Jam Night

JAM

Cheering on Local Musicians

By M. Shane Richins

In the 1980s, Americans tuned-in their TVs to watch a show about a bar where “everybody knows your name.” Cheers was a top-running show for a long time because the world could appreciate the feeling of having a place where you could really be accepted as yourself. Just as important, the characters accepted each other even after they had one toooooo many beers. Oh how times have changed. Just a cursory glance across the current landscape and you see political unrest, social unrest, a pandemic, and economic turmoil. For the average Joe it can mean incredible stress at work due to staffing shortages and supply chain problems.

Social media algorithms prefer emotional distress because that is what gets interactions. It seems the whole world wants to cancel anyone who doesn’t feel just the same as they do. We are overworked professionally and in a permanent state of social and political fight or flight. If there was ever a time we needed a barstool of acceptance, it is now. As luck would have it, there may even be an open one in downtown Salt Lake.

An environment has emerged that is not unlike sitting around a campfire, picking at a guitar, and singing with

Ben Weiss, David Burchfield, Matt Conlin, Megan Nay, Melissa Chilinski of Pixie and the Partygrass Boys

family and friends. Before the pandemic began, a weekly jam started up at Gracie’s bar, hosted by Pixie and the Partygrass Boys, a band that has become a local favorite. They created an environment where the line between the performers and the spectators fades away.

Public entertainment went away during the height of the pandemic, but when music came back, it came back big. Pixie and the Partygrass Boys found themselves too busy touring to continue supporting what they

had created, so a loose coalition of musicians associated with the original band came together to keep up this front against the harshness in the world. They call it a Jam because any musician with an instrument can join in with the band, but it’s more like a hybrid between a jam and an open mic, with a band to back up whoever wants to come on stage. It is hosted by the David Burchfield Quintet, which consists of Megan Nay on fiddle, Melissa Chilinski on banjo, Matt Conlin on the bass, and a fifth rotating mandolin, often filled by Ben Weiss from Pixie and the Partygrass Boys. Each member is a great musician in their own right, but what really makes them stand out as a band is the supportive and upbeat environment they create. The glue that seems to bind the group together is that either none of them have any problems in their lives and they are terminally happy, or they just know how to be present in the moment and exude positivity.

“It feels really special to carry on the tradition started by our friends

Pixie and the Partygrass Boys. We love hosting the jam as a weekly gathering point for musicians and music lovers of all kinds. It’s called a ‘bluegrass jam’ because that’s our roots, but we play all kinds of music,” says band leader David Burchfield.

Some of those that get up and play with the band are seasoned veterans, while others just barely learned a tune on their ukulele on YouTube, so the experience is unique from week to week and even from song to song. What is really inviting is how the audience will sing along and celebrate even those who are just learning to overcome their stage fright. The David Burchfield quintet has fostered an environment where there are always enough seats in a full bar because you can feel good sharing a table with strangers as if this were your regular haunt and they were longtime friends. Whether you bring an instrument, or you come for the good food and well-crafted drinks, what you will really appreciate is the welcome sense of community you will find every Tuesday night at the Jam.

Marshall White

Ogden’s Marshall White Center

Residents want 53-year-old neighborhood site to sparkle anew

By Cathy McKitrick

OGDEN – At the height — and heat — of the nation’s civil rights movement during the 1960s, Ogden Police Sergeant Marshall White succumbed to gunshot wounds incurred while trying to talk a 17-year-old out of firing his rifle during a neighborhood break-in. White, a World War II veteran, father of seven and mentor to many, became Utah’s first black police officer to die in the line of duty. The tragic event occurred in October 1963. To honor him, a new community recreation center at 222 28th Street was dedicated in his name in 1968. For decades, it served as a hub for low-income families and senior citizens to gather, exercise and socialize. To this day it continues to host events, classes and activities. But the center has also struggled due to years of budget cuts and deferred maintenance. By 2018, the facility’s well-used swimming pool had to shut down due to lack of repair. Even so, current Ogden Mayor Mike Caldwell bristles at the notion that the Center has languished under his watch. “We put a $400,000 roof on it, a new futsal course, and there’s a brand new Jazz basketball court out there,” Caldwell said in a recent interview. He noted that in the last budget cycle “we allocated $5 million for improvements and renovation, and put a Marshall White advisory committee together

because we didn’t want to throw darts in the dark.” But community advocate Taylor Knuth-Bishop believes the situation is more dire than Caldwell wants to acknowledge, pointing to the lapse of four years without any plan to reopen the Center’s pool. “It has since been condemned,” Knuth-Bishop said by phone, dashThat facility kept ing any hope that the pool might reopen in my family together the existing building. in some of the “That’s the frustration.” hardest times The losses continued, Knuth-Bishop added. of my childhood. When Covid-19 hit That’s why I think in 2020, the Center’s the Marshall weight room shut down amid concerns about White Center is so surface transmission of important the virus. Since then, Knuth-Bishop said the room’s floor buckled and the weight equipment was sold. Growing up without Dad Ron White, the sixth of Marshall White’s seven children, was six years old when his father died. “I really feel I didn’t get to spend enough time with him. I miss not growing up with him,” White said. But as a teen, the center bearing his dad’s name felt like a second home. “I loved playing basketball and related to my friends through basketball,” White said. “You could always go down there and get a good game going, especially on the weekends.” Over the decades many working parents tapped it as a resource for their children to spend time until mom or dad got home from work. “It gives them peace of mind – and a little extra

Will the busted pool at Ogdens Marshall White Community Center be fixed?

money in the pocket,” White said. As a member of the city’s MWC Advisory Committee, White hopes to honor his father’s sacrifice and courage. “He was a hero to me.” Knuth-Bishop said his heart aches for kids who might not get those communal experiences. Growing up in Clearfield, he remembers how he and his brothers swam at the city’s public recreation center while his mom worked out on the fitness track.

“That facility kept my family together in some of the hardest times of my childhood. That’s why I think the Marshall White Center is so important,” Knuth-Bishop said. “It could be transformative for everybody in our community.”

Be it resolved

During the January 11th Ogden City Council meeting, members unanimously approved a joint non-binding resolution stating their intent to make MWC improvements a top priority and to keep the facility in its current location. But whether the renovated or replacement facility includes a new pool remains to be seen.

The administration also pledged to give monthly updates to the City Council, and the resolution projected April 2024 as the goal to launch construction. In the meantime, several funding and design questions need to be addressed, and the advisory committee plans to host a series of open houses to keep the public informed.

Marshall White Center supporters welcomed the resolution with a dose of skepticism. Betty Sawyer, president of the Ogden NAACP, said they’d be holding the mayor and city council accountable for what happens moving forward. “While I’m encouraged, I’m still looking for you to show me where your commitment is when it comes to equity, inclusion, diversity and making sure that the health and wellness of Ogden is a priority,” Sawyer said. Ogden resident David Timmerman pushed to shorten the timeline by six months, shifting the construction date to late 2023. Council Chair Ben Nadolski said the resolution serves as a start toward rebuilding trust between city officials and Center supporters: “We’ve taken a step in the right direction … and we need to continue to take these steps together.”

Playing With Your Food

Delicious Destinations for Food & Fun

By Ted Scheffler

Many people — including me — seem to be so serious about food these days. Instagram and other social media platforms have created venues for the posting of perfect food pix. But is the food we really eat all that perfect looking all of the time? And so what if it’s not? It’s worth remembering that while not all food is of art museum quality, it’s there to provide sustenance, nutrition and yes, enjoyment. So let’s try to really enjoy our food and maybe not take it quite so seriously. Here are some dining destinations that specialize in merging fun with food. Yes, it’s okay to play with your food. If you are looking for food, fun, and games, the new Flanker Kitchen +

Sporting Club at The Gateway is the perfect place. This adult (21 & over) fun zone spans some 17,500-square feet. It’s an entertainment complex that features The Sporting Club for gameday viewing parties and nighttime socializing, private karaoke and sports simulator suites, and the speakeasy-style Parlor cocktail lounge complete with retro bowling lanes and throwback music. Late into the night, DJ’s spin tunes for guests and a high energy party builds to a crescendo as the clock approaches midnight and beyond.

Along with all the fun and games at Flanker, guests are treated to cuisine that is elevated far above Multigrain Bowl at Flanker standard bar/ Kitchen + Sporting Club club fare, with menu items that range from Taverna Tots and House-Smoked Chicken Wings charred on your personal tabletop grill, to Lobster Fritters, Truffled Beef Carpaccio, and Spicy Tuna Bites. There is also a bustling bar scene at Flanker Kitchen + Sporting Club, and if you’re looking for a quiet corner to converse in, I suggest heading over to The Parlor, an old school-type bar with leather banquettes tucked away in the rear of the sprawling Flanker space. Guests at The Parlor can shoot pool, bowl, and play classic games, or just hunker down and enjoy a craft cocktail.

Looking to put a little magic into your life? I suggest an evening at Mystique Theater in West Jordan’s Gardner Village. At Mystique, guests can enjoy world-class magic artistry from performers such as Matt Donnelly, Larry Wilson, Alex Ramon, George Tovar and others, along with a sit-down gourmet dinner. Mystique Dining offers two separate and unique venues: Mystique’s Grand Dining Chamber and The Prestige Parlour of Magic. At the former, guests indulge in a gourmet dinner prior to the evening’s audience-participation magic show. Menu selections include Orange and Wild Boar Sugo with Pappardelle; Pan-Seared King Salmon with forbidden black rice; Wagyu Hanger Steak

with pommes frites; Zaatar-Rubbed Bone-In Pork Loin with farro; Blackened Chilean Sea Bass with quinoa tabbouleh; Prime Rib; and much more. Mystique also can accommodate dietary restrictions such as lactose intolerance, gluten-free, allergies, etc.

Another way to have fun with your food is to laugh the night away at a Wiseguys comedy club in downtown SLC, Ogden, or Jordan Landing. The comedy lineup at Wiseguys runs the gamut from local open mic nights and journeymen comedians to world-

The Spicy Tuna Bites at Flanker Kitchen + Sporting Club, Salt Lake City

class names like JB Smoove, Jimmy Pardo, Marc Maron, Margaret Cho, Jeff Ross, Dave Attell and my favorite, Maria Bamford. The food and drink at Wiseguys is not to be overlooked, and I especially love the Black & Blue Burger with Cajun spices and blue cheese crumbles, as well as the yummy Bavarian Pretzels with beer cheese. Beverages range from bottled and high-point beers to cocktails, specialty shots like the White Gummy Bear, and even wine by the glass. Japanese-style Teppanyaki restaurants can be loads of fun, with good food to boot. At restaurants like Tepanyaki Japanese Steakhouse in Layton, Ogden’s Kobe Teppanyaki, and at Salt Lake City’s Benihana, you’ll be entertained while you eat. Chefs with razor sharp knives slice and dice right before your eyes while you are seated at a communal hibachi grill. Whether sizzling flying shrimp on the hot grill, tossing slivered onions and catching them on a spatula, or preparing sushi tableside, there is delicious food and a show to be enjoyed at your favorite Teppanyaki restaurant. Dinner and a show, anyone? Desert Star Dinner Theater in Murray has just kicked off its 2022 season with The Phantom of the Opera, running through February 26. At Desert Star Theater you’ll enjoy performances of favorite Broadway and off-Broadway shows, along with good grub and a fun, friendly staff. The specialty here is pizza, including Chicken Alfredo, Hawaiian, Smoked BBQ Chicken, and buildyour-own pizzas, plus salads, nachos, cheesy garlic bread, and desserts like Chocolate Lava Cake, ice cream floats and sundaes, oven-fresh streusel, flan, and more. Upcoming shows include Beverly Hillbillies 90210, Hunk-Cules I’m Too Sexy for My Toga, Legally Brunette, and Calamity Jane. So get out there and have some fun with your food!