Christmas in Dixieland, Handcrafted Jewelry on Display at Library

The is hosting a concert by a group called The Banjo Rascals Sunday, featuring Dixieland standards and Christmas songs.

The group—formed in 1968—includes Jim Rheel on tenor banjo, plectrum banjo, guitar and vocals; Geri Rheel on tenor banjo, mandolin and vocals; and Brian Nalepka on string bass, tuba, bass saxophone and vocals.

The Banjo Rascals will play what organizers call “their distinctive variety of toe-tapping music.”

In addition to Dixieland and Christmas music, the group’s performance will include “Dueling Banjos.”

“Three-part harmony and audience participation is what we can expect as part of a lively, unforgettable performance,” organizers say. “Wear your Santa hats and bring the whole family as we continue to celebrate the holiday season at the library with music for audiences of all ages. Listen to Dixieland, “Dueling Banjos” and dance in the aisles.”

The Rheels have studied with Roy Smeck and have performed in New York clubs
and for U.S. Presidents Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush, according to organizers. They’ve also performed for New York Governors Nelson Rockefeller, Hugh Carey and George Pataki.  

Nalepka’s resume includes extensive recording, numerous Broadway shows and performing with Bob Hope and Bette Midler, among others.

The Banjo Rascals perform Sunday at 2 p.m. at the Fort Lee Public Library; the show is part of the library’s continuing free holiday concert series.

The remaining performance in the series will be Svitlana Syrtsova and Sergey Krivonos on Sunday, Dec. 18 at 2 p.m., a show the library is calling a “piano duo extravaganza.”

This show “includes all-time classical favorites” like Schubert’s Fantasy, excerpts from Grieg’s Peer Gynt, Camille Saint-Saen’s Carnival of Animals and Aram Khachaturian’s Masquerade.

All concerts are about 90 minutes long.

For more information or to reserve seating for a group, contact program coordinator Olga Kuharets at 201-592-3614, ext. 4010.

Jewelry Designer Exhibits At The Library in Throughout December

Also at the public library, jewelry designer and teacher Phyllis Ger’s handcrafted brooches, earrings and bracelets will be on display throughout the month.

“Each piece is one-of-a-kind and is created from vintage broken jewelry pieces,” organizers said, adding that Ger, who presented a jewelry workshop at the library over the summer,  “has been designing and teaching jewelry making for many years.”