7-6-15 Jive

Good evening, it's Monday, July 6th, 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.

Thanks for tuning in.  I'm Maria Johnson, producer and host of Reasonably Catholic: Keeping the Faith, which airs every first, third and fifth Tuesday from 4 to right before the Jive at Five. Tomorrow: Part II of a conversation at Yale titled “Following Jesus as a Secular Progressive,” in which two friends, one a Christian, the other a non-believer, bat around whether Jesus has to be the sole property of religious people. Can’t listen live? Find the audio archived at www.reasonablycatholic.com.

Now here’s a look at some of what’s going on in our area this week:

Tonight at 6, the Middletown Stage Company hosts an “Idol”-style Fundraiser Karaoke Competition on the South Green, to benefit the local theater group.

Also tonight, the Buttonwood Tree in Middletown brings Moments of Gratitude starting at 7:45, followed at 8 by the Anything Goes Open Mic, hosted tonight by WESU’s own J Cherry & Tim, Alan Bradley, Eric Kuhn, Tre Davis and Geoff Lussier. Tomorrow (Tuesday) at the Buttonwood, it’s Laughter Yoga and a vegetarian potluck at 6. On Thursday, Writers Out Loud read at 7 p.m. Friday, Jim Matus brings solo laoutar, described as beautiful melodies, harmonic twists and trance grooves with an emphasis on improvisation. Joining him will be Larry Derdeyn on solo piano. That’s at 8. And Saturday at 8 brings Sissy Castrogiovanni’s Unplugged Trio to the Buttonwood Tree, playing jazz, Mediterranean and world music, with a touch of classical and African influences, all blended into Sicilian lyrics, rhythms and old folk traditions. Sunday at  5 pm at the Buttonwood Tree, there will be an artist’s reception for Jennifer Misseri, whose photographs are on view through July. The Hearing Voices group meets at 10:30 a.m. on Monday, July 12. Details at www.buttonwood.org.

Down in New Haven, at Toad’s Place tonight, it’s the usual Night of Smooth Jazz with Rohn Lawrence and friends. Thursday is Electric Thursday, with DJs spinning in two rooms: Alex Panda, August Rush, DJ Krazii, DJ L.A.W., DJ Rye Bread, eleven11, JohnnyG, Lauren Valentine, lzrwlf, MurMur, and Philibass. Friday at Toad’s, it’s Styles P and Sheek Louch, with Tony Moxberg and the Big V Bday Bash. Then Saturday brings the Mighty Mighty Bosstones to the Toad’s stage, along with Street Dogs and Interrupters. www.toadsplace.com.

Also in New Haven tonight, at Café Nine, it’s Chris Arnott’s Get to the Point writers’ showcase.  Tomorrow (Tuesday), starting at 8, there’ll be a benefit for the Sounds of Summer Festival, with Rope, Off The Trax, and Sid Ironson. Wednesday at 9 brings another benefit to Café Nine, this one for The Ansonia Nature Center, featuring This Criminal Soul, La Tunda and Viet Tom. Thursday, Eilen Jewell performs, with Elisa Flynn. Friday’s weekly wind-down happy hour features Sean Conlon at 5 p.m., followed at 9 by Big Lazy and The Claudettes. Saturday’s afternoon jazz jam session is with Gary Grippo and friends at 4:30, followed at 9 by Manic Productions’ presentation of Shilpa Ray, with Rydeya and Violent Mae. Sunday at Café Nine, at 3 p.m., it’s The Rezillos, with Lost Generation and The Deacons. Then at 8, the Sunday Soul Service begins. www. cafenine.com.

Up in Hartford, at Blackeyed Sally’s, tonight is Jazz Monday. Wednesday’s Blues Jam is with Ed Bradley. Friday, Eddie Shaw & the Wolf Gang take the Sally’s stage. And Saturday it’s the Pat McGee Band. www.blackeyedsallys.com.

Back in Middletown, Wesleyan University’s Center for the Arts presents “Taking Over Space -- Exploring Three-Dimensional Paintings” by Marela Zacarias, who will discuss her site-specific work in a free talk tomorrow (Tuesday) at noon at CFA Hall. Also at Wesleyan, on Sunday at 3 p.m. in Crowell Concert Hall, Neely Bruce presents “That’s It! The Complete Piano Works of Neely Bruce,” the sixth in a series of CD-length recitals of his piano music, featuring the world premiere of Four Friendly Fugues.  www.wesleyan.edu/cfa has details.

The City Arts Office and the Middletown Commission on the Arts kick off their Summer Sounds Series tomorrow (Tuesday), with the Angelo Sapia Band playing Italian favorites. It’s the first of the Tuesday concerts at Harbor Park. The shows begin at 7 p.m., there's plenty of parking in the Municipal parking lot at Melilli Plaza (it's free after 7 p.m.) and from the parking lot, it's a short walk to the park via the Harbor Park pedestrian tunnel. In case of inclement weat her the show will go on in the sanctuary of the South Church located at the corner with the YMCA and the City's South Green (Union Park), Main & Pleasant Streets. Find the complete lineup at www.arts2go.org.

On Wednesday evening, starting at 6:30, the Music at the Mansion concert at Wadsworth Mansion in Middletown will be by the United States Coast Guard Band.

Also at the mansion, from 2 to 4 p.m. on Wednesday afternoons, guided tours are offered of the historic Gilded Age estate, which was designed by eminent early 20th Century architect Francis Hoppin with landscaping by the Olmsted Brothers. 

www.wadsworthmansion.com.

Manic Productions brings concerts to a number of area venues this week, starting Wednesday with Slightly Stoopid, Dirty Heads, and The Expendables , part of the summer concert series at Simsbury Meadows. Also on Wednesday, at Bar in New Haven, Manic Productions presents Ports of Spain, Sharkmuffin and If Jesus Had Machine Guns. www.manicproductions.com. 

The Veterans' Writing Group meets every Thursday evening at 7 at Russell Library. www.russelllibrary.org.

At Infinity Hall in Hartford on Thursday at 8, it’s an evening with singer/songwriter Keller Wi lliams, playing bluegrass and pop rock. Friday brings Black Violin, also playing bluegrass, as well as classical, hip hop and R&B to Infinity Hall. Then Saturday, it’s blues rock with the The Allman Neville Pitchell Band, comprised of Gregg Allman’s son Michael, Charles Neville (from the famed Neville Bros) and Jeff Pitchell (CT’s pride and joy). www.infinity hall.com has information. 

On Friday, the CT Tango Fest's opening tango social happens at 8:30, after the 7:30 tango class, at First Church of Christ, 190 Court St. in Middletown. Visiting guests are Dale Ellison and Jorge “Gem” Duras. On Saturday, there will be a tango boot camp for beginners. Find information at cttangofest.org.

Free performances of “Tomorrow the World,” an immersive play, continue on Friday and Saturday at the KidCity Children’s Museum in Middletown. The play is for mature audiences, however. It is adapted from Aldous Huxley’s thought-provoking 1931 novel Brave New World and explores the future of technology and humanity and the things people do to protect  it. During the show, the audience members will choose which characters and story lines to follow as scenes happen simultaneously in Kidcity's wild and colorful exhibits.The cast, crew, and design team - working together as The Mad Generation Theater Company - are all recent high school graduates from throughout New England. www.arts2go.org for details.

The Wadsworth Atheneum in Hartford now offers free admission every Wednesday through Friday from 4 to 5 p.m. www.thewadsworth.org

You can support Connecticut’s Farmer’s Markets and enjoy healthy food while you’re at it! The East Haddam Farmer’s market happens every Wednesday from 4 to 7, Durham’s is on Thursdays from 3 to 6. The Clinton market is every Thursday from 4 to 7. Middletown’s North End farmers market is on Fridays from 10 to 2. There’s one in Higganum Village on Fridays from 3:30 to 6:30 and in Cromwell on Fridays from 4 to 7. Back down on the shore in Old Saybrook there are farmer’s markets on Wednesdays and Saturdays. The Chester Farmer’s Market is open on Sundays from 10 to 1. Middletown’s long running Farmer’s Market at the South Green opens July 7th and will run on Tuesdays and Thursdays through October. Stay tuned to the Jive for updates on more openings, and visit http://www.ctnofa.org/FarmersMarkets for full details.

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

At Real Art Ways in Hartford, tomorrow (Tuesday) for one night only, "Boulevard," Robin Williams's last film.  It tells the story of a man who’s worked at the same bank for almost 26 years in a life of monotony. He and his wife have embraced their marriage as a convenient distraction from facing reality. However, one day, he meets a troubled young man on his drive home and  finds himself breaking from the confines of his old life and coming to terms with who he really is. The screening will be followed by a live broadcast Q&A with the director, one of the stars, and the writer, and moderated by Rolling Stone film critic Peter Travers.  Two other films – “Animals” and “Tangerines” – continue through Thursday, and then on Friday, three films open: “Don’t Think I’ve Forgotten: Cambodia’s Lost Rock & Roll,” “Charlie’s Country,” and “The Overnight.” www.realartways.org

Tonight Trinity College’s Cinestudio continues its run of "Woman in Gold" through Thursday.  Also on Thursday, there’s a one-night showing of “Tab Hunter Confidential.” On Friday, the 2015 Mexican road trip movie “Gueros,” shot in black and white, opens for a run into next week. www.cinestudio.org

Now here's what's on the air tonight on WESU, as we work our way through our summer program line up:

Right after the Jive stay tuned for Afternoon Jazz with Charles Henry until 6 p.m..

From 6 – 8:00, it's 75% Folk with Michael Benson then up next at 8, stay tuned for 90 minutes of new and vintage funk and soul with Lord Lewis on the Rumpus Room. 

At 9:30 we switch (audio) gears for Aargh!!! with Tom Gatzen who’ll provide 2 hours of  loud music including stoner and cosmic rock to doom and avant garde and more!.

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

From 1-2am Maximum Rock and Roll Radio keeps the loud rock music pumping. There’s more (loud rock) where that came from, on Combat music radio at 2am.

At 2am its “in other words”from Pacifica.

At 3am, we’ll rebroadcast today’s noontime edition of Democracy Now with Amy Goodman before switching over to the BBC world news at 4am. Morning Edition comes your way at 5am 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.

Thanks so much to those among us in the WESU community who came tog  ether to make our recent Pledge drive and capital campaign a success! It was a long haul and we appreciate the patience of our listeners as our Spring pledge drive dragged on into the summer.  Stay tuned as we put listener support to good use maintaining and improving the service we provide.

Now stay tuned for Charles Henry.