Wall-to-Wall Tom Waits at The Way Station

The Way Station continues their Tribute Series by honoring consummate singer-songwriter and performance artist Tom Waits a few days before Tom’s 65th birthday. The Wall-to-Wall Tom Waits evening will begin at 7:30pm with a Tom Waits puppet performance by puppeteer James Godwin followed by a reading of the Waits ominous classic, “What’s He Building?” by Way Station soundman, raconteur and resident Aussie madman Miles Portek. Music will directly follow with singer songwriters Joshua Garcia, Rosa Tu and Mary-Elaine Jenkins each performing three to four Waits covers during their respective thirty-minute sets. The true breadth of the Waits extensive catalog can be heard during the 24-song set performed by ten-piece band and headliners, Big in Japan. Don’t miss a single track as re-imagined by these most reverential performers.

7:30pm- James Godwin Tom Waits Puppet Performance
James Godwin (Tom Waits) is a performer, puppeteer and visual artist. He has worked with the Muppets, Dave Chapelle, Wyatt Cenac and David Bowie just to name a few. His new one man show “The Flatiron Hex” will debut at Dixon Place in May.

7:45pm- Miles Portek Reads, “What’s He Building?”

8pm- Joshua Garcia
Genre: Folk, Country, Blues
For fans of: Bob Dylan, Johnny Cash, Townes Van Zandt, Woody Guthrie

Joshua Garcia is a folk-singer/songwriter whose music and writing style draw from the influences of his musical heroes Woody Guthrie, Bob Dylan, and Johnny Cash. Born and raised in Los Angeles, Joshua spent time writing and performing in Providence, RI before settling down in Brooklyn, New York.
joshuagarciamusic.tumblr.com
facebook.com/joshuagarciamusic
soundcloud.com/joshuagarciamusic

8:30pm- Rosa Tu
Genre: singer-songwriter/folk
For fans of: Neko Case, Aimee Mann, Joni Mitchell

Rosa is an American woman who writes and performs songs. Her songs are acoustic, multi-layered stories that spend time in living rooms, coffee shops and other quiet spaces. Her influences range from Leonard Cohen, to traditional Bulgarian music, to the soundtrack of Final Fantasy VII. Rosa feels happy cooking/eating delicious food, lying on the floor in homey spaces, and singing. She hopes that her music will continue to evolve, and to evoke lost feelings and a sense of warmth to the people who listen to it.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rtumusic
Bandcamp: http://rosatu.bandcamp.com/

9pm- Mary-Elaine Jenkins
Genre: Blues/Roots/Rock/Americana
For fans of: The Delta Blues, Lucinda Williams, Cat Power, Ryan Adams

Mary-Elaine Jenkins is a New York-based blueswoman. A South Carolina native and lifelong musician, she began performing live when she moved to Washington, DC for college. She came to New York by way of Madrid, where she spent two years teaching English, roaming around, and playing a whole lot of music. Her sound is a delicious and ever-evolving mix of blues, Americana roots, soul, and rock ‘n roll, specializing in the sultry/spooky. This ain’t your mama’s singer/songwriter music.

https://twitter.com/MizMEJenkins
https://soundcloud.com/mary-elaine-jenkins
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EfLgWRMYEqw
https://www.facebook.com/mejplays

10pm-12am- Big in Japan
Julie Margolies – vocals
Jonathan Horn – vocals and guitar
Emily Fellner – vocals, accordion and trumpet
Gene Caprioglio – vocals and guitar
Pauli Diamond – vocals, soprano sax and keyboards
Richard Bryant – vocals, guitar and harmonica
Joel Darelius – vocals and bass
Justin Aaronson (drums) and David Paarlberg (keyboards) both from the roots band The Hollows
Bev Grant