{"id":53781,"date":"2024-03-14T09:58:45","date_gmt":"2024-03-14T13:58:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/?p=53781"},"modified":"2024-03-14T09:58:46","modified_gmt":"2024-03-14T13:58:46","slug":"on-stage-philadelphia-organ-festival-comes-to-longwood","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/?p=53781","title":{"rendered":"On Stage: Philadelphia Organ Festival comes to Longwood"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Denny Dyroff<\/strong>, Entertainment Editor, The Times<\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"Philadelphia is a city known for its magnificent venues for classical music.<\/p>\n

Philadelphia is also known for being a city of \u201cfirsts.\u201d<\/p>\n

Beginning on March 15, the city will host the inaugural Philadelphia Organ Festival \u2013 and Longwood Gardens is a prime participant.<\/p>\n

The Festival, which opens on Friday and runs through March 23, invites audiences to discover the region\u2019s rich trove of historic pipe organs, in some of the area\u2019s most beautiful buildings, in performances that showcase the spectacular sounds and grandeur of what Mozart called \u201cthe king of instruments.\u201d<\/p>\n

Philadelphia-based Partners for Sacred Places, the only national, nonsectarian, nonprofit organization dedicated to the sound stewardship and active community use of America\u2019s older religious properties, is the producer of the Festival.<\/p>\n

The Philadelphia Organ Festival has announced exceptional new collaborations with several of the area\u2019s finest arts and culture institutions: The Philadelphia Orchestra, The Marian Anderson Historical Society, Artcinia, The Crossing, and Opera Philadelphia.<\/p>\n

One of the Festival\u2019s premier venues will be right here in Chester County. On March 22, Longwood Gardens will host the final evening performance and penultimate event of the Festival with a concert by Alc\u00e9e Chriss III\u00a0in the Ballroom.<\/p>\n

The Philadelphia Organ Festival\u2019s final performance day on March 23 will include a special collaboration with The Philadelphia Orchestra and Ensemble Arts Philly\u2019s Organ Day, which begins at 11:30 a.m. at the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts.<\/p>\n

John Walthausen, Philadelphia Organ Festival Artistic Director, and Jay Fluellen, Philadelphia Organ Festival Director, both accomplished artists, will perform a work for four hands.\u00a0Organ Day is free to the public and features the incredible sounds of the dynamic Fred J. Cooper Memorial Organ, the largest mechanical-action concert hall organ in the U.S.<\/p>\n

The Philadelphia Organ Festival\u2019s other concert events will be ticketed and will take place at historic and architecturally significant venues throughout the Philadelphia region. Venues include Tindley Temple, Rodeph Shalom, the Philadelphia Episcopal Cathedral, the First Presbyterian Church in Germantown, Girard College Chapel, the Unitarian Society of Germantown, St. Luke\u2019s Germantown and Longwood Gardens. Festival concerts will feature nationally and internationally acclaimed organists, many with ties to the Philadelphia area.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is the first year for the festival,\u201d said Walthausen, during a phone interview last week. \u201cIt will be celebrating organs across the Philadelphia area.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was brought into the project over the summer. Partners for Sacred Places approached me. Jay Fluellen, the Festival Director, and I know Philadelphia pretty well and we wanted to cultivate neighborhood involvement \u2013 places away from Center City.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe wanted to leave no stone unturned. We went from church to church and to temples \u2013 some off the beaten path — evaluating organs.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOff the beaten path\u201d took Walthausen to Kennett Square \u2013 to Longwood Gardens.<\/p>\n

\u201cLongwood Gardens is just an iconic spot,\u201d said Walthausen. \u201cWe have a lot of churches but not too many gardens. Longwood has a great organ in a greenhouse \u2013 and it\u2019s a fun place to visit.\u201d<\/p>\n

Longwood Gardens will host one of the Festival\u2019s showcase concerts on March 22 at 7 p.m.<\/p>\n

\u201cRomance in the Garden: Franck and Rachmaninoff at Longwood\u201d will feature a string ensemble joining organist Alcee Chriss III, who will be performing on a 1930 Aeolian.<\/p>\n

Winner of both the Canadian International Competition and the Miami International Competition, Chriss delights in this concert featuring original transcriptions for organ and chamber ensemble. The audience will hear music from Ce\u0301sar Franck\u2019s great masterwork, \u201cthe Symphony in D Minor\u201d along with excerpts from Rachmaninoff\u2019s vivid\u00a0\u201cSymphonic Dances,\u201d which was premiered by the Philadelphia Orchestra in 1941.<\/p>\n

In July 2019, Dr. Chriss, who won the Firmin Swinnen Prize at the 2016 Longwood Gardens International Organ Competition, was appointed as University Organist and Artist-in-Residence at Wesleyan University, where he teaches courses in organ and keyboard skills.<\/p>\n

The full program at Longwood Gardens includes: Sergie Rachmaninoff – Symphonic Dances, Op. 45: I. Non-Allegro; Robert Schumann – Six Canonic Studies, Op. 56, No. 4 in A-Flat Major; Florence Price \u2013 Retrospection; Marcel Dupr\u00e9 – Symphonie-Passion op. 23, I. The World Awaiting the Savior; C\u00e9sar Franck – Symphony in D Minor, M. 48: II. Allegretto; Percy Whitlock – Holiday Suite: I. Waltz in the Ballroom; Harold Arlen – Somewhere over the Rainbow; and Alexandre Guilmant – Symphony No.1, Op. 42: III. Final.<\/p>\n

The show will start at 7 p.m.<\/p>\n

Ticket\u00a0prices are: Reserved Seating: $30; Gardens Preferred, Gardens Premium Members, and Innovators: $27; Seniors: $25; Students under 18: $10. Ticket includes all-day Gardens Admission.<\/p>\n

\u201cLongwood Gardens will have an amazing concert with Alc\u00e9e,\u201d said Walthausen. \u201cIt\u2019s a varied program including some of his own transcriptions. It\u2019s not every day you\u2019re going to hear organ with an ensemble of instrumentalists.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Festival\u2019s inspired programs showcase the organ as a partner in music of many styles and eras, in pairings with vocalists, period instruments, and in rarely-heard collaborations with percussion and contemporary music ensembles\u2014as well as a thrilling musical accompaniment to landmark silent films.<\/p>\n

The Philadelphia Organ Festival is part of Sacred Places\u2019 Playing and Preserving program, which strives to heighten awareness and foster greater appreciation for these cultural treasures as well as\u00a0build support for the preservation and restoration of organs.<\/p>\n

The Festival will get underway on March 15 at 7 p.m. at Girard College Chapel (2101 South College Avenue, Philadelphia) with Ravel\u2019s \u201cBol\u00e9ro for Organ and Brass.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Festival\u2019s opening concert showcases Girard College\u2019s famed 1931 E.M. Skinner organ, with heralded soloist Chelsea Chen, joined by brass musicians. The irresistible pulse of Ravel\u2019s classic Bolero is spectacular in Chen\u2019s arrangement for organ, brass and snare drum, on the program with works by Dupre\u0301, Bach and more.<\/p>\n

The matinee concert on March 16 \u2013 \u201cGothic Drama from Screen and Keyboard:\u00a0The Passion of Joan of Arc\u201d — is scheduled for 3 p.m. at St. Luke\u2019s Germantown (5421 Germantown Avenue, Philadelphia) with Matt Glandorf,\u00a0organist.<\/p>\n

The organ was originally Carlton C. Mitchell 1894 and revised Casavant Fr\u00e8res Lt\u00e9e.<\/p>\n

Carl Theodor Dreyer\u2019s classic 1928 silent film played under the mysterious arches of the landmark Gothic Revival church of St. Luke\u2019s, Germantown features the perfect setting for the dramatic medieval sets that Dreyer constructed for his masterpiece.<\/p>\n

Glandorf performs a brilliantly adapted score for the classic film. Now based in Germany, Glandorf has served as a Curtis Institute faculty member, as well Artistic Director of Choral Arts Philadelphia and the Bach Festival of Philadelphia.<\/p>\n

The evening concert on March 16 is slated for 7 p.m. at the First Presbyterian Church of Germantown (35 West Chelten Avenue, Philadelphia).<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Organ\u2019s Modern Touch: Minimalism and Contemporary Works\u201d features Amanda Mole playing a 1919 Austin organ.<\/p>\n

Mole is joined by percussionists and singers from GRAMMY\u00ae Award-winning The Crossing in Steve Reich\u2019s rarely performed minimalist masterpiece\u00a0\u201cMusic for Mallet Instruments, Voices, and Percussion,\u201d along with solo works for organ by influential contemporary composers Arvo Pa\u0308rt and Nico Muhly.<\/p>\n

On March 17 at 7 p.m., the focus shifts to Tindley Temple (750 South Broad Street, Philadelphia) with a 7 p.m. concert celebrating the Memory and Art of Marian Anderson.<\/p>\n

Organist Alan Morrison will be joined by Marian Anderson Historical Society Scholars, vocalists and will be playing a 1927 M\u00f6ller organ.<\/p>\n

Anderson performed one of composer Florence Price\u2019s most moving songs in her historic 1939 performance at the Lincoln Memorial. Now hear Price\u2019s works performed by Curtis Institute of Music Organ Department Chair Alan Morrison and guest vocalists from the Marian Anderson Historical Society.<\/p>\n

Rodeph Shalom (615 N Broad Street, Philadelphia) will be the venue for March 19 concert at 7 p.m. \u2013 \u201cReimagining the Sound of Revolution: US Premiere of\u00a0Garras de Oro\u201d featuring organist Parker Kitterman playing a 1928 Austin with soloists from Opera Philadelphia and a chamber ensemble with live electronics<\/p>\n

Politically censored and lost until the early 21st century, the 1926 Columbian silent film\u00a0\u201cGarras de Oro\u201d\u00a0is ripe for rediscovery with Juan Pablo Carren\u0303o\u2019s thrilling new score.\u00a0Featuring an ensemble of musicians with organist Parker Kitterman, under the baton of Philadelphia Orchestra Assistant Conductor Austin Chanu, this performance provides an operatic setting for the film\u2019s provocative statement on Colombian and Central American history.<\/p>\n

Kitterman, who serves as Director of Music and Organist at Christ Church, is renowned for his contemporary music explorations, and is the perfect match of artist and music for this adventurous, collaborative premiere. Rodeph Shalom is an appropriate setting with its sparkling art deco design recalling the progressive presence of Philadelphia\u2019s Jewish community that has defined much of North Broad Street\u2019s thriving commerce and culture for nearly a century.<\/p>\n

\u201cJ.S. Bach Cantata BWV 146:\u00a0Wir m\u00fcssen durch viel Tr\u00fcbsal\u201d will be the focal point of the concert on March 20 at Unitarian Society of Germantown (6511 Lincoln Drive, Philadelphia) which will be played on a 1964 Rieger.<\/p>\n

The cast of performers includes John Walthausen, organist; Rebecca Myers, soprano; Meg Bragle, Mezzo Soprano; Greg\u00f3rio Taniguchi, Tenor; Christopher Talbot, Bass; Evan Few, Karen Dekker, Violin; Daniel Elyar, Viola; Elena Kauffman, Cello; Geoffrey Burgess and Margaret Owens, Oboe; and Lillian Gordis, Harpsichord.<\/p>\n

The audience will be able to experience a Bach masterwork as Bach would have himself presented it in 1720s Leipzig.<\/p>\n

Walthausen, vocal soloists and a baroque orchestra join in one of Bach\u2019s most beautiful church cantatas. This mechanical-action organ provides the opportunity for performers to reconstruct historic performance practice, and the church\u2019s gallery is authentic to performances in Bach\u2019s day.<\/p>\n

From the mighty sound of the organ in the loft to the soaring voices of the soloists and the beautiful ensemble of period instruments, this performance will leave the listener, as Bach intended, in awe. The 1928 Unitarian Society of Germantown\u2019s elegant home on Lincoln Drive makes for a unique setting that highlights the congregation\u2019s freethinking and spirited role in Philadelphia\u2019s religious life.<\/p>\n

The Philadelphia Episcopal Cathedral (19 South 38th Street, Philadelphia) will be the site for Holst\u2019s\u00a0\u201cThe Planets\u201d on March 21 at 7 p.m. on an organ that was originally Austin Organ Co. (1903)\u00a0and is now\u00a0Emery Brothers (2021).<\/p>\n

Holst\u2019s beloved work\u00a0\u201cThe Planets\u201d\u00a0has inspired generations of listeners, including some of Hollywood\u2019s most acclaimed film composers.<\/p>\n

The audience will hear excerpts from this classic transcribed for organ, performed by the winner of the 2012 American Guild of Organists National Competition, Daryl Robinson and an ensemble of percussionists.<\/p>\n

This program will also showcase a new work \u2013 \u201cTwo Voluntaries for organ c. 9\u201d — from Benjamin C. Beckman, the winner of the Philadelphia Organ Festival\u2019s Composition Competition.<\/p>\n

The Festival will wrap up with \u201cOrgan Day\u201d at the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts\u201d\u00a0(300 South Broad Street, Philadelphia) with organists<\/p>\n

Tyrone Whiting and Michael Barone performing on the Fred J. Cooper Memorial Organ (Dobson Organ Op. 76).<\/p>\n

Ensemble Arts Philly and The Philadelphia Orchestra present the 12th \u201cOrgan Day,\u201d an all-day marathon of free organ music performed on the Fred J. Cooper Memorial Organ, which is the largest mechanical pipe organ in a concert venue in the United States.<\/p>\n

Visitors will be able to experience jazz, classical, opera, and the unique experience of \u201cOrgan Pumps,\u201d where audience members can lie on the Verizon Hall stage and feel the organ\u2019s powerful vibrations.<\/p>\n

Tickets can be purchased online at\u00a0<\/a>www.PhillyOrganFestival.org<\/a><\/p>\n

General: $30, Seniors: $25, Students: $10<\/p>\n

Tickets will also be available the day of performance at each venue.<\/p>\n

Special community pricing will also be offered.<\/p>\n

\"\"

Meghan Cary<\/p><\/div>\n

When Meghan Cary headlines at the Living Room and Cricket Caf\u00e9 (104 Cricket Avenue, Ardmore, livingroomardmore.com<\/a>) and shares the bill with Marion Halliday on March 15, it will be a party \u2013 a farewell party.<\/p>\n

Cary offered the following invite \u2013 \u201cJoin us for an unforgettable evening of original songs, hilarious stories, and house-rocking collaboration as we take the stage alongside dear friend and phenomenal artist, Marion Halliday, on March 15 at 8 p.m. at the Living Room in Ardmore. This special concert is not just a musical experience, but also a heartfelt farewell celebration for Marion, who is bidding adieu to Philadelphia.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMarion is moving back to Kentucky — back to her \u2018Old Kentucky Home.\u2019\u201d said Cary, during a phone interview Wednesday afternoon from her home in Springfield (Montgomery County). \u201cThis is her big goodbye party.\u201d<\/p>\n

Halliday, a native Kentuckian now splitting her time between Louisville and\u00a0Philadelphia,\u00a0is proud purveyor of her own special blend of bluegrass and bourbon-infused, original, women-powered Americana.<\/p>\n

While a highly regarded lead\u00a0singer for many years in\u00a0various Irish bands, Halliday began\u00a0focusing on performing her original music in 2016. \u00a0She released her debut solo EP,\u00a0\u201cRings Around Saturn,\u201d\u00a0in\u00a0July 2019. That month, both the album and the artist landed at #3 on the US\/International\u00a0Folk Radio\u00a0charts. Two songs from the album also landed\u00a0in the Top 10.\u00a0The album was included by FAI in its\u00a0\u201cTop Albums of 2019\u201d list.<\/p>\n

This will be the last time the two will perform together locally. It will also be the last time Cary performs at the Living Room. Laura Mann, the club\u2019s founder and owner is closing the popular venue on April 27 to spend more time on her career as a singer-songwriter.<\/p>\n

Cary will also be joined by her husband Peter Farrell, Kenny Ulansey on sax and pennywhistle and her son Quinn Farrell on drums.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis special concert is not just a musical experience, but also a heartfelt farewell celebration for Marion, who is bidding adieu to Philadelphia,\u201d said Cary. \u201cPeter and I will support Marion as she kicks off the show with her award-winning tunes. Marion will then return the favor, adding her soaring vocals to my songs. Kenny Ulansey will add his renowned musicality to our set as well.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve worked with Mation a lot. She\u2019s a wonderful performer and songwriter. We\u2019ve shared shows a lot. We\u2019ve mashed our bands together a lot.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cary\u2019s music has been\u00a0hailed as healing, inspiring and infectiously joyful.\u00a0Named\u00a0Billboard\u2019s\u00a0\u201cCritic\u2019s Choice\u201d for her debut EP,\u00a0the stage actress turned folk rocker\u00a0engages listeners with masterful storytelling and anthemic songs.\u00a0Cary\u00a0found solace in words and music after her fianc\u00e9 unexpectedly passed away \u2014 and turned that passion into a platform to empower others to speak their truth by bravely sharing her own.<\/p>\n

A frequent performer at such venerable festivals as Philadelphia Folk Festival, Spring Gulch, Huntington, DelMarVa Folk Festival, and music venues around the country,\u00a0Cary\u2019s message of unity and the power of raising our voices together infuses every show, and her song, \u201cSing Louder\u201d, has become an anthem for the music-loving community.<\/p>\n

Many people have favorite mantras.\u00a0Cary\u2019s favorite \u2013 and very own \u2013 mantra is \u201cSing Louder\u201d \u2013 and for good reason.<\/p>\n

\u201cSing Louder\u201d is one of her most popular songs. It was the title track on an EP \u2013 \u201cSing Louder \u2013 the Festival EP\u201d in 2015. It is also the title of her latest album.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe \u2018Sing Louder\u2019 album came out in November 2017, but I think of it as a 2018 album,\u201d said\u00a0Cary. \u201cMy book \u2013 \u2018Sing Louder \u2014 Stories Behind the Songs\u2019 \u2013 is all about the songs that inspired the \u2018Sing Louder\u2019 album \u2013 10 first-person stories.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cary\u00a0explained the inspiration for the book.<\/p>\n

\u201cI share a lot of my stories on stage,\u201d said the veteran singer-songwriter. \u201cI do a lot of storytelling in my shows \u2013 but it\u2019s also a concert. My band would go crazy if I talked too much between songs.<\/p>\n

\u201cAfter shows, people ask me to tell them more about the songs. I\u2019m a firm believer in sharing my stories \u2013 not only for the stories but also to help other people. People come up to me after shows all the time and say things like \u2013 I just lost my mom and didn\u2019t realize that it was still affecting me.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen I was making the record, I said I was going to write a book and let people pre-buy it. That way, I wouldn\u2019t let other things get in the way. I knew I had to write the book and get it finished.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere I one story for each song on \u2018Sing Louder.\u2019 It\u2019s pretty straightforward. I think it\u2019s a good read. The book I\u2019m working on now is a companion to my first album \u2018New Shoes\u2019 from 1998. It\u2019s about how I began my music career.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cary\u00a0and her band Analog Gypsies produce a sound that is a blend of folk, rock, gypsy jazz and jam band. At the core of the band are\u00a0Cary\u00a0and Farrell. The keyboard and guitar duo produces a big musical footprint with cool grooves and tight vocal harmonies.<\/p>\n

\u201cLately, I\u2019ve been writing, writing, writing,\u201d said Cary. \u201cThe way I like to work is to develop songs in front of an audience.<\/p>\n

\u201cI have some brand-new stuff, but I won\u2019t record it because I don\u2019t know if it\u2019s going to be there.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m going to be doing singles instead of a full album. I did some holiday songs and then went back in to work on new songs. I\u2019m hoping to have songs \u2013 an EP\u2019s worth \u2013 by the end of the summer. For me, the real meaning of a song comes out when I play it and people respond to it. The songs evolve. Because I play with Peter a lot \u2013 and Marion \u2013 the harmonies develop over time.<\/p>\n

\u201cEventually, some of the fan favorites are going to get their day in the studio. I have one new song, \u2018Dance on the Divide\u2019 We\u2019ve been doing it for a while and the harmony structures are really tight.\u201d<\/p>\n

Even though \u201cSing Louder\u201d dates back almost a full decade, it is still fresh and vibrant when Cary performs it onstage.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe song \u2018Sing Louder\u2019 is a fan favorite \u2013 and very uplifting,\u201d said\u00a0Cary. \u201cThe key line is \u2013 \u2018if you don\u2019t know the words, sing louder\u2026sing stronger\u2026sing louder, sing stronger for all of the world to hear.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe recorded the album at Morning Star Studio with producer Glenn Barratt. Glenn\u2019s input on production is amazing. \u00a0We even brought 48 people \u2013 fans and friends \u2013 into the studio to sing on the title track.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cary\u00a0is also a veteran actress who performed in the musical \u201cPump Boys and Dinettes\u201d and, more recently, performed a one-woman play she wrote called \u201cOn the Way to the Waterfall!\u201d<\/p>\n

This autobiographical play with music\u00a0was originally created as a short piece for E.A.T.\u2019s One-Woman Standing play festival in NYC in 2013 and was developed into a\u00a0full-length play this past summer by Hypothetical Theatre Company. Two years ago,\u00a0Cary\u00a0performed it in the Boulder International Fringe Festival\u00a0and received overwhelmingly positive feedback from both the audience and the critics.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen I lived in New York, I used to help this playwright Tina Howe,\u201d said\u00a0Cary. \u201cShe heard me playing my music and told me \u2014 you have to write a play. I didn\u2019t know how to do it.\u201d<\/p>\n

The play she was about to write was based on a personal tragedy.<\/p>\n

While performing in the musical \u201cPump Boys and Dinettes\u201d years ago,\u00a0Cary\u00a0met and fell in love with Matthew Black, one of the show\u2019s musicians.\u00a0Cary\u00a0performed with Black as his backup singer with occasional solos. The pair became engaged, and things were going great. But Black died suddenly in 1995 and\u00a0Cary\u2019s life path took another unexpected twist.<\/p>\n

\u201cMusic carried me through that time period,\u201d said\u00a0Cary. \u201cMatthew and I made music together. When he died, I lost everything I had for the future. Music was something that I could keep. I wanted to keep making music. But I was writing songs with no intention of ever playing them for anyone.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen I thought about the play, I knew had already written the story in songs. I had written music as a way to heal through this traumatic experience. The play is about going through the same thing \u2014 getting knocked off-course and ending up somewhere else.\u201d<\/p>\n

When\u00a0Cary\u00a0graduated from Hershey High a few years back, she headed off to Duke University to major in biomedical engineering. But the path of life goes through many twists and turns and that\u2019s why\u00a0Cary\u00a0now wears a guitar instead of a lab coat. She switched majors at Duke and finished with a bachelor\u2019s degree in drama.<\/p>\n

\u201cI thought I wanted to be a biomedical engineer,\u201d said\u00a0Cary. \u201cI looked at Cornell, but it was freezing up there, so I chose Duke instead. I was on a pre-med track and then got interested in theater. I finished Duke with a degree in drama with a minor in chemistry. Then, I got my MFA (master\u2019s in fine arts) in acting from Florida State University.<\/p>\n

\u201cI realized back then that I wanted to perform. When I started, I wanted to do regional theater. I also did Off-Broadway shows and I\u2019m a charter member of New York\u2019s Actor\u2019s Shakespeare Company. I love Shakespeare\u2019s work. I love the way he used words.\u201d<\/p>\n

Now,\u00a0Cary\u00a0has established herself as a singer, actress, songwriter, and playwright. She is also the mother of two musical kids who have already participated in making music with their family.<\/p>\n

Another Cary-penned play is in the works.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m working on another musical,\u201d said Cary, who is one of Hershey\u2019s most famous natives along with Christian Pulisic, an international soccer star who plays for the AC Milan in Italy and the U.S. World Cup team. \u201cI found myself writing all these songs about mothering children.<\/p>\n

\u201cBeing a mom of two kids in school means I inhabit two entirely different worlds in a given week\u2026or day,\u201d said\u00a0Cary. \u201cAnd I was thinking how important it is for me to have both.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s no surprise that sometimes trying to figure out the business of music can be pretty anxiety provoking \u2014 you know, how to afford to make records, if and how to sell records, and (most important for me) how to get the music out there so people fall in love and want to connect to and be a part of the music.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd, for me, even the creative part of music-making can be less than peaceful at times. I sometimes suffer from writer\u2019s block, lack of inspiration, over self-editing or just plain self-doubt.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut I\u2019ve been blessed \u2013 and challenged \u2014 with this other side of life that balances it all out. When I\u2019m with the kids and just being and doing whatever it is we\u2019re doing together, the drama that can be a part of the DYI musician\u2019s world seems really inconsequential.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo, the fact that both of our kids are musical and inspired to make music is really a gift. It means I don\u2019t have to keep the two parts of my life so compartmentalized. Both of them sang on the album.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cary keeps a lot of irons in the fire.<\/p>\n

Next month, she will present \u201cSongwriting: Inspiration and Technique\u201d at The Morris Arboretum Writer\u2019s Block\u00a0on April 14, 21, 28, and May 5.<\/p>\n

This workshop for experienced as well as aspiring songwriters is intended to prime the pump, inspire new ideas, and introduce songwriting techniques in a supportive and motivating environment.<\/p>\n

A different facet of songwriting is explored at each session, with a writing prompt based on that aspect or technique. Each week, participants are invited to share a new song to the group for feedback, and if requested, guidance and coaching from Cary.<\/p>\n

Video link for Meghan Cary — https:\/\/youtu.be\/y1O7bg0SjWM<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Video link for Marion Halliday — https:\/\/youtu.be\/mgotNB4EACg<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The show at the Living Room and Cricket Caf\u00e9 on March 15 will start at 8 p.m. Tickets are $25 and $35.<\/p>\n

Another show this weekend at the venue along the Main Line is the twin bill of Dynagroove and Chico\u2019s Revenge on March 16.<\/p>\n

The Dukes of Destiny, who have been treating fans to live performances of top-flight blues and soul music for almost three decades, are back in action with a lineup built around John\u00a0Colgan-Davis\u00a0(harmonica, vocals) and AC Steel (guitar, vocals). Colgan-Davis and Johnny Never also perform frequently as the Two Johns.<\/p>\n

On March 15, Colgan-Davis and the Dukes of Destiny are making a return appearance at Jamey\u2019s House of Music (32 South Lansdowne Avenue, Lansdowne, 215-477-9985,www.jameyshouseofmusic.com<\/a>).<\/p>\n

In 1985, five young, local musicians got together and began playing old blues songs in a rambling three-story house in Philadelphia. They decided to take the act on the road as The Dukes of Destiny, a name they got from a matchbook cover urging the reader to \u201cBe the Captain of Your Own Destiny.\u201d<\/p>\n

At first, The Dukes of Destiny played house parties in Germantown, generating interest by word of mouth. A gig at the now-defunct Taker\u2019s Caf\u00e9 in Germantown launched their public career, and 30 years later, they are still playing some of the hottest, most danceable blues and old school soul in the Philadelphia area. Today The Dukes of Destiny reign as Philadelphia\u2019s longest-lived and best loved blues act.
\nThere have been changes in the act: guitarists left and came back, bass and sax players moved and or left the band, and sadly, singer and founder Steve Brown died in March of 2000. But the approach and commitment of the band has remained constant for 30 years, resulting in a band with a unique tightness and an original approach to the music.<\/p>\n

With a mix of powerful original songs and unique arrangements of blues standards, The Dukes of Destiny continue to grow and develop as they share their music through countless live performances and recordings.<\/p>\n

The current line-up also features Hammond organ ace Glenn Bickel, drummer Michael Rourke, and organist Ray Adler.<\/p>\n

In January, Colgan-Davis and Never added to the band\u2019s reputation by competing in the Blues Foundation\u2019s International Blues Challenge in Memphis, Tennessee.<\/p>\n

\u201cRay Adler was with us from 1985 to the mid-1990s,\u201d said Colgan-Davis. \u201cWe\u2019re re-doing some songs from then and we\u2019ve learned a lot of new songs.<\/p>\n

\u201cWith the band, we have this magic where we play off one another. That makes it work \u2013 and there are some nice surprises in every set. We never just go through the motions.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen we\u2019re energized, we play our asses off. When the Dukes are on, we reach a special level.\u201d<\/p>\n

If they needed a theme song for the IBC trip, a perfect choice would have been \u201cBorn Under a Bad Sign,\u201d a song written by Booker T. Jone and William Bell and made popular by Albert King. The key lyric is, \u201cIf it wasn\u2019t for bad luck, I wouldn\u2019t have no luck at all.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe put the challenge into International Blues Challenge,\u201d said Colgan-Davis. \u201cWe were supposed to catch a 7:56 AM flight on a Tuesday, but the weather conditions meant there were flights held over that had been cancelled and delayed due to Monday\u2019s snowstorm.\u00a0So,\u00a0our flight was delayed as some of those flights took off on Tuesday morning.<\/p>\n

\u201cFinally, we boarded and appeared to be ready to head down to Memphis. But we sat on the tarmac for longer than two hours. Then we had to go to a de-icing station as ice was\u00a0apparently building\u00a0up on the plane. We waited to get there, and then ran low on fuel.\u00a0So,\u00a0after several hours on the plane, the flight was eventually cancelled.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe were\u00a0very disappointed, but we were told we would be on the same\u00a0flight\u00a0Wednesday.\u00a0So, we felt a little better and were prepared to do that.<\/p>\n

Only when we got to the airport the next day,\u00a0that flight was\u00a0cancelled as well. We had registration for the IBC\u00a0due at 4 p.m., and we were scheduled to play on Wednesday evening at 8:30 p.m. And there was no other scheduled flight from Philly to Memphis until the evening.\u00a0Needless to say, we\u00a0were worried.<\/p>\n

\u201cJohnny used to work on putting films and videos together for corporations, so he knew how to jump into \u201cfix-it\u201d action. He got through to some high-up officials at American Airlines. He found a flight from Philly to La Guardia airport in New York, and then a flight from LaGuardia to Memphis. And he arranged through phone calls to the airline that there were no extra fees and that it would be a smooth transfer. So,\u00a0we were going to make Memphis\u00a0after all,\u00a0if a little late.<\/p>\n

\u201cUnfortunately, that was not the end of our challenges. We made it to Memphis on Wednesday late afternoon, but our luggage wound up in Charlotte. We had to play that night in the clothes we had worn all day. We played at The Pig on Beale, and we played well. There were some folks from Delaware and Philly that had come down to see us, and it was great to see them.\u00a0So,\u00a0Wednesday\u00a0eventually turned out to be O.K.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut we had to spend part of the next day calling and hustling out to the airport trying to find our luggage. Fortunately, we hooked up with a wonderful husband and wife shuttle service that made things much nicer and smoother than they could have been otherwise. And the airport folks said our luggage would be delivered that evening. We ate\u00a0some\u00a0good food, visited a couple of clubs, heard some great\u00a0music\u00a0and prepared for our Thursday evening show.<\/p>\n

\u201cThursday turned out to be another difficult day. It started with our luggage not being delivered. Icy roads meant the delivery service cancelled deliveries. So, we had to take the shuttle service to get back out to the airport to recover our luggage. We got the luggage, and then prepared for our evening show. Unfortunately, there were\u00a0three time changes as to when we were\u00a0to perform — two of them after we were in the club. That, to say the least, was also frustrating.\u201d<\/p>\n

Finally, they got to the real challenge \u2013 the International Blues Challenge.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe finally got our gig,\u201d said Colgan-Davis. \u201cWe did play — and we played well. Unfortunately, we didn\u2019t\u00a0make it past the quarter finals of the competition. Still, we heard\u00a0some great musicians from around the world, including Japan, Mexico, Argentina and Croatia. We ate some\u00a0good food and hung out at some of the iconic bars and clubs on Beale Street.\u201d<\/p>\n

This weekend, Colgan-Davis and his crew \u2013 and their fans — will again have the opportunity to hang at an iconic club (Jamey\u2019s) and eat some great food (from Jamey\u2019s menu and prepared by his wife Suyun).<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are happy to return to one of the region\u2019s best places to listen to music,\u201d said Colgan-Davis. \u201cJamey\u2019s House of Music is a place with a great sound system,\u00a0a wonderful\u00a0staff, good and freshly prepared food, and a comfortable vibe\u00a0similar to\u00a0the old coffeehouses I played in and went to when I first started playing.<\/p>\n

\u201cJamey\u2019s is a very intimate room with really good sound. There is a great energy that we feel good about. And Jamey and the people there are great. We love this place.\u201d<\/p>\n

A few years ago, the Dukes\u2019 lineup went through a major change when vocalist Aryl Wolters retired from the band. As a result,\u00a0Colgan-Davis\u00a0had a dual role with the Dukes.<\/p>\n

\u201cNow that Arlyn is gone, I\u2019m doing the majority of the singing,\u201d said\u00a0Colgan-Davis. \u201cI was singing before Arlyn so now it\u2019s back to the roots.<\/p>\n

In addition to performing at most of the clubs in the Tri-State area, the Dukes of Destiny have\u00a0performed at the Pocono Blues Festival, the Waterfront Jam at Philadelphia\u2019s Penn\u2019s Landing, the State Street Blues Stroll in Media, the Bucks County R\u2019n\u2019B Picnic, the New Jersey Folk Festival and the Longwood Gardens Summer Concert Series.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor the past few years, we\u2019ve had great years,\u201d said\u00a0Colgan-Davis\u00a0back in 2019. \u201cWe played places we had never played before \u2013 like the Philadelphia Folk Festival. We also played places we really love like The Kennett Flash and the West Grove Friends Meeting.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe played the Phoenixville Blues Festival and the Paoli Blues Festival. We really love playing The Kennett Flash. And we love our Chester County crowd.\u201d<\/p>\n

Audiences that like to get out of their seats and dance are a big part of the Dukes of Destiny live experience.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe get all kinds of dancers at our shows,\u201d said\u00a0Colgan-Davis. \u201cWe\u2019ve been playing a lot more festivals. We\u2019re back on the festival circuit. I love playing festivals for a couple reasons. You get a whole bunch of people playing together. That takes me back to the 60s and the be-ins back then.<\/p>\n

\u201cSun Ra had said the message that music is the healing force of the universe, and you feel that at festivals. And kids get to hear real music played by real people. With a band like us that plays off the crowd, a festival show is a real exciting thing.\u201d<\/p>\n

Colgan-Davis\u2019s introduction to the blues came when he was in high school at Central High in Philadelphia and saw the Stones performing with Howling Wolf on the \u201cShindig\u201d TV show. Howlin\u2019 Wolf, whose real name was Chester Burnett, was an American blues singer, guitarist and harmonica player who was one of the premier Chicago bluesmen.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen I saw Howlin\u2019 Wolf on that TV show, I jumped up and said \u2014 this is what I want to do,\u201d said\u00a0Colgan-Davis. \u201cI started playing blues when I was 16. My dad gave me a grab bag for my birthday and a harmonica was in it.<\/p>\n

\u201cI started listening to blues records a lot \u2014 players like Muddy Waters and James Cotton. I was really into Chicago blues of the 1950s and 1960s when I started. Then, I got into guys like Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee. One of the first bands I played in was a Philly blues band called Sweet Stavin\u2019 Chain.\u201d<\/p>\n

A while later, the Dukes of Destiny became the main musical vehicle for\u00a0Colgan-Davis.\u00a0At first, they played house parties in Germantown, generating word of mouth interest. A gig at the now-defunct Taker\u2019s Cafe in Germantown launched their public career.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Dukes got together in the mid-1980s,\u201d said\u00a0Colgan-Davis. \u201cSteve Brown started the band, and it began with that gig at Taker\u2019s Caf\u00e9. Steve died of pancreatic cancer in 2000 and I\u2019ve been the leader ever since. Steve has always been in my mind. We did a tribute concert to him a few years ago and we still do some of his favorites in our set.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have a whole range of music in what we can play \u2014 everything from Chicago blues to old-school soul. What\u2019s great about the Dukes is that we\u2019re a band. We use each other\u2019s strengths.\u201d<\/p>\n

Video link for the Dukes of Destiny \u2013 https:\/\/youtu.be\/j5fM0sugB5w<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The show at Jamey\u2019s House of Music on March 15 will start at 8 p.m. Tickets are $20 in advance and $25 at the door.<\/p>\n

Jamey\u2019s House of Music will be rocking this weekend on March 16 when the headliner will be the Kelli Baker Band. Tickets are $25 in advance and $30 at the door. Showtime is 8 p.m.<\/p>\n

Jamey\u2019s features a popular \u201cJazz at Jamey\u2019s\u201d on Thursday featuring many of the best singers in the region performing a set from 7-8 p.m. with the backing of the Dave Reiter Trio and occasional guest musicians.<\/p>\n

Every Sunday, Jamey\u2019s presents \u201cSUNDAY BLUES BRUNCH & JAM\u201d featuring the Philly Blues Kings. On the second Sunday each month, the featured act is the Girke-Davis Project which features club owner Jamey Reilly, Roger Girke, Glenn Bickel, Fred Berman and Colgan-Davis.<\/p>\n

Boney\u00a0James has performed at many venues in eastern Pennsylvania, South Jersey and Atlantic City. Boney\u00a0James has released a lot of smooth jazz albums.<\/p>\n

This weekend, James returns to the Philly area with a new album and a show at a new venue.<\/p>\n

James will treat fans to music from his recently released album, \u201cDetour,\u201d in a concert at Scottish Rite Auditorium (315 White Horse Pike, Collingswood, New Jersey, scottishriteauditorium.com<\/a>) on March 15. It will be his only area show through the spring and summer.<\/p>\n

\u201cI released a new album and I\u2019m just having a blast playing shows again,\u201d said James, during a recent phone interview.<\/p>\n

\u201cI started the album in January this year. I hadn\u2019t been writing much prior to then. Then, my label picked up my option \u2013 and a deadline. I didn\u2019t think it would be that soon.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe writing flowed pretty good \u2013 collecting the ideas and then diving in. I also collaborated with some friends.\u201d<\/p>\n

The last time James played the area was a year ago at Scottish Rite Auditorium in South Jersey when he was touring a new LP, \u201cSolid.\u201d<\/p>\n

James is a saxophonist, songwriter, record producer \u2013 and one of America\u2019s most popular soul, jazz and R&B saxophonists.<\/p>\n

When James released his new album in 2020, he flew in the face of convention \u2013 in the middle of most unconventional times.<\/p>\n

Most music acts balked at the idea of releasing an album in the middle of a pandemic \u2013 knowing that the requisite album support tour would be virtually impossible while COVID-19 was still closing down all aspects of daily life.<\/p>\n

\u201cI recorded \u2018Solid\u2019 in 2019,\u201d said James.\u00a0\u201cI made most of it at my home studio in my backyard in L.A. I also recorded some of it at Sunset Sound Studio in L.A. A lot of it I can do at home. I also played some keys on the record.\u201d<\/p>\n

James followed the same M.O. for \u201cDetour.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI made most of it at My Backyard \u2013 90 per cent,\u201d said James. \u201cThen I went to Sunset Sound for the drums and percussion. It always goes well \u2013 never a struggle. The songs felt fresh.\u201d<\/p>\n

James fares well in the studio but shines the most on the concert stage.<\/p>\n

\u201cI really missed playing live,\u201d said James,\u00a0a four-time GRAMMY nominee with four RIAA Gold records and career sales topping three million units. \u201cI usually play 60-70 shows a year. In 2020, there was nothing. I practiced a lot. I exercised. It was nice to be home for a while with my wife, who is a television director.<\/p>\n

\u201cI put out a record and it did pretty well. When it was released, it was a Top 10 Pop Album on Billboard\u2019s charts. It was Top Two on the jazz chart because it was the same week Norah Jones\u2019 new album was released. I\u2019ve released 17 albums and have had a lot of Top 10 Jazz albums \u2013 including 11 Number Ones.\u201d<\/p>\n

Even during the lockdown, James took care of his fans.<\/p>\n

\u201cI also did a bunch of Facebook live mini concerts,\u201d said James, a two-time NAACP Award nominee and a Soul Train Award winner who was named one of the Top 3\u00a0Billboard Contemporary Jazz Artists of the Decade.<\/p>\n

\u201cI did one a week on Fridays for about 30 weeks. I\u2019d chat with fans and then play a few songs. I called the mini concerts \u2018Solid Friday\u2019 because the album was titled, \u2018Solid.\u2019 Each session was about 20 minutes long.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen we were totally locked down, I didn\u2019t write at all. When I finally got back out on the road, that got me writing.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDetour\u201d is a trip through James\u2019 distinctive contemporary jazz\/R&B landscapes, layered in quicksilver watercolor images and cinematic set pieces. Detour represents the next extension of Boney\u00a0James\u2019 trademark blend of genres which includes blues, soul, roots, classical, art-pop and hip-hop.<\/p>\n

According to James, \u201cThe urge to write again came from the joy of being back on the road, performing in front of live audiences. I had shut down creatively when the pandemic hit. It was the disruptive and disorienting detour we all took when the world locked down, and that\u2019s reflected in the more experimental directions some of the new music takes. The thing about a detour, you may take a different route, but you still get to your destination.\u201d
\nJames is touring with a five-piece band including a keyboard player from Memphis and a bassist from Raleigh (NC). The guitarist, who has been in James\u2019 band for 17 years, the drummer and James are all from L.A.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe current live set has several songs from \u2018Detour\u2019 \u2013songs that I felt would translate most to live performance,\u201d said James. \u201cThis is my 18th\u00a0album, and I can\u2019t get all the music into one show. I try to play everyone\u2019s favorites.<\/p>\n

\u201cSome of the must-play songs are \u2018Sweet Thing,\u2019 \u2018Grazing in the Grass\u2019 and \u2018After the Rain.\u2019 I\u2019m always trying to pay my homage to R&B. At the same time, I just try to make my music individual to me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Video link for Boney\u00a0James \u2013 https:\/\/youtu.be\/q3rkzByuwUY<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The show at Scottish Rite Auditorium on March 15 will start at 8 p.m.<\/p>\n

Tickets are $39.50, $59.50, $69.50 and $89.50<\/p>\n

Uptown! Knauer Performing Arts Center (226 North High Street, West Chester, www.uptownwestchester.org<\/a>) is presenting Cormorant\u2019s Fancy on March 15, Adrenalize on March 16 and Whiskey Rovers on March 17.<\/p>\n

Kennett Flash (102 Sycamore Alley, Kennett Square, 484-732-8295, http:\/\/www.kennettflash.org<\/a>) is presenting Belfast Connection on March 15 and Collingwood on March 16.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Denny Dyroff, Entertainment Editor, The Times Philadelphia is a city known for its magnificent venues for classical music. Philadelphia is also known for being a city of \u201cfirsts.\u201d Beginning on March 15, the city will host the inaugural Philadelphia Organ Festival \u2013 and Longwood Gardens is a prime participant. The Festival, which opens on […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":53779,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8457],"tags":[7426,7023,15531],"class_list":["post-53781","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-d-arts-entertainment","tag-featured","tag-meghan-cary","tag-philadelphia-organ-festival"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/53781","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=53781"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/53781\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":53782,"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/53781\/revisions\/53782"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/53779"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=53781"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=53781"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=53781"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}