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Local Life
Mt. Airy Grammy nominee breaks into ‘Top 10’ chart by MICHAEL J. MISHAK Chestnut Hill area native Aaron Levinson is quietly mounting a Latin revival from a pool house in suburban Wynnewood. With a new record label — Libertad Records — and a new album — Spanish Harlem Orchestra's Across 110th Street, Levinson, 40, is sitting pretty with a fixed Cheshire grin. Working from a small office at the Montgomery Avenue home of entertainment lawyer and Libertad co-owner John Robertson, he and his assistant fielded phone calls hours before their inaugural act played the Kimmel Center's Perelman Theater last month. They are deluged... ‘Earth’ to Chestnut Hill: We have all the beads you need by PAT STOKES David Brooks, senior editor for the Weekly Standard and op-ed columnist for the New York Times, has been on some of the talk shows recently expressing his thoughts about present-day American culture. His observations about where we’ve been, where we are, where we’re going, seem to me occasionally to strike some reasonable notes. Appearing on Radio Times, Marty Moss-Coane’s radio show newly adapted for television, Brooks revealed he grew up in Wayne, Pa., and considers himself partly a Philadelphian, familiar with the area. He mentioned Chestnut Hill, along with similar districts, in referring... Erdenheim WWII vet, 79, authors book about ‘my own holocaust’ By LAUREN FRITSKY One of the first things 79-year-old Frank Yarosh will tell you when you ask about his experiences in War World II is that he’s no hero. Yet, the suffering he endured as a young soldier is something most of us could never even fathom. While the war ended nearly 60 years ago, it will never be over for Yarosh. “I had my own holocaust,” Yarosh said. The Erdenheim resident, now a husband, father, grandfather, and retired engineer, was a prisoner of war (POW) in Germany during the winter of 1945. In 1992, Yarosh decided to write a book about his ordeal, entitled World War II is Not Over. He thought of the title one day when he was writing and his wife of 38 years, Margaret, asked when the war was going to be over for him. Yarosh’s beginnings were humble. He grew up in Lopez, PA as the oldest of four children. He spent... Fun-filled (rain-free) night of music at Pastorius Park By MICHAEL CARUSO Whether it was due to pity or merely a twisted sense of humor, the fates that control our weather decided to be kind to the organizers of the summer concert series in Chestnut Hill’s Pastorius Park by offering a virtually perfect mid-August evening last Wednesday for the final performance of the year. A large, diverse and enthusiastic audience was on hand to hear Zydeco-A-Go-Go present a vibrant and lighthearted program of popular and original songs. It took only a quick glance over the list of titles comprising the evening’s program to realize that one was in for a fun-filled experience. Selections such as “Jalapena Lena,” “Watch That Dog,” “Rock ’n’ Bowl Zydeco,” “Let Me Pass Through Your Window” and “Zydeco Queen” were bound to delight the audience — and delight it they did. People of all ages could... Mt. Airy-based society putting on Phila. Folk Festival this weekend by NATHAN LERNER If you mention the Philadelphia Folk Festival to most people, it evokes images of a pastoral setting. That's no big surprise since the event is held on the Old Pool Farm, outside of Schwenksville, Montgomery County. However, many are unaware that the headquarters for the Philadelphia Folksong Society, which sponsors the festival, is right here in Mt. Airy on Emlen Street. David Baskin, himself a longtime Mt. Airy resident, is the chairman of the Philadelphia Folk Festival. He observed, "West Mt. Airy is like our spiritual home with a large base of members and attendees." Now marking its historic 43rd edition, the festival will take place this year between Friday, August 27, and Sunday, August 29. It's always an interesting balancing act between tradition and innovation. Baskin clarified, "We try to keep the Festival the same but at the same time fresh and relevant." What is the the biggest change in this year's event? Baskin responded, "We've reset the main gate for easier access. The bus drops you right there. The new area inside will have the sales tent, a Philadelphia Folksong Society members' tent, the... |