Art lovers can paint, drink wine and indulge in chocolate on the Chandler Center for the Arts’ main stage on Saturday, Jan. 31, during the “Wine, Chocolate and Social Painting” fundraiser led by instructor Emily Costello.
“This is a great way for people to come out and have a fun evening and do something great for the arts and the youth of our community at the same time,” says Debbie Rubenstrunk, Chandler Center for the Arts development consultant. “The fact that they get a painting, a fun evening, wine and chocolate and can help kids...that is a win all over the place.”
The event, which begins at 7 p.m., is part of 3 Evenings for the Arts; proceeds benefit the Jerry Brooks Legacy Fund, which supports the education outreach activities of the Chandler Cultural Foundation. Connecting Kidz Program is one of them.
“This will help us be able to produce more activities and help bring in more kids to be able to participate in the program,” says Jeanne Forbis, special events chairwoman and a Chandler Cultural Foundation board member.
The two other events were a private tour of “The Little Black Dress: Through the Decades” exhibit with Robert Black at the Vision Gallery, and a murder mystery and dinner at the Chandler Center for the Arts.
Forbis says “Wine, Chocolate and Social Painting” is a “fun twist” on typical art events. Rubenstrunk says patrons will paint a duplicate of one of Costello’s artworks
and bring it home.
“Emily is an amazing artist and she is really fun,” Rubenstrunk explains.
Tickets, which include a 16-inch by 20inch canvas and supplies, complimentary samplings, and professional instruction, are $75. The chocolate samplings are courtesy of Ginny Price, independent chocolatier of Dove Chocolate Discoveries.
“We will have some little mystery cupcakes that will have goodies inside to
buy for a donation,” Rubenstrunk adds. “It should be a really enjoyable couple of hours.”
The event will also feature silent auction with chocolate-themed items to raise funds for the Connecting Kidz Program.
“We don’t want our audience to be bored with it, so they keep coming back,” she says of the three events. “They are very different.”
For more information, or to purchase tickets, visit www.chandlercenter.org or call (480) 782-2680. The Chandler Center for the Arts is located at 250 N. Arizona Ave., Chandler.
Meghan McCoy is the Neighbors and Business section editor for the SanTan Sun News. She can be reached at meghan@ santansun.com.
GOOD CAUSE: “Wine, Chocolate and Social Painting” fundraiser is led by instructor Emily Costello, not pictured. Submitted photo
The Oak Ridge Boys fight to remain relevant after five decades
BY CHRISTINA FUOCO-KARASINSKI
Kindhearted and thoughtful, Duane Allen strives to keep his band, The Oak Ridge Boys, relevant while he continues to enjoy his decades-long career.
“I think probably the reason that we are still going is because the four of us love doing what we’re doing,” Allen says.
“We feel we are doing some good with people who maybe are not reached by the newer artists who are now on radio. We’ve had our time on radio and we’re very grateful for that.”
Newer artists, he says, are making a “huge dent” on radio and filling coliseums, ballparks, stadiums and arenas. These new acts, however, help The Oak Ridge Boys, too.
“People know that we are going to make our dates, show up sober and we’re not going to cancel our dates,” he says.
“They can depend on us. Probably over a period of years, we made our living on repeat dates. We go to almost the same places every year. Ninety percent of our dates are repeat business.”
The Oak Ridge Boys target venues such as fairs and festivals; attractions that boast a board of directors with everyday folks.
“They know The Oak Ridge Boys because they grew up with our music,” Allen says.
Allen and his bandmates—William
Lee Golden, Richard Sterban and Joe Bonsall—are hoping to fill Wild Horse Pass Hotel & Casino’s Ovations Live!
Showroom on Friday, Feb. 6. Allen not only loves Arizona for its fans, but its weather, too.
“We always enjoy coming to Arizona
because the weather is usually better in the fall and winter months,” he says.
“We always come out there in February and the weather is usually a lot more pleasant than it is in other parts of the country. I love Arizona because of the different landscapes from the desert
part all the way up to the mountainous part. I think it’s a beautiful state.”
The Oak Ridge Boys promise an evening that includes a mixture of their hits, like “Elvira” and even a cover of The White Stripes’ “Seven Nation Army,” as well as deep cuts.
“We have a computerized list of everything we’ve ever done in every city,” Allen says. “We try to rotate our hits among the over 50 charted singles we have over the last five decades. We will pick some of the most popular ones, but we will add songs we didn’t do last time.”
An uplifting portion of the show is when The Oak Ridge Boys pay tribute to the military. They recently signed on as spokespersons for the American Legion.
“We’re working with the American Legion to bring some awareness for help for those military people who are coming back with PTSD,” he says about post-traumatic stress disorder.
“We have an alarming number of our veterans who are committing suicide. We just felt like we needed to take a portion of our career and help as many of these people as we can. The American Legion approached us about working together and cutting ads for them. Not only do we do the hits, we try to help some people along the way.”
Back to their performances, The Oak Ridge Boys keep the fans’ needs in mind. The act’s high-energy shows can
WHAT’S IT WORTH?
We all ask ourselves “I wonder what this thing I have had in my safety deposit box, closet or garage for the last 15 years is really worth?” Well, in this column in the coming months I will address many facets in evaluating collectables, jewelry, antiques, designer handbags, gemstones and other items that might seem to just appear in your home.
I find it fascinating when people evaluate an item. Our barometers have changed. For 100 years we would go to some published price guide on whatever the subject matter is. Today that is obsolete, with the internet and auctions everywhere the market now makes itself. A very intriguing concept, when pondered. Much like real estate, all of our collectibles,
antiques, signed jewelryis now on the world wide web. This means that people create the market. The value is determined by what someone is willing to pay.
“I wonder what this thing I have had in my safety deposit box, closet or garage for the last 15 years is really worth?”
In today’s economic environment people are selling their “STUFF” and a day does not go by where you do not see a full page ad showing “We buy Jewelry, Art, and Watches up to $1 million dollars.” This is quite misleading in my opinion. Sending unqualified buyers on the road and setting up in hotels is not a reasonable manner to have your valuables appraised or purchased. Everything has a price, but the price is made by the market not a price guide or salesman in a ball room.
— David Goldstein Owner, Biltmore
Loan and Jewelry
COMING TO TOWN: The Oak Ridge Boys will perform at Wild Horse Pass Hotel & Casino’s Ovations Live! Showroom on Friday, Feb. 6. Submitted photo
be tiring to the quartet.
“We require so much of ourselves in our shows,” Allen says. “We don’t really realize that we’re senior citizens now. We bust it every night. We don’t really hold back anything.
“At the end of the show, some artists might go out and sign autographs. At the end of our show, I want to get off my clothes, get all the sweat off my body, get on my recliner, turn on the television, have a cool glass of water and just cool it. Just try to recover. I’m exhausted at the end of our show.”
The Oak Ridge Boys will soon have even more songs to add to their set list. Allen’s New Year’s resolution is to record a “brand new album with the 12 best songs from the best writers in the world.”
“We are going to record them as if we are the newest group on the block,” Allen says. “I’m a song man. I believe that recording great new songs is the future.”
The Oak Ridge Boys perform at 8 p.m. Friday, Feb. 6, at Wild Horse Pass Hotel and Casino’s Ovations Live! Showroom, 5040 Wild Horse Pass Blvd., Chandler. Tickets are $30 to $80. For more information, call (877) 840-0457 or visit http://bit.ly/1BWldvG.
Christina Fuoco-Karasinski is the executive editor of the SanTan Sun News. She can be reached at christina@santansun.com.
Juried show, entertainment at free festival
The Gold Canyon Arts Festival, free to attend and hosted by the Gold Canyon Arts Council, will display work from artists around Arizona at the Gold Canyon United Methodist Church from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 24.
A juried art show at the festival will showcase the work of more than 85 artists, representing diverse artistic styles. The event is one of the most popular one-day shows in the state, with almost 6,000 attendees last year. Programs will be available with information about the artists and their styles, as well as an entertainment schedule.
Guests will enjoy live performances throughout the day, including the Diamondback Brothers, the Jacome Flamenco Dancers, the Lamplighters Barbershop Quartet and other Southwestern and Native American groups. Food and beverages will also be available for purchase, and the Gold Canyon Food Bank will have a table at the festival for donations.
Limited-edition prints of a poster by artist Lois Mahoney will be for sale. Mahoney’s design was chosen from other works by regional artists to commemorate this year’s event and artist community.
The Gold Canyon Arts Council, a nonprofit organization, helps bring affordable arts to the East Valley through its Canyon Sounds Performing Artist Series. All proceeds from memberships, grants and five annual performances
are returned to school music programs through artist residencies.
Learn more about the festival at www. gcartsfest.com and the Arts Council at www.gcac1.com.
Largest harp ensemble performs
The council will also host a performance at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 13, at GCUMC by HarpFusion, the largest harp ensemble in the world.
The group blends many different styles and cultures in its pieces and performances, including new age, folk music and jazz.
Carrol McLaughlin, distinguished professor of harp at the University of Arizona, heads the group, which is based out of the university and arranges its own pieces. HarpFusion has been featured around the world, including Japan, Brazil, Korea, Russia, in Europe and at the 2010 World Expo in Shanghai.
Quartetto Gelato brings wide variety of music
Vocals, horns, accordion and strings will come together in a performance by Quartetto Gelato at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 27, at GCUMC.
The award-winning quartet performs a wide variety of music, including romantic tenor arias, classical music and tangos. The group is known for its humor, stage presence and easygoing demeanor.
Quartetto Gelato was named NPR’s
“Performance Today’s” Debut Artist of the Year earlier in its career and has won Best Classical Ensemble at the Canadian Independent Music Awards. The group’s first DVD, “Quartetto Gelato in Wine Country!” was broadcast by PBS.
Advance tickets for performances by HarpFusion and Quartetto Gelato are $25 for adults and $5 for students. Tickets are available at Canyon Rose Storage, 6405 S. Kings Ranch Rd., Gold Canyon, and at the Apache Junction Chamber of Commerce, 567 W. Apache Trail, Apache Junction. Tickets are also available via PayPal at www.gcac1.com/cynsnds.html. Adult tickets at the door are $30.
The Gold Canyon Arts Council promotes the performing and visual arts through its Canyon Sounds Artist Series. The council is supported in part by grants from the Arizona Commission on the Arts, Western States Arts Federation and the National Endowment for the Arts and local businesses.
For more information visit www.gcac1. com.
ECLECTIC QUARTET: Award-winning musical group Quartetto Gelato is set to perform in Gold Canyon Feb. 27. Submitted photo
Craftsmanship and history meet at Schimmel Shop
BY LYNETTE CARRINGTON
Chad Schimmel moves about his woodshop with a lithe agility—cutting, drilling and sanding to painstakingly assemble a variety of items.
He took what started as a hobby and created a successful business, Schimmel Shop at 224 E. Chilton Ave., Suite 10, near Arizona Avenue and Elliot Road in Chandler. He applied his woodworking and technology skills to carve a niche that provides items that, in some cases, are keepsakes because of their historical ties.
Schimmel creates handmade pens, razor handles, steampunk-themed jewelry, interior design and furniture. The pieces he creates are handmade and feature whimsical qualities. Pens are some of the most in-demand items. He has created them from deck wood of the USS Texas battleship.
“They took this wood off of the USS Texas and I got it in chunks like this,” Schimmel explains as he displays the long 2-inch-thick planks with ghost gray paint on one side.
“I’m always after old woods because they have some significance. It’s tough and I have to search around.”
The Battleship Texas Foundation supplied wood to Schimmel and, in return, he made a custom pen for it.
“I got back some more wood and some little cards—certificates that show the wood is real, so it’s really a cool thing,” Schimmel states.
He also has battleship deck wood from
the USS North Carolina. On the ship for 70 years, the teak wood imparts a majestic plum-colored hue that makes for beautiful pens or razor handles. The ship decking pens and razor handles are popular with veterans and those who collect military or patriotic items.
Schimmel has also used liquor barrels
that, when drilled and sanded, impart a sweet smell into the woodworking shop.
“I’ll use anything that has a fun story to it,” notes Schimmel.
He has one piece of wood from The Senator tree in Big Tree Park Florida that was estimated to be 3,400 to 3,600 years old. It was the oldest living bald cypress tree before arson destroyed it in 2012. Someone sent the block of wood to Schimmel knowing he would appreciate it and use it for something.
Other products are bolt action and bullet pens.
“It’s such a popular group of people that want these pens: hunters, shooters and especially lately, the audience has gotten bigger. Bullets just seem to make good pens because of the way they are shaped,” explains Schimmel.
He has a few choice bullets that he uses for pens and occasionally customers will bring in one of their own.
In high school, Schimmel was involved in woodworking and he honed his skills over the years.
“I did woodworking a lot in high school,” he says. “Then I didn’t do anything for a few years because of college and then I picked it back up. I think I’m a born tinkerer.”
Woodworking was a side business that increasingly got bigger. A few years ago
he was torn between his job as a boat dealership manager at Bass Pro Shops in Mesa and (torn between) growing his woodworking business. He decided to open Schimmel Shop full time. In his shop he also creates imaginative lamps from repurposed vintage items, clocks and small furniture.
Andrea McKay owns Garden Gate Custom Floral Design in Gilbert. She enlisted Schimmel to create a counter and table in her retail space, each having a crisp, light country style. She saw his work on the Instagram page of Fluff It Marshmallows in Gilbert.
“When I noticed the woodwork, I thought, ‘That’s exactly what I need,’” she says. “I actually went into their store and looked at the work that Chad did. It’s really cool. It’s nothing like mine, but I just knew if he could do that he could do this.”
She hired him to create a counter space and table.
“I called him and he was wonderful. He went right to work and his price was really reasonable,” McKay says.
This year, Schimmel is looking to expand on the fixtures and furniture portion of his business.
Visit www.impeccablepen.com for a list of products and upcoming shows. Email chadschimmel@gmail.com or call (480) 510-0717 for custom work inquiries.
Lynette Carrington is a freelancer for the San Tan Sun News. She can be reached at lynette@santansun.com.
WRITING HISTORY: At Schimmel Shop, woodworking craftsman Chad Schimmel fashions original pens, jewelry and other collectibles from rare keepsakes. Photo courtesy of Schimmel Shop
THE DESERT REIMAGINED: A cholla cactus skeleton has been mixed with resin and sculpted into a pen. Photo courtesy of Schimmel Shop
Guitar aficionados team up for MIM show
BY CHRISTINA FUOCO-KARASINSKI
Two bona fide guitar heroes in their respective fields—rocker Eric Johnson and jazz player Mike Stern—are continuing their “Eclectic” tour, which includes a Wednesday, Jan. 21, stop at the Musical Instrument Museum.
While some would think that guitar aficionado Johnson wouldn’t have a lot of learn these days, it’s actually the opposite. Stern schools Johnson in the ways of jazz.
“He comes from a different style of music, so I get to learn a little bit more about jazz and kind of playing over changes,” the soft-spoken Johnson says via telephone from his Texas home.
“He’s a good writer and song arranger. He has his own perspective on how he does things. It’s different than me. It’s very musical. It’s very nice to be an observer and participate in that. He’s hilarious, too. He’s a real goon.”
Not only have the two guitarists admired each other’s playing for years—Johnson heard Stern back in the ’80s with Miles Davis, and Stern was introduced to Johnson when his hit “Cliffs of Dover” caught on big back in 1990—they came to have a greater appreciation of each other’s songwriting abilities during the course of the “Eclectic” sessions.
The recording process for “Eclectic” was memorable. Recorded at Johnson’s studio in his native Austin, Texas, 2014’s
“Eclectic” is anchored by the rhythm tandem of drummer Anton Fig and Johnson’s regular bassist Chris Maresh. The band will be featured during the MIM performance as well.
“We (Johnson and Stern) have a bunch of new music that we wrote, as well as re-dos of old stuff that we’ve kind of changed up a whole lot,” Johnson says about the show’s expectations.
“It’s a really highly improvisationaltype thing, so it’s different each night. It’s mostly instrumental, but we have a couple of vocal pieces. It features everyone in the band, too. Everybody has a lot of space and moments when they can do their thing.”
This year, Johnson is focusing on new material as well as tours.
“I want to do some recording,” he says. “I have another live album that I may put out. Then, I want to work on a solo acoustic album. There are a bunch of new electric pieces that I want to try to get to. A few tours are in the works in the summer and fall. I don’t know about those yet. They’re still putting them together.”
In the meantime, he’s focusing on his tour.
“I love coming to Arizona,” he says. “The dry heat is good for me.”
Eric Johnson and Mike Stern perform at 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 21, at
Artist collective showcased at Vision Gallery
The Vision Gallery, located at 10 E. Chicago St., Chandler, is presenting “SelfMade: 15 Years of Eye Lounge” Saturday, Jan. 24, through Saturday, March 7, with an opening reception from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. Friday, Jan. 30.
The exhibit is a retrospective of artworks produced by the downtown Phoenix artist collective, eye lounge. Artworks by eye lounge’s past and present members will push the boundaries of contemporary art. Each artist brings a plethora of talent in a variety of mediums.
Eye lounge, a collective, artist-run,
contemporary art space committed to fostering emerging and established visual artists is located in downtown Phoenix. The collective was founded in 2000 and has hosted numerous group exhibitions. The group moved to its permanent location in December 2001. The collective participates as a shuttle stop for Artlink First Fridays and is a founding member of Roosevelt Row.
The Vision Gallery is open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information, call (480) 782-2695 or visit www.visiongallery.org.
the Musical Instrument Museum, 4725 E. Mayo Blvd., Phoenix. Tickets are $34.50 to $47.50 for the 7 p.m. show; and $29.50 to $42.50 for the 9 p.m. show. For more information, visit www.themim.org.
Christina Fuoco-Karasinski is the executive editor of the SanTan Sun News. She can be reached at christina@ santansun.com.
GUITAR AFICIONADOS: Eric Johnson, left, and Mike Stern team up for an evening of music at the Musical Instrument Museum. Photo by Max Crace
ON STAGE
“Hot Dogs and Jazz for Families,” Saturday, Jan. 17, TN. A free, familyfriendly, 45-minute intro to jazz as the Dmitri Matheny Group performs a wide array of jazz styles and shares stories about the history of American music. Following the show, The Nash will offer prize contests for the kids, free hot dogs and a post-show meet and greet with the band.
“Jekyll and Hyde,” Saturday, Jan. 17, QCPAC. The haunting, unforgettable musical production of epic struggle between good and evil comes to life on stage.
“Jazz Noir 3,” Saturday, Jan. 17, TN. Join Dmitri Matheny Group for its third annual program of hauntingly hip movie themes (film noir, spy thrillers and crime dramas), original works and jazz classics.
African Children’s Choir, Sunday, Jan. 18, CCA. African children, 7 to 10 years old—many of whom have lost parents through war, famine and disease— take the stage to sing African tunes, including well-loved children’s songs, hand clapping, traditional spirituals and contemporary music. The choir helps raise awareness for children’s needs in Africa and supports the program, which provides unique opportunities for the children involved.
Sunday Jam Session: Will Goble, Sunday, Jan. 18, TN. Weekly jam sessions feature students and pro musicians playing together, unrehearsed, in a variety of combinations. There’s always a solid core trio. Student jazz musicians are welcome, with house band, grand piano, guitar and bass amp, drum set and sound all provided.
Contemporary Jazz: Tony Malaby’s Paloma Recio, Friday, Jan. 23, TN. The unique sound of this group comes from saxophonist Tony Malaby as well as Ben Monder’s electric guitar soundscapes and the off-kilter swing from bassist Eivind Opsvik and drummer Nasheet Waits.
Carmela y Más, Saturday, Jan. 24, TN. Join Carmela for the hot, simmering sounds of Latin Jazz Salsa. Carmela returns to the Nash to perform the finest in Afro-Cuban rhythms.
Linda Carmela and Phases, Saturday, Jan. 24, TN. This performance is a reunion of a band that set Phoenix on fire during the 1980s and 1990s, as rhythm and blues, jazz and fusion were performed by rising vocalists Linda Caldwell and Carmela Ramirez.
Sunday Jam Session: Mike Ozuna, Sunday, Jan. 25, TN. Guitarist Mike Ozuna leads the weekly jam session.
Travis Tritt, Sunday, Jan. 25, CCA. Enjoy an up close and personal evening of
music with two-time Grammy winning and three-time CMA winning country artist Travis Tritt.
“Camelot,” Friday, Jan. 23 through Sunday, Jan. 25, MAC. The legendary tale of King Arthur and his knights of the round table told through Lerner and Loewe’s enchanting melodies and a classic stage performance.
Contemporary Jazz: JiGGle, Friday, Jan. 30, TN. Since 2001, JiGGle has been opening the ears and minds of audiences with their unique approach to jazz improvisation and composition.
Celebrating the Year of the Sheep, Friday, Jan. 30, CCA. The Chandler Symphony Orchestra’s professionally trained musicians present a free classical concert.
Mainstream Jazz: Tucson Jazz Institute Ellington Big Band, Saturday, Jan. 31, TN. A performance by a band with a national and international reputation as being one of the top high school jazz ensembles in the world.
“Melanie—The Family Show,” Friday, Feb. 6, MIM. In this intimate evening of song, the folk icon will be accompanied by her daughters: Arizona performing artist Jeordie Schekeryk and Nashville recording artist Leilah Hayman on vocals, and her son, Beau Jarred Schekeryk, on guitar.
“The Midtown Men,” Saturday, Feb. 7, CCA. Watch four stars from the original cast of Broadway’s “Jersey Boys” reunite as they establish themselves as rock stars in their own right, bringing to life their favorite tunes from The Beatles, The Beach Boys, Motown, The Four Seasons and more.
Dan Hicks and the Hot Licks, Saturday, Feb. 7, MIM. Since the early 1960s, Hicks has deftly blended elements of swing, jazz, folk and country music to create the appealing sound he sometimes calls “folk jazz.” The lyrics of his songs range from the simply sublime to the sublimely ridiculous, all presented with his uniquely skewed and inscrutable touch.
New York Polyphony, Sunday, Feb. 8, MIM. Co-presented with Arizona Musicfest, New York Polyphony is regarded as one of the finest vocal chamber ensembles in the world.
“Hardcore Legend: An Evening with Mick Foley,” Sunday, Feb. 8, SUL. The WWE champion, speaker, author and stand-up artist gives a performance that is by turns uproariously funny, simply surreal and surprisingly sensitive.
“Of Legends and Lovers: Doc and Kate,” Sunday, Feb. 8, CCA. A performance of the story of the West’s most famous dentist, a man who went, as he likes to put it, “from the one who heals to the one who keels (kills)” and his life with Mary Katherine Haroney Cummings.
Marcia Ball, Thursday, Feb. 12, MIM. Grammy-nominated Marcia Ball’s groove-laden New Orleans boogie and rollicking Gulf Coast blues have made her a one-of-a-kind favorite with music fans all over the world.
Robin Spielberg’s “American Tapestry,” Friday, Feb. 13, MIM. This trio delights audiences with the music that, over generations, has become woven into the fabric of American culture.
“Flamenco Vivo Carlota Santana: The Soul of Flamenco,” Saturday, Feb. 14, CCA. One of the nation’s premier flamenco and Spanish dance companies celebrates its 30th anniversary season with innovative music, exotic movement, passionate dancing and more.
Chinese New Year Show, Sunday, Feb. 15, CCA. The Eastern Art Academy hosts the 2015 Chinese New Year Show in a lively and unique show that the entire family will enjoy. The year of the ram is welcomed with song, dance, instrument and martial arts performances and more.
HAPA, Sunday, Feb. 15, MIM. Musical duo from Hawaii performs hypnotic, liquid guitar runs woven around clear, tenor Hawaiian vocals and immaculate harmonies, driven by poetic lyrics exulting the rapture of the Hawaiian landscape, history and mythology.
Jorma Kaukonen, Monday, Feb. 16, MIM. Performing with special guest Larry Campbell, Kaukonen is a blues, folk and rock guitarist, best known for his work with Jefferson Airplane and Hot Tuna.
Eric Bibb, Tuesday, Feb. 17, MIM. Grammy nominee Eric Bibb draws listeners in with his beautifully realized and deftly accomplished, soulful folk-blues, inviting comparisons to legendary greats Ry Cooder and Taj Mahal.
Styx, Saturday, Jan. 17, WHP. Tommy Shaw, James “JY” Young, Lawrence Gowan, Todd Sucherman and Ricky Phillips (along with the occasional surprise appearance by original bassist Chuck Panozzo), have performed more live since ’99 than all of the previous years of the band’s career combined.
ON STAGE VENUE INDEX
CCA—Chandler Center for the Arts
250 N. Arizona Ave., Chandler Tickets: (480) 782-2680, www. chandlercenter.org
MAC—Mesa Arts Center
One E. Main St., Mesa Tickets: (480) 644-6500, www. mesaartscenter.com
MIM—Musical Instrument Museum
4725 E. Mayo Blvd., Phoenix Tickets: www.mimmusictheater. themim.org
QCPAC—Queen Creek Performing Arts Center
22149 E. Ocotillo Rd., Queen Creek Tickets: (480) 987-SHOW (7469), www. qcpac.com.
Oak Ridge Boys, Friday, Feb. 6, WHP. The four-part harmonies and upbeat songs of The Oak Ridge Boys have spawned dozens of country hits and a No. 1 pop smash, earned them Grammy, Dove, CMA and ACM awards and garnered a host of other industry and fan accolades.
ABBAFab, Sunday, Feb. 8, WHP. ABBAFab performs the greatest hits of legendary Swedish pop/rock group ABBA. “Dancing Queen,” “Mamma Mia,” “Fernando” and many more bring ABBA back to life.
Over the Rhine with special guest William Fitzsimmons, Friday, Feb. 20, MIM. This critically acclaimed husbandand-wife duo perform “post-nuclear, pseudo-alternative, folk-tinged art-pop.”
Pavlo, Saturday, Feb. 21, MIM. Incorporating the world’s most exotic instruments into his classic Mediterranean sound, Pavlo’s sizzling performance combines elements of flamenco, classical and Latin music, accentuated by the presence of the Greek bouzouki.
Paul Thorn, Saturday, Feb. 21, MIM. Thorn has been pleasing crowds for years with his muscular brand of roots music: bluesy, rocking and thoroughly Southern, yet also laden with universal truths.
David Cook, Sunday, Feb. 22, MIM. The rock singer-songwriter and winner of the seventh season of “American Idol” performs.
Billy Childs, Monday, Feb. 23, MIM. In a performance featuring Becca Stevens, the Grammy-winning jazz pianist performs music from his new album, “Reimagining Laura Nyro.”
MIM Musical Interludes Series featuring ASU Contemporary Percussion Ensemble, Wednesday, Feb. 25, MIM. Presenting a program of exotic rhythms and vibrant colors, drawing from the formative repertoire of the twentieth century and new works by student composers.
Chandler gallery looks through ‘Eye of the Beholder’
The Chandler Center for the Arts Gallery, located at 250 N. Arizona Ave., Chandler, is hosting “Through the Eye of the Beholder,” a collection of unique watercolor and acrylic paintings presented by local art group The Waterworks Artists, Friday, Jan. 30, through Saturday, March 7.
The exhibition features several different artists, each with a unique subject and technique, who come together to present a diverse viewing experience for visitors as they browse the
artists’ individual strengths and visions. The Waterworks Artists include award-winning and nationally and locally acclaimed artists, including Carol Bentley from Scottsdale, Donna Eastman from Phoenix, Nancy L. Herbst from Tempe, Diane Kent from Glendale, Lois Meyer from Peoria, Marilyn Schutzky and Laurie Sokiveta from Scottsdale, and Hazel Stone and Jane Underhill from Phoenix. For more information, call (480) 7822695 or visit www.chandlercenter.org.
Chandler library hosts The Scotts
The Chandler Public Library, 22 S. Delaware St., Chandler, will host the guitar duo The Scotts from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 27, through its Acoustic Blend music series.
The Scotts—Scott Dooley and Scott Anderson—have been providing music for art galleries, conventions, coffee houses and special business and personal celebrations for five years in the Valley. Their repertoire is a mix of contemporary music, jazz standards and original compositions. Dooley is an accomplished songwriter and musician. Anderson has been teaching at colleges, secondary
schools and privately for more than 40 years. Many of his students are now performing around the world. Anderson currently teaches at Brindley’s Music in Chandler.
This Acoustic Blend performance is made possible by a partnership between Chandler Public Library and the social venture project Cup O’ Karma: Community Café for a Cause. Musicians interested in performing in the Acoustic Blend series should call Ted Liebler at (480) 782-2797 or email edward.liebler@chandleraz.gov.
SUL—Stand Up Live
50 W. Jefferson St., Phoenix Tickets: (480) 719-6100, www. standuplive.com
TN—The Nash 110 E. Roosevelt St., Suite 110, Phoenix Tickets: (602) 795-0464, www.thenash. org
The Mesa Arts Center, One E. Main St., Mesa, has something for everyone this season.
Music, mayhem, Molly Ringwald on stage National Geographic’s Live Arizona Speaker Series will bring veteran climbers Mike Libecki and Cory Richards to the Ikeda Theater at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 4. Libecki and Richards will take audiences on an epic 10-day climb to the summit of Bertha’s Tower, a never-before-climbed, 2,000-foot spire in Antarctica’s remote Wohlthat Range.
Known for her roles in iconic movies such as “Pretty in Pink” and “Sixteen Candles,” performing artist and bestselling author Molly Ringwald will give a special cabaret performance for Mesa Arts Center Foundation’s annual fundraising gala Saturday, Feb. 14, in the Piper Theater. A Hearty Arty Valentine Affair will raise funds for Mesa Arts Center’s arts education and outreach programs, which captivated the imaginations of more than 41,392 students at over 215 schools throughout the greater Phoenix area. The arty and elegant event begins at 5:30 p.m. on Valentine’s Day Feb. 14, with a buffet reception with heavy hors d’oeuvres and a 7:30 p.m. performance by Ringwald. Tickets are $150 and also include a dessert reception with a meet and greet with the actress.
“The Very Best of Celtic Thunder,” 7:30 p.m. Sunday, March 1, will draw from Celtic Thunder’s nine public television specials, 11 CDs and DVDs and eight U.S. tours to date, in a performance featuring the group’s signature sound, dramatic lighting and an imposing set. Admission is $35 to $65.
“Nice Work if You Can Get It” hits the stage at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 3, and Wednesday, March 4. The national touring Broadway production brings the Roaring ‘20s to life as a cast of outrageous characters gather in New York to celebrate the wedding of wealthy playboy Jimmy Winter. Things don’t go as planned when the playboy meets Billie Bendix, a bubbly and feisty bootlegger who melts his heart. The champagne flows and the gin fizzes in the
Tony-winning musical comedy. Cost is $35 to $75.
“Simply EPIK,” a performance at 7:30 p.m. Friday, March 6, and Saturday, March 7, presents a fresh collaboration between Arizona’s premier street-fusion dance company and a cutting-edge string trio. EPIK Dance Company combines classical training with urban disciplines. Using the bass, violin and cello, Simply Three blends classical style with today’s popular songs. Together they bring a mastery of movement, sound and creativity to the stage. Admission is $30.
The string duo 2Cellos performs at 7:30 p.m. Monday, March 9, as the young Croatian cellists Luka Sulic and Stjepan Hauser bring their boundary-breaking, cutting-edge cello music to the stage with selections ranging from Bach and Vivaldi to AC/DC. Tickets are $36.
The Malaysian singer-songwriter Yuna will perform at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, March 12. Yuna—who makes her Verve Records debut with “Nocturnal”—is the first Malaysian artist to take off in America, and performs pop music with influences ranging from alternative and acoustic music to folk rock and rhythm and blues. Tickets are $36.
“The Intergalactic Nemesis: A Live Graphic Novel Experience” brings a unique show to the Piper stage at 3 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, March 14, and Sunday, March 15. Telling an all-ages adventure story set in the 1930s, The Intergalactic Nemesis mashes up comic-book and radio-play formats into the one-of-a-kind theatrical experience and new art form, the Live-Action Graphic Novel. Admission is $42.
Catch The Australian Bee Gees Show, a retrospective of the iconic group’s 40-year career, at 7:30 p.m., Sunday, March 15. The multimedia theatrical concert experience that takes a nostalgic trip through the influential group’s legacy while celebrating over four decades of the infectious music written by the Gibb brothers. Cost is $30 to $45.
Experience “Evil Dead: The Musical” Tuesday, March 24, through Sunday, March 29. The record-breaking Canadian musical created by George Reinblatt, Frank Cipolla, Melissa Morris and Christopher Bond takes
elements from “Evil Dead,” “Evil Dead 2” and “Army of Darkness” to tell a story of five college friends spending the weekend in an abandoned cabin in the woods after accidentally unleashing an evil force that turns them all into demons. Tickets are $38, or $50 for a special immersive “splatter zone.”
“Nat Geo Live: Chasing Rivers” is presented at 7:30 p.m., Wednesday, March 25. Photographer and filmmaker Peter McBride will present, showing that photography, passion, hard work and guts matter more than the cost of your gear or where you went to school. McBride, an acclaimed artist with over 15 years of work for National Geographic and an award-winning film, “Chasing Water,” to his credit, has taken pictures from such unusual vantage points as the cockpit of a WWIvintage biplane and the underside of an iceberg. Tickets are $26 to $40.
Spark! Mesa’s Festival of Creativity—a free, immersive event for all ages—will run Wednesday, March 18, through Saturday, March 21. The festival weaves air, earth, fire and water into numerous captivating and interactive experiences. spark! celebrates the arts, innovation and boundless creativity through participatory activities, music, original performances, collaborative art and more.
Bugs, beads, music featured in exhibitions
The Mesa Contemporary Arts Museum, the visual art exhibition space at Mesa Arts Center, is displaying a wide variety of works in its five galleries.
The 36th annual Contemporary Craft Exhibition, a national juried exhibition, will showcase traditional craft mediums in the Main Room; including ceramics, fibers, basketry, metals, wood, glass, jewelry, papermaking and book arts Feb. 13 through April 5.
The detailed and meticulous work in “Beaded, Not Broken” by Minnesota artist Brenda Brousseau, will be on display Feb. 13 through April 12 in the Project Room. Inspired by traditional Native American beadwork, Brousseau uses beads to convey
Arizona Musicfest kicks off Jan. 29
Arizona’s premier winter music festival, Musicfest, begins Thursday, Jan. 29, and will run through Thursday, March 5, featuring headliners such as Rosanne Cash, Steep Canyon Rangers and New York Polyphony.
The performers include several Grammynominated artists. Cash is up for Best Americana Album for “The River and The Thread,” as well as Best American Roots Song and Best American Roots Performance for “A Feather’s Not a Bird.” Steep Canyon Rangers are nominated for Best American Roots Song and New York Polyphony have been nominated for Best Chamber Music/ Small Ensemble Performance.
The festival, which takes place at various venues in Phoenix and Scottsdale, will feature top musicians in genres including classical, chamber, jazz, rock and roll, country, bluegrass and pop. The festival will offer 14 concerts, beginning with “Hotel California—A Salute to the Eagles” Thursday, Jan. 29, at Highlands Church, 9050 E. Pinnacle Peak Rd., Scottsdale.
Single tickets and bundles for Arizona Musicfest concerts are on sale at www.
azmusicfest.org; visit the website or call (480) 840-0457 for more information. The rest of the schedule follows:
Feelin’ Groovy—The Era of Simon and Garfunkel
7:30 p.m. Monday, Feb. 2. Highlands Church, 9050 E. Pinnacle Peak Rd., Scottsdale. $23-$65; $10 with college ID.
The Duke Ellington Orchestra
7:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 6. Highlands Church, 9050 E. Pinnacle Peak Rd., Scottsdale. $23$65; $10 with college ID.
New York Polyphony
3 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 8. MIM Music Theater, Musical Instrument Museum, 4725 E. Mayo Blvd., Phoenix. $47.50-$57.50.
Mike Kocour Quintet
7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 10. Troon Country Club, 25000 N. Windy Walk Dr., Scottsdale. $49.
Scheherazade and Mozart: Arizona Musicfest Orchestra conducted by Robert Moody featuring Ricardo Morales 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 24. Pinnacle Presbyterian Church, 25150 N. Pima Rd., Scottsdale. $49-$65; $10 with college ID.
her journey of spiritual growth and healing, incorporating ritually significant objects like headdresses and mandalas, layering them with symbolism and meaning. Brousseau is also the 35th annual Contemporary Crafts exhibition Juror’s Choice winner.
“Chamber Music: A Mostly Silent Installation” by Diane Gilbert will be exhibited Jan. 23 through April 26 in the North Gallery. Gilbert’s installation creates a spatial environment full of subtle light, expressive shadows, and sculptural forms that are mostly air. Her materials are thousands of played guitar strings and tiny squares of painted screen. Each piece is composed of strings played by many musicians who never knew each other but are now playing silently together contributing to the larger expression of a luminous space.
“Insectographia: Drawing in Enamel” by Charity Hall will be in the SRP Gallery through March 1. This exhibition features the biologically inspired enamels of Blacksburg, Virginia, artist Charity Hall. With an emphasis on entomological imagery, Hall looks beyond the ick factor generally associated with insects and captures their inherent beauty on hand-fabricated brooches and other small jewelry items. On her enameled surfaces, Hall incorporates a variety of traditional and contemporary methods including drawing, painting and sgraffito.
“Arrangement for a Silent Orchestra” by Prescott’s Julie Comnick is on display in the South Gallery through March 22. The painting and video project explores the gradual dissolution of culture in contemporary society through the symbolic ruin of a personal and cultural icon, the violin. Using the violin as a metaphor, Comnick raises questions about the relationship between increasing technology and diminishing cultural heritage. She invites the audience to consider what makes the instrument precious in his or her own experience and the impact of its loss.
To reach the Mesa Arts Center box office, call (480) 640-6500. For tickets or more information about performances or art exhibitions, visit www.mesaartscenter.com.
Beethoven, Bach and the Blue Danube: Arizona Musicfest Orchestra conducted by Robert Moody featuring Orion Weiss 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 26. Pinnacle Presbyterian Church, 25150 N. Pima Rd., Scottsdale. $49-$65; $10 with college ID.
The Crazy Arc of Love: Arizona Musicfest Orchestra featuring Storm Large, lead singer of Pink Martini
