The Peoples' Voice Cafe 239 Thompson St, New York, NY 10012 / 212-787-3903
PVC is an alternative coffeehouse offering live and live-stream entertainment in New York City,
presenting folk, blues, jazz, rap, poetry, spoken word, storytelling, theater and dance since 1979.
We shine a spotlight on social issues and artists from underrepresented cultures.
Alcohol-free ~ Fully Wheelchair Accessible
~ Fall 2025 Season ~
Saturday, September 6, 2025, at 8pm
Mario Cancel-Bigay
Mario Cancel Bigay (pronounced Big Eye), is a Puerto Rican singer-songwriter, poet, translator and ethnomusicologist. He is also an expert on the Puerto Rican cuatro, the island's national guitar, which he has played since age 12. In addition, Mario is a professor at New York University where he teaches courses on Latin American Cultures and Global Works. Most importantly, he is the proud father of a brilliant Puerto Rican-Haitian girl called Gabriela.
Rubén González & Hecho a Mano
Rubén González is a songwriter originally from Argentina. His music has a "handmade" feel to it, inviting audiences to participate and make music with him. Mixing South American, classical, rock and jazz and African influences, his compositions reflect a world vision, socio-political commentary and popular stories.
World-famous composer Phillip Glass invited Rubén to perform at the Tune In Festival due to his "musical ingenuity" and as an example of a new direction in music.
Rubén González has three albums to his credit and is working on the fourth with a talented griot balafon player from Guinea, Famoro Dioubate.
rubengonzalezmusic.com
Old Fashioned Greenwich Village Coffee House Night!
featuring Debbie Rich & Ron Pecan and open mic
Get into the groove of an earlier generation as Peoples' Voice Cafe takes you back to the era of the subterranean Greenwich Village coffee house. There will be no microphones, no speakers, no amps, and no live streaming, just acoustic instruments and natural human voices as we pull the chairs into semi-circles, turn down the lights, and enjoy homemade music as it was and as it still can be. But please do not think of this as a recreation. It is instead a continuation of the tradition featuring two veterans of the New York folk music scene.
Debbie Rich and Ron Pecan are two local artists who have been singing and playing traditional, old-time and current folk music together for many years. They include fiddle tunes, gospel, blues, topical, work, maritime, protest, ballads, love and kids' songs. Some come from centuries ago and have been passed down orally, often altered along the way. Some come from contemporary writers from the mid-20th century up to today. All are sounds of the people.
Debbie and Ron will do two 30-minute sets. Between those performances they will turn the floor over to other musicians for
an old-fashioned hootenanny. Sign-up begins at 7:15 PM.
Saturday, September 20, 2025, at 8pm
Photo by Bob Rains
Terry Kitchen
Terry Kitchen has been performing on folk stages across the country since the 1990s, releasing a dozen albums filled with literate musical storytelling, supple guitar playing and distinctive, intimate vocals. His latest, We All Dream, offers a hard-won glimmer of hope just when we need it most. His songs have won the Mid-Atlantic and USA Song Contests and reached the top 5 of the national Folk-DJ chart. "Terry Kitchen's songs deftly reveal the human heart in all its grace and contradictions." - Si Kahn "Terry Kitchen begins where Tom Waits and Elvis Costello merge and leave off." -Vance Gilbert "One of New England's best songwriters. "- The Boston Globe
terrykitchen.com
Erin Ash Sullivan
Erin Ash Sullivan is a New England singer-songwriter with music that reflects a deep sense of place. Her 2024 album, Signposts and Marks, debuted at #4 on the FAI Folk DJ Chart, and Americana UK has described her as "a songwriter of the highest order." Erin was the 2025 winner of the Wildflower Performing Songwriter contest and a "Most Wanted" selection from the Falcon Ridge Folk Festival. Her music focuses on the power of stories to build connection and calls back to the style and spirit of her music idols, which include Lori McKenna, Patty Griffin, and John Prine. erinashsullivan.com
Nikki Nesbary
Nikki Nesbary is an activist, justice singer, and government relations professional. Her mission is to amplify the power of people and communities through policy, organizing, and music activism. A long-time leader and singer with the DC-based a cappella group SongRise and member of the DC Labor Chorus, Nikki has been raising her voice at rallies, protests, and community events since 2012. She is also a member of the People's Music Network, a co-founder of Justice Choir DC, and founder of Movement Music Project.
nikkinesbary.com
Joe Willing
Joe Willing has been singing folk music since he was five years old. Later in life he sang in choirs, pubs, clubs, coffee houses, weddings, singarounds, chantey sessions and friend and family gatherings (especially grandkids), in Boston, the UK and NY. He loves the stories that folk music tells of men and women's lives and struggles, and he loves when the room fills with sound, with harmonies, with everyone belting out the chorus. Joe sees himself as a song carrier, keeping these songs alive in our hearts by singing them, and passing on this music and these stories to more and more people.
Tonight's concert is supported by the Folk Music Society of New York.
Saturday, October 11, 2025, at 8pm
James Gordon
James Gordon has had a remarkably diverse and resilient career in the Canadian cultural scene. As a solo singer-songwriter and with the ground-breaking trio Tamarack, he has recorded at least 40 albums and toured relentlessly around the world. Between tours, James is a record producer, playwright, author, community activist, theatre director, festival director, and a retired City Councillor in his hometown of Guelph, Ontario. His classic song "Frobisher Bay" has been covered by over 100 artists, and his new album Wrinkles and Scars continues his use of music to explore social justice and climate change issues.
jamesgordon.ca jamesgordonmusic.bandcamp.com
Tonight's concert is supported by the Folk Music Society of New York.
Saturday, October 18, 2025, at 8pm
Rock & Roll for Freedom!
Val Kinzler
Aurally Records recording artist/songwriter/rock mommy/NYC alt-rocker/educator/animal lover/music community organizer/real world influencer, the inclusive
Val Kinzler is a music warrior who unites people.
Legendary boogie-woogie singer/keyboardist Dr. John gave her the heroic name of "Valkyrie," a mythical Scandinavian warrior woman. When she was a child,
the popular classmates would ask, "Why do you want to hang out with them?" (referring to the unpopular kids). Val's mission is "to rescue war-torn heroes and
working class zeroes from the injustices of our times, and reward them with poetic immortality in Valhalla." This resonates with her work in music,
educational programs, and with "NYC Women Who Rock." Val Kinzler has released five albums. Tonight she will be accompanied
by Roger Blanc.
valkinzler.com
Violizzy
Violizzy is a prolific violinist/fiddler/singer-songwriter focused on the environment, labor, and other social struggles. She has spent her career
combining politics with the healing power of music, simultaneously lifting the spirits of her audiences and helping to educate others. Violizzy is a
member of Bluestone 739, The Val Kinzler Band, the UNSCR Symphony Orchestra, the Queer Urban Orchestra, ARTivistUS, the People's Music Network, the NYC
Labor Chorus, and is the President on the Board of Directors of Performance Wellness Inc, a non-profit organization that trains and works with people
who want to learn the Dr. Louise Montello Method of Performance Wellness. violizzy.com
Al Ronzoni
Al Ronzoni has been singing and playing guitar since age 13. He has been in numerous rock bands over the years and has performed at venues like the Lonestar Roadhouse, China Club, Kenny's Castaways, the Red Lion and Bitter End. He is also a regular participant at the Sunnyside Singers Club on Wednesday nights in Queens. Better late than never, Al has recently begun writing original songs.
Saturday, November 1, 2025, at 8pm
Photo by A. Buckmaster
Lisa Gutkin
Lisa Gutkin has crafted a courageously varied artistic career. She is a member of the Grammy-winning Klezmatics, co-founded the Downtown Celtic band Whirligig, was a co-creator of the Tony Award-winning play Indecent, and had a cameo in
Sex and the City. Her song "Gonna Get Through This World - with words by Woody Guthrie - was hailed by Pete Seeger, as "a piece of genius." Lisa's voice has been praised by the LA Times as "hauntingly emotional." Her solo concert is a whimsical wander through her musical styles, featuring Lisa on fiddle, tenor guitar, and voice.
lisagutkin.com
SONiA of disappear fear
SONiA - aka, the independent singer/songwriter Sonia Rutstein - once compared her musical stylings to "a bird jumping off a window ledge. It's in that split second of trust and light and talent and God."
For nearly four decades, music lovers and fans around the world have relished "that split second" and the eclectic sounds of SONiA and disappear fear.
Writing and performing in genres ranging from the Blues and Folk to World Music, SONiA has appeared at concerts around the globe and performed with such luminaries as Pete Seeger, Joan Baez, the Indigo Girls, Sheryl Crow, Arlo Guthrie, and Peter Paul and Mary. Her latest recording is Album 23. soniadisappearfear.com
Tonight's concert is supported by the Folk Music Society of New York.
Saturday, November 15, 2025, at 8pm
Hawaii's State Flower, Mao Hau Hele (Hibiscus brackenridgei)
Hawaiian Music & Dance Night
Come beat the winter chill with an evening of traditional Hawaiian music and dance produced by Evy Mayer, and supported by the Folk Music Society of New York, Inc. You will hear ukuleles, slack key guitar, steel guitar and more, from some of the finest practitioners of Hawaiian music and Hawaiiana, including Makalina, Claudia Goddard, Andy Wang, Evy Mayer and Chris Davis. In addition, you will enjoy authentic hula dancing by the New York branch of Kumu Hula (Master Teacher) Vicky Holt Takamine's Pua Ali'i 'Ilima. Wear a Hawaiian shirt or other festive attire.
Printable Flyer
Tonight's concert is supported by the Folk Music Society of New York.
Saturday, December 6, 2025, at 8pm
Charlie King
Charlie King is a musical storyteller and political satirist. Pete Seeger hailed him as "One of the finest singers and
songwriters of our time." Charlie has been at the heart of American folk music since the early 60s. His songs have been
recorded and sung by Pete Seeger, Holly Near, Ronnie Gilbert, John McCutcheon, and Arlo Guthrie. "If we had more Charlie Kings in the world, I'd be less worried." - Peggy Seeger "Luckily, we have him!" - Tom Paxton
charlieking.org
Tret Fure
Tret Fure began her career at the age of 16, singing in coffeehouses and
campuses in the Midwest. At 20, she was performing as guitarist and vocalist for
Spencer Davis, touring with him and penning the single for his album
Mousetrap. She recorded her first album in 1973.
Some career highlights include winning the South Florida
Folk Festival Singer/Songwriter Competition in 2 out of 3 categories (Best
Overall and Best Up-Tempo Song), winning the Women in the Arts Jane
Schliessman Award for Outstanding Contributions to Women's Music, and
winning the A Still Small Voice 4U songwriting competition with her song
"Monuments". Tret's latest album, Lavender Moonshine, addresses the
times in which we live.
Tret also teaches guitar and songwriting, paints pet portraits on
commission, and has even published a cookbook, Tret's Kitchen. tretfure.com
Brooklyn Women's Chorus
The Brooklyn Women's Chorus was formed in October 1997 by Bev Grant, who was the director until she retired in 2021. Last year they welcomed new director Caroline Kuhn. The chorus sings socially relevant songs by contemporary American songwriters such as Bev Grant, Garth Brooks, Jackson Browne, Pat Humphries and Sandy O. Topics range from freedom and social justice, to peace, resistance, women's labor history, and empowerment. The Brooklyn Women's Chorus communicates with a joyful voice, sure to uplift anyone who hears them.
brooklynwomenschorus.com
Lissa Michalak
Lissa Michalak loves songs that make her laugh, stick in her head, or send chills down her spine. She has performed solo and unaccompanied as well as with friends and guitars since the mid-1980s. She uses her rich knowledge of human movement, expression, and anatomy to enhance both her vocal sound and physical performance. Lissa is also one half of the traditional song duo Hilo.
hilotradsongs
Friday, December 12, 2025, at 6pm
"First Fridays" with The People's Music Network - NYC Chapter
Songs of the Season, with Robin Greenstein & Special Guests
Robin Greenstein is an accomplished musician and performer with a fascinating resume. She majored in music in college (classical guitar) and worked under folk legend Hedy West ("500 Miles"). After graduation, she was signed as a songwriter to Bob Dylan's company. Robin was a Clinician-Performer for Martin Guitars and a headliner for Renaissance Cruises. She toured the U.S. college circuit and Europe for years and performs for Club Med. She has released six CDs of original music, traditional folk, children's music and a holiday CD, Songs of the Season. Robin is delighted return to Peoples' Voice to perform her multicultural holiday show celebrating Chanukah, Christmas, Yuletide, Kwanzaa and Solstice! She will be joined by special guests. Audience participation is encouraged!
robingreenstein.com
