Emily Yanek to Perform at City Grind Tonight

Musician Emily Yanek always knew she wanted to compose and perform – and lived out her dream by singing as part of a duet.

But it wasn't until one of her co-performers couldn't make a show a couple years back that the 18-year old multi-instrumentalist decided to take a shot at a solo act.

And the rest is history.

Yanek will be bringing her unique style to Cranford tonight when she performs at the City Grind Café.

Unlike many people her age, Yanek, a recent high school graduate, elected not to rush into higher education, opting instead to pursue her true interest — music. But to her, there was never really a choice.

"Well it's one of those things, I guess it's just in my soul," Yanek said. "I was born with it, and I was sure it was going to happen no matter what."

Yanek said she draws inspiration from folk rock stalwarts Dan Fogelberg and Jackson Browne, noting that when she began to develop interest in the music and composition of the 1970's, the two artists struck a chord with her.

"It's that type of connection, the same type you have with best friends," she said. "There's just those one or two musicians that you can connect with — you can't put it into black and white — I'm completely connected to what they do and who they are."

But the young artist, who performs on the piano, guitar and keyboards in addition to singing, said that while she love her influences, her style is completely her own. Her songs are rich with a sound that contains echoes of an earlier era.

"I'm trying to bring music back to what it was in the '60s and '70s," Yanek said. "[My sound] is nostalgic in the fact that you hear it and it's almost like you heard it before even though it's new. … I don't believe I sound like anybody in particular, it's just a new take on the singer-songwriter period of the '70's."

Yanek is not the first artist to be featured at the City Grind.

The café began hosting open mic nights in March 2009, and the performances continued bi-weekly after that, said City Grind co-owner Alfredo Roca.

The shows are a large draw, bringing in people who are looking for food, drink, music, or simply a good time.

"We're pretty much full every time," Roca said.

With the frequent performances and artist showcases that take place, the City Grind is making its presence felt in the local community — something the café was looking to establish from the start.

"That was always in our original plan," Roca said. "Whether it's displaying art by local painters or showcasing musicians or stuff like that. It's just another place for people to go, socialize and enjoy themselves."

And as the café's presence grows, more and more artists are coming out of the woodwork in hopes to perform.

"Sometimes we put it out there and advertise," Roca said. "But we have a lot of live artists who feel free to contact us and ask to play; they usually just come to us now."

The performance starts at 8 p.m. and there is a $2 cover charge to get in the door.