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magazine
The Class of 2020 pp. 2-5
Why I Write Poetry p. 38
with the
APRIL 2020
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On the Cover:
Untitled Cold Wax and Oil on Paper 8 x 11 inches
The Class of 2020 by Don Haefliger On Friday, April 24, 2020, the Fox Valley Arts Hall of Fame will celebrate its tenth “class” when it inducts five new members: Patrick F. Beckman, performing arts-music; Vincent Chiaramonte, visual arts-painting; Kevin Braheny Fortune, performing arts-music; Jeffrey Hunt, performing arts-music; and Joel Sheesley, visual arts-painting. Inductees are honored with engraved plaques which are permanently displayed at the Hemmens Cultural Center in Elgin. These five artists will join the 62 inductees who were chosen in the nine previous induction years since 2002. The Fox Valley Arts Hall of Fame was founded in 2001 to give public recognition to artists associated with the Fox Valley by birth, education, residence or service who have achieved national or international acclaim. These are the five inductees.
Patrick F. Beckman Artist:
Jane Erlandson “I’ve experimented with many art mediums over the years, but I never really settled into a medium with passion until I started learning about film photography with Doug Hanson. Now I think about very little else. “But I did do an intensive workshop with the great oil and cold wax artist James Edward Scherbarth last fall. I found freedom and a path to exploring color, which hasn’t really appeared anywhere in my past work. It’s different than brushwork with oils — and becoming my go to for abstract urges! Check out my recent work at Side Street Studio Arts MADE Gallery!”
Patrick F. Beckman (of Freeport, IL) was born in Elgin, IL in 1951, where he lived until he attended the University of Illinois in Urbana receiving a Bachelor of Music degree (1974) and a Master of Music degree in Piano Performance (1976). He began composing as a sophomore and produced two musicals for the U of I Speech Department. He also served as Music Director of the Station Theater in Urbana. During his college years, he toured Europe four times with the Elgin High School Concert Choir, twice as its accompanist, once performing his own compositions for piano and once conducting several of his own choral compositions.
Patrick F. Beckman
After graduating from the U of I, he became Artist-in-Residence of Highland College, and later serving as instructor, and Music Department Chairman. While at Highland College, he was fortunate to secure the talents of William Warfield, legendary Broadway star, for the school’s production of Show Boat, which he directed. In 1992, he composed Earth Day Sonata, Homage to Franz Schubert which was first performed at the City of Chicago New Music Festival. In 1994, his Mass in Memory of Thomas Merton received its world premiere in the Saltzburg Cathedral in Austria sung by the Highland College Chorale. In 1996, The Chorale premiered his Easter Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica (Rome) and the Duomo Cathedral in Florence, Italy. In 2000, The National Endowment for the Arts selected Patrick as the composer to represent
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Illinois and compose Song of the Earth ( with poet Daniel Smith), a work for “massed Choirs” from the Freeport area as part of “Continental Harmony: Music for the Millennium.” He also took the Highland Chorale to Europe and presented this work and three smaller choral works. He has also written extensively for the piano. His works for the piano consist of a synthesis of our American musical vocabularies combined with a fusion of older European structural models with an emphasis on both rhythmic and melodic development that the listener can follow. He utilized the language of the blues, jazz, gospel, folk, rhythm and blues, and rock in larger forms geared for the modern listener. He has received critical acclaim for a number of his CDs including American Scenes, Vol. 1 and Vol. 2, Street Dance, Songs for Piano, Wilderness Canto and Big Muddy Suite for clarinet which he wrote for and recorded with Grammy Award winner Richard Stoltzman.
Vincent S. Chiaramonte “Finding your divinely inspired dream and not pursuing it for all it is worth is an insult to its Creator.” This phrase captures the passion with which Vincent Chiaramonte (of Campton Hills, IL) pursues his vision of being a portrait painter. His portraits not only convey a likeness of the subject, but his work fully expresses the spirit and character of the individual. He has dedicated his artistic career to the portrait and the artistry
involved in capturing the depth of life and emotion in his subjects. He is gifted in oil, pastel and charcoal and has been commissioned by private individuals and organizations from the world of business, academia, sports, clergy and politics. In fact, he has been commissioned to paint two official Congressional Portraits — of Donald A. Manzullo and Edolphus Towns — which hang in the United States Capitol. His art career had a rather circuitous beginning. In college, he studied Mortuary Science and worked in the field for several years. Knowing he had to pursue his passion for art, he went on to receive formal training at the American Academy of Art in Chicago. Since then, he has built a successful career as an artist who paints portraits. He has earned memberships in prestigious pastel and portrait societies including The Pastel Society of America and Chicago Pastel Painters. His work has been featured in such prestigious magazines as International Pastel and International Artist as well as included in The Best of Pastel 2 which commemorates the Pastel Society of America’s 25th anniversary. American Artist magazine featured his technique in “The Head Study.” His painting “Paul” was chosen by The Pastel Journal for “Pastel 100”, an annual competition showcasing the top 100 paintings of the year. For the last four years, his work has been chosen from Pastel Society of America’s exhibition, “Enduring Brilliance”, to hang at The Flora B. Giffuni Gallery of American Pastels located at the Butler Institute of American Art in Youngstown, Ohio. Recent awards include The Pastel Award of Excellence, The Henri Roche’ Selection Award and acceptance into “The International Association of Pastel Societies” exhibition.
Kevin Braheny Fortune
Vincent S. Chiaramonte
Kevin Braheny Fortune was born in Iowa in 1952, but in 1955, his family moved to Elgin, where he was educated and lived until he moved to Los Angeles in 1975. He is a Space Music pioneer, a multi-instrumentalist, session musician, recording artist and engineer, and compos-
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where he studied composition and learned to play every string, wind and brass instrument. In 1971, he discovered the new frontier of electronic music and, in 1973, acquired his first synthesizer. He immediately began experimenting with modulating frequencies into complex musical tones with his Electro-Comp synthesizer. After several trips to LA, he decided that he needed to be part in what was happening in electronic music there.
Kevin B. Fortune
er. He composes, performs and records quiet, ambient music that is more melodic than the electronic music with which most people are familiar. He began his musical career at the age of four when he first started playing the piano. By the time he was seven, he had already begun composing music. After high school, he attended VanderCook School of Music
He soon began working for electronics genius and pioneer Moog synthesist Malcolm Cecil. He began writing soundtracks for short Disney educational films and engineering recording sessions for top artists such as Stevie Wonder and the Isley Brothers. When Cecil introduced him to Serge Tcherepnin, he began prototyping circuits for Serge which led him to build his own first “Serge” in 1976. In 1977-78, he built his own customized “Mighty Serge”, a fifteen panel system that he uses to produce many of his own albums. Much of the look that the Serge has become originated from Kevin’s modifications. He
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also built prototype electronic wind instruments (EWI) for Nyle Steiner which sound like a cross between a soprano sax and a deep cello. In the late ‘90s, he relocated to the San Francisco area where he now resides. As a session musician for over 40 years, Fortune has played with such musical greats as Arlo Guthrie, Arthur Fiedler, Bruce Springsteen, Charlie Byrd, Duke Ellington, Miles Davis, Joan Baez, Stephen Stills and Michel Legrand, to name a few. He has added his musical mastery to hundreds of highly successful recordings. He won an Emmy Award in 1984, a Grammy for “Featured Soloist on the Best New Age Album” of 2015 entitled “Grace” and the 1988 Indie Award for his recording “Galaxies.” He has been a composer of electronic ambient “Space” music for over 45 years having produced such recordings as Rain, Secret Rooms, The Spell and Liminal Space the latter of which is to be released in 2020. He also has a parallel career in the healing arts as a bodyworker, Tantra teacher, author and counselor.
Jeffrey Hunt Recognized by musicians for his standard of excellence and commitment to educating others in the world of choral music, Jeffrey Hunt began his conducting career at Zion Lutheran Church in Hartford City, Indiana, while a student at Taylor University. In 1984, he returned to Illinois and formed a small ensemble of twelve singers called the Mostly Madrigal Singers. That group, now known as the St. Charles Singers, has grown into a highly acclaimed 34-voice professional choir which has performed nationally and internationally and has received recognition from world-class conductors. Mr. Hunt began his musical training in the children’s choirs of Baker Memorial Church, St. Charles under the direction of Dr. B.G. Gross. Other mentors include Dr. Phil Kroeker and Dr. Robert Antonian at Taylor University, and Dr. Robert Harris at Northwestern University. He also studied with choral icons Robert Shaw, Sir David Willcocks and Wendell Whalum. Presently, he is Director of Mu-
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in choral music throughout their college experience.
ton, creating “phenomenal” plein air works of the area.
Through his work, Jeffrey Hunt has brought education and inspiration to hundreds of young music students in the Fox Valley; he brings joy, training and encouragement to amateur musicians of all ages. His concerts and recording share the pleasure of great music provided by a highly respected, professional arts organization with thousands of Fox Valley residents.
In 2017, The Conservation Foundation, funded by a grant from the Hamill Family Foundation asked Joel to partner with them to promote the wonder and natural beauty of the Fox River Valley. The “Fox River Initiative” sought to enhance conservation action directed toward protecting the river in Fox Valley communities throughout Kane, Kendall and LaSalle Counties. The idea was to use art as a vehicle to help people see and subsequently re-value the river. The catalogue produced for the exhibits, A Fox River Testimony included color reproductions of all the paintings completed by September of 2018, maps, and text in the form of journal entries by the artist. When the inaugural exhibit opened at Aurora University’s Schingoethe Center, Joel had completed 72 paintings. He has continued to paint and has finished nearly 100 original images of locations along the Fox River, each one unique.
Joel Sheesley Jeffrey Hunt
sic for Baker Memorial Church and adjunct Professor of Music at Elgin Community College. Mr. Hunt and the St. Charles Singers are committed to providing educational programming for all ages thus creating opportunities to be exposed to great choral music. Last year, for example, the St. Charles Singers presented the 15th of the 17 steps of their Mozart Journey, a 17-concert undertaking to perform and record the complete volume of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s sacred choral compositions. In June of 2017, Hunt led the choir in the performance of a collection of 20th and 21st Century American compositions. The concert entitled “American Reflections” featured the performance of American composer Dominick Argento’s “Walden Pond” which incorporates Henry David Thoreau’s Walden and was performed to commemorate Thoreau’s 200th birthday. (People who attended the concert and heard the recording which came out in 2019 say it is absolutely glorious.) Because he is dedicated to educating people of all ages who want to experience the joy of ensemble singing, St. Charles Singers present “Sing! Workshop for Teens”. Students from around the area come together, prepare a number of songs which are performed at the evening community concert. Under Hunt’s leadership, the St. Charles Singers present two Scholarships of $1,000 to high school seniors who are planning to participate
Joel Sheesley, a 45-year resident of DuPage County, graduated with an MFA in painting and printmaking from the University of Denver in 1974. He retired in 2016 after 42 years of teaching Art at Wheaton College for a total of 45 years of professional work as an exhibiting artist and professor of art. He has been engaged in doing solo exhibitions and invitational group painting exhibitions at various institutions in at least thirteen states as well as in Canada and Nicaragua since 1980. He has lectured, written and taught in institutions all across the United States as well. Now, retired from teaching, he continues as a Professor Emeritus, still painting, exhibiting and speaking. Over the years, he has won “first prize” and “best in show” awards in exhibitions across the country too numerous to mention. In addition, he has received grants from the Illinois Arts Council and the National Endowment for the Arts. More recently, in 2014, he turned to landscape painting and focused on the Lincoln Marsh in Whea-
When asked what he has learned from working on this initiative, Joel said: I think the river has taught me something about mortality. You are always in midstream when you enter the river. We can delineate a watershed, identify a river’s source and mouth, but one look at the map shows how all waters and lands are interrelated, and our penchant to declare absolute beginnings and even endings is a flawed scheme. The one thing we can be sure of is the mortal present. And that, as all things come and go along the river, there is one important lesson the river teaches: we mortals must pay attention to the present.” The Class of 2020 banquet and inductee celebration is planned for Friday, April 24 at 6 PM at Villa Olivia Country Club, 1401 W. Lake Street, Bartlett. Tickets are $75. For information, contact Susan Starrett at (630) 605-4000 or Murna Hansemann at (847) 727-7165.
Joel Sheesly
Don Haefliger is the Founder and Artistic Director of the Independent Players theatre company, and a Board Member, Fox Valley Arts Hall of Fame.
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Theatre Company has decided to cancel the upcoming production of The Tin Woman at this time. There are multiple reasons, but the main one is the health and safety of our cast members, our director, the technical staff, and most assuredly our wonderful audience memebers in light of this potential tragedy, COVID-19.
Billings Summary for April
Dear Patrons, following the mandates issued by Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker on March 12, 2020 regarding the COVID-19 global pandemic, we have cancelled all concert dates for the next 30 days, which includes Ainsworth Concerts for Youth March 17-20, Free Public Open Rehearsal April 3 and Debussy & Brahms April 4-5.
April Showers
Additionally, out of concern for the health and wellness of our patrons and donors, we have made the decision to postpone our ESO Gala scheduled for Sunday, April 26th. As this crisis is constantly evolving, we have not yet determined an alternative date. The fundraiser will be rescheduled for summer or early fall 2020.
ative talents online, there is still no experience like the gathering of dozens of musicians on one stage performing for a sold-out hall. We wish all of you good health now and in the future and look forward to gathering as performers and audience again. Thank you for your support and we will be back.
This is a serious public health issue and the State of Illinois and the City of Elgin are taking appropriate actions to reduce the spread of this dangerous virus. We are monitoring this rapidly changing situation and decisions relating to future concerts will be taken as the situation progresses. Ticket holders will be issued an automatic credit for the ticket value purchased for the cancelled concerts. Credit can be applied toward any 2020/21 season concert or subscription purchase. Credits will be issued via email or mail no later than March 31. Ticket holders may opt to donate their Debussy & Brahms ticket value back to the orchestra by sending an email to BoxOffice@ElginSymphony. Org or leaving a message on our voicemail at 847-888-4000. We are continuously working with the Hemmens Cultural Center and The City of Elgin and will update you should anything change.
A Special Message from Andrew Grams To all our Elgin Symphony Orchestra family members— I’m sure that you all know that we miss performing for you and, even though musicians all over the world are sharing their cre-
Be well! —AHG
As Artistic Director of INDEI want to tell everyone who works with and supports us that we were heartbroken when our March production of The Government Inspector was closed down after only a week. We were so “pumped” to play out the rest of the run until we got together for our pick-up rehearsal on Thursday, March 12th at 7 PM and I had to tell my marvelous cast what I had just read in an email at 6:35 PM informing us that there would be no more mass gatherings of people until further notice and our March run was over.
PENDENT PLAYERS,
At first, I panicked, but on the drive to the rehearsal, I came up with a plan that would save the production and afford us a time to play the show for a full run. When we were all assembled, I told everybody what was happening, and that it was not possible to secure new dates during this calendar year. Since we were already working on a show which we’d hoped to perform in May — Samuel Beckett’s iconic 1949 tragicomedy Waiting for Godot — I informed them that there were some options. We will perform The Government Inspector Friday-Sunday, July 31-August 2, and Waiting
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for Godot (whether we get to perform it in Elgin in May or not) August 7-9, 2020 in conjunction with Right-Center-Left Production Company (RCLPC Theater) in Crystal Lake (this will be our fourth season of having an IP show part of their summer season). In addition, we have open dates in September-October so I offered the cast that possibility and everyone will be available September 18-20 & 25-27, 2020. Two very major actors have commitments October 2-4, so we will do two weekends to accommodate them. We will also be presenting a full-blown production of Waiting for Godot in 2021. All in all, Elgin made the only sensible choice it could make, which all of us concurred with on March 12th, and with the help of an absolutely wonderful group of theatre artists, we will be able to realize a full run of The Government Inspector and will work out the logistics of presenting Waiting for Godot as well! I will keep you updated as to what is happening on the IP website: www.independent players.org All of us at INDEPENDENT PLAYERS hope you are healthy and eagerly look forward to seeing you again when all of us can again safely congregate in performance venues and enjoy live theatre again!
The Elgin Art Showcase performance venue has been closed by the City of Elgin for sure until March 31st and we also understand that this closure may very well be continued until April 30th or even later depending on what is happening with the virus at those times. Also, our rehearsal venue has closed for all activities taking place on their premises. This is an extremely tough decision, but it had to be made. We totally recognize the efforts of our cast, director and crew members but at the same time we must carefully consider the welfare of our theater audience, too. It is our desire that we will do this show at a later date and I assure you that this will happen. If things don’t get better for some time concerning this virus, then there is the possibilty that our final show of the 2019-2020 season, A Doll’s House Part 2, could also be cancelled. Any current individual ticket holder or season ticket holder may, if they choose to do so, call the Elgin Theatre Company box office at (847) 741-0532 to arrange for a refund of your tickets. However, if individual or season ticket holders would like, they may hold onto these tickets and use them when the production does come up again at a later date this year or next year.
Donald J. Haefliger, Artistic Director
Finally, if any individual or season ticket holder would choose to donate the cost of these tickets to Elgin Theatre Company, your generosity would be greatly appreciated by ETC as we still are and will always be a not-for-profit entity.
It is with a heavy heart and after much discussion with Director Richard Pahl that the Elgin
As things become clearer regarding this virus, we will be sending further email and press releases to announce what and when things will be going on again for the Elgin Theatre Company. Your consideration in these matters is greatly appreciated.
Yours in the love of the Arts!
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Sincerely, Richard A. Grieger, President Elgin Theatre Company
Thank you all for your commitment and dedication to our students during these unprecedented times. It is during times of hardship and uncertainty that our Shared Values come alive, guiding our decision making and solidifying our mission. I am grateful for how our entire ECC family – faculty, staff, administrators, and community - has rallied around our students. While this epidemic has presented many unpredictable challenges, I want to remind you that we are in this together. As we continue to adjust our sails to navigate these unchartered waters, I assure you that learning will continue, and student success remains our top priority. In the coming weeks, as you spend time with your loved ones, make sure that you also take care of yourselves. Although we are not all physically together in one place, the ECC spirit of unity is alive and well. Not only will we persevere, we will come out stronger on the other side. Thank you for all that you do. David Sam, PhD, JD, LLM, President, Elgin Community College
ECC Arts Center Events Status The health and safety of our patrons, performers, and our community is our first priority. Effective March 17, 2020, all Elgin Community College events that include over 100 people have been postponed until further notice. This includes all events presented in the ECC Arts Center. To decrease the concentration of students and employees on campus, ECC has announced the following. Monday, March 30 through Sunday, April 5, employees will be working remotely. The Box
Office will be monitoring email during this time but the box office will remain closed as will all offices on campus. Instruction resumes in alternative learning formats (remotely) with the exception of some labs and other specialized courses. There are no classes in session on campus this week. For more information on the ECC services available and the schedule during the month, please visit elgin.edu/emergencymanagement. Updates on events presented by the ECC Arts Center through April 18 are listed below. Information on the remaining April and May events in the Arts Center season will be shared shortly. April 2: Graham Nash (Postponed, Reschedule date pending) April 16: John Sebastian (Postponed, Reschedule date pending) April 18: Sarah Vowell (Postponed, Reschedule date pending) For postponement/reschedule information on any community events renting the Arts Center, please visit the specific organizations’ websites for updates. When ECC’s campus reopens (scheduled for Monday, April 6), The ECC Arts Center box office will be contacting ticket buyers by phone to provide postponement information, exchanges, and refunds. We ask for patience as our staff manages a large volume of calls and transactions. Additional updates will be posted to elgin.edu/arts and the Arts Center’s Facebook page. The Box Office can be reached at 847-622-0300. Patrons with questions can also email us at artscenter@elgin.edu. We will continue to keep all our patrons informed about schedule changes.
Gail Borden Public Library The board and the staff of the Gail Borden Public District would like to thank everyone in the community. Your support in the March 17 election means so much to the future of the library district. Library officials thank everyone who comes through the library doors, checks out an item — whether it’s physical or digital — or watches one of the current online storytimes or programs. This library district
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is undoubtedly “fueled by the power of community.”
We know how many of you attend library programs every day. So during this challenging time, library staffers are still presenting GBPL programming — from their homes. Our schedule is still developing, but here is the current anticipated offerings on the library’s Facebook page. Weekdays 11am Youth program in English 2pm Youth program in Spanish 7pm Adult programming in English Saturday We do plan to offer a Saturday family program at 1 pm.
A Gail Borden Online Library Card Your Ticket to Movies, Music and More! A Gail Borden Library Card lets you bring entertainment and learning into your home for free. The 24/7 eLibrary is your entryway for streaming movies and TV shows, downloading eBooks and eAudiobooks, streaming music and having access to continuing education programming such as cooking demonstrations. We have made it easy to obtain a card online at www.gailborden.info. You will be notified with an email within 24 hours and given your library card number. Once you have your number, you can use it to check out online materials. Your online library card will give you more choices for viewing, listening and reading at home.
Our 24/7 eLibrary offers downloadable books, streaming movies and music for all ages. These resources can be accessed via links our website. Hoopla gives you access to movies, TV, music and audiobooks. While the Library is closed, the monthly checkout limit has been increased from five items to ten items. Kanopy is the Library’s newest on-demand, video-streaming service that offers independent, international, classic and documentary films. The Tumblebook Library offers story books, read-alongs, graphic novels, puzzles, games and more. Much of the content is available in English, Spanish and French. tutor.com service offers homework help for all ages in different languages. Visitors to “Your Library at Home” YouTube channel will find online library programs created by Gail Borden Library staff. Family STEAM craft programs, staff eBook recommendations, bilingual storytimes and a “how to” video about accessing these services are available. We are adding more programs every day!
Although our physical buildings are closed, we are looking for ways to make your library experience easier and stress free. All due dates have been extended for all checked out materials while we are closed. No extended fees will be accrued during this period. Please do not return materials while the library is closed. You may keep materials until the library district reopens. The Library’s WiFi will remain on in the Library parking lots of all branches 24/7. Reference Librarians and Staff are answering reference questions from 10 am to 6 pm Monday through Saturday. Text at 847-754-4599 or email to gbplweb@gailborden. info. Get full information at gailborden.info. Stay safe and healthy!
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Sponsored Content
Elgin Cultural Arts Commission
Utility Box Wrapping by Elgin Cultural Arts Commission
The Elgin Cultural Arts Commission (ECAC) launched a new program last year as part of the Public Art Plan: Utility Box Wrapping.
Elgin Cultural Arts Commission Calendar
Artists from all over the world can send in their applications to have their work printed on vinyl and heat-wrapped to one of the City of Elgin’s downtown traffic boxes. Last year we had over 50 submissions from artists to wrap boxes in downtown, and three were ultimately selected. This year, the ECAC aims to wrap two more.
Utility Box Wrapping The new Utility Box Wrapping program is now accepting applications now. The first of two applications will be selected in April and the second in August. For the application, please visit CityOfElgin.org/PublicArt.
Utility box wrapping is a program in place in several cities around the world. The program not only deters graffiti but also helps to create a destination and further the idea of placemaking in Elgin.
For questions or concerns contact us at culturalarts@ cityofelgin.org or 847-9316019. #publicart #ExploreElgin #downtownElgin #goseeart
After approval, the application will remain on file for two years. Artists interested in applying should visit the website: www.cityofelgin.org/culturalarts.
Staff has identified nine boxes that are possible locations in downtown Elgin, with a few more options located in higher profile areas outside of downtown. The ECAC will vote on the first box to wrap in April or May with the second box being determined in August. Once wrapped, these will be included in the Public Art map online. Applications are open to all artists of all levels, worldwide, but preference will be given to Elgin-based artists. Selected Artists shall receive an honorarium of up to $1,500. Artwork will be approved by the ECAC once the application has been submitted. The ECAC will review applications to ensure aesthetic quality, design, integrity, and to determine that the work is appropriate to the setting, architecture, and social context. Artwork shall consist of exceptional quality and have an enduring value to the City.
Businesses may sponsor a particular box by selecting from the artwork available for that location. To sponsor a box and see the existing applications for that location, contact Cultural Arts Manager, Amanda Harris.
To learn more about both of these programs and all things cultural arts, visit cityofelgin. org/culturalarts. For questions or concerns contact us at culturalarts@cityofelgin.org or 847931-6019. Follow our facebook page to stay up to date on all things art and watch the progress of this piece and other ECAC programs. #ExploreElgin #publicart #supportthearts #wraparoundtown
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April 2020
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Johnny Blas is a self-made man. His career proves that with some solid talent, a little luck, and a lot of work, you can start out in the school band and make it as a songwriter, bandleader and recording artist. “When I was in junior high school, I started to play sax and clarinet,” he said. “I always played. All my brothers played.” Born in Brooklyn to Puerto Rican parents, he grew up listening to the greats like Tito Puente and Eddie Palmieri on Fania Records. While the rest of America was becoming acquainted with Afro-Cuban music through Desi Arnaz’s character on I Love Lucy, Johnny was hearing the true pioneers of the art in the city where it thrived: New York.
legendary record producer Bill “The Blade” Lazerus secured the licensing for Johnny’s song “Gina” to ABC for use in a 1998 TV episode of Fantasy Island.
On The Marquee
JOHNNY BLAS
But its beginning was not so auspicious. A musical collaborator at the time told him, “This song is nothing, it’s a piece of you-know-what.” Johnny left the song unfinished, and a few years later he added a chorus and horn parts, and it earned him the biggest pay check of his young career. It was a case in point.
His songwriting process usually starts by singing a melody to a conga rhythm, and playing it on the flute. Then comes chord changes, a little song structure, a bridge and a chorus.
“We used to play with Top 40 bands, and I had all my horns — my alto, tenor, baritone [saxophones], and flute,” he said. “We had a guy that had congas, but he didn’t really know how to play, so there were some times I played congas. And I started practicing — a lot.”
“I just play my drum, and then I’ll do a riff, and that’s your hook. I’ll write it down and then we’ll make a phat chart out of it.” By “we” he means a group of musical compadres who arrange parts for his band and also perform on recordings and in live appearances.
Equipped with some high school musical training and inspired by legendary New York congueros like Ray Barretto and Mongo Santamaria, he became good enough to land percussion gigs with top acts like Dave Koz, Boney James, Evelyn “Champagne” King and Joe Sample.
Mark Gutierrez, Dan Weinstein and Johnny’s brother Edwin Blas are multi-instrumentalists who are superb musicians in their own right, and appear again and again in the credits on Johnny’s albums. A self-made man chooses carefully by surrounding himself with the excellence of others.
“I played and recorded with a lot of different bands,” he reflected.” But live gigs and session work can only take you so far.
“Those are the two guys, and my brother,” he said. “My new stuff that’s coming out, that’s all my brother, all the arrangements. On my last single, he added five trombones.”
“I tell musicians, you need to learn how to write your own material, or else you’re not getting paid.”
“That’s what I used to do every week,” he said. “I sent out over 2,500 cassettes with a bio and a picture. That’s old school, ‘cause nobody does that anymore. And the thing is, all my stuff is original.”
“It was the very first song I recorded,” he said. “I dedicated it to my daughter, Gina.”
“I write down a melody, and sometimes I’ll forget about it, and if it comes back to me, then I know it’s gonna be a good song.”
After his family moved to southern California in the early seventies, he found his way into music circles there and paid his dues as a section player.
With original material, you can make records, and if you do it right, the records can make you. By the early nineties, Johnny was sending out his own material on cassettes.
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Along the way, he learned about the business from books, like the importance of establishing the rights to your original music, and how to sign contracts. And the contracts came, from Latin music labels like Dos Coronas and later, Ubiquity Records’ CuBop.
“But I started with a vinyl 45,” he said. “It was a record label from Texas, that’s all I remember.” In those days, selling records was how the money was made, but Johnny credits his songwriting royalties for sustaining his career. His first big break came when
To many fans and critics, Johnny Blas is known more for his trombones than his flute or congas. “I don’t play trombone, but the band does. It’s a trademark.” Wherever you’d expect a trumpet section, you’ll hear a trombone section in Johnny’s music. “I always loved the trombone, because of the New York style,”
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April 2020
he said. “Willie Colón, Eddie Palmieri, Conjunto Libre. And then came Johnny Blas with the four trombones.” Every great artist is also a scholar and a student of history, and Johnny Blas is no exception. He constantly references the most influential artists of Afro-Cuban and Salsa music, and can fluently converse in the theory of the art with terms like tumbao, coros, clave, charanga, and bata. He has extraordinary powers of observation, and expects the same from his band. “We can rehearse all this,” he says to them, “but at the gate, I’m gonna change everything around, so watch me.” He knows the audience is watching, too. “Sometimes you see a conga player and they play very well, but you can see their face — they’re not happy.” He tells his musicians, “Don’t do that. Smile as much as you can.” As the front man for all of his performances, he follows the same rule. “Music is a wonderful thing. If you’re happy, and you’re playing, you’re making everybody happy.” A self-made man is serious about taking responsibility. “As the bandleader, I pay everybody. I have to pay up to stay up. So I’m the boss,” he explained. “But if you screw up, I screwed up, it’s Johnny Blas, it’s on me. It’s not on you guys, it’s on me. And I can’t have that.” The expectations are just as high in the recording studio as in a live performance, because all of Johnny’s music is recorded with the whole band in one room. “I like the old school records , like the old Latin salsa. — Like, the big bands back in the thirties, with one mic hanging in the room. If the horn section messes up, guess what — they have to do the whole thing over again.” After more than thirty years in the music business, Johnny now makes his home in the Elgin area, where spends his time editing and mastering music which he records in California; he’s also writing new material. He performs regularly in Chicagoland and internationally.
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After releasing six of his own albums and appearing on many more, he has transitioned to releasing singles one at a time, carefully synchronized to get the most air play on radio and satellite channels and all streaming platforms. It helps new fans discover his music and explore his entire catalog, and that keeps the royalties coming. “See, that’s because of the experience here.” He released “El Conguero” in January 2020, and “Boranda” in February. His next single, “Around Midnight,” is ready to release when the time is right. “If you don’t have something out, people will forgot about you,” he confided. “That’s one of the reasons why I do singles now. I just don’t want to die yet.” Get to know Johnny and his music at johnnyblas.com
A Night in L.A. 1995
Skin and Bones 1997
Mambo 2000 1998
King Conga 1999
Indestructible Spirit 2007
That Night in L.A. 2018
Awaken!
Unfortunately, current conditions require that we cancel our concerts scheduled for April. We are making plans for the ‘20-‘21 season and look forward to gathering with you in the Fall for our next concert. For the latest updates on the Heartland Voices, follow us on Facebook @HeartlandVoices and on our website, heartlandvoices.org. Sending well wishes to you and yours!
To safeguard the wellness of our customers and employees, we regret that Herb’s Bakery will be closed until further notice. But we look forward to baking something wonderful very soon for your dinner table, special occasion or “Best Day Ever!” Stay in touch with us on Facebook and Instagram where we will share our latest updates. Be well!
Herb’s
Bakery
1020 Larkin Avenue • (847) 741-0249 herbsbakery.com • Now closed Sundays & Mondays
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Shepherd of the Prairie Lutheran Church 10805 Main Street, Huntley, IL 60142 847-669-9448 / www.sotp.org email: artistseries@sotpmail.com Facebook: @SOTPArtistSeries
The Artist Series has been created to bring events, performances and forums Current health and safety guidelines prevent to our localuscommunity. best part is that we bring them to you for FREE! from gathering The our 23rd annual
Join us at our next Palm Sunday Ecumenical Concert at Shepherd of the Prairie Lutheran Church.
events:
Mpulse is our monthly review Saturday, March 7th of artist development opportunities in the Elgin area, for anyone with a creative pursuit, whether 7:00pm it’s a passion or a pastime.
Thank You to all of you who were able to enjoy our Artist Series this Spring. We look forward to bringing you more events, performances and forums very soon! Keep in touch with us on Facebook @SOTPArtistSeries
Come As You Are
shepherdoftheprairie.com
Submit your newly created experimental works, visual art, poetry, audio, music, filmmaking, performance, and more. This is an open-ended submission, and is open to all ages. All works will be on display in our virtual world during this strange time and for the rest of the year.
The Wartburg College Castle Singers and ChamberWeOrchestra have been ask that you submit no Arabica Cafe isasopen for pickupoformusicianship delivery thru Grubsince Hub theirmore than oncein per1950. medium per hailed a model inception week. SSSA reserves the right to with our full menu Monday thru Friday 7:30 am to 3:00 pm deny any works deemed inappropriate. Artwork will be updated and 8:00 am to 3:00 pm Saturdays. We are taking online every Monday. Palm Sunday Concert Sundays off to get some rest and stayEcumenical healthy. Complete the form online at: sidestreetstudioarts.org/caya April 5th at 3:00pm
Thank you to all our awesome customers for their love and support. We are still here because of you!
OUT LOUD
2020 will mark the 23rd year of this annual concert. We are now accepting artwork in all mediums for OUT LOUD, comprised of 94 singers an exhibition celebrating the
Last year the choir was from over 10 area churches. In addition to the choir, there are several instrumentalists along with Clergy who provide the readings that halo and speak to the choir anthems. This is a most meaningful and powerful way to start Holy week!
Arabica Cafe
59 Douglas Avenue • Downtown Elgin • (224) 227-7192
www.ArabicaCafeElgin.com
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identities, experiences, voices, and visions of the LGBTQ+ community. Submission fee is $5 per piece, with a maximum of 3 pieces submitted. Complete the form online at sidestreetstudioarts. org/outloud. Deadline for submission is Friday, April 10, 2020 at midnight. Artwork Drop Off is Sunday, April 26, 11am-3pm. The OUT LOUD opening reception will be held on Friday, May 1st, from 6-8 pm and will remain open to the public May 1st through June 7th. Visit elginpride.com for more info.
UNIDXS UNIDXS is an annual group exhibition expressing hybrid cultures and Latinidad relations; a vast collection of personal experiences and the intersection of differing, and occasionally contradictory identities, ultimately forming transnational artworks, featuring representation of movement across languages, borders, and nations. • Submission fee - $5 per piece, maximum of 3 pieces submitted. • Deadline for submissions - Monday, June 8, 2020 @ midnight • Artwork Drop Off is Sun, June 28, 11am-3pm • This exhibit is open to the public July 3 - August 2 • Opening Reception First Friday, July 3 from 6-8pm • No late submissions will be accepted To submit your work to UNIDXS, complete the form at sidestreetstudioarts.org/unixds
RE:POP 2020 Our annual printmaking exhibit held each August focuses on those artists dedicated to the art of printmaking and the printed arts. All fine art printmaking mediums including but not limited to, lithography, etching, monotype, relief, screen printing, and photo-etching. • Submission fee - $5 per piece, maximum of 3 pieces submitted. • Deadline for submissionFriday, July 31, 2020 @ midnight • Artwork Drop Off is Sun August 2, 11am-3pm
April 2020
• No late submissions will be accepted This exhibit is open to the public August 7 - 30th. Opening Reception is First Friday, August 7 from 6-8pm. This exhibit will be juried. Reproduced prints or “RE:POPs”, of submitted pieces may be sold. Submissions will be limited to 3 works or less, including triptychs. If you have a larger set please contact Tanner at Side Street Studio Arts. (does not include loose prints.)
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another artist protected by copyright. Any music which may support a performance must be original, unlicensed, and unpublished artist works. Applications will be open starting March 1st. To enter the battle, check the page at sidestreetstudioarts.org/battleofthebands
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Due to Coronavirus/COVID-19 and for the health and safety of our students and staff, Eastern Groove is moving all of our belly dance classes to live streaming via the Zoom app until further notice. Since physical movement is an important part of maintaining good mental and emotional health and boosts the immune system, we have temporarily lowered our class prices to allow greater access to more people. Whether you choose to dance with us or not, please be well and make sure you are getting some form of movement in every day! Our class schedule is available online.
www.easterngroove.com
To submit your work for RE:POP 2020, fill out the form at sidestreetstudioarts.org/repop
We can also be reached at 773-454-6498
Battle of the Bands 2020 Side Street Studio Arts’ annual Battle of the Bands competition allows artists a freedom of expression and is designed to build support for the local music scene. Bands from all over the area share space, creativity, and audiences during this summer-long, un-juried competition. Hone your craft, build a following, and win a prize package worth over $2000. You perform, the public responds in a votebased format that determines the winner of each head-to-head battle. All bands, performers, and musicians are required to perform all original material with a signed letter of intent to play original music, lyrics, and scoring. At no such time do we permit “cover bands”, “tribute bands”, or any music which may be considered traditonal or public domain music that may contain arrangements in said music that may have been created by
Elgin Short Film Festival The 12th Annual Elgin Short Film Festival (ESFF) promises to be an entertaining evening of some of the very best in short films by some of the very best up-and-coming filmmakers.You are invited to the award ceremony and screening of finalists taking place at the Hemmens Cultural Center on Saturday, September 19. The ESFF announced an open Call for Entries from filmakers. ESFF will feature a Live Action category and an Animation category. The top two selected films in each category, as voted on by the selection committee, will make the finals. The next three selected films in each category will compete to make the finals during the Elgin Fringe Festival, September 10-11. Finalists will be screened Saturday, September 19 at 7pm. Awards and monetary prizes up to $1000 will be presented to the top three films. Film Submission Deadline August 21, 2020. Discount for films postmarked by July 31. Complete your Film submission online through August 21 at filmfreeway.com/festival/ElginShortFilmFestival
All of us at
hope you are healthy and eagerly look forward to seeing you again when all of us can again safely congregate in performance venues and enjoy live theatre again! I will keep you updated as to what is happening on the IP website. www.independentplayers.org Yours in the love of the Arts!
Donald J. Haefliger Artistic Director
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FEED.whereisbravo EAST SIDE Baker Hill Restaurant 1279 Dundee Ave. Beef Villa 1055 Dundee Avenue Blue Kangaroo Coin Laundry 464 Summit Street Elgin History Museum 360 Park Street Elgin Public Museum 225 Grand Ave Gail Borden Public Library 270 N. Grove Avenue Jewel-Osco 1040 Summit Street Olde Towne Inn 412 Bluff City Boulevard Superior Homes Team Realty 1173 Dundee Ave. Tri-City Animal Hospital 790 Summit St.
DOWNTOWN Al’s Cafe & Creamery 43 DuPage Court Arabica Cafe* 59 Douglas Ave Associated Bank 16 N. Spring Street Blue Box Cafe 176 E. Chicago Street Centre of Elgin 100 Symphony Way Danny’s on Douglas* 231 Douglas Avenue Dog’s Paw Brewing Co. 74 S. Grove Avenue Downtown Neighborhood Assn* 31 S. Grove Avenue #100 Dream Hall at 51 51 S. Grove Avenue Elgin Antiques & Uniques 207 E. Chicago Street Elgin ArtSpace Lofts 51 S. Spring Street Elgin Art Showcase 164 Division Street Elgin Books & Coffee 66 S. Grove Ave. Elgin City Hall 150 Dexter Court Elgin Public House 219 E. Chicago Street Elgin Symphony Orchestra 20 Dupage Court Explore Elgin Area 60 S. Grove Avenue Funky Rooster Tattoo and Gallery 73 S. Grove Avenue
Hemmens Cultural Center 45 Symphony Way
Holiday Inn Express 495 Airport Road
Cleveland Veterinary Clinic 400 N. McLean Boulevard
Imago Creative Studios 216 Prairie Street
Jewel-Osco 1660 Larkin Avenue
S. Elgin Branch, Gail Borden Library 127 S. McLean Boulevard
Kellenberger Auto Service 217 Symphony Way
Judson University 1151 N. State Street
Jewel-Osco 375 Randall Road
Law Offi ces of Shirley Sadjadi 169 E. Chicago St.
Metra Rail Big Timber Station 2025 Big Timber Road
Stanley’s Ale House 335 N. McLean Boulevard
Mama Lee’s Gourmet Popcorn 20 S. Spring St.
Paul’s Family Restaurant 1300 Lawrence Avenue
Starbucks 338 S. Randall Road
Martini Room 161 E. Chicago St.
Presence St. Joseph Hospital 77 N. Airlite Street
EAST/WEST DUNDEE
Pastigel Bakery 154 E. Chicago St.
Sirin Dentistry 1 Crescent St.
Courtyard by Marriott 2175 Marriott Drive, West Dundee
Radio Shopping Show Redemption Center 16 Douglas Avenue
State Street Market Shops 701 N. State St.
The Dundee Depot 319 N. River St., East Dundee
Walnut Speakeasy 214 Walnut Avenue
East Dundee Village Hall 120 Barrington Ave., East Dundee
Willow Lake Estates* 161 West River Road
Emmett’s Brewing Company 128 W. Main St., West Dundee
RANDALL CORRIDOR
The Manor Restaurant 425 E. Main St., East Dundee
Razor Heads Barber Shop 18 S. Spring Street Red Poppy Bistro 109 E. Highland Avenue Rediscover Records 9 S. Spring Street Senior Services Associates 205 Fulton Street Side Street Studio Arts Gallery 15 Ziegler Court Soulful Sparrow 10 Douglas Avenue
WEST SIDE Alexander’s Cafe 1725 N. State Street Bender Dental Care 217 N. McLean Blvd. Big Skillet Restaurant 90 Tyler Creek Plaza Big Apple Bagels* 561 N. McLean Boulevard Clean Vistas Laundromat Tyler Creek Plaza D Hangout Bar and Grill 550 S. McLean Boulevard Elgin Community College 1700 Spartan Drive Elgin Shopping Mall 308 S. McLean Boulevard Grumpy Goat Tavern 875 Sports Way Habitat for Humanity ReStore 800 N. State Street Hampton Inn 405 Airport Road Hawthorne Hill Nature Center 28 Brookside Dr.
1600 Professional Building 1600 N. Randall Road 1710 Professional Building 1710 N. Randall Road Advocate Sherman Hospital 1425 N. Randall Road Candlewood Suites 1780 Capital Street Comfort Suites 2480 Bushwood Drive Elle Salon 2490 Bushwood Drive Jimmy’s Charhouse 2290 Point Boulevard McDonald’s 255 S. Randall Road Panera Bread 2484 North Randall Road Physician’s Immediate Care 2490 Bushwood Drive Porter’s Pub 1250 Bowes Creek Road Rakow Branch, Gail Borden Library 2751 W. Bowes Road Rookie’s All-American Pub & Grill 2486 Bushwood Drive Starbucks 2480 North Randall Road Village Pizza and Pub 2496 N. Randall Road Woodman’s Market (C’Ville)* 2100 Randall Road
Herb’s Bakery 1020 Larkin Ave.
SOUTH ELGIN
Highland Ave Church of the Brethren 783 W. Highland Ave.
Booker’s Bar & Grill 420 N. McLean Boulevard
Midwest Retro 207 Barrington Ave., East Dundee Pampered Pet Services 1050 Dundee Ave. The Uncommon Palate 316 N. River St., East Dundee *Preferred Pickup Location Supplies are limited at these locations and may run out early in the month. If you don’t see B RAVO Magazine on display, please let management know that you saw their location listed here, and came in for a free copy! Would you like a supply of B RAVO Magazine at your high-traffic retail of public location? Let us know! Special perks available for sites that allow placement of our B RAVO magazine rack! Contact us at: bravo@marqueemedia.net
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April 2020
Arts Writers Wanted
Call for Album Cover Art
BRAVO magazine welcomes contributions from skilled volunteer amateur writers on a variety of topics that pertain to culture in the Elgin area, including feature articles, interviews, satire and short fiction.
I’m releasing my first fully self-produced rap project later this year, it’s called “Dark $kie$, Tainted Water$”.
Each month we publish a list of suggested topics on our “Assignment Board” found on the inside back cover. You are welcome to pitch topics of your own by writing to us at bravo@marqueemedia.net. In exchange, contributors earn a free quarter page of display ad space for personal use. Request a copy of our “Writers’ Guidelines” via email at the address above.
I was going to wait to launch this until April, but given the fact that most of us are quarantined at home, and a lot of people need both income and a creative outlet, I’m doing it now instead. I’m going to pick one art submission to use as the official cover art and give the creator of that piece $100. You don’t need to consider yourself an artist to enter, and I’m accepting all visual
MAIL CALL!
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media (photography, paintings, drawings, graphic designs, or whatever else you can think of). The only requirements are below: • Artwork must be a perfect square, no smaller than 1000 x 1000 pixels and no larger than 3000 x 3000 pixels. • All submissions must be your own work. If you use source material/stock images in your creation, you must credit the creator of the source material you use and you must own the rights to distribute the work commercially. • No text may appear besides “Moore” and/ or “Dark $kie$, Tainted Water$”. Using text is not required. • Submissions must be in .jpg or .png format. Graphic designs should be created in RGB colorspace. • All submissions due by April 26th, 2020 at 12am CST.
Who doesn’t love mail?!?!
Send submissions to D$TWsubmissions@ gmail.com
Here’s a great way to stay involved and support Side Street, and for us keep in touch with or meet the art lover in your life. Notes, swag, original art in the mail! What could be better? Great for all ages!
If you want to get an idea of the album concept to match to your art, send me an email and I’ll share the intro to give you a feel for the vibe and theme of the project.
Option #1: A note from Tanner and Erin For a $5 donation, we will send the artist in your life a one-of-a-kind card created by SSSA Founders/Executive Directors Tanner Melvin and Erin Rehberg. We will personalize this card using the helpful information you provide! Option #2: Make Stuff Package For a $25 donation, we will send the artist in your life a one-of-a-kind card created by SSSA Founders/Executive Directors Tanner Melvin and Erin Rehberg. Then, a few days later we will send out instructions and supplies for their own personalized project! Option #3: Art Pal For a $50 donation, we will send the artist in your life a one-of-a-kind card created by SSSA Founders/Executive Directors Tanner Melvin and Erin Rehberg. After a few days, we will send a package that includes the instructions and supplies for their own personalized project! After a few more days, we will send the recipient another letter and a bit of SSSA swag! Option #4: Aunt B For a $75 donation, we will send one package that includes a one-ofa-kind card created by Tanner and Erin and a selection of hand picked original art and SSSA swag to the artist in your life! This option also includes a $25 donation in support of all of SSSA’s programs.
This and more stay-at-home art activities can be found online:
sidestreetstudioarts.org
I’ve already gotten some great work submitted and hope to see more! Stay safe. Peace,
Mask Making! We would like to support the local doctors and nurses who are risking their lives at the frontline battle against the Coronavirus by providing homemade masks. They are in immediate and desperate need of them! Please join me on Facebook Group Page “Masks Making! A Fox Valley Action Group!” to learn more about how you could get involved and save lives. We especially need 1/4 inch elastic. Feel Free to Contact me Directly by phone at 224-595-1526 or by sending an email to SolangeSior@gmail.com.
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fat cat custom guitars repairs accessories custom shop
57 Douglas Ave Downtown Elgin Tue-Fri 12-6 Saturdays 11-5 (847) 888-0000 fatcatcustomguitars.com
participate in the scavenger egg hunt at Camp Big Timber, please contact TFC@Scouting.org to receive an electronic parking pass for the date you choose. Rules of the HUNT: No touching the eggs - please leave the eggs in place for the next family. Stay on the camp trails and roads. Take a picture, share it on the Facebook event page and tell us how many eggs you found and you will receive a 15% off coupon to the St. Charles Scout Shop through messenger! Friendly Tip: Timber Trail is ideal for families with smaller children. Feeling more adventurous, head out to the Tree House and Fire Bowl. 8a, Camp Big Timber, 37W955 Big Timber Rd
Wed.Apr.1 Seek & Find: No Touch Egg Hunt Need some fresh air? Camp Big Timber is opening its grounds for families to take a hike around camp property. In addition to your hike, you and your family can participate in the Seek & Find - No Touch Egg Hunt. Hundreds of eggs will be scattered throughout the property; find an egg, take a picture (no touching or moving the eggs allowed) share it on this event page and tell us how many eggs you found and you will receive a 15% off coupon to the St. Charles Scout Shop through messenger! In a conscience effort to ensure social distancing, Only a limited number of people will be able to participate daily. To hike or
Wednesday Bible Study In light of Covid-19, Progessive Baptist Church will have online services for our Wednesday Bible Study. We will use the Zoom Online Meeting. Please use the log-in information to attend Wednesday Bible Study: 1. Video Call - Click on the link for access to the video call - https://us04web.zoom. us/j/792675435 2. If using a phone, click on the link and copy and paste the link in Safari or Chrome. Pastor Willie is looking forward to seeing you! 7p, Progressive Baptist Church, 305 Ann Street Mid-week Prayer Meeting How do we get from worhsip to worship without a mid-week prayer time with
We are a group of senior men meeting new people and making new friends, sharing skills and life experiences while working on projects that benefit our community.
Our Mission: To improve members’ emotional, mental and physical well being over time, with the purpose of giving men of retirement age a place to go, something to do, and people to chat with.
“Shoulder to Shoulder” Because men don’t talk face to face!
For more information contact: Gary Smith 847-931-4260 gsmith.elginmensshed@gmail.com or visit us on Facebook at Elgin Area Men’s Shed.
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April 2020 God. Join this short meeting that streams live and interact with prayer and devotion. Join Live at 8PM on Wednesdays at www.ElginAdventist. org/live 8p, Elgin Adventist Church, 1141 Bode Road elginadventist.org
Thu.Apr.2 Postponed: An Evening with Graham Nash THE APRIL 2 PERFORMANCE BY GRAHAM NASH HAS BEEN POSTPONED. For updates on the status of ECC Arts Center events including this postponement, visit our main page at https://elgin.edu/arts. A statement from Graham Nash is included below. “We have been in close contact with our concert promoters and they, in turn, have been in contact with their local authorities. We have collectively determined that it is in the best interest of our audience and ourselves to postpone the next few weeks of my tour dates until the present health crisis has abated. I encourage my audience to be vigilant in caring for themselves and their loved ones.” - Graham Nash 7.30p, ECC Arts Center, 1700 Spartan Drive tickets.elgin.edu
we will still have weekly worship live online using Facebook streaming. The recording will be available on Zion’s facebook page as well as embedded in Zion’s web site for viewing later as well. There will be a sermon, children’s sermon, music and prayers. 9.30a, Zion Lutheran Church, 330 Griswold Street Sunday Worship Service Please join
Please verify that your event of interest will be held as listed here. During COVID-19, everything is subject to change.
FEED.colorcode Bands & Music
Theater & Dance
Exhibits & Film
Causes & Community
Kids & Families
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Losing a loved one anytime is difficult, but a loss during the Covid-19 crisis is extra challenging. If you or someone you know are facing loss and need to know your options, we can help. Your options include: • A small intimate service for family, at the Funeral Home, Crematory, Church, or Cemetery. • Webcasting that service for loved ones. • A meaningful private viewing now and a public memorial later. • Delaying your service. Modern embalming and cremation both give you extra time to wait and have the type of funeral you want once the pandemic is over.
Whatever you feel is best for your family, move ahead or wait, we are here for you. Together we will get through this.
Lectures & Learning
Sun.Apr.5
Wellness & Nature
Zion Lutheran Church Sunday Worship During the Covid-19 shutdown,
Mpulse Other
Daniel & Joy Symonds
“Your Vintage Home Specialist”
305 Park Street, Elgin • (847) 741-1128 SymondsMadisonFuneralHome.com
www.ElginChamber.com
Vintage Home Realty 162 S. State Street Elgin, IL 60123
Paul Bednar
Broker Associate
(847) 987-7526
paul@paulbednar.com
COVID-19 BUSINESS RESOURCES Elgin Area Chamber
Up-to-date resources and information beneficial to you, your family, and businesses in the Elgin and South Elgin area
www.ElginChamber.com
Elgin Area Chamber
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Tue.Apr.7 The Ballet Box Onsale TBA ***The onsale for the 2020 Recital is TBA at this time.***Normally, Tickets would go on sale at 9am at The Hemmens Box Office Window, and 10am over the phone at 847-931-5900 and online at www.hemmens.org. 9a-4p, Hemmens Cultural Center, 45 Symphony Way
Wed.Apr.8 Progressive Baptist Church for our Palm Sunday Worship Service. We will use the Zoom Online Meeting. Please use the log-in information to attend Sunday Worship Service at 10:30 AM: 1. Video Call Link - Click on the link for access to the video call - https:// us04web.zoom.us/j/716986435 2. If using a phone, you can click on the link and copy and paste the link in Safari or Chrome. Pastor Willie Tate is looking forward to seeing you on Sunday! 10.30a, Progressive Baptist Church, 305 Ann Street
Mon.Apr.6 Half Priced Pizza! Every Monday! 11a, Danny’s on Douglas, 231 Douglas Avenue
Elgin Liquor Commission 4.30p-5.30p, Elgin City Hall, 150 Dexter Court City Council Meeting 6p-8p, Elgin City Hall, 150 Dexter Court
Fri.Apr.10 The Pink Floyd Laser Spectacular ~ Postponed A cash bar will be available for this event with something for every age. There is an ATM in the lobby. The Box Office will open at least 2 hours prior to curtain. No flash or professional photography permitted. 8p-12.15p, Hemmens Cultural Center, 45 Symphony Way
Sat.Apr.11
Cleveland Veterinary Clinic Trout Park Workday Please join a 400 N. McLean Blvd. South Elgin, IL. 60177 847-697-4066
Limited Edition 18 x 24” Poster Offset printed on heavy weight paper Packaged in 2” protective tube
Cleveland Veterinary Clinic
Monday-Thursday 8am-8pm * Friday 8am-6pm * Saturday 8am-2pm 400 N. McLean Blvd. South Elgin, IL. 60177 847-697-4066
Monday-Thursday 8am-8pm * Friday 8am-6pm * Saturday 8am-2pm
40% of every sale supports the Nancy Kimball Cobblestone House Preservation Project managed by the Elgin History Museum. Photography and design by James Zorn Photography Published by Marquee Media
$18.35 each (plus tax) Available exclusively at:
Elgin Antiques • 207 E. Chicago Street Elgin Books & Coffee • 66 S. Grove Avenue Elgin History Museum • 360 Park Street Soulful Sparrow • 10 Douglas Avenue State Street Market Shops • 701 N. State Street Whatnots & Whimsies • 211 E. Chicago Street
• • • •• • •• • •• • • • •
Flea,Tick & Heartworm Preventatives Pharmacy & Prescription Diets Bathing Flea,Tick & Heartworm Microchipping Preventatives Puppy & Kitten care Pharmacy & Prescription Exotics Care Diets Geriatric care Bathing Preventive Care Microchipping Puppy & Kitten care Exotics Care Geriatric care
• • • • • •• •• •• •• •• • • • •
Dental Care Vaccinations Dog, Cat & Exotic boarding On-Site Laboratory Pain Management Dental Care Digital Radiology Vaccinations Ultrasound Dog, CatLaser & Exotic boarding Therapy On-Site Laboratory C02 Surgical Laser Pain Management Simple Orthopedic Surgery Digital Radiology Ultrasound Therapy Laser C02 Surgical Laser
The Ghost of Memories
Baptism I turn the water hot, so hot that the seasons change. I stand under it humbly and wait to sweat, beaded up and pink. I raise my head, mouth half open and let the water in my mouth, it fills and streams out. I am slate, I am the Weeping wall, I am Gullfoss. My feet the screeI am amnesiac I stay beaten — dig deep there is no end to freeI place my arms across my breasts a standing snake, the water is forgiving of imperfection and molds to my embrace. I sway — it grasps the nape of my neck like a strong hold manned up bear that I have prayed for In the gutted valleys of desperate twilight evenings. The cold comes with everything as it always does The transference of water to air. Tension precedes I step out and am weak
Lela Cintron Elgin
V E TRANS S E poems of crossing over
Play the old songs One more time, we’ll dance with the memories I’ll cry again, the first time in years Mutter the lyrics, forgetting the lines I can’t be sure if these feelings are new or old But I’ll hold on to this vague sense of self discovery Read the old letters Reminiscing about better times, and worse ones Choke back the angry screams erupting from my throat There’s no questions anymore The memories console me, but we know why I’d rather rip the truth straight from my chest Burn the old pages These are not me, not anymore Every letter of every word is a different person Make room for the new ones No doubts anymore This is the final bridge Strike a match and I will cross it one last time Write something new It’s time to get through I’m finally growing up
Evan Sale Chicago Pick a Side Once in a time long past, I believed point A would lead directly to point Z A clear path, smooth as an icy lake and all I’d have to do was skim the surface Straight as an arrow, neat as a pin, no effort needed Start here, end there Ah no, not as simple as that Cracks, bumps and melting ice hindered my forward progress Point Z all but disappeared in a fog of confusion as I was pushed to one side No confidant arrived to guide me, listen to me, to assure me all would be well Hands pulled me to where I was expected to be My heart rebelled and took refuge in dark places, covers pulled firmly over my head Choices were made out of panic and necessity as my body hurtled straight for point Z Is it too late to make that crucial choice? Do the decisions already made drag it from my fingers? Can I still reach out for it without falling through the ice? As I approach point Z, it’s become crystal clear that no choice is a choice Two sides become one and I cheerfully straddle the frozen river Leaping from shore to shore with no fear of falling
Julie Brandon Downers Grove
I’ve Loved this Life Too Much I know I am going to one day die. Sightless through these windows unblinking, That time will come when new words, Words unknown to me today, Maybe not even words, Descriptive in how and what I can’t conceive. What I’ve become, Will become, Or not become.
Becoming a Witch
Am I moving forward, intangible? The comprehension fails me of this state. Fear behind the dark cupboard, watching, Engulfs me, The mystery overwhelming.
I keep shells and claws I find on the beach in small white bowls. I love bones, washed up on the pale sand, so like yours or mine except finer. They call me a witch because I watch for the dead pieces the dead voices that I collect in my bowls like poems in a book.
Oh, faith, where is thy surety? That this wondrous life will be matched By all I do not yet know?
Tricia Marcella Cimera St. Charles
A bereft longing fills me. I’ve loved this life too much.
Kenneth Jackson Elmhurst
Crossing The Start Line Crossing the start line With audacity Staying mindful All the way We swiftly reach Our finish line The start of magnificent New beginnings Many more quests Many more challenges Splendid success stories
Irfan Shariff South Elgin
Inventor A million inanimate pieces create chaotic beauty: an exploded diagram of a brilliant mind. Each small lonely bit not alive but possessing distinct energy longs to join with another to create something that in symbiosis excites, moves, becomes, heretofore unimagined, something entirely new. And wonderful.
Evanne Hoolsema Carpentersville
The Art Hallway As I walk down the Art Hallway, past the girl couple who always cuddles close in the morning at their designated doorway, past the shoving, boxing boy-play, their braggy trash talk, past the glamour girls snapping selfies as they gossip about who is dating whom, past the gazillion random conversations that ride along a current of spicy teenage slang, I realize as much as I want to free myself from the structure of this morning routine, I will miss the ratcheted rhythms of this corridor, the shenanigans of teenagers, their peacock posturing, their amplified voices and laughter, their lack of social filters. Even if I chugged three shots of espresso, I could never match their energy. So I will just have to tap into their delicious vibe, take comfort in these familiar sights, passing through the Art Hallway one last time.
Terry Loncaric Palatine
My sanity is my art… Prayin’ and Warrin’ I have this friend She prays for peace I have this President He goes to war She drives a car And flies in a plane He goes to war so she can Oh, how soothing a prayer can be
Robin Migalla Elgin
I am living My dream I am alive Walking the ancient roads Observing the culture Capturing it
Life should be good And it is … sometimes The pressures we place On ourselves The pressures of living
Life should be good And it is … All the time The pressures help us Grow stronger The pressures push us towards freedom
I am comfortable With myself I am comfortable Being alone Creating an environment Peaceful and secure Life should be good And it is … most of the time The pressures others place On one’s self The pressures of companionship
I am using the conflicts Of life to evolve I am creative Taking photographs, painting Recreating what I experience Into Art My sanity IS my art.
Little Boy Lost They lay the boy right there in the elephant grass, swaddled in a poncho. And he didn’t die when his entrails spilled out in a slick bag of mesentery glistening wet. Like a new foal Doc thought. He just lay there, a little boy lost. staring into the wash of rotor blades. And the grass waved and he didn’t wave back. And he didn’t die when Doc pushed them back and wrapped him in ABD bandages, and started an IV. And the boy looked down as the chopper rose and he didn’t speak. He saw the place where he had lain, elephant grass falling away—waving bye. Doc looked into wide—wondering eyes, bent and cradled the boy’s head in blood-soaked hands and kissed his brow as a mother would. AND HIS NAME IS SCRATCHED INTO THE BLACK GRANITE AND HE IS ALIVE IN THAT PLACE.
Doug Elwell Gilberts
Marcia Gutiérrez Elgin/Bordeaux
And Didn’t You? When your life trajectory has spun its physics, obeying natural laws, the ebb and flow coursing to the primary cause, regret need only give you pause, not guilt’s black hole because tabula rasa begins empty, builds neurons, a jig-saw puzzle of memories , scars and scrapes engraved in the hypothalamus’ landscape, its details and distractions as potent as intent. Yet didn’t you swing? And didn’t you prove Something?
Christine Swanberg Rockford
Esmerelda’s Watch She hasn’t slept for decades, lying Still across the way, her great green Eye ever staring at the books, the Trucks, the editors’ lights glaring Nightly through their blinds. An oak Stood up by Cook’s progenitors kept her Company for a century from its post Like an armed sentinel. Esmerelda’s been The site’s trustee, unblinking, engrossed In observation of its domes and portico. She hasn’t wept as it’s decayed, crying Nil of rights or harm or preservation, Of what is fair or unacceptable. Among the homes, the scene is imperceptible: Esmerelda’s gaze is extrasensory, and The tree’s malaise is vertigo.
Jeffrey R. Pierce Elgin
Beneath the Horizon To paint a scene, I must first draw the horizon line. The end of sight, The end of context, The end to which the means will lead. I’ve been told to enjoy the journey. The arduous tasks, The moments within, To appreciate the lessons along the way. But I’ve been taught to focus on the end point. So I sketch my line, And fill in the blank space, Feeling as though the rest of the image is tedious. This philosophy has translated to the rest of my life. I’m determined, Completely focused, On the end of the journey. But what will meet me at the end? When destiny’s been fulfilled, My Divine duty done, Well, then I should cease to breathe. I think next time, I’ll begin with the grass.
Don’t Tell Me It’s Passe
(sonnet #MMMMMMMCCCCXLII)
Rain dances lightly through vague silence’ hale Note as my ears strain keenly with a sense Of more than naked naught; sleep-drugged from hence, Yet half awake, eyes closed, those footsteps hail As from a distance, close at hand; to scale ‘Non playing upon the thought I’m watched fr’intents, Though nary soul is near, as if what thence? And Jack has texted, likeas to avail. He did not wait three days. Just hours. What were Those minutes, and the times we looked into Each other’s eyes, me falling silent? Stir My sleeping soul to life afresh, will you?! I texted him: “I miss you.” thought it poor, Then drifted off. And he’d text, “Miss you too.”
Jennifer S. Gordon South Elgin
Katrina Syrris South Elgin
(Untitled) Go indoors if you must but first place the flat stone atop Machado’s book of poems.
m.e.
Elgin
Tomorrow Sun sets on sadness a new day brings hopefulness open hearts want joy
Sue Sensor Elgin
BRAVO
April 2020 group of volunteers from the Friends of Trout Park, who plan on gathering on April 25 from 9 am to Noon, to work on various restoration projects around the always beautiful Trout Park in Elgin. More information about Trout Park can be found here: http://www.cityofelgin.org/Facilities/ Facility/Details/Trout-Park-70 If you have questions about this project or Friends of Trout Park, email Susan Bohne at treehugger_am_I@msn. com This event is being offered as part of Elgin Earth Month, which is an initiative of the City of Elgin’s Sustainability Commission. For more information about Elgin Earth Month, go to www.cityofelgin.org/earthmonth or visit us on Facebook at Elgin Earth Month For more information about the Elgin Sustainability Commission, go to http://il-elgin3.civicplus.com/67/ Boards-and-Commissions#Sustainability%20Commission or visit us on Facebook at City of Elgin Sustainability 9a, Trout Park, 576 Trout Park Blvd.
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Mon.Apr.13 Cultural Arts Commission 6p-7p, Elgin City Hall, 150 Dexter Court
Thu.Apr.16 Strong Towns Comes to Elgin, Illinois Exact Location TBD In the
Willow Lake Estates
Please verify that your event of interest will be held as listed here. During COVID-19, everything is subject to change.
161 West River Road, Elgin
Mobile Art Machine whereabouts for
Amphibians in the Afternoon Come April, frogs and toads will be gearing up for a busy spring. Hike along the wetland trails at Burnidge Forest Preserve to look for and learn about these noisy, native creatures! 4.45p-5.45p, Burnidge County Forest Preserve, 38W235 Big Timber Road. Free
APRIL
List your events for FREE
TBD! Get updates at: oddballartlabs.org
Located on the Fox River, this age-qualified (55+) mobile home community is a beautifully landscaped neighborhood featuring mature trees in a quiet country setting. Residents enjoy a private stocked lake and boat dock, a heated community swimming pool, and a fully outfitted fitness center. • On-site management • Pet friendly • Spacious clubhouse • Convenient location
Call for Your Private Tour:
(855) 681-1985 myMHcommunity.com
A New Lounge Experience in Downtown Elgin.
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293 S. Aldine St., Elgin, IL 60123
BEER SELECTION 12 Taps of Local Craft Beer 30+ Types of Local Craft Beer Available 4 Gluten Free Beer Options WINE SELECTION 20+ Wine Options Available SPIRITS/COCKTAILS Mixologist Curated Menu SERVICES Bottle Lockers Local Craft Beer Keg Service Wine & Beer Club
51 S Grove Ave Elgin, IL 60120 (224) 535-8075 www.LOUNGE51co.com
FREE NEWSPRINT AVAILABLE Uncirculated BRAVO Magazines, in bundles of about 50
12 x 21” (unfolded) sheets are great for: • dropcloths for painting and art projects • bird cage liners and puppy training • lightweight packing material for shipping • starting fires in your fireplace or fire pit • keeping warm when sleeping outside
Contact: bravo@marqueemedia.net
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24 updates here: https://www.strongtowns.org/email 6.30p, TBD
Postponed: John Sebastian THE APRIL 16 PERFORMANCE BY JOHN SEBASTIAN HAS BEEN POSTPONED. For updates on the status of ECC Arts Center events including this postponement, visit our main page at https://elgin.edu/arts. 7.30p, ECC Arts Center, 1700 Spartan Drive
Sat.Apr.18
Strong America presentation, Charles Marohn highlights some of the most powerful stories in his book “Strong Towns: A Bottom Up Revolution to Rebuild American Prosperity,” and uses those insights to highlight a path to community prosperity that’s as unique as your place. Using an innovative, hands-on approach, The Strong America presentation showcases why so many towns in North America are struggling financially despite decades of robust growth. The Strong America presentation is part community conversation, part lecture from an expert, and the catalyst you need for your place to become financially stronger. Details for this event are still being finalized. To stay up to date, make sure to register for email
Carrie’s “Quick Fix” Meal Join Carrie at her home for a Quick Fix Meal demonstration from Pampered Chef, fun eats and drinks, and of course - lots of laughs. THIS DATE IS TENTATIVE - STAY TUNED FOR MORE UPDATES. Shopping Link https:// www.pamperedchef.com/party/carriezaccaria0321 Carrie’s House Poplar Creek Cleanup Cleanup of Poplar Creek and Willow Creek on the southeast side of Elgin. Meet at the Izaak Walton League of Elgin lodge at 9:00. Refreshments served. 9a, Izaak Walton League, 899 Jay Street Workday at Hawthorne Hill Nature Center Join the Northern Kane Wild Ones for a workday at beautiful Hawthorne Hill Nature Center. 9a, Hawthorne Hill Nature Center, 28 Brookside Drive 311 Love Letter Kill Shot Tour Disciple
is bringing the Love Letter Kill Shot Tour with War Of Ages and Paradise Now to Elgin, IL! Tickets on sale soon. The Disciple Tour Bus Experience is also available at this show! The Experience includes admission to the show, time hanging out with us on our bus, an acoustic song performance, a copy of Love Letter Kill Shot, a group photo, and more. Reserve yours for $75 by emailing vipdisciple@gmail.com. Since their debut album in 1995, Disciple has recorded 12 albums, earned 14 No. 1 singles, and sold hundreds of thousands of records. Their music has been featured on ESPN’s NFL Live, WWE, Fox Sports, as well as in commercials for CBS’ CSI: Miami and Criminal Minds. They’ve received multiple Dove Awards, played thousands of shows worldwide, and their 13th album debuted September 13, 2019 on Tooth & Nail Records. The full-length, Love Letter Kill Shot, continues their legacy as a band immune to burnout. If anything, their latest record takes their legacy and amplifies it; the project is full of prolific guitar riffs, new collaborative lyrical contributions, and fresh themes. The title takes inspiration from the salvation message in the Gospel, acknowledging that when we accept the love of Christ we learn how to lay our own lives down and live in Him. “It’s the duality of our perceived identity and Christ’s
6.4 identity in us that shapes the album,” says band frontman Kevin Young. Using personal stories of depression, anxiety, and suffering, Young and fellow bandmates Josiah Prince, Andrew Stanton, and Joey West, highlight the redeeming truth that Christ uses all tragedy for victory. Love Letter Kill Shot unleashes the band’s enthusiasm for heavy rock and scripture that heals‚Äîutilizing this record to speak
Please verify that your event of interest will be held as listed here. During COVID-19, everything is subject to change.
FEED.colorcode Bands & Music
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April 2020
Chamber Music Institute Concert Day CHAMBER MUSIC INSTITUTE CONCERTS Spartan Theater, Elgin Community College Concerts begin at 2:00, 3:15 and 4:30pm Celebrate the beauty of chamber music with a series of concerts on April 19. EYSO Chamber Music Institute students from Prelude, Sinfonia, Philharmonia and Youth Symphony as well as all four Honors Chamber Ensembles will perform throughout the afternoon. CMI concerts are FREE and open to the public, no tickets required. 2p, ECC Arts Center, 1700 Spartan Drive tickets.elgin.edu less to Jesus and more to the listener about how they can find their hope in Him. What they’re talking about, how they’re saying it, and the way they’re playing it proves that Disciple is a group who after all these years still lives to outdo themselves. 7p, Discovery Church, 200 Prairie Street Postponed: Sarah Vowell in the Land of Lincoln THE APRIL 18 PERFORMANCE BY SARAH VOWELL HAS BEEN POSTPONED. For updates on the status of ECC Arts Center events including this postponement, visit our main page at https://elgin.edu/arts. 7p, ECC Arts Center, 1700 Spartan Drive tickets.elgin.edu
Sun.Apr.19
An Evening with Ken Medema Widely known and beloved singer, songwriter, and pianist, Ken Medema, will do a benefit concert for the Parables Community on Sunday, April 19 at 4 p.m., at the First Congregational Church of West Dundee. Medema is a professional musician and performer who plays electric keyboard and piano and is known for his ability to take any idea or theme from the audience and improvise a song that is both engaging and uplifting. What makes this all the more remarkable is that since birth Medema has been unable to see. His physical sightlessness gives added power to what he sees with his heart and imagination and puts into his songs. His performances always surprise and inspire his audiences. Because Medema has lived with being
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different all his life, he has sympathy for people who have been marginalized through disability or for other reasons. He has a Master’s Degree in Music Therapy and was formerly a music therapist. He currently performs in a wide variety of venues across the country, including corporate conferences and national church gatherings. It is because of his deep sensitivity that Medema accepted the
Please verify that your event of interest will be held as listed here. During COVID-19, everything is subject to change.
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Everyone’s an Artist. Art is Powerful. So make your art now.
Stay informed . . . Learn how you can . . .
SaveDCCook.com
Suggestions ~ Visit 850 N. Grove in Elgin’s Northeast Neighborhood ASAP. That gorgeous NeoClassical building is scheduled for demolition. We invite artists to Document Elgin’s most famous Oak, or any aspect you want to feature. Draw century-old archtectural details. Paint a broad landscape. Capture a photo image or a video. Write a poem or story, or Assemble a collage. Discover up close what we may soon lose. All ages welcome. Children especially! All art accepted. A Community Exhibit is planned! Why not be part of it? SaveDCCook.com will supply details, and all Actions scheduled as they develop. Things change quickly ... stay tuned for updates! Contributing your art will bring a special heartfelt awareness to this threat to an irreplaceable element of our heritage. ART is a powerful and effective means to state what we VALUE. And if, in spite of our efforts, Cook is taken down, at least ART will remain to honor and respect the memory of what’s been lost.
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invitation to do this concert to raise money for the Parables Community, which through worship and fellowship creates a community of belonging and empowerment for children and adults with special needs and their families. Parables invites all people in the greater Fox Valley and beyond to this unforgettable evening of music and joy. Admission is free. Concert-goers will have an opportunity to make a freewill offering. 4p, First Congregational Church of Dundee, 900 S. 8th Street (Highway 31), West Dundee 630.991.0473 parablescommunity.org. Donation
Thu.Apr.23 Writers Center Reading Series: Ch-
asity Gunn Gunn was named the inaugural Poet Laureate for the City of Elgin in December 2018. Since then, she self-published her first book, How to Create a World, a poetry book that teaches students the elements of poetry by walking them through the creative process and encourages them to write, doodle, and color in the book. She also joined ECC’s faculty as an English instructor in May 2019. Her work has also been published in Bitterzoet Magazine, Bravo Magazine, and Rock, Paper, Scissors. All Writers Center readings are free and open to the public. A pre-reading dinner with Gunn will be held at 5:30 p.m. Books will be available for sale and signing. For dinner reservations or more information, please contact Rachael Stewart at rstewart@elgin.edu 7.30p, ECC Arts Center, 1700 Spartan Drive, Room H142 tickets.elgin.edu
Sat.Apr.25 Spring Trash Drop Off Event The Spring Trash Drop Off Event is Saturday, April 25, from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the Waste Management Transfer Station, located at 1245 Gifford Road (just south of Bluff City Boulevard). The event will include secure document destruction. ***NOTE: This event no longer includes electronics recycling. Residents interested in recycling electronics should schedule
a pickup with the City’s At Your Door service (learn more at cityofelgin.org/ atyourdoor). The cost is $20 per vehicle (cash only). Residents will be allowed to bring up to a 15 foot U-Haul or Penske truck filled with household waste. Absolutely no household hazardous waste will be accepted. This event is for Elgin residents only ‚Äì proof of residency via state-issued ID is required. 8a, Waste Management, 1245 Gifford Road Recycling Event for Electronics and More Come celebrate Earth Day with SERVPRO of Elgin Northwest Kane County and Elgin Recycling by dropping off your unwanted recyclable items (e.g. electronics, paper, plastics, etc). There are TV / Monitor drop off fees ($25 under 21” and $35 over 21”) Country Donuts and Mobile CoCo’s Tacos will be onsite serving up delicious treats for all donors. Questions? Call 847-697-8500. This event is being offered as part of Elgin Earth Month, which is an initiative of the City of Elgin’s Sustainability Commission. For more information about Elgin Earth Month, go to www. cityofelgin.org/earthmonth or visit us on Facebook at Elgin Earth Month For more information about the Elgin Sustainability Commission, go to http://il-elgin3.civicplus.com/67/ Boards-and-Commissions#Sustainability%20Commission or visit us on Facebook at City of Elgin Sustainabili-
6.4 ty 9a, ServPro, 955 Grace Street Trout Park Workday Please join a group of volunteers from the Friends of Trout Park, who plan on gathering on April 25 from 9 am to Noon, to work on various restoration projects around the always beautiful Trout Park in Elgin. More information about Trout Park can be found here:
Please verify that your event of interest will be held as listed here. During COVID-19, everything is subject to change.
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April 2020
10% off your purchase PLUS a reusable shopping bag (while supply lasts) for one Elgin Doller!
ONE ELGIN DOLLER accepted for every $10 you spend.
800 North State Street•Elgin
Open Tuesday - Saturday, 9:00 am - 5:00 pm
restoreelgin.org•(847) 742-9905
ELGIN KNIT WORKS 8 Douglas Avenue • Downtown Elgin elginknitworks.com • (847) 627-6700
An Elgin Old Tyme Holiday Radio Show 3 Nov. 15-17, 22-24, 2019
Suite Surrender Jan. 24-26, 31, 2020 Feb. 1-2, 7-9, 2020
360 Park Street • (847) 742-4248 Open Wednesday - Saturday, 11am - 4pm Adults $3, Students $1, Members free
Contact us for a free quote
441 Dundee Avenue, Suite B (847) 841-8400 • www.rmailroom.com Serving All of your Printing & Mailing needs
One Elgin Doller accepted toward the purchase of any service. Limit one per customer, per day. 217 Symphony Way • (847) 741-5457
kellenbergerauto.com
2018
AUTO SERVICE
series B
Since 1939
discount coupon
Become an Elgin Historical Society Member! www.elginhistory.org
community
Elgin History Museum
T224-5131220
Souvenir pens and mini-LED flashlights are one Elgin Doller each in our Gift Shop.
ELGIN DOLLER
Up to five Elgin Dollers accepted toward the purchase of 500 business cards (printed one side), or other job priced $29 or more. Some restrictions apply.
1020 Larkin Ave. (847) 741-0249 herbsbakery.com
monetæ
59 Douglas Avenue • (224) 227-7192 Open Weekdays 7am - 4pm Weekends 8am - 3pm
Herb’s Bakery
ars
Arabica Cafe
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We proudly accept the Elgin Doller!
Each month, we’ll print one Elgin Doller in BRAVO Magazine. It’s not money — it’s a coupon you can redeem toward a purchase at any one of the participating merchants whose ad appears in this section.
Cut carefully on the dotted line with a sharp scissors or hobby knife.
Remainder of 2019-2020 season postponed. www.elgin-theatre.org • (847) 741-0532
Here’s Your Allowance
Because it’s a community coupon, there is no expiration date and the coupons can be circulated and reused. Not spending your allowance this month? Clip out the Doller and save it!
One Elgin Doller is accepted on your purchase of $5 or more.
Elgin Dollers accepted at our concession area during any show in our 2019-2020 season.
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Bottled water and canned soft drinks are just one Elgin Doller each at our 2019-2020 performances.
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Now in our 21st Season
Northern Northern Illinois Illinois Hospital Hospital and and Asylum Asylum for for the the Insane Insane
Cut carefully on the dotted line with a sharp scissors or hobby knife.
XI I III VII IV IX
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One Elgin Doller can be used toward the purchase of a general admission ticket during our 2019-2020 season.
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martiniroomelgin.com
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161 E. CHICAGO STREET
www.heartlandvoices.org
KEN
BRUDERLE
847-697-SELL
847-697-7355
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a unique boutique with a vintage soul
10 Douglas Ave. • Elgin, IL 60120 2 2 4 . 2 2 3 . 7 7 1 8 s ou lf u ls p ar row. com
One Elgin Doller accepted toward your purchase of $15 or more in preowned vinyl. Limit one per customer per day.
New Releases Re-Releases Rare Vinyl Turntables Vintage Music
9 S. Spring St. Open Daily Mon 12-6 Tue-Sat 11-7 Sunday 11-4
www.rediscoverrecords.com
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74 S. Grove Ave. • ELGIN
April 2020
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Sun.Apr.26
http://www.cityofelgin.org/Facilities/ Facility/Details/Trout-Park-70 If you have questions about this project or Friends of Trout Park, email Susan Bohne at treehugger_am_I@msn. com This event is being offered as part of Elgin Earth Month, which is an initiative of the City of Elgin’s Sustainability Commission. For more information about Elgin Earth Month, go to www.cityofelgin.org/earthmonth or visit us on Facebook at Elgin Earth Month For more information about the Elgin Sustainability Commission, go to http://il-elgin3.civicplus.com/67/ Boards-and-Commissions#Sustainability%20Commission or visit us on Facebook at City of Elgin Sustainability 9a, Trout Park, 576 Trout Park Blvd. 311
The Most Amazing Show on the Radio!
Tentative: Bike Elgin Ride **UPDATE** Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and uncertainty around potential shelter in place and social distancing after April 7th, the Elgin Bike Hub group has decided to downgrade this event from “likely happening” to “tentatively happening.” The group will continue monitoring the situation and make a decision about cancellation in the coming days/weeks ahead. A decision will be shared on Facebook at Elgin Earth Month, Elgin Bike Hub and on the organization’s website at https://www.elginbikehub.com/ home ======================= ========== Join us for a slow roll as we explore Elgin by bike. We’ll ride low stress routes for 3-5 miles. Get to know your city and your neighbors! We will try to plan these to to be friendly for ages 8-80. We will be using a mix of off-street and on-street routes. Each rider will be responsible for their own behavior as a street user. We will try to provide helpful guidance and leadership as we roll. We’ll roll from the park at 2:15. If you have not signed the 2020 annual ride waiver, please do so at: https://waiver. fr/p-SDLTu Festival Park, 132 S. Grove Avenue elginbikehub.com Postponed: Bowling For a Cause Elgin Green Project This is a family
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Radio Shopping Show (847) 741-7700 x112 16 Douglas Avenue • Downtown Elgin Business Office (847) 741-7700 Broadcast Studio (847) 931-1410 14 Douglas Avenue • Downtown Elgin
Game Nights Pod Casts
176 E. Chicago St. Downtown Elgin
HOURS: Mon-Thu 7a-7p Friday 7a-8p Saturday 8a-8p Sunday 10a-4p
Gourmet Coffee • Breakfast • Deli Sandwiches • Soups & Salads • Baked Goods
Live Theatre
BRAVO
April 2020 friendly event to raise money for an Elgin Green Project! Ticket Required Cost is $15 per person - all ages welcome (non- refundable) 2 hours of Bowling & Shoes Included Food and Drinks are available for purchase from the bowling alley. Your ticket does not include food or drinks. We will have Raffles and a 50/50 Questions: Contact Sue @ 847.373.0329. Sponsored by Positive Impact Fox Valley. 2p, Poplar Creek Bowl, 2354 W. Higgins Road, Hoffman Estates
Mon.Apr.27 Beauty and the Beast Auditions Help us bring some magic to the ECC stage! We are proud to present Disney’s Beauty And The Beast as our 2020 Summer production! Auditions are open to children entering 2nd grade in the fall through age 20. Audition slots have been divided by grade/age group. 1st graders through 6th graders will be 6, 6:30, or 7. Older kids will be 7:30, 8, and 8:30. REGISTER TODAY TO SECURE YOUR AUDITION SLOT! Monologues are available on the website and will also be included in your confirmation email. Auditioners will have their choice of which one to come prepared to read. See full commitment and expectations at http://cteelgin.com/upcoming-auditions/. 6p, ECC Arts Center, 1700 Spartan Drive tickets.elgin.edu
Thu.Apr.30 See! Chicago with Lauri A Photowalk, touristy, let’s hang out while pushing ourselves and learning in the process A let’s get out and take photos experience A relaxed, friendly learning environment Sharing the experience with Like Minded photographers FUN! For all the details: https://www.laurinovak.com/see-chicago-with-lauri-novak/ laurinovak.com
Please verify that your event of interest will be held as listed here. During COVID-19, everything is subject to change.
FEED.colorcode Bands & Music
Theater & Dance
Exhibits & Film
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COME TOGETHER FOR OUR COMMUNITY DowntownElgin.com/Covid19Updates
n i W o t t u O e k Ta Share your Downtown Elgin take out for a CHANCE TO WIN your next meal - our treat! Details at Facebook.com/DowntownElgin
Free Event in Downtown Elgin
Lectures & Learning Wellness & Nature Mpulse Other
Get to know your city and neighbors.
PLEASE SUPPORT OUR LOCAL BUSINESSES
We’ll still be joining you this summer!
NOW ACCEPTING VENDORS & SPONSORS Details & Applications at:
DowntownElgin.com/FarmersMarket
Come ride with us! www.elginbikehub.com 224•407•2124
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The World’s Finest Sand Timers Featuring:
Exotic Woods Colored Sand Hand-blown Glass Short or Long Time Intervals Perfect for:
Board Games Anniversary Gifts Boiling Eggs Displaying Cremains Made in Elgin by master glass blowers. Write for our free catalog. Allow 10 days delivery by return post.
Elgin Hourglass, 202 Spillway Road, Elgin IL 60120 • The Troffer International Communications Committee presents
• The First Annual FESTIVAL OF POWERPOINT ANIMATION
• “Striving for Excellence in Visual Communications Design”
• Thursday, April 16th, 1-4pm • Hosted by Bill Buehler, Manager of Supply Chain Operations • Troffer International Corp.
• Register online for meeting link: trofferintl.com/FOPPA • Requires Microsoft Teams, Stream or Yammer to participate • THIS ONE OF A KIND ONLINE EVENT IS FREE TO THE PUBLIC
The Faque News
6.4
Humor and/or Satire
Dam Stunt to be Live Streamed “Splashdown 2020,” a publicity stunt and charity benefit promoted by a local winery, will go on as scheduled, but the event will be broadcasted on social media instead of viewed in person by spectators. Jerry Bonilla, a dancer with Elgin’s San Damiano Ballet and a competitive swimmer, will float down the Fox River dressed as an astronaut and plunge over the coffer dam below Kimball Street, before coming to a stop under the flag sculpture on Walton Island. Beginning at McBride Park, the entire journey is expected to take six minutes. Bonilla says he will be positioned face down on a raft made of wine corks. “We planned to run this event when the water level would be highest in the river,” he said, “because the drop will be shorter on the back side of the dam.” His raft consists of two layers of plastic wine corks. Each layer is made from 8,390 individual corks, connected by polyethlyene rope and measuring five feet wide and nine feet long overall. With some help from family members, Bonilla built the raft by hand over a period of six months from a supply of used wine corks provided by area wine drinkers. Bev-Mart, one of the project’s co-sponsors, set up collection containers in each of its seven stores last September, where customers could “recycle” their corks. “People in Elgin needed to drink almost 17,000 bottles of wine in six months so I could make the raft,” Bonilla said. “And they already drank more than that before last Christmas.” The main sponsor of “Splashdown 2020” is Tyler Creek
Winery, who combined their cork collection program with a sales promotion during the Fall holidays. “We’ve found that a lot of people don’t know what to do with their used corks,” said the winery’s marketing manager Haley Wiggins. “So collecting them for this raft construction project was really a win-win for Bev-Mart customers, for Jerry, and for Tyler Creek.” Not all the corks came from bottles of the winery’s proprietary blends Highland Sorrel and Cuvee Vert, but corks from any other brand had to be the plastic variety in order to be used. “Only plastic corks can have a rope go through without splitting,” said Bonilla, who designed and built the raft himself to assume all responsibility for his own safety. “People have made artwork and other things from corks, but I think the raft is a first of its kind.” The event planned for April 25th on Walton Island was set to include live salsa music, food and beverage concessions, and celebrity appearances, however the recent restrictions on assemblies imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic forced the outdoor spectator event to be canceled. “It’s too bad we can’t have the outdoor festival, but we will live stream everything on Facebook,” Bonilla said. “It’s going to just be me on the raft, and Haley Wiggins on the island with her Samsung phone.” After “Splashdown,” the raft will be disassembled and the individual corks will sold as souvenirs for $1 each. Proceeds will be used to repair the game room at Bishop Martini Parish Center.
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April 2020
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Corner of Chicago St. & State St. • ELGIN
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Invented in Elgin! For complete info, go to www.kardball.com
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State Street
6.4
STAND OUT
Market Shops
In compliance with the COVID-19 mandates from Governor Pritzker and for the safety and health of customers and employees, we are cancelling all of our scheduled events and closing our store until further notice. Thank you and stay safe! The management at
State Street Market Shops
801 N. State Street • Elgin, Illinois StateStreetMarketShopsElgin.com
Hello, friends of Side Street. We hope you are all safe and sound. While all of our spaces are closed, Side Street artists are busy busy. Here are some ways you can stay in touch and creative during this unprecedented experience: • Online Art Making Tutorials from SSSA artists on YouTube • Our Facebook page will regularly feature SSSA updates, shares of creative activities from others, and more • Our Mail Call project, see our ad in this issue of BRAVO • Submit your artwork online to one of our upcoming exhibitions Are you out of art supplies? We are happy to drop off an array of donated supplies. Simply email us with your name and street address, and we will get them to you at no charge to you. Unfortunately, we have had to cancel all but two of our Spring Session Classes, along with cancelling and postponing many events. If you have registered for a cancelled class or purchased a ticket for a cancelled or postponed event, we will be in touch via email in the coming days and weeks. Stay tuned to our Facebook Page for ongoing updates. We miss you all and hope that you are doing your best to be well so that we can all be together again very soon. Sincerely, Tanner Melvin & Erin Rehberg Founders/Executive Directors Side Street Studio Arts Connect with us: sidestreetstudioarts@gmail.com
sidestreetstudioarts.org
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Surprise the music or photography fan in your life! Available at Amazon, Rediscover Records in Elgin and area bookstores.
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April 2020
35
The Inner Craft
Part Three in a Series on “Arting”
The Art of the Plague by Michael J. Murschel, SD When I say to you, in your role as an artist or someone vitally concerned with, involved in, or supportive of The Arts, that these are trying times, that is a vast understatement. Can Art continue to exist in closed environments, let alone thrive, when those who create it are increasingly distanced from so much of their inspiration and method, or when those who partake of that Art cannot attend the events which celebrate them? To say that we, any of us, knows when life will once again return to “normal,” and to even begin to say what that normal will look like, is even more imponderable. And to say that the call to the post has sounded and that two of the phantasmal Horsemen of the Apocalypse, the First being Pestilence, and the Fourth, Death, are in the starting gate, is, to say the least, an interesting thought. We are perhaps witness to times the world has not seen for more than a century, if ever.
The scale is global, and that is a game-changer.
But here’s the thing, and, I believe, a compelling perspective.
But to some degree, we’ve been here before.
While those plagues undoubtedly changed the tone of Art of the times in many ways, it did not slow its output, nor dampen its inspiration.
The 14th century witnessed the sweeping scale of the Bubonic Plague, aka “The Black Death,” which swept across Europe from 1348 to 1352. A brutal pandemic, it killed, depending on your sources, anywhere from a third to half of Europe. And it continue to rear its head in various forms in ongoing cycles which continued for the next century-and-a-half. Some would say it actually lasted three centuries, and continued into the Renaissance. Daniel Defoe told of its effects on London when it barreled into there for its last hurrah in 1665, the details of which he recorded in his historical novel, A Journal of the Plague Year.
Certainly themes were less optimistic. Centering more around Hell and the workings of the Devil. Art tied into religious and spiritual subjects. The isolation of people in countryside and village and city developed an individualism which, many would say, birthed the Renaissance. Rembrandt, Michelangelo, and a host of other Old Masters were prodigious. We do not know where this is headed. We only know that we, and our Art, will get through
it. With a different perspective. Altered sensitivities. Adjusted attitudes. So, persevere. Keep to your Art, and your Art will thrive. Your actual practices and your personal rituals may need to be altered, but Art, just like life, is highly adaptable. Next time, I will give you some ways to change up your personal rituals in these times to continue to nourish both your Art and yourself. There will probably even be a downloadable eBook to go along with it. Till then, stay smart, stay safe, and keep creating. Michael J Murschel, SD, is a Spiritual Director whose private practice focuses on the nurturing the conversation of people and groups with the workings of The Spirit, God, that Universal Power, in their lives in order to guide them to becoming all which they are created to be. His offices are located in downtown Elgin, Illinois, and he may be contacted at 224-577-8338, or by email to: michael@michaeljmurschel.com
“The true use of art is, first, to cultivate the artist’s own spiritual nature.” George Inness: “A Painter on Painting” Harper’s New Monthly Magazine, February 1878
NURTURING
MICHAEL J MURSCHEL SPIRITUAL DIRECTION
ART
224-577-8338
YOUR SPIRITUAL NATURE THROUGH YOUR
michaeljmurschel.com 77 South Riverside Drive, Suite 2A Elgin, IL 60120
INDIVIDUAL & GROUP SESSIONS | SPIRITUAL DIRECTION | GUIDED MEDITATION | WORKSHOPS | RETREATS | PROGRAMS
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6.4
BRAVO Serial Fiction: “The Good Catch”
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Conclusion:
The Good Catch by Jeffrey R. Pierce There was a patrol car in front of the Durant’s house when we got there, and an ambulance pulling away from the curb. Inside we found Evelyn bawling in the parlor, holding a wad of wet handkerchiefs. “What happened?” I blurted. “What’s going on?” “Jo tried to kill herself,” she sobbed. “What? Is she alright?” “When I come home,” she blubbered through tears, “I look in on her and she gone again.” I sat on the sofa beside her and Birgit went to Jo’s room. “Then I hear noise in the back stairs, something falling ... So I go back and —” She gasped and convulsed and said “Jo hanging from the pipe!” “No!” I shrieked. “But she holded on to the rope and kick at the wall,” she sniffled, “she didn’t wanna die.” Birgit came back in the parlor and I burst into tears. “I caught her by the legs and yell for Charles. We held her up ‘til she get the rope off.” Birgit put her arm around me. “They at the hospital now.” We went through the kitchen and looked down the basement stairs. By the dim light of a bare bulb we could see an empty apple crate on the dirt floor. Still tied to an electrical pipe high overhead was a short length of rope with a hangman’s knot at the end. Birgit took it down with a broom handle. Jo was not physically injured
in the ordeal, but she was affected emotionally. She became even more detached and withdrawn for quite some time afterward. It also wounded Charles deeply, so much that he resigned his position the day after the incident and stayed home to be with Jo. On my next several visits, I spent the time counseling him on how to help Jo regain her confidence. We hit upon a solution. Charles bought Birgit’s business for $1200 and expanded it into sales of nautical gear and supplies. Jo took over what remained of the net repair work, and returned to her lettering and knitting specialties. She spent three days a week at the shop with Charles, and the rest on her home studies, her beading and macrame, and listening to the radio. Though she never uttered a word, she spoke eloquently through her work and her art. Birgit and I moved to Madison in August 1950 and I enrolled in the Psychology program at the university. Birgit was quickly hired into the Fisheries Division of the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. I eventually earned degrees in psychology and counseling, and entered private practice. We kept up correspondence with Evelyn and Jo, but the letters grew shorter and less frequent over time. Evelyn moved back to Elgin in 1953 after Jo turned sixteen. We never knew what kind of woman Jo Durant turned out to be. She grew up without a
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April 2020
mother, grandmother or even a big sister. We were her mother figures. Evelyn seldom spoke of her mother. I don’t know what Birgit’s mother was like; I only met her once and Birgit never talked about her childhood. My mother was more of a manager than a nurturer, and I never wanted to have children of my own. None of us was a mother, yet we tried to raise an extraordinary little girl. And the thing we feared the most was that she might become a mother and not fulfill her potential as a worker, or a warrior. Perhaps because she wasn’t our own child, we saw her as a project, not a person. Perhaps because she was so different, we imposed all of our aspirations and convictions on her. Instead of just trying to understand her, we tried to make her understand us. The night she tried to kill herself, I checked her room and papers for a letter or a suicide note and did not find one. But I found a few recent verses in her notebook, which I copied down into mine.
37
I don’t know if it was one poem or three, but these are the only words I know for sure that Jo wrote without any prompting or examination by anyone.
The fisher of men Has a long rope The rope is strong And does not break Her hope runs deep Deep as the lake The water is a snare Heaven is water too Two places for souls Are deep and blue Souls breathe in the water And drown in the air The one you catch You catch by the neck The good one and right one A match and a prize The good one you catch You catch and it dies 3/19/50
BRAVO Serial Fiction presents a work of short fiction in a series of installments. “The Good Catch” is by the Editor and Publisher of BRAVO Magazine. To read the first six installments of “The Good Catch,” go to marqueemedia.net/thegoodcatch. Previous stories can be found online as follows. “Victory Lane,” by Mark Averill (April - August, 2018) www.marqueemedia.net/victorylane “ Race to the Bottom,” by Mark Averill (Dec. 2018 - Feb. 2019) www.marqueemedia.net/racetothebottom “ The Marvelous Mary Alice,” by Debra Kollar (March - Sep. 2019) www.marqueemedia.net/marvelousmaryalice
FREE NEWSPRINT AVAILABLE Uncirculated BRAVO Magazines, in bundles of about 50
12 x 21” (unfolded) sheets are great for: • dropcloths for painting and art projects • bird cage liners and puppy training • lightweight packing material for shipping • starting fires in your fireplace or fire pit • keeping warm when sleeping outside
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With the spread of COVID-19, we find ourselves in a time of uncertainty — our hearts go out to everyone impacted. The health and safety of you and everyone is our priority. To protect the community we serve, we will temporarily close Soulful Sparrow in Downtown Elgin at least through April 7th or until further notice. Visit our Facebook page for the latest updates.
From Your Friends at First Baptist Church We hope this message finds you well and safe, and enjoying time at home with those you love. And we want to encourage you to keep following the health and safety guidelines from state and local officials. Despite the COVID-19 crisis in our world and country, we have our trust in the One who has overcome the world (John 16:33), and so we will continue in faith, love and hope. As followers of Jesus, His greatest command to us is to love God and to love our neighbors, and doing everything we can to keep them safe and well is a great way to show that love, especially during this time. Check on those who are shut in and others who are more isolated during this time. Use social media (and even the “old-fashioned” telephone) to stay connected. Just because we can’t be together in person doesn’t mean we can’t be together. See and experience for yourself how God may spiritually grow you during this time, and be ready — it may come in unexpected, or even unwanted ways. Open yourself up to others (at the appropriate social distance, of course) as God may present you with some new opportunities to share His love and grace during this crisis. One of the unfortunate things we know about the COVID-19 virus is that it is very contagious. And as we are seeing, the fear that comes with it is contagious as well. But as followers of Jesus, we have something to share that’s more contagious than either of those: the faith, love and hope that we have because of Jesus Christ. Today, and in the days to come, let’s quarantine the fear and spread the faith, love and hope of Jesus, to each other and to our world.
First Baptist Church of Elgin fbcelgin.com
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Expression: The Most Human of Arts
Why I Write Poetry
6.4
THANK YOU !!
We appreciate all of you during this challenging time.
by Terry Loncaric Technically, it took me two years to write my first book of poetry Crashing in Velvet, but in a way, it took a lifetime. My poems are a culmination of my life experiences, lessons I have learned, and interesting characters I have encountered during my life journey. I think I was collecting material for poetry during the many years I worked as a newspaper reporter and feature writer. On a daily basis, characters popped into the newsroom. There was a mad energy that crackled inside a newsroom. As a reporter, I was trained to write concise, yet compelling tales. This was great preparation for poetry. Poetry allowed me to write on a more expressive palette. The reporter in me loved the deeper truths that always simmered in poetry. I discovered there is great freedom in writing poetry. I can write a poem on nearly any topic as long as I strike the right balance of phrases, easy rhythms, and imagery. I can break the rules of formal language. I can write in sentence fragments and even repeat words. Poems may begin as the simplest of phrases that dance in my head. Some lines from poems actually stalk me in my sleep. Once you chisel and shape words, the details of poetry can become thoroughly maddening. Open mics allowed me to hone my craft in front of an audience. As I wrote my poems and presented them, I was able to cultivate a feeling for constructing pleasing, cool rhythms. The end game is to make every word count. Poetry is tricky. You can analyze every word and cadence in a poem, but ultimately you never really appreciate a poem until you read it out loud and let the rhythms wash over an
audience. Writing poetry is much more than technique. It is understanding your own soul and having the courage to travel to a very deep place. There is a communal spirit in poetry. The moment you share your own life experiences, you validate someone else’s. A gentleman said he was going to go home and hug his cat after I read a poem about losing my cat, Jonathan. When I read my New Orleans poems, people tell me they feel like they are in the French Quarter being bombarded with colorful images of jazz bands and street performers. Poetry removes racial, gender, and cultural barriers. Poetry has an intimacy that makes it special. And I love the surprise moments that you experience when you share a poem. At its best, poetry allows us to take a break from life’s noise and share what we hear in the depth of our silence. The poet Rainer Maria Rilke describes the act of poetry as one of sacred reflection. “Find out the reason that commands you to write,” Rilke asserts. “See whether it has spread its roots into the very depth of your heart. Confess to yourself you would have to die if you were forbidden to write.” Rilke nailed it. Poetry is redemption. It is therapy. It is meditation. It is conversation. It is prayer. It is the language I will speak as long as I live and breathe. Terry Loncaric is the author of Crashing in Velvet, a collection of original poetry. She has hosted many poetry events and has read her poetry in numerous venues. She has lectured on feature writing at Columbia College and Roosevelt University. Her opinion pieces have been published nationally.
Serving Elgin and South Elgin www.ElginChamber.com
Elgin Area Chamber
WHERE
FRESH & FAST MEET
™
WE DELIVER! DOWNTOWN ELGIN ~ 50 S. GROVE AVE. ~ 847.888.2400
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April 2020
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ASSIGNMENT BOARD
ADVERTISE WITH US
This is where we post article topics for volunteer writers like you. We can’t compensate you properly (yet), but we give credit where credit is due, and excellent contributors have a way of getting our attention. So when those paid assignments do come along, well, we know who to call ...
2020 Advertising Rates
The Churches of Rock
Full Page $240 • Half Page $156 Quarter Page $104 • Eighth Page $62 Standard rates include design & layout. 15% Discount for ready-to-print digital artwork.
12-month Contracts Available
We don’t normally expect to find rock ‘n’ roll bands in churches, but there are some houses of worship in Elgin that have a history as music venues. We can point you in the write direction ... you send us back 1000 words!
3-5 ads during contract term earns 5% discount 6-11 ads during contract term earns 10% discount 12+ ads during contract term earns 15% discount
The Latin Phoenix
Circulation Information
If you enjoyed this month’s interview with Latin Jazz artist Johnny Blas, maybe you can interview another Boricua musician in the area: Amaryllis Santiago. Preguntanos!
4,000 copies circulated at more than ninety locations in Elgin, South Elgin, Dundee and Carpentersville (see listings). Estimated readership of 6,000.
Holy Rosary Chapel
Ad Production
Tucked away in a corner of a former downtown bowling center is a small chapel that has Sunday Mass in Latin. This church is so traditional, they don’t associate with the Rockford Diocese. If you can handle this story, handle with care! Submit a query or pitch letter for these or other topics:
Complete specifications are given on our website http://www.marqueemedia.net/Advertise For full details and personalized service, contact Sales Representative Dean Tripp. (847) 702-2888 or dtripp@marqueemedia.net
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Next ad deadline: Wednesday, April 22, 5:00 p.m.
THE FINEST IN PRINT BRAVO Magazine strives to publish error-free material, but mistakes and omissions may arise from our sources or may occur during the production process. With the exception of spurious ads, we will not publish anything we know to be false, defamatory or an infringement on copyright. All brand names, logos and trademarks are assumed to belong to the entities to which they refer, whether marked as such or not. Facts asserted and opinions expressed in articles are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the publisher. Our advertisers are responsible for the content of their advertisements, and BRAVO Magazine does not necessarily endorse any of the products, services, organizations or political candidates whose ads appear herein. Our advertising policy accommodates any and all commercial messaging that is decent and legal; it does not discriminate on the basis of religious or political affiliation or any other basis that is prohibited by law. Events appearing in the FEED calendar have been aggregated from a variety of sources including websites, online calendars and user submissions. These event announcements are repeated herein as a benefit to readers and the event hosts or sponsors, and BRAVO Magazine does not necessarily prequalify, endorse or attend these events. We regret any contradictions that appear in the details we publish as relates to the actual event details. BRAVO Magazine is a free publication available at select locations in and around Elgin, Illinois and is not to be sold at retail. It is not available as a postal subscription. We reserve the right to temporarily or permanently discontinue publication at any time, at the publisher’s discretion, without any advance public notice.
B R A V O Magazine is published by
MARQUEE MEDIA P.O. Box 1551 Elgin, IL 60121-1551 (224) 513-1220 (voice or text) bravo@marqueemedia.net Publisher: Jeffrey R. Pierce Contributors: Jane Erlandson, Don Haefliger, Elgin Cultural Arts Commission, Michael J. Murschel, Terry Loncaric, Jeffrey R. Pierce, and the poets of Elgin and the surrounding area.
Publish your events for free in The FEED http://www.marqueemedia.net/events
cityofelgin.org/coronavirus
