Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Building a Movement: A Nickel City Film Series

Wednesday, July 13th - 7pm-10pm
Heart of the City’s Film Series: “Welcome to Shelbyville”

The Theatre of Youth (203 Allen Street, Buffalo)
“A documentary by Kim A. Snyder looks at how a small southern town’s longtime African American and white residents are challenged with how best to integrate with a growing Latino population and the more recent arrival of hundreds of Muslim Somali refugees.” (2009)
This screening is part of Heart of the City Neighborhoods, Inc.’s “Building a Movement: A Nickel City Film Series”
For more information on this event, please visit http://www.hocn.org/ or find us on Facebook.

Wednesday, July 20th - 7pm-10pm
Heart of the City’s Film Series: “Waiting for Superman”

The Theatre of Youth (203 Allen Street, Buffalo)
“A documentary by Davis Guggenheim that explores the tragic ways in which the American public education system is failing our nation's children, and explores the roles that charter schools and education reformers could play in offering hope for the future.“ (2010)
This screening is part of Heart of the City Neighborhoods, Inc.’s “Building a Movement: A Nickel City Film Series”
For more information on this event, please visit http://www.hocn.org/ or find us on Facebook.

Monday, June 27, 2011

VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL VBS FREE EVENT

Free kids entertainment including games, crafts, snacks, songs, and stories in a loving environment. Kids will explore the Bible with some favorite characters that they will be able to take home! It's Pandamania...and of course tons of fun to learn about God. Ages 4 to 11. Call for more information 716-689-9944.

Date July 25 to July 29
Time 615-9pm

Creekside Assembly of God
2625 Tonawanda Creek Road
Amherst, NY 14228
http://www.CreeksideAssemblyofGod.org

Friday, June 24, 2011

TAJ MAHAL TRIO

Support: Dr. Z and The Blues Remedy

Venue: THE TRALF MUSIC HALL
Patron info number: 716-852-2860
Venue address: 622 MAIN STREET, BUFFALO NY

Date: Friday, August 12th, 2011

Time: 7pm Doors / 8pm Show

Ticket price: $34.50 advance / $38 Day of Show
On sale date: On Sale Now

Tickets available at: All Ticketmaster Locations 1-800-745-3000 716-852-2860 www.tralfmusichall.com www.ticketmaster.com The Tralf Box Office

Composer, multi-instrumentalist and vocalist Taj Mahal is one of the most prominent and influential figures in late 20th century blues and roots music. Though his career began more than four decades ago with American blues, he has broadened his artistic scope over the years to include music representing virtually every corner of the world – west Africa, the Caribbean, Latin America, Europe, the Hawaiian islands and so much more. What ties it all together is his insatiable interest in musical discovery. Over the years, his passion and curiosity have led him around the world, and the resulting global perspective is reflected in his music.

Born Henry St. Claire Fredericks in Harlem on May 17, 1942, Taj grew up in Springfield, Massachusetts. His father was a jazz pianist, composer and arranger of Caribbean descent, and his mother was a gospel singing schoolteacher from South Carolina. Both parents encouraged their children to take pride in their diverse ethnic and cultural roots. His father had an extensive record collection and a shortwave radio that brought sounds from near and far into the home. His parents also started him on classical piano lessons, but after only two weeks, young Henry already had other plans about what and how he wanted to play.

In addition to piano, the young musician learned to play the clarinet, trombone and harmonica, and he loved to sing. He discovered his stepfather's guitar and became serious about it in his early teens when a guitarist from North Carolina moved in next door and taught him the various styles of Muddy Waters, Lightnin' Hopkins, John Lee Hooker and Jimmy Reed and other titans of Delta and Chicago blues.

Springfield in the 1950s was full of recent arrivals, not just from around the U.S. but from all over the globe. "We spoke several dialects in my house – Southern, Caribbean, African – and we heard dialects from eastern and western Europe," Taj recalls. In addition, musicians from the Caribbean, Africa and all over the U.S. frequently visited the Fredericks home, and Taj became even more fascinated with roots – the origins of all the different forms of music he was hearing, what path they took to reach their current form, and how they influenced each other along the way. He threw himself into the study of older forms of African-American music – a music that the record companies of the day largely ignored.

Henry studied agriculture at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst in the early 1960s. Inspired by a dream, he adopted the musical alias of Taj Mahal and formed the popular U. Mass party band, the Elektras. After graduating, he headed west in 1964 to Los Angeles, where he formed the Rising Sons, a six-piece outfit that included guitarist Ry Cooder. The band opened for numerous high-profile touring artists of the ‘60s, including Otis Redding, the Temptations and Martha and the Vandellas. Around this same time, Taj also mingled with various blues legends, including Howlin' Wolf, Muddy Waters, Junior Wells, Buddy Guy, Lightnin' Hopkins and Sleepy John Estes.

This diversity of musical experience served as the bedrock for Taj's first three recordings: Taj Mahal (1967), The Natch'l Blues (1968) and Giant Step (1969). Drawing on all the sounds and styles he'd absorbed as a child and a young adult, these early albums showed signs of the musical exploration that would be Taj's hallmark over the years to come.

In the 1970s, Taj carved out a unique musical niche with a string of adventurous recordings, including Happy To be Just Like I Am (1971), Recycling the Blues and Other Related Stuff (1972), the GRAMMY®-nominated soundtrack to the movie Sounder (1973), Mo' Roots (1974), Music Fuh Ya (Music Para Tu) (1977) and Evolution (The Most Recent) (1978).

Taj's recorded output slowed somewhat during the 1980s as he toured relentlessly and immersed himself in the music and culture of his new home in Hawaii. Still, that decade saw the well-received release of Taj in 1987, as well as the first three of his celebrated children's albums on the Music For Little People label.

He returned to a full recording and touring schedule in the 1990s, including such projects as the musical scores for the Langston Hughes/Zora Neale Hurston play Mule Bone (1991) and the movie Zebrahead (1992). Later in the decade, Dancing the Blues (1993), Phantom Blues (1996), An Evening of Acoustic Music (1996) and the GRAMMY®-winning Señor Blues (1997) were all commercial and critical successes.

At the same time, Taj continued to explore world music, beginning with the aptly titled World Music in 1993. He joined Indian classical musicians on Mumtaz Mahal in 1995, and recorded Sacred Island, a blend of Hawaiian music and blues, with the Hula Blues in 1998. Kulanjan, released in 1999, was a collaborative project with Malian kora player Toumani Diabate (the kora is a 21-string west African harp).

In 2000, Taj released a second GRAMMY®-winning album, Shoutin' in Key, and recorded a second album with the Hula Blues, Hanapepe Dream, in 2003.

Taj joins the Heads Up International label in the fall of 2008 with the worldwide release of Maestro: Celebrating 40 Years. As the title suggests, this twelve-track set marks the fortieth anniversary of Taj's rich and varied recording career by mixing original material, chestnuts borrowed from classic sources, and songs written by a cadre of highly talented guest artists. This anniversary gala includes performances by Ben Harper, Jack Johnson, Ziggy Marley, Angelique Kidjo, Los Lobos and others – many of whom have been directly influenced by Taj's music and guidance.

"The one thing I've always demanded of the records I've made is that they be danceable," he says. "This record is danceable, it's listenable, it has lots of different rhythms, it's accessible, it's all right in front of you. It's a lot of fun, and it represents where I am at this particular moment in my life. This record is just the beginning of another chapter, one that's going to be open to more music and more ideas. Even at the end of forty years, in many ways my music is just getting started."

Tuesday, June 14, 2011

ESI CALENDAR LISTING 6/16 - 6/24

6/16 - 6pm - Joe Marohn @ Wilson Boat House (Acoustic/Pop)

6/16 - 8pm - CULTS @ The Ninth Ward (Babeville) (National Pop/Rock)

6/16 - 830pm - Scott Celani @ Finnan's (acoustic/pop/rock)

6/17 - 7pm - Party of 9 @ Frog Hair (pop/rock/party/variety)

6/17 - 830pm - Off The Cuff @ 800 Maple (Rock/Pop/Acoustic)

6/17 - 9pm - Kick Start Rumble @ Center Street Smokehouse (batavia) (Rock/Pop)

6/17 - 930pm - Roar84 @ Cheers (Pop/Tribute/Specialty)

6/17 - 10pm - Dr. Dirty John Valby @ Sunset Bay Beach Club (Rock/Specialty)

6/17 - 11pm - Suckerpunch @ Macaroons (Rock/Variety)

6/18 - 830pm - Luke & Ange @ Creekview Restaurant (acoustic/pop)

6/18 - 10pm - Big Sauce Trio @ The Lighthouse Bar and Grill (Olcott) (Rock/Pop/Acoustic)

6/18 - 10pm - Carl Motyka Band @ Dwyers (Pop/Rock/Variety)

6/18 - 10pm - Murphy's Law @ The Buck (Formerly Buckin' Buffalo) (Rock/Variety/Pop)

6/19 - 7pm - Mo Porter @ Crazy Jakes (Pop/Rock)

6/19 - 7pm - Tom Sartori @ Cabana Sams (pop/rock)

6/20 - 8pm - Committed (From NBC's "The Sing Off") @ The Tralf Music Hall (a cappella)

6/23 - 6pm - Steve Amuso @ The Wilson Boat House (acoustic/pop)

6/23 - 8pm - Murphy's Law @ Crazy Jakes (rock/pop/variety)

6/23 - 9pm - Joe Squared @ Finnans (Acoustic/Pop)

6/24 - 8pm - RAVEN Returns @ The Tralf Music Hall (Blues/Rock) - two night show - 6/25 @ 8pm as well

6/24 - 8pm - Scott Celani @ The Wilson Boat House (Acoustic/Pop)

6/24 - 830pm - Square Circle @ 800 Maple (acoustic/pop/rock)

6/24 - 930pm - Night and Day @ Center Street Smoke House (Pop/Rock)

6/24 - 10pm - Strictly Hip @ The Buck (Rock/Tribute)

6/24 - 10pm - Innocent Bystander @ Sunset Bay Beach Club (Rock/Pop)

6/24 - 10pm - Suckerpunch @ Finnans (rock/Tribute)

6/24 - 10pm - Murphy's Law @ Sunset Grille (Rock/Pop/Variety)

6/25 - 8pm - RAVEN Returns @ The Tralf Music Hall (Blues/Rock)

6/25 - 830pm - Scott Celani @ Creekview Restaurant (Acoustic/Pop)

6/26 - 7pm - Scott Sartori @ Cabana Sams (Pop/Rock)


************EVENTS BY VENUE**********************

THE TRALF MUSIC HALL
6/20 - 8pm - Committed (From NBC's "The Sing Off")
6/24 - 8pm - RAVEN Returns
6/25 - 8pm - RAVEN Returns

THE NINTH WARD (INSIDE BABEVILLE)
6/16 - 8pm - CULTS

WILSON BOAT HOUSE
6/16 - 6pm - Joe Marohn
6/23 - 6pm - Steve Amuso
6/24 - 8pm - Scott Celani

THE BUCK (FORMERLY BUCKIN BUFFALO)
6/18 - 10pm - Murphy's Law
6/24 - 10pm - Strictly Hip

CABANA SAMS
6/19 - 7pm - Tom Sartori
6/26 - 7pm - Scott Sartori

SUNSET BAY BEACH CLUB
6/17 - 10pm - Dr. Dirty John Valby
6/24 - 10pm - Innocent Bystander

SUNSET GRILLE
6/24 - 10pm - Murphy's Law

CREEKVIEW RESTAURANT
6/18 - 830pm - J-Ride
6/25 - 830pm - Scott Celani

CENTER STREET SMOKEHOUSE (BATAVIA)
6/17 - 9pm - Kick Start Rumble
6/24 - 930pm - Night and Day

800 MAPLE
6/17 - 830pm - Off The Cuff
6/24 - 830pm - Square Circle

FINNANS
6/16 - 830pm - Scott Celani
6/23 - 9pm - Joe Squared
6/24 - 10pm - Suckerpunch

LIGHTHOUSE BAR AND GRILLE (OLCOTT)
6/18 - 10pm - Big Sauce Trio

DWYERS
6/18 - 10pm - Carl Motyka Band

Sunday, June 12, 2011

Garden Earth Exhibition at Roger Tory Peterson Institute

“Walking Garden Earth,” a collaborative exhibit by five noted local artists, will be presented at the Roger Tory Peterson Institute (RTPI) in Jamestown, NY from June 18 – July 10. An opening reception for the artists will take place Saturday, June 18 from 4:00 – 6:00 pm. All are welcome to attend the reception free of charge; donations are appreciated.

Works by Thomas Annear and James Hoggard from Fredonia, Robert John Holland from Arkwright, Tom Malinoski from Forestville, and Sara Baker Michalak from Dunkirk reflect each artist’s personal connection to the Earth, especially when experienced as a garden. The exhibit allows viewers to walk that garden and gain a sense of the magnificence that surrounds us.

Annear is a plein-air (outdoor) painter. His rich landscapes explore his family’s relationship with local food sources. Hoggard, an avid outdoorsman, is a large-format photographer whose work features ancient landscapes and wild places. Holland’s multi-disciplinary art reflects a deeply felt symbiotic connection to the environment.

Malinoski’s ethereal paintings, populated with rocks and trees, capture the spiritual essence of nature and provide glimpses of sacred spaces. Michalak’s mixed media works are comprised of found objects, often enhanced with colorful threads, arranged to express relationships between natural and constructed worlds.

Gardens capture the essence of nature, and provide food, beauty and tranquility. Gardens ultimately reveal to us the deep connections we have to Earth. From five different points of view, the artists have generated a collection of unique artworks that explore the limitless possibilities of our wondrous “garden” Earth. According to Mark Baldwin, RTPI's director of education, "The message of this exhibit is a perfect complement to RTPI’s goal for people to come to know and appreciate the natural world. My hope is that the nature-inspired art of Walking Garden Earth will motivate people to go outdoors themselves and help them see and experience nature in new ways."

“Walking Garden Earth” was first exhibited in December, 2010 at the Patterson Library’s Octagon Gallery in Westfield. New works by each artist will be incorporated into the show at RTPI. Bringing the show to a nationally known cultural institution is a great opportunity for the artists, and they are honored to have been invited to present their work there.

RTPI is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10:00 am – 4:00 pm, and Sunday from 1:00 – 5:00 pm. They are closed Monday.

“Walking Garden Earth” is made possible in part by funding from the United Arts Appeal of Chautauqua County. For more information, contact Roger Tory Peterson Institute at 716-665-2473, or visit the exhibit website at www.WalkingGardenEarth.com.

Thursday, June 09, 2011

Juneteenth Festival Sunday June 19th

Juneteenth Festival

Sunday June 19th

Best Street and Fillmore Avenue


Special guest D.A.V.I.D. and Kingdom Krump Dance Squads.


Performances by Gospel Music Recording Artist Sharifah of Tate Music Group, J. Spence of DMC Records, Josh Schohn, DJ Issachar, Shaddie Swag, VEXT The MC, Khente Koram of Blood Bath Bath Vol III, and Inspirational Inner Spirits.


Gospel Music Recording Artist Sharifah along with Back To Basics Outreach Ministries and United Mens Fashion of Buffalo, NY will be honoring the fathers with an essay contest on "Why My Dad is the Greatest".


The Juneteenth Festival of Buffalo, NY is an important component of summertime events in the Buffalo-Niagara region which is held at Martin Luther King Park in Buffalo Annually.

Friday, June 03, 2011

Here Come The Mummies at The Tralf Music Hall

Did you ever miss a show where the next day you read the review or friends tell you what a great concert you missed? We've all done it so here is your forewarning not to miss the upcoming show at The Tralf with Here Come The Mummies. Continue reading below for the low down on this hot and not to be missed show.

The Tralf Music Hall
622 Main St. Buffalo, NY 14202
7 pm Doors/ 8 pm Show
Tickets $20.00 advance/$22.00 day of show

If you believe their biography, Nashville-based funk band Here Come The Mummies has been playing together since the time of the ancients, cursed to wander the earth and perform as punishment for sullying the Pharoah's daughters. While a bit of a tall tale, Here Come The Mummies will rock your socks off.

The group indeed performs in full mummy regalia (not to be confused with the 90's San Francisco-based garage rock band of the same name), and they keep their true identities hidden. It is speculated that their membership includes a number of well-respected Nashville musicians, and that the occasional superstar artist will drop in as a guest to perform with the band while on the road (rumors circulated of Neil Diamond among others). All of this, is of course, conjecture (perhaps to keep other record deals in place), but Here Come The Mummies stir up a raucous, often bawdy set of funk, R&B and rock 'n roll. With songs such as "Libido Knievel" and "Fenk Shui", Here Come the Mummies clearly have mastered the art of double entendres. If you don't believe it, just check out their holiday greeting, "Carol of the Belts" which features a chorus line of mummies. well, cow-belting out the carol (http://www.herecomethemummies.com/cowbelt).

Their live shows are legendary - an unforgettable evening of non-stop, high energy party music . As one fan recently posted, "[Here Come The Mummies are] brilliantly funny, somewhat insane, just dirty enough to make you feel a little naughty for loving them so much.". Don't miss this night of "terrifying funk from the grave"!

Wednesday, June 01, 2011

American Tribal Style Bellydance Open House

Sunday May 22, 2011 - 2:00pm to 3:30pm

Seven Tigers Academy
3015 Genesee Street
Buffalo NY 14225

$15.00 and if you bring a friend they get in at $10.00!

Come get to know the strength, beauty and grace of American Tribal Style Bellydance. During this 90 minute session, you will have a chance to learn the history, music, costuming and the core principles of ATS! And if you love it as much as we know you will, you'll have a chance to register for upcoming classes!

For more info: euphraxiadance@gmail.com

Hard Rock Cafe Saturday at the Falls


This page is powered by Blogger. Isn't yours?