Resonance

5.30-6.05.07
Resonance

In this week’s issue:
* Interview Cuy Co Commissioner Peter Lawson Jones
* Previews Resonance — a World Music festival
* Kids Cleveland on Foot: Public Square
* Interview Niki Gillota of Gypsy Beans
* BFD Weekly comments on the growing desparity between the rich/old poor/young
* Interview Musician Don Dixon
* Sounds Woodshed Mercy’s Second Fiddle
* Previews Kamm’s Corners Farmers Market
* Straight Outta Mansfield The Pot Continues to Boil
* Cool Cleveland Kids podcast click here, CC podcast click here, Brewed Fresh Daily here

We try to find stories that resonate with the people of Northeast Ohio, and I think we hit the jackpot this week. Our region has more than one resonant frequency; here’s the ones we’ve tuned in on: a focused interview/debate with County Commissioner Peter Lawson Jones about the lack of public input on the Breuer Tower and the back-room discussions about a Medical Mart/convention center; a high-frequency profile of musician Don Dixon, and another on Detroit Shoreway’s own gypsy, Niki Gillota; a look at the farmer’s market at Kamm’s Corners; and Mansfield Frazier taps into the zeitgeist and addresses our culture of mindless violence. Plus a preview of the super sweet Resonance world music fest at Parish Hall Cleveland. If you don’t find something to resonate with this week, your heartstrings need tuning. —Thomas Mulready

Peter Lawson Jones
Cuyahoga County Commissioner

It’s a rare thing when the County Commissioners disagree, as they recently did on their new County administration building, the complex that includes this historic Rotunda at East 9th & Euclid, and the adjoining office tower designed by Marcel Breuer. Jones dissented while the other two commissioners, Jimmy Dimora and Tim Hagan, voted to tear it down and rebuild, leveling the historically significant building and incurring tens of millions of additional cost. Cool Cleveland’s Thomas Mulready spoke with Jones on video on the streets of Cleveland a few blocks from the controversial site and found out that this issue resonates with others: it now goes before the City of Cleveland’s planning commission on Fri 6/1 and possibly Tue 6/15 for final approval. They also discussed why behind-the-scenes negotiations between the County and the owners of Chicago’s Merchandise Mart to build a similar Medical Mart in Cleveland haven’t been made public, even though this would lead to the construction of Cleveland’s first new convention center in 75 years, a project for which the County would most raise taxes from the public. Maybe they’re just shouting to be heard over the street traffic, but this is one interview you don’t want to miss. Visit BFD for more and if you’re interested, attend one of the public meetings listed here.

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What D’Ya Think? Give us your two cents regarding the current state of entrepreneurism in the region and make recommendations for change. JumpStart, Northeast Ohio’s accelerator for high-growth entrepreneurship, wants to know how confident you are about entrepreneurs’ prospects of starting and growing a business in Northeast Ohio. In order to gauge how perceptions have changed over the last year, we are asking for entrepreneurs and non-entrepreneurs alike to participate in the new, 2007 Entrepreneurship Confidence Survey. Once compiled and interpreted by our economist friends at CSU, we will report the results back to the public. Take the survey here.
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Resonance – A World Music Festival

The Detroit Ave./Gordon Square Arts district is hosting a spectacular world music festival including performances at St. Mary’s Romanian Orthodox Church (6201 Detroit Ave.) and the Parish Hall Cleveland (6205 Detroit Ave.) featuring a wide array of music and culture from around the world. The annual event hits this weekend, Sat 6/2 and Sun 6/3 and features more exotic rhythms, world beats and sonic textures than you could shake your (drum)stick at.

The line-up for Resonance includes the Leo Blanco Trio (Venezuelan); Simon Shaheen (Palestinian); Luca Mundaca (Chilean guitar); Hasu Patel (Indian sitar music); Sogbety Diomance (African dance and percussion); Anand Naad (native classical from Asia, Europe and N. America); Panic (Trinidad steel drum ensemble) and an African drum ensemble led by Halim el Dabh — award-winning professor of music emeritus at Kent State University. Brazilian samba drummer Marcus Santos will also perform Saturday evening and conduct a drum workshop Sunday at 5PM.

“Our goal is feature a broad sampling of music from non-American cultures,” said James Levin, the event’s organizer. “Our audience will have the opportunity to hear music from four different continents over the two-day period.” It looks to be all that and more. Tickets are available now online at http://www.parishhallcleveland.com. Don’t miss out on what could be the music festival of the summer.

From Cool Cleveland Managing Editor Peter Chakerian peterATcoolcleveland.com


Cleveland on Foot: Public Square
Family Fun and History in a Multi-Part Summer Series

Like many others, I emerge into downtown each workday morning at Public Square and feel the energetic bustle of people walking across the Square to go to work or to catch a train in Terminal Tower. I purposely walk across the Square on its west end, then along the north to Key Tower because of the hint of history along that corridor.

A walk around Public Square is a living history lesson for every Clevelander at every age. This is the center of Cleveland, the place at which east meets west. Viewed from high up in Key Tower or the Terminal Tower, the major east-west roads—St. Clair, Superior, Euclid, and Carnegie–spread out from this epicenter. The original 1796 survey of Cleveland was mapped out with the Cuyahoga River on the west, Lake Erie to the north, fourteenth street on the east, and Ohio street on the south. Ten-acre Public Square was at its heart…

Read the commentary by Claudia J. Taller here

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Mark Your Calendar: Your Family Won’t Want to Miss This! A spectacular display of bright costumes, giant puppets, stilt-dancers, handmade masks and colorful floats awaits you at Parade the Circle on Sat 6/9 (parade at noon, activities, entertainment and food at Circle Village – 11AM to 7PM). This community arts parade has no admission fee, is open to the public and is presented annually by the Cleveland Museum of Art and University Circle, Inc. Experience International and national guest artists joining with Greater Cleveland artists. This year’s parade will begin and end at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History, moving in a clockwise direction. For more information on participating in the parade, contact 216-707-2483 or neisenberg@clevelandart.org. Visit www.clevelandart.org. The Cleveland Museum of Art is a Cool Cleveland Kids partner.
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Camp Volunteers Interested in being an Instructor, Volunteer or know someone who might enjoy attending as a camper? Tri-C wants to talk to you. They’re hiring enthusiastic teachers from the community school districts to provide instruction for their summer programs and providing area students an opportunity to volunteer as well. Sound good? Visit http://www.tri-c.edu/community/kids.htm for more info.

Summer Dance Intensive Inlet Dance Theatre offers their 7th annual Summer Dance Intensive (SDI), an aggressive six-week modern dance instructional camp for dance students ages 12 though adult. SDI includes curriculum such as modern dance technique, hip-hop, nontraditional partnering, improvisation, composition and performance, culminating in July performances at Cain Park in Cle Hts. Register now by calling 382-0201. http://www.inletdance.org.

Rare Baseballs The Cleveland Museum of Art offers a chance to relive great baseball moments from yesteryear with their 4th annual screening of Rare Films from the Baseball Hall of Fame on Wed 5/30 at 6:30PM. Includes Indians greats. Kids and adults alike will love the work, compiled and is presented by Dave Filipi, curator of film/video at the Wexner Center for the Arts in Columbus. http://www.clevelandart.org.

Follow the Coventry Road Remember those all-school, end-of-the-year plays when you were a kid? Or maybe you are still a kid… Either way, Coventry Elementary School offers up their take entitled Follow the Coventry Road, inspired by The Wizard of Oz and The Wiz. The play will be performed Fri 6/1 at 10AM and 7PM. Fun for everyone, kids and kids at heart! Coventry School, 2843 Washington Blvd., Cle Hts. Call 371-7110 for details.

Herding Cats Explore the 9th Annual Children’s Art Exhibition, featuring works by children ages 4-17 at the North Water Street Gallery, beginning with an opening reception Sat 6/2 2-4PM. The imagination of children is delivered on a multitude of surfaces in this exhibit, entitled Herding Cats. Come check out work that is “inspired, uninhibited and full of fun,” but without all the rules or baggage. 257 N. Water St., Kent. http://www.standingrock.net.

An Evening of One Acts puts the spotlight on Solon Center for the Arts’ Youth Theater Fri 6/1 at 7PM and Sat 6/2 at 2PM and 7:30PM. Performances take place at SCA’s Calvetta Bros. Show Floor Theater. To Burn a Witch, The Zero Sum Mind, The Other Side of the Wall and The Brothers Grimm: Out of Order are the plays. http://www.solonarts.org.

Meet Your Best Friend For one day every summer, the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo showcases more than 100 dogs, cats, kittens and puppies in need of loving homes. If you can provide one of them with the care they need, drop in on their Meet Your Best Friend event Sat 6/2 from 10AM – 4PM. If you’re angling for a pet, more than 20 local animal shelters and rescue groups will be on hand seeking adoptive parents. http://www.clemetzoo.com.

You don’t want to miss what 11-year-old Max has for you and your family this week. Listen here: http://www.coolcleveland.com/files/audio/CoolClevelandKids06.01.07.mp3. Click here to subscribe: iTunes or other.

Tough Times at Trinity Commons Tensions running high with Euclid Corridor project, Cafe AhRoma owner arrested for protesting. Some super Cle businesses struggling. Read.

The Fund for Our Economic Future, a NEO philanthropy collaborative working to transform the region’s economy, approved 6 grants totaling $5.1M. The focus? Establishing a freshwater, offshore wind research and development center on Lake Erie; feasibility of tax revenue sharing and other regional government collaborations; pilot projects to demonstrate alternative ways to help high school students transition to higher education and/or the workforce. And the big money? $2.75M to JumpStart, to promote entrepreneurship and close to $1.65M to BioEnterprise, to help emerging bioscience and health care companies grow and attract venture capital.

Open-Source Fitness in Cle We’ve all heard that Cleveland is in the Top 5 unhealthiest cities, but ah, to do something about it? Check out the open-source fitness program called CrossFit. http://ClevelandCrossfit.com is starting no-cost outdoor workouts with the goal of educating the public about fitness and how it can be achieved by everyday people — all without expensive equipment. Visitors will be instructed on proper technique for injury prevention as they are led through the publicly accessible workout-of-the-day (WOD). Don’t be fooled by the non-secretive nature: These workouts are sure to make you break a sweat!

A Candlelight Vigil will be held in Memory of Cle Hts Police Officer Jason West at Cle Hts City Hall Wed 5/30 8-8:30PM.
A More Civilized Night Life is new club’s motto. Check out the new modern space, formerly Cloud 9 @ 1299 W. 9th St. http://www.anatomycleveland.com.
Cleveland Pride is just around the corner. The Sat 6/16 event is still accepting organization sign-ups by today, Wed 5/30 and you can get your name in the Pride Guide, distributed the day of the event. Online parade applications at http://www.clevelandpride.org.
Correction Peter Chakerian must have been recalling of his lone Halloween experience at Ohio U when he said the school was in Oxford, Ohio — which he did in his Kate Voegele CD review. Oxford is, in fact, home to Miami University, with Athens serving as home to OU. Hence, he has “mixed universities in an unfortunate way” and apologizes to all the Miami U grads and others who emailed him. (He hears that Halloween isn’t what it used to be these days, btw).

Cool Cleveland Podcast You know how to do it. Click here to listen: Link. iTunes or other.
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The Forbidden Fruit Many consider the tomato a veggie, but is it? Enjoy a seven-course dinner showcasing the tomato, a fruit once considered inedible. Discover the Natural History of Tomatoes in the final event in the 2006-2007 “Natural History of Food Series” at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History. Did you know the tomato wasn’t a food crop of any importance in North America until the early 1800s, despite its having been cultivated in Europe for almost three centuries? Attend a reception and presentation on the natural history of tomatoes with Sammy’s Executive Chef John Taylor and wine purveyor Mary Lampham. Reception at 6:30, Dinner 8PM to midnight. Tickets: $150 per person. For more info contact www.cmnh.org or (800) 317-9155.
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Every week, all of us here at Cool Cleveland pour through gads of fantastic things happening in CLE and NEO, all in an effort to answer that ever-nagging question: “What’s cool to do this week?” Submitted for your approval, here’s a snapshot of what we found. Got a unique event coming up? Know of something that is a totally Cool Cleveland worthy event? We want to hear from you about it; our tens of thousands of readers do, too. Be a civic and cultural activist and turn on your fellow readers.

Send your cool events to: Events@CoolCleveland.com

HOT Thomas Slavin The president and owner of Million Air Cleveland, will make his case for keeping and expanding Burke Lakefront Airport at noon on Wed 5/30 at The City Club of Cleveland. Burke sits on 450 acres of prime lakefront property. Some believe the city can’t take full advantage of its #1 asset without closing the airport; others argue the airport is a key economic engine, sitting on land unsuitable for development. Slavin, whose fixed base operation is Burke’s largest tenant, is in favor of keeping and expanding the airport. http://www.cityclub.org.

Kent Blossom Art The Kent State University School of Art hosts a series of lecture events featuring visiting artists. Beginning Wed 5/30 with Diana Al Hadid in sculpture, they will offer several more: Alison Fox in painting on 6/1, Reed Anderson in painting on 6/7, Virgil Marti in sculpture on 6/8, JeanKirsten in printmaking on 6/14, John Toki in ceramics on 6/20, Nico Dockx in printmaking on 6/21, Candy Depew in ceramics on 6/25 and Debbie Weinstein in ceramics 6/28. All lectures will begin at 7PM in Room 202 of the Art Building. http://art.kent.edu.

Abbey Road on the Lizard The Winking Lizard is bringing “Abbey Road on the River” back to Cleveland for 2 nights only. Straight from the biggest and best Beatles tribute festival, artists Hal Bruce, The Repeatles, Gary Quinn and The Backwards will relive Beatlemania just for you! Check out Bruce and The Repeatles at the Peninsula Lizard Wed 5/30 from 7-11PM or Quinn and The Backwards at the Lakewood Lizard at the same showtime. The bands flip locations the next day, Sun 5/31 for shows from 5-8PM respectively. http://winkinglizard.com.

Two-Headed Julie Jensen’s work is set in 19th century Southern Utah. Two-Headed takes an intimate look at the friendship of 2 Mormon women struggling to survive their patriarchal society. Watch their amazing 40-year journey in a 90-minute stage show at Cleveland Public Theatre. Opens Thu 5/31 at 7PM. Runs through Sat 6/16. CPT, 6415 Detroit Ave. http://www.cptonline.org.

Till Eulenspiegel Franz Welser-Möst will conduct The Cleveland Orchestra and Chorus in works by Josef and Richard Strauss, Haydn, and Brahms at Severance Hall on Thu 5/31 and Sat 6/2 at 8PM. The repertoire includes the Dynamiden and Delirien Waltzes by Josef Strauss; Haydn’s Symphony No. 48 (“Maria Theresia”); Brahms’s Zigeunerlieder, Opus 52; and Richard Strauss’s tone poem Till Eulenspiegel’s Merry Pranks. Severance Hall. http://www.clevelandorchestra.com.

Scarborough Fayre Apollo’s Fire — Cleveland’s Baroque Orchestra — performs its popular program for the 2007 “Countryside Concerts” series in Hunting Valley and the Cuyahoga Valley National Park, highlighting the whimsical side of Apollo’s Fire with a folk crossover. Enjoy their latest creation by Jeannette Sorrell, Scarborough Fayre, beginning Thu 5/31 at 7:30PM. There’s something extraordinary for everyone in this multi-dimensional music program, which repeats through the weekend. Details, directions and schedule at http://www.apollosfire.org.

HOT Farshid Moussavi MOCA Launch of London-based Foreign Office Architects (FOA) offers an introduction to her innovative practice, insights on past projects and speculates on her emerging design for MOCA’s new building planned for the University Arts and Retail District on Thu 5/31 at 6PM at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History. The public opening of MOCA hits Fri 6/1 at 5:30PM with a panel talk, followed by the opening party from 7PM-10PM. RSVP required for Moussavi: 421-8671, ext. 55. http://www.mocacleveland.org.

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Need to Perk up Your Love Life? Impress the potential (that you have your eye on) or rekindle minglings with the significant other . . . either way, you can’t miss, with a concert led by Franz Welser-Möst. Take your heart’s desire to bask in the music of Vienna at Severance Hall with the Cleveland Orchestra and make this the date night they’ll never forget with the music of Haydn, Richard Strauss and waltzes of Josef Strauss Sat 6/2 at 8PM. Play it “Cool” with an exclusive offer: Two tix for the price of one! Limit 4 tickets per customer. Use promo code 3500. Call Ticket Office at 216 231-1111 or go to www.clevelandorchestra.com.
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HOT Slavic Village Sunsets will be held weekly at the “Broadway: Diversity in Progress!” Mural Garden Park, featuring the popular Open Air Public Market Stop beginning Fri 6/1 from 3-7PM. This will include a weekly CityFresh stop! Enjoy the best seasonally available NEO produce and other locally grown and prepared products, including artisan breads, cut flowers, free range eggs, grass fed beef and pork, honey & jelly jams, or organically raised farm fresh fish. Call 429-1182 ext. 112, or 441-0467 for more info.

HOT Murray Hill Art Walk Stroll through Historic Little Italy’s fabulous, weekend-long art walk Fri 6/1 through Sun 6/3. Enjoy local, regional, national and international art, music of local and Italian artists, Alfresco dining and so much more. A classic Cle event, not to be missed. Hours, events and parking at http://www.murrayhillartwalk.com.

Frozen Beck Center for the Arts presents a gripping psychological drama by Brit playwright Bryony Lavery in their Studio Theater beginning Fri 6/1 at 7PM. Inspired by several famous child-murder cases in the English Midlands, Frozen details the abduction and murder of a 10-year-old girl. A chilling play nominated for four Tony Awards, it’s not for the faint of heart. Runs through late June. http://www.beckcenter.org.

Divine Dvorak Members of The Cleveland Orchestra join talents to present an All Dvorak Chamber Music Concert on Fri 6/1 at 7PM in Cathedral Hall, Trinity Commons to benefit the Broadway School of Music & the Arts and its financial aid fund. The Broadway School has a waiting list of students who, without financial aid, have no opportunity to participate in the arts. 2230 Euclid Ave. Tickets can be ordered through the school at 641-0630 or broadwaysch@yahoo.com.

HOT Summer in the Courtyard It’s baaaack!! The venerable Cleveland Museum of Art music showcase relaunches Fri 6/1 beginning at 5PM with the Eddie Baccus Quintet’s jazz/blues blend. Dinner is available from the Museum Café and adult bevvies are available in the courtyard bars. Seating is limited to “first come, first serve.” Upcoming gigs include the Northcoast Jazz Collective, world act Kassaba, jazz stringster Reed Simon and swamp-popsters, Cats on Holiday. http://www.clevelandart.org.

Continuum John Pearson’s stark, vibrant work is a meditation on metamorphosis. It is celebrated with a gallery opening for his exhibition Continuum on Fri 6/1 at 7PM in the 1point618 Gallery, 6421 Detroit Ave. Subsequent viewings by appt. only. Call 281-1618 for details.

HOT When The Chickens Came Home To Roost This weekend is your last shot at Karamu’s riveting play revisiting the confrontation between Malcolm X and the Hon. Elijah Muhammad. Check out the production Fri 6/1 at 7PM. Runs through Sun 6/3. This is the first time it has been staged in Ohio. http://www.karamu.com.

Launch Level Three Gallery features the work of Marlene Forst, Bob Peck, Bridget Ginley, Gina DeSantis, Rich Cihlar and Peter Krajcovic with a gallery opening Fri 6/1 from 6 – 10PM. Multi-artist exhibition runs through Sat 6/30. Level Three Gallery, 3635 Perkins Ave. http://www.levelthreegallery.blogspot.com

Western Reserve Chorale directed by Danny Call, presents a performance of Brahms’ Liebesleider Walzer, plus a selection of madrigals and love songs, at Grace Lutheran Church, at 13001 Cedar Rd., Cle Hts. The performance on Fri 6/1 at 7:30PM features Maribeth Katt & Joanne Poderis, pianists. No-cost concert, with reception immediately following. http://www.westernreservechorale.org.

Guys and Dolls The 8th Annual All-City Musical hits Playhouse Square for three nights beginning Fri 6/1 at 7:30PM. Cleveland Municipal School District, Great Lakes Theater Festival, The Human Fund and Playhouse Square Center collaborate to bring you a wonderful show. The Ohio Theatre, 1519 Euclid Ave. http://www.clevelandschoolofthearts.org.

Artists Archives of the Western Reserve offers their 9th Spring Show Fri 6/1 with an opening reception beginning at 5PM. New works from the studios of their members will be featured in this high-profile exhibition. 1834 East 123rd St. http://www.case.edu/affil/NEOIMC/institution-pages/Artists-Archives.htm

Great American Taxi The band features Vince Herman of Leftover Salmon Fri 6/1 at 9PM. Definitely a worthwhile jam, for whatever “-head” allegiance you happen to carry. Wilbert’s, 812 Huron Rd. http://www.wilbertsmusic.com.

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WCLVnotes This Sat 6/2 at 8PM WCLV 104.9FM is live at Severance Hall for a concert conducted by Franz. Music by Haydn, Brahms, Johann Strauss, Jr., and Richard Strauss’ (no relation) rib-tickler “Till Eulenspiegel’s Merry Pranks.” Then on Sun 6/3 at 4PM Franz’ whiz-bang performance of Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 4 will be aired. The audience was on their feet yelling before the last notes died away. Also on the program, the world premiere of Richard Sortomme’s very pleasant Rhapsody for Viola and Orchestra with Robert Vernon as the soloist. The Cleveland Orchestra is heard twice each week on WCLV – Saturdays at 8PM, Sundays at 4PM. Complete details on all of WCLV’s programming can be found at www.wclv.com.
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HOT Resonance This 2-day world music festival features spectacular sounds from across the globe Sat 6/2 and Sun 6/3 throughout the Detroit Ave. Arts District surrounding West 65 St. and Detroit. Venezuelan, Palestinian, classical Indian music on a sitar, African dance and percussion, classical music from across Asia, Europe and North America, a steel drum ensemble from Trinidad and an African drum experience. Big marquee, eh? They’re just getting warmed up. Read Peter Chakerian’s Preview elsewhere in this week’s CC issue. For a complete list of artists, showtimes and events, as well as to purchase tickets, visit http://www.parishhallcleveland.com.

Woodshed Mercy The local jangle-roots rock act celebrates their latest CD release on Sat 6/2 at 8PM at the Happy Dog, 5801 Detroit Ave. They’ll mix it up with some old, some new, and some of our favorite covers. Special guests include Kraig Decker & his band Last Funeral Song. Read Peter Chakerian’s CC Sounds review in this week’s issue. http://www.woodshedmercy.com.

Nation of Secrets Best-selling author and journalist Ted Gup’s latest effort Nation of Secrets: The Threat to Democracy and the American Way of Life launches at the 61st Annual Case Western Reserve University Book Sale Sat 6/2 at 10AM. No-cost public sale takes place in Adelbert Gym, 2128 Adelbert Rd. and continues through Tue 6/5 Gup will be available on Sat 6/2 at noon, to sign copies of his book. Call CWRU’s Office of Continuing Education at 368-2090 for more info.

HOT A Monheit Night Youthful jazz vocalist Jane Monheit performs at the Cleveland Play House’s annual gala benefit. Her sweet, sultry voice will sweep you off your feet and prime you for the CPH’s 91st consecutive season Sat 6/2 at 7PM. Things get fancy with CPH’s “Act II” aftershow. Bolton Theatre, 8500 Euclid Ave. http://www.clevelandplayhouse.com. http://www.janemonheitmusic.com.

Torqued Off? Check out Torque, the Full Throttle Improv comedy troupe as they hit the Centrum in Coventry this Sat 6/2 at 8:30PM. Enjoy an evening of epic laughs in stand-up-sized portions. All-ages show, proper ID is required for alcohol purchases. Call 479-3353 for details. http://www.clevelandimprovinstitute.com.

Sculpture Garden Atmosphere Gallery’s 2007 garden opening hits Sat 6/2 from 3-10PM in a show curated by Fred Gearhart. Atmosphere, 2379 Professor, Tremont. Call 685-9527 for details.

Meatballs “Are you ready for the summer? Are you ready for the good times?” Cedar Lee Theatre answers these questions from the Meatballs theme song with a big ol’ “Yes!” The theatre proudly presents the 1979 Bill Murray comedy classic Sat 6/2 at 9:30PM and midnight as part of its Summer Camp Cult Film Series, which includes Friday the 13th (6/7), Friday the 13th Part 3 in 3-D (7/13) and Wet Hot American Summer (8/4). http://www.clevelandcinemas.com.

Death in Sturgis Bike fiend and local author Steve Grimes celebrates the release of his first novel set within South Dakota’s Black Hills famous motorcycle rally. Murder, mayhem and mystery abound. Meet the author Sat 6/2 at 1PM for a Q&A and signing at Blue Heron Boookstore, 1593 Main St., Peninsula. http://www.blueheronbookstore.com.

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Double Play! Come to the baseball clinic with Cleveland Indians alumni at the Great Lakes Science Center Sat June 16 from 11AM-1PM. This clinic has no admission fee and is open to the public. Then bring dad on Father’s Day, Sun 6/17, to see “Baseball As America,” the most significant traveling exhibition of baseball artifacts ever assembled. With more than 500 relics on display, as well as a pitching cage, live demonstrations and additional interactive exhibits, “Baseball As America” allows the whole family to experience and understand the role of baseball in American culture and history. Admission: $14.50 for adults, $10.50 for youth, $13.50 for seniors/military. On display through Mon 9/3. GLSC is open daily from 9:30AM-5:30PM. Call (216) 694-2000 or visit www.GreatScience.com for more information.
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Jean Luc Ponty Direct From France, violin legend leads his 5-piece band group featuring musicians from France and West Africa on Sun 6/3 at 7:30PM. The gig dpubles as a CD release party for The Acatama Experience now available on Koch Records. 12383 Cedar Rd., Cle Hts. http://www.nighttowncleveland.com.

Kamm’s Corners Farmers Market will kick off Sun 6/3 from 10AM – 2PM and continue every Sun through the summer and early fall. The location, the Southeast Quad Parking Lot behind Walgreens, will host the freshest produce, weekly chef and nutritional demonstrations, and live entertainment! Opening day kicks off with a performance by Patrick Campbell, former lead dancer with Lord of the Dance. Rumor has it that a local celebrity chef may make an appearance as well. Read Peter Chakerian’s Preview elsewhere in this week’s CC issue. http://kammscorners.com/farmersmarket.html.

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To Hell’s {Kitchen} and Back at Carousel’s newest hit show, West Side Story! Check out the expertly trained fight choreography never before seen, in this iconic tale that will transport you back in time to the streets of Hell’s Kitchen! “A superb production!” stated David Ritchey of the West Side Leader. And Elaine Guregian of the Akron Beacon Journal wrote, “Carousel has done a good job of continuing the life of this beloved show.” Good seats are available now! West Side Story continues through Sat 6/30. Show only tickets start at $33.50 for matinees. Dinner plus this phenomenal production – under $55! Makes a great Father’s Day gift. Purchase tickets online at www.carouseldinnertheatre.com or call the Box Office at 800.362.4100.
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National Suicide Day Be calm. No need to panic. They’re a band. But not any old band. The new heavy soul band is helmed by Lawrence Daniel Caswell (This Moment In Black History) and will kick out the jams Tues 6/5 at 8PM. They’re supporting the NYC-Ann Arbor rock connection Awesome Color and Cle faves New Lou Reeds, but they sound like a headliner to us. Beachland Ballroom on Waterloo. http://www.beachlandballroom.com. http://www.myspace.com/beholdrenaisance.

Portraits of Power Ohio politics gets put under the microscope in a new book by Abe Zaidan, former Akron Beacon Journal political columnist and Washington Post correspondent. Zaidan wrote Portraits of Power: Ohio and National Politics, 1964-2004, published by The University of Akron Press, and will sign copies of the book Tue 6/5 from 4-7PM at UA’s Martin University Center, 105 Fir Hill. Books will be available at reduced prices The event is no-cost, but attendees are asked to RSVP to 330-972-5182. http://www.uakron.edu.

Send your cool events to: Events@CoolCleveland.com

A reverbant & resonant array of hot tech and business news & events from around Cleveland and around the region. Send your business news and events to: EVENTS@CoolCleveland.com

Kucinich hosts Cle hearing on predatory lending & foreclosures, incl. walking tour of Slavic Village Read & Read
Cle City Council retains tax abatements for housing of 100% for 15 years; must build green by 2010 Read & Read
DOTS to open 150 more stores in 24 states, incl. prototype at Steelyard Commons Read
Flats appraiser in conflict of interest Port Authority should have known he previously worked for Wolstein Read

CLE gets 4th Place Nod Cleveland Hopkins Int’l Airport was ranked 4th in medium sized airports class in J.D. Power and Associates 2007 North America Airport Satisfaction Study — better than LA & Orlando. Rankings are based on 8 factors that used to determine overall customer satisfaction. Read

Case Western Reserve University, The Cleveland Clinic and University Hospitals have significantly increased the amount of invention licensing revenues they have obtained each year. When combined, the revenues were up $15 million dollars over four years. Read

Cleveland 2.0 Social Inclusion Group follow up session/lunch Wed 5/30 at noon. IBM, 6100 Oak Tree Blvd. #500, Independence. RSVP: littlem@us.ibm.com
Jerome Ringo Pres. of nat’l Apollo Alliance for Good Jobs and Clean Energy at CSU Levin Thu 5/31 at 4PM. Info
Networking in the Middle 2nd event hits Thu 5/31 at 6PM @ Holiday Inn Rockside. Cleveland Plus Marketing Alliance, Greater Akron Chamber and NEO Young Professional organizations celebrate “Cleveland Plus” and the region. Register: clevelandplusnetworking@gmail.com
TechStyle Spy Bar’s VIP Lounge at 1261 W. 6th St. hosts event where networking and fashion collide Thu 5/31 at 6PM. RSVP: MDeAloia@city.cleveland.oh.us
Women of Note luncheon spotlights NEO’s rising female business leaders on Wed 6/6 at 11:30AM. RSVP by 5/31. Register
New Face of Product Design CIA alum designs on tap at FUTURE Center Fri 6/1 at 6PM. Details
Innovation in Healthcare forum Fri 6/1 w/keynote Baiju Shah of BioEioenterprise. Tri-C Corp College East. Register
Using Diversity to Drive Business The Art of Diversity Excellence feat. Luke Visconti Partner and Co-founder, DiversityInc at City Club Fri 6/1 at noon. Info
ATW Alliance of Tech and Women Cleveland Chapter sponsors Girl Power! career expo Sat 6/2 at 11AM. Pre-reg required. Info
Women’s Empowerment Board present its 3rd ann Sun 6/3 1 – 3PM at Landerhaven. Cleveland artist Hector Vega designed original art image for the event used in mktg, silent auction. Call 932-2168 for info
Creativity in the Workplace Forum feat. Christy Gray and Joan Perch of the Red Dot Project on Wed 6/6 at 8AM Register
Mandel Ctr for NPO @ CWRU holds Leadership and Innovation Awards luncheon Wed 6/6 at noon. Windows on the River, 2000 Sycamore St. Info
COSE Future Forum w/regional, nat’l thought leaders Thu 6/7 at 4PM. Myers Univ Club, 3813 Euclid Ave. Register
JumpStart CMO Thom Ruhe named IABC Communicator of the Year on Wed 6/13. First Communicator of the Year was awarded to Cool Cleveland creator/publisher Thomas Mulready. Register
Global Health Care Investing Conf @ InterContinental Hotel Wed 6/20 – Thu 6/21 Details

Niki Gillota of Gypsy Beans
Her Culinaria Will Turn Around Your Gypsy Heart

Attention diehard foodies, java fiends and folks jonesing for a little bit of world travel in your café experience: we here at Cool Cleveland have someone we’d like you need to meet. Her name is Niki Gillota, owner/proprietor Gypsy Beans & Baking Co. And she is passionate about those same things that you are. You might recognize her if you spent any time in Ohio City area, hanging out at Talkies. Gillota’s new endeavor is a traditionally styled European coffee house and bistro – complete with a newly launched menu with a world view.

Gypsy Beans truly has a gypsy heart: inspired by Gillota’s European travels with her sister, the place is independent to the core. The locally-owned bakery/café is located in the Gordon Square Arts District in the Detroit Shoreway Neighborhood and features select locally roasted coffees, pastries, desserts and a tasty Bistro Menu filled with fresh seasonal ingredients and worldly influences. Local business including the Souper Market, CityFresh, Urban Herbs, the Red Cedar Coffee, the West Side Market and others support Gypsy Beans, helping provide Gypsy’s flavorful aromas, savory scents and zesty taste…
Read the interview by Peter Chakerian here

Visit Gypsy Beans & Baking Co. at 6425 Detroit Ave. between breaks in the action at the Resonance World Music Festival being held this weekend in the Detroit Ave./Gordon Square Arts District. The two-day event features worldly sounds to match the bistro’s worldly flavors. For a complete list of artists, showtimes and events, visit http://www.parishhallcleveland.com. Visit Gypsy Beans online at http://www.gypsybeans.com.


BrewedFreshDaily.com, run by Cool Cleveland’s George Nemeth, scans over hundreds of area feeds everyday and provides links and commentary on a range subjects—from coffee to economic development in Northeast Ohio. Here’s an excerpt:

“The growing divide between the rich and poor in America is more generation gap than class conflict, according to a USA TODAY analysis of federal government data. The rich are getting richer, but what’s received little attention is who these rich people are. Overwhelmingly, they’re older folks…” posts Doug Craver, quoting a recent article titled “Generation gap? About $200,000“.

* People in middle years tend to accumulate assets and, if they manage them correctly, become providers of capital. We are in the midst of a period of time during which capital is generating extraordinary returns. Much of this capital accumulation has occurred within 401k plans, as well as more traditional pension plans (particularly for public employees). What a great thing that we have figured out a way to take care of older Americans–a goal first broadly articulated by FDR as part of his Great Society program–outside of a government scheme to tax and redistribute income (with a rakeoff for the bureaucracy, of course). comment by Jonathan Murray

* The brief mention that “the older generation hasn’t set aside enough money to cover promised government benefits, [and] young people will have to make up the difference or older people will face benefit cuts” is very telling. “This hidden debt will make it a challenge for young people to accumulate as much wealth late in life as their parents have.” A friend of mine likes to joke that Gen X and Y are the Greatest Generation because we’re covering social security, and we know that we’re never going to see a penny of it. The truth is, however, that most of us need to save more using the appropriate retirement vehicles (IRA, 401K, 403B) to ensure our future financial security, and we need to do it at a very early age. comment by Ben C

* I believe the middle class has more affluence than ever before. Goods are cheaper, thanks to technology, economies of scale, globalism and inflation in check. Heck, when adjusted for inflation, gas is still cheaper at $3.10/gal. than it was in 1981. This might explain why as a nation our collective consumption in 2007 is increasing faster than it was in 2006, which outstripped the previous year. Our collective affluence, however, does comes at an opportunity cost, which is we now have exponentially more demands on income. This means we need more discipline than our forefathers. comment by Jim Kenny

* I think we all need to get out more. The “all is well” mentality stands in stark contrast to the evident poverty and hunger in our society, conditions that one doesn’t need to travel far to see. I respect that we may differ in our beliefs as to how best to ameliorate suffering, but to pretend it doesn’t exist or that the poor are that way because of a lack of “discipline” is simply Dickensian in its myopia… Jim K., I invite you to break bread with the folks that you think simply lack discipline. I know it has opened my eyes and stripped me of a lot of my preconceived notions and convinced me that there bit for the grace of God go I. comment by Tom Zych

* If social security is such a great deal, why is it mandatory? comment by Adam Brandon

Read and add your comment here

Cantonite Don Dixon
Famous Without the Fame

Musician, songwriter, and producer Don Dixon is satisfied, “I play on records and record on records and I sing for people. That’s all I’ve ever done. I’m not complaining”. The laid back Dixon forged a steady career starting with early critical acclaim in North Carolina’s seminal rock band, Arrogance and going on to produce records for the Smithereens, James McMurtry, REM, and local artist Chris Allen and his former band, rosavelt. Additionally he’s put out eight solo records for the better part of the past 30-years. The aforementioned national bands reached a notable amount of success, but Dixon never wanted the fame for himself. Sure he admits, “Every song I’ve ever recorded, every record I’ve ever made I fully intended to be the number one record in the entire world,” but his own songs never hit the Billboard Top Ten.

Again, no complaints, “The fame part is the most irritating aspect of show business.” Admitting, “My time to get stupidly famous was back in the late 70’s with Arrogance.” The uncompromising Dixon goes on to say, “Some of it was our resistance to do some of the things sometimes they wanted us to do.” For a man who ducked the fame part of being famous, Dixon considers himself pretty lucky. “I’m sort of at an interesting level of notoriety where I don’t have to worry about too much, but most people will return my calls that I need to talk to …so it’s kind of nice actually.”, he states in his homey southern tone. His career allows Dixon to live a comfortable life with his wife and youngest daughter in Canton, Ohio; complete with integrity intact…

Read the interview by Christine Young here

Links to interesting NEO blogs

Streetscape 2007 is a chance for guerrilla gardeners and lovers of Youngstown to get out, get some exercise, and make the downtown a better place.
Whatever happened to the proposed ferry from Cleveland to Canada?
In 2005 the CVB’s budget was $7.1M.
Drew Carey broke it down for CSU grads when Christine graduated.
Instead of competing with other regions, perhaps it’s more productive to cooperate with them?
Biking down the Towpath Trail Andy Timithy shares pics of Steelyard Commons.

Check Brewed Fresh Daily here, where Peter Chakerian comments on the news of the week in the Cool Cleveland newsletter. When you’re through, add your own comments, questions and attitude. Letters@CoolCleveland.com.

Second Fiddle
Woodshed Mercy
Self-Released

They call themselves “whiskey for the ears” and on their double-distilled, barrel-aged Second Fiddle, local roots-rockers Woodshed Mercy prove they can hang with the very best bands in town. The group’s heartfelt singer-songwriter fare sounds like these folks love playing together. While not a radical departure from their tasty, self-titled debut, Woodshed Mercy takes on rock n’ roll, cowpunk, bluegrass, psychedelic surf and more whimsical alt-country, offering up another winner.

Born from the ashes of one-time local act Tumbleweed Jo, WM’s “rural contemporary” sound paints sharp, witty and countrified portraits of Americana. The exception is the band’s leadoff track, which has a definite Celtic shade to it. “Second Fiddle” is as refreshing as a dirty old pint of stout: thick, intense and bursting at the seams with Green Island flavor. The rest of the album is pure Austin, Texas – laced with that gutsy “beer-drinkin’ music” vibe and replete with sharp, organic musicianship, Drew Clair’s sometimes-manic vocals and confident sense of self…

Read the review by Peter Chakerian here

Kamm’s Corners Farmers Market

The weather has officially warmed and summer is once again upon us. While the sign of warmth is enough to thrill some Clevelanders, others see summertime in very specific terms: it’s Farmer’s Market Season. For those residents, the allure of farm-fresh fruits and vegetables, eggs, cheese, honey and other locally-produced items for the taking causes the heart to race. To wit, there are dozens of farmer’s markets all across Northeast Ohio for the picking, but this weekend’s kickoff of the Kamm’s Corners Farmers Market on Sun 6/3 at 10AM is particularly special.

Kamms’ opening day marks the first-ever Farmer’s Market there. It kicks off with a dance performance by Patrick Campbell, the one-time lead dancer of the famed Lord of the Dance performance troupe founded by Michael Flatley. Hardcore foodies get a shot at cooking demonstrations by the staff of critically-acclaimed Fahrenheit restaurant. Foodies take note: as of press time, organizers at Kamm’s Corners Development Corporation still think Fahrenheit’s Chef Rocco Whelan might make an appearance as a part of those demonstrations.

Once launched, the Kamm’s Corners Farmers Market, will continue every Sunday from 10AM – 2PM through October, come rain or come shine. It will feature weekly live entertainment from local and regional musicians, health education, similar cooking demos and a delectable selection of fresh-from-the-farm seasonal bounties. Both Ward 21 councilman Martin Keane and Kamm’s Executive Director Steve Lorenz call the Farmers Market a great community-building vehicle and see it as a rising Sunday tradition for the neighborhood — one that has been planned and longed for the past couple of years. So, head out this Sunday to Kamm’s and see what the sun has brought out.

More details on the farmers market, parking and stall locations can be found at http://kammscorners.com/farmersmarket.html.

From Cool Cleveland Managing Editor Peter Chakerian peterATcoolcleveland.com

The Pot Continues to Boil…

Taking up where I left off last week, I finished that column by stating, “Only poor people prey on each other,” which is an inaccurate statement. There have been a number of recent incidents where young men — usually White, more than likely from fairly good, stable homes — have been viciously attacking homeless people in Cleveland. Similar attacks have been occurring with alarming frequency in other parts of the country as well. The increase in these types of incidents should raise just as many red flags as the proliferation of guns and the consequential increase in shootings and other form of violence in minority communities. Clearly, we have a problem.

And the problem is not recent in the making. It’s been predicted since the early 70’s when social scientists, commentators and journalists began loudly clamoring in an attempt to raise awareness about the coming cataclysm. Trouble was, no one was listening…

Read more from Mansfield Frazier here

Quick 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

Kate McGarry @ Nighttown 5/21 It was another enjoyable night of jazz vocals at Nighttown as New York based Kate McGarry, accompanied by her talented husband Keith Genz on guitar, did a very good job of delivering two solid sets of both the familiar and unfamiliar.

She did a little Jerome Kern, some Cole Porter, and a few familiar Broadway standards. She did a couple of acoustic blues tunes, and some lost gems you usually don’t hear, like opening with Joni Mitchell’s “Chelsea Morning.” Keith Genz’s guitar was a fine back up, and almost gave the chords a piano like sound. Her voice has a touch of both Ella Fitzgerald and Rickie Lee Jones, and was quite suited to the selections she performed. Her own original music sounded fresh, especially “A New Love Song” which turned into a duet between her vocals and her husband’s guitar work.

I hope she returns to Nighttown, and maybe with a few more pieces behind her next time. I really like her style, and it just wasn’t the best night for her to be here. Nighttown is a great place, one of our area’s true treasures and landmarks. It is many things, including a great neighborhood bar, a nationally recognized jazz club, and a top shelf restaurant. No argument on any of that. And most nights, because of the great staff the place runs pretty smoothly, and all of its different identities run parallel to each other. But last Monday they bumped up next to each other a bit.

There were a couple of loud, large parties in the restaurant and patio celebrating special occasions, and the Cavs/Pistons playoff game, which went down to the wire, on TV in the bar. With all of that going on, McGarry’s voice and Genz’s guitar at times got slightly pushed in to the background. Also, Maria Muldair was playing the next night, which kept away some of the regular jazz crowd. But for only ten bucks it was still a fine show, and Kate McGarry is a pro, and did a fine job entertaining the crowd that did come to hear her.

Nighttown has some great stuff coming up, including two of the icons from that wonderful time when jazz and progressive rock crossed paths in the 70’s. Violinist Jean Luc Ponty is there in June 3, and organist Brian Auger returns for two nights on June 8 and 9. I saw Auger’s last show at Nighttown and it was terrific. I highly recommend both acts, especially for those of you who have never been to Nighttown. And speaking of icons, local legend Ernie Krivda brings his Fat Tuesday Big Band in for a show on June 5.

For more information or directions go to http://www.nighttowncleveland.com.

From Cool Cleveland contributor Greg Cielec cielecAThotmail.com

Rhythm & Hues @ Cleveland Botanical Garden 5/24 Last weekend’s kick-off to the summer’s gardening season at the Cleveland Botanical Garden (CBG) was a blooming success. Sun and heat added to the lush tropical feel of this bi-annual show, drawing nearly 30,000 visitors from near and far. Themed “Rhythm & Hues,” senses were infused with blending of a clever combination of music and gardening in 10 acres of gardens. The inventive art installation suspended from the ceiling greeted visitors in the lobby. Gerbera daisies strategically placed as notes on a lucite staff suspended from the ceiling were followed by Ikebana style floral arrangements leading the way to the outdoor vendor area, where scads of unique varieties of plants, garden art and yard furniture could be found.

Theme garden highlights include a fountain cleverly designed by Outdoor Concepts, using cymbals to become uncharacteristically soothing when paired with water. Cool and mossy, the New Orleans courtyard garden by O’Neill Landscape Design replicated the secret gardens of the Big Easy. A combination of sego palms, maiden hair ferns and trailing English Ivy from wrought iron railings created an intimate feel. The classical stonework garden by Frieden Landscape Design and Zach Zuik reflected the Romanesque tradition and used an interesting combination of cascading purple, lavender and green hues. The award winning Cotton Club garden by Wheeler Landscaping Inc. was music to the ears as water spilled from above onto a semi-circle of drums nestled in a shade garden of hostas and lovely black bugbane.

The theme gardens will remain in place throughout the summer so don’t miss a visit to the garden as it has reinvented itself once again.

From Cool Cleveland contributors Susan Krebs & Carol Hunt sjhkrebsATaol.com

Cleveland Orchestra @ Severance Hall 5/24 Well, okay. So nobody’s perfect. Even LeBron misses now and then. Still, it is a tad disconcerting to realize this fact midway through a concert by the Cleveland Orchestra, but – given the complexity of some musical compositions and the human beings trying to bring life to these works – I suspect the wonder really is, why don’t these situations happen more often? Or maybe they really do, and we just aren’t always aware of them.

For starters, we were told that Alban Berg’s Chamber Concerto for Piano, Violin and 13 Wind Instruments was really a romantic piece. Two of the three conductors of the orchestra informed us of this fact: Jayce Ogren during the pre-concert talk in Reinberger Chamber Music Hall, and Music Director Franz Welser-Möst in brief remarks from the stage before the music began. And truly, if you listened to the music with that thought in mind, you could find many examples of such in the music.

I’d not have believed that beforehand, had I not been told. (Warned?) But there it was, right out there, reasonably lush (fifteen instruments cannot produce grandly lush sonorities no matter how hard they try!) harmonies and moments of pure incandescence. At other times, the romance was a wee bit rocky. Thursday evening’s concert ran into difficulties mid-way through, requiring a halt, a re-start, another halt, and another re-start. This time it was successful, and the piece reached its conclusion. (No penalties here for ‘false starts’ either.)

But then, what would you expect from a piece of music that exemplifies the saying ‘it’s a veritable puzzle surrounded by a mystery wrapped in an enigma’ (I apologize if that’s not the correct version of the wording, but it expresses the meaning perfectly.) From beginning to end, Berg encrypted all manner of secret devices and codes—musically and numerically and possibly otherwise as well—with his gift to a long-time teacher (Arnold Schoenberg) which was also a tribute to the teacher’s recently-deceased wife, Matilda.

It’s an incredibly complex piece—much more difficult to play than to listen to—which is probably one reason why it is so seldom performed.

There was an interesting sort of double cadenza for piano (Mitsuko Uchida) and violin (William Preucil) amongst the stormier sections, and the use of the not-so-often heard contra- bassoon (Jonathan Sherwin) was an additional treat. In addition to stormy and playful passages on the piano, Ms. Uchida at times seemed ready to help Mr. Welser-Möst conduct, such tendencies probably left-over from the previous week’s concerts. The ending was truly lovely, when, after positively crashing chords on the piano, the sound just slowly drifted away, exhibiting an incredibly long hang-time. Somewhat like a rainbow’s calming effect after the tempest.

The second part of the program was more familiar—and successful—territory for everyone concerned. Brahms Symphony No. 2 in D major, Opus 73, is a world apart from Berg in almost every possible way. It’s very traditional and melodic, requiring little more of the listener than to just be wrapped in sunny, happy music—and enjoy the experience. And for the musicians, possibly a return to more well-known territory made for a smoother performance.

Richard King enhanced the second movement with a gorgeous horn solo, as Frank Rosenwein did the third. The exuberant finale brought an enthusiastic response from the full house. It was a concert that will not be soon be erased from memory.

This week is the first of the two-week Spring Festival in tribute to Richard Strauss: His Life – His Inspirations, which concludes next week with the opera Der Rosenkavalier. Among the inspirations are music by Haydn, Brahms, and the non-related Josef Strauss. For tickets or other information, call the Cleveland Orchestra ticket office at 216-231-1111, or visit the web-site: http://www.clevelandorchestra.com.

From Cool Cleveland contributor Kelly Ferjutz artswriterATadelphia.net

Stained Glass Ugly @ Fourth Wall 5/25
Reasons to go: In Qui Nguyen’s creative two-hander, an engaged couple (Dash Combs and the lovely Carli Taylor Miluk) try to move toward the altar despite the hideous strain of a freak accident that has disfigured the guy’s looks. Rather than going for the soapy, Nguyen’s text swoops from sentimental to playful, incorporating signs, dreams, “his way/her way/the way it really was” scenes, even an off-key faux Beauty and the Beast musical interpolation.
Caveats: This is a young person’s play and production: the play has some clumsy features, the central metaphor sometime breaks down, and the cast has more enthusiasm and commitment than experience. But even the flaws are part of its charm — seeing a young company really tear into a newish play they care about, by a writer they know, is heartening. It’s just what they ought to be doing.
Details: Thru 6/3 @ Pilgrim UCC, W. 14th, Tremont. http://www.fourthwallproductions.com.
From Cool Cleveland contributor Linda Eisenstein LindaATcoolcleveland.com

365 days 365 plays @ CPT 5/26
Where Avant Garde Meets Community: Jimmie D. Woody and a game ensemble of 10 presented 7 super-short plays by experimentalist Suzan-Lori Parks, staged all over the downstairs bookstore space to an appreciative over-capacity audience. Using little more than ladders and chairs, Woody turned Parks’ tiny playlets into engaging shards. Most memorable: Lisa Langford’s regal turn as the book-autographing Parks in I coulda done that, and the goofy Bunraku puppets in The Good Cook of Szechuan.
Backstory: Parks’ year-long Zen-like practice of a play a day is being presented world-wide in free festivals. CPT’s was the only US venue this week; others were in Berlin, Paris, and other European cities. Here it became even more of a community-building event, because the audience was invited to perform after the 50 minute presentation. Saturday’s impromptu results — African drumming, dancing, a cappella singing, hiphop, and a monologue — were as much fun as what came before.
Details: Cleveland Public Theatre, http://www.cptonline.org.
From Cool Cleveland contributor Linda Eisenstein LindaATcoolcleveland.com

King Hedley II @ Karamu 5/27
Magnificent: Nobody writes about the urban black experience quite like the late August Wilson — his work is full of a majestic, rambling loquaciousness that captures his colorful, tormented characters spot-on and yet touches on the mythic. His late play is given a superb rendering by director Caroline Jackson-Smith. E. B. Smith is explosive as the violence-prone title character, Anthony Nickerson-El a delight as his jive-talking friend, and Regan Player kicks out the jams as his weary wife. As King’s mother and her peripatetic gambler beau, Joyce Meadows and Cornell H. Calhoun III have a juicy chemistry – now sexy, now troubled — and Jaribu Sasa is marvelous as the Bible-spouting prophetic Stool Pigeon. Mad props to Richard H. Morris, Jr.’s fabulous set and Harold Crawford’s superb costumes.
Caveats: The play is 3 hours long, but it flies by, because the people are so real and the situation compelling. Wilson is one of the great writers of the 20th century: don’t miss such a good production of his work.
Details: Thru 6/17. http://www.karamu.com.
From Cool Cleveland contributor Linda Eisenstein LindaATcoolcleveland.com

Rhythm & Hues @ Cleveland Botanical Garden 5/27 One spectacular garden after the next. That’s what I experienced when I went to the world-class Cleveland Botanical Garden Flower Show. This year’s theme of “Rhythm & Hues” mixed great music with magnificent gardens that included the “Opera Hortensia” by Frieden Landscape Design of Kirtland. It was reminiscent of an ancient Roman theater with architectural elements that included repetitive stone arches and columns, cobblestone, lavender and magnolias. Gorgeous! As I entered that area, surrounded by all that beauty, I heard the Bob Patti Band in the background playing “Sentimental Journey” and I thought I was about three steps from heaven. Another favorite was “The Cotton Club” garden by Wheeler Landscaping of Chagrin Falls. It was made to honor Duke Ellington, with clever fountains of water pouring out of trumpets, trombones and saxophones at the stucco wall entrance. The featured act in this garden included a rhythmic downpouring of water into mesh covered drums, creating another instrumental water feature, with a bandstand acting as planters on the other side. The lush greens and beautiful flowers everywhere throughout the show – made it almost impossible to decide where to look next.

From Cool Cleveland contributor T.L. Champion tlATcoolcleveland.com

Most clicked
Here are the Top 5 from last week’s issue, with one more chance for you to click.

1) RoldoLink Clifton Departs with Mixed Record.
www.CoolCleveland.com

2) BizTech Travelogue Attorney Terry Gilbert speaks at a conference in Pakistan.
www.CoolCleveland.com

3) Emissions from the Blogophere The wrong house is demolished in the Archwood/Denison neighborhood.
www.GloriaFerris.net

4) Straight Outta Mansfield A Public Outing: Crisis, Curfews and the Rap on Culture.
www.CoolCleveland.com

5) Growing the Inner Circle The owners of the old Hough Bakeries complex and Hot Sauce Williams BBQ, in collaboration with NEO social hackers, are building a star and want you to check it out.
www.RealNEO.us

Good Vibrations The Hard Corps give you them every week. Give it up for Peter Chakerian, T.L. Champion, George Nemeth, Christine Young, Mansfield B. Frazier, Susan Krebs & Carol Hunt, Claudia J. Taller and Greg Cielec. And lastly, though certainly not least, thanks to our readers and everyone who partners with us. Want to volunteer and contribute your writing to Cool Cleveland? Send your reviews, articles, or story ideas to: Events@CoolCleveland.com.

Download the Cool Cleveland podcast each week at http://www.CoolCleveland.com. Join the conversation at Brewed Fresh Daily here. Listen to Cool Cleveland on WCLV-FM 104.9 twice each Friday during drive time. Send your cool events to: Events@CoolCleveland.com, and your letters to: Letters@CoolCleveland.com. For your copy of the free weekly Cool Cleveland e-zine, go to http://www.CoolCleveland.com.

Oscillate Away, Cleveland,
–Thomas Mulready
Letters@CoolCleveland.com

all contents ©2007 Cool Networks LLC all rights reserved

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