DuSable to Obama: Chicago's Black Metropolis

January 11, 2016 by Elisa Shoenberger in Music

Next Saturday, January 16, Maggie Brown, singer, educator and oral history participant, will be featured with Ari Brown at Orbert Davis' Chicago Jazz Philharmonic in the show "DuSable to Obama; Chicago's Black Metropolis," at the South Side Cultural Center at 9pm.

It should be an incredible show! You should all check it out!

For more information, check out: http://www.chicagojazzphilharmonic.org/?mc_cid=0d7eb89b09&mc_eid=70e9fedf73

The following Saturday, January 23rd, Shu Shubat, another incredible participant of the project, and other talented musicians will be holding EarthGong Bath: Dream In at the South Chicago Cultural Center at 4pm. "The candlelit evening will begin with the delicate and ethereal “Ringing of the Bells” ceremony to usher in dreams and intentions for the coming year, followed by an extended EarthGong Bath, a Lullaby and a Samulnori drumming performance with our musical guests." I'm really looking forward to it.

For more information, check out the Chicago Parks Foundation website: http://www.chicagoparksfoundation.org/event/earthgong-bath-dream-in/

50 Interview Milestone

December 11, 2015 by Elisa Shoenberger in Visual Art, Performance Art, Other

This week, I'm so happy to announce that I have completed my fiftieth and fifty-first interviews. Over 50 interviews! Wow. What an absolute pleasure. I talked with Olivia Block, sound artist, and Tomeka Reid, cellist and composer this week. I am so honored to have had the chance to talk to them.

I'm so amazed that I have gotten to talk to so many incredible women. I have gotten to explore the city a bit more seeing neighborhoods that I was not familiar with and revisiting old neighborhoods. I've talked to circus performers, a fashion designer, costume designer, painters, performance artists, and so many others who work in the broad spectrum of the arts. I've talked to a diverse crowd of people of different ethnicities, races, birthplaces, ages, and so much more.

I thank every single of them for taking the time to meet with me and share their stories. I feel very lucky that I live in a city like Chicago with so many active artists in numerous fields. I'm super excited to start editing the book filled with so much talent and heart. Thank you. Thank you thank you.

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It's been a busy few weeks. Last weekend was the AAUW's Jane Addams Day at Hull House. It was my third year running the event You can read about how I got involved at my other blog here: http://wp.me/p44HaC-oW

Here is my summary of how the event went itself: http://wp.me/p44HaC-p9

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As a final treat, Artnet published a list of "20 Emerging Female Artists to Keep on Your Radar." While the list is a bit NY centric, it's still rather neat. I can't wait to check out these women's work. Check the article out here:

https://news.artnet.com/people/20-emerging-female-artists-2015-383411?utm_content=buffera5e84&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_campaign=socialmedia

Upcoming Events

November 11, 2015 by Elisa Shoenberger in Music, Visual Art

Exciting events around town!

I am pleased to announce that AAUW will be hosting its third Jane Addams Day Celebration at Hull House (Resident's Dining Hall) staring performer/songwriter Kristin Lems on December 5th at 2pm. She will share stories about her family’s experiences with Jane Addams and perform songs written about the life of
Jane Addams. Join us for a historic Jane Addams’ speech and song! The event will
conclude with lemonade and cookies. Come and celebrate this amazing woman with AAUW!

For more information check out the Facebook invite: https://www.facebook.com/events/1634847263465352/

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Also Kristin Lems has a new CD out: You, Me, and All of the Above. It has great songs including a song about Captain Streeter and Carl the Guinea Hen. Check it out here:

http://www.kristinlems.com/you_me_and_all_of_the_above1/

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Jamie O'Reilly, performer, producer, and huge supporter of this project, has re-released her incredible CD I Know Where I am Going. Check it out here:

http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/jamieoreilly5

There are two upcoming shows with the CD release:

On Thursday, November 19th, at the Veteran's Room in Oak Park, IL, Jamie O'Reilly, Peter Swanson, Michael Smith, and reader Belinda Bremner will perform "I Know Where I'm Going," an evening of Irish Songs and Poetry.
More information: http://oppl.org/events/friends-library-folk-music-concert-jamie-oreilly?ajax=1

On Wednesday, December 2nd, there will be a Christmas Show at Chief O’Neill’s PubWith Jamie O’Reilly. Peter Swenson, Michael Smith, Belinda Bremner and surprise guests!
More information at: http:chiefoneillspub.com

For more information about these events, check out Jamie O'Reilly's website: http://www.jamieoreilly.com/jamies-november-e-news-concerts-1119-122-radio-cds/

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Mary Ellen Croteau is also having a solo show at the Harold Washington Library 8th floor gallery starting November 13th until January 15th. Check out more information: http://www.maryellencroteau.net/mec_website/Whats_New.html

Bechdel Test for Music

April 27, 2015 by Elisa Shoenberger in Music

A coworker recently told me about an article about applying the Bechdel Test to music. For those of you unfamiliar with the Bechdel Test, it's a basic test about gender bias in a film. A film passes the test if 1) There are at least two women 2) They have a conversation 3) They talk about something other than a man. Sadly, most films fail this test.

Pitchfork came up with an alternative version of the test. Instead of movies, one applies it to a playlist of music. The rules are below:

"Have at least one female-identifying lead performer, performing as themselves or a female-identifying likeness
Involve the female self, another woman, other women or otherwise an implied female audience in the song’s lyrics
Have a central lyrical topic or theme that’s something or someone besides a man."

It's a low threshold but it's quite hard. I've been trying to put together a playlist of ten songs for the past 45 minutes. I've come up with the following list. It's not a perfect list nor the necessarily best songs by the artists. But I think there is something to this test.

Carolina Chocolate Drops - "Leaving Eden"
Ani De Franco - "Jukebox"
Neko Case - "Margaret v. Pauline"
Heart - "Dreamboat Annie"
My Brightest Diamond - "She Does Not Brave the War."
Nellie McKay - "Mama and Me"
Ditty Bobs - "Sister Kate"
Anna & Elizabeth - "When I was a Young Girl"
Nina Simone - "Four Women"
Erin McKeown - "The Lions"

Try it yourself and see how you do. Here's the original article: http://pitchfork.com/thepitch/699-a-bechdel-test-for-music/