Weekend Top Picks for Oct 7-8: Jazz at The Bechtler And More
Don't plan on catching up on sleep this weekend; there's too much to do. You can always nap at your desk on Monday.
Jazz at The Bechtler. Get there early, folks. There's sometimes a line out the door by 6:10, and it starts at 6 p.m. There are seats for those who get there in time. But, the bar is not a bad place to stand for latecomers. The gallery's are open, but you'll be hard-pressed to pull yourself away from the music. This Friday, the Bechtler "house band" pays tribute to jazz guitarist Wes Montgomery. Details.
Blind Boys of Alabama. The Grammy-winning gospel greats have recently crossed over into country. The band has been around forever (almost). They deserve to be called legends. Saturday at The Knight Theater. Details.
The Classic International Black Cinema Series. The Sunday matinee gives you another good reason to get to the Gantt Center. (The three Romare Bearden exhibits are the first reasons.) Nothing but a Man (1964) tells the story of a railroad worker who marries a preacher's daughter (the great jazz singer Abbey Lincoln), only to discover the system is rigged against him. In addition, filmmaker Nisa Ra will screen and discuss her film, The Connection: Black Love Lives. What started as a class project for her morphed into a full video exploration of lasting African-American love and relationships with stories from couples ranging in age from 20 to 90. Sunday at 2 p.m. Details.
Say, I just noticed that all three top picks take place in the new uptown arts block. The previously dull end of Tryon has been reborn. Charlotte has a new arts district.
