Women celebrated with art at Buttonwood Tree

MIDDLETOWN — Events and activities focused on local music and art are scheduled in the coming weeks at the Buttonwood Tree Performing Arts & Cultural Center, 605 Main St., Middletown. Visit www.buttonwood.org or call 860-347-4957 for information and tickets.

International Women’s Day Art Reception: March 8, 6-8 p.m. Admission is free. International Woman’s Day is a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. Join the #PressforProgress movement to motivate and unite friends, colleagues and whole communities to think, act and be gender inclusive.

HannaH’s Field: March 9, 8-10 p.m., $10. Nominated best female vocalist in the Hartford Advocate for many years, this powerful songstress has shared the stage with such great acts as the Average White Band, the Brothers Johnson, Gov’t Mule (members of the Allman Brothers Band), Derek Trucks, Donna Jean (from the Grateful Dead), the Samples, Percy Hill, and Sound Tribe Sector Nine. The group has performed at such venues as the Toads Place, Woodstock Reunion, The North West Organic Brewers Festival, Pearl Street Nightclub, Ziontific Music Festival and the Bite of Oregon. HannaH’s Field tours from New England to California. Their latest musical release is called Revolutionary Soldiers.

HEARD: March 10, 8 p.m., $15. The original repertoire of HEARD is the work of composer-arranger-pianist Elizabeth Woodbury Kasius who brings a wide array of styles —jazz, classical and world music— into her captivating soundscape. Her inspirations come from her diverse experiences and interests and are often drawn from the raw and powerful sources that nature provides. Elizabeth received her formal musical training at the University of Washington and Cornish College of the Arts in Seattle, where she studied ethnomusicology, piano performance and composition with Brazilian pianist Jovino Santos Neto, trombonist Julian Priester and Big Band leader/trumpet player Jim Knapp, as well as with Nigerian Juju musician IK Dairo. She’ll be joined by woodwinds musician Jonathan Greene, bassist Bobby Kendall, percussionist Brian Melick and drummer Zorkie Nelson.

NEAR and Far Storytellers: March 11, 3-5 p.m, $5. Harvard Square was the scene for a revival of folk music in the 1950s and 1960s. Among those performing in the coffee houses were: Tom Rush, Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, Phil Ochs, Tom Paxton, Peter Wolf (later the lead singer for the J. Giels Band) and even Pete Seeger. They were able to hone their craft and their inimitable styles at these small intimate venues. The NEAR and Far Storytellers would like to provide this same opportunity for story-

tellers in the area to practice, rehearse, play with new stories, old standards or just share ideas that eventually could become stories. On March 11, Jim Harriman will present a recent composition entitled Giovanni Giuseppe D’Ignati, a story of bullying, strength and hope. A portion of this story was debuted this past fall and was a catalyst for many comments and observations. We would love to

have a full audience to support, review, critique or make suggestions.

Anything Goes Open Mic: March 12, 7-10 p.m. $5. Practice public performing skills in any artistic medium — whether you sing, play an instrument, do stand-up comedy or are a poet and whether you’re seasoned in live performances or stepping onstage for the first time, all types of live art performances are encouraged. Moments of Gratitude are held during the Open Mic.

Intentional & Empowering Yoga: March 13, 1:15 p.m, donation. A Hatha

Yoga class that brings awareness to breathing, intention to movement and an emphasis on inner wisdom and body positivity. Theresa Govert is a yoga instructor and feminist activist based out of East Haddam.

Dan Liparini Trio: March 16, 8 p.m., $10. Dan Liparini is a guitarist, composer and arranger based in Hartford. His music is based in the tradition of the jazz guitar trio but also draws influence from folk, pop and electronic music. He is joined by Matt Dwonsyzk on bass and Kirk Woodard on drums.

Photo courtesy of The Buttonwood Tree A reception celebrating an art show, dedicated to International Women’s Day, will be held at the Buttonwood Tree in Middletown on Thursday. The public is welcome.