CaShandra J. Plays Veterans Plaza, Tuesday, August 30th at 7 pm. Free!

Please join us for another exciting Plaza Performance on Silver Spring's Veterans Plaza. On August 30, 2011, we welcome jazz vocalist CaShandra J. back to the Plaza Stage!

A singer’s singer, CaShandra J. exudes her love of music in every note that she sings. Born and raised in rural Texas, she had every opportunity to be immersed in and around music. CaShandra J. picked up her first instrument at the age of 7. Her mother and father purchased an upright piano and started her on lessons. “I can remember always wanting to play a musical instrument and when my parents offered me the chance to take piano lessons, I was thrilled!” It was only a few years later that she was also taking lessons for violin and clarinet and playing in school ensembles. “I must be honest, I never was the best musician in class but I loved music so much, I didn’t really care. Music was my escape from the daily rigors of my school life and the people I was around. I just wanted to be next to it.” By the time she was in high school, CaShandra J. longed to leave her hometown in hopes of finding some place where she could just be herself. “I managed to maintain my sanity by taking art classes, photography and choir. I enjoyed it so much that I knew my happiness lied in creating.”

After finishing high school in only 3 years, Cashandra J. took off to college in a small community near Dallas, TX to study fashion design. After two years, she quit to find other avenues of education and self-fulfillment. “That was such a rough time for me. I had no direction and it was as if the music left my life!”CaShandra J. pick up and move again. This time she moved to Austin, TX, which was known for it’s live music. “Austin livened up my spirits again. This city had such a diverse music culture and I was always being exposed to new forms of music.” It was in Austin that she decided to start dancing in an ethnic cultural dance company. The company’s house band let her sit in from time to time to do covers of soul music. It was those experiences that ignited her love of singing and refueled her passion for music.

After receiving her Bachelors in music at Howard University and performing at a host of venues, CaShandra J. is taking her love of music to a new level. Look forward to hearing her new project, Life in Techni-Color, which is wholly injected with jazzy licks and soulful lyrics, due out in 2011.

Visit her website at http://cashandraj.com/index.html

Silver Spring's Veterans Plaza is located at the intersection of Fenton Street & Ellsworth Drive in downtown Silver Spring.

These performances are productions of the Silver Spring Town Center, Inc. Visit our blog at www.silverspringtowncenter.blogspot.com, follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/sstowncenter or on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/groups/8305814081/

Inaugural Silver Spring Town Center Arts Salon Debuts Thursday, August 25, 2011

The Silver Spring Town Center, Inc. is pleased to announce the inaugural meeting of the Silver Spring Town Center Arts Salon on Thursday, August 25, 2011 at 12 noon!

What is a salon: An Italian invention of the 16th century, a salon is a gathering of people who are invited by a host to enjoy the exchange of creative energy. The goal of the SSTC Arts Salon is to encourage the cross-pollination of ideas and inspiration among artists of all disciplines, to promote networking, and to alleviate artistic isolation.

The Silver Spring Town Center Arts Salon will be hosted by Silver Spring resident Mary Amato, an author, poet, songwriter, musician, and playwright. http://www.maryamato.com/

Who’s invited: Fine artists, filmmakers, writers, musicians, photographers, graphic designers, playwrights, poets, and anyone interested in the creative process.

What to bring: Ideas, questions, stories, business cards for networking, and a brown bag lunch and/or drink, if desired.

Where to show up: Silver Spring Civic Building; One Veterans Plaza, Silver Spring, MD 20910 (We’ll meet in the Interior Courtyard.)

Each salon will have a different topic and will feature a guest artist who will begin the conversation. For August 25, our guest artist is Franklin Taggart, a musician, songwriter, music producer, fledgling designer and serial blogger in Silver Spring. He also is a professional coach specializing in helping people successfully transition into self-created, nontraditional careers. Check him out at http://franklintaggart.com. His topic--Wrestling Fear: How/when does fear appear? Can fear ever serve us? Understanding and using fear as a powerful ally.

Space is limited to twenty participants. To reserve a space, please RSVP via email to Mary Amato (info@maryamato.com).

These program is a production of the Silver Spring Town Center, Inc. Visit our blog at www.silverspringtowncenter.blogspot.com, follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/sstowncenter or on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/groups/8305814081/

Trip to Pakistan - The Eclectiks on Veterans Plaza

The Eclectiks are a local electric string band, whose instrumentation includes three violins, one cello, one guitar, a keyboard and flute. The music they play is a blend of modern and old. Some of the folk tunes on their play list date to the 18th century.

The Eclectiks are Mike Cohen, Violin; Regina Koenig, Violin; Charles Tolbert, Violin; Frances Eargle, Cello; Simona Patange, Flute; Pete Stover, Guitar; Steve Soroka, Keyboard; Gary Daum, Bass Guitar.

For more Plaza Performances videos by the Silver Spring Town Center, visit our YouTube Channel here.

The Thrill Is Gone - Boomerang

Boomerang is an old-time rock & roll band whose set list includes such classics as Walkin' the Dog, Devil with the Blue Dress On, Slow Down, Don't Fight It, Love Rocket, You Can't Do That, Gimme 3 Steps, Rainy Night in Georgia, Mustang Sally, Sharp Dressed Man, Money, Louie Louie, Pretty Woman, Let It Bleed, Burnin' Love, Little Sister, and Feelin' Alright. Boomerang is John Brown (bass and vocals), Cap Pendleton (guitar and vocals), Hank Burnett (drums and vocals), and Gary Garvin (guitar).

For more Plaza Performances videos by the Silver Spring Town Center, visit our YouTube Channel here.

I'll Get To Heaven On My Own - Cooking with Gas

Cooking With Gas serves fine acoustic music featuring generous portions of blues spiced with jazz, gospel, swing and folk. CWG has played at the Washington Folk Festival and the Silver Spring Blues Festival. The members of Cooking with Gas are Jim Bunch (washtub bass, washboard), Marcus Childs Moore (fiddle, vocals), David Oziel (guitar, vocals), David Rothman (harmonica, vocals), Bob Sherman (guitar, vocals) and guests. For more information, visit their website at http://www.facebook.com/cookingwithgasmusic

For more Plaza Performances videos by the Silver Spring Town Center, visit our YouTube Channel here.

House of the Rising Sun - The Traveling Bluejayes

The Traveling Bluejayes performed on Silver Spring's Veterans Plaza on July 3, 2011. They're a great band that plays folk, rock, rockabilly, originals, and blues. The band members are Arlene Jaye, George Hardman, Karen Hardman, Rick Kanton, Michelle Murray, and Joyce Ettingoff.

For more Plaza Performances videos by the Silver Spring Town Center, visit our YouTube Channel here.

The Second String Bluegrass Band - Emmett Overstreet, Earl Williams & Paul Young

Emmett Overstreet, Earl Williams, and the late Ron Krupka formed the Second String Bluegrass Band over 30 years ago. The band, which was active from 1981 to 2004, has had from three to five members and instrumentation including rhythm guitar, five-string banjo, Dobro guitar, lead guitar, fiddle, mandolin, and string bass. Paul Young joined the group in the late 1990s. The band's repertoire is heavily influenced by the music of bluegrass pioneers such as Lester Flatt & Earl Scruggs and Bill Monroe. Folk songs, country songs, and instrumentals round out the repertoire.

For more Plaza Performances videos by the Silver Spring Town Center, visit our YouTube Channel here.

SwagFunk, Cloud 9 Return to Veterans Plaza, Sunday, July 31,2011. Free!

Please join us for more exciting Plaza Performance on Silver Spring's Veterans Plaza! On Sunday, July 31, we welcome "SwagFunk" to the Plaza Stage, at 6 pm. And we welcome "Cloud 9" back to the Plaza Stage for a repeat performance. These performances are free!

SwagFunk! Formed in the 1990s, SwagFunk's original band name was "Equinnox and the Mary Groove." The band consisted of the current lead singer/drummer Danny Gorman, guitarist/bassist Brian A.C. Williams, and Thomas Johnson on guitar. With the departure of Thomas Johnson from the group, the band took a break for a while until Danny decided to hold a jam session with a few new musicians. Al Warren was immediately recruited, based on previous projects with Brian. Guitarist Mike Sutton came on board to replace Thomas Johnson. Scott Eister soon joined to hold down and work the bass guitar. The band has been playing at large and small venues since 2008. The present band consists of: Deirdra Harris Vocals, Daryl Braxton: Vocals & Keys, "Funk Master" Mike Sutton: Rhythm & Lead Guitar, Back Vocals, "Smokin" Al Warren: Drums & Percussion, "The Funk Doctor" Scott Eister Bass & Percussion, Brian A.C. Williams Guitar. The band has recently been featured at the Fenton Street Market.

Cloud 9! We're pleased to announce that Cloud 9 will return to perform on Silver Spring's Veterans Plaza on Sunday, July 3 at 2 pm as part of the Plaza Performances series.

"From the ever growing urban setting of the DMV (Laurel, Maryland to be more specific) comes a new iconic band, Cloud 9. Cloud 9 is a group that embodies positive change and advocates artistic integrity. Opposing the negative impact of commercial music in today's world, Cloud 9 ironically brings a fresh down to earth sound. Their music can hardly be classified, as they merge different genres to create music that appeals to the masses. The group started in April 2009 as 4 teens trying to win their high school talent show, and has now evolved into a 6 member super group.

On the roster they have: Michael "TK" Akinlosotu - Lead Vocals; Adam Dunbar - Electric Guitar ; Jason Zamora - Piano and Synth; Jonathan Livas - Drums; Timm Cruz - Bass Guitar and Jordan McRae - Saxophone.

Cloud 9 played Veterans Plaza for SSTCi in April 2011.

Silver Spring's Veterans Plaza is located at the intersection of Fenton Street & Ellsworth Drive in downtown Silver Spring.

These performances are productions of the Silver Spring Town Center, Inc. Visit our blog at www.silverspringtowncenter.blogspot.com, follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/sstowncenter or on Facebook.

Plaza Evening: Capital Accord Chorus and Mary Amato and Bill Williams on Silver Spring's Veterans Plaza, Thursday, June 9, 2011 at 7 pm. Free!

Capital Accord Chorus, an award-winning women’s a cappella chorus, draws from a variety of musical styles to deliver high energy performances that are remembered by their audiences long after the last chord has rung. Bringing together the talents of a diverse group of female singers from the Washington, DC, metropolitan area, members of the Capital Accord Chorus join their voices to create the familiar and unexpected sounds of a cappella harmony that entertain audiences of all ages. Under the direction of Sherry Stanton, an accomplished a cappella performer in both the contemporary and barbershop styles, Capital Accord Chorus is known not only for the sounds they create but also for their memorable performances that touch audiences with humor, nostalgia, and pure joy.

Bill Williams and Mary Amato enjoy writing original songs as well as performing jazz, folk, alt-country, and blues. Find out more about Bill at http://www.willbilliams.com/ and Mary at http://twopiecesuit.wordpress.com/. Although they play with separate bands, they are teaming up to work on a special music project together and will debut some of their songs here.

Warner Williams and Joyce Ettingoff at Silver Spring's Veterans Plaza

The Silver Spring Town Center, Inc. was very proud to host blues legend Warner Williams and Joyce Ettingoff at Silver Spring's Veterans Plaza. The performance was part of the Silver Spring Regional Center's Plaza Evening series. Warner played for more than two hours to the delight of an adoring crowd. We were pleased to also welcome SiriusXM's Bluesville program director, and a neighbor, Bill Wax to the Thursday program.

Warner Williams and Joyce Ettingoff Perform on Veterans Plaza, Thursday, May 19, 2011 at 7 pm

Join us tonight for another exciting Thursday Plaza Evening performance at the Silver Spring Civic Building. We are pleased to present one of the truly great musicians of our time—Warner Williams—on Veterans Plaza, starting around 7 pm. Joining Warner will be harp stylist Joyce Ettingoff.

Guitarist and songster Warner Williams of Takoma Park MD is one of the greatest unsung heroes of the Piedmont blues—an Eastern seaboard style that incorporates fiddle tunes, ballads, country and popular songs, ragtime, and gospel. With a jaunty rhythmic finger-picked guitar style and an eclectic repertoire that ranges from blues to honky-tonk, jazz crooning to children’s songs, Warner Williams is an old-style community entertainer of national significance. Joyce Ettingoff of Silver Spring is a wonderful harmonica player who plays throughout the metro Washington region, often with the band The Traveling BlueJayes.

Check out Warner’s music at www.folkways.si.edu/albumdetails.aspx?itemid=3004

Tonight’s program is a production of the Silver Spring Town Center, Inc. Read our blog at www.silverspringtowncenter.blogspot.com or follow us on twitter at www.twitter.com/sstowncenter

SSTCi Seeks Performances for Thursday Night Plaza Evenings at Veterans Plaza (August to October)

Silver Spring Town Center, Inc. seeks individuals and groups to perform for the Thursday Night Plaza Evening series at Silver Spring's Veterans Plaza. Performers must be willing to donate their services, i.e, these are unpaid performances. The performances are scheduled from 7 to 9 pm. For more information, contact silverspringjams@gmail.com

The following Thursday evenings are available for performances at Silver Spring Veterans Plaza--

August 4
August 11
August 18

September 15
September 22
September 29

October 6
October 3
October 20
October 27

Groove Jet Plays Veterans Plaza

Many thanks to SSTCi Board Member Don Berkemeyer for stepping up with his band to kick off our support for the Regional Center's FIRST arts & entertainment "Plaza Evenings."

With an enthusiastic crowd, great weather, and dancers, Groove Jet was groovin'.

We owe a lot to Don, Garrett Green (piano) Mark Frawley (trumpet), Greg Brown (drums) and Bruce Krohmer (sax), who happens to be the Director of the Takoma Park Jazz Festival.

Next up, next Thursday, a program by Pyramid Atlantic. On April 24, there will be another SSTCi supported performance.

By the way, if you have suggestions for performers, please ask them to email silverspringjams@gmail.com with their contact information, type of performance, and website site info, if possible.

Silver Spring Town Center, Inc. Elects New Officers

At its recent meeting, the Silver Spring Town Center, Inc. elected its officers for 2010-2011: Alan Bowser, President; Sheryl Brissett-Chapman, Vice President; Mary Ann Zimmerman, Secretary; and David Fogel, Treasurer.

The Silver Spring Town Center, Inc. is a 501(c)3 community-based non-profit that was established to provide exciting arts, entertainment and educational programming for the Silver Spring Civic Building and Veterans Plaza.

The other members of the SSTCi Board are: Donald Berkemeyer, Jr., Jose Dominguez, Jack Hewitt, Graciela Jaschek, Mark Kozaki, Jon Lourie, Aurelia Martin, Harriet Weil and Wanda Whiteside.

Silver Spring Blues Festival - A Huge Success!

The first Silver Spring Blues Festival at Downtown Silver Spring was a huge success. Held on Saturday, May 9th on Ellsworth Drive, the festival attracted hundreds of blues fans and casual spectators under sunny skies.

The festival featured international bluesman "Memphis Gold" and his band which included legendary harmonica player Charlie Sayles and popular vocalist Black Betty. Other featured acts were Three Chords and the Truth, Silver Spring guitarist Jonny Grave, the DC Blues Society Band and the Capital Blues Ensemble. WPFW radio personality Ida Campbell was the festival emcee.


Montgomery County Executive Isiah Leggett attended the Silver Spring Blues Festival as did Montgomery County Councilmembers Valerie Ervin, Marc Elrich, George Leventhal, and Maryland State Delegate Tom Hucker.




In addition to Stokey the Clown, facepainting, and crafts activities led by Pyramid Atlantic, the musical petting zoos organized by the DC Blues Society and Dale Music were extremely popular.



The Silver Spring Blues Festival was produced by the Silver Spring Town Center, Inc., in partnership with the DC Blues Society, Montgomery College, PFA Silver Spring LLC, Three Keys Music, the Silver Spring Regional Services Center, the Silver Spring Penguin and the Silver Spring Voice.

The festival was videotaped by Montgomery Community Television for broadcast later this year.