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In partnership with The Lodge on Gorham's Bluff, the Institute is pleased to offer its popular Sunday Lunch Benefit at 1:00 p.m. prior to Sunday Series events. All proceeds benefit Arts Access, the Institute's arts-education outreach program that is designed to enrich and expand cultural opportunities in the tri-county area.
RESERVATIONS REQUIRED: So that we may serve you better, please make lunch reservations directly with the Institute office by calling (256) 451-ARTS(2787), ext. 42, or by e-mailing arts@gorhamsbluff.com. Reservations require a credit card confirmation and are non-refundable when cancelled less than 72 hours prior to the lunch date and time. The Sunday Lunch Benefit is $25 per person. (Ask about our Elder Discount for those aged 50 and over!)
Drew Mays
Sunday, February 17, 2008 at 3 p.m.
Gorham’s Bluff Meeting House
An ophthalmologist by trade, Birmingham pianist Drew Mays recently made a big splash in the world of classical music by winning first prize in the prestigious Van Cliburn International Piano Competition for Outstanding Amateurs this past June. Culminating a fifteen-year journey that took him from the Manhattan School of Music to a long hiatus during which he did not play at all, the Van Cliburn win portends many great things to come for this talented Alabama musician. Mr. Mays will be performing on a Steinway piano courtesy of Forbes Piano Company in Homewood, Alabama.
Etowah Youth Orchestra Honor Strings
Sunday, March 9, 2008 at 3 p.m.
Gorham’s Bluff Meeting House
The Etowah Youth Orchestra is a statewide jewel, but its accolades and successes have not been confined to the Alabama state line. Conducted by Michael Gagliardo, the EYO has performed in some of the most prestigious concert halls in America, including the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., Lincoln Center in New York, and twice at Carnegie Hall. The Institute is particularly pleased to welcome the EYO’s 11-piece Honor Strings ensemble for an exciting slate of traditional and electric pieces for the violin and viola. The Honor Strings have recently traveled to Cleveland, Ohio, to perform at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and have twice performed for President Jimmy Carter.
Brian Lutterbie
Sunday, April 6, 2008 at 3 p.m.
Composer and classical guitarist Brian Lutterbie has released four albums of original music, most recently Progressions. Originally from Missouri, Mr. Lutterbie has taught and performed throughout the country. He is currently on the faculty at the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Music.
Willie King and the Alabama Blues Project
Sunday, May 25, 2008 at 3 p.m.
Gorham’s Bluff Amphitheater
Legendary Alabama Blues musician Willie King joins the Alabama Blues Project to bring authentic Blues music back to Gorham’s Bluff. Nominated for the prestigious W.C. Handy Award for Best Traditional Male Artist, Best Traditional Blues Album, Best Blues Song, and Best New Artist of the Year, Mr. King has performed at festivals, clubs, and juke-joints all over the world. He also appeared in Martin Scorsese’s acclaimed PBS Blues documentary, Feel Like Going Home. The Institute is proud to welcome perhaps the greatest living Alabama Bluesman to northeast Alabama.
2007 Events
Alabama Blueswoman Caroline Shines
Sunday, Feb. 11 at 3:00 p.m.
Gorham's Bluff Meetinghouse
People sometimes forget that the Blues didn't stop at the Mississippi state line. Caroline Shines, whose musical roots can be traced back to none other than Robert Johnson, joins the Institute to help remind us that good Blues crosses all kinds of borders, be they geographical, emotional, or even spiritual. Be sure to visit the Alabama Blues Project for more on the history, traditions, and contemporary relevance of this uniquely American art form.
Tickets: $12 ($10 for Institute members and Elders [50 and over]; $5 for students).
Dr. David Campbell
Sunday, Feb. 18 at 3:00 p.m.
Gorham's Bluff Meetinghouse
 In the depths of the Great Depression, the federal government attempted to build a community--complete with housing, a cooperative store, a school, and even folk arts programs--at nearby Skyline Farms. In so doing, it hoped to create a sense of togetherness and thereby give the people on Sand Mountain a new lease on life in those trying times. Sociologist Dr. David Campbell, who is also president of Northeast Alabama Community College and a Jackson County native, will inaugurate the Gorham's Bluff Lecture Series by sharing his scholarship and insights regarding this compelling intersection of local and national history.
Tickets: $5 ($4 for Institute members and Elders [50 and over]; students admitted free).
Bobby Horton
Sunday, Mar. 11 at 3:00 p.m.
Gorham's Bluff Meetinghouse
 You've enjoyed his incredibly varied musical talents on many of Ken Burns's most important and best loved documentaries, including Burns's signature epic, The Civil War. Now treat yourself to an afternoon of Civil War music and lore with world-renowned musician and musical historian, Bobby Horton. Dressed in period costume and full of infectious passion for the subject, Bobby leaves his audiences both fully entertained and with a deeper, more personal understanding of this seminal time in our nation's collective history.
Tickets: $12 ($10 for Institute members and Elders [50 and over]; $5 for students).
Dr. Jim Brown
Sunday, April 1 at 3 p.m.
Gorham's Bluff Meetinghouse
Increasingly, a solid understanding of the issues facing the contemporary Middle East is a prerequisite for responsible citizenry in the world at large. Samford University history professor Dr. Jim Brown will discuss one of the more pressing topics of the day--the evolution of the United States' relationship with Iran--by discussing the six crises of modern Iranian history, during which the U.S. has gradually shifted from outside hero number one to the so-called "Great Satan."
Tickets: $5 ($4 for Institute members and Elders [50 and over]; students admitted free).
The Claire Lynch Band
Sunday, May 27 at 3 p.m.
Gorham's Bluff Amphitheater
The Grammy-nominated Claire Lynch and her band have twice before thrilled Gorham's Bluff audiences with their impeccable musicianship and their authentic bluegrass sound. Heard everywhere from XM and Sirius radio to the hallowed halls of the Grand Ole Opry, the Claire Lynch Band is enjoying a steady rise of notoriety with their newest release, New Day. Be sure to catch them in the unmatched natural beauty and intimacy of the Gorham's Bluff Amphitheater.
Tickets: $12 ($10 for Institute members and Elders [50 and over]; $5 for students).
Doug Elliott
 Storytelling Around the Campfire: Saturday, June 9 at 8 p.m.
Nature Walk: Sunday, June 10 at 10 a.m.
Native Plants Lecture: Sunday, June 10 at 3 p.m.
Gorham's Bluff Meetinghouse
Whether he's singing about catfish, pontificating on possums, extolling the virtues of dandelions, telling wild snake tales or wailing out a jivey harmonica tune, celebrated storyteller and naturalist Doug Elliott will take you on a multifaceted cultural tour of the stories, history, and lore surrounding the region's wildflowers, herbs, and edible-, medicinal-, or otherwise useful wild plants.
You have three opportunities to experience the unforgettable Doug Elliott in Gorham´s Bluff.
Saturday, June 9 at 8:00 p.m. - Storytelling Around the Campfire.
Bring a lawn chair or spread a blanket and join us for an evening of storytelling around the campfire. Elliott´s stories explore and celebrate the rich diversity of that special human connection to nature. His programs are textured by his use of traditional lore, regional dialects and accents, and enhanced by his soulful harmonica playing. (Tickets are $12 for adults, $10 for Institute Members and Elders, and $5 for Students.)
Sunday, June 10 at 10:00 a.m. - Nature Walk.
Doug Elliott has assembled an extensive body of knowledge of the botanical aspects of plants, their history, legends, lore, uses in various cultures, medicinal properties, food value, and other practical ways we can use wild plants every day. His lively, informative herb and wild plant walk will explore the native plants of Gorham´s Bluff. (There is no charge for this event.)
Sunday, June 10 at 3:00 p.m. - Native Plants Lecture in the Gorham´s Bluff Meeting House.
Elliott can show you how to make medicine out of common wild plants, how to properly harvest a persimmon and use its seed to forecast the winter. He can explain the virtues of poison ivy and what might happen if you eat it. He knows ancient plant lore, plant riddles, and a few songs about weeds and berries. For many years Elliott earned his living as a traveling herbalist collecting and selling herbs, teas and old-time remedies. Enjoy a lively, informative lecture and power point presentation discussing the region´s native plants. (Tickets are $12 for adults, $10 for Institute Members and Elders, and $5 for Students.)
To reserve your tickets, please call the Gorham's Bluff Institute office at (256) 451-ARTS(2787), ext. 42, or e-mail arts@gorhamsbluff.com.
Library Visits
Wednesday, July 11
10:00 a.m. -- Scottsboro Public Library
2:00 p.m. -- Bridgeport Public Libary
Thursday, July 12
9:00 a.m. -- DeKalb County Child Development Center (Ft. Payne)
10:30 a.m. -- DeKalb County Public Library (Ft. Payne)
5:30 p.m. -- Gadsden Public Library
Company members will give library patrons a brief overview of ballet's centuries-old history and traditions -- from its origins in Italy and its revival in France during the reign of Louis XIV to some of the more modern pieces and composers who have become important to the form. They will also display some basic dance movements as well as some representative costumes so that audiences can get an up-close look at detailed ornamentation that goes into making them.
Cost: Free.
Dance Discovery
Thursday, July 26 at 7:00 p.m.
For a decade now, the Ballet has been using its unique summer residency in Gorham's Bluff to stoke the imaginative fire in young people throughout northeast Alabama. Dance Discovery allows company dancers to share with area kids the rich history of ballet along with some of its fundamental terms and techniques. Immediately following Dance Discovery in Gorham's Bluff, workshop attendees will be treated to a free preview dress rehearsal of the residency's weekend performances. Cost: Free.
Bluffside Patrons Dinner & Performances
Friday, July 27 and Saturday July 28
Celebrating its tenth anniversary in Gorham's Bluff, the Alabama Ballet's Summer Residency will once again bring top-quality professional dancers to northeast Alabama for local outreach activities and performances. "It's grown over the years because people absolutely love coming to see the company in that environment," says the Ballet's Artistic Director, Wes Chapman. Chapman uses the residency to challenge dancers in new roles, stretch the company's choreography, and share behind-the-scenes insights with appreciative audiences during these one-of-a-kind performances. Back by popular demand, a chartered bus from the Ballet's studios in downtown Birmingham will be available each night. The gourmet buffet dinner begins at 7:00 p.m. and the performance follows at 8:00 p.m. Dinner & Performance: $75. Bus, dinner & performance: $100.
NACC Workshops
Tuesday, July 24
9:00 a.m. - 10:15 a.m. -- Intermediate class for experienced ballet students
10:30 a.m. - 11:45 a.m. -- Class for students ages 5-12
2:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. -- Class for students 13+
Regristration cost: $20. For more information on Ballet activities at NACC, please visit www.nacc.edu or call (256) 638-4418, ext. 248.
NACC Matinee
Sunday, July 29 at 2:00 p.m. in NACC's Bevill Lyceum
Tickets: $10.
Help the Institute and the Ballet celebrate a decade's worth--that's ten amazing and unprecedented years!--of spectacular classical dance and vital arts outreach in northeast Alabama. Fresh off its most successful year ever, this year's residency promises to be one for the ages. We promise you won't want to miss it.
Louisa Branscomb
Sunday, Sep. 2 at 3:00 p.m.
Gorham's Bluff Amphitheatre
Bluegrass singer-songwriter Louisa Branscomb has has been writing songs since she was six and playing and writing professionally for 36 years. She's been pushing the bluegrass envelope since the early 1970s, when she co-founded one of the first modern all-female bluegrass bands, Bluegrass Liberation. Not long after that, she bucked tradition once again when she became one of the first women to front a bluegrass band and play banjo, which she did with a band called Boot Hill from 1972 to 1980.
It's no wonder that veteran Bluegrass promoter Lance Leroy has called Louisa “always 20 years ahead of her time.”
During a career that's spanned more than three decades, Branscomb has performed lead vocals and played the guitar, banjo, and mandolin, but she is perhaps most recognized for her extraordinary songwriting talent. More than 70 of her songs have been recorded, leading to two Grammy cuts. Her best known song, “Steel Rails,” appeared on Alison Krauss’ Grammy-winning album, “I’ve Got That Old Feeling” in 1991. With Krauss, “Steel Rails” became the longest running No. 1 song on the bluegrass charts.
Louisa has invited three of her favorite singer-songwriters and musician friends to accompany her in Gorham's Bluff (creating what she's billing as an "acoustic quilt of unmatched musical creativity!"): Irene Kelley, and Brian Ashley Jones, and bassist Tish Simeral.
Please note: If it’s too hot, we’ll move into the Meeting House!
Tickets: $12 ($10 for Institute members and Elders [50 and over]; $5 for students).
Community Showcase: ENCORE! and The Northeast Jazz Band
December 2, 2007 at 3 p.m.
Gorham’s Bluff Meeting House
Ring in the holiday season as the Institute hosts two award-winning musical ensembles from Northeast Alabama Community College: The Northeast Jazz Band, under the direction of Dr. Daniel C. Knox, and ENCORE!, NACC’s audition-only harmony singing group, under the direction of Dr. Kathy Adkins. Both ensembles will perform songs from their regular repertoire as well as renditions of some of your favorite seasonal tunes to put you in the mood to celebrate tidings of comfort and joy with friends and family.
Free to the public!
2006 Events The Lee Trio
Sunday, Oct. 8 at 3:00 p.m.
Gorham's Bluff Meetinghouse
Playing together since their days at the San Francisco Conservatory Preparatory Division, pianist Melinda Lee, violinist Lisa Lee, and cellist Angela Lee have gone on to study at Harvard, the Curtis Institute, Juilliard, and Yale, and have dazzled concertgoers in the U.S., Italy, China, and Finland, both individually and as the Lee Trio. The Institute is excited to have these three virtuosic sisters perform in Gorham's Bluff during their first-ever visit to Alabama. For a glowing review in a recent edition of the San Francisco Classical Voice, click here!
Tickets: $12 ($10 for Institute members and Elders [50 and over]; $5 for students).
 Karren Pell and the Alabama Troubadours
Saturday, Nov. 4 at 6:00 p.m.
Gorham's Bluff Amphitheater
The Alabama Troubadours have entertained audiences throughout the southeast since their founding in 1998. Recipients of a fellowship from the Alabama State Council on the Arts in 2000, the band's signature act has been described as a "southern Prairie Home Companion." Lead vocalist Karren Pell worked in Nashville for over ten years, performing and writing songs that have been published and recorded nationally and internationally. Now based in Montgomery, Karren is also a published author. Her book, Alabama Troubadour, focuses on the history and folklore of eleven unique sites in Alabama.
Tickets: $12 ($10 for Institute members and Elders [50 and over]; $5 for students).
Alabama Sacred Harp Musical Heritage Association
Sunday, Dec. 3 at 3:00 p.m.
Gorham's Bluff Meetinghouse
 In the isolated hill country of northeast Alabama during the 1800s, where the work of living day-to-day could be hard and lonesome, anything that brought people together for good music and company could be considered sacred. Thus Sacred Harp (also known as fasola or shape-note singing) took root in southern Appalachia. As David Steele, professor of music and southern culture at Ole Miss, describes it, Sacred Harp is "a community musical and social event, emphasizing participation, not performance, where people sing songs from a tunebook called The Sacred Harp," and it's enjoying a resurgence across the country, in rural and urban settings alike. So kick off your holiday season right by savoring the good music and company of the Alabama Sacred Harp Musical Heritage Association.
Free to the public!
For more information on Sacred Harp singing click here and to watch a streaming video documentary on one Sand Mountain family's contributions to the form, click here!
This year's Gorham's Bluff Institute activities have been funded in part by grants from the
Alabama State Council on the Arts, the Alabama Humanities Foundation, the Daniel Foundation of Alabama, as well as through the generous support of its members.
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