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 June 28, 2026 the Two Way Street Coffee House is pleased to present Mark Dvorak, Ashley & Simpson, Merv Collins, and Jim Gary 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. 

Jim Gary

From the Kerrville Folk Festival “New Folk” stage to Nashville’s Bluebird Café’s Sunday Writers’ Night to the here and now, Jim Gary has been delighting audiences with his charming wit, “very solid” songwriting (Kevin’s Celtic & Folk Music CD Reviews) and “one of the warmest and richest voices on the local scene” (Maple Street Chapel Concert Series).

Jim Gary grew up is southeastern Michigan listening to all the great sounds of the ‘60s – Motown, Beatles and all those great Jimmy Webb songs. Picking up a guitar at age 14, he started learning chords and moved on to fingerpicking the songs of John Denver, Jim Croce, Harry Chapin, James Taylor and Gordon Lightfoot. During this time (as well as through high school), Jim was writing songs – dozens of them with some “keepers” showing up along the way.

Since then, Jim Gary has performed around the Midwest opening for Carrie Newcomer (Wisconsin Singer Songwriter Series), Hot Soup (Lake County Folk Club), Anne Hills (Maple Street Chapel), and Josh White, Jr. (The Abbey Pub).  Jim opened the annual Christmas Benefit at WSSS with Willy Porter and Michael Johnson.  Jim has also shared the stage with Tricia Alexander, James Durst, and Jack Hamilton. All along, Jim has been writing hundreds of songs (more and more “keepers”) with “My Main Man” receiving an Honorable Mention from Just Plain Folks – an internet community of over 40,000 musicians and writers.

Jim’s first full-length CD “Midnight Muse” came in 1996 (produced and engineered by Victor Sanders at Lakeside Media in Chicago). “Midnight Muse” is a “delightful collection of songs” (Bob Janis, WDCB’s “Folk Festival”) with a dozen original songs ranging from folk ballads to the uptempo full band “Go with the Flow” and “Winds of Fortune” to straight-up country “Mama’s Cheatin’” to a light jazz showtune-ish “Girl in the Gossamer Gown”.

Jim Gary lives in the Chicago area, has recorded a CD of Michael Smith songs (“I Wanna Be Like Mike”) and continues to write and perform. Jim released a 2nd CD of original music, Big Door… Little Wonder in 2014, and that same year placed 3rd in the Great River Folk Festival’s Songwriting and Performance Contest in LaCrosse, Wisconsin.

Merv Collins
Based in Algonquin, Merv Collins is a captivating instrumental performer whose music blends the elegance of fingerstyle guitar with the expansive textures of synthesizers. His signature sound—rooted in classical technique and infused with rock sensibility—creates an immersive listening experience that consistently leaves audiences spellbound.

Merv’s passion for performance was sparked at an early age after watching The Beatles on The Ed Sullivan Show—a moment that set him on a lifelong musical journey. His artistry reflects the influence of renowned guitar masters such as Chet Atkins, Muriel Anderson, Tommy Emmanuel, and Richard Smith, alongside the progressive innovation of bands like Emerson Lake & Palmer and Yes.

Listeners often describe Merv’s music as relaxing, original, and intriguingly complex—a seamless blend of melody, technique, and atmosphere. He has released three full-length recordings, including his widely enjoyed 2011 album Fingers and Strings, and continues to develop new material that pushes his creative boundaries.

When he’s not composing or performing, Merv enjoys films, long drives, and taking in live music throughout the Chicagoland area—continually drawing inspiration from the vibrant musical community around him.

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.