by Dave Nery

First Night is becoming THE traditional New Year’s Eve event for more and more families, and this year again, area residents will have three celebrations to choose from, in Youngstown, Canfield and Salem. Admission buttons for each cost $10.

“First Night® is an international alliance of over 200 New Year’s eve celebrations in 4 countries that combines the traditions of marking the passage of time with modern day festivities. First Night® cultivates a sense of community, brings together the family, revitalizes the downtown, decreases alcohol consumption on New Year’s Eve and stages a public observance of the coming of the New Year,” according to the official theme of the alliance.

Each of the local entities has its own website, and we offer them here, with only a brief overview of some of the special features of each and a list of the musical performers.

http://www.firstnightyoungstown.com

http://www.firstnightcanfield.com

http://www.firstnightsalem.com

YOUNGSTOWN

2010 marks the 10th year of Youngstown’s First Night event, and the scope and variety of entertainment continues to grow, including this year, the swearing-in ceremony for Mayor Jay Williams’ next term in office. The 20 venues and 19 restaurants taking part are on the YSU campus and along East and West Federal Plaza, with community skating, two fireworks shows and other events at the Covelli Centre. Horse-drawn carriage rides are also available.

Many of the musicians playing at First Night are part of the repeating tradition. They include: Davis and McKay, Miss D and Joni, Ryan Ross, Tim Drummond, Blue Rays, String Theory, Conjunto Riquena, November Loop, Grand Fury, The Zou, Robbie Jay Band, Father Vit Fiala, Meg Daniluk, Jones For Revival, Lethal FX, Classic Cruisers, County Mayo, Steve Fazzini, Chasin’ the Blues, Colin Dussault’s Blues Project, and the Youngstown Connection. Check the website for details.

CANFIELD

First Night Canfield will host events at 18 venues in 5 locations, and will end with fireworks and a community bonfire. Many activities are designed specifically for the younger crowd, and there will be dance and drama.

Musicians playing Canfield include: Thomas Solich, Seraphim, Colleen McNally-Harris, Dr. Dan Laginya, “Harper Kirk”, Get Out and Push, Jaclyn Hodos, Ladies of Country Music, Thought the World, FROG, JD Eicher (solo) and the Goodnights, Lee Alverson, Erie Travelers, Steve Fazzini, Rock N Roll Heaven, Dickey White and the Allstars, Magma, Cahal Dunne, Naples Sisters, Jim Frank Trio, and Billy Smooth and The House Rockers.

SALEM

First Night Salem includes free trolley rides between venues on East State Street and North Lincoln, plus horse-drawn carriage rides, to the 14 venues providing entertainment. The night will culminate with a Grand Finale balloon drop countdown and community cake and hot chocolate social, where many of the evening’s performers will do short shows.

Playing live music at this year’s events will be: Dottie Aiken Reynolds with Tumbleweed, David Pasco, Bill Schilling, Linda Sigismondi, Stockdale Family Band, All 4 One,  Chip Richter, Salem Jubilee Chorus, Dulci-More, Allegheny Drifters, Ted Thorne, God’s Quad, Sharyn Chrystal, Tapestries of Ohio, Sugar Tree Alley, Jack Vasko Band, EVB II, Above 209, and Tribute. In addition to maps and schedules, the Salem website offers pictures and biographies of each of the performers.

by Dave Nery…

For first-timers, listening to a guitar and flute duet is a multi-stage experience, and each level has its special pleasure. That was how JamBrain found the Oct. 29 performance by Duo Allant in Bliss Recital Hall.

Duo Allant (two going forward, continuing to grow) is flutist* Kathryn Thomas Umble and classical guitarist Francois Fowler, both faculty members of the Dana School of Music and widely celebrated musical performers.

*JamBrain still prefers the traditional term “flautist” for its decadence.

The Thursday concert featured traditional and modern works of varied styles, but appreciation of the music was the final phase of the fun.

Flute and guitar are not obvious companions. From the former, a wind (nee woodwind) instrument, the vibrations of the breath across the mouthpiece are gathered through its length and presented as a modified, mellowed, finished sound. In contrast, the vibrations of the strings of the guitar are always upfront and immediate, though modulated by the resonance of the wooden body’s sounding board.

The uneducated ear hears them separately, at the outset, creating something of a mental dissonance. Then the similarities begin to appear, first in the instruments themselves, soon after in the skill of the performers, and finally the listener can attend to the composition, with each shade an exciting discovery.

Of course, the only “dissonance” is incongruence, because neither flute nor classical guitar is anything but harmonious, and the instruments played by these master musicians are clearly of superior quality. Once the ear attunes to the tone of the tools, the craft of the artists wielding them becomes conspicuous.

In their first piece, four settings of “Histoire du Tango” by Astor Piazzolla, one listens first to flute, then guitar, each on its own, with a common tango beat and background. The four 16th century lute songs — pop hits then — by John Dowland and arranged by the performing duo play more to their commonalities and showcase their skills, until finally the picture absorbs your awareness. The 1981 composition, “Toward the Sea,” a tribute for Green Peace by Toru Takemitsu is a seamlessly flowing confluence of winds and strings and water; and it was hard to imagine, during Robert Beaser’s recent Mountain Song interpretations, that two other instruments could so melodiously meld. They added Jacques Ibert’s “Entr’acte” for a finale fillip.

Duo Allant will be ‘going forward’ further with an International Musical Journey, performing music from Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Japan, United Kingdom and America in a Sundays at Stambaugh concert November 8 in Christman Hall, with lunch served at 12:15 and the program following. (Reservations are required by Nov. 5)

By Dave Nery…

If your ideal Austrian autumn involves pizza pies and rock and roll music, University Pizzeria has just the seasonal festivity for you.

In truth, Oktoberfest also includes Bavarian beer and food, but music is the main ingredient for the day-long event, October 24 at U-Pie on the south edge of the YSU campus.

This quintessential college hangout has become one of the area’s premier music venues since Kyle Daley (Mr. Kyle) has taken over management of that phase of the operation, and he and legendary radio personality, Viking Jim — who will act as master of ceremonies — put together this fall’s biggest show.

Twelve local and regional bands will be rocking until midnight, with doors opening at noon. The Kellys and Grand Fury are featured, but the continuous performances include many of the area’s most popular bands, and even the youngest, Magma, all 12 year olds from Boardman.

Proceeds from the $5 cover charge will be donated to Akron Children’s Hospital.

Tie-dyed lederhosen are optional.

EVENT link »

by Dave Nery…

Rick Cameron came up with a radical idea, though there are those who would argue with that terminology.

For instance, some think Rick’s idea was simply bad; others that it’s crazy; but, to be fair, his friend who said, “His vision is alarming,” was probably exaggerating, poking fun.

Cameron is a bass player who was unsatisfied with the bass player’s usual role of keeping the beat in tune. That judgment is only slightly unusual and some of the best bands actually feature the bass with intricate rhythm lines and harmonies. He took the concept to a controversial extreme: bass solos with only his own electronic accompaniment.

Before drifting too far – theoretically – afield, one point must be clearly made: Rick Cameron is a very skilled bass player (he also hires out for freelance work), and his original compositions are complex, interesting and musically sound.

And not everyone is disparaging. He has been called, “a musician’s musician” and “bassist  extraordinaire,” and his work, “exotic and brilliant,” “interesting” and “cool.”

And also, greatly to his credit is his humility. On the back cover of his second, two-disc CD, “It’s Different 2,” he includes these comments by his friends and fans: “exclusively for other bass players,” “It’s OK,” “My attention span isn’t that long,” and “What the ?*$%#??”

The fact is that Cameron’s work insists on confronting the essential question of his quest: whether or not a solo bass with electronic back-up is a functional vehicle. He opened for Stratospheerius at Blue Magoo’s on October15th, and while he would have benefited from an introduction (several patrons wondered if he had begun to perform or was tuning up), the combination of slow string vibration, overly loud and somewhat muffled electronics, and an inadequate sound system, it was a challenge to appreciate his talent.

The sound is much more differentiated on his CDs, which, though primitively recorded, don’t include feedback. Those self-published CDs are available to anyone who will mail him $2 (any currency) for postage, although — by minor oversight — Bassplayer Rick omitted his address. [Or click through to his website from his JamBrain profile page.]

The Boardman Spartan Marching Band and the Boardman Band and Orchestra Parents, Inc. will host Boardman Band Night ’09 on Saturday, September 19 at 7:00 PM in Boardman Stadium.  Participating high school bands are Springfield, Lowellville, West Branch, South Range, Cuyahoga Falls, and Boardman.  Admission at the gates is $5.00 for adults and $3.00 for students.  Senior citizens are admitted free to all Boardman Band events.  Gates open at 6:00 PM.

This year’s Band Night Show will live up to the tradition of exciting, high-quality entertainment by the BSMB.  We open with the traditional Run-On and “Fanfare for the Common Man.”  The opening marching drill is a rock and roll tribute to the Rolling Stones.  The Spartan Silks are the first featured group.  They perform to a tune called “Blame It On The Boogie” by The Jacksons.  The Spartan Twirlers will light up the night with a fire-twirling routine to “Footloose” by Kenny Loggins.  The Spartan Sweethearts perform next with some student soloists on Michael Buble’s remake of “Feelin’ Good.”  This year’s closer follows a little boy’s dreams of going into outer space.  It includes a whole cast of space characters, music, and props.

At 270 members, this year’s Spartan Marching Band is the largest high school band in the area.  The band is under the direction of Thomas M. Ruggieri, Timothy P. Tuite, Steven Chambers, Michael Shevock, and Frank Dispenza.  Also on staff are Jamie Cordon, Niki Dispenza, and Janet Gbur who instruct the Sweethearts, Silks, and Twirlers.  The BSMB has a reputation for treating audiences to fun-filled, high-energy, and innovative shows.  The Band performs at all Boardman High School varsity football games, local band nights, and various community events.  The Band has already performed at a Cleveland Indians game and is slated to perform at a Cleveland Cavaliers game.

The big trip for this school year will be in November when the band will travel to New York City to perform in the 2009 Veterans Day Parade.  They will also participate in a massed-band performance on Tuesday, November 10 which will be nationally televised.

Fans are encouraged to visit www.boardmanband.org for more information about Band Night and the Boardman Band program.