Coffee Concert Features Two Independent Music Performers

Last month lovers of independent music were treated to the beautiful voices of Lucy Kaplansky and Randall Williams.  They were both performing at Coffee with Conscience, a monthly concert series whose proceeds benefit a charitable organization.  This series takes place at the United Methodist Church and are sponsored by Ahrre's Coffee Roastry on Elm Street.  This concert was the eighth concert of the tenth season.

With a portion of the month proceeds going to charity, event coordinators designated the Keith Knost Special Needs Trust Fund as the April charity. Knost has been a long time resident of this area and attended Summit High School.  In 2000 he was in an accident which left him paralyzed from the chest down.  While most of the other charities that Coffee with Conscience gives to receive donations from many sources, there are not that many people giving to Keith Knost.  Ahrre Maros, event organizer, said the difference for choosing to help Knost was his own interaction with the family and how he sees Knost coping with his disability.

In a departure from tradition, the concert was able to bring in Randall Williams as the opening act, due to a grant from the Westfield Service League.  Most of the crowd had not heard him before, but many remarked to Maros afterwards that they enjoyed him immensely.  He is a world traveler who speaks seven languages and has played in 40 countries and wrote a book called "The Sea Inside" from which he read an excerpt during his set. 

Williams told a story of how he sold virtually everything he owned, bought a 20 foot sailboat, and then realized he didn't know much about sailing.  He made a CD about it called "Praying for Land" and he sang some of the songs from that CD during the concert.  These included the title song "Praying for Land" about the adventure of it all (he could only call it that after the fact) and "I Will Come for You" about a story he heard on his travels.  He also sang some covers, including one of a song that was made famous by Lucy Kaplansky called "The Kid."

Then the main act, Lucy Kaplansky took the stage.  She reported to the audience that she doesn't plan her shows out, noting this is not due to a lack of planning but rather said "I have more fun if I don't plan it."  Because of this she was open to suggestions from the audience. 

Kaplansky also played a mixture of original songs and covers.  Original songs included one about meeting her husband called "Ten Year Night" and one about missing her daughter on Mother's Day.  Covers included Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah," Bruce Springsteen's "Thunder Road," and Johnny Cash's "Ring of Fire." 

She played both the guitar and piano during the concert.  Before starting to play the piano she joked that "the piano is a little out of tune and little funky.  Well just pretend this is a saloon; a saloon where they don't serve alcohol and they worship Jesus." 

She peppered her set with stories, mostly about her daughter who is seven years old.  She said "my husband is the greatest guy and she's the greatest kid." 

While many of her songs were sad in topic, but she tried to keep the concert upbeat.  She said "I would play nothing but sad songs if I could because I love sad songs, but it wouldn't be great for my career."  However, most of the requests from the audience were for sad songs, so no one seemed to be complaining about the content of the songs. 

There are only two more concerts left in this season.  May's concert will feature John McCutcheon, who Maros said he is very excited to be able to host.   Tickets can be purchased online.  For more information visit http://www.coffeewithconscience.org/.