It is time yet again for the Cleveland Dance Fest. The festival has grown considerably since its founding three years ago and will be November 9th and 10th at Pilgrim Congregational Church (2592 W 14th St, Tremont, OH 44113). Showcasing work from artists all over Cleveland and beyond, the festival this year is distinct, exciting, and thought-provoking. To really get a feel for the work presented this year, I decided to chat with a a few choreographers about their work, their processes, and influences. Continue reading
Jean Brandt, longtime Tremonster, shared many of her own songs during a music-filled evening at Visible Voice Books (2258 Professor Avenue) during the October 12th Walkabout Tremont. Brandt played a set with John McGrail from 7:30 pm to about 8:00 pm for a large crowd in Visible Voice Books rear event/café area. She was followed by McGrail and his band members, Jay Bentoff and Carl Holt, for a set of McGrail’s material.
Brandt has known McGrail for many years, first meeting at the Barking Spider in the late 1980s. “I am thrilled to have this opportunity to work with him,” Brandt wrote in an event invitation.
The Visible Voice Books event listed Brandt as a lifelong Clevelander, a musician, a poet, an experimental music artist, and a dedicated advocate of the arts. Her creations span the gamut from singer-songwriter to experimental composer as a guitarist and poet. According to Brandt’s artistic statement, “The underlying structure both unique and innate to music and language is but part of what excites and drives Jean when she composes as well as performs.”
Brandt also expressed her firm belief that “Art is all around us and each of us in fact engages in creation simply living each day.”
Brandt, beginning in 1990, organized over 200 art showings at her law office, a storefront she rented in Tremont until 2015. She also provided primary support to the monthly Tremont ArtWalk promotion for the Tremont neighborhood from 1993 through 2015. Today Brandt is in the studio or playing guitar when not practicing law.
McGrail, categorized as a folk musician, “accepts that [categorization]—and on some level even agrees—but his influences range far beyond that.” The confluence contributes to the music he creates. A musician’s musician, McGrail’s music offers odd meters, “Floydian textures,” and masterful, imaginative guitar solos. According to McGrail’s artistic statement, “There are those who have described him as the Dark Prince of Cleveland Folk.” When in the studio, he grasps for whatever medium will best bring each song to life—whether loops, programs, virtual sound, or more traditional instruments, McGrail enjoys tying in a wide variety of sound sources to create his own unique form of musical art. “Boundaries are for breaking,” McGrail’s listing stated.
Brandt and McGrail were glad for the opportunity to share their music at a well-attended event and are thankful to Visible Voice Books for hosting their event.
Spread the word: there’s a new school of dance opening in Tremont! The Movement Project, a professional dance company based out of Pilgrim Congregational Church, will be offering Creative Movement, Modern, and Ballet for youth ages 4-18.
The Movement Project, founded in 2009 by Megan Lee Gargano and Rebecca J. Leuszler, strives to challenge perspectives, evoke social change, and bridge communities through the power of movement. After many years of work as a dance company, they are eager to open their School of Dance as a home for youth dance education in Cleveland. Continue reading
Pilgrim Congregational United Church of Christ is a Just Peace and an Open and Affirming congregation in the United Church of Christ (UCC), located at 2592 West 14th Street (216.861.7388, info@pilgrimalive.org). The church extends an invitation to all Tremonsters to come and share our gifts. Carter Eugene reports on the church’s special outreach to Tremont’s arts groups, Tremont’s faithful, and Tremont’s community organizations, inviting one and all to join the many already making use of Pilgrim Church as a vital community resource (report produced by John Eppich). Continue reading
A new, public mural adorns the formerly blank, cement wall along the south side of Tremont’s Lincoln Park Gazebo. The public mural project is the work of Angelica Pozo, a resident of Tremont as well as the founder of Tremont Artist In Residence program, also known as Tremont AIR. We caught up with Pozo during the final public tile decorating session, held at the iconic Literary Café, to find out how she involved and reflected so much of the Tremont community in this piece of public history, now on display. Continue reading
Spend your Memorial weekend at the 46th annual Greek Heritage Festival in Tremont! Come to the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church (2187 West 14th St, Cleveland, OH 44113) to experience delicious Greek food, drinks and dancing…It’s OPA time! For more information, check the Tremont Greek Fest Program Guide, visit tremontgreekfest.com, or search Tremont Greek Fest on Facebook.
PRISM is a short film holding open auditions in Tremont. “We are interested in getting a wide variety of ages and ethnicities for these roles, particularly Black and Asian actors,” says director, writer, and producer Joe Kowalski, “This film is currently not paid, but we will supply food, IMDb credit, and free tickets to the Cedar Lee premiere later this year. Also, Henry Winkler has a cameo, so here’s your opportunity to be one degree away from him!”
PRISM is the latest venture from local Cleveland Filmmaker Joe Kowalski (Billie Bob Joe, One Day: A Musical, PogieJoe Productions). It is expected to be around 30 minutes long,and is ready to start on production as soon as they find the perfect cast.
PRISM is a short film about six individuals from two unique, dysfunctional families. The six individuals are each represented by a different color in this “complexly interlinked drama about love, loss, and meaning.”Continue reading
This past September’s ArtWalk exhibit at Loop (2180 W 11th Street), featured nothing but Cleveland photographers. Shortly after this exhibit opened, The Tremonster caught up with one of the exhibiting photographers, Matt Hunsaker, at Loop to discuss his work. Continue reading
