SATURDAY NIGHT!!!

JAZZ FUSION comes to Mt. Vernon…

The Convivial Society sounds more like a pomp and circumstance literary group, but when they get together to play Jazz Fusion, the sound is anything but. Forget pipe smoke, political renderings, or dull debatable topics and expect experimental sound coming from musicians who love what they do. They will perform in the Cultural Arts Center Courtyard just one block west of the Mt. Vernon town square Saturday evening at the DRIVEN Film Festival, a local venue celebrating film and the one-hundredth anniversary of the Bankhead Highway.

James Peters plays bass and guitar; he is the founder of the “Freakfase Presents” organization in the Los Angles arts community. I did spell Freakfase correctly. Did I say this group is anything but common? A composer and performance artist, Peters also founded the “Invanquishable DJs” of San Francisco Bay pirate radio fame. 

Then there is “Dr. Intoxication” Kaiser Knox on guitar and vocals. A performing artist in the Dallas area, Knox’s sharp wit is as polished as his guitar playing.

Matt Shaw beats out the strings with his percussion skills. Based in Dallas, Shaw was classically trained in orchestra percussion and rudimental snare drum and now focuses on jazz and improvisation electronics. He’s the man that keeps your foot tapping. 

James Gaskin comes in on violin and bass guitar and is the leader of a popular classical chamber group, the First Desk Quartet. From college days on an electric violin, his rock and roll has morphed into classical creativity peppered with spirit. 

The Convivial Society is bound to set new boundaries for musical lovers and the whole evening event is set around the speakeasy days of prohibition. Chairs will be available, but your favorite lawn chair might be more comfortable. The music follows an afternoon of film including the Texas Historical Commission Bankhead Highway videos. The 2016 featured film director, Brad Maule of Dr. Tony/General Hospital fame, will finish out the wrap-up party.

The Franklin County Arts Alliance has been promoting the arts for over twenty years. For information call Jean at 903-305-8023 or email Christian at franklincountyarts@gmail.com. Our website is in the process of being revamped as soon as a creative web-master ends up on our steps, sorry for any inconvenience. 

*Photos courtesy of The Convivial Society

THIS FRIDAY NIGHT!!!

GLITZ, GLAMOUR AND PHONOGRAPH MUSIC FROM THE PAST

Tallulah Bankhead, granddaughter of Alabama Senator and Bankhead Highway promoter John Bankhead was a colorful character in the early era of filmmaking. The Franklin County Arts Alliance is hosting a Glitz & Glamour Soiree on Friday 6 p.m., September 9th in her honor and to open up the Franklin County Arts Alliance DRIVEN Film Festival celebrating film and the Bankhead Highway that begin traveling past the Mt. Vernon town square just four years before the Franklin County Courthouse, just recently renovated, was built.

Classically trained at Le Cordon Bleu in Dallas, Caterer & Certified Personal Fitness Chef, Donna Copeland has spent countless hours on this fundraiser concocting a crystal and high-end culinary experience that alone would dazzle guests, but topped off with the unforgettable deep-throated sound of 1920-30’s phonograph record music this gala promises a classy start for the festival. Both Chef Donna and Dustin Ellis from the Mt. Pleasant Edison Phonograph Museum will be on hand to greet guests and share their expertise.(Photo courtesy of Donna Copeland.)

                                                                                      *Photo courtesy of Mt. Pleasant Daily Tribune

Saturday afternoon is filled with films and film-related personalities, ending with Jazz Fusion in the Cultural Arts Courtyard and a live presentation by 2016 featured film director, Brad Maule. For information call Jean at 903-305-8023 or email Christian at franklincountyarts@gmail.com. Our website is in the process of being revamped as soon as a creative web-master ends up on our steps, sorry for any inconvenience.

BRAD MAULE TO JOIN DRIVEN'S SATURDAY FESTIVITIES

DR. TONY IS MORE THAN A CHARACTER IN TELEVISION’S FAVORITE SOAP!

When Brad Maule left Texas for California on a whim, he didn’t know his dream of having an acting career would result in his death…twenty-four times his character, Dr. Tony, was killed off in the popular television soap, General Hospital.   The fans brought him back to life every time until his final demise from Ebola.  Maule spent 22 years on the show and thirty some years in California involved in the film industry.  He is this year’s featured director at the Franklin County Arts Alliance DRIVEN Film Festival in Mt. Vernon Saturday, September 10^th.

During a summer film class Maul referred to cinematic language as a thought process that has existed a mere one-hundred years, which would make it about as old as the Bankhead (Broadway of America), an early transcontinental highway that passed by the Mt. Vernon town square and is being celebrated along with film at this year’s DRIVEN festival.  Brad Maule now hosts the “Maule in the Morning” radio show at KSFA radio station in Lufkin and is a film instructor at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches.

Maule often incorporates the local community in feature length and short film projects.  He will be showing 1938 Nacogdoches, a student film recreated from found footage on Saturday afternoon. Maule believes the future of film will be in Streaming and Virtual Reality.  He says “we are in the age of the Image and that the film industry needs 48 hours of you-tubes every day –that’s eight years of content every day.”  Personal, informative and entertaining, Brad Maule and will follow up the Convivial Society Jazz Fusion performance in the evening with words and guitar.

FRIDAY NIGHT'S GLITZ & GLAMOUR SOIREE

GLITZ, GLAMOUR AND PHONOGRAPH MUSIC FROM THE PAST

Tallulah Bankhead, granddaughter of Alabama Senator and Bankhead Highway promoter John Bankhead was a colorful character in the early era of filmmaking.  The Franklin County Arts Alliance is hosting a Glitz & Glamour Soiree on Friday 6 p.m., September 9^th in her honor and to open up the Franklin County Arts Alliance DRIVEN Film Festival celebrating film and the Bankhead Highway that begin traveling past the Mt. Vernon town square just four years before the Franklin County Courthouse, just recently renovated, was built.

Classically trained at Le Cordon Bleu in Dallas, Caterer & Certified Personal Fitness Chef, Donna Copeland has spent countless hours on this fundraiser concocting a crystal and high-end culinary experience that alone would dazzle guests, but topped off with the unforgettable deep-throated sound of 1920-30’s phonograph record music this gala promises a classy start for the festival.  Both Chef Donna and Dustin Ellis from the Mt. Pleasant Edison Phonograph Museum will be on hand to greet guests and share their expertise.

Photo courtesy of the Mt. Pleasant Daily Tribune

Saturday afternoon is filled with films and film-related personalities, ending with Jazz Fusion in the Cultural Arts Courtyard and a live presentation by 2016 featured film director, Brad Maule.

FCAA'S DRIVEN FILM FESTIVAL OVERVIEW

BANKHEAD HIGHWAY DRIVEN FILM FESTIVAL (September 9-10)----------This April (2016), the Optic-Herald reported approximately 40 vintage cars took time to circle the Mt. Vernon plaza, stopping 30 minutes before continuing on their trip commemorating the 100^th Anniversary of the Bankhead Highway.  That was 15 minutes more than was reported SEVENTY-NINE years ago in May of 1937.  The Optic article at that time titled “Goodwill Caravan Welcomed by Band.” reported the time as exactly 2:49 Sunday afternoon.  Music blaring, a group of boosting townsmen welcomed the big Broadway of America Caravan of 35-40 automobiles.  The 2016 group was on its way to Odessa, Texas but the 1937 group was going across the country from San Diego, California to New York City. 

The Bankhead/Broadway of America traversed Mt. Vernon’s Main Street and was an early transcontinental highway.  Drivers and passengers in the mobile contraptions of the early days traveled at 10 miles an hour and watched in amazement as the fence posts flew by.  The Bankhead was a major reason for small town prosperity in its heyday.  Today, bypasses leave merchants fretting, but the Texas Historical Commission and Texas Tourism are working to reestablish the route’s former glory and increase traveler awareness of small town Texas. 

The DRIVEN Film Festival at the FCAA Cultural Arts Center in Mt. Vernon kicks off Friday, September 9^th at 6 p.m. with a Tallulah Bankhead Glitz & Glamour Soiree.  Saturday, September 10^th begins with films at 2 p.m. to include the Texas Historical Commission Bankhead Highway‘s competition videos collected to promote tourism and awareness of the Bankhead’s role in early Texas prosperity. 

Film personality both in front and behind the camera, Brad Maule will be speaking and showing a student film he directed.  The evening focuses on Jazz Fusion music by the Convivial Society and closes with Maule’s entertaining expertise.  Please call Jean at 903-305-8023 or Christian at franklincountyarts@gmail.com for more information about the film festival.  Sorry, website not current. 

2016 DRIVEN FILM FESTIVAL SCHEDULE

2016 DRIVEN SCHEDULE

FCAA FILM FESTIVAL on the BANKHEAD HIGHWAY

SEPTEMBER 9-10

Cultural Arts Center, 100 Rusk-MT.VERNON,TX

FRIDAY

6 p.m. TALLULAH BANKHEAD GLITZ & GLAMOUR SOIREE

1920-30’s Gala Opening Featuring

*Culinary Delights (Chef Donna Copeland)

*Edison Phonograph Music (Dustin Ellis)

***

SATURDAY

2-7 p.m.: Spotlight on the GENERAL LEE

* Iconic Car from Dukes of Hazzard 1970’s TV series

TRAVEL THE BANKHEAD

*2-4:30p.m. INDEPENDENT FILMS

Book Trailers-Creative Film-Documentary

THC Bankhead Hwy Faces & Places Submissions & Awards

*4:30p.m. GUEST DIRECTOR BRAD MAULE

SFA Student film: Rediscovering Nacogdoches 1938

6 p.m. SPEAKEASY OPENS IN COURTYARD

* JAZZ FUSION presented by The Convivial Society

* SPECIAL APPEARANCE Brad Maule   (Dr. Tony on General Hospital)