Free!

Early Spring 2008

 CONTENTS
Get Out and Listen

cover story
4
A college student discovers that the music scene is
Vol. 2 Early Spring 2008 Issue 5 alive and well and thriving in Tallahassee.

Official Publication of the SPECIAL CENTER SPREAD: Tallahassee’s

Music Scene At A Glance. (We bet you don’t know
the half of it!)
Publisher Peggy Brady
Editor Randi Goldstein
Creative Director Tony Archer
Editorial Assistant Daniel Lyons

adventures in the arts

10
Capital Culture Magazine is published
bi-monthly by the Council on Culture Whisperin’ Ken Winker
& Arts with support from the Leon
County Tourist Development Council. Blows a Mean Blues Harp
Capital Culture Magazine is distributed A longtime legislative staffer discovers the joys of
free of charge to visitors to and residents playing the blues.
of Florida’s Big Bend Area.

Reproduction of Capital Culture

Magazine in whole or in part is
permitted only with written permission

12
from the Council on Culture & Arts.
Reproduction without permission is
Cloud 13 Records Founder
interview

strictly prohibited.
and Proprietor Steev Taylor
Editorial, art, and photography Tallahassee’s own independent record label aims high.
submissions to Capital Culture Magazine
are considered. Writer’s guidelines are
available at www.cocanet.org. However,
the publisher assumes no responsibility
for return of unsolicited manuscripts or
art. Capital Culture Magazine reserves the
profiles in the arts

21
right to publish any letters to the editor.
Although COCA makes every effort to Alexander Jiménez
publish accurate information, we make no This conductor, percussionist, and teacher shares
guarantee as to the accuracy, completeness, his expertise and love of music with hundreds of
or timeliness of the information in this local kids every year.
magazine. All rights reserved.

Capital Culture Magazine is available

in large print upon request. This
publication is available in electronic
reviews

format at COCA’s website at www.

cocanet.org. The opinions expressed
in this magazine are those of the Sarah Mac Band’s Open Fire
individual contributors and do not page 6
necessarily reflect those of the Council
on Culture & Arts, or Capital Culture Soft Targets’ Heavy Rainbow
Magazine’s sponsors or advertisers. page 13
Subscriptions to Capital Culture
Magazine are available by joining the
Council on Culture & Arts. Please
A COCA publication sponsored in part by the City of Tallahassee, Leon County, the State of Florida,
visit www.cocanet.org/about/join.
Division of Cultural Affairs, the Florida Arts Council, and the National Endowment for the Arts.
html to download an application or
call (850) 224-2500.

Copyright © 2008 Council on Culture & Arts

 FROM THE PUBLISHER

Music is all around us

COCA is pleased to devote this issue to the wonderfully exciting and diverse music scene in the
Tallahassee area. From jazz to blues to rock to classical, Tallahassee has local music in just about
every style for every taste.
Did you know…that former Tallahassee Mayor Steve Meisburg, with his partner John Paul
Walters, was one of three acts signed when Casablanca Records was founded? (The other two
were KISS and Donna Summer.) Did you know…that local music legend Velma Frye has been
a regular on A Prairie Home Companion? Did you know…that Tallahassee musicians Marvin
Goldstein and Pam Laws played “peace concerts” in Israel with Israeli Arab, Israeli Jewish and
American jazz singers?
Working on this issue has really reminded me of the extraordinary quality of our local
musicians. To show off, this year we welcomed back our legislators with a “musical petting
Illustration by Nathan Archer
zoo,” organized by new volunteer Meghan Norman, and manned by members of public school
music programs and members of the Tallahassee Symphony Youth Orchestras. These talented
young musicians generously allowed legislators, lobbyists, and local public officials to “pet” their
instruments, and gave them some firsthand experience with exactly how difficult it can be to
make the right sound.
With the renovations to Ruby Diamond Auditorium set to go, and plans in progress for
cultural amenities at Cascades Park, the Arts on Gaines facility, and the Performing Arts Center,
our community will soon have even more and better places to showcase the wonderful talent
we have here.

Peggy Brady

Regular Features
1 From the Publisher
2 Contributors
2 News of Note
10 More Than You Thought
17 COCA Connection: All that’s new with COCA
18 Directory of Arts and Cultural Organizations and Businesses

Capital Culture Magazine www.morethanyouthought.com Early Spring 2008 | 1

NEWS OF NOTE

FSU Alums He
nry Polic II,
a moment with Susan Russell
the Impossible and Davis Gain
(second from Dreamer himse es share
right), Dean Em lf, Richard G.
eritus of the Fallon
Photo Credit:
David Rowell Sc ho ol of Theatre.

CONTRIBUTORS
Available Now!
Daniel Lyons was born in Ft. Lauderdale and grew up
in the Broward County area. He moved to Tallahassee
to attend Florida State, and plans to finish his degree
in English this year. Dan has contributed writing to
Satellite Magazine and spent two years as a DJ at
V-89 and is currently Capital Culture Magazine’s
Contributing Writer and Editorial Assistant. On the weekends you
can find him either digging around the used record bins or paddling
through one of the area’s beautiful waterways. And whichever sports
season it is, you’ll find him in the stands rooting on the Noles.

Ken Winker is a Senior Legislative Analyst with the

Florida Senate Democratic Office, as well as being the
Vice-Chair (and longest-serving member) of COCA’s
board of directors. He has been a Florida legislative
staffer for many years, in the office of Program
Policy Analysis and Government Accountability, and
committees on Workforce and Technical Skills, Water and Natural
Resources, Community Colleges, Corrections, Juvenile Justice, and
Commerce. In his spare time he is also a blues musician and was a
founding member of the Apalachee Blues Society. www.FirstFridayTallahassee.com

2 | Early Spring 2008 www.morethanyouthought.com Capital Culture Magazine


WelCOMe
LeMoyne Center for the Visual
Arts welcomed Grace Maloy
as its new Executive Director in
November. No stranger to Tallahassee,
Grace previously worked with
the Tallahassee Senior Center art
program, and was the Executive
Director of Gadsden Arts Center.
Owners Clarence and Gerri Seay
have opened B. Sharp’s Jazz Cafe
at 648 W. Brevard Street, and feature
local and national jazz musicians as
well as a regular Wednesday night jam
session. Clarence is a professional jazz
musician who has played in Japan,
China, India, and various locations
across Europe. For more information
and a schedule of events, visit their
web site at www.b-sharps.com
KeeP uP THe
GreaT WOrK
The School of Theatre at Florida
State celebrated their sold-out
holiday benefit concert of Man of
La Mancha on Saturday, December
15 with a champagne reception on
the stage of the Richard G. Fallon
Theatre immediately following the
performance. Man of La Mancha
featured FSU alums Davis Gaines,
Henry Polic II,and Susan Russell as
well as guest artist Raymond Sage,
under the direction of Fred Chappell
and music direction of Tom Ossowski.
All proceeds from the concert will
benefit the School of Theatre.
Goodwood Museum & Gardens
undertook a comprehensive fundraising
initiative, the Honoring History – Securing the
Future campaign, for five projects including
the new Carriage House Conference Center
Complex and an endowment fund. To
date, they have raised nearly $1.7 million
towards their approximately $3 million
goal for the campaign.
Capital Culture Magazine
NEWS OF NOTE
Tana McLane and Sharri Moroshok,
co-owners of Humidity Gallery,
both exhibited their art jewelry
design in CraftArt 2007, Florida
Craftmen’s annual fine craft show in
St. Petersburg, FL.
CONGraTulaTIONs
Local poet Mary Jane Ryals has
been selected as the first ever
“Poet Laureate of the Big Bend”
by a committee of volunteers in
conjunction with Big Bend Poets,
Anhinga Press, and Tallahassee
Writers’ Association.
Recent FSU Film School graduate
Z. Eric Yang was named Best Asian
American Student Filmmaker by the
Directors Guild of America for 2007. In
addition, undergraduate Catherine
Rehwinkel was the recipient of
an Honorable Mention in the Best
Woman Student Filmmaker category.
Charles Hazelip was recently
honored with the Vivian LaValle
Volunteer Award for his work with the
art department at the Tallahassee
Senior Center.
In December, Young Actors Theatre
presented its annual Zoli Awards.
Acting awards went to Nathan
Hyson (Best Ensemble Performer),
Danielle Spisso (Best Supporting
Actress for Grease), Charlie Johnson
(Best Actor for Big, the Musical), Eden
Joyner (Best Actress for The Lion, the
www.morethanyouthought.com
Membership...
A Wise
Investment
Invest in 52 acres of
WadePhotography.com
breathtaking Florida
flora and fauna bordering
beautiful Lake Bradford.
With a Tallahassee Museum Membership
you get:
• The Museum’s bi-monthly newsletter
• Discounts on most Museum classes,
summer camp, and birthday parties
• 10% discount at the Museum Store and
Trail Break Café
• UNLIMITED Museum admission
Witch and the Wardrobe), and Mickey
Bahr (Best Supporting Actor for Big,
the Musical). Other awards included
the Fran Award (Camille Hayward),
the Judy Award (Ariel Burton), the
Elizabeth Holingsworth Anderson
Memorial Award (Kaylan Grimes),
and the Price Award (Liz Joyner).
GONe BuT
NOT COMPleTelY
The gallery space of Thomas Eads
Fine Art closed December 31, 2007,
but Thomas remains in town and
continues consulting with collectors,
businesses wishing to display art, and
photography students. TEFA focuses
on regional contemporary art, and
welcomes inquiries about the art and
artists he represents.
Early Spring 2008 | 3
 and thriving in Tallahassee
ene is alive & well
at the music sc

i
t discovers th
A college studen

have come to a bittersweet conclusion. I am

completely blown away by the quality
of the music being produced in this town
. Unfortunately I have managed to ignore
the local music community throughout
my time as a student in Tallahassee, and
won’t be here too much longer to enjoy
it all.
The main reason I ignored the local scen
e for so long is that I made the
erroneous assumption that “local” mus
ic was the equivalent of “sub-par” mus
was clearly a mistake. After digging into ic. This
Tallahassee’s music scene, I want to urge
students and residents to get out and see both
some of the artists and groups that are crea
some truly fantastic music here. ting
The sheer number of bands, groups, ense
mbles, and solo artists that create and
perform music in Tallahassee makes it
impossible for me to include all of them
couldn’t even mention all the ones I pers here. I
onally liked. I’ve had to pick and choose
some of the bands or musicians with estab from
lished careers as well as some newer ones
are creating something truly impressive that
in an array of different genres.

Longineu Parsons is probably the most popular name among
the musicians who call Tallahassee home. The associate professor
of trumpet at FAMU is hailed by national and international critics
as one of the greatest trumpet players in the world today. And his
trumpet playing is just the tip of the iceberg. Parsons plays multiple
instruments, writes, composes, and sings as well. He has
had the pleasure of sharing the stage or recording with
artists like Cab Calloway, Nat “Cannonball” Adderley,
Herbie Mann, Sun Ra, and Branford Marsalis. He has
performed in more than 30 countries for ambassadors,
presidents, and even the royal family. I had the pleasure
Lyons
of seeing Parsons play at the Railroad Square Fall Fever
Fest and was not only impressed by his talent but by
the pure enjoyment he showed playing for a crowd.
We are truly lucky to have him.
Another heavy hitter, Pat Puckett, has been playing music
solo and in various bands in Tallahassee for 24 years. His brand of
alt-country holds up to national bands of a similar mold, like Son
Volt, 16 Horsepower, and Palace. Puckett’s beautifully crafted songs
take influence from his own experiences with marriage and family,
and he has had the satisfaction of playing with some of the very
musicians who have influenced him – musicians like Alejandro
Escovedo and Paul Harris (Nick Drake, Buffalo Springfield). So
if you like music in the vein of Neil Young, be sure to keep an eye
out for a show with Pat Puckett. He plays in town roughly every
two months.
If your taste in music is more on the dark side, be sure to look
into the band Cruxshadows. Formed in 1992, the band has stayed
focused artistically despite several line-up changes over the years,
and even managed to produce a couple Billboard number ones.They
must hold the title for “miles traveled by a band from Tallahassee,”
playing between 100 and 120 shows a year internationally.
Unfortunately, it is a rare occasion that they play here locally; their
immense stage set-up, light show, and contingent of dancers mean
that few venues in town can accommodate them.
Another band whose longevity is a testament to
their commitment to make music is Cream Abdul
Babar.. This eight-piece group has been creating
together since October of 1994. In fact, they
played their first show on Halloween weekend
only three days after their first practice. What
started out as a crude punk band (only half of the
members could actually play their instruments in
the beginning) has since morphed into a group that
creates and churns out some brutally gorgeous noise.
They play metal in the same territory the Melvins,
Neurosis, and Unsane. Thankfully they just came off
a three-year Southeastern tour, and plan to get back to
their routine of playing Tallahassee twice a year.
If blues music is your remedy then surely check out
Big Daddy and Red Hot Java. Formed in 1995, the group
Capital Culture Magazine www.morethanyouthought.com
morethanyouthought.com
COVER STORY
takes influence from Chicago and New Orleans blues music, and
are a self-described mix of Willie Dixon, Robert Cray, and Keb
Mo. They have had the pleasure of opening up for legendary acts
like Van Morrison, The Doobie Brothers, and Kool & the Gang.
So if you are drowning in sorrows, get out and allow Big Daddy
and Red Hot Java to lift your spirits.
By
If you’re looking to music to get yourself out of
a rut, I can’t recommend the power-pop group The
Ums highly enough. Their humor and liveliness is
Dan infectious to the crowd, and it’s difficult to leave their
performances in a foul mood. They write playful,
unpretentious songs that are similar to those by
Ben Folds Five or Beck, yet The Ums are making
wonderfully original music that can’t be pinned to
one genre. When watching these guys play, you’ll get
a sense that they are enjoying every second on stage. You’d be hard
pressed not to bust your best dance move, and if you don’t at least
crack a smile you may not have a soul. Everyone needs to see this
band at least once.
If your best dance move belongs in the 1980s, then polish
that baby off and go check out Girls on Film. This four-piece
group (their names are so rad that I have to list them: Rio-lead
vocals, Machine-Electronic Drums, Kazhmir-bass guitar, and
Metro-keyboards, programming) plays what they call “Lipstick
Synth-Pop,” one of the best descriptions for a band’s style I’ve ever
heard. They mesh the dark dance beats and candy pop music that
was popular a couple decades
ago with perfect precision.
Easily Tallahassee’s most
(continued on next page)
Girls on
Film
Early Spring 2008 | 5
COVER STORY
fashionable band, they’ve proved a hard
act to follow by opening for groups like
The Fixx, VHS or Beta, and Rasputina.
If you’d rather steer clear of the word
“synth”and your taste in music is more on
the organic side, then you want to witness
The Mayhaws.Their acoustic roots draw
inspiration from Americana, American
Traditional, and Bluegrass styles, and
they throw some modern charm into the
mix. The band has four members who
conjoined two bands to form what is now
The Mayhaws. They blend guitar, drum,
stand-up bass, and mandolin to make
some good ol’ Southern music.
Another local group drawing on
Southern influences is the rock band Full
Black Out.Together for about four years
now, they consider the Allman Brothers
to be their major influence.Their musical
talent is truly impressive, with every
member holding their own, though the
harmonica solos from Kip Kale stuck
out as a highlight of the performance I
saw. The energy that all the musicians in
the band displayed really got the diverse
MusIC reVIeW
Sarah Mac Band
Open Fire
Pixel Records
Release Date: January 11, 2008
Genre: Indie
The Sarah Mac Band describes it-
self as “bluesy, jazzy rock with a healthy
dose of soul,” but also says this on its
website: “We would request that you
listen to us and then make your own
choice for what type of music we play.”
So their genre is actually up to you.
Sarah Mac (lead vocals, guitar and
piano) is the perfect mix between the
softness of Sarah McLaughlin and the
passion and jazz of Sara Bareilles. There
must be some magic that gives girls
6 | Early Spring 2008
crowd moving.
I say “diverse”because this particular
show was proof of the varied music
Tallahassee turns out. The group that
opened up for Full Black Out was After
the Smoke, a six piece hip-hop group
that shows serious potential. With their
superior beats, great songwriting, and
clever lyrics, this group’s performance
threw the crowd into party mode.
The members cite Outkast, Stereolab,
Jamiroquai, The Neptunes, and Stevie
Wonder as influences on their sound. I
impressed with not only their music but
also their professionalism. If any group
has the entrepreneurial spirit to reach
people on a national scale, it is After the
Smoke.Their hard work is evidenced not
only by the new and fresh music they are
creating, but by how well they promote
themselves.
Another young group showing signs
of potential turned out to be my personal
favorite: The Western Hold. They only
played their first show in March of 2007,
but wow, are these guys good! They play
named Sarah those
blindingly sensu-
ous voices.
Well, Sarah
Mac is one that we
can call our very
own. She and her
band mates, Charlie Vanture (lead gui-
tar and backing vocals), Claire Swindell
(bass guitar and backing vocals), and
Keli Swearingen (Pearl Drums) formed
their group here in Tallahassee in the
spring of 2005. The band launched
their latest album, Open Fire, with a
release party on January 11 at The
Warehouse on Gaines Street.
Open Fire is the perfect CD to
pop in the car on a sunny day, dance
to in your kitchen, or groove to on
the treadmill. Sarah’s smooth vocals
and the band’s easy instrumentals
totally complement a personal favorite
“Summertime,” composed by George
Gershwin. The title song, “Open Fire,”
www.morethanyouthought.com
instrumental songs that ebb and flow and
drag you right along, with a similar sound
to groups like Mogwai and Explosions in
the Sky. Although they are a young band,
The Western Hold has already opened
for Jesu and Cream Abdul Babar, as
well as being invited to play The Fest in
Gainesville.
Even after throwing out so much
information, I feel like I’ve left out so
much. I haven’t even come close to
covering all of the great music this town
is producing. But much of the enjoyment
in being music fan is discovering it on your
own. So go out to some of the wonderful
venues we have here in town like The
Warehouse,The Beta Bar,Big Daddy’s,
Club Downunder, and all others who
help local music to be heard. Also tune
your radio to V-89 every Monday night
from 10 pm to midnight for Hootenanny,
where you can hear music created here
in Tallahassee as well as live on-air
performances by local acts. Just don’t make
my mistake and put it off – start checking
it out right away!
is another smooth, but faster-moving
composition that captures the essence
of passion and melody. Its lyrics are
those that anyone who has been
brokenhearted can appreciate.
Open Fire is available locally at
Vinyl Fever and Textures Handmade
Market, or online at cdbaby.com and
iTunes. You can also see the band live
at Springtime Tallahassee on March
29. For more information, check out
their MySpace page or their web site at
www.sarahmacband.com.
Bonnie Bower
Capital Culture Magazine
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(Note: this may not be a complete list of all musicians and/or music venues, and COCA does not endorse any particular artist or event.
For listings of many other musicians and local music events, visit www.morethanyouthought.com.)
Whispering
Ken Winker
Blows a Mean

Blues
HarP
Who Ever Said That You Can’t
Teach an Old Dog New Tricks?

by Ken Winker

S hortly after the 2000 presidential election and the recount

debacle in Florida, I became fascinated with the little tin
and wooden instrument with ten holes to blow through,
with the German name Hohner etched on its side: a
harmonica. This instrument seems deceptively simple, but in the
hands and mouth of someone who really knows how to play it,
the harmonica can make sounds and express emotions that are
just as at home in country music, classical, jazz, rock and roll, and
my personal favorite, Blues.
My musical experience to that point consisted of piano
lessons in the fourth grade, singing in my high school chorus
and church choir, and listening to lots of music on my record
player, then my eight-track player, then my cassette player, my
CD player, and now my iPod. But I wanted to learn to play the
harmonica just like the great Blues musicians I was listening to
– Little Walter, Big Mama Thornton, Paul Butterfield, James
Cotton, and Charlie Musselwhite.
Unfortunately the book and CD harmonica lessons didn’t
seem to work for someone of my advanced age. I needed the
personal interaction of a music teacher. But who teaches you how
to play harmonica in Tallahassee?
And then a friend of mine saw a flyer on her bulletin board
at work from someone offering lessons in the piano, the clarinet,
or, believe it or not, the harmonica. So I called Steve Sternberg, a
local boogie-woogie piano player and award-winning songwriter,
who performs at all sorts of events in the Tallahassee area. I soon
started my once-a-week harmonica lessons with Steve, who
became my mentor and my friend.
One blow, three draw, five draw, five blow, open up the inside
of your mouth. Here’s how to use your tongue to block certain holes
while you blow and draw other holes. Make the harmonica sound
like an increasingly faster high speed train... run out of air in your
lungs... build up your breath... don’t get so tired... make single notes on
the harmonica... practice your scales... learn to play this riff...practice,
practice, PRACTICE! I learned to call the harmonica a “Blues
harp” and I was becoming a Blues harp player.
A year or so later, I headed for Davis and Elkins College in
my home state of West Virginia to participate in a week of Blues
harp lessons from a brilliant harmonica player named Joe Filisko.
I also took lessons from other great Blues musicians such as Phil
Wiggins and Otis Taylor. It was also where I met a talented
92-year-old West Virginia fiddler, Melvin Wine, who had

10 | Early Spring 2008 www.morethanyouthought.com Capital Culture Magazine

 ADVENTURES IN THE ARTS
himself learned fiddle tunes from my
great-grandfather and my great-great-
B
grandfather, Pat and John Cogar.
ack in Tallahassee. “Ken,
would you like to be part of
my Christmas recital with
my other students?” Steve
asked around Thanksgiving. My chest
tightened – not a good thing for a harp
player. “You and I could play a Blues
duet,” he encouraged. “It’ll be great!” So
I practiced and had a great time playing
the Blues and a few Christmas tunes in
front of a most appreciative audience of
retired folks.
In the summer of 2004, my friend
Randy Webster invited me on his 24th
trip to Ireland to be part of a supporting
act for his band, Red Hot Java. “Do you
really think I’m good enough to go on
the road and play the Blues?” I asked.
“Yes,” he replied, “and we need to
give you your own stage name. How
about ‘Whispering’ Ken Winker?”
I was almost afraid to ask why.
He told me that even though I
played the harp softly, I played it with
Ken Winker and friends jam one evening at Paradigm in downtown Tallahassee.
Capital Culture Magazine www.morethanyouthought.com Early Spring 2008 | 11
emotion. And since I was also learning
how to play through a microphone
and an amplifier, I would have the
necessary volume to be heard despite
my whispering ways. And so I became
Whispering Ken Winker – a Blues
musician!
We played in pubs for two weeks
in Northern Ireland, then along the
west coast, and down south to Cork
and Kinsale. Then we flew back to
England, where I was thrilled to see my
name in the London equivalent of the
Limelight. We played in several clubs
there, including one gig alongside one
of Britain’s finest Blues musicians, Papa
George.
As my musical tour of Ireland
and London ended, I knew that I
had actually been taking another
journey, one that continues to give me
opportunities to meet new friends and
have new experiences. And although
the Blues is often about pain and
sadness, the Blues also speaks to hope
and the goodness of people. Music
has always been and will always be an
important part of my life.
Interested?
Check out one of these programs in the
Tallahassee area. Places to perform, learn
from other musicians, and have a great
time gathering and making music.
B Sharp’s Jazz Café, 648 West Brevard
Street, 681-2400. Jazz jam sessions every
Wednesday at 8 pm, plus Blues jams the
first Sunday of the month from 2-6 pm.
Big Bend Community Orchestra, 893-
4567. An all-volunteer organization open
to all orchestral musicians in the Big Bend
area. Rehearses Thursday evenings from
7-9:30 pm in Room 165, Communications
& Humanities Building, on the Tallahassee
Community College campus.
Down Below at Barnacle Bill’s, 1830 N.
Monroe Street, 459-5191. Hip-Hop Night,
hosted by DJ Joshua “Mad Mardigan”
Mclean and featuring live performances
and open mic for MCs 18 and older.
Finnegan’s Wake, 1122 Thomasville Road,
222-4225. Open bluegrass jam sessions
on the first Sunday of every month from
7-10 pm. Also hosts Irish music jam on the
second Sunday of the month from 7-10 pm.
FSU Student Life Center Cyber Café, 942
Learning Way, 644-4455. Open mic night
every other Wednesday from 8-10 pm.
Lichgate on High Road, 1401 High Road,
567-3474. Monthly “Old Time Country
Jams”every 3rd Thursday from 7 -10:30 pm.
The Sweet Shop, 701 W. Jefferson Street,
224-2700. Open mic every Tuesday at 7
pm, hosted by V89.
The Warehouse, 702 W. Gaines Street,
222-6188. Open jazz jam every Monday at
9 pm. Open mic night every Wednesday
at 9 pm.
(Note: this may not be a complete listing of all
opportunities to play music, and COCA does not
endorse any particular event or opportunity. For
listings of many other types of local music events,
visit www.morethanyouthought.com.)
INTERVIEW byy Dan Lyons
y

DL: How would you describe Cloud 13?

ST: Cloud 13 is an online-focused

independent label. The music is provided
on-demand, so you can order a CD
online, or download the music through
iTunes or Amazon. My wife and I started
the label initially just to release our own
music. Since then we have taken on acts
in town that we like, and the label is now
run loosely as a collective. The artists
whose music we release have their hands
in keeping this thing afloat.

DL: Why on-demand?

ST: The on-demand format allows for us

to release music without going broke. So
instead of printing up hundreds of CDs,
we do a small initial pressing to supply
the bands with CDs to sell at concerts.
From then on, we print them as needed.
Because a majority of our sales are from
digital downloads, and we press the
CDs in-house, it keeps our cost low. I
take influence from the way Dischord
Records in Washington D.C. used to have
Cloud 13 Records
the mail-order format for their releases.
promotional poster Instead of going through all kinds of
avenues to get a tape or CD, you went
straight to the source. I also admired how
If anyone is fully aware of the great music being made here in Tallahassee, it’s they committed to the music being made
Steev Taylor, founder and proprietor of Tallahassee’s own record label, Cloud 13 Records. within their own community.
A musician himself, Taylor has been part of the local music scene for nearly 20
years, earlier with the band Pocket Novel Mystery, and now as part of the duo DL: Why Tallahassee?
Tangemeenie with his wife, Lori.
ST: Outside of the fact that I live here
What started as a project to release Tangemeenie’s music has since turned into and have roots in the area, I believe that
mission of sorts to promote the excellent music being created here in Tallahassee. for a small town, Tallahassee has a lot of
The label, Cloud 13 Records, is home to the indie bands the The Grand Canyons, potential. You have the music school,
Soft Targets, and The Ums. Installments of The Fertile Compilation, which showcases some great venues that allow for the
music, poetry and visual art created in and around Tallahassee, are also released by bands to play, and you have people that
the label. want to go out and listen to the music.
Also, Tallahassee is a somewhat of a hub
I recently sat down with Taylor and talked about the label, Tallahassee music, and city; there is a constant flow of people in
the state of the music industry. Though his overall presence is laid back, Taylor’s and out of the town. So it allows for the
enthusiasm for the Cloud 13 Records was clear and infectious.

12 | Early Spring 2008 www.morethanyouthought.com Capital Culture Magazine

music to be spread outside the city limits with relative ease.
I believe that Tallahassee can be known as one of the great
music towns, and I hope that Cloud 13 can help get the city
on the map, the way Sub-Pop in Seattle, Dischord in D.C.,
and Sun in Memphis have done.
DL: How are the bands involved with running the label?
ST: Well, most of all, we try to let the bands have as much
say as possible in the day-to-day decision-making that
affects their career. We generally don’t make a move without
talking it over with the band first. I won’t say it’s always the
most efficient way to do business, but it supports one of
our larger aims of helping our bands learn firsthand about
the business side of music. Beyond that, there are many
different ways the bands help: They bring other local bands
to our attention that might otherwise fly under our radar.
They help with promotion by spreading the word about
the label on the web and at live shows. In a couple of cases,
we’ve literally had bands drop by the house to help print
and package CDs.
DL: You seem to have some of the harder working bands
in Tallahassee on Cloud 13. What is drawing them to the
label rather than self-releasing their work?
ST: For one thing, we offer a way for bands to release and sell
their CDs without any initial costs. We can also keep track of
sales, help the artists manage the business side of things,
and offer insights from our own 18 plus years of experience
being in bands and dealing with the industry. Managing
everything yourself while still trying to make good music
can quickly become difficult and expensive. We take some
of that burden away. In the past, we’ve also helped bands
find producers to work with and helped them establish
relationships with reputable music promoters. We don’t
have a large promotional budget, but we’ve paid for ad
space in a couple of major music magazines and picked up
some of the costs of a radio promotion campaign. We hope
to keep expanding what we can offer our artists, in terms of
advertising, promotion, and booking, but every band needs
something a little different.
(continued on page 16)

MusIC reVIeW with some great, well-crafted songs. The

music itself, the production, and even the
packaging is well above what you might
There cannot be enough said about
the production on Heavy Rainbow by
former Tallahasseean Tim DeLaney. The

Soft Targets
expect from a local group. album sounds clean and crisp, deserving
The album opens with“Something of a good pair of headphones to truly ap-

Heavy Rainbow
Cloud 13 Records
Release Date: September 28, 2007
Genre: Indie/Pop
Available at:
• Vinyl Fever, cloud13records.com,
iTunes, and cdbaby.com
More information at:
• www.softtargetsmusic.com
Tallahassee’s own Soft Targets
return with their sophomore release,
Heavy Rainbow. Jesse Corry (vocals/gui-
tar) and Nathan Sadler (bass/keys/vocals)
brought in Steven Gillespie, the drum-
mer for popular local band‘The Ums,’to
provide the beats and additional vocals,
and the result is entirely impressive.
They have dropped a beautiful album
Else,”and like most of the songs on Heavy preciate what’s been created. Honestly,
Rainbow, it is mellow and introspective. you’ll get lost in how gorgeous it sounds.
(“Calm Me Down”has a jumpier beat So go out and grab this great album
to it, and“Under Control”is a bit more or check out Soft Targets live at one of
in-your-face than the other cuts on the the fine venues here in town. You might
album.) Corry’s emotions are evident in just find that your next favorite band is
his sensitive vocals. Like Morrissey or Otis from your own backyard.
Redding, who wear their hearts on their
Daniel Lyons
sleeves, Corry’s feelings are clear to the
listener. His tremendous vocal skills send
a heartfelt message when combined
with clever lyrics like,“I’ve got the shaky
sick stomach of a boy who just got
forced to fight.”
Heavy Rainbow also showcases
Soft Targets’ability to put together a nice
harmony. Each member lends vocals to the
songs, adding a real density to the straight-
forward compositions. Horns were added
on“Sugar Glass”and strings on“Small
Straight,”filling out the sound for each.

Capital Culture Magazine www.morethanyouthought.com Early Spring 2008 | 13


ne interactive community even
ght.com is a free, on-li m pling of the events po
nYouThou . Here is a small
sa
COCA’s MoreTha calendar for no charge
) to the
and otherwise
Art, Exhibits, & More
Put Together at 621 Gallery addresses how we assemble
ourselves inside and out, with the ceramics of Charles E.
Birnbaum of New York, quilting by Jeana Eve Klein of North
Carolina, and images by Marcy Sperry of Chicago. Exhibit runs
through March 30. For more information, call 224-6163.
And April 4 through 27, 621 Gallery goes Primal, exploring
the relationship between primitive nature and humanity. Gabi
Etenberg of Nevada uses the camera to capture people and
places that explain the tension of displacement within herself;
Linda Frost of California addresses the suffering of animals in
the name of science; Jane Hesser of Rhode Island explores the
inner, primal nature of humanness that is expressed through
animalistic imagery. For more information, call 224-6163.
A new exhibit, Seminole People of Florida: Survival and Success,
details the history of the Seminole people in Florida from the 1850s
to the present. More than 150 artifacts reflecting the Seminole
history, culture, and traditions plus historical photographs, a
reconstructed trading post, and a Seminole chickee are included.
Through June 1 at the Museum of Florida History.
Also at the Museum of Florida History through April 30, in
celebration of Women’s History Month, the new Curator’s Choice
exhibit, Florida Women Win the Vote, highlights the history of
the women’s suffrage movement. The display includes artifacts
from the early 20th century donated by women’s rights activist
Roxcy Bolton. Additional objects include campaign buttons and
memorabilia promoting the power of women. For information
about either exhibit, call 245-6400.
14 | Early Spring 2008 www.morethanyouthought.com Capital Culture Magazine
ts (art-related
is invited to post their even
yone
ts calendar. Ever
sted in March/April 08...
Not everything is seen in black and white. In Photography in
Sepia, Carole Robertson takes us to New York City and Paris,
France – familiar scenes with a different perspective. See her
contemporary cityscapes with an old-fashioned feel at the Old
Armory Galleries at the Tallahassee Senior Center through April
22. For more information, contact 891-4016.
The Mary Brogan Museum of Art and Science hosts Enrique
Chavarria: Surrealism and the Fantastic Paintings and Works on
Paper from the Michael and Tonya Aranda Collection through
May 25, 2008. Chavarria’s fantastic imagery brings together
elements of both outer and inner reality, producing creations
with both the quality and lucidity of the fantastic and sometimes
disturbing world experienced in dreams. For more information,
call 513-0700.
Dance
The FSU Department of Dance features A’keitha Carey and
Kristen Sholes in the MFA Dance Concert on March 28 and 29 at
the Nancy Smith Fichter Dance Theatre. Call 644-6500 for tickets,
or go to www.tickets.fsu.edu to order online.
Before Dancing with the Stars came the show that started it
all: BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing. Now the creatives behind this
hit UK television program bring you the sensational stage
production Simply Ballroom, starring celebrity host Debbie
Reynolds, American Idol finalists Anthony Fedorov and Vonzell
Solomon, and a cast of world-class dance champions. At the
Tallahassee-Leon County Civic Center, March 29 and 30. For
more information, call 850-222-0400 or 800-322-3602.

Join dance lovers and the Tallahassee Swing Band, along
with Pauline Hurst and the Tallahassee Swing Dancers, for
the popular Swing Dancin’ in the Street: a fun time in the spirit
of a 1940s block party. Listen to or swing to those fabulous
sounds of the 1930s and 1940s outside the Knott House
Museum on April 5 (rain date: April 12). For information, call
922-2459.
Join African Music and Dance for their Fourth Annual Concert
of African Music and Dance on April 5 at Chiles High School. The
concert will feature African classical choral music, contrasted with
gospel music and jazz. Also featured will be a professional African
traditional dance troupe specializing in West African music,
which will be contrasted with Afro-Peruvian music. Audiences
are encouraged to wear their African attire for a fashion show. For
tickets, call 590-8445.
Music
Indulge your musical talents or come listen to others play in
the Wednesday Night Jazz Jam Sessions at the brand new B
Sharps’ Jazz Café, every Wednesday from 7- 10 pm. For more
information, call 681-2400.
Dramatic soprano Shirley Close has appeared in leading operatic
roles in Munich, Cologne, Berlin, Mannheim, Washington, Miami,
(Note: All events are subject to change without notice. Check www.MoreThanYouThought.com, or contact the individual organizations listed for updated information.)
Capital Culture Magazine www.morethanyouthought.com Early Spring 2008 | 15
CALENDAR
Dallas and the Bayreuth Festival. Hear her at Opperman Music
Hall on the FSU Campus on March 27, with Timothy Hoekman on
piano, as part of the Faculty Solo Artist Series presented by the FSU
College of Music. For more information, call 644-9934.
Conductor Alexander Jiminez leads the University
Philharmonia in an evening of Barber, Boccherini, and Rimsky-
Korsakov, featuring cellist Gregory Sauer. April 4 at Ruby
Diamond Auditorium. Call 644-6500 for tickets, or go to www.
tickets.fsu.edu to order online.
On April 6, Goodwood Museum & Gardens along with the FSU
International Center will present Cuba, part of the Housewright
World Music Series at Goodwood. This free outdoor concert
under the oaks features Cuban songs and instrumental music,
under the direction of vocalist Christina Villaverde, and is perfect
for families. For further information, call 894-2302.
The Tallahassee Symphony Orchestra, under the baton of
Music Director Miriam Burns, presents Staircase to Heaven on
April 26 at Ruby Diamond Auditorium. This concert features
Rossini’s The Silken Staircase Overture, Liszt’s Piano Concerto
No.1 with Andrew Armstrong on piano, and Rachmaninoff’s
Symphony No. 2. Call 644-6500 for tickets or go to www.tickets.fsu.
edu to order online.
Theatre
Meet the bible belt kin of the deceased Bud Turpin. They've got
a funeral to plan. By the time they sort through their money
problems and what to engrave on their father's headstone,
they've put the "fun" in "funeral." Dearly Departed will be
presented by FAMU Essential Theatre at the Charles Winter
Wood Theatre April 2 through 6. Parental guidance is suggested.
Call 561-2425 for tickets.
The Mickee Faust Club, Tallahassee’s “community theatre for
the weird community” presents its annual Spring Cabaret, The
Year of the Rat, on April 4 to 6 and 11 to 13. Join the intrepid
“Faustkateers” for an evening of political and socio-sexual satire,
literary and cinematic parodies, old and new vaudeville, original
and adapted songs, and fully staged bad jokes. For information,
call 562-RATS (7287).
Mary Lennox, a young orphaned girl transplanted from Colonial
India to Victorian England, learns to overcome loneliness and
reach out to help those around her in this beautiful musical
retelling of Frances Hodgson Burnett's classic tale, The Secret
Garden. The lush music and the mysterious garden where
anything is possible are brought to life with a lively cast of
characters, lyrically sensuous music and a romantic spirit of hope
and transcendence. Don't miss The Secret Garden at Tallahassee
Little Theatre, April 10 through 20. Call 224-4597 for information
and tickets.
CONTINUED
More Than You Thought
(continued from page 9)
She’s the adventurous spirit that lives
inside everyone who lives for the
moment and believes that “life is a
banquet!” She’s Eve, St. Joan, Lady
Godiva, and Florence Nightingale
all rolled up into one larger-than-
life package. She’s Mame! Come see
her April 11-13 and 18-20 at Quincy
Music Theatre in Quincy. To reserve
your tickets, visit www.qmtonline.com
or call 875-9444.
Murder, greed, corruption, violence,
exploitation, adultery and treachery
– the cornerstones of the sultry and
alluring Broadway musical hit Chicago.
It’s the story of seductive nightclub
dancer Roxie Hart who finds that the
road to fame can be a trail of blood.
Throw in a cunning lawyer and a bit
of razzle dazzle, and Roxie goes from
cold hearted killer to the toast of the
town. Part of the Tallahassee Broadway
Series at the Tallahassee-Leon
County Civic Center, April 14 and 15.
Call 222-0400 for tickets.
Festivals
The Downtown Marketplace has
returned! Every Saturday, March
through December, from 8 am to 2
pm, downtown comes alive with live
entertainment, food, music, art and
fine crafts from local and regional
artists, and book signings and literary
chats by authors. Selected local
farmers offer up nature’s best fresh
produce of the season, and local
galleries and museums provide free
hands-on art activities for children.
For more information, call 224-3252.
On April 5, bring the family out to
Wakulla Springs State Park for the
annual Wakulla Springs Wildlife Festival.
There will be nature tours, music
by Sammy Tedder, Coon Bottom
Creek and City Limits, and many
artists displaying works highlighting
regional wildlife and heritage.
16 | Early Spring 2008
Mame is produced by arrange
and dialogue materia ment with, and the
l furnished by Tams-W
Library, Inc. / 560
Lexington Avenue
, New York, NY 10022.
Environmental exhibitors, wildlife
shows, and activities for children are
also available. For more information,
call 561-7286.
On April 10, 11, and 12, the Mary
Brogan Museum of Art and Science
presents its 6th Annual Florida Wine
Festival at the museum and on
Kleman Plaza. This three-day event
includes fine food, fine wine, and
an extravaganza complete with
Las Vegas style gaming and an
entertainer who spans the decades.
For further information, call 513-0700.
LeMoyne Center for the Visual Arts
presents the 8th Annual Chain of Parks
Art Festival on April 19 and 20. This
fine art festival features 125 highly
accomplished artists from across the
U.S. exhibiting works in Tallahassee’s
historic downtown parks and along
North Gadsden Street. An educational
experience for all, plus an opportunity
for art collectors to see a large
national selection of fine works in one
location. Amenities including a wine
and beer garden and food court will
also be offered. For information, call
222-8800.
www.morethanyouthought.com
Interview
(continued from page 6)
DL: Cloud 13 seems to have an
emphasis on cost effectiveness.
In order to keep costs low, do the
artists do their own recording,
or is there someone specific you
work with?
ST: We definitely try to stay as low-
to-the-ground as possible. A couple
of our artists have been fortunate
enough to work with an excellent
producer, Tim DeLaney, who is based
in Atlanta. But more commonly, our
artists produce their own recordings.
I’m a producer myself, although
music
my focus at the moment is on the
new Tangemeenie record that Lori
itmark Music
and I are working on. One of the
new realities of the music industry
is that technological advances
have made it easier and cheaper to
produce decent recordings, so more
and more independent artists are
producing their own recordings.
Ultimately, those are the kinds of
artists we get most excited about
working with: artists who are
self-sufficient and self-contained,
but who recognize the benefits of
pooling their talents and resources
with other like-minded artists.
For more information about
Tallahassee’s independent music label,
visit www.cloud13records.com or visit
them on MySpace or at their blog at
cloud13records.blogspot.com.
Capital Culture Magazine
 CONNECTION
COCa Notes New Faces
You’ll be hearing a new voice
answering the phone, as Dan Lyons is
COCA’s new administrative assistant.
Dan was an intern with COCA in the fall
semester, working primarily on Capital
Culture Magazine.
Michael Winn of Catalyst Consultant
Group is generously volunteering with
COCA to help update and upgrade our
web and database systems. He’s off to
a terrific start by securing a donation
of software licenses from SalesForce.
com and helping to revamp our entire
data flow.

COCA was awarded a grant of $375,000 from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation for Congratulations
the pre-development phase of the Arts on Gaines project. COCA Board Member Margo COCA congratulates the award winners
Bindhardt, who has been leading the Arts on Gaines effort, made the announcement at at its annual juried show, Photofest.
a press conference on January 22 at the top of the Capitol. She was joined at the podium First Place went to John Douglas,
by Mike Pate of the Knight Foundation, Tallahassee Mayor John Marks, Leon County Second Place
Commission Vice-Chair Bryan Desloge, and Wendy Holmes of Artspace Projects, Inc. was awarded to
Special guests included Florida Secretary of State Kurt Browning, FSU Vice President for Amy Higgins,
University Relations Lee Hinkle, FAMU Pharmacy Dean Henry Lewis III, and Leon County and Third
School Board Member Sheila Costigan. Place went to
Jackie Bentz.
That same evening, COCA and Artspace presented the results of the housing/ market Honorable
surveys to the general public. Nearly 100 interested artists, arts organizations, and other Mentions
attended the event at the Marriott Residence Inn on Gaines Street to hear the latest. were awarded
COCA has also been recommended for a Challenge Grant of $100,000 from the State of to Robert Janus, Angela Petsis
Petsis,
Florida, Division of Cultural Affairs, for pre-development of the Arts on Gaines Project. Caroline V. Sturtz, and Nancy Worrell.
The Challenge Grant budget still needs to be approved by the legislature this session.
special Thanks
On November 13, COCA hosted the Florida Arts Council members for dinner and a COCA would like to thank the Marriott
bus tour of the Gaines Street area. Representatives from the Performing Arts Center, FSU Residence Inn for donating the use of
Mastercraftsman Program, Blueprint 2000, and other neighborhood arts and community its conference rooms for COCA’s event
projects met the Arts Council members at their sites and shared information about their in January. COCA also thanks The Olive
projects. In addition to many Florida Arts Council members and COCA’s Chair, guests Garden for donating lunch for a recent
included Kurt Browning, Secretary of State, and County Commissioner Ed DePuy. Board of Directors meeting.

Out and about

• Leslie Puckett has begun a new part-time position as the Art Program Coordinator at the Tallahassee Senior Center, where she in
charge of the center’s art exhibits and art classes. (But don’t worry – she’s still here at COCA the rest of the time!)
• COCA’s Associate Director, Randi Goldstein, co-taught an improv theatre workshop at the new Mickee Faust Academy of Really
Dramatic Arts in December, and is currently teaching Creative Improv at TCC.
• COCA’s Arts in Public Places Director, Leslie Puckett, taught a workshop on making collaged holiday cards, and Education Director
Amanda Thompson taught a needle felting class, both at LeMoyne Center for the Visual Arts.

Capital Culture Magazine www.morethanyouthought.com Early Spring 2008 | 17

arts & Cultural Organizations and Businesses
Unless otherwise specified, all area codes are 850.
leGeND
See www.cocanet.org for expanded listings
Highlighted are COCA members
Official First Friday participant
live performances and events
exhibitions/attractions
opportunities to participate
adult classes
things to buy
programs/classes for kids
DaNCe
African Caribbean Dance Theatre
539-4087, www.fadf.org
African Music and Dance, 508-2127,
africanmusicanddance@gmail.com
Argentine Tango Society of Tallahassee
222-2211, www.tangotallahassee.com
Community School of the Performing Arts and
Culture, 574-2237
Corazon Dancers
(305) 989-0739
Essence Dance Theatre
412-7525, Essencedance@aol.com
FSU Ballroom Dance Club
www.fsuballroomdance.com
FSU Department of Dance
644-1023, dance.fsu.edu
Halimeda’s Oasis
421-5151, www.halimedasoasis.com
Head Over Heels Dancewear
224-5140, www.head-over-heels.com
In Step Studio
421-5151, www.instepstudio.com
Killearn Performing Arts
443-7512 or 894-9364, www.killearnpa.com
Kollage Dance Troupe
645-1385, kdtfl.tripod.com
Maggie Allesee National Center For
Choreography (MANCC)
645-2449, www.mancc.org
Mahogany Dance Theatre, 561-2318,
mahoganydancetheatre@hotmail.com
Montgomery Schools of Dance
877-4874
Mountain Dew Cloggers
386-1263, www.clogforfun.com
Orchesis Contemporary Dance Theatre
599-8678
Performing Arts Center of Tallahassee, 562-1430,
performingartscenteroftallahassee.com
Prophecy School of the Arts
222-8085, www.prophecyarts.net
Rhythm Rushers Bahamian Junkanoo Group
412-7087, jandecosmo@comcast.net
Sharon Davis Schools of Dance
893-5900
Southern Academy of Ballet Arts
222-0174
The Tallahassee Ballet
224-6917, www.tallaballet.com
Tallahassee Community Friends of Old
Time Dance, 421-1587 or 421-1838,
www.tallydancer.com
Tallahassee Swing Band Dances
894-3789, etoole@aol.com
Tallahassee Zydeco & Cajun Association (TAZACA)
212-0431, zydeco-jan@comcast.net
Tribal Wallah Dance Troupe
459-0371, www.tribalwallah.net
USA Dance, 562-1224, homepage.mac.com/
mweininger/tallusabda
Wildwood Ballet, (850) 894-0264,
www.wildwoodpca.org
FIlM & VIDeO
Diane Wilkins Productions
893-1441, dianewilkinsproductions.com
FSU Film School
644-0453, filmschool.fsu.edu
FSU Student Life Cinema
644-4455, movies.fsu.edu
IMAX Theatre at the Challenger Learning Center
645-STAR, www.challengertlh.com
Mike Vasilinda Productions
224-5420, www.mvptv.tv
Rossier Productions, Inc.
224-0372, www.rossierprod.org
Tallahassee Film Society
386-4404, www.tallahasseefilms.com
Video 21, 878-3921
HIsTOrY/HerITaGe
Alfred B. Maclay Gardens State Park
487-4115, www.floridastateparks.org
The Black Archives
561-2603
Claude Pepper Museum
644-9311, www.claudepepper.org/museum
The Florida Historic Capitol & Legislative Research Center
487-1902, www.flhistoriccapitol.gov
Goodwood Museum & Gardens
877-4202, www.goodwoodmuseum.org
Gulf Specimen Marine Laboratories (Panacea, FL)
850-984-5297, www.gulfspecimen.org
John G. Riley Center/Museum of African American
History and Culture, 681-7881,
www.rileymuseum.org
Kirk Collection
www.wfsu.org
Knott House Museum
922-2459, museumoffloridahistory.com
Lichgate on High Road
383-6556
Mission San Luis
487-3711, www.missionsanluis.org
Museum of Florida History
245-6400, museumoffloridahistory.com
Pebble Hill Plantation (Thomasville, GA)
229-226-2344, www.pebblehill.com
San Marcos de Apalache Historic State Park (St. Marks,
FL), 922-6007
Tallahassee Automobile Museum
942-0137, www.tacm.com
Tallahassee Museum
575-8684, www.tallahasseemuseum.org
Tallahassee Trust for Historic Preservation
488-7100, www.taltrust.org
lITerarY
Anhinga Press
442-1408, www.anhinga.org
Apalachee Press
942-5041, lnewt@supernet.net
Back Talk Poetry Troupe
459-7399, www.blackonblackrhyme.com
CyPress Publications
576-8820, cypress-starpublications.com
Digital Pulp
297-1373, www.digitalpulp.org
Fiction Collective Two (FC2)
644-2260, www.fc2.org
Florida Literary Arts Coalition
www.floridaarts.org

18 | Early Spring 2008 www.morethanyouthought.com Capital Culture Magazine


LeRoy Collins Leon County Public Library Floyd’s Music Store
606-2665, www.leoncountylibrary.org 222-3506, www.floydsmusicstore.com
Paperback Rack FSU College of Music
224-3455 644-4774, music.fsu.edu
Society of Childrens Book Writers & Illustrators Gordon’s String Music
656-3410, Streetpmr@nettally.com 386-7784
Tallahassee Writers’ Association Home Music Educators
671-3731, www.twaonline.org 656-7613, www.homemusiceducators.com
Word Traffic Books Jim’s Pianos
422-WORD, wordtraffic@yahoo.com 205-5467, www.jimspianos.com
Mason’s School of Music
MulTI-DIsCIPlINarY 412-0102, www.masonsmusic.com
Center for Fine Arts Education The Moon
254-0123, www.cfaefl.org 878-6900, www.moonevents.com
Downtown Marketplace Music Center
224-3252, www.tallahasseedowntown.com 942-0626
Florida Center for Performing Arts and MusicMasters
Education, 893-2497, sylviaochs@mac.com 224-6158, www.musicm.com
Florida Arts and Community Enrichment (F.A.C.E.) Music Xchange
644-8533, faceart@aol.com 681-7443, www.themusicxchange.com
Pyramid Studios Musikgarten
513-1733, www.pyramidinc.org 668-2119, www.best-begin.com/
Seven Days of Opening Nights musikgartensignup.html
644-7670, www.sevendaysfestival.org Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park (Live Oak, FL)
Tallafesta 904-364-1683, www.musicliveshere.com
878-5148, www.carnivaltallahassee.com Stringfest
Tallahassee Leon County Civic Center 668-6896, www.stringfest.com
487-1691, www.tlccc.org Stubbs Music Center
Thomasville Cultural Center (Thomasville, GA) 893-8754, www.stubbs.org
229-226-0588, thomasvilleculturalcenter.com Tallahassee Chapter, Nashville Songwriters
Thomasville Entertainment Foundation Association, 509-2695,
(Thomasville, GA), 229-226-7404, www.nashvillesongwriters.com
www.tefconcerts.com Tallahassee Civic Chorale
Thomasville Road Academy of the Arts 878-2711, www.civicchorale.org
422-7795, Tallahassee Community Chorus
www.thomasvilleroad.org/academy.htm 668-5394, www.tcchorus.org
The Warehouse, 222-6188 Tallahassee Community College Jazz Band
567-6336 or 201-8360
MusIC Tallahassee Girls’ Choir of CHOICE
Apalachee Blues Society
576-7501
668-5863, www.apalacheebluessociety.com
Tallahassee Music Guild
The Artist Series
893-9346
224-9934, www.theartistseries.com
Tallahassee Pipe Band
Barbershop Harmony Society
576-0708, www.saintandrewtallahassee.org
562-3876, www.capitalchordsmen.org
The Tallahassee Symphony Orchestra
Beethoven and Company
224-0461, www.tallahasseesymphony.org
894-8700, www.beethovenandcompany.com
Tallahassee Symphony Youth Orchestras
The Beta Bar
224-9232, www.tallahasseesymphony.org
425-2697, www.thebetabar.com
Tallahassee Winds
Big Bend Community Orchestra
668-7109, www.tallahasseewinds.org
893-4567, www.bbco.org
Tally Piano & Keyboard Studios
Boys’ Choir of Tallahassee
386-2425, www.tallypiano.com
528-2403, www.boyschoirtlh.org
Tocamos
Bradfordville Blues Club
212-0325, www.tocamos.com
906-0766, www.bradfordvilleblues.com
Vinyl Fever
Bradfordville Fine Arts Academy
580-2480, www.vinylfever.com
893-0893, www.b-fbc.org
Voces Angelorum, 942-6075,
Classical Guitar Society of Tallahassee
www.voicesofangelstallahassee.org
521-0700 or 668-1643, istal.com/cgst/index.html
WFSU
Club Downunder
487-3170, www.wfsu.org
644-6673, union.fsu.edu/cdu
FAMU Music Department THeaTre
599-3334 Bainbridge Little Theater (Bainbridge, GA)
Florida State Opera 229-246-834,
644-5248, music.fsu.edu/opera.htm www.bainbridgelittletheater.com
Capital Culture Magazine www.morethanyouthought.com
DIRECTORY
Capital City Shakespeare in the Park
386-6476, Ccshakespeare@aol.com
Curious Echo Radio Theater
228-2473, www.curiousecho.org
Dixie Theatre (Apalachicola, FL)
850-653-3200, www.dixietheatre.com
Dysfunction Junction
myspace.com/dysfunctionjctimprov
FAMU Essential Theatre
599-3430, www.essentialtheatre.us
In the Moment Players
383-1718, www.inthemomentplayers.com
The Laughing Stock
841-4063
Magic and Fun Costume Shop
224-6244
Mickee Faust Club
224-3089, www.mickeefaust.com
Monticello Opera House (Monticello, FL)
997-4242, Moperahouse@juno.com
Off Street Players
907-5743, Paminole@yahoo.com
Quincy Music Theatre (Quincy, FL)
875-9444, www.qmtonline.com
The School of Theatre at Florida State
644-6500, theatre.fsu.edu
Swamp Gravy (Colquitt, GA)
229-758-5450, www.swampgravy.com
Tallahassee Little Theatre
224-4597, tallahasseelittletheatre.org
Theatre A La Carte
385-6700, www.theatrealacarte.org
Theatre TCC!
201-8608, theatre.tcc.fl.edu
Young Actors Theatre
386-6602, www.youngactorstheatre.com
VIsual arTs
1123@Midtown
562-8696
621 Gallery
224-6163, www.621gallery.com
Annette Howell Turner Center for the Arts
(Valdosta, GA), 229-247-2787,
www.turnercenter.org
Artisans
395-7671, www.perditaross.com
ArtisTree
893-2937, www.bigbendhospice.org
Ars Magna @ The NHMFL
644-8053
Art Galleries at Tallahassee Community College
201-8713, www.tcc.fl.edu/dept/cohu/art/
artgallery.htm
Artport Gallery
224-2500, www.cocanet.org
Bali HI Trading Company
766-7175
Barbara Psimas Studios
894-1444, www.BarbaraPsimas.com
Blue Abaco Trading Company
325-2323, www.blueabaco.com
Bonifay Guild For The Arts (Bonifay, FL)
850-547-3530,
www.bonifayguildforthearts.com
(continued on page 20)
Early Spring 2008 | 19
March/April 13
DIRECTORY (continued)
Unless otherwise specified, all area codes are 850.
leGeND
See www.cocanet.org for expanded listings
Highlighted are COCA members
Official First Friday participant
live performances and events
exhibitions/attractions
opportunities to participate
adult classes
things to buy
programs/classes for kids
Brush and Palette Studio
893-1960, brushandpalettestudio.com
Capital City Carvers
562-8460, carvers.mytalweb.com
Capitol Complex Galleries
245-6480, www.florida-arts.org
City Hall Art Gallery
224-2500, www.cocanet.org
Color Wheel Gallery, 222-6873,
www.thecolorwheelgallery.com
Depot Agent Gallery
218-368-5924, james-glaser.com
Et Ceterocks Gallery
www.et-ceterocks.com
First Street Gallery (Havana, FL)
539-5220, www.firststreetartgallery.com
Florida Society of Goldsmiths, NW Chapter
www.fsgnw.com
FSU Big Bend Contemporary Gallery
www.bigbendcontemporary.com
FSU International Center Art Gallery
645-4793, internationalcenter.fsu.edu
FSU Museum of Fine Arts Artists’ League
644-1299, www.billhumphries.com/
artistsleaguehome.html
FSU Museum of Fine Arts
644-1254, www.mofa.fsu.edu
FSU Oglesby Gallery
644-3898, union.fsu.edu/artcenter
Foster Tanner Fine Arts Gallery
599-3161
Gadsden Arts Center (Quincy, FL)
875-4866, www.gadsdenarts.com
Glasshopper, 668-5007
www.glasshopperonline.com
Glassworks by Susan
222-5095
Historically Florida: Florida’s History Shops
245-6396, www.floridashistoryshop.com
Humidity Gallery
264-5810, humiditygallery@yahoo.com
Images of Tallahassee
894-5596, www.russellgraceimages.com
It’s A Jem Fine Art (Havana, FL)
539-0335, www.itsajem.com
James Glaser Studios
218-368-5924
20 | Early Spring 2008
J. Clinard Studio
942-7036, clinardjennifer@mac.com
Lafayette Park Arts & Crafts Center
891-3945, www.talgov.com/parks/
commcenter/lfartscrafts.cfm
LeMoyne Center for the Visual Arts
222-8800, www.lemoyne.org
Light N Up Artist Cooperative (Havana, FL)
539-0006
M Gallery
531-9925, mgallery_fl@yahoo.com
The Mary Brogan Museum of Art & Science
513-0700, www.thebrogan.org
Picture Frames Unlimited
422-0088
Oglesby Union Art Center
644-4737, union.fsu.edu/artcenter
Quilters Unlimited
www.quilttallahassee.com
Quincie’s Art Jewelry
222-8411, quinciehamby.com
Railroad Square Art Park
224-1308, www.railroadsquare.com
Ribits Enchanted Cottage
671-5859, ribitsenchantedcottage.com
Sally Rude Antiques and Fine Art Gallery
222-4020, www.trocadero.com/mctc
Signature Art Gallery
297-2422,
www.signatureartgallery.com
Simply Artistic, Inc.
402-0073, www.SimplyArtistic.net
South of Soho Co-op Gallery
www.southofsohogallery.com
Southern Scenes Gallery & Frame
504-0555, www.southernscenesgallery.com
Swamp Buddha Sumi-e
386-5041, aekoz@yahoo.com
Tallahassee Polymer Clay Art Guild
656-2887, www.polymerclayart.org
Tallahassee Senior Center for the Arts
891-4000, www.talgov.com
Tallahassee Watercolor Society
385-9517, www.tfn.net/Watercolor
Talleon Independent Artists
386-7176, www.tfn.net/talleon
Ten Thousand Villages
906-9010, www.villagesoftallahassee.org
Thomas Eads Fine Art
224-1435, thomaseadsfineart.com
Turtle Island Trading Post
425-2490, turtleislandtradingpost.com
Uniquely Yours
878-7111
Utrecht Art Supplies
877-0321, www.utrecht.com
Visitors Center Gift Shop & Gallery
413-9200, www.seetallahassee.com
Wild Women Art Gallery
224-1308, Ubewild@aol.com
www.morethanyouthought.com
As the local arts agency for Tallahassee and Leon County,
the Council on Culture & Arts works on behalf of the
community to support the area’s diverse range of cultural
events and traditions. Through innovative partnerships
with community and educational groups, COCA seeks
to enrich and improve the lives of citizens and visitors
alike. Our professional staff and board of directors serve
as a community resource to advocate for and support arts
and culture in Florida’s Capital Area.
COCA members include non-profit and commercial
galleries, museums, theaters, music groups, dance
companies, festivals, historic sites, film and video
companies, educational organizations, and individual
artists, as well as businesses and individuals interested in
supporting local cultural activities.
Council on Culture & Arts Staff
Executive Director Peggy Brady
Tony Archer
Randi Goldstein
Leslie Puckett
Clint Riley
Amanda Karioth Thompson
Holly Thompson
Council on Culture & Arts Board of Directors
Chair Anne Mackenzie
Vice Chair Ken Winker
Treasurer/ Secretary Kay Stephenson
Past Chair Michael H. Sheridan
Exec. Comm. Margo H. Bindhardt
Member At-Large
Valliere Richard Auzenne
Mickey Brady
Alfredo A. Cruz
Lydia A. McKinley-Floyd
Longineu Parsons
Mark Ravenscraft
Susan Stratton
Mike Vasilinda
Stacey Webb
Johanna Williams
Ex-officios John Marks, Mayor
Bob Rackleff, County Commission
Marge Banocy-Payne, TCC
Valencia E. Matthews, FAMU
Donna H. McHugh, FSU
Dick Fallon, Cultural Ambassador
816 S. ML King Jr Boulevard
Tallahassee, FL 32301
(850) 224-2500 office
(850) 224-2515 fax
cultural@cocanet.org
www.cocanet.org
Capital Culture Magazine
 PROFILES IN THE ARTS
Alex Jiménez is a busy guy. Not only
is he the conductor of FSU’s University
Symphony Orchestra and University
Philharmonia, he also oversees the
graduate orchestral conducting
program for the FSU College of Music.
A percussionist at heart, with a
doctorate in percussion/orchestral
conducting, he was the principal
timpanist (that’s the guy who
plays the REALLY big drums) of
the Palm Beach Opera Orchestra
and continues to serve as principal
timpanist of the Music Festival of
Santo Domingo. He plays a mean
game of racquetball, is a Chicago
Cubs fan, and likes to cook for his
wife and two young daughters.
But all that is only the beginning.
Jiménez is also the Music Director
of the Tallahassee Symphony Youth
Orchestras, overseeing about 150
students ages eight to eighteen, in five
orchestras, four chamber ensembles,
and the Tallahassee Fiddlers.
Despite his busy schedule, he takes
time every Sunday afternoon to rehearse
with the TSYO Symphony Orchestra, the most
advanced group, which he personally conducts.
“Most kids in other communities would never
have access to a musician of Dr. Jiménez’ caliber at
such a young age,” says Mandy Sauer, general manager
of the TSYO. “Tallahassee is very lucky to have him.”

Alexander Jiménez

Capital Culture’s profiled artists are selected from the many visual, performing, literary, and media
artists featured on COCA’s online Artist Directory. Listings in the Artist Directory are free, with ADIrrtIst
enhanced listings available for COCA members. Visit the Directory online at www.cocanet.org. ectory
 March/April 2007
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Art is Everywh ere Local Author Rhett DeVane

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