On Friday night, Febuary 24, Harvard educated and award-winning singer-songwriter Mieka Pauley will join local singer-songwriter Rebecca Correia to perform at the UGLY Gallery on Union Street in Downtown New Bedford.

Originally from Boston, Pauley comes to New Bedford with an impressive resume. In 2005, she won the Starbucks Emerging Artist competition, and in 2008, she won both Cosmopolitan’s StarLaunch and the New York Songwriters Circle Songwriting Competition.

She has also appeared on Daytrotter, a website that features live recordings of up-and-coming artists such as The National, Bon Iver, and Death Cab for Cutie (before they were up-and-comers), as well as on BBC London and PRI Mountain Stage.

According to Pauley, she currently resides in her car, but she plans to return to Willamsburg in Brooklyn, New York, in April. Williamsburg is widely known as the unofficial capital of the indie-hipster music and art scene in New York.

Pauley returns to the area after performing at several of Rebecca Correia’s “The Dream” concerts at her parent’s house in Rochester. “I love the area,” she told me when I interviewed her via the Internet.

Pauley was born in Boston, but moved away as a young child. As a young adult, she returned to Boston to attend Harvard, where she entered the Cambridge music scene. When I asked her about her experience in Boston, she told me that she was too young to remember it as a child because her family left when she was so young, but she has fond memories of the area as an adult.

“My memories are school, street performing, moving apartments every year, harsh winters, and an amazing music scene. Harvard has a great art and music scene—I still keep in touch with and work with a lot of the artists I met there. For example, I regularly cover a song by my buddy Noam Weinstein (“When I Get My Shit Together”); another friend Jessica Kaye made a short film based on a song of mine (“Devil’s Got My Secret”); I just played a school where my former choir-mate Daniel Roihl is musical director. The school itself (Harvard), and the degree I received allowed me to take chances that I don’t think I would have taken if I didn’t have such a solid safety net.

Rebecca Correia, a Rochester native and part time resident of Nashville, Tennessee, came to know Pauley through her cousin Amy Correia, who is also a touring musician.

Correia had a lot of good things to say about Pauley. “Meeting Mieka has absolutely been positive for my career. She’s a super intelligent woman with a great business sense and a very hard worker. She is a nonstop living, breathing artist! When you watch someone’s career unfold as I have watched Mieka’s, it’s inspiring. She has quite a music resume to her name, and she achieved it by being talented, working hard, and never giving up. She’s a captivating artist and everyone will get to see that on Feb 24th!”

The UGLY Gallery (U Gotta Love Yourself) is owned and operated by Dave Guadalupe and Jeremiah Hernandez. Generally, UGLY’s main focus is on tangible artwork, (they usually have a new exhibit for most AHA! events) but they also host shows that they hope will help spread word about a budding local music scene, amongst an eclectic variety of other endeavors.

Past performers include the New Bedford based band The Tree, hip-hop act Blest Energy, and classical guitarist Peter Arteaga. The go-to DJ for a lot of their events is DJ Farenheit, who incorporates projected video into his show, and DJ a Tom Called Cooney has also spun there, as well as a few other local acts. They also host a freestyle cipher every AHA!.

The guys at UGLY are very excited about the upcoming event. “Mieka is an amazing talent and I can’t wait for her to grace the gallery. Rebecca is a blessing to the Southcoast and deserves every thing she has earned over her career,” said Hernandez, a good friend of Correia’s. “We’ve (UGLY and Correia) been trying to work together since the day we opened, and this opportunity to have Mieka Pauley play as well sealed it for me.

Tickets for this Friday’s show are available at UGLY or thru Rebecca Correia. There is a Facebook event created here.

Mieka Pauley – All The Same Mistakes – Music Video

The warmer than usual snowless winter makes many New Bedford area residents smile. No shoveling, no cancelled school and work days, no traffic concerns and no snow covered streets. Kids may not be as happy as their sleds sit idle and their dreams of making a snowman or even a snowball melt.

Local skiers, snowboarders and snowsports enthusiasts are dealing with the frustration locally but know there is snow in the mountains as long as they travel about three hours or more, to the north.

In spite of the lack of natural snowfall this winter, the larger resorts throughout New England have been able to use their snowmaking capabilities to cover most of their trails. The base depths aren’t as deep as desired, to extend skiing well into spring, but for now, the trails are snow covered and skiers and riders are enjoying their sport.

Alice Pearce, president of SKI NH representing alpine and Nordic areas throughout the Granite State, says that business in New Hampshire ski areas is off 18 -35% from last year’s snowy ski season.

“We have had three months of snowmaking and since most resorts have 96-100% snowmaking ability, there is snow,” Pearce said.

But the reality is the number of skier visits is down and this has a huge economic impact on our northern neighboring states that rely of this winter revenue. It seems that when people don’t have snow in their own back yard, they assume there is also no snow elsewhere and they are less likely to go skiing.

Although winter snowsports have been affected by the lack of natural snowfall, there is still plenty of snow fun to be enjoyed throughout northern New England. The next two weeks of school vacation (Massachusetts followed by New Hampshire) will be critical to the resorts’ bottom line.

So why not consider heading northward to enjoy some winter recreation? There is cross country skiing at well-known resorts such as Bretton Woods and Jackson Ski Touring Center where they are able to groom and maintain their trails. Many resorts have added zip lining activities to their recreational offerings and these are open year round. Snowtubing continues to be very popular and with the help of snowmaking, is still available.

If you want to ski or snowboard, don’t worry…there really is snow and conditions are generally good. The key is to get out early and enjoy your runs while the conditions are maximized by the overnight grooming. If the weather is warm, the snow will get wet and heavy as the day progresses. If it is cold, the surface may be firm. Keep your equipment well-tuned and pay attention to weather and snow reports.

As New Englanders, we are used to variable and changing weather. The true skiers are praying for a good snowstorm to dump a foot of snow in the mountains soon. We all know March can be a very snowy month and although the current weather pattern seems, stubborn, hope has not vanished for a snowy March to set up spring skiing into April.

Local skiers and riders know the benefit of their winter passion. We feel better getting outside and being active. Don’t let the lack of snow in your back yard keep you from enjoying winter. You just have to travel a little and you will find the winter you have been missing.

See you on the slopes.

Vicki Bancroft is a longtime skier who enjoys the slopes throughout New England whether there is snow in New Bedford or not.

State Fire Marshal Stephen D. Coan and New Bedford Fire Chief Michael Gomes announced that the New Bedford Fire Department has been awarded $11,300 for the FY ’12 Student Awareness of Fire Education or S.A.F.E. Program by the State Department of Fire Services.

Chief Gomes said, “Our firefighters enjoy working closely with our school teachers to help children learn what they can do to prevent fires, to survive those that do occur, and how to respond correctly to fires and other emergencies.”

The Governor and the Legislature fund the S.A.F.E. Program through the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security and the program is administered by the State Department of Fire Services. Specially trained fire educators work with classroom teachers to deliver age-appropriate lessons on fire and life safety. The key fire and life safety behaviors meet both the requirements of the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education’s Health Curriculum Frameworks and the State Department of Fire Services Curriculum Planning Guidebook.

Coan said, “This is the 17th year of the S.A.F.E. Program in Massachusetts and we are truly reaching our goal of raising a fire safe generation of children.” The average number of children who die in fires each year in Massachusetts has dropped by 66%, or two-thirds, since the program started compared to a similar time frame before it started.

Coan added, “Since consistent comprehensive fire education is the one thing we are doing for children that we are not doing for every other age group, I think it’s fair to say we are proving fire education works.”

For more information about the Student Awareness of Fire Education Program please call Capt. Brian J. Arruda at (508) 991-6120 or go to www.mass.gov/dfs and type “SAFE” in the Search box.

I was cautiously optimistic about “Red Tails” on my way to see it- the trailers had given me mixed expectations. One featured sweeping music and inspiring speeches, while another featured dozens of explosions backed by “Transformers” style dubstep music. It looked like Peter Jackson and Michael Bay were fighting over the editing room. However, when the lights dimmed, I was greeted with a painted-on 1940’s-esque title over a beautiful aerial shot. This anachronistic war film was a pleasant surprise. It tells the incredible true story of the Tuskegee airmen, the first unit of black fighter pilots to serve in the U.S. military.

“Red Tails” is best described as a time machine, in almost every sense. It entered the cinema scene in a cloud of racial controversy. No studio was willing to fund or even distribute a major film with an all-black cast, even one written by George Lucas of “Star Wars” fame. The famous director was forced to put up the film’s entire $58,000,000 budget himself. This kind of subtle racism in business deserves its own article- it’s simply not something we expect in this day and age.

The look, tone and dialogue bring “Red Tails” even further back in time. Despite incredible special effects, a much grainer version of this film wouldn’t be out of place in the war years. I half expected a young John Wayne or Robert Mitchum to stroll onscreen at any moment. The pilots spout cheesy clichés in their cockpits, seemingly unaffected by gravity as they roll, swoop and dive. The corniness is clearly intentional, and not unpleasant, but it can be jarring in this era of movies that take themselves so seriously. Other than the casting, “Red Tails” is strongly reminiscent of propaganda films like “Flying Tigers” (1942). The dogfights themselves are exciting and visceral- though much less gritty than some other modern war films.

The ensemble cast is excellent- a perfect mix of familiar faces and newer talent. Terrence Howard and Cuba Gooding Jr. give good supporting performances which are marred somewhat by the intentionally stilted and corny dialogue. The principal characters are a fighter squad of four played by Nate Parker, Tristan Wilds, David Oyelowo and Elijah Kelley. Without leaving the vintage tone of the film, they provide very good dramatic performances and avoid a stereotypical ‘war buddy’ shtick. Most of the relationships feel broken-in, like they existed before the movie began.

This is where one of the film’s flaws comes in; the viewer feels like they’re being dropped into the story halfway through. Constant allusions are made to the struggle to get the Tuskeegee program off the ground, yet we join the airmen in the skies over Italy. That previous story could have been better than “Red Tails”, not to mention Oscar material. Another Cuba Gooding Jr. movie, “Men of Honor” (2000), tells a similar tale- and manages to be a great dramatic film with little to no real violence. George Lucas has once again shown his preference for action and entertainment over dramatic weight. Neophyte director Anthony Hemingway’s influence is not really felt; the billionaire creator of “Star Wars” and “Indiana Jones” has put his stamp all over this flick.

The vintage feel of “Red Tails” is refreshing, but it really does take you out of the movie when you have to roll your eyes at some corny line. There is a reason that filmmakers have moved away from this style. The villain is unconvincing and feels tacked-on to the plot, a scarred German ace who somehow fights the main characters in every battle. This is another trope of classic war films. A mix between this style and a more modern one would have produced something original, but as it stands the movie contains little real creativity.

Overall, “Red Tails” is a fun, solid, entertaining movie with a good script, great casting and decent direction. The effects are beautiful, and the battle scenes visually exceed any other modern war film. The story is interesting but lacks real depth, and the representation of war is toned down to keep a PG-13 rating. It’s worth seeing for sure, and on the biggest screen you can find. As long as you don’t expect anything revolutionary, “Red Tails” delivers. I give it a solid three stars out of five.

Mocha Dick is purported to have been a real sperm whale that terrorized whaling crews in the 1830s. Some scholars believe he was the inspiration for Herman Melville’s great white whale, Moby-Dick. Beyond this obscure reference to mocha, is there any connection between 19th century American Whaling and chocolate? It turns out there is. Chocolate will be the subject of “Valentine’s Day II – Chocolate Day,” with four free public lectures by chocolate experts, demonstrations in colonial chocolate-making and sampling on Saturday, February 25, 2012 from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the New Bedford Whaling Museum.

Chocolate became a highly regarded addition to ship’s fare on whaling and merchant vessels according to a recently published book, “Chocolate: History Culture and Heritage.” Three of the book’s contributing authors will present illustrated lectures and demonstrations on chocolate. Learn where chocolate comes from, how it came to colonial New England, and how cocoa was made in early America.

The day’s activities are sponsored in part by American Heritage Chocolate® – part of the historic division of Mars, Incorporated – which manufactures chocolate products using authentic colonial recipes made only from ingredients available during the 18th century, such as cinnamon, nutmeg, chili pepper, orange and vanilla. To ensure historical accuracy, Mars conducted extensive historical research on chocolate, working with the University of California at Davis. Over 150 researchers and historians from historic sites and universities across the globe contributed to the 1000-page textbook – considered a definitive reference on the history of chocolate and its development as a global industry. Edited by Louis E. Grivetti and Howard-Yana Shapiro, and published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., copies of the book, signed by the authors, will be available at the Museum store. American Heritage Chocolate will also be available for sale.

Timothy D. Walker, Ph.D., will present “A History of Chocolate: Where it comes from and how it was made in early New England” at 12:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. in the Cook Memorial Theater.

Dr. Walker is an Associate Professor of History, University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, where he is also the Fulbright Program Advisor for faculty and students. He has served as Associate Director of the Center for Portuguese Studies and Culture, is a member of the graduate faculty of the Department of Portuguese Studies, and is an Affiliated Researcher of the Centro de História de Além-Mar (CHAM), Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Portugal. A New Bedford resident, Dr. Walker was recently named a National Endowment for the Humanities Fellow.

Christopher Kelly will present: “Chocolate at Sea: Use Aboard Whaling and Merchant Ships in the 19th Century,” 1:00 p.m. in the theater.

Christopher Kelly is a writer, musician, and filmmaker from southeastern, Massachusetts. A graduate of UMass Dartmouth’s History program, he spent 2006-2007 conducting research on the use of chocolate aboard nineteenth century New Bedford whaling voyages that ultimately culminated in a chapter in the book, “Chocolate: History Culture and Heritage.” He currently lives in Providence, Rhode Island.

Rodney Snyder will present “Chocolate is American History” at 2:00 p.m. in the Cook Memorial Theater.

Rodney Snyder is the Chocolate History Research Director for The Historic Division of Mars. He has been researching cocoa for Mars, Incorporated for more than 25 years. In his quest to locate the best tasting cocoa beans, he has visited all of the major cocoa growing regions such as West Africa, South America, the Caribbean, and South Asia. After having roasted every type of cocoa, he can identify the origin of cocoa beans by their flavor and aroma. He is the author of “From Stone Metates to Steel Mills: The Evolution of Chocolate Manufacture,” a chapter included in the book.

Admission is free to Valentine’s Day II – Chocolate Day, which takes place in the Jacobs Family Gallery and the Cook Memorial Theater. Children must be accompanied by an adult. Regular admission rates apply to the Museum galleries. Chocolate Day wraps up a week of school vacation week activities.

The New Bedford Whaling Museum is the world’s most comprehensive museum devoted to the global story of whales, whaling and the cultural history of the region. The cornerstone of New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park, the Museum is located at 18 Johnny Cake Hill in the heart of the city’s historic downtown and is open daily. For a complete calendar of events, visit the Whaling Museum online at www.whalingmuseum.org.

I first met Pamela Whipple, or Bunny as she is known to her friends, having a blast last summer at AHA: Kids Rule! Not only was her booth filled with an array of brightly colored, hand-made, hula hoops, but it was also swarming with interested people of all ages, hooping the night away. Since then, I have watched her passion for hooping spread like fire and ignite into the flame that is The Hot Pink Health Coach. When the opportunity to learn more about her, and her ever-pulsating pursuit of health and hoopi-ness presented itself to me, I jumped on the chance.

Amanda: What exactly is Hot Pink Health Coach all about, aside from its obvious title?

Pam: The Hot Pink Health Coach Company is a fun, creative and comprehensive approach to nutrition and fitness for women that hate the gym. This approach means that stress, sleep, finances, relationships, creativity and community are observed to assess the best solutions for the client. Each session and program is specifically tailored for the woman I’m working with. I support them with their goals step-by-step at a pace they can handle. These sessions include fit hoop lessons, healthy shopping, cooking classes, books, a binder with handouts, e-support, supplement guidance, organic health and beauty, and more. Women who have worked with me not only lost weight, but have more energy, as well as a fitness routine that they love.

Amanda: As someone who hates the gym, I must say that sounds pretty amazing! What are some of the other services you offer?

Pam: A few FREE services I provide are Chakra Opening and a Health History Consultation. Your first session with me is free to see if we would like to work together which comes with a bonus tip. Chakra Opening is a holistic way to balance energy throughout the body and a great way to get started. I’m also planning on starting a FREE hoop group, Fit Hoop Challenge, in Buttonwood Park this spring.

Workshops on various topics, such as Sugar Cravings, Eating for Energy, Women’s Health, Weigh Less, and Live More are FREE. Group classes are offered for a fee of $10. And a Sampler Session, in which you choose three specific categories that you would like to discuss and receive information on, is $20.

A Six Months to Living Program is $95 per month, and you receive the full benefits of group support, changing your relationship with food, and creating a life they you will love. Six months is the recommended amount of time to solidify new habits into your life.

Amanda: Free workshops and fit hoop lessons? I’m sold! But I have to know, how did you fist become involved with the Hooper lifestyle? I mean most people are familiar with toy hula hoops, but I am almost certain that hooping as exercise is as foreign a concept to them, as it was to me last year.

Pam: Three years ago a dear friend of mine gave me a hula hoop as a gift after we reconciled a misunderstanding. A few months later this dear friend passed away from cancer.  This experience gave me the push to apply and attend The Institute of Integrative Nutrition. My classes were inspiring and full of information I needed, but I struggled with wanting to exercise. I don’t like to work out. I like to have fun. So I started to search for new ways to get moving. When I found Hoopnotica and Body Hoops it all came together. I couldn’t believe people were losing weight with their hula hoops! It was so fun!

I started with videos on YouTube because it was free. I also took a few classes with The Boston Hoop Troop. Within three months, I went from 140 pounds to 117.

Amanda: That’s so awesome! And now you make your own hoops! Could you tell me a little bit about some of the styles that you offer?

Pam: Our little shop offers hoops you can buy either online or in person at Ervanaria Estrela on Acushnet Ave in New Bedford. We offer fitness hoops, which are weighted to give you a great workout and they are much easier to keep up than toy hula hoops. We offer kids hoops as well! And this spring we will be releasing our first wave of LED hoops.

We decorate our hoops with special grip tape, glow tape, fabric and upcycled materials so our customers can create the hoop of their dreams. Our most popular hoops are the Purple Flash and the Tokidoki special edition.

Amanda: What are some important things to be aware of when choosing the right hoop?

Pam: When you choose a hoop, the most important part is choosing your size. Make sure that you have a hoop that will measure up to the mid chest area, especially if you are a beginner. Before you buy your hoop from someone, make sure that you message any questions you might have to the company. And most importantly, do not buy from someone that doesn’t return your emails in a timely fashion.

Amanda: I know you mentioned a free hoop group starting this spring, but would you mind briefly describing a hoop workout that is beginner friendly for the ambitious individual who can’t wait that long?

Pam: I recommend that people ready to start now pick up a hoop at a toy store and get on YouTube! If you are taller and much bigger than a child I recommend buying from us of course! Hoopnotica and Body Hoops are also great places to buy. Body Hoops has the best videos on YouTube for a beginner aerobic work out.

Good luck and Happy Hooping Everyone!

For more information on Pam’s workshops, or if you want to learn more about fitness hooping check her out at: http://hotpinkhealthcoach.com.

Location: 78 Wing Road, Acushnet, MA 02743
Phone: 508-348-4375
Payment Options: Cash, Credit/Debit, or Pay Pal accounts.
Owner’s Name: Pamela Whipple

Two of the oldest buildings in New Bedford—The Seaman’s Bethel and The Mariner’s Home—are currently undergoing repairs. The leadership at The New Bedford Port Society expect the repairs to be completed sometime in the near future.

On Monday morning, workers from A. Walecka and Son Inc. delivered 13 cenotaphs out of their storage facility in West Wareham and back to the Seaman’s Bethel.  Another Walecka crew had carefully removed the cenotaphs in May of 2011 for renovations and repairs performed on the south side of the building.

Cenotaphs are large, historic stone tablets that honor fishermen and whalers lost at sea.  The wall that the cenotaphs hung from had to be repaired due damage from water and insects.

A crew from R.P. Valois & Co. will remount the cenotaphs back into their original places.  Their methods for mounting the hundred-plus pound tablets will surely surpass the methods used originally—some of the tablets were hung merely with screws (sometimes only three of them) and the screws were coming loose in some cases.

As for the Mariner’s Home, it is currently in its second week of emergency repairs.  Bricks on the south wall of the building began to crumble outward, so some of the bricks were replaced.

According to Fred Toomey, property manager at the Seaman’s Bethel and the Mariners Home, J.M. Booth Associates of William St. in New Bedford are currently in the process of doing a structural report to see exactly what needs to be done and how much it should cost.

The New Bedford Port Society, whom Toomey works for, has applied for grants to fund the remaining work needed at the Mariner’s home.

According to Peter Haley, The Director of the New Bedford Port Society, eight feet (out of forty) on the south wall had to be replaced, and they’re waiting on the grant money to fix the rest of it.

Rex Monumental Works of New Bedford also delivered a new tablet on Monday morning to be resurrected in the near future.

Tablets are different from the cenotaphs, because they generally recognize people who have lost their lives at sea but whose bodies have been recovered.  Paul Swain of the Port Society told me that they expect to have the dedication of the new tablet sometime within a month from now.

You can get a FREE tour of the Seamen’s Bethel each Monday from 1-2pm. Details here.

The City of New Bedford snow emergency parking ban is lifted as of 9:30am today as a result of a change in the forecast.

The City of New Bedford has issued a citywide snow emergency parking ban to take effect in New Bedford as of 8:00 a.m., early on Saturday morning February 11, 2012.  The citywide parking ban will remain in effect for 48-hours thereafter, unless lifted or further extended by City officials. The parking ban is designed to allow City workers to efficiently remove snow from New Bedford roadways to allow public safety vehicles and residents to travel safely.

As of Friday evening, the National Weather Service in Taunton had issued a Winter Weather Advisory for accumulating snow, in effect from 4:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. Saturday.

While the snow emergency parking ban is in effect, parking is permitted on the side of the street that is opposite the fire hydrants.  No vehicle should be parked on the same side of the street as a fire hydrant, except on streets that are regularly posted for parking on one side of the street only.  In posted areas, residents are to obey the signs as usual.

A double-sided parking ban will also take effect in both the Acushnet Avenue Business District and the Downtown Business District as of 8:00 a.m., on Saturday, February 11, 2012.  This double-sided parking ban will be lifted as soon as these business districts have been cleared.  Downtown parking is available at no charge in the Elm Street and the Zeiterion Parking Garages.

Violations of this parking regulation will be subject to ticketing at $50 per ticket and towing at full cost to the owner of the vehicle towed. The vehicle owner is also responsible for the full cost of storage for any towed vehicle.

The following areas have been designated as preferred parking areas for those residents in need of off-street parking while the emergency snow parking ban is in effect:

• Victory Park – Brock Avenue
• Hazelwood Park – Brock Avenue
• Roosevelt Middle School – Brock Avenue and Dennis Street
• Cove Street Parking Lot – Cove Street and Morton Court
• Orchard Street at Shaw’s Soccer Field
• Congdon School – Thompson and Hemlock Street
• Buttonwood Park Parking Area – Hawthorn Street Side and Lake Street Side
• Coggeshall Street Parking Lot – Coggeshall Street and Acushnet Avenue
• Sawyer Street Parking Lot – Between Sawyer Street and Beetle Street
• Brooklawn Park Parking Area – Brooklawn Street (South Side)
• Normandin Middle School – Tarkiln Hill Road
• Jireh Swift School – Tarkiln Hill Road
• Campbell School – Phillips Road
• Ottiwell School – 26 Madeira Avenue
• Dunbar School – 338 Dartmouth Street
• Philips Avenue School – 249 Phillips Avenue
• Elm Street Garage
• Zeiterion Garage – 688 Purchase Street

The Mayor’s Office will provide updates on the snow emergency parking ban as needed.

On Monday, February 13, 2012 at 1:30 p.m. Mayor Jon Mitchell and other city officials will join with Congressman Barney Frank in re-opening the Andrea McCoy Recreation Center at 181 Hillman Street in New Bedford.  This will mark the first time the fully renovated recreation facility is open to the public since it was badly damaged by fire in 2004.

The center was the product of a multi-year effort to restore the old gymnasium into an interactive recreation facility for New Bedford residents.  The redevelopment project was overseen by the New Bedford Office of Housing and Community Development and the facility will be operated by the New Bedford Office of Parks, Recreation and Beaches.

The project involved the complete restoration of the Andrea McCoy Gym located at 181 Hillman Street.  The first and second levels of the Recreation Center have been completely restored; including a new gymnasium floor and restoration of the stage area. Additional repairs to the basement level will be completed in 2012 to offer programming space for a variety of community based programming.  The building was originally part of the New Bedford Vocational Technical High School, sustained significant fire damage in 2004, and has not been open for public use since.

The Project was funded through two Economic Development Incentive Grants as well as funding from the U.S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development -Community Development Block Grant Program.

The latest CD Reservoir by J. Kelley (available on iTunes and CDBaby) is an eclectic and energetic collection of 14 songs all composed and sung by the local musician, Jason Kelley. It’s like a birthday party on a disc.

The festivities begin with a banging rocker, ‘Borrowed Time’, that sets the tone for the album. An end-of-the-road song about starting over: “I’ll pick myself up and brush myself off/Tip my hat and say I’ve had enough.” A ripping guitar solo by George Piva beautifully seizes the moment at the song’s center and brings it all home for the final chorus.

Track 2 ‘Shake You’ is the obvious hit with its infectious hook and beat. A video of this tune was produced and filmed locally at various venues in Downtown New Bedford. So far it has received 79,000+ hits on YouTube!

I have to take a moment here and say I have been a big fan of J.Kelley ever since I first saw the band play at the Pour Farm Tavern a few years ago. I was impressed by the crisp original tunes and the eclectic mix of cover songs done their own way. Jason always surrounds himself with great players and he has followed that plan on the CD. The aforementioned George Piva on lead guitar, Rob Massoud on bass/keyboards/backup vocals, Dave Gries on bass, Gabe Cabral on drums and Colin Bradley on organ- all great players who give it their all on this production. I loved his previous CD Untied (available on iTunes) and I was eager to hear more.

Other stand-out tracks include ‘Think Of Me Well’ with tremendous vocals supplied by Jason and Rob, ‘Sophia Rose’ sounds like it could have been lifted from Born To Run, and my favorite track ‘In The Cool’ starts out with a great blues riff then settles in with a steamy beat- a truly great arrangement. I really wish it had been placed higher on the track order.

The CD finishes up with yet another rocker ‘Bring This Home’, a song about the city, alienation and New Bedford: “I’ll go down to the waterfront, down to Union Street/There’s friends down there with honest eyes and a steady beat/ We’re raised here and we’ll die here/and everything in between/It shapes us and makes us/it becomes our legacy.” Well-written indeed.

The sound quality is outstanding. Kudos to  Scott Riebling for a great mix and to Andy VanDette for a tremendous mastering job, the songs jump off the speakers (you may be hearing from me and Dori soon).

If I rated with stars it would be 4 1/2 stars out of a possible 5. If I rated with grades, it would be A-. But I do neither. I listened with my heart and I enjoyed every second of it.