“A singer songwriter is only as good as the times he reflects. Wise, tender, brilliant and biting, Ellis is one of our best human compasses, marking in melodies and poems where we've been and where we might go if we so choose to. Personally Ellis, I'm goin' where you're goin'!" - Nora Guthrie (Woody Guthrie's daughter)
About Common Ground
COMMON GROUND held one of its first concerts in the fall of 1991 in what used to be the garage apartment for Cairnwood Estate in Bryn Athyn, PA, now part of the campus of Bryn Athyn College. Managed by Nina Glebe Finkeldey, with Mira Yardumian as its Artistic Administrator, it didn't take long before Common Ground became a popular venue for notable folk artists such as Ellis Paul, Vance Gilbert, The Nields, Dar Williams, John Gorka, Livingston Taylor, Willy Porter, Martin Sexton, Cheryl Wheeler, and dozens of their contemporaries.
Completely run by volunteers, its intimacy, friendliness, and amazing home-made desserts were well-known and enjoyed by artists and audiences alike. When it was announced that Common Ground was closing its doors in April 2004 after a thirteen year run, due to, among other things, economic pressures, expressions of sadness poured in from near and far.
In November 2009 Nina dusted off the Common Ground logo when she decided to produce two performances with one of contemporary folk's most treasured singer-songwriters, Ellis Paul.
Nina approached Mira about using the Social Hall of The Lord's New Church where Mira now works, for Ellis' performances. (Interestingly, the Social Hall was built by Theo Pitcairn, son of John Pitcairn, the latter whose Cairnwood garage apartment once housed Common Ground.)
That performance rekindled their affection for creating live concerts in an exceptional setting. The Social Hall of The Lord's New Church is certainly exceptional for many reasons, most especially for its acoustic richness, coziness, aesthetics, and pastoral, beatific location.
The upcoming September 2010 performances will once again be held in the Social Hall, this time produced by Mira. For the present time, www.commongroundconcerts.com is what remains of the old Common Ground, other than Nina and Mira's occasional need to dunk their proverbial toe in the waters of concert production. Where that dunking may lead is anyone's guess...
