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ByNicholasSmith
arts@barnstablepatriot.com I
"They don't make songs like they used to."
This is the classic complaint from the older generation and
the classic rebuttal from the younger is usually the same
kind of frustrated statement, "Haven't you heard such and
such?"
All too often people wish that the music from their youth,
or first love, or first car, or first peanut butter and jelly sand-
wich was still being played by today's musicians. The rea-
son for this nostalgia about the songs of old are usually the
same, "They don't make songs like they used to."
This logic has never made much sense to me. That's not to •
say old music shouldn't be listened to or remembered. It's
just that new music should be sought out -no excuses, no
generational nostalgic quandaries allowed.
The old music will always be there. And the new music,
likewise, is always there, too. Music by its very nature is
constantly evolving, building off of what came before and
morphing into something different, perhaps even something
better. There's a reason why they don't make songs like they
used to -because musicians can't, and often shouldn't, do
what's already been done.
Some of the best and most exciting music utilizes old
strategies and philosophies, while adding present-day sen-
sibilities to make that perfect concoction of old and new, a
blend of both worlds that provides a unique listening experi-
ence with the potential to bolster a new host of memories, a
second or third love, a fifth or tenth car, a 98th or 350th
peanut
butter and jelly sandwich.
Haven't you heard Beth Orton or Jamie Cullum?
Beth Orton has released more than 20 albums with differ-
ent bands of various persuasions -folk to rock to electronica
- and released only three records under her own name in
over ten years of recording. Her mysterious voice has found
plenty of play on the airwaves, but for the most part, her solo
work hasn't made much of a splash in the pool of contempo-
rary music.
Her latest release (the third of three), Comfort of Strang-
ers, released by Astralwerks, could possibly break up this
trend of recognized ambivalence from the mainstream. The
album gives both musical and production credit to famously
hip producer Jim O'Rourke (Wilco) and one wonders if it will
be his influence that could cause the catharsis.
The fourteen songs on the album are a complete departure
from her previously
popish bent, this time
singing powerful, spare
songs with acoustic in-
struments. The poetry
of the songs reveal a
woman who isn't strug-
gling to survive, nor
is she fed up with the
life she's living. She
clearly is happy and
proud and incredu-
lously searching for the
meaning of it all. She
rocks, in two words,
sweetly.
Jamie Cullum is a young guy who plays jazz piano and
sings.
His sophomore release, Catching Tales, by Universal re-
cords comes at a time when jazz vocalists like Norah Jones,
Dianna Krall, Josh Groban, among others have been sum-
moning remembrance for a kind of melancholic swagger long
forgotten in pop music.
Different from his debut album, which featured a num-
ber of obscure cover songs and classic standards with only
a couple of original songs, Catching Tales is more focused
on Cullum's songwriting ability. A deftly comic writer who
knows that all humor is rooted in truth, Cullum's awareness
gives him the power to tickle the heart strings as well as he
tickles the ivories.
For those who
think that all piano
jazz albums should
contain standards, "I
Only Have Eyes For
You" and "Our Day
Will Come"will sat-
isfy the requirement.
Does spontaneity and
spunk provide that
get-up-and-go feeling
for ya? Look no fur-
ther than "7 Days to
Change Your Life" and
"Get Your Way".
ON THE LOCAL CIRCUIT:
The 2006 Pixy 103 Cape 's Most Dangerous Band competi-
tion -a five round music contest among 15local cover bands
- begins this Friday, March 3rd at Sundancer's on Route 28 in
West Dennis.
The competing bands are as follows: 2nd Site, Dirty Nurse,
Whysky Ryver Band, From the Ground Up, The Firewater
Band, Johnny Vance Band, Man's Demise, Lazarus, Spun
Street, Five to the Face, Vapor Kiss, Earthbound Misfits,
Money Maker, Twenty-Eight, and The Grab Brothers.
The band's will be competing for cash prizes, and prizes
from local merchants including session time at MDI Record-
ing Studio, a one year web site hosting by Syberdelix Re-
cords and a custom made guitar from Kelly's Music Empo-
rium.
The competition begins at 9:30 p.m. and there is no cover
charge. Contact the Rock Babe Suzanne Tonaire, for more
information, 508-775-5678.
^
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Youth, talented cast
uplifts
By Melora B. North
melora@barnstablepatriot.com
T
ake 20 kids, fill a stage with
them and what do you get?
High energy, tons of smiling
faces and a heart-warming experi-
ence that should be shared by all.
Yes, if you're in the mood for an
uplifting evening or Sunday after-
noon, you just may want to make
reservations for Oliver!, now on
stageat the Academy of Performing
Arts in Orleans.
It was not just full of young ac-
tors at the theater at last Sunday's
matinee, but the audience was a
sea of youth. They caught all the
nuances, hee-hawed it up at the
humor and sat mesmerized for the
full two hours of entertainment.
And,we might add,the adults were
equally entertained.
Based on the novel Oliver Twist
by Charles Dickens,this isthe story
of a strong-willed young waif who
was abandoned at birth. Living in
aworkhouse Oliver (Evyn Newton)
onedayspeaksup and asksfor more
food,muchto the horror ofMr.Bum-
ble (Kevin Quill), the workhouse
master. Deciding Oliver is getting
toobigfor hisbritches Bumbletakes
Oliver to the local casket maker,
Mr.Sowerberry (John Duble), who
purchases the child for a mere five
pounds, an investment that doesn't
pay off as Oliver's stay at the coffin
maker's is short lived.
Taking to the streets after a
misunderstanding that involves
fisticuffs, Oliver is quickly taken in
by The Artful Dodger (Jon Cornet)
who dupes him into returning with
him to the thieves den where he
lives with other young pick pockets
and Fagin (Peter Earle), the leader
who proceeds to try and corrupt
Oliver by teaching him the tricks
of the trade.
On Oliver's first half-hearted try
at pinching avictim he gets caught
and hauled off to jail. It is at this
juncture that certain dramas pro-
ceed to unfold and the action really
takes off.
YoungEvyn Newton as Oliver is a
sensation. He is perfectly cast with
his angelic face, professional stage
presence and ability to sing like an
angel sent from heaven.
When performing "Where isLove"
you could hear the house breathing,
his rendition was so moving, his
demeanor most convincing as the
lonely orphan.And he'snot the only
one who takes control of the stage,
Nancy and Bet (Lauren Piselli and
Oharra Deschamps), Fagin's adult
women friends, belted out a couple
of numbers with the boys, particu-
larly "It's a Fine Life," that were
show stoppers.
Bill Sykes (Rick Smith), another
of Fagin'sshifty, adult, cohorts, and
also Nancy's paramour, wowed the
audience, even half-scaring a few of
the young ones, when he sang "My
Name," a boisterous exercise to
reaffirm hishigh place on the totem
pole of thieves.
As Fagin, Earle was convincing.
He was the leader with a sense of
adventure and great humor, a posi-
tive mentor, albeit a crooked one.
Dodger was wily, quick on his feet
and endearing, if you are attracted
to friends who live in the bowels of
the earth by night, picking pockets
by day.
The chorus ofyoung people wasan
assortment of agesthat were clearly
enjoying themselves under the
colorful lighting designed by Peter
Earle. They had chemistry, a lot of
enthusiasmandtheirvoicesblended
as smoothly as a fruit shake. The
set designed by Earle transitioned
from a scene in the workhouse to
the London streets to the danky
thieves' den and even a pub where
all the scoundrels hung out.
Not to be forgotten was the
music performed by pianist Chris
Morris, percussionist Mike Harmon
and bass player Tim Mason, who
managed to play a merry dance of
music that did not overwhelm the
production but simplyenhanced all
the musical numbers.
"Oliver!" is now playing at the Academy of
Performing Arts, 120 Main Street in Orleans.
Tickets are $16 and available by calling 508-
255-1963.
Otiteii?elifsat
\
^/ M \ / C n !o Academy
Chilean Tapestries
on Display at CCCC
Higgins Art Gallery
By Kathleen Manwaring
kmanwaring@barnstablepatriot.com
Chile is a country of incredible
beauty and vibrant color. It is
also a country of powerful conflict
and ongoing suffering. The suffer-
ing can now be seen in a moving
exhibit at the HigginsArt Gallery
at Cape Cod Community College.
In 1973 the brutal dictator-
ship of General Pinochet began.
Supporters of the former socialist
government met terrible fates
as they were tortured, tried and
executed by military war tribu-
nals. Families were torn apart ;
mothers lost children, wives lost
husbands.
In an attempt to reconcile with
their grief, and because the writ-
ten word was heavily censored ,
scores of women began using
cloth, wool and other recycled
materials to create works of art
known as arpill-
eras.
Like separate
squares of an end-
less quilt, each
small tapestry
intricately depicts
the sorrow felt
by those forever
missing, the "dis-
appeared. "
Human rights
activist and writer
Marjorie Agosin
lived in Santiago,
Chile until the age of 16 when
her family fled Pinochet's coup.
Touched by the experiences of
the arpillera women, Agosin com-
posed a book, Tapestries of Hope .
Threads of Love , detailing the
events that led to the creation
of the tapestries as well as the
tapestries themselves.
At the behest of Sara Ringler,
director of the Higgins Art Gal-
lery, Agosin loaned the college 44
of the arpillera tapestries. The
works, titled "Threads of Hope"
and currently on display, will
remain on exhibit through the
Multicultural Festival March 4,
when Agosin will speak about the
tapestries and her book.
The cloths, deceptively cheery
in their use of bold colors and
soft fabrics, depict everything
from socialist supporters await-
ing execution to a group of
CONTINUED ON PAGE C:2
Threads of Hope
Take in a gallery, take 20
percent off dining tab
By John Walters
arts@barnstablepatriot com
Watercolors and watercress,
sculpture and sushi, oils and
vinaigrettes.Those are ju st some
of the combinations for your
eyes and palettes being served
upas part of Hyannis Business
District's Artscape Thursday's:
Where Culture meets Cuisine.
"This is something we have
been talking about for many
years," said Cynthia Cole, execu-
tive director of the Hyannis Main
Street Business Improvement
District. "It has finally evolved
from conversation to reality."
When you think of Cape Cod's
art towns, historically Hyannis
hasn't been one that comes
quickly to mind, but Cole sees
that changing before her eyes.
"We have had some mainstays
such as Spectrum, Kennedy Gal-
lery, Red Fish,Blue Fish, and the
town owned Guyer Barn, and like
other art communities, they have
drawn others such as Zizini, Gal-
lery 337, Poor Man's Art Gallery,
Patricia Austin Gallery, TreAn-
gelique Art School and Gallery and
others to set up shop," said Cole.
—* -4
"Art is start-
ing to hit a
critical mass
in Hyannis
and we really
thought we
should find a
way to show-
case it," Cole i
added. 1
With J
nearly a R
dozen art m
galleries M
now call- m
ing the fl
Down- M
town
^
CONTINUED ON PAGE C:2
Art and appetites come together
in Hyannis