Arts & More: the Bryan MIchael Fischer Band, plus a couple who've hit the road to promote racial healing

By: Lorraine Caron
Undated
July 29, 2010
WMUK

The Bryan Michael Fischer Band has been together for less than a year. It's named after its lead vocalist and also includes drummer Allen "Spider" Hill, guitarist Bryan Blowers and bass player Bill LaValley. It was LaValley who served as the band's spokesman earlier this week:

"For the most part, blues may be in the center, but Brian is blurring the line and bringing us all over the place.  So this is a representation of a lot of different kinds of music.  And it's a little edgy...sort of a power quartet.  The music has a spareness, not a lot of over-instrumentation."

The original song "Poor Man's Dream" was written by Fischer.

"That's a bit of a jump tune,  with a twist, a little bit of an an edge to it. That's Brian's song with some lyrics he says he had in his back pocket for about 8 years.  He had an idea of a song and between him and Bryan Blowers they put it together.  The drummer put in some real interesting, non-traditional blues stops.

Bill LaValley spent several recent years playing in the Kalamazoo-based Blue Moon Blues Band.  He says his passion for music began when he was in elementary school. By day he provides mental health therapy services but LaValley adds that music has always helped keep him grounded:

"Turns out that music is my therapy.  I hear people's problems and I hear the most horrible things that have happened to people all day long.  It's really toxic.  A lot of therapists go to see therapists.  I turn to my guitar and I go to the band and I sit up at 11 o'clock at night and write song lyrics.  And, it takes that poison out of me and puts something else, better, in it's place."

The Bryan Michael Fischer Band recorded its first CD called Blurring the Line when the quartet had been together only a couple of months. Now LaValley says they're gearing up to return to the studio:

"I'm also the business guy in the band.  I keep the trains running on time. I do all theproject management type stuff, so I just say this is when we're gonna be in the studio, from 11 to 5, and they just show up and do their job."

The Bryan Michael Fischer Band performs Friday, July 30^th, at Billy's Lounge in Grand Rapids and the following night at Bell's Beer in Kalamazoo.

Since 1997, a white couple from the Midwest has traveled the United States, living in their RV.  Phyllis and Eugene Unterschuetz are on a mission to eliminate racial prejudice.  In May, their book Longing: Stories Of Racial Healing was published. On Saturday, July 31^st, they'll do readings and presentations about their project in Battle Creek. Eugene says their work is motivated by a belief in the oneness of humanity:

" You cannot draw a picture of a typical American because we're so diverse now.  We represent every country and nation on earth.  That's what America is.  How did this come about?  Why is our nation so diverse? We belive it's part of this process of the coming together of the human family and that the US has a particular role in learning what that diversity means to us and how we can use it to our advantage and once we learn about that to demonstrate that to the rest of the world."

The Unterschuetzs have presented a workshop called "From The Same Dust" to colleges and universities, civic organizations, neighborhood groups and religious gatherings throughout the U.S.  More recently they've used informal storytelling to share with diverse audiences their personal struggles to overcome their own racial conditioning. 

Phyllis says their stories are the basis of their book. She says it includes thirty stories illustrating times when they became aware of their own racial conditioning. She says there's no point is feeling guilty or being in denial about our racial conditioning. Phyllis says all Americans have been subjected to it even though they didn't ask for it. But she says being willing to speak honestly creates a connection and trust between people of different races..

Phyllis and Eugene Unterscheutz will talk about their book Longing: Stories of Racial Healing at Lakeview Square Mall in Battle Creek on Saturday, July 31^st, between 1 and 3:15 p.m. You can learn more about their project on their Web page.

In other events:

The Vibe At Five concert series continues in Battle Creek this evening with music from Los Bandits and dance from Fantisia Ballet Folklorico. The event is free and goes from 5-8pm at Mill Race Park.

Kinetic Affect LIVE is on Saturday, July 31st, from 2-4 at Studio 246 on the North Kalamazoo Mall.  The topic is education and the Kalamazoo Promise and the musical guest is Brandon Seventh McCall.

The Traverse City Film Festival is taking place through August 1^st.  This event celebrates independent filmmakers. Details and a schedule of screenings and other events can be found online.

The Riviera Theatre in Three Rivers is showing the documentary Joan Rivers: A piece of Work August 1^st through 6^th. The film follows Rivers for a year as the 76 year old comedian fights to keep her career thriving. More information is available at the Riviera's Web page.

The 73^rd Annual Magic Get-Together is August 4^th through the 7^th in Colon. Over 600 professional magicians from around the world are expected to participate in lectures, family events and performances.

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