Two new videos


Hang on Sloopy - Orange Juice performs the OSU classic




November 2007 Open Mic Sampler

The big news for this week was the ROCK CONCERT ("Orange Juice & Friends"), which was a big success thanks to stellar talent and a team of committed volunteers.

Program:

Chris S- "Mona Lisa"
Chris & Juan - "To Love Somebody"
David, Juan & Chris - "3 O'Clock World", "Beverly Hills"
Johnny Miracle - "Bring it Out", "On Top of the World", "The Downfall"

INTERMISSION

Orange Juice - "The Joker and the Thief", "Satisfaction", "Jet", and seven other songs including three original numbers.

Encore: "Hang On Sloopy"

MC: Craig
Catering: Dee and Gwen
Production: Chris and Eileen
Publicity: Orange Juice, Craig, Rose
Setup: Craig, Chris, Faye and Taz
Security: Taz
Door: Gwen
Sound Engineering: Chris Ciampa

Thanks to these and many others who made the event possible. Videos will be posted shortly.

( More Open Mic News )

These are new videos from the November Talent Competition:


Phil - original song "Pick Your Body Up"


Mimi - "Hero"


Chris - "These Days"

Setup Crew: Craig, Juan, Phil, Heath, Briana, Thomas, Tom
Refreshments: MaryAnn, Sharon
Host: Heath
Judges: Gwen, Cheryl, Tom
First Place: Craig (slide guitar)
Second Place:

Other Acts:
ManMan - Drums
Heath - "Hotel California"
Catherine (with Mike) - "You Are My Sunshine", "Rain, Rain, Go Away"
Cheryl - "Jingle Bells"
Vernell - "Trouble in My Way"
Thomas - "Freaky"
Phillip - "Get Up and Walk"
Mimi - "Silent Night"
MaryAnn - "Proud Mary"
Brenda - "Amazing Grace"
Sparkle - "I'm Going Down"
Dee, with Juan, Chris, Thomas, Vernell, Brenda & Craig - "Jesus, Jesus, Jesus"
Brianna & Rose - "Ring of Fire"
Chris - "To Love Somebody"

Attendance:
Youth: 6
Adults: 23
Total: 29

Even with a cold rainy night, we had good attendance, and were glad to welcome back our old friend Cheryl, who hasn't attended for nearly a year. MaryAnn and Sharon outdid themselves with a great spread of food, including several cakes, and Phillip Funtulis became our all time long-distance champ by driving the three hours from Warren Ohio to share with us his original song "Get Up and Walk". Another popular first-time performer was 5-year old Catherine who melted the hearts of the audience with her performance of two children's favorites.

NEXT WEEK (12/3/07): Rehearsal Week
FOLLOWING WEEK (12/10/07): Christmas Themed Open Mic

THREE WEEK BREAK until end of year.

This was a well-attended and high energy Open Mic, featuring some of your youngest ever MCs, several emotionally powerful performances, and culminating in an extended gospel jam by the new All People Jam Band.

MCs: Diamond & Gibson

Setup Crew: Craig, Thomas, Tom, Taz, Rose, Briana, Heath, Eileen

Guitar: Chris/Brenda
Drums: Heath/Juan/Thomas
Congas: Craig/Dee
Bass: Vernell

Acts:
Rose & Heath (drums) - "Ring of Fire"
David & Juan - "Beverly Hills"
Beverly - "My Guy"
Nana AKA Aretha - "Summertime"
Heath - Drum Solo
Leona AKA Mimi - "God Bless the Child"
Craig - "We Will Rock You"
Chris - poem "A Statistic of One"
Juan - Drum Solo
Johnny Miracle - original rap song
Dee - gospel song
Dee, Brenda, Craig & Thomas - "Amazing Grace - A Testimony"
Thomas & Heath - original song
All People Jam Band - "Jesus"
Gibson - drum solo
Diamond - "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot"

Adults: 20
Youth: 7
TOTAL: 27

Miss Brenda blesses the mic with a passionate rendition of the classic gospel hymn "Do Not Pass Me By" at the October 2007 All People Talent Competition



http://youtube.com/watch?v=-qHbCiUR1sY

This was a very spiritual week for us, as bookended by two powerful renditions of classic gospel hymns by Brenda, and a moving testimony from Dee Martin, fresh out of the hospital. We also were fortunate to have three original numbers, including seven-year old Celina's "Jesus is the Prettiest" and the debuts of a new song by Thomas, and a emotional rap written by Johnny for his mother during her stay in the hospital.

MC: Rose

Judges: Tom, Briana, Celina

Camera Boy: Craig

Setup Crew: Rose, Briana, Heath, Thomas, Tom, Eileen, Craig, Chris, Ronnie

Acts:

Brenda - "Don't Pass Me By" and "Amazing Grace"
Mimi - "Hero"
Heath - "Hotel California"
Thomas - "Heaven in Church" (original song)
Juan - Conga Drums
Celina - "Jesus is the Prettiest" (original song)
Johnny Miracle - "On Top of the World" (original rap)

Audience Members not listed above: Donetta, Gwen, David Weaver, Hoon, two more adults, one more child.

Total Attendance: 21

This was a return to our roots for the Open Mic, with a smaller crowd and several first-time participants, as well as first-time audience members. One wonderful thing was the large number of teenagers who came on their own this week --a long held goal for the program.

MC: Briana

Teens/Preteens:
Craig
David
Shala'a
Kevin
Cierra
Christian

Kids:
Briana
Leya
Boy (name unknown)

Adults:
Rose
Eileen
Chris
Thomas
Heath
Marilyn
Mimi
2 others

Total Participation: 18

This was a quiet but effective rehearsal week, with Eileen providing free lessons to Heath, Nana, Beverly, Hoon and Chris, and Juan giving drum lessons to the younger set: Gibson, Shala'a, Craig and David. Thomas and Heath practiced one of Thomas' original songs, Craig learned some basics on the guitar and keyboard, and Mike practiced "In the Still of the Nite". Also in attendance was Steve.

This was also a good week for our guitar lessons at South Side Settlement, with two new additions to the class.

Adults: 8
Children/Teens: 6
Total Attendance: 14

This is the video of the talent competition as a whole, featuring (in order)

Juan, MaryAnn, Heath & Rose, Briana, Ric, Mimi, Brenda, Sharon and many others, doing rock, country and gospel music.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r9iemtMKm6I

http://youtube.com/watch?v=F3twq2ie68k

Guitar pupil Elizabeth shows off the result of six months (free) lessons, accompanied by her teacher, professional guitarist Brandon Chapman, at the All People Open Mic 06/07 Finale.

http://kitoba.com/OpenMic

These are the first two videos from our grand finale. There will be more, but they take a while to prepare and I still don't have all the video releases for everyone.

This is Celina, the seven-year old daughter of Open Mic favorite "Mimi." She won first place last week with this song she wrote herself.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cbi9URsh-t0

This is Eileen, our resident "pro" and volunteer vocal teacher. Check out her new CD at http://singouteileen.com


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=btrYS4iEyDY

For more, check out http://kitoba.com/OpenMic

Today was our grand finale for the '06/'07 year.

It was a terrific show.

MC: Mark Simpson

1st Place: Celina (age 7) - "God Bless the Child" and original song "Jesus is Pretty"
2nd Place: David & Juan - "Three O Clock World"
3rd Place: Rick - drums

We were also lucky to have two professional singers perform:

Eileen - "Fire & Rain"
Cherie - "Fields of Gold"

Other acts included:
Sharon - gospel song
Diamond & family - "God is Good"
Heath & Rose - "Ring of Fire"
Briana - "Delta Dawn"
MaryAnn - "Drift Away"
Mimi - gospel song
Brenda - Original skit
Lydia Curtis - gospel song
Juan - "Beverly Hills"
Chris & David - "Soldier Soldier"

We had a large audience, including the teens from South Side and special guest Jackie Calderone of Transit Arts.

We continue to keep Dee Martin in our prayers, as she remains hospitalized with multiple health issues.

The setup crew today was Heath, Rose, Briana, April & Eileen.

See everyone in the fall!

On Friday (5/11) several of us attended the Transit Arts Open Mic at Central Community House on Main Street. Three of our regulars performed: Celina, her mother Mimi, and Jalessa (from South Side). South Side also sent the multi-talented young Justin King Jr., who danced and rapped.

The following Monday was our last regular Open Mic for the '06/'07 year. We had a good crowd of regulars. Unfortunately Miss Dee was back in the hospital but her son Juan was able to attend with his "other mother" Gwendolyn.

In general, it was a terrific show. Highlights included seven-year-old Celina's note-perfect rendition of the immortal Billie Holiday's "God Bless the Child", and our vocal teacher, Eileen, letting us hear what a professional sounds like on the mic, with her scorching rendition of "At Last." This week also marked a milestone for Eileen --the release of her second CD!

MC: Rick

Performers:
MaryAnn - "Drift Away"
Chris, David & Juan - "Soldier Soldier"
Celina - "God Bless the Child"
Eileen - "At Last"
David & Juan - Comedy Act
Brenda - Original spiritual
Mimi - "Do You Know"
Heath & Rose - "Ring of Fire"

Also in the audience were Sharon, Briana, Gwendolyn and others.