Life in North Georgia, Real Estate in the Mountains

Exciting news for Casual Classics Patrons, TRIO patrons, Tater Patch enthusiasts, and all who are interested in creative musicianship!  This is about the artist who will be at New Lebanon on Nov. 10 at 7:00 as part of the Casual Classics Concert Series.  I pre-ordered this C.D. and have been listening to it for a week – can’t wait for her concert!  This is her best C.D. yet with lots of humor and an interesting variety of vocalists.  We will make sure that she has some C.D.’s with her for autographing on the 10th.
Please forward this to everyone you know who wants to attend an amazing “singing” event, and be prepared to join in.  She can make a chorus of frogs sound like a heavenly choir!

Suzanne Shull, Casual Classics Concert Series.

Atlanta Music Guide – Oct. 28, 2009
http://www.atlantamusicblog.com/news/2009/10/cd-review-elise-witt-valise.html
http://www.mindspring.com/~emworld/pages/record.html

In case you can’t open the link, here’s the review below.

Elise Witt
Valise
EMWorld Records
By Al Kaufman
Elise Witt is one of those local treasures that nobody knows about. The multi-linguist from Switzerland, who has called Atlanta home since 1977, has been a cultural ambassador to South Africa, China, Italy, Nicaragua and Switzerland, represented Georgia for the Kennedy Center’s 25th Anniversary Celebration, has studied under Bobby McFerrin, sung under the direction of Robert Shaw for the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Chorus for 20 years, created singing workshops for adults and children all over the globe, and hosted musicians from outside countries to play locally.
The kicker is, in addition to all that, she has one of the purest and sweetest voices you are likely to ever hear. Valise is Witt’s “suitcase of global, local, and homemade songs.” Witt was a German-speaking three-years-old when her family moved to the States from Switzerland. Her more recent work with refugee families in Atlanta caused her to look back upon her own new beginnings in a foreign country and pay homage to that time, which she does here with a wonderfully diverse and eclectic mix.
When you are as nice and as well-traveled as Witt, you make a lot of friends, and she seems to call upon almost every one of them on this CD. The most obvious example is on “Blessed Nation,” a poem written by Pete Seeger in which Witt added some lyrics and a melody. Besides her three-woman chorus, Witt calls upon folk legend and recent Atlanta transplant John McCutcheon for lead vocals for one verse, and former Weaver and co-founder of the Old Town School of Folk Music in Chicago, Frank Hamilton, for another.
Longtime partner Mick Kinney adds his piano and vocals (and violins, and accordions, and guitars, etc.) throughout, most notably on “Our Favorite Things,” in which Kinny updates the lyrics from the Sound of Music classic tune. In this modern version, “Thai food and T’aiChi, Qigong and I Ching/These are a few of my favorite things.”
But this CD is all Witt. She pays homage to the old Motown style on “Venus Between Us,” then to bebop with “Jackie.” She even does a bit of white housewife rap on “Clothes Swap.”
She sings in German, French, and Spanish. She scats, swings, and serenades. She takes the listener on a journey throughout the world of music, and what a delightful journey it is.
Elise Witt celebrates her CD release at Callenwolde Fine Arts Center, 980 Briarcliff Rd, Atlanta GA 30306 on November 1 at 6:00 p.m.
http://www.mindspring.com/~emworld/pages/record.html

Suzanne Shull, the President of Jasper Muse, Inc, has just announced a Bonus Concert in the Casual Classics Series.    This is a free concert featuring local talent.  The Concert is June 1, 2009 at the New Lebanon Presbyterian Church on Bent Tree Drive.  For full details see my post on my Bent Tree Blog.  Just click on the following link:  Bent Tree Real Estate.

See you ’round the mountains,

Don

The theater and arts community in North Georgia came a few steps closer to a permanent home for the Tater Patch Players last Saturday night as arts and theater supporters turned out in large numbers to support the Tater Patch “Auction Gala” on Saturday, March 21, 2009

Live Auction at the Tater Patch Fund Raiser

Photo Courtesy of Mari Livsey, Know Pickens.com

The festive crowd was treated to great food by local restaurants and got to rub shoulders with dozens of Tater Patch Characters from past performances. 

There was some spirited bidding on both the silent and live auction side of the house and the resulting bidding garnered several thousand dollars in new funds for the drive to raise $400,000 to purchase the building on Cove Road that the troupe currently has under contract to purchase.  

The fund raising highlight of the evening came fairly early as Don Russell representing the Pickens County Community Resource Association (PCCRA) presented a check for $20,000 as a grant towards purchasing the building.    The Players certainly hope that is the first of many significant grants to support the building project.

Hercule Poirot (aka Don Martin) on the Auction Block

 Photo Courtesy of Mari Livsey, Know Pickens.com

There were all kinds of art, products and even services auctioned off.  Your intrepid author and gated community expert, Don Martin appeared as Hercule Poirot, a role he has played at 3 dinner theater productions, and offered his services to act as Hercule acting as butler for the successful bidder’s cocktail party.  Don and his lovely wife, Regina, (who is not only lovely – but also a GREAT cook) also offered a fully butlered and catered cocktail party.  Bidding was lively on both and we will report later on how all that turns out!

If you would like to see more pictures of the Gala you can visit Know Pickens.com   and if you would like more information on the Tater Patch Players or you would like to make a contribution on-line please visit TaterPatchPlayers.org

Well that’s all for now.  Got to go out and earn some money.

See you ’round the mountains,

Don

Don’t forget about the Tater Patch Fund Raising “GALA” at the Chamber of Commerce, Saturday night at 6:30 pm.   Only $10 Admission.  Lots of good food, drinks, costumed characters and Silent and Live Auctions.

Tater Patch Needs to Raise $400,000 for our new home and we need your help.

See you there!!

Don

Please mark your Calendars for two important local events.

Monday March 16, 2009

Casual Classics Concert

The 3nd Concert of the 2008-2009 Season will be held at New Lebanon Presbyterian Church on Monday Evening, March 16th at 7:00 PM.  The Riverside Chamber Players  will return this year and bring bass player Doug Summers so that they can perform the Divorak Quintet and a Rossini duo for bass and cello.  Last year’s Chamber appearance was a rousing success and this year’s performance promises even more.

Admission is FREE.  The Casual Concerts Series is sponsored by Jasper Muse, Inc.  A 501-c-3 non-profit organization dedicated to supporting music performances and music education in Pickens County.   New Lebanon Presbyterian Church is Located on Bent Tree Drive about 1/2 mile North of Cove Rd.

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Saturday, March 21, 2009

Tater Patch Players Fundraiser for the New Theater

The Tater Patch Players will host a huge fundraising GALA at the Chamber of Commerce Building from 7:00 pm to 9:00 PM on Saturday, March 21, 2009.  The Players are in the midst of a $400,000 fund raising campaign to purchase a new theater.  There will be plenty of food, costumed characters a silent auction and a live auction.  It promises to be a great evening and they need your support to make this new theater a reality.

Admission is $10.  The Pickens County Chamber of Commerce is located at 500 Stegall Drive adjacent Lee Newton Park just West of Downtown Jasper.  Please come out and support “The Best Little Theater in North Georgia.”

See you ’round the Mountains,

Don

If you don’t live in North Georgia, you might be surprised to learn that there is a thriving arts community that encompasses all the kinds of activities and programs one might find in a large urban or suburban area.

There are multiple groups of artists, musicians, sculptors and, yes, even Thespians.   I have been associated with local little theater group, The Tater Patch Players, for several years and one of the real joys of being in business in the community is having the opportunity to help sponsor some of their many events. This year I had the privilege to sponsor the entire year of quarterly poetry readings and they have all been outstanding.  On September 17th, the Players, under the capable guidance of director Carl Japikse, presented an afternoon of humorous poetry entitled ” Hijinks & Tomfoolery.”

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