sept. 10, 2013

, The Loafer • September 10, 2013

www.theloaferonline.com September 10, 2013 • The Loafer,

Volume 27Issue #40

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Runningby “Stick Man” Patrick Dougherty


Mary B. Martin School of the Arts will celebrate its fifth season – the wood anniversary – this fall with a public art project by environmental artist ‘Stick Man’ Patrick Dougherty that will involve scores of students and local residents. This sculpture project is only one element of a season that includes four films, including one about Dougherty, three musical events, comedic theater, a culture-rich visual exhibition and an evening combining health and the arts.

“It is kind of remarkable to me that we are already at our fifth year of events,” program Director Anita DeAngelis says. “One of the fun things about our fall season is we are playing into the traditional fifth anniversary with the wooden theme. It was serendipitous that we happened to have an environmental artist coming to ETSU this year. And we will see some things we haven’t

done before. That’s always a theme for us.”

While many of Mary B. Martin School’s events are free, a few activities each season are ticketed, and this fall’s ticketed events kick off with a mix of musical styles and community collaborations. “The community interaction, interest and support have grown significantly and I anticipate we will see a lot more growth this year,” DeAngelis says. “The types of artists we have chosen to come are addressing some community needs and interests. We are now getting a lot of feedback from the community on what they would like to see and that is influencing our choices much more. Community partnerships have been an interest for us from the beginning – and this is growing.”

The first ticketed event of the fall – the Blind Boys of Alabama on Thursday, Sept. 26 at 7:30 p.m.

in Toy F. Reid Eastman Employee Center, Kingsport – is the result of a partnership between Mary B. Martin School and the Kingsport Office of Cultural Arts. Formed in 1939, the ensemble has since earned five Grammys and four Dove awards, been inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame and performed for three presidents. The New York Times praised the gospel legends’ “close harmonies” that “leap heavenward.”

“Kingsport Cultural Arts is doing some remarkable work. They are responsible for the Carousel Project in Kingsport.

They do a number of concerts and performances throughout the year, as well. They have a lot of contact with school groups … It would be difficult for our office to offer a concert in Kingsport without the assistance of another organization. But we have another audience than they have in Kingsport. The Eastman employee center is larger than some of the venues we have in Johnson City. All in all, this partnership is a win-win for both of us.”

The musical language will shift from vocal to instrumental on Friday, Oct. 4 when Turtle

Island Quartet will bring a program of almost every genre of music, including new age, rock, hip-hop, be-bop, swing, bluegrass and rhythm and blues. Calling itself a “string quartet for the next century,” Turtle Island has impressed even cellist Yo-Yo Ma for “some of the most creative music-making today.” The TIQ performance will begin at 7:30 p.m. in ETSU’s Martha Street Culp Auditorium and will be only one facet of the group’s visit, which will also include master classes with the Academy of Strings and local school music programs.

Then on Sunday, Oct. 20, at 7 p.m. Mountain Stage with Larry Groce will present an array of

diverse bands live from ETSU’s Culp Auditorium to be broadcast on National Public Radio at a later date. Singer-songwriters Tim O’Brien and Darrell Scott will headline the show, co-sponsored by the Birthplace of Country Music in Bristol, with additional performances by Sarah Jarosz, Old Man Luedecke, The Deadly Gentlemen and the ETSU Old Time Pride Band. “The reason they wanted to come to Johnson City this year is that this year is the 85th anniversary

Sticks & Strings at ETSU’s Mary B. Martin School of the Arts

Fall Season Features Art Project with Community, Music, Film

“Stick Man” Patrick Dougherty

Blind Boys of Alabama

Continued on page 5

Turtle Island Quartet - photo by Bill Reitzel


of the Johnson City recording sessions, so there are some other activities, receptions, lectures and an event at the Down Home the night before.”

“If you’ve never seen a Mountain Stage show, they’re a lot of fun. You’ll see a lot of artists all at once.”

Mary B. Martin School has more fun in store, during Homecoming, with Post Comedy Theatre with comedian Robert Post, Saturday, Nov. 2 at 7:30 p.m. in ETSU’s Bud Frank Theatre in Gilbreath Hall. “We haven’t worked with comedy acts before,” DeAngelis says. “Post Comedy Theatre is a great show. He’s very family friendly. To me it’s somewhat akin to the old vaudeville shows. He’s just got a delightful sense of humor and his comedy is very physical. It should give people

some alternatives to other Homecoming activities and it’s a good family show.”

Also in November, the final ticketed event of fall will feature Elizabeth Ellis, telling stories of heroic American and

Appalachian women on Tuesday, Nov. 12 at 7:30 p.m. in Brown Hall Auditorium. Ellis has been called “one of America’s finest storytellers” by the School Library Journal and will be recounting more edgy stories for this performance, DeAngelis says.

Highlighting the free Mary B. Martin School events are a three-week residency in November by Dougherty, a film in September previewing the outdoor art project and a lecture in November by the artist. On Sept. 16 at 7 p.m. in Culp Auditorium,

MBMSOTA will screen Bending Sticks: the Sculpture of Patrick Dougherty, a new documentary on the environmental artist’s vision, process and work. A regional panel will afterward

discuss public art, DeAngelis says.

Starting the first week of November, Dougherty will spearhead the creation of a temporary sculpture of woven saplings designed especially for the grounds of ETSU and using volunteers from the campus and wider community. ETSU’s Sustainability program, art classes and science disciplines will be participating, DeAngelis says. “It takes a whole crew to harvest the saplings and then build the work,” she says. “This is pretty exciting for us, especially because the City of Johnson City now has a public art committee … One of the great things is that Dougherty really

Continued from page 4

Continued on page 6

Tim O’Brien and Darrell Scott

Old Man Luedecke

Robert Post

Elizabeth Ellis


engages the community with all the volunteers needed. The project really is public.”

Then on Nov. 18, at 7 p.m. in Culp Auditorium, the artist will discuss his “Stickwork,” as he calls it, that has taken him to college and university campuses, botanical gardens, museums, businesses and private homes worldwide, in locales as distant as Australia, Serbia and Scotland and as proximate as Nashville, Richmond and Chapel Hill, N.C.,

his home. A reception will follow the lecture.

A second art endeavor will dovetail with the ETSU stickwork as “The Endangered Alphabets Project” by artist Tim Brookes and exhibited in Slocumb Galleries Monday, Oct. 28-Friday, Nov. 1, with a reception in the galleries at 5 p.m. Nov. 28 and lecture by Brookes at 6 p.m. in Ball Hall Auditorium. “The Endangered Alphabets are not only a unique and vivid way of demonstrating the issue of disappearing languages and the global loss of cultural diversity,” the project’s website says, “they are also remarkable and thought-provoking pieces of art.”

DeAngelis scheduled the exhibition in response to a suggestion from an ETSU faculty member in Literature and Languages, so students in that program will be involved and a community activity with Brookes is also planned at the Johnson City Public Library.

Mary B. Martin School of the Arts will also collaborate on the third annual Evening of Health Wellness and the Arts with the College of Public Health and Public Health Student Association. Former HBO

executive John Hoffman – best known for his documentaries The Weight of the Nation, The Alzheimer’s Project, AIDS: changing the rules and the HBO series Addiction – will present a lecture on Thursday, Oct. 24, at 7 p.m. in Culp Auditorium.

“We are glad to partner with the College of Public Health and its students again on this fascinating melding of science, health and the arts,” DeAngelis says. “Hoffman has an

impressive body of work and his insights from his research and filmmaking, no doubt, will be

eye-opening.”


Continued on page 7

Call of the Wild by “Stick Man” Patrick Dougherty

The Endangered Alphabets Project


Another partnership being renewed in fall 2013 is with the Southern Circuit Tour of Independent Filmmakers. “The series of Southern Circuit films has become one of the activities many people in the community enjoy,” DeAngelis says. “What we like so much about Southern Circuit is that the filmmakers come with the film and we have conversation with the filmmaker after the film in the question-and-answer period and reception.”

All films are free of charge and

start at 7 p.m. in Culp Auditorium with talkback with the filmmaker and reception to follow.

The three fall films in the six-part series begin Monday, Sept. 9 with How to Make Films at Home, about a group of young filmmakers facing off with the Hollywood machine. “It sounds like it’s an instructional movie but it’s actually a narrative,” DeAngelis says. “It kind of a lighthearted, more comic approach.”

On Monday, Oct. 21, close to Halloween, the School of the Arts will screen Birth of the Living Dead, a new documentary

depicting how college-dropout George Romero gathered an unlikely team to shoot his seminal film and create an entirely new and horribly chilling monster – one that was undead and feasted upon human flesh. “What’s important about the documentary is it addresses the social conditions in place at the time of the making of the film, so we’ll learn a little about history,” DeAngelis says. “It’s not all fun and games although it will have some humor, as well.”

Then on Monday, Nov. 11, GMO OMG, through the lives of one family, will explore the

effects of genetic m o d i f i c a t i o n of foods by a g r o c h e m i c a l companies such as Monsanto and Dow and the global movement to reclaim seed purity and protect b i o d i v e r s i t y . “Following on the heels of Eating Alabama last year, I’m really hoping we’ll have a good audience and some good conversation,” DeAngelis says. “It’s pretty thought-provoking.”

For information about the

ETSU Mary B. Martin School of the Arts, call 423-439-TKTS (8587) or visit www.etsu.edu/martin. “Like” ETSU Mary B. Martin School of the Arts on Facebook and follow it on Twitter at TheArtsAtETSU.


John Hoffman How to Make Films at Home

The Southern Circuit Tour of Independent Filmmakers is a program of South Arts. Southern Circuit screenings are funded in part by a grant from South Arts in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts. For more information, visit www.southarts.org


Once an obsolete technique, encaustic (hot wax) art is finding new life as a mainstream art medium, and an East Tennessee State University art gallery is making an exhibition of these works available for art patrons to view.

“RADIANT: Contemporary Encaustic” is on display at Slocumb Galleries through Sept. 20.

Two free public lectures will be held in conjunction with “RADIANT: Contemporary Encaustic.”

In the first, encaustic artist Jane Allen Nodine will speak during the exhibit reception, which will be held Thursday, Sept. 12, from 5:30-7 p.m. Nodine will also present a demonstration for ETSU art students on Friday, Sept. 13.

In the second lecture, Catherine Murray, chair of the ETSU Department of Art and Design and an encaustic artist, will discuss encaustic as an art form on Thursday, Sept. 19, at 6 p.m. at Slocumb Galleries. This talk is part of the new “Art-i-Fact” discussion series, which will feature gallery talks and informative discussions about art every third Thursday during the fall semester. (The series

will continue in the spring 2014 semester on the fourth Thursday of each month, either at Slocumb Galleries or at the Tipton Gallery in downtown Johnson City.)

The works in “RADIANT” feature the unusual surface, luminous color and ethereal image layering that are unique to the encaustic medium. Artists use such techniques as scraping, burning, burnishing, incising, dipping and dyeing of hot wax, often in combination with painting, printmaking, drawing, collage, sculpture or installation art.

“While diverse in approach, numerous conceptual links connect our interest in this malleable material,” curator Reni Gower said. “Buried images, fragmented hybrids or hidden codes of natural and industrial order all translate into works infused with a physically poetic beauty.

“The exhibition resonates with sensual materiality,” she continued. “The aromatic scent of honeyed beeswax is an intoxicating perfume. Tactile surfaces reveal unique traces of the hand, while gleaming color fused with intricate markings orchestrate striking visual chords.”

Both Gower and Nodine are among the artists whose works are featured in the exhibition.

Gower, who hails from Mechanicsville, Va., paints, stamps or scrapes away many layers of wax over buried images and texturally collaged surfaces in her abstract works that “blend fluid improvisation with repetition to create complex images that counter visual skimming. By design, this measured, more contemplative experience intentionally offsets a media-saturated culture that is

increasingly chaotic, fragmented and impersonal.”

Nodine, a Spartanburg, S.C., artist inspired by natural phenomena, works with such processes as rusting, burning and mono-printing to generate organic marks and natural patterns. Her pieces are comprised of overlapping layers of paper, pigment and wax, top-coated with thin layers of lacquer that she ultimately lights on fire. By controlling the burn, she creates tortoise shell-like patterns that flow across the surface of her work.

Six additional artists from around the country as well as Canada are also represented in “RADIANT.”

New fall semester hours for Slocumb Galleries, located in Ball Hall, are 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday and 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Thursday, with extended hours for receptions and scheduled tours. All events are free and open to the public.

For more information or special assistance for those with disabilities, contact Karlota Contreras-Koterbay, Slocumb Galleries director, at (423) 483-3179 or [email protected].

Radient: Contemporary Encaustic

ETSU’s Slocumb GalleriesReception September 12th 5:30pm


Saturday, September 14th, 2013, at 7:30 p.m. the Carter Family Fold in Hiltons, Virginia, will present a concert of bluegrass music by the Bluegrass Brothers. Admission to the concert is $10 for adults, $1 for children 6 to 11, under age 6 free.

The Bluegrass Brothers are a high energy bluegrass band. Playing traditional style bluegrass, they grew up in bluegrass music families in Virginia. One of the finest bluegrass shows in the country, they perform from coast to coast in a soulful, heartfelt manner. In high demand on the festival circuit, they’re on the road more than they are home. SPBGMA named them instrumental group of the year in 2010. Members of the band are Victor Dowdy, Steven Dowdy, Robert Dowdy, Chris Hart, and Cason Ogden.

Victor has been playing bluegrass music since he was seventeen years old. Starting out with the Back Creek Boys, he later joined the Meadow Creek Express Band and learned to love old time music. In 1989, he began playing with his brother, Robert. His son, Steve, would later join the group. Victor won the Virginia State Championship on bass fiddle five times, and male vocal honors three times. Victor will be playing the bass as well as doing both lead and harmony vocals.

Steven Dowdy plays guitar and also does lead and harmony vocals for the group. Singing since he was three, he began playing bass at age seven. He picked up the guitar at age sixteen; Steve also plays mandolin. He’s played with several bands – Lock, Stock, and Barrell, Burn Ride, and Junior Sisk and Ramblers Choice. He founded Southern Comfort with brother Donald and was an original member of the Locust Mountain Boys along with his dad. Steve joined the Bluegrass Brothers nine years ago.

Robert Dowdy plays banjo for the group and does lead and harmony vocals. He began playing at age five. The Bluegrass Playboys was the first band Robert played in – along with his brothers. He later played with the New Grass Revue and the Gospel Gentelmen. He and Victor formed the Bluegrass Brothers in 1989.

Chris Hart plays dobro for the Bluegrass Brothers. Performing from the time he was ten, Chris met Josh Graves in 1984 at a bluegrass festival and their friendship would last until Josh passed in 2006. He’s played with Josh Graves and Kenny Baker as well as with Mike Auldridge. Winning many dobro contests, Chris has been with Country Fried Grass, In the Tradition, Maury River Bluegrass Band, and others.

The newest member of the Bluegrass Brothers band is Cason Ogden. He plays mandolin for the group. This concert will be the Bluegrass Brothers’ third performance at the Carter Fold. The group is a fan favorite, and they receive rave reviews as well as standing ovations wherever they perform. Few bluegrass bands work harder than the Bluegrass Brothers do to please their audience. Down home country folks, they’re also some of the nicest fellows you’ll ever meet. They’re sure to be a Carter

Fold favorite. If you like traditional,

hard driving bluegrass, you don’t want to miss the show when the Bluegrass Brothers take the stage at the Carter Family Fold. Bring along your family and friends – and your dancing shoes! For additional information on the group, visit their web site at http://thebluegrassbrothers.com.

Carter Family Memorial Music Center, Incorporated, is a nonprofit, rural arts organization established to preserve traditional, acoustic, mountain music. For further information on the center, go to http://www.carterfamilyfold.org. Shows from the Carter Family Fold can be accessed on the internet at http://www.carterfoldshow.com. Carter Music Center is part of the Crooked Road: Virginia’s Heritage Music Trail. You can visit the Crooked Road Music Trail site at http://thecrookedroad.org. Partial funding for programs at the center is provided by the Virginia Commission for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts. For recorded information on shows coming up at the Fold, call 276-386-6054. The Fold is on Facebook – page Carter Fold – and Twitter – Twitter @carterfoldinfo. To speak to a Fold staff member, call 276-594-0676.

Bluegrass BrothersCarter Family FoldSeptember 14th, 7:30pm


Ticket sales begin Saturday, September 7th for Family Ministries’ “School Expansion Project” fundraiser featuring A & E’s “Duck Dynasty” star and Duck Commander CEO Willie Robertson. The fundraiser is

scheduled for Saturday, October 19 at 2:00 p.m. at Viking Hall Civic Center.

General admission tickets will be $40 and $25. A limited number of VIP tickets will be available for $100. To purchase

tickets, please contact the Viking Hall Civic Center box office at 423.764.0188 or online at http://www.vikinghall.com or www.e-tix.com.

Proceeds from the event will benefit Family Ministries’

planned 10,000-square-foot school expansion to provide updated classroom space and counseling facilities for the children that Family Ministries serve. Family Ministries, based in Greeneville, began as an orphanage in 1939 and has expanded into a multi-faceted and diverse ministry that provides a full array of social services to meet the needs of at risk children, adolescents, adults and families. The school expansion is scheduled to begin in October with an estimated completion date of summer 2014.

“Next to introducing the children we serve to Christ the next best thing we can do is give them a good solid educational foundation,” said Rev. Frank Woods, president/CEO of Free Will Baptist Family Ministries. “I would like to personally thank our premium title sponsors, Bass Pro Shops and Johnson Commercial Development for partnering with us so we can provide a good

environment where our children will receive a good educational foundation.”

Corporate sponsorships for this event are still being sought. Sponsorship packages will include meet and greet tickets ($100), regular admission tickets ($40 and $25) and marketing opportunities. For more information about sponsorships or Family Ministries, please contact Colleen Cox, Director of Marketing and Corporate Development at 423.943.4989 or [email protected].

Family Ministries, headquartered in Greeneville, TN, has been providing unconditional love and support to young people and their families since 1939 through residential group homes, foster care, the Hope Center and The Oaks Retreat Center. Family Ministries is expanding its services to a new population group with The Laurels Retirement and Assisted Living Center and Governor’s Bend Retirement and Assisted Living Center in Erwin, TN.

Duck Dynasty Star Willie Robertson

Tickets On Sale for October 19th Appearance


The Crooked Road: Virginia’s Heritage Music Trail proudly presents a Youth Music Performance Series concert on Thursday, September 12th from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. at Heartwood: Southwest Virginia’s Artisan Gateway in Abingdon, Virginia. The concert will feature the Honaker FFA Band.

The Honaker FFA Band from

Russell County features the two part harmony singing of Patricia Hale and Emily Reynolds. The two have sharpened their harmony skills singing at local churches in the area. Patricia has been singing with the band for three years and Emily has been a member for two years. Joining the band this year is Evan Elswick who plays banjo and lead guitar, and

Justin Rowe who plays acoustic bass. Rounding out the band is William Monk, the Agriculture teacher at Honaker High School, who founded the band and plays

mandolin. The band has recently recorded their first CD, all gospel project, at Mathis Recording Studio, and will have their first appearance at the Rhythm & Roots Reunion festival in Bristol this year.

The Crooked Road Music Series features youth music performers, as well as s h o w c a s i n g venues of the

Crooked Road region. These events along with open jams on the 1st, 3rd, (and 5th) Thursday of every month are hosted at Heartwood. A complete schedule

for the music series is available on The Crooked Road website at www.thecrookedroad.org or at www.heartwoodvirginia.org. The music series is sponsored by The Crooked Road, Heartwood, Virginia Commission for the Arts, and the National Endowment for the Arts.

Heartwood: Southwest Virginia’s Artisan Gateway is located off I-81 at Exit 14 in Abingdon, Virginia and features food, music, and craft of Southwest Virginia. Admission to the concert is free and donations will be accepted for The Crooked Road Traditional Music Education Program (TMEP).

For more information on The Crooked Road Music Series call (276) 492-2409 or email: [email protected].

Honaker FFA BandHeartwood

September 12th, 6pm


Rocky Mount is having a new event and excitement is running high. We are fortunate to have with us at Rocky Mount the FRANZ SCHUBERT’S QUINTET IN C MAJOR, OPUS 163. Featuring the Symphony on the Mountains Chamber Ensemble.

We are honored to have violinist, Sean Claire, who is in his third year as Concertmaster of the Symphony of the Mountains. Claire is a native of California and at the age of 16, he was admitted to San Diego State University with a full scholarship to study with Professor Michael Tseitlin.

Violinist Ilia Steinschneider was born in Moscow, Russia where he attended the Moscow Conservatory. In Moscow he studied violin with ‘Tatyana Vladimirova, Ludmila Slavianova, and many others too numerous to name. He came to the states where he received his

Master’s Degree in music from Boston University.

Pianist and soloist, Emil Kagawa is a native of Osaka, Japan, and has traveled extensively throughout the USA, Canada, Italy and Japan. Ms. Kagawa has participated in the world premiers of composers of our time. She is currently on the piano faculty of St. Joseph University in Philadelphia, PA, and Music Arts School of Oak Ridge. Ms. Kagawa is a winner of numerous national and international competitions.

Ms. Jeanine Wilkinson is an accomplished cellist, an active performer, teacher, and administrator. Since 2005, she has served as section cellist in the Symphony of the Mountains, Roanoke Symphony Orchestra, among others. In 2005, she was invited to perform with the National Repertory Orchestra

Music Festival under the direction of Carl Topilow.

Cellist, Mathew Wilkinson, is a native of Peoria, Illinois, and now resides in Knoxville, TN, receiving his Masters and teaching certificate at the University of Tennessee. He is a regular member of the Oak Ridge Symphony and Principal Cellist of the Symphony of the Mountains.

What: “Music on the Mount” featuring the Symphony on the Mountains Chamber Ensemble

Where: Rocky Mount Auditorium - Rocky Mount Historical Museum - 200 Hyder Hill Rd. - Piney Flats, TN

Date & Time: September 15, 2013 - 3:00 PM

Admission: $25.00 For tickets call (423) 538

7396

Symphony on the Mountains Chamber Ensemble

Rocky Mount Historical Museum, Piney Flats

September 15th, 3pm


Tea for Tyrants founder, indie-folk musician and songwriter Phil Lomac is back in his home state of NC after 7 years in Chicago and set to book and perform solo acoustic shows throughout the Southeast this fall and into next year. This includes a stop at The Acoustic Coffeehouse in Johnson City, TN on Sat. Sept. 14th. 8pm.

Phil Lomac is a musician-songwriter who has released several albums of lyrically-weighted, alternative folk rock material. Growing up in Berlin, Germany as a teenager during the cold war era and eventually experiencing the fall of the Berlin Wall first hand, he was inspired by the city’s many social movements, permeated by musicians and artists, and was soon pulled into this creative energy. He embarked on his first exploration into music during middle school by teaching himself guitar and soon after joined his first band “Mothers of the Disappeared”. During his college years in the US he left behind aspirations of becoming an environmental journalist

for the less secure future of creative writing, earning a BA in the field from the University of North Carolina in Asheville, NC. After filling lead guitar and backing/lead vocal roles in bands including The Brown Root Seed Company, Ron Neil & the Eleventh Hour, Senatobia (Performing Songwriter top 10 DIY pick) and Bugs Multiply, he broke away to start a solo career with his 2005 self-titled release. Lomac’s writing took on a different life with his solo work, exposing a depth and maturity in his lyrics, offset by creative melody and minimalist production.

Place means a lot to records. And though his albums don’t describe North Carolina too much they do describe the evolution of college rock (as it was once known) in America - a market that rarely hands over artists to mass consumption. With an approach that belongs to the experimental popster and a core that is pure and rich with instrumentation the unrefined sound of his music is a refreshing

contrast to the overly-produced, mechanized feel of modern fare.

In 2012, Lomac, while living in Chicago, teamed up with drummer Andy Angelos and created the group Lovely Tyrants to release a new EP “Tea For Tyrants” along with their own brand of Green Tea. Following a successful Kickstarter campaign, the company launched its initial five teas and is now looking for more independent musicians whose work will partner nicely with future teas: http://www.teafortyrants.com

INDIE DARKROOM NYC:New York audiences are in

for a rare treat this weekend, when Chicago based singer-songwriter Phil Lomac plays Arlene’s Grocery. Phil is touring in support of his brand new record, Stranger’s Funeral, sure to be seen as one of the more exciting offerings of 2010. Phil’s music has been compared to Elliot Smith’s or Nick Cave’s. His songs shine with a certain clarity of thought and expression. Solid songwriting and arrangements are matched to lyrics that have power and genuine depth. Phil’s songs always have a backbone. Dig a little deeper and there is always a little more underneath. We’ve decide to feature the title track off Stranger’s Funeral for your listening pleasure. Phil doesn’t perform east of the Catskills often, so lovers of crafty songwriting: now is your chance to hear one of Chicago’s best.

ILLINOIS ENTERTAINER:Phillomac’s Stranger’s

Funeral is an eight-song collection of indie folk-ish pop/rock originals from musician/songwriter Phil Lomac. While his solid vocals and guitar playing, lyrical craftsmanship, and DIY production values make his six mostly acoustic songs far more accomplished and pleasingly compelling than most, it’s the two more electric songs — eponymous opener and (especially) double-tracked vocal closer “Cinderella” — that point to an even more promising musical muse worth pursuing.

Tea for TyrantsAcoustic CoffeehouseSeptember 14th, 8pm


On Saturday, September 14Grandfather Mountain once again opens its gates to the Girl Scouts of America for the 43rd Annual Girl Scout Day. All Girl Scouts and troop leaders will be admitted free with proof of membership, and can enjoy free nature programs provided by Grandfather’s naturalists.

Activities offered this year include tree identification, clouds and weather observations, birding and the Monarch Butterfly program. The purpose of these programs is to offer girls different ways to learn more about nature and develop wilderness skills while having fun and meeting other Girl Scouts from all over North Carolina.

Girl Scouts ages 10 years and older can participate in a High Elevation Hike at10 a.m. with one of Grandfather’s interpretive rangers. This hike is strenuous and scouts will need to bring water, snacks and have appropriate footwear. Space is limited to 15 scouts and chaperones are welcome.

Another optional program that scouts can register for is Nature Journaling at 2 p.m. Participants will make nature journals to take home, and discuss tools to become better observers of our environment just as famous naturalists like Charles Darwin,

John Muir and Aldo Leopold did centuries ago. Space for Nature Journaling is limited to 40 scouts. To reserve a spot for either of these two optional p r o g r a m s please contact the Naturalist Department at (828) 733-4326.

G r a n d f a t h e r Mountain first adopted the Girl Scouts in

1971, beginning a long-standing tradition of a special day in September where girls would be invited to learn more about nature and the Blue Ridge Mountains in a hands-on way. The Scouts returned the favor by adopting Grandfather’s late mascot, Mildred the Bear, as an honorary Girl Scout and presenting her with a series of pins to mark her many years with the organization.

After 43 years the tradition of Girl Scout Day lives on as Grandfather Mountain continues to welcome Girl Scouts to the mountain each year. All Girl Scouts and troop leaders are admitted free with proof of membership and accompanying family members will receive

discount admission. For more information about Girl Scout Day please contact the Naturalist Department at (828) 733-4326.

The Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation is a not-for-profit corporation established to preserve Grandfather Mountain, operate the nature park sustainably in the public interest, provide an exceptional experience for guests, and inspire them to be good stewards of the earth’s resources. For more information, visitwww.grandfather.com or call 800-468-7325.

Photos:For the last 43 years

Grandfather Mountain has been welcoming Girl Scouts for a special day devoted to hands-on learning about the Blue Ridge Mountains. The 2013 Girl Scout Day at Grandfather Mountain is September 14 and admission is free for girl scouts and their troop leaders. (Photo by Kaci Nidiffer)

Girl Scouts learn from Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation naturalists during the 11 am Weather and Climate Observations. This opportunity as well as programming on the Swinging Bridge, birding and butterflies are on the schedule for September 14. (Photo by Kaci Nidiffer)

43rd Annual Girl Scout DayGrandfather Mountain

September 14th


Rural Resources and Greeneville Parks and Recreation are thrilled to bring two members of country music royalty to the annual free concert series at the Ginny Kidwell Amphitheater at Dogwood Park. On Sunday, September 15th, John Carter Cash and John McEuen will perform at the park, which is located directly behind Tusculum View Elementary School at 1725 Lafayette Street in Greeneville. The gates will open at 4:00 PM.

This event is one leg of the “Will the Circle be Unbroken” Tour, and it promises to be a

special treat for everyone, from casual music listeners to die-hard classic country enthusiasts. The multimedia concert uses songs, images, and storytelling to celebrate the music of the Carter

Family, the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, and the landmark ‘Circle’ album. Nitty Gritty co-founder John McEuen hosts this unforgettable experience, while John Carter Cash and special guests join in.

Instigated by McEuen in 1971, “Will the Circle Be Unbroken” brought together country legends such as Maybelle Carter, Doc Watson, Roy Acuff, and Earl Scruggs, along with the “West Coast longhair hippies” of the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. The album

went on to become a legendary piece of music history, which will come alive again in this multimedia concert.

McEuen, Cash, and the ensemble will tell stories, share never-before-seen photos, and perform songs from the classic album’s artists in a range of musical styles including bluegrass, country, and gospel. Some examples include “Wildwood Flower,” “Keep on

the Sunnyside,” “I Am a Pilgrim,” “Cannonball Rag,” “Wreck on the Highway,” “Earl’s Breakdown,” and of course, “Will the Circle Be Unbroken.”

This extraordinary musical

performance is free and family friendly. Delicious food from local farms will be for sale from local vendors; vegetarian options will be available. The event sponsor, Rural Resources, has been working for two decades to connect farms, food, and families in the Greene County area and beyond. “Local food and excellent music are perfect complements to each other,” says Joyce Doughty, the Rural Resources board chair. Rural Resources will also continue the popular tradition of farm-themed games for kids, such as corn hole and watermelon seed spitting contests, complete with prizes!

The concert is also sponsored by the Tennessee Arts Commission and the East Tennessee Foundation as well as Tri City Beverage. The City of Greeneville, Greeneville Parks and Recreation, Graysburg Hills Farm, Snapps Ferry Packing, Popcorn Video, and a host of volunteers all make this event possible as well. We can never thank them enough for donating their time to keep this concert and others in the series FREE!

John McEuen and John Carter Cash

Dogwood Park, GreenevilleSeptember 15th

John McEuen John Carter Cash


More and more often you hear the label ‘independent musician’ used to brand amazingly talented musicians. Your first thought is, “that must mean they aren’t signed but, they’re good so they will be.” But what if they don’t have to be, or want to be, in order to have monumental success? Kate and Corey are duo who have embraced the independent music world and are quickly making a name for themselves by doing so.

An Independent Musician is a musical artist who produces music separately from any major label. However, when you’re trying to provide yourself with what a label provides their artists, you begin to wear many hats: promoter, publicist, manager, booking agent, distributor, web-designer, and the list goes on and on and on.

Kate and Corey, a bluesy-americana duo based out of Atlanta, GA, have found themselves to be the quintessential independent musicians. In less than 2 years, the couple has recorded a fan-funded album, booked all their own shows, planned their own south-east tour, learned to design their own web-pages, pitched stories for media coverage, met with elite industry figure-heads, and in January 2013, found themselves on the stage of the Ryman Auditorium as national finalists in the 2012 Texaco Country Showdown.

“When we started to tell

people about our tour, they would ask if we had a manager or if we hired a publicist and when we would say ‘no’, they’re jaws would drop in disbelief,” Kate Coleman explains. “Most people have this picture painted of what you’re supposed do to plan tours or make an album and the beauty is you can do thesethings however you want as long as you’re willing to put in the hours unabashedly.”

Currently, Kate and Corey work between 84-112 hours a week... each! And they prefer to keep it that way.

“The only time we would be willing to work with a label is if they had something to offer us that we couldn’t get ourselves,” Corey Coleman said. “Right now, we’re still shaking hands with people, making new connections, and people respect us for being willing to do everything ourselves and want to help us; no strings attached.”

When asked what people could do to help independent musicians, the couple said, “support our art: come to a live show and pay the inexpensive cover charge, buy a CD or mp3 or T-shirt...or simply tell us what you’re favorite Kate and Corey song is because that keeps us going.”

Kate and Corey are playing a show on Saturday, September 14 at Acoustic Coffeehouse at 10pm. For more information on Kate and Corey, visit their website at www.kateandcorey.com.

Kate and CoreyAcoustic Coffeehouse

September 14th, 10pm


The Town of Gate City Virginia will host the 2nd Annual Grillin at the Gate on Saturday, September 14th, 2013.

The Grillin at the Gate is a BBQ and Music Festival located on Jackson Street in Downtown Gate City, Virginia. There will be BBQ competitors competing in five categories; Sauce, Chicken Thighs, Ribs, Pork, and Brisket. The Battery Depot will host a Cruise-In Car Show. Any classic cars or hot rods are welcome to attend.

Photo Genius will sponsor a Photo Contest. Please contact Photo Genius at 276-386-2547.

Pizza Plus will sponsor the Cornhole Tournament.

Jenkins School of Dance will sponsor Piglet’s Corner. Piglet’s Corner will have inflatables, petting zoo, and games for the kids.

There will also be Arts and Crafts and Food Vendors.

Scott County Humane Society will host a beer garden and will have a drawing for a car.

Contact Scott County Humane Society at 276-452-7247 for more information.

Clinch Mountain Mojo, Bits-n-Pieces, The Farmhouse Ghost, Scratch River Telegraph Company, and the Nomadz will be performing. Elvis Presley will also make appearance.

The Grillin at the Gate will begin at 10:00 AM. Everyone is welcome to attend and experience the best BBQ and music in the area. Visitors will be able to take advantage of special discounts offered by participating retailers during the event. See the information booth in front of the Town Hall for more details.

This event is sponsored by New Peoples Bank, Scott County Life Saving Crew, Eastman Credit Union, Bank of Scott County, Scott Veterinary Services, and Vaughn & Melton Engineering.

Grillin at the Gate can be found on Facebook and the Gate City, Virginia website. Call 276-386-3831 for more information.

Grillin’ at the GateJackson Street, Gate City

September 14th


Demon Waffle will perform at Capone’s, 227 E. Main Street, on Friday, September 13th. Tickets are $5 at the door. Doors open at 8pm and show starts at 10:30pm. Ages are 18 and up.

Demon Waffle is a 7-piece local band from Johnson City. Made up of mostly music majors, the band was formed on the campus of East Tennessee State University in late 2009. Their music is a

unique blend of reggae, rock and punk music called “ska”, which was heavily popular in the late 90’s.

You won’t hear the typical trendy music with this band; no mandolins, ukuleles, or banjos. These guys bring together catchy lyrics with electric guitar, bass, drums and lots of horns to orchestrate an incredible energy-packed show.

Now with well over 100 live shows, the band has built a loyal fan base. Passionate about their music, their fans, and the venues they play in, these guys are hard workers and willing to do whatever it takes to help advertise their shows and the venues as a special thank you for getting booked.

Band members are: Tyler Parkhill – Vocals, Donnie Barnett – Guitar, Evan Rice – Bass, Matt Dougherty – Percussion, Josh “Sparky McSlide” Rakestraw -Trombone/pBone, Andrew “AO” Oliver - Tenor Sax, Andrew “AC” Conner – Trumpet

Demon WaffleCapone’s

September 13th

The Arts Array Film Series presented by Virginia Highlands Community College begins its

43rd year. All films are presented at the Abingdon Cinemall on Mondays and Tuesdays at 4 p.m. and again at 7:30 pm.

An inspirational tale set in the late ‘60s about a quartet of singers from a remote Aboriginal mission, discovered and guided by a soul-loving manager. Plucked from obscurity, the spirited women with powerhouse voices are given the opportunity to entertain American troops in Vietnam. “The Sapphires” is an adaptation of the hugely successful Australian stage musical of the same name, and is inspired by the remarkable true story of writer Tony Briggs’ mother and three aunts.

The Arts Array Film Series is part of the comprehensive cultural outreach program of Virginia Highlands Community College. The series is co-sponsored by the Abingdon

Cinemall, the Southwest Virginia Higher Education Center, Emory& Henry College, Virginia Intermont College, and King

University.Admission to the films

is free for the faculties and students at the supporting institutions. Members of the general community may attend for $7.50.

For a brochure on the series or more information, please contact Tommy Bryant at 276-739-2451 or email him at [email protected].

The SapphiresAbingdon CinemallSeptember 16th & 17th


Dr. Gary Chambers will bring his acclaimed African-themed paintings to the Virgie R. Fleenor Art Gallery at the Bristol Public Library for the month of September in an exhibit called “Dreams of Africa.” Dr. Chambers, a retired orthopedic surgeon, wanted to be an artist even as a child. Living in the country he was constantly exposed to Nature which he loved. At twelve, he set out to paint his first masterpiece with supplies from Sears Roebuck. That painting was of Samuel when God was calling him in the night. But God was also calling Dr. Chambers to be a physician, and Dr. Chambers thought God was wrong. As Dr. Chambers puts it, “You see, I didn’t like school at all. A reincarnation of Huck Finn I was! I finally accepted God’s call and never looked back. I

spent the next sixteen years in college, medical school, a five year orthopedic residency, the USAF stationed in England for three years and then thirty years of active medical practice.”

During all those years Dr. Chambers traveled extensively in North America, Europe, and Africa. Wherever he went he studied Nature, people of different cultures, animals, quaint villages, and the castles and cathedrals of England, France, and Italy. As he traveled he collected photos and painted what he saw. After retiring from his medical practice, Dr. Chambers began a series of medical missionary trips to Africa including Kenya, Tanzania and Zimbabwe. He took many safaris where he met African people, animals, and absorbed the fascinating geologic and

natural wonders of Africa. After years of “trial and error” painting, the man who hated school returned to an intensive study of Art. Over seven years he studied with many nationally and internationally known artists, audited courses at ETSU, and the Atlanta College of Art, and the Savannah College of Art, Atlanta branch. “My art encompasses a wide array of subjects including portraits, figure drawing and painting, still life, landscapes, and animal paintings.”

Dr. Chambers often composes his paintings with an allegorical, subtle deep meaning. The faces in his portraits whether they be an Appalachian farmer or Masa woman show deep humanity and strength. His use of color adds a richness and tone to his works that draws you closer to the heart of the subject. Many of his paintings have been gratefully accepted by his patients in USA and Africa. He has won numerous art show awards including several “Best of Show” awards.

“Dreams of Africa”Virgie R. Fleenor Art Gallery

Bristol Public Library


The Walker Center, on the campus of Wilkes Community College, will present The Oak Ridge Boys on Friday, September 13, at 8 p.m. This performance is

sponsored by Hardee’s.Theirs is one of the most

distinctive and recognizable sounds in the music industry. 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. Every time they step before an audience, the Oaks bring four decades of charted singles, and 50 years of tradition, to a stage show widely acknowledged as among the most exciting anywhere. And each remains as enthusiastic about the process as they have ever been.

“When I go on stage, I get the same feeling I had the first time I sang with The Oak Ridge Boys,” says lead singer Duane Allen. “This is the only job I’ve ever wanted to have.”

“Like everyone else in the group,” adds bass singer extraordinaire Richard Sterban, “I was a fan of the Oaks before I became a member. I’m still a fan of the group today. Being in The Oak Ridge Boys is the fulfillment of a lifelong dream.”

The two, along with tenor Joe Bonsall and baritone William Lee Golden, comprise one of Country’s truly legendary acts. Their string of hits includes the country-pop chart-topper “Elvira,” as well as “Bobbie Sue,” “Dream On,” “Thank God For Kids,” “American Made,” “I Guess It Never Hurts To Hurt Sometimes,” “Fancy Free,” “Gonna Take A Lot Of River” and many others.

The group has scored 12 gold,

three platinum and one double platinum album—plus one double platinum single—and had more than a dozen national No. 1 singles and over 30 top ten hits.

A limited number of tickets are available for this performance. For more information, or to purchase tickets, contact the Walker Center Box Office at 336-838-6260 or [email protected].

The John A. Walker Community Center is dedicated to being the primary venue for cultural experience in Wilkes and surrounding areas and to serving as the preferred gathering place for meetings, receptions, conventions, banquets, and parties for our community.

The Walker Center and Wilkes Community College are 100% Tobacco Free.

Wilkes Community College, a member of the North Carolina Community College System, is a public, two-year, open-door institution serving the people of Wilkes, Ashe and Alleghany counties and beyond. Established in 1965, WCC continues to build on a strong history of meeting the educational needs and cultural interests of our students, community and workforce. WCC prepares learners for success in a dynamic world.

The Oak Ridge BoysWalker Center

Wilkes Community CollegeSeptember 13th


On Friday, September 13, 2013, from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., the downtown Bristol galleries are again joining forces to bring Art D’Vine to the local community. This evening art walk offers patrons the chance to gain after-hours access to merchants, sample domestic and international wines, and enjoy a range of works from artists across the region.

“As always, downtown Bristol will be hosting a wide range of art and artists for Art D’Vine,” says René Rodgers, Associate Director of Believe in Bristol. “It’s such a great way to explore your local arts scene, spend time with friends, and enjoy all that our downtown community has to offer.”

As with the previous gallery hops, participants are invited to stroll around Historic Downtown Bristol, stopping at Kil’n Time, Benjamin Walls Gallery, 606 State Street Gallery, One of a Kind Gallery, blowfish emporium, Pretty Girl Station, and KP Duty. Each gallery will feature different varieties of wine for sampling.

A crisp fall evening will be the perfect time to enjoy fine art and fine wine as you explore the downtown galleries, all of which will be highlighting special events, releases or artists:

Kil’n Time will be hosting Brian and Marie Bridgeforth of Bridgeforth Design Studio, who will be doing drawing and painting demonstrations.

The Benjamin Walls Gallery will be showing a new release of a stormy landscape at his gallery.

606 State Street Gallery will feature the work of local artists Jessica Graybeal and Carl Jenkins.

One of a Kind Gallery is looking forward to many exciting changes in the near future so stop by to learn more!

blowfish emporium will feature the eclectic acoustic music of Bristol, Virginia, artist and musician, Mark Luage. The gallery will also host a meet-and-greet with a selection of blowfish artists.

Pretty Girl Station will have an opening reception for regional artist, Lauren Siegner, and her Diner Series. Siegner’s large-scale, mixed-media pieces feature expressive color and

textures, and offer an interesting twist on an American icon.

KP Duty, a new participant for this Art D’Vine, will be showing works by three artists: painter Kyle Buckland, photographer Danny Dorsey, and William Thompson, a maker of furniture and fittings.

As always, this event is free to the public, though there is a suggested one-time donation of $5 with the proceeds supporting the work of the Arts & Entertainment District of Historic Downtown Bristol, TN/VA. There is one more Art D’Vine to look forward to this year on December 13 so mark your calendars now!

For more information, please visit www.believeinbristol.org or contact René Rodgers of Believe in Bristol at 276-644-9700, [email protected].

Celebrate Fall at Art D’VineHistoric Downtown Bristol

September 13th 6pm

There is still a lot to discover in our Solar System.

That is made more apparent by a new moon being discovered around last planet Neptune and two new moons of dwarf planet Pluto being given official names.

There is so much data from dozens of interplanetary spacecraft literally lying around on DVDs and inside hard drives of computers that any ambitious researcher has a good chance to

make a discovery. That’s what planetary

scientists Mark Showalter was doing with the archives of the Hubble Space Telescope when he saw that a tiny point of light kept moving around 8th planet Neptune. In order to find the moon Showalter dug through photos taken by Hubble from 2004 to 2009. The newly found moon appears in about 150 of those photos. By plotting a circular orbit of the moon, Showalter saw that the tiny satellite fully orbits Neptune every 23 hours. Joining the 13 other moons of Neptune, this small and dark body is temporarily called S/2004 N1, but that’s only until it gets an official name from the International Astronomical Union (IAU), the official sanctioning body for discoveries and names in the Solar System.

When that name is decided,

it will no doubt follow the tradition of deities of the sea associated the Greek god Neptune. Its near-Mercury sized moon Triton is the only true sphere among the planet’s retinue of natural satellites. The new Neptune moon, probably a dark, icy body is only 12 miles wide, and is most likely a captured object from the Kuiper Belt.

The Kuiper Belt used to be theory but is now acknowledged as a region like the asteroid belt much larger, occupying the outer Solar System from 4 to 10 billion miles from the Sun. There may be more than 100,000 objects over 50 miles wide, most probably comprised of ice and rock, and sort of half-comet, half-planet bodies called “dwarf planets.”

That’s the controversy over former ninth planet Pluto, demoted to the status dwarf planet. Beginning in 1977, astronomers started discovering objects that were around the size of Pluto (1,300 mile diameter) at a distance of 4 to 8 billion miles

from the Sun. The largest ones have been

given the names Sedna, Quaoar, Eris and Haumea. The largest asteroid, Ceres, is also classified as a dwarf planet, orbiting between Mars and Jupiter.

The Kuiper Belt is named after astronomer Gerald Kuiper, who theorized that rock and ice bodies beyond Pluto would be found as leftover material from the creation processes of the primordial Solar System.

A Dutch astronomer, Johannes Oort, also theorized in the 1950s that the Solar System is encircled by a halo, or maybe a doughnut ring of billions of comets that are one to six trillion miles away from the Sun. All but confirmed,

this “Oort Cloud” is believed to be a reservoir of icy objects that is a real part of our Solar System dynamics. Comets in the Oort Cloud pulled into inner Solar System by the gravity of Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune might have brought water to planets Earth, Mars and known icy moons of Jupiter and Saturn.

The key to all celestial dynamics is gravity. Not just the pull of the Sun, but the enormous gravity of the four gas giant planets have a major influence of the much smaller objects of the outer Solar System.

Jupiter’s 63 moons and Saturn’s 62 moons are clear evidence that they capture


WEDNESDAYS

WEDNESDAYS

Continued on page 23

Lots to Discover in the Solar System

objects passing by, and the same is true for Uranus with 27 moons and Neptune’s 14 moons. Most are under 50 miles wide and irregular, potato-shaped bodies.

Even Pluto has a surprising 5 moons, two just being named after their discovery a year ago. Pluto being the god of the Underworld has satellites named after his henchmen. First to be discovered and nearly half the size of Pluto is Charon. Two small moons, Nix and Hydra were discovered by the Hubble Space Telescope, just as were the last two. Now the IAU has named the two Styx and Kerberus, after the mythological river separating the living form the dead, and the three-headed guard dog to the Underworld, respectively.

Planetary scientist can’t wait for the July 2015 flyby of Pluto by NASA’s New Horizon spacecraft. What is expected is a frozen, yet possibly active world like Neptune’s intriguing moon Triton. This world has active volcanic geysers as seen 38 years by the flyby of NASA’s Voyager 2 spacecraft, and monitored by

the earth-orbiting Hubble Space Telescope.

With one large and four small moons captured by diminutive Pluto, just what these bodies look like will be a major discovery of early 21st Century planetary science. They could be captured comets, pulled out of the Oort Cloud.

One object pulled out of the distant comet reservoir billions and billions of away is Comet ISON, heading to a December prediction of the “comet of the century.” Time will tell as this comet begins to enter the inner Solar System for the first time, shedding its ice and gas in a long, hopefully spectacular tail.

Comets are generally named after their discoverer; hence Comet ISON stands for International Scientific Optical Network in Russia, a consortium of observatories dedicated to finding asteroid and comets that might threaten Earth.

There are also thousands of asteroids that have been named by their discoverers or other people. Those immortalized with an alien world named after

them range from musicians like Frank Zappa and The Beatles, Lennon, McCartney, Harrison and Starr, to writers Asimov and Bradbury, to behind-the-scenes scientist of NASA’s successful interplanetary missions.

Who decides all these names? It’s the International Astronomical Union, and you can learn all about it at www.iau.org. Founded in 1919, its mission is to promote and safeguard the science of astronomy. The IAU has more than 10,000 members in 93 countries, on nine scientific divisions with 40 specialized commissions—one being the “recognized authority for assigning designations to celestial bodies and surface features on them.”

The IAU is behind the controversial 2006 demotion of Pluto from planet status. It also has bestowed immortality on thousands of men and women recognized with names on craters, mountains and other features on planets, moons, asteroids and comets. The IAU even encourages public naming campaigns for celestial features, and provides a document

with guidelines that can be downloaded from their website.

I find it odd that the most observed object in the Solar System actually has no proper name—Earth’s Moon. Where all other moons in the Sun’s family have a name, ours is just “moon.” That’s why I always capitalize Moon, and you’ll see I’m in the

minority when you read about our natural satellite. We don’t call that daytime bright spot in the sky “star,” it’s got the name Sun (also often not capitalized).

Maybe I should start a public campaign to rename, or formally name our Moon…anybody got suggestions?




Celestial events in the skies for the week of Sept. 10-16, 2013, as compiled for The Loafer by Mark D. Marquette.

Less than two weeks of official Summer remains—and you can feel it in the cool air at night, hear it among the chirping insects, and see it in the dying leaves around us. The Moon is spectacular in its waxing phase to First Quarter on Thursday, prancing

through the zodiac constellations, and the sky is quickly changing scene to those familiar autumn constellations. Spend a little time outside bathing in moonlight and

embrace the changing season.

Tues. Sept. 10 Last week I looked up at the clear, northeastern night sky and muttered, “Oh no. It’s here.” There high in the 11 pm sky were the four equally bright stars forming a giant square so familiar to me—the body of Pegasus the Horse. Just like you know you’re

in Bristol when you drive by the Speedway, the sight of Pegasus on a late Summer night is a sure sign of Autumn. The second magnitude stars will be barely visible as

the Moon gets brighter this week.

Wed. Sept. 11 Looking north, the Big Dipper is in the low northwest, while opposite it in the north-east the queen of the night, Cassiopeia, is seated in her throne of five stars that make

“W” shape.

Thurs. Sept. 12 First Quarter Moon is today at precisely 1:08 pm. The Moon will be directly south in the feet of the serpent handler, Ophiuchus, an ancient constellation that is the unac-

knowledged 13th star pattern in the Zodiac.

Fri. Sept. 13 On this 1966 date

in space his-tory, America’s

Gemini XI space-craft docked with an Agena rocket booster and then road that rocket’s engine to a record

850 mile high orbit around Earth.

NASA astronauts Pete Conrad and Dick Gordon en-

joyed the high per-spective of Earth, a precursor to the 24 men who left Earth orbit for the Moon.

Gordon performed a daring spacewalk to test the new spacesuit for moonwalkers, even straddling the Agena rocket docked to the Gemini spacecraft. The International

Space Station orbits the Earth at around 225 miles high, while the Hubble Space Telescope is around 450 miles high.

Sat. Sept. 14 The Moon moves

between Capricornus and into Aquarius

tonight. Both con-stellations are hard to find with most stars

just 3rd magnitude or fainter (the faintest a human eye can see is

around 6th magni-tude). Though they

are void of bright stars and they sprawl across a large section

of the Zodiac, both are constellations that have been recognized by ancient civiliza-tions. Capricornus is depicted as a goat with a fish tail, depicted from a mythological creature lost in antiquity. Aquarius is the name of a man

in Babylonian mythology who carried water, a Y-shaped group of stars being the jar in his hands.

Sun. Sept. 15 On this 1968 date in space history, the Soviet

Union launched Zond 5, a moonship prototype that was the first to look around the Moon and

return to Earth. Along for 6-day ride were living creatures, including several tortoises.

Mon. Sept. 16 The Moon is on the border of Aquarius, entering Pisces the Fishes. Meanwhile, the Sun has just entered the borders of the constellation Virgo,

where it will travel through until hitting the border of Ophiuchus on Nov. 30th.


In a social setting the other afternoon, I was introduced to someone as a “film historian”. I was taken a little aback by it, not because I was offended by the term, but because no one has ever used that term in referring to my palpable love of movies. When being introduced in a social setting to people, not everyone feels a need to comment on my love of film. If they do, it’s usually something like “Andy’s a big movie lover” or the variation of “Andy’s really passionate about movies”. Sometimes it’s not quite as nicely put as that, “Andy’s invested way too much time and money into a home video library that no one

gives a damn about” or “Andy’s spends a lot of time watching movies, because trying to have a conversation with a woman causes him to curl up into a ball, much like an armadillo.” Yet, they wonder why I never came back to any of their parties.

If it even comes up at all in polite conversation, I’ll happily refer to myself as a “movie geek”. That’s a term I’m completely comfortable with. Though flattering to be called a “film historian”, I don’t think that really applies to me. A very dear friend of mine is a legit historian. As in, going after her PhD in American History historian. Compared to her, I’m like a guy

in the stands at a junior league football game saying “I tell you what. That Hitchcock fellow sure made some purdy pictures!” I’m a movie lover, and I spend a lot of time watching, reading, and just enjoying movies. I don’t like every movie, and I have certain styles of film I’m more fond of, but I don’t believe any of this necessarily makes me a “film historian”.

To say that I’m a “film historian” makes it sound like I’ve written a 300 page essay on the works of Ingmar Bergman, while holding vigil beside the original negative of Gone With The Wind down in the Kansas salt mine it is stored in. I do think you can totally over analyze a movie, and in the process invent all kinds of crazy ideas about how the film was shot that way. “Film Historian” Ross would most likely spend a great deal of time sitting around a park bench thinking to himself “But why shoot the movie in color? Why so bright a color? Why an apple pie?” and thus my slow dicent into madness would begin.

Sometimes a shot in a movie is just done because the director though it would look nice. A shot of a big, bright moon behind a

bridge over a small river isn’t symbolic of our quest to reach the stars. It’s just there because someone most likely remarked “Boy, the moon sure does look nice over the river like that, let’s get it on film!” But what if I am a film historian, and I just don’t know it because my ideas of what a film historian are may be more stuffy than they have to be? I’d consider TCM host Robert Osborne to be a film historian, and no one has chronicled the history of the Academy Awards better. Yet he isn’t stuffy at all.

Maybe we’re all historians about something, and we just don’t realize it. To be a historian means you love that subject, and are passionate about sharing it with others. Which is just the same as geekdom, really. One of my oldest friends in the world knows more about cars, and the

American auto industry than I ever will. Does that make him a car historian? But I suppose we use the term historian because, let’s face it, it sounds better than saying “car geek”. You’d never be watching a Ken Burns documentary on PBS, and see them interviewing someone labeled as “civil war nerd”, would you?

“Andy Ross: Film Historian”? Maybe, for the time I’ll just keep calling myself a movie geek, and start giving a master class on Hitchcock behind the Pal’s near ETSU. Maybe you geek out/historian out on something of your own? There’s nice spots behind the Wendy’s near ETSU for a class or two. See you next week. Don’t follow me on Twitter @ThatAndyRoss, all I do is historian out about movies on there.

Sir Reginald Von Ross, III Esq.


I love British comedy, and it doesn’t matter if I watch them on television or at the local cinema. To me British comedy is never of the “cookie-cutter” variety we often see come out of Hollywood. The British efforts are usually eccentric, and that’s a plus.

The latest film imported from Great Britain with a touch of eccentricity is “The World’s End”, described as a science-fiction comedy. The film is directed and co-written by Edgar Wright, who along with collaborator Simon Pegg, are also responsible for “Shaun of the Dead” from 2004, and “Hot Fuzz” from 2007.

The film follows the story of Gary King (Pegg), a hedonistic alcoholic, who is determined to reunite with his friends from school, in order to complete their mission to hit all 12 pubs on one night in their hometown of Newton Haven, something they attempted to do as teenagers, but failed.

When Gary visits his friends Peter Page (Eddie Marsan), Oliver Chamberlain (Martin Freeman), Steven Prince (Paddy

Considine), and Andy Knightley (Nick Frost), he is met with much resistance, because, unlike him, they each have respectable jobs. Gary eventually convinces all his crew to return to their hometown in an effort to complete “The Golden Mile”.

When the friends finally reach Newton Haven, they walk the streets and are greeted with indifference by the local townsfolk. Undeterred by chilly reception, the guys begin their trek through the town’s pubs at The Old Familiar, where they are joined briefly by Oliver’s sister Sam (Rosamund Pike).

As their pub crawl continues, Gary gets into a fight with a local teenager and accidentally knocks his head off, exposing the teen as a...hold on...(spoiler alert!) robot. The incident leads to an all out brawl with other teen robots in the restroom, with the humans temporarily victorious.

Unsure how many robots inhabit the town, the guys decide to continue their pub crawl so they won’t appear suspicious. Eventually, the guys do confront alien invaders who actually landed on Earth years ago, and have placed the robots on the planet in an effort to make humanity more civilized, which is not a bad idea, but the method is questionable. The aliens

also attempt to convince the guys of the various benefits of their invasion, but Gary and company are not convinced, as we all know humans do not like to be bossed by aliens.

The aliens eventually decide to leave humanity to our own devices, and the results are unexpected. The end result for the friends is nevertheless effective, and the film ends on a positive note. The film provides plenty of laughs while cleverly relaying the bittersweet feeling of returning to your hometown after years away. The actors, led by Pegg, are all wonderful, but be sure to listen to the dialogue closely, as these Brits speak fast and furious.

“The World’s End” has just the right combination of originality and wit to make for a merry ‘ole time at the theater. (Rated R) B+

The World’s End


Marian McPartland, who hosted the popular and inspiring NPR program “Marian McPartland’s Piano Jazz” from 1978-2011, died a couple of weeks ago and left a void in the world of music. This sad news gives me occasion to reflect on a subject very near and dear to my heart and to offer some listening suggestions.

Playing the piano is my favorite form of therapy. For me, playing music creates an alternate universe that reduces reality to a series of twelve alternating notes that define the meaning of truth and beauty (which doesn’t always characterize the way I play, of course!). Jazz, that wonderful style that invites us to color outside the lines, is to me the purest form of rebellion,

and Marian McPartland’s program brought much joy and rebellion into the world during its thirty-three-year run. During all those years, Marian and her guests, a roster of the best the jazz world had to offer, never ran out of ideas as she and her guests spurred us to ever greater heights of creativity each week. Her show will be missed, but we have all those awe-inspiring recordings of the program to keep her legacy alive.

To honor the memory of Marian McPartland, I have compiled the following brief list representing only a few of my favorite piano jazz performances. Keep in mind that jazz pianists create new arrangements and interpretations each time they play, so a recording is at best a

snapshot of a particular moment in time, never accounting for the many different ways the piece will be played in subsequent performances; in this way, jazz can be seen as a rebellion against conformity. So, following are a few of my favorite jazz piano “snapshots.” If you are familiar with these pieces, feel free to add or subtract from the list, and if you are new to the world of piano jazz, I hope you will take some time this week to become a student—these performances are readily available in many forms, from YouTube to iTunes. And you don’t have to go to a smoky jazz club to experience their many pleasures.

“Blue Monk” by Thelonious Monk. Monk is my favorite pianist, and this is one of his most well-known compositions, available in many different versions. It is as much fun to listen to as it is to play.

“The In Crowd” by The Ramsey Lewis Trio. A pop charting hit in 1965, this was my first exposure to jazz, and although many irritating jazz “purists” point to this as a perversion of jazz, it is a joy to behold. It was recorded live in Washington, DC, and the

applause of the audience makes this all the more enjoyable and intimate.

“My Foolish Heart” by Bill Evans. When I am asked to suggest one recording that captures the very essence of piano jazz, this is what I offer as an example. Recorded live at New York City’s Village Vanguard in 1961, this is a life-changing piece of music that belongs on everyone’s bucket list.

“Cantaloupe Island” by Herbie Hancock. Herbie Hancock, who is still playing at age 73, is a walking encyclopedia of the history of jazz, having recorded with artists as diverse as Miles Davis and Christina Aguilera. This is one of his most delightful and infectious compositions. As a testament to the tune’s durability, it has been sampled by numerous hip-hop and acid jazz mix masters. You have no doubt heard it in many contexts even if you have never heard the original.

“With A Little Help From My Friends” by Renee Rosnes. The songs of The Beatles have been favorite subjects for jazz pianists ever since the British Invasion, and this is one of the best improvisions on a Beatles’ tune

that I know—if you like this, take a listen to the two volumes produced by the jazz piano trio known as Beatle Jazz.

“Song For My Father” by Horace Silver. If you’re a fan of Steely Dan’s hit song “Ricki, Don’t Lose That Number” you have heard the opening phrase of this jazz standard. Don’t miss the real thing to see why Walter Becker and Donald Fagen choose this motif for their popular composition.

“Over The Rainbow” by Art Tatum. Legend has it that the seminal pianist Fats Waller stopped one of his performances when Tatum took his seat in the audience by announcing, “I only play the piano, but

tonight God is in the house.” Widely regarded as the most brilliant jazz pianist of them all, Tatum’s version of this beloved Judy Garland classic is a good place to begin (or end) in your exploration of why Waller said what he did.

“Misty” by Errol Garner. If you’re a fan of Clint Eastwood’s creepy film “Play Misty For Me,” you’ve heard this song, and even if you have never seen the movie you’ve probably listened to this piece as some point, either in its original form or as the chart-topping vocal version by Johnny Mathis. A true gem.

“Compared To What” by Les McCann. Les McCann’s performance of this song with Eddie Harris at the 1969 Montreaux Jazz Festival shows what happens when jazz meets rock and roll (a phenomenon that became known as “crossover”).

“Satin Doll” by Bud Powell. Bud Powell, a contemporary of Thelonious Monk, was a phenomenal pianist, and when he took on Duke Ellington’s often-recorded song, the result was pure magic.

There are, it goes without saying, many more examples I could have included, and the list of my omissions include some essential pianists such as Jason Moran, Robert Glasper, Brad Mehdau, Diano Krall, Elaine Elias, Keith Jarrett, and Cecil Taylor (a controversial performer who turns the piano into a percussive instrument).

Whether you are new to the field of piano jazz or consider yourself a seasoned aficionado, you should spend some time with Bob James’ marvelous album “Take It From The Top,” the popular jazz pianist’s tribute to his musical idols, from Bud Powell and Nat King Cole to Errol Garner and the classical pianist Glenn Gould (just listen to his Gould-inspired version of Petula Clark’s “Downtown”). An essential album for all music lovers and a must for someone who wants to know more about piano jazz.

I hope you have a jazz-filled week, and I trust you will find an appropriate way to honor the memory of Marian McPartland.

See you next week.

Piano Jazz

, The Loafer • September 10, 2013 www.theloaferonline.com

sept. 10, 2013

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