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.

Jugging forward!

The Chicago jug band renaissance continues with a monthly Jug Band Jam!

For great fun and wonderful music, stop by the Grafton (4530 North Lincoln Avenue) next to the Old Town School of Folk Music on third Monday of each month. You can join join the members of the Barehand Jugband in making that great old-time jug band music — one of the hottest bands in town, with that music that sets the toes to tapping!

This is the most recent development in the renaissance. Last November saw the Second Annual Chicago Battle of the Jug Bands, including a number of bands based at the Old Town School: the Hump Night Thumpers (winners of the 2007 Minneapolis Battle), the Schticklers (Chicago’s All-Jewish Jug Band), the Barehanded Jug Band (2nd place at the 2009 Minneapolis Battle), and Strictly Jug Nuts (the winners of the 2009 Chicago Battle).

Also keep in mind the jug band class — which is both an open enrollment class AND
the Hump Night Thumpers practice! Join the class, join the band! (Wednesdays at 8 pm!)

Filed under: Interesting at Old Town by Skip | January 6, 2010 | Comments (0)

First Friday

Don’t miss the January First Friday — even though it skips a week, landing on January 8th.

As always, First Friday will offer all sorts of fun. Some examples:

- The Gather-All at 5:30 — Folks of all ages, including kids just learning an instrument, gather in the room
next to the registration desk to sing and play. No instrument? Just come and sing! Just learning an instrument? Bring it along — Jason McInnis will call out the chords! All-ages, all-skill levels are welcome!
But come early; the room fills up!

- Skip’s Back Porch Jam at 6:30 — Lots of blues and related music led by Skip Landt and a guest guitar teacher from the School. We usually have guitars, harmonicas, fiddles, mandolins, bass, accordian, keyboard, and even an occasional banjo. Singers are especially welcome, especially if they do blues (and bring the words/chords!)

Beyond this, there will be the usual variety of activities: a square dance, a fandango, other dance opportunities, song-writer’s circle, a singaround, and a feature performer. Want to jam? You can also
request a room where you can do your own thing! (Bob Ball is there to find you an open spot).

First Friday is part of the Old Town School experience — once you’ve been to it, you’re sure to come back. (The cost? You contribute $5 at the door).

Filed under: Interesting at Old Town by Skip | January 5, 2010 | Comments (0)

Pete Seeger’s request

Listen to Pete Seeger on this (see at the bottom of this article).

Sing Out! has been an amazing publication for sharing information, perspectives, and skills within the folk music community for generations. Pete was one of its founders, writes a column for it, and cares deeply about keeping it around

Started back the early folk-movement days, Sing Out’s not-for-profit parent organization is fighting for its life: this puts at risk a number of wonderful resources: “Rise Up Singing,” Sing Out! Radio Magazine, and Pete’s newly revised autobiography “Where Have All the Flowers Gone.” Sing Out! has always operated close to the bone financially, but recent economic conditions, along with the current state of the print periodicals, have come together to put the very existence of the magazine and organization in real danger. If you care about folk music, help us support one of its community’s strongest voices and allies.

Check out Pete’s message at: http://www.singout.org/donate.html

Filed under: Interesting elsewhere by Skip | November 30, 2009 | 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)

Highlighted Teachers’ gigs, 1-3-10 update

Highlights (only!) for your calendar:

EVERY TUESDAY! – Rick Sherry and Eric Noden, The Sanctified Grumblers, The Hideout, $5 suggested donation. 9:30 ’til midnight-ish

4th TUESDAYS of the Month! – The Pickin Bubs, The Grafton Pub – 4530 N. Lincoln Avenue. www.thegrafton.com 773 271-9000. 9:45 pm

EVERY WEDNESDAY! Scott Besaw hosts an open mike at the Bad Dog Tavern (4535 N. Lincoln, across from the School). Signup begins at 8 pm, the show starts at 9 pm.

EVERY FRIDAY! Steve Doyle w/The Hoyle Bros, Empty Bottle, 1035 N. Western, 5:30-7:30 pm.

  • Sunday, January 10th – Mark Dvorak, Ed Holstein, Jim Craig and the Pickin’ Bubs, Old Town School of Folk Music, 4544 N. Lincoln Avenue 773 728-6000. 4 pm.

    Filed under: Interesting elsewhere,Interesting outside the Old Town School by Skip | November 16, 2009 | Comments (0)

    Strange-looking device comes to OTS!

    It’s all over but the cheering! Armed with jugs, washboards, kazoos, and other musical weaponry, six jug bands of all sizes and descriptions clashed at the SECOND ANNUAL CHICAGO BATTLE OF THE JUG BANDS on Saturday, November 14th. Most important, the battlle trophy, a strange-looking sausage making thing has returned to Chicago. For the past year the trophy has been in Denver or one of those other cities out west of Galena. That’s where the leader of the Blue Ribbon Jug Band, last year’s winner, now resides.

    The winning band, Strictly Jug Nuts, was decided by audience vote, using ballots designed to replicate those in Chicago municipal elections. But, ironically, ballots were not made available for sale. Overseeing the election were Battle Election Comissioner Steve Bishop, wearing a handsome top hat, and Comptroller Marsha Gilden, having boned up her math skills and planning to add this credential to her resume. « Read more »

    Filed under: Interesting outside the Old Town School by Skip | November 14, 2009 | Comments (0)

    Chicago booklovers….

    Love Chicago? Love books? What about books on Chicago?

    Sharon Woodhouse, the nice lady who runs our favorite publication house, is having a series of holiday receptions — wine, cheese, cookies, books, and, she tells me, collectibles..as well as comraderie.

    She invites us to stop by the “new” Lake Claremont Press office (1026 W. Van Buren, Second Floor) for one of her four holiday receptions for refreshments and affordable holiday shopping.

    Wednesday, December 2, 5:30-8:30 p.m.
    Wednesday, December 9, 5:30-8:30 p.m.

    She’s one block one block from UIC-Halsted blue line station, one block from Morgan Street exit. There’s also free parking available in gravel lot at Van Buren & Morgan.

    Want to attend? RSVP:

    www.lakeclaremont.com
    lcp@lakeclaremont.com
    312/226-8400
    312/226-8420 (fx)

    Filed under: Interesting outside the Old Town School by Skip | November 11, 2009 | Comments (0)

    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)


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