Acoustic Northeast

Paul Jensen's long and winding songwriting road has taken him from California to Cuba, where he and NYC avant-garde dance troupe Ballet D'Angelo performed his compositions at the International Ballet Festival in Havana. Today, Paul is known for his energetic, engaging live shows, and is the founder and host of the Sound Shore Songwriter Showcase in Rye, NY, a new performance series featuring talented, local singer/songwriters.Paul has headlined at such storied NYC venues as CityWineryNYC, the Cutting Room, The Bitter End and Arlene’s Grocery. You can catch him performing solo acoustic or with his band in and around the greater NYC area.

New Middle Class is Barbara Borok (vocal) and Mike Borok (guitar/vocal).  Their award-winning original songs walk a thin line between the funny and the serious, with distinctive vocals, harmonies and delightfully unexpected lyrical twists and turns.  The songs span an eclectic range of styles, often speaking with the voices of different characters.They live in Westchester County, NY, where they have two cars and a one-car garage.

Mitch Katz is a singer-songwriter from Connecticut whose mix of crafty lyrics and compelling melodies bring sensitivity and humor to a mix of ballads and blues, with some political observation thrown in for good measure.

Doug Mahard is a singer-songwriter from Bantam, CT. Delivered with a voice that will remind you of Neil Young, his songs blend whimsy and thoughtfulness in a way that keeps you listening. He has released two albums, the latest of which is Fidel Castro's Favorite Band.

Recording artist Erik Rabasca is a smooth-as-silk singer-songwriter from Connecticut who has honed his craft over many years as a touring performer. His songs fuse  a range of styles, from folk, indie and jazz to reggae, soul and country. So it's no surprise his Band, Light Warriors, was invited to open for Jon Batiste. Erik is a familiar voice at venues and festivals across the Northeast.

What's New England blues-rocker Frank Viele doing on ACOUSTIC Northeast? Give a listen and you'll see he transcends genre.Frank's New England Music Awards include Album of the Year, Male Performer of the Year, Songwriter of the Year (twice) and Live Act of the Year.Fondly listening to his grandmother play piano as a child and later reinvigorated as a teenager inspired by his older brother’s taste in music and an acoustic guitar he left behind when he moved to the West Coast, Viele developed a deep appreciation for a wide range of genres including rock, blues, folk, and country.He began writing his own music as a teenager and quickly developed a knack for crafting deeply personal and emotive songs that spoke to the human experience.After honing his craft fronting New York City based Jam/Funk/Rock Outfit “Frank Viele & The Manhattan Project,” Frank released his debut solo album “Fall Your Way” in 2015, which was met with critical acclaim.He has released four solo albums since, including the recent "The Trouble With Desire," and a 2026 EP, "The Silo."

Singer-songwriter George Potts, a two-time winner at the New England Songwriting Competition, has been entertaining audiences since the early '70s in Chicago, as a founding member of the folk/jazz ensemble Redwood Landing. For the past two decades he's been part of the northwestern Connecticut acoustic quartet The Joint Chiefs. His instrumental skills are equaled by his songwriting savvy, which will take you from laughter to tears and back. His 20220 album "Ends & Odds" fracked into the top 20 on the FAI folk charts. His latest single, "Red Shoes," was released in early 2026.

New York based singer-songwriter Judy Kass quickly draws her audience in with soulful vocals, no-nonsense lyrical storytelling and genre-bending exploration of guitar and piano. Her original music blends generous amounts of folk, jazz and blues with songs that cover the full gamut of mood and experience.Judy’s latest solo album release, New Skin, is an eclectic mix of songs that speak to various aspects of navigating life during unprecedented times --from reframing involuntary detours and moving through painful changes to poignant observations on the state of our fragmented world.The album features co-writes with renowned artists Sloan Wainwright, Glen Roethel, Dan Berggren, Jon Shain and Kellie Lin Knot, was co-produced by celebrated folk musicians Mark Dann and Pat Wictor.  It debuted at #4 on the Folk Alliance Top Albums Chart for July 2025.

Michele Gedney spent 23 years as one half of the award-winning duo Open Book with her late husband, Rick Gedney, known for their honest and contemplative lyrics, melody invention, and weaving vocal and guitar harmonies. The duo released five albums which received critical acclaim and national radio play. Sadly, Rick passed away in early 2023 and Michele made the decision to complete and release the album that they had finished recording, helping her in navigating her loss and to begin creating a new life as a solo artist. The duo had released four albums which received national airplay and critical acclaim. Their fifth and final album, Leaning In, made the Folk Alliance International radio chart for January and April of 2024. Michele is a co-founder and teacher at Dar Williams “Writing a Song That Matters” retreat, entering its 14th year.  Michele’s songs have received numerous awards and her song “Go” has been released by Cry Cry Cry (Dar Williams, Lucy Kaplansky, Richard Shindell) on their 2020 album, Live at the Freight.Michele is writing and performing new material as well as selections from her catalog with Open Book.  She has been writing and arranging vocals and guitars for other musician’s recording projects, and has been enjoying some successful co-writing opportunities. She is currently in the studio working on a solo album.

For our premiere episode we have Connecticut singer-songwriter Brian Larney, whose sixth album, Scrambler, is now available.Brian is a three-time New England Songwriter Awards nominee, and his songs have powered movies and TV shows, too.His songs are pop-inflected, with irresistible hooks that will worm their way into your ears.