Milwaukee Post
Issue link: http://www.ifoldsflip.com/i/863148
August 18, 2017 • Milwaukee County Post • 17 Post Staff MILWAUKEE — Vibrant traditional dress, authentic Indian cuisine, and classical to contemporary music and dance come together to cele- brate Indian culture at the free IndiaFest Milwaukee, from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday. It all takes place in Humboldt Park, 3000 S. Howell Ave. Over the past four years, the outdoor festival focused entirely on India has drawn 43,000 people, continually growing. More than 140 youth and adult volunteers have dedicated their time to the event and more than 1,700 participants have show- cased their talents at the fes- tival. "There is no better way for families and friends to learn about Indian culture," said Purnima Nath, founder, chairwoman and president of Spindle India Inc., a non- profit organization that pro- duces the event. "Our goal is to weave India's colorful cultural threads into the rich multi- cultural tapestry of American culture," she said. India has 29 states and seven union territories. Each has a unique combination of language, traditions, reli- gion, clothing and history. The daylong event opens with a welcome ceremony observing the 71st Independence Day of India. Music and dance perform- ances will illustrate various cultures in the Indian states. Musicians will use tradition- al and contemporary instru- ments to perform a variety of styles as well as a fusion of styles. The famous Bollywood singer and music producer Ali Pervez Mehdi along with his team will be the entertainment highlight. In addition, Wisconsin Indian Singing Idol, a singing competition launched by Spindle India at the 2015 IndiaFest Milwaukee, will continue to recognize local talent. Visitors may watch a glam- our fashion show and see Indian dress up-close in dis- plays of the Indian states. Eventgoers may also learn how to tie a turban or sari. Some of the best restau- rants and providers from the Milwaukee and Chicago areas will offer a variety of menu items. Foods available range from dosas, similar to crepes or pancakes, to chaats, savory snacks often sold from food carts in India, to biriyanis, rice-based dishes with veg- etables or chicken. Beer, other adult beverages and nonalcoholic beverages will also be available for pur- chase. Additional vendors will offer unique products and services from colorful exotic arts, clothing and jewelry to temporary hand-painted henna designs. For the flavor of the festi- val, visit indiafestmilwau- kee.org. IndiaFest Milwaukee will return Saturday at Humboldt Park. Submitted photo The essence of India Fifth annual IndiaFest Milwaukee returns Saturday to Humboldt Park By TOM JOZWIK Special to Post Prolific Milwaukee author David Luhrssen is at it again. Recently, Luhrssen pub- lished what he thinks is his 11th book; when you've pub- lished as many as he has, and you write and edit daily as a journalist, it becomes difficult to keep count. The latest Luhrssen book is "Encyclopedia of Classic Rock" and was written with Luhrssen's longtime friend Michael Larson, an attor- ney and instructor at Waukesha's Guitar for Life Studio. "It's a much-abused term, classic rock," Luhrssen said in an interview. The term describes the "period of time where (rock music) reached this high plateau," he added. Released by Greenwood Publishing Group Inc., the hardback encyclopedia totals 430 pages and is avail- able as an eBook and via Amazon.com. It concen- trates on 1965-'75, summing up the careers of many alphabet- i c a l l y i n d e x e d i n d i v i d - ual per- f o r m e r s a n d g r o u p s , from the l a t e s i n g e r - s o n g - w r i t e r D a v i d Ackley to the band ZZ Top. A few of the entries between Ackley and ZZ are Chicago, Uriah Heep, the Mamas and the Papas, and the Turtles. James Taylor is represented also, along with the Beach Boys, the Bee Gees, Judy Collins, Cat Stevens (aka Yusuf Islam), Janis Joplin, the Marshall Tucker Band — even The Left Banke, whether or not the reader has ever heard of that organized-in-New York group or its 1966 hit "Walk Away Renee." Some of the entries are terms of the times: British Invasion, Bubblegum, Funk and Psychedelia. A chronol- ogy is included, too, blend- ing the decade's musical milestones with its political happenings. The longest entry is the one for David Bowie, who passed away last year ("People kept dying as I was writing the book," Luhrssen said). Bowie "remains so influential in so many dif- ferent ways," the author explained. Almost as lengthy, at 4 1/2 pages, as the Bowie essay is the tome's article on the Beatles, whose mop-haired members merit individual articles as well. "No band," the encyclopedia insists, "had a more fundamental, transforma- tive effect on rock music and world culture" than the Fab Four. "I think it's a very user- friendly book," the veteran author-editor assessed, one with "a scholarly aspect to it," yet "accessible" in its writing. "It's a fair-minded yet opinionated book," Luhrssen continued, and "not just a dry recitation, (since) there's a kind of analysis." The aforemen- tioned 4 1/2-page article cites the Beatles' "conta- gious wit ... sartorial style ... boisterous lunacy ... (and) willingness to say any- thing" following their inau- gural, 1964 get-together with Bob Dylan. It cites as well "the haunting 'Love Me Do,'" the "major cultural event" that was the album "Sgt. Pepper" and the Fab Four's "mixing Tin Pan Alley with rock and roll and rhythm and blues." Buddies for more than 40 years, Luhrssen and Larson, the former recalled, "spent countless hours in high school talking about" music from the period the encyclopedia covers — even though the pair graduated a few years after said period ended. The fact is, 1965-'75 was "a unique period in rock music," in Luhrssen's words. By the dawn of the period rock music had become "an art form," a cir- cumstance rockers who were art school alumni, like Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones and Peter Townshend of The Who, helped engineer. Additionally, albums were becoming more prominent than 45s, and albums pro- vided "a whole new canvas" on which rock musicians could figuratively paint. The Beatles, noted Luhrssen, "encouraged album cover design as an art form." The encyclopedia includes album recommen- dations at the end of entries. Decades after the period ended, Luhrssen and Larson met again, and again, and again, to discuss their beloved classic rock ("I remember some of this music so clearly," Luhrssen mused in the interview). Notes were taken during the friends' conversations, their content supplemented by information gleaned from Luhrssen's "fairly large per- sonal library" and online sources. Editing was the final ingredient in produc- ing what Luhrssen labeled a "very consistent tone. " "It was definitely a labor of love," Luhrssen said in summarizing the "Encyclopedia of Classic Rock." The veteran writer and editor who discovered classic rock with a vengeance when he was about 9 years old, aided by the presence of local radio stations WZMF and WQFM, is currently at work on a book to be published by Marquette University Press. He's editing the book, on rock music in 20th-century Milwaukee, with librarian Bruce Cole and Phil Naylor of the MU History Department. Focusing on Milwaukee groups, this sec- ond rock book will embrace the years 1958-'99 and is nearly completed, Luhrssen said. Prolific author turns to classic rock Luhrssen ENTERTAINMENT