On the Beat: maari Drops 'Eyes Wide Shut,' and a Farewell Show for Pete Sutherland

Who doesn't love The Little Mermaid and sex lube? (That got your attention, didn't it?) University of Vermont sex educator Jenna Emerson is back with a new song to make us laugh while teaching such axioms as "Sex is better when it's wetter, take it from me." "Under the Sheets" is Emerson's latest The Little Mermaid-themed parody song, combining her two passions: comedy and sex ed. She debuted the project in 2020 with "I Want to Be a Sex Educator," a comedic riff on "Part of Your World." Dressed as the titular mermaid in the music video, Emerson sang on the rocky shores of Lake Champlain. For "Under the Sheets," she switched up from cosplaying Ariel (an obvious choice, as Emerson herself is a redhead) to Sebastian the crab, who extols the benefits of using lube during sex. The videos allow Emerson to combine her job and her favorite hobby. "I started out writing these songs in 2019 at a comedy night I used to host," she said in a phone interview, referring to "Sex With Jenna" at the now-defunct Revelry Theater in Burlington. "I'd make these raunchy parody songs and sprinkle in little bits of helpful information." For every "wet" joke in the songs, there are plenty of tips, such as that glycerin can lead to yeast infections. Good to know! Both Little Mermaid parodies are up on Emerson's YouTube page, and one more video might be on the way. "I think it needs to be a trilogy," Emerson said. "We need to do something with Ursula, I'm thinking. I mean, the comedic potential in parodying a song like 'Poor Unfortunate Souls' is just off the charts!" The latest edition of Farmers Night at the Vermont Statehouse in Montpelier is a special one: a tribute to late, great folk musician Pete Sutherland. The Burlington native, who died in November 2022 from cancer, was a skilled multi-instrumentalist, singer-songwriter and teacher who played in bands such as the Clayfoot Strutters and Pete's Posse and led Young Tradition Vermont, a folk program for young Vermont musicians. On Wednesday, April 17, musicians with ties to Sutherland will perform songs that he composed or was inspired by. Sutherland's longtime friend Lt. Gov. David Zuckerman will say a few words to kick off the event, which features Grey Larsen, Cindy Kallet, Tom MacKenzie, Jim Burns, Oliver Scanlon, Patti Casey and Fiona, and Emmett…