Tuesday, February 18, 2025

News and Ideas Worth Sharing

BITS & BYTES: Kendra McKinley at Race Brook Lodge; Berkshire Bach Society presents Renée Anne Louprette; Celebration at Susan B. Anthony Museum; Temple Anshe Amunim to screen ‘Unspoken’; Berkshire Green Drinks presents slime molds presentation

Kendra McKinley paints on her clothes and makes music for smoking weed with your bra off.

Race Brook Lodge presents a three-show residency, including a Joni Mitchell tribute, with dynamic performer Kendra McKinley

Sheffield— On February 13th, 20th, and 27th, Race Brook Lodge presents a three-show residency with Kendra McKinley. Across three unique evenings, McKinley’s artistry will transport audiences on a captivating musical journey through folk, jazz, and funk, showcasing her versatility as a performer and her dynamic presence as an artist.

Kendra McKinley. Courtesy Race Brook Lodge.

Kendra McKinley paints on her clothes and makes music for smoking weed with your bra off. She’s a conduit of connection with a voice that sounds like tuned honey, creating music that braids sensuality, levity, and polish. Whether she’s casting spells with her looping pedal or fronting a dynamic band, her live show is an invitation to swerve and swoon to her yummy grooves.

On February 13th, join Kendra McKinley for an intimate evening honoring the legendary Joni Mitchell. This tribute show will span Joni’s classic repertoire, from folk to jazz, capturing the essence of Laurel Canyon to L.A. On February 20th, Kendra McKinley takes the stage solo, offering an unfiltered look at her artistry. On February 27th, the residency concludes with McKinley’s will be joined by Dan Schwartz on drums and David Lizmi on bass for a performance bursting with groove and energy, and her lush soundscapes and soulful style find electrifying new life.

The performances are on February 13th, 20th, and 27th, Race Brook Lodge, located at 864 Undermountain Road in Sheffield. Tickets and more information can be found online.

***

Berkshire Bach Society presents the ‘Best of Bach’ a recital by master organist Renée Anne Louprette 

Housatonic— On Saturday, February 8th at 2 p.m., the Berkshire Bach Society, as part of its Organ Masters series, presents an organ recital by master organist Renée Anne Louprette on the historic organ at the U.U. Meeting House.

“The 1893 Johnson Organ at the UU Meeting House in Housatonic is the hidden gem of the Berkshires,” Terrill McDade, Executive Director of the Berkshire Bach Society. Louprette will play familiar pieces that range from the iconic “Toccata in D minor, BWV 565,” to transcriptions from the cantatas, including “Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring,” “Sheep may safely graze,” and “Sleepers awake.”  The program provides an opportunity to hear well-known pieces played on the sweet-voiced and musical Johnson organ.

Renée Anne Louprette. Courtesy Berkshire Bach Society.

Renée Anne Louprette is Assistant Professor of Music and College Organist at Bard College where she directs the Bard Baroque Ensemble. She has performed on important organs throughout the world and in 2022-2023 received a Fulbright research grant to document the restoration of historic organs in Romania. She is joined in her program for Berkshire Bach by distinguished Bach scholar George B. Stauffer, who provides commentary and discusses the life and times of J.S. Bach.

The recital is on Saturday, February 8th at 2 p.m. at Unitarian Universalist Meeting of South Berkshire, located at 1089 Main Street in Housatonic. Tickets and more information can be found online.

***

Susan B. Anthony 205th birthday celebration at Susan B. Anthony Museum

Adams— On Sunday, February 9th at 2 p.m., the Susan B. Anthony Birthplace Museum, with the Adams Historical Society and the Adams Free Library, invites the Berkshire community to come and commemorate Susan B. Anthony’s accomplishments and long standing legacy with a birthday event.

The event will feature keynote speaker and author Jeanne Gehret, a researcher and historian who has spent years working specifically with the Anthony family’s history. Gehret’s work offers new insights into the lives and values of the Anthony family, and she will share her knowledge and research in an engaging presentation.

Courtesy Susan B. Anthony Museum.

This is a wonderful opportunity to connect with fellow members of the community and discuss Susan’s lasting impact and fight for equality.  The Susan B. Anthony Birthplace Museum encourages everyone to join in the festivities and celebrate the life of this trailblazing pioneer in the town where it all began. 

The celebration is on Sunday, February 9th at 2 p.m. in the G.A.R Memorial hall at the Adams Free Library, located at 92 Park Street in Adams. There will be a pre-talk reception. More information can be found online.

***

Temple Anshe Amunim community film series continues with a screening and discussion of the ‘Unspoken’

Pittsfield— On Sunday, February 2nd at 2 p.m., Temple Anshe Amunim community film series continues with a screening of “Unspoken” followed by a discussion with author Letty Cottin Pogrebin.

Courtesy Temple Anshe Amunim.

“Unspoken” offers a wholesome portrait of self-discovery through the eyes of Jewish teenager with an affinity for show tunes, a love shared by his grandfather. When his beloved Opa passes, Noam finds a love letter from before the Holocaust, written to his grandfather by another man. This startling discovery brings hope to the closeted Noam, who has been hiding his true identity from his family and friends. Setting out to find the mysterious writer, Noam hopes to uncover both his grandfather’s identity as well as his own. 

A founding editor and writer for Ms. magazine, Ms. Pogrebin is also the author of twelve books, most recently, “Shanda: A Memoir of Shame and Secrecy.”  She is also the editor of the anthology, “Stories for Free Children,” and was consulting editor on “Free to Be, You and Me,” Marlo Thomas’ ground-breaking children’s book, record, and television special. Besides her nearly 20 year affiliation with Ms. magazine, Ms. Pogrebin has published articles and op-eds in The New York Times, Washington Post, Time magazine and Travel & Leisure, among others. She served two terms as president of The Authors Guild, is a graduate of Brandeis University, and is a 2018 inductee in the Manhattan Jewish Hall of Fame.

The event is on Sunday, February 2nd at 2 p.m. at Temple Anshe Amunim. Tickets and more information can be found online. 

***

Berkshire Green Drinks presents ‘From Pretzel Slime to Carnival Candy: An Introduction to Slime Molds’  with Shelby Perry

Berkshire— On Wednesday, February 12th at 6 p.m., Berkshire Green Drinks presents ‘From Pretzel Slime to Carnival Candy: An Introduction to Slime Molds’ a virtual presentation by Shelby Perry, Wildlands Ecology Director at Northeast Wilderness Trust.

Animal, vegetable, mineral…or none of the above? Learn about the unexpected lives of slime molds (myxomycetes) in this naturalist presentation about the fascinating life cycle of slime molds. Perry will explain the life cycle of the slime mold and some of its surprising habits. Attendees will learn where and when to find them in the forest and see a variety of impressive species that live in the Northeast.

Slime mold. Courtesy WIki Commons.

The free virtual presentation is on Wednesday, February 12th at 6 p.m. on Zoom. Registration and more information can be found online. 

spot_img

The Edge Is Free To Read.

But Not To Produce.

Continue reading

BITS & BYTES: Black Legacy Project at The Colonial; Garnell Curtis at American Mural Project; Victoria Christopher Murray at Ventfort Hall; Berkshire County Historical...

The Black Legacy Project is a powerful musical celebration of Black history designed to advance racial solidarity, equity, and belonging.

NICK DILLER: January 2025 weather — dry snow drought

Sunday morning at 7:15 Phil saw his shadow, forecasting 6 more weeks of winter.

BITS & BYTES: Marc Ribot at Hudson Hall; Manticore at The Colonial; ‘Wicked’ drag show at Wander; Live animals at Springfield Museums; Berkshire Art...

Over his 40-year career, guitarist Marc Ribot has collaborated with music legends like Tom Waits, Elvis Costello, Diana Krall, and Robert Plant & Alison Krauss, earning a reputation as one of the most versatile and respected guitarists in modern music.

The Edge Is Free To Read.

But Not To Produce.