Thursday's Jive

J-Cherry… producer and host of, ‘VOICE of the CITY’  Airing on WESU 88.1 FM Middletown Tuesdays from 8-9PM Live and local… This ain’t no commercial radio! jcherrypresents.com

Good evening, it’s Thursday, January 17th and this is the Jive at Five – WESU’s Daily community calendar and run down of night time programming here on 88.1 FM WESU Middletown, your station for NPR, Pacifica, independent and local public affairs by day and the best in free-form community  programming week nights and weekends. I’m J-Cherry producer and host of VOICE of the CITY,  Tuesday from 8-9PM, Showcasing live and local music, arts, and culture. WESU is now recording our live stream! Visit wesu.streamrewind.com to hear VOICE of the CITY, and other great shows recorded here on WESU! Thanks for tuning in. Thanks to all of the WESU listeners who have chosen to give the gift of community radio during our 8th annual Winter Holiday Pledge drive! If you haven’t yet had a chance to do your part, you can still make that donation online at wesufm.org.

Here’s a brief rundown of some of the cultural and entertaining events happening in our area this week:

Here in Middletown at The Buttonwood Tree Tonight, The Andrew and Noah Band brings their improvisation, deep dance grooves and take on the future of American roots music to the Buttonwood stage.Friday Night The Kenn Morr Band returns to the Buttonwood for a night of authentic Americana rock and roll. Saturday morning’s at 8:30 Terri Johnson instructs Free community Yoga at the buttonwood tree followed by Annaita Ghandi’s “Aligned with Source” Workshop for Empowerment at 10:30am. Saturday afternoon at 2pm the Larry Gareau Trio makes for some  afternoon  jazz. At 8pm Saturday night, Charter Oak Bluegrass takes the stage.
Each Sunday, Food Not Bombs shares food in front of the Buttonwood Tree.  You’re invited to help prepare them prepare their vegetarian meal at the First Church on Court Street at 11:30 am.

Sunday afternoon at 2pm Free Poets Collective Presents an Artist Gala to Benefit Newtown, CT Tragedy Victims at the buttonwood.  Artists from all over the world have contributed original artwork to be sold to benefit victims of the Newtown, CT tragedy. This event features visual arts, music, poetry, sculpture, and more. 10% of all proceeds and all ticket sales will be donated to a charity representative on hand.  This is followed by the Monthly Poetry potluck event at the buttonwood tree. You can always find out more about buttonwood tree events at www.buttonwood.org 

Tonight here in Middletown, The Russell Library presents the writing workshop: “We Were There: Writing Your Military Experiences” under the direction of author Elisabeth Petry . This series invites veterans to share their stories in their own voices in Meeting Room 2.Saturday morning the Russell knitters meet and invite you to join them for knitting tips and tricks. All levels of experience are welcome. www.russelllibrary.org

Café Nine in New Haven tonight hosts a NewHaven St. Patrick’s Day Parade Fundraiser  featuring the Jovial Crew; w/ Danny Quinn.Friday, Sugar Ray & the Bluetones; w/ Paul Gabriel make for anight of traditional and contemporary blues . Saturday’s Afternoon Jazz Jam is hosted by Tony Dioguardi and Friends this week.  Saturday night Manic productions presents Nashville Rock ‘n’ rollers Denney and The Jets; w/ Derek Hoke and  Elison Jackson.  SUNDAY afternoon DR. SKETCHY’S ANTI-ART SCHOOLs”50 Shades Of Sketchy” is where art, alcohol and traditional figure drawing collide.  Sunday evening Café nine presents Gringo Starr and the Mountain movers.  More can be found online at cafenine.com

Up in Hartford at Blackeyed Sally’s tonight brings Miss Tess & the Talkbacks to Sally’s for a night of golden era pop and honky tonk. The eight piece Soul of a Man band (complete with booming horn section) takes the stage at Sallys for an evening of soul music Friday night. Saturday night Erin Harpe & The Delta Swingers play their retro early electric blues sound at Sally’s. more online atwww.blackeyedsallys.com

Down in New Haven at Toads Place Friday brings the annual Opus Birthday Bash for a night of loud rock and roll.  Saturday brings Big another night of loud musicin Big Jim’s “Screw Winter” Bash.  Sunday the annual MLK Jr Funk Fest  features Rearview. Greg Sherwood, Terryl Lee and Funkinachea to the Toads place main stage while The Ne Haven Battle of the Bands takes over the Lily Pad Stage. More can be found at toadsplace.com

Tonight and every the third Thursday of every month, creative people come together for conversation, art and music at Real Art Ways Creative Cocktail hour in Hartford. January’s event features music by DJ Cajar.www.realartways.com

Friday night at 7:30PM you are invited to an evening of improvised comedy here in Middletown. Hartford’s Sea Tea Improv, Middletown’s Great Make-Believe Society and East Hampton’s The Sticks Improv take to the stage without a script and create scenes based on audience suggestions at Oddfellows Playhouse on Washington St. for info email topher@thediversion.com

Higher Grounds, on Main Street, East Hampton every Friday night is their weekly open mic night. Show starts at 8pm. Every Saturday night is live local music, and The Rusted Keys, an acoustic duet, play on the third Sunday morning of every month- beginning at 10:00 a.m.- at Higher Grounds, on Main Street, East Hampton (860-467-6643).

Now Here’s a rundown of cinema off the beaten path here in Central Connecticut:

At Real Art Ways in Hartford through Sunday you can catch “Central Park Five,” for a look at the events leading to the wrongful arrest and conviction of five black and Latino teenagers, accused in 1989 of brutally attacking and raping a Central Park jogger in what became a notorious case. Tonight and Tomorrow (Wednesday)  Real Art Ways is also showing “Chasing Ice” in which Acclaimed National Geographic photographer James Balog who was once a skeptic about climate change, through his Extreme Ice Survey,  discovers undeniable evidence of our changing planet..    More information at www.realartways.org .

Tonight, Cinestudio, Trinity College’s cinema in Hartford, presents: The Sessions, which tells the story of childhood polio survivor Mark O’Brian who wrote an article about hiring a sex therapist to help him lose his virginity. More at can be found at cinestudio.org 
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Now here’s a rundown of tonight’s programming on WESU.