April 2010

April 23rd, 2010

What: East End Fourth Fridays!
When: This Friday, April 23rd
Where: Kenny Dorham's Backyard
            1106 East 11th Street
            Austin, TX 78702
Time: 6:00pm-11:00pm


Come to East End Fourth Fridays! and enjoy fun activities for the children and live music, refreshments and art vendors for adults.  The first East End Fourth Friday! will be April 23rd starting at 6pm on eleventh street. This event is continual and will be every fourth friday of the month throughout the summer until October. Austin's East End Fourth Fridays! is a culture-driven monthly community-oriented event developed by DiverseArts to showcase the very specific cultural attributes and historical identity of Austin's East End-the Soul in the heart of the City. The East End Fourth Fridays! helps showcase this cultural legacy for the benefit of the community. In partnership with neighborhood artists, businesses, cultural, civic and governmental groups, this monthly event is designed to bring a relaxed, communal open-air art and culture block-party to the newly revitalized East End. It's an open house in the East End along Eleventh Street. Sample food and drink established at the new venues, take in the headline concerts and bring the kids to enjoy the East End Kid's Corner at Kenny Dorham's Backyard. The Kid's Corner will include a moon bounce and free East Side Pies pizza for the kids! Be sure to check out art vendors, organizations and sponsors doing PR and public outreach.
          To kickoff our first Fourth Friday! we will showcase the tunes of the talented Peterson Brothers Band and Lavelle White. DiverseArts wishes to bring visitors from the neighborhood and the Austin area to see the unique cultural and historic aspects of the East End. We hope to establish East End Fourth Fridays! as a holistic, community-based marriage of culture and commerce. So come out with the family to listen to music, buy some art, and enjoy the sights and sounds that the East End brings.

The Peterson Brothers Band
          The Peterson Brothers Band is comprised of the talented Alex and Glenn Peterson ages ten and thirteen. With influences including B.B. King, Jimmy Page and Bootsy Collins, these young musicians that have set out to “Keep the Blues Alive.” The band is the inspiration of a 13 year old lead guitarist and band leader, Glenn Jr., and his 11 year old brother Alex on bass and violin. Alex can also play bouzouki, charango, and mandolin. These two musicians that are not even old enough to drive, have played on stages from Austin to Dallas, San Antonio, Houston, Bastrop and many towns in-between. They have performed at festivals, fundraisers, churches and numerous other events. These two young virtuoso artists have heart, soul, and dedication beyond their years.

To see video and more info about the Peterson Brothers Band (http://www.myspace.com/glennalex)

Lavelle White
         At 78 years of age, Miss Lavelle White is one of the hardest working women in show business and a leader in the Austin Blues tradition, famous for strong, emotive vocals. She's been making waves in the Texas music scene since she began belting out blues in Houston in the 1950s, and since then has opened for the Isley Brothers, Aretha Franklin, Smokey Robinson and Sam Cooke.
       The versatility of Miss Lavelle White’s musical talent contributes to her enduring, influential position in Austin’s music scene. Her musical range includes traditional blues, classic soul, classic R&B, and even Hip-Hop. And she approaches each of these genres with incredible fervor and joy, pleasing and astounding audiences.
        White has been nominated for the W.C. Handy Award, been inducted into the Austin Music Hall of Fame, and been named Blues Artist of the Year in Houston. Miss Lavelle White is truly an Austin Blues Master.

 

Stay tuned for more information about participating vendors, venues and businesses on east Eleventh St. from Branch st. to Angelina.