Calendar of Events

FIRST FRIDAYS Monthly Series*
October 3, 2008
Suggested donation of $5 • 7:30 p.m.

JADD Quartet

The musical group, JADD, was recently formed with the intention of performing the Claude Bolling Suite for Flute and Jazz Piano. Over the years these four musicians have played with other in a variety of performing groups. They are having a fabulous time playing “classical jazz” together.

Andrea Taupier (flute) studied flute as an undergraduate student intending to pursue a major in music. While her major changed, her love of the flute has not. Andrea has performed in community theater orchestras, church ensembles, and the Old Post Road Orchestra. She currently plays flute with the Zephyr Woodwind Quintet and the Wind Orchestra of Wilbraham. Andrea serves as the Library Director at Springfield College and resides in Wilbraham.

John Anderson (piano) has bachelors and masters degrees in music, and worked for seven years as a full-time church organist before switching careers to data processing. He is currently a Business Systems Architect for MassMutual Financial Group, and is still active as a substitute organist, accompanist, and occasional recitalist. John also plays bassoon and is currently a member of the Mount Holyoke College Orchestra. John and his family reside in Longmeadow.

FIRST FRIDAYS Monthly Series*
August 1, 2008
Suggested donation of $5 • 7:30 p.m.

The Econoline Kings

The Econoline Kings make original music that's informed by influences from Carl Perkins to Tom Waits and Willie Nelson. With other influences ranging from the number 7 to Julius Caesar, this obviously humorous trio performs rockabilly stylings from right here in the greater Springfield area.

Guitarist/singer James Heflin was born in Texas and grew up in the Deep South, so he's responsible for showing up with the heat and humidity. Heflin brings his experience playing Gypsy jazz in Wood Green Empire to The Econoline Kings, making for a deep-fried sound with an unusual brand of twang. The rest of the Econoline Kings, Greg Silveira on bass and Josh Martin on drums, hail from eastern Massachusetts. They are accomplished songwriters, and regularly play their compositions as an acoustic duo under the name Martin & Silveira. In 2002, they won the WRSI singer/songwriter contest, and recorded the album Appomattox.

Dick Loomis (string bass) earned a bachelors degree in viola performance at the University of Hawaii. He plays a variety of string instruments with the Holyoke Civic Symphony, Eastern Connecticut Symphony, Keene Chamber Orchestra and is concertmaster of the Old Post Road Orchestra. Dick loves performing because of the many and wide experiences music has provided to him and his listeners. Dick resides in Belchertown and when he isn’t performing he tunes pianos.

Dick Glashow (drums) has played percussion for over forty years. He has been with the Holyoke Civic Symphony since 1997, and has played for numerous community theater productions over the years. He is the father of three, the grandfather of three, and currently resides in East Longmeadow. Dick is the Assistant Principal at Duggan Middle School in Springfield.

Claude Bolling composed the Suite for Flute and Jazz Piano in 1975. Bolling, an accomplished French jazz pianist, originally performed this work with Jean-Pierre Rampal on the flute. The Suite consists of seven movements, loosely based on the Baroque suite form, that provide a variety of juxtapositions between classical and jazz elements. Tempos and meters vary as the piano and flute dialog in a jazz ensemble supported by the drums and string bass. Running time is approximately 40 minutes.

FIRST ANNUAL MEMBERS ONLY JURIED SHOW Competition
Jurors: Gloria Russell, Larry Slezak, & Bill Myers.
July 26 - August 30, 2008
Opening Reception on July 26 • 1 - 3 p.m. at the Dane Gallery, I.O. Mills
Awards Reception on August 2 • 3 - 5 p.m. at Gallery 137

We invite all of our artist members to participate. If you are not already an artist member, this is a great time to join! An Artist’s membership to Gallery 137 is $50.00 per year. Please print and submit the Annual Members Only Juried Show entry form as well as the Artist's Membership form to Gallery 137. Read about the show and submitting your work here.

FIRST FRIDAYS Monthly Series*
September 5, 2008
Suggested donation of $5 • 7:30 p.m.

Too Human

Hailing from New York, both Ellen and Roger have had music in their lives from a very early age. Roger was studying accordion by the time he was 5 and Ellen was harmonizing by the age of 3. Over the years they both explored different musical genres and instruments, but what remained constant was singing, the song and the passion.

They eventually became professional songwriters in Los Angeles, on staff with publishing giant Warner/Chappell Music, where they had their songs covered by a broad spectrum of recording artists including Cher, Pat Benatar, Teddy Pendergrass, Martha Davis (of the Motels), Angela Bofill, Agnetha Foltskog (of ABBA), Anne Murray, Nancy Wilson, and Ramsey Lewis. And their songs have been heard on TV shows including Fame, General Hospital and As The World Turns.

But after a while they decided to give up the main stream corporate music world, moved back east and became Too Human.

Ask them what kind of music they play and they will answer, "Good music with a lot of heart." You still want to narrow it down? Okay - they cover jazz standards from the American Songbook, but with a fresh interpretation that brings new life to those classic songs. And their songwriting influences are Paul Simon, Smokey Robinson, Joni Mitchell, Buck Owens, Duke Ellington, Thom Bell, Carole King, Cole Porter and the Gershwins - from jazz and blues to pop to R&B. With vocals, guitar, percussion and, on occasion, upright bass they have a jazzy / bluesy feel with a lot of heart. Ellen's earthy voice combines perfectly with Roger's unusual percussion style and stirring vocals. Sweet harmonies, unusual arrangements and Roger's famous mouth trombone are the musical elements that frame their performance. But what drives their work is their on-stage chemistry. High quality musicianship with humor and passion, totally in sync with each other, they create a strong and intimate atmosphere.