Welcome to the second season of the Heritage Matinee Series at the Two Way Street Coffee House!  We are thrilled to announce the continuation of this successful concert series at the Two Way Street Coffee House, taking place on select Sunday afternoons in 2026.  In each concert, Mark Dvorak and Ashley & Simpson will be joined by two local artists for a matinee concert, all benefitting the Two Way Street Coffee House!  100% of free-will donations collected at each concert will support the Two Way Street Coffee House’s operation and programming.  It’s a great way to spend a Sunday afternoon, and it’s a great way to support Two Way Street!  All shows will begin at 3pm (CT) and the doors will open at 2:30pm.

On April 12, 2026 the Two Way Street Coffee House is pleased to present Mark Dvorak, Ashley & Simpson, Ren Herr, and Joseph Kostal as part of our Heritage Matinee Series.

Mark Dvorak

Mark Dvorak is a modern-day troubadour who has never stopped performing, writing and recording. He has been called “a folk singer’s folk singer” with “an encyclopedic knowledge of traditional songs.” His original songs “wondrous” and “profound.”

Though Mark often appears in theaters and on festival stages, he is also at home in a more intimate setting.  His concerts are a mix of the familiar and the new, traditional folk and standards from the Great American Songbook. He plays authentic country blues guitar and picks great old-time banjo. Mark enjoys involving his audiences in sing-along songs, just like The Weavers used to do, and mixes in his own infectious and well-crafted originals.

Ashley & Simpson

Comprised of Jennifer Ashley and Joel Simpson, Ashley & Simpson are quickly becoming folk scene favorites. This folk duo blends traditional songs and instrumentation along with beautiful vocal harmonies reminiscent of famous duos such as Ian & Silvia and The Everly Brothers. With their sophomore release “Off To Here Land,” they have pushed the art of folk to a new sound with an all traditional track list that will delight fans new and old.  Both bringing a classical perspective to their duo, Jennifer Ashley & Joel Simpson have reached a new level with incorporating elements of jazz, popular music and other modern styles in their arrangements. 

Ren Herr

Ren Herr is a local musician who lives in Brookfield, IL. He grew up singing in choirs in church, high school and college. When Ren was 18, he heard some acoustic blues guitar on TV, and instantly knew he had to make “that sound”. He bought a guitar that week and has been playing ever since. His particular musical influences are Mississippi John Hurt, Rev. Gary Davis, Blind Blake, Dave Van Ronk and Joseph Spence. Ren has sought out expert instruction and has participated in group lessons from guitar greats including Mark Dvorak, Stefan Grossman, Woody Mann, Rory Block, Bob Brozman, Eric Lugosch, and Catfish Keith.

Ren and his wife, Kathy are proud to be affiliated with Music and Potlucks, and are members of the Bound for Glory Singers. While Ren started out playing the blues, his playing has expanded to include ragtime, folk, Irish music and hymns. In the past year he has picked up a special and frankly unexplainable passion for waltzes, and has arranged some of Jay Unger’s numbers for solo fingerstyle guitar.

Ren appreciates a wide variety of musical styles. He loves to travel and collected field recordings while in Tibet.

Joseph Kostal

Joseph Kostal is a folk musician based in Cicero, Illinois, whose music draws deeply from the American folk revival tradition of the 1940s through the 1960s. A guitarist and emerging banjo player, Kostal performs traditional folk songs alongside singer-songwriter material, bringing renewed life to obscure and historically rooted music.

Inspired by artists such as Woody Guthrie, Pete Seeger, The Carter Family, Jackson C. Frank, and Gordon Bok, Kostal’s journey began after discovering folk music through WFMT’s Midnight Special and studying at Chicago’s Old Town School of Folk Music. His performances reflect a dedication to authenticity, shaped by ongoing research into the origins and stories behind the songs he sings.

Kostal’s repertoire explores the shared human experience—loneliness, love, loss, and resilience—presented with warmth and sincerity. Though his songs often touch on life’s hardships, his goal is connection: leaving listeners with the feeling that they are not alone in their experiences.

He began performing at Chicago-area open mics in the early 1990s, including No Exit Café and Fitzgerald’s, and continues to perform regularly at folk jams and open mic nights with the Friendly Music Community. Outside of music, Kostal pursues drawing and enjoys working on mathematical problems.

We will also host this concert virtually.  You may access the livestream on www.twowaystreet.org, on our Facebook page, or on our YouTube channel.  All donations will support the Two Way Street Coffee House. Support the Two Way Street Coffee House HERE.