Mid-Michigan Festival Orchestra performs
Mid-Michigan Festival Orchestra, July 20, 2016 from Guven Witteveen on Vimeo.
My Sweet Patootie brings ragtime to SJ Concert in the Park on July 27
Ragtime and contemporary roots music will fill the air at the St. Johns City Park Performance Shell July 27 when the internationally known trio My Sweet Patootie takes the stage in the weekly Concert in the Park series. The show begins at 7 p.m.; no admission charge.
Founded in 2007 by Canadian Folk Music Award winners Sandra Swannell and Terry Young, My Sweet Patootie delivers tight harmonies, monstrous guitar, sizzling fiddle and percussion together in one perfect package. Paul Clifford completes the trio during the group’s North American tour.
The band takes its name from a slang term of endearment meaning a “hot dame” or a “sassy sweetheart” that was popular in the 1920s. Several ragtime titles from the jazz-age reference the expression including “Sweet Patootie Blues” by Arthur “Blind” Blake in 1928, who was well known for his complex and intricate finger picking.
The name was chosen by Swannell and Young to capture the vintage flavor of the band’s music as well as the satirical edge in much of their song writing. From original swing to funky fiddle-tune arrangements to exquisite ballads, My Sweet Patootie has been cited by music critics as having “two parts exemplary musicianship and one part vaudeville comedy” in a “must-see” show.
The trio has performed thousands of shows including theatres, festivals and clubs in Canada (Ontario, Manitoba and British Colombia), the United States from the Eastern Seaboard to the Midwest, and the United Kingdom. My Sweet Patootie is played regularly on CBC, NPR, and BBC Radio. They have performed live-to-air concerts on the nationally-syndicated WFMT “Folkstage” in Chicago, IL; WVBR’s “Bound for Glory” in Ithaca, NY; and BBC’s “The Drift” in Blackburn, Lancashire.
For more information visit http://www.mysweetpatootie.com/
Concert in the Park is sponsored by the Clinton County Arts Council and the City of St. Johns with support from the Michigan Council for the Arts and Cultural Affairs and the National Endowment for the Arts. Concerts are held each Wednesday evening; rain or shine. The St. Johns Lions and Lioness Club staff a concession stand that offers light refreshments.
For detailed information on the Concert in the Park series visit the CCAC web site, http://www.clintoncountyarts.org/ and check out the St. Johns City Park Performance Shell page on Facebook.
St. Johns Concert in the Park 2016 Schedule
St. Johns City Park Performance Shell
Wednesday evenings, 7 p.m.
July 27: Canadian Roots/Ragtime, My Sweet Patootie
Aug. 3: Eagles Tribute Band, Motown Eagles
Aug. 10: The Music of Ireland, Monday’s Supper
Aug. 17: Beatles Tribute Band, Toppermost
Aug. 24: All Brass, Capital City Brass Band
Aug. 31: Elvis Impersonator, Matt King
German Choir to Present Concert – Tuesday, July 26
The “Oberstufenchor des Johanneums zu Luebeck”, a 50-voice high school choir from Luebeck, Germany will be visiting St. Johns from July 24 to July 27 as part of the Blue Lake International Exchange Program. The students, ages 15 – 19, will be staying in private homes while visiting St. Johns.
They will be presenting a free concert in the Performance Shell on Tuesday, July 26 starting at 7:00 p.m. The Performance Shell is located in the St. Johns City Park.
“This award wining choir is held in high esteem in Germany,” says William Tennant, host chairperson for the choir. “They have performed throughout Europe – we’re excited to have them here in St. Johns.”
The Johanneum zu Luebeck is a school in the heart of the beautiful medieval town of Luebeck in northern Germany, rich in tradition and with a focus on music. The “Oberstufenchor” is one of the advanced musical ensembles at the school, for the most gifted singers. Their concert tours have taken them to places such as Venice, Kopenhagen and Gothenburg. The choir took first place in 2013 for youth and school choirs at the German Musikrat competition. They have performed major choral works with various symphony orchestras.
The musical and organizing direction has been in the hands of Eva-Maria Salomon since 2003. She studied Music and English in Luebeck, Hamburg, Munich and Heidelberg. She is the founder of the University Choir of Luebeck and teaches conducting at the conservatory in Luebeck.
The choir’s Tuesday concert is an extension of the “Concert in the Park” series, sponsored by the City of St. Johns and the Clinton County Arts Council. The St. Johns City Council will be proclaiming Tuesday, July 26 as “Oberstufenchor des Johanneums zu Luebeck Day” in the City of St. Johns.
City plans street work – week of July 24
The City of St. Johns is planning to mill off the old asphalt on portions of Townsend Road, S. Clinton Avenue, Church Street, Sturgis Street, and Oak Street and are planning to place new asphalt the week of July 24th, weather permitting.
Since this is a construction zone, please slow down and be mindful of workers in these areas. Please contact city offices at 989-224-8944 if you have any questions or concerns. We really appreciate your patience as we complete these street improvements.
National Night Out is Tuesday, August 2
This year’s National Night Out will again be held at the St. Johns City Park near the corner of Park and Morton Streets next to the spray park.
Free hot dogs and drinks are provided by Big Boy Restaurant, McDonald’s and Kroger. Andy T’s will be serving up fresh corn on the cob. The St. Johns Lions Club will be handing out ice cream sandwiches to keep everyone cool!
The popular inflatables and Laser Tag are back, as well as face painting. You can explore a police car, fire truck and ambulance.
Youth T-ball games from the City of St. Johns summer rec programs will be played to finish out their season.
First Congregational Church holds prayer vigil
The tidal wave of murder, disorder and discord triggered our vigil this time.
All through the day and night of last Saturday and into Sunday’s worship service, people took a turn at praying by words, music, walking meditation, visual expression and other nonverbal forms.
Alone this one church’s effort may not move the needle of hatred, but together with others doing likewise across the face of the planet, our hearts joined in the effort for good.
