The following article appears in the June - August '98 issue of FolkNotes.

In Ithaca: ABC, 123

By Darryl Murdock

The ABC CafŽ (a.k.a., The Apple Blossom CafŽ) is a pleasant little club sandwiched between a laundromat and a residential area. It first opened in 1980 as a collective, but was soon taken over by current manager Ken, who felt that it was far too difficult to have multiple managers.

"Administering a venue with numerous bosses is very difficult. Decisions can be made more rapidly with a single manager/owner."

The room is a quiet, pleasant place to hang out with plenty of tables. The hardwood floors and wood furniture, the ABC has a homey feel to it that encourages patrons to stay a while and relax.

Just down a hill from Cornell University, the ABC has been home to a unique variety of music and food for over 18 years. Dinner is served Tuesday through Sunday, with a brunch on Sunday. The Sunday brunch also features live jazz. "We're almost the only jazz place in Ithaca," says Ken. The menu at ABC is prepared by Susan Lytle, cook for over eight years, Ken himself. The food is as eclectic as the music, featuring a tasty mix of pastas, salads, and sandwiches. The deserts are also fabulous, ranging from the obscenely gooey and rich to simple cookies that hit the spot after a filling meal. Many of the dishes are vegan or vegetarian.

Music is a prime force for the ABC. Ken has been committed to having a strong musical program that experiments with a wide variety of musical types. "We cover all the stuff that doesn't fit into the rock 'n' roll bar scene." Younger, more on the edge music seems to work well there, and although Ithaca may seem to be a difficult town for folk sometimes, the ABC regularly books such favorites as Y'ALL and a serious collection of female performers from Boston.

Ken also runs an Acoustic Tuesday series. Although the room was not built with music in mind, "the acoustics are great." Ken himself runs the sound and does an excellent job of getting the levels just right. Audiences are usually very receptive and comprised of a varied mix of college students and Ithaca residents. On Tuesdays, people come to listen. "We'll definitely continue the Tuesday night series. It's gone over very well."

Although Ithaca may have a reputation of being a sedate college town, it "is a great town for weird music," raves Ken. "We have some crazy nights here." So, head on down to the ABC CafŽ. Have some great food and stay for the music. You will definitely enjoy the trip.

This page maintained by Dana Cooke. E-mail me at djcooke@aiusa.com.