Tuesday February 28, 7pm – Poetry

The Moonstone Poetry Series Presents L.I.F.E.

Monday February 27, 6:30 – Fiction Workshop

Philadelphia Stories Fiction Workshop

For more information, please email christine@philadelphiastories.org

Friday February 24, 8pm

Gypsy Jazz

The Belleville Quartet is a West Philadelphia based acoustic jazz ensemble.

First formed in April 2011, guitarist Alban Bailly brought the group together to play the large songbook he had been putting together from his early days growing up in France and studying with gypsy jazz musicians in eastern France. Their repertoire ranges from that of legendary French gypsy jazz guitarist Django Reinhardt to the folk songs of Serbia, Romania, Macedonia and beyond. The lineup consists of Marina Vishnyakova on violin, Alban Bailly and Zach Fay on guitars, and Matt Stein on bass.

Alban Bailly is a multifaceted instrumentalist who studied composition, jazz, and improvisation in France. He performed extensively in Europe before moving to the United States in 2005. Playing rock music in his youth, Alban moved onto studying jazz, which led him to free improvisation. In 2001 he studied Arabic music and oud in Marrakesh, Morocco. After his return to France, he became an active performer, collaborating with various music and dance ensembles in Europe. Alban is in demand as an improviser and continues to tour in United

States, Canada, and Europe. He is a founder, composer, and guitarist of the ensembles Inzinzac and Yapp. He is also the guitarist for the modern tango group Oscuro Quintet and the Gypsy Jazz/Eastern European Group Belleville Quartet.

Marina Vishnyakova (violin) grew up in Russia and was educated as a classical violinist graduated from Nizhny Novgorod State Conservatory. She was a soloist and concertmaster of Youth SymphoJazz Orchestra, taught jazz strings class in Nizhny Novgorod Conservatory till 2009. In 2009 she got a Fulbright scholarship and went to the USA to get Masters degree in Jazz Studies from the University of the Arts in Philadelphia. Marina graduated in 2011 with Jazz Master’s Award. Living in USA she participated in West Oakland Jazz Festival, Philadelphia International Festival of Art (PIFA), Clifford Brown festival in Wilmington, Delaware, Philadelphia Live Arts Festival and Philly Fringe. Marina is a member and soloist of the Philadelphia based ensembles F!, Warren Oree’s Philadelphia Freedom Jazz Orchestra, G. Calvin Weston’s Treasure of the Spirits (Music of Mahavishnu Orchestra), Belleville Gypsy Jazz Quartet, Up Jumped Strings jazz trio. In 2011

she played in Pig Iron Theater Company’s production of Twelfth Night by Shakespeare. In December, 2011 she performed at Chicago visual artist and designer Nick Cave Let’s C show at Fabric Workshop and Museum. Currently she teaches violin at Philadelphia Clef Club of Jazz and Performing Arts.

Zach Fay is a guitar player from Philadelphia and a graduate of Temple University. He began his music studies at the age of 13 and has studied with some of Philadelphia’s finest musicians. In addition to playing gypsy jazz with the Belleville Quartet, Zach plays guitar in the indie rock band United Kingdom and performs solo as a singer/songwriter. He spends the rest of his time teaching private guitar lessons and playing traditional American old-time and bluegrass music.

Born and raised in Northeast PA, Matt Stein moved to Philadelphia in 2002 and has been an active bass player in the Philadelphia music community ever since. He graduated from Temple University’s Jazz Studies program in 2006 and has studied under a number of great bassists, including Tony Marino, Mike Boone, Madison Rast, Tyrone Brown, Ben Street, Drew Gress, and John Hood. He currently studies with the great musicologist Karl Berger.Matt has performed with many ensembles, including rock bands illuminea, The Book of Knots, and Hoots and Hellmouth, and more jazz oriented groups Racketshop (Dan Blacksberg/Nick Millevoi), Travis

Woodson’s Live Like a King, and the Belleville Quartet. He also leads his own group, which will be doing some tribute shows for the late great drummer, Paul Motian, in the spring of 2012.

Thursday February 23, 5:30pm – Workshop

The Life of The Poet Workshop with Leonard Gontarek

Thursday, 5:30 –7 PM. $60 for four sessions.

Contact: Leonard Gontarek -gontarek9@earthlink.net

Tuesday February 21, 7pm

Poets & Prophets Presents Kimmika L. H, Williams

Kimmika Williams-Witherspoon, PH.D., is a contributing poet to several anthologies and is the author of seven volumes of poetry. She is recipient of numerous awards and honors, including: the Pew Charitable Trust Fellowship in Screenwriting; the Daimler Chrysler “Spirit of the Word” National Poetry Competition; and the Lila Wallace Creative Arts Fellowship.

Monday February 20, 6:30 – Fiction Workshop

Philadelphia Stories Fiction Workshop

For more information, please email christine@philadelphiastories.org

Sunday February 19, 11am – Discussion

The Nation Magazine Discussion Group

Thursday February 16, 5:30pm – Workshop

The Life of The Poet Workshop with Leonard Gontarek

Thursday, 5:30 –7 PM. $60 for four sessions.

Contact: Leonard Gontarek -gontarek9@earthlink.net

Tuesday February 14, 7pm – Poetry

The Moonstone Poetry Series Presents A Valentine’s Day Special Open Reading with features to be announced.

Monday February 13, 6:30 – Fiction Workshop

Philadelphia Stories Fiction Workshop

For more information, please email christine@philadelphiastories.org