ON AN ANCIENT, scratchy recording made circa 1926, Texas-born singer-guitarist Blind Lemon Jefferson began a song with the bold statement: “The blues came from Texas, loping like a mule.” The Lone Star state certainly birthed its own lonesome hybrid of the blues — distinct from the Mississippi Delta — that drew upon several styles of music, including big band music of the swing era, classic country and western, and Tejano music. And when it comes to the blues, jazz and rock and roll, Houston has a musical legacy that few other cities can match.

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Art + Entertainment

Houston Contemporary Dance Company (Photo by Lynn Lane)

DURING A TWO-DAY celebration Aug. 31-Sept. 1 at MATCH, the 2023 Houston Fringe Festival commemorates 17 years of exploring the outer limits of dance, theater and film. The weekend includes a retrospective screening of Houston filmmaker Jonathan Caouette’s Tarnation, and “Anything Goes,” the festival’s signature mash-up showcase, with performances by Houston Contemporary Dance Company, Cai Circus, performance artist and self-proclaimed “internal humorist” Margo Stutts Toombs, and many other returning and first-time performers. For adventurous Houston theater-goers, or anyone in any field of the arts looking to get out of their comfort zone, the Houston Fringe Festival is a smorgasbord of creative ingenuity, heartfelt vision, and irreverent experimentation.

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Rivkah French and Margo Smolik (photo by Ian Leonard)

IF YOU OWN a smartphone and wonder how those crazy kids on TikTok are making such cool videos, and perhaps even imagine how doing so might help market your artistic practice or small business, Rivkah French is here to help. On Aug. 16 and 17, award-winning queer dance choreographer and filmmaker French continues her mission of community engagement when Rivkah French Choreography (RFC) hosts two free DIY film workshops at Tuttle Library. Participants will learn how to script, shoot, and edit their own short films with their phones. The beginner-friendly workshops are tailored to teach anyone how to create content to support their businesses or hobbies, with an emphasis on branding for a strong online presence. The workshops are free, but registration is required.

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