St. Stanislaus School benefit, 9 to 4 in Kolbe Hall, Adams. Bake sale, snack bar, games, Chinese auctions, money raffle, crafts, and pierogi.
Blackinton Union Church, 1373 Massachusetts Ave., North Adams; 10 to 2. Crafts table, bake sale, Chinese auction, the Christmas table, and kid's grab bag. Lunch $4, $2 kids.
First Congregational Church, North Adams, 9-2.
Nov. 28 Becket Federated Church, Route 8, holiday bazaar from 9-3. Lunch, crafts, baked goods, holiday and other items. Information: Mary Peltier, Parish House, 413-623-5217.
Dec. 5
Holiday Fair at First Congregational Church, 25 Park Place, Lee, from 10 to 3; handcrafted items, raffles, children's shop, bake sale, cut Christmas trees and lunch from 11 to 1. Includes angel-themed goods from SERRV. Information, 413-243-1033 or www.ucc-lee.org.
Dec. 12-13
North Adams Country Club, crafts 9-4; food from That's a Wrap from 11-2. Information: Sheryl Morehouse at 413-822-3329.
Planning a bazaar this season? Submit information to info@iberkshires.com to have it listed here.
We're trying out blogs to offer shorter, easy-to-find news. Let us know what you think.
Send press releases and announcements to info@iberkshires.com. Need to contact someone at iBerkshires? Here's how.
Mammography Dispute The government's issued controversial new guidelines stating that women shouldn't get annual mammograms until age 50, rather than age 40.
iBerkshires will be meeting with local medical experts Monday. Have a question you'd like answered on this issue? Send it info@iberkshires.com with "mammogram" in the subject line.
By Tammy Daniels 05:21PM / Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Keith Hannaleck
PITTSFIELD - Keith Hannaleck's love affair with music began at an early age. He remembers the excitement of the Beatles taking the stage on "The Ed Sullivan Show" when he was 5. He listened to his brother's Steppenwolf and Rolling Stones albums - and to his sister's Monkees records.
One day, the 1976 Hoosac Valley High graduate decided to put his feelings about a particular album in words and, on a whim, shot the review off to the artist's label. Not only did the label like his review - it wanted more.
That's how Hannaleck found a way to combine his passion for music with his cyber skills and, in 1998, he launched a Web site offering up music reviews for labels and independent artists. It's had various incarnations over the years and was rebuilt and relaunched earlier this year after being acquired by his employer, TalentFusion.
Along the way, MuzikReviews.com has transformed into a leading indie music site offering reviews for fans and publicist services for independent artists around the world.
"If I look back on how my life unfolded...," said Hannaleck, shaking his head slightly as he sat in the conference room of TalentFusion last week. Wearing a Led Zeppelin T-shirt, he recalled the zigzagging path through schools, the Navy and careers before landing at the Internet-based recruitment business. "That was a steppingstone to where I'm going."
The Adams native had headed off to broadcast journalism school after high school but left to join the Navy, then went to California. Six months after returning from California, his mother died. He wrote the eulogy and people "made a big fuss about it."
He describes that as a turning point, a seed planted by his mother that led him to begin writing. He continued his education through Chadwick University, an Alabama school that offers long-distance learning. He worked full time while pursuing two degrees - in business and environmental management - hoping to advance his career at New England Power Co. But it just couldn't hold his interest.
"Working with TalentFusion is the best thing that's ever happened to me," said Hannaleck, who joined the sales division of the Merrill Road recruitment outsourcing company three years ago. "My success is dependent on their success."
Discussion on acquiring the site began nearly a year ago between Hannaleck and TalentFusion owner and founder David Pollard. MuzikReviews became part of TalentFusion in February.
The new Web site allows Hannaleck to efficiently distribute reviews and press releases and offer recommendations to Internet radio sites. He features artists in his "Pick of the Week" with front-page views and Google ad marketing. Services range from a professional reviews to a complete press kit with biography and distribution.
Hannaleck said he takes advantage of the viral nature of the Web by using RSS (Really Simple Syndication) to disperse information from his site, garnering up to 10,000 hits.
Though a paid service, Hannaleck said his reviews reveal his true feelings about an artist's work. If he really doesn't like the music, he doesn't take the artist or band on as a client. But he will offer some constructive criticism.
"It's too easy to be negative," he said. "These artists put their soul and sweat into their music - I respect that fact."
An initial appraisal - and recommendation - is offered freely for musicians uncertain about the use of Internet advertising.
The site has more than 120 current album reviews plus guest commentaries, links, partner sites, videos, press releases and more, with plans to continually add reviews dating back to 2000. Hannaleck does the bulk of the reviews but he's open to other music enthusiasts interested in writing. He's also hoping to raise awareness of the site with local bands.
"They don't seem to understand what I have to offer," he said, despite the fact he has clients from around the globe. He's hoping more of them will see how the Internet can expand their career horizons. "The music industry is changing so fast nobody knows what's happening next."
For Hannaleck, life has sort of come full circle: He's living in the house he grew up, listening to his favorite tunes. Only now, he's with his wife, Lisa, and two children, Morgan, 11, and Austin, 14, and the music more often is digital, not vinyl.
Oddly enough, his passion has never been conveyed through making music, though his wife plays the piano and his brother makes guitars.
"I'm very cerebral. I find writing is the best way to express myself."
Hannaleck's "Pick of the Week" will be available on iBerkshires.com.
