Archive for May, 2009
Vashon Island Events: Cafe Luna Presents The Sweet Lowdown, Russell Clepper ~ Vashon Island Real Estate
Thursday, May 28, 7:00 PM
The Lunavision film series, curated by Peter Ray, presents “You Never Bike Alone” in the bi-monthly series. “You Never Bike Alone” is a feature length documentary, by ICYCLE.CA Film Productions, looking at the ways in which cyclists are building critical mass and changing the face of city of Vancouver, B.C. Drawing on footage filmed over the course of the last decade and through interviews with people from all backgrounds, “You Never Bike Alone” captures the fun, the road rage, the camaraderie, and the freakiness of riding a bike in the city today. “You Never Bike Alone” charts the history of Vancouver’s Critical Mass rides from the early “Tame the Lions” rides, that helped bring about better bike facilities on the Lions Gate Bridge, to the wild spectacle of Vancouver’s freak bike collective and the World Naked Bike Ride in more recent times. As well as a humorous and entertaining look at how city cyclists are mobilizing, the film looks at the implications of transportation decisions by politicians at municipal and provincial levels and asks whether people are up to the challenge of making a truly livable city.
Friday, May 29, 7:30 PM
The Sweet Lowdown
The Sweet Lowdown is a Canadian acoustic duo with Amanda Blied on guitar and vocals and Shanti Bremer on banjo and vocals. Founded in Victoria, British Columbia, The Sweet Lowdown is a combination of old time groove, shady melodies and sweet harmonies. Drawing from an array of inspirations, from Skip James to Gillian Welch, The Sweet Lowdown combines original songwriting with new takes on traditional bluegrass, old time, and blues songs. And their knockout voices and playful harmonies make their performances a special experience.
Saturday, May 30, 7:30 PM
Russel Clepper
Texas singer/songwriter Russell Clepper will perform his repertoire of original music. His cousin Mo Pair will join him on acoustic bass and back-up vocals and will contribute his own original songs to the mix. With musical influences that include gospel, bluegrass, and folk music as well as songwriters such as John Prine, Gordon Lightfoot and a number of less well-known Texas artists, Clepper’s sound belongs to the Americana, folk genre. Clepper has been writing songs for more than 35 years and performing them in public for more than 30. Born in Lubbock, Texas, a High Plains town with an unusually rich musical heritage, Clepper has lived and performed all over the state. He most recently moved to Whidbey Island.
Vashon Island Events: Backbone Campaign “Preserve the Reserve Gala” ~ Vashon Island Real Estate
Backbone Campaign’s much-anticipated Gala Spring Ball will kick off on Saturday, May 30th, at the “O” Open Space Grand Hall located at 18870 103d Avenue SW. The event begins at 5:00 PM and is packed with sumptuous food, entertainment and cheer until 11 PM. Reservations for dinner are highly recommended, with tickets set at $40 a person., Tables of 8 are available for $280, but there is limited seating.
Tickets are available at Books by the Way, the Vashon Bookshop, and Brown Paper Tickets, as well as at the door.
The theme for this year’s extravaganza is “Preserve the Reserve,” as Backbone raises money to support its “Localize This!” Summer Action Camp and to fund it continuing efforts to protect the Maury Island Aquatic Reserve, Puget Sound, and our Island’s aquifer from Glacier gravel mine operations, which are scheduled to recommence in August. Executive Director Bill Moyer emphasizes that “Vashon and Maury Islands only have one chance to put an end to the environmental insult proposed by Glacier, and that it is time for all of us on Vashon to own this fight.”
The first portion of the evening consists of a delicious salmon BBQ, cocktail party and performances by an array of aerial and operatic artists.
A highlight of the dinner is the “Love Your Island Auction.” Says Moyer, “donated goods and services all contribute to the improvement of our wonderful community.” “Each auction item was selected with an intent to allow bidders to contribute directly and creatively to the welfare of our home and neighbors. We decided that our progressive organization should make every attempt to implement a new paradigm in responsible fund raising.”
Among this year’s auction items available for bid are:
An Island Bike Share Program: 5 donated bicycles will parked at bike racks around town and will receive service from Jeff ______ at the Vashon Bike Shop. The bikes will be available to anyone who needs a ride and will help to reduce the carbon footprint of our community.
A Backbone Spectacular Puppet Display: Bidders can have Backbone’s famous puppets, including Lady Liberty, Snowflake, The Globe, The Constitution, and more, appear in a rollicking parade at an event of their choice.
Amazing House Concerts: Kat Eggelston, Robyn Landis and Ian Moore have all contributed a house concert for the auction. Bidders provide food and friends and the venue for an amazing intimate evening with Vashon’s favorite musicians.
The Great Tamale Experience: Bidders will be able to support a tamale teach-in, with a total of 500 mouth-watering tamales constructed and served at the Vashon Harvest Festival. This is a terrific item for kids to participate and there will be 10 spots available.
Island artist Bill Jarcho has donated an opportunity to construct a Backbone-like Giant Puppet Head in the image of your choice. In fact, you can even have a Giant Puppet Head sculpted to look like you!
Island resident David Smith has offered a splendid Pan-Asian picnic at the beautiful Javanese Head Man’s House which he has imported to his estate. The fare will include wine matched to each course of this special meal.
The second half of the evening is a rockin’ music show titled the “Jam for Justice.” The crème de la crème of Island musicians will perform for listeners and dancers from 8 PM until 11 PM. Admission for the music portion of the Gala is $15, The show, produced by Pete Welch, includes a smattering of repertoire from the Big “Js” of the music world. The show includes a beer garden, a raffle and more.
Revelers will hear Kat Eggleston performing selections from Joan Baez; Bob Krinksy lets down his dreadlocks to Jimmy Cliff; Mark Wells dusts off the fabulous songwriting of John Prine; Tom Bean does a few psychedelic numbers from Seattle’s #1 son Jimi Hendrix; Andrea Brooks ascends the Stairway to Heaven with Jimmy Page; and John Brown delves into the archives of John Lomax. Numerous other Island favorites will rise to the challenge of the night of musical “Js.”
While the “Preserve the Reserve” event is a celebration for Backbone, and an important funding source for the organization as it adjusts to its new financial imperatives, Bill Moyer emphasizes that, above all, “this is an opportunity for the Vashon-Maury Community to “step up to the plate and participate in shutting down the intentions of Glacier to steamroll the aquatic reserve. We have had outstanding turnouts to protest the project prior to their spring break from operations. Now they intend to start up again and our community needs to mobilize and oppose this callous enterprise. We cannot allow Glacier to prevail due to the laziness of our neighbors or the cowardice of our elected officials.
Washington State Lands Commissioner Peter Goldmark is due to make a decision on June 21 whether to revoke the mining permit which was issued behind closed doors last December. We must demonstrate through our community involvement where we stand on the issue. Otherwise, once the aquatic reserve is gone, it is gone for good.”
Vashon Island Events: Red Bicycle Presents Olympic Sound Collective and Church of the Great Rain ~Vashon Island Real Estate
Saturday May 30, 9:30
21+ FREE COVER!
Olympic Sound Collective, also known as OSC features band members who have played with a variety of regional and national acts. Most notable are Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe, Haunuman, Altered States of Funk and Rai. OSC brings jazz back to the dance floor with their orignial fusion of Soul, jazz and funk. The rhythm section grooves with the combination of funk bass from the B3 organ and keys, street beat drumming and old school guitar riffing. The dual horn section of trumpet and sax provide punches and hooks that build the music to fantastic peaks.
Fans of Charlie Hunter, Galactic, MMW, and other jazz/funk artists will feel right at home when they hear the 1st few seconds of the sound that is, unmistakably, Olympic Sound Collective.
Guitarist Mike Saskor has been a staple in the Seattle music community for more than 10 years. His past and current projects include Toadstool, Rai, Altered States of Funk, and Olympic Sound Collective. He has also done stints with the Danny Godinez Band and Marmalade. Mike has studied jazz and funk on both the East and West Coast, and developed an ear for funk/groove riffing, and jazz improvisation. He effortlessly melds these styles together, creating a sound that is melodic, fluid and catchy.
Organist Nathan Spicer is a wizard of the B3 and has spent his lifetime deeply involved in the Seattle music scene. Drummer Charlie Workman has been playing for about 21 years now. He started in the middle school system & never looked back. Charlie’s beats are tight and will make you want to get up and dance. He plays vintage kits and has a passion for that “vintage drum sound ” !
Saxophonist Damien Aitken has long had a passion for all kinds of music and people;and found himself involved in numerous acts from punk to funk to blues and jazz. After sharing stages in Oz with the likes of ; The Beastie Boys, Rollins Band and The Ramones he had a yearning to stretch his legs and see what else was out there. Picking up gig in an orchestra he found himself in the U.S and liked what he heard.
Trumpet-Flugel horn : Chris Littlefield is a long standing member of the music community that has come to be known as the ” Seattle Groove Scene “. Having played in numerous clubs through out the NW region, most of the US, & other parts of the world, Chris has come to be known & well respected as a trumpet player, bandleader & composer.
Sunday, May 31, 7:00 PM – Free all ages
CHURCH OF GREAT RAIN (Variety Show)
So what the heck is The Church of Great Rain? Well, it’s not exactly a bunch of Lutherans from Minnesota. But it is a group of Vashon Island performers who aspire to be the pacific northwest’s answer to A Prairie Home Companion.
When Garrison Keillor opened A Prairie Home Companion at Janet Wallace Auditorium in Saint Paul on July 6, 1974 there were about 12 people in the audience. But those in attendance thought there were worse ways to spend a Saturday afternoon. The Church of Great Rain hopes you feel the same about how you’ll spend your Sunday evening on Vashon. And besides, when was the last time you were able to order a drink at church? And by harnessing the surgical smart-bombing precision and global reach of the Internet, The Church of Great Rain will launch a preemptive strike on dozens of listeners from around the world. Not since Sarah Palin’s Vice Presidential debate have expectations been so low for a broadcasted performance.
The Church of Great Rain will be performing evening services at The Red Bicycle on the last Sunday of each month. The program will deliver a not-very-well-considered sermon, short stories, rumors and truth about islanders and island living, supported by original songs and a weird cast of island characters to raise everyone’s spirits for the week ahead. Count on it being loose, fun and very Vashon!
Vashon Island Events: Vashon Allied Arts Presents Archive Sale ~ Vashon Island Real Estate
Vashon Allied Arts has organized an archived arts sale for 50 Island artists for Friday, May 30, to Sunday, May 1, at the Blue Heron. Included are jewelry, paintings, sculpture, pottery, textiles and more. Proceeds benefit the artists and Vashon Allied Arts. For times and details, call VAA at 463-5131.
Vashon Island Events: Vashon Dance Academy Presents Snow White ~ Vashon Island Real Estate
On Friday May 29, the Vashon Dance Academy begins a run of performances of Snow White at the Vashon High School Theater. Early ticket purchases are recommended and are on sale at Books by the Way at $12 for adults and $10 for kids up to theage of 18. Show times are 7:30 PM Friday May 29 and Saturday May 30. A final performance is at 1:30 PM on Sunday May 31.
Vashon Island Events: Cafe Luna Presents Lincoln Crockett and Damon Buxton ~ Vashon Island Real Estate
Cafe Luna Presents:
Friday, May 22nd, 7:30 PM
Lincoln Crockett
Portland mandolin artist and progressive bluegrass songwriter Lincoln Crockett grew up on rock ‘n roll, ventured down the acoustic music path, became a voracious listener and turned up as a bluegrasser with a taste for jazz and a spiritual flavor specific to no genre. The flavor of his music is not quite bluegrass or newgrass, nor is it pop or folk. Lincoln artfully blends texture and genre into soothing, healing acoustic music. His progressive bluegrass band Cross-Eyed Rosie formed in 2002 and quickly became a favorite of the Northwest scene. In September 2007 Crockett released “Angels & Devils Alike,” his first full-length album. That album led to a sold-out show at Portland’s Mississippi Studios, to opening for Phish’s Page McConnell at Portland’s Aladdin Theater, and to a feature on KINK 101.9FM’s Local Music Spotlight. Portland’s Willamette Week called the album “gorgeous,” and The Oregonian said it “radiates all that’s good about the progressive side of bluegrass.” For more information, visit Lincoln’s website at www.lincolncrockett.com.
Saturday, May 23rd, 7:30 PM
Damon Buxton
Damon Buxton is a fingerstyle acoustic guitarist and composer working in the tradition of the Windham Hill artists. After initial success with a demo release, Buxton established a recording collaboration with Will Ackerman, Grammy award winning founder of Windham Hill Records, who produced Buxton’s latest release, “Forgiving Dreams,” in 2007. Ackerman said, “’Forgiving Dreams’ is remarkable debut recording by Damon Buxton. It’s rare for someone this early in their career to have achieved a voice that is distinctively their own, and Damon is definitely one of the rare ones. While also graced with uptempo and rhythmic work, the album is a reflective and introspective journey for the most part. A work of intelligence and heart, ‘Forgiving Dreams’ should not be missed.”
Vashon Island Events: Red Bicycle Presents Resonance CD Release Party ~ Vashon Island Real Estate
Resonance CD Release Party
Friday, May 22 8:30 PM ~ 21+ FREE COVER!
Resonance is made up of multi-talented islanders that include, Ken Jacobsen on guitar and cello; Chip Lamason on guitar, mandolin, mandola, octave mandolin and mando-cello; Bill Moyer on percussion; and Jason Everett on bass.
“The music is nearly all original, instrumental, and very eclectic,” said Jacobsen. “We started playing together last December after an impromptu performance where we had a great time and decided to keep it going.”
Moyer, who many people know for his political work leading the Backbone Campaign has a long history of making music. “The Backbone Campaign and my family have been the dominant factors in my life for awhile. It is really refreshing to be playing music again, and with such a great group.”
“Resonance is a perfect name for this ensemble,” stated Everett. “Sound is simply resonation in space; however there is a spiritual connotation as well. Music is for many of us a spiritual practice.”
Lamason, who is fairly new to the island, is a musician and non-profit attorney. He used to live in New Orleans and was displaced by Hurricane Katrina. “It has been a real home-coming to find Vashon. The arts are vibrant here, the people are wonderful, and the scenery is beautiful.”
The music of Resonance is inspired by the diverse backgrounds and musical interests of the musicians and include the world rhythms and tonalities from Indian, Asian, Middle Eastern, and Eastern European styles, as well as classical, funk, jazz, and Appalachian folk music.
Vashon Island Events: Vashon Poetry Festival ~ Vashon Island Real Estate
Starting on Thursday, May 21, and continuing through Memorial Day Weekend, Vashon Island’s first Poetry Festival will take places at venues across town at different venues. The Festival features poets from local, regional and international homes and is studded with events to appeal to everyone, including readings, workshops, music, an open mic for youth, a dinner, a reverie, and opportunities for Vashon residents to participate in public readings.
The event features Washington’s State Laureate Samuel Green, award-winning Irish poet Tony Curtis, and author and story-teller Michael Meade.
Performances include:
Young Poets Talk Back: 7 PM Thursday, May 21 at Cafe Luna. Free!
Knocking at the Gate: Ecstatic Poetry and Persian Music: featuring Michael Meaade, the Qadim Ensemble and Guests: 7 PM Friday, May 22 at “O”, 188870 103d Avenue SW. Tickets are $20 and available at the Vashon Bookshop, www.mosaicvoices.org. and at the door. Food and wine will be available.
Meade will present “Ancient Wisdom Tales.” The Qadim Ensemble will perform devotional music of the Middle East, including Arabic, Jewish, Turkish, Sufi, Greek and Morrocan music. Qadim had a tremendous performance last year at Cafe Luna and their return is welcomed and anticipated.
A Community Reading: 3:30 PM, Saturday May 23 at the Land Trust Building. Free admission. The event spotlights local and visiting poets.
Raising the Word in Song and Drink~ Irish Poetry and Song: 7 PM on Saturday May 23 at the Red Bicycle. Free admission. The event features Irish poet Tony Curtis, Washington ‘s poet laureate Samuel Green, renowned fiddle and guitar player Randal Bays and story-teller and mythologist Michael Meade.
Poet’s Feast ~ Readings and Conversations with the Poets: 6:30 PM Sunday May 24 at the Hardware Store Restaurant. Tickets are $10 at Books by the Way, Vashon Bookshop and Stranger than Fiction Books. Samuel Green and Tony Curtis preside.
Reverie for the Living and the Dead: 12:30 PM on Monday, May 25 at Ober Park. Free admission. The Poetry Fest will herald Memorial Day, led by Michael Meade. The reverie will begin at Ober Park and proceed to the Poetry Post at the Village Green.
WORKSHOPS
Emily’s Favorite Measure: 10 AM to Noon on Saturday, May 23 at the Heritage Museum. This workshop, led by Sanuek Green, explores Emily Dickinsons’s favorite prosaic formula, the “hymnal.”
We Have the Words, Now Let’s Make a Poem: 1 PM to 3 PM Saturday and Sunday, May 23 and 24, at the Land Trust Building. Participants should bring pens, paper and courage.
Poetry is Not a Gated Community: 1 PM Saturday, May 23 at Vashon Library. This event is for teens, parents, grandparents and teachers. This is a free workshop and explores “permission to put stories and images on the page.”
The Art of the Daily: 10 AM to Noon, Sunday, May 24 at the Heritage Museum. Samuel Green focuses on the skill needed to concentrate on the intimate art of observation in the “every day.”
For Closet Poets and Poetry Readers: 1 – 3 PM on Sunday, May 24, at Vashon Library (still located at Ober Park!). Ann Spiers leads participants through examples and exercizes exploring how to read a poem, how poets write for readers and how a poem works.
