Zak Zavada Photography

Twist your view of reality tonight with the amazing duo of Zak Zavada and Kristen Leonard, while Rupert Wates lays down his smooth sounds!

6 - 9pm at Northern Light Espresso Bar.

We look forward to seeing you all! So don't miss it!

Remember, the amazing Rupert Wates will be joining us for March First Friday Scranton.  If you don't know about Rupert, you should!  Check out is bio below.  His music is awesome.

Bio:
Rupert Wates was born in London. He describes his music as acoustic, melodic art/folk.
He has been a full time songwriter since 1992 when he signed an exclusive deal with Eaton
Music Publishing.

Since his move to the US in fall 2006 his music has found a warm reception and in 2007 alone he
was nominated eight times for songwriting awards. Strong melodies, memorable lyrics, nuanced
and real emotion - these are the hallmarks of Rupert Wates' music.

Rupert plays 100-150 live shows a year in venues all over the US. He has received over ten
songwriting awards, including Gold Prize in the Folk/Acoustic category of the Midatlantic Song
Contest in Washington DC, Second Prize in the North Carolina Songwriting Contest in Holly
Springs, and Top Prize in the Folk/Acoustic Category of the International Song Wars Contest
headed by Mike Pinder. His CD ‘Coast To Coast’ was voted a TOP 10 Album for 2007 by
Britsound Radio, an independent program based in New Jersey. In 2008 his album ‘Dear Life’
was named ‘one of the best CDs of 2008’ by the Indie Acoustic Project (www.indieacoustic.com).

Reviews for Rupert Wates:
“Truly gripping lyrics with great themes and troubling, witty messages. An inspirational artist"
(Leith FM Radio 98.8FM)

“Man! This guy sings from the heart and then some. Each song yanks the listener fully into the
story and rhythms, not to mention an emotionality imbuing Wates’ plaintively melodic voice.
Every cut’s a gem, completely enthralling, absorbing, and thus we have a new and unique
songwriter-musician already in the front ranks” (Mark Tucker, Folk And Acoustic Music
Exchange)

“A writer who makes you think while he entertains...Rupert Wates manages that tricky tightrope
with great skill” (Chris Kocher, PressConnects.com)

“Mines a far richer vein of songwriting than many of his contemporaries” (Jazz Journal)

“A delight to listen to...These are songs crafted with care and imbued with sincerity and
conviction'” (Rob Quicke, Britsound Radio)

“Wates’ voice sounds like a clearer and more theatrical Gordon Lightfoot. Each song is a single
piece, without any blending into each other, a mark of the true tunesmith. Wates definitely has a
way with words, thought structures and musicianship, and I truly believe (‘Dear Life’) to be worth
a listen” (Jim Testa, www.jerseybeat.com)

“An extraordinary guitarist and singer. Imagine the Moody Blues unplugged. That’s Wates” (T.
Mannis, www.rogersparkbench.blogspot.com)

www.myspace.com/rupertwates
www.rupertwates.com

Join us for the 20^th Susan G Komen Race for the cure.  We will have a NLEB team complete with T-shirts…more info to come!

May 16-22, we will be a participating business sponsor in the WVIA Great TV Auction to help promote and sponsor Public TV.  Please due your part and tune in!

For First Friday Scranton in May we have one of your favorite artists returning to Scranton's favorite Art Gallery.  That's right, Jennifer Hamby-Brandon is coming back with some exciting work.  So make sure to check back over the next few months for updates on this sure to please exhibition.

And for your musical enjoyment at Scranton's finest musical venue, we will be featuring the folky sounds of Matt Burke.

And for more information on the May artists, see below:

Jennifer Hamby-Brandon

Originally from New York, Jennifer is now a local artist of the Scranton, PA area. She graduated from Luzerne Community College, and Marywood University with a BA in Illustration.

She credits her love for the arts to her Lord, Jesus Christ, whom she knows to be the source of her love and desire to work through the medium of paint and the power of design.

Her greatest inspirational moments are derived from trips to Sante Fe, where she studied under David Leffel, and Italy, where she stood before the great works of the masters, walked through the beautiful city streets, and relaxed amidst the stunning landscape of Tuscany.

Jen specializes in pet portraits, where she loves to express the individual personality of every pet. As a proud Dane owner and animal lover at heart, she thoroughly enjoys presenting fellow pet owners with an original oil painting of their loyal friend.

Jen is also a published illustrator of several children’s books. She is the Art Director of Lamplighter Ministries International, and works as a freelance graphic designer through her design company, Jaché Studio.

Whether through painting, illustration, or design, it is her desire to take part in, and share with you . . . a piece of a beautiful moment

Matt Burke

Nashville based folk-rocker Mat Burke is a blue-collar kid who wears his heart on his sleeve. His songs are short excursions on the well-traveled roads of pain, disappointment, heartbreak, and desperation. At 21, this old soul meets his audience in life’s darker regions where shadows appear real, then points to the light peering through the cracks above.

Raised on the streets of Philadelphia, Burke neared a breaking point at age 16 and left high-school for a short time. A caring teacher introduced him to the music of Bob Dylan. This proved to be a lightning strike across the bow of Burke’s wayward ship, and he returned to high-school with a new identity seared into the palm of his hands. Standing firmly on the shoulders of the folk giants, Burke inhaled all things Dylan then expanded his musical diet to include a long roster of folk-punk troubadours, most notably The Gaslight Anthem and UK-based Frank Turner. Following in the footsteps of Turner, Burke started playing basement house-parties in Philadelphia, and only twelve months later he was the only solo artist featured in the finals of the annual World Café Live “Philly Rising” contest in January 2008.

Relocating to Nashville in 2009, Mat Burke is about to release his debut full-length record entitled Kill or Be Killed. Relentlessly infectious, Kill or Be Killed is a seamless pastiche of traditional folk, folk-punk, and raw emo more reminiscent of Roger Waters than Conor Oberst. Early praise for Kill or Be Killed is pouring in, and the respected underground Nashville website Listen!Nashville calls Kill or Be Killed “a formidable debut from a young songwriter firmly rooted in the prophetic folk-rock tradition…both political and emotional, Kill or Be Killed will remain relevant for years to come….”

The official release date for Kill or Be Killed is March 2, 2010, which also marks the beginning of Mat Burke’s non-stop US tour in support of the record.

Praise for Mat Burke:

“Intelligent and thought-provoking, with stinging lyrics reminiscent of the early folk movement…. A formidable debut from a young songwriter firmly rooted in the prophetic folk-rock tradition…both political and emotional, Kill or Be Killed will remain relevant for years to come….” -- listennashville.com

“[Burke’s] songs ring with the sincerity of a singer-songwriter who means what he writes and sings what he means.” – syracuse.com

“It was as if he had walked right out of the pages of Kerouac's On the Road and climbed up on stage in Spring City with a guitar and started playing some folk songs.” – allaroundphilly.com

For booking please email Mat's agent: bookingmatburke@live.com

For First Friday Scranton in April we will be featuring the oil abstract work of the very talented artist, Michael Lambert.

Our musical guest will be none other than the local love, Clarence Spady.

So stop in to your favorite Scranton Art Gallery , and relax with a fine cup of joe.  It's going to be a great night!

And for more information on the artists, see below:

Michael Lambert

I was born in Scranton, PA in 1975 and have resided in Northeast PA for my entire life. I've been interested in drawing, cartooning and painting since childhood. Being a musician as well, throughout high school and college I split my focus between music and art. Now I believe that one art form is a respite from the other and at the same time a catalyst, each for the other.

I graduated from Marywood University in 2001 with a BFA in Painting. I had some really incredible teachers, mentors, and friends that I still maintain great relationships with. I respect them, their work and their teachings.

Living only 2 1/2 hours outside of New York city, I've spent much time there visiting and studying painting at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Museum of Modern Art, The Whitney, and many of the contemporary galleries. I've shown extensively in group and solo exhibitions from 1997 to 2001 and started showing again in October 2009. I made drawings and paintings during that time in between, but wasn't necessarily happy with the work I was making until about January of 2009...

I'm the father of two wonderful little boys that inspire me every day. I coach my oldest sons baseball team. He's a natural - better than I was at his age. My little guy is already swinging the bat at pretty much everything in the house. We're still getting the "only swing at the ball" thing down. But he has a great swing too. We spend a lot of the summer playing or watching baseball, or fishing together.

Clarence Spady

Clarence Spady returns with the release of Just Between Us on Severn Records, his first studio recording in over ten years. Once described as "the future of the blues" by Bill Dahl (Chicago Tribune), his sound has matured and is now even more distinguishable. Clarence plays with a depth and sensitivity that can't be taught, effortlessly combining blues, jazz, funk, and rock into his own unique sound. As a songwriter Clarence writes 11 brand new originals never being afraid to turn his most private moments into stories that we can all relate to. Constantly touring in places like Hong Kong, Austria, Germany, France, Italy, Canada, and all parts of the U.S., Clarence's rapidly growing fan base is beginning to spread the word of his moving guitar play, rough street-edged vocals, songwriting, and live improvisations.

Born, Clarence Sloan Spady on July 1, 1961 in Paterson, NJ. Spady’s dad Clarence “Pops” Sr. moved the family to Scranton, PA in 1966 to a safer suburb and a secure job at the army depot.

But that didn’t stop the family from traveling to NJ every weekend to play with Clarence’s Uncle Fletchy’s R & B band. After his Aunt Bea found him playing “High Heeled Sneakers” on his father’s guitar backstage one night, Clarence was called upon to play his first professional gig at the age of 5 at the Elks Club. He’s been startling people with his immense god-given guitar playing ever since.

The Jazz Café in Hong Kong touted Clarence “ as a soulful singer and hot guitarist who takes the blues of BB King and Albert Collins, and mixes it with the soul of Ray Charles and some funk of James Brown”… In short, Clarence is one of those artists that can actually move people. He brings out a range of emotions in you throughout his performances and recordings.

Clarence continues to wow audience's all over the country….from his annual compelling and emotional benefit performances at Boulder Colorado’s Concert for Planet Earth to his regular appearances at NYC’s Terra Blues, at his home base in Pennsylvania at the River Street Jazz Café, or at a myriad of small jazz and blues clubs and festivals, he pushes forward writing and playing new music. And now finally through the great efforts and talent of our good friend David Earl and Severn Records the world can hear the magical sounds of Clarence Spady once again.

SEVERN RECORDS PRESENTS … CLARENCE SPADY … “JUST BETWEEN US”

11 NEW ORIGINAL CLARENCE SPADY COMPILATIONS… MAY 20, 2008 Release

Zak Zavada Photography

First Friday Scranton this March is going to be an exciting one! Photographer Zak Zavada and Illustrator Kristen Leonard have teamed up again to twist your view of reality. Join us on First Friday to catch a glimpse of an ice monster, spot the slithering creatures on the river bottom and catch the phoenix in mid-flight. All work will be for sale.

Rupert Wates is sure to be a crowd pleaser at your favorite musical venue in Scranton.

“Every cut’s a gem, completely enthralling, absorbing…….” (Mark Tucker)

Rupert Wates was born in London. He describes his music as acoustic, melodic art/folk.
He has been a full time songwriter since 1992 when he signed an exclusive deal with Eaton Music Publishing.
Since his move to the US in fall 2006 his music has found a warm reception and in 2007 alone he was nominated eight times for songwriting awards. Strong melodies, memorable lyrics, nuanced
and real emotion - these are the hallmarks of Rupert Wates' music.
Rupert plays 100-150 live shows a year in venues all over the US. In 2008 his album ‘Dear Life’ was named ‘one of the best CDs of 2008’ by the Indie Acoustic Project (www.indieacoustic.com).

So stop on in and relax with a nice Chai, or other warm beverage!!!

On February 19 you should stop into the Trolley Museum for the Winter in the City Fundraiser that benefits Scranton Tomorrow. It will be running from 5:30 – 8 pm. Hors d’oerves and cocktails will be served. Admission is $15 per person. Music will be provided by Paul LaBelle & the exact change.

Oh, and by the way, we are a sponsoring business! So please stop on in!

This is going to be an exciting First Friday in Scranton with Devon O'Keefe, and the infamous Bog Swing Band setting up at Northern Light!

Devon O’Keefe is an illustrator in Scranton, PA. He was born and raised just outside of Scranton in Madison Township. He attended Baptist Bible College for music, and is currently attending Marywood University.   Devon will graduate next semester with a BFA in illustration. He creates art mostly from his imagination; a world of knights, ents, dragons, kings, and the occasional hobbit, but also works from life in watercolor and ink.

And well, you all know the Bog Swing Band by now!  Don't miss it!