character of Imagine’s Open Mic is the variety of it’s traditional coffeehouse format of the ’50’s to ’60’s ‘Village and college  community enclaves — which hosted an emerging new populism of deep cultural roots and social activism. This creative renaissance set the stage for the major paradigm shift and cultural blossoming of the 1960’s and ’70’s, which rocked, enlightened and often conflicted with the established conformity and malaise of that era, as it conflicted with yet enriched fixed institutions of the day worldwide with a creative consciousness and power we still see all around us in that new paradigm’s diaspora today. It is still evolving and growing, and still outside the mainstream, like wildflower and weed pushing up through the established pavement of mainstream media culture. This is the spirit we bring to this new monthly event.  ~:o)

All levels Welcome!

Visit the Imagine Coffee Facebook

7:30 Ian Priestman

 British songwriter and humorist and, these days, instructor at LBCC. Ian brings a unique perspective to music in the northwest.

   

Great guitar and fiddle from two legends of Corvallis past. They were members of the High Water String Band, all of whom have moved on to larger cities and strong musical careers. Ruthie and Cyd reunite every two or three years for some gigs, and we are lucky enough to have them at The Cellar this time around.

The best Cellar is a once-a-month evening of acoustic music. Admission is “pay what you will,” and kids are free. Cookies and coffee are available. Located in the cellar of the Methodis Church on 11th and Monroe, in Corvallis. For more information, or to join the volunteer team, contact Mark Weiss at mjweiss@cmug.com

Corvallis Guitar Society

The goal of the Corvallis Guitar Society is to act as a catalyst to bring local guitarists out of the woodwork and provide an opportunity to perform and enjoy guitar music in a friendly and supportive atmosphere. The accent here is on participation and we hope people will want to participate in the open stage section also – no piece of music is too short or simple (though there is a five minute limit if we have a full sign-up sheet) and you are guaranteed a warm round of applause for showing us what you can do! We do have a limited number of open stage slots so be sure to sign up early at the front desk on the way in.

Our Mission

To promote classical and related guitar styles by providing a supportive performance environment for people of all ages and ability.

We seek to achieve this through a monthly meeting that provides an opportunity to discuss, listen to, and play solo guitar music including classical, flamenco, finger-style, jazz, as well as classical guitar ensemble styles.

All levels Welcome!

Visit the Imagine Coffee Facebook

Concert has been CANCELLED

Jim Malcolm has been forced home for family health reasons and had to cancel the rest of his west coast tour.

The concert producer will be in the Majestic Theatre lobby from 6:30pm to 8:00 pm on Thursday, Feb 4, 2016.  Bring your tickets purchased at Grass Roots and exchange them for a refund.  Ticket Tomato tickets are being refunded through Ticket Tomato and you should get a notification.

FMI: Richard Thies  541 753-8307

Jim Malcolm
Live from Scotland

He’s Scotland’s Songwriter of the Year in 2004 and three-times nominated for Scots Singer of the Year. Jim Malcolm’s concerts are like a musical tour through Scotland’s landscape and history, with humor his constant companion. Jim Malcolm performs award-winning original songs, traditional ballads and the works of Robert Burns, with guitar and harmonicas. His harmonica work is pretty hot. Jim likes to do a 50 seat venue  so he can do it without a sound system.  He has a great voice for that and has sold out here before, so I recommend getting tickets early.

Here is what others say:

“Jim Malcolm’s voice has the complex individuality of an aged single-malt whisky.”   Boston Globe

“One of the finest talents to have emerged through the Scottish folk scene in years”       The independent

“One of those pure warm Scottish folk voices one never tires of listening to.”                Dirty Linen

Review by Michael Moll of Folkworld of Jim Malcolm’s 2014 CD  “The Corncrake”

The popular Scottish singer/songwriter tackles on this album almost entirely traditional songs (with only one exception). This is the second “traditional” album by Jim Malcom, after last year’s “Still” – while all previous 10 solo albums were very much focussed on Jim’s own material. Many of the songs are seldomly heard, while some are better known.  The album has a very relaxed flair featuring Jim’s wonderful warm voice, guitar and harmonica, as well as guests Pete Clark (fiddle, Mark Duff (whistles, bodhran), Scoter Muse (banjo), Dave Watt (keyboards and melodica) and Jim’s wife Susie adding vocal harmonies. The cover of the album is a beautiful watercolour painting of a corncrake by wildlife artist David Bennett.

Jim has also just released a 2015 CD: “ Live in Perth”: “This is a rewarding selection of old and modern Scottish folk song, recorded live with no studio jiggery pokery, in front of a lively audience of fans, friends and family. “

Beth Wood

Beth Wood is a modern-day troubadour and believer in the power of song. Her exceptional musicianship, crafty songwriting, and commanding stage presence have been winning over American audiences for eighteen years. Beth’s music is soulful, organic, intelligent, barefoot, high-energy communication of joy.

Beth has been featured on OPB’s  “Artbeat” and on “Troubadour, TX”, a nationally syndicated documentary-style singer-songwriter reality television series airing in almost 40 million households and 140 U.S. markets.  Beth has also been a three-time featured artist on Cayamo: A Journey Through Song, a week-long Caribbean songwriters’ cruise

Jeffrey Martin, and Anna Tivel

Jeffrey Martin: “I’ve had a healthy touring schedule for the past 3 years, sparked initially by an invitation to the NPR Mountain Stage Song Contest where I played at the Lincoln Center in New York City.  Since then I’ve had the chance to share shows with the likes of David Wilcox, Tracy Grammer, Sean Hayes, Jeffrey Foucault, Anais Mitchell, Joe Pug, Gregory Alan Isakov, Frank Fairfield, Jefferson Hamer, and others.  I’ve also been an official artists three years at the Sisters Folk Festival.  And in 2014 I was a Kerrville Folk Finalist.  This year I will be an Officially Showcased performer at Folk Alliance International in Kansas City (I’m terrified.)   I’ve two full length albums and one EP out currently, and have just begun work on a third.

Anna Tivel has also been touring steady for the past 3 years.  She got her touring start with the Shook Twins (whom she’ll be playing with at the Majestic on Jan 15th), and has since committed to her solo stuff with great success.  She WON the Kerrville Folk contest last summer, and recently began touring with Peter Mulvey (as well as recorded on his most recent project with Ani DiFranco due out some time soon.)   Anna has supported acts like Ruth Moody, Gregory Alan Isakov, Anais Mitchell, Blind Pilot, and many others.  She is currently finishing up her third full length album, due out some time this spring.

Prepare for the
Republican Candidates’ Debate
with the musical political insight of
Roy Zimmerman

Roy Zimmerman is a satirical songwriter in the Tom Lehrer/Phil Ochs tradition with a great gift for clever and funny lyrics that really rhyme and an incredibly entertaining banter between his song

“You’re brilliant. Just brilliant!” — Terry Jones, Monty Python

Tom Lehrer himself says, “I congratulate Roy Zimmerman on reintroducing literacy to comedy songs.  And the rhymes actually rhyme, they don’t just ‘rhyne.'”

Joni Mitchell says, “Roy’s lyrics move beyond poetry and achieve perfection.”

He spent the Comedy Boom years of the Eighties doing stand-up in San Francisco, sharing stages with George Carlin, Bill Maher, Kate Clinton, Dennis Miller and many others. He wrote all the material for his funny folk music quartet The Foremen, recording two albums for Warner/Reprise Records. He’s done several shows with The Pixies’ Frank Black, swapping songs in a solo acoustic setting.

“Roy Zimmerman simultaneously inspires me and makes me laugh my ass off,” says comedian/author Paul Krassner.

Zimmerman tours almost constantly, taking his funny songs about fracking, creationism, marijuana laws, government shutdown, same-sex marriage, guns, taxes and abstinence across the country, often playing in some of the least Progressive places in America for the most Progressive people there.  “I get accused of preaching to the converted,” he says, “but I don’t think of it that way. I think of it as entertaining the troops.”

In thirteen albums over twenty years, Roy has brought the sting of satire to the struggle for Peace and Social Justice. His songs have been heard on HBO and Showtime. He has recorded for Warner/Reprise Records. He’s been profiled on NPR’s “All Things Considered.” Zimmerman’s YouTube videos have amassed over seven million views, and he’s a featured blogger for the Huffington Post.

Sing Out! Magazine writes, “Zimmerman is a guy on the left skewering folks on the right with rapier-sharp lyrics … underneath the caustic satire is a man who is surprisingly optimistic.”