Weds 12-19-18 Jive

Good evening, it's Wednesday, December 19th. This is the Jive at Five, our daily community calendar and rundown of nighttime programming here on 88.1 FM WESU Middletown. By day, WESU offers talk radio from NPR and Pacifica, as well as independent and local public affairs sources. Weeknights and weekends our student and community volunteers bring you the best in free-form programming.

I’m Bill Denert, producer and host of Thursday night's Evening Jazz where "hearing is the best experience" and Connecticut's number 1 Washington Nationals fan!

 If you have yet to support the WESU Winter pledge drive, please consider giving the gift of WESU this holiday season. We are grateful for the donations we have received so far, but it’s going to take roughly 300 pledges to reach our goal and end this pledge drive. Every dollar counts and we need to hear from you! If you keep coming back to WESU, please make a donation today online at www.wesufm.org/pledge where you can also see our great thank you gifts or download da pledge form that you can send in the mail.

Now, here's some of what's happening in our area this week:

This evening, Here in Middletown, at The Buttonwood Tree, the Shaking the Tree – Gong and Sound Meditation happens Thursday evening.  Friday at The Buttonwood, you can enjoy the Ken Serio Jazz Trio. The Aligned with Source workshop happens Saturday morning, and in the evening you can blend a visual and auditory experience with Landscapes while experiencing Paintings by Kathleen Smits & Piano by Ben Cosgrove. On Sunday, Connecticut Heritage Productions presents Dylan Thomas’ holiday classic, A Child’s Christmas in Wales. www.buttonwood.org

In New Haven, at Café Nine tonight/Wednesday, there’s a Comedy Open Mic hosted by Dan Rice, featuring prizes for the best set. The Sweater Banger takes the stage on Thursday at The Nine and Friday’s 5pm Happy Hour set features Snake Hill Blues with the Hot lash Christmas Show. Friday night Left On Scarlet Street, One and Done, and Frank Nerkowski.take the Café Nine stage. Saturday’s weekly afternoon Jazz Jam Session is with Billy Cofrances. The Saturday night main event features Possm and Audio Jane. They round out the weekend Sunday night with Shake ‘n’ Vibrate. http://www.cafenine.com/  

Up in Hartford at Black-Eyed Sally’s, it's Wednesday weekly Blues Jam featuring Tommy Whalen.  Liviu’s International  comes your way on Thursday with special guests. Friday’s headliner is the eclectic sounds of Vitamin B-3, and on Saturday it’s the Blues/Jazz Project with special guests Mathew Kos and Savana Jones.  http://www.blackeyedsallys.com/ 

The Russell Library in Middletown hosts a Scrabble group this evening/Wednesday at 5 pm. The Veterans’ Writing Group meets Thursday at 6:30. www.russelllibrary.org

At the Space Ballroom in Hamden, Manic Presents on Thursday Reggie and the Full Effect, appearing with Andy Jackson and The Split Coils. www.manicpresents.com

Thursday, Toad’s Place in New Haven features a Christmas Comedy show hosted by Taylor Grate and on Friday it’s the Kung Fu 8th annual Toys for Tots featuring TAUK and Nigel Hall. The Dirty John Valby Annual X-Mas Show happens Saturday night.  www.toadsplace.com

Middletown Arts & Culture Office wants you to know that you can bring the family and enjoy Brunch with Santa & Mrs. Clause every Sunday before Christmas at the Lyman Orchards Homestead and that The Middletown Skating Rink is open on Saturdays and Sundays from 11 am to 3 pm. www.facebook.com/CityArtsOffice/

In New Haven, Thursday night The Statehouse offers a screening of Hartford Filmmaker RJ LaRussa’s latest film Donnée  w/ live performances by  Early Lover of Mankind & Greetings. Friday night, the statehouse presents local avante pop, dream pop, & guitar driven indie rock with Mickey Blurr, Glambat, & Daniprobably. Saturday at The Statehouse spotlights neo-soul artists in CT featuring Denise Renee, Paul Bryant Hudson, & Phat A$tronaut. www.statehousepresents.com  

Infinity Hall Hartford invites you to enjoy Americana and pop Thursday with Josh Ritter.  Roomful of Blues take the stage on Saturday. At Infinity Norfolk, you can catch the Sultans of String Christmas Caravan on Thursday, and on Friday it’s Natural Wonder, the World’s #1 Tribute to Stevie Wonder. They bring you Bless the Rains, a Tribute to Toto, on Saturday. You’re invited to the Bistro on Sunday evening to catch Kate Callahan or check out the Open Mic.  www.infinityhall.com

There’s a Holiday Music Parade Friday in Hartford at 12:30 pm, and you’re invited to join the Hartford Hot Several brass band as the lead the parade with holiday favorites starting at Christ Church Cathedral. Details at www.hartford.com/events/

Cherry Street Station in Wallingford features Garbage Barge, Javier & Los DishDogs, and The Sparkomatics on Friday. Saturday is Day 2 of the PunX Xmas eXtravanganza, with The Hempsteadys, The Copacetics, and more. The celebration continues on Sunday with Mickey Rickshaw, Zombii, Down with rent, World game, and more. Details at www.facebook.com/CherryStreetStation

The Holiday Light Fantasia drive-through at Goodwin Park in Hartford is open, and there’s free ice skating in Bushnell Park seven days a week. It’s Music Mondays during skating throughout the month. You can skate to non-Christmas themes from 5-8 pm, with this week’s theme of The Best of Broadway. Champions Skating Center offers free instructions on Saturdays, and you can also get a free photo with Santa Saturdays and Sundays. Naturally Dogs and Cats holds a pet picture with Santa event Saturday at their Hartford location. Details on these events and more at www.hartford.com

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

Hartford’s Real Art Ways continues “At Eternity’s Gate,” a biopic of Vincent van Gogh, through Thursday, On Friday they open “Mirai,” an animated film of love by Mamoru Hosada. There’s a special return engagement of Loving Vincent, the world’s first fully oil painted feature film. Check the website for details of upcoming events and screening times. www.realartways.org

Trinity College’s Cinestudio in Hartford continues “L’Atlante,” a restoration of the 1934 French classic about the ups and downs of a couple living on the outskirts of society, through tonight/Wednesday. There’s a one-time screening of “Baraka,” a celebration of life on six continents, on Saturday. They open the holiday classic “It’s a Wonderful Life” on Thursday, and it runs through the weekend. The Sunday matinée Bolshoi Ballet offering is Tchaikovsky’s classic “The Nutcracker.” Check the website for times.  http://www.cinestudio.org/

Here's the rundown of tonight’s lineup here on WESU 88.1 FM Middletown:

Right after the Jive, stay tuned for the Latin Music Hour with Isabel. Latin music from the 80's, 90's and early 2000's.

From 6 - 6:30 it's Exits with DJ Sensability. An interview program in which we delve into stories of self-removal. How individuals respond to situations, big and small that test their will.

At 6:30 it's Fusion Radio with James Fusion. The original... and still the best damn Techno mix on the radio!

From 8 - 9:30 it's The Warehouse with Mike Nyce. The best of underground house music mixed live for your listening pleasure.

up next at 9:30 stay tuned for NE Tempo  with DJ Berk for 90 minutes of heavy duty turntabilism featuring raga/jungle, drum and base, techno, and more mixed live.

From 11 - 2am stay tuned for some stimulating rock n' roll with Carl Jacobs

And from 2 - 3am it's Maximum Rock and Roll followed by Noize in the Attice from 3 - 4.

The BBC World News comes on board at 4 followed by Morning Edition from NPR at 5.

That's all for today's Jive at Five. Join us every weekday at 4:55pm for a daily update of happenings in central CT!

Thanx for listening! Now stay tuned for the Latin Music Hour!