Arts & Culture
Battle Trance in the woods. (Photo courtesy of the band)“When Travis LaPlante invited you to be in a quartet with three other saxophones,” I asked Ditmas Park saxophonist Patrick Breiner [http://breinersounds.tumblr.com/], “what was your first thought?” “Yes,” said Breiner, simply. “ I had no expectations of what
Arts & Culture
(Photo credit: Lander Camarero)From his Midwood home, playwright & performer D.M. Kinch [https://brooklynculturejammers.com] has watched venues for alternative theater appear and disappear in Ditmas Park over the past 30 years. Kinch would welcome theater venues back to the neighborhood, especially venues to stage the politically charged
Arts & Culture
Mary LaRosa Lederer with the Brooklyn Real Big Band. (Photo: Benton Collins)The annual Reeve Place Block Party has always had something special — a 16-piece big band set up in the street playing classic jazz arrangements from the 40s through the 60s. But for the 10th anniversary, scheduled for September
Arts & Culture
Kent Theater on Coney Island Avenue near Avenue H. (Photo via Kent Theater / Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/120335414645072/photos/a.609364815742127.1073741825.120335414645072/609364932408782/?type=3&theater] )With the announcement of the $10 million renovation to the Pavilion Theater [/blog/art-music/pavilion-theater-converted-nitehawk-prospect-park-condo-plans-scrapped/] in Park Slope, Ditmas Park residents
Arts & Culture
Steven-Jon and Tyler of Ditmas Music Lessons. (Photo by Michael Yu)Looking for an alternative to the “inequitable and underfunded” arts education offered in New York City public schools? (It’s been “weakened by a decade of disinvestment and disincentives” according to a 2014 report by the City Comptroller [http:
Arts & Culture
Roy Nathanson (left) and Tim Kiah (right). (Photo by Charna Meyers)Composer, bassist and vocalist Tim Kiah, who is playing a show at Qathra this Sunday with Roy Nathanson [/blog/art-music/past-present-ditmas-park-saxophonist-roy-nathanson-comes-home/] and Jesse Mills [/blog/art-music/come-qathra-sunday-unique-jazz-trio-performance/], has enjoyed an eclectic career as a musician. Kiah works in diverse
fort greene
Courtesy of DOTA New York City Department of Transportation comprehensive plan for the Flatbush Avenue/Atlantic Avenue area, presented at a public meeting Wednesday, included several proposals for changes around Times Plaza [/blog/politics/local-politicians-remind-dot-safety-design-must-co-exist-times-plaza/] , the triangle created by the intersections of Flatbush, Atlantic and Fourth Avenue. Noting that there
Arts & Culture
Photo courtesy Kings TheatreAs a spectacular summer alternative to “Netflix and chill,” the Alamo Drafthouse is showing a triple feature of the original Star Wars trilogy [https://drafthouse.com/event/star-wars] at the Kings Theater [http://www.kingstheatre.com/] this Sunday, featuring 20th anniversary editions of Star Wars: A New
Arts & Culture
Photo via Gothamist [https://www.instagram.com/p/BDeA1W-LEMy/]Brian Whiteley [http://www.brianwhiteleyart.com/] got his tombstone back. The artist came to the attention of New Yorkers — and the NYPD and Secret Service — after he cut a fence to install a grave marker carved with Donald Trump’s name
Arts & Culture
Albert Marques on keyboards, joined by Israeli bass player Ran Livneh. (All photos by Chris Farrell)Ditmas Park musician Albert Marquès doesn’t boldly go where no artist has gone before, but he is on a mission to seek out — well, not new life and new civilizations, but new venues
Arts & Culture
Jeff Lederer. (Courtesy of the musician)Stop me if you heard this one before: Popeye the Sailor, Herman Melville and jazz legend Albert Ayler [http://www.ayler.co.uk/] walk into a bar. Actually, that’s not the set up for a joke but a shorthand description for a recent
Arts & Culture
(Photo via OMNI ensemble / Facebook)The OMNI Ensemble, a chamber music group founded and directed by neighbor David Wechsler, will perform their sixth annual Midsummer Night’s Benefit Party on Thursday, July 21. Come out for a night of music, barbecue and drinks, and dancing under the stars in Ditmas