Thrasher Opera House presents
John Jorgenson Quintet Comes To Thrasher on December 6th, 2008
By David J. Klug
The internationally acclaimed John Jorgenson Quintet will perform at the historic Thrasher Opera House on Saturday, December 6 at 7:30 p.m. The Quintet features guitarist John Jorgenson, a founding member of the Desert Rose Band, the Hellecasters, and six-year member of Elton John's band.
Jorgenson is best known as one of the pioneers of the American gypsy jazz movement. Because of his international reputation as a gypsy jazz player, Jorgenson was twice asked to recreate Django Reinhardt's music for feature films. He first came to national prominence in the mid 1980's with The Desert Rose Band, which he co-founded with Chris Hillman (The Byrds, The Flying Burrito Brothers). The band earned five # 1 singles and during this time Jorgenson won the Academy of Country Music’s "Guitarist of the Year" award three consecutive times. Following the Desert Rose Band, Jorgenson formed another award-winning group, the virtuosic guitar trio The Hellecasters. That group went on to produce three acclaimed CDs, winning both "Album of the Year" and "Country Album of the Year" from the readers of Guitar Player Magazine for “Return of the Hellecasters” in 1993. Jorgenson’s recent recorded output includes his first Gypsy Jazz tribute, ""Franco-American Swing" (2004), and "Ultraspontane" (2007), a collection in the tradition of the hot jazz that blazed through Europe in the 1920s and 30s.
The Quintet includes Kevin Nolan, Charlie Chadwick, Jason Anick, and Rick Reed. Buzz McClain of the Washington Post exclaims that Jorgenson “literally wrote the book on gypsy jazz guitar.” And Phil Elwood of the San Francisco Examiner raves that Jorgenson’s music is “spirited, romantic, and breathtakingly distinctive” and calls the Quintet “impeccable.”
This program is supported in part by a grant from the Wisconsin Arts Board with funds from the State of Wisconsin and the National Endowment for the Arts.
In addition, a grant awarded by the Alliant Energy Foundation is helping to support our “Arts in Action Holiday Series”; a collaborative effort between the Thrasher Opera House, Crossroads Market of Green Lake and the Green Lake County Food Pantry, to help fill the food pantry during the Thanksgiving/Christmas holiday season.
Every month, the Green Lake County Food Pantry provides emergency assistance to hundreds of families and individuals in need, which means that the shelves need replenishing on a continual basis. Please join us in further support of the Green Lake County Food Pantry by bringing a donation of a non-perishable food item to the John Jorgenson Quintet performance, or on your next shopping trip to Crossroads Market, consider purchasing a little something extra to drop into the Green Lake Food Pantry bin located inside the store. Whether a can or a case, your gifts will help make the holidays brighter for area families in need.
Tickets for this concert are only $20 and available at the Thrasher office, Knowledge Emporium, Green Lake Bank (Green Lake); Pick N’ Save, Ripon Drug (Ripon); Twister (Princeton) or by calling (920) 294-4279. Online tickets available at www.thrasheroperahouse.com.
Join us for Switchback’s special holiday performance of Christmas favorites such as Oh, Holy Night, Jingle Bells and Away in the Manger from their holiday CD, "A Very Switchback Christmas" (2005), as well as Irish melodies, lively reels and jigs and other originals tunes.
Since Switchback formed in 1993 they have released eleven albums that included rock and blues classics, traditional Irish stylings, foot-stomping country and their own unique style of rock. The duo hits the heart of what unites Midwesterners through their Celtic soul and American roots.
Brian FitzGerald, Lansing, Ill, has been dazzling audiences on his guitar, mandolin and vocal since his college days in 1984. His guitar style is built upon classical training and sessions spent developing the "Freddy Green" rhythm style with jazzmen on Chicago's Hubbard Street. FitzGerald played electric guitar for the late Clifton Chenier on a Midwest tour. Equally accomplished on the mandolin, he studied bluegrass and jazz standards with Jethro Burns.
Martin (Marty) McCormack, Woodstock, Ill, adds the bass, guitar and classically trained tenor vocals to Switchback’s energetic sound. He began his Irish music career early in life, heavily influenced by his grandfather from County Mayo and encouraged by his mother to learn traditional Irish songs. He and his nine siblings formed the singing group The McCormack's which performed throughout northern Illinois. In college he received awards and scholarships for his singing. Later, he and his brothers formed the Chicago rock band Beyond Blue and narrowly escaped appearing on Star Search.
Switchback’s latest CD "Falling Water River" is a tremendous addition to an already impressive catalog of music, including their 2002 "The Fire That Burns," which was selected by Performing Songwriter magazine as one of the 12 best independent releases of the year. "Falling Water River" certainly deserves to be rated as highly.
The music tells the heartbreaking story of Private William Henry, who is shipped off to fight and die in a pointless war (make no mistake; while not an overtly political album, there is no doubt it is Iraq where Private Henry dies. The lyrics of "Far Away From Where the Fighting Is" leave no questions on that). Leaving behind a young wife and family, Private Henry is killed in an explosion. We live the moment with him, as he remembers his first dance with his wife, in "The Death of William Henry." We feel her pain in "The Loneliest Road." This disc is an attempt to put a human face on this war, the folded flag and the coffins we haven't been permitted to see. It needs to be heard and experienced. - Kathy Coleman, www.about.com country music guide
This program is supported in part by a grant from the Wisconsin Arts Board with funds from the State of Wisconsin and the National Endowment for the Arts.
Tickets for this concert are only $13 and available at the Thrasher office by calling (920) 294-4279. Online tickets available at www.thrasheroperahouse.com.