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.

Learning the easy way

It’s true — there’s an easy way to learn guitar, or mando, or fiddle or harmonica or any instrument. Better yet, it doesn’t involve practice!

The secret is by playing your instrument for fun. That’s what jamming is about. OK, you do need to begin by learning some basic techique and maybe a few chords. But after that — start attending jams! When you’re with others, playing and singing, the time zips by. You don’t think as much about your playing, and that makes it more enjoyable. Jams at the Old Town School focus on easy songs; sometimes from the songbook, sometimess requested by a student, sometimes suggested by the jam leader, who provides the chords. Everyone’s welcome, even if you’re not taking a class!

Here are some weekly jams at the School’s two locations:

LINCOLN

Wednesdays: 12 pm-2 pm — all ages, all instruments welcome! Have lunch!
Old Town School, 4544 N. Lincoln
USUALLY the concert stage or down the stairs by the Strummer (warm weather: in the courtyard!)

Thursdays; 7 pm- 10:30 pm – mostly adults, but all welcome!
Old Town School, 4544 N. Lincoln
Usually the concert stage; come before or after class!

ARMITAGE

Saturdays: 12-1 pm
Old Town School, 909 W. Armitage.
First floor; bring your songbook if you have one
Open Jam, all ages and instruments welcome. It’s fun, come share your tunes with us!

But also remember Second Half — the half-hour jams held on most class days. These are teacher-led and usually involve playing and singing five or six songs, from the songbook or brought in by a teacher. Lincoln:
Mondays at 11:30 am and 9:30 pm, Tuesdays at 9:30 pm, Wednesdays at 7:30 pm, Fridays at 11:30 am,
Saturday at 12:30 am, Sunday at 1:30 pm. Armitage: Mondays at 9:30 pm, Tuesdays at 9:30 pm, Wednesdays at 7:30 pm, Sundays at 1:30 pm.

None of these times work for you? Create your own jam! Meet regularly with your friends to play and sing together. Many jams are set up like song circles; each person leads a song, suggests a song, or “passes.”

If you’re interested in jams outside the school — or elsewhere in the country, as when you’re on vacation –
check out folkjam.org. Jams are not only a wonderful way to learn music, but also one of the best ways to make new acquaintances at the same time!

Filed under: Uncategorized by Skip | March 1, 2010 | Comments (0)

Strictly Jug Nuts Pre-Game Superbowl Show

Power yourself into Superbowl Sunday with this special, rough-and-tumble Pre-Game Jug Band Show!

Jugs, washboard, kitchenware, kazoos, washtub bass, and all manner of instruments will be sounding when Strictly Jug Nuts presents its Pre-Superbowl Show at the Lincoln Restaurant, 4008 N. Lincoln Avenue at 2 pm on Sunday, February 7th. There will be old songs, new songs, and chances for you to jump in and play along with us. This show of good-time music will celebrate the band’s victory at the 2009 Chicago Battle of the Jug Bands — and will be our send off to the Minneapolis Battle of the Jug Bands, which is the following week.

The Lincoln Restaurant has wonderful food, drinks, and nice folks running it. And afterwards — stay around and see the Super Bowl or head home. (The game doesn’t begin until 6:30, so you have lots of time).

The 2009 winners of the Chicago Battle of the Jug Bands will be present in full jug band regalia!

Filed under: Uncategorized by Skip | January 16, 2010 | Comments (0)

Jug band at Jan 8th First Friday!

Late note:

Strictly Jug Nuts, winners of the 2009 Battle of the Jug Bands, will be the opening act for the First Friday concert on Friday, December 8th – 9 pm! This is the band that won the Chicago Battle of the Jug Bands in November, and that was the featured act at the December First Friday.

“Late last Friday my gal said to me/
If you can’t play the jug you can’t play wth me”

More and more, men all over Chicagoland are hearing and getting this message! So better find out about this new (old) kind of music! (and see below!)

Filed under: Uncategorized by Skip | January 6, 2010 | Comments (0)

Sweden’s Giant Keyboard

Swedish subway riders were surprised this past summer when a giant, fully functional keyboard replaced a staircase in the Stockholm station. There it was, white keys and black keys, leading up to street level.
The nominal idea behind this Volkswagen-sponsored project was to increase use of the stairs rather than the escalator. And, of course, it succeeded: there was a 66% increase in use of the stairs as commuters glissandoed between levels. On the downside: No one has measured the impact on subway patrons of the continuous discordant notes.

Filed under: Uncategorized by Skip | November 20, 2009 | Comments (0)

Our Winning Fiddler!

A Chicagoan beats out West Virginia fiddle players at their own music?

Yep! This fall, Old Town School fiddle teacher Walter Hojka took First Prize in the Fiddle Contest held at Mountaineer Week at West Virginia University. Not only that, but he alo won an award for the best performance of a traditional West Virginia tune. Now that’s even more remarkable. (OK, we’ll admit it:
Walter is a transplant, and West Virginia is his home state — but it speaks to the depth of his roots in the West Virginia tradition).

Walter Hojka teaches several fiddle courses at the Old Town School including Music Skills for Fiddlers (Wednesdays at :30), New England Fiddle (Wednesdays at 8 pm), and Fiddle Two and Three (Thursdays at 6:30 and 8 pm respectively. He also teaches Children’s fiddle on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Interested? Registration is open for the January session!

Filed under: Uncategorized by Skip | November 20, 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)

Sing for Yer Supper

This great idea is back!

Each week John Abbey brings together a few different musicians for some informal, good time music; they trade songs and instruments, and everyone has a good time. If you feel like playing or singing a tune, contact John!

The fun takes place Sundays, 4 – 6 pm at Uncommon Ground, 1401 W. Devon. Note: Uncommon Ground is a neat little restaurant, worth visiting anytime — but most fun on these Sunday afternoons.

Filed under: Interesting elsewhere, Uncategorized by Skip | July 25, 2009 | Comments (0)

Dvorak Wins Lifetime Achievement Award – Details coming!

Filed under: Teacher bios, Uncategorized by Skip | March 21, 2008 | Comments (0)

Happy New Year from Frank Hamilton!

Frank Hamilton, one of our founders, celebrates the New Year with us by providing the traditional Robert Burns poem/song. See the commentary and earlier version he has added at the end. Thanks Frank!

Auld Lang Syne

F C7
Should auld acquaintance be forgot

F Bb
And never brought to mind?

F A7
Should auld acquaintance be forgot

Dm Bb C7 F
In the days of auld lang syne.

« Read more »

Filed under: Uncategorized by Skip | December 31, 2007 | Comments (0)

Holiday Stuff to Enjoy

Snow Queen at the Biograph! Great for Families

This is a must see. Written by Michael Smith, our long-time friend and colleague, the cast includes three teachers from the school: Cathy Norden, Bob Goins, and Barb Barrow. One of the biggest hits in Victory Gardens history, this year’s production features a magical new scenic design and the same haunting and hilarious music that has charmed young and old alike. The Snow Queen takes her audience on a wild ride into the realm of myth and dream, where a talking reindeer, wooden soldiers, an enchantress, the mysterious Snow Queen holds talking animals, wooden soldiers, witches, and lost children under her spell. This is an adaptation of a Hans Christian Anderson classic, adapted by Tony Award-winning director Frank Galati and acclaimed composer Michael Smith, with design and puppets by Blair Thomas (a founder of Redmoon Theater).

Seeing Snow Queen will be a treat for the family during the holidays: romantic, melodic, and moving. The show is playing through January 6 at the Biograph theatre, 2433 N. Lincoln Avenue. tickets@victorygardens.org or 773.871.3000

The Not-Your-Grandma’s Nutcracker

See our very own fiddle teacher, Maria McCullough in The Nutcracker! She’s the doll Phoebe in The House’s re-imagined version of The Nutcracker. But this isn’t the ballet you remember. Instead, this production is a fresh approach to on the traditional story, weaving together riveting dialogue, puppetry, music, spellbinding spectacle, and an eight piece string orchestra. Together, they tell a darkly moving story of magic and mystery that you never knew existed. From the creative team behind the recent Chicago hits The Sparrow and The Great and Terrible Wizard of Oz, This new Nutcracker is a surprising take on a Christmas classic that’s perfect for adults and kids. Wednesdays-Fridays in the The Steppenwolf Upstairs Theatre, 1650 N. Halsted St. Tickets are $29 ($20 students). www.steppenwolf.org or 312.335.1650.

The Not-Your-Grandpa’s New Years Eve

How’s this for an idea? Celebrate the eve with your friends at the Old Town School of Folk Music? We’ll have the Punch Brothers, recently signed by Nonesuch Records. Note that their banjo player, Noam Pikelny, was a student here.

To make an evening of it, think too of having dinner on Lincoln Avenue – the Fiddlehead at 4600 Lincoln has planned two special “tasting” menus, one of which is vegetarian. (See other page). They believe in buying locally; we do too.

Chicago Printmakers Cooperative – 18th Annual Small Print Show

Speaking of buying locally, just a couple blocks away, at 4642 N. Western Avenue, is the Chicago Printmakers Cooperative. Their show highlights a variety of print media, including etching, lithography, woodcut and monotype. Traditional as well as experimental approaches to printmaking are featured by approximately 40 artists. Most featured artwork is under $100; we guarantee that you’ll find wonderful stuff. Note: The coop’s director of Deborah Maris Lader, a member of Sons of the Never Wrong (and one of the School’s very own). Hours: Tues. through Sat., 12-5 pm through December 22nd. 293-2070.

Hear WBEZ’s hour-long Old Town School Anniversary show

WBEZ has produced a program of gtreat stuff including interviews, music, field recordings. Go to their website and check out the program section. Thanks WBEZ!

Unique Gift Idea

Convert your friend/partner/spouse’s favorite audio tape(s) to CD format. An easy choice for this job is Joe Tessone, a friend of the Old Town School, who runs the Mystery Street Recording Company at 2827 N. Lincoln. He charges $20 an hour. You can contact him at joe@mysterystreetrecording.com.

Filed under: Interesting outside the Old Town School, Uncategorized by Skip | December 8, 2007 | Comments (0)


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