Middletown DBD Events

Introduction to Foundation Directory Online - Monday, February 27, 2012

Learn how to get results for the Foundation Directory Online and review several other grants sources offered at the Russell Library, including one for individual grant seekers. There will be time for participants to search for their grant sources, you may save your results via a flash drive or email. (In order to participate effectively, keyboard, mouse and basic Internet searching skills are required). The Russell Library is a Cooperating Collection site for the Foundation Center in NYC.

Godfrey Memorial Library - Sunday, February 19, 2012

Contact: Marcia Meyers marciarthur@sbcglobal.net
The Jewish Genealogical Society will be meeting at the Godfrey Memorial Library

Avery Sharp & Charles Neville Duo - Saturday, February 18, 2012

From New Orleans to New England - Avery Sharpe & Charles Neville

Avery Sharpe learned both electric and acoustic bass as a teenager, and studied with Reggie Workman at the University of Massachusetts. He played with Wynton Marsalis and Pat Metheny before joining McCoy Tyner�s sextet; from 1984 through 2002 he played with Tyner�s trio. He has also played as a sideman with Archie Shepp, Yusef Lateef, Ricky Ford, Joe Ford, and others. As a leader, he has releases on Sunnyside Records, and several albums on his own label, JKNM. Sharpe is remarkably versatile as a bassist. He plays both bass guitar and upright bass. His humming-and-bowing, � la Slam Stewart, as well as his chord work on stand-up bass, are signatures of his unique style.

Charles Neville�s saxophone work in his 50 year career has included rhythm & blues, funk, jazz, bebop, popular, and native American music. Best known for his work with his brothers in the New Orleans funk-pop group the Neville Brothers, he cites as influences Louis Jordan, Charlie Parker, John Coltrane, Sonny Rollins and Professor Longhair.
Neville has played with R&B greats including Johnny Ace, Little Walter, Jimmy Reed, Big Maybelle, James Brown, B.B. King, Bobby Bland and Ray Charles. At home in New Orleans, he played saxophone behind Allen Toussaint, James Booker, Ernie K-Doe and Huey �Piano� Smith.

Shinbone Alley - Friday, February 17, 2012

Shinbone Alley is three friends: Christopher Biase, Tyler Bussey, and Benedict Gagliardi.

The trio came together for the first time at the University of Connecticut in 2009, united by a shared interest in folk music, especially (but not limited to) Irish and American folk songs and fiddle tunes.

After months of informally trading songs and tunes, everywhere from hootenannies and farmer�s markets to small, lamp-lit house concerts, Ben finally got to thinking:

�Why don�t we start a band?� Thus, with an already-massive repertoire of traditional music in tow, Shinbone Alley was born.

Each of the three musicians brings something unique into the mix. As a youngster, Chris was instructed in the classical Suzuki method of violin; his interest in music hung on by a thread, and his rented fiddle inched ever closer to a blaze-of-glory, courtesy of the family fireplace. Yet, as fate would have it, the years to come would yield two invaluable sources of musical inspiration for Chris: the fiddlers Stacy Phillips and Joe Gerhard, who introduced him to various styles of traditional music. Before long, the young violinist was hooked. A couple fiddle camps and some useless New England Fiddle contest trophies later, Chris met up with Ben at UConn. The pair regularly attend sessions statewide and supply musical accompaniment for the UConn Irish Dance Club.

Tyler began playing folk music upon arriving at UConn in the fall of 2009. Primarily a guitarist, he was interested specifically in the folk music of Harry Smith�s Anthology, but through meeting Ben (and careful record collecting) he became enamored with the swirling, breathless melodies of traditional Irish tunes. A restless musical polymath, Tyler performs original, often highly experimental music when not playing folk tunes with Chris and Ben. He is often found performing his own hazy interpretations of old songs, occasionally accompanied by New Haven�s equally restless traditionalists, Dr. Caterwaul�s Cadre of Clairvoyant Claptraps.

From the fateful first moment Ben heard traditional Irish music by listening to a tattered old cassette tape, he knew he must learn to play. After a few rash eBay purchases and innumerable hours of practice, he hit the CT sessions to build a tune repertoire. Throughout the years, many musicians across the state have informally mentored him, including the men of The Morgans, who sparked his initial interest. During his freshman year at UConn, Ben joined a well-established and enduring traditional Irish band, Full Gael, and continues to play regularly with them. Recently, he has had the privilege of playing with Robbie O�Connell and Dan Milner at the 32nd Annual Mystic Sea Music Festival. Ben is a savvy multi-instrumentalist, yet his first and still greatest passion is the concertina.

Fall in Love with Your eReader on Valentine's Day - Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Join library staff members in the library's Hubbard Room at 10:00 to explore the world of e-readers. Are you thinking of purchasing one of the new, popular eReaders that are on the market? Or, maybe you were given a Nook, or a Kindle or iPad over the holidays and still have questions about it. We will go over some of the different kinds of eReaders and how to use them to download free library books. There will be stations set up around the room for specific devices. Bring your eReader and your questions with you. Tip sheets will be available, as well as handouts on what to look for when purchasing an eReader. Registration is not required. Contact the Information Department at 860-347-2520 with questions.

Russell Writers - Saturday, February 11, 2012

Each month of 2012 brings Russell Writers a writing challenge to spark the imagination. Of course, you are always welcome to write on any topic and in any format you choose, but we hope these writing prompts are helpful for those times when you are not sure where to begin.

Each participant will have a chance to read his or her work (please bring several copies) and have it gently critiqued by the other members. All writers, from beginners to the experienced, are welcome. Please join us!

For more information, contact Michele Rousseau at 860-344-8136 or shellywriter@sbcglobal.net, or call Russell Library's Programs and Publicity office at 860-347-2528 ext. 135.
This month's prompt: Develop a story or poem about things left unsaid and/or undone.

Alturas Duo Concert - Saturday, February 11, 2012

This Duo is one of the most engaging ensembles performing in the chamber music world today. The only group of its kind, they created the idea of playing South American and classical music by bringing together the unusual combination of the viola, charango and guitar. Their artistic virtuosity and audience rapport has made them a favorite with audiences and critics alike throughout North and South America. The Duo has performed in Brazil, Canada, Chile, Bolivia, throughout the US and Puerto Rico. They took First Prize at the 2006 New England International Chamber Music Competition, and won the 2009 CMA / ASCAP (Chamber Music America / American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers) Award for Adventurous Programming. (snow date is Saturday, February 25)

Friends of Russell Library - Friday, February 10, 2012

The Friends of the Library book sales will be held on the second Friday/Saturday of each month in the library Activity Room.

Theater - Friday, February 10, 2012

The Modern Riffs - Friday, February 10, 2012

An evening of jazz, classic rock and swing featuring the music of such artists as Michael Buble, Natalie Cole, Miles Davis, Sonny Rollins, Chicago, Stevie Wonder, Chicago, Santana, and Steely Dan�delivered by a high-energy nine-piece group of experienced musicians and talented high school performers.

The Modern Riffs is a high-energy blend of experienced musicians and high school musicians who deliver the right combination of jazz, classic rock, and swing for each individual audience. Here are the members:

Alisha Kapur & David D�Auria ~ Lead Vocals

Kim DuBois ~ Bass and co-leader

Greg Matunas ~ Guitar

Connor Mccaffrey ~ Drums

Nathan Vanmeter ~ Keyboard

Corinne Cannon ~ Trombone & Vocals

Roz Goodrich ~ Trumpet

Bruce Phelps ~ Saxophone, Vocals & Leader

Music - Friday, February 10, 2012

Music - Thursday, February 09, 2012

Twilight Tales - Tuesday, February 07, 2012

Drop-in No Registration Required
Twilight Tales is a relaxing way to end the day. Drop by for some stories; share in making a craft together & stay to play. The stories are selected for the 3-5 year old audience, but all ages are welcome. Wigglers too!

Great Movies from Great Books: Oliver Twist - Tuesday, February 07, 2012

We know that moviemakers usually change literary works drastically. But can a great story really make a great film when every single page of it, almost every paragraph, is brought to the screen? This superb John Huston cinematization of a James Joyce novella does exactly that. By the time this short movie is over, you�ll know one Irish family almost as well as your own, and you will feel as if you�ve been to the party the family throws, with all its joy, music, romance, wistfulness and sense of self-discovery.

How many times have you heard this: 'The movie wasn�t as good as the book'? But though some great stories have been wrecked by Hollywood, some adaptations have been as good as their source or even better.

Film critic Richard Alleva will introduce four of the best adaptations ever made and will pinpoint just how, in each, a great moviemaker has preserved the essence of a great tale.

Bring a sandwich; the library will provide dessert and beverages.

If you need accommodations for a disability, please call (860) 347-2528, ext. 135.

Tuesday, February 7 Oliver Twist (1948)

February 7th is the 200th birthday of Charles Dickens, a novelist who has never lost his popularity and whose books have been a continual source of inspiration for moviemakers. In celebration we will show perhaps the greatest of Dickens� adaptations, Oliver Twist, for which the great David Lean (Lawrence of Arabia, Dr. Zhivago) carved a two-hour screenplay out of a 600 page novel. We�ll find out about the uproar created in America when charges of anti-Semitism were brought against Lean and actor Alec Guiness for their portrayal of Fagin. Just to show how different adaptations can be, we�ll watch a few scenes from Oliver!, a wonderful musical that transforms the grim realities of the book into playfulness and hilarity.

Tuesday, March 6 Breakfast at Tiffany�s (1961)
Tuesday, April 3 The Fallen Idol (1948)
Tuesday, May 1 The Dead (1987)