My birthday was this week, so RedHouse partied last weekend: Chris's Open Mic Jam Session and Covered Dish Supper. Guests were invited to bring musical instruments, dramatic readings, monologues, whatever. And, boy, did they ever!
At one point there was an 9 piece Balkan band playing: fiddle, piano, tapan, bass, guitar, clarinet, trumpet, accordion, dumbek. There was hula dancing to live music. Honky tonk dancing, again, to live music. Tango dancing to, yup, live music. Scandinavian dancing to -- you guessed it -- live music. A rousing hurdy-gurdy/oboe duet. A Persian guest playing virtuosic santoor. Chris's 14 year old grandson jumping into the mix and jamming out, and then playing a guitar solo of his own composition. A huge group singing rounds and chases. Songs sung a capella. Soul stirring Irish whistle solos. A lively scene from a play. What a night!
The "Covered Dish Supper" portion of the evening was an equally diverse and delicious mix: Lebanese lamb-stuffed cabbage leaves; lentils; pasta salad; ham; potato salad; hummas; taco soup; Amish baked oatmeal and more, more, more, all topped off with a thoughtful gift of birthday cake balls (on sticks!).
There was one guest there, a friend I don't see very often, who did not belong to any of the music or theater "groups" represented at the party. Nonetheless, being there, knowing hardly anyone, he was one of the last to leave, and his parting comment was: When are you going to do this again?
There was a time when RedHouse Arts hosted a monthly salon. Based on the comments I received, and judging from the participation and joy I both witnessed and felt, I'm thinking maybe it might be time to start them up again.
At one point there was an 9 piece Balkan band playing: fiddle, piano, tapan, bass, guitar, clarinet, trumpet, accordion, dumbek. There was hula dancing to live music. Honky tonk dancing, again, to live music. Tango dancing to, yup, live music. Scandinavian dancing to -- you guessed it -- live music. A rousing hurdy-gurdy/oboe duet. A Persian guest playing virtuosic santoor. Chris's 14 year old grandson jumping into the mix and jamming out, and then playing a guitar solo of his own composition. A huge group singing rounds and chases. Songs sung a capella. Soul stirring Irish whistle solos. A lively scene from a play. What a night!
The "Covered Dish Supper" portion of the evening was an equally diverse and delicious mix: Lebanese lamb-stuffed cabbage leaves; lentils; pasta salad; ham; potato salad; hummas; taco soup; Amish baked oatmeal and more, more, more, all topped off with a thoughtful gift of birthday cake balls (on sticks!).
There was one guest there, a friend I don't see very often, who did not belong to any of the music or theater "groups" represented at the party. Nonetheless, being there, knowing hardly anyone, he was one of the last to leave, and his parting comment was: When are you going to do this again?
There was a time when RedHouse Arts hosted a monthly salon. Based on the comments I received, and judging from the participation and joy I both witnessed and felt, I'm thinking maybe it might be time to start them up again.
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