Around Cape Ann
Gail McCarthy
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Music opportunities flood the scene this weekend, with everything from a musical benefit to help a local fire victim Friday at Cruiseport Gloucester to a blues blowout Saturday at the Shalin Liu Performance Center in Rockport.
Rounding out the weekend are a visit from an award-winning Celtic group as part of Rockport's Old Sloop Coffeehouse series, and a spring concert by a Cape Ann a cappella chorus.
Read on for details of these events, as well as art openings and more:
Musical benefit for fire victim
A concert event billed as "Ted's Excellent Adventure" will take place Friday at Cruiseport Gloucester as a benefit to help Ted Hawkes, a resident who was a victim of a fire on Cleveland Street last year.
The show features more than 20 musicians in five sets of music.
The show, which runs from 7 p.m. to midnight, opens with an acoustic set by Kevin Burgess, and brings together musicians who have been rehearsing for the past two months for the event.
Frank Hawks, who has played for Sugar Blues and Slingdaddy, is an organizer and member of Dented Schoolbus. The groups performing are Dented Schoolbus, Bluesfire, Tommy and the Toys and MacDuff.
MacDuff will perform two sets, featuring different members of the band that played from 1977 to 1989. In some cases, band members have reunited for this special event. While most of the performers are still based in the Gloucester area, several are travelling some distance to participate.
There will be raffles; a 50-50 as well as of items donated by local businesses. Tickets are $15 in advance at Abacus/MacDaddy at 271 Main St. in Gloucester, and $20 at the door.
Flavin art show: Part two
Part two of the exhibit of artwork by Dennis Flavin takes place as part of the grand opening of The Taste O' Sea Gallery at 33 Main St. in downtown Gloucester.
There is a free public reception Friday from 5 to 8 p.m., with hours Saturday and Sunday from 2 to 5 p.m. This show features oil paintings.
Montgomery, Robillard in show
An evening with two of New England's pioneering bluesmen takes place at the Shalin Liu Performance Center in Rockport at 8 p.m. Saturday, with harmonica master James Montgomery sharing the stage with jazz and blues guitarist Duke Robillard in a rare performance together.
Robillard, a founder of Roomful of Blues, has countless records in both jazz and blues, and is known as one of the most serious performing blues guitarists. Montgomery is a Grammy Award-winner who has performed and recorded with musicians from Kid Rock and Gregg Allman to Bonnie Raitt, all while fronting his own band for more than 30 years.
Tickets are on sale, starting at $19. For tickets, visit the Shalin Liu box office at 35 Main St. in Rockport, online at www.rockportmusic.org or call 978-546-7391.
Music and film noir event Sunday
Cape Ann Community Cinema hosts accomplished chromatic (harmonica) player Chet Williamson on Sunday at 5 p.m, as he plays his new concept album, "Chromatic Noir."
The 1950 classic "D.O.A." will screen following Williamson's live jazz set.
"Many jazz standardz were first introduced in noir films," said Williamson. "My passion for film noir dates back to the 1970s. While working as a projectionist for Nick Rock's film series at the Worcester Public Library, I rolled tape on many a classic."
Tickets for this special event are $9.50 for adults, $8 for students and seniors and $6.50 for members, available at the door. For the cinema's full weekly schedule, which includes "Albert Nobbs," "We Need To Talk About Kevin" and "Declaration Of War," visit www.CapeAnnCinema.com, or call (978) 282-1988.
Sorellanza concerts scheduled
The all women's a cappella chorus Sorellanza will hold several spring concerts, titled "Songbird," over the next two weekends. The show will be tomorrow, at 7:30 p.m. at North Shore Unitarian Universalist Church at 323 Locust St. in Danvers, and Sunday, March 25, at 5 p.m. at St. Mary's Episcopal Church at 24 Broadway in Rockport.
The chorus will perform songs from jazz, folk and Beatles to sacred and madrigals.
Next weeekend, the group, led by Patti Pike, will perform in Gloucester on Saturday, March 31, at 7:30 p.m. at St. John's Episcopal Church at 48 Middle St. Tickets are $12 at the door.
Celtic ensemble at Old Sloop
Old Sloop Coffeehouse will present a performance by RUNA tomorrow at 7:30 p.m. at the First Congregational Church of Rockport at 12 School St.
This award-winning contemporary Celtic music ensemble burst onto the music scene during the summer of 2008 and has been a crowd-pleaser ever since.
RUNA brings a distinctive perspective to traditional and recent Celtic material. The repertoire includes highly energetic tunes and graceful, acoustic melodies, and blends music from Ireland, Scotland, the Shetland Islands, Canada, and the United States.
Tickets can be purchased in advance for $10 from the coffeehouse web site at oldsloopcoffeehouse.org, at Gloucester Music, and at Toad Hall Bookstore in Rockport.
Suggested donation at the door is $12 for adults, $7 for those 65 and older, $5 for those younger than 18, and $24 for a family. The coffeehouse offers on-site babysitting during concerts. See the web site or call 978-546-3551 for more information.
RUNA consists of vocalist Shannon Lambert-Ryan of Philadelphia, Dublin-born guitarist Fioné°n de Barra, Cheryl Prashker of Canada on percussion, and Tomoko Omura of Japan on fiddle. The band often performs with world-renowned, guest musicians, including Isaac Alderson on the uilleann pipes, flutes, and whistles.
Gustafson retro show at RAA
The Rockport Art Association holds a special retrospective of work by Carl Gustafson with a free public opening reception Sunday from 2 to 4 p.m.
Gustafson began his career as an architect, studying at the Boston Architectural Center. His focus turned to painting, and he studied with John Chetcutti and Emile Gruppe.
In 1968, he moved to Rockport where he resided until his death in late 2011. Works in the show will include watercolors and oils. Many of the pieces date back to the 1950s and historically relevant streetscapes from an earlier period.
Gustafson, a past board member of the Rockport Art Association, also held memberships in the North Shore Arts Association and the Academic Artists Association.
The RAA is at 12 Main St. in Rockport. The show runs through May 5. For information, visit www.rockportartassn.org.
Artist proposals for Rocky Neck
The Rocky Neck Gallery has a limited amount of space available for new artists in 2012 for the 19-week summer season.
The gallery will consider painting, mixed media, printmaking, fabric art, jewelry, and sculpture. The jury day is on Saturday, March 24.
For information to apply, email info@rockyneckgallery.com or call 978-283-3598, or visit the website at www.rockyneckgallery.com.
There is also a call for proposals for the Rocky Neck 2012 Summer Artists Series with a deadline of April 2. For more information and to apply, download the Summer Artist Series application at rockyneckartcolony.org, email info@rockyneckgallery.com, or call 978-283-3598.
Gloucester mother launches book
Dana Rousmaniere, a Gloucester mother of three children, is author of "North Shore Baby: A Field Guide for Parents North of Boston" (Union Park Press, 2011).
She will share information she learned while writing the book at an appearance tomorrow at 7 p.m. at Barnes & Noble in Burlington.
The talk is free to the public.
While writing the book, Rousmaniere went to the experts: local moms. The result is the book that Rousmaniere wishes she had on hand during those first months as a new mother.
"North Shore Baby" is full of ideas for activities, day trips, shopping tips, and other essentials about raising a family on the scenic North Shore.
Around Cape Ann is a column devoted to events happening on Cape Ann and artists from Cape Ann performing elsewhere. If you would like to submit an item, contact reporter Gail McCarthy at 978-283-7000 x3445, or gmccarthy@gloucestertimes.com. Items should be submitted at least two weeks in advance of the event.
