By Jessie Rolph
The Daily Iowan
November 29, 2001
Reprinted with permission of The Daily Iowan © 1996.
The Englert Theatre
is getting a little help from its friends.
To aid restoration of the historic downtown theater, local folk, country,
and American roots artists such as Greg Brown and Big Wooden Radio have
contributed songs to a 15-track album, M.U.S.E. (Musicians United to Save
the Englert).
Mike Carberry, the benefit director at the Englert and executive producer
of the CD, wanted to broaden the scope of the Englert's fund raising as
well as use local musicians as a resource.
"One of the things Iowa City is famous for is this music," he
said. "I wanted to try to help artists that have helped us."
Carberry contacted the musicians about the project and personally chose
the songs for the album, many of which are previously unreleased tracks.
The album, released on Dave Zollo's local Trailer Records, features familiar
local musicians such as Brown, Zollo, and Kelly Pardekooper, and other
lesser-known acts as well.
"A lot of people will find some artists they've never heard of before
[on this CD] and seek them out," Carberry said.
The album also features new and unreleased tracks from Shoe Money, Robert
Morey, Ben Schmidt, Karthryn Musilek, Jennifer Danielson, and BeJae Fleming.
After roughly nine months of planning, the CD will be available to the
public at the Englert Benefit Release Party on Dec. 15.
The CD will be available for a discounted price of $10 at the party, which
begins at 8 p.m. at 3rd Street Live!, 1202 Third St. S.E., in Cedar Rapids.
"I plan to purchase 10 [CDs] that night," Carberry said.
Featured M.U.S.E. musicians Brown, the Kelly Pardekooper Band, and the
Mayflies of Johnson County will perform at the event.
All proceeds from the release party and sales of the 2,500 printed CDs
will go directly toward the restoration of the Englert. Carberry will
print more CDs if there is the demand, he said.
It may be more than a year before the 800-seat Englert reopens its doors,
but when it does, Carberry hopes to see M.U.S.E. artists headlining shows
there.
Tickets to the release party are available for $15 in advance at the Englert
Theatre, Sal's Music Emporium, Fun Zone Toys, Artisans Gallery, and Prairie
Light Books. Admission at the door is $20.
CDs can also be purchased for $15 at the Englert office and most local
record stores beginning Dec. 15.
A possible sequel album may be ready next year, featuring artists such
as Bo Ramsey and Kevin Gordon whom Carberry wanted to include on the first
M.U.S.E. but ran out of space for on the disc.
"It will be a project we'd like to continue," Carberry said.
The Englert, at 221 E. Washington St., was built in 1912 and has served
as a community theater, auditorium, music hall, and most recently, a movie
theater. A local group, Englert Civic Theater Inc., bought the building
from the city and is working to restore it to a community theater and
concert hall.
E-mail DI reporter Jessie Rolph at:
[email protected]
Read the DI review of M.U.S.E.