Standing Rock Cultural Arts'"Around the World" Music SeriespresentsThe Five Islands - Calypsos from the Golden Age8:00 p.m., Saturday, October 8, 2016North Water Street Gallery 300 N. Water Street, Suite HKent, Ohio$10 suggested donation (or pay what you can)preceded by 7:30 p.m. meet-and-greet featuring light food and drinks For the first concert of the "Around the World" Music Series' second season, we are pleased to present The Five Islands, an acoustic quintet dedicated to the performance of early calypso music from the Caribbean island nation of Trinidad and Tobago, dating from the genre's formative period in the early 20th century. The Five Islands' repertoire consists primarily of classic instrumental calypsos by the pioneering Trinidadian composer and recording artist Lionel Belasco (1881-1967). Drawing on elements of West Indian folk music, infused with the traditional sounds of nearby Venezuela, and refined by influences from classical music and American jazz, beginning around 1914 Belasco forged an infectious and sophisticated new style of dance music that was to become one of the great roots music traditions of the Americas. Like tango, choro, son, dixieland, and Cajun music, which were also developing around the same time, this early calypso was documented and disseminated worldwide via 78-rpm records. The band's performance will also include a few medleys from the first known recordings of Lovey's Trinidad String Band, dating from around 1912. These early calypso works were integral to the popularization of West Indian music and influenced composers like Belasco. The band's name is inspired by a group of small islets off the coast of Port of Spain, Trinidad, which are simply known as "The Five Islands." The Five Islands are:Zachary Smolko - fiddle and banjoAnthony Papaleo - guitar and fiddleChristina Freno - ukuleleRaymond Scott - ukulele and clarinetTim DelVecchio - double bass A 7:30 p.m. meet-and-greet featuring complimentary snacks will precede the 8 p.m. program. A variety of beverages (including tropical cocktails made with genuine Trinidadian rum) will be on hand for a nominal charge. About the band: Zach, Ray, and Tim have been performing together in various groups since the late '90s. They are best known in the Cleveland area for performing as both The Abductees and The Helper T-Cells. Both bands were known for their inventive songwriting and eccentric live performances. Anthony, Christina, and Zach joined together in 2010 to form an old-time music group called The Little Ol' Me's. In the early 2000s Ray discovered the music of Lionel Belasco from the film "Ghost World." He shared that finding with Zach and several years later they began to slowly learn the tunes together. After accruing a plethora of early calypso tunes, they established The Five Islands. Facebook event page:https://www.facebook.com/events/1652818818363704/ *  *  *  *  * The North Water Street Gallery is conveniently located just a block north of the intersection of Main and Water Streets in Kent, Ohio, with free street parking on both sides of the street. Seating is limited, so arrive early for the best seats. ---------------- Established in 2015, the "Around the World" Music Series is a concert series presenting outstanding musicians from diverse cultures in an intimate setting. Concerts are held approximately every other month in the new theater space of the North Water Street Gallery in downtown Kent, Ohio. The series is an initiative of Standing Rock Cultural Arts, and is curated by ethnomusicologist David Badagnani. Standing Rock Cultural Arts Facebook page:https://www.facebook.com/SRCAKent Standing Rock Cultural Arts official site:http://www.standingrock.net/