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Portuguese singer performs on Cape Ann

Around Cape Ann
Gail McCarthy
Published: January 8, 2009

Adriana, a young Portuguese talent, will perform for one night only at Blackburn Performing Arts in Gloucester on Wednesday. The emerging singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist was recently signed to a major label, Universal Music.

"Adriana is not your typical songwriter," said Dan King, an organizer of the event.

Adriana, born and raised in Portugal, has a background in classical music, having graduated from the Conservatory at the age of 16, and in 2002, she began attending college in Lisbon for a degree in modern languages and literature. But her career path changed drastically when she decided to skip class one day to fly to Paris for an audition to win a scholarship to attend Berklee College of Music in Boston. She won that scholarship and left for the United States a few months later. An accomplished musician, she never intended to write music. She plays flute, guitar and piano.

She has been featured at major events in the United States and in Europe. She performs for audiences in a variety of venues, ranging from Ryles Jazz Club in Boston to the JVC Jazz Festival in New York City.

She recently settled on Cape Ann to rehearse for her upcoming Universal record release and tour. Universal is sending a film crew to shoot a music video at Blackburn Performing Arts, according to a press release. The album combines pop, jazz, Latin, and world influences, and will be available early this year.

Adriana will perform on the Gloucester stage with a line-up of local and renowned musicians, including drummer Dave Mattacks, guitarist David Brown, bassist Erik Macpherson, Tim Butterworth on keys, and Luis Blanco on percussion. Admission is $10. The Jan. 14 show starts at 8 p.m. at Blackburn Performing Arts at One Main St. in Gloucester. For information or reservations, call 978-281-0680.

Knitting at the library

A program titled "Know Your Knitting (K)neighbor" will take place on Monday from 6 to 9 p.m at Sawyer Free Library. Snow date is Feb. 26. The program also may interest crocheters, weavers and needle-workers. This is an open evening for needle-workers and fiber artists to meet and share in their work. Participants are asked to bring current projects to work on, as well as yarn, patterns, and tools for an open exchange. A featured guest will be a representative from Coveted Yarn on East Main Street in Gloucester who will talk about the new generation of fibers and hand-painted yarns. Leslie Wind will introduce a new line of "Tewelry," handcrafted tools for knitters, and Kathleen Valentine, author of "The Mermaid Shawl & other Beauties: Shawls, Cocoons & Wraps," will talk about the book, and pass out a sample pattern from the book. Participants are invited to bring snacks. Call 978-281-9763, extension 10 to check if the evening has been postponed because of snow, or call Wind at 978-546-6539 for more information.

Science demonstrations for youth

The Cape Ann Science Alliance will host science demonstrations at Rockport Public Library on this Saturday at 3 p.m. featuring Mariah Dunn, a recent recipient of the Girl Scout's highest award — the Gold Award. She will demonstrate various hands-on science activities that she developed as part of the science camp for girls she ran this past summer. Anybody 10 years of age or older is welcome to attend the participatory event. CASA is a community organization that fosters scientific curiosity, opportunity, synergy, and discovery throughout Cape Ann. For more information, contact Bill Waller at waller@cove.com at 978-546-2096.

Education Room open house

The public is invited to visit the Education Room at Cape Ann Museum, which was recently refurbished thanks to a grant from the McCarthy Family Foundation. The event takes place this Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. when families are invited to try out various Cape Ann activities: watercolor painting inspired by Fitz Henry Lane; note card making inspired by Folly Cove Designers; paper oar decorating inpsired St. Peter's Fiesta; and fishing-related Artifact Examination. Refreshments will be available throughout the day. For more information, contact Courtney Richardson at 978-283-0455 ext. 12 or email courtneyrichardson@capeannmuseum.org.

Film director at screening

On Sunday at 1:30 p.m. only, Cape Ann Cinema will hold a Sci-fi Showcase, when it presents a handful of short science fiction films, including Alan Chan's "Postcards From The Future" and Patrick Gordon's "Server." Gordon will personally present his film.

The lineup for this week begins with the final show of "Beauty in Trouble" tonight at 7:15. The Robert Graves poem of the same name inspired director Jan Hrebejk and writer Petr Jarchovský to tell the romantic story of Marcela, a young woman with two children who is caught in multiple dilemmas. The film is described as dramatic and sexy, with fascinating characters and unexpected plot turns.

The film "How About You?" will run Friday through Sunday at 7:15 p.m. The story is about Ellie, a footloose and fearless young woman who is left in charge of a residential home owned and run by her older sister Kate over the Christmas period. Her youth and inexperience bring her into conflict with four grumpy residents known as the "hardcore;" the retired screen beauty Georgia (Vanessa Redgrave), spinster sisters Hazel (Imelda Staunton) and Heather (Brenda Fricker), and a reformed alcoholic judge, Donald (Joss Ackland). The film includes the comic antics of these seniors, and the gradual solidarity that develops.

The film "I Served the King of England" shows from Friday to Sunday, at 5 p.m. The Czech film is about Jan Dítè, who is short in height, but high in ambition. The young provincial waiter wants to become a millionaire. And he knows just how to do it: by hearing everything, seeing everything, and creating opportunities at every turn. Armed with an irrepressible wish to please, he soon leaves his first place of employment, a pub, for a luxury brothel and, finally moving onto an elegant Art Nouveau Prague restaurant. But by the late 1930s, things are changing, and Dítè gets caught up in events that will lead him to achieve his goals and ultimately to regret them.

The final show of "Pray the Devil Back to Hell" takes place Saturday at 2:45 p.m. The movie chronicles the remarkable story of the Liberian women who came together to end a bloody civil war and bring peace to their shattered country. Thousands of women, both Christian and Muslim, came together to pray for peace and then staged a silent protest outside of the Presidential Palace, armed only with white T-shirts.

The films are shown at Gloucester Stage Co. in Gloucester at 267 Main St. For information, visit www.capeanncinema.com.

Rufus launches new poetry book

Rufus Collinson' will host a reading and signing at The Bookstore on Main Street in Gloucester next Thursday, Jan. 15, at 7 p.m. Her new work, published by Folly Cove Books, is "Traveling to You." The book is also available at Dogtown Books and Toad Hall Bookstore. Her poetry is described as "original, accessible, and captures in small epiphanies the essence of life on Cape Ann." Her father grew up in the Lanesville Finnish community, and she was raised in West Gloucester and has lived most of her life on the island.

All that jazz

The Mark Earley Jazz Quartet will feature jazz and cabaret singer Gordon Baird in a show next Thursday, Jan. 15, as Latitude 43 moves its jazz night to Thursdays in the new year. Baird, a musical theater veteran of North Shore Music Theater and various Boston area venues, will team up with Earley, a member of the noted Roomful of Blues. The band's format includes piano, bass and saxes and includes special drop-in guest vocalists each week. The band plays from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. The musicians include Jack Senior and bassist Mark Collins There is no cover charge. Baird has been known to break into Frank Sinatra and Tony Bennett tunes without warning.

'Katy and the Big Snow': From book to stage

The Gloucester Lyceum is hosting a special program, "Katy and the Big Snow: From Book to Stage," presented by local composer Robert J. Bradshaw at Sawyer Free Library at 7 p.m. next Thursday, Jan. 15. Bradshaw will discuss setting Virginia Lee Burton's "Katy and the Big Snow" for a narrator, multimedia, and orchestra. The work was commissioned by the Cape Ann Symphony for its family concert at Fuller Auditorium on Jan. 24 at 2 p.m. The concert is in honor of the 100th anniversary celebration of Burton's birth on Aug. 30. The late Burton described her book as "the classic children's story of our Gloucester Highway Department." "Katy" is actually a tireless and dedicated tractor who pushes snow in the winter when fitted with a snowplow and is a bulldozer in the summer. In addition to the discussion, several of Burton's original sketches will be on display. All the originals from which the book was printed were donated to Sawyer Free Library's permanent collection.

Bradshaw is an award-winning composer whose compositions have been heard throughout the Americas, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. His numerous commissions include works for the American String Association, New England Musical Heritage Initiative/New England String Ensemble and the Pappoutsakis Flute Competition.

Cabin fever matinees

Back by popular demand, Rockport Public Library launches its third season of movie matinees on Tuesday and weekend afternoons, starting this Tuesday and running through March 3. Tuesdays feature older films and weekends feature newly released films. All movies and popcorn are free. The Tuesday afternoon series begins this Tuesday, Jan. 13, with the Neil Simon comedy "Goodbye Girl." The story is about an unemployed dancer and her daughter who are forced to live with a struggling off-Broadway actor. Richard Dreyfuss won an Oscar for his performance. The film on Jan. 20 features the Paul Newman classic "The Sting," which won seven Academy Awards, including best picture, and is listed on the National Film Registry.

Chamber winedown

The Cape Ann Chamber of Commerce Businesswomen will host its 21st Holiday Winedown at Elliott's at the Blackburn, at 2 Main St. in downtown Gloucester on Monday from 5 to 7 p.m. This is an opportunity for area businesswomen and friends to make new contacts and meet the chamber's new executive director, Bob Hastings. Cost is $25 and includes two glasses of wine and appetizers. For reservations, call 978-283-1601 or info@CapeAnnChamber.com.

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, ext. 3445, or gmccarthy@gloucestertimes.com, or fax to 978-281-5748.

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