Our heart is heavy this week with the shooting in Akron, the fire at St. Theodosius and the passing of Arabella Proffer. Read her colleague Anastasia Pantsios’ tribute to a brilliant artist, a passionate music supporter, and a friend to all who crossed her path.We’re feeling overjoyed at the onset of the season: CVNP starts up Rhythm on the River concerts at Howe Meadow, First Fridays returns to Kenmore in Akron, Wade Oval Wednesdays commence on the Oval, Cleveland Shops launches BOOM to promote local retail, and galleries from Parma to Old Brooklyn to Midtown open new exhibitions.
It feels like legendary Cleveland DJ Billy Bass single-handedly created a passion for music in our region at WIXY-1260 and WMMS, and you can hear his fascinating backstory this week in the Flats. Drag and dance culture is celebrated with MIX at CMA, author Alex Sukhoy shares her neo-noir trilogy in Lakewood, the Cleveland History Center unveils their African American Art Wall, and City Goods celebrates Pride in Ohio City. Are you feeling it yet?
According to Rolling Stone,“Jason Moran [is] shaping up to be the most provocative thinker in current jazz.” Since his formidable emergence on the music scene, the Blue Note Records recording artist has established himself as a risk-taker and innovator of new directions for jazz as a whole. And with his group The Bandwagon – bassist Tarus Mateen and drummer Nasheet Waits – he has challenged the status quo, and earned the reputation as “the future of jazz.”
The 45th Tri-C JazzFest features a cornucopia of jazz flavors from June 20-22, from superstars like Ledisi, Cécile McLorin Salvant, Take 6 and the Marcus Miller/Bob James Quartet, ARTEMIS and Dominick Farinacci’s Trumpet Summit, Scary Goldings to Harold López-Nussa: Timba a la Americana/Diego Figueiredo and Charles Lloyd Ocean Trio II featuring Gerald Clayton & Marvin Sewell. Get your tickets now. Read more.
Although she had participated in some group shows and done solo shows at small galleries after moving to Cleveland from Los Angeles in 2004, many art lovers first became aware of Arabella Proffer’s distinctive work in 2007, when Asterisk Gallery showed her collection of eye-opening portrait paintings The Private Empire: The National Portrait Gallery of Kessa.
That was the start of a long love affair between the artist and the NE Ohio art scene, one that will live on long after her death May 29, 2024 at age 45, following a 14-year battle with cancer. She leaves behind her devoted husband Ben Vendetta, with whom she also ran a record label called Elephant Stone: both were passionate music fans. She also leaves behind an army of friends and colleagues who respected her talent, work ethic, humor, warmth and generosity. Read more.
No, not a license as in DOG license. That’d never work! Cats would go on strike. But NE Ohio State representative Phil Robinson is spearheading an effort to create a specialty license plate for the nonprofit volunteer-run group Weirdo Cat Lovers of Cleveland.Money raised would benefit their program to help pay for emergency cat care. Read more.
Cleveland Independents is a consortium of local, independent retailers that creates promotions to encourage people to shop local. Their latest is called BOOM! and it revolves around pop-up specials and events promoted through their e-newsletter and social media. The first, this week, takes place at The Tea Lab in Lakewood; through June 8, subscribers can come in for a free tea ball. Read more.
Summer is finally here and it is time to fire up the grills at Melt Bar and Grilled. Music inspired specialty burgers created only the way the mad scientists at Melt can!
Choose from:All My Best Friends Are Mozzarella Heads Burger (Less Than Jake Inspired!); Kevin Bacon Brothers (6 Degrees of Kevin Bacon inspired); Bark-BQ At The Moon (Ozzy Osbourn Inspired); Everybody Wants Some Pig Burger (Van Halen & Better Off Dead Inspired); South of Heaven (Slayer Inspired); Reverend Horton Meat (Reverend Horton Heat Inspired).
Treat dear old dad on Father’s Day Weekend (June 15-16) to an awesome man-sized brunch! Offering Colossal Meat Sweats Bloody Mary, Corned Beef Hash, and I love it when you call me Big Poppa (The Ultimate Breakfast Sandwich). MeltBarAndGrilled.com
“A lot of ink is spilled about the guys in the Cleveland (music) scene, but there were a lot of women, too…” says Adele Bertei, who was one of those women, and helps us tell the story of women rock and rollers in our region from the Poni-Tails in the 1950’s to bands like Chi-Pig in the 1970’s, to Chrissie Hynde (photo by Anastasia Pantsios) and Tracy Chapman in the 1980s.
Our Day Will Come: NEO Women Rock includes nine area women-led bands to celebrate the pioneers and perform their own work. Hosted by Thomas Mulready and Vanity Crash, historical clips and interviews are presented between bands to lend context and celebrate the music of our foremothers. Anastasia’s PHOTOSTREAM of the first two shows at Jilly’s and the Beachland can be viewed here, and a third show with a unique lineup has been added on Sat 6/22 at BOP STOP in Cleveland.
Secure your seats now and spend an evening with women who emerged, and are emerging from our region to rock the world. Read more.
THU 6/6 Legendary Voice
In the late 60s and early 70s, radio personality Billy Bass laid the foundation for Cleveland’s WMMS, which later became the country’s most influential rock radio station. He’ll tell the story tonight at the Music Box.* Join a discussion about the first Oscar-winning talkie.
SUN 6/9 Paying It Forward
When Cleveland musician Tommy Amato was diagnosed with cancer while living in L.A. his friends here threw a benefit for him. Since then, for 20 years now, he’s done the same each year with Tommy Amaro Rock Relief to help a local musician in need.* Grog Shop presents an afternoon of music for kids.
MON 6/10 Take a Break
Downtown Cleveland’s new five-days-a-week food truck event schedule now includes Memorial Mondays across from the Justice Center so jurors and employees and everyone else can have lunch outdoors while listening to some live music,
TUE 6/11 New Market Hours Coit Road Farmers Market, which runs year-round in its own building, is trying something new for its summer-only market. It’s hosting a Tuesday evening farmers marker/flea market with hours more friendly to working people than its Wednesday morning market.* Take in some music at Silver Creek Metro Park Boathouse.
