BOOK Thursday, Jan. 12 Landon Turner book signing Landon Turner, who starred on Indiana University’s 1981 national championship basketball team and then was paralyzed in a car wreck later that year, appears Thursday at an IU Southeast basketball game to sign copies of his new book, “Tales from the 1980-81 Indiana Hoosiers.†Turner was a tall and talented forward who also gained notoriety that season as he “responded to coaching†from Indiana coach Bobby Knight and realized his potential as the championship team jelled. After Turner’s accident, Knight and IU teammates rallied in his support, and over the years Turner has remained close to Hoosier basketball. No. 14-ranked in NAIA Division II, IU Southeast (16-1) faces KIAC rival Brescia University in the 7:30 p.m. game, with Turner signing before, at halftime and after the game. —Bill Doolittle IU Southeast Activities Building 4210 Grant Line Road, New Albany 7:30 p.m.
MUSIC Thursday, Jan. 12 The Shooting Gallery CD release show In November of last year, LEO presented its Five Important Questions to the countrified Louisville rock outfit The Shooting Gallery in anticipation of the release of the band’s new album, Sailor’s Mouth, on ear X-tacy Records. Some time has obviously passed since then, and some haranguing about release dates has occurred, and now it’s time for the thing to actually have a proper release. That’s the impetus for tomorrow’s show at Headliners, which also marks the first “Simple 5 Series†concert, a series by local company Production Simple that will offer a year’s worth of $5 shows at the venue, which is good. The Greenhornes, who have a growing national reputation, will be on hand, as will Louisville’s newest 12-bar rockabilly band The Ladybirds, whose female singer has a nice pompadour. You should see it. —Stephen George Headliners Music Hall 1386 Lexington Road 584-8088 $5; 8 p.m. 18+
BOOK Friday, Jan. 13 ‘The Kentucky Anthology’ Any attempt to capture the literary wealth of our Commonwealth is bound to make for a huge book and likely to leave a few nitpickers wondering why some of their favorites got left out. But Wade Hall has gamely given it the ol’ college try (maybe substitute Bellarmine University for “college,†since that’s where Hall teaches) with “The Kentucky Anthology,†just out from University Press of Kentucky. Do the nearly-900 pages meander among obscurities of generations past? Only to the extent that the treasures here might inspire serendipitous page-skipping more often than cover-to-cover reading. Sample the biographical notes, and the stories/excerpts/letters/poems, and you’ll see this is about as good a compendium as can be hoped for. Where else will you see Frank X. Walker and Jefferson Davis under the same cover? Or Sue Grafton, Michael Dorris, Muhammed Ali and Kathleen Driskell sharing space with Charles Dickens? Editor Hall will lead discussion and signing at Barnes & Noble Friday evening, and numerous other contributors are expected to join him there. (Another recent signing had a dozen area authors in attendance.) —T.E. Lyons Barnes & Noble 801 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy. 426-0255 Free; 7 p.m.
COMEDY Saturday, Jan. 14 Improvapalooza 5.5 Comedian Bob Wiltfong will join the Louisville Improvisors and Rickets & Randy for one night of improvisation, sketch comedy and improvisational ventriloquism. Wiltfong is a veteran of “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart†and is also currently seen in the new Domino’s Pizza as the guy with serious “lamp time†issues. Wiltfong is also set to appear in forthcoming spots for Jackson Hewitt Tax Service and has co-written a pilot called “The Weathermen Boys†that he is currently pitching to networks. But in the meantime, he’s on the road, and at Improvapalooza 5.5 he’ll offer up some of his funky New York-style comedy in the River City with Louisville Improv regulars Chris Anger, Alec Volz and Joshua Lane. —Kevin Gibson MeX Theater, Kentucky Center 584-7777 www.louisvilleimprov.com $10-$12; 8 p.m.
MUSIC Saturday, Jan. 14 ‘Shout, Sister, Shout’ Is Sister Rosetta Tharpe’s legacy worthy of a grand tribute concert? Hey, that’s gospel. But the lineup coming to the Kentucky Center is particularly worthy of note. Single-named singular sensation Odetta is revered by most who’ve listened to folk over the last half-century. But for anyone who just now found Americana through alt-country coffeehouses or VH1, note that this woman is a legend. She takes gigs that speak to her spirit rather than her wallet, and dabbles in so many musical genres that her impact is shorted by the madness of modern focused marketing. By herself she’d be worth the modest ticket price for this celebration of Tharpe (which goes by the title “Shout, Sister, Shoutâ€). Also participating is another singer of considerable legacy, Marie Knight — and keep an eye on Knight’s backup band, because they’re the Holmes Brothers, who will at some point come out for their own set. The New York-based Brothers (who also play Friday at WFPK-FM’s Live Lunch at noon) are powerhouses at all sorts of folk-soul and blues-based pop styles. —T.E. Lyons Brown Theatre 315 W. Broadway www.kentuckycenter.org 584-7777 $19.75-$37.75; 8 p.m.
MUSIC Sunday, Jan. 15 A PEACE of musical harmony Louisville Orchestra’s strings, led by associate conductor Robert Franz, will pulsate during a concert to honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The program, “I Too, Have a Dream,†consists of inspirational works, which links historic to modern Civil Rights through a sound of peaceful understanding. One arrangement includes “Rosa Parks Boulevard.†Along with the orchestra, the Kentucky State University Gospel Ensemble, baritone Lawrence Craig and O’Dell Henderson, who will recite a dramatic piece at the event, will also perform. Also at the concert, Major Jerry Abramson will present the 2006 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Freedom Award to the communal Civil Rights activist Raoul Cunningham, president of the Louisville Branch NAACP for his dedication to non-violence and racial equality. Last but not least, TARC will provide free transportation to and from the Kentucky Center for this event (go to www.louisvilleorchestra.org for a schedule). —Tytianna Wells Whitney Hall, Kentucky Center 585-9424 Free; 3 p.m.
ART Through Feb. 8 ‘Winter Blooms’ by Robert Stagg Bob Stagg is a gardener, and the flowers from his garden have become the focus of his art. “I enjoy the challenge of painting directly from life,†he says. His works result in highly detailed, naturalistic blossoms. Influenced by the Italian Renaissance, especially Leonardo da Vinci, he believes his floral studies continue its long tradition. With such strong passions for both art and gardening, I’m not sure if he should be called a painter who gardens or a gardener who paints. Nevertheless, it’s his art that is blossoming beautifully. —Jo Anne Triplett B. Deemer Gallery 2650 Frankfort Ave. 896-6687 www.bdeemer.com Free; Mon.-Fri. 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m., Sat. 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
ART Through Feb. 24 Gayle Williamson After the censorship of Patrick Donley’s work from Chase Bank, the Louisville Visual Art Association had to find something safe to put in the bank’s lobby gallery. “Safe†doesn’t have to be boring or less creative; in the case of fiber artist Gayle Williamson, her work is extremely artistic and highly detailed. Williamson is one of the most talented embroiderers in the state and has been acknowledged as such by the Kentucky Arts Council. Her work is inspired by Renaissance art and her travels in Europe and Indonesia. You may not realize what can be achieved with embroidery until you examine her work. —Jo Anne Triplett Chase Gallery 416 W. Jefferson St. 896-2146 (LVAA) www.louisvillevisualart.org Free; Mon.-Fri. 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
