Hot Times at Old Town

Appearing below are selections from the hard copy Hot Times. The objective is to highlight activities at the School and in the larger community, especially those featuring or of special interest to teachers and staff. Your suggestions are welcome. Enter a comment (under any item); it will come to me rather than automatically appearing.

Farmers Market - Lincoln Square!

It’s fresh produce time in Chicago — including a Tuesday Farmers Market just north of the Old Town School next to the Western CTA stop!

The first blossoming of the Lincoln Square Farmers Market was June 9th — oh boy, something to anticipate for those who have time during the day on Tuesdays. The plan is to have them continue well into autumn, maybe as late as November. As usual, the market opened with a range of stands, including fruits, vegetables, plants, quiche, muffins, cookies, and (mmmm!) pies. The market will open when the vendors are set up, from about 7 am to 4 pm.

Not to be missed: The Pie Stand. Brought in from Marilyn’s Bakery in Hobart, Indiana, the pies include Strawberry, strawberry rubarb, stawberry whip, blueberry, pecan, caramel apple — most in two sizes. OK, they’re not inexpensive ($6.50 and $13.00), but he offers tastings, so you get an idea of his quality (which we found pretty darn good).

Starting June 16th the Farmers Market will include music, organized by the School in cooperation with Alderman Schulter’s Office. Two for the Road and Friends, a group growing out of classes at the Old Town School will play from 10 am to noon through June 23rd.

Filed under: Interesting outside the Old Town School by Skip | June 9, 2009 | Comments (0)

Highlighted Teachers’ gigs, 6-13 update

Highlights (only!) for your calendar:

Saturday, June 13th - Barbara Silverman, Hinsdale Fine Arts Festival, Burlington Park, Hinsdale, 630 887-0203, 3-4:30 pm

Saturday, June 20th - Barbara Silverman and The Teflons, WFMT Fundraiser, WFMT Radio 98.7 FM, 11:00 pm

Thursday, June 25th - Hoyle Brothers, CD RELEASE!, Martyrs, 3855 N. Lincoln, 8:30 pm

Thursday, June 25th - Dave Specter, SPACE, 1245 Chicago Ave., Evanston, 8 pm, $12 advance

Friday, June 26th - Ralph Covert and the Bad Examples, SPACE, 1245 Chicago Ave., Evanston, 8 pm, $12 advance

Filed under: Interesting outside the Old Town School by Skip | May 11, 2009 | Comments (0)

The Magic Hedge at Montrose Harbor

The Magic Hedge folks would love your help!

What is ithe Magic Hedge? Ah, you’ll have to go to earlier listings in this column to find out.

David Painter is the major domo for this effort. His number appears below — call him for more information (like specifics on the location). OK, here’s a hint: from his note to volunteers he was enlisting for May 9th:

“We will be planting 5,000 plants on the slope adjacent to the dunes. This is important work that will enhance the beauty of the point and protect the dunes. To find the area where we will be working, walk past the Magic Hedge to the sidewalk that separates us from the beach. You will find us there along with the coffee and donuts. This will be fun and what an accomplishment! If you have questions, you can contact me on my cell phone - 773-383-0721. I will have this with me on the workday — David

If you’re looking for an outdoor activity on occasional Saturdays, give David a call — and mention you read about the Magic Hedge in Hot Times at Old Town.

Filed under: Interesting elsewhere by Skip | May 6, 2009 | Comments (0)

Add jug band to your resume!

Or if not to your resume, at least to your life. Registration is open for the school’s jug band! It’s both a band AND a class, with the next class starting in June. So when someone asks you what you’ve been doing — here’s what you can say.

“You didn’t know? I’m now a member of the Hump Night Thumpers Jug Band. That’s the band that won the 25th Annual Battle of the Jug Bands in 2007.”

And that’s the truth: everyone in the jug band class is a member of the famous Hump Night Thumpers — the band that has one CD on the market, and that appears on the 2008 Jugs Across America CD. You can join the class with OR without a traditional instrument — and in the class can pick up skills playing the jug, washboard, washtub bass, spoons, kazoo, kitchenware, etc. etc.

Jug band meets at 8 pm on Wednesday nights, with occasional performances at local venues — and, at the option of band members — maybe a return to the Battle of the Jug Bands in 2010!

But you need to sign up, and early is best — class starts the last full week in June!

Filed under: Interesting at Old Town by Skip | April 27, 2009 | Comments (0)

You missed Fender day, May 2nd?

Ouch! But it should be a reminder: keep checking the School’s website!

On Saturday, May 2nd, the Different Strummer (the School’s store) had staff from Fender come in to do free bench checks on electric guitars. No Fender? That was ok too, they didn’t discriminate.

By the end of the afternoon, 90 folks had received FREE restrings and and set ups. And those who bought Feder or Squier products got 10% back in cash, on top of the already discounted prices.

To receive this, the Different Strummer asked that folks bring in $5 or more worth of canned food to benefit the Greater Chicago Food Depository. The result: 13 boxes, about 550 pounds of canned goods. Wow! What a fine concept: doing good both for their customers and the broader community.

Think about stopping by the store and saying “thanks” to Tim and his staff.

Filed under: Interesting at Old Town by Skip | April 27, 2009 | Comments (0)

Ready for an ensemble?

If you’re a private student, ask your teacher if you may be ready for ensemble playing. If the answer is yes, consider the Beatles for Beginners Ensemble: it’s a great place for intermediate/ advanced students in guitar/bass/drums/ piano/vocal to learn how to play together, play in time with a band, sing group harmony, and learn how to build arrangements. In this ensemble you’ll get to work on the Beatles songs (and solo records) — some great stuff! The great part: you can work on the songs in private lessons, then bring what you learn to the class, where everything comes together.

This class is great preparation to get ready to play in all the other ensembles as well. Want to visit? Leave a note for Charles Kim or email him at ckim@oldtownschool.org). Beatles for Beginners meets at 2:30 on Saturdays at Lincoln Square.

Filed under: Interesting at Old Town by Skip | April 10, 2009 | Comments (0)

A taste of the new Dylan album

Hard core Dylan fans know this already, but in case you’re more an appreciator — he’s produced yet another album, Together Through Life, now in the pre-release hype stage. It’s his 33rd studio release (46th album overall!) and is being praised by initial reviewers. We learned about it from a new-to-us feature on NPR, their All Songs Considered.

Want a free taste of this new offering? One fine track, Beyond Here Lies Nothing, can be heard at

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=102785158

Josh Hathaway of Blogcritics Magazine writes: “‘Beyond” has just a hint of Eric Clapton’s cover of Otis Rush’s classic “All Your Love (I Miss Loving)” from Clapton’s time with John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers. It’s a blues joint with some mariachi trumpet, organ, and accordion. From a production standpoint, “Beyond” is a little edgier than anything on Dylan’s previous record (Modern Times).”

(Want to play along? it’s in A minor!)

Filed under: Music by Skip | April 7, 2009 | Comments (0)

Spring! and family fun!

What better than a family outing that is educational and fun at the same time? The (almost) Chicago Botanic Garden has weekend classes through which adults and children can explore cool things about how plants connect to science, art, history, and culture.

Each program includes a variety of hands-on activities and projects, as well as opportunities to bring the Garden home. Ages: Children ages 4 to 10 accompanied by adults (limit of three children per adult). Times: 9:30 – 11 a.m. or 1 – 2:30 p.m. Fees: $17 per child member, $20 per child nonmember.

The Chicago Botanic Garden is at 1000 Lake Cook Rd. in
Glencoe - (847) 835-5440 or www.Chicago-Botanic.org.

Filed under: Interesting elsewhere by Skip | March 22, 2009 | Comments (0)

Another spring outing…

Lovers of handmade items may want to go down and visit Renegade Handmade (oh, how nicely that passes the lips!) at 1924 W. Division.

We haven’t been there, but the 25% off sale on selected items may appeal to you if you’ve had your eye on something that’s been shelf-sitting a while.

Filed under: Interesting elsewhere by Skip | March 22, 2009 | Comments (0)

Sing for Your Supper Series

Sunday afternoon — a time to settle in with friends and good music. What better place than Uncommon Ground on Devon, when fine musicians sing for their supper?

This weekly event is organized by Colby Maddox, lead teacher in the String Department at OTSFM and principal member of the 21st Century bluegrass group Sunnyside Up. His idea: bring together 4 or 5 musicians who rarely get a chance to perform together and take turns leading songs and backing each-other up. The music gets little (if any) rehearsal, has no one “style.” The result: music growing out of fellowship and love for the craft.

Placed pre-dinner on Sunday afternoons, this event has the flavor that combines a jam session of skilled musicians with a gathering of old friends. Rather than presenting a polished band performance, these sessions give great players and singers a chance to put new and different ideas to the test with a great backup band made up of peers.

The comfortable supper-club setting of the room and the listener friendly, appropriate volume make it possible for folks of all ages to get settle in and forget that Monday morning is just around the corner.

This series is the musical cure for late winter stagnation: it’s bound to make you smile, tap your feet and listen in new fresh ways. (And the food is great!)

Details: Uncommon Ground, 1401 W. Devon, 4-6 pm Sundays.
$10 suggested donation.

Filed under: Interesting elsewhere by Skip | March 22, 2009 | Comments (0)


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