Jazz royalty at Food Bank fundraiser
Bass player Ray Booker has generally organized the annual Jazz Fighting Hunger concerts relying on some of Alaska's top musical talent. That's the case this year, but the Alaskans will be joined by national jazz diva Carmen Bradford.
Bradford has a long association with the likes of Count Basie and George Benson. She's on Grammy-winning albums with both Basie's and Benson's bands. Jazz connoisseurs note her technically brilliant vocalism but also remark on her passionate approach to the lyrics. She's the daughter of singer Melba Joyce and trumpeter Bobby Bradford, a former associate of Ornette Coleman and a professor at Pomona College in Claremont, California, where his History of Jazz class -- taught from a first-person perspective -- is one of the more popular courses in the catalog.
This is a favorite fundraiser each year. One hundred percent of the proceeds benefit the Food Bank of Alaska, where the shelves look a little more bare than we'd like, particularly with winter coming on. It will take place in the Anchorage Museum, starting with a reception and silent auction, hors d'oeuvres and no-host bar, at 6 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 9. The music will begin at 7:30 p.m. Tickets, if any remain, are $50 and are available at centertix.net. You can find out more at jazzfightinghunger.com,
Alaska book lovers unite
As Jazz Fighting Hunger strives to nourish bodies, so the Detroit Little Library project attempts to nourish minds by setting up small, free libraries, particularly in inner-city and neighborhood parks. It's the brainchild of newspaper reporter Kim Kozlowski, who has garnered national attention with her mission to make the Motor City the "little free library capital of the world."
What's this have to do with Alaska? I'm glad you asked. Author Cindy Dyson ("And She Was"), a former Alaskan now living in Montana, is putting together a little library for Detroit dedicated to Alaska-themed books. Several Alaska writers have already donated signed copies of their books -- Deb Vanasse, Don Rearden, Ned Rozell and Marybeth Holleman among them -- but a bunch more will make for a better product. So will money. It costs about $1,000 to put up one of these "ambassador" branches.
Just to make it fun, Dyson has arranged a competition between authors in Alaska and those in her adopted Montana -- she's putting herself on the Alaska side of the contest. At last look, more Montana authors than Alaskans had donated books, but Alaskans were way in the lead with cash contributions. OK, $1,000? We can blow Montana out of the water with a single PFD check.
Dyson says the best way to make a contribution is probably through the Indiegogo crowdfunding site, indiegogo.com/projects/detroit-little-free-library-capital-of-the-world/x/8621062. You can also get information and make contributions at detroitlittlelibraries.org. (Dyson is the webmaster and, she admits, Kozlowski's "cheerleader.") Click on the "Ambassador Little Libraries" tab to go to the showdown between the Great Land and the Big Sky.
Those who don't like going on the Internet with money matters can send donations to: Kim Kozlowski dba Detroit Little Libraries, 231 Jewell Ave., Ferndale, MI 48220. Kozlowski tells us authors can also send their books for possible placement in the pending Alaska Little Library to the same address. Dyson notes, however, that the Internet will be best in this instance since the fundraising drive ends on Nov. 11.
As with other crowdsourcing efforts, there are benefits associated with making a donation; the details will be online. But let's face it, the real prize is the bragging rights. So let's show the Montanans no mercy.
Free concert at Dimond
Celebrate Veterans Day with a free program by the University Wind Ensemble at 7 p.m. Tuesday at Dimond High School. University of Alaska professor Mark Wolbers will lead the band in a joint concert with the Dimond High School Symphonic Band. The program will focus on Russian composers, including Khachaturian, Rachmaninoff and Shostakovich. One particularly interesting item on the bill will be Rimsky-Korsakov's "Variations on a Theme by Glinka," a piece that the great symphonist and master of orchestration wrote specifically for band. It will feature oboist Leigh Ann Woodard in the solo part. This is one in a series of the ensemble's fall tour of performances, so stay tuned for future concerts.
Here come the brides
Speaking of Veterans Day, Anderson's Bride shop, 802 E. 36th Ave., is taking part in the national "Operation Wedding Gown" event on Sunday and Monday, Nov. 9-10. This program gives away free wedding gowns and "dream weddings" to military personnel. The sponsors note that it can be difficult for military couples to plan weddings due to deployment, injuries and other issues.
To qualify, you must be in the military and be currently deployed, have a future deployment or have been deployed within the last five years to Iraq, Afghanistan, the Middle East, Korea, Japan or surrounding territory. Bring identification and deployment papers to present at the shop. You can pre-register and get more information at bridesacrossamerica.com. Members of the public can donate to the cause at the same website; a $20 donation will buy a special commemorative coin that comes with rewards and savings at assorted co-sponsors.
Historic preservation awards announced
The Alaska Association for Historic Preservation announced two recipients of its 2014 Historic Preservation Awards on Nov. 4. The contributions of James (Jim) Renkert include his work with the Friends of Nike Site Summit restoration of the Cold War Nike Hercules missile site near Anchorage. James Thaddeus (Thad) Poulson was noted for his tireless promotion of the value of historic architecture in Sitka for 30 years through the purchase, rehabilitation, restoration and reuse of several older buildings.
The awards have been made annually since 2007. This year's awards will be presented during the AAHP annual members' meeting at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 8, at the Pioneer School House, 437 E.Third Ave. in Anchorage. The public is welcome to attend.
No Object Runway?
We're getting foggy messages with regard to whether or not the highly popular Object Runway art-fashion show will be presented by the International Gallery of Contemporary Art next year. Gallery director Michele Suchland told me, "We have done Object Runway for the past five years and are at this time not announcing a sixth iteration. We are excited about doing new things and want to take some time to think about what our next big event may be. We don't know at this time. We just want to take some time to look at all the possibilities."
Could be more information will be available at tonight's "First Friday" opening. IGCA, at 427 D St., will be featuring work by Melissa Dickey, Elise Rose, Nancy Laurel and Thor Evenson. The party starts at 5:30.
Reach Mike Dunham at mdunham@alaskadispatch.com or 257-4332.