On December 1-2, the second installment of the Wisconsin Conservatory of Music’s Prometheus Trio season will feature Beethoven’s Trio in D Major, Op. 70, No. 1 and his little Allegretto, as well as the Tchaikovsky: Trio in A Minor, Op. 50. Now in its fourth season, the Wisconsin Conservatory of Music’s Prometheus Trio has received praise for its “gusto and energy” and a loyal following. Comprised of violinist Jeanyi Kim, pianist Stefanie Jacob, and cellist Scott Tisdel, the trio also coaches advanced students at the Conservatory. Concerts are at 7:30 p.m. in the Conservatory’s Helen Bader Recital Hall, 1584 N.Prospect Ave. Bremen Cafe keeps bringing good acts into its space at Bremen and Clarke Streets. Peter Mulvey (or was that Greg Brown masquerading as Peter Mulvey?) highlighted the Halloween show. Mulvey captivated the audience with his finger-picking skills and his singing late into the night. With Mulvey’s folksy tunes, costumes ranging from the bizarre to the sublime, and the Bremen Cafe’s new liquor license, the crowd was kept entertained throughout the night. Mulvey was joined on the bill by Chip Cruz and the Desperate Measures String Band. Healing Grooves: Soulclap Thursdays, a weekly feature at East Side’s Dragon Lounge, 1932 E. Kenilworth, is the new spot for the city’s professional crowd to socialize. Once a month, catch a laying on of the hands with a featured local spa. October featured in-house samplings of massage by the dynamic therapists of Seven Stones Wellness Center, 1924 N Farewell, while other events have featured specialty coffees by King Drive’s Bean Head and African art and jewelry. On the local Hip Hop scene: Emcee J. Mixon: “I’ve gotta phrase to describe what I do…it be Midwest Hip Hop Ghetto Funk.” J.Mixon defies the usual classifications. His latest project album, “The Die Hard Theory” seeks to help Midwest hip hop come full circle. “The East Coast has the grimy underground beatz and heavy metaphorical lyrics. West Coast is gangsta funk and lyrics w/ deep base grooves. Down South brings it with southern drawl and bounce. Take a lil’ bit from all…you got the Midwest.” The album itself is a collage of old school, political gangsta, and strictly-for-entertainment cuts…woven around his stories of friends lost to violence, the prison system, and drugs…the raw realities of poverty and street life. He’s been listening to Hip Hop since 1979 and incorporates his appreciation for p funk, jazz, and R&B into his style. J. Mix credits legendary Rakim and his 1986 cut, “I Ain’t No Joke” with inspiring him to become an emcee. Now at the age of 31, J. Mix brings his wisdom to the new school of rappers, as well as a genuine respect for their craft. “The art of emceeing needs to be taken back to old school, but we need to respect the new emcees.” He answered a few questions for the Currents. What’s lacking in the Milwaukee hip hop scene? “Pride. Too many emcees are not proud of the fact that they come from Milwaukee. They tend to take on a more east coast mentality or they come off as straight up gangsta-thug. I want to bridge the gap between the “conscious rappers and thugs. There is too much separation.” How can u bridge that gap? “It starts with the DEEJAYS. They gotta start showing luv. They barely play local talent and when they do it is the ones that have sold a few units.” There needs to be more real DEEJAYS…you know, the ones that mix, scratch, AND cut. Die Hard Theory is set to drop early 2004 from BlackOut Entertainment Inc. To connect with J. Mixon, contact DemarylHoward@aol.com Preeminent oral historian Studs Terkel visits the Harry W. Schwartz Bookshop in Shorewood December 14 at 7 p.m. for a few brief remarks during the signing of his latest book, Hope Dies Last. Luckystar Gallery’s 4th annual “Not Another &%$#@ X-Mas” Sale and Exhibit starting November 28 features original works of art priced from $5-100. The sale and exhibit will also be part of the galleries’ annual X-mas party, held Friday night, December 5, from 5-11 p.m., in conjunction with the Third Ward’s annual “Christmas in the Ward” celebration. Luckystar’s party features Holiday tunes done by Bobby Rivera and the Riviera’s Big Band. Visit www.luckystarstudio.com for more info. Milwaukee filmmaker Christian Otjen’s movie, Reeseville, opened the first annual Milwaukee International Film Festival. There was a Hollywood-like feeling pervading the Oriental for Otjen’s small-town, murder-mystery film. This nuanced, layered film, which will be released in January, looks at small-town Wisconsin life from a somewhat disturbing angle. Despite its predictable plot and forced dialogue, the film, with its various subplots (one too many?), keeps the audience on edge. Mark Hamill, not looking very Luke Skywalker-esque, turns in a stellar performance as the town coroner. As for Sally Struthers, perfectly cast as a scotch-driven relative, all I can say is, whoa. Look for Wolski’s co-owner, Bernie Bondar, and bartender, Paul Johnson, in cameo roles as locals at a bowling alley/bar. One question: PJ, why’d you lose the mullet? December 1 is World AIDS Day, and the Milwaukee LGBT Film/Video Festival is offering a FREE screening of BLUE, the last — and most daring — film from Derek Jarman. BLUE will screen at 7 p.m. at the UWM Union Theatre, UWM Student Union, 2200 E Kenwood Blvd. Poet John Tyson’s work can be seen this month at Luckystar and Woodland Pattern. An anti-war poet with a deep interest in handmade books, he is the owner and operator of Milwaukee’s singlepress (singlepress@yahoo.com). Accurate Key is a boxed set of poems from 13 global poets, and Accurate Key 1.5 includes four anti-war poets. Tyson, who also works at Channel 10, financed the letterpress printing himself. Tyson recently underwent heart surgery and he believes making art is particularly crucial in these times. “It’s a form of protest,” he says. “And I have lots left to accomplish.” Want to see a review of your favorite local band? Do you want us to check out a live performance of your own band? Or, do you have a CD or demo you’d like to us to check out? Send any vital information, music samples, etc. to Riverwest Currents, c/o Thomas Durkin, 733 E. Clarke St., Milwaukee, WI 53212, or email us at music@riverwestcurrents.org.