Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Ken Porter & Mike Delaney -Open Mic Feature April 21, 2011


Open Mic Starts at 7
Performer sign-up is at 6:30
Admission $3 per person

This acoustic duo, Ken Porter and Mike Delaney are 40% of the folk ensemble New England Weather (“wait a minute and the music will change”, www.neweather.com). 

Ken Porter has been playing drums and singing for over forty years, including most recently in the music group New England Weather. He's played in marching bands, rock-and-roll bands, jazz bands, folk bands. He's opened for Dave Loggins and performed numerous times with Pete Seeger in various venues and with the Walkabout Clearwater Chorus. He's performed with the likes of Tom Chapin, Kim and Reggie Harris, Josh White Jr., and Ruth Wyand. He also appears locally with Julia Kelly, Carolyn Waters, Chris Wilhelm and, prior to her 'big band' era, appeared regularly in the Boston area with Patty Keough. He's provided percussion on several record albums and CDs including Dan Hart's well received "The Life of Dan", David Rovic's "We Just Want The World" and Kathy Danielson’s "Walkin'", on both of Mike Delaney’s CDs and of course on the New England Weather CD.

Mike Delaney is a Boston-area singer-songwriter and part New England Weather. His humorous original songs and parodies cover a wide range of topics from himself ("The Hunk") to the entire country ("If We Only Had a Brain"). In between are excursions into the world of natural science ("Tofu, the Vegan Killer Whale"), literature ("Daddy, Who's Mark Twain?"), automated phone systems ("1-800-CONFESS"), women's health ("Mammogram, M'am?"), sports ("Red Sox Dream"), the oxymoronic business of folk music ("I'm changing my name to DOT.COM"), parts of the human anatomy ("Colonoscopy"), and, of course, his raging ego ("It Is, In Fact, Always About Me"). He has been deemed an "accomplished amateur" by Marilyn Rae Beyer, former music director of WUMB, and Tom Paxton commented that at least one of his songs was "not bad". Anne Hills called the song 1-800-CONFESS "brilliant"! Mike has released three solo CDs, one with New England Weather, and has played mandolin on several others.

2 comments:

  1. To anyone that may be just thinking about heading to Ricks Music World for this Porter & Delaney Feature, It is time to STOP thinking and head on down to Rick's! Rick & Robin and all the wonderful staff will make you immediately feel right at home with great foods and wonderful networking amongst the many types of music & musicians, family & friends that gather each Thursday evening! It is an absolutely inviting and caring atmosphere I have always been honored to be an audience member of. Both Ken Porter & Mike Delaney are both brilliant in their own right musically as well other technical ways too many to mention. They both have a unique ability to play and adapt to the music of and with other's without a blink. Together they are a genius! I say it that way as they are such a complimentary blend to each other both as you will hear!!! When you get up & (COME to Rick's), to take in Ken & Mike in Concert. You will hear mostly originals from both with an occasional cover often times with folks with whom they have played with and/or admired greatly. I can tell you, after you leave Ricks, after a full evening of phenominal Open Mike "Incredibles" and add into the mix, the tremendous Feature, you will go home thanking yourself for getting away from that computer and coming down to Rick's for a full night of incredible entertainment on all levels!!! I do want to let you know, I have had the honor of having Rick Santos as a special dear friend and as another dear friend of mine might say of Rick, he runs the very best Open Mike in the greater Raynham area, and I would add and then SOME!!!!! One cannot say Open Mike at Rick's without acknowledging his co-producer, Open mike extroridnarie Tom Irving!! Tom NOT only plays any number if instruments to entertain you, he also helps set the stage literally and figuratively for the entire night at Rick's

    I must say, I have been very blessed to have my dear friends, Mike Delaney and Ken Porter as a very special part of my own life. The first and most important part is the honor in calling them my friends. The 2nd is more than 3 years ago I had asked Mike Delaney to be the host at Roslindale Open Mike. He said yes!!!! It has been a wonderful experience with Mike for me as I have been blessed to see his genious in music and audio and other area's just envelop and enhance over these past 3 years which seem like days!! Yet the other 3rd wonder was that Ken Porter became such an important part of all that is Roslindale Open Mike. For all of you at Rick's fr the Ken & Mike feature on this night, you will thank yourself for coming to Rick's! I will also say, I would like you at some point on the 2nd or the 4th Monday of the month come join us at ROM, (AKA Roslindale Open Mike), (www.roslindaleopenmike.org), Rick has joined us and Rick did me the honor of playing at ROM and even did a request of mine!!

    You are all in for a great night of connecting with other's in the warmth of the atmosphere which is produced each time I have been to Rick's Music World!

    I thank you Rick, Robin Chris, and all the staff and Volunteer's at Rick's, which does include, (Tom Irving), for your wonderful Venue. Thanks to all of you that help make up this home to great local talent at Rick's! You, yes you, in the audience, your kids and grandkids and neighbors and friends that are the Community of Great Artists that support great local Music!!

    You will have a wonderful time at Rick's tonight for all the reason's I mentioned and more yet to come!! My thanks to all of the Open Mike folks I will meet anew tomorrow and to my friends from days gone by, C ya tomorrow at Rick's.

    I will say in advance to Ken & Mike, thanks for a great Feature and to all the Open Mike folks thanks for an awesome night for everyone of you who will be the Future Features at Rick;s and so many other places!! Thanks for keeping local Music ALIVE!

    Most Sincerely, Neal Braverman, aka, (The Pix guy at ROM)..... :)))))

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  2. Mike and Ken may have only been 40% of New England Weather, but they were 100% FUN!! I was a great night and the young talent that wowed us (You know who you are!!) were spectacular!! It was a wild and wonderful music night... thanks to all!!

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