PORT TOWNSEND — Centrum, which has a full schedule this summer with a series of established festivals, also is working on scheduling a “bonus show” featuring a performer that may not fit into its established categories.
“We are looking to do something a little bit different,” said Centrum Executive Director John MacElwee. “It doesn’t have to fit into our other programs.”
No one has fit the bill so far.
The special concert could not conflict with Voice Works, set June 25 to July 1; Fiddle Tunes, July 1-8; Jazz Port Townsend, July 22 to July 29; or the Port Townsend Acoustic Blues Festival, July 29 to Aug. 5.
But it could occur during either session of the Port Townsend Writers Conference — July 8 to July 15 or July 15 to July 22 — as that does not make use of McCurdy Pavilion, the proposed venue.
MacElwee is looking for someone who is famous enough to draw a crowd in Port Townsend but who doesn’t cost too much, such as one unnamed prospect who fit the demographic but wanted $60,000 to perform.
The pavilion can fit 1,000 people at most, and big-city ticket prices don’t fly in Port Townsend, MacElwee said.
The performer also needs to be touring and in the general area of Port Townsend during a time that the pavilion is available.
Some of the names that have come up include Emmylou Harris, John Hiatt, Lyle Lovett, John Prine and Dr. John, but none of those worked out, MacElwee said.
He is certain he can get someone lined up even at this late date. “You’d be surprised at how many artists don’t have their summer touring schedule nailed down yet.”
Any concert is icing on the cake on a full season of cultural activities.
Voice Works, which has shown robust advance ticket sales, will feature multi-instrumentalist Tim O’Brien, whom MacElwee calls “a bluegrass star,” and former Commander Cody guitarist Bill Kirchen, who will lead a workshop.
Fiddle Tunes blends a variety of fiddle styles, including Old Time, Irish, New England, Quebecois, Cajun and Bluegrass. Suzy Thompson, its artistic director, has worked with many influential roots music groups, including the California Cajun Orchestra, Klezmorim, the all-woman Any Old Time String Band, and most recently, the Bluegrass Intentions. She has also worked with Laurie Lewis and Maria Muldaur.
Byron Berline, a fiddle player who has performed and recorded with Bob Dylan, Tammy Wynette and the Rolling Stones — on “Country Honk” — is one of the instructors.
These festivals have two components: instructional and performance.
The instructional aspect occurs during the week, when participants attend workshops to learn new ways to approach their instruments.
The performance component, occurring the weekend after the instructional week, is open to the public on a per-ticket basis.
Participants can attend the voice, fiddle or blues festivals for the price of tuition, but the jazz workshop requires an audition tape.
On the basis of that tape, participants are assigned to a combo where the other musicians have the same skill level, MacElwee said.
John Clayton will return to the Jazz Festival as artistic director, along with other regulars such as George Cables, Dawn Clement and Jeff Clayton.
MacElwee said that the appearance of Johnny Mandel, a composer who is known for writing “The Shadow of Your Smile” and the “M*A*S*H” theme song, “Suicide is Painless,” will provide a special treat for attendees.
The Blues Festival has a new artistic director, Daryl Davis, and will feature a workshop on the history of blues taught by author and historian Elijah Wald.
In the past few years, the summer’s special concert has been presented in the context of the Blues Festival, but that probably won’t happen this year, MacElwee said.
MacElwee said on Friday that Centrum intends to announce the performance schedule for all the festivals, as well as an announcement about the special concert, in the next two weeks.
For more information, see www.centrum.org.
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Jefferson County Reporter Charlie Bermant can be reached at 360-385-2335 or charlie.bermant@peninsuladailynews.com.
