CRAFT MAGAZINE OK AUG 2019 by craftmagok

CRAFT MAGAZINE OK | AUG 2019

©2019, All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written permission from the publisher. Craft Magazine OK,LLC. is published monthly 2706 W. WASHINGTON PL. BROKEN ARROW, OK 74012 ben@craftmagok.com 918-398-6844 OWNERS / PUBLISHER BEN & ALISHA ALLEN EDITOR PETER BRENNAN CONTRIBUTING WRITERS BEN ALLEN • MIKE HALL JASON HOWER • LACY RICHARDS JENNAH JANE SCHALE • JEREMY STRUNK JEFF THOMPSON • CHRISTINA WINKLE • VICTORIA WOLFE MANAGING PHOTOGRAPHER BEN ALLEN CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHY: JEREMY STRUNK • CHRISTINA WINKLE VISIT CRAFTMAGOK.COM FOR THE ONLINE VERSION OF THE MAGAZINE AND TO CONTACT US FOR STORY IDEAS OR ADVERTISING OPPORTUNITIES. FOLLOW US @CRAFTMAGOK ON:

About the Cover: What’s that sound? It’s music to our ears. Tulsa is the “NEW” Tulsa! We have a great heritage and music culture, with amazing new local artist that have represented T-Town so well over the years. We now have a new generation of Tulsans ready to shine and let everyone hear what they have to sing and play about. Tulsa is just getting started, and we didn’t have enough room to talk about everything going on, but hope you like what we were able to squeeze in, and look forward to many more years to come to write about so much more. Cover image is featuring the historic Cain’s Ballroom, so many great stories and times with amazing acts, singers, musicians, celebrities, and hall of famers performing in that amazing building, check out what we found out in this months issue of Craft Magazine. Cheers!

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By Jeff Thompson

n the restaurant business, when we run out of something, we use the term “eighty-six” to communicate to the rest of the team that it’s gone. When I set out to learn the origins of that term, it seemed there were nearly 86 plausible stories all claiming some right to be the true origin. Such is the case with “The Tulsa Sound”. True music historians, industry professionals and musicians including those who were part of the dynasty connected to the phrase have varied opinions as to where it originated, but there is agreement that it was most specifically expressed as the “shuffle” style pioneered by Leon Russell when he was playing with Jerry Lee Lewis. Russell said, “I'm not sure what the Tulsa Sound is, I suppose it started when we were with Jerry Lee Lewis, we would be playing a shuffle while Jerry Lee played straight eighth notes, if that is what they call the Tulsa Sound, that's not a bad thing.” Tulsa historian John Wooley has covered this territory in depth, so it may be a disservice to attempt to rediscover the past from a neophyte’s perspective, but after doing some research and talking to lots of folks, I find that what is most distinctive about the idea of the Tulsa Sound, is simply that it endures. While Wooley might encourage us to put down the dictionary and instead discover with our ears, there are some visual signposts along the way to learning what the Tulsa Sound was, is and will be.

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Like many origin stories, there are many carts and horses, and it’s a possible trap to attempt to place one before the other. However, if we’re talking about places that incubated the Tulsa Sound, two essential locations are The Church Studio and Cain’s Ballroom. Both were instrumental in developing this sound, and bringing it into the international spotlight, but there may be disagreement upon which is the chicken and which is the egg in this scenario. Since we’re discussing places, perhaps we should begin closest to the Center of the Universe and work outward, so we’ll begin at the Cain’s Ballroom.

Above: Chad Rodgers

History meets the future in America’s Timeless Honky-Tonk

pproaching Cain’s Ballroom in the daylight always seems out of place. Parking is available right out front, and there is a noticeable absence of the buzzing energy that accompanies its nighttime visage.

The sunlit approach does offer one benefit, that the sidewalk stars are easier to spot, and the journey to the front door traverses a list of names that represent many of the music luminaries that have played at or otherwise had an impact on Cain’s over the years. Legends like George Jones, Leon Russell, Roy Clark, Bob Wills, JJ Cale, Jerry Jeff Walker, Merle Haggard are standouts, but anyone who’s appreciated Bob Wills’ music over the years knows the names of the many of his Texas Playboys players, such as Leon McAuliffe, Tommy Duncan, Eldon Shamblin and fiddle virtuoso Curly Lewis. The stars are an important reminder that Cain’s Ballroom is hallowed ground. If cities have souls, then Tulsa’s soul resides at 423 N. Main. Cain’s Ballroom (previously known as the Cain’s Academy of Dance) was acquired from the original owner by Madison Cain. It was Oliver Wendell Mayo, then manager of Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys who saw the future of music history and was instrumental in converting the Cain’s into the home base for Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys. One of the nation’s first “coast to coast” radio broadcasts was based out of the Cain’s beginning in 1935 and established Cain’s as the epicenter of western swing, a blend of pop, hillbilly, blues, jazz and fiddle music which many historians agree may have been the template for rock and roll itself. I spoke early on with filmmaker Tate Wittenberg who has been working for the past 10 years on a complete history of the Cain’s Ballroom entitled Raisin’ Cain: The History of the Cain’s Ballroom. Tate was an invaluable resource in filling in some of the gaps in the history of America’s Timeless Honky Tonk. In his own words, “People will always think of venues like Carnegie Hall and The Grand Ole Opry, but after working on this documentary, I’m convinced that Cain’s is the most historically important music venue in America.” Personally, I agree with Tate. Think about it. In the 1970 and 80s alone, Cain’s featured the following national and international acts on its stage (some more than once). The Police, The Sex Pistols, U2, Van Halen, Metallica, Talking Heads, Elvis Costello, Joe Cocker, Rush, Agent Orange and The Ramones. Credit for booking

such strong talent must largely go to Larry Schaeffer who purchased the venue in 1976 and placed it squarely on the path back to prominence. Wittenberg recounts a story where Larry Schaeffer attended an Eric Clapton show in 1974 and one can imagine that the experience seeded in him the vision that would become Little Wing Productions and Sid Vicious punching a hole in the green room wall. Nearly everyone I knows says they were at the Ministry / KMFDM show at Cain’s in January of 1990 or the subsequent show with Nine Inch Nails in June of the same year. It seems since day one, Cain’s has been unafraid to push the envelope and welcome bands that were too scary for the more timid elements in the midwest venue scene. I recount participating in my very first mosh pit at the Prong show in June of 1990 where they opened up for Flotsam and Jetsam. Yes. I was late to the party for all things metal and punk. Sue me. Every body misses the boat sometimes, even Larry Schaeffer himself, according to Tate, when asked about any bands he regretted not booking, Larry Schaeffer is reported to have said, “Yeah, there was a young guy by the name of Bruce Springsteen that I didn’t bother with. That one always bothered me.” I sat down with Chad Rodgers, General Manager of Cain’s, whose family has owned Cain’s since 2002, and learned a bit about the recent history of the venue and what’s on deck for the OKPOP opening, and the upcoming 100th anniversary (less than five years away). Chad is a humble man, who clearly knows what a Tulsa treasure he’s been entrusted with. His brother, Hunter and him work in tandem to operate what they've been entrusted with. I asked Chad, what was it his family saw in the Cain’s that led them to want to purchase it?   He said, “Our dad is a Tulsa native and our whole family was at home one Sunday night in our respective houses, and we saw on the news that the Cain’s was for sale. I had been operating Hardwood Sports Bar and Grill across from the University of Tulsa but we knew something was about to flip downtown, and we had been exploring opening a music venue where the current Whiskey 918 is located. He asked if I had ever been inside, and I had. I had come and seen some local acts while I was attending TU, but I also saw Train here, so I was familiar with the venue. So my father calls the commercial realtor, Jim Stephens, and sets up a time for us to see

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Above Credit: KELLY KERR the venue, which I believe was on that Tuesday. As we were being shown around, we were told most of the current memorabilia in the office and the paintings of the country legends hanging in the ballroom would stay. Our parents had never been into the Cain's before that Tuesday and they were in awe of the history and how much was tied up in the venue. We quickly decided that this hallowed venue needed lots of TLC (tender, love and care) as well as someone who respected the history. We quickly decided that was us and we decided to purchase the venue on that Thursday. It was fortunate we moved so quickly, because so many people have come up to me since then and said “we wanted to buy that place” but we felt like the Lord directed us to the right path.”  Rodgers acknowledges the debt to Shaeffer for helping them get their feet wet as promoters and learning the ropes of booking talent. The first couple of years were a real learning curve. Rodgers continues, “The transformation for us really happened in 2003, when we renovated the building and added the next door space. We were able to bring everything up to code. Now we’re so pleased to have BurnCo in here, where they book the shows for the Sunday Brunch, and when we have shows on this side, they take really take care of the bands.”   If you’re currently enjoying air conditioned shows at Cain’s just pour out a splash of your craft IPA in honor of those of us who suffered through no A/C shows in the 90’s for you. You’re welcome.   When asked about which artists stand out from recent history, he immediately thinks of Jack White of whom, he says “we can’t thank him enough for all he’s done to promote Cain’s and show his love for Tulsa. We’ve only given out one guitar made from the wood of the old floor from the Cain’s and we gave it to him.” Chad recounts how honored he was to see the guitar in use on stage at last year’s ONEOK Field show.   Rodgers continues, “Robert Plant also chose to return to Cain’s instead of booking the Brady a couple years ago. So to have a musical legend give up more revenue just to play our venue was a real honor. When Smashing Pumpkins played here back in 2012, Billy Corgan signed a guitar that said “to Cain’s Ballroom, where history still matters.” The Cain’s has found a magical sweet spot in musical history, seemly anchored in both historical relevance and tradition, while simultaneously pushing the boundaries into new musical territory. This spirit of musical innovation goes all the way back to Bob Wills himself who pioneered both the use of electrical amplification and the use of drums in his western swing ensembles. Another feather in the cap for those who claim that Bob Wills and not Bill Haley is the true progenitor of rock and roll. As Tate Wittenberg is fond of saying, “Memphis may lay claim to being the birthplace of Rock and Roll, but rock was conceived in Tulsa at Cain’s Ballroom!” For years, Cain’s Ballroom was branded with the tagline, “Tulsa’s Timeless Honky-

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Tonk” and if people like Tate Wittenberg have their way, its new tagline will be “America’s Timeless Honky-Tonk”. With the advent of the OKPOP museum, Cain’s Ballroom will be front and center on the national stage. Those of us who’ve lived here for years already know the secret. Cain’s Ballroom has been more than a venue, or a historical treasure - it’s really been an incubator for the growth and development of the Tulsa Sound, and it continues to be an essential destination for musicians all over the world. Another destination which has brought international attention to Tulsa’s rich music history is The Church Studios. While the Studio and home to Shelter Records began in 1972, the history of the building goes back to 1915 when the building was built by the local community and became Grace Methodist / Episcopal Church, which was a precursor to the current United Methodist Church. During the history of the building, it provided shelter to the people of North Tulsa who were trying to escape the race massacre of 1921 as well as homeless native Americans during a tornadic storm. Current owner, Teresa Knox points out that this previous use as a shelter points prophetically to the building’s eventual purpose as home for Shelter Records. Teresa is a Tulsan with deep roots in the music world and a deep appreciation for Leon’s body of work. She bought the building sight unseen in 2016 and has been working to bring the Church into the 21st century as a working studio, and collaborative space, where both vintage equipment like microphones used by David Bowie will be available as well as state of the art digital tools for modern artists of all genres to utilize. A true destination working studio and production. Knox was instrumental in getting the building listed on the National Registry of Historic Places, and is developing the surrounding neighborhood into a viable destination neighborhood with restaurants, retail and coffee houses. “During construction, we discovered a baptistry under the floorboards, which we will be repurposing into a reverb chamber.” Knox said recently when asked about any of the special discoveries along the process of restoring this amazing space. Teresa deftly avoids the common traps of trying to “define the Tulsa Sound” and instead calls out that it was Leon’s exposure to the international conversation of music that led to a real spirit of brotherhood and camaraderie - cross pollination. Leon was instrumental in bringing another Tulsa treasure, The GAP Band into global prominence. The Church Studio was a collaborative space by design, informed by the session musician ideals Russell emphasized. When an artist signed onto Shelter Records, they were required to play on other artists tracks, which fostered a sense of community and shared risk that is essential with bold endeavors.

Above Credit: PHIL CLARKIN The Church Studio also coproduces (along with Jamie and Mary Oldaker) the annual MOJOFest in October, which raises funds for the Day Center for the Homeless and the Church Studio Foundation. Jamie Oldaker’s shuffle drumming style is considered by some to be the quintessential expression of the Tulsa Sound, and is popularized on his work on Eric Clapton’s Slowhand. Eric Clapton, a deeply passionate fan of Tulsa and Tulsa musicians, said, “I always liked Tulsa music for its no-compromise attitude, as if the musicians were making it just for themselves, without regard to what other people would think of it.” Perhaps in agreement with Clapton, local musician and emcee Alan Doyle describes the Tulsa Sound as “fearlessness”. In 2013, Local Musician, Lindsey Neal Kuykendall similarly stated, “I don’t care about making it sound commercial. I think if you create music that’s personal — without caring whether other people like it, or whether people think it’s ‘cool’ — it leads to something that is often pretty beautiful.” I asked several members of the Tulsa music community the following questions to get a more “holographic” picture of the Tulsa Sound and the Tulsa musical scene. ( JT): When you think of the idea of Tulsa Sound, what are the common threads that link the music of the last five years to the music of the last 50 years (Clapton, Leon, JJ) or the last 100 years? (Bob Wills, Woody Guthrie) Aaron Baldwin (AB) Assistant Program Director, KJAMZ, local DJ: It’s interesting to me because if you want to talk about a Tulsa Sound, you have to separate it into genres, even just to discuss the GAP Band you have to call out the West Coast funk influence, which has influenced. Even going back to the early hip-hop pioneers like Playya-1000, there is such a strong west coast kinda G-Funk approach to their music. That sound is changing with the advent of groups like Oilhouse. Because we are in the middle of the map, we can take eclectically from the surrounding regions. Alan Doyle (AD) Local Hip Hop artist and 2013 Urban Tulsa Weekly’s Absolute Best of Tulsa award winner in the Hip-Hop category: I think a lot of the artists today are finding their voices, as well as being proud to show that they are fearless whenever they step on stage or in a studio. So, there’s a similarity with the ones who came before us because they knew who they were when the time to perform. And over the years, the local listeners realized that when they hear us. Al Rey (AR) Local Bass wizard, played with Tribe of Souls, Mummy Weenie. Currently with Randy Brumley and Scissortails: You can’t forget the GAP Band, but really there are too many to mention.

Branjae is a performer and songwriter who has impacted audiences from Tulsa to Austin’s SXSW, from Atlanta to Chicago, and the United Kingdom. Branjae has received five nominations for the We are Tulsa Music Awards, and recently was named as Oklahoma Best of 2018 by Oklahoma Magazine (alongside Hanson and The Flaming Lips): I’m going with GAP Band, Leon Russell and Woody Guthrie. All were paramount for the development of Tulsa’s sound and influence. Cody Brewer (CB) Local banjo player, performs regularly with Grazzhopper (full band and trio), educator at the Woody Guthrie Center: I believe Tulsa musicians really appreciate and respect those who came before. I believe most have organically brought the T`ulsa Sound into their music by living here and hearing the stories and being present. I wish there was more Bob Wills music around:) I believe the Tulsa Sound came from the soil. Being near Kansas City Jazz & Blues, New Orleans Jazz & Funk, Oklahoma Folk & Country, & Texas Swing. Dave Cantrell (DC) frontman for Asylum, Bunnies of Doom, Bozack (in Oklahoma). Also ran a live venue in Colorado with his wife, Shalonda, called the Rocket Room for 3 & a half years: I don’t think in terms of a “Tulsa Sound”. I think in terms of bands and musicians I like that happen to be based in Tulsa. Jared Tyler ( JTy) made his national debut with the release of Blue Alleluia, and has been the supporting act for many artists and bands such as Emmylou Harris, Nickel Creek, Merle Haggard, Wilco and Shelby Lynne: Well, to start off I would say the last five years have been a very productive time in the Tulsa scene. You have artists like Paul Benjaman carrying on the JJ Cale torch of groove and raw guitar tone, and John Fulbright following in the steps of Leon Russell’s keyboard mastery as well as Woody Guthrie’s prolific writing-poignant to the times. Then there’s Parker Milsap and John Moreland making international strides with their own original music representing Tulsa sound. Artists like Jacob Tovar and Shelby Eicher keeping the music of the Bob Wills era alive. I would say my music is a hybrid mix of a bit of all the above. Lindsey Neal Kuykendall (LNK) Musician and recording studio/label co-owner with her husband Mark Kuykendall. She’s written Tulsa music articles for publications including This Land, Tulsa People, Tulsa Voice, Intermission Magazine and more: JJ Cale and Leon’s musician and friend network is simply still here and being passed to the next generation through people like Matt Teegarden (drummer whose dad played and lived with Leon/JJ) and others who were specifically influenced by it, like Paul Benjaman. ( JT): What are the common themes in Tulsa music that are unique to this area?

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AB: Tulsa benefits from the people who move here from other places, but I find it so very interesting how close we are to Texas, but our sound is more distinct and unique from the Texas hip-hop sound. To people who are not from this area or region, they may have a hard time pinning the quality down as a uniquely Tulsa Sound. AD: I believe being fearless has to be a common theme among a lot of the artists here & local crowds enjoy it. AR: Little or no rehearsal :) Branjae: hmmm I think one common theme is the support of community in the live music scene. People actually support local original music more than many other cities. It’s easy to get started on a new band, or a new sounds and find an audience in Tulsa that will support it. From attending shows to purchasing music and merchandise. JTy: One theme that sticks out would be water. We have as much shoreline in Oklahoma as the east coast! So water themes seem to be prevalent. LNK: The Tulsa music scene has an extremely wide variety of sounds now with worldwide influences. The most unique thing about Tulsa is our racial divide. This has applied in music as well. Leon Russell and his work with Gap Band and others began to bridge this gap (ironically because Leon’s name is Russell Bridges.) ( JT): What venues have played a pivotal role in the development of the Tulsa Sound? AB: In terms of hip hop, you can’t underscore the importance of Yeti, Soundpony, and the bars along that area, and even how important it’s been to have artists like Tech N9ne who plays the Cain’s regularly bringing that energy into town. That whole block has really become the epicenter of what’s happening. AD: In my nearly 9 years of performing, I’ve seen many places come & go. I felt like Crystal Pistol/The Yeti was an important place because there were many great local artists who performed there & a lotta people responded to these talented men & women. Losing that place really hurt because it was a huge piece of the culture that is Downtown Tulsa. However, a place that’s still here & is another huge piece of the culture is right next door, which is Soundpony. That bar is small but it’s larger than life. The underground scene benefits from the events that take place over there. Some of the best Hip-Hop shows I have ever seen were at Soundpony & it’s like a fellowship of artists & patrons that never want any trouble at the event. We’re all there for good music & artists are pretty well taken care of when they perform or just visiting. Soundpony is an important place to be. Branjae: I believe venues in Tulsa that continue to play pivotal roles in the development of our Tulsa music scene are the ones that treat musicians as deserving of good pay, sound and promotions for the bands. That keeps us coming back to play, and allows us to build our following. I wouldn’t dare start naming them, but they know who they are. CB: Some of the venues I would say that have helped us prosper have been The Colony, Mercury Lounge, & Soundpony!

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DC: Important venues to the underground rock scene throughout the years (80s & 90s) have been Bleu Grotto, (original) Crystal Pistol, Club Nitro/Eclipse, Ikon, Tucca, Fur Shop. Important metal venues would have been Rockers (aka Rock Theater), Windjammer, the Jungle Safari JTy: Brady, Cain’s, The Colony (and all of its prior ventures) stand out to me. (author’s note: It would be a shame to miss Paul Benjaman’s Sunday Night Thing at The Colony. It’s probably one of the best consistently running nights of music in Tulsa.) LNK: The Magician’s Theater, Nine of Cups, ( JT): Who are the undiscovered gems that are currently coming of age in Tulsa music? AB: I consider family groups like Oilhouse to be like the WuTang of Tulsa, AD: These past two or three years, I’ve seen a wave of artists show up & they have been incredible. I know there are artists right now at their houses, working on their craft, ready & waiting for the time to put on a show. Who are they? I don’t know but I hope they tell us soon & I hope they are beneficial to this beautiful thing we have going on here. AR: Randy Brumley has great songs,, and needs to be recognized... Kalo is from OKC. But she is a force of nature... On the jazz side, Maude Adams, Annie Ellicott, Frank Brown, Sean Al- J...the Eicher family... Last but not least--- Jared Tyler… Tori Ruffin... Branjae: Tulsa Music scene has many gems. Look out for Ana Berry moving full blast with her unique band lineup, Bossa -performing Latin Jazz. Casii Stephan has an incredible vocal rage and clarity and her band, the Midnight Sun is incredibly tight. They have been blowing up in the last year. Annie Ellicott with her original style and incredible jazz vocal skills, has been traveling the world sharing her music and energy from Tulsa. And she’s the baddest Whistler I’ve ever heard. Literally. She can whistle scat. That’s a thing. Tea Rush who is Tulsa’s Soul/hip hop Queen. She has this raspy- smooth voice that bring a real deal urban feel and style to the scene. She’s definitely been setting Tulsa a blaze! Oh and also the master Queen behind the hip hop and soul festival, Rush Fest. She’s our very own Mary J Blige! Many gems around here for sure! We are blessed with so much talent in Tulsa.. the world is getting ready to see it! CB: Combsy, Dane Arnold and the Soup, Paul Benjaman, Jared Tyler, Seth Lee Jones, Desi and Cody! more undiscovered would be the youth that are coming from musical programs like Woody Guthrie Center’s.   DC: Bandknife. 90s influenced post punk JTy: Ken Pomeroy is one i would look out for. She’s 16 going on 40! Here are a couple local artists who we discovered along the way of developing this issue

BRANJAE

Even though she was born in Motor City, Branjae moved to Tulsa when she was a year old, and proudly claims Tulsa as her home. Whether she’s fronting Count Tutu or her amazing backing band for her solo performances, Branjae has a captivating stage presence. She’s a woman with intense yet playful energy and to see her perform live is experience the power of the human spirit. She weaves the theatricality of an Andrew Lloyd Webber production into the simple grooves of a Marvin Gaye cover and somehow manages to layer in the occasional Randy Rhodes riff. I was fortunate to catch up with her after a recent show in my hometown of Sapulpa and follow-up on her recent single Street Light, which dropped on Friday, July 19th. JT: Your music has a interesting interplay between opposites: vulnerable vs strong, playful vs serious. Is that intentional, or more of an expression of your personality? Branjae: It’s an expression of my personality, and where I’m at in moment that the song is birthed. Coming from the internal self speak JT: What have you overcome to be where you are at this point in time, both as an individual and an artist? Branjae: Wow… (she pauses and seems to be processing the past, she makes a sort of raspberry sound and she exhales, as if to punctuate the moment). Abuse, Complacency, Insecurity, Ignorance, Ego, - there been a lot of life journeys to get here. JT: You're partnered with DVIS (Domestic Violence Intervention Services) with the Street Light Single - is domestic abuse part of your life experience? Branjae: For Sure! The single was birthed because I was actually in a relationship that instinctively I felt would turn violent. SO being a survivor already, I had grown to the point where I was able to say to myself, ‘oh, no, I’m a queen, I don’t deserve to be treated this way’ so to be in something and to use wisdom and insight to see those same traits repeating themselves and to be able to leave the relationship before the abuse could happen… that celebration of strength and independence that’s what Street Light came out of. JT: So when you write a wisdom song like that do you have a person in mind you’re writing for or is it just to express something in the moment? Branjae: Sometimes it is intentional. Where some person or situation was a catalyst or inspiration or caused an emotional reaction in me so I write with that person in mind, but as a creator, I like imagining things, so the story takes on a different form from just plain reality. JT: I have to ask a couple of questions about 2016’s Powersource: First whose idea was adding in that dope riff from Ozzy’s ‘Crazy Train’ during the cover of Stevie Wonder’s ‘Superstition’? Branjae: That was a carry over from a band I was playing with in Atlanta, and we

just decided we would arrange it that way. It really seemed to fit with the halftempo arrangement of the song. JT: Ok, and was ‘Tell the Truth’ in some way an homage to Fishbone? It feels very Angelo and big sound like Truth and Soul. Branjae: It is like Fishbone, and one of my dreams is to do a duet with Angelo…. JT: …(interrupting like an excited rookie) ..and you got to open for Fishbone recently… Branjae: I did, I did.. I opened up for him once.. Angelo is such an amazing artist, and such a spiritual being… JT: …interrupting again (I hate myself some times) - (Proceeds to tell Branjae a Fishbone story the didn’t even happen to me. I’m awful at interviewing apparently - although, true her generous nature, Branjae mentioned later on Facebook that it was one of the best interviews she’d ever had) JT: Who else inspires you? Branjae: Oprah Winfrey, Michelle Obama, Tina Turner… women who no matter what they’ve been through, they just cannot be put down.. I mean they went through some SH*T and they still shine… their fire cannot be put out. Michelle Obama - a black girl from the south side of Chicago to become the First Lady who had such elegance and grace - that inspires me or when there are rumors about me, which doesn’t happen much, but there are haters (sidenote: I love the way Branjae says “haters”) Michelle inspires me to not even get caught up in that. She really blew my mind watching her evolve over eight years. JT: It feels like in this political climate, your music is almost a ministry of sorts. Branjae: - yeah, both my parents are ministers. I came from a missionary family so I’ve had a platform and witnessed both parents exhibit loads of charisma and bring love to the forefront of the message. Showing people love and helping them feel that is the mission. I would definitely say that music is my form of unconventional ministry. What’s important for me is making people feel good, at the same time, being real about the wrong going on in the world. We can’t ignore things and put our heads in the sand. Branjae continued to have nothing but kind words for the Tulsa music scene, and the celebration of diversity that honors the past while looking toward the future. She is a shining gem in this amazing crown that proves the Tulsa Sound is still King (or in this case.. Queen!) The Street Light single is available for download on iTunes and streaming on Spotify as well as most other music platforms. Support our amazing local music scene!

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Alan Doyle

Track One of the Obscurity EP opens with a quote from Lao Tzu which admonishes the listener to seek obscurity rather than fame. It’s so evident in Alan Doyle’s very demeanor that he’s a humble man who hasn’t let success go to his head. It’s fortunate that I hadn’t taken a deep dive into Alan Doyle’s catalog before I had the chance to sit down with him in May to discuss this article. I might have been too nervous to really relax and lean into our far-reaching conversation which covered a variety of important topics. Of course, I had to start with a predictable interview question, like: JT: Who were your inspirations? How did that pathway happen? AD: A lot of musicians have inspired me my parents turned me and my sister onto Motown. When I first started listening to hip hop, the Gangsta Rap. Guru Gangstarr Daily Operation, I still listen to Guru. Great message. I’ve always listened to and leaned to the music with a message. JT: An interesting thing about “rap music with a message” is that it seems like it’s the counter point to music of the streets that describes the reality rather than seeking to uplift or change the reality. It felt like Blackalicious’s ‘Blazing Arrow’ was trying to do that.. trying to move the community forward. AD: Yes, a lot of hip hop artists that come from a really tough background always want to see their people doing better. Doesn’t matter which neighborhood it is, they want to see that neighborhood grow and want to uplift it. Take an artist like Nipsey Hussle who started off more in the gangster style, but over they years, he started changing the tone, he became more message focused. He wanted to uplift his neighborhood, He was saying to the people in that community, ‘Hey you’re an owner, you’re a king too.’ (interesting sidetone: During this discussion about Nipsey Hussle, Do the Hustle was playing over the Mother Road Market loud speaker. Sometimes I think that stuff is God winking at me/us) He also brought money back into the neighborhood. I’ve seen Drake and Nelly do that too. With the music, it’s like you have a voice and you can do what you want with that. Of course of I grew up in Broken Arrow, and I know that my struggle wasn’t like some artists who grew up differently, but they are my fellow brothers and sisters and I respect their struggle what they are putting out there. JT: How does the background of injustice against the black community both nationally and right here inform what’s happening musically for you and for the scene? AD: Whenever something unjust happens, it makes a lot of us stronger, kinda unites us even more. There’s always strength in numbers. When people speak up in the face of injustice, - and not just black people, there’s white people, there’s other minorities speaking up. Plus there’s karma, and how in the age of social media people’s character is on display. (We digressed into a ranting session about Tate Brady and how it’s a shame that he gets any press at all - so I won’t recount the whole section except to call out how #tatebradying should be the new term for when someone’s sins are hidden by the color of their white skin, or their white hood, or their tainted money that they throw around town. Every big city has a case of TB somewhere.) AD: I call that area the Wayne Brady arts district, because that’s a Brady we can all get behind! I continued to embarrass myself a little bit by whitesplaining the imbalance of injustice in sentencing and media coverage. Alan was very generous in our next back and forth which covered a range of topics all dealing with race and inequality.

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Photo Credit: LORI SCHOLL

What’s so refreshing about an artist like Alan Doyle, is his down-to-earthness. We were discussing the tendency for “woke” white people to do what I refer as “jump too many spaces on the chess board” by trying to downplay their own racism, with statements like, “I don’t see color.” Alan responded with this gold nugget of wisdom. AD: I just watched a video of Cody Rhodes (WWE wrestler and son of WWE Hall of Famer Dusty Rhodes) and he’s married to a black woman. And as he’s being interviewed about diversity, he tells the story about how early on, she said to his wife, “I don’t see color” and she said to him, “Then you don’t see my experience.”. Alan’s music is about uplifting the culture, and he doesn’t care who his audience is as long as it’s growing. He is a member of the incredibly diverse Outsiders Crew which contains members from nearly all ethnicities, and the common thread is welcoming people who are awesome. Doyle is proud of the diversity represented in the audience as well, and there is no negativity that dominates the scene. We’re trying to show kids how the hip hop community can be. With artists like Alan and the Outsiders crew, Tulsa’s sound continues to grow and expand. The growth and expansion of the Tulsa Sound is much bigger than any historical definition or single point in time. Much like the genre-bending sound it describes, Tulsa has historically reached for the global prominence among such cities as New York, Paris and Milan. As a world-class city, which boasts an opera company, a philharmonic and a ballet, Tulsa’s place as a center of artistic and musical relevance is firmly established. So in this sense, as has been said elsewhere in this article, no one genre can claim to be the source or sole domain of the Tulsa Sound. Leon Russell himself, who played a large part in defining Tulsa as a musical Mecca, is reported to have said that for him to describe the Tulsa Sound, would be akin to ‘asking a fish about the properties of water.’ Second to Leon Russell, the name that comes up most often in the discussions of the Tulsa Sound is prolific songwriter and musician JJ Cale. His bandmate Rocky Frisco (another Tulsa legend) has this to say about it all. “It’s my opinion that the real roots to the Tulsa Sound lead to Flash Terry and his band. Flash played at the Flamingo Lounge, on Greenwood. In 1957, Flash invited me to the weekly jam, on Tuesday nights, so I showed up and sang a few songs. I told Cale and Bill I had enjoyed the visit, so the next time I went, they came too. As time passed, more of the guys came and played. I was with Cale at a radio station in California when he said, 'There really isn't a Tulsa Sound.'" It would be a missed opportunity to not call out the more recent pioneers and promoters, like, Marcos Matheos, Zachary Matthews, Davit Souders, and Tim Barraza who had a strong part to play in bringing undiscovered national acts to Tulsa and exposing Tulsans to music that impacted the global music scene. Equally important is the excellent and award-winning documentary, “Oil Capital Underground: The Genesis & Evolution of Punk Rock in Tulsa” by Bryan Crain, Dave Cantrell and Terry Waska. Author shout out to pioneers NOTA and Los Reactors for setting a very high bar of musical talent. Another important aspect of Tulsa’s unique landscape that has fostered diversity and broadening of minds is the great public spaces, most notably Guthrie Green and the Gathering Place for exposing us to new ideas and new people across all walks of life. Hopefully, you’ll be inspired to explore some of the venues and artists discussed in this article. Local musician and writer Lindsey Neal Kuykendall may have expressed this idea most succinctly recently when I asked for input on this article: “Go places you haven’t been and you’ll hear music you haven’t heard before.”

SUMMER OF THE SHAR

ou might think you’re on a tropical vacation when you step into Shark Beach Grill around the corner from Safari Joe’s H2O Water Park in Tulsa st at 21 and Yale. The atmosphere features the option of lounging outside on the patio “waterfront” or sinking into the boat seats inside.

But the star of the show is menu. On this day, we dove into the Shark Bites appetizer: six luscious jumbo grilled shrimp with jalapeno and cream cheese wrapped in bacon served with a sweet and spicy sauce to submerge. Then, we plunged into an entrée of Cajun Chicken Platter: two chicken breasts seared in Cajun butter and covered with corn and black bean salsa, served with The surfer vibes adorn the restaurant walls, including flavorful mixed veggies and mashed potatoes. You could local stickers that are recognizable in the family also catch a lineup of gourmet burgers, sandwiches, atmosphere. Kids and grownups love to check out the salads and tacos. baby sharks displayed in the centerpiece aquarium.

CRAFT MAGAZINE OK | AUG 2019

RK IN MIDTOWN TULSA

BY JENNAH JANE SCHALE

The Shark Beach Grill is now open late on “Shark Beach” Thursdays till 2am with Live DJ, dancing and karaoke after the Adult Pool Party at Safari Joe’s. Check out their weekday specials including Mermaid Mondays where kids eat free all day with adult entrée and live mermaids will stick around 5:30-7:30pm. Guests who stop by for lunch or dinner receive $5 off gate admission to Safari Joe’s H2O Water Park with each entrée.

Monday through Friday, join Shark Beach Grill for Shark Frenzy Happy Hour at the bar 3-7pm: $2 Domestics / $2 Chips and Queso / $4 Fried Pickles / $4 Fried Mozzarella

Shark Beach Grill 1941 S. Yale Tulsa, OK 74112

CRAFT MAGAZINE OK | AUG 2019

Above: Curtis and Victoria Linam

For the Love of Food

by Lacy Richards

he elusive perfect burger. So far but also, so close. Tulsa has always been rooted in the search for the best burger; many attempting to make it, while the others are trying to eat it. And with the recent influx of food trucks, you know that some are making the magic happen within the confines of a tiny trailer, consciously filling all 80 square feet with ingredients, carefully purchased, lovingly prepared and passionately sold. This is a story about love… and food. 30

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Curtis and Victoria Linam didn’t go to culinary school and weren’t trained by highfalutin chefs. Prestigious education didn’t mean much to them since their love of cooking was born from a much more humble place, their families. Victoria grew up at home with her mother and Thai grandparents in McAlister, having food that varied from traditional and delicious Thai dishes, to midwestern staples. Curtis was raised in Inola and his background isn’t too far off. He says that living at home with lots of siblings but not a lot of

money taught him how to make great food on the cheap, strategies that neither of them knew would help develop a business someday. Together for 14 years, Curtis and Victoria came to food naturally, despite having jobs outside their food truck, Linam Up Grill. When asked what created their passion for food the answer was simple: they enjoyed cooking for friends and their friends enjoyed their cooking! They needed a way to break into the food scene without the rigid confines and expensive battle to open a brick and mortar restaurant. The food truck was simpler, less overhead, more flexibility, but also, a lot more work- a true labor of love. They share a passion of all things balanced: delicious food, great prices, and easy to eat. Their menu includes a few staples like gourmet grilled cheeses, wraps of all kinds, and burgers that surprise, like the jalapeño popper burger, a classic. The true treasure in their story is that their abilities go way beyond the flat top grill and flow over into a world of creativity. Curtis and Victoria are always firing up new recipes, passing them out to friends, and seeing what the crowd thinks. Do you think they need more friends? Because I have a couple openings. They absolutely love to serve a wide range of dishes that can range from small settings to big catering jobs. Curtis touts that his banh-mi sandwiches are a specialty and that he’s been perfecting it for years. He goes on to say that they love to make great Italian food that’s as traditional as possible. Most importantly, Curtis wants to learn. “Give me about a week and I can make anything you throw at me.” A verse known by only those with an undying love of learning.

Most of the time you can find Linam Up Grill hitting the road, traveling through all parts of Oklahoma for special events or great parties. Since their menu consists of easy eating it’s no wonder that they’re invited to so many places. Concerts, family events, main streets, even breweries are all home to Linam Up. Rocklahoma still stands out as one of their favorites, mostly for the people watching, they say. Events like this have unconventional serving times, venues, and people, which they believe makes this experience a whole heck of a lot more fun, especially while they’re making dozens of dishes an hour. Ultimately, the Linam’s would like to settle down and have a little restaurant of their own focusing on a few staple dishes in a relaxed but interesting venue. Curtis wants to focus on an Italian dinner on Sundays and their most popular food during the regular week with a smooth speakeasy feel. Really, the opportunities abound when you’re dedicated to creativity and versatility. These things paired with the tenacity it takes to run a food truck right here in Oklahoma creates a lot of opportunity for those willing to take it. Anything’s possible when you got this kind of love for food.

For more information on Linam Up Grill call 918-430-6946

CRAFT MAGAZINE OK | AUG 2019

The Drive of Good People by Lacy Richards

ABOVE: WAYNE ARNETT, SERVICE DIRECTOR

ut of the box, never cookie cutter, marching to the beat of their own drum… these just a few ways to describe something that can be different, interesting, even surprising. Stavros Padazopoulos, known by most as “Stav”, has a different philosophy on the way car buying and maintenance should be handled. As the general manager for Regional Hyundai in Broken Arrow since it’s opening in 2007 Stav has performed at almost every position is at this location, and as he explained the passion he and his staff have for people it became clear as to why they’ve been named the #1 volume dealership in the state of Oklahoma. Regional Hyundai has many things to be proud of but their service department qualifies as a shining star to this center’s team. Service director, Wayne Arnett has been at this location for 6 years. Stav shares that through the life of car ownership a car will be serviced between 30-50 times and he thinks that every one of those times should be quality experiences. A little, not-so-secret fact is that only this location of Hyundai gives two free years of maintenance on a new car, plus 6 oil changes, 4 tire rotations, and even service specials sent to your email inbox. And the best part is that their service station can service any car you bring them! This means that any make and model, purchased from their location or not, can take advantage of their fast, affordable, and dedicated service in the heart of Broken Arrow.

couple years ago is likely to be the same one to help you a second time, and maybe even a third or fourth. This culture of dedication to customers and not just the actual sale sets Regional Hyundai apart from most dealerships. Stav shares that Regional Hyundai is family owned and operated. In a day and time where many owners aren’t seen on site, he recognizes their owner as a mentor figure, one that assisted him and shaped his managerial skills. This is a big part of staff feeling supported as many decisions aren’t “run through the ranks” like many corporate offices often operate. In fact, financing is a breeze as options are open to people with any type of credit, in house or otherwise. The finance department has worked with a variety of options. On site decisions like this can be made within the day instead of the week so the process of purchasing a car or maintaining your car can be as smooth as the ride of your car. The focus of Regional Hyundai might be a little different from most car dealerships, but it’s brought them major success. Building rapport with customers doesn’t just end at the point of sale, but they practice it as a philosophy so that the life of the car and many cars beyond can be a genuine and shared relationship.

Another interesting note about Regional Hyundai is that many of the employees have been there for several years, most coming from occupations that are worlds away from selling cars. “The majority of dealerships see a lot of turnover…” Stav says, “It can be anything from the Oklahoma heat, to not truly enjoying the product they sell, to not fitting well into the salesman role. But we think when our sales team focuses on the people themselves and less about the car everyone wins”. Since these employees do bring their own unique walks of life to the experience of car buying and it can really ease customers. Fortunately, this means that the same salesman that was helpful and attentive at the point of purchase a CRAFT MAGAZINE OK | AUG 2019

Who is the Kaylee Allen Agency? By Victoria Wolfe

Left to right Victoria Wolfe, Kaylee Allen, Rachel Collier, Jason Ohman

he Kaylee Allen Farmers Insurance Agency opened its door in October of 2018. The owner, Kaylee Allen, opened her own agency within a year of entering the insurance business and has since become a force of her own within her company. Since opening she has created a team of individuals who all share the same expectations of an insurance agent; someone who isn’t about money, but about helping people as best they can. At present there are three agents including Kaylee who spend their days working hard to go above and beyond to help their customers. Rachel and Victoria both have known Kaylee longer than their employment both beginning as friends who joined Kaylee in her dream. This could be what helps with the cohesion of the office and the fun environment they have cultivated due to their interactions with their customers. A large question could be however, what else really separates this office from any other office? It’s not just the friendship of the employees or how they befriend their clients, it’s entirely the respect they have for their clients. In fact, if you asked Kaylee, she would tell you it’s her drive to be honest with her clients. Kaylee values her honesty with clients the most. Believing both the agent and the client should be able to trust one another, expressing their needs and their capabilities. Kaylee has chosen to surround herself and her office with individuals who value the same. A good day in the office, if you asked any of the people in the office, a good day is one that is both busy, and a day used to help someone have more affordable insurance that meets their needs. She has also chosen to try and be more involved with her local community instead of waiting for the community to come to her. She believes that the office should celebrate being apart of Broken Arrow and look out for the community. How has her agency shown support for the local community?

Above: Kaylee Allen

community in a way the community can interact with her and her team in a less formal atmosphere. What does a typical day look like for the Kaylee Allen Agency? A typical day often isn’t as exciting as you might think, the agents complete small tasks for insureds, sending insurance ID cards, answering questions on policies, and quoting policies. A busy day however can see every agent on their phones, typing furiously, asking questions while the phone still rings. These days are the ones that can really allow this team to shine. The agents will often take information from a client so that they can take time to carefully quote an individual and reach them later to give the best quote possible. The shining light however is the truth they aren’t afraid to tell, if you sit in their office, you will at times hear the agents admit that they aren’t perhaps the best fit for a client. They will work on a quote for hours at times, trying to find ways to help someone get the coverage they need in the price range they can afford. The times they cannot, they will tell the individual, always suggesting different options for the client still. They truly care about every client, and truly try and offer the best options for the clients, going as far as to search every method to find the best choice. What lines of insurance are currently the most popular? The usual basic lines of coverage for Home and Auto are always the most popular but with summertime there has been an increase in clients calling about specialty insurance for motorcycles and boats. Farmers offers coverage for most all boats, from bass boats to kayaks. And covering motorcycles, to off road vehicles from 4 wheelers to golf carts. What suggestions would you have for individuals looking for insurance? “We would suggest knowing your current coverages for sure, and if you are able, having your declaration page from your current policy. In the insurance world it is extremely helpful so we can better know what you have and what we need to do to match it or even go beyond it.” – Kaylee If you would like to get to know Kaylee and her office you can find them on Facebook under their name, which has all their information such as phone number and address. They are active on their page and check the messages often if you would like to message them. They also have Instagram under their name as well.

Left to right, Kaylee Allen and Rachel Collier with the 80 Sonic drinks donated to a local Broken Arrow elementary school

Since opening, in that short time, the agency has bought drinks for every teacher in a local broken arrow school, sponsored toys for tots and will be hosting their own event, a golf tournament on *August 24th, to raise funds to help donate school supplies to local schools and to put herself out to the

*If you were wanting more information regarding the golf tournament you can check out their Facebook as well or their Instagram. They have information posted on both websites. They are taking teams until the tournament on August 24th. The Kaylee Allen Agency’s motto is “We are here for any Insurance advice you seek. We want to cover you on the worst days so you can look forward to the best days!”

CRAFT MAGAZINE OK | AUG 2019

#COOKSNOTCHEFS Are you singing the blues and need something to make your weekend hit a high note?

CRAFT MAGAZINE OK | AUG 2019

We have some great ideas that will be music to your ears and make you the star of the night. Visit OKIESPICE at 501 West 2nd St. Sand Springs, OK 74063 | 918-514-0045 | Tuesday-Friday 10:30-6:00 • Saturday 10:00-4:00 • Closed Sunday/Monday

CRAFT MAGAZINE OK | AUG 2019

#NOLIMITWOMEN

Dana Hoey, Owner Red Fork Distillery

& Photos: Dana Hoey, the Woman Behind Red Fork Distillery Story Christina Winkle

hile born in Huntsville, Alabama, Dana spent most of her formative years in Georgia. As a child she moved around a lot due to her fathers profession, but after graduating high school in Georgia she attended college at the University of North Carolina. There, she graduated with a BSBA degree. After graduation she moved back to Atlanta where she met her husband, Mike. Mike’s charm was hard for Dana to ignore and soon the two decided to give up being single for good. They married and have four children. They lived in Atlanta for ten years before moving to Tulsa. The move was something Dana thought long and hard about, but ultimately she knew it would be the best move for her family. “ You just can’t pass up the opportunity to raise a family here in Tulsa,” she said. For Dana, Tulsa was a new place to explore, but for Mike it was a return home. 40

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Above:Dana Hoey, Owner Red Fork Distillery Fast forward a few years, and the idea of opening a distillery came about so naturally. Dana is an extreme hostess at heart, and loves nothing more than to entertain. The thought of creating a spirit and sharing it, not just with friends and family, but the world was something she just couldn’t let pass by. She also possesses an entrepreneurial spirit. Working a “regular” job just never seemed a good fit for her. Not to mention her degree being in Business and Marketing. Quickly after moving forward she learned that opening a distillery is a long process consisting of endless research, recipe development and the dreaded application process. The decision that for Dana seemed like a no brainer, was the location of the distillery. Conveniently located off of route 66 at 3310 Southwest Boulevard. Choosing to be located on the westside of Tulsa was no accident. “We chose the location for the distillery because of the historical value of

Route66 and the Red Fork District and the future potential for the revitalization of the area. We are just minutes from downtown. Not to mention the support we receive from the community is astounding. The Red Fork area just feels like home” Dana said. Dana’s day to day duties include taking care of all reporting, licensing, marketing, product promotions and more. She is the pillar on which the distillery rests. The business is quite a family affair, including her hubby who is a huge help in research and development. Their kids have helped out with just about everything all the way from construction of the building to labeling of the bottles. Red Fork Distillery along with master distiller Jim Johnson have three different products available to the public. They

#NOLIMITWOMEN

have their Southern Journey Vodka, White Bison Moonshine (white whisky) and lastly their War Dance Cinnamon Moonshine. But just on the horizon is so much more. They already have an aged whisky ready, just waiting on licensing to come through. Not to mention a gin recipe in a trial period. They also have dreams for a creamed spiced whisky and so much more. The future looks quite promising for Red Fork Distillery. In addition to their spirits, Red Fork also acts as an event space. Just to be clear, they cannot serve their product at the distillery like a brewery can. You can however bring in whatever you want. This isn’t something that Dana is too thrilled about. They have a lot of customers coming in expecting to be able to get a drink and hang out at the distillery. Sadly, the current laws in Oklahoma just don’t allow that. “As the laws are written today, breweries and wineries are able to sell direct from their establishments as well as self distribute. Distilleries cannot. We are required to utilize a distributor to sell to liquor stores, bars and restaurants. We would like to see the laws changed where we could sell a

bottle of our spirits to someone that comes in for a tour and tasting. Instead we have to direct them to a liquor store to purchase our products. The ability to self distribute would be helpful as well, “ Dana said. Once a month Red Fork hosts a tour and tasting. Follow their Facebook page to know when the next tour will be. During the tours you get the opportunity to learn more about how their product is made and see things first hand and have a sip or two of their product.

Cheers to Tulsa’s first legal distillery since prohibition! Once again women are on the forefront of change. With any luck, we’ll all be able to taste the delicious creations coming from a distillery inspired by Oklahoma’s beautiful history at the source of it’s creation. Until then, keep your eyes peeled. For more information: 3310 Southwest Blvd, Tulsa, OK

(918) 381-8115 redforkdistilleryok.com CRAFT MAGAZINE OK | AUG 2019

#GRACIELANDTIPS “CLASSICALLY TRAINED”

By: Mike Hall, Owner Gracieland Pet Resort

his month’s issue of Craft Magazine we’re talking all about music and it got me thinking about the old quote “Music soothes the savage beast” but does it? Does it really? In this month’s column we look into how music affects your dog’s behavior. So go ahead and get those doggie headphones on and let’s get to howling, yipping, barking and tail wagging! A recent study out of Canada at Queens University showed the affects of different types of music. The behavior of dogs when soft, gentle music was played, like Chopin or Mozart, showed the dogs very relaxed and sleepy. When loud guitar driven rock music like Guns N’ Roses, Iron Maiden or Nirvana was played for the dog’s they became very excited, barked louder and longer and showed signs of agitation. When Mainstream adult contemporary music was played it seemed to have no change in their behavior. Music very different from each other will like Pop music and Rock music will affect your dog’s behavior and Adult Contemporary music does absolutely nothing to your dog’s demeanor. The result of the study gives you the go ahead to crank up Elvis, U2 and Madonna without disturbing your furry best friend! Does your dog howl when listening to music? It may be annoying when you’re trying to enjoy the passionate sounds of the Raconteurs (Who by the way will be playing Cain’s ballroom in October, see you there haha) but ole Spot is just exercising his chops in a form of doggy communication. Music with bagpipes or a wooden flute are more likely to make your dog howl than other types of music. A highpitched long note from a trumpet or guitar could get a howl or two from Fido. Or even better, your Aunt Ida singing the top end of any Prince song! Hahahaha. When a police car or firetruck come wailing by with their sirens blaring your dog may howl. You may think the sirens hurt their ears but in reality, they’re remembering a type of doggy communication. Pretty cool huh? Therapeutic music therapy is currently being used in many veterinary hospitals and clinics. If your dog is anxious and doesn’t seem to calm down, call your vet’s office. Find out if they play soothing classical music so your dog doesn’t equate that high stress anxious feeling to your Dr. Vet. Your pooch just may have a pleasant experience, at the vet’s office no less haha. 42

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The take away here is if your planning on going for a run with your dog then maybe a little AC/DC or Van Halen (The early years tho, I’m a purest lol) to get yours and Spot’s heart rate elevated and maybe belt out a couple of howling, barking tunes! Or if it’s bedtime and ole Fluffy doesn’t want to settle down then maybe throw on a little Mozart’s Symphony 41. If that doesn’t calm her down and put her to sleep then nothing will!! Have you ever listened to Mozart? Snooze city hahahaha.

Mike Hall is the owner and operator of Gracieland Pet Resort for over 12 years. His experience with pets give him a wealth of knowledge that he is eager to share. Follow Gracieland Pet Resort on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for his question of the day.

CRAFT MAGAZINE OK | AUG 2019

The Cannabis Culture: Perception vs Reality BY JASON HOWER

ou don’t have to visit the Bob Dylan archive to figure out that the times are a changing here in Oklahoma. All you have to do is drive down any one of our highways for about 5 minutes and you will notice billboards for dispensaries, doctors and several other cannabis related businesses plastered prominently for miles and miles. For those of us who grew up here, or have lived here for any length of time, this seems shockingly progressive for a state that wasn’t even able to sell cold, full strength beer less than a year ago. So what does all this mean? Is “reefer madness” about ready to set in to Green Country? Are our booming cities about ready to be zapped of all their drive and ambition? Not hardly. What it means is the people of Oklahoma can finally have access to one of the oldest and most versatile plant based medicines know to man, as long as it is prescribed by a doctor and an OMMA card is obtained.

CANNABIS MAKES PEOPLE LAZY The only thing lazy about that statement is the logic behind it. Can cannabis help people who suffer from a sleeping disorder fall asleep and get quality rest? You betcha, but getting regular sleep is an essential part of being a human. In fact, 100% of the world’s most ambitious and motivated people sleep on a regular basis and several of those people are also regular cannabis users. The pursuit of happiness is a unique and personal voyage for all of us. Some of us want to kick butt and take names, others feel more at ease going with the flow and not rocking the boat. Some of us get our kicks by running a marathon, others of us get our kicks by binge watching a Seinfeld marathon. What is right for you can only be true if it is self evident and can never be mandated by anyone other than yourself.

However, for many Oklahomans it is difficult to get past the decades of misleading rhetoric and misinformation that has been fed to us by the powers that be and other groups who feel like it is their duty to tell the rest of us just how much freedom we can handle. So, let’s take a quick look at some of the most common misconceptions surrounding cannabis and compare them to the facts.

CANNABIS IS EVIL/DANGEROUS

CANNABIS IS A GATEWAY DRUG Ok, we’ve all heard this one, whether it was at home from our parents or in school from our teachers via the D.A.R.E. program. This slippery slope was introduced by the first ever Commissioner of the Federal Bureau of Narcotics, Harry Anslinger in 1951 and it has stuck around ever since, despite being void of scientific evidence. In fact, Anslinger himself stood before Congress in 1937 and contradicted the very notion. It wasn’t until his bosses changed that his opinion changed, which isn’t how science typically works. Since then several scientific reports have also refuted the premise, such as the The Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences, which reported to Congress in 1999, “There is no conclusive evidence that the drug effects of marijuana are casually linked to the subsequent abuse of other illicit drugs.” Now for those of you that are more from the “gotta see it to believe it” camp, look no further than Willie Nelson. His affinity and appetite for cannabis are legendary, yet he has miraculously managed to stay off heroin!

There is really no way to way to talk about the past, present and future of cannabis in the United States without bringing up race. It’s not a fun thing to talk about, but that doesn’t make it real. Ever since cannabis was criminalized in 1937, the arrest rates for Blacks and Hispanics are so disproportionately skewed that it reeks of racial targeting. Here is the reality. Cannabis does not make people commit crimes. Cannabis has been legalized both medicinally and recreationally in enough states for a long enough period of time for us to know that crime rates don’t elevate once cannabis is decriminalized. In fact, crime rates have widely decreased in those states. We live in the information age and are becoming less dependent on getting our “facts” from the government and/or large, powerful groups of influence. Old, fear based misconceptions are being replaced with scientific research and data. Cannabis may or may not be for you. However, if you have an ailment that is diminishing your quality of life, or are having to treat it with prescription medicine that doesn’t agree with you, then, please consult a physician or two and keep an open mind.

CRAFT MAGAZINE OK | AUG 2019

BY: JEFF THOMPSON

ere at Craft Magazine, we are moved and inspired by the growing number of craftspeople and artisans who are finding unique pathways to get products to market. The internet has made this possible, but many times, people need to see, touch and feel a product and maybe even meet the maker and hear their unique stores to fall in love with their next treasured possession. At Tulsa’s Mother Road Market (located just off Route 66 at 11th and Lewis), there is a unique and special place, called “The Vault” where local makers can bring their products to sell and get them in the hands of Tulsans who’ve already demonstrated a passion for supporting local business. Thanks to the generosity of the Lobeck Taylor Family Foundation, the costs for makers and artisans are a fraction of the usual market rate for a pop-up retail opportunity, and each month we have the privilege to feature one of the many upcoming (or recurring) local craftspeople who are in The Vault at Mother Road Market. This month, we feature:

Hilo de Amor - Thread of Love:

given the opportunities or education to reach their full potential.” Her “about me” section on her Facebook page makes this abundantly clear: “As long as I can remember, I’ve been passionate about helping families and educating others about my culture, language and traditions. For two decades, I worked in fast paced corporate world, with a large company. I learned a lot and will always be appreciative of the opportunity. In 2018, I left the company and today, I have no regrets about leaving the office, as it made me realize that the dream to help others on a grander scale, laid dormant far too long.”

Above:Esther Wright, owner of Hilo de Amor- Thread of Love

ulsan Esther Wright was born in the beautiful city of Oaxaca, Mexico but even after living in the US for over 20 years, the people of Oaxaca never left her heart. In her own words, “My passion is people and I have a dream to promote original, authentic and unique crafts of the Latin artisans. There will always be excuses or reasons keeping you from doing what you love.” Esther isn’t just passionate about her fellow Latin people, she specifically wants to bring opportunity to others. “I especially have a passion to help those who are less fortunate and were not

Above: Handmade in Oaxaca. Small Shakira Earrings

Esther and Hilo de Amor will be popping up the newly revamped Vault Space at Mother Road Market on the following days:

Saturday, August 3rd Friday, August 16th Saturday August 24th

CRAFT MAGAZINE OK | AUG 2019

Local Craft Breweries

BEER

COCKTAILS BY JENNAH JANE SCHALE

agen Pavey is the Beer Manager at Kwenchers, a job that he has he says he’s been preparing for longer than he’s comfortable admitting. Besides his day gig, Hagen is also the founder and frontman for The NeoRomantics, a nationally touring Indie Rock band that has released two albums to date. This Fall, you’ll be able to find Pavey working the tap room at the new American Solera brewery located at 6th and Utica. Although the idea of beer cocktails might seem like a new concept birthed by mustached mixologists in the depths of a hip speakeasy style bar in Brooklyn, the truth is that beer has been as popular a mixer as any in cocktails for centuries! Throughout history, a host of ingredients were added, originally to combat harsh or offensive flavors in beer. Brewers in the age of King Midas hadn’t quite gotten a grasp on quality control, so everything from honey to rosemary to poppy seeds were added to improve the flavor. During the colonial era, Pavey says that fledgling American breweries were hugely popular, but due to a lack of availability of fresh hops, American beer left much to be desired in comparison to their British and German counterparts. American ingenuity prevailed when they began using beer as a base for their cocktails. New concoctions such as The Rattle Skull, and The Flip, a rum/beer cocktail made with sugar and eggs, served hot were commonly consumed by bargoers of the 1700s. Fast forward two-anda-half centuries and mixologists make beer cocktails for a completely different reason. With craft beer culture hugely on the rise in the states and new innovative breweries constantly emerging, rather than shying away from the bold flavors in beer, mixologists and bartenders alike are using them to their advantage. Whether it be for the rich roasty flavors of kiln dried malt, or the piney, floral, citrusy flavors of fresh hops, crafting cocktails with beer offers a simple way to add refreshment and complexity!

THE FROSE ROSÉ:

6 oz. Prairie No Way Frose 1.5 oz. Oklahoma Rosé Botanical Gin 3 oz. Fever-Tree Sparkling Lemon Juice of half a lime 1. Fill pint glass with ice 2. Pour ingredients in pint glass and stir 3. Garnish with strawberry wedge

Stormy IPA: SUMMER BEER:

19.2 oz. Cabin Boys Cast-a-line Kolsch 12 oz. Indian Grass Vodka 32 oz. Mr. Pure Lemonade Juice of half a lime: 1. Pour ingredients into a standard pitcher and stir 2. Pour over ice 3. Garnish with lemon wedge

4 oz. Coop F5 2oz. Obahoshe Rum 4 oz. Fentimans Ginger Beer Juice of half a lime 1. Fill a standard pint glass with ice 2. Pour Coop F5 and Ginger Beer into the glass 3. In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, pour the rum and lime juice and shake vigorously 4. Strain into pint glass and stir 5. Garnish with lime wedge

CRAFT MAGAZINE OK | AUG 2019

BLIND LUCK (and a lot of hard work) BY JENNAH JANE SCHALE

ucked away in Eastern Oklahoma is a place for all palates when it comes to wine production. Blind Luck specializes in naturally sweetened fruit wines that are “hard to drink in moderation” such as Blueberry Pinot Noir, Blackberry Cabernet, Peach Chardonnay, Strawberry Rasberry Shiraz, Sangria (Merlot) and Pear Sauvignon Blanc. Fuller bodied American Termpranillo is also available for fuller bodied tastes as well as The American Rose. Produced and bottled in Cookson, Okla., the operation is a family venture. 54

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Starting in October 2014, Blind Luck began as a passion for owners Chris and Vonnetta Allenbaugh. Chris retired and started the endeavor as a hobby, letting family members try the first bottles at holiday get togethers. Son Adam is the Lead Vinter, and when you meet the staff, you’ll feel like you’ve known them as kin. The family business has received awards and recognition including People's Choice award during the 2017 Postoak Wine and Jazz Festival in Tulsa. You’ll find their friendly booth and free samples at the Oklahoma State Fair, Tulsa State Fair and

events throughout the region. You won’t want to miss the seasonal wines including: Holiday Magic (Released in October) Cranberry Malbec: A Cranberry Malbec perfectly balanced with sweetness, yet exquisitely tart and refreshing with rich flavor of Malbed and cranberries. Goodnight Kiss (Released in February) Black Cherry Pinot Noir: Enjoy the enhanced Pinot Noir characteristics of fresh berries and luscious black cherries with a fruit forward notes with a slight hint

of chocolate Palms in Paradise (Released in May) Pomegranate Zinfandel: Rich balance of Zinfandel and pomegranate creating a delicate, slightly spicy sweetness and unique taste on the first sip. Here’s a look at the spectrum of flavors of the sweet wines: (but you’ll want a taste) Wild Blue: A tangy, sweet burst of blueberries and cherry spices Black Knight: A delicate and pleasant sweetness with robust and lively backing Southern Charm: An abundance of fruit

with a subtle dryness provided by the Chardonnay Berried Treasure: A spectacular blend that creates a wonderful fruity treat Perfect Pair: Tart and fruity pears that bring out a beautiful rich aroma Royal Red: Fresh and sweet juicy flavors with a hint of oranges Reserve Wines: Kings’s Ransom: Gorgeous ruby red in color oaked with plum and cherry notes and a finish of tobacco and leather 24K Blush: Semi-sweet, refreshing and

delicious. Serve chilled. Blind Luck wine is stocked on the shelves of numerous retail stores and breweries in Oklahoma and Arkansas. What started as a leisure quest for Chris has grown into more than 300 retail locations. Initially selfdistributed, the company now partners with Specialty Brands of Oklahoma and A&B Distributor of Arkansas. The online shop is in progress. Check out their website to find a supply near you www.blindluck.com CRAFT MAGAZINE OK | AUG 2019

CRAFT MAGAZINE OK | AUG 2019

Heart In T Y

ou know when you put your mind to something and it’s about as concrete as the stuff under your feet? The idea pops up and you think “well, that just needs to happen” and then it just starts growing from there? It just goes on naturally, and even when mother nature or the environment pushes back, you push harder. Determination, perseverance, tenacity, it’s all there. Drive is such a beautiful thing, and it blooms beautiful things like the hop garden at Molly’s Landing.

Linda Powell may be small but is she mighty. She’s also the owner of Molly’s Landing and has dedicated herself to that iconic Oklahoma restaurant for over 30 years. Year in and year out she cultivates a beautiful garden around the restaurant that is often the source of fresh vegetables for the kitchen to use. Around it stands a myriad of wild-flowers, yard bibs and bobs, and outdoor décor, all just waiting to attract the eye (something of a specialty to Molly’s Landing). But something new and out of the ordinary attracted Linda’s eye to hop plants. “I heard that Tulsa was becoming top three in local craft breweries and I thought it would be quite the match!” And this match is about to have it’s first bloom. 58

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Hop farms are magical things to see, as they’re directly perpendicular to the standard raised garden beds most people are familiar with. The hop vine, technically known as the “bine” grows up to twentyfive feet in the air on a single rope or “hop twine” reaching for the sun and twisting clock-wise around the twine. Able to live up to twenty years, harvest is continuously in late summer as different varieties are harvested at different times, then cutting down the stalks later in the fall. Just like any other fruit or vegetable hops come in a massive variety, with notes and flavors warm and sweet like candy to more acidic and astringent pines and grapefruit. With just under 100 different varieties Linda can boast about 15 of those, with everything from American classics like centennial and cascade to sorachi ace. The beers that utilize these hops can vary just as widely with these additions. Entire styles like SMASH (single malt, single hop) and IPA (India pale ales) are based off these hops individually or curatively combined.

While hops are happy to produce beautiful flowery green cones it does take a couple years to get them fully to the point of harvest. While most growing instructions relay that they’re easy to grow,

The Hops

by Lacy Richards

need lots of sun, and just a moderate climate, if you’re from Oklahoma you know that we’re anything but moderate. The 2019 harvest will be Linda’s second year for her beloved hops plants but unfortunately, if you’re familiar with the spring Tulsa had this year than you’ll know that many plants, farms, and gardens had it rough… really rough. Weeks of heavy storms took a significant toll on Linda’s hop garden, and the harvest won’t be as she anticipated but if you know anything about her, she doesn’t mind a challenge.

And a very special beer it will be. Harvest is beginning soon and the first varieties will be ready to harvest in early August. Travis anticipates some small batches of very distinct beers. Letting the hops shine, he wants to focus on less bitter styles like a hopforward, clean lager. Travis also is very interested in the smoother hop varieties Linda has been growing like ultra and mount hood, adding these to styles that require more finesse and less of the aggressive bittering additions that many IPAs are known for.

Recently, a local brewer in Tulsa connected with Linda about her hop garden. This brewer would be Travis Richards, owner of Nothing’s Left Brewery located in Tulsa’s Pearl District. Travis specializes in unconventional flavors and beers with big personalities, so when he heard that Linda was one of the only people growing hops in Oklahoma he knew he wanted to be a part of something so special. “I was really excited to hear about an opportunity to use local hops that were part of a historical restaurant like Molly’s Landing.”, Travis replies when asked what made these so special. “It’s an opportunity to pair a very special place, with a very special beer.”

Overall, no matter the style of the upcoming use for these hops it will be a landmark beer of it’s own, harvest and bloomed out of two people’s love to keep it local.

CRAFT MAGAZINE OK | AUG 2019

Wild Brew Turns 21 This Year BY: JEFF THOMPSON

Wild Brew 2019: Benefiting the George Miksch Sutton Avian Research Center

klahoma’s longest-running craft beer festival is celebrating its 21st year! Wild Brew offers Tulsans a chance to “drink locally, and act

globally” by attending this indoor event that combines

first-rate beers by artisan brewers from the U.S. and

around the world with cuisine from Tulsa’s best restaurants. Best of all, this summertime event is

in an air-conditioned, beautiful indoor setting at the Cox Business Center.

Wild Brew supports the George Miksch Sutton Avian Research Center - an internationallyrecognized,

nonprofit

wildlife

conservation organization. The annual craft beer festival helps to raise funds

for the Sutton Center, best known

for their recovery work with bald

eagles. Only a little over a decade ago,

the southern bald eagle was still on the

endangered species list; now, eagles nest and are regularly seen in Oklahoma. 62

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The Sutton Center is better known nationally and internationally

than right here in Oklahoma. The funding from this year’s

celebration will aid the crew at Sutton, currently engaged in

recovery efforts for two of the rarest birds in North America— the Attwater’s prairie-chicken and the masked bobwhite; both are endangered. The protection of our wildlife is something that impacts

all of us who value a living world. The loss could be irreversible in

a matter of a few years if people who care don't step up to make a difference. The Sutton Center is having a great impact by actually

restoring wild populations. Last month, 200 of the endangered masked bobwhite chicks traveled to a wildlife refuge in Arizona to

be released back into the wild. The Sutton Center plans to release over 1000 birds this summer, thanks to the generous support from

people who care. Your involvement means the difference between existence in the wild and extinction!

Wild Brew 2019 will feature hundreds of beers to choose from, and the unique opportunity for guests to chat with brewers one-

on-one. Guests will also get to be up close and personal with some special feathered friends. “For Wild Brew’s 21st, a variety of birds will be coming to meet guests,” says Audra Fogle, Director

of Development for the Sutton Center. “The Sutton Center is

grateful for the tremendous support of the brewers, restaurants and

everyone who will be coming out for Wild Brew. The ‘greatest party

ever hatched’ is made even better because it’s all for a great cause.” In addition to the generous food and beer samples, the event

includes live music from Midlife Crisis Band, along with silent

auction packages featuring autographed sports memorabilia,

best breweries and samples from 50 of Tulsa’s best restaurants. This event is made possible by the generous sponsorship of Phillips 66.

Tickets are available at www.wildbrew.org until 5:00 p.m. on Friday, August 23rd. Space is limited to 2000. If tickets are still available, prices at the door will be $75 for general admission and $185 for

patron tickets. So, get tickets today, get a great deal, and support a wonderful organization with your tax-deductible purchase. Keep

our local wildlife conservation organization, the Sutton Center, flying high.

Wild Brew 2019: Benefiting the George Miksch Sutton Avian Research Center.

Saturday, August 24th, 2019 – 4:00-8:00 p.m. COX Business Center, Exhibit Halls A & B www.wildbrew.org

custom brewery tours, trips and much more. For attendees who

www.facebook.com/wildbrewtulsa www.suttoncenter.org

ciders and soft drinks too. Patron ticket holders can arrive as early as

Download the free Wild Brew APP to preview the event and get

don’t love beer, the event also offers samples from wineries, spirits, 4 p.m. and have their own plush area to perch during the event for

parking information.

ONLY $165. General admission tickets are only $65. Every ticket

includes all-inclusive access to more than 200 beers from Tulsa’s CRAFT MAGAZINE OK | AUG 2019

Iron Monk Brewing Co. Story & Photos by: Jeremy Strunk

his year has been a busy one for Stillwater based Iron Monk Brewing Company. You can find their beer in most Oklahoma Walmart stores now thanks to October 2018 law changes that allowed higher ABV (alcohol by volume) beer to be sold in grocery stores. They have also expanded their distribution footprint to Kansas and will soon be in Texas as well. Even with the growth, Iron Monk continues to be focused on being a caring member of their local community. This is evident with the recent launch of their Community Kegs program. Community Kegs grew organically from a series of one-off, taproom only beer releases called Thirsty Thursdays. These special beers were being released once a week on (you guessed it) Thursday and proved to be a hit with taproom patrons. Iron Monk spun that excitement into a very cool way to benefit local nonprofit organizations with the Community Kegs program. Each month, Iron Monk will be partnering with a local nonprofit to collaborate on a beer to brew with 100% of the proceeds of the beerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sales going to the nonprofit. Members of the nonprofit organization will help select the beer style and participate in the brewing process as well. Then, every fourth Thursday, the Thirsty Thursday release in the taproom will be the Community Kegs beer. So far Iron Monk has brewed two beers as a part of this program. First was Wings of Hope in June, a family crisis service, and July benefited the Humane Society. Up next for August is Tiny Paws, a cat and kitten rescue organization. The program will continue

indefinitely so if you have not hit up one of these releases, you still have many opportunities to do so. Iron Monk features one of the larger production facilities in Oklahoma and loves to show patrons around with guided tours. Only a little over an hour from downtown Tulsa, Iron Monk is a highly recommended stop for any craft beer fan in the state or the visiting craft beer enthusiast. Stay up to date with the latest happenings with Iron Monk, their Community Kegs program, and everything else going on in the taproom by following them on social media @ ironmonkbeer and find more info about their core beer offerings, staff, and story at ironmonkbeer.com. More importantly, navigate your GPS to 519 S Husband Street in Stillwater, OK and check out everything Iron Monk has to offer for yourselves!

Jeremy is one half of the Pub Talk Podcast duo. Check them out on social media @pubtalkpodcast or online at www.pubtalkpodcast.com CRAFT MAGAZINE OK | AUG 2019

lenn Hall, brewmaster and founder, of Renaissance Brewing Company loves to brew high quality, crushable, crisp, delicous beer. He has developed some spicy brews along the way like Dragon Breathe, and a few classics like Renaissance Gold and Two Rays IPA. After grabing some charcoal for your Hasty Bake at the Tulsa Grill Store then heading to eat some lunch at Mother Road Market the taproom at Renaissance is the perfect last stop before heading home to grill. Grab a crowler or two to go along with your dinner this weekend. When you stop by check and see if Glenn is there to take you on a tour of the brewery and introduce you to a new brew he and his staff created just for you to enjoy. Cheers! by Ben Allen

#1 How did you go from home brewing to starting Renaisssnce Brewing Company? I started home brewing in 1994 but aspired to move to brewing on a larger scale professionally because of the mechanical engineering involved. After working in IT for over 16 years I was able to start living my dream.

#5 What do you see for Renaissance Brewing Company in 2019? In 2019 we would like to get some more of our Specialty beers in cans. We would also like to continue to grow our Tulsa market. Of course we would like to complete the 2 apartments above the brewery as well.

#2 What’s your favorite beer to brew so far and do you have any style that you haven’t made that you want to try? My favorite beer to brew is Two Rays our double IPA. Or really any IPA because of the hop additions and experimentation that comes along with making the various IPA’s. A style that I would like to make is a Barley wine. We have been resurrecting extinct beer styles recently which has allowed a tremendously amount of creative freedom. #3 What’s a beer you like to drink that’s not Renaissance’s? Anything from Bell’s brewery out of Michigan. #4 What’s some advice you would give home brewers just starting out? Be as clean as possible. Perhaps even OCD. CRAFT MAGAZINE OK | AUG 2019

CRAFT MAGAZINE OK | AUG 2019

Canned Wine, Spritzers and Ciders, oh my! Photos and Story by: Christina Winkle

ummer means one thing: outdoor fun! Outdoor fun and delicious, refreshing drinks go hand in hand. Here are some canned wines you should give a try and bring along with you on your next outdoor adventure! Not to mention, some fantastic Spritzers and Ciders too! Can-Do Wines offer a Moscato, Riesling and a Rosè. made in the Finger Lakes region of New York. The Moscato has a delectable sweetness with an array of tropical and exotic fruit notes, but if you’re heading to a BBQ at your friends house, you might want to grab the Rosè. While the Riesling is a tad on the sweet side, it would go great with some spicy carnitas tacos! Dear Mom Wine This Oregon winery offers 4 distinct varietals. The White, light gold in color, with peach blossom and lavender on the nose and stone fruit and Meyer lemon on the palate. A Rosè, dry with cherry blossoms on the nose, hints of strawberry and floral tones on the palate. A Sparkling, if you’re a fan of the white, then you will love the sparkling! A Red, ruby in color, dark cherries on the nose, plums and a dry finish to the palate. Pampelonne have three different “flavors” to choose from. French 75 made with natural flavors of elderflower, juniper and lemon blended with French wine. Rosè Lime, natural flavors of passion fruit, grapefruit and lime blended with French wine. Blood Orange Spritz pretty much speaks for itself, flavors of blood orange blended with French wine. Begonia is a Sangria made in Spain. Sangria is best served chilled over ice and garnished with fresh fruit. It is filled with bright citrus aromas and fresh red berry flavors. Smashberry is 40% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Syrah, 5% Cabernet Franc, and 5% Grenache. It has aromas of dark fruit with rich plum, berry and a hint of baking spice on the palate.

Oceans Away offer Pineapple Wine Spritz made in Hawaii is a sparkling wine with hints of pineapple, they also offer The Pine Coco which is a lot like Pineapple Spritz with coconut added. Both of these would be awesome at the beach, but here in Oklahoma we will settle for the lake or pool. West + Wilder, a great bottle of wine that happens to come in a can. W+W have four different cans to choose from, Rosè, Sparkling Rosè, White Wine and lastly a sparkling White. Perfect for everywhere and anywhere, these cans are great in places where glass is not! Anyday Rosè is a 85% percent cider and 15% Rosè wine with hops, creating the perfect blend of cider and rosè. The Rosè cider is a refreshing blend of west coast apples, rose wine and cascade and city hops. A personal favorite of mine. Aval means Apple in Breton, the traditional language in Bretagne, and area that has made cider for more that 1,000 years. Aval comings four types of apples picked in the region, giving it a crisp and citrusy taste, a delightful balance of subtle sweetness and refreshing bitterness. For more information on Artisan Fine Wine & Spirits, an Oklahoma distrubutor of wine, spirits, cider, and mixers from around the globe visit www.artisanfinewineandspirits.com Artisan Fine Wine & Spirits is locally proud, family owned & operated.

CRAFT MAGAZINE OK | AUG 2019