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.

Blowin’ the Blues w/Adam Gussow: Workshop Debrief

A very good workshop! The teacher was Adam, best known for Adam and Satan, a team of street musicians on the streets of Harlem. Adam (Gussow) is master musician. His workshop on Sunday afternoon, May 25th.

Adam focused on skills that can not be reflected in tablature, including developing your embouchure, enhancing your vibrato, and expanding your rhythmic possibilities. He has DVDs of his lessons on youtube. The DVD covers much of what was taught in the workshop: his approach to basic skills. Worth viewing, getting. http://www.modernbluesharmonica.com/page/page/4514503.htm.

Filed under: Interesting at Old Town by Skip | May 24, 2008 | Comments (0)

Report from Jug Band trip to Memphis

Will Shade StoneA moving ceremony with song; and a soaring hawk, circling overhead, that many felt was the spirit of Will Shade absorbing the goodwill - these characterized the Hump Night Thumper’s visit to Memphis. They went to dedicate Will Shade’s gravestone, for which the School held a benefit concert in January. One band member wrote to those who didn’t make the May 3rd trip: « Read more »

Filed under: Interesting elsewhere by Skip | May 11, 2008 | Comments (0)

Old Town Jugs head to Memphis

On May 3rd, the Hump Night Thumpers, headed by teacher Arlo Leach, travelled to Memphis for a special occasion. (The Hump Night Thumpers are the school’s jug band/class).

Back in 2005, when Arlo stepped out of his car at Tennessee’s Shelby County Cemetery, he knew something wasn’t right. “It was just an empty field, quiet, with one tree in the middle. I thought I was at the wrong address. Then I noticed the little numbered plates on the ground.” The Chicago music teacher had traveled to Memphis to pay his respects to Will Shade, who led the most popular jug band of the 1920’s and 30’s, and brought a flower to place at his gravestone. What Arlo discovered, though, was that Shade was buried in an unmarked pauper’s grave, forgotten and unrecognized for his achievements; his passing in 1966 had not even been mentioned in the press.

Now Will Shade received a second chance for posthumous recognition. Earlier this year, Leach and his colleagues at the School presented a tribute concert featuring Shade’s pupil Charlie Musselwhite and young jug devotees, the Carolina Chocolate Drops. The show sold out to an enthusiastic crowd and raised enough money to buy a granite marker for the grave. Musicians from Chicago, Memphis and elsewhere met at the cemetery on May 3 to celebrate its installation. « Read more »

Filed under: Interesting elsewhere by Skip | May 4, 2008 | Comments (0)

Hooting with Chris Walz - Sunday, June 1st

Ever heard the word “hootnany?”

Sure, it was a TV show. But the real hootnanies were folks gathering to play and sing together; they were most popular in the 50’s and 60’s. Well, hootnanies are now back — at S.P.A.C.E. a new performance facility in Evanston.

Chris Walz, one of the school’s most popular guitar teachers, is now leading a hoot including folk, bluegrass, and popular songs the first and third Sundays of every month.

The first Hoot was great fun. About 30 folks attended; the chairs were in a circle and people who wanted to lead songs could do so. Some brought instruments, but many just came to sing. The next Hoot will be Sunday, June 1st, 3:30-6 pm, 1245 Chicago Avenue, Evanston.(847-492-8860). $5 individual, $10 family at the door. This is a whole family event, so bring the kids!

Filed under: Interesting elsewhere by Skip | May 3, 2008 | Comments (0)

Café Menu Item of the Month (Conceptual)

We periodically identify “insider” menu items. Each is named in recognition of the Old Town School staff member or teacher for whom this is a regular order. These menu items are made public both to honor their designee and in the interests of culinary transparency.

This month, Chef Miki breaks new ground in proposing a selection that is entirely conceptual: “The Barb Silverman,” says Miki, “is ordering the same thing that the person ahead of you ordered.” This is a menu item? “You just have to get your mind around it,” he says. “She does it all the time; it’s her speciality, and she deserves the honor. ”

Filed under: Interesting dining by Skip | May 2, 2008 | Comments (0)

Bob Goins

Best wishes for a speedy recovery to guitar teacher Bob Goins who reports suffering recently from a self-diagnosed case of Iron Ass Magnet Couch.

Filed under: Interesting outside the Old Town School by Skip | May 2, 2008 | Comments (0)

Harbert’s Folly

Café menu items come and go – but if this item reappears on the chalkboard, try it. Miki’s creation marries sausage and potatoes with mustard. The result? Well, if this is folly, it is a nice folly indeed.. Should Harbert’s Folly not return to the chalk board for a while, don’t despair: remember that Miki’s felafel sandwich is always with us, served with the felafel comfortably nestled in Jerusalem salad. Note: this felafel sandwich was nominated as the nation’s best for Public Television’s special on America’s Great Sandwiches.

Filed under: Interesting at Old Town by Skip | May 2, 2008 | Comments (1)