2006-11 Vital Source Mag – November 2006
The Milwaukee Music Scene (TM)
By Matt Wild For those wayward souls either out of the loop or too tired to care, let’s review some of our humble scene’s defining characteristics: permanent inferiority complex, constant denial and counterproductive discussion of said complex; also small but thriving, erratic yet vital, too few clubs and too many people (or vice versa), ambivalent feelings for Chicago, ambivalent feelings for self, wearisome sighs when touring bands play a few bars from the Laverne & Shirley theme song, etc. etc. Yes, you’ve heard it all before, and no, you don’t need a sniveling putz like me to lecture you on it. After all, as a likely member of and/or contributor to the Milwaukee Music Scene (TM), you’re intrinsically part of the problem/solution, and therefore don’t need a “state of the scene” rehash. With that being said (and due to the fact that my past month has been filled with 16-hour work days and out of town DUI’s), I present to you a short, easy to read, easy to write, wholly random and non-exhaustive list of the good and the bad, the amicable and the peevish, the life-affirming and the just plain annoying aspects of the Milwaukee Music Scene (TM). (If it really needs to be noted: When I use the term “music scene” I unfortunately refer solely to the white, bespectacled, indie/punk/spaz-rock scene that betrays my sensibilities. If your tastes hew closer to Milwaukee’s thriving hip-hop scene, for example, my sincerest apologies for not accommodating you. If you happen to musically align yourself with groups like The Love Monkeys, U2 Zoo or Pat McCurdy, well, that’s between you and your God, isn’t it?) Let’s start with a few personal Pet Peeves. While certainly not unique to our fair city, these gaffes should nonetheless be both disparaged and avoided at all costs by each and every member of the MMS. 1. Begging The Audience Dear God, this is a sad one. Nothing says “deep-seated desperation” quite like asking the audience to a) Come away from the bar and watch your band, b) Cross the invisible band/crowd barrier and come to the front of the stage, or c) Dance to your un-danceable music. It’s amateurish in the worst sense of the word. Face it, kids: sometimes the audience is on and sometimes they’re not. The wisdom to know this and play on regardless is what separates the men from the man-boys. 2. Goofy Band Bios No, your band wasn’t created by a whiskey-drinking mad scientist from the Netherlands during the second week of Lent, and no, your band members aren’t really retro-cyborgs programmed to bring a heartwarming yet dangerous message of hope and rock to the denizens of Earth. We all know you’re just a bunch of schmucks from Brookfield that slapped together a few songs about girls and got an opening slot on a Thursday night at the Riverwest Commons. Seriously, this shit is about as funny and novel as a typical episode of Family Feud (the one with the guy […]
Nov 1st, 2006 by Vital Archives
Just the way it is
By Jon Gilbertson On a late October afternoon, Hank Williams III is touring the East Coast and feeling poorly – not because of the fondness for John Barleycorn that supposedly afflicts all in his line, but because of the more banal bugs that don’t cure easily over a long stint on the road. He isn’t whining about a head cold, though. “I chose the hard road as opposed to the easy road a long time ago,” he mutters across the wires. “I got that drive and that’s what keeps me going.” Like much of what Hank III has said since he stepped directly into his legacy more than a decade ago, those lines require only a little editing to make fine country song refrains. But he’s spent a great deal of time mixing up that legacy with the punk rock and heavy metal he’s loved ever since he was a kid. “People do realize that I’m into many things besides country,” he says. “People see a realness. That’s what I hear a lot.” But not every fan shows equal appreciation for each of his facets. “There’s a certain breed out there that loves Slayer and David Allan Coe,” Williams says. “It might come from the same place, but some of the fans just don’t get it. There’s a bunch of snobs and you’ll never be cool because you’re not punk or country enough for ‘em. Each little group has its thing.” If Hank Williams III has a thing, then that thing would probably be lifelong defiance. Born Shelton Hank Williams in Nashville in 1972, he didn’t really get to know his father, Hank “Bocephus” Williams Jr., because he wasn’t around. While the two have crossed paths more often in recent years, it should be noted that during our entire interview, he referred to his father only once; as “Hank Junior” at that. Hank III didn’t really know his musical lineage, either, and was content to smoke weed and rock hard until a crushing and sudden need to make regular child-support payments sent him to the tourist town of Branson, Missouri to earn his keep imitating his grandfather. (The resemblance, vocally and physically, is eerie, and has been commented on so much elsewhere that it need not be dwelled on here.) Now, rather than imitating his grandfather, he seems to be cutting a parallel path, at least in terms of having a difficult relationship with the music industry. In 1996, Hank III signed with Curb Records and has been head-butting with the label and its head, Mike Curb, ever since. “I’ve been fighting in court to get off that label forever,” Williams says. “This goes back to a family name, back to spite. This is people holding us back. There are all these rich-ass motherfuckers who don’t want to let me go, even though they don’t understand me and will not market me.” It didn’t help that the label’s first use of Hank III was to put his voice together with […]
Nov 1st, 2006 by Vital Archives
And trade “them” for what?
By Jon Anne Willow Dear Readers, Being a monthly publication has its disadvantages of timing. Never is this more apparent to me than when I have to write this column before a momentous event, knowing most people won’t read it until after. Such is the case with these midterm elections. As of this morning, both liberal and conservative think tanks are predicting that Democrats will pick up 18-22 seats in the House (15 are needed for a majority) and 2-3 seats in the Senate (of the six needed for a majority). In short, by the time you read this, it’s likely that Democrats will take back one of the houses and hold a stronger position in the other. It would seem that change is in the air. But I’m troubled. The other evening, VITAL hosted a screening of Robert Greenwald’s Iraq For Sale: The War Profiteers to a packed room at Bremen Café. Granted, this is pretty far-left stuff, attracting mostly those who already know they’re mad as hell and aren’t going to take it anymore, so I wasn’t surprised that the lively talkback session after the film touched on wholesale revolution in the streets. But as PeaceAction’s George Martin whipped up the crowd with enthusiastically rejoined calls to “Send them home!” I couldn’t help but ask: And trade “them” for what? Is our collective memory so short that we’ve forgotten that Republicans rode into Washington in 1994 as reformists, vowing to end a very real decade of Democratic power-mongering and scandal? Does anyone recall that even though Democrats are campaigning on Bush’s poor handling of the “War on Terror,” 145 of 211 Democratic Representatives voted in favor of the 2001 USA PATRIOT Act and only one Senator against? Or that 66 Democrats in the House voted in favor of the reauthorization in 2005 and only three Democratic Senators against? Are we impressed today by Congressmen like Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), who positions himself as the “People’s Defender” yet voted in favor of Bush’s recent evisceration of the Constitution as it pertains to prisoners of war? Will Democratic voters, at some point, acknowledge the irony of their present mood? Let’s put this in perspective. This election serves one very valuable purpose: to restore some modicum of party balance within the three branches of our federal government. But a Democratic House will not have the power to make sweeping changes to our domestic policies on health, education, jobs, campaign reform and the federal budget. And even if the will to do so is there, this cash-strapped nation is so committed to military spending at this point that to withdraw significant funding from the war to reallocate it to domestic interests would potentially put the lives of our deployed soldiers in even greater peril. I’ll lay down money that few Democrats with future political aspirations will take up that charge, for fear of alienating their home base and drawing easy fire from angry, organized Republicans. It’s all very interesting. While I applaud the […]
Nov 1st, 2006 by Jon Anne Willow
Dangerous ignorance
By Melissa McEwan Recently, Jeff Stein made an alarming revelation in the New York Times: most counterterrorism officials and Congress members to whom he’s spoken don’t know the difference between a Sunni and a Shiite. “For the past several months, I’ve been wrapping up lengthy interviews with Washington counterterrorism officials with a fundamental question: Do you know the difference between a Sunni and a Shiite? “A ‘gotcha’ question? Perhaps. But if knowing your enemy is the most basic rule of war, I don’t think it’s out of bounds. And as I quickly explain to my subjects, I’m not looking for theological explanations, just the basics: Who’s on what side today, and what does each want? “…But so far, most American officials I’ve interviewed don’t have a clue. That includes not just intelligence and law enforcement officials, but also members of Congress who have important roles overseeing our spy agencies. How can they do their jobs without knowing the basics?” As Stein correctly notes, it would have been incredible for British counterterrorism officials dealing with Northern Ireland not to know the difference between Catholics and Protestants. And yet one of the fundamental differences driving the civil war in Iraq and delineating disparate interests between – for example, Hezbollah and Al Qaeda – are not understood by many of our counterterrorism officials – and members of Congress in key positions relating to intelligence and defense. “Take Representative Terry Everett, a seven-term Alabama Republican who is vice chairman of the House intelligence subcommittee on technical and tactical intelligence. “Do you know the difference between a Sunni and a Shiite? I asked him a few weeks ago. “Mr. Everett responded with a low chuckle. He thought for a moment: ‘One’s in one location, another’s in another location. No, to be honest with you, I don’t know. I thought it was differences in their religion, different families or something.’ “To his credit, he asked me to explain the differences. I told him briefly about the schism that developed after the death of the Prophet Muhammad, and how Iraq and Iran are majority Shiite nations while the rest of the Muslim world is mostly Sunni. ‘Now that you’ve explained it to me,’ he replied, ‘what occurs to me is that it makes what we’re doing over there extremely difficult, not only in Iraq but that whole area.’” Gee, ya think? As Tristero at Hullabaloo notes: “Immediately after the 9/11 attacks, when the sound of the military airplanes patrolling the skies of Manhattan were still traumatizing everyone, I picked up some books on bin Laden, the Middle East, and Islam. I also peppered with questions the few people I knew back then who had some expertise on the subjects. In fact, lots of people I knew were doing the same thing; we were passing around books, articles, and clippings, emailing links to each other. This strikes me as totally unremarkable behavior.” It strikes me the same way. And, beyond what one would expect in terms of self-education […]
Nov 1st, 2006 by Vital Archives
November 2006
By IN:SITE Insight I had no idea IN:SITE would be on the cover of VITAL! This is fantastic! Thank you so very much (Covered, October 06). I love the photo on the cover. It is exactly what IN:SITE is about: SITE-SPECIFIC temporary public art. I was so glad that the focus was on the artists, the collaboration with business groups and the reactions of people on the street. Amy worked hard and it shows. And the whole texture of the piece with Amy mentioning the SOUND of “Super Subconscious” speaks to her background as a poet. Bravo! Pegi Taylor Lauds for Leiter I thought the article [on Saul Leiter] was great (Interview, October 06). It made me laugh out loud a few times. You really depicted his personality very well. He’s a unique individual, so I know this is not easy. Margit Erb Howard Greenberg Gallery New York To VITAL: Great article on Saul! You really capture his endearing demeanor and communicate the significance and originality of his work. I’ve forwarded it on to him, and I’m sure he’ll be pleased. All the best, Lisa Hostetler Assistant Curator of Photographs Milwaukee Art Museum To VITAL: I went to the most amazing event last evening thanks to you and your magazine. I was looking through VITAL when my husband said he wanted to see a movie or a play. I was not in the mood for either and was just finishing up reading your article, “Shoot from the hip,” when I saw the ad for “Milwaukee Street, Milwaukee” at the Milwaukee Art Museum. We went and – Wow! It was the most amazing exhibition I have seen in a really long time. Not only were Saul Leiter’s photos so pure and wonderful to look at, but so simple and so relatable. In addition to Saul’s exhibit, Cedar Block’s exhibit of local photo artists was really inspiring. I have to say that John Miller’s photo montage in the rain was done in the same feeling as Saul Leiter’s [work]. It’s great to see local artists being exhibited in the very public domain of the MAM. Thanks so much for a really great date! Toni Milwaukee Open Season on Butgereit? Thanks for taking the time to review Jeremy Enigk’s new record (Music Reviews, October 06). It’s interesting, though, that Ms.Butgereit [the reviewer] felt Enigk’s use of melancholia derailed the album. It makes me wonder if she ever heard 1996’s Return of the Frog Queen, Enigk’s first solo record (which she failed to mention) and what she thought of that. I, for one, feel like both of these albums are fantastic, despite the tone and pace, and aren’t “exhausting to listen to and difficult to enjoy,” as she puts it. By her estimation then, Nick Drake’s Pink Moon, Lou Reed’s Berlin, Sebadoh’s The Freed Weed and virtually every Smiths album no doubt “becomes overwhelmingly grating as the songs tick by,” simply because they dabble in the depressing. What other artists should we recommend steering […]
Nov 1st, 2006 by Vital Archives
Art during wartime
By Amy Elliott + Illustrations for Terror Chic by Joy Harmon (top) and Kristopher Pollard (bottom) In 1932, Betty Gow was accused of a playing role in the now infamous kidnapping of the Lindbergh baby. The Scottish nursemaid was never tried, though conspiracy theories about her involvement persist. Seventy-four years later, the incorrigible Ms. Gow is back – in Milwaukee, organizing her creatively inclined friends for Terror Chic 11/9, a showcase of art, fashion, and music in response to life during wartime. The show – and the alias – is the brainchild of teacher, writer, artist and all-around jetsetter Terisa Folaron. Recently returned from a year and a half abroad in Southeast Asia, she’s back in the “experimental swing of things” – first with The Dystopia Project this past October, an artistic response to the internment of artists and composers during the Holocaust – and now with Terror Chic. “Art offers a very personal and direct response to these events,” Folaron says. “[Other mediums] are not as accessible, or immediate, or intimate.” True as that may be, the years following 9/11 and the declaration of war on terrorism have made us all ask how much is too much, how soon too soon. Folaron’s research led her to reports that even fashion designers had backed off previously prevalent camouflage, epaulets and Maoist color schemes to avoid inflaming the sensitivities of a society suffering from post-traumatic stress. In direct retaliation to that, Terror Chic aims to cast a spotlight on the connection between art and war. It’s about creating at full tilt. Every piece of art, music and design was commissioned specifically for the show, and Folaron hopes that the event will give artists the chance to network, collaborate and start a conversation she feels has been tacit. “I approached an artist friend one day and asked, How has the war on terrorism changed your art? His response? ‘That’s right. I forgot we are at war,’” she says. “I laughed, until I received similar responses from other artists.” So what should we expect at the Hide House on 11/9? A somber Cold War vibe and tongue-in-cheek haute couture? Probably some combination thereof, as Terror Chic explores a range of perspectives on the current wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, from unabashed anger to dogged support. It also spans a range of musical styles, from the “happy hardcore” of Juniper Tar to the cello experimentation of Janet Schiff. Participating musicians contributed to a Terror 11.9 compilation CD, mastered by Ben Derickson of Zod Records and available exclusively at the event. Then there’s the art: photographs by Emma Freeman and Amanda Rose, pixel art by Craig Robinson, prints by Dwellephant, Matt Cipov and Joy Harmon, among contributions from many other highly regarded artists. Artwork will be for sale and buyers and collectors are encouraged to make an appearance. And have we stressed that there’s a catwalk? More specifically, that a fashion show will take place on the catwalk, featuring area designers, models and stylists – […]
Nov 1st, 2006 by Amy Elliott
Deep Roots
By Blaine Schultz + Photos by Kat Berger “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it” Genesis 1:28 Popular music, semi-popular music and even obscure music all seem to run in cycles. Immigrants first arriving in this country from the British Isles brought folk ballads with them. African slaves carried their own musical traditions, which included the distinctly characterizing Americana sound of the banjo. From these various foundations grew the structures of Americana music today. In 1927, Ralph Peer set up recording sessions in Bristol, Tennessee and hit not one, but two grand slams by recording The Carter Family and Jimmie Rodgers. Dubbed the “Big Bang” of country, Peer’s sessions with these future music superstars put hillbilly music on the map. Meanwhile in New Orleans, cornet player Buddy Bolden was never recorded. His legend alone lives on. To trace the history of American roots music, one must go to the source—the Mississippi River. As cities grew up along the waterway, so did the music, from New Orleans to St. Louis to Chicago. East of the river, Philadelphia and rural Appalachia developed their own voices, and New York City was a major focal point for both nightlife and the business of music. Nashville and Memphis would later play significant roles. West of the river, outposts in Kansas City, Tulsa and later Austin shouted regional sounds, as Los Angeles settled in as Showbiz Central. In the 1950s, teenagers finally had a little spare change and rock & roll dug in, fueled by fast cars and fast-talking DJs. Parents began scratching their heads, and things haven’t been the same since. Milwaukee itself supports a vibrant roots scene, with music from all over that spectrum available for your listening pleasure just about any night of the week. From smoky blues clubs in the central city to bars in Riverwest and coffee houses everywhere, folkies, thrift store hillbillies, suit-sporting wailers and flannel-shirted rockers throw down the music that defines the American sound. Each band or artist brings their own interpretation and vision to the music they play. For this story, VITAL spoke with over a dozen players and asked them each the same four questions. What follows is a glimpse into the music that’s helped to shape the Milwaukee music scene for over 20 years. DEFINE YOUR MUSIC. John Sieger I’m trying to locate that line that runs halfway along the American racial divide about 50 years ago. I’ve avoided steel guitars and fiddles like the plague because that tips the balance. Horns are acceptable but hard to find. Slide guitar is wrong for me, because it’s easy to cheat. I’m pretty specific about things. Ray Charles and Buddy, I mean Charlie, Rich had it exactly right. Jason Mohr – Juniper Tar Folk-influenced rock with punk, country and noise backbones. Bobby Rivera – Bobby Rivera and the Rivieras I’ve played a lot of different material in many different bands. My primary stuff right now is the rock & roll instrumental stuff, western […]
Nov 1st, 2006 by Vital Archives
Chickenshack 101
By Jonathan P. Ziegler WMSE has always had a commitment to local music of all types. However, other than blues programming, the station never really had a long-term show that was 100 percent dedicated to roots music. The Chickenshack was started in the Summer of 1997 for the dual purpose of spotlighting historic/forgotten roots artists and providing a platform for local and up and coming acts to be heard. Over nine years later, the mission is still the same and the show is even broader in spectrum. The strength of the show is in its diversity. You can hear honky-tonk, western swing, rockabilly, bluegrass, old-timey music, blues, rhythm and blues, rock & roll, singer songwriter even a little folk and some soul from time to time. On any given Friday you can hear music ranging from field recordings of people who never even played on a proper stage to artists like The Cramps. To me it all fits under the roots/Americana umbrella. The show has been and will always be a key venue for promotion of local artists and for the club owners willing to stick their necks out and book roots music. I try to make the show as accessible for these people as possible. Whenever a new roots band starts playing out in the area I get an email or a phone call from them and I am thrilled to be able to help them with airplay and live in-studio appearances and interviews. Being a musician, I fully grasp the importance and responsibility of having a forum like this. Throughout the years the support that I have received from artists and fans of the music has been overwhelming. When I started the show, I would have never dreamed that it would have the loyal listenership that it does. I feel like a proud papa when I see the Chickenshack shirts and stickers around town. It also serves as a reminder that the listeners take this kind of music very personally – who hasn’t choked up when they hear a Johnny Cash song in the last couple of years? And the people expect a high level of quality in the music that I play on the show. I’m always looking for the best songs and best performances by the artists I put on the air and will continue to do so. I only wish that I had a longer show so I could play more music. Jonny Z.’s Chickenshack can be heard Fridays from 9 am to noon on 91.7 FM, WMSE.
Nov 1st, 2006 by Vital Archives
We sing in the car
By Lucky Tomaszek We’re driving out to a rock climbing place for my daughter Lena’s 11th birthday. It’s July but it’s cool enough to have the windows down to the let breeze in. Lena says, “Will you play that one song, Mom?” I smile at her in the rear view mirror and scan through to track four. “Louder!” she calls from the back seat. I turn it up and look at her again, eyebrows up in question. “Louder!” She laughs as I crank it and then she’s singing along at the top of her lungs. Her friends bob their heads and sing the few words they know. As the song ends, she calls out, “Again? Please!” It’s her birthday, so I indulge her and start the song over, singing along with the stereo and my daughter while her friends try to keep up. As we pull into a parking space I turn the stereo down. Lena says to her friends, “You know how some families play softball or go for long bike rides? It’s like that. We sing in the car. It’s what our family does.” I have always loved music, and when my kids were born I swore I was going to do my best to share that love with them. To be clear, I’m not musically talented, not in any way. I can’t sing or play any instruments. And I can’t dance. Don’t ask me! But I have a great appreciation for the musical talents of others and never tire of hearing new music. I have worked hard to raise children who are musically open-minded, as well. Family favorites When Lena was a year old, her favorite CD was Peter Gabriel’s Shaking the Tree. She would bring me the disc over and over and shake her wee-tiny groove thing to “Solsbury Hill.” Not long before her second birthday, she fell in love with the song “Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps” by Cake. Being an incredibly articulate toddler, she could actually sing most of the words, though she didn’t really know what they meant. Emma joined our family around the time Lena turned three, while I was riding a wave of chick music: Indigo Girls, Tracy Chapman, Jewel, Sarah McLachlan. As I danced through the house, Emma nodded along in her sling, strapped to my chest and laughing with me as Lena followed banging on empty Tupperware containers. Even at eight years-old, Emma’s favorite song is still Edie Brickell’s “Black and Blue.” When Jeffrey was born six years ago, I was on a kick of revisiting all of my high school favorites. Tom Petty played throughout our home, punctuated by Deee-Lite’s World Clique. Concrete Blonde’s first album, U2’s Rattle and Hum, Replacement’s Hootenany – these and so many more were passed down from me to the three kids, giving them a healthy foundation from which to start to form their own musical opinions. Musical evolution I will be the first to admit that it was hard for me when Lena, at […]
Nov 1st, 2006 by Lucky Tomaszek
Willie Nelson
By Jon M. Gilbertson For anyone who loved Willie Nelson’s 1978 classic Stardust – the country legend’s first successful attempt to interpret truly great songwriters – the prospect of Songbird is mouthwatering. Not only is he taking on more contemporary tracks by the likes of Leonard Cohen and Gram Parsons, but he’s also getting assistance from Ryan Adams and Adams’ backup band, the Cardinals. While Adams often comes off like an arrogant prick, he does share key qualities with Nelson, such as a fondness for recording as many albums as he possibly can and a broad yet discriminating love for any music that’s good. Adams also produces Songbird unobtrusively, unlike some studio mavens (Daniel Lanois, for example) to whom Nelson has previously given relatively free rein. With the Cardinals alternating between sheer brawn and dulcet subtlety, and with regular harmonica player Mickey Raphael accompanying him, Nelson glides through a raucous take on Parsons’ “$1,000 Wedding,” a simple gospel-hush version of Cohen’s “Hallelujah” and a perfectly pitched waltz-time cover of Harlan Howard’s “Yours Love” with an easy grace unmatched by anyone this side of Tony Bennett. Adams and the Cardinals set up a kind of consistency on Songbird that allows a few of Nelson’s own compositions and even a new one by Adams, “Blue Hotel,” to sit well alongside the interpretations. If this album isn’t quite the achievement that Stardust was, and if Nelson’s voice isn’t entirely what it once was, Songbird still offers the sound of an American icon taking unmistakable pleasure in his craft, and using it on the art of others.
Nov 1st, 2006 by Vital Archives
Gem of the Ocean
By Jill Gilmer During a 20-minute scene in the second act of Gem of the Ocean, the audience finds itself in the belly of an African slave ship, consumed by the sights, sounds and emotions of human bondage. Water literally pours through the walls of the playhouse, as if the theatre itself were crying symbolic tears for the terror and loss endured by a People. I emerged from the scene transformed. My experience paralleled that of the protagonist in Gem of the Ocean, the epic play by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright August Wilson. Gem opened at the Milwaukee Repertory Theatre on Friday. It recounts the story of Citizen Barlow, a former African slave living in Pittsburgh in 1904. Tortured by guilt after committing a crime that led to a man’s death, Barlow seeks the assistance of Aunt Ester Tyler. Aunt Ester is a 286-year old woman reputed to be able to “cleanse souls.” Under her tutelage, Barlow embarks on a mystical journey to the City of Bones. This mythical place is a burial ground in the Atlantic Ocean for thousands of African slaves who expired on their torturous journey to the United States. Coming face to face with the grief of his past has a restorative effect on Barlow. He emerges from the City of Bones at peace with himself and empowered with a renewed sense of purpose for his life. Gem of the Ocean uses the rarely discussed topic of African slavery to tell an epic story of redemption and spiritual renewal. The genius of this production is that director Timothy Douglas invites the audience to participate in Barlow’s spiritual transformation as more than mere spectators. He dares to evoke a type of transformation in them as well. By the audience’s enthusiastic standing ovation, it was a risky gamble that paid off. As with August Wilson’s other plays, Gem of the Ocean explores the problems that have plagued each generation of African-Americans. It studies the psychological roots of internalized racism, drawing back to its origins in slavery. It’s a timely analysis for Milwaukee and other cities that struggle with the persistent problems of poverty, crime, anger and despair in the black community. Although these issues have special relevance to African Americans, they are presented through characters with which people of all races can recognize and identify. By focusing on the core themes of faith, honor, love and duty, August Wilson presents a story that transcends race and has the potential to unite human beings. The play suffers from two common criticisms of August Wilson’s work. It is exceedingly long – the total running time is 2 hours and 50 minutes. And the first act is, at times, painfully slow. But plowing through the first act is a worthwhile investment for the chance to experience the re-enactment of the Middle Passage in Act II. The relatively inexperienced cast does a commendable job bringing a familiarity to rarely-seen characters: former African slaves. Particularly noteworthy is the performance of Stephanie Berry, who captures […]
Nov 1st, 2006 by Vital Archives
Caribbean cowboy
By Catherine McGarry Miller + photos by Kevin C. Groen At 19, Montana native Michael Morton was a mosh pit punk who also briefly studied art in Missoula. “I’d be hard-pressed to tell you what I was trying to say,” he admits of his found-object constructions. “I was young and trying to make statements, but was probably naïve, misinformed and shallow.” Growing up in Montana, Morton experienced home on the range and its wide open spaces. He spent much of his youth exploring the woods near his Helena home, rooting around deserted mines and abandoned shacks. An avid fan of grunge and industrial music, Morton in 1993 joined the “Montana Mafia,” slang for the mass migration of young Montanans to Seattle for the music scene and city life. Having worked in delis as a teenager, he cooked to finance his clubbing. “I learned to work fast – whatever you do, do it fast. I had a string of deli jobs and never diversified my portfolio.” His first job in Seattle at a high volume kosher deli taught the unruly youngster a lot about interacting with the public and conforming to strict kosher dietary laws. Later Chef Walter Pisano of Tulio Ristorante took a very green Morton, with an admittedly bad attitude, and mentored him into a reluctant professional. “This was the real deal,” Morton smiles, remembering. “I had just enough experience to get in the door. I’d worked in such undisciplined kitchens. This was my first real professional kitchen where I learned technique, presentations and vocabulary: about quality in food.” Under Pisano’s tutelage, Morton’s long locks gave way to a military coif and he calmed down enough to learn his craft. Risotto was a real trial. “It’s really good when done correctly, but there’s no way to fake it or hide. The trick to risotto is cooking it very slowly and to never walk away from it.” The lessons Pisano imbued stay with Morton. “He said, ‘You should taste everything but you should taste nothing,’ which means that you should be able to taste all the ingredients that contribute to a dish, but nothing should overwhelm it. He also talked about the ‘face of food.’ Looking at a plate you should be able to see all the ingredients. Like in a sausage, each ingredient should be in every bite and in proper proportion.” Friend John Dye lured Morton to Milwaukee in 2001 to work at Hi Hat as a cook. “Brunch had the volume and intensity of serving people who were hung over and hadn’t had their morning coffee yet. You spend six hours in a 120-degree box and you’re either going to kill each other or have a really good time.” Hi Hat Executive Chef Matt Post introduced him to the nuts and bolts of the business: costing, inventory management and processing employee paperwork. This summer, DJ and Cassie Brooks, who’d worked with Morton at the Hi Hat, hired him on as chef of their own new restaurant, Good […]
Nov 1st, 2006 by Cate Miller
