Frankie Manning, the acknowledged king of the Savoy lindy hop, might, incredibly, be ninety years old, but he's still going strong, and so is the Frankie Manning Weekend -- a local tradition, now in its eighth year, hosted annually by Karen Lee Dance Theatre. Age is apparently not an obstacle, and the demolition last year of Lee's longtime Speer Boulevard studio won't stop the show, either. This year's version -- a staccato whirlwind of workshops, performances and dance parties with Manning and his hoofing son, Chazz Young -- will go on today through Saturday at DU's Driscoll Ballroom, 2055 East Evans Avenue. All events cost $15 at the door; packages can also be purchased in advance by calling 303-825-1116. For a complete schedule, log on to www.karenleedance.com.
What started out as an all-girl club has recently opened the door to boys, too, but the overall message of Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day remains the same: Women can do anything they want, and the professionals among their ranks in America back up that idea with hard fact. Every year, the Colorado Women's Chamber of Commerce hosts an annual luncheon in celebration of the observance; this year's version is called "When I Grow Up" and features a slew of female guests from different professions, including women police officers, journalists, veterinarians, political figures, electricians and others, who will meet and greet young attendees. The keynote speaker is Kathleen Kennedy Townsend, former lieutenant governor of Maryland and U.S. deputy assistant attorney general. Share the inspiration, today from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Adam's Mark Hotel, 1550 Court Place. Admission is $20 to $40; call 303-458-0220 or log on to www.cwcc.org.
Friday, April 23
Was there ever an actor more debonair than Cary Grant? It's doubtful, and none exists today, though George Clooney certainly looks spiffy in a tux. Grant was handsome, he was funny, he was romantic and he was, quite simply, the very devil-may-care embodiment of the kind of man any woman might wrap her arms around if given the chance. Grant would have been 100 this year had he not passed away after a stroke in 1986. The folks at the Colorado Spring Fine Arts Center will bring back a taste of Grant's innate glamour this weekend with Cary Grant's 100th Birthday Celebration, a truncated film festival featuring four of Grant's best flicks; it's topped off tomorrow evening by "The Cary Grant Few People Knew," a loving presentation by Grant biographer Nancy Nelson. The event begins tonight at 7:30 p.m. with a screening of Alfred Hitchcock's transcendent North by Northwest (see Flick Pick), followed by The Philadelphia Story tomorrow and Bringing Up Baby and Notorious on Sunday. Admission is $5 to $7 per film, $15 to $20 for the April 24 lecture/film package, or $25 to $35 for a full-festival pass; call 1-719-634-5583 for tickets or log on to www.csfineartscenter.org for information. The center is at 30 West Dale Street, Colorado Springs.
A largely unexplored part of the Lewis and Clark phenomenon can be seen through the lens of photographer Greg MacGregor in Lewis and Clark Revisited: A Trail in Modern Day. The touring exhibit opens today at the Longmont Museum and Cultural Center, 400 Quail Road in Longmont. MacGregor retraced the trailblazing American team's path over a period of six years, snapping black-and-white photos that document changes to the land brought on at the hands of man. He ironically pairs his observant works with journal entries made by Lewis and Clark; the Longmont Museum staff augmented the exhibit with historical reproductions and interactive components. A reception will be held tonight from 7 to 9 p.m., and the show continues through July 18; two related lectures are scheduled at 7 p.m. on May 12 and June 23. Call 303-651-8374 or log on to www.ci.longmont.co.us/museum.
Saturday, April 24
Top women writers from around the state will be coming out of the woodwork at today's Colorado Women Authors' Luncheon, a benefit for Zonta of Jefferson County that features novelists Rikki Ducornet and Marisol, poet Kathryn Winograd and editor Carleen Brice, who will read from and sign copies of their books. KNRC radio talk-show host Enid Goldstein serves as emcee. The luncheon runs from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the Pinehurst Country Club, 6255 West Quincy Avenue; to reserve tickets, $45, call 303-759-9466.
Sunday, April 25
Betcha didn't know that April is National Jazz Appreciation Month -- but now that you do, don't let it slip away without appreciating the American-inspired art form. Our region offers some lovely opportunities today, beginning with the Five Points Jazz Concert, which is hosted by the Denver Office of Art, Culture and Film to draw attention to this summer's City Free Concert Series. Mood Express, the Denver Jazz Orchestra with Sam Bivens, and Purnell Steen's Le Jazz Machine will perform for free from 2 to 5 p.m. in Sonny Lawson Park, Park Avenue West and Welton Street; future series concerts at Sloan's Lake Park, City Park and Red Rocks Amphitheatre will soon be announced. Call 303-640-6943 or log on to www.denvergov.org/artculturefilm. Meanwhile, a powerhouse quartet of local musicians -- pianist Eric Gunnison, trumpeter Ron Miles, saxophonist Peter Sommers and drummer Paul Romaine -- will offer a little lesson in jazz history with a Tribute to Bud Powell, a celebration of the late, great pianist, today at 2:30 p.m. at the First Universalist Church, 4101 East Hampden Avenue. Admission is $10 to $12 at the door; call 303-758-2675 for information. And at the Lakewood Cultural Center, 470 South Allison Parkway, pianist Benny Green, a classically trained Jazz Messengers alumnus, and jazz guitarist Russell Malone create electricity together at 4 p.m. today. For tickets, $20 to $22, call 303-987-7875 or log on to www.lakewood.org.
Monday, April 26
Roots musician and all-around character Taj Mahal has always combined his love of traditional tunes with a talent for keeping them fresh. Now, Taj's Hula Blues project intertwines country blues and island rhythms in his inimitable laid-back style. Expect to have a good time when Taj Mahal performs tonight at the Boulder Theater, 2032 14th Street, Boulder. The Otis Taylor Band warms up at 7:30 p.m.; for tickets, $25, call 303-786-7030 or log on to www.bouldertheater.com.
Tuesday, April 27
Any band that dares to call itself the Bastard Sons of Johnny Cash can't be all bad, and it is with a loving touch that San Diego post-punker Mark Stuart and crew dish out their own brand of honky-tonk, written in, but not necessarily derivative of, Cash's long shadow. The Man in Black didn't mind a bit when he was still with us. Hear the Sons wail tonight at 10 p.m. at Cervantes' Masterpiece Ballroom, 2637 Welton Street. Admission is $8; call 303-297-1772 or log on to www.cervantesmasterpiece.com.
Wednesday, April 28
An outspoken and larger-than-life voice for wildlife preservation brings his message to the Denver Museum of Nature & Science, 2001 Colorado Boulevard, for An Evening With Richard Leakey, tonight at 7 p.m. in the Phipps IMAX Theater. Leakey, who's worked to end elephant poaching in Kenya, will discuss challenges facing conservationists in Africa today; tickets, which benefit the East African Wild Life Society, are $20 to $25 (patron tickets, $70 to $75, include admission to a post-lecture reception with Leakey). For reservations, call 303-322-7009 or log on to www.dmns.org.
