Good evening, it's Thursday, May 5th, and 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 a diverse program of NPR, Pacifica, independent and local public affairs. Each night and weekend WESU offers the best in free-form community programming. Thanks for joining us!
Now here's a rundown of what's happening in our area this week: Here in Middletown, at the Buttonwood Tree, tonight you can join in the Acoustic Open Mic with Bob Gotta. Tomorrow (Friday) evening, the five-piece string band, Mattabesset String Collective, play bluegrass, blues country and rock at the Buttonwood. On Saturday, it’s a morning class of Transitional Tai Chi followed by the Aligned with Source meditation guided by spiritual and holistic healer Annaita Gandhy. Saturday afternoon, the Buttonwood Tree hosts a Drum Circle at Harbor Park. as part of Middletown’s Feet to the Fire Festival. Saturday evening, musical guests the Andy Buzzi Trio with Steve Dedman perform. http://buttonwood.org/
Tonight, down in New Haven at Café Nine,it’s musical guests, THE BROTHERS COMATOSE. Friday, you can catch Live painting, beat sets, breakdancing and giveaways with performances from DUECE BUG with ITZ URBOI & DJ FUNKSWAY. Café Nine’s Jazz Jam Session is Saturday afternoon with Mike Coppola and Friends. Saturday evening, THE DOWNBEAT 5, SHELLYE VALAUSKAS EXPERIENCE and FIELD DAY share the bill. Sunday afternoon, “The Sunday Buzz “ Matinee features ROBBIE FULKS and is hosted by Cygnus Radio and Cafe Nine. Sunday evening, OFF THE TRAX performs at the NIne. www.cafenine.com
Also in New Haven, at Toad’s Place, tonight you can catch music from CHIEF KEEF and Friday evening, BUCKETHEAD performs. Sunday night the INSANE CLOWN POSSE and Louis Cheese take the stage at Toad’s Place as part of “THE RIDDLEBOX TOUR.” www.toadsplace.com
Up in Hartford at Black-Eyed Sally’s, tonight it’s the third Round of the CTBS Annual Band Challenge. Four blues bands compete each week for a chance to represent CT in the 33rd International Blues Challenge in Memphis. Thursday’s lineup includes Washboard Slim and the Bluelights, Kris Heaton Band, Carl Ricci & 706 Union Ave Band, The Touro Band and East Coast Blues. Friday evening at Black-Eyed Sally’s, it’s musical guest One Love, a Bob Marley tribute band. On Saturday, Pink Talking Fish perform a tribute to Pink Floyd, The Talking Heads and Phish. Sunday morning at Black-Eyed Sally’s, you can catch the Mother’s Day Gospel Brunch featuring the Mary Taylor Gospel Revue. www.blackeyedsallys.com
Tonight, up in Guilford, it’s folk/bluegrass groups The Guilford Ramblers I and II for a performance at The Guilford Free Library if you’re interested in being a member, contact the Neighborhood Music School. www.neighborhoodmusicschool.org
Tonight at the Space in Hamden, it’s musical guests Young Cal and The Good Son. Saturday evening, you can catch musical guests Grounded Atmosphere, Globe Hollow, Ransom Circle, Prophecy Jones, Interstate Underground, and Shadow at The Space. www.thespacect.com/
Tomorrow (Friday) at the Katherine Hepburn Cultureal Arts Center in Old Saybrook, it’s Canadian Folk duo DALA. On Saturday country, americana, jazz and rock band band Session Americana takes the stage at The Kate. katharinehepburntheater.org/
Saturday in New Haven, Manic Productions present FRIGHTENED RABBIT and Caveman at College Street Music Hall. http://www.manicproductions.org/
On Saturday, it’s the second annual eco-arts festival, Feet to the Fire: Riverfront Encounter. Hosted noon to 5 in Harbor Park of Middletown, you can experience rich blend of culture, history and science on the Connecticut River. WESU’s own Stephan Allison of River Valley Rhythms will MC’s the event, and there will be live performances from Peter Siegel, Mattabesett String Collective, Honey and the Sting, Rani Arbo & daisy mayhem, and The Royal Boys. Feet the Fire Festival also features visual art, children’s activities, environmental education exhibits, food trucks and a craft fair.At Russell Library here in Middletown, tonight it’s a Meeting for the Public discussing the March for Education; The Veterans Writing Group also meets. Saturday morning, it’s Resume Reviews with Tracy Nixon-Moore. Saturday evening, Russell Library hosts Billie Holliday’s Strange Fruit Performance by Anitra Brooks as part of the Feet to the Fire Festival. www.russelllibrary.org
Tonight at the Wesleyan Center for the Arts here in Middletown, you can catch the Annual Organ Romp. Friday evening, the Toneburst Laptop and Electronic Arts Ensemble perform in the Toneburst Electroextravaganza.On Saturday, it’s the Retirement Ceremony for master drummer Abraham Adzenyah, featuring an afternoon show of Traditional West African Drumming, Singing and Dancing; and an evening All-Night Highlife Dance Party. www.wesleyan.edu/cfa
Ticket sales go up this week for the Farmhouse Concerts & Garden Tours Spring/Summer Music Festival. Next week’s Friday and Sunday show features music from Beethoven, Schubert, and Dvorak.. www.farmhouseconcerts.com
Now here's a rundown of cinema, off the beaten track in Central Connecticut:
Tonight, up in Hartford at Real Art Ways,, you can catch “The Mountains May Depart” new film examining the effect of China’s economic boom on the bonds of family, tradition, and love. Also showing this evening it’s “Francofonia”, directed by master Russian filmmaker Alexander Sokurov depicting an urgent meditation on the essential relationship between art, culture, and 20th century European history, set in occupied Paris circa 1940. www.realartways.org
Tonight at Trinity College’s Cinestudio, it’s a showing of “My Golden Days” from Director Arnaud Desplechin, a coming of age story about a middle-aged professor returning to Paris after many years and is overwhelmed by memories of his childhood. Opening Friday and Saturday, Cinestudio’s screens” The Oscar Nominated Live Action Short Films of 2016”. Also Friday evening, Moonlight Movies at Cinestudio presents Mel Brooks classic western, “Blazing Saddles”. On Saturday, it’s the 2016 Trinity Film Festival. http://www.trinityfilmfestival.org/. Embrace of the Serpent screens at Cinestudio on Sunday. www.cinestudio.org
Right after the Jive at Five, stay tuned for 5:05-6:30pm For Homegrown with Rob DeRosa, who plays. Connecticut Connected music presented for a global audience. Hey, It's Homegrown...want some?
At 6:30 stick around for Imagine with Karen Stein, offering peace through music! Listen to the best music from around the world and around the block!
Up next at 8 it’s Evening Jazz with Bill Denert playing a broad range of swing, bebop and experimental jazz with a sprinkling of new releases.
From 9:30-10:30pm stay tuned for UnderCover with Ali and Ben exploring the concept of inspiration through imitation in cover tunes that bridge genres and generations.
At 10:30 it’s Meet Music with DJ Rami, who presents a new artist with each show by delving into artists' backgrounds, influences, and personal stories.
From 11:30-12:30am The Weirding Way with DJ Atreides who explores the expression of thoughts through sound: a cross-genre exploration of a sonic mood with an indie/alternative focus. New soundscapes each show.
At 12:30 Hard on the Spot with DJ Matty C and DJ Nikki brings you the best new music of each week!
From 1:30-2:30am stick around for The Karl Marx History Hour with DJ Fat Marco and DJ Ninjoo Pinjoo for a history-infused radio show, in which the hosts play tracks inspired by that episode's historical figure or event.
At you can catch 2:30- R-Evolution with Hyphy and DJ Mos Def Not, presenting socially-conscious music curated by two divergent musical backgrounds. From Public Enemy to Lou Reed, they'll explore tracks that give voice to movement.
The BBC World Report takes over from 4-5am and we start each weekday off bright and early with Morning Edition from NPR at 5am.
That’s all for today’s Jive At Five. If you missed anything, you can find the script online at wesufm.org/jive. And 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 for listening - stay tuned for a stiff dose of Homegrown with Rob DeRosa!
