COURTESY PHOTO
Occidental Gypsy is at the me & thee coffeehouse in Marblehead on Friday.
Soli Deo Gloria Concert Series
SWAMPSCOTT — The First Church in Swampscott, Congregational presents the 2016-2017 Soli Deo Gloria Concert Series. The first concert is “Variations of Joy” and will feature Catherine French, violin, Joel Moerschel, cello, and Rita Moerschel, piano, on Sunday at 3 pm.
The trio will play works by Brahms, Bach, Beethoven and Mendelssohn. They will also play a selection written by Mabel Wheeler Daniels, a composer who was born in Swampscott in 1877.
The Soli Deo Gloria Concert Series was inaugurated in 2014 to celebrate the 10-year anniversary of the First Church Noack organ, Opus 145.
The concert is free and open to the public, and free-will offerings will be accepted. Child care will be provided.
Upcoming concerts in the series will take place on Sunday, Feb. 12 and Sunday, April 23.
The First Church in Swampscott, Congregational is at 40 Monument Ave. For more information, call 781-592-6081 or go to thefirstchurch.org.
Gypsy jazz at me & thee
MARBLEHEAD — Occidental Gypsy returns to the me & thee coffeehouse on Friday after their debut last year drew a great response from the audience. The crowd-pleasing gypsy jazz quintet, with its jaunty vocals, swinging, evocative guitar and virtuoso violin, recalls the legendary partnership of Stephane Grappelli and Django Reinhardt.
The group has shared the stage with such musical royalty as Rickie Lee Jones, Jorma Kaukonen, Stanley Jordan and Joe Sample. In addition to originals, the band is noted for its reworkings of jazz chestnuts like Duke Ellington’s “It Don’t Mean a Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing)” and the prayerful “Georgia on My Mind” and unconventional covers such as Michael Jackson’s “Thriller.”
Show begins at 8 p.m. at the coffeehouse, which is located at the Unitarian-Universalist Church of Marblehead, 28 Mugford St. Tickets are available online at www.meandthee.org; $15 in advance and $18 at the door. Student tickets are $10.
Crafts and food at the fairgrounds
The 21st annual New England Craft and Specialty Food Fair takes place at the indoor arena at the Topsfield Fairgrounds Friday through Sunday. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day. Admission: $7; younger than 14 free. There will be more than 250 booths of American-made arts, crafts and foods.