Author Archive: Press Release

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NMWG 2nd Annual Benefit Show

December 3, 2014 |

NMWG 2nd Annual Benefit Show/Fundraiser for Southern Arizona Lupus Foundation

Amy & Derrick Ross Photo: Jimi Giannatti

Amy & Derrick Ross
Photo: Jimi Giannatti

Sat, Dec 6
Cafe Passe, 415 N. 4th Ave., 6 p.m.-9 p.m. (acoustic songwriters)
Flycatcher, 340 E. 6th Ave., 8:30 p.m.- 1 a.m. (electric bands)
$10/venue or $15 for both

NMWG.org

Musicians from all over Arizona, including: Sedona, Phoenix, Tempe, Tucson and Bisbee will once again converge on Fourth Avenue to take part in a benefit honoring and celebrating the love and talents of Amy & Derrick Ross (also known as Nowhere Man and a Whiskey Girl) to help raise money to help fight lupus. Each performer will be playing their favorite NMWG songs, as well as share their favorite Amy & Derrick moments and stories.

The evening will feature over 30+ bands and musicians who played with, co-wrote, and/or wrote songs for the duo. The all-star lineup includes: Dry River Yacht Club (Tempe), decker. (Sedona), Keli & the Big Dream (Tucson), Lonna Beth Kelley (Phx), Carlos Arzate (Tucson), Sundowners (Tucson), Terry Wolf (Bisbee), Revisor (Phx), Kate Becker (Tucson), Kate Becker and Stuart Oliver (Tucson), Robin Vining (Phx), Laura Kepner Adney (Tucson), Mike Montoya (New Mexico), 8 Minutes To Burn (Tucson), Leila Lopez (Tucson), Brent Miles (Phx), Jillian Bessett (Tucson), Donna Kihl (Bisbee), Sweet Ghosts (Tucson), Bryan Sanders (Tucson), Copper & Congress (Tucson), 8 Minutes To Burn (Tucson), and many more TBA.

Besides music, there is also an online auction featuring items created by some of Arizona’s top artists and craftspersons, as well as vacation packages, autographed CDs, commemorative t-shirts, guitars, and more! The auction, at NMWG.org, runs through Sat, Dec. 13.

On Oct 15, 2013, Amy and Derrick Ross, known to local music fans as Nowhere Man and a Whiskey Girl, both died. She from the effects of long term lupus, and he from a self-inflicted gunshot. The deaths shocked  and saddened fellow musicians, and fans throughout Arizona. The two performed often in Phoenix (where they began their 15 year musical career, and 13 year marriage), and in Tucson, and in their hometown, of Bisbee. Both were active in Arizona’s music scene. Because of Amy’s demand for her every other day dialysis brought on by her decade long battle with lupus, NMWG could not tour nationally. This however did not prevent them fro traveling within the state to perform up to 3-4 times a week for over a decade. This, and their music helped them gain a huge following with Arizona residents and local musicians. Now we want to all give back.                    

 – Jimi Giannatti (friend, organizer, photographer and the Pop Narkotic poster genius)

Mesquite Harvesting Time!

June 12, 2014 |
Learn all about mequite harvesting this month with Desert Harvesters' events. photo courtesy Desert Harvesters

Learn all about mesquite harvesting this month with Desert Harvesters’ events.
photo courtesy Desert Harvesters

While accustomed mesquite pod collectors know that June marks the beginning of the harvest, they also know they generally have to find a place to store their pods for months before the Desert Harvesters’ November milling events. Alas, the storage and waiting period is over! This year, the organization is hosting several events in June to educate people about harvesting, along with offering milling.

On Thursday, June 19, separate walking (5 p.m.) and biking (6 p.m.) tours are schedule and will help participants “identify and sample the best-tasting mesquite trees, how to harvest safely, ethically, and responsibly, and cool tricks,” says the press release. That same day are bean tree processing demonstrations where attendees can learn how to “turn milled or whole desert ironwood seeds, palo verde seeds, and mesquite pods into numerous tasty dishes ranging from sprouts to edamame to desert peanuts to atole to sauces and beyond.” That runs from 4 p.m.-7 p.m. Both events are based at the Santa Cruz River Farmers’ Market, 100 S. Avenida del Convento (west of I-10 at Congress and Grande).

On Sunday, June 22 at Exo Roast Co., 403 N. 6th Ave., mesquite harvesters can get their pods milled from 6 a.m.-9 a.m. “Pods for milling must be clean, dry, and free of mold/fungus, stones, leaves, and other debris. Cost: $3/gallon of whole pods, with a minimum of $10.” The event also will feature: “A native wild foods demonstration, highlighting what’s in harvest season now; Exo’s mesquite-, mole-, and chiltepin-infused coffees, mesquite baked goods and cactus fruit popsicles; sale of seeds and seedlings of the best-tasting native bean trees and chiltepines—so you can plant yours in time for the rains.”

Find more information at DesertHarvesters.org.

 

Buffalo Exchange Downtown Location Closing

May 13, 2014 |

This just in from Buffalo Exchange…

Buffalo Exchange Downtown Tucson from buffaloexchange.com

Buffalo Exchange Downtown Tucson Image from BuffaloExchange.com

“The Downtown Buffalo Exchange location will be permanently closed after Friday, May 16, 2014. We would like to thank the Downtown community and our customers for supporting this location for the past three years. All remaining merchandise will be transferred to our Speedway and Campbell location. Please enjoy our other Tucson locations at Speedway and Wilmot and Speedway and Campbell.”

Tucson Pops Concerts in the Park

May 6, 2014 |

Sunday, May 11th marks the opening of the spring season of the Tucson Pops Concerts in the Park. The Orchestra, under the direction of László Veres, celebrates its 60th year of performing free concerts in the park. The public is invited to enjoy “Music under the Stars™” at the DeMeester Outdoor Performance Center, in Reid Park, on Sunday evenings beginning at 7 p.m. from May 11 through June 8.

The concert schedule is as follows:  

Fourtissimo Saxophone Quartet

Fourtissimo Saxophone Quartet

May 11: Mother’s Day Concert – Featuring special guests Fourtissimo Saxophone Quartet and Aliyah Powe Tthe Fourtissimo Quartet includes Alex Cohen, Zach Cohen, Andrew Miller, and Colin Potter – all seniors in the band program at Catalina Foothills High School. The dynamic group has performed at numerous events and venues around Tucson, and has excelled in festival performances.  They have received numerous awards/accolades including being named Best in Class at the AMEA State Ensemble festival, and 1st place in the Arizona Wind Symphony Youth Ensemble competition. They will perform “Concerto for Saxophone Quartet” by B. Holcombe with the Tucson Pops Orchestra.

Aliyah Powe, 12, has played the violin since she was 3.  She has won several competitions, including the Tucson Symphony Orchestra Young Artist competition in 2011 and 2012, and the Civic Orchestra of Tucson Young Artist competition in 2012 and 2014. In January 2014, she participated in a master class with former TSO concertmaster Steven Moeckel. Aliyah has been a member of Tucson Junior Strings, and is currently in her third year as a participant in the Tucson Symphony Orchestra’s Young Composer Project.  She will play the 1st movement of Mozart’s “Violin Concerto No.4” with the Tucson Pops Orchestra.

May 18: Featuring the Arizona Balalaika Orchestra,a student ensemble group formed at the UA Russian Department in 1980.  Under the leadership of founder and artistic director Mia Bulgarin Gay,  the group is one of only a dozen Russian folk orchestras in the US. The Orchestra consists of 4 ” voices” with Balalaikas and Domras, accordions, woodwinds, percussion and a “Gusli” (Russian Harp).

Arizona Balalaika Orchestra

Arizona Balalaika Orchestra

May 25: Memorial Day Concert – featuring the Tucson Pops Orchestra performing stirring patriotic themes including “The Official West Point March,” “Gettysburg,” “Victory at Sea,” “Hymn To The Fallen” and more.

June 1: Jack Neubeck and Crystal Stark, two of Tucson’s most popular vocalists. will highlight this show.  Jack, a veteran performer of nearly 20 years in and around New York City, and over 2500 performances on Broadway, including the original Broadway casts of EVITA and LA CAGE AUX FOLLES, Jack has lived in Tucson since 1986 where he has been active in the Tucson arts community and performing in theatrical and music productions throughout the year. Recently he toured China with the U of A Jazz Ensemble along with the multi talented Crystal Stark. He currently sits on the boards of the Tucson Arizona Boys Chorus and the Tucson Pops.

Crystal Stark

Crystal Stark

American Idol finalist with a golden voice, Crystal Stark is an award winning r&b/jazz/pop singer who brings a positive message to today’s music scene.  Based on her church-singing roots and her teenage success in winning national vocal competitions, she knew that she wanted to pursue a full-time career in music. Crystal attended the University of Arizona where she graduated with a Bachelor of Music degree in Vocal Music Education. The talented duo will perform crowd pleasers including “Young at Heart,” “Someone to Watch Over Me,” Georgia on My Mind,” “What Kind of Fool Am I,” “’S Wonderful,”  “I’ve Got You Under My Skin” and more.

June 8: Highlighting the annual performance of the “1812” Overture. Tucson Pops audience members look forward to this classic performance each year during the final concert of the spring series where 9 lucky members get to play the role of the “cannons.”   Other numbers performed by the orchestra will include, “A Trumpeter’s Lullaby,” selections from Jerome Kern’s “Show Boat,” “Duke Ellington Fantasy,” “Porgy and Bess” Selections and much more.

 The spring 2014 concert series is sponsored by Long Realty Companies, the Friends of the Pops and Tucson Parks and Recreation with additional support from the Arizona Commission on the Arts.  The DeMeester Outdoor Performance Center is located off Country Club just north of 22nd Street.  Parking is available at the Randolph Park Golf Course parking lot, Alvernon Way just north of 22nd Street with shuttle service to the band shell beginning at 5:30 p.m.  For more information on the Tucson Pops Orchestra visit the website at TucsonPops.org. Bios and photos of guest artists are available upon request. 

Thanks to David Aguire and members of the Food Truck Roundup – Tucson’s best food trucks are available each Sunday to provide attendees with outstanding picnic fare. 

Who:  Tucson Pops Orchestra Spring 2014 Concert Season, When:  Sundays, May 11, 18, 25 and June 1, 8 at 7:00 p.m., Where:  DeMeester Outdoor Performance Center, Reid Park, What:  Free concerts under the stars for the whole family.

¡Es Tiempo para una Fiesta Grande!

April 24, 2014 |
12th Annual Fiesta Grande

12th Annual Fiesta Grande

Get out your dancing boots and get ready for Fiesta Grande, Barrio Hollywood’s annual street fair! Start Saturday out
with a parade and then enjoy more than 16 musical and dance groups, including the great tejano sounds of Hollywood Knights, Conjunto Fear and Mariachi Tesoro. Over a hundred vendors will line Grande Avenue for your shopping & eating pleasures along with a carnival rides for your children. This event is free!

Entertainment
​APRIL 26th MAIN STAGE MUSIC
11:00-12:00pm MARIACHI MILAGRO
12:30-1:30 MATADOR
2:00-3:00 NEW GENERATION
3:30-4:30 CONJUNTO FEAR
5:00-dusk HERMANOS QUATRO

APRIL 27th MAIN STAGE MUSIC
12:00-1:00 MARIACHI TESORO
1:30-2:30 LUCKY 7
3:00-4:00 GERTIE N THE TO BOYZ
5:00-dusk HOLLYWOOD KNIGHTS

Visit FiestaGrandeAZ.com for all of the details!

Sustainable Historic Home Tour

April 24, 2014 |

The City of Tucson’s Historic Preservation and Sustainability programs are organizing a Sustainable Historic Home Tour for Saturday, April 26, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

This self-guided open house tour will feature historic homes in Tucson that have been “green retrofitted” to be more sustainable, while remaining sensitive to their historic characters. Participants will travel to locations identified on a map, where the property owners and volunteers will provide information and tours.

Sustainable Historic Home Tour

Sustainable Historic Home Tour

“People will not only get to learn about the benefits of retrofitting their homes but also learn about the history of our community,” said Ward 5 Council member Richard Fimbres. “Many of the homes are in my Ward and I am proud that the homeowners have taken these steps for better sustainability, preserving Tucson’s history and our environment.”

To be included on the tour each home must be a contributing property in a National Register of Historic Places historic district. In addition, homes must showcase retrofit treatments that meet the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation and where applicable, meet the requirements of local Historic Preservation Zone Design Guidelines. Also, all homes on the tour must address at least one of the following; energy efficiency, water conservation, use or reuse of responsible building materials.

“This tour supports knowledge exchange about appropriate and sustainable retrofit treatments of historic homes,” said City Historic Preservation Officer, Jonathan Mabry. “This will help homeowners make better choices to increase the sustainability of our community, while also preserving the integrity of Tucson’s historic built environment.”

City’s Sustainability Manager Leslie Ethen notes that “retrofitting historic homes to be more energy and water efficient benefits not only the homeowner through reduced utility costs, but also contributes to Tucson’s quality of life by recognizing the inherent value in historic homes. Also, improving and extending the life of these homes really is reduce-reuse-recycle on a larger scale.”

Maps of the tour are currently available at KXCI, 220 S. 4th Ave. Sunscreen, hats, and walking shoes are recommended for this event.  Please bring your reusable water bottles that can be filled up at the stops along the tour.

Free information booklets that provide Tucson-specific guidelines for sustainable retrofitting of historic homes will be available at each house on the tour and from the City of Tucson Historic Preservation Office website, beginning on Friday, April 25, at www.tucsonaz.gov/preservation/greenretrofitting.

Assistance in organizing this event is being provided by graduate students in the Planning and Heritage Conservation Programs at the University of Arizona College of Architecture, Planning and Landscape Architecture.

For more information, contact Jennifer Levstick at (520) 837-6961.