The Buckthorns, jazz quintet at Cabin Fever Music Series

Gorton Community Center in Lake Forest is reviving and livening up an old community favorite this winter: its Cabin Fever Music Series. The series began Sunday, Jan. 15, with a sold-out performance by Red Rose Jazz in the intimate setting of the Center's Stuart Community Room. Overflow tickets were sold into the Nagel room, and everyone had a great time listening to the sweet sounds of ragtime jazz performed by top level musicians in their craft.

"Red Rose Jazz is the last remnant of the old series at Gorton, so we felt there was nothing better to kickoff the new series," said Ann Wildman, events director at Gorton. "The rest of the new series will broaden the musical landscape to offer a little something for everyone, and appeal to a wide age group."

The series continues with a musical variety show produced and performed by local favorites The Buckthorns at 4 p.m. on Jan. 22. This will incorporate all the things the community has come to enjoy about the Buckthorns, with new theatrical elements thrown in, including a stand-up comedian.

"Those familiar with our performances won't want to miss this new iteration - and we hope to widen our audience to some who haven't heard us before in this new venue," said Sheri Passalino, Gorton Performing Arts Committee member and board member. All current members of The Buckthorns have roots in either Lake Forest or Lake Bluff. In addition to performing at numerous private parties in the Lake Forest/Lake Bluff community, The Buckthorns have performed for groups such as Artists on the Bluff, Rotary International, Lake Forest Hospital and Catholic Charities, and at locations ranging from the far south suburbs of Chicago to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.

Then, Jan. 29 will bring up-and-coming jazz artist Alyssa Allgood and her quintet to Gorton for the very first time at 4 p.m. Her most recent recording, "Out of the Blue," has won accolades across the industry, including the New York City Jazz Review 2016 Best Debut Release and the Huffington Post's Best Jazz of 2016, and received a 4-star review from Downbeat Magazine. Alyssa performed at the 2016 Chicago Jazz Festival, has been a featured performer on "Jazz Showcase" on WDCB Listener-Supported Jazz & Blues many times, was a 2016 Finalist at the Mid-Atlantic Jazz Festival, is a Luminarts Cultural Foundation 2016 jazz fellow, and has appeared locally on Fox 32 Chicago and ABC 7 Chicago.

According to National Jazz Review, "She has an innate ability to find the center of the music and she doesn't waste notes when she sings the melodies or when she scats."

The series will finish at 7:30 p.m. on March 18 with Don Stiernberg and his trio performing bluegrass for the community. A native Chicagoan, Don Stiernberg grew up "out in the woods" in Wauconda where "a mandolin found him" and led to his passion for this unique instrument. Things came into focus both mandolin and life-wise when his parents sent Don to study with Jethro Burns, the greatest mandolinist of his time. From the very first lesson, Burns was more than a teacher; he was role model, hero, mentor, and friend, and Stiernberg was hooked and hooked bad. His earliest professional experience was in a bluegrass band with his brother - The Morgan Bros. - and a bit later in The Jethro Burns Quartet.

The evening of bluegrass at Gorton affords Don an opportunity to return to his roots and explore and present a style of music he truly loves. Hand-picked "All Stars" Chris Walz on banjo, Ben Benedict on guitar, and Christian Dillingham on bass will be there, forming a traditional acoustic quartet and rendering everything from Bill Monroe, Jim and Jesse, and The Stanley Brothers to fiddle and banjo tunes and country and rock, all in bluegrass style.

All of these performances will take place in the intimate setting of the Stuart Community Room. Concert attendees will have the pleasure of sitting around cabaret tables and will be treated to small bites. A cash bar will also be available.

"After this strong start to the series, we hope each week will be a great turnout, and the community will find this reason to get out of the house in the middle of winter a welcome treat," Executive Director Amy Wagliardo said. "We hope to build on this series to offer more live music opportunities throughout the year at Gorton, both in the Stuart Community Room and in the John & Nancy Hughes Theater."

The Deerpath Inn will offer patrons a dessert special when they dine after the concerts on Jan. 22 and March 18 in the White Hart Pub.

Tickets are available in advance at www.gortoncenter.org/cabin-fever, and patrons are encouraged to purchase prior to the day of show to ensure a seat. Check out all the fun at www.gortoncenter.org/calendar.