NTown - June 2015 by The Norman Transcript

TOWN

June 12, 2015

32nd annual Jazz in June preview • Q&A with author and food critic Morgan Murphy “Enter the Matrix” with indigenous print makers • Coming home to “Oklahoma!” • Reviews • NTown’s Top 10

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While you usually never want a vacation to end, I can say with full honesty and zombified exaustion that four days in Las Vegas is plenty. It felt like a week. There’s just something about that place, a sort of bizarre temporal relativity, that ages you faster. After visiting Vegas five times before turning 21, I figured it was time to return — and, given my luck I’m glad I did — but it’s good to be back home. Still, part of me could jump on a standing-room-only flight tomorrow, armed with new ideas, dubious wisdom and delusional faith that I’m different. I can’t lose. The truth is anybody can lose and they often do. My good fortune was an outlier, probably nothing more than a siren song, but with my lightly tested and strictly anecdotal Vegas commandments, you too can walk away a winner. I’m talking tens of dollars here. Or, at the very least, you can walk away. Alive. 1. Bring plenty of money. This one seems like a no-brainer, but if you want to gamble (and if you’re going to Vegas, you do) then you’ve got to bring the scratch. You’re not betting to win (even when you are). Your paying to play the game. Think of it that way and you’ll have a lot more fun. 2. Don’t play blackjack. Just don’t. But if you have to, place one bet. If you win it, great. You can play all you’d like with the casino’s money. If you don’t win the first bet, consider it a glimpse of the future. As in, five minutes from now you’ll be broke. Too fast. Too brutal. To be avoided. 3. Play craps. It’s the most fun, gives you the best chance to stretch out your bankroll and you can’t do it in Oklahoma. I mean, you can technically play craps, but from what I’ve seen the dealers use cards instead of dice. I don’t

understand it and regardless, it’s just not the same. It reduces the stick man to a guy with a back scratcher. 4. Drink water. If you like to garner free drinks while gambling, always double up. Adult beverage plus water every time. You’re in the desert, after all. 5. Tipping strong the first time is always worth it. Again, you’re in the desert. You’ll be thirsty. 6. Downtown > The Strip. Old Vegas is easier to deal with. You can walk from spot to spot without walking a half marathon every day. It’s cheaper. A little bit unrefined, but ultimately safe-ish (a guy did get killed just a block away, but that’s why you stick to beaten path) and just all around more comfortable. The Golden Nugget gets the gold medal in my book. Don’t get me wrong, the strip is worth checking out — especially if you’ve never been. The fountains at the Bellagio, Caeser’s Palace and the volcano at The Mirage are all very cool. But the sensory overload is unstopabble. That and ... 7. Expect to pay $25 every time you get in a cab — even if you can see your destination “just down the street.” 8. Eat a shrimp cocktail at the Golden Gate downtown for $4. It’s a steal, and it’s open 24 hours. They make you feel better about everything after you break rule No. 2. 9. Stay positive. Win, lose or break even (win), if you’re going to Vegas you’re going to have a good time as long as you stay positive. 10. Don’t act like a fool. Don’t bring your own dice to the craps table, for instance. I saw a guy almost get the Joe Pesci treatment when he pulled out souvenier dice from the gift shop. If you don’t know, ask. They’ll let you know. They want you to be there. They want you to have fun. They know you’ll be back.

Q&A with author/food critic Morgan Murphy

Book Reviews & Album Reviews

Hidden gems on Netﬂix

Jazz in June preview

Coming back to “Oklahoma!”

Another hit at Riverwind

“Enter the Matrix” Mary Newport Scott Strandberg Photographers Kyle Phillips Mack Burke

N-town is a monthly publication of The Norman Transcript, 215 E. Comanche St, Norman, OK 73070. (Phone: 405.321.1800). Letters or editorial contributions should be sent to: N-town, P.O. Drawer 1058, Norman, OK, 73070 or emailed to mburke@normantranscript.com. N-town is not responsible for unsolicited submissions. Reproduction or use of editorial or graphic content in any manner, without permissions is prohibited. Address advertising inquiries to Rebekah Collins, 405-366-3554 or Rebekah@normantranscript.com. N-town can be found online at normantranscript.com/ntown.

Morgan Murphy is more than a food critic. The best-selling book author has written for 4

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Vanity Fair, Forbes, Esquire, Garden Design, Harper’s Bazaar, The New York Post and Southern Living. He loves food, that’s for sure, but he’s also a traveler, a decorated veteran, a gifted conversationalist and above all, a storyteller. His taste buds have lead him on cross-country journeys in search of America’s most unique flavors. His most recent excursion, documented in his latest book, “On the Road Again,” led him to Main Street in Norman, where he discovered two gems: Scratch and Syrup. The book raced to No. 1 on the Publisher’s Weekly list of bestsellers and now he’s back on the road, revisiting old friends and meeting new ones at book signings across the country. NTown got a chance to catch up with the flavor collector during a book signing at Scratch to talk about the culinary landscape and the people that shape it. ———— NTown: How did you get the inspiration for this book? Murphy: I am the food critic of Southern Living. I’ve been associated with them since 2000. The first book I wrote in the series is called Off the Eaten Path. It became one of their best sellers, so I wrote Second Helpings. Then, I wrote “On the Road Again.” The core methodology is real research. I don’t do anything off of the web. I go to the restaurants, talk to the owners, try all of their dishes, pick their best recipes. We take the recipes back to the Southern Living test kitchen and we test them to make sure they are replicable for the home cook. Then, we include a few extras in the book. They are organized by state so you can use them as a travel log if you can’t cook. It let’s them know where

By Mack Burke

with food critic Morgan Murphy

to eat. I make a list of things to do in each state, places to stay, and even a soundtrack of what to listen to as you’re cruising through each state. I researched it the old-fashioned way. I pounded the pavement — 15,000 miles, 65 cities, 65 restaurants in the book, 150 recipes, about 15 million calories. The book is not low-fat diet. It is high fat, high calorie. I really believe everything in moderation is OK. The thing about the recipes, they are all natural, no preservatives, no artificial ingredients or colors. I can make anything in this book. You can make anything in this book. Give me 10,000 years, I wouldn’t be able to make a Diet Coke. My personal food philosophy is eat only things you can pronounce and things you can make. NTown: What do you travel around in? How do you make your way around the country? Murphy: An old, ‘56 Cadillac. People ask, “How do you get all of these restaurant recommendations?” And I say, “Well, there are two kinds of people who are great at giving restaurant recommendations. One are the antique dealers because they are fussy, and the other are mechanics.” I break down in every state so I talk to a lot of mechanics. It’s a fun way to see America. I try to get my readers to pull right off of the highway. The United States has become a little homogeneous over highways. We made the interstate system in the ‘50s to be the same. We made every exit to look the same. Every American can figure out how to use it. But if you go just a mile off the interstate, even here in Norman, you run right into two awesome restaurants that you would not see in any other place in America. You can only be here, at Scratch. It’s a unique building, they do everything from scratch,

including the incredible Bloody Mary mix. You’re not going to get that at a TGIFridays. You aren’t going to get that personal interaction with someone like (owner) Brady Sexton, who knows his community, has four brothers here, his whole family lives here, he has personal ties with this place. When you come to Scratch, you support the city of Norman. Likewise, when you go across the street to Syrup. It’s very unusual for me to do two restaurants in one town. In fact, there’s no other city in the book that has two restaurants in it. I love the story behind Syrup. I am always looking for the story. The owner of Syrup’s story about being a missionary in Africa and wanting to send the funds from the restaurant back to Africa is incredible. You have to talk to her about her compassion for the underdeveloped world and what she is doing with pancakes. She is contributing what she can through her passion of making a great breakfast. You can’t get that anywhere else. That’s the whole purpose of the book. The book is really about small businesses. I say it’s a food book, of course, but all of these restaurants are mom-and-pop places, run by families. They are all working when the rest of us are off. I just love these small business owners because they don’t have a national advertising budget, they don’t have ways to promote themselves like big restaurants do. The internet is great for reference, but when you google what the best restaurant in Charleston, South Carolina is, you’ll get over 40 million answers. What do most of us do? We read the first page, maybe the second, and we move on. After that, you don’t have time. The problem with that, big companies know how to boost their search engine to show up on the first page. The small restaurants are washing dishes, mopping floors, they don’t have time to do that. I approach everything with a journalist’s eye, with it

Food critic extraordinaire Morgan Murphy regales Elizabeth and Jim Romero with tales from the road and his love for unique flavors from across the country at a book signing at Scratch.

Mack Burke / NTown

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being authentic. You have to get the right story. NTown: So, it’s a food book, but it’s really about the people behind it? Murphy: It captures the imagination of the reader. In the book, it’s all about the thrill of the hunt. I’m a collector. I collect cars, I collect stuff. In particular, I collect stories. Each book, there are certain stories that you just treasure. One of them is about a woman who lived in West, Texas. Her father opened the first kolache bakery in Texas, which is now a huge craze in Texas. Well, she moved home to West from New York City after 9-11 to take care of her family’s bakery. People in the know, they know about this place. Mimi’s family started that whole craze. She gave me her father’s original recipe and made me the caretaker of it. We had to make sure it was right and replicable for the readers. It is such a great honor when they entrust their recipes with me. When you look at each recipe in the book, there is a full color picture accompanying it. You

eat with your eyes first. Those pictures look like they were taken on location, but there is no way you can just shut down a restaurant and have a photo shoot. So through the road trips, I take menus and silverware, place mats, and make the food look just like the restaurant and re-shoot it under the right lighting conditions to make it look perfect. NTown: What’s next for you now? Murphy: Well, I’m working on another book. It’s going to be 150 of my favorite dessert recipes from across the country — “Hey Sugar.” I’m not sure when it will come out, we are still talking. I am a lucky guy. When you wake up and you love what you do, it’s great. I love telling stories, hearing people’s stories, it’s just such an honor. If you want to restore your faith in America, talk to small business owners. They work so hard. They spend their life pursuing their dreams. ——— Follow me @Transcriptntown

CAUGHT on camera

Morgan Murphy book signing on the Scratch patio — photos by Mack Burke — Right: A fan poses with renowned food critic and author Morgan Murphy during a book signing session on the Scratch patio in Norman. Murphy’s book, “On the Road Again,” features recipes from Main Street eateries Scratch and Syrup. He also made a stop at Oklahoma City’s Cuppies & Joe. Below: Kate Dinsmore and David Leach, of the band Harumph, perform as a soulful duet during the June 3 book signing.

CANKER SORES Robert C. Wells, D.D.S. 808 24th Ave NW, #101 Norman, OK 405.329.2121 robertwellsdds.com

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DENTAL HEALTH from Dr. Robert C. Wells, D.D.S.

The canker sore (or apthous ulcer) is one of the best known and most persistently annoying dental lesions. It is small and whitish and may occur on the gums, cheeks or tongue. It appears singly and in clusters. A blister usually forms first, without notice, then breaks to form an open sore or canker. Then the acute pain begins. The open canker sore is especially sensitive to touch and to hot or spicy foods. Fortunately, the lifetime of the canker sore normally runs its course in about a week or ten days. No good treatment is known

for its cure at present. There’s not much you can do except to make sure you avoid irritating foods. Some people are especially prone to canker sores. They seem to run in families and there may be a connection between canker attacks and emotional stress, though there is still no definite information on the cause of this puzzling disorder. A dentist can treat canker sores to relieve the pain. However, certain kinds of cankers tend to persist or come back in spite of any treatment now known.

Prepared as a public service to promote better dental health.

book reviews

By Mary Newport

“The King’s Curse” (2014) — Phillipa Gregory

“Fight Club” (1996) — Chuck Palahniuk

The madness of Henry VIII is well-documented. He is one of history’s most well-known kings, not because of his battles, policies or riches, but because he married six women in quick succession and saw most of them dead. He was much the same with his friends, taking up political favorites on a whim and discarding them with lethal swiftness when his mood changed. But his rages were not always swift – perhaps no incident better illustrates his ability to hold a grudge than the story of Margaret Pole. In “The King’s Curse,” Gregory traces the life and fortunes of Margaret Pole, Countess of Salisbury. One of the last of the defeated Plantagenet royal line, she serves at the Tudor court in high favor, but lives with the constant worry that Henry Tudor’s wrath will fall on her as a daughter of his old enemies. As Henry fails again and again to father a healthy, living baby boy, it becomes more and more dangerous to be of rival royal blood. Margaret must provide for herself and five ambitious children while never rising so high as to arouse the king’s suspicions that her family might attempt to supplant him. The book gives sweeping glances at history and relies heavily on historical accounts of important events for its structure, but Gregory strikes a personal tone with the intimate story of a mother trying to make a way for her children and herself in a court where her every move is suspect. A danger-ridden and mostly factual account of the aftermath of the Wars of the Roses mixes beautifully with a vivid imagining of the personal life of one of the foremost noble women of the day. Gregory takes readers inside history, filling her pages with the fantastical stories of the Tudor court shaped in flesh and blood. It’s a tense and sometimes exasperating read. Margaret is every inch the wealthy noble of her time, and reading her may sometimes make the lower classes clench their teeth – but those faults and failings make her real. And for all she’s ambitious and a touch greedy, she loves her family fiercely. She moves in a starkly bloody world, where sweet perfumes and rich velvets barely cover the corruption that Henry VIII’s madness breeds. By turns funny, dark and dramatic, “The King’s Curse” gives an up-close and personal view of the turmoil that tore a country – and a family – apart. Read if: You like your history living and breathing (and sometimes bleeding). Do not read if: Reading about beheadings makes you uncomfortable.

1. The first rule of Fight Club is, you don’t talk about Fight Club. It seems that way, anyway. Where the 1999 movie gained a cult following, the novel that launched it goes almost unremembered. Anyone who’s ever been exposed to pop culture for any length of time can quote the iconic rules, and movie buffs fight back a shudder at bars of pink soap – but many people are amazed to find that it’s a book at all. 2. The second rule of Fight Club is, you don’t talk about Fight Club. There may be a reason the movie is more famous than the book. Palahniuk himself once said the plot was more streamlined in the film version and the message was more effective. That’s excellent motivation to appreciate the film, but no excuse to miss out on the book. 3. When someone stops or goes limp, the fight is over. “Fight Club” is an experience, and not always a pleasant one. Palahniuk binds readers hand-in-hand with a broken, insomniac narrator who can only find solace in support groups for people suffering a terminal illness. There is no flinching from the sweat and tears, the walking skeletons who comfort each other with sickly grins, or the barren soul of a man who pretends he’s dying so he can get some peace. 4. Only two guys to a fight. When the unnamed narrator meets Tyler Durden, his life turns around … or perhaps just goes straight down. He sheds the trappings of his sleepless, rat race life and embraces chaos. Instead of finding solace by pretending to be a cancer patient, he takes his bliss as the end of a fist. Tyler, his tormentor and liberator, takes him into a new world of masculine power and bloody absolution. 5. One fight at a time. But for Tyler, it’s about more than personal freedom. He intends to brand his message across the face of the earth. 6. They fight without shirts or shoes. The narrator races to stop Tyler’s plot, tracing his steps to throw gears in the works. But his every move only tangles him deeper, until must completely strip away illusions and take the fight to his erstwhile mentor. 7. The fights go on for as long as they have to. “Fight Club” will likely never be described as a joyous read, but it’s hypnotic in the manner of a car crash or a barroom brawl. Even as you want to look away, your eyes are drawn back again and again. Palahniuk wields his prose like a scalpel, cutting through the reader’s defenses and into their gut reactions. It’s a pleasure to read in the same way it’s a pleasure to wiggle a loose tooth. 8. If this is your first night at Fight Club, you have to fight. Read if: The things you used to own, now they own you. Don’t read if: You’re too busy shopping for a new sofa.

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album reviews

By Doug Hill

Artist: The Lonesome Band Album: “Running Alone”

Artist: Karina Deniké Album: “Under Glass”

For sounding like a bunch of hillbillies there’s a lot of art in The Lonesome Band’s past. Lead guitarist/ vocalist Sam Whips Allison met kindred spirit Anthony Lucio when both were studying at the Art Institute of Austin. They became a songwriting team and did a two year stint as the house band at the Santa Fe Independent Film Festival. It doesn’t get much artier than that. The Lonesome Band that now includes bassist Barrett O’Donnell, Miguel Gilly on drums and Dan Johnson on pedal steel have just released their freshman studio album. The liner notes thank the usual family and friends along with The Great State of Texas. No surprise then to see a track titled “Uncle Sam.” It’s about that big conflicted relationship Texas has with Washington D.C. but sung from the perspective of a victimless criminal on the run. “I aint running down this old country/ But I sure hate when it catches up with me,” Allison sings. He only answers to his father, not Uncle Sam. “Home of the Free” cranks it up another notch. We learn that Lexington and Concord wasn’t the “original” home of the free, it’s actually Texas. Even if you don’t share this Lone Star state jingoism, “Running Alone “is a terrific listen. The sound channels a 1960s Louisiana Hayride country musicon-the-TV vibe through 21st century

Bass clarinet and celeste were among many other instruments employed to make Karina Deniké’s new album. It just one indication of what singular-sounding music is found on these dozen tracks. Deniké is known by many as co-lead vocalist of 1990s west coast ska-punk quintet Dance Hall Crashers that is currently on hiatus. Little from the Crashers’ four studio records bear any resemblance to “Under Glass.” Deniké harmonizing vocals on a couple of songs with Lily Taylor and Brigid Dawson hearken back. She has an ethereal voice and it’s the album’s joyous hallmark. With the exception of three compositions all are Deniké’s originals. One of these covers and the farewell song is Czechoslovakian lullaby Az Budes Velky. Deniké’s mother used to sing it to her when she was a child. She performs it in a velvet-smooth Czech lilt. “Under Glass” as a whole has European ambiance. Flashes of inspiration from klezmer, gypsy and Romanian carnival music find their way into these aural journeys. There is no title track but the words “under glass” are prominent in “Musée Mécanique.” It’s an eerie love song. “Don’t worry if we go overboard/ The wind will carry us to shore/ And we will always be preserved under glass”

hipster insouciance. The result is a lot of fun. Allison’s vocals in large part make the album stout as it is. He’s not a pretty singer. Allison’s voice is what you hear in the muffler shop, workingman’s lunch joint or hollering at the umpire at a kids’ baseball game. It has genuine appeal on songs such as “Love I’ve Never Known” and “That’s Just Me.” He sounds like the kind of guy who “…Hits rock bottom, But still stays solid.” Allison’s vocal register may be ragged but the soul you hear is smooth. The music throughout is an attractive blend of rock guitar and damn fine twang. Chojo Jacques’ guest fiddle on “Agree to Disagree” threatens to swipe one of the band’s signature tunes. If you’re aiming to cuddle up with some new backwoods boys The Lonesome Band wants to be friends.

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is the coldly comforting chorus. “Sideshow” is similarly creepy in Deniké’s attractive fashion. Menacing undertone using an arsenal of odd keyboards such as Rheem and Lowery organs appear frequently. “Boxing Glove” is one of the few all-American selections. It sounds like an early 20th century vaudeville number with simple piano cadence, guileless lyrics and theatrical vocals that recall Ethel Merman. “Stop the Horses” is a moody melody with lightning flashes of dramatic intensity. Ara Anderson’s trumpet adds strands of Spaghetti Western flavor that make it irresistible. The album is a strikingly strong collaboration between Deniké and eleven of her Bay Area friends. “Under Glass” breaks numerous archetypes which may be its most memorable reflection. ——— Email Doug at hillreviews@gmail.com

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movie reviews Hidden gems on

“The Hunt” (2013) Writer/ director Thomas Vinterberg’s deeply unsettling 10 drama “The Hunt” is an elegantly crafted look at the darker side of humanity — where trust and faith have been stripped away, re6.12.15 placed by doubt and fear. Nominated for Best Foreign Film at the Oscars, “The Hunt” also serves as the backdrop for yet another masterful piece of acting from Mads Mikkelsen (“Casino Royale,” NBC’s “Hannibal”), who has emerged as one of the top leading men in modern film. After a messy divorce left him unemployed and unable to regularly see his son, Lucas (Mikkelsen) starts to pull his life back together. He lands a job as an assistant in a kindergarten, and everything appears to be on the upswing — especially when his son Marcus decides to come live with him, and Lucas stumbles into a romantic relationship with a co-worker. Lucas also strikes up an unlikely companionship with Klara, one of his students and the daughter of his best friend. Both Lucas and Klara know loneliness like the backs of their hands. Klara is somewhat of

By Scott Strandberg

In this age of digital media, Netflix Instant Play is entering nearly everyone’s homes. The streaming service is now part of approximately 40 million American households, a number which is growing by the day. With that in mind, this column serves to highlight films you may

an afterthought at home, with her bickering parents and hyperactive older brother overshadowing her. When a horrific — and completely false — accusation is brought against Lucas, the life he’s carefully pieced back together immediately unravels. The film’s titular hunt refers to the witch hunt of which Lucas quickly finds himself the target. What starts as a misinterpreted allegation becomes a widely accepted truth, as the very few facts become distorted and amplified, like in a game of telephone. Overnight, people Lucas has known his whole life turn against him en masse. What’s fascinating about “The Hunt” is that there really aren’t any clear antagonists or villainous characters. These are normal people, who are trying their best to handle a very difficult and uncomfortable situation. They’re doing what they think is good and right. “The Hunt” is so effective because of Vinterberg’s decision to inform the audience that Lucas has truly done nothing wrong. As a viewer, Lucas’ innocence is never drawn into question — we know for a fact that he has not done what he is accused of. This knowledge creates a viewing experience that puts the audience firmly in Lucas’ shoes. A lesser film would have played the mystery card, leaving the audience questioning whether or not Lucas is guilty. Here, Vinterberg creates a far more pervasive form of suspense. Lucas is not just innocent of the accused crime, but he is an exceptionally good and moral person.

have overlooked on Netflix. This month, I selected three overlooked gems that were released in the last two years. ——— Follow Scott on Twitter @scottstrandberg

Watching him being put through a living hell makes the viewer yearn to leap through the screen and defend his honor. I have not felt such deep sympathy for a film character in a very long time. The final shots are profoundly haunting, but not for the reasons one might anticipate. In the end, “The Hunt” will make viewers question the basic fundamentals of human trust, compassion and forgiveness. It is truly one of the best films of the last several years. “The Hunt” is rated R for sexual content including a graphic image, violence and language.

“Life Itself” (2014) “Life Itself” — based on Roger Ebert’s memoir of the same name — begins with Ebert giving a speech back in 2005. In it, he explains with beautiful simplicity the driving force behind his passion for film: “The movies are like a machine that generates empathy. It lets you understand a little bit more about different hopes, aspirations, dreams and fears. It helps us to identify with the people who are sharing this journey with us.”

Helmed by Steve James — one of Ebert’s personal favorite documentarians, and the Oscar-nominated director of “Hoop Dreams” — “Life Itself” traces Ebert’s life from childhood all the way through his death in 2013. While he didn’t live to see the completed film, Ebert would certainly have approved of this delightful adaptation of his own award-winning memoir. James weaves together interviews with Ebert’s friends, family and colleagues, along with narration from the book version of “Life Itself.” In addition, viewers are treated to scenes shot shortly before Ebert’s death. Even in a hospital bed — and missing his lower jaw following cancer surgery — Ebert’s cynical sense of humor persisted relentlessly. Ebert’s career started rather innocuously, when he was somewhat randomly appointed as the film critic at the Chicago Sun-Times. Once he teamed up with Gene Siskel — his cross-town rival at the Chicago Tribune — Ebert shot to the forefront of film criticism. Siskel and Ebert quickly became international celebrities. Even as the two rose to fame together, their relationship remained highly contentious — with Ebert viewing Siskel as a pretentious jerk, and Siskel constantly pushing the ego-driven Ebert’s buttons. Whatever the reason, the pairing was magical, and the two were more than willing to put aside their differences in pursuit of a common goal: Spreading film criticism out of small journals and into the mainstream. Though Ebert was slower

to embrace his fame than Siskel, he grew to use the platform as a manner of sharing his love of film with the world, and the world was listening intently. James interviews a wide variety of subjects, from legendary filmmakers like Martin Scorcese and Werner Herzog to Ebert’s own wife, Chaz. One constant among all the interviews is a sense of near-reverence for Ebert — not just for his talent, but also for his universally identifiable everyman qualities. Unavoidably, James’ film is at times a deeply moving examination of death, but it is much moreso a loving tribute. It is a celebration of one man’s amazing journey, from being the son of an electrician to a worldwide celebrity. It is a celebration of the art of film, and of its criticism. Most of all, it is an unforgettable celebration of “Life Itself.” “Life Itself” is rated R for brief sexual images/nudity and language.

“Hours” (2013) As the rains flooded our fine city of Norman yet again one night in late May, I decided there was no better time to watch the Hurricane Katrina-based thriller “Hours.” Perhaps best known for being one of the last completed performances from the late Paul Walker (“The Fast and the Furious”), writer/director Eric Heisserer’s debut feature places Walker front and center — hinting at a second phase of a career cut tragically short. Walker died in a car accident just two weeks after the release of “Hours” — a film in which, for the first time, he showed the depth and

charisma necessary to make him a lasting Hollywood star. There is not a single scene in the film which does not feature Walker, and the fact that he drives the movie so effortlessly makes his death seem all the more untimely. The plot machinations at work in “Hours” are relatively simple. Walker plays Nolan, whose wife Abigail (Genesis Rodriguez) passed away due to complications from premature childbirth. With his newborn daughter relegated to a ventilator for at least 48 hours, Hurricane Katrina strikes and the hospital is evacuated, leaving Nolan alone to fight for his daughter’s life. The hospital has no power. The ventilator’s battery is dying, and needs to be charged every three minutes by a hand crank. On top of all that, you’ve got Hurricane Katrina — not to mention looters — knocking at the door. Place a sympathetic character into a seemingly impossible scenario, and voila! You’ve got yourself the recipe for suspense. Asking Paul Walker to carry what is essentially a feature-length oneman show might not sound — on the surface — to be the greatest idea. Walker had some roles in his career that hinted at a real actor, hidden beneath the veneer of a somewhat wooden action-movie star. Still, he had never before displayed the true leading-man qualities he did in “Hours.” I’m not saying that Walker’s performance is anything revelatory, but “Hours” is the kind of movie I could envision people discussing as the beginning of his career renaissance, had he lived to see it. The role required Walker to show a great deal of range and — while simple in both form and execution — the film packs a surprising amount of narrative heft. “Hours” isn’t the kind of movie that you’re going to remember for years to come, but it will sure make 97 minutes fly by, while also providing a tragically fascinating ‘what if?’ for Walker’s career. “Hours” is rated PG-13 for thematic elements, violence and drug material. ——— Follow Scott on Twitter @scottstrandberg

CHALLENGE YOUR IMAGINATION AT THE

ENROLL TODAY! Sessions III, IV, and V are now enrolling. Three sessions remaining from June 22 - July 31 Visit normanfirehouse.com for a full listing of classes. Call 405.329.4523 or visit the Firehouse to enroll today! Children’s Summer Art Show: August 7 - 22, 2015 Reception: August 14th, from 6 - 9 PM The gallery will be open for late hours from 6 - 11 PM on August 21 and 22 during the FAC’s annual Midsummer Nights art festival.

Providing art education to the Norman community since 1971.

444 South Flood Avenue | Norman, Oklahoma 73069

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Jazz in June has been a Norman staple for 32 years

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now. That’s eight presidential terms. Michael Jordan hadn’t entered the NBA yet and nearly a decade before “Law & Order” even existed, there was Jazz in June in Norman. This year the tradition of outstanding jazz music continues — for free, no less — with a bill that’s as diverse as ever with a heavy dose of saxophone. Grammy Award-winning saxophonist and producer Bill Evans (not to be confused with the late jazz pianist) and his band, Soulgrass, will headline the show with a mix of funk, rock, rhythm and groove. The University of North Texas alumnus has jammed all over the world and with the likes of Herbie Hancock, John McLaughlin, Michael Franks, Willie Nelson, Mick Jagger, Les McCann, Mark Egan, Danny Gottlieb, Ian Anderson, Randy Brecker, The Allman Brothers Band, and Medeski, Martin, and Wood, Bela Fleck, Sam Bush and Bruce Hornsby — just to name a lot. He’s an improvisational wizard with fast fingers and even though he’s this year’s flagship, there are plenty of others in the armada worth hearing — and they’re all over the map, stylistically, and in some cases, geographically. One of the anticipated highlights is Oklahoma Citybased experimental R&B/soul/funk group Culture Cinematic, which will precede Evans. Culture Cinematic’s many memorable performances have included playing SXSW with soul musician Gregory J. and the Norman Music Festival behind hip-hop artist Jabee. The band’s first EP, “Medusa/Madonna/ Mona Lisa,” was released in 2014. “The (band) name essentially refers to the idea of a moving, vibrant people. That’s what we want to represent and promote. Ossification, petrification, and stagnation are things we actively work against, whether that’s in the form of challenging dogmatic intellectual ideas, preconceived artistic norms, or just plain injustice,” keyboardist TJ Haverkamp said. When people think of jazz, the experimental sounds of Culture Cinematic or the blues-based approach of the Israeli-born KALO might not be the first sound that comes to mind, but jazz isn’t limited. It’s free-flowing and all encompassing. That’s one of the best features of the festival, as well. You never know what you’ll hear. It’s a surprise party for the ears that no spoilers could ruin. “We do R&B, soul, jazz, hip-hop, electronica ... Jazz in June has historically been host to a wide variety of artists and musicians over the years,” Haverkamp said. “‘Jazz’ is an umbrella term. There are a lot of different styles that fall under the rubric of “jazz”; fusion, bossa nova, bebop, hard-bop, post-bop, avant-garde, Dixieland, cool jazz, free-jazz, vocal jazz ... the list goes on and on. John Coltrane playing with Duke Ellington could be classified as easy listening, while his later albums like ‘Om’ or ‘Ascension’ are barely listenable to even the most sophisti-

cated jazz aficionado. “Both examples would be considered ‘jazz.’ Count Basie referred to jazz music as merely the melodies that were in the air at the time. Duke Ellington also was not a fan of the term ‘jazz’ to describe his music. As a description of a codified set of musical structures, ‘jazz’ is a very inadequate term. It is better to use it to describe a process — one that involves a constant pursuit of artistic purity and musical freedom. People who are interested in getting beneath the surface will appreciate what we do as a band, and that’s exactly what we’ll be aiming to do at Jazz in June.” Rounding out the final night’s lineup are The Nichol Quintet, led by acclaimed saxophonist and University of Oklahoma assistant professor of saxophone Jonathan Nichol and the Norman High School Jazz Combo. The free, three-day music festival, now in its 32nd year, features a different theme for each night. Thursday’s Blues Under the Stars and Friday’s Jazz Under the Stars concerts are scheduled to be held at Brookhaven Village, 3700 W. Robinson St., while Saturday’s Jazz in the Park concert will be at Andrews Park, 201 W. Daws St. Another notable act is KALO, which has a unique hybrid sound inspired by jazz, R&B and roots rock, and is known for the bluesy vocals, edgy appearance and sporadic, in-your-face guitar riffs of its Israeli-born lead singer, for whom the band is named. The group was a 2015 International Blues Challenge semifinalist. Her Hendrix-inspired guitar stylings and soulful voice pack a big punch from a tiny frame that’s pure energy and heart. If that weren’t enough variety, there’s also Moon Hooch, a Brooklyn sax-and-drums dance music trio that got its start busking New York’s subway platforms and Nathan James & the Rhythm Scratchers,’ whose sound combines 1920s acoustic blues, 1960s soulful R&B, amplified juke joint hill country and 1950s uptown blues. In the same way the festival has continued to expand its reach and diversity over the last three decades, now it’s expanding its duration. This year, for the first time, Jazz in June kicks off with blues and jazz jams as part of the Norman Arts Council’s June Second Friday Art Walk from 6 to 9 p.m., June 12. Blues master and local guitar hero Wess McMichael & the Ravens will host a blues jam at Dreamer Concepts, 428 E. Main St. The band will kick off the Jazz In June blues jam with a 45-minute set, then invite anyone with an instrument to join it until 8:30 p.m. The band will then close the jam with a 30-minute set. Culture Cinematic will host a jazz jam at The Depot, 200 S. Jones Ave., with the same schedule/structure as the blues jam. In addition to the concerts and jam sessions, artist clinics are also on tap. From the soul of the saxophone to the influential power of the blues and vinyl tips from OKC favorite and Jazz in June performer Kyle Reid the clinics offer a new perspective. There’s more to Jazz in June than ever before. Jazz is a big umbrella and Norman’s trying to catch it all. When it rains, well, it pours. Hopefully just figuratively.

Jazz in June schedule 2nd Friday Art Walk Friday, June 12 (6-9 p.m.) @ Dreamer Concepts, 428 E. Main St. • Blues Jam • Wess McMichael & the Ravens @ The Depot, 200 S. Jones Ave. • Jazz Jam • Culture Cinematic

Concert: Blues Under the Stars Thursday, June 18 (7-10:30 p.m.) @ Brookhaven Village, 3700 W. Robinson St. • Nathan James & the Rhythm Scratchers • Kalo

Clinics with the Artists Saturday, June 20 @ The Depot, 200 S. Jones Ave. • MUED OUtreach: “Instruments Petting Zoo: An Introduction to Music” (age 5 and up / 11 a.m. - noon) • Kyle Reid: “A Listener’s Guide to Early Dixieland Jazz on Vinyl” (12:30 - 1:30 p.m.) • Bill Evans: “The Soul of the Sax” (2-3 p.m.)

Concert: Jazz in the Park Saturday, June 20 (6-10:30 p.m.)

@Andrews Park, 201 W. Daws St. • Bill Evans’ Soulgrass • Culture Cinematic • The Nichol Quintet • Norman High School Jazz Combo 6.12.15

Blues Workshop Friday, June 19 (2-3:30 p.m.) @ Norman Public Library West, 300 Norman Center Court • Nathan James & the Rhythm Scratchers: “From Ragtime to Rock ‘n’ Roll — How Blues Shaped American Music”

Concert: Jazz Under the Stars Friday, June 19 (7-10:30 p.m.) @ Brookhaven Village, 3700 W. Robinson St. • Moon Hooch • Kyle Reid & the Low Swingin’ Chariots Bill Evans >

CAUGHT on camera

Family Movie Night at Andrews Park — photos by Mack Burke — Right: Joseph Ashry skates the vert ramp at Blake Baldwin Memorial Skate Park June 5 while people fill up adjacent Andrews Park before the start of Disney’s “Frozen.” Below: The first-ever Family Movie Night at Andrews Park, a Norman Parks and Recreation program, draws huge crowds. Below Right: Hadasa Makame, Deborah Makame and Ava Myers dance before show time.

Seth James Headliner for Transition House, Inc.’s 20th Annual Benefit

June Bug Jam 2015

(405) 321-9600

June 13, 2015

www.soonertheatre.com

@ 7:00 pm Sooner Theatre For tickets, go to

www.thouse.org

Transition House, Inc. Changing lives by creating pathways for mental wellness

Non-audition summer camps now enrolling!

One, two and three-week camps for PreK-6th grade in Musical Theatre. Acting, Dance and more June 1 - July 31, 2015

Saturday

Downtown Norman

Performing Arts Summer Camps

This event is not a production of the Sooner Theatre

An “Oklahoma!” homecoming • Lyric Theatre’s production of “Oklahoma!” the musical draws on revisited roots By Mack Burke

“OKLAHOMA!,” the musical that originated the state song and revolutionized musical theatre with an unprecedented Broadway run after its 1943 release, comes sweeping down the plain to the Civic Center Music Hall this summer. Running June 23 through 27, Lyric Theatre of Oklahoma’s production brings together a cast and creative team with Oklahoma roots. The first of four Lyric productions at the Civic Center in 2015, the classic still means a lot to musical theatre fans and to the state. “After five years of living in the state of Oklahoma, I’m elated to direct this music theatre classic,” said Michael Baron, Lyric’s producing artistic director and director of this production. “Lyric is honored that this production has been named the state’s official production of the musical by Governor Mary Fallin and the Rodgers and Hammerstein Organization, and we will be sure to give this state a production it can be proud of.” The production stars Oklahoma natives Mateja Govich as the handsome cowboy Curley, Christopher Rice as lovable Will Parker, and Kasey Yeargain as the mysterious Jud Fry. Govich has been seen on Lyric’s stage in “A Little Night Music,” “Ragtime” and Lyric’s “A Christmas Carol” and performed on Broadway in Roundabout Theatre Company’s “Cabaret.” “I grew up here ... My dad was an OU professor for 22 years and my mother still lives here,” Govich said. For him, and the many Oklahomans involved it still has a special significance. “It’s our state song, which you hear if you go to OU games. It’s from the

Photo Provided

musical. I think for people involved in theatre, it’s neat, not just because it’s named ‘Oklahoma!’ and it takes place in Oklahoma, but it was a groundbreaking musical in its own right. It was one of the first musicals where the music actually propelled the plot and had a full ballet involved ... So, I think it’s meaningful to people who enjoy theatre and are from Oklahoma. It puts us on the map, as it were. There’s not anybody in New York talking about ‘Kansas’ the musical.” Govich spent time on the scene in New York, but found himself drawn back home when he started a family. He’s been in Lyric productions since the early 2000s and doesn’t see it as that much different — at least not when it comes to quality. “I’ve performed with three Tony Award nominees and one Tony (Award) winner on stage at the Civic

Center at Lyric,” Govich said. “The talent that they’re able to put on stage and the production quality, they’re Broadway caliber. If you haven’t seen a Lyric production, they’re not small community theatre. Not that there’s anything wrong with community theatre, but they have large budgets and a fantastic reputation.” Rice, a graduate of Lyric’s Thelma Gaylord Academy and the University of Oklahoma (2011), has been a swing for “The Book of Mormon” on Broadway for the past year. Rice’s Lyric credits include “The Producers,” “A Chorus Line” and “The Who’s Tommy.” Now, he too makes his way back home for a chance to be a part of “Oklahoma!” “I’ve done shows (at Lyric) off and on my whole life. This will be my first time to do a show there since coming back from New York City,” Rice said. “It’s definitely good to be home. I’ve

spent so much time in New York over the years, it’s definitely nice to come back to my home state and be a part of a musical I grew up on. It’s kind of full circle in many ways. The original film inspired me a lot to become a performer.” Rowan, the dance chairman of the Ann Lacy School of American Dance and Arts Management, joins the production as the choreographer of the dream ballet. Music direction is by David Andrews Rogers, who has worked with Lyric for over the past 20 years. Tickets start at $25. Season tickets, which include tickets to Lyric’s three other productions at the Civic Center Music Hall— “Mary Poppins,” “Big Fish” and “Billy Elliot” — are still available. Purchase tickets by visiting Lyric’s box office at 1727 NW 16th St., calling 405-524-9312 or visiting lyrictheatreokc.com.

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Scott Strandberg / NTown James Pankow, a founding member of Chicago, performs with the band at Riverwind last month. 16

A tale of two cities • Chicago puts on two great and vastly different shows in New Orleans and Norman

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By Scott Strandberg

I’ve been listening to Chicago my entire life. My dad saw them play in Valley City, North Dakota, on their first national tour back in 1969, and he’s been hooked ever since. Therefore, my introduction to Chicago came at a very young age — their albums were spun with great frequency on dad’s record player. I probably innately knew every word to every song by the time I learned to walk. Some people would eventually rebel against such things — the whole “blah, my parents forcefed me this, it can’t be cool” mentality. Well, as it turns out, my dad is cool. He likes cool stuff that is worth liking. Such as Chicago. When I moved to Norman in 2003, I brought with me a phonograph of my own, along with a stack of Chicago records (specifically, their first six albums). Throughout college, one of the constants in my life was those albums, especially when I was hanging out with Mack Burke — now the Transcript Entertainment Editor. Sometimes it was background music for our late-night study sessions. Other times we’d try

(and usually fail) to stumble through Chicago’s intricate phrasings on our acoustic guitars. Pretty much regardless of what we were doing, we were probably listening to Chicago. For as much as their music has been a fixture in my life, I only managed to see them live once — back in 2002 — until the stars aligned to such a degree that I saw them perform twice in an eight-day span. A spur of the moment trip to the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival gave me the opportunity to see Chicago play on May 1 to a raucous group of around 30,000 fans. Then on May 9, I attended their concert at Riverwind Casino’s Showplace Theatre — an infinitely more intimate venue, with a relatively subdued audience. Beyond the obvious thrill of seeing one of my lifelong favorite bands twice in just over a week, this was a unique opportunity. The two gigs could not have been more different for the performers. From a horde of dancing, sunbaked festival-goers, to a sleek indoor venue full of (mostly) seated patrons — audiences don’t get much more disparate than that, especially for the same exact

band. I was intrigued to see how Chicago would handle the near-polar opposite settings. Would they treat Norman as a “stop-over” town, going through the motions of a standard greatest-hits show? Would I simply hear the exact same set of songs twice, merely in different places? The answer to both questions was an emphatic “no.” The energy levels of the two shows were not comparable, but this was an intentional decision by the band to play a show appropriate to each venue. At Jazz Fest, the group only strayed from their high-energy 1970’s jazz-rock catalog a handful of times. At Riverwind, Chicago mixed in many more of their adult contemporary 1980’s hits and earlier mid-tempo jazz material, creating a more relaxed atmosphere. The band even did a short acoustic mini-set, in which each of their three primary vocalists performed a song either alone, or as a duo with another band member. The healthy two-hour set time at the Showplace Theatre also allowed Chicago to stretch out and really dive into the material. For example,

On stage @ Riverwind • Jamey Johnson — June 12 • Bill Engvall — June 26 • The Commodores — July 10 • Ron White — Aug. 1 • Mark Chesnutt — Aug. 15 • Gene Watson, Moe Bandy and Johnny Lee — Aug. 21 • Michael Bolton — Aug. 28 Visit Riverwind.com for tickets and information.

they played the “Ballet for a Girl in Buchannon” suite in full. Including the classic songs “Make Me Smile” and “Colour My World,” “Ballet for a Girl in Buchannon” spanned the entire B-side of the “Chicago II” record — arguably the best of the band’s 23 studio albums. Hearing them play a solid 20plus minute chunk from their finest album was a most welcome surprise. Considering Chicago has now been a band for over 45 years, it’s pretty amazing that the lineup still boasts four of the seven original members that recorded “Chicago Transit Authority” in 1969. Keyboardist/vocalist Robert Lamm is over 70 years old, as is saxophone player Walter Parazaider. The other two founding members — Lee Loughnane (68) and James Pankow (67) — aren’t far behind. With that in mind, it’s amazing that the group is able to maintain the high levels of energy and quality that they do. Somehow, they still hit the vast majority of their signature layered harmony vocals. I have a sneaking suspicion that none of the members of Chicago are smokers, because all of those guys can still hit higher notes than many singers half their age. Furthermore, I was impressed by the length of their set at Riverwind. Two full hours with no set break is more than you get at your average pop megashow at the Chesapeake. Not too bad for a bunch of old guys. The bottom line is that Chicago isn’t just a great nostalgia act. They’re still a great band, period. They’re plenty good enough that I can close my eyes at a concert in 2015, and imagine myself in 1990 listening to albums from 1970. That’s about the most ringing endorsement I can give a band.

Scott Strandberg / NTown Above: Guitarist Keith Howland has been with the band since 1995. His 20-year run is the longest of any of the band’s guitarists, including founding member and original co-lead singer Terry Kath, who died in a tragic gun-related accident in 1978. Below: Bassist Jason Scheff has been with the band since 1985, when founding co-lead singer/bassist Peter Cetera left to pursue a solo career.

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CAL

Closing Recep on AS YET UnNAMED The Sketchbooks of O. Gail Poole Friday, June 12, 6:00pm Jazz Jam Presented by Jazz in June with Culture Cinema c Friday, June 12, 6:00pm Poetry Reading William Bernhardt Sunday, June 14, 2:00pm Summer Breeze Concert Kelly Willis Lions Park Sunday, June 14, 7:30pm Summer Breeze Concert Mama Sweet Lions Park Sunday, June 28, 7:30pm Brought to you in part by:

The Depot - 200 S Jones Avenue (405) 307-9320 www.normandepot.org @thenormandepot

NTown’s Top 10 things to do for the month of June

facebook.com/pasnorman

• Jazz in June

When: June 18-20 Where: Brookhaven Village, 3700 W. Robinson St. (June 18 & 19) and Andrews Park, 201 W. Daws St. (June 20) • The free, three-day music festival, now in its 32nd year, features Grammy Award-winning saxophonist and producer Bill Evans and his band, Soulgrass, who will headline Jazz in June 2015 with a blend of funk, rock, rhythm and groove. For more information, visit jazzinjune.org.

• Downtown farmers market When: 6 p.m., June 12 Where: STASH (300 and 400 blocks of E. Main St.) As part of Norman’s Art Walk, East Downtown (EDO) will be transformed into a Flower Power Market: a farmer’s market party with food trucks, live music, art,

and fresh food and plants ready for purchase and going into late night entertainment. Families, friends, and kids of all ages are invited.

• Summer Breeze: Kelly Willis When: 7:30 p.m., June 14 Where: Lions Park With rockabilly roots and a heartache-meets-honky-tonk voice, Austin-based Kelly Willis is a new traditionalist singer/songwriter

whose tunes effortlessly combine the storytelling and strings aspects of country music and the driving force of rock.

• Alternative photography and Fringe exhibits When: 6 to 10 p.m., June 12 Where: MAINSITE Contemporary Art, 122 E. Main

The Depot Gallery will host a closing reception for “AS YET UnNAMED,The Sketchbooks of O. Gail Poole” in conjunction with the 2nd Friday Art Walk.The

• Studio1409 - he prefers to keep his birth name private - is a Norman-based photographer who is keeping the art of film alive in a digital age, presenting a series of

reception will also feature a jazz jam on The Depot north portico and lawn, made possible by Jazz in June and hosted by Culture Cinematic.

shots of “alternative” models • Fringe, an OKC collective of contemporary women artists, works to promote progressive ideas.

• Second Sunday Poetry Reading When: 2-4 p.m., June 14 Where: The Depot

• “OKLAHOMA!” the musical When: June 23-27 Where: Civic Center Music Hall

Acclaimed author and poet William Bernhardt William Bernhardt is the author of thirtyeight published works“Nemesis: The Final Case of Eliot Ness,”

“OKLAHOMA!, the musical” that originated the state song and revolutionized musical theatre, comes sweeping down the plain to the Civic Center Music Hall.

which is currently in production for an NBC miniseries. Bernhardt’s newest book,The Game Master, has just been published.

• Family Movie Night ... “Jurassic Park” When: June 26 Where: Andrews Park

Rabbit, races the Dodo Bird, gets tied up with Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum, raps with a bubble-blowing Caterpillar, and beats the Queen of Hearts at her own game.

• Closing Reception for O. Gail Poole Sketchbooks When: 6-9 p.m., June 12 Where: The Depot

•” Alice in Wonderland Jr.” When: June 24-28 Where: Sooner Theatre Lewis Carroll’s famous inquisitive heroine comes to life in Disney’s “Alice In Wonderland Jr.,” a delightful adaptation of the classic Disney film. Join Alice as she chases the White

The City of Norman Parks and Recreation Department presents Family Movie Nights at Andrews Park. Activities will start in the park at 7 p.m.The movie will start

1 0 V a r i e t a l s

B l u e M o o n 1 2 P a c k s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $ 1 2 . 6 9 S t r o h ’ s 3 0 P a c k s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $ 1 4 . 9 9

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Lyric Theatre of Oklahoma’s production brings together a cast and creative team with Oklahoma roots.

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• OU School of Dance Summer Performances When: June 26-28 Where: Reynolds Performing Arts Center

at sundown (around 9:00 pm). Families are encouraged to show up early and bring lawn chairs and blankets. For more information call 405-366-5472.

S t e l l a R o s a M o s c a t o D ’ A s t i 7 5 0 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $ 1 1 . 4 9 C o n c h a y T o r o F r o n t e r a 1 . 5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $ 8 . 6 9

The University of Oklahoma School of Dance (SOD) is hosting Summer Dance performances in Reynolds Performing Arts Center, studio 3002 on June 26 at 8 p.m., June 27 at 3 and 8 p.m. and June 28

at 3 p.m. Oklahoma Festival Ballet and Contemporary Dance Oklahoma will participate in the production and the performances will be followed by a champagne and dessert reception with the dancers and choreographers.

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Bold colors and proud history • “Enter the Matrix” brings together beautiful, eclectic prints from indigenous peoples By Doug Hill

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In many parts of the world printmaking is an art form centuries old. Among oral based cultural communities including American First Peoples, the various techniques such as serigraphy, mezzotint and lithography are relatively new. Many may be unaware that the University of Oklahoma provided artistic expression through printmaking to Native Americans early in the last century. The Mexican Modernist Emelio Amero established a world class print shop on campus in 1946. But even before that methods such as silkscreen were being learned and employed by Oklahoma artists. “Enter The Matrix” is OU’s latest exhibition and features prints made by indigenous peoples in the Ellen and Richard L. Sandor Photography Gallery. The exhibit runs through Jan. 17, 2016. “Norman residents can be proud that some of the earliest printmaking by native artists comes from Oscar Jacobson’s work here at OU,” exhibition curator Heather Ahtone said. “That sets a precedent that this exhibition examines.” Jacobson was a classically educated Swedish painter who came to Oklahoma and adopted it as his home. He was OU’s School of Art Director from 1915 to 1954. In the late 1920s Jacobson and Professor Edith Mahier worked with a small group of Kiowa artists whose art achieved international acclaim. In addition to many works in “Enter the Matrix” by Oklahoma and other American artists are works from Canada, Botswana and New Zealand. It’s an impressive exhibition in both size with nearly a See MATRIX, Page 22

Mack Burke / NTown Above: Jonathan Henderson’s 1969 serigraph “Thunderbird & Sisiutl” depicts two of the most powerful beings of Kwakwaka’wakw traditions. Below left: “Enter the Matrix” debuted June 4 at the Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art. The exhibit will be on display through January, 2016. Below right: David P. Bradley’s 1954 Lithograph “Rio Grande Madonna” is characteristic of his work, which often uses historical iconic images to confront sterotypes.

GALLERIES, SHOPS & STUDIOS:

NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS: • MAINSITE Contemporary Art: Home of the Norman Arts Council (122 E. Main) debuts group exhibition Illuminate and studio1409’s ALTERNATIVE. Illuminate features the work of artists Lindsey Bochniak, Jessica Craddock, Mary James Ketch and Sarah Day-Short. ALTERNATIVE is comprised of portraits of “alternative models” shot using “alternative” (ambrotype) photography. The show includes vintage, large-format glass slides and gallery-sized prints. Norman Arts Council Individual Artist Award winner Kim Rice — previously seen in the latest OU MFA Thesis Exhibition — will show new works in the Library Gallery. • The Firehouse Art Center (444 S. Flood) holds its FAC Faculty Art Show, an annual multi-disciplinary exhibition showcasing the recent work of Firehouse faculty members. It’s a great opportunity to interact with these artists and instruc-

tors and discover whether you might want to learn from them yourself. • The Depot Gallery (200 S. Jones) hosts a closing reception for As Yet UnNamed, an art exhibition centered around the sketchbooks of the late Oklahoma artist O. Gail Poole as curated by Jonathan Fowler with guests Dr. Neil Chapman and Nicole Poole. An exhibition catalog and limited edition coloring book are available for purchase at the reception. • Dreamer Concepts: A Community Art Space (428 E. Main) presents Dreamer 57: The Hope Camera Project, a joint venture between the Absentee Shawnee Meth-Suicide Prevention Program and the Urban Indian 5 Association working with American Indian children and teens to promote self-esteem and healthy living through creative expression. 19 students aged 6-17 were handed disposable cameras to take pictures of what hope looks like them, with selections from each student on display in this exhibition. John Soap, Gordon Emhoolah & Warren Quoetone and Hudson Roar will all per-

form, as well. • Pioneer Library System is beginning a new, monthly 2nd Friday program. The 2nd Friday Adult Story Time will take place 6 to 7:30 p.m. in the Gallery Room of the Norman Public Library (225 N. Webster) with snacks and drinks provided. June’s theme is Fractured Fairy Tales, so expect to enjoy familiar story lines with surprisingly adult twists, as seen in the Stephen Sondheim musical/hit film Into the Woods. • Visit Norman (309 E. Main) presents a collaboration with Firehouse Art Center to showcase the work of Firehouse photography students in the Visit Norman offices.

FOOD TRUCKS: • The Loaded Bowl and MT Express will be parked out front of STASH (412 E. Main). • The 2nd Friday Food Truck Park in the LoveWorks Lot (corner of Main & Santa Fe) will feature a variety of Oklahoma food trucks offering up all sorts of delicious street food.

• D.M. Wealth Management (201 E. Main) invites you in to view new works by Douglas Gordon, joined as always by musical guest Frank Lawrence. • STASH (412 E. Main) — in coordination with Robinson’s Repurposed — is transforming East Downtown (EDO) into Flower Power Market, a farmer’s market pantry with food trucks, live music, art and fresh food & plants ready for purchase. STASH will also showcase the dried and pressed leaves of Allison Dunham, and DJs will spin in the STASH lot later that night. •Dope Chapel (115 S. Crawford) is open with Julia Curran’s exhibit The World Is Yours., satirizing sinister and absurd socio-political currents throughout Western history with colorful and chaotic scenes of domination and destruction. • The Social Club (209 E. Main) welcomes featured artist Amy Sanders, a talented maker of things. Sanders focuses on ceramics and sculpture, which explore the themes of light v. dark and transformation. The salon is launching a new hair product line, and there will be special treats and drinks to celebrate their debut. • Gallery 123 (123 E. Main) invites everyone to come up to see their jewelry, fused glass, stained glass, metal art, sculpture, paintings and fabric art. • Sandalwood & Sage (322 E. Main) is excited to showcase the art of Norman’s (and The Diner’s) own Bonnie Amspacher. • Coredination Pilates (128 E. Main) is happy to present the work of glassblower Kyle Cooper. • The Artist Studios above MAINSITE (122 E. Main) have

new works by Bill and Juanita Williams. • Bigfoot Creative (315 E. Main) welcomes featured artist and printmaker Logan Sweetwood, with beverages provided by 405 Brewing Co. • Robinson’s Repurposed (325 E. Main) has items given an artistic touch by makers from all over town. • Michelangelo’s Coffee & Wine Bar (207 E. Main) has work by local artists on display and music in the air. • Artifactory (313 E. Main) is open with unique finds and art for your viewing pleasure.

CONCERTS : • Norman Arts Council and Norman Music Festival present the 2nd Friday Concert Series. This edition features red dirt legend Randy Crouch and Flying Horse. 10 p.m. at The Bluebonnet (321 E. Main). Free. 21+ • Jazz in June is presenting a pair of performances at 2nd Friday ahead of the 32nd annual festival. A blues Jam featuring Wess McMichael & The Ravens from 6 to 8 p.m. will take place at Dreamer Concepts (428 E. Main St.) while a Jazz Jam featuring Culture Cinematic will go down at The Depot (200 S. Jones). Each performance will include a 45 minute set, followed by an open jam (anyone with an instrument can join.) and a closing 30 minute set. • Norman Arts Council and Guestroom Records (125 E. Main) are collaborating to bring you Random Noise, an eclectic free music series. This month features krautrockers Calabar along with experimental songwriter sun riah. 7:15-9 p.m. • Opolis (113 N. Crawford) has grunge legends The Melvins in town, along with Le Butcherettes. Tickets are $15 in advance or $18 day of show.

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Matrix: (from page 20)

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hundred prints on display and a wide variety of imagery. The oldest piece is dated 1929 with one made just last year. Some of the work is in OU’s permanent collection and much was loaned for the show. “This is a medium that is largely undocumented in the native community,” Ahtone said. “I’ve done a significant amount of research calling artists for help providing details to make sure there’s an accurate reflection to share with viewers.” Ahtone’s own academic background includes an undergraduate degree in printmaking. She is a member of the Chickasaw and Choctaw Nations. When Ahtone came to OU as a museum curator she was pleased to see that it had an important collection of Native American prints. Part of her emphasis for the show was understanding the relationships in the various networks of printmakers and key sites where this art was and is being made. OU, Bacone College in Muskogee, Inuit studios in Canada, Crow’s Shadow Institute in Oregon, the Tamarind Institute in Albuquerque, the Institute of American Indian Art in Santa Fe and international collaborations were included. “These sites have served a critical function by supporting educational and technical engagement or by hosting artistic gatherings,” Ahtone said. “The exhibition will provide didactic materials to explain the historical role and artistic importance of each.” Ahtone brought both her intellectual and emotional acumen to the task of bringing this show together. She admitted getting choked-up whenever she views one piece in particular. It’s a mixed media monotype collaboration titled “Caring” between Navaho artist Melanie Yazzie and Aotearoa (New Zealand) artist Nick Tupara. The work is a dreamscape of objective images and written non-English words in soft blue and

Just Sayin’

yellow tones. It has a Marc Chagall-like quality that’s haunting in its suggestions of affection and human compassion. The oldest print is one by Lois Smoky (1907-1981) who was the only female Kiowa artist encouraged by Oscar Jacobson. It’s a small but hugely touching silkscreen called “Kiowa Family” (1929). Its frank simplicity is elegant with vibrant colors and deft technical proficiency. The OU printmaking guru Emilio Amero (1901-1976) is represented by one of his untitled lithographs of a young Mayan woman. She was rendered as a voluptuous nude and recalls figures from the “Four Races” panel by fellow Mexican Diego Rivera in “The Detroit Industry Mu-

rals” at the Detroit Institute of Art. Serigraph “Spirit Horse” by Potawatomi artist Woodrow Wilson “Woody” Crumbo (1912-1989) is psychedelic in its fantastic intensity. The equine’s aquamarine and white flowing lines gallop wildly in a roiling sky. Another hallucinatory piece is indeed meant to document those images that come during our sleep. “Kiviuq Dreams of Wolves and Men” is a lithograph by Simon Tookkoome (1934-2010) of the Baker Lake Inuit (Canada). It’s a mélange of upside down and right side up faces in a multi-colored cloud garden. What’s most disturbing is that all the faces are human. In defiance of the title there are no Canis lupus

to be seen. The wolves are men. “The images in this exhibition are beautiful,” Ahtone said. “There’s also an underlying current and it’s the transformation of paper which for centuries was used as a weapon against native cultures being turned into a tool that people can use to express themselves.” The images that were printed and collected for this exhibition can help us as 21st century citizens appreciate civilizations that are still living. “It’s a really important form of survival for native communities,” Ahtone said.

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