Also this issue: Voices of Chinatown An oral history of a changing neighborhood. -Kevin Plunkett

November 14-20, 2002

music

icepack

by A.D. Amorosi

She may not be Willie Nelson, but Robin Parry is on the road again, moving the “eclectic Nostra-weirdness” of her Club Nostradamus (in just a year’s time) from Cuvee Notre Dame to (very recently) Ulana’s (oy, such a bad move) to (finally?) Twenty21 at Commerce Square on Market Street. Parry will, starting Nov. 15, book jazz/lounge sounds for dinner every Friday and Saturday, then open at 10 p.m. for Mick’s Cabaret Americana. This is where the Nostra-weirdness starts. (She previewed last week with NYC’s drag king cabaret, Men of Club Casanova.) Look for her usual groovy ghoulies like Torsion, Helen Back, and Ben Edwards Trio to join in the weekly wonk.… The Rotunda gets childish this weekend. First, Nov. 15 with Rick Henderson’s Positron, Mall and The Great Quentini. Then Nov. 17’s Children’s Electronic Workshop with David Talento (Music for Isolation Tanks) and Zeitron-inventor Steve Zeitler.… You won’t be able to kick eco-arch-Pop artist Virgil Marti around anymore. At least not this weekend. His “Grow Room” exhibit opens at Participant Inc. (on the Lower East Side) on Nov 15. Drive up early and catch Amber deLaurentis’ band (Dave Anstine, Mark Schreiber and Mark Tucker) Nov. 14 at The Lion’s Den, 214 Sullivan, competing at the Independent-Music-World-Series. When she gets home, she’ll continue work on her CD with Shelly Yakus.… Leapin’ lizardy EPs! Along with my fave Philadelphians of 2001, The Capitol Years, dropping the Jewelry Store EP at The Khyber Nov. 15, Dylan McConnell (ex of Valsalva) is dropping a troika of four-song EPs -- for free -- only at A.K.A. Music, Spaceboy and Dot Dash.… After opening his Franco-sweet center Miel in Cherry Heel, ex-Bec-Finner Robert Bennett branches out with a Miel patisserie on 17th off Rittenhouse, set to open by the ultimate sweet day: Valentine’s.… Sounds like trouble? Good. The Rowdee Black Giants (who kicked it at 1616’s October Gallery party), hit it Nov. 16 at Soul Sanctuary.… Must be a G-Mart thing: PaperStreet Sundays at North on South Street feature uniforms by PUMA.… WhoWhatWhere: Now that it’s official that new-engagees J. Lo and Ben have left their bilevel penthouse apartment at The Phoenix, you can be the first on the block to buy into the myth: Stare at the rug, sniff the carpet. The smaller one is rented to undisclosed persons, but the large one ain’t been rented yet. Jazz guys gotta eat: Terrence Blanchard and co. hung, supped and sipped at Chris’ Jazz Cafe till the wee earlies. Along with Donovan singing hits (“Mellow Yellow”), talking about the days of Dylan and the Beatles for crowds assembled at Tin Angel’s 10th b-day, he hung with opener Nancy Falkow enough to get “karmically connected” to her (as well as giving her a big smooch square the mouth while discussing his crush on Joan Baez -- that’s gauche).… Jazz giant Gerald Veasley, currently recording, is getting a funk-dub overdub by Herb Middleton of Jazzy Jeff/Will Smith fame.… After two years, Mr. Gair and his Seclusiasis Studio presents a final Slipstate/Aqua Lounge party, Nov. 20, with the ill-dub likes of new Philadelphian Thom Jay, The Buddhahead (out now -- Juliette Greco is an Existentialist on Zenapolae) Cardynal Syn, Slug Crumbs and Dev 79.… The just-opened Living Room is changing its name to Lounge 125 after finding out the hard way that there’s already a South Philly establishment that does not do bottle service.… Michele Malin Seidman shot new Fretz Kitchen shows for CN8’s winter season in Columbia, Md., with Philadelphia and DC-area chefs. Look for new shows next week.… Philadelphia Chapter of Les Dames d’Escoffier will honor its grande dame, Julie Dannenbaum, for a lifetime of achievement in the culinary field, working with MANNA to both prepare and serve meals to area AIDS patients, Nov. 18 at The Restaurant School at Walnut Hill College and Deux Cheminées. Info: 215-790-0200.… After all those McSweeney’s/215 author types were sucking face and boozing hard, there’ll be another shot at saliva-lit at La Tazza’s Nov. 15 bash for Trampoline Hall vaudevillian Sheila Heti.… Congrats to Georges Perrier, whose Le Bec-Fin regained the rare five-star Mobil Travel Guide status, and happy b-day to the Friday Night Boys Club of America’s Evan “Ruff” Gusz and Mikey the Cop. Happy also to Egypt, which celebrates its 10th on Nov. 16 with a bash for friends old and new, and so long to Michele Greenberg, CP’s promo lady, who’s going across the street to be director of marketing for Cuba Libre.