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.

More traditional music fun!

Do you enjoy traditional and folk-roots music? Check out the University of Chicago Folk Festival, February 8th -10th. Held on the university campus, the weekend includes many afternoon mini-concerts (billed as “workshops”) and lots of jamming (usually old-time and bluegrass but start your own jam!) on Saturday and Sunday afternoon (Ida Noyes Hall, 1212 E. 59th St.) Afternoons are free! www.uofcfolk.org.

What about barndancing? Chicago and Chicago area barndances (squares and contras) are held regularly on Mondays and periodically other days. You don’t dance? No problem: dances are walked through and experienced dancers will help. www.ChicagoBarnDance.com.

Folk music concerts? Get the monthly Aural Tradition newsletter for almost nothing. Mail only. (773) 493-8672.

Filed under: Interesting outside the Old Town School by Skip | January 20, 2008 | Comments (0)

The equivalent of great musicianship….in paper art

What are the elements of great musicianship? A vision of the music, an intimate knowledge/love of the instrument, and technical skills? That’s a try, but as always, words and concepts are inadquate pointers. Those are my thoughts when I think about creativity while looking at the work of Peter Callesen. http://petercallesen.com/index/index2.html

Filed under: Interesting elsewhere by Skip | January 20, 2008 | Comments (0)

Typhanie Monique — “Chicago’s next major jazz artist”

That’s the description of Typhanie Monique by the Trib’s Howard Reich.

Typanie is a member of the School’s vocal teaching staff. You may have read about her when she and Chris Walz taught workshops in Moscow for three weeks last July.

JazzTimes magazine described Typhanie’s sound as a modern-day Sarah Vaughan with iridescent traces of Lena Horne.
Another critic wrote: “Toss her a subject or a groove and hang on tight. She’ll shake it, knead it, pummel it, wring it until it drips with the essence of her signature soul style. The harder you listen the more you’re repaid with a sound so pure that you ache when it stops. Her second CD, The Room, has had rave reviews.

You can hear Typhanie on Saturdays through February at Andy’s Jazz Club, 11 E. Hubbard St, between 5 and 8:30 pm. (312) 467-9394. www.andysjazzclub.com. $10. She has a voice to remember, and this is a great jazz venue.

Filed under: Interesting at Old Town by Skip | January 7, 2008 | Comments (0)

40 years of Chicago

Popular music as history? Now there’s a great idea! For the 40th anniversary of the band Chicago, the Chicago History Museum has come up with a commemorative installation at the museum entrance. The display includes objects and materials from their remarkable history from the band’s archive. Wow. Who would have expected this?

The installation will be on display through Sunday, March 30, 2008. Bravo CHM!

Filed under: Interesting outside the Old Town School by Skip | January 6, 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)

New Years Eve: Fiddlehead and The Punch Brothers

Going out for New Years Eve but not sure where? If so, the School’s Punch Brothers shows (7:30, 10:30) will be a great choice. And consider dinner at the Fiddlehead.

The Punch Brothers have the energy of bluegrass along with gentre-breaking creativity of Chris Theil. Thile has earned respect and musical credibility far beyond his 26 years. His continuous forward motion helped generate the popular success of his Grammy winning band Nickel Creek along with a prolific list of recognized solo work and collaborations. This will be an exciting evening. And the second show will include champagne! (Check out the details: oldtownschool.org.

As for dinner, what about dining near the school? Right up the block at 4600 Lincoln is Fiddlehead, a neat restaurant on the corner where Square Kitchen used to be. We liked Square Kitchen, but we love Fiddlehead. They’ve got cheese flights, wine flights, a wonderful duck confit sandwich, a nice steak with three kinds of french fries, and great desserts. AND in addition to their regular menu offerings, they have two New Year’s Eve tasting menus (and wine options for each); and one is vegetarian. (Vegetarian!) As these menus are not (as far as I can see) on their website, below is what their email says. (The individual prices are, I gather, what you pay if you want individual items from that menu). Some of the combinations sound unusual but we’re trusted their judgement and our experience has been very good.

« Read more »

Filed under: Interesting dining by Skip | December 15, 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)

Compy School - Old Town School teaching style applied to computers!

If you’ve taken any Old Town School classes from Arlo Leach, you know his style of teaching — he makes learning fun and easy. He’s now applying that in Compy School, his friendly computer school a bit south of the Old Town School at 3831 N. Lincoln. Now you can develop your computer skills under Arlo’s guidance.

If you stop by, you’ll see his neat facilities. He offers classes, workshops, and even individual lessons targeted to what you need to know. Beginners are welcome, as are people with individual questions/problems/skills they need addressed. As Arlo is not always there, call him (number below) if you want to set up a visit.

« Read more »

Filed under: Teacher bios by Skip | December 6, 2007 | Comments (0)

Sones de Mexico - Esta Tierra Es Tuya

Sones de Mexico Ensemble is back from Las Vegas, still riding high from their Latin Grammy nomination for their new album – Esta Tierra Es Tuya (This Land is Your Land) – for Best Folk Album of 2007. While the album did not win, the nomination gave the band and their music visibility on a national scale. The title is homage to the contributions of immigrants, with the title song proclaimed both in Spanish and in English. An especially enjoyable inclusion is an adaptation of the second movement of the Brandenburg Concerto, performed with participation by members of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra with whom they have collaborated in the past.

Esta Tierra Es Tuya is available at the Different Strummer. This is musically an exciting album, and in light of current discussion of immigration, an inspiring statement.

Filed under: Interesting outside the Old Town School by Skip | December 3, 2007 | Comments (0)

Highlight: Julia Storke

Many Old Towners know Julia as a voice or piano teacher; some have seen her before as a singer-songwriter, performing her music and reading her poetry. But did you know that she’s also an actress and dancer, with credits in New York, San Francisco, Chicago, and Argentina? Her work has included performing the lead role of Lili in Why We Have a Body at Theater Rhinoceros and dancing in the long-running hit musical, Floss! Julia brings her students this background, plus years of K-8 classroom experience and the benefit of multiple grants from the Chicago Foundation for Education for her classroom work.

Julia performs periodically in the Chicago area, including at Davenports, 1383 N. Milwaukee. To find out when she will be there next, call the club at 773-278-1830 or check with Julia at the School.

Filed under: Teacher bios by Skip | November 24, 2007 | Comments (0)


« Previous Entries
Next Entries »