Some artists continually reinvent themselves; others identify their
muse early on and spend their careers single-mindedly pursuing it,
remaining recognizably themselves through a career-long process of
refinement, growth and discovery. Chris Smither belongs to the latter
group. Leave the Light On, Smither’s masterful
twelfth album—the first he’s released on his own Mighty Albert
label—stands as the quintessence of his life’s work while throwing in
some new wrinkles that reflect where he’s been and what he’s
encountered since the last time around. But Smither’s central theme as
he enters his 60s is clearer than ever.

“The last three or four records I’ve done are mostly talking about
the big questions—life, death, love and… not love—and where the whole
thing’s going,” he says. This new “fistful of tunes,” as he calls it,
finds Smither once again in a contemplative mood, examining his thought
processes on “Open Up,” struggling to distinguish between
self-deception and truth on “Seems So Real” and seeking the most
fundamental kind of closure on “Father’s Day.” No, Leave the Light On is not a party record.

“Since I started recording again around 20 years ago [22, actually],
I’ve been writing about the same sorts of things; it’s just about my
own growing perception of it, and how clear can I make it?” Smither
explains. “I guess I’m making it clearer, because people don’t often
ask me what the songs are about anymore. It’s a process of engagement.
When you write a song, you’ve got three or four minutes to get a-hold
of somebody, and if they can remember one phrase or line when they walk
away from it, you’ve won. And I think I’ve accomplished that.”

What is immediately recognizable to anyone who has encountered
Smither on record or in live performance during the course of the last
four decades are his been-there, done-that voice and the crystalline,
wordlessly eloquent sounds of his fingerpicked acoustic guitar.
Familiar, too, are the writer/artists whose songs Smither has selected
to intermingle with his own. These include Lightnin’ Hopkins, whose
“Blues in the Bottle”—a striking showcase for Smither’s approach to the
acoustic guitar—is drawn from Blues in My Bottle, the album that
inspired the New Orleans-born, Boston-based artist to begin performing
in the 1960s; and his contemporary Bob Dylan, from whose vast oeuvre
the artist this time has chosen the Blonde on Blonde linchpin “Visions
of Johanna.”

The new elements introduced on Leave the Light On—the second album produced by Smither’s cohort, David “Goody” Goodrich, after 2003’s Train Home—provides
the new recording with its particular flavor. On hand is young
neo-gospel group Ollabelle, who bring a complementary loveliness to
Smither’s “Seems So Real” and additional resonance to the traditional
“John Hardy.” The renowned roots musician Tim O’Brien plays mandolin
and fiddle all over the record, as well as harmonizing with Smither,
Sean Staples and Anita Suhanin on the lilting title track for a
billowing blend that evokes Southern California circa 1972. Atypically,
he tackles topical themes on “Origin of Species,” which he says is
“making fun of dummies,” and the edgily political “Diplomacy,”
harkening back to his roots in the ’60s folk scene. Also different is
Smither’s bold and surprising decision to arrange “Visions of Johanna”
in 6/8 time (he credits his friend Steve Tilston, an English artist,
for the suggestion) that results in a track of otherworldly beauty.

Smither considers himself a performer first and foremost, and the
fashioning of new material for each album brings added interest to both
his fans and himself. “New tunes not only have a freshness of their
own, but they also freshen up all the old material as well—they cast a
new light on it,” he points out. In this sense, each album results in
an act of recontextualization of his entire body of work. “It’s an
interesting process,” he confirms. “Not for a minute do I believe the
songs come from anyplace but inside of me, but at the same time there’s
an otherness to them that continually surprises me. Why does it take so
long for them to become part of my conscious self? It’s an interesting
problem, but I’ve talked to enough writers to realize I’m far from
unique in that respect.”

After coming on the radar in 1970 with the well-received debut album I’m a Stranger Too! and the similarly lauded 1972 follow-up, Don’t It Drag On,
Smither didn’t release another record for more than a decade.
“Everybody has good patches and bad patches,” he says. “I was basically
drunk for 12 years, and somehow I managed to climb out of it; I don’t
know why. Why did I get well when so many other people don’t? It had
nothing to do with any virtue on my part; if I were Christian, I’d call
it grace. I just got lucky. Mostly you just get tired of it. So when
you get sufficiently tired of it, you either descend into utter
obliteration or you get out, and so I got out.”

Smither says he recognizes the young artist on the front end of his
long struggle from his present perspective. “He got sidetracked, and he
learned a lot, but it’s definitely the same guy,” he says. “The other
interesting thing is that I had to go through all the horrible stuff to
get where I am now. It’s part and parcel of the animal that’s walking
around today. It’s unfortunate that I stayed so unproductive for so
long, but at the same time, I couldn’t write the kind of stuff that I
write now if I hadn’t gone through it. I wouldn’t realize what it is to
be a human—not really. I might think I did, but it wouldn’t be the
same.”

When asked about his career-long predilection for mixing in outside
songs with his own material, Smither says, “This may sound a little
self-important, maybe, but I like to hold these things up and say,
‘These are the people I consider my peers, and my stuff stands up to
this. This is what I do, and this is where I come from.’”

The four non-originals on Leave the Light On—also including
Peter Case’s “Cold Trail Blues”—indicate where Chris Smither comes
from; the eight new songs he’s fashioned show where this deeply soulful
artist is now, and what lies ahead. The particular opening into the
universal, delivered by a knowing voice and filigreed by tasty
licks—you can’t ask for more than that from an album.

Not too long ago, Jimmy Wayne reached a turning point. His record label had gone under, suddenly throwing his future into doubt. "I was about to go nuts," he admits. "I wanted to be out there doing my music." The Kings Mountain, N.C., native stepped back and took a long, hard look at his situation.

What did he have on his side? For a start, a musical track record that already included a Top 10 self-titled album and the hits "Stay Gone," "I Love You This Much," "Paper Angels" and "You Are"—all co-written by Wayne himself. He had one of music's finest and most powerful voices, one steeped in country history but injected with a rich undercurrent of classic soul. He had the devotion of fans all over the country, who stuck by him doggedly as they waited for more music. "They're extremely dedicated and diehard," he marvels. "It's a very tight family." He had his own indomitable spirit, the same spirit that helped him survive a notoriously hardscrabble childhood to rise through the Nashville ranks to reach the top of the charts. And, as it turns out, he had the belief of Music Row giant Scott Borchetta, the exec who had signed Wayne to the now-defunct DreamWorks Nashville and released his successful 2003 debut. Borchetta reunited this winning team by signing Wayne to his red-hot upstart Big Machine label in 2006.

The Gallery at Lighthouse, Groton is proud to announce the opening of a show of paintings by local artists Gray Park and Guido Garaycochea. Gray is inspired by the changing scenery of Barn Island in Stonington and the surrounding marshes of Connecticut and Rhode Island. The majority of his paintings are done en plein air, where Gray strives to capture the essence of the changing relationship between land and sea. In Guido's paintings, he endeavors to express his own vision of reality. It is not a tangible reality, but one that evokes a particular magic in each human being, one in constant conflict.  His visual aesthetic proposition symbolizes the passing of time in an ethereal atmosphere. Forces constantly fight to meet their point of equilibrium to find the inner, always hidden, other face of the human being that is in a no-time reality.  He tries to create a universality of expression that allows perhaps for the present to meet the future. The Gallery at Lighthouse, Groton is located at 744 Long Hill Road, Groton Shopping Plaza, Groton, CT. 06340.  The Gallery is open Mon - Fri 12 - 5 pm and Sat 12 - 6 pm

Franciscan Christmas Fair

The 17^th Annual Franciscan Christmas Fair to benefit the programs of the Franciscan Life Center and Franciscan Home Care and Hospice Care will be held Saturday, November 22, 2008, from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the Franciscan Life Center, 271 Finch Avenue, Meriden, CT, 06451.  This joy-filled day is designed for the entire family.  Crafts for children, Christmas booths of pottery; hand-made items; hand-decorated wreaths; fresh cut Christmas trees; “Chestnuts Roasting on and Open Fire,” Franciscan breads, jams, pickles and more.  There will also be Christmas carols, a Living Creche, and eight raffle prizes, including two hand-made quilts and hand-painted furniture.  Come join in the Christmas spirit.  Admission is free.  For more information visit www.flcenter.org or call 203 237-8084.

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Westport Arts Center presents:
Not All Rubber Ducks Look Alike

Thurs., Oct. 30 - Sunday, Nov. 30

Studio Party: Thurs., Oct. 30, 6:30 - 8:30 p.m., Studio Gallery

Lucy Sander Sceery's whimsical, charming take on rubber ducks.

Open to the public.

For more information, contact Westport Arts Center at 203-222-7070 or www.westportartscenter.org,
or visit the gallery M-F 10-4 and Sat-Sun 12-4 at 51 Riverside Ave., Westport.

Westport Arts Center presents:

Super Saturday Workshop: Photo Collages

Saturday, Nov. 22, 10:30 - noon

$30 per class, for children K-4, WAC Gallery

For more information, contact Westport Arts Center at 203-222-7070, www.westportartscenter.org,
or visit the gallery M-F 10-4 and Sat-Sun 12-4 at 51 Riverside Ave., Westport.

November 16 – December 23, 2008            Craft USA celebrates craft as art.  It is recognized as an exhibit of merit where original works of art made by hand are showcased.  This is the sixth year of the juried craft triennial competition/exhibition.  The competition draws over 1000 entries and over 400 artists from coast to coast working in various mediums such as ceramics, fiber, glass, jewelry, metal, paper, wood, basketry and mixed media.   This year’s juror is Gretchen Keyworth, Director of the Fuller Craft Museum in Brockton, MA.  A notable figure in the world of contemporary craft, she has extensive experience in curating and advising prominent craft shows.  The Fuller Craft Museum underwent a re-branding in 2004/05 to become the preeminent craft museum in New England.  The museum has recently exhibited Joan Morris, Thomas Mann, Megumi Naitoh, Carter Smith, and Alan Klein.  Ms. Keyworth has independently curated many craft exhibitions such as GlassForms, Charles Kaziun Early Works and Traditional Paperweights.  In 2005, Ms. Keyworth was named one of ten people to watch in American Craft by The Crafts Report. GALLERY HOURS: Tuesday – Saturday: 11 am – 5 pm; Sunday: 1 – 5 pm.

People’s Action for Clean Energy (PACE) 

Contact: Judi Friedman (860) 693-4813

RENEWABLE ENERGY = PEACE

Free and Open to the Public

 Date: November 22, 2008

Time: 4:45-10:00 PM

Sponsor: PACE (People’s Action for Clean Energy)

Event: Exhibits: green companies; solar installers; environmental organizations; food; awards; film; panel discussion

Place: Unitarian Society of Hartford, 50 Bloomfield Avenue, Hartford                      

1/10 Mile north from the intersection of Route 44 and Route 189  

From 4:45-6:45, visitors can meet Connecticut Clean Energy Fund solar installers and view exhibits by major environmental organizations and green companies. Little City vegetarian pizza, homemade desserts and refreshments may also be purchased. 

At 6:45 PACE awards will be given to environmental leaders:           

AllGREEN Magazine (Michael J. Guinan)       

SmartPower (Brian Keane)

“Greener Living with Dr. G,” WTIC 1080 AM radio (Gary Ginsburg)

Legislative Leader (Sen. Donald E. Williams, D-29)  

Following the awards, Michael T. Klare, Five College Professor of Peace and World Security Studies and author of many energy-related books and articles, will present the film Blood and Oil. After the film based on Klare’s book, there will be a panel discussion including Klare and the award winners, with questions from the audience. 

Note: In addition to Blood and Oil, Professor Klare has written Shrinking Planet: The Geopolitics of Energy and eight other books. He is defense correspondent for The Nation magazine.

Information: (860) 693-4813 or www.pace-cleanenergy.org

Westport Arts Center presents:

Optomism

Sept. 26 - Nov. 30

An exhibition examining the role of art as a form of political activism. Open to the public.

Gallery Talkback: Wed, Nov. 12, 7:30 - 9:30 p.m.

WAC Main Gallery

For more information, contact WAC at 203-222-7070, www.westportartscenter.org, or visit the gallery, M-F 10-4; Sat/Sun 12-4 at 51 Riverside Ave., Westport.

Artistry on the Shoreline Holiday Sale

October 20 - January 11, 2009

Visit our website at www.guilfordartcenter.org.

Now through Dec. 14 -

Holidaze: The Real Story of Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas

Special exhibit at the Henry Whitfield State Museum

Learn why the Puritans did not celebrate Christmas, the myths behind the First Thanksgiving, and how All Hallow's Eve became a night of costumes and candy. The exhibit is available for viewing during regular museum hours and is included with museum admission.

Woodbury painter Matt Wood returns to nature’s essence
in “Pentimento” exhibition at Good News Cafe & Gallery

Woodbury artist Matt Wood returns to the essence of the subjects he paints from the natural world in his new exhibition titled “Pentimento,” showing through Jan. 5, 2009, at the Good News Cafe and Gallery, 694 Main Street South, Woodbury.

A native of southern California, Wood began his artistic odyssey with painting studies at the University of Iowa influenced by the work of Mauricio Lasansky. Wood notes that his own Polish and Russian heritage, and his marriage to Polish native Joanna Czaderna, have established a natural affinity for Lasansky’s passionate approach to the creative process that seeks to use art as a means to raise personal awareness.

Good News Cafe & Gallery is open from 11:30 am to 10 pm daily; closed Tuesdays.
 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

The Stratford High School Drama Society will present “Arsenic and Old Lace” on Thursday, November 20, at 7:30, Friday, November 21, at 7:30, and Saturday, November 22, at 2:30 and 7:30. Tickets are $9 for adults and $7 for students, children, and senior citizens. They may be reserved by calling (203) 381-6909, extension 1234.

The Connecticut Plein Air Painters Society presents its annual members exhibition at Hartford Fine Art, 80 Pitkin Street, East Hartford, beginning with the opening reception and awards presentation on Friday November 7, 2008 from 6-8 pm. This year's juror is David Dunlop, well-known to CPTV viewers for his thirteen-episode series Landscapes Through Time With David Dunlop, which debuted this year to rave reviews. His careful selection of 72 works in oil, watercolor, pastel and acrylic makes this the most exciting show ever for this talented group of artists. The public is cordially invited to the opening reception to share insights and a glass of wine with many member artists. All works will be for sale and a drawing will be held for one lucky guest to win an original painting by a member artist. The exhibit will continue through January 31, 2009. Please go to www.hartfordfineart.com for gallery hours and directions.

In conjunction with the annual exhibit, the Gallery will host a series of artist demonstrations and panel discussions on selected Saturdays in November and December, including a hands-on demo by David Dunlop himself on December 6 from 11-1. This is an opportunity for artists and art lovers alike to gain insights from several artists into the painting process. For a complete schedule of events, please go to www.cpaps.org.

Art Exhibition Reception and Musical Performance

Tuesday, November 18th 5 – 7pm
Free and open to the public

Clare Gallery is pleased to present Completing the Journey: The Art of Hospice Care,an extraordinary and powerful multi-media exhibition depicting the use of the arts in hospice care. Artists participating in this exhibition are constituents of The Complementary Therapy Team, a Connecticut VNA Partners organization. Along with the artists, professional musicians from The Complementary Therapy Team will perform original music during the reception.

Along with this exhibition there are also other programs that might be of interest to people dealing with loss. The first program, sponsored by the ministries of Women of Hope and Bereavement from the Franciscan Center for Urban Ministry, is “Grief – Shattered and Mended: How Hopeful Women Survive” on November 12th from 5 to 9 pm. This Twilight Retreat includes dinner, a discussion on how women deal with grief, and a hands-on project. The cost is $15.00. The second program, sponsored by several Ministries of Pastoral Care is a “Service of Remembrance” on November 25th from 7-8 pm. If one would like more information on either of these programs, please call the Urban Center at 860-756-4034.

Free parking in Saints Lot across the street. Please bring ticket for validation.

South Windsor Public Library presents Tellabration! A celebration of the oral tradition. Tellabration is a mammoth storytelling event – and that’s no Tall Tale! It’s a storytelling phenomenon, made up of dozens of storytelling happenings all over the world.  Its purpose is to introduce adults, as well as children, to the pleasures of the oral art of storytelling.  It is one of the programs offered by The Connecticut Storytelling Center, based at ConnecticutCollege in New London.  Join us on Saturday, November 22 at 7:30 p.m. storytellers Les Julian and Teresa Whitaker will perform. (A full listing of all 18 Tellabration sites in Connecticut with dates and times can be found by logging onto www.connstorycenter.org or by calling The Connecticut Storytelling Center at 860-439-2764.)
 

The New Haven Oratorio Choir and Orchestra will present its first in a series of three concerts for 2008-09 Saturday, November 22, 8:00 pm, Trinity Lutheran Church, 282 Orange St., New Haven. Pre-concert talk: 7:30 pm. Program:  G. F. Handel: Foundling Hospital Anthem, featuring the “Hallelujah” chorus from Messiah; Vivaldi: Concerto Op. 3, no. 11 in D minor for 2 violins and violoncello; Gloria in D. Tickets $20; Student/$10.  For more information, contact Kevin Long at 203.606.0725 or  www.newhavenoratorio.org

So you think you know the whole story of Ebenezer Scrooge and his late partner, Jacob Marley?  Then you haven’t seen Jacob Marley’s Christmas Carol, playing November 14 through December 13 at Hole in the Wall Theater in New Britain. 

In Tom Mula's funny, irreverent spin on the Christmas classic, Jacob Marley sets out to redeem Ebenezer Scrooge's soul and, in the process, save his own.  Accompanied by a jaunty Hell-sprite called a “Bogle,” Marley embarks on a journey filled with laughter, terror, the power of redemption, and the promise of second chances.  Four actors play multiple roles in this highly theatrical holiday entertainment.  Dennis Hull directs. 

Jacob Marley’s Christmas Carol runs Fridays and Saturdays, November 14 through December 13, at 8:00 p.m. and Sundays, November 23 and December 7, at 2:00 p.m. at Hole in the Wall Theater, 116 Main Street, New Britain.  Admission is a $20.00 suggested donation.  Seating is limited, so please call (860) 229-3049 for reservations.  For more information, visit www.hitw.org.

Jennifer Jane Gallery has organized an art exposition with a cooperative of local artists in New Haven.

The best place around this holiday season to buy handmade, original gifts.

Original photography, paintings, stained glass, giclees, watercolors, jewlery, etc.

Located at ArLoW

838 Whalley Ave.

The Westville Arts District

New Haven, CT 06515

Hours: Wed - Sat, 12 - 6 p.m.; Sun 11 a.m. - 3 p.m.

www.GroupX20.com

ART@jenniferjanegallery.com

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Dead Man Walking is a 2002 play written by Academy Award winning actor/director Tim Robbins.  The play, based on the book Dead Man Walking by Sister Helen Prejean, combines the actual accounts of Prejean’s encounters with the first two men on Louisiana’s death row for whom she provided spiritual counseling, as well as her encounters with the families of the victims.