Finally Fridays at the harvester with PARKER GISPERT
12.09.2022 - In keeping with the Harvester’s obvious philosophy of bringing “firsts” to Smithville and the Upper Cumberland playland, the live musical performances for this edition of Finally Fridays on December 9th took on a definite avant-garde flare, starting off with what I believe has to be the first solo saxophone artist I’ve ever heard perform outside of a Toronto street carnival, or a New York Subway. No guitar, piano, bongo drum…NO accompanying instrument.
The term avant-garde (favoring or introducing experimental or unusual ideas) also was certainly the apropos term in other aspects of the evening. Guest bartender and local DeKalb County native Jessie Kooinega was at the helm with his concoctions of hand-crafted cocktails that harken back to jazz age for sure…the libations that certainly put everyone in the mood along with the Harvester all aglow for Christmas. And the balmy weather certainly made for the cool vibe that the Harvester has been establishing over the months.
It didn’t take long to realize that Zach Tyler is not your “usual” saxophone player - Zach is a professional composer, arranger, teacher, and is VERY accomplished on his instrument of choice. His tonal quality, coupled with total technical command of his sax and utilization of the natural acoustics of the Flatwoods Stage concert hall at the Harvester, resulted in creating the perfect ambiance for one of the most laid-back and “cool” Happy Hours ever at the Harvester!
The headliner for the evening, Parker Gispert, continued the avant garde flare, and is amazing not only for his vast repertoire of songs from different genres, he can also mix genres within a single song, especially in some of his original songs. Country with a rock edge, rock with a country edge…whoops, there was a definite folky feel on that one.
Having appeared at Bert Driver’s Burlap Room during the 2021 Winter Series, Friday night was Parker’s first appearance on the Harvester Center stage, and he didn’t waste any time expanding his Burlap Room sound/presence to fill the larger room with his rich, full guitar beds and heartfelt vocals - and winning over all the music-lovers in attendance. Check out his newly released album, Golden Years for some of his best original songs.
Thanks to YaYa’s Food Truck for their incomparable “Food for the Soul”! We’re chuggin’ right on through Holiday Season 2022, don’t miss the special edition of Bert’s on Thursday, 12/15, featuring Isaac Cole the Burlap Room. And now it’s time dig around in the storage room and drag out that tacky sweater you never had the nerve to wear to any function EXCEPT to our Tacky Sweater Dance Party (with special guest DJ ROB) coming up on THIS Friday, 12/16 – Heck, you might even win the “Tackiest Sweater” grand prize (tbd)...AND, it’s the Harvester’s very first Ladie’s Night – All Ladies = NO cover!
If you want, you can even wear that same tacky sweater to the special Christmas Eve Eve concert scheduled for the Harvester on Friday, 12/23 featuring Jon Wayne Hatfield, in what will be your last chance to party at the Harvester in 2022!
Stay up-to-date with all the events in the Bert Driver Network (Nursery, Burlap Room, and the Harvester Event Center) by signing up for our Burlapper Newsletter - our next edition will have our first shows of 2023, including the return of Comedy Night, and a special Spring Formal Benefit Event at the Harvester! All tickets for all Burlap Room and Harvester Event Center can be purchased at burlaproom.eventbrite.com.
Stay tuned! I wanna ‘hippie’potamus for Christmas!
📸 Harvester staff & Matthew Antoniak
