SARATOGA SPRINGS — Under the direction of Director Noah Palmer, Saratoga Voices will celebrate 55 years of music with the return of its popular Dinner Cabaret, held in the Vista Ballroom at the Van Patten Golf Club in Clifton Park.

There will be two performances: Saturday, Oct. 25 at 4:30 p.m. and Sunday, Oct. 26 at 12 p.m.

The event includes a buffet, silent auction, and musical favorites from past cabarets, such as Gershwin, Rogers & Hammerstein, Cole Porter, The Beatles, and Broadway tunes old and new.

Tickets and additional information are available at saratogavoices.org.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Putnam Place has hosted some of the most celebrated jam band acts in the country, including Goose, Blues Traveler, Dogs in a Pile, Eggy, Daniel Donato, Dopapod, Yonder Mountain String Band, and Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe, to name but a few.

This month, the venue is embracing its jam band legacy with a series of shows celebrating the rich history of improvised rock music.

Oct. 11: Reprise

Reprise recreates iconic Phish shows and consists of Cal Kehoe, longtime frontman for Pink Talking Fish on guitar; Adrian Tramontano from Twiddle and Kung Fu on the drums; Scott Chasolen from Ulu on keyboards; and Chris DeAngelis of Kung Fu and The Breakfast on bass.

Oct. 15: Melvin Seals & JGB

Melvin Seals has been a powerful presence in the music industry for over 30 years with a long-established reputation as a performer, recording artist, and producer. Melvin is most revered for playing his high-spirited Hammond B-3 organ and keyboards in the Jerry Garcia Band. Melvin spun his B-3 magic with the Jerry Garcia Band for 18 years, and in so doing, helped pioneer and define what has become known as “jam band music.”

Melvin & JGB includes John Kadlecik on lead guitar and vocal duties, John-Paul McLean’s savory bass, Jeremy Hoenig on the drums and, of course, Seals himself on the Hammond B-3 Organ and keyboards. Collectively, the group offers an exciting, often psychedelic, musical journey that changes nightly.

Oct. 17: A Band of Brothers

A Band of Brothers is an Allman Brothers tribute band and the brainchild of guitarists Ryan Taylor and Johnny Trama. Keyboardist Matt Zeiner was recruited in 2000 by Dickey Betts of the Allman Brothers Band as a keyboardist and vocalist, leading to a fruitful collaboration and tour. Bass player Jesse Williams has played with everyone from Duke Robillard to Louis Walker to the North Mississippi Allstars. Tom Arey on drums has played with Peter Wolf’s Midnight Travelers. Brendan Tommaney on percussion has played with Pink Talking Fish. Collectively, the group aims to harness the Allman Brothers tradition as a vehicle to bring a unique and exciting experience every night.

Oct. 30: Neon Avenue 

Born from the depths of the 2020 pandemic, this group of Capital Region musicians, in less than two years, has made a stir in the ever-popular (and saturated) Grateful Dead tribute scene. The band brings a fresh take on Grateful music while placing an emphasis on improvisation, unique setlist construction, deeper cuts into the Grateful songbook, and a primal energy that they draw from fans during live performances. Composed of veteran musicians from numerous local groups like Formula 5, Slipknot! (80’s/90’s Dead tribute), Stone Revival Band, Knot Dead, Jocamo, and more, this combination of players has set out to push the boundaries of the standard Dead tribute.

Oct. 31: Gubbulidis

A special Halloween show featuring a rare appearance by Gubbulidis, a duo from Vermont that features Twiddle’s Zdenek Gubb on bass guitar and vocals, and Mihali Savoulidis on acoustic guitar and vocals. With the help of a loop pedal, Gubbulidis is able to create a unique sound that is bigger than what a duo usually has to offer. Between Mihali’s BeatBoxing and Zdenek’s percussive bass lines, they are able to create a variety of beats that fill out their sound and enable them to create the full band vibe that makes them fun to see live.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Daniel Donato’s unique psychedelic country experience came to Saratoga last week, delivering a sold-out show at Putnam Place.

Donato’s “cosmic country” group performed a total of 19 songs (13 originals and 6 covers) across two sets and an encore in front of a crowd of enthusiastic jam band lovers, many of whom donned Grateful Dead apparel for the occasion. 

The band demonstrated the breadth and versatility of its catalogue by putting its own spin on classics like the Elvis Presely rockabilly tune “Mystery Train,” Merle Haggard’s blue-collar anthem “Workin’ Man Blues,” and the immortal Bob Dylan’s oft-covered “Quinn the Eskimo.”

Prior to the concert, Donato told Saratoga TODAY that he enjoys introducing his audience to country songs they may have never previously heard. “We’re getting to reveal a tapestry of influence and deliver people an experience of discovery, which is such a righteous gift,” he said.

Donato, of course, didn’t sidestep his own material, with “Along the Trail” (from his new album “Horizons”), “Lose Your Mind,” “Sweet Tasting Tennessee,” and “Gotta Get Southbound” being among the standouts.

“Yeehaw, Saratoga Springs,” wrote Donato in a social media post. “Thank you for a SOLD OUT evening of high-frequency space and time transcendence through the blessed vessel that is Music.”

The show was Donato’s second in Saratoga Springs, following a co-headlining performance with the Kitchen Dwellers at Putnam in 2022. 

SARATOGA SPRINGS — The Ebony Hillbillies are a difficult band to categorize.

Nearly everything about the group is unexpected. They’re a string band of “hillbillies,” yet they emerged from New York City. They play old-school blues standards like “Wang Dang Doodle” but they do it with a banjo. They’re traditional Americana yet they touch upon topical issues in songs like “Another Man Done Gone.”

The idiosyncratic group played a free show on the lawn outside the Victorian Pool at Saratoga Spa State Park last Sunday, drawing a sizable crowd of spectators who lounged on the grass during an unexpectedly warm autumn day.

Prior to an hour-long set, the Hillbillies hosted a “children’s hour” in which they helped local kids better understand America’s musical roots.

The event was the final part of the New York State Parks’ Solomon Northup “Hope Out of Darkness” sculpture program series. The 13-foot bronze Northup statue is currently on display in front of the Lincoln Bathhouse at the Spa State Park until Oct. 19.

CHARLTON — The Main Street Studio in Charlton will be hosting an exhibition and sale of work by regional artists and makers who are dedicated to practicing and preserving a variety of traditional Japanese craft and artistic styles.

Nature, spirituality, and precision craftsmanship are themes connecting the works selected for the exhibit across many different types of materials and techniques–ceramics, wood joinery and carving, paper, fabric dyeing and folding, watercolors, gardening and even ceremonial tea practices.

The exhibit, “From Far East,” will be on display from Oct. 2 through Nov. 16 with regular gallery hours on Fridays and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The opening reception is on Friday, Oct. 3 from 5 to 8 p.m. and will feature craft demonstrations, matcha tea samples, and light refreshments. Both the gallery exhibit and opening reception are free and open to the public. 

In addition to the exhibit, throughout the month there will be free demonstrations and hands-on workshops. 

• Rie Maywar, Japan-certified tea practitioner, will be giving a free artist talk about the tools and traditions of the Japanese Tea Ceremony on Thursday, Oct. 2. 

• Renee Johnson will host both a free introduction and a 4-week-long deep dive into the Japanese mending technique called “Sashiko,” as well as several other workshops relating to indigo dyeing and fabric folding. 

• Johnny Tromboukis will be teaching a two-day Japanese lantern workshop during which students will learn traditional Kumiko joinery techniques while making a lantern for their home.

For more information and the full schedule of events, visit www.mainstreetcharlton.com.

BOLTON LANDING — The Sembrich will present a special evening celebrating the tradition of Ukrainian art song on Friday, Oct. 10 at 7 p.m. The program will feature art songs and arias by composers such as Mykola Lysenko, Kyrylo Stetsenko, and Stefania Turkewich, along with other rarely heard gems of the repertoire.

Artists from across the Capital Region will perform, including baritone Caleb Eick and sopranos Irina Petrik and Vedrana Kalas.

“We are proud to showcase the profound artistry of Ukraine’s classical art song traditions,” said Richard Wargo, artistic director of The Sembrich. “This concert not only honors the extraordinary contributions of Ukrainian composers but also underscores the enduring importance of cultural expression in times of challenge.”

Tickets are available at TheSembrich.org or by calling (518) 644-2431.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — One should never fail to appreciate a well-organized event.

At Therapeutic Horses of Saratoga’s charity benefit concert last Saturday night, everything from the food vendors to the venue layout to the sound quality was exceptional, especially considering it was all temporarily plopped onto a horse farm. As the evening wore on, tiki torches dotted across the property emitted a warm glow that both provided practical light and set the mood for what was to come.

Culinary offerings included Taquero tacos, Fierro’s pizza, Druthers beer, and Old Tavern Farm wine and spirits. The entertainment launched with Rich Ortiz, an acoustic singer-songwriter who has previously opened for Chicago, REO Speedwagon, KC and the Sunshine Band, and many other well-known acts. He was followed by the Wallies featuring Gianna Robustiano, who belted out women-written anthems by Alanis Morissette and Miley Cyrus, among others.

The main event was the Spin Doctors, a Gen X alt rock group best known for hits like “Two Princes,” “Little Miss Can’t Be Wrong,” and “Jimmy Olsen’s Blues.” The band has an interesting history stretching back to their earliest days playing with John Popper, who would later become known as the frontman for Blues Traveler, the group that headlined Belmont on Broadway in downtown Saratoga in 2024. Both bands emerged from New York City’s late 80s/early 90s jam band scene, which was documented in Mike Ayers’ recent oral history book “Sharing in the Groove.” (Saratoga TODAY interviewed Ayers about his tome and Saratoga’s place in music history for our Aug. 1 issue.)

At the Therapeutic Horses farm, the Doctors delivered a dose of medicine that got many spectators up and grooving (perhaps after they’d enjoyed a few offerings from Druthers and Old Tavern). A highlight of the performance, especially for those invested in the local music scene, came when bass player Jack Daley’s brother Joe (a resident of Troy, New York) came out to play drums on a couple tracks. Joe is a longtime member of Super 400, a band that blends 60s-70s heavy rock with contemporary melodic pop and has played at many Capital Region venues.

In a video message shared prior to the event, Spin Doctors lead singer Chris Barron (who impressed the crowd with his acrobatic kicks) called Therapeutic Horses’ mission to utilize retired racehorses in support of mental wellness “incredible.” It was an apt description of the event as well.

MALTA — The Town of Malta may want to brace itself. Swifties will descend upon it this weekend for screenings of “Taylor Swift: The Official Release Party of a Showgirl” on Oct. 3, 4, and 5.

The 89-minute film presents a behind-the-scenes look at the making of Swift’s new album, “The Life of a Showgirl,” which is scheduled to be released on Oct. 3. According to Hollywood trade publication Variety, included in the flick will be the premiere of “The Fate of Ophelia,” the first music video from the new album; footage shot behind the scenes at the “Ophelia” video shoot; lyric videos for other songs on the album; and Swift’s never-before-seen personal reflections about those new songs.

For tickets or more information, visit www.maltadrivein.com.