The deadline for listings is noon, Feb. 5 for the Feb. 8 issue. Send listings to [email protected]. Note: 617 should be dialed before numbers below, unless another area code is given.
Arts, music, and culture
“250th Anniversary of the First Church”, a talk by George Wardle on Suzanna and Benjamin Pemberton who led their neighbors in a process to carve out a new parish in the middle of Roxbury in the 1770s. Learn what the Jamaica Plain area was like at the time, who the other founding families were, and how Jamaica Plain fits into the story of three separate municipalities: Roxbury, West Roxbury and Boston. Sunday, January 27 at 3:00pm, 6 Eliot Street, Jamaica Plain (in the First Church Parish Hall). Presented by the Jamaica Plain Historical Society, Free and open to the public.
Smartphone Photography: Winter Landscapes Enhanced Nancy Katz, Professional Photographer 3 Sessions: Sat January 26, February 9, 23 8:30–10:30 a.m. at Hunnewell Building and Landscape, Arnold Arboretum Capture the essence of winter, when landscapes present a diluted palette of colors and contrasts are most striking. Professional photographer Nancy Katz will introduce fundamental concepts of landscape photography and then teach techniques for getting the best photographs from your smartphone camera. You will capture images in color and black and white, then learn to enhance them using a host of editing tools provided in the Snapseed App. (Note: Nancy Katz was selected by the Apple Store of Boston as a guest artist in March 2017 for her photography work with her iPhone and has taught her techniques there and most recently at Brandeis University’s Osher Life Long Learning Institute.) Fee $84 (Reduced rate for Arnold Arboretum members) Register at my.arboretum.harvard.edu or call 617-384-5277.
Chameleon Strings in Bach-centered Up Close Recital
The Chameleon Arts Ensemble presents Chameleon Up Close featuring violinist Robyn Bollinger, violist Scott Woolweaver, and cellist Rafael Popper-Keizer, on Sunday, February 3, 2019, 4 PM, at Mary Norton Hall at Old South Church, 645 Boylston Street, Boston. The program, centered on Bach, includes Mozart’s string trio arrangement of the Prelude and Fugue, BWV 883; Dmitry Sitkovetsky’s exquisite arrangement of the Goldberg Variations, BWV 988; and Alfred Schnittke’s haunting String Trio. The New York Times recently noted “it was the young violinist Robyn Bollinger who held me captive.” The Boston Musical Intelligencer called Mr. Woolweaver “one of Boston’s most respected violists,” and praised Mr. Popper-Keizer for “a stunning, absolutely unforgettable rendition.”
SongBeat Circle hosts another season of improvisational singing and drumming together for wellness, stress relief, and community. It is held on the first Tuesday of each month at 7:30 p.m. in the Parish Hall at First Church in Jamaica Plain. All ages are welcome. A small donation of $5 to $10 is encouraged to help with the costs of using the space. No musical experience required. Bring your enthusiasm and willingness to be open to the joyful play of music. For further information, contact [email protected] or 617-775-7602. /
JESUS DRINKS FREE! 1950s-70s country, gospel, soul and RnB spun by 2 atheists (and guests) @Jeanie Johnston 9pm-Close FREE SOUL music & COUNTRY music. Foundational sounds of the American experience spun monthly with love, admiration, and a deep want to create fun. Throw in a non-believer’s true lust for spinning GOSPEL music and you have JESUS DRINKS FREE. The music comes from the 1950s thru the 1970s. We’re @ The Jeanie Johnston Pub every first Thursday night of every month. Good times in Jamaica Plain.”
The Haven, HOOTENANNY – JP’s OPEN MIC EVERY WEDNESDAY, hosted by Tom Dowd. Sign up is 9.30pm and we have prizes every Wednesday for the most interesting acts.
Midway Café, All shows 21+, doors 8pm, 3496 Washington St, 524-9038. Thursdays are Queeraoke lesbian night; Fridays 6-8:30pm are Hippie Hour, free; Sundays 9pm-2am are open mic.
January 2019:
Hippie Hour with Uncle Johnny’s Band! Fri Jan 25th 6:00pm – 8:30pm Doors at 6:00 PM – No Cover until 8:30 PM!
Sunshine Riot, All Eyes On Me, Sugar Cones, Arrot To Fri Jan 25th 8:30pm $7.00, Doors at 8:30pm, 21+
Paper Citizen, Visiting Wine, Dav Blues, Dogwood (Zoey Pierce)Sat Jan 26th 3:00pm – 7:00pm $5.00, Doors at 3:00pm
Jeanie Johnston Pub, 144 South St. Open Mic hosted by Tony Bluze, Sundays at 8pm. More events at jeaniejohnstonpub.com.
Bella Luna & The Milky Way Weekly events include; NOLA Sundays every Sunday at 5pm with a live brass band. Stump Trivia every Monday 7pm-9pm, 50% of wings. Taco Tuesday, Teacher Tuesdays plus Dirty Water Saloon Line Dancing for queer folks and allies at 7PM. Live music every Wednesday from at 6:30 – 8:30 pm. Throwback Thursday with DJ J-Wall 6- 8 p.m. Visit www.milkywayjp.com for more late night events every Thu-Sat.
Old time music, Southern/roots music, second and fourth Wednesdays, 7.30pm, back room at Doyle’s Cafe, 3484 Washington St. Info: [email protected].
First Fridays Youth Open Mic with renowned feature artists, first Friday of every month, 7pm at First Baptist Church, 633 Centre St. Free for performers and those under 25, $10 suggested donation for those 25 and over.
Dance and comedy
Dance JP Revival! Free your mind, body, and soul, and lift your spirits with high-energy, feel-good, socially conscious music from around the world! All ages. Wheelchair accessible. Nov. 16, 7:30-9:30pm, First Baptist Church JP, 633 Centre St. $5-$15 (No one turned away for lack of funds). More info: https://tinyurl.com/DanceJPRevival, [email protected]
Gender-Free/English Country Dance, beginners welcome and encouraged. 2nd and 4th Tuesdays (5th Tuesdays: experienced) of the month, 7:30-11:30pm, First Church, 6 Eliot St. Info: www.lcfd.org/bgfe/512-5554.
Learn to stiltwalk with Spontaneous Celebrations, 45 Danforth St. Sundays, 11am-1pm, $5. Info: 857-498-2438.
Egleston Square Branch Library, 2044 Columbus Ave.
Free Drop-In Homework Help
Mondays-Thursdays, 3:30-5:30pm
The library provides free, drop-in afterschool homework help for students in grades K-8 throughout the school year. Spanish assistance is available Mondays and Thursdays. Help is provided by trained, high-achieving high school students. This program is available at locations across Boston on days that Boston Public Schools are in session. The full list of locations is online at www.bpl.org/homework.
Baby/Toddler Music Time
Fridays, November 23 & 30, December 7, and ongoing, 10:30am
Sing, bounce, read, and play in these interactive musical storytimes, followed by a play group. For children ages 6-24 months and their caregivers.
Jamaica Plain Branch Library
Oral History Listening Booth at the JP Branch See a 1930’s era wooden phone booth, transformed into a portal for exploring Boston’s history as shared by a diverse group, ages 60 and older, from JP and other Boston neighborhoods. The booth is a part of Daniel Johnson’s Artist in Residency (AIR) project and will hit the road soon and pop up at other spots across Boston. Booth can be viewed and listened to whenever the library is open. JP Branch Library, 30 South St, 617-524-2053.
Connolly Branch Library
433 Centre St., 522-1960, www.bpl.org.
Tours/talks/workshops
Stonybrook Fine Arts, Make Your Own Wedding Rings workshop and teen & adult classes in welding, foundry and mold-making, ongoing, 24 Porter St. Info: stonybrookfinearts.com.
Woodworking, sewing, art classes, fiber arts, photography, book arts. Children, teens, adults, year round. Eliot School of Fine & Applied Arts, 24 Eliot St. Info: eliotschool.org or 524-3313.
Shim Gum Do (Mind Sword Path), zen sword, karate and meditation classes, scholarships available, Spontaneous Celebrations, 45 Danforth St. Info: 429-8024/[email protected].
Meet-Ups
Narratives Boston, queer activist-writers group open to LGBTQ-identified adults interested in creative expression and social justice, first and third Wednesday evenings of the month, 7-9pm, Haymarket People’s Fund, 42 Seaverns Ave. Info: [email protected].
Party for the Helping Hand Fund, hosted by Haymarket People’s Fund, every 3rd Friday of the month, 5:30-8pm, 42 Seaverns Ave. Info: 522-3349/[email protected].
Networking Group, local chapter of BNI, meets on Wednesdays at the Farnsworth House at 7am. Consists of 30 members of different professions. Through development and trust and relationships amongst the members, objective is to promote each other’s businesses. Members may live outside of JP, but common tie is either living in or servicing the JP area. Info: President of chapter Katelyn Atwater, info: 431-0929.