The Tulsa Voice | Vol. 2 No. 4

plus S TG br ing s a s lic e o f Italy downtown | p14 F inding NO LA in Tu ls a for Fat Tuesday | p32

F E B . 4 - 1 7 , 2 0 1 4 // V O L . 2 N O . 4

U L SA THE T

VOICE

T S E B ULSA OF T OICE

S’ CH R E D REA 2015

S E E T H E F I N A L I S T S A N D P R E P A R E T O V O T E // P 2 8

2 // CONTENTS

February 4 – February 17, 2015 // THE TULSA VOICE

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CONTENTS // 3

4 // CONTENTS

February 4 – February 17, 2015 // THE TULSA VOICE

contents

Feb. 4 – 17, 2015 // vol. 2 no. 4 NEWS & COMMENTARY

LIFE PRESERVER

8 // T hrough the looking glass Ray Pearcey, mad hatter

Filmmaker Sterlin Harjo on real people, real places & t ellin g st ories before they’re lost forever

Potential tech revolution could be lucrative in Tulsa cityspeak

10 // Profits and losses

B Y M O L LY B U L LO C K

Barry Friedman, cynic

Push to privatize public education benefits fat cats, not students viewsfromtheplains

FOOD & DRINK

23

Viva Italia New downtown pizza and gelato joint STG isn’t ‘Italian-inspired’—it’s the real thing

COVER PHOTO BY RYAN RED CORN

MEGAN SHEPHERD // 14

• TTV VALENTINE’S DAY GUIDE | P20 •

ARTS & CULTURE

P28 BEST OF TULSA

32 // Purple, gold and green country Megan Shepherd, creole queen

Celebrate the spirit of New Orleans without leaving town

26 // G ood times rolling on Fat Tuesday, Matt Cauthron, bead collector

outandabout

featured

36 // Ever green Ashley Heider Daly, weather denier

Surround yourself with living things no matter the season

MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD Send all letters, complaints, compliments & haikus to:

PUBLISHER Jim Langdon

dalystyle

MUSIC & FILM

voices@ langdonpublishing.com

The way of Will

ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Matt Cauthron EDITOR Matt Cauthron ART DIRECTOR Madeline Crawford DIGITAL EDITOR Molly Bullock ASSISTANT EDITOR John Langdon

Oklahoma native tells the story of a legend in music and pictures

facebook.com/thetulsavoice twitter.com/thetulsavoice instagram.com/thetulsavoice

G.K. HIZER // 38

CONTRIBUTORS Greg Bollinger, Tim Carter, Ashley Heider Daly, Barry Friedman,

42 // Blood, sweat and jazz

Valerie Grant, G.K. Hizer, A. Jakober, Joshua Kline, Joe O’Shansky, Ray Pearcey, Ryan Red Corn, Megan Shepherd GRAPHIC DESIGNERS Morgan Welch, Georgia Brooks AD SALES MANAGER Josh Kampf

1603 S. Boulder Ave. Tulsa, OK 74119 P: 918.585.9924 F: 918.585.9926 PUBLISHER Jim Langdon PRESIDENT Juley Roffers VP COMMUNICATIONS Susie Miller CONTROLLER Mary McKisick ADMIN. ASSISTANT Rachel Webb RECEPTION Gloria Brooks, Gene White

THE TULSA VOICE // February 4 – February 17, 2015

44 // Too funny to cringe

Joe O’Shansky, on tempo

Joshua Kline, great audience

Music school as battlefield in ‘Whiplash’ filmphiles

Louis CK returns to his club roots in new special popradar

REGULA RS // 16 dininglistings // 18 boozeclues // 34 thehaps 40 musiclistings // 45 news of the weird // 46 free will astrology CONTENTS // 5

editor’sletter

I

’m going to skip the “with a heavy heart…” sentimentality and just come right out with it: My wife and I are moving to Denver. Tomorrow.

It’s a thrilling time for us, the start of a grand new adventure, but it’s certainly bittersweet. Even though I grew up in the Oklahoma City area, after living here nine years I consider myself a Tulsan through and through. My love for this city is immense, and our decision to leave it was not easy. We leave behind family and friends we love dearly. We leave behind a city that gets better and better by the day.

And I leave behind The Tulsa Voice.

This paper is still finding its footing. Still finding its audience.

Still finding its voice, if you’ll excuse the pun. It’s not perfect.

It’s not for everyone. But I love it,

I’m deeply proud of it, and leading the team that brought it to life and continues to crank it out every couple of weeks has been among the greatest privileges of my life.

To the staff and contributors of the Voice, and to all the Tulsans who have supported it and helped it grow, I thank you with all my heart and soul. I must add a special shout-out to creative director Madeline Crawford, whose enormous talent and nearly superhuman drive have been the fuel that runs this engine; and especially to Jim Langdon and Juley Roffers, owners of Langdon Publishing and my bosses of the past five years, for having the courage to start this paper and the faith to hand me its reins. My life has been enriched immeasurably, in ways you wouldn’t believe, since I first walked through the door of

tips on ways you can channel the spirit of New Orleans right here in Tulsa (pg. 32).

There’s lots more, as always, but the last thing I’ll mention is that the final round of voting in our first ever Best of Tulsa awards begins right now. We’ve whittled down the nominees to the top five in each of 100 categories (more or less than five in some categories, because: ties). Vote for all your favorite Tulsa things at TheTulsaVoice.com/bot.

Bye, Tulsa. I love you. a

this building, and I’ll be forever grateful.

That said—you, dear reader, won’t get rid of me that easily.

Thanks to the marvel of modern technology, I’ll temporarily continue my duties as editor remotely while the Voice makes a transition to new leadership. Even after that transition, I will contribute any way I can for as long as I can to help this paper keep getting better.

So. With that out of the way, how about a look around this issue?

Molly Bullock dives deep with filmmaker Sterlin Harjo (pg. 23), chatting about his newest projects, his artistic process, his search for untold stories and much more.

We also have everything you’ll need to properly celebrate Fat Tuesday with a guide to the Blue Dome District Mardi Gras Parade (pg. 26), as well as a collection of

MATT CAUTHRON EDITOR

PUBLISHER’S NOTE: Matt Cauthron has been an outstanding editor of The Tulsa Voice. We truly value his journalism talent and appreciate his willingness to serve as editor during our transition to new editorial leadership. We are pleased he will continue to share his skill and perspective as a contributing writer.…from Denver! Thank you, Matt.

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February 4 – February 17, 2015 // THE TULSA VOICE

THE TULSA VOICE // February 4 – February 17, 2015

NEWS & COMMENTARY // 7

cityspeak

Microsoft’s for thcoming HoloLens product could revolut ionize comput ing // Cour tesy

Through the looking glass Potential tech revolution could be a lucrative rabbit hole for Tulsa

by RAY PEARCEY

I

recently watched the ravishing (if fl awed) fi lm “The Imitation Game,” about computing pioneer Alan Turing and his historic efforts to break Nazi crypto-codes during WWII. The fi lm chronicles many things, including Turing’s constant battles with bureaucratic inertia, the hyper-conventional British military and the routine oppression the UK visited on homosexuals—especially those with security clearances. But it’s also about Turing’s development, with his team at Bletchley Park, of a prototype mainframe computer—a confection of human interface, software and hardware that changed the world.

Last week marked the fi rst public showing of another platform with equally epochal potential. And like most cross-industry tech innovations, this one will come with early benefi ts for some

8 // NEWS & COMMENTARY

communities—ones that will themselves to be “fi rst movers.”

OUT OF NOWHERE Imagine designing a piece of furniture, a shoe or a bike using a virtual studio—a digitally enhanced but hand-driven workshop that simply materializes in your house or offi ce space when you need it.

Imagine playing an incredibly realistic squash game in your home, mediated by a lightweight pair of goggles that creates a high-resolution, richly textured environment in any ordinary setting.

Say your grandmother, who lives miles away, has again accidentally switched the input mode on her television and can’t get her daily dose of QVC. How cool would it be to “pop in” visually and help her get the TV working?

Imagine Tulsa as a center for companies at the bleeding edge

of what might be the Next Big Thing in computing platforms—a transformation as revolutionary as the creation of mainframes, computer languages, personal computing and touch-screen “smart” devices.

RADICAL POTENTIAL Tech companies often release “concept videos” promising dramatic new technologies and novel devices they claim will soon hit stores. These dog-and-pony shows often highlight things that would be incredibly useful—if they came to fruition and did a fraction of the stuff the “previews” claim.

Recently, at an otherwise predictable Microsoft Windows developer presentation for software pros and a handful of technology reporters, the company unveiled the HoloLens—a strange looking goggle device that creates a

virtual overlay to whatever you’re experiencing visually in the real world.

Unlike Google’s failed Glass product, which was designed and marketed as a mass-consumer, everyday device, Microsoft will target a narrower audience of business and tech users, with applications conceived and designed to meet the needs of those arenas. The new device, or a technology like it (Apple, Facebook and others are working or have fi led patents on similar efforts), could change the way we interact with smart machines.

Entertainment and gaming, home and offi ce computers, telecommunication, personal services and education could change radically as a result.

SEEING IS BELIEVING With the exception of a handful of developers and top technology

February 4 – February 17, 2015 // THE TULSA VOICE

writers, few people have actually tried out the new HoloLens, but the reaction of those few has been mostly positive.

Tech reporter Jessi Hempel, who profi led new Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella in a cover story for Wired, got a personal preview of the HoloLens and relayed the gadget’s various awe-inspiring bells and whistles.

“But it’s a much more mundane task that really gives me a sense of Project HoloLens’ potential: fi xing a light switch,” Hempel wrote. “Kipman [a key Microsoft developer] places the headset on me, and points me toward a 3-inch-wide hole in the wall with wires jutting out of it and a nearby sideboard topped with unfamiliar tools. (As is perhaps obvious, I’m no electrician.) An engineer pops up on my screen, Skyping in from another room, and introduces himself. He can see exactly what I’m seeing.

He draws a holographic circle around a voltage tester atop the sideboard. Then he walks me

through the process of installing the switch, coaching me and sketching quick holographic arrows and diagrams that glow on the wall in front of me. Five minutes later, I fl ip a switch and the living room light turns on.”

TU TURNS ON At the end of last year, the University of Tulsa announced an exciting new program: the Tandy School of Computer Science undergraduate program in computer simulation and gaming, which is slated to begin in Fall 2015.

“The computer simulation and gaming industry is growing locally and nationally,” said Roger Mailler, associate professor of computer science at TU. “Within the Tulsa area [exist] three gaming companies and nine others that develop simulation technology for commercial and military entries. We’re excited to extend our curriculum to meet the demands of such a booming, niche industry.”

Mailler told me he hasn’t yet gotten his hands on a HoloLens,

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USING WHAT WE’VE GOT Several times as a working adult, I’ve made extensive use of advanced visual software—specifi cally, the suite of tools used to create digital animation, 3-D objects and digital models.

There were times I wished I could just break the “screen barrier” and use some kind of computerized gesture or hand-tracking system to draft the prototype designs and object models my team was doing. If the new HoloLens is “real”—that is, if it can actually do what Micro-

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soft’s concept video suggests, it will break that barrier and might revolutionize the way we interact with technology.

Tulsa has extensive experience in seismic modeling and other virtual computing innovations at the center of oil and gas exploration. Plenty of local fi rms are deeply involved with simulation technology related to aviation.

Can our city be a “fi rst mover” in the holographic arena and reap the benefi ts of a potentially game-changing tech industry shift?

We’ve got the tools. Putting them to use simply takes some foresight and some will. a

Ray Pearcey, a technology, public policy and management consulting professional, is managing editor of The Oklahoma Eagle and is a regular contributor to The Tulsa Voice.

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but that the device is in part a consequence of Microsoft’s success with the Xbox gaming platform—one of the few areas of real innovation and commercial success the company has carved out recently. He also told me about TU’s leadership role in an upcoming conference on gaming, and some related efforts in town to push advanced gaming simulation and interactive media as an economic development driver.

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viewsfrom theplains

Profits and losses Push to privatize public education benefits fat cats, not students

by BARRY FRIEDMAN

O

f all the awful ideas in politics these days—balanced budget amendment, elected judiciary, constitutional convention, fl at tax (to name just a few)—nothing leaves more of a stench than charter schools and vouchers.

The lobbyists who push this agenda (aided by local, state and national representatives who line up for the swag and instructions on how to sell the con)1 believe that the best thing for public education is the introduction of the profit motive—their profi ts. Schools will do a better job of educating children, they contend, if there’s competition between institutions— winners and losers.

Can’t wait.

Maybe venture capitalists can do for education what they did for housing. God forbid something in this country would be allowed to operate without someone, somewhere, taking a cut. Fourth graders, IEDs, soap—they’re all the same, just products to be marketed to this loose affi liation of carnival barkers, charlatans, congressional drones and grifters.

Which brings us to former Dist. 11 Democratic state Sen. Jabar Shumate, who resigned his seat in January to take a job with the American Federation for Children—a singularly horrendous name in a singularly horrendous fi eld—as its state organization director and national director of legislative affairs.2 “I knew I did not want to continue on the treadmill of politics,” Shumate said. “This was a perfect place for me because it gave me a chance to continue doing things that are important to me.”

Perfect…really?

The AFC is largely financed through a foundation start10 // NEWS & COMMENTARY

Illustrat ion by Georgia Brooks

ed by Betsy Prince DeVos, whose husband’s family owns Amway and whose brother, Erik Prince, founded the military and security contractor Blackwater.3

Come again. Amway? Blackwater?

It gets worse.

The American Federation for Children (AFC) is a conservative 501(c) advocacy group that promotes the school privatization agenda via the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) and other avenues.4

For the love of Sofh (the Egyptian Goddess of Education), Senator, you resigned your seat in the Oklahoma senate to work for a company borne of Amway and Blackwater and raised by ALEC? You traded thirty minutes on a treadmill for a career in Gomorrah.

Here’s what Diane Ravitch, former assistant secretary of education and the country’s ballsiest critic of this kind of education reform, said about AFC5: The American Federation of Children is a rightwing organization that spends heavily to promote vouchers and to

support candidates in state and local races who support vouchers.

Which might explain why AFC is so giddy about its new hire.5 The organization says it is committed to school choice, which it defines as public funding of private-school attendance through vouchers and scholarships.

Read that carefully: public funding—better known as your tax dollars—being shoveled to for-profi t companies to educate your children.

Here’s how it works.

A private group or individual submits an application to the state to run a charter, which is kind of a hybrid public/private school. Once approved, the applicant receives state funds to run the joint.

(Author’s note: Onl y a cynic would suggest there’s a quid pro quo between who gets approved and the aforementioned lobbying. Call me a cynic.)

Let’s continue.

The charter receives waivers from local school districts on approved teaching methods, curricula, hiring protocols and how money is spent—including

expenditures per student—in exchange for a promise of better academic results. The group or individual receiving the charter— and this is the money shot—is also allowed to take a management fee (of your tax dollars, let’s remember) off the top. This vig comes out before one textbook is bought, one teacher hired, one special-ed program developed. If the charter doesn’t turn a profi t, like any business, it closes. And if students—including those in Shumate’s 11th district—are inconvenienced or burdened by having their school shut down, well, tough. That’s how the world works, kids.

Ravitch is not happy.

Who decided to monetize the public schools? Who determined that the federal government should promote privatization and neglect public education?6

And not happy with good reason.7 Ultimately, both the founding CEO of Philadelphia Academy Charter School and his successor were charged with stealing almost $1 million from the school’s coffers, including money students had collected for a Toys for Tots campaign. The two men — one of whom had only a high school education — also allegedly engaged in questionable real estate deals. As a result, the high school paid rent money for its facilities directly to them.

Grifters gotta grift.

So, how do the academic outcomes of students enrolled in charters compare to those in traditional schools? Eh.8 How

February 4 – February 17, 2015 // THE TULSA VOICE

are the profi ts of those charters?

Bam! 9 With vouchers, it’s a different kind of bait and switch, promising choice, delivering illusion. Students in Shumate’s district would receive an education voucher of, say, $2,500 to attend whatever private school they wanted. Unfortunately, private schools are under no obligation to accept any of them, and the state education cuts that would have to occur to pay for the vouchers would hit local communities and schools the hardest.

And not for nothing, but tuition at Holland Hall, to give one example, is $17,300 per year, which means a student—even if accepted—would be able to attend for about a month and a half.10 But back to the star of our show.

Shumate, who’s been an advocate for both charters and choice, received $4,500 from the group during his years in the senate and spoke at AFC meetings and conferences. So this is not a surprising move on his part, just an unconscionable one—especially considering the issues (aside from education) his new bosses embrace.11

stituents and left them without representation until April, when a successor will be chosen in a special election (seven weeks before the end of legislative session). He walked away from an Oklahoma Democratic Party already on life support (with his resignation, there are only seven Democrats in the state Senate). And then, as if the sellout weren’t bad enough, he used those closest to him for cover.

“At this time,” Shumate said in making the announcement, “I have to think about my family.”

Perfect. a

1) patch.com: Shameless Lobbying

by Charter Schools Jeopardizes Solid Special Education Reform 2) tulsaworld.com: Former state Sen. Jabar Shumate joins schoolchoice organization 3) schema-root.org: Academi security firm, formerly known as Xe Services, before that Blackwater 4) sourcewatch.org: The American Federation for Children 5) dianeravitch.net: Who or What is the “American Federation for Children”?

6) huffingtonpost.com: Time for Congress to Investigate Bill Gates’ Coup 7) npr.org: Investigating Charter Schools Fraud In Philadelphia 8) huffingtonpost.com: Charter School Performance Study Finds Small Gains 9) pando.com: The big money and profits behind the push for charter schools

10) privateschoolreview.com: Holland Hall 11) smartgunlaws.org: “Stand Your Ground” Policy Summary

“Views from the Plains” appears each issue and covers Oklahoma politics and culture—the disastrous, the unseemly, the incomprehensible … you know, the day-to-day stuff. Barry Friedman is a touring stand-up comedian, author and general rabble-rouser.

Efforts to advance shoot first laws nationwide accelerated … when the conservative, corporate-funded American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) adopted a model law bearing many similarities to Florida’s [“Stand Your Ground”] law. The ALEC model was developed in conjunction with the NRA, which has funded ALEC for years and, until 2011, co-chaired the council’s Public Safety and Elections task force that developed the model shoot first law.

Lovely, huh?

This, too, gets worse.

A new examination of the gun agenda of the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) reveals numerous extreme bills advanced on the watch of Koch Industries as a leader and funder of ALEC.

Amway, Blackwater, AFC, ALEC, the NRA, and the Kochs.

What, no Halliburton?

In going over to the dark side, Shumate abandoned his conTHE TULSA VOICE // February 4 – February 17, 2015

NEWS & COMMENTARY // 11

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Clock wise from top: A sele ct ion of STG’s pizza and ant ipast i; the wood-fired oven; STG co-ow ner Mike Bausch; double-scoop gelato cones

Viva Italia New downtown pizza and gelato joint STG isn’t ‘Italian-inspired’—it’s the real thing

by MEGAN SHEPHERD | photos by VALERIE GRANT ack in November, I spent endeavor of Mike and Jim Bausch a month bumming around and John Davey (of Andolini’s).

Europe. While in Italy, I STG, or Specialità Tradizionale took dining to a new level, justiGarantita, refers to a European food designation that refl ects fying taste after snack after meal a strict adherence to authentic, and refusing to feel bad about it.

I was convinced the pizza, gelato traditional ingredients and cooking and wine were so much better practices. The term couldn’t be than anything I could get back more fi tting at STG. in the States, and that I wouldn’t To appreciate STG, you must understand what it is not. For one, taste those fl avors again any time soon. its is not Domino’s. At STG they Fortunately, I was wrong about realize you’ve got to drop some dough to perfect it, so they import that.

Turns out Italy has graced Tulsa ingredients from Italy—everything from buffalo milk mozzarella, to with a bit of its delicacies via STG Pizzeria and Gelateria, the latest La Regina di San Marzano to-

B

14 // FOOD & DRINK

matoes, to Farina Caputo fl our, to Carpigiani mixers to cups and spoons. They even had their oven shipped from Italy. STG isn’t as close as you can get to the real thing in Tulsa—it is the real thing in Tulsa.

Second, it’s not the place to go for full table service. STG has all the fl avor of a waitstaff-delivered product, but the counter-service layout boasts the speed and ease of a quick bite to eat (pizzas cook in just 90 seconds).

“We could’ve had table service, and we could’ve had a full bar,” Mike Bausch said, “but I thought,

this food is really fast. Let’s let it be really fast, and let the customer enjoy that.”

Something else STG is not: arrogant. The relentless commitment to the perfection of traditional Italian cuisine comes not from self-satisfaction, but from obsession.

“I wanted to create the same STG experience that I enjoy when I’m in Italy,” Bausch said. “That’s what we’re doing here. This isn’t Tulsa style—it’s authentic Neapolitan style.”

To say the Bausch brothers and Davey love pizza would be a

February 4 – February 17, 2015 // THE TULSA VOICE

gross understatement. Growing up in lower Manhattan, Mike Bausch loved the fl at pies—the thin, doughy kind that come out of the oven too piping hot and wet to eat. Davey, a coastal transplant from the San Francisco Bay Area, had his own preferred spots for ‘za in California. The two met in Oakland during college, worked together, connected over their love of pie and set out to perfect it. They entered competitions, studied under master Italian pizza makers and brought their knowledge back to Oklahoma to found the popular Andolini’s in Owasso with Mike’s brother, Jim. Next came the crowds, and then the Cherry Street location, followed by the Ando Truck. But, they insist, STG is not Andolini’s.

STG pies are much lighter than Andolini’s fare. Take their classic Margherita, made with San Marzano tomatoes, house-made mozzarella, basil, EVOO and sea salt.

The toppings pack a rich depth of fl avor, but the pie itself is very light, and the “leoparding” (dark spots around the pie) gives it the perfect balance of crispy charring and pillowy dough.

Then there’s the Scamorza, which features a smoky wood fl avor, subtle spice from arugula and sweet cherry tomatoes.

The Parma, sharp and cheesy with a smooth, buttery fi nish, offers a nice change of pace as a tomato-less pie. Thin slices of prosciutto and portobello mushrooms give this pizza a velvety richness.

And the Diavolo—with its authentic Calabrian sausage, baked pistachios, house-made mozzarella, fl eur de sel sea salt, chili fl akes and olive oil—is not to be missed.

For antipasti, try the Burrata Salad. STG keeps theirs creamy by

wrapping ricotta in mozzarella fi or di latte. It’s served with Prosciutto di Parma, spicy arugula, sea salt and olive oil.

Then, of course, there’s the gelato—a sweet nectar of milk, sugar and local produce so airy and delicious, you’ll wonder why you ever wasted your money on something like Breyer’s by the carton. There’s an excellent vegan option in the Cioccolata Fonden-

te sorbetto, which feels so much like gelato, I almost didn’t believe the man when he told me it was dairy-free.

The popular Lemoncello fl avor is more than worth a taste and features a powdery, metallic, citrus bite (sounds weird, tastes amazing). Cones come with two scoops piled high. I recommend adequate sampling before committing to a single fl avor.

I still dream about the food in Italy, but with dishes like these down the street at STG, I’m sleeping a little easier at night. a STG PIZZERIA and GELATERIA EVERY DAY: 11AM – 10PM 114 S. Detroit Ave. (918) 938-6510 stgitalian.com

AT T H E M A Y O H O T E L

THE TULSA VOICE

BEST OF TULSA T H E H I G H E R YO U G O, T H E B E T T E R T H E PA R T Y D O N ’ T M I S S T H E B E S T VI E WS I N TOW N

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FOOD & DRINK // 15

dininglistings TU/KENDALL WHITTIER

BRADY ARTS DISTRICT

BLUE D OME

Big Al’s Health Foods Bill’s Jumbo Burgers Billy Ray’s BBQ Brothers Houligan Calaveras Mexican Grill Capp’s BBQ Corner Café Duffy’s Diner El Rancho Grande El Rio Verde Freddie’s Hamburgers Guang Zhou Dim Sum Jim’s Coney Island Las Americas Super Mercado & Restaurant Lot a Burger Maxxwell’s Restaurant

Caz’s Chowhouse Chimera Draper’s Bar-B-Cue Gypsy Coffee House Hey Mambo The Hunt Club Laffa Lucky’s on the Green Mexicali Border Café Oklahoma Joe’s

Albert G’s Bar & Q Dilly Deli El Guapo’s Cantina Fassler Hall Joe Bots Coffee Joe Momma’s Pizza Juniper

Moonsky’s Cheesesteaks and Daylight Donuts Mr. Taco Nelson’s Ranch House Oklahoma Style BBQ The Phoenix Papa Ganouj Philly Alley Pie Hole Pizza Pollo al Carbon Rib Crib BBQ & Grill The Right Wing Route 66 Subs & Burgers Tacos Don Francisco Tally’s Good Food Cafe Umberto’s Pizza

UTICA SQUARE Brownies Gourmet Burgers Fleming’s Goldie’s Patio Grill McGill’s Olive Garden P.F. Chang’s China Bistro

Pepper’s Grill Polo Grill Queenie’s Café and Bakery Starbucks Stonehorse Café Wild Fork

CHERRY STREET 15 Below Andolini’s Pizzeria Café Cubana Chimi’s Mexican Food Chipotle Mexican Grill Coffee House on Cherry Street Doe’s Eat Place Full Moon Café Genghis Grill Heirloom Baking Co. Hideaway Pizza Jason’s Deli Kilkenny’s Irish Pub & Eatery La Madeleine

Lucky’s Restaurant Mary’s Italian Trattoria Mi Cocina Oklahoma Kolache Co. Palace Café Panera Bread Phat Philly’s The Pint Qdoba Mexican Grill SMOKE. Te Kei’s Tucci’s Café Italia Zanmai

Prhyme Downtown Steakhouse The Rusty Crane Sisserou’s Spaghetti Warehouse The Tavern Z’s Taco Shop Zin Wine, Beer & Dessert Bar

BROOKSIDE Antoinette Baking Co. Biga Billy Sims BBQ Blue Moon Bakery and Café The Brook Brookside By Day Café Ole Café Samana Charleston’s Claud’s Hamburgers Cosmo Café & Bar Crow Creek Tavern Doc’s Wine and Food Egg Roll Express Elmer’s BBQ Fuji La Hacienda Lokal The Hen Bistro Hibiscus Caribbean Bar and Grill HopBunz

In the Raw Keo Lambrusco’Z To Go Leon’s Brookside Mazzio’s Italian Eatery Ming’s Noodle Bar Mondo’s Ristorante Italiano Old School Bagel Café Pei Wei Asian Diner R Bar & Grill Rons Hamburgers & Chili Señor Tequila Shades of Brown Sonoma Bistro & Wine Bar Starbucks Sumatra Coffee Shop Super Wok The Warehouse Bar & Grill Weber’s Root Beer Whole Foods Market Yolotti Frozen Yogurt Zoës Kitchen

WO ODLAND HILLS Lambrusco’z McNellie’s S&J Oyster Company STG Pizzeria & Gelateria Tallgrass Prairie Table Yokozuna

DECO DISTRICT Atlas Grill Billy’s on the Square Boston Avenue Grill Deco Deli

Elote Café & Catering Mod’s Coffee & Crepes Tavolo The Vault

DOWNTOWN 624 Kitchen and Catering Abear’s All About Cha Stylish Coffee & Tea Baxter’s Interurban Grill Bohemian Pizzeria The Boiler Room The Boulder Grill Café 320 Casa Laredo Coney Island Daily Grill Fat Guy’s Foolish Things Coffee Grand Selections for Lunch The Greens on Boulder

Lassalle’s New Orleans Deli Lou’s Deli MADE Market in the DoubleTree by Hilton Mazzio’s Italian Eatery Naples Flatbread & Wine Bar Oneok Café Oklahoma Spud on the Mall Seven West Café Sheena’s Cookies & Deli Steakfinger House The Sushi Place Tabouli’s Ti Amo Topeca Coffee Williams Center Café

MIDTOWN TERWILLEGER HEIGHTS Bill & Ruth’s Blue Rose Café Burn Co. BBQ The Chalkboard Dalesandro’s

Elwoods Mansion House Café Ron’s Hamburgers & Chili La Villa at Philbrook

Albert G’s Bangkok Thai Super Buffet Bravo’s Mexican Grill Bros. Houligan Celebrity Restaurant Daylight Donuts Supershop Eddy’s Steakhouse Felini’s Cookies & Deli

Golden Gate Lambrusco’z Mary Jane’s Pizza My Thai Kitchen PJ’s Sandwich Shoppe Phill’s Diner Trenchers Delicatessen

I-44/BA INTERCHANGE Big Anthony’s BBQ Bill & Ruth’s Subs Billy Sims BBQ Binh-Le Vietnamese Chop House BBQ D’Oro Pizza Desi Wok Fiesta Cozumel Gogi Gui Growler’s Sandwich Grill Hideaway Pizza Himalayas – Aroma of India Ichiban Teriyaki Jumbo’s Burgers Las Bocas Las Tres Fronteras Le Bistro Sidewalk Cafe Mamasota’s Mexican Restaurant & Bar Mazzio’s Italian Eatery

Monterey’s Little Mexico Nelson’s Buffeteria Pho Da Cao Pickle’s Pub Rice Bowl Cafe Rib Crib BBQ & Grill Roo’s Sidewalk Café Royal Dragon Sezchuan Express Shawkat’s Deli & Grill Speedy Gonzalez Grill Spudder Steak Stuffers USA Tacos Don Francisco Thai Siam Tokyo Garden The Tropical Restaurant & Bar Viet Huong Villa Ravenna Watts Barbecue

NORTH TULSA Admiral Grill Bill & Ruth’s Christy’s BBQ Evelyn’s Golden Saddle BBQ Steakhouse Hank’s Hamburgers Harden’s Hamburgers

Hero’s Subs & Burgers Ike’s Chili Los Primos Moonsky’s Cheesesteaks and Daylight Donuts The Restaurant at Gilcrease White River Fish Market

Asahi Sushi Bar Baker Street Pub & Grill Billy Sims BBQ Bistro at Seville Bluestone Steahouse and Seafood Restaurant Brothers Houligan Brothers Pizza Bucket’s Sports Bar & Grill Charlie’s Chicken Chuy’s Chopsticks El Tequila Fat Daddy’s Pub & Grille Fat Guy’s Burger Bar Fish Daddy’s Seafood Grill Fuji FuWa Asian Kitchen Firehouse Subs The Gaucho Brazilian Steakhouse Haruno Hungry Howie’s Pizza In the Raw on the Hill Jameson’s Pub Jamil’s Jason’s Deli

Jay’s Original Hoagies Keo Kit’s Takee-Outee La Roma Lanna Thai Logan’s Road House Louie’s Mandarin Taste Marley’s Pizza Mekong River Mi Tierra Napoli’s Italian Restaurant Oliveto Italian Bistro Ri Le’s Rib Crib BBQ & Grill Ridge Grill Ron’s Hamburgers & Chili Savoy Shogun Steakhouse of Japan Siegi’s Sausage Factory & Deli Ti Amo Italian Ristorante Wrangler’s Bar-B-Q Yasaka Steakhouse of Japan Zio’s Italian Kitchen

SOUTH TULSA BBD II Baja Jack’s Burrito Shack Bamboo Thai Bistro Bellacino’s Pizza & Grinders Bodean’s Seafood Restaurant The Brook Camille’s Sidewalk Café Cardigan’s Charleston’s Cimarron Meat Company Dona Tina Cocina Mexicana El Guapo’s El Samborsito Elements Steakhouse & Grille The Fig Café and Bakery First Watch Five Guys French Hen Gencies Chicken Shack Gyros by Ali Hebert’s Specialty Meats Helen of Troy Hideaway Pizza

India Palace La Crêpe Nanou La Flama Mahogany Prime Steakhouse McNellie’s South City Mr. Goodcents Subs & Pastas Napa Flats Wood Fired Kitchen Naples Flatbread & Wine Bar Nordaggio’s Coffee OK Country Donut Shoppe Pita Place Redrock Canyon Grill Ripe Tomato Ron’s Hamburgers and Chili Sushi Hana Japanese Fusion Thai Village Tres Amigos Mexican Grill & Cantina White Lion Whole Foods Yokozuna Zio’s Italian Kitchen

EAST TULSA Al Sultan Grill & Bakery Big Daddy’s All American Bar-B-Q Birrieria Felipe Bogey’s Brothers Houligan Casa San Marcos Casanova’s Restaurant Charlie’s Chicken Cherokee Deli Darby’s Restaurant El Centenario El Gallo Loco El 7 Marez El Refugio Azteca Super Taqueria Fiesta Del Mar Flame Broiler Frank’s Café Fu-Thai Garibaldi’s The Gnarley Dawg Hatfield’s

Jay’s Coneys Josie’s Tamales Kimmy’s Diner Korean Garden Leon’s Smoke Shack Lot a Burger Maria’s Mexican Grill Mariscos Costa Azul Mariscos El Centenario Mekong Vietnamese Pizza Depot Porky’s Kitchen Ron’s Hamburgers & Chili RoseRock Cafe Señor Fajita Seoul Restaurant Shiloh’s of Tulsa Shish-Kabob & Grill Stone Mill BBQ & Steakhouse Tacos San Pedro Taqueria la Cabana Timmy’s Diner

WEST TULSA

Tulsa Broken Arrow

16 // FOOD & DRINK

Arnold’s Old-Fashioned Hamburgers Burger House Charlie’s Chicken Jumpin J’s Knotty Pine BBQ Hideaway Pizza Linda Mar

Lot a Burger Monterey’s Little Mexico Ollie’s Station Rib Crib BBQ & Grill Sandwiches & More Union Street Café Westside Grill & Delivery

ROSE DISTRICT BruHouse Daylight Donuts Family Back Creek Deli & Gifts Fiesta Mambo!

Hideaway Pizza In the Raw

The Hutch Pantry Main Street Tavern McHuston Booksellers and Irish Bistro Romeo’s Espresso Cafe The Rooftop

February 4 – February 17, 2015 // THE TULSA VOICE

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BEST CHINESE FOOD Dine in or carry out,

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Shrimp Lo Mein

2620 S. Harvard • 918-742-4942 OPEN: Mon.-Fri. 11am-9pm, Sat. 12pm-9pm

Beef w/ Broccoli & Sweet & Sour Pork

THE TULSA VOICE // February 4 – February 17, 2015

FOOD & DRINK // 17

boozeclues (tips on drinking well in Tulsa)

The Vault, 620 S. Cincinnati Ave. The owner: Libby Billings The cocktail: Hurricane The ingredients: Bacardi Superior White Rum, Gosling’s Bermuda Black Rum, lime juice and orange juice (both freshly squeezed), passionfruit syrup, housemade grenadine. Garnish with an orange slice and a house-made brandied cherry.

The lowdown: Because of a whiskey rationing in 1940s New Orleans, everyone wanted whiskey and there was an abundance of rum. The distributors made every pub that bought a case of whiskey also buy that much rum, so bar owner Pat O’Brien came up with this really strong rum drink. A typical cocktail has between 1.5 ounces to 2.5 ounces of rum in it. This has 4 ounces.

The drink is named after the hurricane-lantern shape of the glass it comes in. We’ll run this as a special until Mardi Gras, when we’ll all give up something up for Lent, which might have to be the Hurricane.

The insider info: Billings uses this recipe to make mega-batches of Hurricanes for her annual Mardi Gras shenanigans at Elote (sadly, it’s a private party).

Weekly Monday Night

8-Ball Tournament

Just $8 to enter, begins at 8 pm DOUBLE ELIMINATION

Open 7 Days a Week 3415 S. Peoria Avenue For a GOOD TIME, call (918) 742-9500

Lose Once and You’re Still In! Early Bird Special: Enter at 7 pm, Practice FREE for One Hour! (subject to availability)

DARTS • INTERNET JUKEBOX

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FEBRUARY Live Music

2/6 • Laron Simpson 2/13 • Chris Clark 2/14 • Chris Hyde 2/20 • Brandon Clark

FatDaddysPubAndGrille.com 8056 S. Memorial Drive • 918-872-6206 18 // FOOD & DRINK

February 4 – February 17, 2015 // THE TULSA VOICE

THE TULSA VOICE

BEST OF TULSA READERS’ CHOICE 2015

v o te fo r u s

Thank you for nominating us

PLEASE VOTE MONDO’S BEST ITALIAN 3410 S Peoria Ave | 918.561.6300

mondositalian.com

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1 Course – Appetizer: Ceviche Shooter

2nd Course – Salad: House Salad w/ Strawberries with Balsamic Vinaigrette

Come in for a modern take on European-style Pub Food with an American Flair.

Starting Feb. 7th – Open for Brunch Sat. & Sun., 11am-2pm.

Regular Menu available after 2pm.

3308 S. PEORIA • TULSA, OK 918.764.8783 • OPEN 3pm - 2am

THE TULSA VOICE

best craft cocktail and favorite place to uber home from*

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LOCATED IN THE HEART OF BROOKSIDE Starting Feb. 6th – Open 11am-2am.

Tulsa’s late night food destination!

*(Only one of these is a real category, but both are true)

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1305. S. Peoria • 918-382-7428 www.phatphillys.com

Beef Entrée per Couple: $80 Chicken Entrée per Couple: $70 Chicken/Beef per Couple: $75

Join us this Valentine’s Day for our Sweetheart Ball!

7pm-9pm & 10pm-12am.

3rd Course – Entrée: Beef Tenderloin w/ Demi-glaze Asparagus Roasted Yukon potatoes or Sautéed Chicken w/ mushroom cream sauce Sweet Corn Succotash Garlic Parmesan Mashed potatoes

4th Course – Dessert: Créme Brulee or Chocolate Turtle Cheesecake

2626 E 11th Street • Tulsa, OK 74104 • 918-748-5550

Enjoy a romantic night of dining and dancing at Renaissance Square Event Center featuring a 4 course dinner from Maxxwells Restaurant! Complete your night and reserve one of our 26 designer rooms or let us do the work for you with a Date Night Package! Make this Valentine’s Day one to remember at The Campbell Hotel & Event Centers. Make your reservation now!

Seating is limited! Call 918-744-5500 today!

gm@maxxwellsrestaurant.com or chef@maxxwellsrestaurant.com

Located on Historic Route 66, and National Register of Historic Places.

Call Today for your Reservation! (918) 748-5550

2636 E. 11th St. • Tulsa, OK 74104 (918) 744-5500 • www.thecampbellhotel.com

Dancing and Dining THE TULSA VOICE // February 4 – February 17, 2015

FOOD & DRINK // 19

Valentine’s Day

GIFT GUIDE Valentine’s Day Jewelry Sale Take 25% off all jewelry in the Museum Store.

Paint. Drink. Have Fun.

Looking for something different to do for Valentine’s Day? Come paint with us!

Date Night Classes No Experience Needed Riverwalk, Cherry Street & Broken Arrow

Reserve your easel online today! www.PinotsPalette.com

February 12-14, 2015 No other discounts apply. Complimentary gift wrapping available.

1400 North Gilcrease MuseuM road 918-596-2700 Gilcrease.utulsa.edu tu is aN eeo/aa iNstitutioN.

MAKES A GREAT VALENTINE’S DAY GIFT APRIL 15-25 • TULSA PERFORMING ARTS CENTER 918.596.7111 • 800.364.7111 • MYTICKETOFFICE.COM GROUPS OF 10+ RECEIVE SPECIAL PRICING! CALL 918.796.0220 /BwayTULSA #PhantomTULSA

20 // VALENTINE’S DAY GUIDE

February 4 – February 17, 2015 // THE TULSA VOICE

VA L E N T I N E ’ S features

Unconditional Love Deserves Its Rewards…

THURSDAY FEB. 12 & FRIDAY FEB. 13 4 COURSE CHEF’S TASTING - 2 for $99.

(ADDITIONAL WINE PAIRING for $30 PER PERSON) FULL MENU AVAILABLE

SATURDAY FEB. 14TH VALENTINE’S DAY CHEF’S TASTING FEATURING AN APHRODISIAC BASED MENU (Chef’s Tasting Menu Only) 313 E. Second Street • Tulsa • 918-933-4499 • tallgrasstable.com

FARM TO BAR COCKTAILS. WINE. WHISKEY. SMALL PLATES. Kitchen Open until 1am Live Music Friday 13 & Saturday 14

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The luntee et Cats’ vo enables Stre ide medical care for ov … feed and pr ut the year ts througho e event is rescued ca homes. Th . em th pm d 0 fin 4:3 and 0 to bruary 8, 1:3 ciety.

Sunday, Fe al So ic or ist H at the Tulsa ll nal Info, ca For additio 04 or go to 918-298-01 g. catstulsa.or www.street

1778 Utica Square 918-624-2600

313 East 2nd Street

Open Monday - Saturday, 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.

(Next to Tallgrass)

(918) 933-4499 Open Tuesday - Saturday at 4:00 and for private bookings.

Come see our selection of quality, healthy foods and baked treats.

Valentine SB.pdf

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Join us for

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THE TULSA VOICE // February 4 – February 17, 2015

VALENTINE’S DAY GUIDE // 21

Sweetheart SATURDAY Sale!

February 14th, 21st and 28th All handbags, clothing and shoes will be 75% off the original price!

April M

adden

Studio

Tr un k Show Saturday, February 7th, 11am to 5pm One of a kind, handmade fascinators and fashions

2814 East 15th Street • Tulsa

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The Official Hotel of Tulsa Opera

22 // VALENTINE’S DAY GUIDE

February 4 – February 17, 2015 // THE TULSA VOICE

LIFE PRESERVER

Filmmaker Sterlin Harjo on real people, real places & telling stories before they’re lost forever

BY MOLLY BULLO CK

STERLIN HARJO lived in my house before I did, before he moved home to Holdenville to shoot his 2014 release, “This May Be The Last Time.” I still receive his mail, and occasionally it looks important enough to get in touch with him, which is how I ended up at Philbrook for his recent talk on visual storytelling.

He spoke a lot about home and his inspiration to keep telling the stories that give his life humor, richness and continuity. A question drifted across my mind as I sat in the audience. Making such a point to keep tradition alive, as Harjo does— is it some form of clinging to the old and resisting what’s coming now?

As I watched his films, though, I recognized something else—not a refusal to let go of the past, but a willingness to keep coming back to our most basic wisdom.

Maybe that’s why he’s premiered four films at the Sundance Film Festival, why his work is embraced around the world and why the 1491s—a comedy group he co-founded—have made their way onto “The Daily Show,” “TEDx” and The Huffington Post.

Harjo embodies the truth that when we’re most ourselves, we’re not only most inspired but also most available and inspiring to others. His work dissolves cultural and political fault lines precisely because he’s coming from a place that is distinctly, inimitably his own.

Harjo’s new TV documentary project with photographer Jeremy Charles—“Osiyo, Voices of the Cherokee People”—premieres Sunday, Feb. 15, and his latest film, “Mekko,” is expected this spring.

We talked in his living room a few days before Christmas.

Photo by Ryan Red Corn THE TULSA VOICE // February 4 – February 17, 2015

FEATURED // 23

The Tulsa Voice: Let’s get “Mekko” on the table fi rst.

Sterlin Harjo: It’s not the most likeable of my fi lms. I feel like it’s going to polarize people a little bit and be harder to swallow. It’s not Frankie and Irene (in “Barking Water” [2009]) driving down the road in love.

It’s a really complex kind of thing about a guy that did something really bad and is out of prison and on the streets. It’s a world no one’s seen—but do they want to see it? Does it make people feel bad when they drive past homeless Indians on the street? It’s a little worse, I feel like, to see a homeless Indian, because there’s such a story told in that.

TTV: You’ve talked before about the scarcity of funding for fi lms that don’t include big Hollywood names. “Mekko” features Zahn McClarnon (of crime series “Longmire”) and longtime stuntman Rod Rondeaux in one of his fi rst starring roles— SH: But neither one of those names are going to get you money.

It’s a weird, weird, weird industry to 24 // FEATURED

try to be in. And I get totally fed up with it, and I haven’t made money on any of my fi lms.

I get paid initially, within the budget, to work for the time being. But it’s not like I make money on them.

I would love to direct some bigger fi lm that someone else wrote.

I would love to do that. But there’s no real—I guess maybe if you move to LA, kind of go through that thing. But I’m just not interested in that. That’s not why I do it.

TTV: Why do you do it?

SH: I feel like the fi lms that I’ve made, it’s just fresh territory.

If I didn’t make those fi lms, no one would ever make them. And that’s awesome.

I don’t know how to make money in it. I don’t know what—or if there is a formula to make money in it. And everyone that I know is kind of struggling if they’re an independent fi lmmaker.

TTV: Tell me about “Osiyo” and your collaboration with Jeremy Charles.

SH: We started a company (Firethief Productions) together. Our

fi rst project was like, boom—we got it right at the beginning, and it’s this really big project producing a show for the Cherokee Nation. A TV show.

So it’s been cool. It’s kept me home; … I have a daughter that I get to see more now that I’m not traveling all the time. So I’m very grateful for that. And we’re going to keep trying to do more, pick up other projects. And our goal is to eventually make fi lms with our company.

TTV: Some of the most wonderful characters in your fi lms aren’t actors—like environmental and Native rights activist Casey Camp-Horinek (who plays Irene in both “Goodnight Irene” [2005] and “Barking Water”). Acting isn’t her main gig, but she’s incredible.

SH: Oh yeah, she’s great.

The last thing I want is some actress or actor who’s trying to be an actor; they have no life to pull from. I’d rather have Wotko (from “This May Be The Last Time”), somebody normal who’s lived life, because they can pull from all of their experiences.

People were really nervous about (Wotko), like, “Are you sure that he can act?” I’m like, “No, but I think he can. And I think I can get him there.” And of course he can act, and kind of blows people away.

TTV: “This May Be The Last Time” feels like part music history documentary, part mystery and mostly an example of what happens when you give a story time to tell itself. Wotko is this incredible thread in that; his depth and layers carry the fi lm just as much as the story of your grandfather’s disappearance.

SH: Yeah. Totally. Whenever we got that interview … we were just fl oored.

You could hang the story on it.

And it’s just this emotional depth that comes across, and you want to hug him immediately. He wears his emotions right on the ends of his eyelids.

After that, I was like, “We defi nitely have a movie.”

TTV: Seeing how Wotko interacts with the Muscogee (Creek) hymns is like watching the whole history of the songs materialize—he’s

February 4 – February 17, 2015 // THE TULSA VOICE

“I FEEL LIKE THE FILMS THAT I’VE MADE, IT’S JUST FRESH TERRITORY. IF I DIDN’T MAKE THOSE FILMS, NO ONE WOULD EVER MAKE THEM.”

Photo by Ryan Red Corn

telling stories about his life, and the songs just start pouring out of him.

He reaches down and draws from that source like it’s just the most natural thing to him.

SH: And it is.

I can make a fi lm about these songs, and they are a part of my life, but I also have to have a certain perspective of being able to step outside of me and see what an audience wants to see a little bit. He lives it. It’s just his life, and it is his source, those songs.

TTV: The footage of Wotko’s dad found its way into the fi lm in a pretty incredible way, too.

SH: On Facebook one day, I said, “I’m looking for old footage from churches and things, let me know if you have any.”

And this woman wrote me, Lisa Long (Wotko’s sister), and she said, “My dad shot a lot of footage at churches like Salt Creek and other places. You should check it out. He’s passed away, but my mom has the tapes.”

And so I turned on the (footage), and I realized that it’s his dad, Harry, and it was like, “Wow.”

Because Wotko talked about his dad through the whole thing.

And so we had this great footage of his dad that goes along with his interview.

I didn’t tell Wotko that footage was in the fi lm until he saw the premiere at Sundance.

TTV: —Woah SH: Yeah. I was a little nervous, but I wanted him to see it on the big screen in the context of the whole movie. And obviously he was just blown away, crying. He just loved it. It was unbelievable to him. Because he’d never seen any of that footage, and he was talking about his dad and everything. It was amazing.

TTV: I want to backtrack a little and touch on “Barking Water” because it’s such an emotionally honest fi lm. Both the leads just killed it.

SH: I wrote those parts for them, and I called Casey fi rst.

She was like, “I’d really love to do this. Who’s playing Frankie?” I said, “I don’t know if you know him, but his name’s Richard Ray Whit-

THE TULSA VOICE // February 4 – February 17, 2015

man.” And she started laughing. …

They’ve known each other for years, so they could pull from all that.

I just wanted to write a story about … an old couple in love—but in real love, where it’s complex, and fucked up sometimes, and hard to deal with, and real. And when you’re faced with someone dying, you’re going to be more honest and cut the bullshit—they’re dying. And you’re going to tell each other how you really feel.

TTV: Yeah, there was a real sweetness there.

SH: Mhmm. I love that movie. It’s the one that I could watch again.

“Four Sheets to the Wind” [2007] I have a harder time watching.

There’s so many things I would do different. It was my fi rst fi lm.

“Goodnight Irene”—I’m cool. I can watch that.

TTV: So, in “Goodnight Irene,” did she—where was she going at the end?

SH: Well, I just leave it up to you.

Maybe she’s just going to a really well lit hall.

Sometimes it doesn’t hit me until I’m watching the fi lm, what it’s about. Which is cool I think, because it’s like something else is at work a little bit.

TTV: You’ve said in other interviews that maybe a purpose in your life is helping people deal with loss. Muscogee (Creek) hymns make their way into a lot of your work, and they seem be a big part of that.

SH: There’s not many things that make me more happy than being at a funeral and being able to stand with singers and sing these songs. Everyone goes and views the body, and then they shut the doors after everyone’s out, for the immediate family.

And the only people left in there really are the singers, and they keep singing. And it’s like you’re giving them strength, and you’re singing loudly for them and you’re—there’s going to be people crying and breaking down, and all this stuff. But you’re there, and your job is to sing, and to sing until they get through it all.

So they’re such a part of the grieving process and helping peoFEATURED // 25

SEE FOR YOURSELF

Harjo’s latest project, “Osiyo, Voices of the Cherokee People,” is a TV documentary series in collaboration with Co-Director Jeremy Charles and Host/Executive Producer Jennifer Loren.

Beginning Feb. 15, “Osiyo” will air on KTUL (ABC) Sundays at 9 a.m. Visit Osiyo.tv to see the first episode in advance and find additional showtimes.

Head over to Vimeo to watch “Three Little Boys”—an excellent short film by Harjo—and several other gems, including his music videos for local artists and videos by the 1491s (many of which are also on YouTube). Harjo’s films “This May Be The Last Time” and “Barking Water” are available to stream on Netflix, and several of his films can be rented or purchased at iTunes, Amazon Prime and other online retailers. Look for the release of Harjo’s new film, “Mekko,” this spring.

ple through that. And it’s just in me. Something about that is what hit me and what really infl uenced what I do.

TTV: The songs are also this extension of community. As they search for your grandfather in “This May Be The Last Time,” they’re singing as if to tell him he’s not alone out there, and then also they’re demonstrating that in the way the community came together to fi nd him.

SH: I feel like that. All that—the songs and everything—represent home to me.

There’s just something that I get from them that, it’s hard to explain, it’s hard to talk about, it’s hard to even put my fi nger on it.

It’s just that I hear them … and it’s like rebooting and kind of checking back in a little bit.

TTV: I’m still thinking about that moment in “This May Be The Last Time” when they found your grandfather’s body in the river, and someone suggested they use ropes to drag him out. And a few of your grandfather’s relatives 26 // FEATURED

insisted that they go into the water themselves and bring his body back.

SH: Yeah. I grew up with that story. And then there’s another story of a cousin of mine.

A bunch of my relatives were out partying at the lake, and some of them were on the back of a pickup. They had a wreck, and one of my cousins fell off and got hit by a car and died—and was kind of entangled in the axel of this truck. And my uncle who wasn’t with them … when he got there, the cops and the EMS or whatever, they were just trying to shake him off. So they were going forward and then going in reverse, and going forward and going in reverse. And my uncle got out and actually fought with—basically pushed a cop up against a car, cussing him out like, “What are you doing?” And this other guy was like, “Yeah, I didn’t think it was right, either. I have jack if you want to jack it up.”

And so my uncle literally—they jacked this car up, and my uncle goes under and gets his cousin off of this thing.

I grew up with the most insane, beautiful stories, and a lot of them have to do with death. And for some reason—I don’t know why—but for some reason, I’m the one in my family that remembers all of them.

TTV: You’re widely known as a “Native fi lmmaker.” Although that stands on its own, it’s dismissive in a way because your work is really about those gritty layers of life that are true for all humans.

SH: That’s how I feel. I don’t like being introduced as, “Sterlin Harjo, Native American fi lmmaker.”

We were supposed to do a panel in Oklahoma City at deadCENTER … Native Americans in fi lm or something like that. And I love them—I was just complaining and being an asshole—but I was like, do we really have to—how many fi lms do I need to make before I can just do a panel about storytelling and it doesn’t have to have Native American in the title?

TTV: At the same time, you’re writing what you know best, and that authentic voice is what resonates.

SH: My fi lms are culturally very specifi c and truthful, and people relate to it because of that.

And with fi lm, I just have nothing else to say but this stuff.

It’s like, what do I say? I don’t wanna tell a story about some college guys’ fucking wild night out. I don’t have a reason to say that. And that would be doing a disservice to everyone if I was trying to write stories like that or not be truthful to who I am and what I want to talk about.

And I might fucking bomb.

I might fail. I don’t know how I’m going to make a living. I don’t know that. Things are good right now. But I don’t know how I’m going to make a living later.

There is no plan. I’ve always been really good about diving off a cliff and not caring. And that’s why my fi lms got made. It’s just like, “Fuck, I can make a movie. Let’s do it.”

And sometimes it’s really good; sometimes it’s really bad.

But I made my family proud. I made my community proud, and then other people like it. If that’s it, then that’s fi ne. I could always go back home and do whatever. a

February 4 – February 17, 2015 // THE TULSA VOICE

MARCH 3 #PROVETHEMWRONG

TYPros thanks you for nominating us in The Voice’s Best of Tulsa. Ten years ago, we launched what has become one of the nation’s most impactful young professional groups and proved everyone wrong about how much change young people can bring. On March 3, we ask you to help us prove them wrong again—this time at the polls.

Join the movement at bit.do/provethemwrong.

THE TULSA VOICE // February 4 – February 17, 2015

FEATURED // 27

YOU VOTED. WE COUNTED. NOW LET’S DO IT AGAIN.

THE TULSA VOICE

BEST OF TULSA READERS’ CHOICE 2015

Tens of thousands of individual votes were cast in the nomination round for The Tulsa Voice’s first-ever Best of Tulsa awards.

We’ve whittled the nominees down to the top five vote-getters* in each of 100 categories, and now the cream of the crop will rise to the top.

Cast your ballot (it’s multiple choice this time—less thinking!) at TheTulsaVoice.com/bot and you’ll be entered to win some fine prizes, including the grand prize of $500 CASH. (You’re welcome.)

Tell us your Tulsa favorites. Voting runs Feb. 4-March 2

THETULSAVOICE.COM/BOT *Wi th ties and such, som e categories h ave more or l ess than fi ve fin alists. Deal wi th i t.

FO OD B est Asian KEO Lanna Thai Pei Wei P.F. Chang’s Yokozuna

B est Burger Brownie’s Fat Guy’s HopBunz McNellie’s Ron’s The Tavern

B est Bakery Ann’s Bakery Antoinette Baking Co. Heirloom Baking Co. Ludger’s Bavarian Cakery Merritt’s Bakery

B est Chef Michelle Donaldson Trevor Tack Justin Thompson Michael Minden Grant Vespasian

B est Bar Fo od The Brook Fassler Hall Kilkenny’s McNellie’s R Bar

B est Coffe e House Chimera The Coffee House on Cherry St. The Phoenix Shades of Brown Starbucks

B est Barbecue Albert G’s Billy Sims BBQ Burn Co. Elmer’s BBQ Rib Crib

B est Craft Cocktail Cosmo Cafe Hodges Bend Mixed Company Valkyrie The Vault

B est Late-Night Dining Andolini’s IHOP Joe Momma’s Kilkenny’s Phat Philly’s The Tavern Village Inn

B est Bartender Ma jda Al-Amoudi The Fur Shop /The Max Retropub and Yellow Brick Road

B est Deli/Sandwich Bill and Ruth’s Dilly Deli Jason’s Deli Lambrusco’z To Go Trencher’s Delicatessen

B est Local B e er COOP Ale Works Marshall’s Brewing Company Prairie Artisan Ales

Noah Bush Hodges Bend Timothy Coody-Rosamond Andolini’s Beth Mosier Mercury Lounge Lynn Robertson The Fur Shop B est B e er Selection Fassler Hall The Fur Shop Kilkenny’s McNellie’s R Bar

B est Delivery Domino’s Jimmy John’s Mazzio’s Papa John’s Pizza Hut B est Dive Bar Arnie’s Cellar Dweller The Colony Mercury Lounge Soundpony

B est Blo ody Mary Cosmo Cafe Dilly Deli Kilkenny’s McNellie’s SMOKE

B est Fo od Truck Andolini’s Dog House Lola’s Lone Wolf Mr. Nice Guys

B est Brunch 624 Kitchen & Catering Brookside By Day Lucky’s R Bar SMOKE

B est Hangover Bre akfast Brookside By Day Dilly Deli IHOP Tally’s Cafe Village Inn

28 // VOTE ONLINE AT THETULSAVOICE.COM/BOT

B est Indian Cumin Desi Wok Himalayas India Palace B est Italian Dalesandro’s Mary’s Italian Trattoria Mondo’s Ti Amo Villa Ravenna B est Japanese/Sushi Fuji In the Raw Osaka Sushi Train Yokozuna Zanmai

B est Mexican El Guapo’s El Rio Verde El Tequila Elote Los Cabos Best Spot for Day Drinking Arnie’s Blue Rose Cafe Fassler Hall McNellie’s R Bar B est Ste ak Fleming’s Mahogany McGill’s PRHYME SMOKE B est Vegetarian/He althy Big Al’s Cafe Samana Chimera Elote Zoes Kitchen

B est New Restaurant Calaveras Mexican Grill HopBunz Sisserou’s STG Pizzeria & Gelateria Tallgrass Prairie Table B est Patio Blue Rose Cafe El Guapo’s Los Cabos R Bar The Rusty Crane B est Pizza Andolini’s Hideaway Joe Momma’s Pie Hole Savastano’s Umberto’s B est Place to Watch the B ig G ame Buffalo Wild Wings The Brook Fassler Hall Leon’s R Bar

ENTERTAINMENT B est All-Ages Music Venue BOK Center Brady Theater Cain’s Ballroom Guthrie Green Vanguard B est Annual Festival Blue Dome Arts Festival Center of the Universe Festival Easter Island Festival The Hop Jam Mayfest Oktoberfest Tulsa Tough B est Art Space Hardesty Arts Center (AHHA) Gilcrease Living Arts Mainline Philbrook B est Casino for Live Entertainment Hard Rock Osage River Spirit

B est Restaurant for Locally Sourced Ingredients Cafe Samana Elote Juniper SMOKE Tallgrass Prairie Table The Vault

B est DIY/Underground Venue Cellar Dweller Comedy Parlor Hillman’s Garage The Shrine Soundpony Vanguard

B est Se afo od Bodean Bonefish Grill Red Lobster S&J Oyster Bar White River Fish Market

B est Fre e Entertainment First Friday Art Crawl Guthrie Green Mayfest Ok, So…Tulsa Story Slam Soundpony

B est Service Charleston’s Kilkenny’s Mahogany Polo Grill Redrock Canyon Grill SMOKE Tallgrass Prairie Table

B est Jukebox Caz’s The Colony Fassler Hall Mercury Lounge Yellow Brick Road

B est View El Guapo’s In the Raw On the Hill The Penthouse at The Mayo Zanmai

B est Karaoke Elote Fassler Hall Lot No. 6 The Market Pub The Warehouse Bar & Grill

February 4 – February 17, 2015 // THE TULSA VOICE

B est Large Music Venue BOK Center Brady Theater Cain’s Ballroom Guthrie Green The Joint @ Hard Rock

B est Record Store Best Buy Blue Moon Discs Holy Mountain Starship Records & Tapes Vintage Stock

Best Picnic Spot Chandler Park Guthrie Green Mohawk Park River Parks Woodward Park

Guthrie Green River Parks Tulsa International Airport Tulsa State Fair Woodland Hills Mall

B est Local Band Name All About a Bubble Bitchcraft Hanson Mid Life Crisis We The Ghost Who & The Fucks

B est Small Music Venue Brady Theater Cain’s Ballroom The Colony Mercury Lounge The Shrine Soundpony Vanguard

B est Place for Cycling Avery Drive Creek Turnpike Trail River Parks RiverWalk Turkey Mountain

B est Place to Promenade with Your Dog Biscuit Acres Dog Park Guthrie Green Hunter Park River Parks Utica Square

B est Local The ater Company/Troupe American Theatre Company Back In My Day Nightingale Theater Theatre Tulsa Tulsa Ballet

B est Trivia Night Buffalo Wild Wings The Colony Joe Momma’s Louie’s Soundpony

B est Place to Buy Your Special Some one a Gift Dwelling Spaces Ida Red Moody’s Jewelry Utica Square Woodland Hills Mall

B est Place to Shop Gre en Cherry Street Farmers’ Market Dwelling Spaces Natural Grocers Sprouts Whole Foods

B est Place to Camp Out Chandler Park Grand Lake Greenleaf State Park Keystone Lake Turkey Mountain

B est Place to Spot a Famous Person BOK Center Cain’s Ballroom Chimera The Mayo Hotel Tulsa International Airport Utica Square

B est Movie The ater AMC Southroads 20 Cinemark Circle Cinema Eton Square 6 Warren Theatres B est Museum Hardesty Arts Center (AHHA) Gilcrease Philbrook Tulsa Air and Space Museum Tulsa Children’s Museum Woody Guthrie Center B est Night Club Caravan Cattle Co. Club Ma jestic Electric Circus Enso Legends B est Open Mic The Colony Comedy Parlor Cypher 120 Gypsy Coffee House The Loony Bin Ok, So…Tulsa Story Slam B est Party of the Ye ar 80’s Prom Brady Theater Halloween Center of the Universe Festival Cry Baby Hill Oktoberfest Best Performing Arts Space Brady Theater Comedy Parlor Guthrie Green Living Arts Nightingale Theater Tulsa Performing Arts Center Best Place for a First Date Brady Arts District Guthrie Green Juniper Riverside SMOKE Best Place for Local Music Cain’s Ballroom The Colony Guthrie Green Mercury Lounge Soundpony Best Place to Gamble Hard Rock Osage River Spirit

AROUND TOWN B est Kept-Secret Back In My Day Cellar Dweller Center of the Universe The Fur Shop Ok, So…Tulsa Story Slam Group Making Tulsa Better George Kaiser Family Foundation Guthrie Green Junior League of Tulsa McNellie’s Group Tulsa’s Young Professionals Person Making Tulsa Better Dewey Bartlett Blake Ewing Elliot Nelson George Kaiser Kathy Taylor Best Landmark Center of the Universe Golden Driller ORU Praying Hands Route 66 Turkey Mountain Best Local Gift Anything from Dwelling Spaces Anything from Ida Red Glacier Confection I <3 Tulsa shirts/items Prairie Artisan Ales Best Local Media Personality Julie Chin Kristin Dickerson Lori Fullbright Chera Kimiko Travis Meyer LeAnne Taylor Best Hair on a Local Media Personality Kristin Dickerson Lori Fullbright Chera Kimiko Travis Meyer LeAnne Taylor Best Local Politician Dewey Bartlett GT Bynum Blake Ewing Kathy Taylor None B est Place for a Stroll Brady Arts District Downtown River Parks Turkey Mountain Utica Square Woodward Park

THE TULSA VOICE // February 4 – February 17, 2015

B est Place to Fe el Like You’re Not In Tulsa BOK Center Chandler Park Guthrie Green The Mayo Hotel/Rooftop Turkey Mountain B est Place to Hike Chandler Park Oxley Nature Center Redbud Valley Nature Preserve River Parks Turkey Mountain

B est Place to Strike a (Yoga) Pose Be Love Yoga Studio Inner Peace Yoga Guthrie Green Salt Yoga The Yoga Room

BOK Center The Fur Shop Guthrie Green LaFortune QuikTrip River Parks Te Kei’s B est Re ason to Rise Early on a We ekend Brookside By Day Cherry Street Farmers’ Market Flea Markets River Parks B est Stre et Corner 2nd & Elgin 6th & Peoria 15th & Peoria 18th & Boston Main & M.B. Brady B est Suburban Oasis Bixby Broken Arrow/Rose District Jenks/Main Street Owasso Turkey Mountain B est Tatto o Artist Tony Carrera Jason Franklin Lollie Moore Jacob Rachal Jose Sanchez Squiggy

B est Place to Take Out-of-Towners Blue Dome District Brady Arts District Center of the Universe Downtown Guthrie Green Philbrook

B est Thing That’s Changed in Tulsa in the Last Ye ar Brady Arts District growth Breaking ground on A Gathering Place Completion of I-44 construction Downtown revitalization Marriage equality

B est Place to Update Your Lo ok ARCS The First Ward Ihloff Salon Sterling Salon Utica Square

B est Hide out During the Zombie Apocalypse Cellar Dweller Downtown tunnels Mayo Hotel Sam’s Club Soundpony

B est Place You Wish Was Still in Business The Alley Bell’s Amusement Park Blue Dome Diner Casa Bonita Metro Diner Steve’s Sundry White Owl

B est Tulsan to Follow on Social Media Mary Beth Babcock Natasha Ball/Tasha Does Tulsa Steve Cluck Biker Fox Barry Friedman Chera Kimiko Michael Staub

B est Che ap Thrill Center of the Universe Cheap Thrills Drillers games Guthrie Green Tulsa State Fair Turkey Mountain

B est Public Art Gilcrease

Best Vintage Clothing Store Cheap Thrills Goodwill Must Stash Vintage Vault Volupté

B est He alth/Fitness Center Sky Fitness & Wellbeing LifeTime Fitness Planet Fitness YMCA 10gym

Best “Unofficial” Public Art Clean Hands murals Grafitti under 21st Street Bridge Mad Dog Liquor Soundpony patio Train car graffiti

Best Organized Foot Run/Race Color Run McNellie’s Pub Run Route 66 Marathon Tulsa Run

B est Public Park Chandler Park LaFortune Guthrie Green River Parks Woodward Park

B est Place to Pe ople Watch

B est Public Restro om

Best Place to Make Something Hardesty Arts Center (AHHA) Fab Lab Pinot’s Palette Purple Glaze Tulsa Glassblowing Studio B est Place to Me et Your Next Mate Cain’s Ballroom Church Guthrie Green River Parks Soundpony B est Bullshit Caller Back In My Day Blake Ewing Barry Friedman Michael Staub

Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure

Living Arts/Day of the Dead murals

Mayfest Philbrook River Parks sculptures Woody Guthrie Mural

B est Worthy Cause Community Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma DVIS: Domestic Violence Intervention Services John 3:16 Mission Tulsa Area United Way Youth Services of Tulsa B est Thing about Tulsa Downtown “It’s home” Music scene The people

VOTE ONLINE AT THETULSAVOICE.COM/BOT // 29

MARDI GRAS 2015

6th annual Blue Dome District

MARDI GRAS PARADE 6 p.m. on Fat Tuesday, Feb. 17

t E 1s

MARDI GRAS PARADE ROUTE

St

SE lgin Ave

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SD Ave

St rd 3 E

SEE US ROLLIN’ I’ve never been to a real Mardi Gras celebration in New Orleans—in fact, the thought of it makes me want to curl up in a ball and have a panic attack. Too many people. Too many drunk amateurs. Just too much.

But even though I’ve never been to the authentic version, I can say with 100-percent confidence that I much prefer the vibe in Tulsa at the annual Blue Dome Mardi Gras Parade. Every year (this will be the parade’s sixth) the balance seems perfect—it’s just rowdy enough for partiers and just low-key enough for families. It’s a perfect oasis in the mid-winter slog.

And while it’s fun to watch the parade pass by, I can report from personal experience that it’s even more fun to join in.

Gather your friends, your family, your co-workers—really, anyone—and get creative. Maybe you just want to march in a line carrying a banner. Maybe you want to build the most fabulously elaborate float this city has ever seen. Any way you want to do it, it’s only $50 to enter a float in the parade, and if you represent a nonprofit, it’s free. Email mat@mcnellies.com for more information.

After it’s all over, join the party (see opposite page), and let the good times keep rolling. // MATT CAUTHRON

30 // ARTS & CULTURE

February 4 – February 17, 2015 // THE TULSA VOICE

Fat Tuesday T U

PARTY L S A S T Y

L E

When the parade winds down, the party is just getting started.

Head over to Fassler Hall for drink specials and New Orleans-inspired tunes with the jazz cats from Gogo Plumbay and special guests galore.

Mardi Gras Parade after-party Fassler Hall, 304 S. Elgin Parade starts at 6 p.m.

Party starts immediately after.

THE TULSA VOICE // February 4 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; February 17, 2015

ARTS & CULTURE // 31

Purple, gold and green country 1

Celebrate the spirit of New Orleans without leaving town

by MEGAN SHEPHERD

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3

rab your feathered masks, your yard-long drinks, your multicolored beads and your festive spirit, and check out these fabulous Mardi Gras celebrations around town—because a parade alone isn’t sufficient for celebrating this Cajun heyday.

1 // Lassalle’s 1 st birthday celebration There’s nothing quite like snacking on a po’boy down on the bayou, but Lassalle’s owners Amanda and Chris West get us pretty damn close. The NOLA-dwellers-turned-Tulsa-transplants have been dishing up po’boys, gumbo and other authentic Cajun fare in T-Town for the past year and will celebrate with a one-year anniversary blowout. Stop by for the famed shrimp po’boy, a bowl of jambalaya or a toasted muffuletta.

A word to the wise: get there early. Those suckers sell out quickly on an average day—expect them to fly off the trays on Fat Tuesday. Lassalle’s New Orleans Deli, 601 S. Boston Ave.

4

2 // All that jazz The Crescent City’s most treasured export is the uniquely American art form known as jazz, and Tulsa’s got plenty of places to hunker down with a cocktail and enjoy some tunes. Head to Cellar

3 // Beignets and Café au Lait at Cajun Ed’s & Hebert’s If you’re hosting a Mardi Gras celebration at home, be sure to stop by Hebert’s for the very best in Cajun meat offerings—boneless Turduckens and stuffed chickens and turkeys—along with classics like crawfish etouffee, boudin, and andouille. If you’re making your Fat Tuesday celebration a weeklong event, hit up Cajun Ed’s (Hebert’s partner restaurant) the Saturday before for beignets and Café au Lait (aka fried donut goodness and coffee with steamed milk) from 10 a.m.-noon for a tradition as Cajun as they come.

Hebert’s Specialty Meats and Ca jun Ed’s Restaurant, 2101 E. 71st Street.

4 // Oysters at S&J Whether you like your oysters on the half-shell, served Rockefeller style, fried or in shot form, S&J Oyster Co. has you covered. Grab a half-dozen of these raw beauties with some cocktail sauce and Tabasco to start your celebration with a kick. Still hungry? Munch on Big Easy favorites like Mr. Carl’s red beans and rice, classic crab cakes or southern fried hush puppies. Tap into your adventurous side with one of S&J’s famed Oyster Vodka shots. Show up before 6 p.m. for happy hour, when a dozen oysters are just $15.99.

S&J Oyster Co., 308 E. 1st St.

Dweller (417 W. 7th Street)

5 32 // ARTS & CULTURE

for “Hot House” Jazz Nights on Wednesdays and Sundays, or stop

by Hodges Bend (823 E. 3rd Street) or Juniper (324 E. 3rd Street) for jazz, food and drink on Mondays, and let the hot, sultry sounds transport you to New Orleans, if only for the evening.

MARDI GRAS PARADE

2/17

Do you know what it means to miss New Orleans?

The sixth annual Tulsa Mardi Gras Parade will bring the spirit of the French Quarter to Blue Dome.

5 // King Cakes Biting into babies is weird—unless it’s a plastic one inside a King Cake. Fingers crossed you don’t accidentally swallow the prize if it shows up in your slice, but if you do happen to nibble into a little plastic bebe, or find one with your fork, you’re in for a year of good luck. Find the best King Cakes from Merritt’s Bakery

(multiple locations, merrittsbakery.com), Ann’s Bakery (7 N. Harvard Ave.) or Wanda’s Cake Gallery (1325 E. 15th Street).

6 // Palm reading at Sonia’s Psychic Studio Let Sonia tell you what’s in your future with a classic palm reading.

It’s not Jackson Square, but it’s a little bit of that NOLA Voodoo right here in Tulsa. Here’s hoping she sees a stellar Mardi Gras celebration in her crystal.

Sonia’s Psychic Studio, 2760 S. Memorial Drive.

7 // Shrove Tuesday pancake supper Giving up sweets for Lent? Pack ’em in before the big sleep, and stuff your face with all-you-caneat-pancakes (for FREE) at St. Patrick’s Episcopal Church in Broken Arrow. The name “Shrove Tuesday” stems from the word ‘shrive,’ meaning ‘to confess,’ but rest assured—no one will make you confess the number of ’cakes you ate. Flapjacks will be served from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Donations are accepted, with all proceeds funding summer camp scholarships for local kids. Call 918.294.9444 for more info.

Saint Patrick’s Episcopal Church, 4250 W. Houston Street, Broken Arrow. a

February 4 – February 17, 2015 // THE TULSA VOICE

Darryl Starbird’s 51st Annual

National Rod & Custom Car Show Join The Next Generation

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Tulsa, Oklahoma February 20-22, 2015 River Spirit ExPO

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st Expo Square Fairgrounds Fir er! v Pack Your “Cool” Ride with Friends!

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OutDoor “Cool Car Corral”

Live In Person ‘56 Lincoln Mark II Top Chop By Darryl Starbird Featuring Dakota Wentz’s Star Kustom Shop & Team Free T-Shirt & Decal with Entry!

Go For the Gold “Fine Nine” $10,000 Cash Award Receive a personal invite from Dar r yl himself at: www.starbirdcarshows.com or facebook starbird car shows For entr y & vendor infor mation, call 918-406-8966 or 316-655-7888

THE TULSA VOICE // February 4 – February 17, 2015

ARTS & CULTURE // 33

thehaps

Meet the Beatles

// BY A. JAKOBER 1940 was a good year for Woody Guthrie—he wrote “Tom Joad” and “This Land Is Your Land” (originall y titled “God Blessed America”) and spent most of that year in New York City, where he was a recurring guest performer on the CBS radio network. He also released the album “Dust Bowl Ballads” and met Huddie Ledbetter, better known as the blues and folk singer Lead Bell y. Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen and other icons discuss the pair’s collective impact on global music and pop culture in the 1988 documentary, “A Vision Shared.”

Lonnie Donegan’s version of Lead Bell y’s “Rock Island Line” gave the subgenre known as “skiffle” a boost onto the pop culture landscape and inspired young British groups like the Quarrymen (later to become the Beatles).

George Harrison famousl y said, “No Lead Bell y, no Beatles,” referring to Ledbetter’s influence on him as a young musician and the influence of rhythm and blues on John Lennon.

Given the connection, it’s fitting that “Ladies and Gentlemen… The Beatles!”—a multimedia exhibition curated by the Grammy Museum—will make its Tulsa debut at the Woody Guthrie Center on Feb. 4. Commemorating more than 50 years of Beatlemania, the show examines the cultural impacts of the Fab Four with original band artifacts, videos and other interactive displays. // BY A. JAKOBER For more information, visit woodyguthriecenter.org.

On the Home Front: Tulsa During WWII

Cross-cultural creativity

Wed. Feb 4 - Fri. Feb 27, PAC Gallery, tulsapac.com/events

What do the Trail of Tears and the Night of Broken Glass have in common? A new exhibit at the Sherwin Miller Museum of Jewish Art answers that question in many different ways.

“Ancient Ways, Modern Forms” highlights the shared history between Native American and Jewish cultures. When curator Karen York asked the Southeast Indian Arts Association to contribute pieces for the exhibit, they responded with amazing pottery, sculpture, painting, photography, clothing and more.

“Our mission isn’t just to serve the Jewish community, but also to build connections across communities,” York said.

Tribal values, like respect for elders, caring for the community and passing wisdom down through the generations, are one focus of the exhibit. The works also recall the atrocities endured by both Native Americans and Jews.

Some pieces, like Moll y Murphy Adams’ “Beaded Mezuzot,” blend aspects of both Jewish and Native American cutlures and traditions. Others are more abstract, as in Michael Elizondo’s “Mere Extraction,” a jagged, abstract installation whose name evokes ethnic cleansing and removals. In “He Lied,” Jeff Edwards uses Cherokee text to overlay the face of Thomas Jefferson on the blood red stripes of the American flag.

Ancient Ways: Modern Forms runs Feb. 5 through April 2 at The Sherwin Miller Museum of Jewish Art // 2021 E. 71st Street // Closed on Saturdays // Opening reception Feb. 12 from 5-7 p.m. // www.jewishmuseum.net.

This exhibition presented by Tulsa Historical Society features photographs of Tulsa and its citizens during World War II as they get by during humanity’s darkest hour and do wh at they can from home to support the effort abroad.

The Music of John Williams Fri. Feb 6 - Sat. Feb. 7, VanTrease PACE, $30-$55, signaturesymphony.org Andrés Franco conducts Signature Symphony through works by one of the world’s greatest film composers.

Featuring sel ections from “Harry Potter and the Sorceror’s Stone,” “Raiders of the Lost Ark,” “J aws,” “Saving Private Ryan,” and of course, “Star Wars,” among others.

For more events, visit thetulsavoice.com/calendar 34 // ARTS & CULTURE

// BY TIM CARTER

February 4 – February 17, 2015 // THE TULSA VOICE

thehaps

THE BEST OF THE REST EVENTS

24-Hour Video Race Kickoff // Teams of Oklahoma film and video enthusiasts come together to write, shoot and edit a short video in just 24 hours. The teams are required to incorporate a surprise theme, prop and line of dialogue into their submissions. At the stroke of midnight, the surprise elements are revealed and the race is on. Teams must submit their videos by the next midnight. Entris will be judged and prizes will be awarded at a public screening at Philbrook Museum of Art on Thursday, March 19. // 2/6, 11:30 PM, $30-$35 per team, Living Arts, livingarts. org/24-hour-video-race-kick

Ocean of Thought

Women’s Living Expo // Women’s Living Expo features health, fashion, beauty, entertainment, and this year’s special guest, Tony Dovolani of Dancing With The Stars. // 2/13-2/15, River Spirit Expo, Expo Square, $7, womenslivingexpo.com/tulsa2015/exhibitors.php Greater Tulsa Indian Art Festival // Now in its 29th year, the Greater Tulsa Indian Art Festival celebrates American Indian art, music, culture and tradition. Approximately 75 artists will be onsite displaying and selling both traditional and contemporary Indian art, including 2015 Featured Artists Traci Rabbit. There will also be plenty of entertainment, including a performance

by EricaJames Band, dancing, traditional music and storytelling. // 2/13-15, $5-$10, Glenpool Conference Center, tulsaindianartfestival.com/

Skip Hill

GLITCH/ANALOGOUS

Park Pod

First Friday Art Crawl Fri., Feb. 6, 6-9 p.m.

Brady Arts District, thebradyartsdistrict.com Easil y among Tulsa’s favorite monthl y events, here comes another evening full of (FREE) art openings and entertainment in the Brady Arts District. This month’s Art Crawl will feature the opening of “GLITCH/ANALOGOUS,” an exhibition in which artists explore technology with digital and traditional media, at Living Arts, “Ocean of Thought,” an installation by Michelle Firment Reid which visualizes all of our thoughts as “one large ocean mind,” at AHHA, “Shifting Focus: Native Artists of the late 20th century” at Philbrook Downtown, and an installation by contemporary Oklahoma artist Skip Hill at Mainline Art Bar, among many other openings in the area.

Entertainment for the evening can be found at Guthrie Green and Woody Guthrie Center with poetry readings by Written Quincey and Shaun Perkins, respectively, Glacier Confections with “The Art of Chocolate Making” demonstrations, glassblowing demonstrations at Tulsa Glassblowing School and live music in many area bars and restaurants.

Art Crawlers will also be treated to a glimpse into the future with A Gathering Place for Tulsa’s Park Pod at Guthrie Green. An immersive multimedia experience, the Park Pod is a virtual tour of the Kaiser-funded mega-park featuring panoramic views of plans for envisioned park spaces, from Water Mountain to the Four Seasons Garden.

THE TULSA VOICE // February 4 – February 17, 2015

Tulsa Foundation for Architecture Second Saturday Walking Tour // On the second Saturday of each month, Tulsa Foundation for Architecture hosts guided tours of Downtown Tulsa’s beautiful architecture. Learn about our Art Deco-rich skyline and take a glimpse into the past to the days of Waite Phillips. Tours begin at Topeca Coffee in the Mayo Hotel. // 2/14, 10:00 am, Downtown Tulsa, $10, tulsaarchitecture.com/ Love and Lust // Living Arts’ sensual annual Valentine’s Day spoken word event features expressions of love in several art forms; Bollywood, belly dancing, hip hop, musical performances, and of course, wordsmiths weaving such lyric eroticism, you may need a cigarette between each poem. The evening will be hosted by Tony B, author of such romantic poems as “I Just Wanna Feel Your Booty.” // 2/14, 8:00 pm, Living Arts, $8-$12, livingarts.org Martha Tedeschi // Do you know what it means to miss New Orleans? The sixth annual Tulsa Mardi Gras Parade will bring the spirit of the French Quarter to Blue Dome. // 2/17, Blue Dome District

PERFORMING ARTS

Dearly Departed // When Bud Turpin dies, mayhem breaks out among his family of Southern eccentrics, among them his wife, who wants “Mean and Surly” engraved on Bud’s tombstone. Chaos and hilarity ensue. // 2/6-2/14, Muskogee Little Theatre, $5-$15, muskogeelittletheatre.com/ Arsenic and Old Lace // Mortimer Brewster has a family of insane homicidal maniacs. Among them are his aunts, who lure lonely old men in and poison them, and his brother, who, believing he is Theodore Roosevelt, has taken to digging the Panama Canal in the family’s cellar. This 1939 play is best remembered for its Frank Capra-directed, Cary Grant-starring 1944 film adaptation. // 2/6-2/15, Sapulpa Community Theater, facebook.com/events Danish String Quartet // Without their instruments, the three Danes and one Norwegian who make up the Danish String Quartet could easily be mistaken for an indie band. “We are simply your friendly neighborhood string quartet with above average amounts of beard,” they concede on their website. Their program at the PAC will include Bartók’s Quartet No. 1, Nielsen’s Quartet in F Ma jor, Op. 44, and some traditional Scandinavian folk music. // 2/8, 3:00 pm, John H. Williams Theatre, PAC, $5-$20, tulsapac.com/events Ok, So…Tulsa Story Slam // On the second Wednesday of each month, Ok, So… gathers to tell true stories about their lives based on a given theme. The theme for February is Love and Lust. // 2/11, 8:00 pm-10:00 pm, Enso Bar, facebook.com/ oksotulsa

Send Me No Flowers // When hypochondriac George Kimball overhears his doctor talking about a dying patient, he natually believes he is that patient. George sets out to plan his final days, including finding a new suitable husband for his wife, Judy.

“Send Me No Flowers” was written by Norman Barasch and Carroll Moore and was originally produced on Broadway in 1960, before being adapted into a movie of the same name in 1964 starring Doris Day, Rock Hudson and Tony Randall. // 2/132/22, Broken Arrow Community Playhouse, $10-$15, bacptheatre7471.wix.com/bacp Tulsa Opera: Romeo and Juliet // Tulsa Opera performs Charles Gounod’s operatic adaptation of Shakespeare’s tragedy of young love and family feuds. Starring Daniel Montenegro as Romeo and Metropolitan Opera star Sarah Coburn as Juliet. // 2/132/15, Chapman Music Hall, PAC, $25-$105, tulsapac.com/events Chicago: The Musical // Theatre Tulsa brings “Razzle Dazzle” and “All The Jazz” to the PAC with thislocal production of Chicago. The musical has the distinction of being the longest-running revival in Broadway history, having played for nearly 19 years, and has won six Tony Awards and six Oscars. // 2/13-2/22, John H. Williams Theatre, PAC, $28, tulsapac. com/events Music of Love to Share with Your Love // Signature Symphony will pluck at your heartstrings at this Valentine’s Day concert featuring lovely works by Mozart, Saint-Saens, Rachmaninov, Borodin and more. Featuring guest conductor Richard Wagner (no, not the ghost of the German composer) and guest pianist Yun-Chin Zhou. // 2/14, 7:30 pm, VanTrease PACE, $25-$35, signaturesymphony.org

COMEDY

Hurricane Hump Day w/ Gerald “Hurricane” Harris // Stand Up // 2/4, 8:00 pm, Loony Bin, $10, loonybincomedy.com/tulsa/ Alex Ortiz, Marvin Todd // Stand Up // 2/5, 7:30 pm, Loony Bin, $2, 2/6, 7:30 pm, 10:00 pm, Loony Bin, $10, 2/7, 7:30 pm, 10:00pm, Loony Bin, $10 loonybincomedy.com/tulsa/ Pop Up Players // Improv // 2/5, 7:00 pm, Comedy Parlor, $5, comedyparlor.com/ Crayons // Improv // 2/6, 7:00 pm, Comedy Parlor, $5, comedyparlor.com/ Dan Soder // Stand Up // 2/6, 8:30 pm, 10:00 pm, 2/7, 8:30 pm, 10:00 pm, Comedy Parlor, $15, comedyparlor.com/ Rumble-Ish: The Improv Competition // Improv // 2/7, 7:00 pm, Comedy Parlor, $10, comedyparlor.com/ LaughLocal Takeover w/ Matthew Spruill, Austin Bryant, Bill Rusk, Billy Bazar, Micah Medina, Jeremia Walton, Brittany Ann Daniels, Brendal Rector // Stand Up // 2/8, 7:30 pm, Loony Bin, $5, loonybincomedy. com/tulsa/ Jane’s Comedy Connection // Stand Up // 2/8, 8:00 pm, Comedy Parlor, $5, comedyparlor.com/ Centennial Lounge Comedy Night // 2/10, 8:00 pm, Centennial Lounge, Steve Hirst, Alvin Williams, Matt Bachus // Stand Up // 2/11, 7:30 pm, Loony Bin, $7, 2/12, 7:30 pm, Loony Bin, $2, 2/13, 7:30 pm, 10:00 pm, Loony Bin, $10, 2/14, 7:30 pm, 10:00 pm, Loony Bin, $10, loonybincomedy. com/tulsa/ Homemade Fireworks // Improv // 2/12, 7:00 pm, Comedy Parlor, $5, comedyparlor.com/ Louie Anderson, Rita Rudner // Stand Up // 2/13, 7:00 pm, River Spirit Event Center, $30-$60, riverspirittulsa.com Crayons // Improv // 2/13, 8:00 pm, Comedy Parlor, $5, comedyparlor.com/ Ryan’s Drinking Problem // Game Show // 2/13, 10:00 pm, Comedy Parlor, $10, comedyparlor.com/ Love Me Tinder // Stand Up // 2/14, 10:00 pm, Comedy Parlor, $10, comedyparlor.com/ Cian Baker says Laugh It Up, Tulsa // Stand Up // 2/15, 8:00 pm, Comedy Parlor, $5, comedyparlor.com/ Soundpony Comedy Night hosted by Andrew Deacon // Stand Up // 2/16, Soundpony, thesoundpony.com/events/ ARTS & CULTURE // 35

dalystyle

Ever green Surround yourself with living things, no matter the season

by ASHLEY HEIDER DALY

S

Photos by Ashle y Heider Daly 36 // ARTS & CULTURE

ometimes I just want to bring the outside in. It really cheers a lady up! With no summertime blooms to raid, I remain a hopeful hunter and can still be seen pressing into my yard weekly, scissors in hand. The winter answer to homegrown bouquets? Trees and bushes. There are tons of variations in shape, color and texture. Joy of joys, despite the painful cold, there is still green life out there.

Just take your scissors and clip whatever is lovely. I usually bring the container I plan to use so I know how long to trim the stems.

Pick any cup, jar or vase you wish you got to see more. I selected a vintage port glass, a thick glass cocktail pitcher and a jelly jar my husband’s grandpa always used for juice.

Typically, you’d want to pull off any growth on the part of the stem that will be in water. This helps keep the arrangement fresh and the water clean longer. I did that on two of my pieces for this article, but a lingering trend of

submerging foliage made me curious. Look how beautiful, ethereal and specimen-like the leaves look in water!

Tip: those pine twigs are from the Christmas tree I took out to the curb recently. All lazy folks like me who didn’t get that feat done earlier can enjoy clipping a few sprigs for your continued pleasure.

Curb shop or yard shop (probably only your own yard)—these happy arrangements bring warmth and life into your home. a Editor’s note: A version of this article first appeared on TheNoshery.com, a food and lifestyle blog with Tulsa roots.

Ashley Heider Daly would love to see your yard foraging. Bring photos for her viewing to her vintage home store, Retro Den, or follow her on Instagram and tag her, @ahdaly.

February 4 – February 17, 2015 // THE TULSA VOICE

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musicnotes

The way of Will Oklahoma native tells the story of a legend in music and pictures

by G.K. HIZER

B

eau Jennings unveils his new album, “The Verdigris,” with a special release show Feb. 7 at the Woody Guthrie Center. It will be merely the fi rst act in a multimedia project Jennings has developed over the past few years that aim to tell the story of Oklahoma icon Will Rogers’ life and travels. The second part of the project, a documentary fi lm titled “The Verdigris: In Search of Will Rogers,” is set for release later this year.

Work on the project started in earnest about four years ago when Jennings launched a crowd-funding campaign for the project with a show at The Church Studio.

But the vision came to him years earlier, inspired by the work of his previous band, Cheyenne.

“It really started when I lived in New York,” Jennings said. “We were writing our next record and all of us were from Oklahoma.

That was something that we bonded over and set us apart, so when we started writing songs, they centered on Oklahoma.

“At some point, Will Rogers came up. I wrote a couple of songs really fast, and it rekindled a love I had for him as a kid. There’s a real story there and something to love, but it’s been relatively untouched by rock albums. I found it fascinating that at one time he was one of the most famous people in the world, but he’s relatively obscure now.”

Alan Lomax’s fi eld recordings project—in which he documented the history of American folk music by traveling across the country to record writers and singers playing what have become iconic standards—also played a role in Jennings’ inspiration.

38 // MUSIC

Tulsa nat ive singer-song writer Beau Jennings (inset: Will Rogers)

“The idea was to go to the places that Will Rogers traveled to and play the songs that pertained to each location,” he said. “Then, I fi gured if I’m going to do that, there’s got to be some way to document that.”

This thinking led to the idea for the documentary, and the complete vision for the Verdigris project was in place.

“It’s really a matter of me retracing Will Rogers’ footsteps,” he said. “Some of the songs are written from Will’s perspective, some from my perspective, and some from the people in his life. I wrote the songs fi rst, so the fi lm is

about me traveling to those places I wrote about and fi lming the songs performed at each site.”

That process included nearby places in Oklahoma and Arkansas but also led Jennings as far away as New York City and Alaska.

Musically, the album covers a landscape of styles as broad as Rogers’ travels. Part folk, part rock and a little country, balanced with enough melodies to make everything accessible—the real beauty of the album is that it opens up in layers. Repeated listens reveal more details in the life and travels of Rogers himself as

well as new textures in Jennings’ songwriting.

Perhaps the showcase piece of the album is “Scattered Light,” about Rogers’ fi rst experiences with fame and hosting a variety show on the rooftop of the New Amsterdam Theatre in New York.

“The fi rst verse is about the people who watched the show and obtained a ‘glow’ and scattered about the city,” Jennings said. “The second is Will at work and trying to decide whether to stay or go home.

In the third verse, I’m on Broadway now, trying to get back to the rooftop, so to speak. I think it’s really a microcosm of the whole record— trying to chase Will down and fi gure out what he was all about.”

That song is only one chapter in a story that unfolds in cinematic fashion, making the forthcoming documentary even more apropos.

Although the two go hand in hand, each can stand on its own as an individual work, Jennings said.

“My hope is that people who watch the fi lm will have a new appreciation for the record, and that those who see the fi lm fi rst will then want to go get the record.”

Tulsa music fans will get the fi rst opportunity to hear and experience the songs at the album release show. Tickets are $12 and include admission to the museum. Jennings will follow up with another release show at The Opolis in Norman on Friday, Feb. 13. a Beau Jennings, “The Verdigris” RECORD RELEASE SHOW, SATURDAY, FEB. 7 AT 7 P.M. Woody Guthrie Center, 102 E. M.B. Brady St. Tickets are $12 and include admission to the museum.

February 4 – February 17, 2015 // THE TULSA VOICE

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MUSIC // 39

musiclistings Wed // Feb 4

Downtown Lounge – Abysmal Dawn – 7:00 pm Full Moon Cafe - Broken Arrow – Ayngel & John – 9:00 pm Full Moon Cafe - Cherry Street – Amanda Preslar w/ Mark Bruner & Shelby Eicher – 7:00 pm Fur Shop – Paul Benjaman – 9:00 pm Mercury Lounge – The Dirty Okie, Scott H. Biram – 10:00 pm On The Rocks – Don White – 7:00 pm Sandite Billiards and Grill – Brandon Clark – 8:00 pm Silver Flame – Bobby Cantrell – 7:30 pm Soundpony – Annabelle Chairlegs, Dead Shakes, Who & The Fucks The Colony – Tom Skinner Science Project

Thurs // Feb 5

Bluestone Steak House & Seafood – Angie Cockrell, Mike Leland – 5:00 pm Cain’s Ballroom – The Cadillac Three, Tyler and the Tribe – 8:15 pm – ($13-$26) Centennial Lounge – Ronnie Pyle & The Drivers – 8:00 pm Full Moon Cafe - Broken Arrow – Piano Man Tom Basler – 8:00 pm Full Moon Cafe - Cherry Street – Toast & JAM w/ Charlie Redd and Cynthia Jesseen – 10:00 pm Mercury Lounge – Kayla Ray – 10:00 pm Riffs @ Hard Rock Casino – Hi Fidelics – 3:00 pm Riffs @ Hard Rock Casino – Chad Lee – 7:00 pm Soundpony – Tortuganonima, Sunrise and Ammunition The Colony – Chris Lee Becker The Hunt Club – Robbie Vanvekoven Woody’s Corner Bar – Brandon Jackson Yeti – Turnt Up

Fri // Feb 6

Cain’s Ballroom – Motion City Soundtrack, TEAM*, Driver Friendly – 8:00 pm – ($17-$32) Centennial Lounge – Southern Discomfort All-Stars – 9:00 pm Elephant Run – 4Going Gravity – 9:00 pm Fat Daddy’s Pub and Grille – Laron Simpson Full Moon Cafe - Cherry Street – Dueling Piano Show – 9:00 pm Grumpy’s Tavern – Bryce Dicus – 8:00 pm Kenosha Station Pub & Grill – Johnny Paul Band, Aaron Slimquick Fails – 8:00 pm Magoo’s – Kinsey Sadler – 9:00 pm Mercury Lounge – Jason Eady – 10:00 pm NINE18 Bar @ Osage Casino Tulsa – Travis Kidd – 9:00 pm Peppers Grill - South – Creeler Riffs @ Hard Rock Casino – Hi Fidelics – 5:30 pm Riffs @ Hard Rock Casino – The Jumpshots – 9:00 pm Shrine – Joint Effect – ($5) Soundpony – Lyrics to Go w/ DJ Somar 40 // MUSIC

The Colony – Grazzhopper The Hunt Club – Tony Romanello and the Black Jackets Woody’s Corner Bar – DJ Spin Yeti – We Make Shapes

Sat // Feb 7

Arnie’s – Electric Rag Band – 9:00 pm Brady Theater – Alice Cooper Bramble – Beth and Jess – 9:00 pm Centennial Lounge – Bootlegger’s Union – 9:00 pm Cimarron Bar – Amped – 9:00 pm Comedy Parlor – The Loaded Dice – 11:30 pm Dwelling Spaces – Dylan Aycock – 7:00 pm Ed’s Hurricane Lounge – The Salty Dogs – 3:00 pm Fassler Hall – Robert Hoefling – 5:00 pm Full Moon Cafe - Cherry Street – Dueling Piano Show – 9:00 pm Joe Momma’s – The Vogts Sisters – 9:00 pm Lambrusco’z Downtown – Dustin Pittsley & Jesse Aycock – 5:00 pm Mercury Lounge – Davis Coen – 8:00 pm NINE18 Bar @ Osage Casino Tulsa – Travis Kidd – 9:00 pm Peppers Grill - South – Chuck Dunlap Riffs @ Hard Rock Casino – Chad & Keith – 5:30 pm Riffs @ Hard Rock Casino – Dante & The Hawks – 9:00 pm Shrine – Mike Dillon – ($7-$10) Simply – Adrienne Gilley – 5:00 pm Soundpony – The Donuts Show The Colony – Old Town The Hunt Club – Hosty Duo Woody Guthrie Center – Beau Jennings Album Release Concert – 7:00 pm – ($12-$15) Yeti – fye Yokozuna – Sarah Maud Trio – 10:00 pm

Sun // Feb 8

Centennial Lounge – Peter Banfield Benefit w/ Steve Pryor, Scott Ellison, Don White, Markham & Tuberville, Jesse Aycock, Paul Benjaman, Randy Brumley, Casey Van Beek, The Zigs – 3:00 pm Full Moon Cafe - Cherry Street – Mark Bruner & Shelby Eicher – 6:30 pm Shrine – A Live One (Phish Tribute) – ($7.25-$10) The Colony – Paul Benjaman’s Sunday Nite Thing Woody Guthrie Center – The Oklahoma Room Folk Alliance international Fundraiser w/ John Moreland, Samantha Crain, John Calvin Abney and Jesse, Dylan and Scott Aycock – 7:00 pm – ($20-$25)

Mon // Feb 9

727 Club – Johnny Paul Band – 8:00 pm The Colony – Open Mic w/ Cody Clinton

Tues // Feb 10

6th Street Entry – Phluf -N- Stuph – 8:00 pm Downtown Lounge – Kiel Grove Full Moon Cafe - Cherry Street – Preslar Music Showcase – 6:30 pm

Mercury Lounge – Wink Burcham – 10:00 pm Riffs @ Hard Rock Casino – Runnin’ On Empty – 7:00 pm Silver Flame – Bobby Cantrell – 7:30 pm The Colony – The Sidemen

Wed // Feb 11

Full Moon Cafe - Broken Arrow – Ayngel & John – 9:00 pm Full Moon Cafe - Cherry Street – Amanda Preslar w/ Mark Bruner & Shelby Eicher – 7:00 pm Fur Shop – Paul Benjaman – 9:00 pm On The Rocks – Don White – 7:00 pm Shrine – Whitey Morgan and the 78’s – ($12-$15) Silver Flame – Bobby Cantrell – 7:30 pm The Colony – Tom Skinner Science Project The Hunt Club – Billy and Bobby Moore

Thurs // Feb 12

Cain’s Ballroom – Excision, Protohype, Minnesota – 8:00 pm – ($31-$46) Centennial Lounge – Sneaky Pete – 8:00 pm Enso – Travis McClearen, Meggie McDonald – 8:00 pm Full Moon Cafe - Broken Arrow – Piano Man Tom Basler – 8:00 pm Full Moon Cafe - Cherry Street – Toast & JAM w/ Charlie Redd and Cynthia Jesseen – 10:00 pm Mercury Lounge – The Urban Pioneers – 8:00 pm Riffs @ Hard Rock Casino – Darren Ray – 3:30 pm Riffs @ Hard Rock Casino – Travis Kidd – 9:00 pm Shrine – Afroman – ($10-$15) Soundpony – The Danner Party The Colony – John Calvin Abney The Hunt Club – Ego Culture Yeti – Turnt Up

Fri // Feb 13

6th Street Entry – Cat Dead, Details Later – 9:00 pm Centennial Lounge – Johnny Paul Adams Band – 9:00 pm Downtown Lounge – D-Railed, Enslaved By Fear, Basses Loaded, Less Than Human – 8:00 pm Fat Daddy’s Pub and Grille – Chris Clark Four Aces Tavern – David Dover – 9:00 pm Full Moon Cafe - Cherry Street – Dueling Piano Show – 9:00 pm NINE18 Bar @ Osage Casino Tulsa – Wanda Watson Band – 9:00 pm Peppers Grill - South – Jennifer Marriott Band Riffs @ Hard Rock Casino – FM Live – 9:00 pm Shrine – The Schwag (Grateful Dead Tribute) – ($10) Soundpony – Moai Broadcast The Colony – Kalyn Barnoski Band The Hunt Club – Sons Westbound Club – OutlawSonBand, Wade Quinton – 8:00 pm Yeti – Falkirk, Jbrown

Sat // Feb 14

6th Street Entry – Brujoroots, rozellrox Cain’s Ballroom – Josh Abbott Band, Hudson Moore – 8:00 pm – ($18$33) Centennial Lounge – Singles Awareness Day Party w/ Glam R Us – 9:00 pm Crow Creek Tavern – 4Going Gravity – 9:00 pm Ed’s Hurricane Lounge – The Salty Dogs – 3:00 pm Fat Daddy’s Pub and Grille – Chris Hyde Full Moon Cafe - Cherry Street – Dueling Piano Show – 9:00 pm Magoo’s – David Dover – 9:00 pm Mercury Lounge – Lou Shields, JD Wilkes & The Dirt Daubers – 10:00 pm NINE18 Bar @ Osage Casino Tulsa – Wanda Watson Band – 9:00 pm Peppers Grill - South – Danny Timms Riffs @ Hard Rock Casino – Lost On Utica – 9:00 pm Sandite Billiards and Grill – Bo Phillips Band – 8:00 pm Shrine – Machine in the Mountain EP Release Party – ($5) Soundpony – Vince Carbone w/ Bonzo Terks The Colony – Chuck Dunlap The Hunt Club – Ice Cold Glory The Joint @ Hard Rock Casino – Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons – 8:00 pm – ($85-$95) Westbound Club – OutlawSonBand, Wade Quinton – 8:00 pm Yeti – SkyAcre, Fashion Week

Sun // Feb 15

Full Moon Cafe - Cherry Street – Mark Bruner & Shelby Eicher – 6:30 pm Soundpony – Adrienne Rosanne Gilley - Happy Hour Show – 6:00 pm Soundpony – Grazzhopper The Colony – Paul Benjaman’s Sunday Nite Thing The Hunt Club – March Divide

Mon // Feb 16

727 Club – Johnny Paul Band – 8:00 pm The Colony – Open Mic w/ Cody Clinton

Tues // Feb 17

6th Street Entry – Phluf -N- Stuph – 8:00 pm Cain’s Ballroom – RL Grime, DJEMBA DJEMBA, Tommy Kruise – 8:00 pm – ($15-$30) Centennial Lounge – Open Jam – 8:00 pm Full Moon Cafe - Cherry Street – Preslar Music Showcase – 6:30 pm Mercury Lounge – Wink Burcham – 10:00 pm Silver Flame – Bobby Cantrell – 7:30 pm The Colony – The Sidemen Tin Dog Saloon – Dan Martin – 9:00 pm

February 4 – February 17, 2015 // THE TULSA VOICE

THE TULSA VOICE // February 4 – February 17, 2015

MUSIC // 41

filmphiles

J.K. Simmons in his Oscar-nominated t ur n in ‘Whiplash’

Blood, sweat and jazz Music school as battlefield, ‘Whiplash’ strikes a pitch-perfect tone

by JOE O’SHANSKY

I

hate making lists. I know I bitch about that a lot, but a fi lm like “Whiplash” is why I hate making them. On the heels of its fi ve Oscar nominations, the fi lm is enjoying a theatrical re-release, and now I want to add it to what should have always been a Spinal Tap-esque Top 11 of 2014.

(It just goes to 11 now.)

Andrew Neimann (Miles Teller), is an uber-talented jazz percussionist attending the prestigious Shaffer Conservatory of Music.

His expertise and passion attracts the attention of Terrence Fletcher (J.K. Simmons), a notoriously— sometimes monstrously—uncompromising teacher and conductor.

Tulsa’s independent and non-profit art-house theatre, showing independent, foreign, and documentary films.

42 // FILM & TV

Membership in Fletcher’s studio band can launch careers, and Fletcher invites Neimann to try out for the seat currently occupied

by Carl (Nate Lang). Fletcher is a cut-throat ball buster, but the results speak for themselves.

When Neimann inevitably washes out, he uses his passion, anger and frustration to hone his craft—shedding literal blood to will his way back into the band, and into an ever-escalating battle with Fletcher to fi nd his limits and transcend them—or die trying.

Writer and director Damien Chazelle penned the script for “Whiplash” based on his own experiences in a competition jazz band and its conductor, and the fi lm crackles with a fantastic realism and energy—a ring of truth that comes with having lived it. This isn’t “Fame” or “Mr. Holland’s Opus.” Although it does hit on some familiar sports movie tropes, the real suspense of the competition isn’t between the band and the audience, but instead between Neimann and Fletcher, and it sometimes goes to genuinely dark places.

It helps that Chazelle’s crafted a great story out of that experience, one that sees two essentially unhinged perfectionists battling each

other for control in a game of one-upmanship that almost turns “Whiplash” into a suspense fi lm in moments.

That sense is bolstered by the realism of the musical performances. I don’t know about you, but I can’t stand watching a movie about musicians with actors who can’t play an instrument—editing around it in ways about as subtle as an archery shot in a 3-D movie.

Teller can clearly play the drums, which goes a long way to selling the (literally) blistering training montages.

Speaking of which, the music of “Whiplash” is a star all its own, and you could do worse than to watch this alongside “Birdman,” whose similar thematic ground and arty sense of visual and narrative jazz (as well as a lot of kickass drum solos), contrasts Chazelle’s more formalist but equally invigorating fi lm.

Teller has been doing solid work since 2011’s surprisingly good “Footloose” remake (in which he subtly infused his Willard with respectful shades of Chris Penn but made it his own).

2013’s “The Spectacular Now” proved he could own a screen.

With “Whiplash,” it’s evident he can own a screen alongside the outsized, scenery-chewing pres-

ence of Simmons. No mean feat, considering.

Here Teller captures the youthful frustration and stubbornness of a driven talent. He unnecessarily dumps his girlfriend because he doesn’t want to be bothered, he mocks his cousins and uncle (Chris Mulkey of “Twin Peaks”) for their commoner dreams of football stardom and holds an underlying disdain for his father’s (an amiable Paul Reiser) protectiveness. Teller transparently becomes Neimann, grounding every scene.

Simmons is a force of nature—vulgar, hilarious, scary and razor-sharp. It’s such a balancing act. Fletcher is a soldier who has no problem with killing in war as long as the goal is achieved; he’s possessed of a nearly sociopathic drive that fuels his quest for perfection. Yet we still understand him, and ultimately like him, because he and Neimann are entwined by those inherent qualities (they’re both assholes who know it), becoming the catalyst for one another’s growth.

“Whiplash” is as memorable as it is rare—an essentially formulaic fi lm that’s anything but contrived—and certainly one of the best of 2014. It’s probably your tempo. a

February 4 – February 17, 2015 // THE TULSA VOICE

FEBRUARY

4-27 On the Home Front: Tulsa During WWII Tulsa Historical Society PAC Galler

8

Danish String Quartet Chamber Music Tulsa

13,15 Romeo and Juliet - Tulsa Opera 13-22 Chicago: The Musical Theatre Tulsa

Patricia Arquet te and Christ ian Slater in 1993’s ‘Tr ue Romance,’ set for a spe cial Valent ine’s Day scre ening at Circle Cinema

Love hurts

The dream of the ‘90s is alive at Circle

S

Jeffrey Zeigler, Cello Choregus Productions

Danish String Quartet

20-22 The Sleeping Beauty - Tulsa Ballet 21-28 Talking Bones - Theatre North 24-25 Nai-Ni Chen Dance Co. - Choregus Productions

by JOE O’SHANSKY

ometimes you have to look at the things you love in context, with the perspective from which you first fell for them, because nostalgia is a powerful force. Not to cushion the blow for myself because I might not love 1993’s Quentin Tarantino-penned, Tony Scott-directed “True Romance” as much as I thought I did—I know I don’t.

But it is a way to gauge growth, acknowledging that what was once ostensibly great maybe really wasn’t. Integrity takes time to reveal itself.

But you can’t live with a movie for that long—that you know inside and out—without it becoming a part of you. So with the upcoming Valentine’s Day screenings of “True Romance” at Circle Cinema (on goddamn 35mm film, people) I took another look at an old friend.

For the uninitiated: Christian Slater plays Clarence Worley, an Elvis-obsessed comic book nerd and kung-fu aficionado living in Detroit, who meets Alabama Whitman (Patricia Arquette), a call girl hired (unbeknownst to Clarence) by his boss as a birthday present. He’s her third trick, and she falls in love. They get married.

After freeing Alabama from her pimp, Drexel (a legendary Gary Oldman), Clarence winds up on the run to LA with a suitcase full of coke and a plan to sell it though his dimly sweet (and only) friend, Dick Ritchie (Michael Rappaport) to a powerful movie producer, Lee Donowitz (Saul Rubinek). Little do they know, a group of typically Sicilian mobsters are coming for their stolen coke, leading to an explosive finale where almost everyone gets the shit killed out of them.

20

“True Romance” is a comic book film that works as such, but which hasn’t necessarily aged well. It’s Tarantino’s first script— and it shows. His trademark dialogue, while still crackling, is trying just a little too hard, and that extends to Tony Scott’s John Woo-inspired direction. Almost everything about it is so ’90s it hurts. And it’s easy to see that’s intentional, but the fullness of time has brought it back to the realm of self-parody. Scott’s saturated frames, pumping soundtrack and merciless style forge a detrimental partnership with Tarantino’s apparent, but still green, brilliance. David Lynch’s “Wild at Heart” did this story better, and weirder, three years earlier.

But it still operates fully in the Tarantinoverse. Just seeing Chris Penn, Tom Sizemore, Sam Jackson and Christopher Walken—and contemplating their extended careers in QT’s world— make “True Romance” feel like canon. It’s really no wonder I don’t like it as much, as Tarantino tends mostly to direct his own best work. I despise “Natural Born Killers” as a cultural satire, but as a Hollywood satire, “True Romance” is, at least, funny. The same dynamic hamstrings both, though: early writing from QT and a director whose overt styling utterly dates it.

Despite its flaws, I still love “True Romance” a little. It’s amazing to see Slater in his post-“Heathers” prime, and I couldn’t help but think of Arquette through the lens of her performance in “Boyhood.” She gets the shit kicked out of her in both films. Brad Pitt will, somehow, always be Floyd. And that’s what it is now.

Happy Valentine’s Day. a

THE TULSA VOICE // February 4 – February 17, 2015

27

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FILM & TV // 43

popradar

Louis CK in his new stand-up spe cial ‘Live at the Comedy Store’

Too funny to cringe Louis CK returns to his club roots—and his dark side—in new special

by JOSHUA KLINE

O

ver the past few years, comedian Louis CK has become a household name after decades of only niche recognition (mostly from critics and fellow comics). His last two specials, “Live at the Beacon Theater” and “Oh My God,” refl ected CK’s newfound mainstream success through bigger venues and jokes that felt more polished, considered and socially engaged. But those jokes also felt self-consciously safer, as if they were tailor-made for a wider audience. It started to feel like the guy who made “Shameless” and “Chewed Up” might be gone for good. “Oh My God” especially feels as if we’re watching someone gear up for the downslope of his artistic career, at least as a stand-up comic (his other creative venture, the FX series “Louie,” has never been better), just as he’s hitting his commercial peak.

Thankfully, CK has taken a hard left turn with his sixth special, “Live at the Comedy Store.”

It feels like a course correction in every way. First, he’s returned to the intimacy of the club setting after several successful theater specials. The material is noticeably darker, and CK seems looser, less prepared and more engaged with his audience. The entire experience feels raw and off-the-cuff.

44 // FILM & TV

He opens with a joke that feels like a throwback to his “Shameless” days, before his blustery, unPC misanthropy had refi ned into gentle self-deprecation and befuddlement. He greets the crowd with an effeminate lisp, then acknowledges (while still using the voice) that he’s perpetuating a stereotype. When the punchline comes, he’s suddenly hopped from a tired gay joke to a cheap race joke. And it’s funny. Really, really funny. It shouldn’t be. Right out of the gate, CK plucks two pieces of low-hanging, semi-rotten fruit, smashes them together and forcefeeds them to us.

This sets the tone from the beginning. Throughout the hour-plus act, CK tap-dances across a variety of taboos and worn conceits— he makes dead baby jokes, gay jokes, fat jokes, airplane jokes, he pantomimes bringing a female rat to orgasm—all trite and offensive in concept but often brilliantly subverted by CK’s arrangement and execution of the material.

The centerpiece bit of the special involves multiple uses of the “N” word in service of a joke with no punchline. On paper it sounds like comedy suicide; in the hands of Louie it somehow becomes a poignant comment about family, personal priorities and miscom-

munication. Not all the material works—some of his riffs and tangents are uncomfortably long, and a few of the more taboo jokes barely skirt the edge of acceptable (read: funny and self-aware enough to work)—but it’s fascinating to watch such a successful comedian still take chances when he doesn’t have to.

The week of its release (which happened abruptly with no buzz or forewarning), CK sent a letter to his email subscribers outlining his motivation and thinking behind fi lming at the Comedy Store. It’s a very long email, but the following paragraph perfectly sums up the scrappy spirit of “Live at the Comedy Store” (sic for everything below): “Nightclubs, comedy clubs, is where comedy is born and where comedy, standup comedy, truly lives. Going back to Abraham Lincoln, who was probably America’s fi rst comedian, Americans have enjoyed gathering at night in small packed (and once smokey) rooms, drinking themselves a bit numb and listening to each other say wicked, crazy, silly, wrongful, delightful, upside-down, careless, offensive, disgusting, whimsical things. Sometimes in long-winded, red faced hyperbole, sometimes in carefully crafted circular, intention-

ally false and misleading argument.

Sometimes in well-chiseled perfectly timed trickery of verbiage.

Pun-poetry. One line, one off, half thoughts. Half truths. Non-truths.

Broad and hilariously wrongful generalizations, exaggerated prejudices and criticism of nothing and everything... It’s a club. It’s a bar. It’s late at night. No one here is being responsible. These are the things we do when we are DONE working and being citizens.”

“Live at the Comedy Store” is available to purchase for download or streaming exclusively through louisck.net. It’s only fi ve bucks and worth every penny. a Writer’s note: After a year of being chained to my television in service of this column (it’s a hard life), we’ve decided to tweak the format to encompass popular culture in all its forms. Now I can focus on the awesome/awful podcasts, books, movies, music, stand-up specials, Vine series and kitten memes competing for our attention and dollars.

I’ll still cover the occasional TV show (“Intervention” is on Netflix again, FYI), but the new fluidity of the column means I’ll be following my whims from issue to issue. If you have any suggestions for cool things you’d like to see covered, feel free to e-mail me at joshua.s.kline@gmail.com.

Hope you enjoy.

February 4 – February 17, 2015 // THE TULSA VOICE

news of the weird

by Chuck Shepherd

Rose Ann Bolasny, 60, of Great Neck, New York, last year created a trust fund for her 3-year-old Maltese (dog), Bella Mia, that will allow spending $100,000 a year on fashions and spa treatments so that Bolasny can pamper “the daughter I never had.” Bella Mia reportedly has 1,000 outfits in her custom-made walk-in closet, including ball gowns, along with diamond and pearl jewelry, and she sleeps on her own double bed. Previous News of the Weird reports of ridiculously rich dogs involved inheritances, but Bolasny still lives with her husband and has two adult sons (who are said to be fine with their mother’s intention to will Bella Mia a house in Florida if she outlives Bolasny and her 82-year-old husband). (By the way, the average annual income for a human being in Bangladesh is the equivalent of about $380.)

The Project Theater Board at Mount Holyoke College in South Hadley, Massachusetts, decided in January to cancel its upcoming annual presentation of the feminist classic “Vagina Monologues.”

The all-women’s college recently declared it would admit males who lived and “identified” as female (regardless of genitalia), and the basis for cancellation of “Vagina Monologues” was that the unmodifiable script is not “inclusive” of those females -- that it covers only experiences of females who actually have vaginas.

smartphone app, “Airpnp,” to connect people walking around select cities and needing access to a toilet, listing residents who make their utilities available, with description and price. Laurendine told the New York Post in January that New York City is a promising market (though his two best cities are New Orleans and Antwerp, Belgium). The prices vary from free to $20, and the facilities range from a sweet-smelling room stocked with reading material to a barely maintained toilet (with no lavatory), but, said one supplier, sometimes people “really need to go, and this will have to do.”

No good deed goes unpunished

Government in action

Big-tent mentality

Kathi Fedden filed a $30 million wrongful death lawsuit in December against Suffolk County, New York, police after her 29-year-old son, driving drunk in 2013, fatally crashed into an office. She reasons that the son’s death is the fault of the police officer who stopped him earlier that evening and who must have noticed he was already drunk but did not arrest him. The officer, who knew the son as the owner of a popular-with-police local delicatessen, merely gave the son a lift home, but the son later drove off in his mother’s car, in which he had the fatal crash.

The new normal The website/smartphone app Airbnb, launched in 2008, connects travelers seeking lodging with individuals offering private facilities at certain prices. About a year ago, entrepreneur Travis Laurendine launched a similar

A.K. Verma was an “assistant executive engineer” working for India’s central public works department in 1990 with 10 years on the job when he went on leave -- and had still not returned by the end of 2014, when the government finally fired him. He had submitted numerous requests for extensions during the ensuing 24 years, but all were denied, though no agency or court managed to force him back to work. (India’s bureaucracy is generally acknowledged to be among the most dysfunctional in Asia.)

Least competent criminals Shane Lindsey, 32, allegedly robbed the Citizens Bank in New Kensington, Pennsylvania, on Jan. 14 and ran off down the street, but was arrested about 15 minutes later a few blocks away, having stopped off at Eazer’s Restaurant and Deli to order chicken and biscuits.

THE TULSA VOICE // February 4 – February 17, 2015

Jeffrey Wood, 19, was arrested in the act of robbing a 7-Eleven in Northeast Washington, D.C., on Jan. 10 -- because two plainclothes detectives were in the store at the time (though the police badge of one was hanging from a chain around her neck). As soon as the man announced, “This is a stickup,” the detective drew her gun and yelled, “Stop playing. I got 17” (meaning a gun with 17 bullets).

Ironies Timothy DeFoggi, 56, was sentenced in January to 25 years in prison on child pornography charges -- unable to keep his illicit online transactions hidden from law-enforcement authorities. Before his conviction, he was acting director for cyber security in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and, one would assume (wrongly), an accomplished user of security software.

After a heavy snowstorm in Frankfort, Kentucky (the state capital), in November, with many absences reported, the state labor policy agency (called the Labor Cabinet) was among the agencies needing snow removal at its headquarters more promptly than overworked cleanup crews could provide. A call was circulated for volunteers to go outside and shovel snow, but that job was apparently too laborious for the labor agency; there was only one taker.

The Tampa Bay Times (formerly St. Petersburg Times), reeling financially as many newspapers are, pledged several properties it owns (including its downtown headquarters) to

borrow $30 million last year from a distressed-property lender and now announces an intention to pay back that loan by selling the properties. As reported by the local St. Petersblog website, the sore-thumb loan was almost exactly the amount the Times paid in 2002 for “naming rights” to the Tampa concert-and-hockey venue, the Ice Palace (which became the St. Petersburg Times Forum and is now Amalie Arena).

Thus, St. Petersblog wrote, “do the math,” concluding that the Tampa Bay Times was pressured to sell its own headquarters building in order to pay for the 12-year privilege of being able to name someone else’s building.

A News of the Weird classic On May 21 (2011), Jesse Robinson either established or tied the unofficial world record for unluckiest underage drinker of all time when he was booked into the Hamilton County, Ohio, jail for underage consumption. According to booking records, Robinson’s date of birth is May 22, 1990. (July 2011)

1/21 SOLUTION: UNIVERSAL SUNDAY

ETC. // 45

free will astrology

by ROB BREZSNY

AQUARIUS

(JAN. 20-FEB. 18):

In 1899, the King of the African nation of Swaziland died while dancing. His only son, Sobhuza, was soon crowned as his successor, despite being just four months old. It took a while for the new King to carry out his duties with aplomb, and he needed ma jor guidance from his grandmother and uncle. Eventually he showed great aptitude for the job, though, and ruled until his death at age 83. I’m getting a Sobhuza-type vibe as I meditate on you, Aquarius. New power may come to you before you’re fully ready to wield it. But I have confidence you will grow into it, especially if you’re not shy about seeking help.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): In the 1951 animated movie version of Alice in Wonderland, Alice says to herself, “I give myself very good advice, but I very seldom follow it.” I hope you won’t be like her, Pisces. It’s an excellent time for you to heed your own good advice. In fact, I suspect that doing so will be crucial to your ability to make smart decisions and solve a knotty problem. This is one of those turning points when you really have to practice what you preach.

You’ve got to walk your talk.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Do you have an entourage or posse that helps you work magic you can’t conjure up alone? Is there a group of co-conspirators that prods you to be brave and farseeing? If not, try to whip one up. And if you do have an inspirational crew, brainstorm about some new adventures for all of you to embark on. Scheme and dream about the smart risks and educational thrills you could attempt together.

According to my reading of the astrological omens, you especially need the sparkle and rumble that a feisty band of allies can incite.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): The cosmos seems to be granting you a license to be brazenly ambitious. I’m not sure how long this boost will last, so I suggest you capitalize on it while it’s surging. What achievement have you always felt insufficiently prepared or powerful to accomplish? What person or club or game have you considered to be out of your league? What issue have you feared was beyond your understanding? Rethink your assumptions. At least one of those “impossibilities” may be more possible than usual.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): When I attended the University of California at Santa Cruz, my smartest friend was Gemini writer Clare Cavanagh. She headed off to Harvard for her graduate studies, and later became a pre-eminent translator of Polish poetry.

Her work has been so skillful that Nobel Prize-winning Polish poet Czselaw Milosz selected her as his authorized biographer.

Interviewing Milosz was a tough job, Clare told blogger Cynthia Haven. He was demanding. He insisted that she come up with “questions no one’s asked me yet.” And she did just that, of course. Formulating evocative questions is a Gemini specialty. I invite you to exercise that talent to the hilt in the coming week. It’s prime time for you to celebrate a Curiosity Festival.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): “Somewhere someone is traveling furiously toward you,” writes poet John Ashbery, “at incredible speed, traveling day and night, through blizzards and desert heat, across torrents, through narrow passes. But will he know where to find you, recognize you when he sees you, give you the thing he has for you?” This passage might not be literally true, Cancerian. There may be no special person who is headed your way from a great distance, driven by a rapt intention to offer you a blessing. But I think Ashbery’s scenario is accurate in a metaphorical way.

Life is in fact working overtime to bring you gifts and help. Make sure you cooperate!

Heighten your receptivity. Have a nice long talk with yourself, explaining why you deserve such beneficence.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): In 1768, Britain’s Royal Society commissioned navigator James Cook to lead a long naval voyage west to Tahiti, where he and his team were supposed to study the planet Venus as it made a rare transit across the face of the sun. But it turned out that task was a prelude. Once the transit was done, Cook opened the sealed orders he had been given before leaving England. They revealed a second, bigger assignment, kept secret until then:

Place the numbers 1 through 9 in the empty squares so that each row, each column and each 3x3 box contains the same number only once.

NOVICE

to reconnoiter the rumored continent that lay west of Tahiti. In the coming months, he became the first European to visit the east coast of Australia. I foresee a comparable progression for you, Leo. The task you’ve been working on lately has been a prelude.

Soon you’ll receive your “sealed orders” for the next leg of your journey.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): According to computer security company Symantec, you’re not in ma jor danger of contracting an online virus from a porn website. The risk is much greater when you visit religious websites. Why? They’re often built by inexperienced programmers, and as a result are more susceptible to hackers’ attacks. In the coming weeks, Virgo, there may be a similar principle at work in your life. I suspect you’re more likely to be undermined by nice, polite people than raw, rowdy folks.

I’m not advising you to avoid the do-gooders and sweet faces. Just be careful that their naivete doesn’t cause problems. And in the meantime, check out what the raw, rowdy folks are up to.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Life has a big, tough assignment for you. Let’s hope you’re up for the challenge. There’s not much wiggle room, I’m afraid. Here it is: You must agree to experience more joy and pleasure.

The quest for delight and enchantment has to rise to the top of your priority list. To be mildly entertained isn’t enough. To be satisfied with lukewarm arousal is forbidden.

It’s your sacred duty to overflow with sweet fulfillment and interesting bliss. Find ways to make it happen!

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): You may have never sampled the southeast Asian fruit called durian. It’s controversial. Some people regard it as the “king of fruits,” and describe its taste as sweet and delicious.

Naturalist Alfred Russel Wallace said it was like “a rich custard highly flavored with almonds.” But other people find the durian unlikable, comparing its aroma to turpentine or decaying onions. TV chef Anthony Bourdain asserts that its “indescribable” taste is “something you will either love or despise.” I foresee the possibility that your imminent future will have metaphorical resemblances to the durian, Scorpio. My advice? Don’t take things personally.

MASTER

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Talking will be your art form in the coming weeks.

It’ll be healing and catalytic. You could set personal records for most engaging phone conversations, emails, text messages, and face-to-face dialogs. The sheer intensity of your self-expression could intimidate some people, excite others, and generate shifts in your social life. Here are a few tips to ensure the best results. First, listen as passionately as you speak. Second, make it your intention to communicate, not just unload your thoughts. Tailor your messages for your specific audience. Third, reflect on the sometimes surprising revelations that emerge from you. They’ll give you new insights into yourself.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Let’s say you want to buy an 18-karat gold ring. To get that much gold, miners had to excavate and move six tons of rock. Then they doused the rock with poisonous cyanide, a chemical that’s necessary to extract the good stuff. In the process, they created toxic waste. Is the gold ring worth that much trouble? While you ponder that, let me ask you a different question. What if I told you that over the course of the next five months, you could do what’s necessary to obtain a metaphorical version of a gold ring? And although you would have to process the equivalent of six tons of raw material to get it, you wouldn’t have to use poison or make a mess. Would you do it?

What’s the most important thing you’ve never done? this week’s homework // TESTIFY AT FREEWILLASTROLOGY.COM 46 // ETC.

February 4 – February 17, 2015 // THE TULSA VOICE

ACROSS 1 Capo’s group 6 Pasta, potatoes and such 11 Swimmers’ woes 19 “Dynasty” actress Linda 20 Garlicky garnish 21 Swallow routes 22 Common tablet PC feature 24 Waterproof roof joints 25 Architectural band 26 ___ Arabia 28 Jack and Jill’s carryall 29 Island near Java 30 Make fun of 32 Examine, as evidence 35 Story with bite 38 Moisten, as a roast 40 “If ___ told you once ...”

43 Bro or 18-Down, e.g.

45 “Long ___ ...”

46 Temporary paper currency 48 Earth, air, fire or water, e.g.

51 Rock with value 52 Bodybuilder’s exercise 54 ___ Bell (fast-food chain) 55 Respect for others’ beliefs 57 Come up again 59 Opposite of apex 62 Grand ___ (vintage) 63 Better suited 64 Refuse receptacle 66 Assessor 68 Like Scrooge McDuck 70 ___ carotene 71 Facial flaw 74 Drive-___ window

75 Producing an effect 78 “___ Man” (Village People hit) 79 Fishing nets 82 Civil War general 83 “Born in the ___” (Springsteen tune) 86 Vacation memento 88 Have a funny feeling 89 Next life 91 Unwritten test 93 ___ good example 94 Cause wonder 95 Small hairpieces 98 Tiniest bits 100 Radiation dosage 101 Fold, spindle or mutilate 102 Air pressure meas.

103 Overturn or overthrow 105 Gentlemen (Abbr.)

107 “Answer, please” (Abbr.)

110 Cook’s covering 112 Catcher’s need 113 “___ as good a time as any” 116 Owl noises 118 Temporary period 122 Not aboveboard 126 Part of the brain 128 Tire mishap 129 Spine-tinglingly weird 130 Arrival island for many 131 Trouble spot for Indiana Jones 132 Forms an opinion 133 Corn-chip dip DOWN 1 “I never ___ man I didn’t like” 2 The Bard’s river 3 Goat-legged deity

4 Demons that prey upon sleepers 5 Masonry stones 6 Desert growths 7 Balloon’s filling 8 Some reddish deer 9 Sounds from a flock 10 Curve in and out 11 Amazon zapper 12 “... and make it fast!”

13 Santa ___, California 14 Sap-sucking insect genus 15 Hotdog topper, sometimes 16 Harrison in “Star Wars” 17 Breakfast item 18 Sibling, in brief 23 Cull 24 “Jaws” sighting 27 Two-person fight 31 Malayan island 33 Ones leading the pack 34 Toyota model 35 Pelvic bones 36 Fevers with chills 37 Leaders of movements 38 Antacid, for short 39 Having no feet 41 Soft palate 42 Hurricane heading, sometimes 44 Distrustful 47 Bled in the laundry 49 “... yadda, yadda, yadda” 50 Bad-mouths 53 Swiss canton or its capital 56 Mimicries 58 Knocking noise 60 Agendum, e.g.

61 Amend, as an atlas section 65 Actress Fabray, for short

67 With money to burn 69 “___ your call” 72 Guaranteed winner 73 Drag race participant 75 Old Irish memorial inscription 76 Period before a conflict 77 Ballerina’s skirts 80 “Steer” anagram 81 Parts of a baseball 84 Old photo tone 85 “___ we having fun yet?”

87 Bran type 90 Affected dandy 92 Thin plate or layer 96 Continental currency 97 Parodied 99 Colonizes 104 Main dish 106 “A Streetcar Named Desire” role 108 Sweater style 109 ___-cochere (carriage entrance) 111 Impressive degree 112 Pesky arachnids 114 Defeat a la Ali 115 Mumbai dress 117 In need of a massage 119 Bagel kin 120 Large wading bird 121 Clifflike, flat-topped elevation 122 ___ and downs 123 Her life is in order?

124 Modern evidence 125 Tennis court divider 127 “Bus” or “rod” starter

Universal sUnday Crossword Edited by Timothy E. Parker

PoinT TaKen

By Jessica C. Crawford

© 2015 Universal Uclick

2/8

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