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From December 7, 2006...

• What happens when everything you know is turned upside down?
• Keeping Handel's Messiah interesting
• What makes really good pie? It starts with the crust.
• Community Calendar
• Melodic rock from Birmingham band The StunDarts

It sounds like the plot of a good novel - a man grows up thinking he knows his father. His father dies and suddenly a treasure trove of secrets descend upon the man, changing not only how he sees his father but also how he sees himself. For UAB's Jean Bodon that plot is anything but fiction. The filmmaker grew up hearing tales of his father's (Jan Bodon) exploits as a Czech resistance fighter during WWII. But it was only after his father's death that Bodon learned the family secret. They were Jews and many of them died in the Holocaust. For Jean Bodon, a Frenchman who spent part of his growing up in Iran, that hidden heritage seemed an absurd contradiction.

Bodon has spent years digging through that heritage, becoming ever more engrossed by, not only his father's Jewish family, but also by the Czech resistance. He's produced a movie chronicling the Czech fighters. It's called "Howling with the Angels". Bodon spoke with WBHM's Rosemary Pennington about making the film.

Jean Bodon interview

Filmmaker Jean Bodon talking about his new movie "Howling with the Angels". It chronicles the Czech resistance during World War II. The movie is being shown on Czech national television next week - Bodon says to give the Czech people a glimpse into a bit of their history swept aside during Communist rule.

Martin Pearlman is the founder, music director, and conductor of Boston Baroque, an ensemble widely regarded as one of the top period instrument groups in the country. He's made 16 recordings and received three Grammy nominations. Next Friday he conducts the Alabama Symphony Orchestra, the Birmingham Concert Chorale and guest soloists in Handel's Messiah. Pearlman spoke with WBHM's Michael Krall about his history with Handel.

Martin Pearlman interview

Martin Pearlman conducts the Alabama Symphony Orchestra, the Birmingham Concert Chorale and guest soloists in Handel's Messiah. The concert is Friday night, December 15th at the Alys Stephens Center.

One of my favorite childhood memories is the smell of my grandmother's kitchen at Christmas time. It was alive with the fragrance of holiday confections, especially pies. I can still see my grandmother rolling out the crust for one of her chocolate pies. But many amateur bakers are afraid to make their own piecrust, opting instead for one from the grocer's freezer case. To the rescue comes Carole Griffin of the Continental Bakery. We took our taste buds to her noisy kitchen in English Village where for more than twenty years Griffin has turned out some of the South's best hand-crafted breads, cakes, cookies and pies. According to Griffin, anyone can create killer piecrust. You just have to keep your cool.

Carole Griffin interview

To hear the audio portion of the Community Calendar from Tapestry, click here.

Want to know more? Activeculture.info is a one-stop source for finding out what's going on in the Birmingham metro area.

Question: what do you get when you take two highly educated, transient musicians, way too many e-mails, some recording software and a $30 beater guitar? In any other case, the answer would be a disaster - but not-so-fast. The working relationship of The StunDarts seems to be successful for Alex Keith and Thad Phillips. The band mixes raucous guitar works with a bit of drum machine structure and vocals that add necessary meaning to the music. This is 'Chemical Enhancements' from their CD 'Remember the Day.'. (AUDIO MONTAGE)

Alex Keith and Thad Phillips are the StunDarts. Download more of their music - including this song, 'Chemical Enhancements' inside the Tapestry section at WBHM.org.

Tapestry is produced by Tanya Ott, Michael Krall and Hunter Bell. Francesca Rosko tracks community events. Additional reporting this week from Rosemary Pennington and production assistance from Steve Chiotakis. I'm Greg Bass, and we'll see you next week.