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.

Kids can fight H1N1

Youtube now has a catchy hand washing anthem to help curb the flu. It’s called “Wash, Rinse, Dry” and it can be found at http://www.youtube. com/watch? v=u2-A8FbZ9Gs. This lively, timely musical nudge is thanks to Old Town School teacher Joel Frankel, the Chicago Children’s Choir and Children’s Memorial Hospital .

Show it to your family, pass it along to your friends, tell folks at work. Every little bit helps!

Filed under: Kids' stuff outside by Skip | October 27, 2009 | Comments (0)

Teacher: Nathaniel Braddock

Guitar teacher Nathaniel Braddock is featured in the December 2009 issue of Guitar Player magazine. His band, the Occidental Brothers, “are likely the only U.S. band to specialize in classic Ghanaian and Congolese styles. At a time when this older music is scarecely played anymore in Africa, Braddock and his musicians are evolving it, creating new hybrids with other dance styles and jazz. As the crowd stepped out recently at Lincoln Center’s Midsummer Night’s Swing, it was clear that Braddock’s [band] has legs.”

Among Nathaniel’s classes for Session 6 are Guitar 3 rep (Thursdays, 8:30 at Lincoln) and Guitar 4 (Wednesdays, 6 pm at Lincoln).

Filed under: Teacher bios by Skip | October 7, 2009 | Comments (0)

YOUR audience is just a few steps away

Want a chance to perform outside the Old Town School?

Opportunity awaits, right across the street at the Mad Dog Tavern. Old Town teacher Scott Besaw runs an open mike every Wednesday night and will welcome you to show your stuff! There’s a signup list that he has out starting at 8; you get on the list, and then — depending on how many sign up — you’ll get your turn some time after the show starts, at 9 pm.

If there’s ever a non-threatening performance opportunity, this is it. Scott is there and runs it in the Old Town School style, welcoming, friendly and supportive. And since the Bad Dog is largely patronized by Old Town School students and their friends, you’ll have a receptive setting for your performance. (It doesn’t hurt to bring some of your own friends, of course!)

Hesitant to give this a try? You’re no different than most folks. But most people who do open mikes find out that they love the experience, and want to do it again. The best way to find out for yourself is….stop over some Wednesday, if only to listen!

Filed under: Interesting outside the Old Town School by Skip | October 5, 2009 | Comments (0)

Our Hall of Fame Nominee!

We are pleased to announce the great news!

Diane Blumensaadt, Teacher and Customer Service Representative at the Old Town School of Folk Music, has been nominated for membership in:

The White Castle
Cravers Hall of Fame

Diane has been nominated based on her account of an experience in one of Chicago’s Great Blizzards. It was a cold, windy, stormy day in Chicago, and the snow was piled high on all sides. Walking was difficult, and the icy wind chilled you to the bone. But she and a friend, cold and hungry, were on a long trudge home, through the drifts. Then, before them, white and gleaming, was a place that symbolized warmth and comfort — a White Castle. Each spent their last 12 cents on a slider, which they still remember: that slider bought both comfort to the stomach and a smile to the face. Diane still lives near that White Castle, and treasures that memory which comes to mind each time she passes that location. (Details in this account may differ from hers; I heard her account only once).

Diane has already been awarded an attractive White Castle Cravers Hall of Fame Nominee metal; if she is a finalist, she’ll be flown to the White Castle National Headquarters to be specially honored. But whatever celebration they have, we’ll have a bigger shindig here at the School!

Be sure to wish Diane well and cheer her on as the awards process continues!

Filed under: Uncategorized by Skip | October 5, 2009 | Comments (0)

This January, go on the road with your teachers!

During the last year our teachers have brought Old Town School style teaching, jamming, and celebration to Brazil, Estonia, Finland, Russia, and Mexico, Morocco, Quebec and Russia. Right now, during October, a teacher’s group is in India.

The news: we’re planning of the School’s first foreign excursion that is open to everyone staff, students, and friends as well as teachers. WARNING: Stop reading now if there’s no way you can get away in January! « Read more »

Filed under: Interesting outside the Old Town School by Skip | October 1, 2009 | Comments (0)