Hot Times at Old Town

Appearing below are selections from the hard copy Hot Times. The objective is to highlight activities at the School and in the larger community, especially those featuring or of special interest to teachers and staff. Your suggestions are welcome. Enter a comment (under any item); it will come to me rather than automatically appearing.

Hey, new short classes start July 21st! (Some at 5 pm!)

Someone asked why not start classes early? And why not run classes in the summer for four weeks at half price? Would it work? Yeah! People came! The selections for our second four-week mini-term beginning July 21st:

Mondays, 5-6:20 - Stage Presence for Singers with Barb Silverman
Mondays, 5-6:20 - Hard Times: Songs of Protest & Struggle with Mark Dvorak
Tuesdays, 5-6:20 - Mellow Gold (Part 2) with Steve Dawson
Tuesdays, 5-6:20 - Mississippi John Hurt with Mark Dvorak
Thursdays, 5-6:20 - Modest Mouse with Shelley Miller
Thursdays, 5-6:20 - Nick Drake with Nathaniel Braddock

If you’re really serious, why call it a day at 6:20? Here are your other four week options (at Lincoln unless otherwise noted):

Mondays, 6:30-7:50 - Female Soul Singers with Lisa DeRosia
Mondays, 6:30-7:20 - John Prine with Bob Goins (at 909 W. Armitage)
Mondays, 6:30-7:50 - Everly Brothers with Tom Ryan
Mondays, 6:30-7:50 - Simon & Garfunkel with Shelley Miller (at 909 W. Armitage)
Tuesdays, 6:30-7:50 - Amos Lee with Bill Brickey
Tuesdays, 6:30-7:50 - Steely Dan with Cathy Norden
Wednesdays, 6:30-7:50 - Creative Chord Progressions with Shelley Miller (at 909 W. Armitage)
Thursdays, 6:30-7:50 - Aimee Mann with Laura Doherty
Thursdays, 6:30-7:50 - Sam Cooke Classics with Bill Brickey
Thursdays, 6:30-7:50 - Solo Beatles with Charles Kim

Register at the desk OR on line at oldtownschool.org OR (even) by telephone: 773-728-6000. Classes are $80 ($65 for members!)

Filed under: Interesting at Old Town by Skip | July 14, 2008 | Comments (0)

The index to the right: Teachers’ gigs, 7-20 update

Highlights (only!) for your calendar:

Wednesday, July 23 - Mark Dvorak at the BAKED TOMATO SONGWRITERS SHOWCASE, hosted by Lance Brown - The Baked Tomato, 4538 N. Elston Avenue, 773.777.6434, 8 pm

Wednesday, July 23 - 14 Miles to Empty, Wednesday Concert Series, 205 N. Michigan, 11:30-1:30

Wednesday, July 30 - Wilco Ensemble, Wednesday Concert Series, 205 N. Michigan, 11:30-1:30

Saturday, August 2nd - Eric Noden, Acoustic Dinner Set at Buddy Guy’s Legends, 754 S. Wabash, 5:30-8 pm

Saturday, August 2nd - Sarah and the Tall Boys, Underground Wonder Bar, Chicago, 8 pm.

Wednesday, August 13th - Beatles Ensemble, Wednesday Concert Series, 205 N. Michigan, 11:30-1:30

Saturday, August 16th - Sarah and the Tall Boys, Underground Wonder Bar, Chicago, 8 pm.

Wednesday, August 20th - Typhanie Monique w/ Neal Alger, Wednesday Concert Series, 205 N. Michigan, 11:30-1:30

Saturday, August 23rd - Sarah and the Tall Boys, Flavor Fest, Chicago, 4:15 pm.

Sunday, August 24th - Sarah and the Tall Boys, Glenwood Arts Festival , Chicago, time tba

Wednesday, August 27th -Tony Do Rosario Quartet, Wednesday Concert Series, 205 N. Michigan, 11:30-1:30

(Items shown here also appear in the long list of teacher gigs, click the column to the right or just scroll down).

Filed under: Interesting elsewhere by Skip | July 14, 2008 | Comments (0)

Relax, take off your tie!

If you’re wearing one. The tie business is in a bind: fewer men are wearing ‘em.

Really? After all these years? The iconic gift for dad and the hallmark of professionalism? Yep. Tie sales have slipped coninuously for the past ten years. According a Gallup poll conducted last fall, the number of men wearing ties to work every day is now down to 6%. A recent story in the Wall Street Journal noted that fhe power of the tie has diminished so much so that the trade organization of American tie makers recently disbanded: the Men’s Dress Furnishings Association, which started as the Men’s Tie Foundation in 1947, dissolved last month.

Can it be that the nation is going folky?

Filed under: Interesting elsewhere by Skip | July 13, 2008 | Comments (0)

We almost forgot: it’s National Ice Cream Month!

And we’ve missed so much of it! Thank goodness there’s time to make up for lost time! Our suggestion: the Soupbox at 2943 N. Broadway. Yes, we know: the name is misleading. But while each winter they feature great soups. in the summer they focus on ature maybe 20 flavors of Italian ice. Hmmmm. Does Italian ice qualify as ice cream? Why not? They’ve been nominated for the City Search award for best ice cream in Chicago (and have won awards for best soup, best fast food, best comfort food etc.)

Filed under: Uncategorized by Skip | July 13, 2008 | Comments (0)

Muriel Anderson Workshop

Treat yourself to a couple hours with this amazing musician, song-writer, fingerpicking guitar player — and former teacher at the Old Town School. The first woman to win the National Fingerpicking Guitar Championship, Muriel Anderson has a style style thata ranges from folk, classical, jazz, and bluegrass to international music. You’ll find a lot of her playing on youtube including her Song #1 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OWIohqhCzK4&feature=related. The workshop is Arranging in D for Guitarists and will be designed for easy-intermediate through advanced-intermediate players. You’re welcome to bring not only guitar, paper, and pencil but also audio or video recorder. Bonus: two sets of Muriel’s signature GHS strings are included in the price of the workshop!
($25!).

Filed under: Interesting at Old Town by Skip | July 13, 2008 | Comments (0)

Speaking of Muriel Anderson….

When you’re next on youtube, look up Muriel Anderson’s Angelina Baker. If you’re an old-timey devotee (or even not), you’re likely to be amazed at the sight of her playing Angela Baker on a guitar in….well, in a banjo style. Or in a style using banjo techniques. Or using skills she learned from the devil. Really, you need to see it yourself. And keep watching as she does several variations. Great version! And all the while, she’s clearly having a wonderful time!

Depending on the breadth of your tastes, you may decide to stop the video when Muriel breaks into bluegrass fingerpicking and the crowd goes wild. But that’s worth watching too. Wow. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VJw7-vFrKnQ.

Filed under: Interesting at Old Town by Skip | July 13, 2008 | Comments (0)

Wiggle in the Park

Again this summer the Wiggleworms staff are doing it downtown! Thanks to FSC Mixed Sources, Toto Ink, and the Old Town School, Millenium Park is again graced by daily performances of Wiggleworms staff. They’re on from 10 to 10:45 am on the Chase Promenade, the three-block-long, tree-lined walkway that runs from Monroe to Randolph. The series continues through the summer right up to (and including) September 1st. And it’s free!

Filed under: Interesting elsewhere by Skip | July 13, 2008 | Comments (0)

More Teachers’ Nearby Gigs — 7-19-08 update

(Gigs in Chicago and burbs)

Sunday, July 20th - Devil in a Woodpile, Woodstock Folk Festival, Woodstock Square, Woodstock, 3:30 pm
Sunday, July 20th - MARK DVORAK RECEIVES LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD, Woodstock Folk Festival , Woodstock Square, Woodstock, Illinois- 4:15 pm

Tuesday, July 22nd -Peggy Browning/Maura Lally : songs/pickin’/pints at the Grafton, 4530 N. Lincoln, 9:30 pm
Tuesday, July 22nd - Rick Sherry, Devil in a Woodpile, old blues, jazz, hot stuff, The Hideout, 9:30 pm
Wednesday, July 23 - Mark Dvorak at the BAKED TOMATO SONGWRITERS SHOWCASE, hosted by Lance Brown - The Baked Tomato, 4538 N. Elston Avenue, 773.777.6434, 8 pm
Wednesday, July 23rd - Scott Besaw, Bad Dog Tavern, 4535 N Lincoln, Chicago - (773) 334-4040. 8:30 pm
Wednesday, July 23 - 14 Miles to Empty, Wednesday Concert Series, 205 N. Michigan, 11:30-1:30
Friday, July 25th -Steve Doyle w/The Hoyle Bros, Empty Bottle, 1035 N. Western, 5:30-7:30 pm
Tuesday, July 29th - Rick Sherry, Devil in a Woodpile, old blues, jazz, hot stuff, The Hideout, 9:30 pm
Wednesday, July 30 - Wilco Ensemble, Wednesday Concert Series, 205 N. Michigan, 11:30-1:30 « Read more »

Filed under: Interesting outside the Old Town School, Teacher gigs by Skip | July 12, 2008 | Comments (0)

Eleven kids’ meals by eleven chefs!

Still inspiring our kids is everyone’s old friend, Ella Jenkins. She stopped by the school this week with a handful of cards promoting a benefit for StoryBus, a children’s museum on wheels. The event will be Sunday, Septemer 7th, from 6 to 8 pm at the Kohl Children’s Museum in Glenview (2100 Patriot Drive). Eleven top chefs will be presenting gourmet versions of eleven favorite kids’ meals. The cost (take a deep breath) will be $75 for adults, $25 for kids 13 and under. (Yeah, its $$$, but what a great event and what a good cause!) For information: www.1000cleanplates.org or 847 633-8340 x13.

Filed under: Interesting elsewhere by Skip | July 10, 2008 | Comments (0)

The Next ‘First’ Friday Open House is August 1st– 6:30 pm!

Yep, it’ll be another big night at the School That includes a song circle, open string jam, songwriters’ exchange, back porch blues jam, student ensemble performances, and much more: a creativity jam, an open ensemble jam, and — we hope again this month — a craft lounge of knit, crochet, and other portable crafts. All are covered by $4 at the door. Group activities start at 6:30 or so and run to 9 p.m. when we have a community sing.

And once again, I’ll be there with my Backporch Jam, this time with featured guitar teacher guest Arlo Leach. He’s another of the School’s favorite teachers, and one with whom I first heard some fine blues tunes.
Hope to see you at the not-quite-First Friday, August 1st!

Skip

Filed under: Interesting at Old Town by Skip | June 5, 2008 | Comments (0)


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