Speaking Volumes

 I may be prejudiced but I love our library and all its treasures. If you're fond of Connecticut History and haven't picked up the Hog River Journal in our magazine department, it's time you did. Published quarterly by The Hartford Public Library, as a program of its' historic Hartford Collection, it is truly a gem and a wealth of information. Consider the Fall 2008 edition, And the Beat Goes On, dedicated to our state's musical history. It features some surprising and possibly little known stories. I never realized that during the late 19th century that Ivoryton produced most of the world's ivory piano keys. This story is told by Christopher Pagliuco, a history teacher and Ivoryton resident. Mary M. Donohue covers all the great performers who have visited Toad's Place in New Haven, and Libby Van Cleeve provides an informative article about composer Charles Ives. Two of our major theaters, East Haddam's Goodspeed Opera House, and New Haven's fabled Shubert Theater, Civil War song writer, Henry C. Clay, and Karen and Richard Carpenter also get in depth treatment in this outstanding issue .Lastly, an article by Melonae McLean tells how her dad, Jackie McLean, jazz alto saxophonist, composer, band leader and educator, born in New York City, happened to end up in Connecticut and give birth to two institutions, The African American Music Department at the Hart School University (renamed The Jackie McClean Institute of Jazz in 2000) and the Artists Collective, Inc. If you'd like to hear some of the music discussed in And the Beat Goes On, visit Hear This!.

This covers only one issue! Imagine what stories are contianed in the others.My only wish is that Hog River Journal was published at least six times a year.

If you're curious as to why it's called Hog River Journal, take out one of the issues to find out or read the history here http://www.hogriver.org/issues/v01n01/hog_river_history.htm.