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.

Amazing harmonica playing

Youtube now has a series of harmonica clips by Sam Hinton. The clips are from his harmonica instructional DVD – possibly the entire disk. This is old-time playing, including the “no hands” trick where the harp is held in his mouth (along with the secret of how he does it!). « Read more »

Filed under: Interesting elsewhere by Skip | August 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? Anyway, guys, feel free to doff the neckware.

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: Interesting elsewhere 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)

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)

U. Utah Phillips and his last post

The man has passed. U. Utah Phillips died in his sleep on Friday, May 23rd. Those who knew and enjoyed his music, even from a distance, will miss his presence. He was known and loved by generations, and he reveled in having a wide community of friends at every level of society. While Utah was dependent for his income on folks in the middle and upper middle class, his heart was with the poor and homeless. He was proud of being a Wobblie, a member of the International Works of the World – an early 20th century group still in operation, committed to bringing workers to advance the cause of change.

If you missed seeing Utah in person,, the school has posted a video clip from his last concert at the school, in August 2006 at http://www.oldtownschool.org/video/2007/02/13/utah-phillips-test/ To read the biography posted by Utah’s family, see www.utahphillips.org.

Utah’s last blog entry, dated May 14th and posted by his son appears below. While long and rambling, it will give you a feeling for the man and for the loss felt even by those who knew him only from the audience: « Read more »

Filed under: Interesting elsewhere by Skip | June 2, 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)

Boneyard Prayer – Music by teacher Charles Kim – Runs to May 11th

Does anyone not know about Redmoon Theater? This is one of America’s most exciting, innovative theatrical organizations – a standout in Chicago’s dynamic community.

In this just-opened, new production, Redmoon explores struggle, sorrow, and salvation, drawing from such varied sources as William Kennedy’s Ironweed, Dante’s Inferno, T.S. Eliot’s The Hollow Men, tramp art, Santos sculpture, and other period literature, music, and art. Boneyard Prayer tells a Depression-era tale of one man’s fractured life and ultimate redemption using various forms of puppetry and shadow images, along with extraordinary music inspired by the songs of the age.

The music, composed by Old Town School guitar teacher Charles Kim, includes Kurt Weill/Tin Pan Alley period songs, Tom Waits-like crunch, and chamber music arrangements. This is Charles’ fourth work for Director Frank Maugeri, “a beautiful, eerie world based on, among other influences, William Kennedy’s novel Iron Weed. “ The production runs until May 11th. For information and tickets: www.redmoon.org.

Filed under: Interesting elsewhere by Skip | March 22, 2008 | Comments (0)


« Previous Entries
Next Entries »