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Celebrate Local

January 2, 2016 @ 6:30 pm - 10:00 pm

The Western Illinois Museum and the Macomb Food Co-op celebrate all things local. On Saturday, January 2 from 6:30 to 10:00 pm, the museum will open its doors for an evening of good food and drink, lively music and compelling history. The event is open to the public and there is a suggested $5 donation at the door. All proceeds will benefit the Western Illinois Museum’s educational and exhibit programs.

Celebrate LOCAL will feature six musical acts:
6:30 Relative Harmony Quartet
7:00 Joshua Allen
7:30 Shaniah Paige
8:00 Intermission
8:15 Alphonso Simpson accompanied by Bill Maakestad
8:45 Barnyard BLUE with Steve Smith and Kevin Hurst
9:15 Jesse Mazzoccili and Jim DiTulio

wine_sellers_logoThis New Year’s celebration will provide support for two local organizations, and with an impressive line-up of entertainment, promises to be the highlight of the holiday season. Refreshments will be served, along with a cash bar (Beer and wine) will be provided by event sponsor, The Wine Sellers of Macomb.

For more information please contact the Western Illinois Museum at 309-837-2750 or the Macomb Food Co-op at 309.255.5572.

The suggested $5 donation at the door will benefit the Western Illinois Museum’s educational and exhibit programs.

About the Musicians

Allen_joshua
Joshua Allen

Joshua Allen
Joshua Allen is a 23 year old singer/songwriter from Macomb. Joshua graduated from Macomb High School and Western Illinois University, and the joys of Macomb life have not diminished with time. Joshua has an active YouTube channel where he has built a large following.  To hear examples of his music visit:  www.youtube.com/thejoshuallen

Kevin Hurst and Steve Smith

Barnyard BLUE with Steve Smith and Kevin Hurst
Steve Smith and Kevin Hurst of Barnyard BLUE enjoy playing a variety of original and cover songs, from soulful Blues to toe-tappin’ Boogies.  Audiences have come to know them for their home-style country to rockabilly mixed with a dash of folk. They can be found playing at many local venues, as well as taking the lead in the area’s annual Bluegrass Festival. Find more information about Barnyard BLUE on their facebook page.

Jesse Mazzoccili

Jesse Mazzoccili and Jim DiTulio
Hailing from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Jesse Mazzoccoli began his musical studies at Las Vegas High School. He taught professionally for years before earning degrees in guitar performance from Quincy University in Quincy, Illinois and Western Illinois University, in Macomb, Illinois.  At Quincy University he was their first ever Guitar Performance major, and one month after graduation, he became Quincy University’s first ever Director of Guitar Studies. At Western Illinois University, he earned a MMUS and DMA in Guitar Performance, studying with Mathew Warnock.  Jesse teaches at several local colleges and universities and plays in a wide variety of ensembles including metal, jazz, classical, rock, country, and fusion. He currently plays solo concerts as well as playing in the band, At Her All.  Find more information about Jesse’s music on his facebook page.

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Relative Harmony Quartet

Relative Harmony Quartet
Take a father and a son and have them sing lead and bass.  Then add two brothers who sing baritone and tenor.  To cap it off, have them all be cousins.  Now you have a quartet with a strong family connection.  That’s Relative Harmony.

The lead in the quartet is Bill Butcher, who is ordinarily a bass, but he didn’t want to pass up the opportunity to sing with his son Joe, who is also a bass.  Bill owns and operates a couple of businesses in Macomb while his son Joe is manager of the Apple store at Western Illinois University.  One of the brothers, Craig Rigg, is a retired English teacher and sings tenor.  The other brother, Curt Rigg, is an insurance appraiser for Country Financial and sings the leftover part that no one else wants– the baritone.  Together, the genetic material produces a tight, four-part harmony that is the hallmark of the barbershop sound.

The quartet has been together for more than a decade and in that time has sung for numerous local audiences.  They’ve also taken the show on the road to Knox College, Galesburg’s Taste of Seminary, for the Hallmark Corporation, and in Keokuk as part of that community’s concert series at the Grand Theatre.  The quartet members are all part of the Macomb Prairieland Chorus, affiliated with the international Barbershop Harmony Society. Visit their facebook page for more details about group.

When it comes to singing, Relative Harmony likes to keep it all in the family.

Shaniah Paige Premiere Photo
Shaniah Paige

Shaniah Paige
Shaniah Paige is an up and coming country/pop music artist from Roseville, Illinois, a town of 900 residents.  Shaniah brings a wholesome Midwest style and incredible vocal ranges to her live performances. Shaniah has played with and been recognized by some of the best artists in Nashville, Tennessee and Los Angeles, California.  Shaniah has three country singles on iTunes and a music video Roseville on VEVO & YouTube.

Shaniah first started to dream about being involved in music as a 7th grader when she landed the lead role of Dorothy in Wizard of Oz.  This humble start lead Shaniah to try out for the Premiere Event in December 2012, an event for singers and actors to audition for music producers and industry professionals.  Shaniah was discovered at this event by Los Angeles hit producer, Andrew Lane (Hannah Montana & High School Musical), and together they produced her first single Roseville, which was released in June 2013 to iTunes.

Shaniah started with vocal coach Aria Johnson (Beverly Hills Pawn on Reelz Channel TV) at The Golden Voice in Los Angeles in 2013.  Shaniah co-wrote three more songs in Nashville, Tennessee which were produced by Lane in September 2013.  Shaniah’s music video for Roseville was filmed in her hometown by Los Angeles music video director Nayip Ramos, and then released in December 2013 on VEVO.

In 2014, Shaniah traveled to Nashville for monthly performances at Virginia Cannon’s song writer nights.  She performed with highly regarded artists such as Dave Miller (Gibson Miller Band), Peter Mayer (Jimmy Buffett), and Bekka Bramlett (Fleetwood Mac), as well as mentoring from Bekka Bramlett and Bridget Berger from ABC’s Nashville.

In the summer of 2014, Shaniah released her second iTunes song, With You.  Premiere Event invited Shaniah back to their program to be a celebrity guest.  Shaniah shared the stage throughout the event with Disney & Nickelodeon Stars Skai Jackson (Jessie), Mikey Reid (Victorious), and Joey Bragg (Liv & Maddie).  Shaniah also became the youngest endorser of Voyager-Air Guitar in June 2014.  Shaniah then was featured on TeenFaces Magazine for their fall issue.

Shaniah earned two prestigious HMMA (Hollywood Music in Media Awards) Nominations in fall of 2014.  The nominations were for country single of the year Roseville and music video Roseville.  Shaniah was selected out of 200 nominees to perform the following night after the HMMA’s at the Redbury Hotel on Hollywood BLVD.   Shaniah’s band consisted of industry heavy hitters, Steve Fekete (Cassadee Pope) & Demian Arriaga (Jonas Brothers).

Shaniah’s growing fan-base can find her performing live across the Midwest opening for major national acts such as Walker McGuire, Brian Davis, Adam Sanders, and Granger Smith.  Shaniah was named WQAD TV artist of the week and has been featured on Paula Sands Live TV show in 2015.

In 2015, Shaniah received another country single nomination for the HMMA (Hollywood Music in Media Awards) for One Of The Guys.  Closing out the year, Shaniah was a celebrity guest for the Premiere Event again in December.  Visit her website to learn more at: www.shaniahpaige.com and her facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/shaniahpaige

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Alphonso Simpson

Alphonso Simpson accompanied by Bill Maakestad
Whether directing a gospel choir, playing solo piano, or singing classic R&B, soul, pop or gospel, Alphonso “Doc” Simpson always brings surprises and delights to his listeners.  Alphonso is well known for his work with the Western Illinois University United Voices of Western Inspirational Singers (UVOWIS) and his work as professor in the African American Studies program. For this year’s “Celebrate Local,” he will be accompanied by Bill Maakestad on guitar and in high spirits.


macomb_foof_coopAbout the Macomb Food Co-op
In 2009, a group of people in Macomb and McDonough County, feeling the need for a local foods store in Macomb, began to act. Given the strong cooperative tradition present in rural communities, especially when there is a sense of an unmet need, they sensed the co-op model would suit the needs of the community very well. The Midwest historically has had a culture of communal self-sufficiency, and the cooperative model has proven very workable for rural communities by providing a variety of services that otherwise might not exist. An additional appeal of a co-op is the ability to finance primarily with local funding. The members of a cooperative are its owners, enabling the co-op to keep economic benefits within our community and debt at a minimum.

Information about becoming a member of the Co-op, details about the current growth and progress of the mini-store, and upcoming plans for 2016 will also be available. Visit their website to learn more about the Macomb Food Co-op.

During the Celebrate Local event local producers who work with the Macomb Food Co-op will be on hand to show case their products, including Honeycomb Hill Apiary and Null Family Naturals.

About the Producers

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After several years of keeping honey bees as a hobby, Tim Frier decided to build a small apiary. Honeycomb Hill Apiary is in its second year as a business and is now selling locally produced honey through Macomb Food Co-op. The Apiary is located just north of Macomb with two additional hives located in Macomb.

Null Family Naturals
Null Family Naturals grows vegetables and raises layer hens on seven acres of land that has been part of the Null family farm for over 150 years. 2015 was the first year the fields were not used for conventional grain production. To improve soil health, extensive use of cover crops and rotating small livestock and vegetable production in the fields began. Plans to continue to improve the land include windbreaks and contour strips to create habitat for native species. With the belief that improving and protecting the land will provide the freshest, most nutritious produce possible for their customers, only methods consistent with USDA Organic standards are used.

Details

Date:
January 2, 2016
Time:
6:30 pm - 10:00 pm
Event Categories:
,

Organizer

Western Illinois Museum
Phone
309.837.2750

Venue

Western Illinois Museum
201 South Lafayette Street
Macomb, IL 61455 United States
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Phone
309.837.2750
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