Tag Archives: Shalin Liu Performance Center

THE 37th ANNUAL BOSTON FILM FESTIVAL OPENS THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 22nd!

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An exciting and outstanding collection of films are showcasing at the Boston Film Festival beginning Wednesday, September 22nd. If you click on the link at the bottom of the post, it will take you to the schedule where you can read more about each film.

Boston Film Festival rolls out the red carpet for its 37th season with a colorful kaleidoscope of intriguing and entertaining features, documentaries and film shorts.

As the origin of many illustrious storytellers, Boston provides an idyllic setting to experience a festival of motion pictures. The City is resplendent with breathtaking historical architecture juxtapose to modern designs including the development of a new vibrant waterfront. Boston is a walkable city that has become a Mecca for film and tourism.

The Boston Film Festival takes place during the spectacular fall season when the city is bustling with the return of University students, and the Red Sox are battling for the pennant. A program of feature, documentary, short and animated films.

Thought provoking film premieres, panels with directors and actors, parties, celebrations, red carpet press events all create an exciting cinema experience.

Enhancing its growing legacy of showcasing inspiring and daring new films, the Boston Film Festival (September 22-26) unfurls its 37th edition with an accent on sports-themed movies along with the world premiere of the documentary “War on the Diamond” on opening night at the newly opened and expansive Omni Seaport Hotel. In addition, several films are either based in New England or have Boston roots on the creative team.

The inclusive live program spotlights the world premiere of the sports documentary “War on the Diamond” that recalls the only death of a Major League Baseball player as a result of playing the game when star Cleveland shortstop Ray Chapman was fatally beaned by New York Yankee pitcher Carl Mays in 1920. Emmy and Peabody Award winner Andy Billman (ESPN’s “30 for 30” shorts) is the director and a producer. A panel will follow the premiere moderated by noted sports columnist Dan Shaughnessy with Andy Billman, Hall of Fame sports broadcaster Leslie Visser and Sports Executive Dan Duquette. In addition, the inclusive program spotlights the sports documentary “The 5th Man” by famed director Trey Nelson (“Lost in the Sun”).

Other films with a New England connection are “Open Field,” a sports-themed documentary, is from Charlestown, MA native Kathy Kuras as well as the feature “The Secret of Sinchanee,” which was shot in Deerfield, MA, the documentary “I Come from Away,” which was filmed in Maine, and director Nora Jacobson “Ruth Stone’s Vast Library of the Female Mind” which shot in Vermont.

Additional documentaries to be featured are: “Beauty on the Wing: Life Story of the Monarch Butterfly” by director Kim Smith, which can be viewed at the Shalin Liu Theater, a state-of-the art performance center in Rockport, MA, and “Zero Gravity,” a science-based film from director Thomas Verrette “Phenoms”), which will be screened at MIT and will include a question-and-answer session with Verrette after the film. “The Final Nineteen” is an unblinking depiction of the final 19 prisoners of war (POWs) to return home from the Vietnam War by director Timothy Breitbach.

Many of the BFF films will be presented in a virtual format on the Eventive site beginning on September 23. Two short programs and an animation program are also available for virtual viewing. With safety at the forefront, all live activities of the Boston Film Festival (BFF) will be in alignment with current state and local COVID-19 health precautions. Masks are mandated for inside from Governor Baker, bring proof of vaccination. Two short programs and an animation program will be available for virtual viewing.

READ MORE HERE

FOR THE COMPLETE SCHEDULE OF VIRTUAL AND LIVE FILM SCREENINGS GO HERE

 

 

JESSE COOK “FOLLOW THE ROAD” LIVE AT THE SHALIN LIU

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Transcendent, gorgeous music, with inspiration found throughout the world, Jesse Cook and company gave a fabulous performance last night at Rockport’s Shalin Liu. Often described as new flamenco, Jesse’s music blends rhumba rhythms, jazz, Arabic music, traditional flamenco, and much, much more.

Currently touring with Jesse are Fethi Nadjem on violin, Matt Sellick on guitar, Matias Recharte on drums, and Dan Minchom on bass.

We met BJ in the lobby during intermission. He operated the cameras for the concert film that chronicles the “Beyond Borders” tour, currently playing on PBS. I asked BJ what was the filmmaking process. He shares that nine cameras were set up nightly during the 31 day coast to coast tour of Canada. In addition, he used a hand held camera to maneuver around the stage. A different song was recorded each night in each different city. By the end of the tour, they had generated 50 TBs of footage. Jesse edited the film and it is beyond beautiful!

It would be tremendous if when Jesse returns to Cape Ann, he can play several nights. The concert at the Shalin Liu quickly sold out and it would be great if more people, especially young people, had the opportunity to hear his music.


We also had the pleasure of meeting Marcy and Christopher Plante, who were sitting next to us with their friends. Chris Plante built the Shalin Liu and Marcy’s friend was wearing a pair of butterfly earrings 🙂

ONLY A FEW SEATS LEFT FOR THE JESSE COOK CONCERT AT THE SHALIN LIU

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My husband and I are huge fans of Jesse Cook and with gorgeous music and extraordinary musicianship, his concerts are not to be missed. Tom introduced me to his work several years ago when I was looking for a uniquely beautiful sound to score a short film for the Berkshire Museum, about butterflies in flight, for which Jesse graciously and generously permitted. More about Jesse and Monarchs when my forthcoming documentary is released.

Jesse Cook travels the world with his fingers. Through his globe-spanning and genre-bending compositions, the nimble-fingered guitarist has taken nouveau flamenco to places it has never been, creating new fascinating hybrids.  As one of the most celebrated instrumentalists on the planet, Cook is forever restless, constantly searching for new sounds, rhythms and textures to explore.

Born in Paris and raised in Toronto, Cook studied classical and jazz guitar, and as a child was always intrigued by the highly rhythmic rumba flamenco style. Following up on that curiosity, Cook dove headfirst into the gypsy musical tradition as he began to find his own musical voice. After a show-stopping performance at the 1995 Catalina Jazz Festival, Cook’s little-heard debut, Tempest, suddenly took off in the U.S., landing at # 14 on the Billboard Charts. Cook’s career has seen steady growth in the years that followed, his multi-cultural take on rumba flamenco striking a nerve with listeners. One of the hallmarks of his sound and aesthetic is to travel the world, meeting and collaborating with artists and incorporating the results into his music. In addition to headlining concerts and festivals, he has opened for such legends as B.B. King, Ray Charles, The Chieftains and Diana Krall.

In 1998, Cook was nominated for a Juno Award as Instrumental Artist of the Year. In 2001, he received a Juno Nomination for Best Male Artist, as well as winning in the Best Instrumental Album category for Free Fall. In 2009, he was Acoustic Guitar’s Player’s Choice Award silver winner in the Flamenco category. He is a three-time winner of the Canadian Smooth Jazz award for Guitarist of the Year and numerous other awards.  Over twenty years into his career, Cook is now forging more than just musical traditions of the world. With his 2015’s One World, he is now forging the ancient with the modern, infusing contemporary sounds of the electronic digital age into his timeless rumba flamenco rhythms.

“…lightning fast and bright flamenco guitarist…Jesse Cook…is about as seductive, percussive and danceable as this kind of music gets…also a powerful pop songwriter, with each melody standing out above the weaving rhythms sung by his intoxicating strings.” Jazziz

RED SHED FILM FESTIVAL AT THE SHALIN LIU MONDAY NIGHT!!

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Please join us at the Shalin Liu Performance Center for the Red Shed Film Festival Monday evening at
7pm. I hope to see you there!13217105_10154628533013797_7852232875493798091_o
The 4th annual Red Shed Film Fest is a celebration of local and global filmmaking via a selected series of
short films. Mixing genres, this year’s entries span narrative, documentary, and short episodic pilots and
established series. As in years past, there is also a science-fiction entry and a music video. All in
attendance will have the opportunity to vote for the Audience Choice Award to be given to one of the
entries screened. The winner will be announced at the post-screening reception on the third floor of the
Shalin Liu Performance Center.