06-08-15 Jive

Good evening, it's Monday, June 8th, and this is the Jive at Five, our daily community calendar and rundown of night time programming here on WESU 88.1 FM Middletown, your station for NPR, Pacifica, independent and local public affairs by day, and the best in free-form community programming week-nights and weekends.

I’m Dr. Helen Evrard, host of Your Mind Matters, heard each Wednesday at 6 p.m.  We explore myriad issues about the brain conditions we call mental illness.  Tune in this week for Part II of a conversation with Paul Gionfriddo, CEO of Mental Health America, and learn more about their efforts for advocacy and policy changes.

How here’s some of what’s happening in our area this week:

In New Haven tonight, Cafe Nine tonight brings you Laundry Day, Happy You, and The Foresters.  On Tuesday it’s Fireships, and The Destiny Twins with a Duo Show.  There’s a  Comedy Open Mic on Wednesday, hosted by Dan Rice.  On Thursday, Pinto Graham, Office Bonfires, and Midnight Suns take the Café stage. Friday’s Wind-down Happy Hour at 5 features Buzz Gordo’s Ski Lodge, with Hymen Holocaust and more later for a 9:00 show. Saturday’s weekly Jazz Jam Session brings you Gary Grippo & Friends, followed later by Kingsley Flood, Lines West, and James Maple.  Coppola and Friends.  On Sunday there’s a fundraiser for She’s Well Preserved, a New Haven pickling and preserving company, at 3, with the usual Sunday Soul Service happening at 8. http://www.cafenine.com

Tonight, at the Buttonwood Tree in Middletown, it’s the usual Moments of Gratitude at 7:45, followed by the Anything Goes Open Mic, hosted by Alan Bradley.  On Tuesday there’s a CSA Songwriters Workshop with Bill Pere. Jim Clark of Artist Enhancement will speak on achieving creative balance, and a song critique session follows.  Lyric sheets required.  The literary prose Open Mic session Writers Out Loud happens on Thursday.  On Friday, Cynthia Holiday offers you jazz, blues, and pop standards.  The Aligned with Source Workshop series continues Saturday morning, with this week’s theme being A Journey of Peace.  Saturday evening the Buttonwood brings you the folk/soul duo Lillie and John, along with singer/songwriter Mark Wayne Pollard. Food Not Bombs serves food outside the Buttonwood Tree every Sunday at about 1 p.m. Help prepare the meal at First Church on Court Street at 11:30. At 5, there’s an opening reception for WESU’s Karen Stein, celebrating her month-long painting exhibition, “Imagine.” The Hearing Voices Network meets weekly on Monday morning at 10:30. http://www.buttonwood.org

At Toad’s Place in New Haven, tonight it’s the usual Night of Smooth Jazz with Rohn Lawrence at 9.  You can catch Balkun Brothers, Breakfast on Neptune, and more for their Jammin’ Thursdays event this week. On Saturday with it’s the Bright Night 19: Electro Glow Party, with a host of artists and DJs spinning in two rooms.  Sunday they headline Golden Gate Wingmen.  www.toadsplace.com

Up in Hartford, Black-eyed Sally’s continues its usual Jazz Mondays series. On Tuesday, Michael Palin’s Other Orchestra, an 18-piece band, works out new material. The Wednesday Blues Jam features Danny Draher this week. On Friday it’s the debut show of the Loups Garou Band, with electric funk, mandolin, junk-accordion and more. Saturday’s headliner is Jeff Pitchell & Texas Flood, with R&B, rock, soul and more.  www.blackeyedsallys.com 

The annual Hartford Blooms Garden Tour takes place all week and showcases the city’s spectacular gardens and historic architecture.  A special tour of the Colt Complex is included.  Sunday’s wrap-up, “The Spirit of it All,” includes visits to churches, labyrinths, and a contemplative garden.  Tour tickets are available at various locations.  Information at http://www.hartfordblooms.org

At the Russell Library in Middletown, the Great Books conversation series continues on Tuesday at 7, discussing “The Man That Corrupted Hadleyburg” by Mark Twain.  On Thursday they bring you country and bluegrass artists Amy Gallatin and Roger Williams at 7.  The Veterans’ Writing Group meets every Thursday.  The Friends of the Library Book Sale happens on Friday and Saturday this week. Visit http://www.russelllibrary.org for details and information on additional community activities

The BBE (Bach & Beethoven Ensemble) has a debut performance Tuesday at 6 at Christ Church Cathedral in Hartford.  Enjoy the Baroque music of this Grammy-nominated ensemble.  http://www.cccathedral.org

You can enjoy a free concert and dialogue with the musicians this Tuesday at noon at the Hartford Public Library.  Their Musical Dialogues Performance series brings you the Piacere String Quartet with guest singer Janelle Robinson.  More at http://www.hplct.org

Manic Productions brings Alvvays, and American Wrestlers, to The Space in Hamden this Wednesday at 9.  At Bar in New Haven, also on Wednesday, it’s Ringo Deathstarr, Armstrong Leigh, and Copper Blue.  On Thursday they present MONO and Holly Hunt at The Ballroom at The Outer Space in Hamden.  On Friday, at The Space in Hamden, it’s Self Defense Family and more. http://www.manicproductions.org

Connecticut Farmer’s Markets are revving up.  Visit the market at East Haddam every Wednesday from 4 to 7, Durham every Thursday from 3 to 6, Higganum Village Friday from 3:30 to 6:30, and Cromwell on Friday from 4 to 7.  Stay tuned to the Jive for updates on more openings, and visit http://www.ctnofa.org/FarmersMarkets for details.

The Middletown Scottish Country Dancers meet Wednesday at First Church on Court St.  Partners not necessary.  Call 860-347-0278 for details.

The Wadsworth Atheneum in Hartford now offers free admission every Wednesday through Friday from 4 to 5 p.m.  It’s free as well this Saturday as part of their Second Saturdays for Families series.  http://www.thewadsworth.org

 

At Infinity Hall in Hartford, you can enjoy jazz with The Rippingtons, featuring Russ Freeman, this Thursday at 8.  On Friday it’s a magic show with illusionist Mike Super.  On Saturday they headline Connecticut native On Cue with hip-hop.  Details at http://www.infinityhall.com

You can take a free tour of the Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Arc every Thursday at noon in Bushnell Park in Hartford.  More information is available at http://www.bushnellpark.org

In preparation for theTaste of the Caribbean and Jerk Festival later this summer, there's a Children's Village Youth Talent Fundraiser this Friday at ArtSpace on Asylum Avenue in Hartford. This event, which includes a fashions how, song, poetry, and more is open to youth of all ages.  Call 860-214-2557 for information. 

Scatz Restaurant and Jazz lounge in Middletown welcomes David Davis and his band to the stage on Friday night. Saturday night, Vocalist Theresa Wright returns to the Scatz stage. More at http://www.scatzrestaurantandlounge.com/ that’s Scatz with a “Z”.

This weekend Oddfellows Playhouse in Middletown celebrates forty years of promoting the growth of young people through the performing arts, with two days of events on Friday and Saturday at its Washington Street location. Festivities include a “(pay the) Rent Party,” an all star alumni variety show, a family dance party and more!  Details at http://www.oddfellows.org

The Art Guild of Middletown holds an opening reception for it’s 2015 exhibition this Saturday at 7 p.m. at the Ziklha Gallery on the Wesleyan campus.  Meet the artists and view the show.  The exhibition continues through June 20.  http://www.arts2go.org

WESU DJ Karen Stein, host of WESU’s Imagine radio show airing on Thursdays, performs acoustic guitar every Saturday from 12:15 to 3 p.m. at the original Brewbaker’s on Main Street in Middletown. 

This weekend also brings the grand opening of the Vintage Hi-Fi museum in West Hartford,  on Saturday and Sunday June 13/14^th. You can explore examples of mid-century stereo design, listen to music on vintage tube amplifiers, check out their vinyl collection and more. Information at www.vintagehifi.org

Now here's a rundown of cinema off the beaten track in Central Connecticut:

At Real Art Ways in Hartford, they continue their run of the comedy “The 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window & Disappeared” through Tuesday. Also running through Thursday is “Man From Reno,” a Japanese/English murder mystery that takes place in San Francisco.  On Wednesday there’s a one-time screening of “The Search for Freedom,’ a documentary about living in the moment through surfing, skiing, mountain biking, and more.  On Friday they open “I Am Big Bird: The Caroll Spinney Story,” a documentary of the man who has been Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch for over four decades.  A post-film talk follows the opening night screening.  It runs through the weekend. www.realartways.org

Trinity College’s Cinestudio reopens this Thursday with a one-time screening of “The Circle,” an award-winning documentary abut the fragile gay community in 1950’s Zurich.  On Friday they open “About Elly,” an Iranian drama about Iranian middle class citizens trying to adapt to their country’s strict Islamic laws.  It runs through the weekend.  http://www.cinestudio.org

Now here's what's on the air tonight on WESU: 

After the Jive stay tuned for Afternoon Jazz with Charles Henry until 6 p.m., when it’s time for Think Twice Radio with Al Robinson. That's a locally produced “watchdog” public affairs show covering Connecticut issues in a nonpartisan manner.

After that Chip Austin fills in for Michael Benson’s 75% Folk until 8pm, when its time for Chip Austin’s regularly scheduled program, Unfocused Folk with Chip Austin, which presents Americana music from Nashville and around the world from both emerging and veteran artists. 

At 9:30 we switch (audio) gears for Aargh!!! with Tom Gatzen, who’ll provide two hours of  loud music from stoner and cosmic rock to doom, avant garde and more!

From 11:30 to 1 DIY Haircut with DJ Tim Daltrey celebrates punk, hardcore, garage, indie, and metal.

From 1-2 a.m. Maximum Rock and Roll Radio keeps the loud rock music pumping.

Then we switch gears again for “In Other News,” a weekly public affairs show from Pacifica exploring topics that range from the conspiratorial and controversial to esoterics near the fringe of belief systems.

3 a.m. we’ll rebroadcast today’s noontime edition of Democracy Now with Amy Goodman before switching over to the BBC world news at 4.   Morning Edition comes your way at 5 a.m. each weekday here at WESU.

That's all for today’s Jive At Five. Tune in each and every weekday at 4:55 p.m. to hear about what’s going on in the community and on the air right here at WESU 88.1 FM, a community service of Wesleyan University since 1939.

And if you value WESU as a source for information and entertainment in your life, how about supporting the station with a donation? You can make that donation online at http://www.wesufm.org anytime but we could really use your help before our June 30th fiscal year end.

Thanks - Now stay tuned for Afternoon Jazz with Charles Henry.