You learn a lot about great dead composers in music class -- Bach, Mozart and Beethoven, etc.

The kids at John Kennedy Elementary School got a lesson that's a little different this year: learning about a living composer who doesn't live too far from Batavia!

Mark Hijleh, Ph.D, a Houghton resident and professor of Music Theory and Composition at Houghton College, has written many musical pieces in the last couple of decades. These include scores for short films made at the Rochester Institute of Technology. Some of his music is available online, including the piece that John Kennedy School's music teacher, Jeffrey Langdon, chose to share with his students.

The Genesee Chorale's "Irish Celebration" concert will be performed at Batavia Middle School on 96 Ross St. at 7 p.m. on Friday, March 19.

The concert will feature following performers:

Mitzie Collins, hammered dulcimer

Roxanne Ziegler, harp

Glenda dove, flute

Jim Kimball and the Geneseo String Band

McMahon School of Dance

Tickets are $10 for adults, $8 for children and seniors, and $18 for families.

Please see the Genesee Chorale website for more information -- including a list of musical selections -- or call (585) 746-2974.

An Evening of Jazz is scheduled for Saturday, April 24th at the intimate Stuart Steiner Theater at Genesee Community College.  Event Chairman, Derek Reiss will welcome guests to this signature jazz event beginning at 7:30 pm with the Batavia High School Jazz Band.  The featured artist, Bobby Militello, will take the stage by 8:00pm.  Bobby plays the also sax for legendary jazz great Dave Brubeck.  General admission tickets cost $15 for students/$30 for adults and may be purchased at Roxy's Music Store, 228 Main Street, Batavia.  Or, call Pamela LaGrou at 815-1803 for more information or to purchase tickets. An Evening of Jazz is hosted by GCASA Foundation.

Last week, when the Grammy nominations were announced, the category for Best Country Instrumental Performance included the song Under The (Five) Wire, by Alison Brown.

Now, that may not mean much to most readers of The Batavian, but it means a lot to the Bohn family of Batavia.

The audio engineer on the recording was John J. Bohn, a 2003 graduate of Batavia High as well as a 2006 graduate of the Conservatory of Recording Arts and Sciences. 

Roger Bohn tells us that John lives in Nashville with is wife and son.

You can hear more of John's work on his MySpace page.

Down to Earth Approach, a rock band that landed the coveted record deal, released two CDs, toured all over the country, and won over more than a few fans, was formed in Batavia a decade ago.

The band hasn't played together since 2007, but for tonight they've booked a reunion show at (the former) Main Street Coffee.  Tickets are $15 at the door and 10 percent of the proceeds will be donated to the Salvation Army.

The video above is from a previous show at Main Street Coffee.  There's more videos of the band on YouTube, including the fun one at the bottom of this post.

Pete Metzler, an original member of the band, e-mailed us this history of the group:

I, along with the other 4 members of the band are Batavia natives. We formed  in 2000 and after about a year or so we decided to go for it, and all dropped  out of college. We then packed up and moved to Los Angeles. We lived out  there for a couple years playing shows and trying to make a name for  ourselves and in late 2003 we signed a record deal with Vagrant Records. In  August 2004, our first record 'Another Intervention' was released. At that  point we commenced what turned into almost 4 years of touring the US and  Canada regularly. Over this time we played about 350 or 400 shows all over  the country including the entire Vans Warped Tour 2006. In 2007 we released  our second record 'Come Back to You'. Unfortunately life started to catch up  with us and we decided to call it a day right after our 2nd record was  released.

Here's the band's MySpace page, and more about the band on their record label's site.

Besides Metzler, band members include: John McCampbell, Daniel Shepard, Ryan McClurg and Jonathan Lullo.

Also on the bill tonight, The Hoodies and Justin Reynolds.

Start the Christmas season off right with an afternoon of your Christmas favorites! Selections will include White Christmas, Carol of the Bells, Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas and many more. Performed by several of the area’s finest musicians and the Choir of the First Presbyterian Church of Elba. The concert will be followed by a reception in the Fellowship Hall.

Saturday, December 12, 2009 at 2:00 PM

First Presbyterian Church of Elba, 23 North Main St., Elba NY

A suggested freewill donation of $5 will be received with appreciation to support the mission and ministry of the church.

We introduced Tyler Barrett as a young, local aspiring fiction writer some time back. Tonight, he sent a long a link to this video of him playing piano. The song he's playing is "Lux Aeterna,"  from the film Requiem for a Dream.

Mitzie Collins and "Striking Strings", the Hammered Dulcimer Ensemble of the Eastman Community School, will be performing at the Byron Presbyterian Church on Sunday, October 4, at  2:00 PM.  The concert is free to the public, but there will be a free-will offering to support the Ensemble.  Refreshments will be served after the concert. 

Mitzie Collins is a world-renowned recording artist, performer and teacher.  She is currently on the faculty of the Eastman Community Music School in Rochester.  The Hammered Dulcimer Ensemble is composed of Mitzie's students.  Mary Ann Blair, one of the Ensemble members, is a member of the church, and made the arrangements for the concert. 

The church is just west of the intersection of Route 237 and Rt. 262 in the center of Byron.  For more information, please call 548-2800 or visit www.byronfpc.org.

Here is more detailed information about "Striking Strings", from one of their press releases: 

Striking Strings, the Eastman Community Music School Hammered Dulcimer Ensemble, was created in January of 2008 under the direction of Mitzie Collins.  Composed of students from the group classes that Collins has taught through the Eastman Community Music School and professional and amateur players from the community, the ensemble is has quickly won fans through its many performances in the Rochester area.   Hammered dulcimer ensembles, encompassing rhythmic and tuneful combinations not possible on a single instrument, are rare in the United States, but common in other parts of the world.   This group is modeled after hackbrett ensembles in Germany and yangqin ensembles in China.  Under Collins’ direction, the group is exploring a wide repertory that includes traditional dance tunes and classical compositions.  The Ensemble has performed at the Gardenscape at the Dome Arena, the Caledonia Presbyterian Church, Trinity Episcopal Church, Kilbourn Hall at the Eastman School, two private weddings, the Heart of the Alleghenies Festival in Bradford Pennsylvania,  The Harley School, The Genesee Country Village Fiddlers Festival and The Golden LInk Folksinging Society .  The Ensemble plans a number of appearances in the community during the 2009 holiday season. 

The director of the ensemble,  Mitzie Collins,  is widely acknowledged to be a leader in the revival of the hammered dulcimer.  A historian of the instrument, as well as a teacher and performe r,  she has made more than 30 recordings.   Some of her most popular discs are "Sacketts Harbor:  Historical Dance Music of Western New York State",   "St Patrick's Day in the Morning:  Music of Irish Inspiration";  and "Nowell  Music for the Christmas Season".    Collins teaches world music and hammered dulcimer through the Eastman Community Music School.  She received her bachelor of music with a piano performance major and her masters in music education from the Eastman School of Music. 

The group currently has ten members, but it is growing as more players audition to join the infectious enthusiasm of the group.  

If you’ve ever driven down Center Street, I’m sure you’ve noticed the garage next to the Smoke House painted as a “Fire Headquarters.” This garage has just recently become the newest spot for local bands to perform.

Hosted by Glass Roots next door to it, the venue's third show took place Friday night. It's open to artists of all types and Friday’s show featured three very different genres of music. 

First to perform was Greengage, a local jam band with a reggae influence. Then, the duo known as Davey O. played a set of acoustic folk rock. Lastly, Steve Ditzel, a Batavia resident, took the stage with his turntables and got the crowd moving to his electronic beats. 

The show started around 7:30, drawing a large crowd of highly diverse people and ran up until last call for drinks. There was a 50/50 raffle, too. While there's no firm schedule for future events, Glass Roots shop owner Jeremy Almeter says that there will be more shows and to stop by for more details.

Two great bands will perform live tonight at Glass Roots, located at 12 Center St. in Batavia. Both groups play roots rock/Americana.

Greengage will play an early show at 6 p.m., then Davey O. will take the stage at 8. Afterward, Greengage will return to the stage for the final performance of the evening.

Davey O. was voted the 2004 Artvoice Readers' Choice Award winner, coming off its tour as the opening act for Poco.

Greengage musicians are masters of their instruments, playing jam-band music in the style of Phish, the Grateful Dead and Widespread Panic.

Cover charge is $5. Beer and wine will be available for sale.

Also, in October, the following performers will be at Glass Roots:

Roger Marin Band, which is from Canada and features the guitar player for Fred Eaglesmith, Chris Knight, Willie Nelson and more.

Ron LaSalle, from Nashville, with Buffalo Music Hall of Fame guitarist Frank Grizanti.

And George Duran.
 

 


(Astoria Figs)

JOE: Good morning Calliope.
CALLIOPE: Good morning Joe. Welcome back from your travels.
JOE: Thanks. We rode a whirlwind through Manchester, Connecticut to New York where we settled for a few days.
CALLIOPE: Tell me the highlights.
JOE: As for simple pleasures, eating fresh figs from Mike and Joe's patio fig tree.
CALLIOPE: Anything more complex.
JOE: We saw Next to Normal, a musical about the effect of mental illness on the family.
CALLIOPE: Sounds strange.
JOE: It sounded that way to me too. But then music, better than writing, portrays emotions and relationships which can sometimes elude words.
CALLIOPE: Tell me more.
JOE: The show showed musically the struggle of a woman with her emotions and the effect of her illness on her daughter and son in very immediate and graphic, or should I say musical, terms.
CALLIOPE: Words sometimes struggle to show raw emotion.
JOE: I agree. Music seems to do a better job.
CALLIOPE: Something to consider for your writing.
JOE: I will remember that. I'm not quite sure of the implicati0ns though. Talk with you tomorrow.

My morning started at the Pok-A-Dot. Just as I sat down, so did another couple and the lady happened to mention she was visiting from California. Well, that caught my ear for sure. "Where are you from?" I asked.

"Temecula."

"Oh, one of my best friends is a math teacher in Temecula. I grew up in San Diego."

"What brought you out here?"

"The weather."

After she picked her jaw up off the countertop, we started chatting. It turns out she's a singer. You might have known her as Debbie Chamberlain. Now she performs as Debbie Voltura.

Debbie is in town for her daughter's wedding today.

After a while, Bill McDonald, on the right, above, walked in and the two musicians with deep roots in Batavia greeted each other warmly. Debbie asked her manager Marc Gabriel, left, to go out to the car and get a copy of her latest CD, "Live on Broadway."

Bill said, "This lady can sing." And can she. Check out some of the song samples here.  If you like swinging jazz, as Billie and I do, you'll love Debbie's music.

More from the OHMS Band here.

Pat Tehan sent us the links with this note:

I hope you don't mind this shameless self-promotion - I'm the piano player in The OHMS Band.  We played at Jackson Square on July 31 - the weather cooperated for once this summer and we had a good crowd because of it.  Melissa Eddings Mancuso videotaped it and made DVDs for the band - her husband, Bill Mancuso, played organ.  I posted 15 of the songs to youtube, I thought that some of your readers might enjoy it if they were there.  Some good crowd shots in the videos...  Guys in the band are Anthony DelPlato (drums, vocals), Charlie DelPlato (electric guitar, vocals), Chris Bartz (acoustic guitar, lead vocals), Joe Palmer (bass), Bill Mancuso (organ), Pat Tehan (piano)

We're always happy to promote local music.

Whoever coordinated the music to the fireworks, last night, did a fantastic job. 

The fireworks are always fun and the music selection was perfect for the evening.

thanks.

Also, sat with a couple, from California.  They couldn't say enough about Batavia and thoroughly enjoyed the entire experience at the game.  One comment made me laugh, though.  She asked about winters and if we got any snow.  When we admitted that we do get snow, she asked, "How do you go out in it?" 

 


(Spring Flowering)

JOE: Good afternoon Calliope.
CALLIOPE: Good afternoon Joe. Where have you been?
JOE: Carol has a vacation this week. I guess the mood is contagious.
CALLIOPE: I guess so. We were in mid discussion about Grass Roots and you promised to elaborate.
JOE: I did. I was telling you about hearing their song Where Were You When I Needed You on Wednesday night.
CALLIOPE: And?
JOE: They came out with it in 1966, during my first year out of the monastery. It reminded me of feeling like an alien on earth in a culture which had emerged while I was away.
CALLIOPE: Did it bring back memories and feelings about those days?
JOE: In a way, but it didn't through me into chaos as Michael McDonald did.
CALLIOPE: How did you react?
JOE: I quickly moved on to thoughts about all the friends I have developed since then and how much I have learned and grown.
CALLIOPE: So it was a good reaction?
JOE: It was.
CALLIOPE: What's next on your horizon?
JOE: The books I am working on as well as a new awareness of my place in the cosmos and my feeling of responsibility to make the most of it. I'll tell you more next week.

Bill Kauffman has a post over at Front Porch Republic about finding great localist/regionalist songs, songs that celebrate place and home.

He leads off with this wonderful piece by Iris DeMent.

Which I'd never heard before.

He includes this classic by The Pretenders.

What a simple, angry song about paving over of our cities and rural lands by chain retailers, destroying the heritage of communities all across the country.  Chrissie Hynde sings about Ohio, but I always associate this song with my former hometown, El Cajon, Calif., which has something in common with Batavia -- a downtown pretty well damaged by urban renewal, though El Cajon was left in much worse shape.

The other classic anti-urban renewal song comes from a Brit, Ray Davies, and The Kinks.

But not all great localist songs lament what used to be. Some great ones celebrate home, like CCR's "Looking Out My Backdoor."

The first week I moved to New York from California, one of my favorite music artists, and there's no pretense in calling him an artist, Dave Alvin released a new CD of songs by California songwriters writing about California.  The first time I heard "California Bloodlines," I couldn't help but tear up.

The song was written by John Stewart and you can see him perform his version here.

I could do a whole post of Dave Alvin "California" songs, going back to his early days with The Blasters.

The last place in California I lived was Bakersfield, which is the subject the classic, "Streets of Bakersfield."  You know that song was written by somebody who lived in Bakersfield for a long time, as it opens up with the perfect conundrum that describes Bako: "You don't know me, but you don't like me / You say you care less how I feel ..."

Bakersfield got slammed pretty good by this local rap due in "Armpit of the State."

The last song to share is another classic picking on Bakersfield's less positive attributes, "Kern River."  That river claims five or six lives every year. 

OK, one more Merle Haggard song, because it takes me back to a time when I lived in a big city and longed to move to a small town ... and I finally made it when I arrived in Batavia.

Do you have any favorite localist songs, songs of place?

To post a video in your comment, use a bracket "[" and then the word "video" followed by a colon ":" then the URL to the YouTube video, then close bracket "]"

Like this (but with no spaces) [ video : http : //www.youtube.com/watch?v=T_q0WJJKFxA ]

 


(Wagon Wheels)

JOE: Good afternoon Calliope.
CALLIOPE: Good afternoon, Joe. I missed you this morning.
JOE: I was off to a busy start.
CALLIOPE: Doing what?
JOE: Going for a massage, shopping, and manual labor edging the lawn.
CALLIOPE: Are your musical adventures over?
JOE: Hardly.
CALLIOPE: Tell me.
JOE: Last night several of us drove to Finger Lakes Race Track for a concert by the Sky Coasters and then Grass Roots.
CALLIOPE: Go on.
JOE: I have seen Sky Coasters quite a few times, a band from Rochester which plays quite a variety of songs and I always enjoy them.
CALLIOPE: And Grass Roots?
JOE: Another story. I must admit I didn't remember them from the old days, at least until they sang, "Where Were You When I Needed You?"
CALLIOPE: Did that song have some special significance for you?
JOE: It was their first big hit in 1966 the year after I left the monastery and was just getting back into the real world. It brought back memories of those days. I'll tell you more tomorrow.

 


(Coconut Palm)

JOE: Good morning Calliope.
CALLIOPE: Good morning Joe. How are you today?
JOE: Doing well. I got some exercise yesterday morning and went to say goodbye to my brother Bob and his girlfriend Carol who are returning to Hawaii this morning.
CALLIOPE: Any further musical adventures?
JOE: As a matter of fact yes.
CALLIOPE: Tell me.
JOE: Carol takes lessons and is in a traditional Hawaiian Hula group. She performed a couple dances for us last night.
CALLIOPE: Sounds interesting.
JOE: I thought so. It went beyond the typical Luau dancing. She also took time to introduce and later explain the movements of each dance.
CALLIOPE: A treat.
JOE: Indeed. It reminded me of the unbounded creativity across the world.
CALLIOPE: Any personal message for you?
JOE: It encouraged me to continue exploring my own creative side and express whatever you and the other muses might bring me as gifts.
CALLIOPE: Glad you appreciate them.
JOE: I do. Talk with you tomorrow.

(Portuguese Street Tile)

JOE: Good morning Calliope.
CALLIOPE: Good morning Joe. What news today?
JOE: I continued my creative restoration program yesterday.
CALLIOPE: How?
JOE: Carol and I spent the afternoon at her cousin's cottage on Canisus Lake, one of the New York State Finger Lakes.
CALLIOPE: And you relaxed all day?
JOE: For the most part. However the afternoon was punctuated by a musical surprise.
CALLIOPE: Tell me.
JOE: Zack, a thirteen year old grandson of one of Carol's cousin's friends, began talking about his interest in opera. It turned out to be more than an interest.
CALLIOPE: How so.
JOE: He had amassed quite a bit of knowledge about opera, favored Mozart, particularly La Nozza de Figaro and Die Zauberflaut. In mid discussion he broke into song favoring us with several arias from each of his favorite operas.
JOE: How a mature baritone voice could emanate from a thirteen year old boy astounded me.
CALLIOPE: I wish I had been there.
JOE: Some of your more musically inclined sister muses would have been impressed.
CALLIOPE: Perhaps one of them had a hand in drawing him to opera.
JOE: Perhaps. In any case it was a pleasant surprise, bordering on a peak experience.