SPIN and TELL

A MUSIC BLOG: disc dialogue. music magazine memorabilia. concert catalogue.

Thursday, March 21, 2024

BPM @ SPBH

I witnessed the sounds of BPM Jazz (and friends) tonight at Sandy Point Beach House.

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Saturday, March 09, 2024

Sarah Southard's Surprise Symphony

Tonight, I attended the Holland Symphony Orchestra's "Surprise Symphony" concert, featuring guest oboist Sarah Southard, at Hope College's Jack H. Miller Center for Musical Arts.

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Thursday, March 07, 2024

MDT @ SPBH

I enjoyed the smooth stylings of the Michael Drost Trio tonight at Sandy Point Beach House.

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Friday, March 01, 2024

Fulsome Foursome

Last  night, I experienced the sounds and synchronicity of the international Galvin Cello Quartet in concert at Hope College's Jack H. Miller Center for Musical Arts.

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Sunday, February 04, 2024

Swingin' with Count Basie

This afternoon, I enjoyed the big band swing of the Holland Concert Jazz Orchestra at the Park Theatre, featuring the music of Count Basie.

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Friday, January 26, 2024

From Holland (Netherlands) to Holland (Michigan)

Tonight, I saw acclaimed Netherlands-based harpist Lavinia Meijer in concert at Hope College's Jack H. Miller Center for Musical Arts.

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Saturday, December 23, 2023

Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree

Last night, I witnessed West Michigan rockabilly queen Delilah DeWylde play Tripelroot Brewery.

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Saturday, December 09, 2023

Hope for the Holidays

This evening, I experienced the Holland Symphony Orchestra's "Celebrate the Season!" holiday concert, featuring vocal soloists Allison and Steven Martin, at Hope College's Dimnent Memorial Chapel.

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The Roaring, Soaring Sounds of Jazz

Last night, I attended a "Roaring 20s Holiday Ball" fundraiser for the Park Theatre, featuring the Holland Concert Jazz Orchestra Quartet.

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Friday, November 17, 2023

Brad ends with Sufjan

Last night, I saw the Brad Mehldau Trio play Hope College's Jack H. Miller Center for Musical Arts.  The jazz outfit ended their show with Hope graduate Sufjan Stevens' "Holland" in honor of Hope and Holland.

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Sunday, October 29, 2023

Wineglass, Mendelssohn and Brahms

Last night, I witnessed the Holland Symphony Orchestra's Brahms 3 concert at Hope College's Jack H. Miller Center for Musical Arts, featuring guest violinist Aaron Berofsky.

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Saturday, September 30, 2023

International Festival of Holland 2023

Today, I attended the International Festival of Holland, featuring performances by Japanese drumming ensemble Raion Taiko, African musical group Motherland House Concerts, and Cuban Changui band Changui Majadero (above).

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Sunday, August 13, 2023

What a Wonderful World

Last night, I experienced the Holland Symphony Orchestra's Our Wonderful World: Music Unites Us Project program at Kollen Park, featuring guest artists Nina Tritenichenko, Grupo Super Nova, Julia LaGrand, Samuel Nalangira, and Cuong Luong.

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Wednesday, July 26, 2023

A 6-Pack of Lemon(ade)

I witnessed the sounds of Cool Lemon Jazz on June 30, all-girl 60s band The 6 Pak on July 7, CORDERO (above) on July 21, and Tejano outfit KARIZMA BAND on Aug. 4, all at Kollen Park.

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Monday, June 26, 2023

Catfish and Whiskey

Holland's summer concert series returned on June 16, featuring country/rock band Whiskey Bound, while rockabilly two piece Jesse Ray & the Carolina Catfish (above) played on June 23.  Once again, the series is hosted at Kollen Park.

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Tuesday, June 13, 2023

The Beegie Adair Memorial Concert and Celebration

While I was unable to attend the Beegie Adair Memorial Concert and Celebration in person on Friday, I was so pleased and moved to be able to stream it online.  It was a beautiful way to celebrate such a beautiful person and pianist.

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Monday, May 15, 2023

Instruments and wooden shoes and bikes! Oh, my!

Yesterday, I experienced the Bicycle Showband Crescendo, during their first visit to the U.S. from the Netherlands.  The performance was an official Tulip Time Festival event, located at the Ray and Sue Smith Stadium in Holland, Mich.  The marching band literally plays while riding bicycles -- all while wearing traditional Dutch wooden shoes and costumes.

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Monday, April 24, 2023

Big Band Hoots and Hollers

Last night, I witnessed Rev. Peyton's Big Damn Band live at the Park Theatre.  Opening act The Hooten Hallers was just what the reverend ordered.  Although each band is only a three piece, both trios brought the big, bad blues big time!

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Sunday, April 16, 2023

All That Jazz

I enjoyed another Holland Concert Jazz Orchestra performance at the Park Theatre this afternoon.

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Saturday, April 01, 2023

Thurman thrills

I enjoyed the swinging, scat-a-licious sounds of the Camille Thurman Quintet at the Knickerbocker Theatre last night.

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Friday, March 17, 2023

Preparing for Patrick

Last night, I saw Celtic/Irish duo Acoustic Vagabondi play a St. Paddy's Eve show at Park Theatre.

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Tuesday, February 28, 2023

Considering Matthew Sherpherd

On Sunday, I attended a beautifully moving presentation of Considering Matthew Shepherd by the Holland Chorale and the Chancel Choir of Park Church at the Holland Armory, in recognition of the 25th anniversary year of Shepherd's death.  

As the Matthew Shepherd Foundation's web site explains, "Approaching the eve of the 20th anniversary of Matt’s murder, composer Craig Hella Johnson responded with his first concert-length work, Considering Matthew Shepard. This three-part fusion oratorio speaks with a fresh and bold voice, incorporating a variety of musical styles seamlessly woven into a unified whole. Johnson sets a wide range of poetic and soulful texts by poets including Hildegard of Bingen, Lesléa Newman, Michael Dennis Browne, and Rumi. Passages from Matt’s personal journal, interviews and writings from his parents Judy and Dennis Shepard, newspaper reports, and additional texts by Johnson and Browne are poignantly appointed throughout the work."

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Friday, February 17, 2023

Playing It Safe: Winter Weather Blues

I had planned to see blues guitarist Ana Popovic, as well as special guests James Reeser and The Backseat Drivers, play the Park Theatre last night.  However, due to the winter weather advisory in effect, I played it safe and stayed home, albeit a bit bummed.

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Monday, February 06, 2023

Beating the Winter Blues With HCJO

I witnessed the Holland Concert Jazz Orchestra's winter concert at the Park Theatre yesterday afternoon. 

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Sunday, January 15, 2023

Covering the Classics

I saw local cover band Reckless Davey play at the Park Theatre for a private fundraising event last night.

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Monday, September 26, 2022

HCJO at Park

Yesterday afternoon, I saw the Holland Concert Jazz Orchestra for the second time.  This time, I experienced their bold, beautiful sound at the Park Theatre.

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Monday, August 29, 2022

Stevens at Crane's

I caught another singer/songwriter set at Crane's Pie Pantry, Restaurant & Winery in Fennville, Mich. on Saturday, this time compliments of Jake Stevens of Grand Rapids.

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Wednesday, August 17, 2022

A Look Back: Photographic Proof of Carolyn Arends Gig

Last night, while searching through my band files in order to locate the mementos I posted re: the Kletz Coffeehouse performances in my past, I laid hands on the ad above, which documents my band MR. levi's opening slot for singer/songwriter Carolyn Arends in 1999.

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Tuesday, August 16, 2022

Farewell to the Kletz

2001
Today, I learned that Hope College is retiring its iconic Kletz Coffeehouse.  I watched bands and comedians perform on the Kletz stage as a student.  Later, as an alumnus, I performed on that very stage with two of my bands, MR. levi and Milk & Honey.

1999 (See bottom, left-hand corner.)
It's a shame to lose that piece of Hope's history.

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Saturday, August 13, 2022

Sayonara, Summer Concert Series.

Last night, I attended Holland's final edition of this year's Summer Concert Series at Kollen Park.  The featured band, Grupo Super Nova, celebrated their 25th anniversary with family, friends, fans, and folks from the community.

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Saturday, August 06, 2022

Music with Moxie

I saw instrumental duo The Moxie Strings live for the second time at Kollen Park last night, having seen the violin/cello combo at the Park Theatre three years ago.

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Saturday, July 30, 2022

Summer Sounds

Last Friday, I enjoyed the sounds of Tejano/variety band Grupo Motivo at Holland, Michigan's Kollen Park.  Last night, I experienced West Michigan blues outfit Joe Johnson and the Bluebacks Band (pictured above) at that same bandshell.

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Tuesday, July 19, 2022

Stormy weather...since my band and I ain't together

Sadly, I was unable to make use of my tickets to see punk band The Linda Lindas open for alterna-pop indie artist Japanese Breakfast Sunday night, due to thunderstorms.

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Sunday, July 10, 2022

Steeling Musical Moments

After passively listening to country band Stolen Horses while at Kollen Park on Friday night, I heard acoustic pop/rock singer/songwriter Lukas Pederson at Crane's Pie Pantry Restaurant & Winery yesterday afternoon (above).  Regional musical acts represent!

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Wednesday, July 06, 2022

Joan Jett graphic novel celebrates 40th anniversary of two seminal albums

I pre-ordered this double cover book on July 12, 2021 and it finally arrived yesterday.  Long live rock-n-roll (and those who make it)!

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Friday, July 01, 2022

Franklin Park at Kollen Park

This evening, I heard local 60s rock band Franklin Park play at Kollen Park in Holland, Mich.

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Sunday, June 19, 2022

Enticed by ENTYCE

Last night, I saw the jazz/R&B/blues/pop cover band ENTYCE at Kollen Park in Holland, Mich.  The multi-vocalist group headlined this year's Juneteenth celebration.

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Saturday, April 09, 2022

A Look Back: Additional Doris Coverage

Point of Personal Privilege: While this blog is dedicated to my coverage of musical artists and their creative output, this is the last of four posts documenting coverage that my personal musical endeavors received.

The Holland Sentinel featured my third band, Doris, on Dec. 30, 1999, in preparation for the local Y2K celebration (see bottom right photo).

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Friday, March 04, 2022

In Defense of the Disc

Over the years, I've made no secret about my preference for physical media. I resonate with Rob Sheffield's recent piece for Rolling Stone, "Jewel-Box Hereos: Why the CD Revival Is Finally Here."  Long live tangible tunes!

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Thursday, March 03, 2022

A Look Back: Levite Coverage

Point of Personal Privilege: While this blog is dedicated to my coverage of musical artists and their creative output, this is the third of four posts documenting coverage that my personal musical endeavors received.

German newspaper Ludwigsluster Tageblatt covered Levite in April 2000.  I (pictured above at far left) was a guest percussionist/vocalist of Levite that Easter (Ostern) on their trip abroad.

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Wednesday, March 02, 2022

A Look Back: Doris Coverage

Point of Personal Privilege: While this blog is dedicated to my coverage of musical artists and their creative output, this is the second of four posts documenting coverage that my personal musical endeavors received.

The Holland Sentinel covered my third band, Doris, on Dec. 2, 1999.  A Sentinel staff reporter at the time, I was asked to write a first-person account, as a local musician, which I gladly did (see piece in bottom, right-hand corner).


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Tuesday, March 01, 2022

A Look Back: MR. levi Coverage

Point of Personal Privilege: While this blog is dedicated to my coverage of musical artists and their creative output, this is the first of four posts documenting coverage that my personal musical endeavors received.

The Grand Rapids Press covered my second band, MR. levi, on July 30, 1999.

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Monday, January 31, 2022

Exit/In book makes an entrance

After a distribution delay, the Exit/In coffee table book that I pre-ordered in September finally arrived today.  The book celebrates the Nashville music forum's 50-year history.

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Sunday, January 23, 2022

Bon voyage, Beegie...

I was deeply saddened to learn that my favorite jazz pianist, Beegie Adair, passed away this morning.  She was 84.

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Wednesday, December 08, 2021

Jen Knapp & Maggie B Reunite

I was happy to catch a few minutes of singer/songwriters Margaret Becker (bottom/right above) and Jennifer Knapp's (top/left above) collaborative show on Facebook Live Nov. 21.

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