Pride

6.13-6.20.07
Pride

In this week’s issue:
* Party like WOW! this Summer — Get Tix now for our CC 6/27 Wade Oval Wednesday!
* BFD Weekly How to persuade someone to move here
* Kids Thinking About Kids’ Birthday Parties in NEO
* Interview Experimental video artist Kasumi
* Interview Comedian, NEO Native “Big Ed” Ackerman Breaks It All Down
* Sounds Cuban smooth jazz magic from virtuoso guitarist Justo Saborit
* Interview Thomas Mulready talks to the one and only Ian Hunter, author of Cleveland Rocks
* Interview Superstar Drummer Steve Holley
* Preview Marsalis/Congo Square gig in NEO features homespun talents
* Comment Writing Offline Vs. Online
* Straight Outta Mansfield Real Solutions
* RoldoLINK Cavs Breed False Spirit in the City
* Cool Cleveland Kids podcast click here, CC podcast click here, Brewed Fresh Daily here

This is a good week to take a breath, puff out our chest, and feel some pride in the buzz we’ve got going on around here. We’re reminded of Peter Lewis’ admonition to our region to “honor your screwballs,” meaning, embrace the quirkiness, the diversity and the just plain weirdness around you (hence the civic slogan, “Keep Austin weird”), before they find another town to flourish in, as apparently Peter Lewis has done. Besides the collective pride our sports teams provide (and Roldo puts that in perspective), we have some proud winners this week either way. We’d recommend dropping into Ohio’s largest Pow-wow for some native American food & vibe, then segueing over to both the Coventry Village Street Fair (quirkiness personified), and the Cleveland Pride Parade & Festival at Voinovich Park to keep the off-center party rolling.

The kids will dig either the Arts Collinwood Day Camp or the Roberto Ocasio Jazz Camp, parents will appreciate our birthday party round-up, and fathers will freak over the 2000 feet of G gauge model trains winding through Holden Arboretum and over replicas of the Detroit Superior, Main Avenue and Inner Belt bridges. We profile international video artist Kasumi, interview a couple of visiting rock stars, and focus on Cle comedian Ed Ackerman. With local Gourmets in the Botanical Garden and our own Cool Cleveland Wade Oval Wednesday party heating up, we’ve got a lot to be proud of, regardless of the score. —Thomas Mulready

WOW! Cool University Circle Party – Wed 6/27
Super low price until Midnight Thu 6/14 here!

Hook Up with friends, lovers or wannabees at the hottest summer party: WOW! (Wade Oval Wednesdays!) on Wed 6/27. Join us from 6 – 8PM with open bar (beer) and delicious Naked Chicken Queso Burritos by Qdoba. Dance under the sunset sky with live music by “Cats on Holiday,” serving up American influenced roots, country, cajun and blues. Then check out the Cleveland Botanical Garden’s 10 acres of beautiful gardens with a comp ticket for the first 200 people. See their Summer 2007 schedule here for “Gourmets in the Garden,” Summer cooking demonstrations every Wednesday eve on the Geis Terrace. On Wed 6/27 the Garden will be featuring “806 in Tremont’s” chef from 6-7PM. Catch the garden tour at 7PM and meander through the Glasshouse and Gardens until 9PM.

Bring your sig other to all the WOW! Wednesdays this summer and bask in the live music, food, bev and discounted museum tix available every week. Visit the the three UCI institutions: Cleveland Museum of Natural History, Cleveland Museum of Art and Cleveland Botanical Gardens for your discounted tix. See the WOW! Summer 2007 schedule here. And the band line-up here. Make it a regular part(y) of your summer fun. See map here.

Invite your friends and make this the social gig of the season. Score your Cool Cleveland party tix here.

At the Cool WOW! on 6/27 you get all this:

• Music and dancing at sunset from 6-8PM in the Beer Garden
• Delicious Naked Chicken Queso Burritos by Qdoba
• Open bar beer
• Comp tix to the Botanical Garden for the first 200 people
• Live music by Cats on Holiday, a crowd fave
• Discounted tix at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History and the Cleveland Museum of Art

Hot Deal Get the best discount if you order by Midnight Thu 6/14 here:
https://CoolCleveland.net/tickets/062707/index.php

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:

Last week we told you about a list of great things about Cleveland that you could share with someone who was considering moving here. Katie, who currently is living in Silicon Valley, is considering Cleveland among cities like Pittsburgh and Rochester, NY because they “have the attraction of a cadre of people committed to progressive urban renewal, great architecture, and many of the same lifestyle options” she has where she’s living now. BFD and Cool Cleveland readers write:

There’s already 50+ comments Read and add your comment here

Photo by Flickr user ifmuth. See more of his shots of Cleveland here.

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Downtown is Alive with affordable professional theater this summer! From Thu 6/14–Sun 6/15, Cleveland State University presents two terrific plays in its air-conditioned Factory Theatre. “The Robber Bridegroom” is a raucous bluegrass musical filled with outrageous characters and improvisation. And “Booth,” by Warren native Austin Pendleton, is a funny, touching look at the relationship between the brilliant, alcoholic actor Junius Brutus Booth and his son, Edwin Booth, the great 19th century American actor. Each features guest artists with Broadway and off-Broadway credits sharing the stage with local professionals and students. Tickets just $15; group rates available. Robber Bridegroom: June 14-16, 28, 30, July 6, 12, 14, 15. Booth: June 21-23, 29, July 5, 7, 8, 13. All performances Fridays and Saturdays at 8PM and Sundays at 2PM. Visit www.csuohio.edu/theatre.
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Celebrating Cleveland-Style
Make Your Kids’ Birthdays Distinctively Cleveland

It’s time to plan your kid’s birthday party. Doesn’t it raise your blood pressure just to hear the words? Sure, it might be easy just to take the kids over to Chuck E. Cheese for an afternoon of pizza and overstimulation, but why not use the opportunity to create a birthday party outing that exposes your cool kids to everything cool Cleveland has to offer?

To that end, we’ve compiled the best destinations and party planning tips to get you started in creating a distinctively Cleveland birthday party that both you and your kids will enjoy. Just remember to save a piece of birthday cake for us…

Read more from Jennifer Keirn here

HOT Arts Collinwood Day Camp School’s out. Do you and your kids have a plan for how their summer is gonna go? Consider connecting them up with some incredibly talented artists through Arts Collinwood’s day camp, where professional artists engage your kids through a multi-disciplinary approach to the arts. Camp ends in a “burst of creativity,” with a performance and art show for family, friends and community. This year’s campers will play a role in the annual Waterloo Arts Festival on 6/28 as well. Sound intriguing? Better register fast! This summer’s camp runs from Tue 6/19 to Thu 8/2 For more information and a camp brochure, visit http://www.artscollinwood.org, or call 692-9500.

HOT Roberto Ocasio Latin Jazz Camp begins it’s 3rd annual season on the campus of Baldwin-Wallace Conservatory in Berea. Multi Grammy-Award nominee Bobby Sanabria will serve as Artist-In-Residence once again, conducting a one-day master class for musicians and band directors who wish to enhance their knowledge of Hispanic music and rhythms. The 3-day camp program, for middle and high school instrumentalists, features individual and ensemble practice. Students will perform in concert at B-W, Fri 7/13 at 7PM with Sanabria and the Roberto Ocasio Latin Jazz Project. The concert is free and open to the public. Sound interesting?? For more info, call Bev Montie at 440-572-2048. http://www.latinjazzproject.com.

Meet the Cavs Got your attention, kids? Some of the players on the NBA Finals team, along with NBA Commissioner David Stern dedicate a new Learn & Play Center at Boys & Girls Club of Cle TODAY, Wed 6/13, at 3PM. The Center, renovated by NBA Cares, provides thousands of donated books, resource, guides, and materials to the children attending the facility each day. Boys & Girls Clubs of Cleveland, West Side Club 3340 Trowbridge Ave. http://www.nba.com. http://www.cavs.com.

Clifford the Big Red Dog People dog on the Crimson Canine, but he’s been highly lauded by child development specialists. Your kids can meet Clifford Wed 6/13 through the end of the week (Father’s Day, Sun 6/17), at the Scholastic Book Fair at the Cleveland Childrens Museum beginning at 10AM. Get those boys and girls some great reading material for the summer and a chance to shake paws with the iconic mutt. 10730 Euclid Ave., in University Circle. http://www.clevelandchildrensmuseum.org.

K Creative Arts Program CHABAM (the place Children Have Active Bodies And Minds) received community requests to begin an afternoon enrichment program for kindergarten aged children during the 07/08 school year. CHABAM is answering the call with a music, art and movement curriculum to enrich those younger Cool Clevelanders. Those interested in learning more should check out a no-cost, fun and informative evening Thu 6/14 at 6PM. CHABAM, 28700 Chagrin Blvd., Woodmere. Call 464-8500 and RSVP — the deadline is TODAY, Wed 6/13 http://www.chabam.com.

Powwow & Festival This 13th annual festival and competition at Edgewater park features 3 days of food, art, music, dancing and so much more. Learn more about Native American Indian culture in a weekend-long event beginning Fri 6/15; dig the sounds of 3 different life Native American bands beginning at 3PM. Founded by the American Indian Education Center. Details at http://www.aiecc.net.

Annie Jr. Little orphan Annie believes her parents are still alive and dreams they will return to save her from the orphanage. When Annie is brought to multi-millionaire Oliver Warbucks’ mansion for Christmas as a publicity stunt, she finds a real home. Hit songs include Hard-knock Life, You’re Never Fully Dressed Without A Smile and, of course, Tomorrow. Showing from Fri 6/15 at 7:30PM through the weekend. Don’t wait for Toooomorrowwwwww. Patrick’s Club Building, 3606 Bridge Avenue. http://www.nearwesttheatre.org.

Baseball as America The Great Lakes Science Center’s homage to the national pastime is still going strong, thrilling kids and adults alike. Head over with a bit of Father’s Day spirit in you and meet Cleveland Indians alumni from the 1960’s Sat 6/16 at 11AM. Meet Max Alvis, Larry Brown, George Culver, Jack Heidemann, Chuck Hinton, Hal Naragon, Dave Nelson, John O’Donoghue, Rich Rollins, Duke Sims and more. They’ll give you plenty of background on the displays and how the game has developed over the years. Great Lakes Science Center, 601 Erieside Ave. http://glsc.org.

American Hot Rod Racer is a new retail store in Beachwood Place Mall where we focus on American’s love for Cars by allowing kids of all ages to build their own custom designed car and race it on a track against each other. They celebrate their Grand Opening on Father’s Day, Sun 6/17. Call 269-5513 for details.

Coventry Village Street Fair Family friendly fun all along the Cle Hts locale Sat 6/16 beginning at 10AM. The entertainment of the day includes JiMiller Band, Brent Hopper and Brittany Reilly, Reuben’s Train and Porch featuring Elizabeth Meacham, Stuart Abrams and Mitch Tabol. There’s also balloon clown, jugglers and other street performers, local vendors, artists and farmers who will sell their wares on the street, as will Coventry merchants in a “sidewalk sale.” And for you foodies, Coventry restaurants will feature al fresco dining. http://www.coventryvillage.org/fair.html.

USA Vs. China Meet Kristine Lilly and the rest of the U.S. Women’s Soccer Team this Sat 6/16 at 7PM when they play against the Chinese national team at Cleveland Browns Stadium. Inspirational for kids of all ages playing futbol in organized leagues across Northeast Ohio, the appearance follows up last year’s USA Vs. Venezuela Men’s battle downtown. Tickets at Ticketmaster. http://www.ussoccer.com.

NASA Hits From smoke detectors to cordless power tools, learn how NASA research and technology have changed our everyday lives Sat 6/16 @ NASA Glenn Visitor Ctr. This will make that next drip to Home Deephole a little bit more interesting. http://www.nasa.gov/centers/glenn/events/vc_jun07.html.

Knee-High Naturalists Live animals, arts and crafts, hiking, face-painting and more grace this super exploration of the outdoors of the Cleveland Metroparks’ South Chagrin Reservation. Located at the Chagrin River Road Sledding Hill in Bentleyville, this event hits Sun 6/10 from 2 – 5PM. For nature lovers 2-6 years-old and their families. http://www.clevelandmetroparks.com.

Dance for Fun Fitness and Friendship The Dancing Wheels Summer Intensive Workshops for Kids start Mon 6/18 for a week of half-day sessions. Fellow students from around the world will join in to share their artistic talents and traditions all in the fully accessible, inviting environment of the Dancing Wheels studios in Midtown Cleveland. To register, call 432-0306. Dancing Wheels, 3615 Euclid Ave., 3rd Floor. http://www.dancingwheels.org.

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/CoolClevelandKids06.15.07.mp3. Click here to subscribe: iTunes or other.

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Summer Lovin’ Groove to a night of fun and romance under the stars! Join us on the Observatory Deck at the Natural History Museum, while celebrating the Summer Solstice at the annual “UnNatural Affair” Happy Hour Party on Fri 6/22, 6 to 10PM. The Nature League, Cleveland’s wildest social set, invites you to dance the night away to the sounds of Dj GO and Impure. Feast on seasonal treats and drink from our $2 wine & beer bar. Nature League members: $15; General admission: $20. For more info contact www.cmnh.org or (800) 317-9155.
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Cool Cleveland Podcast You know how to do it. Click here to listen: Link. iTunes or other.
Most will also direct Vienna State Opera starting in 2010. His contract w/Cle Orch runs thru 2012 Read
To ensure you receive Cool Cleveland every week, take a moment now and add CoolCleveland@CoolCleveland.com to your address book, trusted sender list, or corporate white list.

Watchdog group gets anonymous $1K Taxpayers Against Waste, one of the citizen groups protesting the destruction of the Marcel Breuer tower recently purchased by Cuyahoga County to serve as it’s HQ, received ten one hundred dollar bills as an anonymous donation along with a scathing letter criticizing, not so much the aesthetics of the tower, but the process by which the County is proceeding, the parties contracted for demo and construction and the economic development assumptions of demolishing the Breuer tower, vacating existing offices, and constructing a new building. A digital scan of the anonymous letter delivered to Cool Cleveland states, “This is not about Marcel Breuer’s Cleveland Trust Company Building- the issue here is the waste of our tax dollars- follow the money… I wish to remain anonymous. Suffice it to say that I am not associated with the Republican or Democratic parties, the AIA, the Cleveland Restoration Society of the Green Building Coalition. I want you to proceed in the tradition of our guide and leader, consumer advocate Ralph Nader.” Your thoughts? Letters@CoolCleveland.com

Audio tutus return to Cle The Performance Art Festival, run by Cool Cleveland’s Thomas Mulready, brought Benoit Maubrey and his Die Audio Gruppe to Cle in 1992 from Germany to collaborate with Susan Miller’s Repertory Project (now Verb Ballets) on solar-powered tutus that turn light into sound as dancers move around. Ingenuity Fest brings him back to work with Inlet Dance Theatre Info Ingenuity

Policy Matters Ohio finds $118M per year Analyzing Gov. Strickland’s proposed homestead exemption and two alternatives that would target the tax reductions more narrowly, they found each of the two would save at least $118M a year, while delivering the same or greater tax reductions to low- and moderate-income Ohioans. Read
Thoughts? letters@coolcleveland.com

Help the arts in Ohio by sending an e-advocacy message to legislators asking them to support the Ohio Arts Council by restoring recent budget cuts. Online tool makes it easy: Take Action
Cleveland Orchestra music director Franz Welser-Möst appointed to same position in Vienna State Opera. Read
Cle named #6 in block party quality, activity in a nat’l survey. Read
Cle’s Own Derek Hess takes his art to a new political level; with Republichrist, he has drawn angst with the current government to express his thoughts on evolution and stem-cell research. View
Register to Win a LeBron James Autographed Cavs Jersey through Cleveland+ Log On
Perishable Art? A bit of very interesting reading. Read
Oberlin College’s student-run circus OCircus! is having an open dress rehearsal for their summer show, The Won, Horse and Upp Circus on Fri 6/15 at 8PM at the Cat in the Cream Coffeehouse, 180 West Lorain St, Oberlin. ocircus.ringmaster@gmail.com
CPT offering another round of Big [BOX] op for artists to stage their works. More
Railroad offers bicyclists a fine $2 fare this coming Sat 6/16 Read
Dr. Unni Krishnan Pulikkal Director, The Butterfly Art Foundation, India features an exhibit of photoraphy with veteran photographer Herb Ascherman, Jr. The show opens on Sat 6/16 at the CMNH. Details

Kasumi
Experimental video artist & CIA professor

Kasumi needs no second name, but this low-key experimental video artist may need an introduction to her home turf of Northeast Ohio, since she spends so much time doing her art around the world. Her new work, Ugoku, seen in the background while being interviewed by Cool Cleveland’s Thomas Mulready, is being previewed at the upcoming SIGGRAPH conference this summer in San Diego, and she is one of only 15 artists worldwide (and the only U.S. artist) to be invited to participate in The International Festival For Electronic Music, Sound and Visual Art at Wurttembergischer Kunstverein Stuttgart in Germany. She was recently awarded first prize for her film Memories of a Dead Princess, at the International Short Film Festival Salento Finibus Terrae in Milan, Italy. Closer to home, she has been collaborating with Victoria Bussert, director of Baldwin Wallace College’s Music Theatre program on productions at Kent State University and Cain Park. To top it off, she is a professor at the Cleveland Institute of Art in their T.I.M.E. program (Technology and Integrated Media Environment), where she teaches experimental video, sound design and animation. Meet one of our region’s most creative and exciting artists. http://www.KasumiFilms.com CIA T.I.M.E. Digital Arts

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Score a Home Run with Dad! Come to the baseball clinic with 1960s Cleveland Indians alumni at the Great Lakes Science Center Sat 6/16 from 11AM-1PM and learn from the pros. Clinic is included with “Baseball As America” admission. Don’t forget your glove! Then bring your all-star 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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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

Perception vs. Reality The next Heights Community Congress forum tackles the subjects of race, class and diversity in the community Wed 6/13 at 7PM. John Hay High School. http://www.heightscongress.org.

HOT Gourmets in the Garden Enjoy the best of culinaria with this summer cooking demo at the Cleveland Botanical Garden’s Geis Terrace. This delicious series launches Wed 6/13 at 6PM and repeats every week through Wed 8/22 — a different flavor experience with each installment. Meet local chefs from Boulevard Blue, 806 in Tremont, Fire Food and Drink, Baricelli Inn and Sergio’s! Learn about local ingredients and hot culinary trends and glean some cool ideas for home entertaining. Oh yeah, and there are samples. Mmmm. No cost with regular garden admission. http://www.cbgarden.org.

This Land is Your Land The fundraiser celebrates the conservation of 10,000 acres in Ohio, spearheaded by the nat’l land conservation org The Trust for Public Land (TPL). Learn more about those Ohio acres and the plans for TPL’s future on Wed 6/13 at 6PM at Sammy’s in the Flats. Cocktails, dinner and a program highlighting current projects delivered by TPL Ohio Office Director Christopher Knopf are in the offing. Sammy’s in the Flats, 1400 W. 10th St. http://www.tpl.org/ohio.

Forró For All Rob Curto’s band exdplores the sounds of Northeastern Brazil’s forró pé-de-serra — performed with that NYC sensibility born of diverse and dynamic musical cultures. The bandleader’s virtuosic accordion playing and wide range of musical influence hits Nighttown in Cle Hts this Wed 6/13 at 7PM. World music for your summer soul. http://www.nighttowncleveland.com.

Sokolow/Miller Experience Western Vinyl recording artist Julie Sokolow and Exit Stencil troubadour Blake Miller join forces for a gig Wed 6/13 at 9PM at Parish Hall Cleveland. But both are far more than your typical singer-songwriters: both Miller’s Together with Cats and Sokolow’s Something about Violins have a level of dynamicism most of their peers only dream about. Good stuff. Parish Hall Cleveland, 6205 Detroit Ave. http://www.parishhallcleveland.com.

HOT Wade Oval Wednesdays Another summer institution, WOW! Wade Oval Wednesdays, is back for another round. This free summer concert series offers a bevy of live regional music and extended hours at University Circle’s finest attractions, including Cleveland Botanical Garden, Cleveland Museum of Natural History, and The Cleveland Museum of Art. Break up the work week with some great arts programming that’s fun for the family and for the young at heart. For more info visit http://www.universitycircle.org.

Alvin D. Jackson, M.D. The doctor, who began his tenure as Ohio Department of Health (ODH) director on 6/1, will speak about his holistic approach to health care at noon on Wed 6/13 at The City Club of Cleveland. Jackson believes that patients should be partners with their physicians in maintaining good health and charting courses of treatment when needed. Patient education and disease prevention are among his top priorities and topics of conversation. http://www.cityclub.org.

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We’re Bigger than LeBron (in terms of Broadway musicals, that is!) They may not be able to make three-pointers, but our lead characters can certainly score when it comes to good scam. From Tue 6/12 – Sun 6/24 at Playhouse Square, check out “Dirty Rotten Scoundrels” – the hilarious musical that follows two competing con men as they battle it out for the affection (and funds) of a young heiress amidst the lifestyles of the rich and shameless on the glamorous French Riviera. Don’t miss the show the New York Post calls “one of the liveliest, funniest, best-performed musicals in years!” Get your tickets today at www.PlayhouseSquare.org or 216.241.6000. And don’t worry, you’ll still be home in time to catch the end of the big game.
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Summer Repertory Cleveland State University’s Dramatic Arts Program presents its first professional Summer Repertory Theatre — featuring guest artists from New York and Los Angeles with Broadway, off-Broadway, regional, film and commercial credits. All will perform with local professionals and students, as well as hold workshops and master classes beginning Thu 6/14. Works The Robber Bridegroom and Booth will be delivered as a part of the festivities. Runs through mid-July. Details and scheduling at http://www.csuohio.edu/theater.

Downtown Soulville Cleveland’s only regular soul dance party features dj racecard (Lawrence Caswell of This Moment in Black History) and mr. fishtruck (Beachland Ballroom co-owner Mark Leddy), spinning the finest in ass-shaking foot stomping funk, soul, and R&B. No-cost this Thu 6/14. Beachland Ballroom on Waterloo. http://www.beachlandballroom.com.

T.A.N.K. Show Reception The Kent State University School of Art Galleries launch the T.A.N.K. Group Show, opening Wed 6/13 at the Downtown Gallery. The show features works by Cheril Walker (woven basket forms), Frances Lehnert (painting), and Kent State University emeritus professor Thompson Lehnert (painting). There will also be an opening reception Fri 6/15 at 5PM. 223 North Water St., Kent. Visit http://dept.kent.edu/art/galleries or call the gallery at 330-676-1549 for details. Runs through Sat 7/7.

We Made Out With Britney in Rehab! The Public Squares comedy troupe launches its all new hilarious comedy revue, We Made Out With Britney in Rehab! Or We’re Square, and No One Knows Why for a 2-night stand Fri 6/15 and Sat 6/16 at The Hermit Club. The show contains original sketches and takes an energetic look at issues such as life, love, death and, maybe, that bald-headed, one-time teenybopper sensation. Details and directions at http://www.thepublicsquares.com.

HOT Holden Express Garden Railroad Be among the first to see the Holden Express Garden Railroad Fri 6/15 with their Preview Party and Benefit. Enjoy cocktails in the garden and a sit down gourmet picnic dinner. Guests will also have the opportunity to take part in “luck of the draw” activities during the evening. Proceeds from the evening’s activities will benefit The Holden Arboretum and its programs. Tickets include cocktails, dinner and valet parking. 9500 Sperry Rd, Kirtland. For an invitation, call 440-946-4400. http://www.holdenarb.org.

Lasting Impressions If you’re on a Monet kick after the CMA’s Monet in Normandy exhibit, check out the Champagne Opening Receptions for an exhibit of four generations of Impressionists. Contessa Gallery hosts the events Fri 6/15 and Sat 6/16, both at 7:30PM. Lélia Pissarro, great granddaughter of Camille Pissarro speaks at both events, walking attendees through a selection of artwork created by Camille, his sons and their descendants. Stunning landscapes, still lifes, and portraits are all sure to thrill. RSVP required. Contessa Gallery, 24667 Cedar Rd. 382-7800.

Strange Division Check out the Akron band this Fri 6/15 at 9PM at bela dubby in Lakewood, with special guests/fellow Akronites Big Sur and their psychedelic swirl. http://www.myspace.com/beladubby

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WCLVnotes WCLV 104.9 FM, regrets to announce that the last broadcast of “Adventures in Good Music” with Karl Haas will be on Fri 6/29. After 48 years since Karl’s first broadcast on WJR in Detroit, and after 37 years on WCLV and on many other stations around the world, WCLV and the Haas family have decided the time has arrived for Adventures to come to an end. As you undoubtedly are aware, Karl died in February of 2005, at the age of 91. We know that the many listeners to Karl Haas will have reactions to this conclusion of an era, and we invite you to express them to us via email at aigm@wclv.com. Let us know how your life was affected by Karl Haas and Adventures in Good Music. We will post your comments on the WCLV website at www.wclv.com.
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HOT Cleveland Pride Voinovich Park in downtown Cleveland will be the anchor location for this year’s Pride parade and festival Sat 6/16. Join the NEO LGBT community for the nautical themed “Cruising With Pride” celebration, with family-friendly fun and live entertainment including Logo cable channel reality starts Nemesis, comedian Jason Stuart, singers Doria Roberts and Eric Himan, the band Rebel Girl, performance troupe Lava Love, and local favorite music act Lounge Kitty. Don’t miss out on the rest of the Pride schedule. There’s a lot of fun to be had! http://www.clevelandpride.org.

The Search for Lost Habitats With over 450 color slides of flora from Lake Erie dunes to the Ohio River, and from the Great Lakes into Canada, this journalistic, easy to read, and often humorous narrative appeals to home gardeners, professional botanists, naturalists, and anyone who enjoys a good yarn about adventures in the natural world. Author Perry Peskin, retired English teacher and contributor to Explorer Magazine, Wildflower Magazine and The Plain Dealer signs his book Sat 6/16 at 1PM and discusses the book and his 50+ years in NEO. Loganberry Books, 13015 Larchmere Blvd. Shaker Hts. http://www.loganberrybooks.com.

Let Rachel Speak! Sacred Space presents this multimedia production at Cleveland Public Theatre on Sat 6/16 at 8PM. Let Rachel Speak! honors the centennial birthday of scientist/ecologist Rachel Carson. Ms. Carson’s sense of wonder and deep respect for the integrity of all creation, led to her writing Silent Spring. This historic book became the catalyst for the contemporary environmental movement and the creation of the EPA. CPT, Gordon Square Theatre, 6415 Detroit Ave. http://www.cptonline.org.

Summer Comedy Workshop Dates have been confirmed for Dave Schwensen’s summer comedy workshop at The Cleveland Improv. If you want to get those funnybone skills of yours honed, you’ve got three Saturdays of training coming, beginning this Sat 6/16 from noon to 4PM. The classes repeat 6/23 and 6/30 at the same times. Everyone registered will perform during a 7:30PM show at The Improv on Tue 7/10. Space is limited to no more than 10 people. http://www.thecomedybook.com has all your details and registration info.

Alice Peacock She may stumble, and she may fall… but she knows who she is. Check out the singer-songwriter’s chanteuse balladry at the Winchester in Lakewood Sat 6/16 at 8PM. 12112 Madison Ave., Lakewood. http://www.thewinchester.net. http://www.myspace.com/Alicepeacock.

A Time For Us The North Coast Men’s Chorus celebrates this year’s Pride celebration with a concert examining where the LGBT community stands today, with an eye to the future. Check out the NCMC’s musical nod expressing that pride Sat 6/16 at 8PM and again Sun 6/17 for a 3PM matinee at CSU’s Waetjen Auditorium. 2001 Euclid Avenue. http://www.ncmchorus.org.

Tour de Wings It’s a “Wing Crawl” like no other, a BikeLakewood rally to get better acquainted with Lakewood’s best Buffalo Wings and cold bevvies. Best of all, everyone’s a “yellow jersey” champ! Experience all the saucy glory Sat 6/16 at 11:30AM; all you need is your bike. Check out the wing route and details at http://www.bikelakewood.org/wingroute, then simply RSVP at tourdewings@bikelakewood.org. They’ll arrange to deliver your tickets (probably by bike) right away.

Parrots of the Caribbean Whiskey Island Marina presents “A Salute To Jimmy Buffett” on Sat 6/16 at 9PM. Enjoy live music set to the stunning Cleveland skyline, in one of the city’s treasures, with full stage and lighting hits Wendy Park (top of the hill east end of Wendy Park), adjacent to Whiskey Island Marina. In honor of Father’s Day weekend, all dads get a complimentary cold bevvie. http://www.gorillaproductions.net.

20th Annual Clifton Arts & Musicfest will be held outdoors on Clifton Boulevard on the northwest side of Cleveland in a vibrant urban setting, featuring music and fine arts. Enjoy a day of live music, food, arts and crafts on Sat 6/16 at 10AM. Clifton Blvd will be closed to vehicle traffic between W. 112th and W. 117th streets to accommodate the over 100 artists and craftsfolk. A juried art festival, this event has a carnival-like festival atmosphere and plenty of fantastic food. Head west on Clifton until you hit a detour, then look for localized parking.

JoAnn DePolo The artist and author of Making It As An Artist discusses everything one needs to know to be successful as an artist. Topics covered her informal forum/discussion are “Art and The Artist,” “Developing Your Art Career,” “What Gallery Owners Expect” and “What Journalists Look For in an Artist.” Important career advancement information for emerging and established artists are the call of the day Sat 6/16 at 1:30PM. Copies of ”Making It As An Artist” will be available for purchase and signing. Registration is required: call 771-0900 for details. The Galleria at Erieview. http://www.joanndepolo.com.

The Race is On The 2nd annual Bier Markt Ohio City Run & Crawl, presented by Lutheran Hospital, winds its way through the streets of Cleveland’s historic Ohio City neighborhood Sat 6/16 starting at 5:30PM with a 5K run and followed by a pub and restaurant crawl. Last year, some 400 runners—some in costumes, some serious about winning—pounded the pavement and soaked in the sights, sounds and suds of Ohio City. This year, live music in Market Square Park, post-race refreshments, a goody bag for runners, a short-sleeved race t-shirt, and awards for the top finishers are part of the fun. Runners seeking more info should contact Hermes at 623-9933 or visit http://www.hermescleveland.com for details. The Bier Markt, 1948 W. 25th St.

New Antique Fayre Bay Village Historical Society’s no-cost antique appraisals, sales and demonstrations of antique crafts such as button making and weaving are just the beginning of the fun Sat 6/16 beginning at 8PM. Some 60 quality antique dealers and 20 crafters headline the event, which also features a pie-baking contest (bring a pie and get in free!); a strolling barbership quartet; antique cars; offerings by local merchants such as Bay Fine Foods and Puffers floral; a display of animals from the Lake Erie Nature and Science Center; food and a bake sale and much more. Lake Road at Cahoon Road. Call 440-835-2718 for more info.

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Join Us for the Best Damn Launch Party, hosted by Studio ASM @ Idea Center on Thu 6/28, from 6 – 9PM at the Idea Center at Playhouse Square, 4th Floor. The Best Damn Launch Party celebrates two important new arrivals in town. The BDTSP is a monumental show coming this November . . . an annual event that makes the declarative statement that tech is strong in Cleveland and NE Ohio! For show info, contact Tech Czar Michael DeAloia at 216.857.2628 or mdealoia@city.cleveland.oh.us. And, “Everything is Material” at ASM International, content chair for the BDTSP and the world’s leading materials society. Join us for the Grand Opening of our Studio and find out how materials are shaping the future of NE Ohio. RSVP for the party at mary.adams-morrow@asminternational.org. For more info about ASM contact www.asminternational.org
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Classic Antique Collector Car Show One of the oldest car shows in America, the “Classic, Antique, & Collector Car Show” at Stan Hywet is an annual Father’s Day tradition and takes place on Sun 6/17 from 9AM – 4:30PM. This show features classic, antique and collector cars -more than 350 automobiles manufactured between 1896 and 1978 will be on display in 25 separate classes. Take Dad!! Stan Hywet Hall & Gardens, 714 N. Portage Path, Akron. http://www.stanhywet.org.

That Fat Fish Father Looking for something to do with yer Pop? Check out Fat Fish Blue on Prospect this Father’s Day and get your and Dad a dose of Cajun Surf and Turf delight, check out the groovy vibes of singer-songwriter Max Allen and kick back with an ice cold beer. And use Fat Fish as your touchstone for the World Series rematch matinee between the Indians and Braves at Jacobs Field. http://www.fatfishblue.com.

The Old Man That iconic flick A Christmas Story just wouldn’t be what it is without “The Old Man.” All dads young and old are invited to visit A Christmas Story House & Museum for no-cost on Father’s Day, Sun 6/17 All dads who visit the House that day will be entered into a drawing for t-shirts and other prizes. 3159 W. 11th St., Tremont. Visit http://www.achristmasstoryhouse.com for details or call 298-4919.

HOT Congo Square The world famous Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra featuring the incomparable Wynton Marsalis and Odadaa! returns to Cleveland Mon 6/18 at 7PM at the Allen Theater in Playhouse Square, 1501 Euclid Avenue. Proceeds from the performance benefit The Cleveland Music School Settlement — enabling it to continue providing high-quality music education and arts-related programs to students of all ages. Congo Square is written for brass, African percussion, balaphones and bamboo flutes, acknowledging an area inside Louis Armstrong Park in New Orleans. The only location in America where African slaves were allowed to perform their own music and dance during the 1700s and 1800s, Congo Square is believed to be the cradle of all American music today. Read Peter Chakerian’s interview with Sean Jones of the JALCO in this week’s CC. http://www.thecmss.org. http://www.jalc.org. http://www.playhousesquare.org.

Amelia’s Feast Join over a dozen Cleveland-area chefs on Mon 6/18 at 6:30 PM for an elegant seven-course meal paired with wines to benefit Amelia Wong — daughter of Lockkeepers Executive Chef Ky-wai Wong. Amelia is 2 1/2 years old, and has been diagnosed with Spinal Muscular Atrophy, a degenerative illness that will seriously compromise her ability to walk, breathe, and swallow. The dinner will take place at Fire Food & Drink, 13220 Shaker Square and will feature high profile Cle chefs including Doug Katz of Fire, Rocco Whelan of Fahrenheit, Heather Haviland of Sweet Mosaic and Lucky’s Cafe and Lockkeepers’ Executive Pastry Chef, Wendy Thompson. Fire Food & Drink, 13220 Shaker Square. http://www.lockkeepers.com/ameliasfeast.

Fused Glass Jewelry Learn how to create amazing works with this two-day seminar with Marianne Hite on Mon 6/18 and Mon 6/25, both at 6PM. Glass fusing is the melting together of different pieces of compatible glass. She’ll cover glass cutting, compatibility of glasses, and briefly touch on the firing process. The glass will be fired overnight and then cold worked the following class and fired again if needed. View class details and print your registration form at http://www.peninsulaartacademy.com. 1600 West Mill St., Peninsula.

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Is Cleveland the Center of the Universe? Well, maybe not. But in the universe of health care, it is certainly becoming a major galaxy. Yet again, the spotlight will shine on Cleveland later this month when nearly 300 investors, entrepreneurs, and health care executives from around the world convene here for a groundbreaking conference on finding, financing, and managing international health care startups. That seems appropriate for a region that is increasingly attracting bioscience companies from Israel, and India, and maybe even Hungary soon. Click here to learn more about how Cleveland has become the nation’s newest bioscience innovation destination.
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Pink Martini The multi-culti group Pink Martini “are on a mission to bring back romance and beauty,” according to the The London Telegraph. The Portland, Oregon-based ‘little orchestra’ was founded in 1994 with the idea that instead of making world music, the members would make music for the world. Their compositions are delicately decorated with inspirations from all over the globe: 40s/50s kitsch, samba parade music from in Rio de Janeiro, French music hall sounds of 30s, or palazzo strains from Napoli. They’ve performed at the Cleveland Museum of Art a couple times; this time out, hear them at the House of Blues Wed 6/20 at 8PM. http://www.pinkmartini.com.

Send your cool events to: Events@CoolCleveland.com

A proud and plentiful 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

Coast Guard Station may open if city & Wendy Park Foundation can fix pier & fencing. RealNEO WP Found
ABJ names first female publisher Andrea Mathewson appointed after Edward Moss resigned abruptly Read
Cle hires ED researcher for Economic Development Department, helped woo Boeing from Seattle to Chicago Info
Athersys goes reverse merger inhabiting the shell of an existing listed company, after yanking their IPO Read
NYT notices suburbs aging faster and urban areas trending wealthier & more educated Read

Wolstein told to negotiate Everyone wants a successful project on the East Bank of the Flats, and Scott Wolstein’s is a good bet, but the use of eminent domain proxy by the Cleveland-Cuyahoga County Port Authority seemed a little heavy handed, especially when it was obvious that they weren’t making fair offers to existing property owners before instituting eminent domain. County Probate Judge John Corrigan agrees, and excoriated Port officials, working on behalf of Wolstein, to settle. Suddenly, with a court order hanging over their heads, there’s talk about clustering Larry Flynt’s successful Hustler Club and other strip clubs in a red-light district on the West Bank near Diamond Men’s Club and the Flat Iron Cafe. Geez, what does it take to get people to cooperate around here? Your thoughts? Letters@CoolCleveland.com

Water glass half empty again? Last fall, Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson offer to fix the suburbs’ water pipes (since they have no money to fix their own), if they all agree to play nice and not poach business from each other, a brilliant offer. The city has met with 2/3 of the suburbs, and fully a third of them have already either passed or introduced legislation to cooperate, yet our daily paper insists (in a news item, not an editorial), that this doesn’t constitute adequate progress. Someone please define “progress” for me. Your thoughts? Letters@CoolCleveland.com

Does your business need help? Assist the city and county in determining your staffing needs and setting funding priorities by completing this 5-10 minute survey. By participating, you’ll receive the survey results. Survey

Watchdog group gets anonymous $1K Taxpayers Against Waste, one of the citizen groups protesting the destruction of the Marcel Breuer tower recently purchased by Cuyahoga County to serve as it’s HQ, received ten one hundred dollar bills as an anonymous donation and a scathing letter criticizing, not so much the aesthetics of the tower, but the process by which the County is proceeding, the parties contracted for demo and construction and the economic development assumptions of demolishing the Breuer tower, vacating existing offices, and constructing a new building. A digital scan of the letter delivered to Cool Cleveland states, “This is not about Marcel Breuer’s Cleveland Trust Company Building- the issue here is the waste of our tax dollars- follow the money… I wish to remain anonymous. Suffice it to say that I am not associated with the Republican or Democratic parties, the AIA, the Cleveland Restoration Society of the Green Building Coalition. I want you to proceed in the tradition of our guide and leader, consumer advocate Ralph Nader.” Your thoughts? Letters@CoolCleveland.com

What We Can Learn From Pittsburgh MSNBC poses the thought. Very interesting. Read
KSU starting business park accelerator in renovated bus garage. Read
AAF-Cleveland named Division I “Ad Club of the Year” by the American Advertising Federation. Congrats
Yurich Creative turns 10 Announces 10 months of 10% profit donation. Read
Ohio company Get Kids Moving, LLC distributing new product Exercards, targeting young kids to get healthy and fit. More

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Do Your Kids Hang at the Mall? Sure, it’s loads of fun for kids to hang around in shopping centers, big box stores and the like, but you’d probably be much happier knowing that they’re learning, having fun and nowhere near a Spencer’s Gifts. Children’s Technology Workshop does that and more! It’s where kids can design and take home their own video games, movies, animations and other swell projects! Call for camp or workshop information: 440.484.2222! CTW also holds parties at your place or ours. We’re in Chagrin Falls (38 River Street, 44022) – and hold camps in the University Circle area as well. Schedules: www.ctworkshop.com/glc. Children’s Technology Workshop is a portfolio company of Beta Strategy Group, Ltd, www.betagroup.us, a founding sponsor of Cool Cleveland Tech.
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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
Rhue moves to Kauffman Foundation leaving JumpStart to run entrepreneurial programming Info
Doris Koo Pres/CEO of Enterprise Community Partners speaks Mon 6/19 at 4PM Levin College of Urban Affairs Glickman-Miller Hall, Atrium at CSU 1717 Euclid Ave. Details
Bio Bootcamp @ CWRU’s Wolstein Aud., 2103 Cornell Rd. spon. by BioEnterprise on Tue 6/19 at 1PM. Register
Global Health Care Investing Conf @ InterContinental Hotel Wed 6/20 – Thu 6/21 Details
Best Damn Tech Show Period Launch Party for Nov 14-15 event hits Thu 6/28 from 6-9 PM at Ideacenter at PSC Sponsored by ASM Int’l. Call 857-2628 for show info; RSVP for launch to mary.adams-morrowATasminternational.org
Web Association holds luncheon Fri 6/29 on online media planning. Details

Best D@#! Tech Show Period is launching in Cleveland this November, featuring top tech firms in the region (and the top decision makers), highlighting sustainability, convergence, biotech, materials, software, Wi-Fi and more. As an exhibitor, you can show off your latest technology, demonstrate your product, advertise on the big screens, meet with private equity investors, and be connected with qualified buyers in the Intelligence Suite. Plus, as a bonus, all Silver and Gold exhibitors receive a Cool Cleveland video interview of a key executive at no charge. To learn more, contact City of Cleveland Tech Czar Michael DeAloia at 664-3644.

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All Aboard! Just in time for Father’s Day, Sun 6/17, it’s the Holden Express: A Garden Railroad at Holden Arboretum. Step into an enchanted outdoor wonderland of model trains where garden enthusiasts, young and old, will delight at the sights and sounds of trains built into one of Holden’s premier gardens. Winding through 2,000 feet of track, the exhibit will spread over 6,000 square feet, encouraging visitors to immerse themselves in the magic. Located just 30 minutes east of DT Cleveland, The Holden Express will be open from 10AM to 5PM (until 9PM Wednesdays) daily through Sun 9/23. Holden Express has no-cost admission for members; Nonmembers: $6 adults, $3 children ages 6-12 and $2 children ages 2-5. Seniors: no-cost admission each Tuesday. Holden Arboretum is located at 9500 Sperry Road, Kirtland. For more info contact www.holdenarb.org.
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Comedian “Big Ed” Ackerman rising up
But is LA a Slam Dunk? You be the judge

Hailing from Columbia Station, this University of Akron graduate (who also goes by “Big Ed”) has been steadily contributing his dues in Hollywood. He began his career being cast in a local SafeAuto commercial, and played various roles on Channel 19’s Browns Tailgate promos and Channel 43’s, The Block. Then he made the decision to pack up his bags and head for the city of lights and seek his star on the walk of fame. Cool Cleveland recently caught up with Ed to discover what makes him tick…

Cool Cleveland:” What do you miss about Cleveland?

I miss the hell out of Cleveland. The people are great. I miss my friends and family the most. I miss the transition of seasons, in particular, the leaves in the fall, and the snow in the winter. Believe it or not, I get a little sick of 70 and sunny weather for most of the year. I’m such a big fan of Browns football, hunting waterfowl, and just being outdoors in the fall season. It’s hard to get pumped up for football season when it’s 90 degrees in LA during September.

How do you feel about people that say you sold out and left Cleveland?

People can say what they want, but like I said before, Cleveland isn’t exactly the entertainment capital of the world. Eventually people have to move on. Rule number one in the business… If you’re serious about doing it, you have to become local. Which means you have to move.

What was the biggest adjustment/challenge you had to make moving from Cleveland to LA?

LA likes to move at it’s own speed. With a Midwest work ethic, I usually want to move a lot faster. So it means that there’s a lot of sitting and waiting. It drives me crazy…
Read the interview by Marc Majers here

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Win a Lebron James Autographed and Framed Jersey! It’s time to celebrate! The Cavs have risen and so has the region. Our Cavs are the new 2007 Eastern Conference Champions. It’s a big step in Cavalier’s history, and for all of us. And Cleveland Plus is celebrating by giving away a Lebron James autographed and framed jersey. Enter the sweepstakes here www.clevelandplus.com. The region is ready for the spotlight! Go here and click on the video.
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Links to interesting NEO blogs

Which Cleveland websites would you send tourists to?
Food & Wine Mag mentions Cleveland restaurants twice.
Colorful photos of Parade The Circle.
The Just Art Cleveland opening is a smash success.
Breuer Tower, sounds “incredibly shady in the deep, dark, depths of the inner workings of local politics.”
In Lorain, a new Applebee’s is considered economic development.

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

True to Life
Justo Saborit
Sabor-Ritmo Records

Havana native Justo Saborit began his music studies in his Cuban homeland, studying and performing a wide range of classical, blues and jazz compositions. In welding those fantastical elements with his country’s own native sounds, Saborit created a Latin jazz blend with a soul all his own. With native roots seamlessly and effortlessly woven in, the Latin/soul sound of Saborit is engaging – whether Saborit goes solo or with the Miami Rhythm unit backing him. It stands to reason that his latest offering True to Life follows suit.

Saborit does well peppering cuts like “Soulstice,” “Days Yet to Come,” “The Streets of Mariano” and a cover of Madonna’s “La Isla Bonita” with that Gipsy Kings joie de vivre and summery energy. Put simply, his playing style does a great deal to engage in a way that much “smooth jazz” simply aims to anesthetize. True to Life is far more engaging; lumping it into such a vanilla category does his playing a great disservice.

A lot of people have an aversion to the smooth jazz format of radio programming; for his part, Saborit uses his fancy fretwork to steer just shy of that nouveau elevator genre. Make no mistake, Saborit’s strength is found in more than his playing; compositionally, cuts like “Thinking of You,” the zesty “Jazmine” and a set closer called “Triguena” make him out to be more of a virtuoso than mood-music softie. This is music for your summer block party. A must-have.

For a complete list of where Justo Saborit is playing this week, visit http://www.justosaborit.net. Also, keep an eye out for him at a future Sparx in the City date here.

From Cool Cleveland Managing Editor Peter Chakerian peterATcoolcleveland.com

Wanna get reviewed? Send your band’s CD (less than 1 year old) to: Cool Cleveland, 14837 Detroit Avenue, #105, Lakewood, OH 44107

Hey Writers! Wanna write about Cleveland music? We’ve got a slew of recently-released CDs and DVDs by Cleveland-area musicians that could use your critical commentary for Cool Cleveland Sounds. If you’re interested, send us a note at Letters@CoolCleveland.com.

Ian Hunter
Cleveland Rocks songwriter, singer, rock star

Ian Hunter is probably best known for his classic rock staple, Once Bitten Twice Shy, and the Mott The Hoople anthem All The Young Dudes, which Hunter still sings in concert, but was actually written by David Bowie. Hunter was also managed by Cleveland’s Steve Popovich and released one of his top albums on Cleveland International records, You’re Never Alone With A Schizophrenic, generating classics like Ships, later turned into a radio sensation by Barry Manilow. That album also generated the hit Cleveland Rocks, which was later used as the theme for The Drew Carey Show, and became an anthem for our city and our region. Cool Cleveland’s Thomas Mulready spoke with Ian just before their gig in the basement of the Beachland Ballroom at the vintage vinyl and apparel shop This Way Out, (the CD shop Music Saves is next door), about the impetus behind Cleveland Rocks. It turns out that Cleveland, thanks to our stellar early 70’s FM radio programming, was the first market in America to pick up on Mott The Hoople, causing Hunter to think highly of our taste in music, and inspiring him to write the ultimate rock ‘n’ roll homage. They also talked about the socio-political nature of his last couple of albums, Rant, and Shrunken Heads, the lost opportunity of not being able to work with guitarist Mick Ronson after Hunter’s brilliant solo debut, and what it feels like to get 3 1/2 stars from Rolling Stone for his new album at this stage in his career. http://www.IanHunter.com http://www.BeachlandBallroom.com

Steve Holley
Superstar drummer

Steve Holley is remarkably relaxed and easy going for a drummer who’s backed up the likes of McCartney, Elton, Joe Cocker and Chuck Berry. In Cleveland at the Beachland Ballroom behind Ian Hunter, Holley has performed with Billy Preston, Sean Lennon, Dave Stewart and Nelly Furtado. He performed on Paul McCartney’s seminal Back To The Egg, and toured with Kiki Dee, who introduced him to Elton John, who asked him to play on his A Simple Man. His My Space page is like a who’s who of rock royalty. Holley met with Cool Cleveland’s Thomas Mulready just prior to going on stage. In fact, he gets called to the stage to kick off the gig at the end of the interview. Holley talks with Mulready about learning Hunter’s songs directly from guitarist Mick Ronson, his childhood as a music prodigy, and his favorite gig as drummer for the house band at a Special Olympics benefit at the White House in 2001 when he got to play with Stevie Wonder, Wyclef Jean, Sheryl Crow, Jon Bon Jovi, Macy Gray, B. B. King and others. http://www.myspace.com/steveholleydrummer http://www.BeachlandBallroom.com

Congo Square’s Cle Music School Settlement Annex
Marsalis, Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra help a NEO treasure

It might be the single biggest jazz performance in Northeast Ohio this year, and it has everything for everyone: a high profile superstar trumpeter, a transcendent African drum/percussion ensemble, a cross-cultural musical collaboration and a couple of Clevelanders smack dab in the middle… all to benefit one of Cleveland’s biggest musical treasures, the Cleveland Music School Settlement. It’s called Congo Square, a critically-acclaimed partnership between Grammy-winner Wynton Marsalis and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra (JALCO), and the Ghanaian drum master Yacub Addy and his eight-piece ensemble, Odadaa!

Congo Square is an extended jazz composition co-composed for joint performance by JALCO and Odadaa! Inspired by the public square in New Orleans, long considered the birthplace for all forms of American music, Congo Square also features two former Clevelanders, JALCO trumpeter Sean Jones and Walter Blanding on saxophone. Jones took time out of his busy schedule to talk to Cool Cleveland about the tour that brings the collaborative above to the Allen Theatre on Playhouse Square Monday June 18 at 7PM.

Jones grew up in Warren has a degree in classical trumpet performance from Youngstown State and a Masters from Rutgers. He began playing trumpet in the fifth grade. Enthralled by Miles Davis’ Kind Of Blue, he performed gospel and classical music during his high school days. “I knew by that time that I wanted to try to be a professional musician. In high school I started getting jazz gigs in Cleveland,” he said, referring to gigs he had at the Bop Stop and with the Cleveland Jazz Orchestra.

“What can I tell you, Cleveland is home to me,” Jones offered, whose main influences range from Woody Shaw and Freddie Hubbard to the aforementioned Davis and Clifford Brown. “I just thank everyone who helped me along the way from there: Ernie Krivda, Jack Schantz at the Cleveland Jazz Orchestra… there’s just so many people who helped me out along the way. I’m very excited to come home to play.”

“I have never played with a group like this before in my life,” said Jones, checking in from his home in New York City. “First of all, the musicianship is by far the best in the world… this group can do it all: jazz, classical, samba. Everyone performs at a very artistic level. A lot of that comes from the family environment we all have together. I joined three years ago. When you join the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, you become a part of the family, and because we’re on the road all the time, we’re always together. Death in the family, marriages, graduations… that’s what fosters some of that amazing chemistry and camaraderie. When you add that to the musicianship, it can be staggering.”

Congo Square is a venerable tour de force, but it’s not exactly new. The work was taken on the road by both groups once before last fall; the pairing resulted in a weeklong residency in New Orleans, which was followed by a tour up the eastern coast. “We resume our rehearsals next week,” Jones added. “It’s a phenomenal piece, extremely exciting, a lot of African drums… it’s really, really amazing, and I think a lot of people are in for a real surprise when they realize just how much depth and exploration there is in this composition.”

Jones confided that he never imagined he would be working in the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra. “I’ve always wanted to work with Wynton in some capacity, but I never imagined being in the band with him. I honestly didn’t have a desire to be in the band, either – my career was going in a different place,” Jones offered. “I really wanted to be an educator and I was moving along well in the direction, thinking you can’t really do anything else when you’re committed to teaching music to students.

“But fate brought me to the group,” he added. “I didn’t know that, coming into the organization, that education was one of their hallmarks. When I began negotiation with Wynton, I said up front that I did not want to stop teaching. He laughed and said, ‘Oh, you’ll be teaching… we always do outreach.’ Wynton made a point of highlighting all the educational outreach, the master classes and student engagement of the group to me. He said ‘That’s a very important part of what we do.’ That had a lot to do with me getting involved.”

Music education is what’s bringing the world famous Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra back to Cleveland with Congo Square featuring Wynton Marsalis and Odadaa! On Monday, June 18 at 7PM. Proceeds from this performance, the fifth in an 11-city tour, will benefit The Cleveland Music School Settlement, enabling it to continue providing high-quality music education and arts-related programs to students of all ages, regardless of their ability to pay. See http://www.thecmss.org for more info on the performance and tickets.

From Cool Cleveland Managing Editor Peter Chakerian peterATcoolcleveland.com

Writing Offline Vs. Online

I take “writing offline” to mean writing meant to be taken seriously, thoughtfully, as the best the writer can do. Writing offline, in that sense, is, of course, misreadable, but is mostly misread by students and careless readers who either haven’t the skills or made the effort to understand the contexts, large and small, in which tone and manner add to the overt meanings of the writing. People who read writing offline are usually readers accomplished enough not to misread the writing they chose to read.

There is a lot less misreading of “writing offline” because the implicit contract between writer and reader is more strictly observed by both sides. The writer works hard to express and the reader works hard to get a more or less agreed-on meaning based on more or less agreed-on conventions of writing and reading.

Writing online, though, is often done by people who either can’t write very well, who have little or no sense of how voice and tone and manner indicate or misrepresent context, who are too ill-read themselves to locate their own writing within any reasonable context, or by people who, though they may be able to read and write well offline, regard “writing online” as some lesser endeavor, not worth the time and effort to do well.

In my experience most of the cognitive dissonance of “writing online” results from a disparity between the voice and tone and manner of the writing, which makes a claim that the writer is doing the best he or she can, with the actual content of the writing, which indicates that the writer has not addressed their best, or, too often, any, thought to the issue — and then, when confronted by that disparity, the writer claims, disingenuously in my judgment, “Oh, that’s not what I meant!”

I think it’s easier to misread online because many writers invite us, by voice, tone, and manner, to take the writing _as writing offline_ when the writer is merely chatting, is “writing online”. They are using the same tone and manner to which they’ve become accustomed in their “writing offline” writing. They are writing ex cathedra in an ex officio tone. That’s why, in my view, so many good writers offline are misunderstood when they’re writing online. It’s their own fault. They’re just not doing the work they’d do to make sure their voice and tone and manner on the one hand, and their content on the other, match up. It’s like listening to Republicans. You know they don’t mean what they’re saying; you know that that sanctimoniously arrogant tone is all they have to offer, that there is no there there when it comes to their content.

Some people seem especially prone to that sort of thing: they seem to regard what they say in listservs and bulletin boards and other online fora as not worth the effort they’d put into “writing offline”, as the if other members are not privy to, or not good enough readers or acquaintances to justify showing the good stuff to. But since they’re writers with voices and tones and manners, and they’re not “on the clock”, they carelessly continue to use the voice, tone, and manner of “writing offline” even when they are “writing online”.. So there is often a dissonance between the authoritative voice, the meaning tone, the knowing manner, and the relative cluelessness of the content not well thought through…

No sweat, most of the time, because who among us hasn’t written authoritative bullshit without meaning to, and who among us hasn’t tried to overwhelm our auditors with pose and form when we are uncertain about our facts and figures? We make allowances, most of the time, for the disparity between presentation and content for “writing online”. Most of the time. Feelings get hurt when we don’t.

The important distinction here, though, is not really between “writing online” and “writing offline”, but between bad and good writing. We’re living in a time when “writing online” is not taken as seriously because the context for being taken seriously is offline publication. But that’s lazy thinking, in my view — lazy because it means that we’re relying on “writing offline” publication gatekeepers to do our thinking for us about whether this writing is good or bad when we’re audience, and relying on a disingenuous pose that “writing online” doesn’t mean anything, ro at least not as much as, “writing offline”, so we don’t have to do it as well, when we’re writing in an online environment.

I suppose that what smileys and exclamation points online are meant to do is precisely to flatten the meanings out, to say, in effect, “Oh, don’t take anything I say in any way seriously — I’m just blathering on, and I don’t mean anything by it, not really — unless, of course, you think I’ve been interesting and insightful, and then I _do_ mean it!” It’s cheating at writing — it’s a way of trying to have one’s cake, and eat it, too. How many times have we all seen what I call “fuprose” end with a smiley or an exclamation point, as if the punctuation somehow balances out, or makes all right, the bad intent of the writing itself?

The notion that in “writing online” we haven’t got the same responsibilities to match our content up with our tone as we do in “writing offline” is, I think, the fundamental problem. No — the smiley, the exclamation point, does NOT balance out the nastiness, does NOT make the name-calling all right. If you want to be nasty, if you want to name-call, then take responsibility for it — stop with the smileys and the exclamation points.

Write well. Take the time. Make the effort. Take responsibility for what you do write. No more smileys. No more exclamation points.

From Cool Cleveland contributor Marcus Bales marcusATdesignerglass.com

The Real Solution to Real Problems

The problem with real solutions is they take time; we can’t fix decades (actually centuries) old problems instantly or on the cheap — but in the grand scheme of things correcting the problems are not cost-prohibitive, it just takes political will. And in the end it’s merely a matter of if we want to spend the funds now to fix the problems of the underclass before society is impacted, or spend a much greater amount later cleaning up the problem.

One thing that doesn’t work and only serves to enrich corporate America is those silly billboards that warn against the dangers of drugs and gun violence. That money certainly could be better spent paying kids to get good grades…
Read more from Mansfield B. Frazier here

Cavs take over news media, create false spirit
Meanwhile, the real news gets buried again

Went to the baseball game on the same night the Cavaliers clinched the title. It was quite a night in downtown Cleveland. Alive. To say the least.

However, the baseball game was not pleasing, a disappointment.

I remember as a kid going to the Polo Grounds, Yankee Stadium and most of all, Ebbets Field as a young Dodger fan of the Boys of Summer period. You were afforded the opportunity to see a baseball game.

Now, I’m not sure a youngster can claim to enjoy a ballgame in the same way I remember…
Read more from Roldo Bartimole 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

Der Rosenkavalier @ Severance Hall 6/7 Well, no wonder Vienna wanted our Franz! Anyone would want him after being wrapped in the wonder that was Der Rosenkavalier presented at Severance Hall on Thursday June 7. It was pure magic, musically and visually. Severance Hall is of course, not an opera house, although it has seen a good many staged and concert versions during its 75 years.

Anytime you have the Cleveland Orchestra as an opera orchestra you’re in for a very special treat, especially in music of either of the two Richards: Strauss or Wagner. We’ve had three of the Ring operas so far, and are patiently waiting for the return of Mr. Dohnányi for Gotterdammerung. But in the meantime, we have his successor, Franz Welser-Möst, doing what he loves and some would say (arguably) does best—conducting operas. This Der Rosenkavalier is the most fully-realized of the ones he’s given us in the past five years.

Rather than the scaffolding arrangement overhead, there is a large platform serving as a small stage to the rear and above the orchestra. Severance Hall’s stage was constructed with a small pit area immediately to the front of it, with an elevator that raises or lowers the front portion of the stage. Last year for Falstaff, a new plan was put into effect, with the elevator portion about two feet up from the floor. Most of the first violin and viola sections are placed here, with risers of varying heights behind then, bringing the orchestra up a bit so they can see the conductor. The musicians are all below the level of the stage/platform, however.

Another benefit of having the singers above the orchestra is that the voices are more easily heard by the audience, as the sound floats over and out into the house. For this production, they draped the organ pipes at the back of the stage with shimmery white fabric, to match the floor covering of the platform. In fact, the entire production was in black and white with the only color being in the lighting on and above the stage, as well as the soffits around the ceiling of the auditorium. It was very attractive overall.

Stage director Sven-Eric Bechtolf, with whom Mr. Welser-Möst has worked in Zurich and Vienna, set this production in something other than the 1740s envisioned by the composer. There were no powdered wigs or panniers for the women. It was sung in the original German, with English supertitles, which mostly worked very well. But the music . . . The music doesn’t care when the story is set, or about anything else, either. It just is its own glorious, sensual, lush, voluptuous self, ravishingly beautiful and unforgettable.

The singing was uniformly wonderful, which means the casting was simply superb, both visually and vocally. One tends to think first of the Marschallin when thinking of this opera, but mezzo-soprano Katarina Karnéus as Octavian, nearly stole the show. She was marvelous whether as the overheated young man, or the ditzy, slightly tipsy-appearing Mariandel. She was wonderfully gawky as either, perfect behavior for a 17-year-old youngster. Her voice is sturdy and ideally suited for the wide vocal range required for this dual role.

We’ve been privileged to hear soprano Malin Hartelius in previous performances here, and her Sophie was totally enchanting. She made a perfect foil for the bearer of the rose, and their duet in the second act was otherworldly with its ethereal aspects.

Dorothea Röschmann was wonderful as The Marschallin, a slightly older woman coming face to face with reality. Her voice had all the requisite qualities needed for this role, silky yet strong, lilting and lovely. (Her swoon in the third act seemed a bit much, but under the circumstances . . .)

Bass Alfred Muff as Baron Ochs, is referred to in Act I as a ‘vain, pretentious fellow’, but is not without his own charms. His deep voice wrapped itself sumptuously around his big Act II waltz ‘Without me, with me’ as the letter from Mariandel setting up a rendezvous is read to him by his servant Annina (mezzo Judith Christin). He never quite becomes the buffo, or caricature of himself, but is comical, none the less.

The setting for the final act was highlighted by red lights everywhere, including the auditorium. The prelude was effervescent, alerting us to the comic proceedings to follow. Annina is now disguised as a woman with a multitude of children and claims Ochs as the husband/father. To say he is surprised by this declaration is an understatement. To get out from under this problem, Ochs claims Mariandel as his fiancée, which irritates Sophie’s father into canceling the betrothal. When the Marschallin and Sophie arrive, the police remove everyone else, leaving just the three of them on stage. Octavian must now choose between the two women, and with the guidance of the Marschallin, wisely chooses Sophie.

Everyone in the huge cast (including members of the Cleveland Orchestra Chorus and the Cleveland Orchestra Children’s Chorus) was in good voice and looks. It was a performance that will not be soon forgotten. For a quick glimpse of what you missed if you couldn’t attend, go to: http://www.rogermastroianni.com/derrosenkavalier.

The orchestra is now on vacation until the beginning of July. To see what happens next, or to purchase tickets for Blossom, call the ticket office at 216-231-1111, or visit the website: http://www.clevelandorchestra.com. And for those wondering what I was referring to at the beginning of this review, it was announced last week that Franz Welser-Möst will become music director of the Vienna State Opera at the start of the 2010-2011 season, but will also continue in Cleveland. We’ve included it in this week’s Cool Cleveland news section.

From Cool Cleveland contributor Kelly Ferjutz artswriterATadelphia.net

Walkin’ Talkin Bill Hawkins @ Dobama 6/7 Bill Hawkins, the subject of William Allen Taylor’s play Walkin’ Talkin’ Bill Hawkins… In Search of My Father was supposedly Cleveland’s first black disc jockey. Since there are no known tapes of Hawkins’ broadcasts, and few of his life facts exist, other than some references in the city’s African American Call and Post newspaper.

Word-say indicates that Hawkins was noted for his jiving, rhyming style of patter. He went on the air in 1948 on WSRS-AM., broadcasting from his record store at Cedar Road and East 105th Street. There are pictures, some of which are displayed during the Dobama production, illustrating the crowds outside the store window during the shows.

Hawkins’ popularity grew and over the next decade he was heard on up to four different stations on the same day. Some feel Hawkins laid the foundation for broadcaster Alan Fried, who coined the term “rock and roll.”

What wasn’t generally known was that Hawkins had a son. And, that his son, William Allen Taylor, didn’t find out Hawkins was his father until the boy graduated from college. The two actually met, but Taylor, then a teenager, was unaware that during an interview for a job, the interviewer was his dad. Hawkins died in 2004, before his son ever got to know him.

W. Allen Taylor is an excellent actor. Unfortunately, his writing skills don’t match his performance abilities. The script is choppy, often unfocused, filled with characters who do little to push along the plot. There are holes where costume and set changes break the flow. Often it is difficult to distinguish who is who among the numerous characters.

Since Taylor fails to flesh out any traumatic consequences of not having an a father in his life, the plot has nothing to texture it. In the main, the story is lacking in drama, suspense and humor. It was fun being at the invitational preview performance. Many audience members were relatives and friends of Hawkins and his son. They responded well to “in jokes” and references to local places an incidents they shared. I’m not sure what’s going to transpire when a “regular” audience views the work.

”Capsule Judgment: Walkin’ Talkin’… is like a lazy river which just flows, carrying us along for a pleasant, but not memorable journey. It’s a nice look at by-gone Cleveland, but not much more after the novelty of being exposed to the area’s first black DJ transpires.”

Visit http://www.dobama.org for more info on the production.

From Cool Cleveland contributor Roy Berko royberkoATyahoo.com

Roy Berko’s blog, which contains theatre and dance reviews from 2002 through 2007, as well as his consulting and publications information, can be found at http://royberko.info

Two Headed @ CPT 6/8 September 11 will long be noted as a day that changed America and its attitude toward “foreigners.” No, this isn’t the 9/11 of 2001, this is the September day in 1857 when 127 California bound men, women and children from Arkansas and Missouri were killed by a group of zealous Mormons. The Mormons, who practiced polygamy, were reacting not only to the “gentiles” crossing their territory, but to the fact that in 1844 Mormon prophet Joseph Smith and his son were killed in a Carthage, Missouri jail. The mass killing was a way to “revenge the death of the Mormon prophets and punish non-believers.”

Until the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing, and then the World Trade Center attack, the Mountain Meadows Massacre was the largest civilian atrocity of non-Native Americans, on US soil. Only one man, John Doyle Lee, was ever put on trial for the massacre. After two trials he was executed some 20 years after the event.

Though Julie Jensen’s play, Two Headed, concerns the massacre, it is only one of many topics dealt with. The play, in five scenes, each spanning 10 years, examines the lives of two Mormon women, Lavinia and Hettie, from the time of the massacre. Jensen showcases the impact on the choices the women make and those made for them in the male-controlled culture.

As one reviewer states, “The perspective forces the audience to imagine what it was like to be a Mormon woman in the nineteenth century and thus understand how we all circumvent speaking freely about a lot of things. It transforms docudrama into the saga of a friendship pieced together like one of the women’s painstakingly sewn quilts threatening to fray, but invariably patched together again.”

In this era of a serious bid for the US presidency by Mitt Romney, a devote Mormon, it is a perspective that may help some to understand the concepts of his religion, even in this era when the views toward pluralistic marriage have altered.

It should be noted that the author has a “deep, abiding hatred of the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints” and her Two Headed is considered by believers to be a ferocious attack upon the church. Jensen sees Brigham Young’s creation as an “edifice for the sexual gratification of lecherous men.” This concept is clearly showcased in the play’s final moments when Hettie asks Lavinia about the two-headed calf that supposedly was hidden in a cellar. Lavinia states that it was a lie which she made up. It is clearly author Jensen’s analogy for the Mormon church and its hidden rituals.

Jensen’s straightforward writing embraces humor as well as sadness. Each of the five scenes carries us further into an elliptical story of the machinations of each of the women, with comments about the church. Each segment is bridged by a religious or philosophical song.

TITLEWave’s production, under the steady direction of Greg Vovos, gets everything possible out of the script. The characterizations are clearly etched, the underlying concepts revealed..

The strong-willed, often maniacal Lavinia is well-portrayed by Holly Holsinger. At the start it is a little difficult to believe that she is 10-year old, but once the idea sets in, the ideas flow. The character’s strong personality and her obvious lesbian love for the never seen Jane, receive a strong and textured development.

Chris Seibert, as the sensitive, trusting and naive Hettie is believable from the start. She gives the role a child-like presence throughout, even as a mature woman. It is easy to accept that she is a willing participant in her fate.

Lydia Chanenka’s set design, mainly consisting of a gnarled tree from which the massacre is viewed by Lavinia, remains, like Jensen’s view of the Morman church, strong, but misshapen. The backdrop of burning red colors symbolically remains throughout the presentation to remind us of the overlying effect of the massacre.

”Capsule Judgment: Two Headed is a vivid play which holds our attention for its hour-and-a-half intermissionless presentation through fine acting and a consistent concept.”

Two Headed runs through June 16 at Cleveland Public Theatre. For tickets call 631-2727.

From Cool Cleveland contributor Roy Berko royberkoATyahoo.com

Roy Berko’s blog, which contains theatre and dance reviews from 2002 through 2007, as well as his consulting and publications information, can be found at http://royberko.info

CYO’s Kashmir @ Masonic Auditorium 6/8 One definition of the phrase ‘let it all hang out’ is: to do something enthusiastically and without fear of the results. That’s a perfect description of most concerts presented by the Contemporary Youth Orchestra, led by its founding music director Liza Grossman. The enthusiasm of the 120 or so high school age musicians is endless, and their skill level ain’t bad either! These kids rock. They don’t fear the results, because they don’t fear the music. The joy of it is, they don’t know they’re maybe supposed to, either.

Friday night’s event was a combination of two of their specialities: their annual Rock the Orchestra concert, combined with a world premiere. The composer, Jaz Coleman (founder of the band Killing Joke) as always, was there, too, as was the 60 voice Contemporary Youth Orchestra Chorus, and three renowned instrumental soloists. Cleveland Orchestra Associate Concertmaster Ellen dePasquale was the featured violinist; John Vartan Valentine played the Kanoon and the Oud, and Brian Bigley performed on the Uilleann (Irish) Pipes. Not to mention Troupe Benazir—six gorgeously-garbed Arabic (belly) dancers in the finale! Special effects and lighting were also used to good effect. It was a true multi-media experience.

Basically, Kashmir, or Symphonic Led Zeppelin is a suite of 10 songs, designed to take the listener on a mystical adventure through the exotic land of Kashmir. As always, I feel it necessary to say that having never listened to much rock music in my younger days, I’m not very well-informed about it. I come at this from a different viewpoint than many in the audience, who seemed to recognize almost every piece just from the first few notes. (I can do this with a good many classical pieces or Broadway-type melodies, but rock is an entirely new world for me.) I’m pleased to note that I did recognize the source music for Friends – it was Mars from The Planets by Gustav Holst, a favorite of classical audiences everywhere.

In his short remarks before the concert, Mr. Coleman complimented the CYO for it’s intensity and devotion to the music, saying ‘The future is sitting right here in front of you. This is music that was challenging to the London Philharmonic.” He also said that he’d added parts from various areas of the world to achieve the kaleidoscopic effect.

Throughout the difficult work, the musicians played with poise, enthusiasm and confidence as the chorus (trained by John Krol) maneuvered the difficult intervals and high pitches with total aplomb. At times, there was a chant-like ethereality to their singing. The chorus was most effective in the longest section Daughter of England (Sophia) a tribute to Diana, Princess of Wales. (Sophia here means ‘wisdom’.) This was the first full-length performance of this section, as previously only a shortened version had been done in London.

Ellen dePasquale was gorgeous in jeans and heels, her black hair swaying as she bent to the music. The song of her violin soared above the orchestra, in Going to California. Concertmaster Amy Cave was the very competent second soloist in this work, and handled other exposed solos throughout with equal confidence.

Brian Bigley, inflating his pipes with a bellows attached to his arm rather than by blowing into a chanter, demonstrated the virtuosic side of the pipes with trills and double notes in a bluesy sort of piece—The Battle of Evermore (Belfast).

John Vartan Valentine played the Kanoon and the Oud with skill and beauty, in the exotic finale—Kashmir—the one in which everyone participated!

Throughout the nearly two-hour work, several of the orchestra members either played from their seat or came forward for a slightly longer solo. They were all fabulous. I hesitate to mention names for fear of naming the incorrect person, but I believe them to have been Erica Zappia, viola; Eric Tannenbaum, cello; Aaron Fallon, flute; Carrie Coverdale, horn; Brent Foster, bassoon; Sean DeLong, trombone, and Allison Newburg and Stephan Haluska, harps. If I’ve left anyone out, I do apologize, but in truth, every one of the young musicians deserve every accolade possible. They really are the future, and based on this demonstration, it’s in excellent hands.

For information about the Contemporary Youth Orchestra—the only one of its kind in the world—go to their website: http://www.cyorchestra.org.

From Cool Cleveland contributor Kelly Ferjutz artswriterATadelphia.net

Parade the Circle @ University Circle 6/9 Everyone was in the spotlight Saturday at Parade the Circle. Whether you were a spectator lining Wade Oval or you were dressed in a vivid costume promenading in the Parade, thousands of people basked in the radiant glow of abundant sunshine. With vibrant colored balloon archways sectioning off the flowing spectacle, the Parade launched a little late from the Cleveland Museum of Natural History and proceeded in a clockwise direction. Luckily, this extra time gave people a chance to find a parking place and walk over. University Circle organizations, area schools, arts groups, international associations, disabled people wheelchair bound, community non-profits, and church groups all worked together and walked together for the Parade.

A collection of smiles with turning heads, wide open eyes, sashaying legs, and extended arms were dancing in the Parade while spectators pointed at …oh look at this…oh look at that… It was a wonder to behold – a true melting pot on display from the 9-feet tall stilt walkers to the young African-American girl surrounded in purple balloons, from the bare midriff belly dancers to the masked “Box Heads,” from the Native Americans in traditional dress to the towering colorful figures sitting in shoulder harnesses on top of young men, from the steel band music floats to the costumed people sitting in paper mache decorated wheelchairs.

The Parade was a procession of one unusual grouping after another – different animal masks and artistic gear, participants using dance and music to beat out rhythms and engage the audience while walking in diagonals forward and back with ethnic drum beats. Different ages and races and costume designs, everyone strutted their stuff!

Hats off to the Cleveland Museum of Art for organizing and producing Parade the Circle and to University Circle Inc. for all the activities at Circle Village. There are not enough adjectives to describe how sensational this event was! Be there next year.

From Cool Cleveland contributor Susan Schaul susn1ATatt.net

Dirty Rotten Scoundrels @ Palace 6/12
Low comic fun: The Broadway tour of Dirty Rotten Scoundrels aims low for its laughs –- below the Borscht Belt — but happily it hits the belly laugh button over and over. Like The Producers, it’s a musical where nonsense is the prime intention, from Jeffrey Lane’s punny book to comic songs by David (The Full Monty) Yazbek that always go for the laugh. It’s con men as Odd Couple, with the suave Tom Hewitt schooling the hilariously vulgar upstart Freddy on the French Riviera. D. B. Bonds’ scene-stealing portrayal of Freddy is the show’s highlight, from his mock hiphop show-stopper Great Big Stuff to his air-humping: think Jerry Lee Lewis meets Jerry Lewis.
Watch for: Hollis Resnik (seen as the doomed Blanche in the Play House’s Streetcar last year) and her razor-sharp comic timing as sex-pot heiress Muriel Eubanks.
Details: Thru 6/24, Palace Theatre. 216-241-6000. http://www.playhousesquare.com
from Cool Cleveland contributor Linda Eisenstein LindaATcoolcleveland.com

Unbeatable @ Idea Center 6/10
Launched: Last weekend’s staged reading of the new musical by local comic scribe Eric Coble and producer/creator Laurie Frey can’t be reviewed — it’s still in development. But I can safely report that a capacity Sunday night audience in the sleek Playhouse Square black box on Sunday night was on its feet for a long time after the high-energy presentation, and the feedback session was more love-feast than critique. The show — about a woman’s journey with breast cancer — featured a bevy of top local Equity talent who hit the ball out of the park after a brief week’s rehearsal period.
Kudos to: Playhouse Square Foundation’s Arts Education Department for putting money and resources behind local artists with its inaugural Launch series. This show is going to New York later this summer for a longer workshop; don’t be surprised if you see it Off-Broadway before long.
Details: http://www.journeyprojects.com
from Cool Cleveland contributor Linda Eisenstein LindaATcoolcleveland.com

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On Art House (See interview with Art House here) Thanks so very much for the great segment and your attention to the Challenge grants! We have been receiving lots of calls about the Fresh Stop Studio Stop and a few checks too!
from Cool Cleveland reader Sheryl Hoffman, Executive Director, Art House shoffmanATarthouseinc.org

Send your letters to: Letters@CoolCleveland.com

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

1) Reasons to Move to Cleveland+ See BFD Weekly towards the top of this week’s issue for the details.
www.BrewedFreshDaily.com

2) “Fat Surfer” logo nixed Here comes the sun.
www.CrainsCleveland.com

3) RoldoLink The Greed Behind the Cleveland Press Flatline.
www.CoolCleveland.com

4) Cool Cleveland Party As if the party wasn’t enough, Cool Cleveland readers wanted to check out the rest of WOW’s season.
www.UniversityCircle.org

5) Spencer Tunick Pictures of nekkid people.
www.wenxuecity.com

Pride In our city, in our people, in our region. Every week. Thanks to Peter Chakerian, T.L. Champion, george Nemeth, Roldo Bartimole, Mansfield Frazier, Jennifer Keirn, Kelly Ferjutz, Susan Schaul, Linda Eisenstein, Marc Majers and you — 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.

Strut & Swagger,
–Thomas Mulready
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