MILLER TALE: Forget about big-time promoters. Most of the people who bring art to Vermont are small-time. No attitude. No gold pinkie rings. And in the case of Jeff Miller, no health insurance. Miller has been running the Burlington Coffeehouse for almost three years on a volunteer basis. He books the artists, puts out the calendar and runs the sound at City Market. Miller was between gigs when his kidneys shut down last summer. The next surprise was the hospital bill, estimated at $40,000. No sliding scale at Fletcher Allen. Local songstress Rachel Bissex is organizing two benefit concerts to help Miller make ends meet. The first one, which she describes as “kind of like Austin City Limits,'” brings together songwriters Patti Casey, Rik Palieri, Katherine Quinn and Diane Ziegler Friday at City Market. The second — a more formal affair scheduled for late October at the Cathedral Church of St. Paul — is expected to attract even more folk musicians. Says Bissex, “The public probably doesn’t know who Jeff is, or what he does, but we do.”
SCENE TOO MUCH? Burlington has Phish to thank for its current music “scene” status. Not to mention the good ears of Toastmaster Dennis Wygmans and the tireless promotional efforts of musician-marketeers Brad Searles and Andrew Smith. Now the city of Burlington is getting in on the aural action, with a monthly newsletter aimed at local musicians. “Our biggest role is advocacy,” says Burlington City Arts Director Doreen Kraft, acknowledging the city is placing new emphasis on youth and music. “This is about finding where the gaps are.” The first “needs assessment” survey turned up the usual results: space, space, space. Surprise, surprise, surprise.
GUEST STARS: There were some tough parts to fill in A Piece of My Heart — a moving play about six American women in Vietnam that opens next week at Royall Tyler Theatre. Veronica Lopez-Schultz was the obvious choice for director. Last year she did Five Women Wearing the Same Dress. This year they’re in combat fatigues. Schultz had to go all the way to Manhattan to cast about for the African-American lead. Look out for Lisa Romain. She’s actually getting paid…Veteran villain Richard Lynch is the Hollywood hook in Diamond Run — a forthcoming feature by David Giancola, the Rutland filmmaker who pulled off Tangents. Lynch’s dark-side credits include Scarecrow — in which he pummels Al Pacino — Bad Dreams and Little Nikkita. Maybe the big bad guy will help this one finish first.
BIG BREAK: Breakaway keeps on living up to its name. The Vermont-raised bluegrass band just got back from a shindig in Kentucky attended by Bill Monroe, Bela Fleck — “all the biggies,” says mandolinist Andy Sacher. Only 20 bands were selected — out of 300 — to perform at the International Bluegrass Music Association convention in Owensborough. “We had a total blast,” Sacher says. “We picked with people from all over the world.” Long as they remember the way home.
IN BRIEF: Jerry Garcia is dead. So where does that leave high-ranking Deadhead Patrick Leahy? Tie-dyed, and “chilling out” with the next best thing — guitarist Bob Weir — in the inaugural issue of John Kennedy Jr.’s George. Beats Madonna in the White House. . . Memorial Auditorium manager David Archer must have been psyched last week. He made the cover of Vox, and page three of its sister-publication, Vermont Times. Speaking of recycled news, wonder if any literati noticed the Charles Fish memoir in Vox, for the second time this year. In Good Hands may not be. . . Being downtown gives Chassman & Bern that urban edge, recently sharpened by a brand-new security system. “It isn’t anything terrible,” says owner Randy Chudnow. Just a sign of the times. . . Looks like the Sony Nickelodeon sold out to Hoyts — the takeover is scheduled for Friday. Hopefully that means uniformed employees will no longer have to parrot, “Welcome to Loews. How may I help you?” The bad news? It gives Hoyts a movie monopoly in Burlington. Just keep those art films coming.
This article appears in September 27 • 1995.
Got something to say?
Send a letter to the editor and we'll publish your feedback in print!
