Are You Registered

09.29-10.06.04

Are you registered?

Dear Friend,

In this week’s issue:
* Cool Cleveland People with instrumental guitarist Neil Zaza
* Skirting The Issue interview with arts educator Karen M. Clark-Keys
* Tuning In featuring barefoot jazz harpist Calvin Stokes
* Cool Cleveland Writer featuring Found Poem: Is Hell endothermic or exothermic? by Cleveland poet Marcus Bales

Cool Cleveland People
Neil Zaza

You’re a proud Cleveland musician, but you recently hit it big in Asia. How did this all happen?
It’s strange; I didn’t even know it happened. My records are licensed over in Korea, Taiwan, China, all throughout Asia…Indonesia. We sold so many of the records I had no idea. I went over two years ago and co-headlined the Bussan International Rock festival. There were fifteen thousand people there and they knew the songs note for note. It was standing room only, packed, and these people were humming my guitar solos. There were dance remixes and downloadable ring tones of my song I’m Alright. I did an hour-long interview on their version of MTV, M2. I was freaking out. Yet in the US, I couldn’t touch getting on the cover of a guitar magazine, but I was recently on the cover of two magazines over there. I am not being egotistical; it’s just how it is. It’s great over there.

After stunning success overseas, how does that make you feel when you come back to Cleveland?
When I return to Cleveland, it’s on a whole other level, because that recognition I have abroad doesn’t exist here. But I am cool with that because I don’t need that boost every day. It is just nice to know that I can go somewhere and get that level of respect. It’s tough when a few different companies own the play lists and control what we hear. That is why people are forging new methods to exchange music. The old business model of CDs doesn’t work anymore.

How have you made a living just playing your guitar? What advice would you give someone who wants to make it in the Cleveland music scene?
You have to specialize, yet be diverse: I perform live and also participate as a session musician, I tour, I conduct clinics, I teach a few select students, and I create music. I have to mix it up, but as long as I’m playing, I am happy.
Read Cool Cleveland People with Neil Zaza here

Are you registered to vote? The deadline to register to vote in the November election is Mon 10/4 at 9PM. If you’re not already registered, click over to http://www.cuyahoga.oh.us/BOE/default.htm, print out the registration form, fill it out and mail it in.

Judicial candidates ranked The Judicial Candidates Rating Coalition (JCRC) has recently unveiled their judicial ratings on the JCRC website. The best part: the website features an easy-to-read grid that can be printed and taken to the polls. “This is a place where voters can go for nonpartisan information,” said James Robenalt, JCRC chairman. http://www.judge4yourself.com

Light up the Flats now Thomas Bier of the College of Urban Affairs at Cleveland State University sees Cleveland’s current darkness and makes a bright suggestion: light up the Flats like the post-modern, post-industrial “visually interesting” vista that it is, and maybe the view will serve a couple of purposes: finish the 1996 Bicentennial bridge lighting project, and showcase one of “the two most significant physical legacies of our city’s history,” the other being University Circle. See PD op-ed here.

Presidential debate parties This Thu 9/30, the hippest Clevelanders won’t be hanging in a lounge, playing poker or even surfing the web. They’ll be attending, or hosting one of the more than dozen debate parties scheduled during the first televised Presidential Debate. Check the site to search on your zip for area parties to join, or download your own hosting kit. http://www.JohnKerry.com

Call for Euclid Corridor art The Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority is accepting proposals for “public art elements as part of the Euclid Corridor Transportation Project.” The deadline for applications is Fri 10/29. For more info, contact Danielle Willis at 771-4144, or see http://www.EuclidTransit.org

Cool Cleveland is growing and you can be a part of our growth. We’re seeking high-energy, motivated individuals to join our street team for internships, commissioned sales, and contributors. Have fun, meet lots of people, and promote the best of Cleveland. You’ll also have the option to choose part time work at your convenience. Send your qualifications and a well-written, passionate note about why you’d love to work with Cool Cleveland to Info@CoolCleveland.com

Resurrection of Nitty Gritty In 2002, the Nitty Gritty collective brought alternative dance music to Cleveland, creating a party vibe unparalleled throughout the Midwest. Their efforts have brought in a wealth of techno and DJ talent: Mr.Scruff, Jazzanova, J Boogie, RJD2, DJ Spinna, Smash, and many others have graced the decks at these monthly parties. NG has received international acclaim and continues to grow, and now you can check their new digs at B Side Liquor Lounge in Cleveland Heights and hit their gigs every first Saturday of the month, starting Sat 10/2 with DJ Scribe from NYC. Scribe, an Oberlin College graduate, will be throwing down his great mixing skills and track selections. 2785 Euclid Hts. Blvd. in Cleveland Hts. below the Grog Shop. http://www.DJScribe.com. http://www.BSideLiquorLounge.com

Weitzel-Miller Gallery seeking artist submissions Weitzel-Miller is a new arts venue opening soon in the Detroit Shoreway neighborhood, and they’ll be expanding the artistic community of Cleveland with a more traditional gallery setting. They’re offering an open invitation to all artists working in any medium; all submissions will be reviewed, and the gallery will feature both local and national artists. Openings will be hosted on a bi-monthly basis. Deadline is ongoing, but send your work sooner for review. Submissions should include a bio, resume and either a web link, jpegs, or slides emailed to mwgallery@adelphia.net or mailed to Miller-Weitzel Gallery, 5304 Detroit Ave.

Tunick photo enters Museum’s collection Spencer Tunick’s Ohio 1, a photograph featuring the greatest participation of volunteers in a North American installation documenting the live nude figure in a public space, will enter the permanent collection at Cleveland Museum of Art. The Museum of Contemporary Art [MOCA] organized Tunick’s Cleveland installation earlier this past summer, as well as the exhibition Spencer Tunick: Manmade and Natural featuring a survey of his photographs created from earlier projects. See details here

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Artists Light Up Payne Avenue Lofts Payne Ave. Lofts, open loft condominiums located at E. 37th & Payne, are hosting an art show — come browse the show and tour the lofts! Features of these units include large, open floor plans, huge new windows, 12-14 foot ceilings, exposed brick, hardwood floors, modern kitchens and much more. Plus, they’re affordable – $129,900 to $199,900 and offering tax abatement. Artists featured at Payne Ave. Lofts include Loftworks painter and printmaker Pamela Dodds; Hodge School neon artist Dana Paterson; Hodge School painter Brian Nicholls; celebrated Cleveland artists Mark Howard and Jen Doss; and muralist and painter Katherine Chilcote. Don’t miss the open house this Sun 10/3 from 2-4 PM – stop by and check out the art show, as well as the excitement of these live/work condos in Cleveland’s newest loft district! For a complete list of properties and open houses this weekend, please visit www.ProgressiveUrban.com
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Awards of Achievement Every year, Northern Ohio Live does us all a favor by selecting the best and brightest of our region with their Awards of Achievement. Their black-tie awards ceremony, on the stage of the Palace Theatre and broadcast live by Cool Cleveland partner WCLV-FM, is always a class affair. And now they’ve put their 2004 winners up online for your viewing. During an era in Cleveland’s history when our political and business leaders are letting us down, it’s heartening to see such great achievements in the fields of dance (VERB Ballets), education (John Carroll Univ for their new Dolan Center for Science and Tech), medicine (Univ Hospitals’ treatment of Tourette’s), popular music (WKSU for FolkAlley.com), urban issues (Akron for This City Reads!), visual arts (CMA for Apollo), and much more. See Northern Ohio Live Awards of Achievement here

Releasing your CD? Got reviews? Cool Cleveland is accepting CDs from regional bands to review in our e-zine. We want to hear what’s going down with Cleveland area music, and to prove it, we’ll listen up to your CD and give it some play. We’d love to hear from any musicians based in Northeast Ohio. We can’t guarantee a review, but we’ll give it a listen. Just send your band’s info, bio and a CD to Cool Cleveland.com, P.O. Box 770886, Cleveland, Ohio 44107. Plus, keep us posted of your shows, tours and notable backstage antics by sending us mail at Events@CoolCleveland.com.

Marriage ban kills the economy While Philadelphia and Washington, DC are courting gays with million-dollar ad campaigns (“Where more than just the cherry blossoms come out…”), Ohio looks poised to vote in the “most far-reaching anti-gay marriage measure in the nation,” which is sure to encourage the creative class to flee even faster, and discourage everyone from tourists and businesses from even visiting. The Greater Cincinnati Convention & Visitors Bureau estimates that their harsh anti-gay city charter has cost them at least $46 million in business, many of them explicitly citing the anti-gay bias in their cancellation and rejection letters. Now, Proctor & Gamble and the Cincy Chamber of Commerce are trying to eliminate their city’s anti-gay charter, saying it’s bad for business, while our fair state stands ready to enact one. Is there some way that Cleveland, Cincinnati and Columbus can secede from the state of Ohio? See Cleveland.com here.

Cleveland Shop turns 25 For a quarter of a century, The Cleveland Shop has been providing Cleveland and the world with vintage clothing and costumes, and collectors from all over the world stop in to shop when they visit Cleveland. To their credit, the Cleveland Shop’s clothing and accessories have been seen in independent and Hollywood films, as celebrities and their clothing stylists have been known to show up unannounced to browse the racks. Now the oldest vintage clothing store in Cleveland is gearing up for their 25th anniversary with “The Thrill of the Hunt” on Sat 10/2, where you can snag suave vintage clothing at 25% off. Customers are invited to hunt their treasure chest for additional discounts, or pick up complimentary t-shirts and refreshments. See their stylish collectibles that span a century, from 1880 Victorian to 1980’s New Wave. http://www.ClevelandShop.com.

Ohio is swinging And you can make a difference in this crucial swing state. Four West Side Kerry/Edwards campaign offices are now open, and you can join the fun this weekend with door-to-door outreach, phone banking and field events. Pick up yard signs, bumper stickers and literature. For more West Side info, call 221-0688 or send mail to: epowell@ohiodems.org. If you’re on the East Side, call 621-9750.

Fresh Flames accepting submissions for the recording of Fresh Flames: Cleveland African American Voices, showcasing emerging African American poets who’ve not been published by a major press. Submit a maximum of 2 poems to be considered for live recording; all themes welcome, especially poems that extend beyond the typical open mic topics. When performed, poems should be no longer than 3 minutes. Send submissions to Kelly Harris, Fresh Flames Editor at kahpublishing@yahoo.com. Please type “FF Submission” in the subject box or it will be deleted. Deadline is Fri 10/8. Selected poets for the anthology are invited to perform for a recording at Studio You to deliver an unforgettable open mic.

The Fiction Bitch doesn’t want to encourage new writers who suck; she weeds out the godawful writers before they go on to bore the multitudes. If you suspect you are a lousy writer, Fiction Bitch will clue you in and direct you to other, more productive pursuits that do not include writing. http://www.WeirdsMobile.com/fictionbitch

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Writers – On Center Stage! Cuyahoga County Public Library is once again presenting their highly acclaimed Writers Center Stage series in Playhouse Square at the Ohio Theatre. And the 2004-2005 season opens Tue 10/19 and promises more interesting authors and discussions of their works. Calvin Trillin, Suzan-Lori Parks, Frances Mayes and E.L. Doctorow are the featured writers and proceeds from this series benefit the library’s endowment fund. These presentations offer not only four great evening’s worth of entertainment; enhanced ticket packages offer the opportunity for select seats or the chance to dine with the artists! More information on subscription packages and individual tickets is available online at www.cuyahogalibrary.org, or by calling 216.749.9486. Cuyahoga County Public Library – providing your community open access to resources that inform, entertain and enrich. www.cuyahogalibrary.org
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Ocasio mural dedicated Eleven Greater Cleveland Latino/Latina artists collaborated on a large mural commemorating the life of Roberto Ocasio, and you can be there as they present the finished work at the Soul of the Americas exhibit closing reception on Fri 10/1 from 5-7PM at Cleveland State’s Art Gallery. “The mural reflects not only Roberto’s lust for life and the contribution he made to the region’s music scene, but also celebrates Hispanic culture in general and the contributions of the various nationalities that make up Cleveland’s diverse Hispanic community,” said Robert Thurmer, Art Gallery director. As part of Cleveland State’s 15th Annual Hispanic Awareness Week, the closing reception honoring Ocasio will feature the Cleveland Museum of Art’s ART CREW and music by the Latin Jazz Project. Cleveland State Art Gallery, 2307 Chester Ave. corner of Chester Ave. and East 24th St. Hours are weekdays from 10AM-5PM. http://www.csuohio.edu/art/gallery

Wake Up Everybody It seems the 527s are popping up everywhere. Created in the last Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act, they allow unlimited “soft” money to be used to influence elections. And they appear to be working. According to The New York Times, “county-by-county data shows that in Democratic areas of Ohio – primarily low-income and minority neighborhoods – new registrations since January have risen 250 percent over the same period in 2000. In comparison, new registrations have increased just 25 percent in Republican areas. A similar pattern is apparent in Florida…” Read it here. One of the coolest new 527 orgs is http://www.WakeUpEverybody.org, which is selling a sweet CD and DVD that features everything from the sublime (Emmylou Harris, Lenny Kravitz, Eric Clapton) to the ridiculous (Yoko Ono’s Give Peace A Chance 2004). And we thought they were trying to win this election. http://www.WakeUpEverybody.org

Cleveland comes alive: Cool Cleveland A/T/D photos Over 500 revelers came out en masse to kick it with the community known as Ohio City: we grooved to various entertainment and grazed on comestibles from Johnny Mango’s, Opa! and Talkies Film and Coffee Bar. (i)Cleveland hosted a party-within-a-party for their members, while partygoers puffed on the infamous hookah. Scroll down to relive the commotion; you might see a couple friends or co-workers mingling among the melee. http://www.ascherman.photoreflect.com

Cool Cleveland This Week
09.29-10.06.04

Send your cool events to: events@coolcleveland.com

Literary Arts and The New Black Aesthetic For black writers interested in destroying the false boundaries between prose and poetic dictions to achieve total life and freedom in their work. Transform the nuances of black folk behavior, black style and black knowledge into black literary practice. Trick moves like the profanity-couplet and the sike-caesura will be honored; prose writers are also invited to participate. Send five poems/or five pages of prose with application, class begins Thu 9/30 from 6:30-8:30PM and runs for six Thursdays with instructor Thomas Sayers Ellis. Call 421-0403. Poets and Writers League of Greater Cleveland, 12200 Fairhill Rd., Townhouse 3-A. Obtain a registration form at http://pwlgc.com/regform.pdf

WCLVnotes This very evening at 8PM, Wed 9/29, WCLV 104.9 FM will broadcast live a concert by the CIM Orchestra conducted by Carl Topilow direct from Severance Hall. The soloist in the Brahms Violin Concerto is the next classical superstar Jin-Joo Cho. She is not to be missed. Also on the program, Copland’s Symphony No. 3. For something completely different, tune into Robert Conrad’s Weekend Radio, Sat 10/2 at 10PM with an encore on Sun 10/3 at 7PM. This week it’s the first show on CBS Radio that Bob and Ray did back in 1959. Also, two weird bits by Stanley Unwin – Classical Musee and Goldyloppers and the Three Bearloaders. a Cool Cleveland partner www.wclv.com

(i)Cleveland Brain Gain offers intriguing dialog with Cleveland’s young professionals, providing a platform for local college seniors and area professionals to voice opinions on what it takes to make Cleveland a viable place to live and work. Hit the event after work for illuminative conversations while you network with other perceptive peers Thu 9/30 From 4-8PM. Call 515-2523. The City Club, RSVP at http://www.Cleveland.com/ypinvite

The Deciding Factor is encouraging young female voters to participate in the 2004 presidential election. Only 22% of women under 30 are regular voters, and Cleveland is targeting change to this demographic on Thu 9/30 beginning 7PM with mingling and hors d’ouevres grazing. Informational tables will display issues that affect women and featured speakers will step up to speak out from 8-9PM. Call 397-6587. Rock Bottom Brewery in the Powerhouse, 2000 Sycamore. http://www.DecidingFactor.org

Tokyo based painter Ai Yamaguchi at Shaheen Gallery It’s the artist’s first one person U.S. gallery exhibition outside of New York or Los Angeles, ushering in a hot occasion of Asian-flavored art. Her work has appeared in numerous solo and group exhibitions in the U.S., Japan and Europe. Over the past two years, the artist’s work has enjoyed increasing international critical, curatorial and collector attention and acclaim. For her Midwest debut, Yamaguchi will transform Shaheen’s exhibition space into a spectacular sprawling installation of paintings and wall drawings on Fri 10/1 from 5:30-8PM. Call 830-8888. Shaheen Modern and Contemporary Art, 740 Superior Avenue, Suite 101.

20,000 Leagues Under the Industry Film Fest Now in its fifth year, this one boasts the most diverse flicks, including a smattering of work by Clevelanders: r.a. washington, Tobias Morrison and Craig Strasshofer. Prepare for the onslaught of international contributions, from Austria to Mexico City. Get into fantastic filmdom, and a second look at pieces from last spring’s musical Videokronick, including Robert Banks’ take on Cobra Verde’s Riot Industry that’s killer cool. See it Fri 10/1 at 9PM thru 10/2. Call 383-1124. Beachland Ballroom, 15711 Waterloo Rd. http://www.20000leagues.org and visit http://www.BeachlandBallroom.com

World’s largest gourd show is a fruit freak show. Did you know gourds are the official symbol of procreation and the world’s first utensil? Or that ancient cultures were known to use them as penis sheathes? Now you can see almost 150 categories of competing gourd awards, ranging from utuiliarian and decorative objects (lamps, hats, etc.). If that’s not enough, hear the gourd orchestra while you wander this breeding ground for bizzare creative types; event begins Fri 10/1 from 8AM-5PM, running thru Sun 10/3. Call (740) 965-4661. Morrow County Fairgrounds in Mount Gilead, located on the intersections of Ohio State Routes 95, 42, and 61. The village is approximately seven miles west of I-71, Exit 151. http://www.AmericanGourdSociety.org/ohiochapter/04show.html

A Bad Grrlz’ Othello Costumer & performer, Cleveland’s Goth diva Alison Hernan makes her directorial debut with a contemporary spin on Shakespeare’s Othello, casting a formidable Meg Chamberlain as a tough, lesbian Iago plotting against M. Scott Newson’s tragic Moor; see it Fri 10/1 running thru 10/23. Call 556-0919. At Orthodox, 6203 Detroit on the Cleveland Public Theatre campus. http://www.BadEpitaph.org

Art Retro-Fashions of the ’50s Over 20 artists will be donning ’50s wear to add to the flavor to their exhibit while they creatively design aluminum lunchboxes and thermoses vying for the coveted title “Most creative-Best in show” Anyone coming to the opening will be able to cast their vote! The lunchboxes will be live auctioned off in an effort to raise funds for breast cancer, and a chinese raffle will also be in effect Fri 10/1 from 6-9PM. Call 228-1802. Local Girl Gallery, 16106 Detroit Ave. in Lakewood.

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Orchestral Maneuvers…REDefined There’s a new orchestra in town that seeks to alter the classical music experience by creating exciting, multi-sensory orchestral concerts that integrate theatre, film and other art forms. Join Red {an orchestra} as it continues to redefine orchestral programming, redesign the concert experience and help audiences rediscover classical music as it launches its third season on Sat 10/23 at Masonic Auditorium with their semi-staged theatre production, Franz Schubert: Unfinished/Refinished. Musical Director Jonathan Sheffer’s program focuses on the modern fascination with Schubert’s life and music, bringing together fragments of symphonies and song transcriptions. One unfinished symphony stands complete, while sketches on an uncomposed work are transformed through the complex prism of The Now from Berios’ rendering. Come see and hear why Donald Rosenberg of The Plain Dealer declared, “Red could be habit forming!” For subscriptions, individual tickets or for more information on Red’s season, please visit our website at www.redanorchestra.org or call 440.519.1733.
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Predominately Red Art The work, entirely composed of variations of the color red, explores the nuances and power of a limited palette. Plummet into the depths of daring and undeniably attractive and subtle variances of non-primary red blends, evoking a myriad of responses. Exhibition opening begins Fri 10/1 with a reception from 6-10PM. Show runs through October 30. Gallery hours are Friday and Saturday 11-5 and by appointment. Call 721-5990. Bockrath Gallery, 2026 Murray Hill Rd. in Little Italy. http://www.BockrathGallery

Cleveland Design Show helping savvy consumers create their own sophisticated and elegant interior design spaces. The Design Centre will bring interior designers and decorating experts and food professionals together to inspire consumers in all aspects of home living. The day will be filled with special seminars, 30-minute free design consultations, access to the 16 showrooms of exclusive home furnishings, and special menu samplings on Fri 10/1 from 9AM-5PM. Call 831-1245. Ohio Design Centre, 23533 Mercantile Rd. in Beachwood. http://www.OhioDesignCenter.com/index_c5.html

FCC: Forms, Contours & Collage Buzz Gallery will feature founding artist member Bridget Ginley; observe the artist’s use of contour drawing, collage and biomorphic forms. Ginley explores the current issues of sprawl through imagery relating to maps; contour drawings of self, anatomy studies and overprinted text. The images are collage, painted, re-drawn upon and then sanded down to reveal their “ghosts” to the viewer. Hit the event for challenging visual entertainment Fri 10/1. Call 522-1836. Buzz Gallery, 1836 West 25th, Suite 1B. http://www.BuzzGallery.com

Spillway: Works by Douglas Max Utter Zygote Press is pleased to present this year’s Artist-in-Residence award recipient, Douglas Max Utter, in an exhibition of prints produced in collaboration with Zygote artist-printmakers. Utter has covered and uncovered images in his painted works, to make some kind of visual sense of the way we fit into the world, psychologically and physically. Opening night starts Fri 10/1 from 7-9PM. 7209 St. Clair Ave. in the Buckeye Ribbon & Carbon Building. http://www.ZygotePress.com

Lobby Hero is the hit of the 2000-2001 off-Broadway theatre season, and TimeOut called it the “best drama, best comedy and the best romance of the year, all rolled into one.” A security guard in a Manhattan high-rise slacks his way through the graveyard shift; when his boss presents him with what he describes as an “interesting dilemma,” the guard finds himself complicit in covering up a crime. Check out the urban drama Fri 10/1 at 8PM; show runs till 10/24. Call 521-2540. Beck Center for the Arts, 17801 Detroit Ave. http://www.BeckCenter.org

Autumn Fest 2004 Here’s what’s shakin’ in Shaker: the visual arts, as Shaker Arts Council is transforming empty retail space into galleries to showcase some of Shaker’s most accomplished artists. A full range of art media will be out for viewing and sale, and you can get a first look at Shaker artisan’s goods, and observe artist demonstrations on Fri 10/1 from 6-10PM and Sat 10/2 from 10AM-5PM. Friday’s exhibit will include a meet-the-artist hors d’oeuvres reception; it’s a great way to round out your weekend. Call 283-0009. Van Aken Shopping Center, corner of Van Aken Blvd and Farnsleigh Rd. in Shaker Hts. http://www.ShakerArtsCouncil.org

Seventh Annual City Artists at Work Quadrangle artists open their studios to the public at this yearly event; enter the epicenter where 50 artists at 10 buildings live, work, and create. This year will also celebrate the opening of the new Superior Streetscape project on Fri 10/1 from 5-9PM and Sat 10/2 from Noon-6PM. Beginning at the Tower Press Buidling, 1900 Superior Ave. For map of entire tour and locations, visit http://www.CityArtistsAtWork.com

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“…a Shakespeare production outstanding on a national scale…” raves Carolyn Jack of The Plain Dealer about Great Lakes Theater Festival’s Julius Caesar. “By setting the tragedy in today’s media-driven society of personal computers and press coverage, celebrities and cell phones, director Risa Brainin has taken the dark, dusty canvas of this tragedy into the daylight and revealed it as a vivid digital image of us…With her cast, Brainin tells the complex story of Caesar’s assassination and the fallout from it in words made unexpectedly clear and logical by the sensible, humorous, recognizably human readings the actors give them…For Brainin to transform this often stiff, earnest, boring play into a vital even, at times funny story is something close to genius.” Julius Caesar plays in rotating repertory with The Importance of Being Earnest through 10/16 at the Ohio Theatre in Playhouse Square Center. One company. Two plays. One stage. Six Weeks. Come discover Shakespeare’s Great Company. Great tickets are on sale now at great prices; $20 tickets for any show; plus, $11 student tickets – any show, any seat. For more information, please visit www.GreatLakesTheater.org
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Moda Nightclub Second Anniversary Opened in the Fall of 2002, the club has forged a new path in Cleveland nightlife and has hosted some of the biggest names in the dance music industry. The club caters to a diverse clientele ranging from House heads, to hip-hop fans to salsa dance professionals. Get tweaked on techno from some of Cleveland and Miami’s accomplished DJs: Sammy O of Ritual, Product One, Miami and Deviant of Balance, Headrush Music and Toes in the Sand Recordings. Complimentary drinks till midnight Sat 10/2 from 8PM-3AM. Moda Nightclub, 1871 W. 25th St. in Market Square District. For info http://www.ModaNightClub.com or email amy@headrushmusic.com

Cleveland Skateboard Forum With the Gravity Games on the way out, the city of Cleveland is interested in tapping into our own local skateboard/inline scene and building a world class skatepark for our riders and the public. Bring your friends, family and supporters to the first public forum to discuss this matter on Sat 10/2 at 2PM. Call 228-2365. Cleveland Convention Center, 500 Lakeside Ave E. http://www.publicsquaregroup.com

Artist as an Entrepreneur A professional development program for visual, performing, literary, media and design arts professionals. You’ll be introduced to essential practices to assist your career: Business Fundamentals for Artists, Business Plan Basics, Legal and Accounting Basics, and Marketing Basics on Sat 10/2 from 9AM-1PM thru 10/23. Call 575-0331. Located at Trinity Commons, 2230 Euclid Ave. http://www.TrinityCleveland.org

Window to Sculpture Series: Art of Kirk Coffey Exploring anthropological and cultural influences and dilemmas with elaborately constructed “machines” made of unusual artifacts. These dynamics emphasize that complexity does not necessarily create a function; see his new works Sat 10/2 from noon-4PM. Call 229-6527. The Sculpture Center, 1834 E. 123rd St. http://www.SculptureCenter.org

2nd Annual JAZZ at the Rockefeller Greenhouse Tour the grounds and dig the sounds of Ernie Krivda’s Jazz Quintet and a student jazz ensemble from Tri-C’s Jazz Program. Round-trip rides through the Cultural Gardens will be available, and visitors can take advantage of the voter registration table to make change during this fall’s election. Bring lawn chairs or blankets to lounge during the jazz jam on Sat 10/2 from 1-3:30PM. Event is free; call 664-3103. City of Cleveland’s Rockefeller Park Greenhouse, 750 E. 88th St.

The Mexterminator Vs. The Global Predator Writer/experimental artist Guillermo Gomez-Peña explores border issues, cross-cultural identity, and U.S./Latino cultural relations with the use of multiple media: journalism, performance, radio art, video, bilingual poetry, and installation art. He’s back as a spoken word brujo-poeta to explore fear of immigration, the dark side effects of globalization, the digital divide, censorship, and interracial sexuality. Continually developing multicentric narratives from a border perspective, Gómez-Peña creates what critics have termed “Chicano cyber-punk performances.” Check out this artist’s hybrid of literary genres as subversive strategies on Sat 10/2 at 7:30PM. The Warner Center, 30 N. Professor St., behind the King/Rice building in Oberlin. http://www.Oberlin.edu/thedance/press/03-04/fall.html

AgroArt Festival Local artists will be using fresh farm produce to create sculptures on the spot, helping to inspire the public with their creative edible expressions. Professional, student, as well as AgroArt teams from area schools and community groups will be participating and constructing sculptures at the market. Everyone is invited to this free event, sponsored by the merchants of Shaker Square on Sat 10/2 from 10AM-2PM; rain or shine. Call 751-7656. Located on Shaker Square. http://www.ShakerSquare.net

Fall Wellness Festival Plunge into healthful living, holistic health, environmentalism, yoga, martial arts, lectures on integrative and traditional healthcare. Want more? Stick around for untraditional sessions “A Course in Miracles,” alternative fuels, workshops on belly dancing, tai chi and gourmet vegan cooking. With over 70 exhibitors and food vendors and a spiritual cinema room with movies and discussions occurring all day Sat 10/2 from 10AM-7PM. Trillium Creek, 5779 Wooster Pike Rd. in Medina. http://www.TrilliumCreekOhio.com

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5 Rings gallery grand opening A new arts venue is making the plunge, and you’re invited to get a first look into their offerings. The featured photographs of Ireland are not to be missed, check it out Sat 10/2 from 2-8PM for the reception and Sun 10/3. See more work and get acquainted with the gallery. Call 361-1560. 2400 Superior Ave., #201. http://www.studioof5rings.com.

Urban Influences in Environmental Policy ecologists, policy makers, public officials, lawyers and students currently involved in environmental projects in Northeast Ohio will discuss their specific projects. Panel topics include transportation alternatives, environmental justice, brownfields restoration, environmental litigation versus mediation, land use on the urban rural fringe, wetland mitigation, “green” building, and restoring urban rivers and streams Sat 10/2 from 8AM-5:15PM. Call 687-6886. Joseph W. Bartunek III Moot Court Room of the Law School on East 18th and Euclid Ave. http://www.law.csuohio.edu

Designed to explore Find out about the architecture in Ohio as the Akron Art Museum kicks off a new architecture series with a presentation about Frank Lloyd Wright. Professor Steven Rugare, resident caretaker of the Frank Lloyd Wright house in Oberlin from 1993-2000, will examine Wright’s creative, prophetic vision while exploring the architect’s lasting legacy in Ohio. Hear the feature discussion on Lloyd Wright’s Vision of Suburbia on Sun 10/3 at 2:30PM. Call 330-376-9186 x214. The Myers School of Art, University of Akron 150 E. Exchange. http://www.AkronArtMuseum.org/calendar_f.html

Who’s For Kids and Who’s Just Kidding? Voter Forum where local, state, and federal candidates for elected offices answer media panelist and audience questions about children and family-based issues. Come by and listen to the current concerns; media panelists are Doug Clifton, Editor, The Plain Dealer, Thomas Mulready, Cool Cleveland.com, and Kim Wheeler, Channel 3 Weekend News Anchor and Education/Parenting Reporter. Keynote address is provided by Tamara Copeland, President, Voices for America’s Children on Mon 10/4 from 6-8:30PM. Call 881-7860. Trinity Episcopal Cathedral, 2230 Euclid Ave. http://www.VoicesForClevelandsChildren.org

Tony Vasques’ drumming workshop It’s part of the Hispanic Heritage Month activities, and you’ll learn about the roots and origins of the instruments with an Afro-Cuban style percussionist. This session will provide instruction during the workshop on a variety of instruments including the congas, bongos, and timbales on Tue 10/5 at 6:30PM. Call 623-7053. Rockport Branch, 4421 West 140th St.

Billy Cobham Few drummers or jazz musicians compete with Billy Cobham’s career, who joined Miles Davis and recorded the seminal fusion albums Bitches Brew and Jack Johnson. Cobham, as a drummer, has collaborated with major artists including George Duke, Tito Puente, Peter Gabriel, and Herbie Hancock. This resident of Switzerland is touring the US to sold out audiences, and he’s making a stop in Cleveland on Tue 10/5 at 7PM and 9PM and Wed 10/6 at 7PM and 9PM. Call 795-0550. Nighttown, 12387 Cedar Rd. in Cleveland Hts. http://www.BillyCobham.com and visit http://www.NightTownCleveland.com

Healthcare Business Growth and Job Creation Presented by NEOBio, bringing in notable speakers Deputy Secretary Claude A. Allen from HHS (federal government’s principal agency for protecting Americans’ health and providing essential human services). Joining him is Leslie Norwalk, Deputy Administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services on Wed 10/6; a welcome reception for the guest speakers begins at 11AM, with lunch commencing at 12:15PM. Myers University Club (formerly the University Club), 3813 Euclid Ave. Call 619-5925. Space is limited; make reservations at cnittskoff@CleveMed.com and visit http://neobio.org

Send your cool events to: events@coolcleveland.com

Skirting the Issue
Interview with arts educator Karen M. Clark-Keys

Karen M. Clark-Keys is a (ABD) Ph.D. candidate. She’s a policy wonk, and her doctoral work in Art Education focuses on the fit – or not – between the mission, goals, and objectives of the various players who come together in out-of-school arts education programs. She came to Cleveland last year to take a position in the art education department of one of the largest school districts in the state. Cool Cleveland columnist Lyz Bly met up with this East Cleveland resident and self-ascribed gadfly to discuss voting issues among African Americans, the East Cleveland community, and her theory that you can get a read on the current political climate in this country by checking out car bumper stickers.

Cool Cleveland: You mentioned that this Sat 10/2, just two days before the voter registration deadline, you are going to stage a “street corner action” and set up a table at the intersection of Hayden and Eddy Roads in East Cleveland to get as many people registered to vote as possible. Are you looking for people to come out and assist you in this effort?

Karen Clark-Keys: I’ve asked many of my friends to join me, but what I think would be even better would be for people all over the city to get copies of the registration forms [online or at the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections here and camp out in one of the city’s urban neighborhoods to help people get registered. This means having them fill out the forms, quickly going over them to make sure that they are filled out properly, collecting them, and then delivering them to the Board of Elections office on Monday. We need to make people realize that their vote could change the outcome of the election.

You and I were recently talking about the political mood in Cleveland and you said that lately you’ve been taking note of people’s satisfaction/dissatisfaction through the proliferation of bumper stickers that carry messages of dissent. Will you share this insightfully humorous theory with Cool Cleveland readers?
It’s very unscientific, but here’s Old Karen’s “survey” — the bumper sticker survey. Back in the ’70s and ’80s when I was young and cute – now I’m just cute – bumper stickers were a MAJOR form of communication…People were “talking,” even “yelling,” at each other with this proliferation of stickers…Granted I still don’t see them at the same levels that I did in the ’70s and ’80s, but I am seeing them – a lot! And the vast majority of what I’m seeing is either a Kerry-Edwards campaign sticker, or something that is trashing and cracking on Bush, et al. Each day I notice more and more of them, even on new, Middle American cars with white males driving them on their way to work… Anyway, I’ve made the conclusion based on this unscientific survey that Bush is TOAST!!! The bumper stickers are saying it loud and clear; bumper stickers don’t lie! There is something hitting the overall psyche of the populous that it almost an emotional need to cry out, to vent, to let out the rage, and it’s coming out in on the back ends of cars. But just because the majority of the stickers are not pro-Bush doesn’t mean we can let up on our efforts to get people registered and out to vote November 2.
Read Skirting The Issue with Karen M. Clark-Keys here

Tuning In
Calvin Stokes: On the strings of a goddess-in-waiting

So, to set the stage, you are an African-American male who plays the classical harp in his barefeet. Was it always your goal to be an iconoclast?
Well…um…[reaching for a dictionary]…Oh! So that’s what iconoclast means. Well, no, not really. I sort of stumbled into the harp. I was actually a flutist before I started harp. My high school, Cass Technical High School in Detroit [alma mater of Diana Ross, Lily Tomlin, Andrew Young], has a harp department. I got in an argument with a harpist (actually answering an upcoming question) about which instrument was harder, flute or harp. So, I took up the harp…which is much harder than flute, by the way. Oh, and to set the record straight, I am primarily a “Jazz Harpist” now, although I still occasionally perform classical concerts. However, it’s always a bit of concern for me that I might be falling into the stereotype of “Oh, Black harpist, of course he plays jazz.” That’s why I usually throw in a classical piece on my concerts.

Why the barefeet when you play?
Aahhhh, since we’ve had the explanation about the different types of harps, this will make sense. Since I play the pedal harp, I have to move pedals with my feet. Since I play jazz, I often have to move multiple pedals at the same time. This is something that you have happen in classical harp literature. Long story short, I can’t do that with shoes on. Besides, I practice in my bare feet, why not perform that way? Are you trying to say I have ugly feet?

What’s the highest accolade or honor you have achieved thus far in your music and harp-playing?
One would think it would be performing with the Boston Symphony Orchestra or winning the 1995 JazzFest International Jazz Harp Competition. Honestly, the highest accolade I get is when I play with a real jazz musician for the first time and get that look of respect. I know that they’ve never heard of jazz harp and are expecting some dainty playing. So, afterwards, when I get that nod and the “Man, you’re really good with that,” I really feel honored.
Read Tuning In with Calvin Stokes here

Instant Karma
Quik reviews of recent events
Going out this weekend? Take along your PDA and your digital camera. Scratch out a few notes to send us with a picture of it for our Instant Karma real-world reviews of what’s really happening. We’d love to hear from you. Send your stuff to Events@CoolCleveland.com

By Jeeves @ Beck Center 9/26
What: A music hall adaptation of P. G. Wodehouse’s stories about the larky escapades of upper-class nitwit Bertie Wooster and his butler Jeeves, with music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and book/lyrics by playwright Alan Ayckbourn.
Reasons to go: Strong voices, a few clever songs and funny performances enliven Lloyd Webber’s flop. Best are Sharon Shaffer’s hearty, lovestruck Honoria and Rick Carter as jut-jawed, tennis-playing Cyrus Budge III. Larry Nehring has some charming moments as Bertie Wooster, especially in his demented “air banjo” finale.
Caveats: Under Michael Rogaliner’s direction, the production swings between the silly-but-funny (clever choreography, Jeffrey Smart’s laugh-out-loud costumes) and so-dumb-it’s-painful (shameless mugging and bad accents). The awkward play-within-a-play structure is fatally flawed, though things do improve once the story finally starts. But neither the adaptation nor Dana Hart’s fastidious but colorless performance as Jeeves gives an inkling of the charm of the original stories.
Backstory: Theatrical legend tells us that doggedly pursuing a Jeeves adaptation was Lloyd Webber’s Great White Whale, the obsession that eventually led to the breakup of his successful writing partnership with Tim Rice. ALW, it wasn’t worth it.
Target audience: Those in a mood for a fitfully amusing trifle.
Details: Beck Center for the Arts, 17801 Detroit Ave., Lakewood. 216-521-2540. Thru 10/10. http://www.beckcenter.org
from Cool Cleveland contributor Linda Eisenstein linda@coolcleveland.com

Julius Caesar @ Great Lakes Theater Festival 9/25
What: Risa Brainin’s take-no-prisoners modern-dress version of Shakespeare’s political assassination thriller, with conspirators on laptops & cellphones and embedded media with omnipresent TV cameras.
Reasons to go: Brainin’s work with the ensemble is thrilling – with candidate celebrities posing and flashbulbs popping in the aisles. You can hear and understand every word. Within a strong cast, several outstanding performances: David A. Smith makes Marc Antony a hung-over frat boy in Caesar’s entourage, easy to underestimate but dangerously media-savvy, and Tom Ford channels Paul Lynde and steals the show as a bitchy Casca. Terrific designs, especially Kim Krumm Sorenson’s costumes & Tom Mardikes’ sinister sound score. Overall, a daring, intelligent take.
Caveats: Richard Klautsch’s noble Brutus is as stolid as Al Gore and Douglas Frederick’s Cassius seems more blow-dried junior politico than dangerous ex-military. Their exchanges, especially 2nd act battle scenes, too often drag on the production’s otherwise taut, explosive energy.
Backstory: Director Risa Brainin cut her teeth at Minneapolis’s Guthrie Theatre, and is former Artistic Director of Shakespeare Santa Cruz. This is her GLTF debut: let’s hope we see a lot more of her.
Target audience: People who want their classics smart, hip, & today, yet not dumbed down with schtick.
Details: Great Lakes Theater Festival, Ohio Theatre, Playhouse Square, Cleveland. (216)241-6000. Thru 10/16. http://www.greatlakestheater.org
from Cool Cleveland contributor Linda Eisenstein Linda@coolcleveland.com

Cleveland Orchestra @ Severance Hall 9/23
Occasionally true greatness comes along. Thomas Quasthoff performed last week with the Cleveland Orchestra performing Felix Mendelssohn’s Elijah. The orchestra performed the work with the help of the Cleveland Orchestra Chorus and three other soloists. If it were not for Mr. Quasthoff the performance might have been quite dull, but just having the opportunity to hear Mr. Quasthoff sing is worth any other off putting factors. His voice has a three dimensional quality which he uses to respond to the music with various coloration and texture. Sad to say, but he made the other soloists sound contrived and calculated. He emerges himself into the music, responds to the music and becomes the music while the other soloists perform as if they came to the stage with a plan. If you had missed this during the performance, it became significantly apparent in the final minutes of the two hour and fifteen minute long work, as four soloists, including Mr. Quasthoff, sang in quartet, the three other soloist dabbled at the feet of Mr. Quasthoff. This performance was all Quasthoff; so why was it not all Quasthoff? Surely a recital would have been more rewarding. from Cool Cleveland reader Brian Schriefer mailato:briancpa@msn.com

Send your letters to: Letters@CoolCleveland.com

Top 5
Cool Cleveland uses Opticast tools to track which articles were clicked the most. Here are the Top 5 from last week’s issue, with one more chance for you to click.

1) They love us more than we love us It’s all a matter of perspective. What’s up with New Yorkers claiming, “Cleveland has solved the transportation problem we New Yorkers dread.” ?! http://www.travelworldmagazine.com/contributors/detail.php?ArticleID=500

2) A cottage in Iceland If you’ve ever dreamed of visiting Iceland, here’s your chance. http://www.cottageiniceland.com

3) Midtown rocks This sleepy niche between Downtown and Cleveland’s East Side is waking up: read about high tech firms, ethnic restaurants, textile companies, and the group Midtown Cleveland, contributing to our city’s renaissance. http://www.clevelandjewishnews.com/articles/2004/09/17/features/business/xbus0917.txt

4) Skirting the Issue: Rehire or Fire Bush? Cultural and social commentator Lyz Bly gets vocal about current political trends with an unabashedly feminist lens. Skirting The Issue Rehire Or Fire

5) The Race at Case Cleveland was savvy enough to snag the only vice presidential debate, happening at Case Western Reserve University on Tue 10/5. Activities for students and professionals include discussions with guest speaker Mo Rocca of NBC’s Today Show. http://www.case.edu/vpdebate

Starved for relevant content? We’ve heard the word on the streets: Cleveland craves quality in its news and event sourcing. Many are flocking to different media outlets to satisfy their jones, and CC is helping dish out variety in our city’s media choices. We’d like to acknowlege our readers who are getting involved with the best our city has to offer, while sustaining alternative media at CoolCleveland.com. Tip off others you know to our website to get the hook up on what’s going down, and send them to register for the e-zine at http://www.CoolCleveland.com (and check out the new site) or have ’em send an e-mail to signup@coolcleveland.com

Intensified marketing Gain exposure for your company with leading edge viral marketing. It’s the future of advertising, and it’s a proven way to reach readers directly. Attain it by advertising with CoolCleveland.com through our permission based email subscriber list, targeting tens of thousands of our subscribers’ inboxes. They visit the links to our sponsors, and then forward the CC e-zine to more readers who are exposed to our advertisers. Find out more by emailing us a note to info@coolcleveland.com and we’ll sit down and talk with youmailto:info@coolcleveland.com and we’ll get right back to you.

Hard Corps halcyon We have enormous gratitude for the people who embrace the controlled chaos of events, content, and email we receive at CC, helping us deliver what’s going down in Cleveland. Thanks to our content mavens Tisha Nemeth, Lyz Bly, Deb Remington, Daiv Whaley, Linda Eisenstein, Bill Nagode, Marc Majercak, George Nemeth and everyone who has a hand in CC. Want to volunteer and contribute your writing to Cool Cleveland? Send your reviews, articles, or story ideas to: events@coolcleveland.com

See the Cool Cleveland column each month in Cleveland Magazine. Listen to Cool Cleveland on WCLV-FM 104.9 twice each Friday during drive time. Send your cool events to: events@coolcleveland.com. For your copy of the free weekly Cool Cleveland e-zine, go to http://www.coolcleveland.com

Cool Cleveland Writer
Marcus Bales

Marcus Bales is a Cleveland writer who produces entertaining and thought inducing ‘found poems’ by relineating prose found on the Internet in order to call into question the entire enterprise of ‘finding’ poems in existing texts. He works in Downtown Cleveland at Designer Glass, creators of custom-made, site-specific architectural art glass.

Found Poem: Is Hell endothermic or exothermic?
by Marcus Bales

If souls exist as a pure substance
each must have some mass.

The convenient measurements of pure substance
are pressure, volume, temperature, and amount.
A mole is the amount of pure substance
that contains the same number of chemical units
as there are atoms in 12 grams of carbon-12.

The ideal gas law constant R
lets us calculate the number of moles
if R is chosen in units that work for
pressure, volume, and temperature.

If each soul has some mass,
then a mole of souls also must have a mass.

I think we can also safely assume that
once a soul gets to hell it does not leave.

Many religions hold that you will go to Hell
if you are not a member of their religion.
Since there are more than one of these religions,
and since people do not belong to
more than one religion,
we can project that all souls go to Hell.
We my safely assume, then,
that the mass of souls in hell
increases exponentially.

Boyle’s Law states that in order for
temperature and pressure to remain the same
the ratio of the mass and volume needs to stay constant.

So, if Hell is expanding at a slower rate
than the rate at which souls enter hell,
then the temperature and pressure in Hell will increase
until all Hell breaks loose.

Of course, if Hell is expanding at a rate faster
than the increase in souls in Hell,
then the temperature and pressure will drop
until Hell freezes over.

If we accept
the Kathy Seaman Postulate
enunciated to me during freshman year
that “It’ll be a cold day in Hell before I sleep with you”,
and take into account
that I have never succeeded
in sleeping with her,
that means that the notion that
Hell is expanding at a rate faster
than the increase in souls in Hell
cannot be true and,
thus,
Hell is exothermic.

Are you registered to vote?
If not, click here

–Thomas Mulready
Letters@CoolCleveland.com (:divend:)