Piatt Park

Aug 25, 2011 by 5chw4r7z

read more

The Skyline in Skyline

Aug 23, 2011 by Ben Sherman

I know, there’s a “Yo dawg” joke in here somewhere, but bear with me, because I think that the issue asks a couple of important questions about how our city works.

According to WCPO and the Enquirer, the Skyline Chili in Oakley is trying to build an expansion onto their existing building. Their plans don’t conform to zoning regulations regarding the square footage of transparency (read: windows) on the front of the building. There are currently two windows on the front of the building, but the regs require a third. The issue is that the only space there is for a third window is currently occupied by a 1940′s mural of the city’s skyline that is very dear to both the owner and customers. This regulation is not a ironclad rule, but any variance from it requires a public hearing with 14 days notice to surrounding property owners.

read more

Cincinnati Opera Libretti

Aug 11, 2011 by jennjolley

Before I saw The Magic Flute at the Cincinnati Opera, I finally decided to check out the local rare, old, and used bookstore—Duttenhofer’s Books.

I don’t know why I haven’t checked it out before, but when I did, I was surprised to see an entire box of vintage libretti in the music section.

Who knew they would have something like this?! They had (yes, past tense) a collection that included libretti from The Metropolitan Opera, the Metropolitan Opera House, Chicago Grand Opera, and the Cincinnati Opera. Two days later I returned with my imaginary cash card and purchased most of them. If you’re interested in buying the rest, you should probably do so before I get paid again.

These two libretti are from the Cincinnati Zoo Opera Company, when the opera was at the Zoo Opera Pavilion.

Isn’t this fun? Of course, I’ve never heard of the opera Andrea Chénier, nor have I heard of the composer Umberto Giordano and the librettist Luigi Illica (yes, I should know the latter). The next libretto cover should be a little more familiar.

Nice, huh? Here’s the inside.

And here’s something I discovered with some of these older libretti. They include the melody line from the arias in the back of the libretto.

This is something supertitles can’t give you. It’s too bad these melody lines aren’t printed in current opera programs.

Images by JennJolley from her Flickr Stream

read more

Cincy Blues Fest Musicians Weigh in on Creativity.

Aug 10, 2011 by Loki

Today’s guest post comes to you from local artist and author D.S. Meyers (Twitter and facebook) . I was in Indianapolis covering GenCon an could not make the Blues Fest and he came to the rescue with this lovely bit of coverage. -Loki

There is something about talking to musicians. They are my cousins. As an artist and a writer, I’ve found that what flows in their veins, flows in mine. So my line of questioning would fall on their talent. As creative people, do they view their music as a craft? Or is it just intuitive? Do they read music and analyze it? Or do they pick up a tune and absorb it?

Full press credentials would allow me into any of any of the back stages. Access to any of the musicians was there. I could take pictures. I had a cart blanche in this adventure. One of the event coordinators is a friend of mine. And he promised to introduce me to the right people.

You have to meet Chuck Brisbin, I was told.

Chuck was working as manager of the Local Stage. It’s not hard to figure out which person he is. His presence dominates the Local Stage area. He is its gravity. Musicians, aficionados and friends are drawn to him like he is the soul center of the solar system. He greets them all with the gusto of someone who is living the moment.

“Bluesfest is the premier place, as far as I’m concerned,” he says when he gets a free moment for an introduction.

Cincy Bluesfest coordinates with the Blues Challenge- a competition held at Germania Park. Tons of acts perform there. Judges rate the musical acts on talent, instrumentation, content, and local originality.

“The top ten get tapped to play on the local stage here this weekend.”

Listening to Chuck, not even the Main Stage is more important.

“This is the premier stage to me. ‘Cause this is the music you can go out on the weekends and hear.”

I look out onto the grass area. The audience is enthralled by the Tempted Souls Band. More people are arriving. I see people unfolding their lawn chairs. Chuck tells me that the lawn area here will be packed by nightfall.

“You see all your friends here. You get to play. It doesn’t get any better than that.”

The camaraderie among blues musicians is of steel cable strength. Chuck stops me before I can follow up.

“Hold on a moment. I gotta’ go play. I’ll be right back.”

The band introduces him. He climbs the stage and brings a new layer to the Tempted Souls. I knew he was the stage manager. But I had no idea that he managed the stage from on stage… with a harmonica in his hands.

When he leaves the stage to thunderous applause, I have the chance to ask him one question:

“Do you view music as something you do by craft? Or would you say you do it by feel?”

“I definitely feel it. It doesn’t get any better… If it ain’t in your heart, it ain’t comin’ out of your throat. You gotta feel it.”

Under the arches is yet another stage, the Boogie Woogie Piano stage. On it, a musician is a frenzy of stride and ragtime. Fingers are deftly pounding back and forth on the keyboard, banging out the boogie sound. She is long auburn hair swaying before blurry fingers. Her bright green eyes peer into the falling dominos of piano keys. Deborrah Wyndham can hold an audience with her playing.

She eventually stepped down from the stage and I was introduced. Towards the back of the arch, she puts her things on a table as she explains her timeless sound. She does stride and ragtime by design. In other words, she has a habit of taking things she likes and putting them into her original arrangements. And example is her mesmerizing rendition of “Tea for Two” from the musical No No Nanette. And her rendition of Dizzy Fingers definitely lived up to the title.

I asked her what she likes about Bluesfest.

“As an artist, you’re solo. Bluesfest is one of the few chances to rub shoulders with other musicians.” She went on to say how interesting it was to get their perspectives. Blues musicians come from all over.

Of the musicians I talk to this evening, I really want to know how they view their music. Among artists, writers and musicians, many view their abilities in one of two ways. Either they view what they do as a craft- carefully putting their creativity into a process. These are often the artists who found their form through education.

Or, they view their talent as more intuitive. They learn things by feeling it. These are the artists who come to their performances through awareness. These are the people who can hear a tune and recreate it.

I asked Deborrah her view on music. She is a classically trained pianist. She’s played over 2,700 performances. She’s played everything from folk, Celtic, pop, alternative, jazz… Music is what she knows.

“Some musicians are trained to read and write music,” she says. “Some just pick up instruments and play.”

So, in Deborrah’s case, is it more craftsmanship than intuition?

“I feel like I’m more of an artist. My music is not written down.” The breeze flows under the arch. Among her items on the table, a small piece of paper begins to flutter. She catches it. It looks like her set list. “I’m a fly by night person. I don’t even have a piano. I have a keyboard so that I can try stuff out. I don’t want to play all the time on a keyboard. It just doesn’t sound the same as a piano.”

She goes on to tell me that classical music has helped her master the piano. And though she’s gotten to a level where she can be intuitive, it’s really a credit to her education.

“I think it helps to learn classical music first. It helps with the transition into other music.”

Behind the main stage, I find Eden Brent having a smoke with some of her bandmates. She has long brown hair and brown eyes that show a hint of mischievousness.

I begin to ask my craft versus intuition question. “So what is it that drives you-”

“Captain Cornbread drives me. Otherwise I’d never have gotten here,” she says with a sultry southern drawl. I meet Captain Cornbread, who’s in Eden’s band.

This is her second year playing up north here at the Cincy Bluesfest. She’s made the trip all the way up from Mississippi again. What is it about Bluesfest?

“It felt good last time I was here. There’s no better compliment than repeat business. I’m darn glad to see you all again… Even more glad you all wanted to see me again.”

She tells me about her roots in Mississippi. Where she’s from, there’s not even 40,000 people. In her county, Washington County, there’s not even 100,000. She talks about growing up on the river. She talks about how her grand dad was named “River Boat Captain of the Century.” I take that all to be part of her southern charm- not really realizing it is an important part of her creativity.

I ask her what she loves about Cincy Bluesfest. “Being here on the river.”

She takes another draw off her cigarette. “I’d always choose a place on the river. Right here, by the river… it just rolls by.” She says dreamily. “Just like blues music. It’s gorgeous to hear. I think blues was inspired by the river.”

But there are other things she loves about being back up here.

“Normally, we don’t hear anybody play but ourselves. But festivals are wonderful opportunities to hear others play. Especially Cincy Bluesfest. It’s almost if you could make your living room this big and you just have friends come over and play.”

By craft or by feel?  “I’d have to say feel. I know great song writers in Memphis. These people who have studied it, perfected it- Tommy Polk, Colin Linden… It’s like building a chain. They do the building.

For Eden Brent, “it’s feeling how to do it much more than by rote. I’m so glad to let music be what it’s suppose to be- from my heart. The blues is so much like crying, you know?”

“When we’re born, we have our voices and our heartbeat. In blues, we have vocals and a drum beat.”

read more

Return of the 5chw4r7z -Findlay Market

Aug 9, 2011 by 5chw4r7z

And now, the moment you have all been waiting for, the Return of the 5chw4r7z! Bob will be bringing us his weekly photo essays on the Queen City agin and here is the first one! -Loki

5chw4r7z

read more

Meet Clint Spaeth

Aug 5, 2011 by SpaethC

Hello, I am Clint, but you probably know me as that guy who blogs about cheese coneys. Yes, I am part of the couple that makes up the Cincinnati Coney Quest, but there is more to me than my love of cheese coneys.

As it says in my bio, I am a life-long Cincinnatian who moved Downtown 3 years ago. I have lived in various places in the Tri-State region, but Downtown is my favorite area of residence. I love the growth I have seen Downtown (and OTR) and look forward to more progress being made in the region. Whenever I tell someone I live Downtown I get a wide range of reactions and questions, so I will have many posts about city life.

If you follow me on Twitter, you know I am a big sports fan. Of course being a Cincinnatian most of my sports fandom has been filled with disappointment. “Wait til next year” is a common reality that a Bengals and Reds fan faces. Along with watching sports, I try to stay active. One of the most shocking developments in my life is I have become a runner. When I attended the best high school in Cincinnati (Walnut Hills, and I will fiercely argue with you if you disagree!) I could barely finish the mile in gym class. Fast forward to 2011 where I completed my first marathon and now consider a 5k a short run.

I studied Radio/TV at Northern Kentucky University, but lately I have discovered a passion for photography. I have a lot to learn and am by no means a professional, but taking the camera out and taking photos of the various sites in town and the country has become one of my favorite hobbies. Of course I still do have a love for TV and motion pictures. I do enjoy a lazy day on the couch watching a marathon of my favorite shows and movies.

One of my favorite subjects to take photos of is my dog Dexter. My girlfriend and I adopted Dexter the Pug from the SCPA in January and he has become a very welcomed addition to our household. Dexter had a rough life before we adopted him, he was a stray and almost died at the SPCA with a severe case of kennel cough. Luckily he survived and we arrived to rescue him! After this experience we highly recommend adopting from the SPCA if you are looking for a pet.

Food, downtown, sports, digital media and my dog Dexter, that basically sums up who Clint Spaeth is.

read more