Highlights- Hairspray and lots more theater, The Crystal Method and lots more music
Jazz saxophonist pays tribute to legends
Saxophonist Nathan McLeod has scheduled a series of performances at Teatro Scarpino to play tribute to some of America’s jazz legends. Last month he performed “Bird Lives – A Tribute to the Music of Charlie Parker” with Claudia Burson on piano, Steve Wilkes on drums, Al Gibson on trumpet, and Clare Starr on bass.
McLeod and his quintet will play work by a variety of artists at Scarpino’s this Saturday night. On Dec. 5 there will be a tribute to Thelonious Monk.
After graduating from the UA, McLeod moved to Kansas City to attend the University of Missouri-Kansas City Conservatory of Music. There he studied with Bobby Watson and earned a master’s degree before he returned to Fayetteville.
McLeod now performs with several groups including the Fayetteville Funk Ensemble and the jazz trio, Trio DeJaniero, with guitarist William Reyes and percussionist Darren Novotny. He also sits in with various jam nights and is often featured in the band, The OneUps, of which he is a founding member.
“Jazz is the ultimate level of music-making and is America’s greatest contribution to music,” McLeod said.
McLeod hopes to do tribute concerts to the likes of Stan Getz, Antonio Carlos Jobim, John Coltrane and others and wants to keep a “certain level of historical accuracy as far as the playing style, harmony and rhythmic sensibilities of the artists.”
His focus on jazz has caught the attention of many in town, including Mayor Dan Coody. The mayor plans to implement a service in Fayetteville modeled after Seattle OnHold, a program that plays local artists’ music over the phone when callers are on hold with the city or while browsing the city’s website. McLeod’s album, “Compositions and Standards,” along with music by other local artists, are slated to be integrated into the system.
“I want people to hear the Fayetteville music scene, and I just love Nathan’s music,” Coody said. Mustin
On Stage
Two Broadway touring companies will be in town this week for shows at the Walton Arts Center.
Saturday at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. catch Ring of Fire – The Music of Johnny Cash, a music and dance performance that tells the story of “the man in black.”
Beginning Tuesday, the hit musical comedy Hairspray, will have a six-day, eight-show run at the WAC. Hairspray captured eight Tony Awards in 2003 and is enjoying its fifth record-breaking year on Broadway.
Local actors will also be entertaining audiences this week.
The University Theater will open the classic Our Town on Friday with an 8 p.m. performance, with 8 p.m. shows on Saturday and Nov. 14,15,16, 17 and matinees at 2 p.m. this Saturday and Nov. 18. For tickets call 575-4752.
Arts Live Theatre, the Northwest Arkansas Theatre company dedicated to youth theatre, will present an original play, The Pirate Show at 7 p.m. Friday, 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church Parish Hall in Fayetteville. The play is about the adventures of orphaned siblings who become crewmembers on the pirate ships Bandito Loco and Pretty Penelope. It is written and directed by Arts Live artistic director Jules Taylor. For tickets call 521-4932.
Empty Bowls
Have a good time, enjoy bowl of soup, take home a nice souvenir and help those in need all at the same time at the Empty Bowls fundraiser at 6 Tuesday night at George’s. While benefit events abound in NWA, Kelley Wilks’ Empty Bowls project is one that is affordable and fun and last year in the inaugural year raised $10,000 for the Seven Hills Homeless Shelter. This year’s beneficiary will be the Ozark Food Bank.
There will be gourmet soups from Greenhouse Grille, El Camino Real, Panera and more. Attendees will eat soup from handcrafted bowls designed by local artists and community members and then take the bowls home. The bowls are intended to be a reminder of the empty bowls locally and in the world. A silent auction of celebrity bowls signed by some of Arkansas’ favorite daughters—Hillary Clinton and Lucinda Williams and others will also be part of the festivities.
Helping Wilks with the project—and creating several hundred bowls is quite a task—are members of the Boston Mountain Potters Association. To top off the evening will be music by the fun rock and pun band, Strange Heroes. Tickets are $20.
Saturday night live
Variety is the name of the game if you’re crusin’ for live music this week. Take for instance, Saturday night, when you can hear The Crystal Method, Mollie O’Brien and Benjamin Del Shreve’s latest, all within walking distance of one another. Here’s the deal.
Benjamin Del Shreve has evolved from a road-weary Christian rocker to become a vibrating force poised to take on the world of rock. BDS and his band will host a CD release party for the new spin, “Brilliant and Charming,” at The Gypsy. It’s rock ‘n roll with a twist and BDS definitely has the rock star attitude that it takes to get to the top.
We like electronica and some of the best in the U.S., The Crystal Method, will set up at George’s to pump out some real true techno. Ambient, atmospheric-not! The Crystal Method are true pioneers of the big beat.
At Goodfolk on Block Street, the renowned Mollie O’Brien will take the stage. O’Brien, needs no introduction for folk and bluegrass fans, but for those who don’t know, she can also belt out jazz and blues. 521-1812 for tickets.
ddp gallery group show
You just have a couple of weeks to catch the photography show at ddp gallery, just off the Fayetteville Square. The photographic skills and styles of nine local photographers is world-class. Go see for yourself. Showing are: Andrew Kilgore, Tim Walker, Don House, Amjad Faur, Henry Turner, Norman Snider, Russell Cothren, Diana Michelle Hausam and gallery owner Dede Peters. The exhibit closes on Nov. 24.
