Author: Steve OHearn

Margriet Sjoerdsma: Tribute to Eva Cassidy featuring Dan Cassidy

Eva Cassidy fans, listen up – there’s something interesting going on in The Netherlands, it’s an Eva Cassidy tribute CD and tour by Dutch vocalist Margriet Sjoerdsma.  And there’s an important twist with the live tour:  it features brilliant violinist Dan Cassidy, Eva’s brother.  Check it out here:

I just learned of this tour this morning.  If you happen to be in Rotterdam tonight, you can check out their live performance at the Lantaren/Venster theater.

Or tomorrow night at the Junushoff.

Margriet’s official website lists upcoming shows here.

Here’s some more video, this was taken during the making of the CD:

Dutch news site Muziek Theater Paradijs published an article on April 15 about the tour:
* Here is the original Dutch version of the article
* Here is the same article translated into English using Google Translate.

Margriet does a great job and the stamp of approval from Dan Cassidy, a brilliantly talented musician in his own right, is a strong endorsement.  Some of you may recall that Dan Cassidy performed in the past with the legendary Eva, Larry Melton, Todd Bauchspies, and others.

It’s been a while since I’ve posted something here at Skere9, but it’s not for lack of material, it’s just really busy here!

Best wishes to you all for a meaningful Good Friday.

Beware the seating chart at the Strathmore in Rockville, MD

This is a bit of an unusual blog post for me.  I generally use this space to highlight brilliant talent and showcase creative genius.

But I’m going to use this forum warn any potential visitors about the online seating chart for The Music Center at the Strathmore, which is located in Rockville, MD.  The venue is generally great and if you have an unobstructed view, you’ll be fine.  However, a few seats have partial visual obstructions, and these are not indicated on the online seating chart.  So depending on where you sit, if you’re not careful, your vision of the show may be blocked rather significantly.

I learned this fact the hard way this past December, when I attended a performance of the Three Irish Tenors.  Four of us attended, and we purchasd the tickets in two separate blocks.  One of the seats was Box 23, Seat 1.

Frank Russo Recording a Live Show at the Avalon Theater (Easton, MD)

I just received word that Frank Russo will be performing with The Fred Hughes Trio at the legendary Avalon Theater in Easton, MD.  This isn’t just any show, it’s a special show, according to the email message I just received:

It’s not too late to get your tickets for this Friday, March 21st, when the Fred Hughes Trio featuring Amy Shook on bass and Frank Russo on drums play A Tribute to the Great Jazz Pianists at the Avalon Theatre in Easton, Maryland.

The show will be recorded for a CD and DVD to be released this summer.  So come be a part of the audience for this must see performance!

So you can be a part of musical history!  Purchase tickets online by clicking here.

Also – they’re performing this Thursday, March 20th at 9pm during their “monthly residency” at 49 West Coffeehouse and Winebar, at 49 West Street, Annapolis, MD.  Tel:  410-626-9796.  9pm – $10 cover.

 

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!  For today, let’s go back a number of years to when television late-night host Conan O’Brien visited the Irish homeland.  This is from the time he was still on NBC. And this bit still cracks me up.


My favorite parts include his visit to his family castle, the school child he speaks to about taking over his TV show sometime in the future, and the great people of Ireland he speaks with along the way.

 

Attention Madison Avenue Executives

Ignore Button

Dear Advertising Industry Executives,

If you want my attention, stop SCREAMING AT ME.

When television commercials used to play at the same volume as TV shows themselves, I paid attention to those commercials.  But once you began CRANKING UP THE VOLUME of commercials so that they BLASTED OUT OF MY TV, I began turning my TV on mute and walking away.

Now you’re doing the same thing on the Internet.  I’m watching simulcast shows online and finding that the commercials are suddenly BLASTING AT MAXIMUM VOLUME.

Maybe the SHOUTING works in the television broadcast medium.  But online it is really easy for me to hit MUTE and find something else to do.  And that’s exactly what I’m doing.

LOUD COMMERCIALS never worked with me on television, why are you taking that miserable policy to the Internet?

New Year’s Day, 1892 – Ellis Island and Annie Moore

On New Year’s Day, 1892, New York’s legendary Ellis Island opened up for business for the first time to receive immigrants arriving from Europe.  The first immigrant to be processed through was Annie Moore, who had left Ireland as a 14 year old girl, and travelled to America with her two younger brothers.  Her parents had already moved to America four years earlier, and she and her brothers were coming to join them.  Annie’s birthday was New Year’s Day – she arrived at Ellis Island on her 15th birthday.

The video below is the Three Irish Tenors – Finbar Wright, Anthony Kearns, and Ronan Tynans – performing the song Isle of Hope, Isle of Tears, which commemorates the experience of Annie Moore.  This performance took place at Ellis Island in the Registry Room, and features an introduction by veteran actor Martin Sheen.