Culturology 10-27: The Pasty Edition

by Travis Ryder

Our food says a lot about our culture. Lutefisk, wild rice, venison and potica all reflect place as well as history.  The pasty, a meat-and-vegetable meal-in-your-hand, has been Iron Range lunchbucket fare since the 1880s, when expert miners from Cornwall, England brought the recipe to their new homes and jobs here. Heidi Holtan recently visited with folks on the pasty assembly line at Hibbing's Wesley United Methodist Church. For seventy-five years, they have been producing pasties as a fundraiser.  What food is part of the culture where you live?  Send us your stories: arts@kaxe.org.  

The Tweed Museum of Art at the University of Minnesota-Duluth has a new show up through the winter.  It’s the Art and Design Faculty Show.  KUMD’s Maija Jensen visits with printmaker Robert Repinski whose work is in the show.  The Art and Design Faculty Show is on display through March 4 at the Tweed Museum on the UMD campus in Duluth.

Martha Larson  

The gypsy-jazz outfit Clearwater Hot Club has a special pair of gigs this weekend: the group will be joined by a kindred spirit toting a cello.  Martha Larson has played in the scene in Chicago, as a member of the Northwestern Philharmonia and learning the gypsy style with Alfonso Ponticelli. Professionally, she's an engineer and is now back home in Minnesota as the sustainability manager for Carleton College in Northfield.  Clearwater Hot Club guitarist Sam Miltich joined us in studio, and Larson connected by phone for this chat.   The group plays at Brigid's Cross in Bemidji Friday night and the Grand Rapids VFW on Saturday; both gigs start at 7.

Culture Calendar 
Thursday, October 27

Ian Ethan performs on his double-neck acoustic guitar at Davies Theater on the Itasca Community College campus, tonight at 7:00.  Listen today in the 2:00 hour.  Ian talks and performs for us on “Currents”.

An evening of Irish music and mythology with Garry Jones and Laura MacKenzie.  This starts at 7:30 tonight at the Headwaters School in Bemidji.  They'll also appear at 2 p.m. at Bemidji Public Library.

Friday, October 28

The closing reception for the October show at the Edge Center Gallery in Bigfork is Friday night from 5 to 7. Gordon Coons’ drawings, prints, and carvings finish their engagement on Saturday.
A poetry reading at Itasca Community College this Friday, featuring Bart Sutter, who has won the Minnesota Book Award in three categories.  Sutter was Duluth’s first poet laureate and has a Bush Fellowship to his credit. Ryan Vine's poems have appeared in many literary journals including American Poetry Review and Ploughshares, and his book, Distant Engines, won the Weldon Kees Award.  Their performance will be followed by an open mike and readings by ICC faculty and writers published in the campus literary journal Spring Thaw.  The reading will start at 7 in Backes Student Center on the ICC campus.
Grand Rapids High School presents an original farce, “Bird Brains,” penned by local dramatist John Schroeder.  Friday and Saturday at 7:30.
Sam Miltich and Clearwater Hot Club featuring cellist Martha Larson at Brigid’s Cross, Bemidji. 7 p.m.

Saturday, October 29

‘Tis the season: Hear local ghost stories at the Beltrami County History Center from 1 to 2:30 on Saturday. Come in costume for half-off museum admission, refreshments included. Bring a story to share!
Hall of Fame bluegrass player Dick Kimmel will be on hand for a concert, workshop, and dinner at Deep Portage Learning Center in Hackensack.  Workshop starts at 5 with dinner at 6 and concert at 7.

Sam Miltich and Clearwater Hot Club featuring cellist Martha Larson at the VFW, Grand Rapids.  7 p.m.

Wednesday, November 2

It’s Only Clay, the ninth annual clay arts celebration, opens with a community lecture by juror Guillermo Cuellar at the Headwaters School in downtown Bemidji.  It starts at 7 p.m. 
Ashley Kolka leads a discussion on American art in Minnesota collections during a Brown Bag session Wednesday at noon.  It's at MacRostie Art Center in Grand Rapids.

What's on your calendar? Let us know: arts@kaxe.org. 

Minnesota History Datebook

Did you know Itasca County has existed for as long as there have been counties in Minnesota?  The territorial legislature created the original nine counties of Minnesota this week in 1849. Benton, Dakota, Itasca, Ramsey, Wabasha and Washington still exist in some form, and three no longer appear on a Minnesota map: Wahnahta County, near Lake Traverse; Pembina County included much of what would become North and South Dakota; and Mahkahta County was north of present-day Crow Wing County.

October 28, 1949: President Harry S. Truman appoints Eugenie Moore Anderson of Red Wing as ambassador to Denmark, making her the United States' first woman ambassador.

Two Twins wins:  In the seventh game of the World Series, October 25, 1987, the Twins beat the St. Louis Cardinals with a score of 4-2, winning the series 4-3.  On October 27, 1991, Jack Morris pitches a ten-inning shutout as the Minnesota Twins beat the Atlanta Braves 1-0 in the seventh game of the fall classic.

How About a Big Dip of Jazz in MN

by Doug MacRostie

"Sometimes it's hard to get enough bread to pass around...but I'm dedicated to the art form," said Sam Miltich of Grand Rapids about his new group The Big Dipper Jazz Band. While only a few weeks old now, Sam's impressive band of 6 musicians are already booked to headline the annual Dylan Days celebration in Hibbing and also for KAXE's Annual Membership Meeting and Dance (that's when you know you've REALLY made it BIG ;D). The Big Dipper is one more step by Sam moving further away from the Gypsy Jazz style that helped to define his sound and style during the beginning of his career. We'll talk about the Big Dipper Jazz Band and hear a recording by DMcD Productions of their performance last week at Davies Theater in Grand Rapids.

Don't let his ripe old age of 25 fool you - when you talk to Sam Miltich, you'd think he was there when the first jazz-jam-session formed and has been alive and active ever since. With all of his passion and knowledge it's like he was close personal friends with the likes of Lester Young and Djengo Reinhart, and with all the time and energy he's spent with their music, he pretty much is. Sam's talent as a guitarist, writer and arranger and his work with the Clearwater Hot Club has been recognized all over the world. A recent story in Vintage Guitar said of Sam, "Miltich is a 20-something phenom blessed with fleet fingers, unending improvisational ideas, and a knack for songwriting...Miltich is also prolific with his band the Clearwater Hot Club." Yeah, that sounds about right :) Be sure to tune for this conversation - there are few people I've met that are as instantly-friendly and genuinely excited about their music as Sam.

Also tonight I've got new music from Mark Olson (of The Jayhawks) - "Many Colored Kite" will be released on July 27th, "It’s a hopeful Olson that greets the listener on Many Colored Kite, with its earthy, neo-folk feel that encompasses classic and ‘60s British folk as well as the “desert country” he’s been associated with in the past. " And we'll hear from Lake Effect, a group of students from UMD - it's mostly a-Capella jazz with some rhythm instrumentation, very close and consuming music. And I'll be starting the show with Wookiefoot's latest CD "Be Fearless and Play" which came out last year.

Centerstage MN is Thursday evenings at 6, streaming live online at www.KAXE.org; or 91.7 Grand Rapids, 89.9 Brainerd and 105.3 Bemidji and can be heard again Sunday mornings at 6. All interviews are archived at www.KAXE.org. Centerstage MN is also heard on Pioneer 90.1 in Thief River Falls, Saturday nights at 11pm KFAI at 90.3 FM Minneapolis & 106.7 FM St. Paul Tuesday nights between 8 and 10pm.

The Mr. Pumpkinhead Quarter Live & In-Person!!!

You’re invited to join us for a Christmas Jazz concert tonight, Thursday December 10th with the Mr. Pumpkinhead Quartet starting at 6. The Mr. Pumpkinhead Quartet is Sam Miltich on guitar, Pat Downing on Bass, Don Vidal on Saxaphone and Tim Wick on keyboards and they’ll be performing for an hour and a half on Centerstage MN. Call us for more info at 218-326-1234. This event is free, we'll pass-the-hat to pay the band. And if you're wondering how Don got the nickname "Mr. Pumpkinhead" all will be revealed tonight!!!

With four of the top musicians in the Midwest (and beyond) this is sure to be an evening of exceptional music, and if you can't make it here for all the fun, be sure to turn on your radio or internet stream and enjoy - this concert will be broadcast live on Centerstage MN, our program showcasing the talents of MN musicians.

There is also a cookie throw-down happening tonight, so come ready to enjoy some delicious & locally made Christmas cookies :D

Centerstage MN is Thursday evenings at 6, streaming live online at www.KAXE.org; or 91.7 Grand Rapids, 89.9 Brainerd and 105.3 Bemidji. All interviews are archived at www.KAXE.org and the show is rebroadcast Sunday mornings at 6.

Your Ears Will Cry If They Miss This...

by Doug MacRostie

On Centerstage MN this week we'll hear Scott Hall's conversation with local virtuoso jazz guitarist Sam Miltich about "Darn That Dream," Sam's new release with saxaphone legend Dave Karr. The new CD is 12 instrumental duets that Sam has wanted to do with the 78 year old Karr for a long time.

Plus I'll play some new music from Grand Rapid's Clawthroat, Duluth's Two Many Banjos, Minnesota's Bob Dylan and Minneapolis's Sick of Sarah. And I'll check for a message from Bob Dylan (having left msgs with him the last two weeks...)

And a new song from Roma Di Luna's latest release Casting the Bones. Roma Di Luna take early 20th century country/folk music and give it a modern twist and edgy feel. Now evolved into a full band, the husband and wife song writing duo is Alexei and Channey Moon Cassell. They both sing and play instruments. She has a beautifully haunting voice that draws you in and holds your hand while showing you their musical creations. He used to be known as hip hop/rap artist Crescent Moon. They combine old and new to make beautiful music with layers of banjo, violin, electric guitars and percussion with a ride range of moods, feelings and energy.

I'll also be playing a song off of The Magic Castles debut album "The Lore of Mysticore" - a wonderfully slow-moving psychedilic journey. I'll have singer, songwriter and guitarist Jason Edmonds back on Centerstage MN sometime soon to talk about their forthcoming sophmore release "Dreams of Dreams of Dreams," which I can't wait to listen to! They are a truely independent band, recording and releaseing their own albums (and yeah, they don't come in your stand jewel case, but hand-made, hand-drawn, hand-screen printed, hand-folded on brown card stock - it's awesome...and green).

Things are really heating up for Centerstage MN this summer with upcoming guest including Clawthroat, Two Many Banjos and The Tisdales and live music with The Brothers Burn Mountain, Take Cover and The Hobo Nephews of Uncle Frank.

I've been prepping for the interview w/ Marc Gartman of Two Many Banjos by listening to the CD, and it is HARD to pick just a few of the songs to talk about off Can't Slow Me Down, I think it's my fav TMB album thus far (their 4th in 2 years, w another due out later this year). I think Marc is the only artist who has put out 3 full-length albums since I started doing Centerstage MN and this next interview will be Marc's 3rd time on Centerstage MN, making him my most frequent guest (followed closely by Timmy Haus...who is due back sometime soon, don't you think?).

Centerstage MN is Thursday evening's at 6, streaming live online at www.KAXE.org; or 91.7 Grand Rapids, 89.9 Brainerd and 105.3 Bemidji. All interviews are archived at www.KAXE.org and the show is rebroadcast Sunday mornings at 6.