In 2013, Mark Dvorak published his second collection of essays and poetry, Bowling for Christmas & Other Tales from the Road.
This unique presentation combines Dvorak reading selections from his book, and performing an array of songs to compliment and underscore the narrative.
A Story and Song performance is intimate and artful. It is casual and entertaining. It is music and spoken word, perfect for a book club gathering, a wine and cheese party, an in-home concert, an art gallery event, or a program at your local library or bookstore.
Bowling for Christmas & Other Tales from the Road contains twenty-one essays and three poems from the notebook of traveling folksinger Mark Dvorak. The collection recounts a journey not always taken on the highway, and is engaging, revealing and intelligently written. The author emerges from between the pages as a caring, observant and gentle man. Dvorak's gift for descriptive prose and poetry takes you "there."
"I promise you, the ability to play a banjo and guitar, even marginally well, will result in many adventures, and more than a few curious circumstances..." - from "Bowling for Christmas"
The literary collage resonates with Dvorak's singular voice. He writes about searching for the grave of the the Louisiana born folk and blues singer Lead Belly, and takes readers back stage at the Philadelphia folk festival for a jam session with the late John Hartford.
He reminisces about a youthful cross-country motorcycle trip, and reflects on the death of tenor Luciano Pavarotti. He reports on his tour of Finland and locates the tunnel in West Virginia where the legend of John Henry was born. The book culminates with the touching short story, "Bowling for Christmas."
Mark Dvorak is a musician, teacher and songwriter. When not on the road, he lives along the Des Plaines River in Riverside, Illinois, and teaches at Chicago's Old Town School of Folk Music.
He has given concerts in almost all of the United States and has made visits to Finland, Canada and Ireland. To date, Dvorak has released sixteen albums of traditional and original music, including Waterbug's acclaimed Time Ain't Got Nothin' On Me.
Dvorak has won awards for children's music, journalism and was honored in 2008 with the Woodstock Folk Festival Lifetime Achievement Award. In 2013, he received the FARM Lantern Bearer Award from Folk Alliance International.
The Chicago Tribune has called him, "masterful," and the Fox Valley Folk Festival describes him as "a living archive of song and style." In 2012, WFMT Midnight Special host Rich Warren named Dvorak, "Chicago's official troubadour."
Get in touch here for availability and pricing.
Go here to order a copy of Bowling for Christmas & Other Tales from the Road.