The Parkway and Memory

DUKES FANS: “If you stay in one place for a long time and don’t die, your past will come back to visit you in different ways” John C-D As folks who have read the last of these missives know, I do not like hot and humid weather. The heat just saps my energy, and the humidity makes it hard to breathe and move around. Add in the thunderstorms, the flash floods, and the tornado warnings, the past few weeks have been weeks I definitely have not enjoyed. That is why this week has been so special. Cooler temps, much lower humidity, gentle breezes, and gorgeous clouds in the sky-Ahhhhh. I welcomed it and decided to do one of my favorite things; spend some time in Center City and visit the Ben Franklin Parkway. The Parkway is one of my favorite things in Philly design and architecture. It is a glorious diagonal that starts at City Hall and cuts its way down to the Art Museum. I used to love when my parents drove us on it when I was a kid. Looking from side to side out the car window and seeing the hotels, the Free Library, The Franklin Institute, and the statues was exciting to me. And when I went to Masterman Jr High School at 17th and Spring Garden, I regularly spent time going to the main branch of the Free Library just off the Parkway, and then walking along it up to City Hall. I visited the library again on Monday, and as I was walking towards it, I realized it had been months since I had last traveled that road. So I walked steadily, looking at the people on the benches and all of the buildings, including my long-time place of employment at 17th Street. And I loved viewing the gorgeous skies over the trees and over the Art Museum as I walked. It was a walk both in the present and back into my past. The Main Branch of the Philadelphia Free Library at 19th and Vine is one of my all-time sacred places. I love the design of the building; it is grand and built to look like a mythic temple. And to me it is a temple, one dedicated to learning, information, questioning, and thinking. I spent time in the main lending room on the first floor, of course, as I wanted to borrow a couple of books by two of my favorite authors. But I also wanted to revisit some of the places that have been so important to me over the years as bota curious person and teacher. I revisited the map room, the Social Science and History room, the music room, the walls outside the Children’s section filled with art by children, and the first floor special exhibition cases which houses changing displays of work by various authors and artists The current exhibit features works by Ellen Powell Tiberino, an incredible and intense local artist whose work I have always loved. Her pencil works and portraits are incredibly moving. The past coming back again, she and her husband, Joe, used to run Bacchanal, a great funky nightspot at 13th and South where I first heard and met many musicians with whom I am still friendly. The past coming back, indeed. Finally, I left the library and headed to Sister Cities Café at 18th and the Parkway. Sister Cities is a mini-park area with mini-sculptures, geyser fountains, and a wading pool for kids, and it was wonderful drinking coffee and eating a croissant at the café and watching parents and kids playing in the pool and using the Discovery Garden. It was a perfect end to a great day of re-discovery. I know we are in for another heat wave this weekend into next week, so I won’t be getting back downtown for a while. But I would love to return and re-visit the Rittenhouse Square area, site of so much of my early musical experiences, and the Franklin Square area, where I explored so much of early American history both as a learner and as a teacher. I love all that there is to see and experience in Philly, and I am glad I can still get to so much of it. And if you are interested, here is some info on the main branch of the Free Library and Sister Cities Park .I hope you can get to visit both places. (https://libwww.freelibrary.org/locations/parkway-central-library) (https://www.visitphilly.com/things-to-do/attractions/sister-cities-park/ ) Dukes of Destiny gigs (www.dukesofdestiny.com ) 1) Saturday, August 9; Kennett Square Blues Fest: Anson Nixon Park; 405 N. Walnut St; Kennett Square PA; fest starts at noon; 3:45- 5PM is Brother John then The Dukes; $27.50; featured acts include Brother John, The Dukes of Destiny, Mikey Jr, Stevie and The Bluescasters, and more https://www.eventbrite.com/e/anson-b-nixon-park-roots-blues-festival-tickets-1450774318039 2)Tuesday, August 19: Seger Playground 1002 Lombard St; Phila. PA; 5:30PM-7:30PM; https://segerpark.org/ 3)Wednesday August 20 Kahn Park 11th and Pine Sts. Phila PA (rain date August 21st);7:30-9PM; https://kahnpark.org/events Outdoor fun for the Dukes for the month of August. This is our first time at the Kennett Roots and Blues Fest, and readers of this newsletter know that I love Chester County and Kennett Square in particular. This is a wonderfully shaded park with a couple of great stages, good food vendors, and a great lineup of performers. A wonderful afternoon of blues fun in a great place. Seger Playground and Kahn Park have become regular gigs for the Dukes in my old neighborhood. These are beautiful urban parks-Seger has pickleball courts, dog runs, basketball courts and climbing things for kids. Kahn Park has lovely plantings, easy access to good restaurants, comfortable seats, and like Seger, great crowds of all ages. We love both of these places and look forward to seeing you there. BROTHER JOHN-JOHNNY NEVER & JOHN COLGAN-DAVIS Brother John gigs; www.BrotherJohnBlues.com 1)Friday, July 25; 7-10PM Letty’sTavern; 201 State Street; Kennett Square PA 19348 https://www.lettystavern.com 2)Saturday, July 26; 7--10:00PM Braeloch Brewing; 225 Birch Street; Kennett Square PA https://braelochbrewing.beer 3)Saturday, August 2 7PM - 10PM Hummingbird to Mars-a 1930 Speakeasy (ring the bell); W 16th St, Wilmington, DE 19806 http://catherinerooneys.com/hummingbird Reservations recommended 4)Friday, August 8; 8-11PM;Triple Sun Distiller;126 South State Street;Newtown, PA 18940; Phone: (215) 944-3057 5)Saturday, August 9; 3:45 PM; Kennett Square Roots and Blues Festival; Anson B Nixon Memorial Park405 N. Walnut Street; Kennett Square PA;tickets $27.50-$150 https://www.ansonbnixonpark.org/events/2024-roots-blues-festival The end of July into August is a time for some great return gigs for Brother John. This weekend finds us at two places in Kennett Square that we have been playing for a while. like. Letty’s is a great casual restaurant with a friendly staff and bartenders and a good unique menu. Braeloch is a brewery/sports bar with craft brews, good pub food, and a lovely outdoor space with a little playground for kids. Next week we return to the Hummingbird, a unique place with great period décor, a great staff and bartender, and wonderful food. The week after that we return to Triple Sun, a craft distillery in the beautiful town of Newtown with a variety of handcrafted drinks and delicious French and Cajun inspired food. Last but not least, we are happy to be back at The Kennett Roots and Blues Fest in Anson Nixon Park on a bill that includes James Day, Stevie and The Bluescasters, Mikey Jr, The Dukes, and more. So it is a busy next three weeks for Brother John. We do hope to see you at at least one of our upcoming gigs. BTW: Thank you for all of you who made it out to our CD release party last week at Steel City. It was a great crowd, we sold a number of CD’s, and we had a ball. we are proud of the Black Crow CD, but it is and was an expensive process. We have set up a Go Fund Me page to help cover the cost. Anything you can give will be greatly appreciated. Thanks so much. https://gofund.me/c62805b7 The Sunday Blues Jam at Jamey’s House of Music; 32 S. Landsdowne, Ave; Lansdowne, PA; jamey@jameyshouseofmusic.com Blues lovers and players have made Jamey's Sunday Blues Jam the place for great blues jamming, inexpensive and tasty eats, craft brews on tap, fresh brewed coffee, a great waitstaff, and friendly people who love the blues.  Each Sunday features an hour long set by a different house band, and then there is an open jam until 3PM. This month the jam features The Philly Blues Kings with various guitarists and singers. The 2nd Sunday of each month features The Roger Girke-John Colgan-Davis Project as the house band, and our next gig there is Sunday, August 10th. Got an instrument? Sing? Just want to listen to some exciting blues and have some good food? Come on out and take part in this great blues jam with great food and liquid refreshments. $5 minimum to be spent