Nov. 7, 2008 at 11:15am

Music at Seymour Conservatory this Sunday

Postcard from Hawaii

Cruel Introduction

Well, we've been on the Big Island of Hawaii for this whole week, wondering what the weather is like back home (Kevin's post seems to suggest a bit of precipitation). As we left town, it was raining in Tacoma and we were looking forward to a week of not-rain. I imagined blogging every day, rubbing in the fact I was here in the sunshine and you, most likely, were not.

But then, every day, after laying around in the sun on the beach all day, I found myself unable to work up the energy to be so cruel. I'm here this morning to report on an exciting event happening this weekend, right there in Tacoma. Then ... well, I think we're going to head to the beach and lay around in the sun.

Second Sunday Music at the Seymour

One of the underappreciated regular musical events in town is the Second Sunday Concert Series at the WW Seymour Botanical Consevatory at Wright Park.

The Seymour is a local treasure, celebrating its 100th birthday (even older than me!), and they present a wide variety of acoustic music among the flowers every second Sunday of every month.

The music runs from 1:00 PM to 2:30 PM. This Sunday, November 9, is this month's second Sunday, so guess what ... that's right: Irish music!

My buddies, Brynn Starr, on fiddle, and Sue Tjardes, on guitar, will play a bunch of Irish fiddle tunes, and who knows what else (Sue writes songs; they both sing). They're kind to the ears and easy on the eyes.

You should come on down, this Sunday, and the second Sunday of every month. It's warm and dry, wonderfully fragrant, and full of great music.

Next month, Tom Brooks will bring his jazz trio to the venue, and in January, Izenmania will bring Mister Fusion in. It's a varied and eclectic mix, and you pretty much guaranteed to have a good time.

Cruel Ending

It's time, it appears, to head back to the beach. There are many attractive possibilities, but with a book on my iPod, laying in the sun sounds pretty good. You remember the sun, don't you?

And don't despair ... I'll be back in my soggy, beloved, Tacoma in a few days. Paradise gets old after awhile. At least, that's what I hear.

comments [0]

Oct. 10, 2008 at 11:07am

Sitar concert tonight at TACID

Fundraiser for disabilities organization features Indian music

Hmmm ... this event is a fund-raiser for TACID and is sponsored, in part, by The Weekly Volcano. So why do I have to go to The Tacoma Weekly to get any information about it? If our friends at The Volcano have something in the pipeline for later today, I apologize for my impatience. I wanted, though, to publicize this event before I hit the transit highway to Frost Park.

TACID is the Tacoma Area Coalition of Individuals with Disabilities. They do lots of good stuff (life skills, housing, employment, etc.) for people with disabilities. I won't bore you with the details, but you can talk to me about it (I'm the newest member of their board), or check out their website.

Tonight, at 7:30 PM, at the TACID Center (6315 S. 19th St., 98466. It's right next door to TCC and the TCC Transit Center), there will be a concert of Indian music, performed by sitarist Pandit Debi Prassad Chatterjee and tabla player Seattleite Tor Dietrichson.

Tickets are $12 in advance, $15 at the door, and $10 for students with school ID. All the proceeds will go to benefit TACID.

The event is sponsored by The Weekly Volcano and Gatewary to India. If you haven't eaten there yet, explain yourself!

Our family plan is to eat dinner at Gateway and then head to the show. Good food, good music, an enlightening cultural experience ... and all for a good cause. Not a bad blueprint for a Friday night!

comments [2]

Aug. 16, 2008 at 6:54am

WW Seymour Birthday Bash!

100th Birthday Bash at Wright Park Conservatory

Come to Wright Park today between 10am and 2pm to help celebrate the 100th anniversary of  the W. W. Seymour Botanical Conservatory. There will be music, speechifying, birthday cake, kids' activities . . . all the right stuff. It will be a good time out under the big oak tree in front of the conservatory on a sunny August day. Thanks to my husband who allowed me to take over his blog space this morning. Hope to see you at the park!

comments [0]

Aug. 9, 2008 at 2:30pm

"Out of Sight ..." in full view at Wright Park tomorrow

Second Sunday Music -- 1:00 - 2:30 PM

What ... again?

Yes, it's true ... music among the flowers at the WW Seymour Botanical Conservatory at Wright Park this coming Sunday, August 10th. This is the trio version of Out of Sight/Out of Mind, an intriguing mix of geezer wisdom and youthful exuberance (or is it the other way around?).

Don Izenman and Goodwin Trent have been playing music together longer than their dissipating brain cells can accurately track. Joe Izenman, urban legend, has been a part of the group since January of this year, when his busy schedule allows. By all credible accounts, he will be there this Sunday.

What emerges from this inter-generational collaboration is more than simply middle-aged ennui and youthful angst (pardon my French and my German) ... it's a downright catchy blend of country-flavored cover tunes (Don's specialty), humorous and touching songs written and performed by Goodwin, and songs destined to be classics and certain to make Joe rich and even more famous than he already is.

The Conservatory is marking its 100th birthday, with a big celebratory bash the following Saturday, August 16th. Check out the web site above for more information about that. We're sort of the opening act for that whole shebang.

The details are like this:

Sunday, August 10th

1:00-2:30 PM

WW Seymour Conservatory at Wright Park

There's music on the Second Sunday of every month and this time it's us. We usually play inside, near the gift shop, a charming, cozy setting among the flowers ... it''s steamy and fragrant, much like the band members themselves. If it's really warm, we might play right outside, under the trees. Either way, it's a sweet venue, and a great opportunity to browse one of Tacoma's grand treasures, named after one of Tacoma's great mayors.

There's no cover charge (nor is there ever any charge to visit the Conservatory), but we carry a very large tip jar and we encourage generosity in all your travels, this Sunday and every day.

So, be sure to make it to Wright Park this Sunday and then get in on the festivities around the centennial celebrations.

The picture up above is from a performance at Rhapsody in Bloom. This next picture is at the Conservatory, back when Joe was hairy.

comments [0]

Jul. 25, 2008 at 7:08am

Happy Birthday, Izenmania

Getting ready for the next quarter century

Hey Joe ... Tacoma loves you ... and so does your dad.

At least it's not a naked baby on a bearskin rug picture.

comments [16]

Jun. 7, 2008 at 10:15am

Last Minute Music Notice ... Finish your coffee and come listen

Out of Sight, Out of Mind at Proctor Market

I should have posted this earlier. In a couple of hours, Out of Sight, Out of Mind, a group of indeterminate size, playing acoustic "folk" music, whatever that is, at the Proctor Farmers Market at noon today. They won't stop until 2:00 pm. So, you still have time to finish your coffee and head on down there (N. 27th Street in the Proctor District).

The group consists of Joe Izenman (Izenmania), Don Izenman (Dmitri), and their bass playing buddy, Goodwin Trent. They have fun, they look good, and they sound pretty good, too.

Here's a picture from a show at the WW Seymour Conservatory earlier in the year. This picture has just the two Izenmans, but Goodwin was there, too.

comments [2]

May. 21, 2008 at 6:05pm

Farmers Market Opening Day Photos

Going into the second week ... here's what the first week looked like

Plenty of others have written about Opening Day of Tacoma Farmers Market on Broadway last Thursday. The weather was great, the vendors and crowds showed up, and I've heard they did about 25 percent more business than last year's Opening Day.

Flowers, produce, prepared foods galore, crafts, street musicians (some with love songs ... others with protest songs), a silent peace vigil, babies in old-time carriages, dogs on leashes, and a Pierce Transit bus. All that and sunshine, too!.

So, I'll leave further description to others. I'm just going to show you some pictures:


Here's Tacoma Mama making bubbles with the kids

Here's the view up Broadway from 11th Street:


Here's the Picasa album of all 35 pictures, taken by Michelle Regan, from last Thursday's Market

Less than half these pictures have been captioned, so visit again later for updates.

comments [2]

Apr. 24, 2008 at 10:35am

Tacoma Farmers Market needs street musicians and volunteers

I'm not a farmer, but I play one on the internet

COMMUNITY MEETING FOR 6th Ave MARKET NEXT MONDAY ...

I'm not a farmer, but I play one on the internet. You would have to look long and hard to find someone less knowledgeable about gardening and farming than me. Somehow though, I’ve gotten dragged (willingly) into a couple of projects that involve those skills. Fortunately, my role has more to do with data management and writing about what other people know than anything I personally know.

So, I’m here today to pump up the Tacoma Farmers Market and the fledgling Tacoma Food Co-op.

First, the Tacoma Farmers Market. By the middle of this season, there will be three markets being run under the banner of the Federation of Tacoma Farmers Markets. This Saturday, April 26^th, the Proctor Market has its opening day. From 9:00 am to 2:00 pm, some of the best local farmers are going to start bringing their freshest, tastiest produce to N. 27^th (between Proctor and Madison) for your shopping and eating pleasure. There will be live music and the chance to join others in welcoming our late-arriving spring.

On Thursday, May 15^th, the Broadway Market will open. There’s still lots to do. If you’d like to volunteer a bit of your time and energy to help get The Market running and keep it running, drop a note to laura@tacomafarmersmarket.com. There’s also a place to sign up for our newsletter and volunteer opportunities at our web site.

The Broadway Market is looking for street musicians. There is an actual performance stage, which has been booked for the season. What we’re looking for now are musicians who would be willing to set up in a more casual setting, busking on a street corner, like minstrels, for atmosphere and ambiance (and yes, for tips). If you would enjoy making some noise on our downtown streets and getting some public exposure, contact me at don@tacomafarmersmarket.com. Poets and dancers are also welcome.

You’ve probably heard that 6^th Avenue is going to start a farmers market in July. It will be a late afternoon/early evening market, scheduled for Tuesdays on N. Pine between 6^th Ave and N. 7^th. This coming Monday, April 28^th, there will be a community meeting for anyone wishing to know more and/or to help out. The meeting will be from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm at Epworth LeSourd Methodist Church, 710 S. Anderson.

There’s been a lot of talk lately about localism, supporting local businesses and buying locally-made products. The Tacoma Farmers Market is proud to be a big part of that movement, helping to bring people, commerce, music, and fun to the streets of Tacoma. Come help us if you can and come to the Market when it opens.

Another piece of that local puzzle is the Tacoma Food Co-op. A dedicated group of volunteers is working hard to bring a Co-op grocery store back to Tacoma. If you would like to know more about the progress of this project and receive periodic email updates, please send your name and email address to tacomafoodcoop@gmail.com. The Co-op also has a blog site here, where you can find updates about our progress, as well as an ongoing conversation about co-ops in general, and this one in particular. This is a big and exciting project, with room for good ideas and a variety of skills. Jump on in!

comments [1]

Mar. 27, 2008 at 8:04am

Tunes in Bloom ... Music tonight: Out of Sight ... Out of Mind

Local musicians at Rhapsody in Bloom

A Rhapsody in Bloom is a lovely place to drink coffee, buy flowers, look at the work of local artists, and ....................

... listen to good music provided by local musicians. Denise Smith, owner of Rhapsody, is committed to supporting local artists and musicians, and we here at Out of Sight ... Out of Mind headquarters are thrilled to have been asked to perform this Thursday, March 27th from 7:00 - 9:00 p.m. That's tonight!

Since the copyright police are committed to making sure that, when we do songs written by, say, John Prine, the proper royalties go to Michael Jackson, Metallica and Sony (you figure it out ... I can't), we're committed, as is Denise, to staying off that particular radar. So, like all the performers who play at Rhapsody, we're going to do a show that is made up of music written by the performers themselves, or else songs from the public domain.

Out of Sight ... Out of Mind has been, in its basic form, a duo comprised of Goodwin Trent, bass player and pun-meister extraordinaire, and me, Don Izenman. In recent times, we've been joined by Joe Izenman. This was initially a matter of necessity (Goodwin's back surgery), but proved to be so much fun that, when possible, we've been working as a trio. Since Joe writes more songs than anyone this side of Bob Dylan and Burt Bacharach, his presence plays nicely into our plan to avoid copyright issues. In this configuration, Joe and I trade guitar and mandolin back and forth. He will be thrilled to see his name linked with Burt Bacharach,  we're sure.

In order to add to the fun and creativity, we've asked our good buddy, Sue Tjardes, to make a guest appearance with us, showcasing a half-dozen of the songs she's written. In this configuration, I will pull out the old resophonic guitar (some call it a dobro ... some call it a guitar with a hubcap ... some call it my biggest blunder).

So, there you have the Out of Sight ... Out of Mind All Stars. You are invited to join us this evening, from 7 to 9. You're invited to buy tasty coffee drinks; you might consider buying flowers for your companion; you're welcome to throw money at the band (if you're going to take that literally, then no coins, please); you'll want to check out the art on the walls and tables; and, don't forget to pet the cat.

It's fun, it's local, it's musical, it's early enough to still get to bed at a reasonable hour. What else could you ask for? (Sorry, no liquor license).

You might want to be there.

Oh yeah ... A Rhapsody in Bloom is located at 3709 Sixth Avenue in Tacoma. It's a little bit east of Proctor St. (if you're coming from downtown and you get to Hell's Kitchen, escape, if you can, and come back a block east). Their phone number is 253-761-7673.

comments [11]