Fdl aug sep_scene

FOND DU LAC EDITION | WWW.SCENENEWSPAPER.COM | AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2016

VOLUNTARY 75¢

SCENECasual Fine Dining at

2 | SceneNewspaper.com | Fond du Lac | August/September 2016

Farrell Furniture

August/September 2016 | Fond du Lac | SceneNewspaper.com | 3

Culvers


Growing, giving and gaming has been our vision the past 25 years. Since the beginning, Potawatomi has entertained guests while giving back. From a world-class bingo hall to a premier entertainment destination, featuring gaming, seven restaurants, an event center, theater, hotel and more, Potawatomi Hotel & Casino has been a proud member of its community. We’re celebrating 25 years in the game, and we couldn’t have done it without you.

1721 WEST CANAL STREET • MILWAUKEE, WI 53233 • 1-800-PAYSBIG • PAYSBIG.COM • GAMBLING PROBLEM? CALL 1-800-426-2535

©2016 FOREST COUNTY POTAWATOMI COMMUNITY, WISCONSIN

August/September 2016 | SceneNewspaper.com | 5

Advertising deadline for October is September 20 at 5 p.m. Submit ads to [email protected]. The SCENE is published monthly by Calumet Press, Inc. The SCENE provides news and commentary on politics, current events, arts and entertainment, and daily living. We retain sole ownership of all non-syndicated editorial work and staff-produced advertisements contained herein. No duplication is allowed without permission from Calumet Press, Inc. 2016.

PO Box 227 • Chilton, WI 53014 • 920-849-4551

CalumetPRESSINC.

8CONTENTS

SCENE STAFFPublisher James Moran • [email protected]

Editor Michael Casper • [email protected]

Graphic Designer Ericka Kramer-Baker • 920.602.2297 [email protected]

Ad Director/Sales Greg Doyle • [email protected]

Norma Jean Fochs • [email protected]

Patrick Murphy • [email protected]

Connie Carmical • [email protected]

22

14

ENTERTAINMENT6 WAPL’s Home Brewed

Highlights Local Music8 Molly Ringwald Sings

Jazz at the Gerold14 Kyle Megna, Mile of

Music have Grown16 Concert Watch: Toto

Headlines Waterfest20 Celebrate Fair Trade

Month

22 Riverfront Jazz Festival: Labor Day Weekend

24 Fox Jazz Festival30 CD Review: Erin Krebs32 Postcard from Milwaukee34 Spanish Inquisition

BUSINESS 10 Fond du Lac Eye Doctor

Provides Solutions for Vision Problems

FOOD & DRINK8 The Source Restaurant12 Theo’s 24

Michael CasperGeorge Halas

Blaine SchultzJane Spietz

Taylor HaleCONTRIBUTORS

SCENE

Winfield Homes

Kurki Mach Funeral

6 | SceneNewspaper.com | August/September 2016

ENTERTAINMENT // WAPL’S HOME BREWED

BY GEORGE HALAS

There is increasing focus on and grow-ing interest in local original music in the Fox Cities. One of the engines driving the growth is the Home Brewed radio show hosted by Len Nelson on WAPL Saturday mornings at 9 a.m.

The show is a growing labor of love.“I’ve always played local bands on the

Rick and Len Show which I co-host every morning on WAPL, but John Jordan, WAPL Home Brewed producer and Road Show host, and I wanted a dedicated time and place where fans of Wisconsin music could go for more of it,” Nelson said. “With the Fox Valley music scene in the pretty healthy place it’s in right now, it just seemed like a good time to revisit a concept we hadn’t done since many years ago when I hosted a show we called WAPL Home Grown. Since both John and I are avid fans of local music and supporters of the people who make it, we also had a selfish interest in providing some exposure for them to a wider audience.”

There’s been a heavy influx in recent years of amazing local music talent in the area.

“Len and I thought it would be a great idea to bring that concept back to WAPL,” Jordan said. “It wasn’t hard to pitch the concept of Home Brewed, but getting and soliciting artists for their music and the initial rollout took many, many hours to facilitate. The objective is simple. Get the music of these talented musicians in the ears of as many people as possible and getting a community excited about how special the live music scene we have in the community. If it’s good and it has ties to Wisconsin, we might play it. We’ll bend genres, too. The music on the show doesn’t necessarily have to fit the exact style we play on WAPL the rest of the day.”

They did have a place to start….

“I already had stacks of local albums on my very messy desk because for years I’ve encouraged artists to make sure that we get a copy when they make a record,” Nelson said. “Some of the local studio guys, espe-cially Marc Golde and Tony Anders, have also helped by making sure we know about who’s recording, but mostly we hoped word of mouth would pick up, and musicians would make getting their music to Home Brewed part of their to-do lists. Social media helps to foster that culture, too.”

“We went out and bought a lot of CD’s from bands at live shows and the good people at the Exclusive Company in Appleton, particularly Mark Steven Hillstrom, who’s a musician himself, contributed to the cause,” Jordan said. “By the way, having Len Nelson as the voice of Home Brewed is such a tremendous asset for the show. His personal relationships to the musicians and knowledge of the his-tory of the area has been absolutely invalu-able to the success, and I need to mention Marc Golde, without whom I’m not sure there would be a music scene here, he’s an incredible advocate and spiritual advisor of everything music in the area and we’re so blessed to have a relationship with him. Honestly, rarely a week goes by where we don’t play a song that he hasn’t played on or produced at Rock Garden Studio.”

Station support was critical.“Well, the cool thing is that the bosses

here at WAPL were pretty enthusiastic from the get-go. The challenge for John and I really was to make sure we put together a quality program which would treat our local artists the same way we treat national artists,” Nelson said. “I think we’ve suc-ceeded. It’s important to us to include gig information when the bands we play are performing locally, too. We don’t just want people to hear these artists on the radio, but also to go out and see them.”

The backing was a consensus.“I was given full support from WAPL/

Woodward Radio management to create Home Brewed,” Jordan said. “That’s the benefit of working for an independent/

employee-owned radio station. We can do original programming and not have to run it by a corporate board for approval. Having only an hour to work with is both a blessing and a curse - a ton of artists/music to choose from and only time to feature 12 artists on every show. And, yes, there have been talks on expanding the show to two hours.”

The show’s ratings doubled almost immediately and the feedback from listen-ers was….

“Very positive,” Jordan emphasized. “I’m always so proud when someone goes out of their way to tell me that they listen to Home Brewed every Saturday and really enjoy it. Another benefit from that is the listeners are my ears at times and love to tell me about bands they saw recently that I should put on the show. I love that.”

The musicians have been very enthusi-astic.

“Nothing but love, man,” Nelson said. “Lots of players tell me they’re tuning in or listening to the podcasts of it at wapl.com. I also love it when I see bands posting about their own appearances on the show in Facebook and Twitter. Face it, I don’t care who you are, it’s the coolest thing to hear your music on the radio for the first time...or every time!”

And yet they insist, it’s not about ratings.“We aren’t doing the show for ratings.

We’re doing it because we value the local musical and arts community we’re part of,”

Nelson said. “If that translates into some good ratings, we’re not going to complain about it. Plus, playing good local bands gives WAPL a bit of a cool factor, too. Who doesn’t want to be cool?”

“I’m personally not a ‘ratings guy’ but I’m all about tying ourselves to the local music scene and community by promot-ing original music made here,” Jordan added. “In my mind, that’s one of the main purposes of radio, to be very community-oriented and, by promoting the local music scene, it’s a win-win for everyone. Pride in your community takes many forms and music is certainly one of those.”

Nelson and Jordan believe the show has a lot of potential.

“We hope to attract a little more statewide attention, both from bands and people who might listen to Home Brewed online at wapl.com,” Nelson said. “State-wide syndication is a possibility. We may also feature some specialty programming on the stream like a radio version of a new local music TV show in development from Marc Golde called “Live from Rock Garden Studio.” Stay tuned!”

You can listen to the show online at: WAPLHomeBrewed.com; you can “LIKE” the WAPL Home Brewed page on Face Book and, if you are a musician or band, you can submit your CD for consideration to: WAPL Home Brewed c/o John Jordan 2800 E. College Ave. Appleton, WI 54911.

WAPL’S HOME BREWED Highlights Local Music


Holiday Auto


ENTERTAINMENT // MOLLY RINGWALD

Molly Ringwald is getting back to her roots. Ringwald started performing with her pianist father’s jazz band when she was three. Molly Ringwald, star of Pretty in Pink and The Breakfast Club and other eighties movies, some of them deservedly cult favorites, is back to singing again and touring the country with her world class jazz trio. On October 8th, Molly will be gracing the stage at the Gerold Opera House in Weyauwega.

“I had quite the musical repertoire,” she recalls with a laugh. “It was pretty much traditional jazz, but there was some Bessie Smith and Helen Kane, the original Betty Boop.”

Talk with Ringwald for even a short amount of time and it’s clear her grasp of jazz and its history comes from a lifelong study of the form and the great singers who inspired her, including Smith, Ella Fitzgerald, Blossom Dearie and Susannah McCorkle.

“Blossom Dearie was the only one I got to see live,” Ringwald said. “Susannah’s recordings have really influenced me. I think she was really special in her gifts of interpretation and how much humanity she brought to the songs.”

However, the time wasn’t right until now. Paul Mazursky cast the then 13-year old in “Tempest,” and for the next few

decades, her public focus was on acting, as she starred in such films as “Fresh Horses,” “Betsy’s Wedding,” “King Lear,” “The Pick-Up Artist,” and, of course, her trio of films with John Hughes, “Sixteen Candles,” “The Breakfast Club” and “Pretty In Pink.”

“Once I started to act I felt like I had to make that decision,” she said. “Plus, during the ‘80s, I didn’t think there was a place for the music that I was interested in, there was no Madeline Peyroux, Diana Krall, Norah Jones…I didn’t feel like anybody was going to listen to the kind of music that I wanted to sing. I thought, I’ll just keep singing with my dad and focus on my acting.”

Famed director John Hughes was often at the rudder of the ‘Brat Pack’ films, and he and Molly worked together well, according to some of her stories about the career she triumphed in. She still acts. Her focus now, though, is her life as a jazz singer. She’s cut a CD, ‘Except Sometimes.’

Kathy Fehl, of the Weyauwega Arts Organization, was listening to the radio in her car when the song, ‘I Get Along With-out You Very Well’ …except sometimes…came on the radio. Kathy was struck by the singer and then surprised to learn that it was, in fact, Molly Ringwald.

One thing led to another, and now Molly Ringwald and her three piece band

will be appearing at the Gerold Opera House on October 8th.

The Gerold Opera House, home to the Weyauwega Arts Organization (Wega Arts, as it’s usually referred to), was built in 1915. It has really great acoustics, and hearing a singer there is a treat…seating up to two hundred and fifty, or three twenty-five with the balcony, the cabaret arrangement makes an intimate house even more so. The Gerold also has a full bar and features Central Waters beer on tap.

After the concert Molly will sign CDs. ‘Except Sometimes,’ included the three musicians she will have with her at the Gerold Opera House: Peter Smith on piano, Clayton Cameron on drums, and Trevor Ware on bass. Each of these are world class jazz musicians.

Ian Teal is Executive Director of Wega Arts.

“We’re thrilled to bring this great caba-ret talent to Weyauwega,” Teal said. “We’re about to be celebrating our tenth year here. We’re here to develop original material in theater, film and music, and to bring entertainment to the community. Bringing Molly Ringwald, actress and singer, here is a wonderful step in our story.”

Wega Art’s most recent project is the film ‘Heroes Rising.’ Seventeen kids learning camera, sound, shot design, make

up as well as acting took part (very hands on) in the making of the film, a narrative short in which kids morph into super heroes to combat the heroin epidemic. Wega Arts also produced a documentary with kids (‘Getting to the Bottom of Lake Weyauwega’), three new musicals, twenty new one act plays, and this November will see their sixth annual Weyauwega Interna-tional Film Festival.

Wega Arts owns and operates the Gerold Opera House, and has done and continues to do extensive restoration.

Other concerts at the Gerold have included Annie Hughes of Waupaca (recently at Carnegie Hall with the Cole Porter 125th Birthday celebration), and William Severin Thompson with the Swingtime Big Band. On December 17th, 2016, Steve March Torme will be perform-ing.

Tickets for the Molly Ringwald event can be found on the Wega Arts website, wegaarts.org. The Gerold Opera House is at 136 East Main Street in Weyauwega. The house will open at 7 p.m., and the show will start at 8 p.m. Seating is reserved!

Get your tickets soon to see and hear the charismatic and gifted MOLLY RING-WALD!

Contact Wega Arts by email: [email protected], phone: 920-867-4888.

Molly Ringwald Sings Jazz at the Gerold

Committed to serving fresh, natural and locally-sourced food, The Source Public House will celebrated its 2nd anni-versary this past July 24.

Having opened in 2014, The Source Public House was one of the first farm-to-table restaurants in the area, supporting local farms and food suppliers with 86 percent of its vendors located within 100 miles of the restaurant. The Source’s 154 Wisconsin vendors include 101 food providers, 40 craft breweries and 13 other

beverage providers.Serving as a local music and art venue

as well, The Source has hosted more than 170 bands including local favorites Dead Horses, Sly Joe and the Smooth Operators, and The Dave Olsen Band, and is also home to 58 paintings and photographs created and shot by 16 local artists.

In addition to hosting live music sev-eral times a week, The Source also hosts a variety of events throughout the year from live artist showcases of their works,

to sustainably-sourced five-course dinners, and The Source is the home of one of the only dog-friendly patios in the area.

According to long-time entrepreneur, businessman and Source owner Dennis Long, The Source offers a unique, locally-sourced menu without having to leave the Fox Valley.

“We are committed to providing the community with fresh, natural food from vendors right here in the Valley,” Dennis said. “We want to reconnect people to

the land by serving food that is primarily grown right here in our backyards.”

At The Source you’ll experience a comfortable, casual dining experience with sustainability at its core.

“We are ‘green’ wherever practical,” Long said. “That means cloth napkins—not paper—and as little plastic as possible. We even use glass outside on our patio beer garden.”

THE SOURCE RESTAURANT Celebrates Two Years of Farm-to-Table Success

FOOD & DRINK // THE SOURCE RESTAURANT


Robert Homes

BUSINESS // FOND DU LAC EYE DOCTOR

Few industries have seen as much change and innovation as has the eye care industry. Dr. Stephen Dudley, of OptiVi-sion Eye Care located on Pioneer Drive in Fond du Lac, continues to offer new and innovative services while continuing to provide the best in quality eye care to his patients.

NEW AND IMPROVED CATARACT SURGERY MULTIFOCAL IMPLANTS

Until recently, cataract patients received monofocal lens implants that had only a single power. This meant you had a choice of correction for either far or near vision. If you suffer from presbyopia, like many people over age 50, this would mean that you still need glasses for either reading or for distance vision. Dr. Dudley offers several multifocal lens implants that can increase your chances for a life free of dependence on glasses or contacts after cataract surgery for near, far and interme-diate vision. If you’ve worn glasses for a long time, this is your opportunity to live a lens-free lifestyle!

NO DROP CATARACT SURGERYIn an effort to make surgery safer and

more convenient for patients, Dr. Dudley uses an

intra-

ocular medication delivery system placed inside the eye at the time of surgery. “The advantage of delivering medication during surgery is that your postoperative course will be simplified and you won’t have to deal with the inconvenience and expense of obtaining and placing drops in your eyes,” says Dr. Dudley.

BLADE-FREE/LASER-ASSISTEDTraditional cataract surgery has always

involved a blade to create several small incisions during surgery. These incisions can now be made with a laser. This custom, blade-free cataract removal is more precise by using the same proven laser technology that’s been used in LASIK procedures for over a decade. OptiVision patients are for-tunate to have the option of upgrading to this advanced technology with our on-site femtosecond cataract laser which can also reduce astigmatism at the same time.

TIRED OF WEARING READING GLASSES?

Dr. Dudley has a safe, effective, long-term solution for patients with presbyopia. The KAMRA™ corneal inlay allows the eye to see near and intermediate objects more clearly while maintaining distance vision. It’s designed to revive reading vision by allowing only focused light to enter the eye.

Everyone will experience loss of read-ing vision and blurriness as they age.

Presbyopia may seem to occur suddenly, but the actual loss

of flexibility takes place over a number of years,

usually becoming noticeable in the

early to mid-40s. Presby-

opia is not a d i s -

e a s e a n d

i t

cannot be pre -vented.

The KAMRA™ c o r n e a l i n l a y i s an ultra-thin opaque ring that is implanted into the patient’s non-domi-nant eye. The device utilizes the principle of the pinhole effect, to extend depth-of-focus for patients suffering from age-related near vision loss while maintain-ing binocularity for distance.

Pat i ent s who have undergone the KAMRA procedure a re once aga in performing daily tasks like reading text messages, checking the time on their watch, reading store shelf prices, working on a computer and driving without glasses.

WITH LASIK INCREASING IN POP-ULARITY AND FLUCTUATING IN PRICE, IT PAYS TO TAKE A LOOK AT THE MAN BEHIND THE MACHINE.

With so many laser centers in the area, it pays to research the surgeon behind the laser. Dr. Stephen Dudley takes pride in his honesty and forthright approach to refractive surgery. “We offer a variety of refractive procedures and strive to fit each patient with the procedure that best suits their individual needs”, explains Dr. Dudley.

As the first eye surgeon to perform laser vision correction in the state of Wisconsin in 1990, Dr. Dudley offers the latest in technology and treatment to correct nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism. He has performed thousands of laser vision procedures. From teaching and training surgeons throughout the country, to educating and treating patients

nationwide, Dr. Dudley offers patients “visual freedom” from glasses and contact lenses.

By using world class VISX technology, he delivers a personalized approach to laser vision correction by offering a more “custom-eyes” treatment plan to further improve the accuracy of his results. A patient’s vision is as unique as their finger-print and no one should be satisfied with an “assembly-line” laser vision experience when they can choose a custom procedure.

Dudley consistently provides superior visual outcomes. In 1998, Dr. Dudley had the LASIK procedure himself and has enjoyed a glasses-free lifestyle ever since. Dudley says, “A complimentary consulta-tion is the best way to determine your candidacy for refractive surgery.”

To schedule an eye exam, a cataract evaluation or a complimentary screening to find out more about LASIK call 1-800-204-2779.

Fond du Lac office: 920-923-0000 Oshkosh office: 920-236-3540 Neenah office: 920-729-6600

Fond du Lac Eye Doctor Provides Solutions for Vision Problems



Optivision


FOOD & DRINK // THEO’S 24

BY MICHAEL CASPER

Long before Guy Fieri got his first dye job, Anthony Bourdain bought his own set of knives, and Rachel Ray explained to us the idiosyncrasies of the cheese sandwich, Ted Buetow was earning his stripes, and getting his chops in various kitchens in a myriad of restaurants while living in Mil-waukee.

“I worked with a lot of different chefs,” Ted said “learning everything from the right way to prepare and present a salad, to creating a five course meal. I worked my

way up through the school of hard knocks in the restaurant industry beginning when I was in my early twenties.”

In 1994 Ted’s parents, Noel and Ken Buetow wanted to open a restaurant that revolved around prime cuts of meat, and fresh fish, focused on quality, what’s referred to ‘the center of the plate.’

“The approach always was to buy the best food, and let that speak for itself,” Ted said.

The original Theo’s closed, not because they had to, but rather through a business proposition. A few years ago Ted was run-ning Theo’s, and was asked by Louie Lange Jr. to join the team at The Trinity, which was struggling at the time.

“He and I became partners,” Ted said “I was the tenant of the building in a sense.

But it wasn’t long after that we realized I couldn’t run both places at the same time, so I decided to focus on Trinity, which was a bigger operation with the potential to make more money, but with it came the risk of quickly losing money too.”

It ended in the latter scenario as Trinity closed in December of 2014.

“I immediately wanted to reopen Theo’s,” Ted said. “We’d had it for sale, it never sold, so I started the process, and that’s when Randy Cunzenheim came into the picture.”

Randy Cunzenheim retired from the Fond du Lac Fire Department after a 24

year career, having risen to the rank of Assistant Chief of Training and Safety, then decided to get into the restaurant business.

“It didn’t happen that quickly (laugh),” Randy said “but almost. My wife Ruth and I are Godparents to Teddy’s children. Our father’s knew one another from way back, our families have always gotten together over the holidays, we were all involved in hockey. We’re like family. After I retired, Teddy was telling me he was thinking about reopening Theo’s, but knew the res-taurant needed a lot of interior work. I’m kind of handy, so I suggested I give him a hand with it.”

They put a business plan together, one thing led to another, and the next thing he and Ted knew, they were both putting in more than 50-hour work weeks, along with Randy’s dad Ron Cunzenheim, demolish-

ing and rehabbing the old Theo’s. Ron was a civil engineer for the city of Fond du Lac, who after a 27-year career retired, only to go to work for another decade at Excel Engineering before retiring again, and who then started and operated his own business for yet another 10 years or more.

Smith Brothers Construction put the new face on the outside of Theo’s.

“We did all the inside work ourselves,” Ted said. “Admittedly, I’m not really handy, but Randy, his dad, and another friend Randy Brezinski helped completely change the look of the bar and dining room. We tore the old flooring out, exposing the 100

year-old Terrazzo floor, and brought that back to life. The whole rehab took about a year to complete.”

The wood they used for the bar back, and bar table tops has a unique history.

“Jason Guelig stopped in one day while we were tearing things apart,” Randy said “and told us about how he’d found some wood from an old Flannigan’s Sauerkraut vat that he was contracted to demolish. The vat had been used for more than 100 years, and after looking into it Jason realized this wood was ‘original growth’ California Redwood. Now, having been used as a sauerkraut vat, these 4-inch thick beveled planks were in pretty rough shape, but after we planed them down, what we found was absolutely gorgeous. And we didn’t stain them at all, we just applied a sealcoat to them.”

If you count the rings, they number more than 175 years of growth in a 5-inch width.

“My dad’s quite the woodworker,” Randy said “and knowing that we had to rip out all the old cabinetry, and coolers that were near 60 years old, we started the project. And shortly thereafter we decided we’d just rebuild everything ourselves.”

Patron’s tastes have changed over the years for both food and beverage.

“What has also changed are the expec-tations of the customer,” Ted said “twenty years ago when I’d serve Ahi Tuna, people

would have no idea what that was, and would very seldom order it. Now, they expect it. Today we always have Ahi, and Atlantic Salmon, and Chilean Sea Bass on our menu, all of our fish is fresh, never frozen, on top of that we try to have at least one or two other fresh fish choices on spe-cial, and of course we still buy the prime cuts of meat. Craft beers have grown in popularity, we don’t sell as much bottled beer as we once did, and we sell more wine than craft beer, believe it or not. Wine has taken off, as has high end alcohol, nobody orders off the rail anymore. Primo vodkas, and bourbons are hot, where twenty years ago you had Jim Beam, and that was it! (laugh)”

The gluten-free foods have crept into our vocabularies and across our palates.

New Look and New Life for Theo’s 24


FOOD & DRINK // THEO’S 24

“It wasn’t an issue before, but now it is,” Ted said “so we will customize meals to your liking.”

“Teddy is a phenomenal chef,” Randy said “he’s the reason people come to Theo’s, the food and the menu are sensational. We’re always striving to make our service better, we believe with the new design, Theo’s is basically a brand new place. We have the great venue with having updated everything from the electrical, to heating and air conditioning, the kitchen was totally gutted and remodeled. We tried to take advantage of the art deco skeleton that it had wanting to accentuate with finer details.”

And i f Ted’s not in the kitchen, Theo’s doesn’t open.

“It’s not that I don’t trust anybody else in my kitchen,” Ted said “it’s just that I want to touch every plate that leaves, it’s that important to me. And we’re small enough right now, we’re only serving one meal , we’re closed Sundays and Mondays with a plan to someday soon open Sundays offer-ing an a la carte brunch, be open for Packer games, and serve an early dinner.”

The restaurant business is more com-petitive than ever.

“You’re not only competing with other restaurants, but also with the customers themselves,” Ted said “and by that I mean, more often than before folks like to cook at home. With the popularity of food chan-nels on TV, and just about everybody has a recipe or a cookbook, people like to stay home and try things themselves. Twenty-five years ago when my brother Todd owned Dillinger’s, on a Sunday during a Packer game, you couldn’t get in the bar. Nowadays, people have their own high-def big screens, and grocery stores will have a deli special where you can entertain 15 people for a fraction of the price for what you and your wife would spend going out.”

Because the customer has become more savvy, knowing exactly what it is they want from a wine to rye whiskey, or hummus and flatbread to seasoned pork tenderloin

medallions. In turn, the bar and waitstaff needs to be educated and on their game for a restaurant to remain competitive, much less stay open.

“I have friends in the business, and know of at least three restaurants that have simply closed their doors,” Ted said “some out of frustration. The customer expects more than they once did. People work hard for their money, and they want to be treated right when they go out and spend their money.”

And since the beginning of time, good help is hard to find.

“You have to want to learn, and be willing to work,” Ted said “and I’ll tell you, it’s hard to find good help. I have one kid here who gets it, his name is Drew Christiansen, and he is exceptional. Three quarters of the people who walk through Theo’s f ront door, request Drew, he’s just that good...because he gets it. He understands customer service. How do you explain it with-out offending the other servers, but the template for how to do it, and do

it right, is right in front of them. Work ethic these days is lacking, and never more than today is the customer never wrong. You have to cater to the customer, or you don’t have any customers. What’s gotten lost is the, ‘how can I make this right for you,’ but we’re trying to turn the ship around here at Theo’s.”

“When Ted and his family had run Theo’s for twenty years previous,” Randy said “it was always a comfortable place to come to, and we want to continue that. It’s a place where when you walk in, you’ll always know somebody, a nice place for a drink after work, have some appetizers, and also enjoy an incredible dinner.”

“Gordon Ramsey and I share the same thought process and concept,” Ted said “which is you focus on and buy the good center of the plate, meaning you buy the best filet, the best sea bass, the best tuna, and you revolve around that, and let that speak for itself. You can’t take a lower grade cut of meat, a ‘no role,’ meaning it’s not stamped, and dress it up enough to fool the

customer into thinking it’s prime. When you get right down to it, Theo’s is a bargain, truly. If you were in school it would be ‘Restaurant 101.’ With most restaurants their food costs are 30% of their outlay...our is 65%. Think of 65-cents of every dollar going just to the product. When you see our filet on the menu for $35, that would be a $48 steak a la carte. All of our entrees come with soup or salad, and side. If you go to Carnevor Steakhouse in Milwaukee, and order the same steak, the same meal...because they have the same steak, you’ll pay $48, and you might get a salad with it.”

With Randy is the front of the house,

and Ted in the kitchen, Theo’s 24 is ‘a must’ dining experience in casual fine dining, located at 24 North Main Street in Fond du Lac.

On-Deck Ostholff Resort


ENTERTAINMENT // SERIOUSLY FUNNY

BY GEORGE HALAS

Appleton native Kyle Megna is in a unique position to reflect on the growth of Mile of Music.

The singer-songwriter-guitarist and leader of Kyle Megna and The Monsoons played at the first MOM. Since then, the band has grown in size and stature, and has released several CD’s of original music that have earned critical acclaim and a growing legion of fans who flock to the band’s live shows.

Megna had just moved back from Nashville when MOM debuted.

“Well, we just started playing out in the Fox Cities. We were playing our own tunes and finding our sound as a band,” Megna recalls. “This musical festival was going to happen, and no one knew what to expect. We signed up online I believe. Thinking back to the first year I was pleas-antly surprised...I don’t think anyone really knew what was going to happen. It could have been a flop, or a success. It was orga-nized well enough, and clearly people were curious about what it was. I think people wanted something different. They got something fresh, new, and exciting. Hear-ing bands from all parts of the country in Appleton, Wisconsin in one four-day stretch was and is a breath of fresh air.”

Many artists from the area were already performing.

“And creating and selling their own music and it gave them a platform to showcase their talents,” he added. “I think it was eye-opening to the community that they could catch original music almost any day of the week, year-round right here in the Fox Cities. We have so much talent

here.”Megna is grateful for the opportunities.“MOM has given the members of the

Monsoons, past and present, as well as myself a platform to play music in this area and beyond,” he said. “I’ve been perform-ing, writing and recording music for the past 11 years. Only in the last two years has it gotten to a place where I feel I’ve ‘found myself ’ as a musician and under-stand my strengths and weaknesses while always growing. Definitely having that platform once a year helps push the music created. I try my best to have new material every year.”

Right on cue, Megna and The Mon-soons released a new EP, “Always Been This Way” on July 26th, which not only showcases the growth and evolution of the band, but the growth and evolution of Megna’s songwriting as well.

Since January of this year the band has a new lineup, a veritable Fox Cities all-star team. The current members are: Fred Velpel, bass; Mike Underwood, drums; Noah Harmon, keys; Kurt Shipe, trumpet; Aaron Zepplin, lead guitar; and Ross Cat-terton, sax, as well as Megna on guitar and vocals.

“Past and present lineups with the band always affect the writing,” Megna said. “This lineup, as it is now can still lay down funky grooves, but has a very intricate and dynamic aspect about it. Half the guys in the band now are professionally-trained musicians with degrees in music to prove just that. Yes, these guys are beasts of musicians. I’m very grateful to be play-ing and creating music with them. I feel everyone plays to the songs and knows their role to fulfill in the band. They’re

smart and talented guys. I don’t need to talk ‘direction and vision’ with them. There is a lot to making a band work. The one thing I know is that we all respect the music and put music first.”

Megna jokes with the guys a lot about how many technical things he doesn’t know about music.

“I’m a simple song writer, and I love playing with melodies,” he said. “I have a different take on music, and this group of talented musicians brings it to life. I don’t tell them really what to play. They make their own parts around my simple songs. The combination of that makes it different and exciting to listen to.”

He describes the EP as an organic piece of work.

“I don’t tell the new lineup what to play,” he said “and this EP truly represents what we are now and what we are capable of.”

Different and exciting to listen to, are clearly evident with the opening notes of the EP’s first track, “Find The One Thing,” as Shipe’s trumpet announces that Underwood and Velpel have found a deep, classic Monsoon groove that creates the right ambience for Megna’s urgent vocal. Zepplin contributes his usual stellar guitar work and trades musical punches with Shipe.

It’s Harmon’s turn to set the stage for “Hollow” to develop around Catterton’s tenor sax. Megna brings the volume down midway as Catterton returns the favor and provides the right flourishes to augment a Harmon solo. The song builds back up to full-tilt boogie as Underwood and Zepplin take over big time. Megna’s maturing song craft creates room for everyone.

Evolving songwriter Megna places ear-catching acoustic guitar chords at the beginning of “Always Been This Way,” a ballad that showcases Catterton’s tenor, and the sonically pleasing mix that results when this lineup plays all together. Megna’s heartfelt lyrics are ideally suited to his voice.

The groove, and Megna’s vocal will seem familiar to Monsoon fans on “Deep Down,” but Catterton and Underwood underscore once again that the music is growing in a very good direction.

“Don’t Let Me Go,” is a second, equally compelling acoustic guitar-tenor sax fla-vored ballad that frames some of Megna’s best, ever-evolving lyrics, and once again, makes a listener glad that Catteron is in the band.

One gets the impression that Megna and the band are having a good time.

“The chemistry of the band has gotten to a top level,” Megna said. “It’s always been good, but now everyone in the band knows what the other member is thinking and it’s a smooth, well-oiled machine. If you see us live now, you see everyone in the band smiling and moving to the music. That’s a good sign. The guys in the band are all good hangs, too...getting to know everyone on a more personal level has been a blast. It feels like family. So many laughs and experiences with these guys, especially when we did our South-East tour.”

Check kylemegna.com for the dates, times and venues for Megna’s various per-formances. The EP will be for sale as long as supplies last…

KYLE MEGNA, Mile of Music have Grown Together


Theos 24


ENTERTAINMENT // CONCERT WATCH

BY JANE SPIETZ

The music of Grammy award-winning rock band Toto blends touches of rock, progressive rock, jazz, pop, R & B, and funk. Having grown up together in Southern California, members of Toto maintain a close relationship even today. The band’s philosophy is one of a total team effort, in which individual musical contributions from all are both encouraged and appreciated.

Toto has seen numerous personnel changes since its formation in 1977,

including the passing of brothers Jeff and Mike Porcaro, but the exceptional quality of the music has remained consistent. Through the years, individual members of Toto have been in high demand for their outstanding musicianship and have performed on an astounding 5000 different albums of various artists. Toto has toured extensively all over the world and is currently playing dates throughout the United States. The band maintains a huge international fan base.

Toto is best known for hit singles “Rosanna,” “Hold the Line,” “Africa,” “I’ll Be Over You,” “Pamela,” “99,” and “I Won’t Hold You Back.” Toto IV (1982) received critical acclaim and earned Toto the distinction of being the first group to earn six Grammys for one album. Toto XIV (2015) was the band’s first studio recording in 10 years. It has been described as a genuine return to the early musical

stylings of Toto combined with modern elements. This September the band will release a special concert film, Toto: Live at Montreux 1991, which features Toto at the Montreux Jazz Festival after being invited to perform there by iconic producer Quincy Jones.

For laughs, be sure to check out the video of Jimmy Fallon and Justin Timberlake performing “Africa” during one of their hilarious Camp Winnipesaukee summer camp sketches on the Tonight Show.

Members of Toto include Steve “Luke” Lukather (Guitar/Vocals), David Paich (Keyboards/Vocals), Steve Porcaro (Keyboards/Vocals), Joe Williams (Lead Vocals), along with the addition of touring members Shannon Forrest (Drums) and Leland Sklar (Bass).

I phoned Williams recently at his home in California.

Jane Spietz: Toto has a whole new generation of devoted fans following the band.

Joe Williams: It’s extremely gratifying just to be a part of something that has endured as this band has. Especially with all of its incarnations and members passing away. It’s a bizarre, typical kind of family story. It’s incredibly exciting. Who wouldn’t be completely honored to be in a long-lasting thing like this?

JS: What is the story behind the name of the band?

JW: (Laughs) It’s so funny. Some of the guys who’ve been around the whole time have their joke answers, and then they have their convoluted answers. It’s hysterical. When Lukather’s not in a great mood, and we’re all little bit tired and somebody asks that question in the audience, we just say ‘oh, it’s the dog in the Wizard of Oz.’ Which I suppose it is. But the true story is when Toto was recording their first songs in the studio for the first album back then they used these huge, two inch 24 track tapes which lived in these enormous boxes. They had to have vaults filled with these things for all the artists that were working on their music. Somebody complained that the tape boxes of the total recordings were not labeled. So Jeff Porcaro, the drummer

at the time, went into the vault and just wrote ‘toto’ on all the boxes. From what I understand, that is the real story of how the band got the name. (Laughs)

JS: How did Toto’s distinct sound evolve?

JW: It was really David Paich and Jeff Porcaro. Their affiliation and their work together from the time there were kids playing in high school bands. They developed it together. They developed this really interesting combination of sounds. It was mostly R&B. If you go back and listen to Boz Scaggs’ first album and a lot of Steely Dan stuff, we’re talking about those guys. They played on all those records. So there was this real R&B feel which you even hear in songs like “Hold the Line” and “Rosanna.” A few of the other members came in and added some texture. As a guitar player, Lukather’s influences were a little bit more rock and perhaps fusion oriented, but then again he also has a great ballad side to him. So David Paich and Jeff Porcaro were responsible for the sound you know as Toto.

JS: The four current members of Toto all take turns at singing lead vocals, writing songs, and everybody plays an instrument. Bonding and teamwork where everyone contributes to the music.

JW: It is remarkable. It’s the best working situation. Making the latest album was very difficult. We’ve been close for so many years, but again everybody came in and brought something to the table. Brought either something musical or vocally or lyrically or production wise. It’s extremely balanced in terms of the collaborative process, at least with the four of us. We seem to have a really good method.

JS: I was interested to learn that members of Toto’s management created a tree, so to speak, of all the artists that various members of Toto have worked with over the years and have contributed to many of their recordings.

JW: Everybody in the group is a stellar

musician, and started their career here in Southern California doing sessions, myself included. I thought when I came out of high school was that I was going to get go to college and get a basic degree so that I could go into the Air Force, believe it or not. They started to get jobs singing commercials. That was the beginning for me. As for the other guys in the band, their reputation for being these incredible musicians got around so everyone was interested in having them come work on their records. Michael Jackson, Quincy Jones. All these people would come seeking out David Paich and Steve Lukather just for their incredible musicianship and talent in coming up with great new ideas.

JS: I must ask you about one of my favorite Toto songs – “Africa.” It is so beautiful and so inspiring. How did the idea for Africa come about?

JW: “Africa” is a masterpiece written by David Paich. The interesting story with that song that I heard was that nobody in the band wanted to have it on the record. They just weren’t hearing it as something that lived up to the other songs on the album, and of course it became a number one hit. It’s quite simply just one of those David Paich grooves. Real simplistic melody and his words are visual and his lyrics are very poetic. He loves to speak about locales and the feeling you get when you’re there. It just struck a nerve. Great, great song.

JS: Talk about Toto XIV, Toto’s latest release.

JW: It came about as a result of the contract the band had with the record company. An album was owed. Discussion was had about whether to fight it or just make an album. So we just decided, you know, come on let’s do what we do and just go in the studio and make a record. It was

Toto Headlines Waterfest 2016 Finale!WHAT: TotoWHERE: Waterfest Concert Series, Oshkosh WIWHEN: Thursday, September 1, 2016 Gates open at 5:30 PMCOST: Reserved VIP $40, General Admission $20, Admission before 6 PM $15INFO: www.waterfest.org/www.totoofficial.com/

Continue on Page 18


Gillies


ENTERTAINMENT // CONCERT WATCH

basically the four men that are now standing as the band Toto. It was just us. Everybody brought something to the table. Everybody’s influences came along with it. Obviously, we had David Paich, original writer and member of the group, so everybody’s hanging on his ideas. We were interested in doing some pieces that were similar to the band Yes - a little more progressive kind of thing. And then, of course, coming back to the soulful David Paich’s R&B stuff. There is a great song called “Chinatown” on that record that was actually written during the period of the first Toto album. We brought that back out and recut it. There is a nostalgic feel to the new album. It harkens back to the things that we loved back in the late ‘70s, while at the same time trying to bring something new and inventive to the process. I’m proud of it. It’s a really nice, fun collection of songs. Some of them are great to play live.

JS: I would like you to share a favorite memory.

JW: I guess the one that just stands out for some obvious reasons was on my first tour with Toto. I was quite excited and absorbing every second of it. I have some very clear and vivid memories just because it was so fun and new for me at that time. We were in Puerto Rico and lost power in the middle of the show. I felt a responsibility to entertain the crowd with no mic, no nothing. I brought my video camera out and started to do a striptease. At one point, I just turned around to see where the other guys in the band were, and they had all left the stage. So I’m standing there acting like a buffoon! (Laughs)

JS: What is on the horizon for Toto?JW: We have a lot of great stuff planned.

Beginning of next year, we’re going to be working on new material that is going to be released as part of a new best of album for the 40th anniversary which will be in 2018. Which will be supported with a tour that has much bigger production values. We’ve been banking a bunch of money so we can invest in our own production for the 40th anniversary. I’m looking forward to that. We are going to remaster every single Toto album that was ever made, which will be great. And there will be new material, which is always good news for me because I’m such a huge fan, especially of Dave’s writing. And I love working with him and writing with him. It looks like 2018

is going to be the ginormous touring year. Next year will sort of be a prep year. We’ll work on the production stuff and the new material. And of course we will do some touring, usually in the summer. But, 2018 is going to be the big year, knock on wood. And we’ll see what happens after that.

JS: Toto will perform at the 2016 Waterfest finale in Oshkosh on Thursday,

September 1.JW: We will be in Oshkosh, Wisconsin

on my birthday, 9/1! Fans are going to hear all of their favorite hits, obviously. They’re going to hear some cool deep cuts that they may not have expected. They’re going to hear some new material from the new album. They’re going to enjoy some of Steve Lukather’s unique humor. (Laughs)

And they’re going to watch some absolutely astounding musicians. They can expect everything they want from this band and more. I am happy that you were interested in taking the time to talk. It was absolutely my pleasure and honor. I can’t wait to be out there. It seems to me that every year for the last five years I’m always on tour during my birthday, so I’m used to it now!

Jazz Fest

Continued from Page 16


Rays TV


ENTERTAINMENT // FAIR TRADE MONTH

Fond du Lac Fair Trade Town is plan-ning a “round about” way to celebrate Fair Trade Month in Fond du Lac. A short and affordable Fair Trade Journey is offered as you are out and about this October, to ten locally owned shops and cafés who carry some Fair Trade products. They each are highlighting a featured product for you to learn more about Fair Trade around Fond du Lac.

Participating local businesses are the Blue Goose Coffee House at Horicon Bank, Common Grounds Coffee Shop at Marian University, Gallery and Frame Shop, Just B Still Massage Studio and Green Café, Just Fare Market, Living Light

Studio, Moraine Park Technical College Bookstore, ReachOut & Solid Grounds Coffee, Urban Fuel and Village Market Specialty Foods. You are invited to visit 5 or more of the 10 retailers.

The Fair Trade Journey theme is “Know Your Producer; Know Your Product.” This theme encourages people to think about where the products come from and the human beings who make them. Although fair trade networks focus mainly on fighting poverty in developing countries the organizers of the event recognize the importance of treating all workers with fairness, including those in the United States.

Journey participants may start at any of the participating businesses, where they will receive a “Fair Trade Passport.” At each stop, participants will be encour-aged to look for that venue’s “featured product” and record the product’s name in their passport. Shoppers who find the featured products at five or more shops are invited to leave the completed passport at one of the stores to be entered in a draw-ing for a gift certificate or prize package. The passports should be completed on or before October 31 and left at one of the participating retailers.

The Fair Trade Journey will begin on October 1 with passports available in the

participating stores. The official kick-off will take place at a half day event on the morning of October 8, at Moraine Park Technical College - Fond du Lac Campus. This event is free and open to the public. “How to Make Fond du Lac a Traffic Free Zone,” will focus on how Fair Trade and local agencies and groups are helping to fight the crime of labor and sex traffick-ing which enslaves women, children and men globally as well as in the US and even Wisconsin. For more information check the FDL Fair Trade Town website: www.fonddulacfairtradetown.wordpress.com

Celebrate Fair Trade Month in October 1-31, 2016


Fair Trade


ENTERTAINMENT // RIVERFRONT JAZZ FESTIVAL

BY TAYLOR HALE

The undulating timbres of jazz will be flowing through the streets of Stevens Point this Labor Day weekend at the Riverfront Jazz Festival, held at Pfiffner Pioneer Park. The festival has been running for over a decade and brings in some of the biggest names in modern jazz. This year’s featured artist will be Benny Golson and his quartet. Golson is a world renown jazz musician from Philadelphia, PA.

Jennifer Bellmer, Riverfront Jazz Fes-tival Event Manager, has helped the event grow progressively since its inception, helping bring in bigger names each year to perform for the public. She feels that the event helps preserve the history and heritage of jazz, something that matters deeply to her.

“I think preserving jazz music is impor-tant. It’s America’s invention. It’s a part of our history. Music that we hear today, even rap and hip-hop, all still have elements of jazz in it,” Bellmer said. “New musicians of today can thank our ancestors for coming up with things that we still borrow. Because our festival is free and we can reach a lot of people, I think it helps to make people aware of jazz, which helps preserve it.”

Jazz’s diversification in the sonic realm has helped it spread its roots across the modern soundscape. Bellmer feels that jazz is a type of music that takes many auditory profiles, but has a form that everyone can enjoy.

“There are so many genres in jazz that there is something for everyone, no matter how complex or simple,” Bellmer said.

The alcohol-free and family-friendly event will also have food from local ven-

dors. Everything from gyros to shaved ice will be available for patrons to enjoy, but the great food, music, and atmosphere aren’t the only things guests will enjoy. The event is right on the Wisconsin River, lend-ing the festival the perfect backdrop for all in attendance to appreciate.

Performers and guests alike are sure to savor the natural beauty of the American music and landscape at the Riverfront Jazz Festival. It is an assemblage of people who care about American culture, history, and art. Bellmer is devoted to giving the audience a good show, and she is not alone. Another committee member, Mathew Buchman, Artistic Director, is dedicated to bringing in renowned musicians to play for guests of all ages.

“I think the crowd continues to grow as the festival does thanks to Mathew who always puts together a great and varied line-up,” Bellmer said.

Building a larger audience has been a mission of the committee’s from the start. The first festival, in 2004, saw approxi-mately 2,000 guests, and this year’s event is expected to draw around 5,000 patrons. Bellmer and the other committee members have more than doubled the size of the crowd since the festival’s initial start date, and she is thankful that it is still growing. The entertainment has also grown along with the crowd.

“This year’s fest is going to be great,” Bellmer said. “We have some local acts which are always a crowd favorite, and then we have a huge jazz legend, Benny Golson, coming to our stage. I think he’ll even draw in more people from other areas because he’s such a respected musician. I really cannot wait to hear what he brings

us. We keep outdoing ourselves each year with who we bring in to perform. So, I’m sure 2017 will be very special too.”

Bellmer knows that this year’s festival will be a crowd-pleasing mixture of good food, great music, and a relaxed and fun atmosphere - and she knows next year’s event will be even bigger. But, regardless of

size, Bellmer’s main goal is to put together an event that people will enjoy.

“My favorite part of the event is hear-ing and seeing the community enjoy themselves. I have never seen anyone there who is disappointed. Unless it’s weather related,” Bellmer joked.

Riverfront Jazz Festival: Labor Day Weekend in Stevens Point

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2016 3:00-4:30 UWSP Faculty Sextet5:00-6:30 Patty and the Buttons7:00-8:30 Sara Gazarek Quartet

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 20163:00-4:30 Joe Policastro Trio5:00-6:30 Greg Duncan (Flamenco project)7:00-8:30 Benny Golson Quartet

Lola’s Ostholff Resort

For more info about this event visit riverfrontjazzfestival.org


Haentzes


ENTERTAINMENT // FOX JAZZ FESTIVAL

FOX JAZZ FESTIVAL at Jefferson Park Labor Day WeekendBY GEORGE HALAS

It has become a Fox Cities summer tradition…and a fine one at that.

The 23rd annual Fox Jazz Festival returns to Menasha’s idyllic lakeside Jef-ferson Park on Saturday, September 3rd and Sunday, September 4th. One of the unique and most enjoyable features of the festival, the Fox Jazz Fest Jam, which often includes players from the festival as well as the best local musicians, also returns to The Riverwalk Inn in Neenah Saturday night.

Perhaps the best part of the tradition is that admission is free.

Fox Jazz Festival artistic director John Harmon has assembled yet another strong

lineup of talent to fit this year’s theme, “Oh How My Heart Sings.”

“I’m pretty thrilled,” Harmon said. “We’ve never focused on vocals like this but it seems like time we did. We have two headliners, Sara Gazarek and Allan Harris, who are world-class singers. The people who attend will be very pleased.”

Gazarek, the Sunday headliner, is a Los Angeles-based jazz vocalist and leads the award-winning vocal jazz ensemble as a member of the University of Southern California faculty. With three highly acclaimed CD’s under her belt at the young age of 30, Sara has been hailed by the LA Times as “the next important jazz singer,” and “impeccable,” by the Winnipeg Free Press.

Gazarek will be joined by her stellar Los Angeles-based group featuring pia-nist Josh Nelson, bassist Hamilton Price and Grammy-winning drummer Zach Harmon, a USC graduate and John Har-mon’s son.

“Zach introduced me to Sara,” Harmon said. “He has worked with her for 8-9 years since he got out of the Monk Institute. She is fantastic.”

Harris, a Brooklyn native, is an award-winning jazz vocalist, guitarist and song-writer who has performed at Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York, Washington D.C.’s Kennedy Center and at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. He is a three-time winner of the New York Nightlife Award for “Outstanding Jazz Vocalist,” won the Backstage Bistro Award for “Ongoing Achievement in Jazz,” the Jazz Museum of Harlem Award and the P.A.C.E Award for Jazz Excellence.

The Miami Herald described him as an artist blessed with, “the warmth of Tony Bennett, the bite and rhythmic sense of Sinatra, and the sly elegance of Nat ‘King’ Cole.” Harris’ new album, “Black Bar Jukebox,” produced by Grammy® Award-winning producer Brian Bacchus (Norah Jones, Gregory Porter), is his most compel-ling and comprehensive recording to date.

“I was not familiar with Allan Harris,” Harmon said. “I listened to some of his stuff and he is fantastic. He is definitely a real star and a wonderful jazz singer.”

Vocalist Janet Planet, the Fox Cities’ own international jazz star, will join Harmon on the FJF stage at 2:45 p.m. Saturday. They often perform locally as a duo and have played together in Russia and Japan.

“When I hired Janet for this year’s festival, I told her she could bring anyone she wanted in terms of her band,” Harmon said. “She said ‘I want it to be just you and me.’ I was shocked, but thrilled and honored as well.”

Another top-tier vocalist, Chris Salerno, will sing and play keyboards as she fronts Ziji, who will play in the 1 p.m. slot

on Sunday.Harmon considers Kim Richmond

Quintet featuring trumpeter Clay Jenkins (2:15 p.m. Sunday) and The Amina Figa-rova Sextet (4 p.m. Saturday) as worthy of being headliners. Figarova’s ensemble was the surprise hit of the 2011 Fox Jazz Festival.

“I was very impressed by her 2011 per-formance and she will be a great set-up for

Allan Harris,” Harmon said. “I like the band’s precision and their European perspective. They are an extremely gifted and well-educated group of musicians. We are really getting another headliner.”

Figarova herself has fond memories of the 2011 festival.

“I remember well that audience was very much into it,” she said. “After the performance I spoke with few people and it was obvious how well they listened to the music and to my stories. It’s a true pleasure to play for such an audience. We are look-ing forward to that very much!!!”

Her latest album, “Blue Whisper,” was released in 2015 to worldwide critical acclaim.

“Indeed, response is overwhelming and beautiful,” she said. “Making an album is such intimate, deep and reflecting process, and, once you’re done, it goes to the world, to listeners, and it always has and is a very special moment - the first response. This album was pretty special because some of the songs were inspired on a very different way. One of the songs that I think deserves special attention is ‘Hear My Voice.’ The

THE FULL SCHEDULE:

SEPT. 3Noon: Webster Stanley Middle

School Jazz Band12:30 p.m.: Neenah High School

Jazz Band1 p.m.: Mike Kubicki Group

(tribute to Bud Powell)2:15 p.m.: High School improv

winners playing with the Noah Harmon Trio

2:45 p.m.: Janet Planet and John Harmon

4 p.m.: Amina Figarova Sextet5:15 p.m.: Allan Harris Quintet 9 p.m.: Jam session at Riverwalk

Inn in Neenah

SEPT. 410 a.m.: Free Clinic at Jazz Fest

grounds with Sara Gazarek QuartetNoon: St. Mary’s High School

Jazz Band12:30 p.m.: Notre Dame

High School Band1 p.m.: Ziji

2:15 p.m.: Kim Richmond Quintet featuring Clay Jenkins

3:30 p.m.: Salsa Manzana 5 p.m.: Sara Gazarek Quartet

Continue on Page 26


Thrasher Opera House

2016

-17

JUST A

NNOUNCED!

OPENING NIGHTSeptember 28, 2016 • 7:30 p.m.

Special guestItzhak Perlman

Co-presented with

PH

OTO

GR

AP

H B

Y LI

SA

MA

RIA

MA

ZZU

CC

O

GRAND FINALE May 6, 2017 • 7:30 p.m.

FVSO with newVoices

CELTIC CELEBRATIONMarch 18, 2017 • 7:30 p.m.

Eileen Ivers

February 4, 2017 • 7:30 p.m.

Claire Huangci

November 19, 2016 • 7:30 p.m.

Edgar Meyer

C E L E B R A T I O N

O U R F I F T I E T H A N N I V E R S A R Y

J O I N U S F O R

FOX CITIES P.A.C. TICKET OFFICE920.730.3760foxvalleysymphony.com

5-Concert Season Ticket Packages on sale NOW! Save up to 20% • Guarantee your seats • Receive great benefits


ENTERTAINMENT // FOX JAZZ FESTIVAL

inspiration to write it was very unusual. I HAD to write it, it was like a message.”

“On a January night during the Kwanza celebration I met beautiful eight year-old girl, Saliah,” she continued. “She is smart, funny, girl, but suddenly she started to speak like an older, wise person, she was questioning, very philosophically – ‘Why all this violence, why people kill each other? People are angry and upset because of this violence, we must stop this! Kids have to stay kids.’”

“I came home and wrote ‘Hear My Voice,’ and later Saliah added voice over. In the world today, were violence surrounds us. This is the most important message, and we as musicians have to be the peace diplomats. The world has to be about love and music - and that’s the main theme of “Blue Whisper”

Neenah’s Mike Kubicki has performed with trumpeter-composer Marlin McKay

at two of the last three Fox Jazz Fests; this year, he will be fronting his own trio that will include two of Wisconsin’s best, bassist John Gibson and drummer Mike Malone. They will perform a tribute to bebop legend

Bud Powell.“He’s obviously earned frontman

status,” Harmon said. “I admire what he does and he plays that style so well. We don’t have a lot of his level of talent in the area and we’re very lucky he’s around.”

Another band overflowing with local, top-tier talent is Salsa Manzana, who will play at 3:00 p.m. Sunday.

“They are so much fun. I love the festi-val atmosphere they bring,” Harmon said. “It should be a blast.”

Salsa Manzana is comprised of some the very best musicians in the area including:

Noah Harmon, piano; Andy Mertens, bass; John Daniel and Matt Granatella, trum-pets; Tom Vanden Avond, trombone; Mark Te Tai bari Sax, alto sax, flute; Julio Reyes, tenor sax, vocals; Mike Malone, conga; Vicky Daniel, timbales; Marisol Encarna-cion, vocals; Carlos Mendez, lead vocal, maracas, guiro; and band director Jose Encarnacion, bongo and percussion.

“This is truly an honor and a privilege to play in the premier jazz festival in the state of Wisconsin, a dream come true,” Mendez said. “We look forward to bring-ing our salsa music to The Fox Jazz Fest. It

is special because we have many members that are experienced jazz musicians, so for many of them this is a homecoming of sorts.”

“We are looking forward to beautiful weather, a festive sound and many dancers as well as a very receptive audience having fun listening and dancing to our music,” he added. “We will be introducing a new song called ‘El Jibaro y la Naturaleza’ which has a beautiful intro with agogo bells being followed by bari sax and the entire horn section. It has a Brazilian and Caribbean feel to it from the get-go.”

Wink Chiro

Continued form Page 24


Bob’s Pizza


Kelly Creamery / Eden café


Eden Page (Outpost, Paddy’s Pizza, Dimn’s, Eden Filler Space)


ENTERTAINMENT // CD REVIEW: ERIN KREBS

BY GEORGE HALAS

The long awaited debut album from vocalist and songwriter Erin Krebs has finally been released, and it’s easy to under-stand why her fans are glad about it.

“Love Always Wins” features 11 original Krebs tunes with some of the best musicians in northeast Wisconsin.

“I had wanted to do an album for a while, but it was always on the back burner because between being a school music teacher, a private lessons teacher, and performing I just didn’t have any time to put into it,” Krebs said. “In 2014 I made the decision to “lighten the load”- I stopped teaching in schools so I could focus more on practic-ing, performing, and songwriting. I decided that since I had more than enough originals for an album I would do an album of original music. Since it is my first album- my introduction to the world out-side of where I perform, I thought it should represent both the jazz and blues sides of me.”

Krebs often performs in a duo with guitarist Jeff Johnston as well as being a frequent guest with The Jazz Orgy. The JO’s Mark Martin-Kriha co-wrote one of the tunes and contributes stellar keyboards, playing on several tracks.

The other players on the album include drummers Mike Underwood, James Lefe-vre and Mike Malone, bass players Andy Mertens, Justin Zopel and Drew Hicks,

saxophonist Steve Cooper and keyboardist Brian Gruselle.

“Whenever I have thought about doing an album, even before I knew when I would record, I knew I wanted to do as much as possible live in the studio,” she said. “One reason is because of the type of music we

do. We work together and feed off each other, especially when improvising, and I just feel like it sounds more authentic when it’s in the moment. Another reason I wanted to do it live with the musicians is because that’s how so much of my

favorite music ever was recorded. It was an easy decision to make, given the level of talent of the musicians and how well we all work together. It was so much fun!”

Wasting no time, Krebs jumps on the gas and is off to the races on

the opening cut, “Love Ride.” The Jazz Orgy (Martin-Kriha, Under-wood, Mertens) provides a tight, uptempo foundation for Krebs precise vocals that support her contention that “I’m feeling so good I can’t stand it.” Martin-

Kriha’s rhythmic arpeggios set up Krebs for one of her strengths, scatting, and Coo-per’s very jazzy sax solo.

“Let’s get cozy and see what we can find” is a suggestion that Krebs and her understated vocal make in “Fall Song,” a ballad that reveals a sensual side to her voice. Martin-Kriha’s piano solo adds just the right flavoring.

Malone starts “It’s You, My Love” with a catchy samba beat that finds Krebs’ voice an ideal match for the lyrics, and in one of the album’s highlights, she adds a melodic and engaging flute solo.

She gives Malone, Mertens and Mar-tin-Kriha room to stretch out on “I See You” and they respond with brief, but memorable playing that complements the music and Krebs’ stylish scatting.

Lefevre and Zopel join Martin-Kriha and Krebs on “My Favorite Day.” Her vocal is subtle and nuanced as she puts the song first and provides another pleas-ing go-round on the flute.

Johnston’s tasteful and understated guitar is all Krebs needs to make “One

Summer Day” a lesson in less is more. She allows Johnston to frame her clear, easy vocal in a style that recalls a relaxing summer evening and makes it easy to believe that “every moment I’m with you is like that one summer day.”

“Nothing can make you smile like your favorite song” and Krebs insists that ‘you can always’ “Count On The Blues” ‘when you’re down and out and you don’t know what life’s about.” Johnston, Mertens and Malone supply a swing groove and Martin-Kriha’s piano drives the melody.

Martin-Kriha gets a co-writing credit on “When Love Comes To Play,” that fea-tures some of Cooper’s best playing and an

inspired bass line from Zopel.

Gruselle, Hicks and Malone often join Krebs and Johnston to perform as The Swingin’ Johnsons. Co-written by Johnston, “Ahead of The Game” cranks the volume and showcases Gruselle’s world-class B3 playing.

Krebs keeps that lineup together, adds Cooper and takes the tempo up for “The Man I Want.” When she sings “the way you play that guitar is a work of art,” she seems to be referring to Johnston’s playing that is an excellent complement to Gruselle’s R&B style. Gruselle rocks another B3 solo, then Cooper rolls out a solo that both fits the groove and does not miss a high note. A listener will definitely want to hear this one live.

Johnston is Krebs co-writer on the title tune, “Love Always Wins” and he provides himself an opportunity to remind us that he is one of the better blues players around. Gruselle, Hicks and Malone set a classic blues tempo as Johnston accepts the spot-light and responds with a solo that is both inventive and an exercise in virtuosity that is right on the money. Krebs is a versatile vocalist with command of many styles; blues tunes give her a platform to cut loose and showcase her range and power.

If you would like a copy of the CD, you can pick one up at a show or order online. It is also available on her website or on iTunes and Amazon, and for streaming on Apple Music and Spotify. Krebs’ sched-ule and links are on her website: www.erinkrebs.com.”

ERIN KREBS CD REVIEW“Love Always Wins” is a Winner

Photo By: Sofia Imagery


Wood SamplerPlaid Squirrel

© Random House Baby AnimalsGarth Williams1952

Operated by theFox Cities Building for the Arts

Dr. Monroe & Sandra Trout Charitable Fund

111 W. College Ave. Appleton, WI | (920) 733-4089 | troutmuseum.org

This exhibition was organized by the National Center for Children’s Illustrated Literature, Abilene, Texas.


ENTERTAINMENT // POSTCARD FROM MILWAUKEE

BY BLAINE SCHULTZ

In the 1980s, a Florida college professor (Robert Ray) and some of his students formed a band. One of the students (Dale Lawrence) moved back to his home state of Indiana where he formed a working version of the band. The pair continued to collaborate, exchanging cassettes via the mail.

In 1985 co-founder Walter Salas-Humara left the Boatmen to form the Silos, to critical and popular acclaim.

In July the Vulgar Boatmen and Walter Salas-Humara played shows in Chicago and Indianapolis.

Last November TimeChange Records marked the 25th anniversary of the Boatmen’s You and Your Sister album, remastered and adding bonus tracks. Produced by Salas-Humara, Lawrence and Ray’s songs recall the vocals of the Everly Brothers and blend keen lyrical observations that paint short stories

into songs. The acoustic-based music has a driving feel that builds in hypnotic momentum.

“With a hat on her head tilted over her eye,” Lawrence sings in Margaret Says, placing the listener as an eves-dropper in an intimate conversation, as the band builds into a vamp that turns the song into a small movie about taking a drive and thinking about decisions that will affect the rest of his life. Drive Somewhere is the pastoral Midwest cousin to the Feelies, with the inherent lightness of being that separates a train song form a car song.

Think of this as head music. Inner dialogs, conversations that might never reach fruition yet just happened to get turned into lyrics and songs. The Boatmen never really struck it big (see the documentary Drive Somewhere: The Saga of the Vulgar Boatmen) yet twenty five years later You and Your Sister holds up as a minor masterpiece, recorded on a budget.

Walter Salas-Humara is no stranger

to Wisconsin, having played countless gigs, house concerts, the Steel Bridge Song Festival in Sturgeon Bay, produced the Wo o l d r i d g e

Brothers album Uncovering the Sun and jammed righteously with the Carolinas.

In 2016 he released the solo lp Explodes and Disappears. He has over twenty solo, Si los and other collaborations to his credit, as well as a series of paintings. Like the Boatmen, Salas-Humara songs rely wonderfully on detail. Diner By the Train begins with Latin flourishes and unfolds before your ears.

If an artist works long enough he creates a body of work that allows the good listener to connect the dots. Working the Waterfront glances back to his earlier song Commodore Peter adding touches of soul music to the nautical theme. Salas-Humara’s catalog is populated with a rich tapestry of characters. Perhaps the album’s centerpiece, I will Remember You utilizes Hammond organ to conjure a chapter that might just be connected to his masterpiece tune Susan Across the Ocean.

The Vulgar Boatmen and Walter Salas-Humara

Storewide event on now!


Backstage Bar & GrillHaentzes

Red Cabin Green Acres


ENTERTAINMENT // THE SPANISH INQUISITION

BY GEORGE HALAS

One of the most interesting ironies in life is that, as a member of the audience, the better the sound, the less you notice it.

Musicians, on the other hand, are hyper-aware of sound quality and place the highest value on a quality “sound guy” because they are very rare.

For the last several years, perhaps unbe-knownst to them, the attendees at The Fox Jazz Festival have been treated to the highest quality sound by Gary Bomber and his company, Bomber Sound Productions.

“I initially met Gary at a couple of concerts I was performing in and I thought he did a great job,” said Fox Jazz Festival artistic director and WAMI Hall of Fame pianist-composer John Harmon. “He also does the sound for the Jazz at The Trout series and we get the full package with Gary. In addition to his great work, he is such an easy guy to get along with. He is a very likable guy. As a musician, I’ve learned to trust Gary implicitly.”

While the outdoor venue – and the weather – pose unique challenges, the Fox Jazz Festival has special meaning for Bomber.

“It was and still is an honor to get the call,” he said. “It’s the only time I wonder if I’m qualified to work with musicians so good. I make sure that I am doing work comparable to the quality of the musicians. I like working with great musicians and I just like the sound of jazz, it’s a lot more real to me. It has more of an acoustic sound and there are more acoustic instruments, things that sound good.”

Bomber is also an electronics techni-cian for Rock Garden Studios in Appleton. Owner Marc Golde is a big fan.

“I’ve known Gary since 2004,” Golde said. “I had just purchased my first profes-sional recording console. Unbeknownst to me, I got the great deal on it because it was a fixer-upper. I needed someone who could restore it. Try finding that person. Carl Garrow, who worked as a repair tech at Henri’s Music, suggested Gary. He’s been

my restoration tech and a great friend ever since. The unique thing about Gary is that he’s not only an audiophile, but a degreed electronics technician. He knows what’s going on with sound from the inside out. I don’t know any other sound guys who tune their own speaker cabinets, for instance. He not only knows when things sound good or bad, but why they do.”

“Most of all, I like working with Gary because he’s a fun guy to be around. Live sound can be very stressful. You gotta’ have a sense of humor,” he added. “I work with Gary on the flip side of the live sound pro-fession. Rock Garden Studio wouldn’t be what it is if it wasn’t for him. I sometimes wonder if I’d even be in business.”

Janet Planet has known and worked with Bomber for over ten years.

“My nickname for Gary is ‘Gabe,” Planet said. “There are many stories as to why I call him Gabe, but in a nutshell it’s inspired by Gabriel, the angel who is best known as a messenger sent from God. Gary delivers and goes beyond the call of duty with an attitude of giving. In a way, his demeanor of angelic proportions is a message...to be good, kind and consider-ate always, at work and beyond. He really knows is stuff and maintains his focus under pressure. There is no pressure like the pressure of running sound at a major event. Just think, the booth is typically positioned out front in the audience, and the person behind the controls can be sub-jected to the mass attack of opinions in a sea of spectators. But, Gary shows up early to be sure that everything is hauled in and all the lines are run. He’ll even precede the gig a day or even a week earlier and work out specific logistics so that when the musi-cians arrive, everything is in place.”

Some sound companies expect the artist or the artist’s management to do the work.

“Outside of a stage plot I think the specifics should be communicated by the expert,” Planet said “There can be so many variables that need that expert eye and can get lost in translation if there are

too many channels of communication negotiating. One of Gary’s most desirable attributes is that fact that once he’s up and running, he allows the musicians to create their own dynamics. My husband, Tom Washatka, and I often talk about this and we’ve come to the conclusion that the best sound people are the ones that don’t touch the board except for some tweaks once the music starts. The worst situations I’ve been in are the ones where the sound tech feels they need to ‘play the band’ by turning knobs, adding effects, compressions, limit-ers and eq’s during a performance. It’s very hard to create your own musical dynamics when you’re fighting a ‘knob turner.’”

A good sound person will also know how to set monitors and ring out the frequencies that feed back, Gary is also

known for his ability to repair gear. “Many people don’t know this

about Gary. He was a portrait lighting designer,” Planet revealed. “His ability to run sound and make it LOOK GOOD is unmatched. He understands back lighting and how to create visual scenes that enhance the music. Many sound companies have a separate crew for both lighting and sound but Gary does both. He’s conscientious, he gives the musicians and the venues exactly what they need, he’s extremely talented and knows the literal ins and outs of his craft as a sound and lighting technician,” Planet said. He’s fair, honest and giving. He’s ‘Gabe.’”

The Inquisition urges everyone to attend FJF and not notice how good Bomber truly is. It is a distinct pleasure.

Bomber Sound Makes the Jazz Fest Sound the Best

StoneCellarBrewPub.com

Only the Best Beer Served Here

Live Music Every Tuesday

Open Tuesday, Friday & Saturday at 5:00 p.m.1004 S. Olde Oneida St. • Appleton


James Woelfel CFP®, CLU®, ChFC®, CLTCWealth Management Advisor(920) 882-8371jameswoelfel.nm.com

Follow financial principles, not fads or trends.

05-3054 © 2016 Northwestern Mutual is the marketing name for The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company (NM), Milwaukee, WI (life and disability insurance, annuities, and life insurance with long-term care benefits) and its subsidiaries. Northwestern Mutual Investment Services, LLC (NMIS) (securities), a subsidiary of NM, broker-dealer, registered investment adviser, and member of FINRA and SIPC. Jame C Woelfel, Insurance Agent(s) of NM. James C Woelfel, Registered Representative(s) of NMIS. James C Woelfel, Representative(s) of Northwestern Mutual Wealth Managament Company®, (NMWMC) Milwaukee, WI, (fiduciary and fee-based planning) subsidiary of NM and a federal savings bank. Certified Financial Planer Board of Standards Inc. owns the certification marks CFP®, CERTIFIED FINANICAL PLANNER™, CFP® (with plaque design) and CFP® (with flame design) in the U.S., which it awards to individuals who successfully complete CFP Board’s initial and ongoing certification requirements. NCAA® is a trademark of the National Collegiate Athletic Association.

Create your financial plan with a Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Advisor. Together, we’ll design a disciplined and balanced approach to protecting, accumulating, and managing your wealth, so you can take advantage of life’s opportunities. Who’s helping you build your financial future?

THE 68TH SEASON - A SUMPTUOUS FEAST OF SOUND

715.345.7726 cwso.org/tickets

SATURDAY 7:30 p.m. - or - SUNDAY 4:00 p.m.

Sentry’s Theater @1800

CENTRALWISCONSINSYMPHONYORCHESTRA

October 8&9, 2016December 3 &4, 2016February 25 & 26, 2017

April 22 & 23, 2017

Little Farmer


The Wheelhouse RestaurantE1209 County Road, Waupaca, WI 54981(715) 258-8289 | www.wheelhouserestaurant.comOpen: Mon-Fri - 4pm | Sat and Sun - 11am

Sat. September 24Pig Roast

The annual tradition, we roast a whole pig on a spit with all the trimmings.

WESTSIDE ANDY WITH SPECIAL GUESTS

Overlooking the Beautiful Chain O’Lakes

Live Music Events

Don’t Forget Dessert!S c o o p e r s n o w o p e n w e e k e n d s . Open at 11am. (715) 258-6061

SAVE THE DATE

MONDAY NIGHT- PIZZA BUFFETWEDNESDAY NIGHT- RIB NIGHT

THURSDAY NIGHT- TRADITIONAL WISCONSIN FISH FRY

FRIDAY NIGHT- FISH SPECIALPAN FRIED WALLEYE, BAKED HADDOCK, GRILLED

CAJUN CATFISH, PAN-FRIED CATFISH

SATURDAY- SLOW SMOKED BEEF BRISKET SANDWICH

SUNDAY- PRIME RIB SPECIALS

Specials

THE WHEELHOUSEPRESENTS, LIVE MUSIC:

“WEDNESDAY WITH WAGS”Starting October 12 - Live Music by a featured artist

hosted by Tony Wagner & Friends - details coming soon

Find us on Facebook!

LEINIE’S FRIDAY FISH FRY!Beer Battered Shrimp (Thai Chili, Garlic Butter or Regular)

Lightly Hand-Breaded Baby Walleye (Regular or Cajun)

Leinie’s Beer Battered Cod

Crispy Panko Breaded Cod

Hand-Breaded Haddock (Regular or Cajun)

Hand-Breaded Butterflied Lake Perch (Regular or Cajun)

Grilled 8 Oz. Ribeye

Surf N Turf Grilled 8 Oz. Ribeye with Beer Battered Shrimp

UPCOMING EVENTS:Fri., Sept. 2 - Dustin and Cole Acoustic (Third Wheel) BandSun., Sept. 4 - Buffalo Stomp Band Sat., Sept. 10 - Taxi Band Sun., Sept. 11 - Grayling Pingel

Where GOOD TIMES & GOOD FOOD

come together!

live Music • Food • Great atmosphere

Book Your Private

Parties with Us!

The Bridge Bar & Restaurant101 W Main St. Fremont, Wisconsin 54940

(920) 446–3300www.bridgebarfremont.com


Signature Homes


Binner Pools


Karr Bach Building

Thelma

Fdl aug sep_scene

Design

Transcript of Fdl aug sep_scene