Friday, April 12, 2024
7:30 PM

With a voice as smooth as Kentucky bourbon and a heart worn on both sleeves, Tim Flannery’s performances ebb and flow with brilliant melodies and soaring harmonies. A talented and prolific singer-songwriter, Flan has music enjoys radio support across the planet, from the shores of Ireland to beach towns up and down the California coast

San Diego Music Hall of Fame founder Jefferson Jay is also a veteran singer-songwriter and founder of the Acoustic Evenings concert series. He launched the series in 2008 as curator and host after completing his master’s thesis on the  Athenaeum Music & Arts Library’s history.

Bobo Czarnowski is a singer-songwriter who plays complex open tuning guitar melodies with evocative lyrics sung with a warm and inviting voice. His sound has been compared to Gordon Lightfoot and Tom Paxton (Troubadour). His album The Man I Hope to Be was nominated for Best Folk or Acoustic Album in the 31st San Diego Music Awards in 2022 and Thank You in 2023. Drew Cady accompanies him on cello.

Fridays, March 22 & 29; April 5 & 12, 2024
7:30 PM

The Athenaeum Music & Arts Library, with Acoustic Evenings originator and presenter Jefferson Jay, will commemorate the 16th anniversary of Acoustic Evenings with a series of concerts with world-class talent.

Friday, October 27, 2023
7:30 PM

The late singer-songwriter Don Truesdail, who had a profound impact on other musicians, played at the Athenaeum’s first Acoustic Evenings series on October 27, 2008. As a tribute to this great man and his music in our 15th anniversary season, his close friend Jefferson Jay will share his songs.

Hugh Gaskins, who performed in our debut series in 2008 and has encored in the last 15 years, plays multiple instruments in a powerful fusion of blues, rockabilly, and mountain music along with influences from gospel, Elvis, John Lee Hooker, Robert Johnson, and Big Joe Williams.

Singer-songwriter Gaby Aparicio is inspired by her coastal Uruguayan and Italian family roots. She performs her signature fusion of Latin, world, pop, reggae, and soul at venues and festivals.

Fridays, October 13, 20 & 27; November 10, 2023
7:30 PM

The Athenaeum Music & Arts Library, with Acoustic Evenings originator and presenter Jefferson Jay, will commemorate the 15th anniversary of Acoustic Evenings by recognizing the Athenaeum’s history of leadership by women with a series of concerts driven by women with world-class talent. We will also celebrate our special anniversary with some nods to highlights of our first 15 years, particularly our initial season in fall 2008.

Friday, April 21, 2023
7:30 PM

Wax is mostly known as a rapper.  He is also a producer, songwriter, singer (kinda), comedian, and all around creative dude. Billy Galewood is an American singer, songwriter and rapper from Cleveland, Ohio. Long-time curator and host of Acoustic Evenings, Jay is at home with the Athenaeum audience.

Fridays, April 7 & 21; May 5, 2023
7:30 PM

The Acoustic Evenings series at the Athenaeum showcases some of the finest acoustic musicians in San Diego. Three acts fill each program and attentive audiences delight in the intimacy of the unplugged storytelling format. Refreshments are available at the intermission reception and post-concert meet-and-greet. San Diego Music Hall of Fame founder Jefferson Jay curates and hosts the concert series. The project advances the Athenaeum’s commitment to support diverse San Diego talent. Acoustic Evenings is an unforgettable and personal experience for San Diego music lovers.

Friday, October 21, 2022
7:30 PM

On Friday, October 21, Jay features Tim Flannery with a voice as smooth as Kentucky bourbon and a heart worn on both sleeves, whose performances ebb and flow with brilliant melodies and soaring harmonies; Wax’s songs display advanced, technical rap wordplay, heartfelt tales of struggle, and inspirational numbers containing optimistic advice and/or guidance; and Jefferson Jay, long-time curator and host of Acoustic Evenings, is at home with the Athenaeum audience.

Friday, April 8, 2022
7:30 PM

On Friday, April 8, the spotlight is on Jefferson Jay with Michael James; vocalist Whitney Shay, winner of five San Diego Music Awards, who has received high praise from music critics, calling her “a future blues icon” (Blues Matters!); and Trails and Rails, enchanting with cowboy and train songs of the West and 19th and 20th century folk tunes.

Fridays, April 1, 8 & 29, 2022
7:30 PM

The Acoustic Evenings series at the Athenaeum showcases some of the finest acoustic musicians in San Diego. Three acts fill each program and attentive audiences delight in the intimacy of the unplugged storytelling format. Refreshments are available at the intermission reception and post-concert meet-and-greet. San Diego Music Hall of Fame founder Jefferson Jay curates and hosts the concert series. The project advances the Athenaeum’s commitment to support diverse San Diego talent. Acoustic Evenings is an unforgettable and personal experience for San Diego music lovers.

Friday, November 12, 2021
7:30 PM

Wax is mostly known as a rapper. He is also a producer, songwriter, singer (kinda), comedian, and all around creative dude. Israel Maldonado has been performing in and around hot spots in Southern California for more than 20 years. Jefferson Jay, always active, has current projects that include a groundbreaking, all-inclusive animated series called The Hunt for the Holiday Spirit and five upcoming acoustic records, cumulatively entitled Spring.

Fridays, October 1 & 15; November 12, 2021
7:30 PM

The Acoustic Evenings series at the Athenaeum showcases some of the finest acoustic musicians in San Diego. Three acts fill each program and attentive audiences delight in the intimacy of the unplugged storytelling format. Refreshments are available at the intermission reception and post-concert meet-and-greet. San Diego Music Hall of Fame founder Jefferson Jay curates and hosts the concert series. The project advances the Athenaeum’s commitment to support diverse San Diego talent. Acoustic Evenings is an unforgettable and personal experience for San Diego music lovers.