Thursday, December 30, 2010

Sirocco Research Lab Screens 'Red Moon' in Chicago Tonight


Remember when we did that beautiful profile on Sirocco Research Labs in our summer issue this year? Well, the creators of a seriously awesome short film titled Red Moon are in Chicago this week to screen their film at Co-Prosperity Sphere in Chicago's Bridgeport neighborhood.

Red Moon is a werewolf story set on a Soviet submersible. Filmed and produced in Los Angeles, we met up with Sirocco while we were out working on the West Coast. They made us dinner, showed us around their studio and talked with us in-depth about starting their own production company and making movies.

Not to be missed, the screening begins at 9 p.m. and will include a showing of Red Moon and Cleo in the Universe. Both films are excellently done, with beautiful set design and costume work. Jettison will be there and you should be too.

Co-Prosperity Sphere is located at 3219 S. Morgan Street. After the screening, the Sirocco crew will be dancing the night away with music provide by Bryan John Appleby and Clique Talk.

Sunday, December 19, 2010

Higher Calling

Image Credit: The Kindling Group


The Calling, a four-hour documentary series to air on Independent Lens on PBS Dec. 20 and 21, follows seven young students as they study to become leaders in their respective faiths. The film allows the viewer to peek into the lives of our religious guides as they struggle to balance identifiable themes from their personal lives—finding love, raising a family and questioning faith in times of loss—all while maintaining their clerical responsibilities. The film is seven years in the making and directed by a talented group of multi-faith filmmakers, and produced by the Chicago-based Kindling Group.

“As a [documentary] filmmaker I set off to look at faith in the US with a keen eye—to ask challenging questions and a critical approach— but I also wanted to balance this with a warm heart— respect and understanding,” said Danny Alpert, director for the series and executive director of the Kindling Group.

Alpert was raised in a self-described, “suburban, Jewish cocoon” and at the age of 15 moved to Israel in what he said his parents, “saw as the fulfillment of their Jewish identity.”

These unique experiences lead Alpert to consider becoming a rabbi. However, eight months from beginning a pre-rabbinical program Alpert realized it was not his calling.

“From that moment—through travel, school, living in a region at war, marriage, parenthood—I learned that the ideas, peoples and individuals in this world are never simple and moved away from my religious observance,” Alpert said.

In order to create a film that was at once critical and respectful, Alpert enlisted a group of talented filmmakers whom also are practitioners of the different faiths explored in the film.

“The point was not only to find a crew of outstanding professional quality— which I fortunately did—but also to find the right people for this project. Religion is not easy—people have strong feelings and it comes with its own baggage. I wanted to find people who I know would look critically and ask the hard questions, but who also had respect and understanding of faith and the faithful… It was not an easy search, but I was blessed to find a talented and dedicated team in Yoni Brook, Alicia Dwyer, Maggie Bowman and Musa Seed,” Alpert said.

While the film follows those who are called by their God, Alpert found that the power behind these stories, as they play out on film, is in the relationships these young clergy-in-training make with other people. He also found hope in the generation’s attitude of wanting to have its cake and eat it too: They want to lead prayer and listen to hip-hop, to use humor as a tool to connect alongside prayer and preaching. They fully embrace their religious lives and at the same time, they are unwilling to sacrifice their identity as young, modern Americans.

The Calling follows Shmuly Yanklowitz and Yerachmiel Shapiro, two rabbis in training, each facing their own personal struggles despite a shared faith, which reminds viewers that the experience of religion is vast and personal.

Tahera Ahmad and Bilal Ansari are both students in the Hartford Seminary’s Muslim Chaplaincy program in Connecticut. However, their familial and religious experiences differ immensely from one another. Bilal is an African-American father of four whose accomplishments include lecturing to prisoners and at-risk youth. Tahera is a recently engaged, strong-headed woman whose undertakings focus on the Arabic language, Qur’an recitation, Islamic studies and other goals from her suburban Chicago community.

Jeneen Robinson is a single mother, who struggles to raise her young son, supplementing her income with an acting career, while studying to become an ordained minister in the African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church. Steven Gamez is learning to become a Catholic priest, a role that differs from the others in its commitment to celibacy. And finally, there is Rob Pene, a Christian rapper of Samoan heritage, who has committed his time as a mentor to young people. He offers his support to underprivileged young men in his community, and teaches science at a public school.

While The Calling is a compilation of seven individual stories, together these subjects complete a larger narrative—one that speaks of the nuanced religious climate Americans experience today. With all of the shared goals for community development recognized on film, as well as points of extreme opposition between them, The Calling is a film that does not seek to answer, but rather question what religious leadership, and therefore faith, means today.

The Calling will air on the PBS series Independent Lens Monday, Dec. 20 and Tuesday, Dec. 21, 2010 at 8 p.m. CST.

- Brittany Hayford for Jettison Quarterly

What’s your Calling?

In conjuncture with the film, Kindling Group has created an interactive project that brings the dialogue from the big screen to your computer screen. The website at http://whatsyourcalling.org/ continues the discussion with videos, interviews and articles organized into thirty different themes. From art, education and family to balance, identity, and transformation, there is surely a conversation to participate in, or something new to learn about. The site allows users to engage in a multitude of dialogues in a “Join the Conversation” section, where users can post their reactions, questions, or stories. The site also functions as a base for activity. The website has partnered with other organizations in an attempt to get users involved in their communities through the, “Service Call to Action” section which provides links to like-minded institutions.



* Jettison's Winter Issue will be released in early January. Click here to sign up for a FREE subscription and see our full interview with Director Danny Alpert in the new issue, as well as other great content.

Friday, December 10, 2010

Dan Shea's 'Misanthropy' opens Sunday

One of Jettison's favorite photographers is having a must-see show in Pilsen starting this Sunday. Stop by, we'll see you there!

Lesson 1: Misanthropy
new work by Daniel Shea
December 12-13
Opening Reception: Sunday, December 12, 4-8
Open Hours: Monday, December 13, noon-4
ACRE Projects
1913 W 17th Street

Lesson 1: Misanthropy is a series of works exploring longing and potential within a misanthropic worldview. The photographs, sculptures, and video work in the show, all made in 2010, combine modern materials and nihilistic sensibility with primitive gestural forms. A 13-year-old boy speaking on metaphysics, group performance ritual, and art’s complicated relationship with landscape depiction all come together in a single narrative exploring the mythology of beginning and ending.

Thursday, September 16, 2010

Jettison Issue No. 7 Teaser: of Montreal


Jettison sat down with Kevin Barnes, the eclectic singer/songwriter that is of Montreal for our fall issue and got some deep insight into the new album, False Priest. You'll have to wait until the new issue is released on Friday to check out the article, but for now, here's Coquet Coquette off the album for your listening pleasure.

Jettison Issue No. 7 Teaser: Avan Lava

In an issue full of spectacular music interviews, our sit down with Avan Lava was lot of fun. The NYC band has recently released its debut album Vapors, made entirely with borrowed equipment and recorded in a church basement. Actually, we think the Avan Lava album would sound great played in a cathedral. While you could blandly categorize the album as electro-pop, Avan Lava plays their style of it with more soul and ambiant grandeur than most. Here's a few questions that didn't make it into the magazine, but you can check it out here to get a little taste.

Jettison: Of course, we know what kind of music you specialize in, but would you care to make a few playlists for Jettison, on of Doo-wop and Soul music, and another one of Country-Western songs?

Le Chev: These are just Doo-Wop –

  • Billy Ward & The Dominoes - Sixty Minute Man
  • The Chiffons - He's So Fine
  • The Monotones - You Never Loved Me
  • The Penguins - Hey Senorita
  • The Temptations - Paradise

    Country –
  • Dolly Parton – Jolene
  • Patsy Cline - Walkin after midnight
  • Bill Monroe - Blue Moon of Kentucky (Elvis Presley Version)
  • Kris Kristofferson - Sunday Morning Comin' Down
  • The Rolling Stones - Wild Horses

Jettison: Best karaoke song?

LC: Rock The Casbah – The Clash.


Jettison: What music genre could you live without?

LC: Country

Jettison: Favorite Prince song?

LC: Diamonds and Pearls

Avan Lava from SNOWY WILDER/NESS PRODUCTIONS on Vimeo.

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

JETTISON Fall Issue Realese!!!! ART Issue!


Get those rocket pack out again its time for another blast off! Join us in celebrating the 2010 Fall Issue this coming Friday at Bottom Lounge. This time around we have an ART filled issue with a lot of exciting interviews! We have Jason Lazarus, Aspen Mays, Theaster Gates, A profile of artist residencies ACRE and Harold Arts, a look into Manny's deli in the south loop, a critique on the State of the Art in Chicago, we high five Pete Toalson and much much more!!!

So join us in welcoming the new issue and party with friends at:

Bottom Lounge
2nd floor
1375 W. Lake St.
9PM - 2AM

Issue goes online Friday September 17th at Midnight!

Make sure to check it out at JettisonQuarterly.com

Subscription is free so join the Jett Team if you've yet to jump on board.

Jettison Issue No. 7 Teaser: Pete Toalson














HIGH FIVES: PETE TOALSON

The fall issue of Jettison Quarterly is due out in only a few days. For our High Fives section this issue, we sat down with Pete Toalson (Empty Bottle, Longman and Eagle, Beauty Bar) to find out what he thinks deserves a high five. Here's a quick sneak preview of some of the answers we got. Enjoy.

Top Five Indicators That Fall is here in Chicago:

- An easing of the compulsion to do everything (!) outside, ‘while it lasts’

- Jackets

- September show openings, ushering in the fall arts season

- The arrival of Chicago Bears season tickets

- The Adventures in Modern Music festival

Top Five Places to Buy (Cheap) Kids Clothes, That Fit Adults, In Order:

- Farm & Fleet

- JC Penny

- Sears

- K-Mart

- Macy’s

Top Five Versions of the Gospel Standard Trouble in My Way, in Order:

- Mary Moore, Como Now

- Swan Silvertones, Singin’ In My Soul

- Dixie Hummingbirds Jesus Has Traveled This Road Before

- Naomi Shelton & The Gospel Queens, What Have You Done My Brother?

- Vermillion Sands, In The Wood (Okay, not one of the best but I like that they tried it!)

Thursday, July 29, 2010

Tony Tasset Throws First Pitch

Chicago artist Tony Tasset throws out the first pitch at the Chicago Cubs game. Check out Tony Tasset's Eye, at Pritzker Park in Chicago's Loop. What are you lookin' at?

Saturday, July 24, 2010

New Kid Sister Vid shot at Superdawg

Kid Sister "Big N Bad" from Mr Goldbar on Vimeo.


Check out Kid Sister in her new video for "Big N Bad" shot at Superdawg in Chicago. Classic.

Wednesday, June 30, 2010

RELEASE PARTY #6


COME TOMORROW TO OUR ISSUE 6 RELEASE PARTY AT RODAN 1530 N. MILWAUKEE CHICAGO IL. GRAB SOME DRINKS AND SEE THE NEW ISSUE.

Wednesday, May 19, 2010

A&R JETTS to NYC!



















A&R is Jetting to New York. Join us in wishing them off with much Chicago love May 21st at the Double Door. The show is FREE! So come have a drink, buy them a drink, jam to some tunes, and party it on as A&R prepares to show NYC and Europe what they got.


A&R
Jason Gatz
Ronnie Bass
Boom Juice

Double Door
May 21st, Friday
8PM
FREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

www.arsounds.net


We had Intern Stan write a few words to tell us how he feels about the duo as he wrote the piece that we ran in issue 4 of JETTISON:
http://jettisonquarterly.com/issues/jq4

Turns out that Chicago is too small for A&R. It's a bit ironic-the duo can
fit into the tightest clothes imaginable. And yet, they are taking their
brand of soul-pop to the big city, New York, New York.
The Big Apple will probably be a good fit for A&R. If nothing else, they're
sure to find some gigs during fashion week. Assuming east coasters accept
A&R's rustic, Midwestern fashion sense.
Though A&R, as a group, spent less than two years in Chicago, Alex and Rocco
still deserve a going away party. Who knows, they might like New York so
much that they will never return. So, for what might be the last A&R show in
the Windy City, the duo is pulling out all the stops.
The going away party will have guest appearances from Jason Gatz, Ronnie
Bass and Boom Juice, and all the free eye candy that comes with an A&R show.
Friday, May 21st at the Double Door is going to be the best, last A&R show
for at least a few months. Especially since it's free.


, JETTISON

Sunday, May 16, 2010

Jettison Quarterly in LA

Top: Time Travel Mart
Below: Echo Park Independent Co-Op







Jettison was in Los Angeles last week soaking up some sun and getting some work in. The highlight of our trip was taking some time to sit down with the crew at Sirocco Research Labs. Sirocco is a really cool production company based in LA doing some fun stuff with film. You'll have to check out our piece about Sirocco Research Labs in the upcoming summer issue for the details.

Jettison found some other cool stuff along the way as well. In the Echo Park neighborhood we discovered The Echo Park Independent Co-Op. EPIC is a boutique stocked with local designer wares that knocked out socks off. You can check out their stuff here, as well as shop online: http://shopepicla.com/.

Also, right up Jettison's alley was this awesome shop (See photos). Time Travel Mart was stocked with so much exciting robot stuff, we freaked (they sell time travel supplies as well, and Black Holes are only a $2.99). On top of that, everything that the store sells goes back into their non-profit after school assistance with children. Time Travel Mart works with kids to help them with their homework and allows them to great creative with fun art projects like book binding classes.

Saturday, May 8, 2010

J+J+J+JETTISON


JETTs! We are proud to announce the release of our dear friend's J+J+J's album release via USB Memory Device (Thats right straight to the future on that one) tomorrow at the Beat Kitchen. We know its mothers day and we'll be giving our lovely mothers hugs flowers and some of us high fives but wed love to see you all come party it down to the J's music if you can. They have some great company onstage including ;Faggy Pussy, Forest World, and OK Ilkumi. See you there peeps.

Sunday May 9th, 2010
8PM

Beat Kitchen
2100 W. Belmont

Sunday, April 25, 2010

Jettison Quarterly at NEXT 2010


Hey Tomorrow People,

Jettison has some extremely exciting news to announce. This year the magazine will be participating in Chicago's NEXT 2010 art festival at the Merchandise Mart. That's right, so come check out our booth, where we will be proudly displaying the latest issue and spreading the word about who we are and what we do.

But that's not all. Jettison will also be curating a show for the festival titled, The Shape of Things to Come. Featured artists will include Cody Hudson, Chad Kouri, Nadine Nakanishi and Nick Butcher, Aspen Mays, Betsy Odem, Colin Leipelt, Ted Boggs, Matt Nichols, Russe White and more. Several of the artists from our show have been featured in Jettison Quarterly, and a few more you might look forward to seeing soon in the glossy digital pages of our little periodical. Jettison's show represents several of our missions as a magazine: to promote Midwestern artists and to keeping an eye toward the future. We are very excited about this opportunity and we hope you come out and take a look.

NEXT 2010 runs from April 30th to May 3rd. For more information check out NextArtFair.com

Editor in Chief wins Peter Lisagor Award

Jettison Quarterly's editor in chief Matthew Hendrickson has won a Peter Lisagor Award for Best Neighborhood/ Community News Story from the Chicago Headline Club. The award was given for a three-part investigation in childhood lead poisoning rates in Chicago which was published on ChicagoTalks.org last year. Click here to view the story.

Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Fish Out of Water goes DVD!


Our friend Ky Dickens is releasing her film in DVD. Join her and us at Lincoln Hall tonight to celebrate!

They have a great line up of entertainment for the party and the film will be available for purchase. Check out the links to see the trailer and learn more about Fish Out of Water. Don't forget to check out our feature on Ky Dickens in the current issue of JETTISON in the piece Prophet Runaway!

JC Brooks and the Uptown Sound with Special Guest rapper Rita J
Lady Tajma Hall
DJ Butch Cassidy of Chances Dances
DJ Erik Roldan of Think Pink Radio
And sneak peeks of Fish out of Water!


Fish Out of Water Trailer!

RSVP and info on Facebook here!

-JETTISON

Saturday, April 3, 2010

JETTISON Spring Issue Now Online!!!!


Jettison Spring Issue is now online! Check out what we have in store this time around with pieces on Curtis Mann, Joe Meno, Carrie Schneider, Ky Dickens of Fish Out of Water, Hercules and Love Affair, Cody Hudson, and much much more. Happy Jetting everyone and thank you to everyone that came out to celebrate the new issue and party on to some disco last night.


The Editors

Monday, March 22, 2010

JETT IT ON!


JETTISON is pleased to announce the release of our 2010 Spring Issue. To celebrate we are going DISCO. Disco in 2062 that is.

Be our guest at DISCO 2062 and join us in celebrating a jamming new issue. We got some kick ass pieces coming your way; interviews with Cody Hudson, Curtis Mann, Ky Dickens of Fish Out of Water, Hercules and Love Affair, Carrie Schneider, Joe Meno, and so much more, we even sent our lovely Stan to that Rehab for a month.

================

DISCO 2062
Jettison Spring 2010 Issue Release Party

April 2nd
The Inconvenience
3036 N. Lincoln
8PM - 1AM

Guuurl do we have some treats for you!!

Special Performance by Lady Tajma Hal
10PM

Disco Beats!
All night Long!!!! (that's uncle Richtie's line)

Drinks! On us!!!! .....while the PBR lasts. That's right, free beers this time!

Special cocktails provided by Hornswogglers Bar

A special presentation of Fish Out of Water and many many many more surprises throughout the night!!!!!

Let the future be now and lets JETT IT ON!

===========================

If you've yet to subscribe visit us at JettisonQuarterly.com ITS FREE!!!!

Friday, March 19, 2010

Our friends at the Inconvenience Theater Present...


Our friends at the Inconvenience Theater in Lincoln Park are hosting a festival of plays March 25th- 27th called Strapped. Check out their awesome poster for more details. We at Jettison are big fans of the Inconvenience Crew. In fact, we'll be holding the release party for our upcoming issue there on Friday, April 2nd.

So check out the plays as well as some great artwork. And then come back again the next weekend to party down for our spring issue. See you there!

Jett Arts Cultural and Johalla!



Hey Everyone, not one but two art happenings tonight include fellow Jettisonians. Pete Skvara joins Co-Prosperity at the second coming of the Get It Together show at the Cultural center. The show features a nice mix of different approaches to collage and assemblage.

Emanuel Aguilar joins 49 other artists in the Alderman Project at Johalla. A project in which 50 artist were paired up with 50 alderman to create portraits that better introduce us private citizens to the politicians that make up our communities. High fives everyone!

Tuesday, March 16, 2010

Goose Island Brewer Teams Up with Chef from L20 for Odd Pairs Fest




Jared Rouben, head brewer at Goose Island brewpubs, and Emiliano Pimentel Morado, Line Cook at L2O, an upscale Lincoln Park eatery from Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises, became friends as classmates at the Culinary Institute of America (CIA) in New York City. Bound initially by an appreciation of food, Rouben, a professed "wine and beer lover" ultimately moved in another direction in his restaurant career, which began with "an addiction to home production" - and a lot of training at downtown Chicago's Rock Bottom Brewery.

The former classmates have recently discovered a unique avenue for combining their friendship as well as their respective culinary/brewing skills. Odd Pairs is a distinctive quarterly event hosted by Chicago’s Crop to Cup Coffee Company and Bean and Body, conceived, according to the competition's FaceBook page, "to highlight local businesses in Chicago that are doing original...things." Entrants are encouraged to concoct "strange, yet succulent combinations of local flavors, served up socially. We headline chefs on the edge, pushing the envelope on flavor, talent and skill in tandem with sustainability and green practices guiding their businesses."

Crop to Cup is no stranger to Goose Island Brewpubs. While coffee and beer might seem like strange bedfellows to the casual observer, Rouben is currently working with the eco-conscious java producers on a specialty beer, the "Rind Grind," which blends JuJu espresso and lemon peel into a dark stout. I was able to sample this blend during a recent tour of the Goose Island at North and Clybourn. Though neither a regular beer nor coffee drinker, I found myself overcome with the allure of such a novelty, and drank it down in one gulp.

Rouben and Morado believe that for the next Odd Pairs event, to be held privately on Friday, March 26, 2010 they have come up with a showstopper. As Rouben labels it, the duo's Italian ice creation is "L2O, Goose Island style." While the team, naturally, cannot divulge the exact measurements of the ingredients, they are able to take advantage of L2O's giant distiller to produce a thought-provoking, nonalcoholic treat comprised of the following three elements:

1. Goose Island Granita with shaved black lime, sweet citrus emulsion, and edible flowers from chef's garden

2. Triple Distilled Goose Island "Green Line" Mist

3. Cinnamon and citrus-infused hot wort tea


Having been unavailable at press time for a final taste test, the staff at Jettison Quarterly can neither confirm nor deny the deliciousness of this intriguing new variety of Italian ice. Readers will have to follow our blog [insert link] after March 26 for the results of the Odd Pairs judging.

Although Rouben acknowledges that the quarterly event "is a competition," he goes onto to declare that "for us, it isn't about that." For Rouben and Morado, the opportunity to create something new and share it with the culinary community at large, is simply another worthy celebration of food and friendship.

Check out the Odd Pairs blog at http://oddpairs.wordpress.com/

-By Jettison corespondent Becky Sarwate

Saturday, March 13, 2010

Jettison at Chicago Zine Fest (right now!!!!)


Come visit our booth. We will be here promoting the magazine all day with our zinester friends from Chicago.

Thursday, March 11, 2010

Tuesday, March 9, 2010

Ron Banks of the Dramatics Passes Away at Age 58


Jettison Quarterly sat down with Ron Banks and the Dramatics before their recent show on the eve of Valentines Day at the Star Plaza Theater in Indiana. We were excited about the interview which is set to appear in our upcoming issue. We got some great pictures from photographer David Elliott and had a great conversation with Ron Banks about the Dramatics, which he founded in the '60's in Detroit, and about his current pet projects aside from the band.

We didn't expect the news of his death on March 4th, and were deeply saddened by it. We had just watched him perform a blowout concert only a few weeks prior. He seemed in good health and high spirits. Ron was a great performer and he was very kind and open with us during the interview and after the performance. We are deeply thankful that we got the opportunity to meet and talk with him.

Jettison would like to pass on it's heartfelt condolences to Ron's family, friends, and of course the Dramatics, which seemed to be a little like both. Ron's interview will be appearing in Jettison's Spring 2010 issue. Check it out, put on your favorite Dramatics jam, and see a master at work.

-The Editor's

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Chicago to New York




Chicago locals and recent Jettison interviewees are traveling to New York this week as a part of art madness. Curtis Mann was chosen for this years 2010 Whitney Biennial as well as the Armory Show. Carrie Schneider will also be out there as a part of the VOLTA NY fair. Good luck to both and be sure to check out their articles in the upcoming Spring issue releasing mid-March.

Tuesday, February 9, 2010

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Jettison Editor/ Writer Nominated for Award


A special shout out to Jettison writer and Copy Editor Becky Sarwate for her recent nomination for the Mate E. Palmer Awards, sponsored by the Illinois Women's Press Association.

Congratulations Becky!

Awards will be announced on May 1st. Good luck!

-The Editors

Monday, January 4, 2010

Friday! Friday! Friday!



Please come to New Wave this Friday (information below) curated by Emanuel Aguilar