President’s Letter
1/2/24
Happy New Year Everyone,
Yes, it’s the new year and we’re ready to get Leo Coffeehouse started up again. Unfortunately, it’s also the season of viruses.
I know a number of people, including me, who have come down with Covid recently. I tested positive on 12/17/23 and had to stay home from the last Leo Coffeehouse of 2023 that same day. Based on when my first symptoms appeared, I’m sure I didn’t catch Covid at Leo the previous Sunday. I attended three other public events that week where I now wish I had been wearing a mask—hard to do when you’re singing.
My doctor told me that, being fully vaccinated, I should treat it like a bad cold. I took no medicine for it (other than lozenges), slept a lot, and kept hydrated. For me, in some ways it was worse than a bad cold (the lack of energy), in other ways it wasn’t as bad. That’s behind me now, except for a slight lingering cough, the same as I always have after recovering from a cold. Until that goes away, I’ll be wearing a mask around others.
For anyone who comes down with Covid. Here’s what I’ve learned.
I was under the mistaken impression that I had to test negative before being around others again. I found out that’s not true. In fact, it’s not even logical. If you had Covid you’re going to have Covid antigens, in the form of dead virus, in your body even when you have recovered from the virus.
The CDC says, “After a positive test result, you may continue to test positive for some time. Some tests, especially PCR tests [the more accurate lab test], may continue to show a positive result for up to 90 days.”
The CDC also says that for most Covid cases you can stop isolating between 5 and 10 days after:
1) You are fever-free for 24 hours (without the use of fever-reducing medication).
2) Your symptoms are improving.
3) They also suggest wearing a N-95 mask when around others until at least day 11.
If you’d like to read more, including suggestions on wearing masks after isolation, click here.
Here’s what’s coming up at Leo this weekend and next. John Ford, who was scheduled to play the first set this Sunday, had to cancel due to Covid. We wish him a quick recovery. John Sherman and Randy Clepper have graciously agreed to fill in for John.
Leo Coffeehouse,
January 7, 2024
5:15 PM: Clawhammer Banjo workshop led by Mike Oberst
5:15 PM: Open Jam
Musicians bring songs to lead in the circle while others provide backup and harmony. This jam continues upstairs during the concert.
6:40- 9:00 PM: Performances
1st Set: John Sherman & Randy Clepper
Two highly regarded performers of Irish traditional music from central Ohio. Both are consummate multi-instrumentalists, and together they perform arranged Irish and Celtic tunes on fingerstyle guitar, bouzoiki, and tenor banjo. randyclepper.com
2nd Set: Cigar Box Scott
Scott Ackinson’s unique take on roots music fuses traditional folk music with rock and blues inspired rhythms. www.cigarboxscott.com
3rd Set: Mike Oberst
A band leader and tune collector, Mike Oberst, has established himself as a key player in the preservation of Anglo-American music in the Ohio River Valley and nationally. “His passionate dedication to traditional music history and performance is a rare and crucial element in relation to the future health of traditional music in our country." Ryan Spearman, The Folk School of St Louis MO. Mike will be performing with a surprise guest. www.mikeoberst.com
Looking Ahead:
Leo Coffeehouse
January 14, 2024
5:15 PM: Songwriters’ Collaborative
Songwriters Cooperative back up again. Come and share your songs with other songwriters for encouragement and friendly critiques.
5:15 PM: Open Jam
Musicians bring songs to lead in the circle while others provide backup and harmony. This jam continues upstairs during the concert.
6:40- 9:00 PM: Performances
1st Set: Neil Harrell
Neil Harrell, who most of you know as that guy who keeps telling you to check the QCB website (see he did it again), will take the stage to play a handful of original songs; and, possibly a song or two from other favorite songwriters.
2nd Set: Maurice Mattei
A singer-songwriter/photographer/artist whose music ranges from Americana/Alt Country to Rock & Roll, Pop and Blues. He has glowing reviews both nationally (No Depression Magazine, CityBeat, The Post, Everybody's News) and internationally (France's Alt Country magazine Le Cri Du Coyote, Americana UK, Belgium's on-line Rootstime Belgium among others.) Maurice, along with his band the Tempers, have performed countless shows and were recently featured on PBS "Song of the Mountains". Maurice's current release -"JUNGALINGLE" - is available via Bandcamp. www.mmattei.com
3rd Set: Ryan Adcock
Ryan writes songs on a well-worn acoustic guitar in Cincinnati and sings them all over the country. He’s played more than 600 shows and his music has been featured on national television shows. He's been named the city's "Best Singer/Songwriter" by CityBeat Magazine's Cincinnati Entertainment Awards. http://ryanadcock.com/
I hope to see you at Leo Coffeehouse.
QCB/Leo Coffeehouse Membership
We are keeping our standard annual QCB membership dues at $20.00 for a family, or for a single person plus a guest. Last year, knowing that the pandemic cut into our contingency funds, as we continued to pay overhead expenses with no income, some members donated larger amounts to QCB. We very much appreciate the support of all QCB members at all levels.
We are exploring setting up our website to allow the payment of different levels of dues support. For now, if you’d like to pay the standard dues, you can pay them online here or by a check at Leo. (We’ve discontinued our P.O. Box, I will have a mailing address in the next newsletter for those who wish to mail their membership dues.)
If you would like to donate more than the $20.00 standard dues, you can do so by check, or through our website. When you get to the page with the box to relay instructions, just note that you are paying a larger amount for your dues.
For visitors who prefer not to become a member, a donation of $5.00 (cash) per person helps us pay the rent for our non-profit organization. Donations can be slipped in the box at the welcome table outside our performance room, Founders Hall. If you can’t afford that, pay what you can afford or nothing at all. We will welcome you to join us either way.
I hope to see you at Leo Coffeehouse.
Neil Harrell
President, Queen City Balladeers/Leo Coffeehouse
