Around Noon: February 2009

Kurt Masur
Friday, February 27
Today Dee Perry welcomes acclaimed European conductor Kurt Masur who leads The Cleveland Orchestra this weekend in the music of Beethoven at Severance Hall, before traveling with the orchestra to Miami next month.

Maureen Fleming and Terrance Hayes & Jericho Brown
Thursday, February 26
Today Dee Perry looks at the second half of the Cleveland Museum of Art's Viva and Gala series, spotlighting dancer Maureen Fleming who performs this weekend. Plus, poets Terrance Hayes and Jericho Brown share the wisdom of their words, prior to their readings for the CSU Poetry Center.

Pat Martino, John Lahr and Sheila Schwartz
Wednesday, February 25
Today ideastream music director Bobby Jackson shares his conversation with jazz-guitar legend Pat Martino, who headlines the annual Lakeland Community College Jazz Festival on Saturday night. Plus, Dee Perry welcomes the theater critic for The New Yorker magazine John Lahr, who lectures later today at Case Western Reserve University. And we remember the late Cleveland writer Sheila Schwartz with her husband Dan Chaon, as The Lit prepares a tribute and book launch for her new novel - Lies Will Take You Somewhere.

Juana Molina, Terrance Simien and Crime & Punishment
Tuesday, February 24
Today Dee Perry shares her interview with Argentine musical sensation Juana Molina, prior to her concert at the Grog Shop. And we share a musical feast for Fat Tuesday with zydeco master Terrance Simien as he gets ready for his gig at the Agora. Plus we investigate the Crime & Punishment happening onstage at the Cleveland Play House.

Cleveland Heights, Igor Butman and CIM New Music Fest
Monday, February 23
Today Dee Perry raises the curtain on the new play Cleveland Heights, opening this week at the Cleveland JCC with playwright - Keith Reddin. Plus, ideastream music director Bobby Jackson spotlights the music of Russia's premiere jazz musician - Igor Butman - who's onstage tomorrow night at Severance Hall. And we meet the new head of the composition department at the Cleveland Institute of Music - Keith Fitch - prior to the school's New Music Series Symposium this weekend.

Ben Kweller
Friday, February 20
Today Dee Perry talks with rocker Ben Kweller about Changing Horses on his latest CD, as he gets ready for his gig at Case Western Reserve University tomorrow night.

Mavis Staples, Ballet Hispanico and Theater Ninjas
Thursday, February 19
Today Dee Perry looks back on the legendary career of Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Mavis Staples as she gets ready for her Black History Month gig at the Rock Hall tomorrow night. Also Dee meets Ballet Hispanico artistic director Tina Ramirez prior to her troupe's performance at PlayhouseSquare co-presented by DanceCleveland and Cuyahoga Community College. And Dee introduces us to the local stage warriors known as the Theater Ninjas. Photo by Chris Strong

Oscar Call-in Show
Wednesday, February 18
Today Dee rolls out the red carpet for the 81st annual Academy Awards, as she welcomes a panel of film buffs for her annual Oscar call-in show. Joining Dee are Clint O'Connor from the Plain Dealer , John Ewing from the Cleveland Institute of Art Cinematheque and Keith Joseph from the Cleveland Scene.

City Music Cleveland and Mark Dawidziak
Tuesday, February 17
Today Dee Perry welcomes Kyung Sun Lee and Edward Arron from City Music Cleveland for a live Key Bank studio preview of their upcoming Chamber Music Masterpieces concerts this week across Northeast Ohio. Plus, Plain Dealer television critic Mark Dawidziak turns on his favorite shows this season, as he tries to make sense of what happened to February Sweeps.

The Year of Magical Thinking, Murali Coryell and Oberlin’s Apollo
Monday, February 16
Today Dee Perry spotlights the Actors' Summit production of Joan Didion's heart-wrenching play The Year of Magical Thinking, directed by Dorothy Silver. Plus blues man Murali Coryell gets his guitar ready for his gig at Nighttown later this week. And Oberlin College president Marvin Krislov discusses the school's recent purchase of Oberlin's Apollo Theater.

Little Anthony and The Imperials
Friday, February 13
Today ideastream's Jim Goldurs spotlights Little Anthony Gourdine of the famed R&B group Little Anthony and The Imperials, on the heels of the announcement of the group's induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, and as they get ready for a Black History Month appearance at the Rock Hall this afternoon.

Anisfield-Wolf Book Awards
Thursday, February 12
Around Noon will not be heard today as ideastream® shares a special encore presentation of the 2008 Anisfield-Wolf Book Awards for Black History Month, prior to the WVIZ/PBS television broadcast later this month. The TV special airs Feb. 22nd at 2:30 and 10:30 PM.

Derek Trucks and Mahalia: A Gospel Musical
Wednesday, February 11
Today Jim Goldurs welcomes back blues guitar virtuoso Derek Trucks who spotlights music from his latest CD Already Free, prior to his band's performance at The House of Blues. Plus, we meet the star of the acclaimed new musical onstage at The Cleveland Play House - Mahalia.

Lincoln Bicentennial
Tuesday, February 10
Today we celebrate the Lincoln Bicentennial with biographer Philip Kunhardt, the author of Looking for Lincoln, upon which a new PBS special is based. Then we hear from Akron Symphony music director Christopher Wilkins who previews A Lincoln Portrait happening this weekend at EJ Thomas Hall. Plus, ideastream's Jim Goldurs chats with a pair of local historians from the Cleveland Civil War Roundtable.

InCogNegro, Cleveland Arts Prize and David Garfield
Monday, February 9
Today Dee Perry takes a satirical look at American politics with the daring new show at Cleveland Public Theater - InCogNegro: the political rise of an invisible man. Plus we share a preview of the upcoming Cleveland Arts Prize, for which nominations are now open. And, jazz man David Garfield gets ready for his pre-Valentine's Day gig at Nighttown.

Jason Vieaux and Julien Labro
Friday, February 6
Today Dee Perry welcomes back local classical guitar master Jason Vieaux who brings along a buddy who plays bandoneon Julien Labro, for a preview of their upcoming concert at the Hanna Perkins School Sunday afternoon at 4pm.

Sweeney Todd and Orangutans of Borneo
Thursday, February 5
Today Dee Perry spotlights the Demon Barber of Fleet Street as she welcomes the stars of Sweeney Todd onstage at Lakeland Theater. Plus, we hear from Marc Ancrenaz, Director of the Orang-utan Conservation Project in Borneo, who appears tonight at the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo.

City Therapy
Wednesday, February 4
Today Dee Perry puts Cleveland on the couch for a special call-in program produced in partnership with Northern Ohio Live Magazine -- City Therapy. Why does our city have such an inferiority complex? Dee talks to an area psychiatrist from the Cleveland Psychoanalytic Center about this local malaise and invites a couple of local town criers -- Margy Judd of Executive Arrangements and Cool Cleveland's Tom Mulready -- to sound off on the city's reputation both here and around the country.

Stokes: An American Dream, Clarence Van Duzer and Joe Lovano
Tuesday, February 3
Today Dee Perry spotlights the new documentary Stokes: An American Dream, onscreen WVIZ/PBS next week. Plus, we remember the late Clarence Van Duzer, the eminent Cleveland artist who passed away last week at the age of 88. And ideastream's Dan Polletta chats with Cleveland jazz master Joe Lovano, who's up for a Grammy this weekend.

Lily Tomlin, Karamu House and Kimono in Canton
Monday, February 2
Today Dee Perry shares her conversation with legendary funny lady Lily Tomlin, who kicks off her new tour in Cleveland at Playhouse Square later this week. Plus, we try on the Kimono exhibit going on view at the Canton Museum of Art this weekend. And, we enter A House with No Walls at Karamu House with playwright Thomas Gibbons. Listen to a tribute to late Cleveland School artist, Clarence Van Duzer.