Currents Sept 2012 First Redesigned Issue

2 | Currents | September/October | 2012

September/October | 2012 | Currents | 3


Currents C

ontents

What’s InsideArt of the Lens

Photographing FallHow to make the most of splashy Autumn colors with your camera

Cover Story

Jesse James in Northwest Arkansas

Fact vs. Fallacy: What were his connections here?

Here’s to Health

Health benefits of RhodiolaHerb promises healing for what ails you emotionally

Table for Two

High Point at the Low Gap CafeChef hits new level of excellence with fine Italian eatery tucked off the beaten path

Pass the Popcorn

Fall’s coming attractionsMovies coming to theaters in September and October

Reader’s Corner

Two gorgeous booksWe review books by Eureka Springs photographers

Edward C. Robison and Charles Henry Ford II

Beautiful Buildings

Revitalizing the 505Frank Lloyd Wright-inspired house at Writers’ Colony made over

To-Do List

September and October eventsWe’ve got the skinny on all the fun stuff to do in the region

Helping Hands

Eureka Springs School of the ArtsESSA offers life-changing experiences — and the fundraiser of the year

Arts Scene

YMSB Harvest Music FestivalBluegrass is a big deal at annual festival near Ozark

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On the cover:Thomas Tharp poses as

Jesse James, holding a real James pistol, which is housed at Saunders Museum in Berryville.

Costume by Judge Roy Bean’s of Eureka Springs.

Photo by David Bell.


FromThe

Editor

CurrentsA magazine dedicated to Carroll Countians

PUBLISHERBob Moore

EDITOR IN CHIEFKristal Kuykendall

[email protected]

ART DIRECTORMelody Rust

ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVESCharles Henry Ford II

Shelly AndersonMary Ann Carlson

Steve JohnsonJim Sexton

CONTRIBUTING EDITORChan Davis

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS David Bell

Linda CaldwellJim Fain

Tina ParkerRussell Pinkston

Darlene SimmonsC.D. White

PHOTOGRAPHERSDavid Bell

Charles Henry Ford IIKristal KuykendallPurdyArtCo.com

TO ADVERTISE(870) 423-6636

MAILING ADDRESS:P.O. Box 232, Berryville AR 72616

Currents is published semi-monthly and distributed free in Berryville, Eureka Springs, Green Forest, Holiday Island and throughout Carroll and surrounding counties.Currents is a joint publication of Carroll County News, Lovely County Citizen and Rust Communications.

Copyright 2012


Ed

itor’s Note

We hope you enjoy our cover story this month about the legend,

the man, and the myth, Jesse James — and, more specifically, how much of that legend — particularly as it relates to Carroll County and the surrounding area — is actually true.

The infamous robber and rebel did have ties to our region, in fact, so be sure and check out that story for more of those riveting details. What an interesting life he led!

What you may not know is that the gun featured on our cover is an actual Jesse James pistol, and it’s housed at the Saunders Museum in Berryville. It’s one of just a few of his certified-genuine guns in the country known to exist these days.

Saunders Museum is named after Col. Charles Burton “Buck” Saunders, who was born in 1867 and spent his formative years in Berryville. Even as a boy he developed a reputation for his marksmanship. When he grew older, he went out West to seek his fortune.

Saunders’ extensive resources allowed him the luxury of indulging in his love of travel and collecting unique artifacts, especially firearms. Upon his death, he left this collection to the city of Berryville so that future generations could enjoy it as well.

Anyone interested in the history of firearms will have an unforgettable visit at the Saunders Museum, but even those with little interest in guns (I confess to being one of this

category) will find something fascinating to look upon there. With a variety of items from the Frontier Period — and an incredible collection of arrowheads — the museum has something for everyone.

Some of what you will see there: Sitting Bull’s war bonnet and an Arab Sheik’s tent, Persian rugs and teakwood furniture, an enormous collection of arrowheads, and hundreds of guns used by the famous and infamous — historical figures like Belle Starr, Cole Younger, Cherokee Bill and Billy the Kid, Wild Bill Hickok and Buffalo Bill Cody. It really is amazing.

The museum and Mayor Tim McKinney were gracious enough to let us use the gun for our cover photo shoot, and we got some costume and modeling help from the folks at Judge Roy Bean’s in Eureka Springs. The Jesse James pistol on the cover is so valuable and so highly regarded that not one but two police officers guarded it while it was outside its case and being used in the photographs!

We are grateful to the museum for their assistance and generosity for helping us re-create the authentic “feel” of a Jesse James photograph. We encourage you to to go check out this amazing historical resource right here in our own back yard. The museum is located just off the Berryville Public Square and is open from April 15 through the first week of November. Regular hours are Monday through Saturday from 10:30 a.m. until 5 p.m.

For more information, call the museum at (870) 423-2563.

Meanwhile, Currents will be coming out every other month now instead of just quarterly, and with your support, we hope to increase the frequency even further in the near future. We welcome your feedback and ideas for stories for the magazine; please send them to [email protected] or call me at 870-423-6636 ext. 34.

We at Currents magazine believe that you, our readers, deserve a magazine showcasing the best, brightest and most beautiful things, people and places in and around Carroll County and northern Arkansas. After all, we live and work in the most beautiful region in the world — so let’s use these pages to show it off a little!

Welcome to thenewly renovatedCurrents magazine!


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Last year in Currents, I covered the “Three Elements of a Photograph,” which are lighting, composition, and emotion. Each can make or break a photograph and deserve to

be studied by the serious photographer. But lighting should perhaps be considered more equal among its peers because without light there would be no photography.

An understanding of light will help all your photography, but you will find it especially beneficial for making Autumn pictures. Every photographer strives to make those rich Fall images that evoke “oohs” and “aahs” from those who view their albums and slide shows. So this month, let’s go a little deeper into a study of light.

THE DIRECTION OF LIGHTThis is the first thing I observe when approaching

a potential photographic situation.I’m not primarily a nature or wildlife photographer,

but often a story I’m working on presents great outdoor situations, especially sports pieces and articles for motorcycle magazines. Because I’m not in control of the timing of these opportunities I’m

forced to deal with the lighting the way it is.“High Noon” may be great as a Western movie

title, but it’s terrible as a time of day to photograph outside. In fact, any time between about 10 a.m. until about 4 p.m. is usually eschewed by photographers. The light at that time of day is harsh and the shadows are short and fall uninterestingly around the base of the subject.

The long shadows found in the morning and the late afternoon give visual interest to most subjects, providing a feeling of depth and movement. [See Picture #1]

In addition there is a period of time before and after sunrise and sunset photographers call the The Golden Hour. The lighting at this period of day is rich in color, shadow play, and directionality. [See Picture #2]

Of course, here in the Ozarks the sun may disappear behind a mountain long before it sets. The same holds true in the man-made canyons of historic Eureka Springs. The key is to observe the light. Really look at it as it falls across the subject.

Another consideration about direction is “how is the light falling on the subject?”

For example, when out making photographs in the morning I came across an old house I really liked and wanted to photograph. But the problem is that the light is falling on the back of the interesting old structure. If I make an exposure for the bright background the subject will be too dark. If I make the exposure based on the amount of light falling on

PhotographingHow to make the most of splashy Autumn colors with your camera

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“High Noon” may be great as a Western

movie title, but it’s terrible as a time of day

to photograph outside.

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the the background will be overexposed – way too light. Now I can work around that in Photoshop, even making several images for a High Dynamic Range image. But even then, the light will not be the way I see it in my mind’s eye.

My options are: Take the picture and make the best of it; wait for the sun to set; pray for it to suddenly become overcast; come back that evening when the light is better suited for the subject. If possible, I will always try to come back.

[See Picture #3 and #4] Here’s another example. I wanted to photograph

the Autumn colors in the valley behind Jasper on Arkansas Highway 127 on the way to Parthanon. I knew that the mountains faced west. I considered that photographing in the early morning would backlight the subject, making the mountainside dark.

Jasper fine art photographer Don Nelms has made beautiful sunrise photographs of the area from his vantage point high up the hills above Jasper. But in my mind’s eye I wanted a wide angle shot of the expanse of the valley in the foreground and the mountains behind. Therefore, I had to shoot in the late afternoon.[See Picture #5]

The effect on the image: the warm setting sun accentuates the golden pasture and helps the colors to pop on the mountainside. Photographing this scene at noon would have washed out the color, flattened the shadows, and generally produced a less satisfying image.

Here’s a final example of considering light direction. When photographing at the recent Fat Tire Festival in Eureka Springs I across the parking area to the Achord’s half-mile mototrack. It was about 6 p.m. and the sun was falling in the west. There was an interesting banked turn on one end that would have been a great setting for riders, but they would have been lighted from behind – what photographers call backlighted. For my purposes that day I wanted riders with fully lit faces. I wanted to see expressions, not a shadowed face with no contrast or shape. I went to a different location where I could get an interesting photograph with the rider’s face properly exposed.[See Picture #6]

This is why mid-day is generally an undesirable time to photograph.

One last tip to make lemons out of lemonade,

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My options are: Take the picture and make the best of it; wait for the sun to set; pray for it to suddenly become overcast; come back that evening when the light is better suited for the subject. If possible, I will always try to come back.


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photographically speaking. When photographing at mid-day, during hard light (see next section) try shooting through leaves, where the light is not reflecting off the subject, it is being filtered through the subject. This can yield some very intriguing images.

THE QUALITY OF LIGHTOzarks nature photographer and book publisher

Tim Ernst was speaking to a group of photographers at a conference at North Arkansas College a few years ago. He told the group that he generally doesn’t go out to photograph when the sun is out, save occasionally during the golden hour. He said he likes overcast days. He added that he really likes to be out when it’s raining. [See Picture #7]

A consideration when shooting broad shots of hillside foliage is atmospheric build-up. Unless it’s a clear day haze can often impede making quality photographs. Shooting at great distances has the danger of allowing dust, haze and smog to build up between your camera and the subject. As will be mentioned below, haze and dust, smog, fog and mist can kill a photograph or make it. The key is to be aware of the atmospheric conditions and make them

work to your advantage.Light comes in a endless range between these

two extremes, hard light and soft light.Hard light is best exemplified by this: the sun

shining down, the light unimpeded by clouds or haze. The contrast is high and the shadows cast are hard, this is very sharp and well defined.

Soft light, on the other hand, is best exemplified by an overcast day. The light coming through a layer of clouds is scattered, diffused to the point that light on the ground is coming from so many directions equally that all shadows are filled in equally. [See Picture #8]

Here are some benefits to be found with each type of light.

Hard light raking in low across the subject shows texture and reveals shape. And coming in at a low angle helps accentuate colors. It also provide the opportunity to make interesting photos by shooting through leaves. Filtering hard light through foliage can give an overall diffusion of the light while giving interesting spectral highlights. [See Picture #9]

Soft light generally cuts contrast down to a manageable level while increasing color saturation. That’s why photographers love overcast days. And rain adds many other elements. You’ll notice that most automobile commercials uses at least some shots with wet pavement. It adds a sheen and sparkle that enhances the footage. The same goes

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for still photography. Wetness often helps you make very nice pictures.

[See Picture #10] Consider this. Photographers often add water

drops with an atomizer. This visually says freshness. Wet rocks, moss and leaves have an additional color saturation that’s often desirable.

One last consideration of overcast days. Tim Ernst is a master of what I describe to students as “fuzzy water,” that cotton-candy-like flow that has an inherent attraction. It’s moving water like we don’t see except in photographs where long exposures allow such images. [See Picture #11]

Without using neutral density filters over the lens to absorb excess light found in bright daylight conditions, it is virtually impossible to shoot at a slow enough shutter speed to allow water to become soft and tissue-like. Besides, the hard quality of light often defeats the effect the photographer is looking for, mainly lower contrast and greater color saturation.

One other consideration for photographing on rainy days is mist and fog. Often these additional elements greatly enhance the feeling of mystery and intrigue. Incorporating fog and mist can help you create stunning images. [See Picture #12]

There are numerous rain bags you can use to cover your camera and keep on shooting, or you can always use the trusty golf umbrella.

ADDING LIGHTHere’s one last tip I find useful, for not only fall

but also other times of the year.I harp on using available light as much as

possible. “Turn off your darn flash,” I tell students. “The natural light makes better pictures than using flash.”

But there are times when turning on your flash, or using a larger external flash on your camera, can

add to your creativity.If the flash is turned on and used thoughtlessly

as the primary light, you tend to make a mere snapshot. But if the flash is used in combination with available light, to help bring attention to the subject and create interesting images, then using a flash has a distinct advantage.

My rule of thumb, when you think you have to have a flash at least try a few shots with it turned off. If is dark, but you don’t need a flash, try a few shots with it turned on. Take a look at my Halloween scarecrow and how the flash gives a hard, in-focus photo surrounded by a fuzziness that gives a feeling of motion and action. Try it, you’ll like the way your pictures look. [See Picture #13]

So, get up early, stay up late, and don’t stay inside when it’s raining, if you want to make some great pictures of the beautiful Ozarks fall foliage – that is, if we have a beautiful Autumn this 2012.

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My rule of thumb, when you think you have to have a flash, at least try a few shots with it turned off. If it’s dark, but you don’t need a flash, try a few shots with it turned on.

You don’t have to live in or visit Northwest Arkansas for very long before you realize the area is rife with rumors regarding

Jesse James and his brother, Frank. Surely you have heard some of them:

the James boys passed through Eureka Springs often because their parents lived in Clifty; Jesse and Frank were in the area often because an uncle owned a store in Eureka Springs. They hid from the authorities within the tangled confines of the War Eagle caverns, and

they also used the underground tunnel system in downtown Eureka to evade capture at times. They were present at the Basin Spring wedding of Belle Starr – haven’t you seen the old black and white photo – and they are alleged to have committed robberies in the Harrison area, killing several men in a stand-off with authorities there. And, the best local legend of all: Jesse James “founded” Turpentine Creek after he found a baby mountain lion roaming the aisles at a future Walmart store Berryville …

What? Surely we can all agree that one can’t be true…

Seriously, though, what is fact and what is fiction, when it comes to Jesse James and his Carroll County legacy? What is the James Brothers’ connection to Northwest Arkansas? It took a lot of digging up the James’ family history to get to the bottom of local legends and sift through fact versus fiction, but we’ve done it, and we invite you to come along for the ride as we share what we’ve discovered.

esseamesJ

IN NORTHWEST ARKANSAS:


THE JAMES FAMILY OVERVIEW

Robert and Zerelda James settled near Liberty, Missouri, after living the early part of their married life in Kentucky. Zerelda’s parents lived nearby, and she and her new husband moved to a 275-acre property soon to be known as “The James’ Farm.” Robert was extraordinarily well-educated for his time: he held a Master’s Degree from Georgetown University. He soon became a minister for the local Baptist church. Robert and Zerelda started a family: Frank

was born on January 10, 1843. A second child, Robert, was born in July 1845, but died after living just a few weeks. Jesse was born on September 27, 1847, and little sister Susan followed on November 29, 1849.

In 1850, Gold Rush Fever struck Robert James, and he left his young family for the promise of a different, if not better, life in California. Whether he hoped to make his fortune or to save others from theirs is unclear. In any event, the father of the young James children was never to return;

he died that same year. It was impossibly hard for a single

woman to support herself and three children at that time. So Zerelda James remarried the same year her first husband left – in fact, less than one month later. By all accounts, this marriage was virtually over before it started – a petition for divorce had already been filed when the new husband, Benjamin Sims, was thrown from his horse and died of his injuries. Zerelda eventually married a third time, to Dr. Reuben Samuel, who by most accounts


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Fact vs. Fallacy: what were his true connections here?

was able to step up and fill the role of a true father to his three stepchildren.

The childhood of Frank and Jesse James was probably no different from that of most children of the day. That is not to say that it did not include difficulties, many of which resulted from the sticky political situation Missouri found itself in as the Civil War approached. In the early 1860s, Missouri was torn apart by conflicting Confederate vs. Union sentiments.

During the winter of 1860-61, Missouri residents saw the lower states seceding from the Union. Missouri continued to consider itself “neutral,” although the governor began to openly support the Confederacy. Hatred and bitterness increased toward Union troops, as they pillaged

and plundered town after town that had previously declared themselves neutral.

More and more families felt their way of life was being threatened by the Union troops, and by the spring of 1865, the formation of loose associations of Southern guerrilla soldiers – later called Bushwhackers by the North – had become fairly commonplace.

Where were the James brothers during this time? We know that Jesse was about 15 years old; he probably was needed to work at home, on the farm. There were also four younger half-siblings to tend to. Frank, however, was 18. There is

documentation that Frank James was

recruited into the Missouri State Guard, organized May 4, 1861, at a farm across the road from the James-Samuel Farm.

There are some claims that Frank served at the Battle of Prairie Grove, Arkansas, in December 1862. What can be documented is that Frank eventually became a member of William Quantrill’s group of pro-Southern guerrillas. Frank’s association with Quantrill and his men was almost certainly detrimental to the James family. Jesse was known to be adept as a spy of sorts, passing information between one group and another, while Frank actually rode with Quantrill and his Southern guerrillas.

Jesse was at home, and Frank was in hiding, when, in the spring of 1863, a Union militia patrol stopped at the James Farm, insistent upon finding Frank James. After beating Jesse with a bull whip until he was unable to walk, the militiamen hanged his step-father by the neck repeatedly, releasing the noose only for the duration of time it took him to provide the sought-after information. They left him hanging until his wife was able to cut him down. She testified at a later time that he was so debilitated mentally afterward that he was never able to practice medicine again. Some biographers have written that this event traumatized Jesse to the extent that he would later query those he was robbing as to whether they considered themselves Southerners or Northerners – he would often refuse to steal from a Southerner.

In 1863, after the militia incident, Jesse joined up with his brother as well as Cole Younger, Quantrill, and later, “Bloody Bill” Anderson. Bloody Bill was nicknamed so after he was said to have separated, during a robbery, the civilian passengers from 25 unarmed Union soldiers who were on furlough home, then ordered the soldiers shot and had their bodies put in a pile to rot.

During the numerous conflicts between the Bushwhackers and the federal troops over the next several months, at one point Jesse was shot in the chest and was hidden by his uncle, before later rejoining Frank and Bloody Bill.

When Bloody Bill began to get out of control, getting drunk and looting towns,


Jesse’s mother, Zerelda James

Jesse James

Book Review

Jesse and Frank’s first robbery took place. The guerrillas robbed the passengers of a stagecoach in Centralia, Missouri, and this time, both Confederate and Union sympathizers were robbed. Next, less than an hour later, they stopped the North Missouri Railroad passenger train. All aboard were robbed, and all soldiers on board were gunned down. The train was then set on fire. These two incidents were later termed “The Centralia Massacre.” History books tell of several bodies found mutilated, either scalped or with body parts cut off. A total of 150 persons had been killed. Federal troops were employed to bring justice to

Anderson and his gang, and Anderson was eventually hunted down and killed.

In December 1864, the Civil War appeared to be winding down, and William Quantrill put out the word that he wished to reconvene his old gang. His intentions are up to conjecture, but it is known that both Frank and Jesse rode with him east into Kentucky. Most of the time they dressed as Union soldiers, and rode through the countryside undetected and unharmed.

As time passed, they began to “help themselves” to money and goods along the way. Jesse was with a group of guerrillas led in part by Bloody Bill Anderson’s brother, Jim. The group began to pillage towns and murder residents. Many times their acts were vicious, and unnecessarily cruel, as many newspaper articles of the day pointed out.

As the guerrillas continued their rampage east, now with Federal troops on their tails, they first heard that Robert E. Lee had surrendered: the Confederacy

was no more. At first this news was taken as “a damned Yankee lie,” but eventually the truth had to be faced, and the guerillas contemplated surrender. Some wished to know terms of surrender; others, including Jesse, opposed surrender and hoped to ride into Mexico. On their way, Jesse’s group met with some Union soldiers who had no thought of allowing the Southerners to surrender. Jesse was once again shot in the chest. He was put into a wagon and taken to Lexington to surrender. There he took the Oath of Allegiance; it was May 21, 1865. He returned to the home of his uncle in Missouri as soon as he could travel. There he was nursed by his cousin, also named Zerelda, whom he later married. THE ‘ROBIN

HOOD’ ROBBERSThe next several

years saw much unrest between the North and South, even though the war was technically over. There was much poverty within the citizenry, and yet big business interests thrived. The country was fraught with political and financial corruption, and many within an angry public viewed the owners of the banks and railroads as thieves. When those same banks and railroads began to be robbed, sentiment was not favorable to the “victims.” It was during this time that that Jesse and Frank’s “Robin Hood-like” reputation likely thrived.

A total of 26 robberies have been attributed to the James brothers, but some of them took place when the brothers were not even in the same part of the country. What is likely, experts note, is that the initial


When those same banksand railroads began to be robbed,

sentiment was not favorable to the “victims.” It was during this time that that Jesse and Frank’s

“Robin Hood-like” reputation likely thrived.

Jesse and Frank James

Jesse James’s home in St. Joseph, where he was shot

few robberies were committed by members of their old guerrilla group, including Cole Younger and his two brothers.

In 1869, a robbery was committed in Gallatin, Missouri, and for the first time, there was evidence that the James boys were truly involved. As reports of these assaults on the banks and railroads appeared in newspapers, the brothers – especially the younger, “prettier” Jesse – took on the persona of bigger-than-life Robin Hoods. There is little evidence, however, that either Jesse or Frank gave any money to the poor,

although they may have stolen from the rich with abandon.

The colorful personas that were attributed to Jesse, and to a lesser degree, Frank, may have developed as a result of the writing of John Newman Edwards, editor of The Kansas City Times, and later, The St. Louis Dispatch. A Confederate sympathizer, Edwards likened Jesse to one of the romantic highwaymen of 18th century England. He wrote that whomever was committing the robberies “deserve at least admiration for their bravery and nerve.” Over the years, Newman wrote editorials and letters which supported the brothers and excused their violent behavior.

Over the next several years, more banks and railroads were held up throughout Missouri and Arkansas. After a stagecoach heist occurred in Malvern, Arkansas, a group of detectives called The Pinkertons was brought in to investigate that particular crime. This group would become the bane of the brothers for some time to come. A cat-and-mouse game ensued, with the brothers and their gang escaping detection and arrest time after time.

Soon the outlaws, now known as the James-Younger Gang, became a significant political issue. Committing robbery after robbery with abandon was leading to questions about the competency of law enforcement officials.

On January 25, 1875, detectives from the Pinkerton Agency surrounded the Samuels’ farm, having received information that the brothers were at home. They tossed a bomb into the fireplace, causing an explosion. While neither Frank nor Jesse was at home, 9-year-old Archie Samuel was killed, and Zerelda Samuel’s arm was virtually amputated. The neighbor who had provided information to the Pinkerton detectives was found murdered in his yard shortly after the incident, apparently by Frank James.

In 1876, the Younger brothers found themselves captured. The old gang was no longer intact, and the James boys laid low. Both now married, they may have felt pressure from their wives to stop their thieving ways. No

Robert Ford

Jesse James



one seems to know where they were during this period of time, although some stories indicate that Jesse spent time in Northwest Arkansas during the years of 1876-1877, perhaps with his relatives in Clifty. (His grandparents and other family members are buried in the Clifty cemetery.) The James brothers were now seen more as outlaws and less as heroes than before. Both brothers had heavy bounties on their heads. The need for aliases became necessary as they attempted to live more normal lives with their families. Jesse assumed the name of John Howard, and Frank became Ben Woodson; both moved to Nashville, Tennessee. The men considered themselves fortunate to have escaped detection over the past few years.

During this time, Jesse began making plans to form a new gang. He had more mouths to feed, and some large gambling debts had to be covered. Frank, having concerns about some of the new members, declined to join; in fact, he put distance between himself and Jesse.

By 1879, Jesse and his family had moved back to Missouri, and were living in St. Joseph. It was here that the Ford brothers, Charlie and Robert, were introduced to him, and became part of the new gang. It was Robert Ford who later put a bullet into the back of Jesse’s head in order to collect on the ever-present bounty.

Jesse James died instantly on April 3, 1882, at the age of 34. Frank went on to live a long life, settling back at the Samuels’ farm in Kearney, Missouri. Within another three years, after much legal wrangling, all charges were dropped against Frank. Strangely enough, Frank later developed a traveling “Wild West” show with none other than Cole Younger, who had been released from prison after serving 25 years. They took the show throughout Missouri and down into Arkansas. Such is the strange ending of the legend of the James brothers.

WHAT ABOUT THE RUMORS?

So, after all that, what about those rumors we started with? Let’s take them one by one. First of all, the James

brothers did have many relatives in the area that is now known as Carroll and Madison counties. Their parents never lived in Clifty, but their grandfather, Fielding Samuel did. He left Missouri with his family because of constant harassment from law enforcement officials regarding Jesse and Frank’s comings and goings.

Fielding moved to Northwest Arkansas, settled in Clifty, and built a small home there. The house still stands and remains within the family. Fielding died in Clifty in 1886.

Jesse and Frank also had an uncle that lived in the Eureka Springs area, Edward Samuel; he did indeed own a general store in town. Both Uncle Ed and his wife, Nancy, are buried in Clifty, as well. Sister Susan James also ended up in Northwest Arkansas as well, where she became a schoolteacher.

As far as hiding out in War Eagle Cavern, or any other caves in the area, Frank stated once that Jesse would never agree to hide in any cave. There was no back exit, and if confronted by authorities, no escape. Those underground tunnels could not have been used by the James boys, because Eureka Springs was basically just a town of tents with only a few buildings in 1880. Fire destroyed early Eureka Springs structures in 1882; in the years after, the lime quarries of Beaver provided material for many of the new structures in town. By then, Jesse was dead. Those underground tunnels may have been available to later gang members (another local legend mentions Al Capone), but they were not a part of Eureka Springs when the James brothers were around.

As for that old photo taken at Basin Spring of Belle Starr’s wedding day, the curators at Jesse James Farm and Museum, in Kearney, Missouri, have determined that neither Jesse nor Frank were present in that photograph. In fact, there are only six – yes 6 – known and “expertly confirmed” photographs of Jesse. For very obvious reasons, the two avoided the camera at all costs; their very lives depended on it. It was

only by avoiding photography that the two brothers were able to live as Mr. Woodson and Mr. Howard and avoid capture at a time that they were being desperately hunted. Whether it is even Belle Starr herself in the famous photo … well, that is for contemplation in another story, for another day...

As for the authenticity of the two brother’s criminal activities in the Northwest Arkansas area, there is documentation that there was a robbery and resultant gunfight involving Jesse, Frank, and Cole Younger in 1870. This took place about 12 miles north of Harrison and involved a mail carrier who did not hesitate to give the robbers the $105 he was carrying, plus some registered mail. The mail carrier rode quickly on to Omaha and notified others of what had happened.

A posse was formed, and the bandits were found holed up in an old house in Gaddy’s Corner, in Boone County. The leader of the posse, Capt. W.F. Pace, attempted to negotiate surrender with Frank and Jesse. Jesse stated that he would surrender to a particular person only. When that person came forward, Jesse promptly shot the man in the head. A gunfight ensued. As the men of the posse began to go forward with their plan to set the hideout house on fire, the bandits burst through the front door, firing their guns for all they were worth. They were able to escape into the woods.

And as for that last rumor we mentioned: Well, you know the answer to that one, don’t you? Or perhaps not, because tall tales abound where Jesse James is concerned. We’ll let that one lie.

Editor’s note: Currents would like to thank the following sources used in research for this article: “Jesse and Frank James: The Family History,” by Phillip Steele, Pelican Publishing, 1991; “Civil War in the Ozarks,” by Phillip Steele and Steve Cottrell, Pelican Publishing, 1993; “Frank and Jesse James: The Story Behind the Legend,” by Ted P. Yeatman, Cumberland House Publishing, 2000; and Jesse James Farm and Museum, 21216 Jesse James Farm Road, Kearney, Missouri, www.jessejames.org.

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Living a happy life not surprisingly adds to health and longevity. A supplement toward this end that I particularly like is Rhodiola, which helps us smile more

easily and does much more. But first let’s discuss the nature of emotional health to be sure you and I are on the same page (so to speak).

Emotional health may be the prime influencer of physical health.

Most distress and illness is caused by holding back and squashing natural emotional action and reaction. This is the basis for many emotional imbalances as well as many physical ailments such as headaches, backaches, gastric problems, sleep disturbances and many more common conditions.

When the squashing (holding back) becomes a habit and repeated time and again, chronic physical ailments begin showing up. We even may make ourselves more susceptible to having colds, flu and accidents.

Just as our behavior influences our personal health, community health is also influenced.

In general, holding back and controlling takes a person out of the flow of life – setting up distress both emotional and physical, as well as depriving community around them

of their positive influence. When a person is enjoying good emotional health,

the immune system usually responds in kind, helping the person to get past the ailment. Getting past the ailment doesn’t necessarily mean cure; it could mean adjusting so that life becomes full and rich even though there is an ailment, serious or simple.

Healing includes letting go of whatever was being held in place and an open attitude to the excitement and

awe of life in a new way. Illness often wakes us up and says, “Come on – get with

it, life isn’t guaranteed, find a way to enjoy the awe of life as it is, now!” Recognizing this natural aspect of distress, often, is releasing and life enhancing.

To get to this point, diet, lifestyle, herbs and nutritional supplements are used to bolster and add to the person’s life.

The health benefits of

Herb promises healing for what may ail you emotionally

Rhodiola may be effective for

improving mood and alleviating

depression.



Here’s to H

ealth BY JIM

FAIN

Knowing what works, what to take, how much, in what combination and for how long is important.

Recognizing the need for conventional medicine as well as understanding the medical system and its focus on disease or trauma actually supports all involved. Exercise, laughter, prayer (meditation), good sleep and an occasional warm cookie are all good for you. Trying to control life or the lives of others removes you from the receipt of the wonderful gift – excitement and awe. Enjoying life in all aspects is the great gift.

To be sure life is complex. The promise of the plant kingdom is one of healing, which brings me to Rhodiola.

Rhodiola is now available through conventional wholesalers, which means the price has dropped and market forces are at work. A good thing about the delay of the herb coming onto the general market is that there has been time for science to affirm its usefulness. And there is good science behind this herb. Science shows Rhodiola helps with weight loss, relieves mental and physical stress, improves thinking, enhances athletic performance, and in a three-month clinical trial it demonstrated improved male performance and helped lift depressive symptoms.

Small amounts of Rhodiola are useful, with the suggested amount taken each day generally to be between 100-300 mg (1-3 capsules). This is classified as a bidirectiona l and adaptogenic herb, which means if necessary it will lower that which is elevated and raise that which is too low. Science supports this in the reduction of stress, which then causes a drop in cortisol also known as the sickness hormone.

Rhodiola extract is thought to be quite safe, as there are no known contraindications with other drugs/herbs. Of course, as is true for all food and medicines, some people may be sensitive or even allergic.

In my own experience with the herb, I noticed a gentle increase in alertness after taking it; if you are not familiar with this feeling, the “jazz” of it may be disquieting. Also, I noticed a more even feeling, sort of a live and let live sense. A happiness and health herb – quite a concept.

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“I like to seepeople happy. And I’m

Italian, and [that means]I like to see people full.”

– Nick Bottini

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Last February, the Low Gap Cafe opened its doors. The owners did no advertising, promotion or publicity work – only word-of-mouth. And owners Nick and Marie Bottini were not sure what to expect for the first day of business at their new cafe.

“We have 10 tables, which seat a total of 42,” says Marie. “And on our first night we ran 150 people through here – a full house (more than three times over).” And it hasn’t slowed down since.

It seems that word has leaked out that after a seven-year absence from the restaurant business Nick Bottini is back in the saddle.

For 12 years Nick operated an Italian restaurant, Bottini’s, on the Harrison square. It had a casual feel but excellent cuisine. But in 2005 a divorce ended not only a marriage but a popular business.

“For the next seven years I cooked for guests at nearby Horseshoe Canyon Ranch, basically a dude ranch,” Nick says with a smile.

Besides having been a successful restaurateur, Nick is a CIA-trained chef. That’s not the spy agency, but the prestigious Culinary Institute of American in Hyde Park, New York.

“I was born in Stockton, California,” Nick says. “[After graduation] I interned in Denver, worked in Miami, and then went back to California.”

In the mid-1990s, Nick and his wife were visiting relatives in Arkansas and they fell in love with the area and opened the popular Harrison eatery. Though Bottini’s décor was not pretentious, it was easy to tell that you were in an upscale establishment.

In stark contrast, when you pull up to the front of the Low Gap Cafe a you would be hard-pressed to know what to expect. And even after

walking in, the same is true – except for the delicious aromas wafting from the kitchen.

Late on a Thursday afternoon my wife, Mary Ann, and I made our first visit to the Low Gap Cafe. We arrived in a downpour and waited 10 minutes for the deluge to slacken. We finally braved the drizzle and dashed in. There were three other customers there – a couple and a motorcycle rider from Kansas City, lodging in Harrison. Soon, though, the cafe was full.

“Shabby chic” is a trendy phrase today, but that’s exactly what we found when we walked in. The inside matched the outside, and we could definitely see the heritage of the old general store that formerly filled the room. Relics from its past were used as part of the décor. The rustic tables were surrounded by three styles of chairs.

The menu is written on a chalk board on the back wall. Besides Italian fare, the cafe had a ribeye, filet mignon, pan-seared salmon, chicken fried steak, burgers and items for kids. We decided to stick with Italian on our first visit.

They say “you eat with your eyes first.” So when my Shrimp Carbonara came, my eyes fixated on the texture of the al-dente pasta and mushrooms with the gorgeous blond color of the Kentucky Bourbon-laced white sauce, and grilled-to-perfection medium-sized

To say that at the town of Low Gap, located on Arkansas Highway 74 between the Boxley Valley’s Ponca and Jasper, is in the middle of nowhere may be an understatement. But luckily

for Carroll County residents, this middle of nowhere is within sight. It’s also the last place most people would expect to find a fine Italian eatery.

Chef hits new levelof excellence with fine Italian eatery tucked off the beaten path



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shrimp. My mouth was set for something exceptional; I savored the first bite. The creamy sauce was well-balanced and delicious, the kind that invites one to use their tasty biscuits to sop up every smidgen.

The portion was very generous, and my wife and I could have easily split an entree, given that we each had salads to start and desserts later.

But since this was our first trip to Nick’s new restaurant, Mary Ann ordered her own entree, the Chicken Bagliore, with broccoli and mushrooms in a red tomato/basil cream sauce. She used her spoon to enjoy more of the sauce on her plate. Of course, we could not help but switch plates mid-way through our meals.

The appeal of the Low Gap Cafe is that it has the feel of the remote Buffalo River backcountry. “This is more like a family’s dining room than a restaurant,” Nick said about his latest endeavor.

Why did Nick and Marie decide to open a new restaurant? “I like to see people happy,” he said. “And I’m Italian, and [that means] I like to see people full.”

Entrees come with soup or salad, made with local produce and Nick’s own dressings. We asked for three different dressings to try out. The house dressing is wonderfully tart; the Italian

is mildly sweet; and the blue cheese is robust with the stout flavor of the cheese.

Desserts? But of course!I was torn between the lemon

meringue pie and the chocolate mint cake. For my wife it was a no-brainer: the turtle cheese cake. I finally succumbed to the cacao bean and ordered the chocolate mint. What came a few minutes later were not just slices of sensational sweets but works of art, framed on plates decorated with colorful sauces.

I first learned about Nick opening the Low Gap Cafe from my friend Will Schell.

“We used to eat at the Harrison restaurant and then one day we went by and it was closed,” Will told me. “Then we heard that he was at the Horseshoe Canyon Ranch. We went there on weekends and for Sunday brunch until they got so busy they had to stop serving the public.”

After that, Will heard that Nick was planning to open a restaurant at Low Gap. “I called him [in the summer] and he said ‘give me a call after school starts,’” Will said. “I called him then, and he said, ‘call me in a month,’ and then ‘call in a month,’ again.”

Will called Nick in another month. “Call me in a week,” Nick told him.

So the persistent Will called again one evening, and Nick replied: “We’re opening tonight.”

Will and his wife, Lavonna, got in the car and were the first customers to walk through the door. “The night they opened I took him a bottle of bourbon as a cafe-warming present,” he recalled.

This was the night the Schells and 148 other faithful food fans had been waiting for.

“We have been waiting for things to settle down,” says Marie. “But we keep having weekends where we turn the tables over [at least] three times a night.”

The Low Gap Cafe is the kind of place I expect to see some day on the Food Network’s “Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives” with a blond Guy Fieri thinking he’s reached the end of the world. Be assured that by the time you read these lines I will have been back to the Low Gap Cafe. I’d looking forward to trying Nick’s take on the American classic Chicken Fried Steak.

The Low Gap Cafe is located on Highway 74, 7 miles east of Ponca, 8 miles west of Jasper. It’s open Wednesday and Thursday 11 a.m. – 8 p.m., Friday and Saturday 11 a.m. – 9 p.m., Sunday 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. The cafe is closed on Monday and Tuesday. Call 870-861-5848 or email [email protected].


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The summer blockbuster movie season is over. Superheroes (The Avengers, The Amazing Spider-Man and The Dark Knight Rises) dominated the box office this past summer. But now it is fall. This time of the year is not

usually the best for moviegoers. Now is when movie studios generally dump some of their unwanted projects while waiting for the award season to heat up in November and December. But if you look hard enough, sometimes you can find a hidden gem or two. Here are some of the coming theater attractions for September and October.

SEPTEMBER 7:n THE COLD LIGHT OF DAY:

Immortals and Man of Steel star Henry Cavill stars as Will Shaw, who must unravel the mystery of his missing family and clear his name in a murder. Bruce Willis and Sigourney

Weaver co-star. I wasn’t crazy about the trailer by I loved Cavill in the Immortals and Bruce Willis is my all-time favorite actor so I will give it a shot.n GANGSTER SQUAD: The police

battle corruption and the mob in 1940’s Los Angeles. Staring Josh Brolin, Ryan Gosling, Emma Stone and Sean Penn. I am not too crazy about yet another period

gangster crime movie.

SEPTEMBER 14:n RESIDENT EVIL RETRIBUTION:

Milla Jovovich is back as the apocalyptic zombie butt kicker in the fifth film in the series that just won’t die. Personally I am not a fan of the films or the video games but Jovovich is one

of the best female action stars in films today.

n FINDING NEMO 3D: After the success of Lion King 3D and Beauty and the Beast 3D, Disney has decided to rerelease one of Pixar’s best and beloved animated movies this time in 3D. As one wall

of my front room will tell you…I am a huge Pixar movie fan. I am not a huge fan of 3D but it has been a long while since I’ve seen this film and I look forward to seeing again on the big screen. n THE PERKS OF BEING A WALL

FLOWER. Emma Watson stars in her second post Harry Potter film hoping to have similar success that Daniel Radcliffe did earlier this year with The Woman in Black.

Definitely not my cup of tea.

SEPTEMBER 21: n DREDD: Karl Urban stars as judge,

jury and executioner in this reboot of the comic book movie, Judge Dredd, which starred Sylvester Stallone. *Note to Hollywood: Don’t remake or reboot movies starring my

action heroes from the 90’s…I won’t be happy.

n HOUSE AT THE END OF THE STREET: X-Men First Class and The Hunger Games star Jennifer Lawrence stars in this haunted house horror movie. Lawrence is nice to look at but horror movies are probably

my least favorite genre unless the movie is well written.n KILLING THEM SOFTLY: Brad Pitt

stars as an enforcer who investigates a robbery of a mob- protected poker game. Co-stars James Gandolfini, Sam Rockwell, Richard Jenkins and Ray Liotta. Great

cast but sounds a little boring and too quirky for me.

SEPTEMBER 28: n HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA:

Animated monster movie about a boy who falls for the daughter of Dracula featuring the voices of Adam Sandler, Selena Gomez and Andy Samberg. I am not

really a fan of Sandler’s voice work but this movie looks cute and being a father of a teen myself I can kind of relate to it.

Coming Attractions


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Movie reviewer Russell Pinkston represented Berryville as one-half of the team of CineManiacs on the nationally broadcast show Movie Mob, which was on the Reelz Channel. He lives in Harrison and works in Berryville. His movie reviews can be heard live on thedirectorscutradio.com podcast every Saturday night from 6-8 p.m. CST. You can find him (TheReelRussell) on youtube, Twitter and Facebook. He also posts his movie reviews on his blog on thedirectorscutradio.com webpage.

n LOOPER: Joseph Gordon-Levitt is an assassin ordered to kill an older version of himself (played by Bruce Willis) in this futuristic action movie. Not a huge fan of Sci-fi movies but if it’s well

written maybe it won’t be so bad.n TROUBLE WITH THE CURVE:

Clint Eastwood came out of acting retirement to star as an aging baseball scout who takes his daughter (Amy Adams) with him on his last scouting trip. Co-stars Justin

Timberlake and John Goodman. The legend Clint Eastwood is in it. Gotta see it.

OCTOBER 5: n FRANKENWEENIE: Director Tim

Burton remakes his 1984 short film about a boy who resurrects his pet dog in this stop-motion black and white animated film. Burton’s movies are just a bit too weird

for me but I have kids so I will see it. n PITCH PERFECT: Anna Kendrick

stars in this comedy musical about an all-girls a cappella group that must rebuild so that they take on the boys group to win the championship. Personally not a fan of musicals but the

trailer to this movie made me laugh so I definitely am looking forward to this film.

n TAKEN 2: Retired CIA agent Bryan Mills (Liam Neeson) must kick some more butt and rescue his ex-wife from some more bad guys. Famke Janssen and Maggie Grace co-stars. I loved the first movie and I love

Luc Besson written action movies in general. It almost guarantees a whole lot of butt-kicking goodness.

OCTOBER 12: n ARGO: Ben Affleck directs and

stars in this political drama based on the true story of the rescue attempt of 6 U.S. foreign service members during the 1979 Iran hostage crisis. The subject matter might be a

bit too dated/real for me but I am a huge fan of Affleck’s directing (Gone Baby Gone and The Town) so I will give this movie a try.n HERE COMES THE BOOM:

Former collegiate wrestler turned biology teacher Scott Voss (Kevin James) turns to mixed martial arts in order to save a fellow teacher (Henry Winkler)

from losing his job. Kevin James as a MMA fighter…now that just sounds funny.

OCTOBER 19:n ALEX CROSS: Director, producer

and actor Tyler Perry (Madea movies) stars his first lead role where he actually only acts. Perry replaces Morgan Freeman who played Cross in two previous

films (Kiss the Girls and Along Came a Spider) in this reboot of the film franchise based on the novel I, Cross by James Patterson. I am not a fan of Tyler Perry movies but I have a lot of respect for him as a filmmaker and I look forward to him doing a movie where he doesn’t dress in drag.n PARANORMAL ACTIVITY 4: This

year’s sequel to the horror movie franchise. I hated the first film in the series but the last two were good so I am hopeful for this one.

OCTOBER 26:n CLOUD ATLAS: Tom Hanks,

Hugh Grant and Halle Berry star in this sci-fi film based on the David Mitchell novel. Yeah…great cast but I will skip this one.Silent Hill: Revelation 3D: The sequel to 2006’s

Silent Hill base on a series of survival horror video games. I never seen the first movie and probably won’t rush out to see this one.

Good luck in your hunt for a good movie this fall. Maybe with some luck you can find one or two good ones to tide you over till winter.

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28 | Currents | Month | 2012

There’s no question Eureka Springs and the surrounding region is a photographer’s paradise. Lucky for us, two local photographers have been

exploring the area for a handful of years, capturing some of the best sights in just the right light and season. Their efforts are available in two books, either or both of which deserve to be gift wrapped and given to anyone who loves the crazy quilt of people, historic structure and natural beauty that surrounds us.

Published in 2011, Edward C. Robison III’s “Postcards from Eureka – a Photographic Journey of Eureka Springs, Arkansas” could be someone’s photo album. Robison has picked some of the most oft-photographed places in and out of town as well as picturesque and secret sights that might have gone unnoticed by a less practiced eye. From the grand hotels to a dinosaur roaming among the hills, to a simple heart in a cottage fence, the book is a delightful armchair visit and a joy to leaf through.

Robison’s images are framed on the page as if they were real postcards, some so beautiful it’s almost tempting to cut

PhotoBookson Eureka Springs

stand tall

them out and send them. Most pages have brief descriptions and sometimes a historical fact or two, but the text never detracts from the beauty of the picture. The 8 by 10 in. 40 horizontal pages have been printed with aging effects, further promoting the sense of looking at someone’s favorite pictures in a scrapbook.

Photographer’s notes to the reader and a map are included at the end and all photographs in the book are available in various sized prints from Robison’s studio at the Sacred Earth Gallery. www.sacredearthgallery.com 479-253-7644

Published in spring of 2012, Charles Henry Ford II’s coffee table book, “Eureka Springs, Arkansas and the Surrounding Countryside, Volume 1” includes full and double page pictures and is a larger offering at 158 pages. The 9 by 10 in. horizontal format is big enough for some wonderful treatments of subject and color. Ford also takes unconventional pictures of visually interesting buildings, landscapes and secret sights in various seasons, but

his book includes a larger helping of unique art photography.

Ford’s photographs are divided into sections: Springs and Surrounding Waters, Historic Loop, Surrounding Towns, Points of Interest and Art. He also includes a section on Events, Festivals and Parades where the colorful cast of characters in Eureka Springs brings the picturesque streets alive.

Ford’s book has a greater amount of informative text, which, printed in white on the black photo album-type background of the pages, is not at all intrusive. With GPS coordinates posted on each page, this book says, “Come and be part of this – here’s where you can see it for yourself.”

Prints and more information are available at www.eurekaspringsbook.com, [email protected].

If a picture is worth a thousand words, then both of these books speak eloquently and at length about the joy, beauty, serenity and dazzling art that is Eureka Springs. Either is a perfect gift or keepsake – and Christmas is only a couple months away!


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REVITALIZING

SPRING STREET

The house at 505 Spring Street in Eureka Springs was home to pigeons, squirrels and whatever other wildlife could get in through the holes in the roof and the foundation. It was slowly decaying, sliding inexorably down the hill, until the Writers’ Colony at Dairy Hollow stepped in to save the one-of-a-kind residence.

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The house was influenced by architect Frank Lloyd Wright’s efforts to build affordable houses

for Americans. In 1936, during the Great Depression, Wright decided “to create a democratic, distinctly national style that was affordable for the common people of the United States,” according to the New York Times Company’s internet arm, About.Com Architecture.

He dubbed the style Usonian, an abbreviation for United States of North America. The style was an outgrowth of his earlier Prairie style homes, which were designed to fit into the landscape. Their shared features included low roofs and open living areas and the use of brick, wood and other natural materials. But the Usonian homes were generally small, one-story houses on concrete slabs. The kitchens were

incorporated into the living areas and they did not have garages.

The houses also had clerestory windows, which are a row of small windows high up on a wall.

Not much is known about Edna Dieley, the single woman from Chicago who moved to Eureka Springs and sought builders to construct 505 in the 1950s. People who lived here at the time now say the locals were more than skeptical, first of all because she was a single woman in rural Arkansas, and second because the house she wanted them to build was like nothing they had ever seen. But she was insistent, and the house was built to nestle into the hillside on Spring Street.

The house stood empty for a number of years, changing hands two times after Dieley left. Neither of the subsequent owners did anything to restore the house, and it slowly began to

decay. In 2004, Elise and Marty

Roenigk purchased the property located at 505 Spring Street, next door to The Writers’ Colony, and donated it to The Colony for expansion and future sustainability.

Before new plans could be drawn up or the slide down the hill halted, Colony board members, employees and supporters had to raise the money for the renovations. From 2006 to 2010, fundraising and grants from the Arkansas Historic Preservation Program were secured for major structural repair and improvements.

The first order of business was the foundation, which had to be completely replaced to stop the house from sliding down the hill. At one point, the house was tied to nearby trees, which held it in place while the old foundation was removed and replaced. The roof was made whole again, and


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then the funding ran out and the house once more sat empty.

“When I got on the board, 505 was sitting vacant with no activity because the money ran out,” said Martin, who joined the Colony board in 2007 and became president in 2009.

“This was a dream of Marty and Elise Roenigk and it broke my heart to see the dream not being realized,” said Martin. “It just killed me to see this thing sitting here.”

The house was quickly becoming a liability, not generating any revenue and costing money for insurance and maintenance. So Martin got to work writing grant applications, which resulted in the Arkansas Cultural Heritage Program awarding a grant in 2011 so the inside work could proceed.

The proceeds from the sale of the Farmhouse, which housed three writers’ suites a short walk away from the main house, also

went towards some of the work on 505, along with reducing the mortgage.

All of the work had to be approved by the Eureka Springs Historic District Commission because the house is in the area designated historic, said Martin. The windows on the back of the house were replaced because they are not visible from the front, but the front original windows had to remain.

Plans were for the two-story building to house five artists’ suites, each with a bedroom, writing room and bathroom. Two suites are upstairs, along with a renovated kitchen, eating nook and a large living room, which will have a conference table designed and built by artist Jim Nelson. The house has state-of-the-art wiring for Internet reception and teleconferencing, which will be available to the community. Future plans include broadcasting Colony workshops

on the Internet. Downstairs houses three

more suites, one with an extra large work space for musicians, fiber artists or other artists to work. There’s also a laundry area, and both stories have large decks at the back of the house.

The house has been restored true to its 1950s roots. Martin and artist Cynthia Dupps worked together on the interior design, selecting paint colors for the kitchen, bathrooms and suites from a palette of historic colors.

Master craftsman Sam Utter was signed on in 2011 when the grant funds came through, and, with Martin as his “painter, stainer and go-fer,” as he puts it, started working to renovate the house back to its original splendor. Utter used some of the wood torn out of the house to build cabinets for the bathrooms and kitchen, so all of the wood used is from the original house. He also built a stairwell railing


with glass blocks donated by Elise Roenigk, which complements the glass blocks framing the front door. The stained glass work on the main floor is original, and all the work done maintains the mid-century/Prairie Style.

The wood floors have been left intact whenever possible, and the original paneling still adorns the conference room walls and hallway, along with the fireplace built with native stone. The basement will keep its concrete floors, which have been smoothed and stained, and artist Zeek Taylor is allowing his piece titled “Fear no art” to be used downstairs to greet writers as they descend the staircase.

Furnishings, including light fixtures and most wall art, are authentic vintage pieces from the 1950s. Christie Davis, who has a shop called Antique Affair in Eureka Springs, searched for months to get

just the right pieces to fill the suites. Brashear’s Furniture in Berryville donated five beds for the writers, and Jim Nelson has donated a number of his pieces of wood art to adorn the walls.

Joe Cangelosi, a professor at University of Central Arkansas in Conway, was the first person to stay in 505 in May. This was his 12th residence at the Colony, and he was so pleased at being first that he made donations to help further the project.

Both the main house of the Colony and 505 are filling up for the fall and reservations are already coming in for next spring. All the suites are booked for a weekend in December by a writers’ group from Missouri.

Once again 505 will be filled with warmth and light and echo with people’s voices. A little piece of Eureka Springs history has been preserved and given a new life.


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Calendar of EventsSEPTEMBER EVENTS

n 15 – Razoarbacks football vs. Alabama at Fayetteville. www.arkansasrazorbacks.com.

n 12-15 – 5th Annual Scooting the Ozarks Rally, Eureka Springs www.scoottheozarks.proboards.com/ or 479-253-7333

n 12-15 – Boone County Fair, Harrison

n 14 – NWA Job Fair, John Q. Hammons Center, Rogers. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. The cham-ber hosts the region’s largest and longest running job fair each fall. 479-636-1240

n 16 – Masterworks Symphony at the Walton Arts Center, Fayetteville. The Symphony of Northwest Arkansas’ Mas-terworks I concert features Wagner’s Tannhäuser Overture, Barber’s Violin Concerto and Brahms’ Symphony No. 2 in D Major. A high-octane event! The five-concert season includes classical mas-terpieces and exciting pops lineups. 479-443-5600 or www.sonamusic.org.

n 20 – Plena Libre at Walton Arts Cen-ter, Fayetteville. Four-time Grammy® nominee Plena Libre gives audiences the music of Puerto Rico as it should be experienced! Captivating and moving audiences over the course of a 17-year, 13-album career, this finely tuned Puerto Rican-based ensemble of virtuoso musi-cians has only gotten better with age. 479-443-5600 or www.waltonartscenter.org.

n 20-23 – Jazz Eureka 2012. Jazz fans, dig this: Hot, cool FREE jazz in Basin Spring Park. Local and regional jazz art-ists swing it in the park all weekend. Fla-menco guitarist Ron Radford performs at The Aud Thursday; A Sinatra Tribute with Tom Tiratto and Fayetteville Jazz Collective performs at The Aud Friday night, and critically acclaimed jazz trom-bonist Delfeayo Marsalis headlines the weekend at The Aud on Saturday night. For full line-up and times see the calen-dar at www.EurekaSprings.org or www.TheAud.org. 479-253-7333

n 21-23 – 7th Annual Studio Tour, Eu-reka Springs. Tour the studios of working artists to see new work, talk with the art-ists, and get an intimate glimpse into their creative process. Maps are available for this self-guided tour. EurekaSpringsStu-dioTour.com or 479-363-9402.

n 22 – Razorbacks football vs. Rutgers at Fayetteville. www.arkansasrazorbacks.com.

n 22 – 3rd Annual EurekaPalooza Out-door Music Festival and Trail Race. All-day, outdoor, free multi-genre music fes-tival at Lake Leatherwood, two stages, trail races, games, concessions and vendors. Proceeds benefit Clear Spring School, a non-profit 501(c)3. 479-253-7888 or www.eurekapalooza.com

n 22 – 2nd Annual Winslow Half Mar-athon and 5k Race, Winslow. Half-mara-thon certified run on paved and dirt roads in the scenic Ozarks. This year’s race will be held in conjunction with a community expo and the 30th Annual Winfest local music festival. All proceeds benefit lo-cal non-profit organizations. Cost ranges from free to $55 to run the half marathon. www.winslowrun.com or 479-871-6052.

n 23 – Autumn Equinox, Om Sanctuary,

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Eureka Springs. Celebrate autumn har-vest, maturity, wisdom, community and the transition to winter. Participatns will be using a delightful apple ritual for in-voking Gaia’s wisdom, thanking her for our bounty and blessings and enjoying the magic that is the Earth. Bring vegan fall harvest foods to share and instruments for making music together. www.28rites.com or 479-363-7024.

n 26-30 – 13th annual Bikes, Blues & BBQ, Fayetteville and Northwest Arkan-sas region. The nation’s largest charitable motorcycle rally and one of the top five rallies in the nation! Ride the Ozarks, shop the 150+ vendors, take a ride on the Blues Train, enjoy great FREE music and attrac-tions, check out the South’s best BBQ. www.bikesbluesandbbq.org or 479-527-9993.

n 27-30 – Fall Muzzle Shoot, Berryville. 870-423-3704.

n Sept. 14-Nov. 11 – Ozark Corn Maze, Cave Springs. Fifty-six acres with three mazes – one of which is haunted and opens Sept. 28 – and a petting zoo. Ad-mission ranges from $8 to $12 per person, discounts available for groups, kids 3 and under free. www.ozarkcornmaze.com or 479-366-6246.

OCTOBER EVENTS

n 6 – 12th Annual International Festi-val, Rogers. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Grab your passport because you’re going on a trip

around the world at this year’s 12th An-nual NWA International Festival and 5th Annual International Fashion Show. Kids can have their picture taken with some of their favorite characters including Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Goofy, Dora the Explorer and many more! Meet some of your favorite Northwest Arkansas Nat-urals team members and their mascot Strike. Kids can also pick up a special passport coloring book when they get there to have stamped by numerous coun-tries represented at the festival. This fun, family-centered event will also feature traditional ethnic foods, cultural exhibits, international dancing and music. 479-636-1240.

n 6-7 – 22nd Annual Corvette Weekend, Eureka Springs. Low speed autocross at Everett Chevrolet. Seminars, hospitality area with cash bar and vendors at Inn of the Ozarks. Fuel Economy Run at Land of Nod. Photo/train tour, car show at Pine Mountain. Poker Run at Turpentine Creek. Parade of Champions. Departing caravans to Branson, Clarksburg, and Springdale. $50 for registrants, free to public/specta-tors. www.eurekaspringscorvette.org.

n 9 – Don Williams at Walton Arts Cen-ter, Fayetteville. Williams’ straightforward yet smooth bass-baritone voice, soft tones, and imposing build have earned him the nickname “The Gentle Giant” of coun-try music. 479-443-5600 or www.wal-tonartscenter.org.

n 11-31 – 21st Annual Eagle Watch and

Fall Foliage Cruises/Bald Eagle Nesting on Beaver Lake, Eureka Springs area / Beaver Lake. Events include Eagle Watch and Fall Foliage Cruises Oct. 1-31, Eagle Watch Special Event Oct. 19-21. Expert guides with 23 years of experience inform passengers of bald eagle features and hab-itat and help visitors spot eagles. Daily departures: 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. Closed Thursday. Guest speakers aboard Oct. 19-21. Admission: $22 adults; $8.50 children under 12. Accessible. www.estc.net/belle or 479-253-6200.

n 11-13 – Yonder Mountain String Band’s Harvest Music Festival, Ozark. www.yonderharvestfestival.com for ticket infor-mation and scheduled artist line-up. 479-667-2525.

n 11-13 – 18th Annual Fall Book Sale at Carnegie Library Annex, Eureka Springs. Sponsored by the Friends of the Library, this sale benefits the Eureka Springs Car-negie Public Library. Always interesting titles; you never know what treasures you might find. 479-253-8754 or www.car-rollmadisonlibraries.org.

n 13 – Razorbacks football vs. Kentucky at Fayetteville. www.arkansasrazorbacks.com.

n 16 – Annual Chamber of Commerce Banquet and Awards Ceremony, Ber-ryville. 870-423-3704.

n 17 – “The Crescent Hotel: The Nor-man Baker Years, Documented as a Graphic Novel,” Shiloh Museum of

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Ozark History. A noontime program by artist and illustrator Sean Fitz-gibbon. 479-750-8165 or www.shi-lohmuseum.org.

n 19 – Tokyo String Quartet at Wal-ton Arts Center, Fayetteville. The Tokyo String Quartet has captivated audiences and critics alike since it was founded 42 years ago, garnering a devoted following across the globe. This amazing group – Martin Beaver and Kikuei Ikeda (violins), Kazuhide Isomura (viola) and Clive Greensmith (cello) – is regarded as one of the su-preme chamber ensembles ever to be assembled. 479-443-5600 or www.waltonartscenter.org.

n 19-21 – 10th Annual Mending Med-icine Retreat with John Two-Hawks, Eureka Springs. Held in conjunction with the 5th Anniversary of the World Drum! Flute circle Friday afternoon. American Indian elders demonstrate ancient art forms; Friday night ban-quet with Morten Storeide of Norway, facilitator of the World Drum. A Sat-urday evening concert with John Two-Hawks and a a visit to the Circle of Na-tions Medicine Wheel. A public event featuring a World Drum ceremony and drumming will end the weekend, at Basin Spring Park, 2-6 p.m. on Sun-day, Oct. 21. Peace lovers from across the globe are expected to attend this inspirational weekend. www.JohnT-woHawks.com or 479-253-5826.

n 19-28 – “Voices From Eureka’s Silent City” Cemetery Tours, Eureka Springs. This “Living History” tour features live actors in period costumes playing the roles of early citizens of Eureka Springs reminiscing about their colorful pasts. This year’s tour will include, but not be limited to, citizens who were in or were somehow affected by the Civil War. One-hour tours are scheduled to start around 5:30 p.m. and will leave every 20 minutes, the last one beginning at 8:30 p.m. Free parking, shuttle service and refreshments will be available. Proceeds benefit the Eu-reka Springs Historical Museum. $10 for adults, $5 for children 12 and under. 479-253-9417 or www.EurekaSpringsHistori-calMuseum.org.

n 26 – 10th Annual Mad Hatter Ball, Eureka Springs. This fundrais-er for Eureka Springs School of the Arts has become the most elaborate, fun and best-cel-ebrated costume ball of the year. The event includes great food, art auctions and dancing – lots of dancing! 479-253-5384 or www.essa-art.org.

n 27 – Razorbacks football vs. Ole Miss at Little Rock. www.arkansasrazorbacks.com.

n 31-Nov. 3 – Ozark Folk Festival, Eure-ka Springs. The country’s longest contin-uously running folk festival returns for its 65th anniversary to with competitions, art shows and a Barefoot Ball. Of course, lots of good music, including Trout Fishing in America. 479-253-7333, www.TheAud.org or www.EurekaSprings.org.


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Since its official incorporation in 1998, the Eureka Springs School of the Arts (ESSA) has become part of the fabric of life for artists in Northwest Arkansas and beyond. Inspired by and building on the legacy of noted artists Elsie and Louis Freund, who started the first art

school in Eureka Springs in the 1940s, ESSA was founded by committed, widely respected artists and patrons who felt they had an obligation and opportunity to provide art education.

ESSA began as a school without walls with a few committed artists teaching classes in their studios. Today, nearly fifty classes in various mediums are offered each year across all disciplines at the school’s campus on U.S. 62 near Inspiration Point. Students represent all ages and skill sets, learn-ing from some of the nation’s leading artists and instructors who come to teach at ESSA. Today there is a 75 percent student return rate, and new enrollment continues to grow.

ESSA received its 501(c)3 sta-tus in 2001. With the help of an Emerging Art Agency three-year grant from AAC Arkansas Art Coun-cil, ESSA hired their first Executive Director and continued to offer class-es in individual artists’ studios until the current campus was purchased in 2004.

Some classes have grown from four weeks of intensive workshops to ten weeks, with addi-tional three-day workshops in Spring and Fall – to an en-tire season of three, four and five day workshops extending from April through October.

Art is definitely both in and out of the box. Depending on the season, in addition to traditional mediums, ESSA provides art instruction in anything from woodworking, metalsmithing, fiber arts, clay, glass, photography, bead making, book making, doll

construction and furniture surface refinishing along with two-di-mensional drawing and painting.

A schedule is published every year in print and online outlin-ing each workshop and instructors’ biographies. Whatever an art-ist or aspiring artist craves to dabble in or become more proficient in, it’s likely to be there. Some opt to try their hand at something entirely new.

Creating art can also enhance other learning. ESSA’s Executive Director, Peggy Kjelgaard, agrees.

“When I watch instructors and students working in ESSA’s studios, I am constantly reminded how important

being in the moment is to our learning pro-cess – and all brain-based education ad-

vocates know art is the perfect balance to academic learning. Art opens our thinking and builds our confidence. So, I’m honored to be at the helm of an organization that makes art hap-pen!”

Kjelgaard first came on board as director in 2006. “As an educator, I have always deemed art education as the balancing factor in learning

theory. Our mission states, Art is vital to the human spirit, and even though

that statement was envisioned before I was hired, I support it as if every word was

my very own.” With such an extensive program and the direc-

tive to make it available to as many as possible, funding is always an issue. Several scholarships and work-study opportuni-ties are awarded each year to deserving youth and adult artists, which can mean fees for workshops and materials don’t always make up for running the entire facility year round.

So, being an art school, ESSA developed a three unique and creative fundraisers that have become not-to-be-missed tradi-

TheEureka Springs

Life changing experiences


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s tions. They’re so much fun, in fact, people tend to forget that they’re also supporting a school by attending.

The Mad Hatter Ball, the school’s major fundraiser and an enormous draw for residents and tourists, will celebrate its 10th anniversary this year. Held on the fourth Friday in Octo-ber in the Crystal Dining Room at the Historic Crescent Hotel, fun and frivolity abound when guests show up with wild hats and costumes. And not just wild hats – some of these chapeau have to be seen to be believed. As the biggest party in October, the event kicks off the Halloweeen and fall holiday season.

During the evening a silent auction touts desirable works of art and gift packages, allowing guests to support ESSA’s cause to cultivate, promote and encourage artistic expression by providing art education opportunities in a unique envi-ronment of beauty and creativity. Good food, a bevvy of hat contests and a whole lot of dancing make it the perfect “party with a purpose.”

In November, ESSA hosts a juried Fall Art Show over Thanksgiving weekend as artists take over the Inn of the Ozarks Convention Center to present and sell their artwork – another chance for art lovers to buy unique hol-iday gifts.

In the spring, an Annual Chair-ity (ReArt) auction fundraiser is held as close to April 1 as possible. Admission is free and a lively auc-tion of one-of-a-kind chairs is the highlight of the evening. There’s also a silent auction of donated art that gives bidders an opportunity to purchase previously owned work that may no longer be in circulation in today’s art market. It’s the ESSA version of “reduce, reuse, recycle.” Some incredible finds have made their way home with more than one happy bidder.

Jewelry, antiques and exciting gift packages are also up for bidding in the silent auction, but the unique chairs created by supporting artists are definitely the stars of the show.

Over the years, ESSA’s fundraisers have allowed the school to continue to expand its programs. In 2006, a Timber Fram-ing class was held in which students designed and constructed a modestly sized timber frame, working mostly with hand tools. Two father/son teams, along with other students, participated. “Of course, the timber framing class was amazing to watch – stu-dents using the old hand tools on those large timbers – the shared creativity was incredible to see unfold,” Kjelgaard remarked

Community support has also played a hand in adding to the school’s scope of work. “In 2009 we embarked on a collaborative project to build a metalsmithing studio for jewelry making,” Kjel-gaard noted. “Some of the people involved included an architect from our board of directors, a local contractor, a local metalsmith artist and various volunteers – all of whom have remained very involved in our metalsmith program. Their generosity and kind deeds were amplified when a retired metal sculptor donated his

entire studio of equipment, tools and supplies to ESSA—filling our new studio with more than we had dreamed of. What started out as a small Lego replica built during a Board of Directors’ re-treat, became a full blown jewelry-making studio that hosts many workshops every year.”

“The building of the jewelry making studio is a good ex-ample of community collaboration. But we do much more on a consistent basis. During our intense summer session, every Tuesday at four p.m. we have a public show of our instructors’ work where each instructor presents and talks about their art. Every Thursday we have a Student Studio Stroll open to the public, where the students continue to work while the pub-lic visits. Refreshments are provided, making it a fun sharing event.

“Of course, all our fundraisers involve the entire communi-ty – businesses offer support and help us advertise; volunteers help us plan and deliver; and artists offer art for our auctions.

Individuals offer free lodging opportunities for some of our instructors – a huge financial as-

sistance for ESSA; and some lodgings work discount deals for both our students and

instructors. And here’s a fun one - a lot of grandparents, retired in the area, book their grandchildren’s visit to sync up with our Youth Art Week.”

If you ask her to pick a favor-ite, don’t expect a short answer. Kjelgaard is enthusiastic about ev-ery workshop.

“Our Fiber Art program is special and has offered weaving, spinning,

and, as a matter of fact, I recall a cou-ple years ago that the instructor asked me

to bring in my dried marigold seeds. She taught the class how to use them to dye the yarn

they spun from a bundle of real wool. Then, the in-structor took the yarn dyed with my marigold seeds to make

me a beret, and I wore it for Mad Hatter Ball! “We also have bookmaking class that is unique. The students

learn how to bind books and make the most unusual covers, sculpting out of wood and using unique painting processes.”

ESSA is currently looking for a marketing director although Kjelgaard is amply supported by the board of directors and a great staff who love the arts as much as she does: Sabina Mill-er, Program Coordinator of all things that pertain to instructors, students, and workshops; and Banita Baldwin, Administrative Specialist in book-keeping, financial tracking and event coordi-nation.

For the board, staff and instructors at ESSA, the big payoff comes not from their fundraising efforts, but when they read what students write in their evaluations about how taking a class has helped them and they see the words, “life-changing experience.”

Art will do that.For information on workshops, scholarships and the work-

study program, see www.essa-art.org or call (479) 253-5384.


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HARVESTUP SOME FUN!

Chances are, if you went to Yonder Mountain String Band’s Harvest Music Festival at Mulberry Moun-

tain north of Ozark last year, your expec-tations are pretty high for this year’s event, set for Thursday-Saturday, Oct. 11-13.

Wanna hear 75-plus bluegrass, alt-country, folk-rock, funk and jambands perform about 100 shows on four stages over three days?

Check.Want to surround yourself with laid-

back, friendly festival-goers of all kinds, backgrounds and sizes – and a great fami-ly-friendly atmosphere to boot?

Check.Camping in the most beautiful part

of the Southern United States in the height of the fall color season – and with perfect, not-too-warm weather, and tons of floating and hiking oppor-

tunities all around you?Check.Unbelievable improvisation and un-

scripted collaborative “jam” sessions be-tween the members of the different bands during their shows throughout the festival – not to mention impromptu campsite jam sessions all around the campgrounds featuring “regular folks” and band mem-bers alike?

Check that, too!Yes, it’s likely that if you went last

year, you already know that all of this is par for the course at Yonder Mountain String Band’s “musical reunion-party-fes-tival-homecoming of sorts,” which is how YMSB guitarist Adam Aijala describes Har-vest Festival.

“For us it’s also a vacation and a work assignment all at once (since we play three nights of the festival), but mostly, it’s sim-

ply FUN,” Aijala explained. “It’s a great experience; it’s fun hanging out and fun playing music and listening to everyone else’s. …

“It’s really an eclectic array of musi-cians, an eclectic crowd, and everybody commingles and it seems to work really well. It is a party and it can be that – that’s the thing. It’s the kind of festival where if you wanna go and rage you can do that, but if you wanna bring your family, that’s great, too.”

Indeed. For Midwest music and festi-val fans who are in the know, Harvest is a great place to take the whole family, actu-ally; it’s been growing more so each year – as word has gotten out about the event and the amazingly gorgeous Ozarks sur-roundings – since the festival’s inception five years ago.

Harvest Festival first began as a labor of

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love for Mulberry Mountain’s owners, and the 650-acre mountaintop resort located on the Pig Trail National Scenic Byway (Highway 23) in 2009 also became home to Wakarusa Music Festival, which each June brings in 20,000-plus music fans for five days of performances from all kinds of musical acts: jam-rock and alt-rock bands, all types of indie pop and indie rock bands, electronica and dubstep acts, and, yes, even a little jamgrass and folk-rock.

Then, in the fall of 2010, Harvest Fes-tival brought in Yonder Mountain String Band to serve as official hosts for the first time and headline each night, bringing a new level of national exposure to the event – and breathing new life into the event as well. (It’s not unlike the feeling of renewal and rejuvenation that Yonder Mountain String Band itself has lately professed to experiencing; but we’ll get to that in a bit.)

Since YMSB’s involvement began, Har-vest Festival has had a more spectacular lineup of acts than ever before, each cele-brating acoustic music and all the sounds it inspires. “It’s a really cool cross-section of what’s happening in acoustic music right now, and some of the low-profile or

under-the-radar type music that not a lot of people probably pay attention to,” says Yonder Mountain String Band banjoist Dave Johnston of the thinking behind the artist selections.

Aijala and Johnston sound a little like proud parents when discussing the festi-val, which they both agree is one of their three favorites to play at each year – quite the kudos coming from a couple of guys who have performed at everything from Bonnaroo and Northwest String Summit, Telluride Bluegrass Festival and Allgood Music Festival to Rothbury/Electric Forest and the High Sierra fests, just to name a few of the big ones.

Aijala says that Harvest Festival – like Telluride – has become a sort of family reunion or homecoming for the four-man band, which also includes mandolinist and frontman Jeff Austin and bassist Ben Kaufmann. “At Telluride, the String Sum-mit and Harvest, we stay the whole time, and it gives us more time to enjoy it and soak up the good vibes and have fun; oth-ers we have to just blow in and play and blow out because of our schedule,” the guitarist explains.

“But Arkansas, early on, was kind of our home away from home,” Aijala adds. “We’ve been coming to Fayetteville since 2000 or 2001, playing first at Dave’s on Dickson and then at George’s Majestic Lounge on a regular basis. Everybody al-ways was really nice to us early on when we had no place to sleep or whatever, and they’d offer us a place to stay and we’d park our big RV in front of their homes. … We’ve always loved it here.”

The first YMSB Harvest Festival in 2010, which had about 4,000 attendees, more than exceeded their expectations, both men said, and last fall, attendance had grown so much that organizers capped ticket sales at 7,500, creating an amazingly intimate experience for festival-goers.

“The venue itself is really pretty, espe-cially that time of year; the weather was unbelievable,” Aijala continued. “There’s plenty of room for people to spread out – partiers and families alike can all coex-ist – it’s just awesome out there … a great setting, and just enough out of the way to give us privacy and not disturb anyone with the loud music, but a short drive (from Fayetteville and Little Rock). I dig


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the hell out of that place.”Johnston agrees with him, adding:

“The feeling and the vibe there is really cool. The different bands we had last year ended up going all together a lot better than I expected. The cohesiveness of the music and the variation was all very com-plimentary, and we have worked for the same things this year.”

A glance at the lineup says they’ve suc-

ceeded. There are dozens of “jamgrass” or

“newgrass” bands of all flavors – led by hosts YMSB, who will play three nights, and headliner Leftover Salmon – and every kind of bluegrass-jam-rock band you can imagine, from extreme punk-grass like Eureka Springs’ own Mountain Sprout and Louisiana’s Dirtfoot (think Cajun bluegrass on speed, with a bad at-titude) to the most trippy, psychedelic, world-flavored acoustic-based jam music you could imagine in Elephant Revival. There are globally known and critically acclaimed masters of jambands (Mickey Hart Band – yes, THE Mickey Hart of the Grateful Dead); Grammy Award-winning and multiple-nominee Southern-blues-rock band, North Mississippi Allstars; psychedelic-reggae-jambands (Giant Pan-da Guerrilla Dub Squad) and hippie-rock jambands (too numerous to list) that’ll get your motor running at all hours of the day and night; indie-folk-rock bands that will take you by surprise with their excellent songwriting (Arkansas’ own Adam Fau-cett & The Tall Grass, for starters); and up-and-coming, booty-shakin’ alt-coun-try bands from Colorado like Mosey West. And then there are unbelievable musical acts like MONTU who just don’t fit in any category, but will blow your mind none-theless…

But regardless of their stereotype or classification, all the bands at Yonder’s Harvest Festival know how to “jam”: that is, they are skilled at on-stage, on-the-fly improvisation and collaboration. These performances are not going to sound

just like the bands’ albums. But for fans of jambands and for folks who appreciate musical improvisation and even musical genius, that’s a big part of the draw.

AN ECLECTIC MUSICAL BACKGROUNDAnd it should come as no surprise that

a festival overseen and hosted by Yonder Mountain String Band would bring such musical variety to their fans and friends. After all, none of these young men grew up on bluegrass.

Jeff Austin started with a guitar, and although he was surrounded by music of many kinds growing up, he didn’t pick up a mandolin till about age 20, which is when he started seriously playing blue-grass for the first time. “None of us grew up with bluegrass,” Austin told Flagstaf-fLive.com late last year. “None of us grew up in a household where it was like, ‘Hey kids, let’s gather ‘round the old knittin’ circle and play some bluegrass.’ None of us grew up with that. Pop music and met-al— that is what I grew up on; and the Grateful Dead and Phish.”

A year after taking on the mandolin, in 1995, Austin met Dave Johnston, who’d

• Tickets to Yonder Mountain String Band’s Harvest Festival start at $65 for a single-day ticket for Thursday or Friday; $80 for a Saturday-only pass and increase to $105 for a Fri-day-Saturday pass or $145 for a three-day pass (Thursday through Saturday); or $405 for a VIP all-event pass, which includes upgraded camping, meals and refreshments, and upfront viewing of the perfor-mances.

• Tickets include next-to-car camping, and (except for VIP) children 12 and younger are free with a paying adult.

• For more ticket info, visit www.yonderharvestfestival.com or call 785-749-3434 be-tween 11am & 4 pm, CST.

• For a complete list of bands scheduled to perform at YMSB Harvest Festival, visit www.YonderHarvestFestival.com and click on “Artist Lineup.”


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begun picking a banjo and learning the ways and means of bluegrass while a stu-dent at the University of Illinois. Johnston invited Austin to join his young group The Bluegrassholes, and not long after they de-cided they needed to be in Colorado, clos-er to Boulder’s thriving bluegrass scene, to hone their skills. So off they went.

Once settled in their new hometown of Nederland, Colo., they soon met Aijala and Kaufmann.

Aijala was a recent transplant from Massachusetts who grew up playing pow-er chords on his electric guitar along to the music of Black Flag, the Dead Ken-nedys, and the Descendents, until his changing musical tastes – the Dead, Phish and Dylan, in particular – inspired him to learn acoustic guitar at age 17 and, before long, start writing his own folk songs.

Originally a student of piano, Kaufmann – whose musician father led the jazz DEC Big Band in New England for 20 years and whose bassist bought a young Ben his first upright – also had recently moved to the Boulder area, to attend college and play in bands there. Kaufmann says that when he met his three future YMSB partners, he had only recent-ly begun “learning the ropes of bluegrass” as the hired bassist for a local bluegrass band, Mountain Standard Time.

The four eventually met at an informal club performance in 1998, and, as they say, the rest is history.

Citing such varied influences as the bluegrass of Del McCoury, Johnson Mountain Boys, Jimmy Martin, Bill Mon-roe, and the Osborne Brothers as well as the punk rock of Bad Religion and alter-native rock bands like Grandaddy and Postal Service, YMSB released its first al-

bum, “Elevation,” in early 1999 and began touring, quickly growing into a hit on the jamband and bluegrass festival and club circuits.

A live CD dubbed “Mountain Tracks” (the first of many editions to come) and a second studio release, “Town By Town,” both followed in 2001. Flash forward a few more records and several years later, and their most recent album “The Show,” released in late 2009, garners the most critical acclaim to date and reveals a strong sense of growth and development in both the band’s songwriting and execution.

It’s likely to just keep getting better, the bandmates say. Touring and record-ing together as a group for 14 years has not always been a cakewalk, but the past two years have left them feeling noticeably rejuvenated, they say.

“We have been working toward a new record, working on a lot of new materi-al,” Johnston explains. “It feels like there’s been sort of a refreshening going on or something. It’s nice to get up there and pick and really enjoy what’s happening (again).”

In addition to some new material, Har-

vest Festival-goers also are likely to hear during Yonder’s three performances – on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights – some interesting covers (after all, we never know when they’ll bust out a new rendition of an Allman Bros. or Beatles tune), some “old traditionals” with a Yon-der twist (think “Jesus On the Mainline” in danceable fashion), and dozens and doz-ens of the bluegrass- and rock-inspired songs that have helped Yonder Mountain String Band win their large fan following. But don’t expect to hear the same songs you heard at Harvest last year.

“We have a lot of songs to pick from, and a lot of them we don’t play that often,” Aijala explains. The band picks its setlist by looking at the setlists from shows at that venue the previous year, and setlists for the previous several shows. That way if someone is following them from venue to venue, or just coming to see them at one venue each year, they’ll get a whole new show each time.

“The setlist is more challenging on a three-night run. We’ll look at the three nights we did at Harvest last year and try not to repeat them, but with three nights they’ll probably be some repetition,” the guitarist added. “We don’t have a lot of slow songs either, but we don’t do two of them in a row because we don’t want peo-ple to get bored. So we put a lot of thought into varying the beat of the songs, too, to keep it fresh for the fans and for us, too.”

Aijala and Johnston added that there will likely be some jamming on stage with friends from other bands, as well – one of their favorite parts of the festival as well as the fans’. “It’s gonna be fun,” Aijala said, his smile coming through on the tele-phone.

Currents Sept 2012 First Redesigned Issue

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