Standing Room Only

Our website is updated and the new brochure will hit a mailbox near you this week. It’s official: the 2010-2011 season has begun! Yay!

This is the exciting part of the season where we anticipate the artists and events of the year. One early act that stands out is the Celtic band Gaelic Storm. Their sense of fun is unbelievably infectious. Need proof? Watch this video. They had me at the stop-motion Lego people. Another group I’m excited for is NATURALLY 7. I’ve been forwarding their Paris Subway video to pretty much everyone I know for the last month. My personal computer may be responsible for at least 20 of that videos 4 million YouTube hits.

To get a greater sense of this year’s artists, I asked Steve Duchrow, the ECC Arts Center’s Director of Performing Arts, what he thought people should know about the upcoming season. Below he shares his personal experiences and thoughts on some of our upcoming artists.

The arts are about transforming the human spirit, your spirit. We believe artists should engage your passion and present content that is exceptional, relevant and meaningful. We want you telling others about these artists not just tomorrow but for the rest of your life.

Victor Wooten

Artists that will leave you with a sense of wonder no matter where they perform on the planet:

Victor Wooten, Leo Kottke, Howard Levy, Naturally 7, American Place Theatre

A Victor Wooten concert completely alters everything you’ve ever known about the bass. How many people in music history can redefine an instrument when they play it? Not many. He seems to do the unimaginable.  As, music lovers, we all are looking for the next new sound. Well, let me tell you, Victor Wooten’s sound is the next new sound right now, and 200 years from now, he’ll still be regarded as the next new sound. 

I think you should see Leo Kottke before you die.  If you are a musician and/or appreciate the guitar, Leo is in this category. Chet Atkins, Segovia and Les Paul, may they rest in peace, were in that category. Joe Bonamassa, Mark Knopfler, Jeff Beck, Kelly Joe Phelps, Sonny Landreth, Tommy Emanuel and a small list of others fall into that category. You don’t get too many chances to witness this style and innovation. It took us four years to get a date with Leo, not because he didn’t want to play here, we just couldn’t get the schedules to line up. I’m thrilled that he’s part of our season.

New artists you absolutely must hear:

Dala, Miller, Hot Club of Detroit, Zili Misik

Dala at the Newport Folk Festival

I wept when I heard Dala’s song “Horses.” How is it that  two people so young could write such a complete and perfect song like this? Unbelievable. They harmonize with that same quality of Emmy Lou Harris and Gillian Welch. David Tamulevich of The Roots Agency manages them and he said  “I’ve been a musician for 30 years and they are such mature performers. I marvel at how they developed their overall skills this so quickly.  Their stage presence and delivery to audiences is just remarkable.” I was so moved by the video for “Horses” and David’s description, I booked them before I heard them sing one note live.

I saw a live performance by Miller in St. Paul last October. I have seen thousands of performances but I rarely remember feeling this much groove from a band. Wow! It felt like that groove was shooting  600 amps of juice through all of us. It was as close to … blues ecstasy as I will ever get. Cole, the drummer wasn’t even using a drum kit. He was perched on top of this wooden beat box pounding like he was trying to evict the devil from inside it. Clayton was just locked in on guitar and LD played harmonica like a runaway freight on speed tossing sparks off the back. They are replicating the same performance here in our club this spring. It’s going to be Big Red Hot Blues in a small space.

Hello, Beatles’ fans. The results are in! Below are the top 30 Beatles’ songs chosen by YOU  in our last two polls. Vote for your hands-down favorite Beatles’ song and help us determine American English’s no. 1 requested song!

We won’t be announcing what song makes it to the top before the show so if you want to know what No. 1 is, visit  http://tickets.elgin.edu and get your tickets to this awesome Beatles’ experience.

Thanks for voting! The set list you’re creating is going to be awesome!

Check out this special message from American English:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RAbR9C0vr4I

The response to our first poll was overwhelming and we can’t wait to hear the set list you create! Keep helping by voting on your top ten favorite Beatles’ songs  in round two of our poll below. We incorporated the top write-in votes from our last survey but you can still write in your suggestions if you don’t see your fave.

Stay tuned for next week’s vote-off of the top thirty songs!

Missed the first survey? Not sure how it all works? No worries. Click  http://eccartscenter.com/2010/03/29/vote-for-your-favorite-beatles-songs/

American English, Chicago’s fab four, invites you to create the song list!

Here’s how it works: We’ve created three polls that allow you to vote for your ideal Beatles set list. American English will play the songs that  get the most votes at their May 1 “By Request” concert at the ECC Arts Center.  

Here’s what we need you to do: Vote for your favorite Beatles’ songs in each poll! You can choose up to ten per poll. The first poll is below and the next will appear on April 12.  The week of April 19, we’ll have a final vote off of the top 30 songs to determine the top 10.

Don’t see your favorite Beatles song? Write in one of your own!

You don’t have to purchase a ticket to vote but if you want to know whether No. 1 hits or rare classics make the cut, you’ll have to attend this awesome Beatles tribute experience.

Update: Vote below and then check out part 2 of our poll http://eccartscenter.com/2010/04/12/a-special-message-from-american-english-and-the-second-part-of-our-vote-for-your-favorite-beatles-songs-poll/

Forgotten a few songs?

Visit http://www.thebeatles.com/#/songs and get a refresher.

ECC Jazz Ensemble

Originally uploaded by ECCArtsCenter

The Skyway Conference Jazz Festival takes place throughout the day, Saturday, November 7 at the ECC Arts Center. College jazz bands from throughout our conference will be here for performances, clinics and competition.

Laura’s thoughts on Fall for the Arts

Originally uploaded by ECCArtsCenter

She’s right! Cocoa Cabana’s chocolates are soooo delicious.

VIDEO LINK

Originally uploaded by ECCArtsCenter

Here’s what Steve, our fearless leader, has to say about tomorrow’s Fall for the Arts activities!

Cindy’s thoughts on Fall for the Arts

Originally uploaded by ECCArtsCenter

Why are we so excited about Fall for the Arts? Here’s a great response from Cindy, our fabulous technical director.

What do you think? If you are an arts lover or just enjoy creative expression, do you love this or would it drive you crazy? Click on the link.

Piano Stairs

Steve Duchrow

Director of Performing Arts – Elgin Community College

Here’s a recent post reviewing a recent performance by the legendary Preservation Hall Jazz Band or PHJB. The reviewer posted this on the  PHJB website blog. This band always delivers! So we are really looking forward to the Preservation Hall Jazz Band performance at ECC Arts Center on Sunday, December 13, 2009. The program is called A Creole Christmas and offers the great additional option of a four course gourmet meal offered by our fabulous Culinary Arts program, for only $30, which will fit the Creole theme. Here’s the post about the performance.

Monday, October 5, 2009 | Dane Anderson

“The Preservation Hall Jazz Band was the perfect band to close the Wildflower Center stage at the Austin City Limits Music Festival Sunday. With pure delight emanating from the dancing audience, the eight-piece band brought the full magic and history of New Orleans music to life with energy and passion that underscores music as the universal language that tames even the mud-caked beasts.

Many in the audience were unable to contain themselves in chairs and rushed to the front of the stage to dance and sing along as the first few tunes caught fire. In sweat-soaked grey suits and ties, the band members grinned at the audience and smiled at each other, happy for the chance to share their music with fans who really love the genre.

The band started out hot and ended steaming, with a rendition of Louis Armstrong’s “Ol’ Man Mose,” and their own versions of essentials “Tailgate Ramble,” “Shimmy,” “Sugar Blues” and “Mama Don’t Want .” Standouts included Walter Payton singing “Shimmy” with his head thrown back, eyes closed and a grin across his face during pauses. The man and the music conjured up every ghost great of New Orleans past in memory.”

This band doesn’t just play American roots music, they are American roots music. 

Steve Duchrow

Director of Performing Arts Elgin Community College Arts Center