Archive for March, 2010

Come join us at Northern Light Espresso Bar for April First Friday in Scranton. It is going to be a great month with the oil abstract work of the very talented artist, Michael Lambert; and the soulful sounds of the infamous Clarence Spady.

The title of Michael Lambert’s show is “Remedied Those Carnival Blues,” which references the 9 to 5 work grind (and then some – to attempt to make ends meet), struggling from paycheck to paycheck, and giving everything you can to take care of your family and set a good example. The reference to a carnival is both direct and metaphoric.

The works as separate entities begin as paint, surface and an innate drive to make paintings. As Lambert says, “there is no truer window for a cathartic and expressive act than painting.” His recent works express the meditative and subtle – but as an end result. The layer building is frantic and almost a reference back to action painting. Yet he slaps the paint on in just one color at a time. Layer after layer he uses different tools and methods to apply the paint to build somewhat of topography. The process then slows as the surface he wants is there, and then he begins to explore color.

How great!

So stop in, because you don’t want to miss this; or the infamous Clarence Spady!

For First Friday Scranton in April we will be featuring the oil abstract work of the very talented artist, Michael Lambert.

Our musical guest will be none other than the local love, Clarence Spady.

So stop in to your favorite Scranton Art Gallery , and relax with a fine cup of joe.  It’s going to be a great night!

And for more information on the artists, see below:

Michael Lambert

I was born in Scranton, PA in 1975 and have resided in Northeast PA for my entire life. I’ve been interested in drawing, cartooning and painting since childhood. Being a musician as well, throughout high school and college I split my focus between music and art. Now I believe that one art form is a respite from the other and at the same time a catalyst, each for the other.

I graduated from Marywood University in 2001 with a BFA in Painting. I had some really incredible teachers, mentors, and friends that I still maintain great relationships with. I respect them, their work and their teachings.

Living only 2 1/2 hours outside of New York city, I’ve spent much time there visiting and studying painting at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Museum of Modern Art, The Whitney, and many of the contemporary galleries. I’ve shown extensively in group and solo exhibitions from 1997 to 2001 and started showing again in October 2009. I made drawings and paintings during that time in between, but wasn’t necessarily happy with the work I was making until about January of 2009…

I’m the father of two wonderful little boys that inspire me every day. I coach my oldest sons baseball team. He’s a natural – better than I was at his age. My little guy is already swinging the bat at pretty much everything in the house. We’re still getting the “only swing at the ball” thing down. But he has a great swing too. We spend a lot of the summer playing or watching baseball, or fishing together.

Clarence Spady

Clarence Spady returns with the release of Just Between Us on Severn Records, his first studio recording in over ten years. Once described as “the future of the blues” by Bill Dahl (Chicago Tribune), his sound has matured and is now even more distinguishable. Clarence plays with a depth and sensitivity that can’t be taught, effortlessly combining blues, jazz, funk, and rock into his own unique sound. As a songwriter Clarence writes 11 brand new originals never being afraid to turn his most private moments into stories that we can all relate to. Constantly touring in places like Hong Kong, Austria, Germany, France, Italy, Canada, and all parts of the U.S., Clarence’s rapidly growing fan base is beginning to spread the word of his moving guitar play, rough street-edged vocals, songwriting, and live improvisations.

Born, Clarence Sloan Spady on July 1, 1961 in Paterson, NJ. Spady’s dad Clarence “Pops” Sr. moved the family to Scranton, PA in 1966 to a safer suburb and a secure job at the army depot.

But that didn’t stop the family from traveling to NJ every weekend to play with Clarence’s Uncle Fletchy’s R & B band. After his Aunt Bea found him playing “High Heeled Sneakers” on his father’s guitar backstage one night, Clarence was called upon to play his first professional gig at the age of 5 at the Elks Club. He’s been startling people with his immense god-given guitar playing ever since.

The Jazz Café in Hong Kong touted Clarence “ as a soulful singer and hot guitarist who takes the blues of BB King and Albert Collins, and mixes it with the soul of Ray Charles and some funk of James Brown”… In short, Clarence is one of those artists that can actually move people. He brings out a range of emotions in you throughout his performances and recordings.

Clarence continues to wow audience’s all over the country….from his annual compelling and emotional benefit performances at Boulder Colorado’s Concert for Planet Earth to his regular appearances at NYC’s Terra Blues, at his home base in Pennsylvania at the River Street Jazz Café, or at a myriad of small jazz and blues clubs and festivals, he pushes forward writing and playing new music. And now finally through the great efforts and talent of our good friend David Earl and Severn Records the world can hear the magical sounds of Clarence Spady once again.

SEVERN RECORDS PRESENTS … CLARENCE SPADY … “JUST BETWEEN US”

11 NEW ORIGINAL CLARENCE SPADY COMPILATIONS… MAY 20, 2008 Release