Tomorrow Night. Mojo's Cafe. A New Beginning.

At the end of March, we briefly ended our Brushes and Pens series.

Tomorrow night, it returns.

Mojo’s Cafe: The Hot Spot for a Latte and Performance

While I would love to editorialize, there’s little in here that I felt I could write better myself. Niek and I played a bit of phone tag through April — he being busy with business and parenthood, myself seeing my personal business take off and a new position at The Metroland eat up time — and so we conducted an interview via email.

I’ve been to Mojo’s sporadically since their opening, I felt immediately upon meeting Niek they were a great home for our events. Their dedication to the community of the arts is top notch. They’re learning as we all are, and I think everyone on this newsletter list will appreciate Niek’s point of view.

An interview, unedited:

(Bold is a question.

Regular case is Niek’s answer.)

1. How did you arrive in Troy?
My partner, Alana, and I moved to Troy from Denver in 2023, looking to plant roots in a place where we could build something meaningful from the ground up. We found a historic building downtown and poured ourselves into what became MoJo’s Cafe & Gallery. It’s been a ride ever since.

2. What’re your coffee orders?
On rainy days, it’s an espresso. If I’m feeling indulgent, I will add some hot water to the espresso for the long haul kind of experience.

3. What’s changed in the course of your first year?
Logistically, just about everything. The energy, the team, the way the community engages with the space. All of it has evolved in an organic way. We’ve shifted hours, built new partnerships, thrown over 180 events, and even started developing our own coffee line. The music and the art have been our guiding light, so those remain unchanged, conceptually speaking.

4. How does your background in music affect your work at MoJo’s?
Music is the root. I book the shows, run the sound, play music regularly, and think of the space as a bandleader by balancing structure and freedom, and always leaving room for improvisation and for others to shine their light. Music taught me how to listen and respond, which carries over into every part of the café.

5. How have you felt the space grow as a place for community?
Community grows through micro-movements. Someone bringing their parents to a show, one partner supporting the other as they perform, 1st dates connecting over a drink, an artist seeing their work on the wall for the first time. These are the moments people acquire an agency of ownership of MoJo’s that is uniquely their own. It’s been beautiful to see people make it their own. My favorite is watching the partners and friends of the artists show up to support.  To the partners and friends, keep showing up, those waves of support echo forever.

6. How does partnership inform operation of MoJo’s?
MoJo’s is built on collaboration. Alana and I raise a child upstairs while running a business downstairs and it’s a constant balance of time, energy, and intention. And our extended team, from baristas to event collaborators, brings their own strengths and visions to the table. The more we share the vision, the stronger the place becomes.

7. What’s a favorite event of yours from the recent past?
Our 1-Year Birthday Bash with Natalie Cressman, Ian Faquini, and Joseph Biss this past weekend felt like a full-circle moment. The place lit up, the room was full, and the music was transcendent. It captured everything we’ve tried to cultivate here, and I’ve been getting quite emotional thinking about it.

8. What are you looking forward to in the future?
I’m excited about developing concepts towards an artist residency model and exploring how MoJo’s can support creators long-term.  It’s time to double-down on music and art, again. We’re also developing new retail and wholesale coffee offerings, and there’s potential for recorded sessions and live performance content. The next chapter feels wide open.

9. What album should the readers listen to with their next coffee?
Drop Auburn Whisper by Natalie Cressman & Ian Faquini into your world. It’s warm, layered, and full of fun musical nuances that jump out each time you give it another listen.

Tonight’s Readers

Mena Brazinski is a close personal friend of mine and all around talent. I can’t imagine many are unfamiliar with their presence, but their work should continue to impress. While it pains me to say anything nice about the little shit, they are an incredible performer and author whose coattails I hope to continue to ride.

Juniper Celeste is a new-to-me poet who has consistently impressed with their sharp wit and wonderful style. They are nervous as this is their first “big show,” so we will all be extra supportive while staying in awe of their skill.

And finally, our secret reader is Avery Stempel who you might know from Collar City Mushrooms, the coolest mushroom spot in the 518. Avery is a nature-lover and beloved community member who you will be seeing more of this summer. It’s also Avery’s birthday!

In Collaboration With: Albany Zine Club

There will be a sliding scale door fee this go around. To help the bang:buck ratio, we’ve partnered with Anna Boughtwood of the Albany Zine Club to provide a zine with the door. Anna has been producing tons of these zines and I’m proud to say I have a complete collection — she is a creative force of nature who routinely produces some of my favorite pieces of local literature. I seriously cannot be happier than to be working with Anna; I am her #1 fan.

Introducing The Reckless Barb Band

Finally, the night will be headlined by the all new Reckless Barb band. You might have encountered Barb’s new album at various playings around the area. This time, he’ll be performing it in full, live, with a 6 piece band.

The band assembled specifically for this show and are having more fun with the music than I have heard from a band in a long time.

I don’t know how to write about a Barb show, especially with Josh on drums. They’re some of my best friends in the scene and I couldn’t be more proud than to present them.

Come, grab a coffee, vibe out; it’ll be a good time.

Hell yeah.

Love you,

eric