Anya M. Wassenberg's Blog: Art & Culture Maven, page 135
March 18, 2014
Jazz Pianist/Composer Leslie Pintchik Releases 4th CD - In the Nature of Things (March 25 2014) - NYC Release April 25
From a media release:
Jazz CD Release:
PIANIST/COMPOSER LESLIE PINTCHIK
RELEASES FOURTH CD IN THE NATURE OF THINGS
WITH STELLAR BAND, MARCH 25, 2014
* Featuring Steve Wilson, Ron Horton, Scott Hardy, Michael Sarin and Satoshi Takeishi *
CD Release concert at Jazz at Kitano in Manhattan on Friday, April 25th, 2014
* Buy the CD here
In a personal note that follows the liner notes of her impressive new CD In The Nature Of Things (Pintch Hard Records), pianist and composer Leslie Pintchik cites the "extraordinary warmth and generosity (not to mention the superb musicianship) of all of the band members. With that in mind,"
she continues, "I settled on the name In The Nature Of Things to reflect the feeling I had that all of the musicians on this date honored the fundamental intent and 'nature' of the music, as I had conceived it." Pintchik's new recording features eight of her original tunes and one standard.
A marvelously gifted and imaginative composer, Pintchik has imbued each track on her new CD with a strong character and flavor of its own. The wide range of grooves - swing, New Orleans second-line, samba and various Latin-based rhythms - and the equally wide range of feeling inherent in the tunes inspired her well-seasoned band members to take this material, run with it, and then some.
About her band-mates, Pintchik writes "What great good luck to live in a city where I've been able to meet and play with such creative, responsive musicians, who consistently bring so much to the table." For this outing, Pintchik returns with two of her treasured long-time cohorts, bassist Scott Hardy and percussionist Satoshi Takeishi. Michael Sarin, the extraordinary drummer with whom she's been playing for the past three years rounds out the rhythm section. All three track this multi-layered music beautifully, and always give it what it asks for. The superb saxophonist Steve Wilson (with whom she recorded on an earlier CD, Quartets) and the wonderfully resourceful trumpeter Ron Horton complete the band.
As a player, Pintchik's strong suit is an emotional directness and integrity that allows her to conjure a wide range of moment-to-moment, unmediated feeling. And with a beautifully nuanced tone on her instrument, she evinces, by turns, the quiet delicacy and tenderness of power in reserve, a very playful extroverted humor, and a sense of urgency and play in her up-tempo pieces.
"I've always loved pianist Herbie Hancock's tune 'Speak Like A Child' on his classic CD with the same name," says Pintchik. "And I was especially drawn," she continues, "to the way he used the horns, to color, but not state the melody. With that as inspiration, Scott has written some wonderfully inventive counter-melodies for the horns, on the six tunes that feature Ron and Steve."
About the music:
In The Nature Of Things begins with the quietly seductive opening phrase of Pintchik's "With You In Mind." A haunting melody with a sense of yin and yang, it is both quiet and turbulent, tender and urgent, and features strong feelingful solos from Pintchik, Wilson and Hardy.
"I'd Turn Back if I Were You" takes its name verbatim from a sign at the entrance to the Haunted Forest in the classic movie "The Wizard of Oz." Set to a New Orleans second-line rhythm, the tune's strong groove and sense of humor is enhanced by the sassy James Brown influenced jabs from the horns. This humorous take on the dangerous Haunted Forest is punctuated by the very loud repeated low note on the piano that serves as a quirky, ominous turn-around at the end of the tune. Pintchik shines on an extroverted, enormously playful solo.
On the Lerner and Loewe standard "I've Grown Accustomed to Her Face," the poignant melody, arranged by Pintchik and Hardy in an extended form with a repeated ostinato rhythm, is set like a jewel. Both the arrangement and the soloing showcase the especially sensitive interplay between Pintchik and Hardy: a subtle knockout.
Inspired by the color palette of her friend Peter Greene's paintings, the unusual flavor of Pintchik's tune "Luscious" showcases a lyricism within a bright straight-eighths tempo. All three soloists (Pintchik, Wilson and Hardy) complete the picture with their vibrant solos.
With its happy, optimistic vibe, "Sparkle" is an appealing mid-tempo swinger written, says Pintchik, "to reflect the warmth of our listeners over a ten-year span of gigs at the recently closed Watercolor Café." Pintchik sets the tone with a joyful, melodic, in-the-pocket solo. Next up is Horton, who has a wonderfully uncommon mix of sweetness and excitement in his solo, followed by Wilson who plays with a powerful and very deep swing.
A minor blues that spans two twelve-bar choruses, "Terse Tune" has a very spare melody, hence its name. Pintchik describes it as "a brief tune with astringent harmonies that ends not with a bang but a whimper." This vibey romp with round-robin soloing, builds momentum throughout the track, and climaxes with an exciting flag-waving section with "dueling" horns trading choruses with "dueling" drums and percussion.
"Ripe" is a short volatile piece, with rich harmonies and dynamic contrasts, set to a loosely Latin-based groove. "With his wonderful singing quality on flugelhorn, this is a beautiful feature for Ron" says Pintchik. "Over the years, I've heard both his drive and beautiful tone in many bands and many contexts, and thought this tune would be a terrific fit for him." Although Horton's solo is both active and intense, he still maintains the character of the tune, with its dark spacious beauty. After a strong solo from Wilson, Pintchik's solo builds slowly and crests beautifully on her third chorus, before the return of the misterioso melody.
A samba with a rich feeling of anticipation, "Ready" has a sparkly energy in its groove, and a narrative with an attractive crescendo. This quartet piece features Pintchik, Hardy, Sarin and Takeishi, in a beautiful dance, attuned to each other's every move.
The opening three-note phrase of Pintchik's wonderfully playful up-tempo swing tune "There You Go" is built around its three-word title, and the phrase continues in different permutations throughout the piece. Performed live at a concert presented by the Shandelee Music Festival as part of its New York City Showcase Series, this trio track (with Pintchik, Hardy and Sarin) has an electric energy; the time just sails. Pintchik and Hardy weigh in with powerfully swinging solos, and Sarin wows the crowd with his closing accompanied drum solo.
A richly textured reading of Pintchik's imaginative original material, In The Nature Of Things is a recording to savor.
Jazz CD Release:
PIANIST/COMPOSER LESLIE PINTCHIK
RELEASES FOURTH CD IN THE NATURE OF THINGS
WITH STELLAR BAND, MARCH 25, 2014
* Featuring Steve Wilson, Ron Horton, Scott Hardy, Michael Sarin and Satoshi Takeishi *
CD Release concert at Jazz at Kitano in Manhattan on Friday, April 25th, 2014
* Buy the CD here
In a personal note that follows the liner notes of her impressive new CD In The Nature Of Things (Pintch Hard Records), pianist and composer Leslie Pintchik cites the "extraordinary warmth and generosity (not to mention the superb musicianship) of all of the band members. With that in mind,"
she continues, "I settled on the name In The Nature Of Things to reflect the feeling I had that all of the musicians on this date honored the fundamental intent and 'nature' of the music, as I had conceived it." Pintchik's new recording features eight of her original tunes and one standard. A marvelously gifted and imaginative composer, Pintchik has imbued each track on her new CD with a strong character and flavor of its own. The wide range of grooves - swing, New Orleans second-line, samba and various Latin-based rhythms - and the equally wide range of feeling inherent in the tunes inspired her well-seasoned band members to take this material, run with it, and then some.
About her band-mates, Pintchik writes "What great good luck to live in a city where I've been able to meet and play with such creative, responsive musicians, who consistently bring so much to the table." For this outing, Pintchik returns with two of her treasured long-time cohorts, bassist Scott Hardy and percussionist Satoshi Takeishi. Michael Sarin, the extraordinary drummer with whom she's been playing for the past three years rounds out the rhythm section. All three track this multi-layered music beautifully, and always give it what it asks for. The superb saxophonist Steve Wilson (with whom she recorded on an earlier CD, Quartets) and the wonderfully resourceful trumpeter Ron Horton complete the band.
As a player, Pintchik's strong suit is an emotional directness and integrity that allows her to conjure a wide range of moment-to-moment, unmediated feeling. And with a beautifully nuanced tone on her instrument, she evinces, by turns, the quiet delicacy and tenderness of power in reserve, a very playful extroverted humor, and a sense of urgency and play in her up-tempo pieces.
"I've always loved pianist Herbie Hancock's tune 'Speak Like A Child' on his classic CD with the same name," says Pintchik. "And I was especially drawn," she continues, "to the way he used the horns, to color, but not state the melody. With that as inspiration, Scott has written some wonderfully inventive counter-melodies for the horns, on the six tunes that feature Ron and Steve."
About the music:In The Nature Of Things begins with the quietly seductive opening phrase of Pintchik's "With You In Mind." A haunting melody with a sense of yin and yang, it is both quiet and turbulent, tender and urgent, and features strong feelingful solos from Pintchik, Wilson and Hardy.
"I'd Turn Back if I Were You" takes its name verbatim from a sign at the entrance to the Haunted Forest in the classic movie "The Wizard of Oz." Set to a New Orleans second-line rhythm, the tune's strong groove and sense of humor is enhanced by the sassy James Brown influenced jabs from the horns. This humorous take on the dangerous Haunted Forest is punctuated by the very loud repeated low note on the piano that serves as a quirky, ominous turn-around at the end of the tune. Pintchik shines on an extroverted, enormously playful solo.
On the Lerner and Loewe standard "I've Grown Accustomed to Her Face," the poignant melody, arranged by Pintchik and Hardy in an extended form with a repeated ostinato rhythm, is set like a jewel. Both the arrangement and the soloing showcase the especially sensitive interplay between Pintchik and Hardy: a subtle knockout.
Inspired by the color palette of her friend Peter Greene's paintings, the unusual flavor of Pintchik's tune "Luscious" showcases a lyricism within a bright straight-eighths tempo. All three soloists (Pintchik, Wilson and Hardy) complete the picture with their vibrant solos.
With its happy, optimistic vibe, "Sparkle" is an appealing mid-tempo swinger written, says Pintchik, "to reflect the warmth of our listeners over a ten-year span of gigs at the recently closed Watercolor Café." Pintchik sets the tone with a joyful, melodic, in-the-pocket solo. Next up is Horton, who has a wonderfully uncommon mix of sweetness and excitement in his solo, followed by Wilson who plays with a powerful and very deep swing.
A minor blues that spans two twelve-bar choruses, "Terse Tune" has a very spare melody, hence its name. Pintchik describes it as "a brief tune with astringent harmonies that ends not with a bang but a whimper." This vibey romp with round-robin soloing, builds momentum throughout the track, and climaxes with an exciting flag-waving section with "dueling" horns trading choruses with "dueling" drums and percussion."Ripe" is a short volatile piece, with rich harmonies and dynamic contrasts, set to a loosely Latin-based groove. "With his wonderful singing quality on flugelhorn, this is a beautiful feature for Ron" says Pintchik. "Over the years, I've heard both his drive and beautiful tone in many bands and many contexts, and thought this tune would be a terrific fit for him." Although Horton's solo is both active and intense, he still maintains the character of the tune, with its dark spacious beauty. After a strong solo from Wilson, Pintchik's solo builds slowly and crests beautifully on her third chorus, before the return of the misterioso melody.
A samba with a rich feeling of anticipation, "Ready" has a sparkly energy in its groove, and a narrative with an attractive crescendo. This quartet piece features Pintchik, Hardy, Sarin and Takeishi, in a beautiful dance, attuned to each other's every move.
The opening three-note phrase of Pintchik's wonderfully playful up-tempo swing tune "There You Go" is built around its three-word title, and the phrase continues in different permutations throughout the piece. Performed live at a concert presented by the Shandelee Music Festival as part of its New York City Showcase Series, this trio track (with Pintchik, Hardy and Sarin) has an electric energy; the time just sails. Pintchik and Hardy weigh in with powerfully swinging solos, and Sarin wows the crowd with his closing accompanied drum solo.
A richly textured reading of Pintchik's imaginative original material, In The Nature Of Things is a recording to savor.
March 12, 2014
Lincoln Center Theater Presents Act One Starring Santino Fontana & Tony Shalhoub Previews Begin March 20, 2014
From a media release:
Lincoln Center Theater Presents
Act One
Starring Santino Fontana & Tony Shalhoub
Previews Begin March 20, 2014
NEW YORK CITY - Santino Fontana and Tony Shalhoub will both be featured as the legendary writer/director Moss Hart at different stages of his life in ACT ONE, a play written and directed by
James Lapine from the autobiography by Moss Hart.
ACT ONE, James Lapine's new play from the classic autobiography by Moss Hart, deemed one of the finest books about 20th-century American theater, eloquently chronicles the playwright/director's impoverished childhood and his determined struggle to escape poverty and forge a career in the theater. A path which led to his collaboration with George S. Kaufman and their first great success, Once In A Lifetime.
When the playwright and director, Moss Hart, published his autobiography, "Act One," in 1959 it was a sensation, filled with vivid recollections of colorful characters, especially Hart's first great collaborator, the brilliant George S. Kaufman.
The book gave a fascinating insider's view of how a show really gets to the stage. Many people feel it has never been bettered. "Act One" was more than just a Broadway tale, though. It was a bestseller for almost a year, topping the New York Times list for 41 weeks. Why would this story of the playwright and director's early years be so wildly and widely popular?
We think it's because "Act One" is not just the ultimate valentine to the theater. It is also a Dickensian story of a young immigrant and his family, struggling to escape poverty in the early 20th century. From tenements to glamorous townhouses, from Buffalo stages to Catskills summer camps, and
finally to the Broadway of his dreams, Hart's masterful telling captures the hope, misery and comedy of the climb, but also the glee of making it - because he did! A classic New York story.
Now, almost 75 years after Moss Hart's first Broadway success, James Lapine (who knows a thing or two about collaboration from his many shows written with Stephen Sondheim) brings ACT ONE to the stage. He has written and will direct this world premiere production at the Beaumont this spring. Tony Shalhoub, playing both George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart as an adult, is familiar to LCT audiences as the father in Golden Boy for which he was nominated for a Tony Award last season. Santino Fontana (the Tony-nominated prince in Broadway's Cinderella) portrays Mr. Hart as a young man. Andrea Martin (Tony winner for her spectacular turn as Berthe in Pippin, and also for LCT's My Favorite Year) plays Aunt Kate, a pivotal figure in Hart's early life.
After their first collaboration on Once In A Lifetime, Moss Hart continued his collaboration with George S. Kaufman on a series of now classic comedies which include The Man Who Came To Dinner and You Can't Take It With You, winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Drama. Hart's solo works as a writer included the play Light Up The Sky, the book for the musical Lady in the Dark and the screenplays for the films Gentleman's Agreement (Academy Award nomination), Hans Christian Anderson and the 1954 version of A Star Is Born which starred Judy Garland. As a director his credits include two legendary Broadway musicals My Fair Lady and Camelot. Originally published in 1959, Act One was an extremely popular memoir. The landmark work, deemed one of the finest books about 20th-century American theater, quickly reached the top of best-seller lists and remained there for almost a year.
Lincoln Center Theater Presents
Act One
Starring Santino Fontana & Tony Shalhoub
Previews Begin March 20, 2014
NEW YORK CITY - Santino Fontana and Tony Shalhoub will both be featured as the legendary writer/director Moss Hart at different stages of his life in ACT ONE, a play written and directed by
James Lapine from the autobiography by Moss Hart.ACT ONE, James Lapine's new play from the classic autobiography by Moss Hart, deemed one of the finest books about 20th-century American theater, eloquently chronicles the playwright/director's impoverished childhood and his determined struggle to escape poverty and forge a career in the theater. A path which led to his collaboration with George S. Kaufman and their first great success, Once In A Lifetime.
When the playwright and director, Moss Hart, published his autobiography, "Act One," in 1959 it was a sensation, filled with vivid recollections of colorful characters, especially Hart's first great collaborator, the brilliant George S. Kaufman.
The book gave a fascinating insider's view of how a show really gets to the stage. Many people feel it has never been bettered. "Act One" was more than just a Broadway tale, though. It was a bestseller for almost a year, topping the New York Times list for 41 weeks. Why would this story of the playwright and director's early years be so wildly and widely popular?
We think it's because "Act One" is not just the ultimate valentine to the theater. It is also a Dickensian story of a young immigrant and his family, struggling to escape poverty in the early 20th century. From tenements to glamorous townhouses, from Buffalo stages to Catskills summer camps, and
finally to the Broadway of his dreams, Hart's masterful telling captures the hope, misery and comedy of the climb, but also the glee of making it - because he did! A classic New York story.Now, almost 75 years after Moss Hart's first Broadway success, James Lapine (who knows a thing or two about collaboration from his many shows written with Stephen Sondheim) brings ACT ONE to the stage. He has written and will direct this world premiere production at the Beaumont this spring. Tony Shalhoub, playing both George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart as an adult, is familiar to LCT audiences as the father in Golden Boy for which he was nominated for a Tony Award last season. Santino Fontana (the Tony-nominated prince in Broadway's Cinderella) portrays Mr. Hart as a young man. Andrea Martin (Tony winner for her spectacular turn as Berthe in Pippin, and also for LCT's My Favorite Year) plays Aunt Kate, a pivotal figure in Hart's early life.
After their first collaboration on Once In A Lifetime, Moss Hart continued his collaboration with George S. Kaufman on a series of now classic comedies which include The Man Who Came To Dinner and You Can't Take It With You, winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Drama. Hart's solo works as a writer included the play Light Up The Sky, the book for the musical Lady in the Dark and the screenplays for the films Gentleman's Agreement (Academy Award nomination), Hans Christian Anderson and the 1954 version of A Star Is Born which starred Judy Garland. As a director his credits include two legendary Broadway musicals My Fair Lady and Camelot. Originally published in 1959, Act One was an extremely popular memoir. The landmark work, deemed one of the finest books about 20th-century American theater, quickly reached the top of best-seller lists and remained there for almost a year.
Acoustic Harvest Presents Suzie Vinnick March 22 2014 in Toronto
From a media release:
Acoustic Harvest is pleased to present SUZIE VINNICK
March 22, 2014 in Toronto
• Tickets available online
TORONTO - 2012 CBC Great Canadian Blues Award, 2012 Juno Nominee, 2011 CFMA for Contemporary Singer of the Year & 8-time Maple Blues Award Winner, Suzie is the owner of a gorgeous, powerful voice. Her music is roots-based, branching out into blues, folk and pop. Gordon Lightfoot says "I
really love your work!"
Suzy had a busy 2012 with festival appearances at the Harrison Festival of the Arts in British Columbia, the Canmore and Edmonton Folk Festivals in Alberta, Summerfolk in Ontario and more. She supported her new 2012 album entitled Live At Bluesville, a collection of roots, blues and gospel tunes featuring Suzie and her parlour guitar, Mabel.
Suzie Vinnick is a prolific songwriter with a powerful voice and an engaging stage presence. She is in constant demand all over the country and abroad, playing solo, or in her various other configurations: with Rick Fines, the Marigolds, Betty & the Bobs, and Vinnick Sheppard & Harte.
Suzie is 10 times a Maple Blues Award winner, 3 times a Juno Nominee and she was a Finalist in the 2013 International Blues Challenge Solo/Duo Category in Memphis, TN.
She was also the winner of the 2012 CBC Saturday Night Blues Great Canadian Blues Award and the 2012 SIRIUS/XM Blues Artist of the Year. She has released a new album entitled Live At Bluesville, a collection
of roots, blues and gospel tunes featuring Suzie and her parlour guitar, Mabel.
Suzie truly is one of our most beloved Canadian treasures.
Suzie Vinnick
Sat. Mar. 22, 2014, 8pm, (doors 7:30pm)
Robinson Hall, St. Nicholas Anglican Church
1512 Kingston Rd.
(NE corner of Kingston Rd. and Manderley Drive- 1 block east of Warden Ave. in east end Toronto)
$25/$22 in advance (use PayPal on our website)
INFO: 416-264-2235[image error]416-264-2235
• Like our Facebook page
CallSend SMSAdd to SkypeYou'll need Skype CreditFree via Skype
Acoustic Harvest is pleased to present SUZIE VINNICK
March 22, 2014 in Toronto
• Tickets available online
TORONTO - 2012 CBC Great Canadian Blues Award, 2012 Juno Nominee, 2011 CFMA for Contemporary Singer of the Year & 8-time Maple Blues Award Winner, Suzie is the owner of a gorgeous, powerful voice. Her music is roots-based, branching out into blues, folk and pop. Gordon Lightfoot says "I
really love your work!" Suzy had a busy 2012 with festival appearances at the Harrison Festival of the Arts in British Columbia, the Canmore and Edmonton Folk Festivals in Alberta, Summerfolk in Ontario and more. She supported her new 2012 album entitled Live At Bluesville, a collection of roots, blues and gospel tunes featuring Suzie and her parlour guitar, Mabel.
Suzie Vinnick is a prolific songwriter with a powerful voice and an engaging stage presence. She is in constant demand all over the country and abroad, playing solo, or in her various other configurations: with Rick Fines, the Marigolds, Betty & the Bobs, and Vinnick Sheppard & Harte.
Suzie is 10 times a Maple Blues Award winner, 3 times a Juno Nominee and she was a Finalist in the 2013 International Blues Challenge Solo/Duo Category in Memphis, TN.
She was also the winner of the 2012 CBC Saturday Night Blues Great Canadian Blues Award and the 2012 SIRIUS/XM Blues Artist of the Year. She has released a new album entitled Live At Bluesville, a collection
of roots, blues and gospel tunes featuring Suzie and her parlour guitar, Mabel.Suzie truly is one of our most beloved Canadian treasures.
Suzie Vinnick
Sat. Mar. 22, 2014, 8pm, (doors 7:30pm)
Robinson Hall, St. Nicholas Anglican Church
1512 Kingston Rd.
(NE corner of Kingston Rd. and Manderley Drive- 1 block east of Warden Ave. in east end Toronto)
$25/$22 in advance (use PayPal on our website)
INFO: 416-264-2235[image error]416-264-2235
• Like our Facebook page
CallSend SMSAdd to SkypeYou'll need Skype CreditFree via Skype
Tuareg artist Imarhan Timbuktu with new album and tour - 'Akal Warled' (Clermont Music - March 18, 2014)
From a media release:
Imarhan Timbuktu - Akal Warled (Clermont Music - March 18, 2014)
Tuareg artist Imarhan Timbuktu with new album and tour
• Buy the CD
• Tour dates including SXSW & Brooklyn in March 2014 - listed at the bottom
IMARHAN TIMBUKTU was formed in 1993 by Mohamed Issa Ag Oumar El Ansari, known as M’ed Issa. Since 1995, the group has toured throughout the North and South of Mali. They have appeared
annually on the stage of the Festival au Desert and have performed in Europe and the North America. The group’s name "Imarhan" means "those who love" in Tamashek, the Tuareg language. By adding “Timbuktu”, they demonstrate their strong pride in their legendary home town. The core members of IMARHAN TIMBUKTU are Mohamed Issa, his brother, guitarist Ousmane Ag Oumar El Ansari, and their two sisters, percussionists and backup vocalists Fadimata Walet Oumar [known to all as “Disco”] and Zeina Walet.
The album title, "Akal Warled" (Foreign Country), speaks about exile and the hardships endured by the Tuareg refugees currently living in the camps of Mauritania, Burkina Faso, Niger and Algeria. These refugees want to return to live in peace in their northern Mali homeland. The five diamond design found on the cover of the disc is symbolic of Tuareg women. It is known as the Khoumeïssa. Often found in silver jewelry, it is used as an ornament and also as a good luck charm. By choosing this typically feminine emblem, IMARHAN TIMBUKTU brand the substance of their artistic identity: a tribute to Women.
Mohamed Issa started to play guitar Touarègue in the early 1990s. His musical beginnings reveal the deeply sentimental and romantic nature of his creative process. Indeed, M’ed Issa began to scratch the guitar because he was passionately in love with a woman. But his dilemma was that she was married. His guitar
then became his consolation, a way to ease the pain and tame the wait. Thus, he played all the time thinking constantly of the day when his beloved would be free. Although in time his heart was liberated, this story permanently marks his artistic identity as well as the creative force of M’ed Issa’s lyrics.
Today, Mohamed Issa is a reference point in contemporary Tuareg Music. His songs speak of love, unity, the desert and its cultures and traditions. IMARHAN TIMBUKTU is committed to themes of development, education and preservation of important cultural values within a community that strives to keep its ancestral identity intact while accepting and integrating the modern world.
Upcoming Dates:
March 14, 2014 - SXSW - Austin, TX, International Day Stage, 2:00 pm
March 17, 2014 - Asheville, NC, The Mothlight, 9:30 PM
March 18, 2014 - Richmond, VA, Balliceaux, 9:00 PM
March 19, 2014 - Washington, DC, Bossa Bistro in Adams Morgan, 9:00 PM
March 21, 2014 - Woodstock, NY, BSP Lounge , 7:30 PM
March 23, 2014 - Brooklyn, NY, Littlefield, 8:30 PM
Imarhan Timbuktu - Akal Warled (Clermont Music - March 18, 2014)
Tuareg artist Imarhan Timbuktu with new album and tour
• Buy the CD
• Tour dates including SXSW & Brooklyn in March 2014 - listed at the bottom
IMARHAN TIMBUKTU was formed in 1993 by Mohamed Issa Ag Oumar El Ansari, known as M’ed Issa. Since 1995, the group has toured throughout the North and South of Mali. They have appeared
annually on the stage of the Festival au Desert and have performed in Europe and the North America. The group’s name "Imarhan" means "those who love" in Tamashek, the Tuareg language. By adding “Timbuktu”, they demonstrate their strong pride in their legendary home town. The core members of IMARHAN TIMBUKTU are Mohamed Issa, his brother, guitarist Ousmane Ag Oumar El Ansari, and their two sisters, percussionists and backup vocalists Fadimata Walet Oumar [known to all as “Disco”] and Zeina Walet.The album title, "Akal Warled" (Foreign Country), speaks about exile and the hardships endured by the Tuareg refugees currently living in the camps of Mauritania, Burkina Faso, Niger and Algeria. These refugees want to return to live in peace in their northern Mali homeland. The five diamond design found on the cover of the disc is symbolic of Tuareg women. It is known as the Khoumeïssa. Often found in silver jewelry, it is used as an ornament and also as a good luck charm. By choosing this typically feminine emblem, IMARHAN TIMBUKTU brand the substance of their artistic identity: a tribute to Women.
Mohamed Issa started to play guitar Touarègue in the early 1990s. His musical beginnings reveal the deeply sentimental and romantic nature of his creative process. Indeed, M’ed Issa began to scratch the guitar because he was passionately in love with a woman. But his dilemma was that she was married. His guitar
then became his consolation, a way to ease the pain and tame the wait. Thus, he played all the time thinking constantly of the day when his beloved would be free. Although in time his heart was liberated, this story permanently marks his artistic identity as well as the creative force of M’ed Issa’s lyrics.Today, Mohamed Issa is a reference point in contemporary Tuareg Music. His songs speak of love, unity, the desert and its cultures and traditions. IMARHAN TIMBUKTU is committed to themes of development, education and preservation of important cultural values within a community that strives to keep its ancestral identity intact while accepting and integrating the modern world.
Upcoming Dates:
March 14, 2014 - SXSW - Austin, TX, International Day Stage, 2:00 pm
March 17, 2014 - Asheville, NC, The Mothlight, 9:30 PM
March 18, 2014 - Richmond, VA, Balliceaux, 9:00 PM
March 19, 2014 - Washington, DC, Bossa Bistro in Adams Morgan, 9:00 PM
March 21, 2014 - Woodstock, NY, BSP Lounge , 7:30 PM
March 23, 2014 - Brooklyn, NY, Littlefield, 8:30 PM
CD Release: Danny Rivera and Nelson González Hit the Heart of the Latin American Song Book on Obsesión
Love at First Note: Latin Luminaries Danny Rivera and Nelson González Hit the Heart of the Latin American Song Book on Obsesión
(Release March 25, 2014)
• Download it here
I found a copy of Danny Rivera & Nelson González new CD Obsesión in my mail one day and I have to confess it took me too long to have a listen.
This is a must-have for lovers of classic Latin standards done just right. Danny's celebrated voice is at its soulful and expressive best over lush orchestral arrangments that rightly put his pipes in the spotlight. He can be tremblingly sensitive or strong and powerful with an impressive range that makes the most of the material in the Latin American songbook.
Personal favourites were track 3 - De Cigarro En Cigarro - with its neat trumpet line and solo and track 10 - Es la Costumbre- where the vocals trade lines with the violin.
From a media release:
Late at night, after yet another sold-out show at a major venue like Carnegie Hall, one of the most adored voices in Latin music would rush over to Jersey and hit the studio. Danny Rivera—a powerful singer, thoughtful public figure, and consummate musical instigator—would sit down with the renowned tres virtuoso player Nelson González. For ten years, these sessions became the two veteran musicians’ obsession.
Close friends with a sixth musical sense for each other’s work, they set about reviving some of the Latin American songbook’s most compelling boleros. Obsesión (release: March 25, 2014) is a labor of love and an classic by two great musicians at their peak, where Danny tellingly showcases why he was born to sing.
Over decades, the boleros on the album became beloved, standard repertoire, much like classic jazz ballads. Penned by hard-working musicians from humble beginnings, like the title track’s composer Pedro Flores, they capture evocative moments of desire and longing with artless ease. Performers have returned to them, again and again, for their catchy melodies and evocative storytelling. Yet the art of the bolero—the total commitment to a song’s soaring sentiments, the musically intriguing melodies—has nearly been lost.
For Rivera and González, this simply would not do. On Obsesión, the masters render these classic tales of love, desire, and the universal shades of the heart with aching simplicity: Rivera’s riveting and passionate voice locks with Gonzales’ tres, the dialogue that formed the basis of the entire album. Expanding the usual bolero palette with requinto (the guitar’s underappreciated higher-register cousin), bandoneón (the concertina behind tango’s sound), and contributions from some of the brightest lights of Latin music (Chucho Valdés, Arturo O’Farrill, Andy González, the late Manny Oquendo, Martín Rojas, Raymond Torres, Federico Britos, Rafael Scharon, Carlos Abadiel and Ricardo Pons), Danny and Nelson aim to court new ears using elegant musicianship and eloquent emotion, pure and simple.
“This record is minimalist. The moment I entered the studio with Nelson, I knew I had to be completely different from all the singers who have performed these works over the past sixty to eighty years,” explains Rivera. “I was brought together with just one or two instruments, to just sing.”
“We wanted and needed to bring it back to its purest sound, always maintaining the harmonic melody of the song,” González reflects. “There’s a lot of wisdom in the record. I feel that when you record you make history, and as we were recording we knew this was history in the making.”
)
To list Rivera’s accolades does little justice to his work and significance. His storied career started with the bolero, however, the popular and ingenious romantic ballads that originally flourished in the 1930s. Dubbed the “National Voice of Puerto Rico,” Rivera has garnered Latin star status thanks to the intensity of his live performances, the dozens of recordings, and the risks he has taken as an engaged activist.
Nelson González has played with Rivera for over 25 years, after the two crossed paths when Rivera needed a tresero and discovered González. González, who now tours with Eddie Palmieri, has long been closely involved with the New York Salsa scene, playing in bands like Típica 73, as well as backing big names from Cachao, Paul Simon to Marc Anthony. It is his work with Simon, in fact, that González credits with guiding him toward this approach to Obsesión: “I would get people into the studio, really good musicians, and just let them play what they felt.”
González would often gently, smartly push convention, by adding unexpected instruments to his arrangements, like the bandoneon, or by encouraging front men like Valdés or Miami Symphony concert master and violinist Federico Britos to lay back and let Rivera’s voice take center stage.
When González invited the late, legendary percussionist Manny Oquendo into the studio, Oquendo demanded one thing: “Turn Danny up in my headphones really loud.” He laid down the perfect rhythmic foundation for the ballads, and it was one of his last recordings.
This encouragement of well-honed talent merged with a playful approach to discovery, to rethinking songs Rivera has known for decades, hints at many of Latin music’s great genres, some thriving (like tango or Cuban son) and some struggling (like Puerto Rico’s trio music, with its emphasis on requinto).
“This project gave us the chance to get together to give homage to great music,” Rivera muses. “Like children, we were playing and having fun, making pure art, not just some song.”
“We are the songs,” adds González. “The whole idea is to honor and bring back tradition and hopefully inspire people to be proud of their heritage. This is the best way we know to make a statement, through music. This is our way of saying, this is why it matters.”
(Release March 25, 2014)
• Download it here
I found a copy of Danny Rivera & Nelson González new CD Obsesión in my mail one day and I have to confess it took me too long to have a listen.
This is a must-have for lovers of classic Latin standards done just right. Danny's celebrated voice is at its soulful and expressive best over lush orchestral arrangments that rightly put his pipes in the spotlight. He can be tremblingly sensitive or strong and powerful with an impressive range that makes the most of the material in the Latin American songbook. Personal favourites were track 3 - De Cigarro En Cigarro - with its neat trumpet line and solo and track 10 - Es la Costumbre- where the vocals trade lines with the violin.
From a media release:
Late at night, after yet another sold-out show at a major venue like Carnegie Hall, one of the most adored voices in Latin music would rush over to Jersey and hit the studio. Danny Rivera—a powerful singer, thoughtful public figure, and consummate musical instigator—would sit down with the renowned tres virtuoso player Nelson González. For ten years, these sessions became the two veteran musicians’ obsession.
Close friends with a sixth musical sense for each other’s work, they set about reviving some of the Latin American songbook’s most compelling boleros. Obsesión (release: March 25, 2014) is a labor of love and an classic by two great musicians at their peak, where Danny tellingly showcases why he was born to sing.
Over decades, the boleros on the album became beloved, standard repertoire, much like classic jazz ballads. Penned by hard-working musicians from humble beginnings, like the title track’s composer Pedro Flores, they capture evocative moments of desire and longing with artless ease. Performers have returned to them, again and again, for their catchy melodies and evocative storytelling. Yet the art of the bolero—the total commitment to a song’s soaring sentiments, the musically intriguing melodies—has nearly been lost.
For Rivera and González, this simply would not do. On Obsesión, the masters render these classic tales of love, desire, and the universal shades of the heart with aching simplicity: Rivera’s riveting and passionate voice locks with Gonzales’ tres, the dialogue that formed the basis of the entire album. Expanding the usual bolero palette with requinto (the guitar’s underappreciated higher-register cousin), bandoneón (the concertina behind tango’s sound), and contributions from some of the brightest lights of Latin music (Chucho Valdés, Arturo O’Farrill, Andy González, the late Manny Oquendo, Martín Rojas, Raymond Torres, Federico Britos, Rafael Scharon, Carlos Abadiel and Ricardo Pons), Danny and Nelson aim to court new ears using elegant musicianship and eloquent emotion, pure and simple.“This record is minimalist. The moment I entered the studio with Nelson, I knew I had to be completely different from all the singers who have performed these works over the past sixty to eighty years,” explains Rivera. “I was brought together with just one or two instruments, to just sing.”
“We wanted and needed to bring it back to its purest sound, always maintaining the harmonic melody of the song,” González reflects. “There’s a lot of wisdom in the record. I feel that when you record you make history, and as we were recording we knew this was history in the making.”
)
To list Rivera’s accolades does little justice to his work and significance. His storied career started with the bolero, however, the popular and ingenious romantic ballads that originally flourished in the 1930s. Dubbed the “National Voice of Puerto Rico,” Rivera has garnered Latin star status thanks to the intensity of his live performances, the dozens of recordings, and the risks he has taken as an engaged activist.
Nelson González has played with Rivera for over 25 years, after the two crossed paths when Rivera needed a tresero and discovered González. González, who now tours with Eddie Palmieri, has long been closely involved with the New York Salsa scene, playing in bands like Típica 73, as well as backing big names from Cachao, Paul Simon to Marc Anthony. It is his work with Simon, in fact, that González credits with guiding him toward this approach to Obsesión: “I would get people into the studio, really good musicians, and just let them play what they felt.”González would often gently, smartly push convention, by adding unexpected instruments to his arrangements, like the bandoneon, or by encouraging front men like Valdés or Miami Symphony concert master and violinist Federico Britos to lay back and let Rivera’s voice take center stage.
When González invited the late, legendary percussionist Manny Oquendo into the studio, Oquendo demanded one thing: “Turn Danny up in my headphones really loud.” He laid down the perfect rhythmic foundation for the ballads, and it was one of his last recordings.
This encouragement of well-honed talent merged with a playful approach to discovery, to rethinking songs Rivera has known for decades, hints at many of Latin music’s great genres, some thriving (like tango or Cuban son) and some struggling (like Puerto Rico’s trio music, with its emphasis on requinto).“This project gave us the chance to get together to give homage to great music,” Rivera muses. “Like children, we were playing and having fun, making pure art, not just some song.”
“We are the songs,” adds González. “The whole idea is to honor and bring back tradition and hopefully inspire people to be proud of their heritage. This is the best way we know to make a statement, through music. This is our way of saying, this is why it matters.”
Nightwood Theatre presents the English-language premiere of THE CAROUSEL March 11-30 2014 in Toronto
From a media release:
Nightwood Theatre presents the English-language premiere of
THE CAROUSEL
By Jennifer Tremblay, translated by Shelley Tepperman
March 11-30, 2014, Berkeley Street Theatre, Downstairs
Allegra Fulton stars in the sequel to Nightwood Theatre’s
smash hit, The List, directed by Megan Follows
(Toronto)—Nightwood Theatre continues its 2013/14 season with the English-language premiere of The Carousel by Governor General Award-winning playwright Jennifer Tremblay at Berkeley Street Theatre, Downstairs from March 11 to 30, 2014. The sequel to The List, in The Carousel the same unnamed woman faces the imminent death of her mother and must make the journey home to confront her past. Acclaimed for
her poetic mastery of language, Tremblay structures the play as rides on a carousel, peeling away the layers of familial guilt and fierce love that bind three generations of women. The Carousel is directed by Megan Follows in her directorial debut and features the incomparable Allegra Fulton, reprising her role from Nightwood Theatre’s smash-hit production of The List.Several years after The List, the woman rushes to the bedside of her dying mother. As she sits vigil, her mind journeys in many directions, exploring unanswered questionsfrom the past about her grandmother, mother, and herself. Her quest for truth brings to light the inextricable links between mothers and daughters: “The mother’s fate is her daughter’s past. The daughter’s fate is her mother’s future.” As mother/daughter/lover/wife, the woman grapples with her own identity, which has been ruptured by her recent infidelity.
Tremblay states “It seemed to me that The List, a work born of a mind, a memory, of suffering that was organized, measured, dissected, analyzed, studied, categorized, should be followed by the beating of a heart in love. In The Carousel I wanted to hear the pulsing of flesh that was deeply alive.” The List was translated into five languages,and has been presented in eight countries around the world. The world premiere of Le Carrousel took place in January 2014 at Théâtre d’Aujourd’hui in Montreal.The Carousel stars seasoned film, theatre and television veteran, Allegra Fulton (Frida K). Director Megan Follows, last seen in Nightwood Theatre’s Dora-Award winning production of The Penelopiad and currently starring in the CW network’s television series, REIGN, has assembled an impressive creative team for this premiere, including set, projection and costume designer Denyse Karn, lighting designer Kim Purtell, sound designer Thomas Ryder Payne and stage manager Melissa Rood.
The Carousel
By Jennifer Tremblay, translated by Shelley Tepperman
Opening (media) night March 13
Regular performances March 14-30
Berkeley Street Theatre, 26 Berkeley Street
Directed by Megan Follows
Starring Allegra Fulton
Set/Costume/Projection Design: Denyse Karn, Lighting Design: Kim Purtell, Sound Design: Thomas Ryder Payne, StageManager: Melissa Rood, Assistant Director: Kelly Straughan
Performance times:Tuesday to Saturday at 8:00 pm
Saturday and Sunday at 2:00 pm
Regular tickets are $25-$45
• All tickets are available through the Berkeley Street Theatre box office at 416-368-3110[image error]416-368-3110 or online at nightwoodtheatre.net.
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Taylor Family donates $1 million to the National Music Centre
From a media release:
Taylor Family donates $1 million to
the National Music Centre
(Calgary, AB — March 11, 2014) The National Music Centre (NMC) has received a gift of $1 million from the Taylor Family Foundation.
The gift will be used to support the new NMC building, with $800,000 being directed towards the construction of the new building in Calgary’s East Village, and $200,000 being used to support programming for the centre.
“The Taylor Family Foundation is proud to be affiliated with this exciting and innovative project. Music has always been an integral part of Calgary’s cultural scene and we are thrilled to be among NMC supporters. The NMC will be an evolving reward, not only for Calgarians, but for all Canadians,” said Don Taylor.
The Taylor Family Foundation is a well-known philanthropic family, with gifts that support education, the preservation of teaching and history, and the advancement of the arts, and health.
“The Taylor Family is a passionate supporter of education and the arts, and they share our values of supporting Canada’s rich musical history, while developing a new generation of musicians and music lovers. I greatly admire their commitment to projects like ours and thank them for their generous support,” said Andrew Mosker, President and CEO of NMC.
Opening in 2016, the NMC building will cost $150 million, and NMC has raised over $100 million to construct the 160,000 square foot cultural space that is referred to as the home for music in Canada. With interactive education programming, artist incubation, engaging exhibitions and performances daily, the NMC will become a hub of music for Calgary and Canada.
About the National Music Centre
The National Music Centre is the home for music in Canada and its mission is to amplify the love, sharing, and understanding of music. The new National Music Centre will be a 160,000 square-foot, architecturally stunning destination in the heart of Calgary’s East Village. It will resonate with expanded programming including education, performance, artist development, and community building collaborations. Learn more at nmc.ca.
Taylor Family donates $1 million to
the National Music Centre
(Calgary, AB — March 11, 2014) The National Music Centre (NMC) has received a gift of $1 million from the Taylor Family Foundation.
The gift will be used to support the new NMC building, with $800,000 being directed towards the construction of the new building in Calgary’s East Village, and $200,000 being used to support programming for the centre.“The Taylor Family Foundation is proud to be affiliated with this exciting and innovative project. Music has always been an integral part of Calgary’s cultural scene and we are thrilled to be among NMC supporters. The NMC will be an evolving reward, not only for Calgarians, but for all Canadians,” said Don Taylor.
The Taylor Family Foundation is a well-known philanthropic family, with gifts that support education, the preservation of teaching and history, and the advancement of the arts, and health.
“The Taylor Family is a passionate supporter of education and the arts, and they share our values of supporting Canada’s rich musical history, while developing a new generation of musicians and music lovers. I greatly admire their commitment to projects like ours and thank them for their generous support,” said Andrew Mosker, President and CEO of NMC.
Opening in 2016, the NMC building will cost $150 million, and NMC has raised over $100 million to construct the 160,000 square foot cultural space that is referred to as the home for music in Canada. With interactive education programming, artist incubation, engaging exhibitions and performances daily, the NMC will become a hub of music for Calgary and Canada.About the National Music Centre
The National Music Centre is the home for music in Canada and its mission is to amplify the love, sharing, and understanding of music. The new National Music Centre will be a 160,000 square-foot, architecturally stunning destination in the heart of Calgary’s East Village. It will resonate with expanded programming including education, performance, artist development, and community building collaborations. Learn more at nmc.ca.
March 6, 2014
CD Release: Sierra Leone Refuge All Stars - Libation (March 18, 2014 - Cumbancha)
From a media release:
CD Release:
Sierra Leone Refuge All Stars - Libation
(March 18, 2014 - Cumbancha)
• Buy/Pre-order it here
• Grab a free download of "Gbaenyama," the first single from the album, right over here
This year, Sierra Leone's Refugee All Stars proudly celebrate the band's 10-year anniversary with our fourth studio album, Libation.  For these recordings, we come full circle to the rootsy, acoustic, "around the campfire" sound of our first album --'Living Like a Refugee -- which was mostly recorded in the refugee
camps during the years in exile from Sierra Leone. Back then, our group was in a very different frame of mind, had yet to tour the world, and we were still raw in many ways.
Over the years we have grown and evolved to become the band we are today. Â This album demonstrates and celebrates how far we have come as a group, and serves as a musical 'libation' to the All Stars we have lost along the way. Â It's a family reunion as well, as we reunite with Chris Velan, producer on that debut release. Â The new album was recorded in the Green Mountains of Vermont and mixed in London by Chris and renowned British producer Iestyn Polson, known for his work with David Gray, Patti Smith, David Bowie and others.
We celebrate the joy, passion for music, and love-of-life that have shaped our band, and look forward to sharing this album with you on March 18th.
The Libation World Tour kicks off April 3rd in Minneapolis, Minnesota followed by a performance at the Amnesty International Human Rights Conference in Chicago, a concert at the iconic Apollo Theater in Harlem, New York and a special private appearance at the United Nations. Additional tour dates confirmed in Montreal, Boston, Washington DC, Los Angeles, San Francisco and more.
• For a full list of confirmed dates, visit www.cumbancha.com/slras/tour
Libation by Sierra Leone's Refugee All Stars
After a 10-year adventure that has taken them from the squalor of refugee camps to the world’s biggest stages, Africa’s most inspirational band continues to ascend with what will surely be hailed as their best album yet. For these beautiful recordings, Sierra Leone's Refugee All Stars go full circle to the acoustic, “around the campfire” sound that appeared on their first album, much of which was recorded in the refugee camps during their years in exile from Sierra Leone. Back then, the group was in a very different frame of
mind, had yet to tour the world, and were still raw in their sound. Over the years they have evolved to become one of Africa's most recognized bands with fans across the globe. Libation's acoustic intimacy, toe-tapping rhythms, catchy melodies, honest soulfulness, socially conscious lyrics and musical dexterity reveal how far the group has come while remaining true to its roots.
It's a family reunion as well, as they join forces again with Chris Velan, the producer of their debut album Living Like a Refugee. The new album, which will be released in the US and Canada on March 18, was recorded amidst the Green Mountains of Vermont and mixed in London by renowned British producer Iestyn Polson, known for his work with David Gray, Patti Smith, David Bowie and others.
The album takes its title, Libation, from the ritual pouring of a liquid that is common in African cultures. A libation is poured as an offering to a god or spirit, to honor the ancestors, and in memory of loved ones who have died. Often, when a libation is poured it is an invocation for sacred spirits to be present at a special event such as the welcoming of people into the community, for a wedding, birth or funeral or the coronation of a king or other ruler. After the tracking of the album was finished, for example, the members of the band celebrated the occasion by pouring a libation, both as a celebration and to remember the numerous beloved members of the band who have passed away over the last ten years and could not take part in the session. The title offers a celebration of ten years together, a chance to remember those who have joined the ancestors and hope for many years of success ahead.
From their last CD:
CD Release:
Sierra Leone Refuge All Stars - Libation
(March 18, 2014 - Cumbancha)
• Buy/Pre-order it here
• Grab a free download of "Gbaenyama," the first single from the album, right over here
This year, Sierra Leone's Refugee All Stars proudly celebrate the band's 10-year anniversary with our fourth studio album, Libation.  For these recordings, we come full circle to the rootsy, acoustic, "around the campfire" sound of our first album --'Living Like a Refugee -- which was mostly recorded in the refugee
camps during the years in exile from Sierra Leone. Back then, our group was in a very different frame of mind, had yet to tour the world, and we were still raw in many ways.Over the years we have grown and evolved to become the band we are today. Â This album demonstrates and celebrates how far we have come as a group, and serves as a musical 'libation' to the All Stars we have lost along the way. Â It's a family reunion as well, as we reunite with Chris Velan, producer on that debut release. Â The new album was recorded in the Green Mountains of Vermont and mixed in London by Chris and renowned British producer Iestyn Polson, known for his work with David Gray, Patti Smith, David Bowie and others.
We celebrate the joy, passion for music, and love-of-life that have shaped our band, and look forward to sharing this album with you on March 18th.
The Libation World Tour kicks off April 3rd in Minneapolis, Minnesota followed by a performance at the Amnesty International Human Rights Conference in Chicago, a concert at the iconic Apollo Theater in Harlem, New York and a special private appearance at the United Nations. Additional tour dates confirmed in Montreal, Boston, Washington DC, Los Angeles, San Francisco and more.
• For a full list of confirmed dates, visit www.cumbancha.com/slras/tour
Libation by Sierra Leone's Refugee All Stars
After a 10-year adventure that has taken them from the squalor of refugee camps to the world’s biggest stages, Africa’s most inspirational band continues to ascend with what will surely be hailed as their best album yet. For these beautiful recordings, Sierra Leone's Refugee All Stars go full circle to the acoustic, “around the campfire” sound that appeared on their first album, much of which was recorded in the refugee camps during their years in exile from Sierra Leone. Back then, the group was in a very different frame of
mind, had yet to tour the world, and were still raw in their sound. Over the years they have evolved to become one of Africa's most recognized bands with fans across the globe. Libation's acoustic intimacy, toe-tapping rhythms, catchy melodies, honest soulfulness, socially conscious lyrics and musical dexterity reveal how far the group has come while remaining true to its roots.It's a family reunion as well, as they join forces again with Chris Velan, the producer of their debut album Living Like a Refugee. The new album, which will be released in the US and Canada on March 18, was recorded amidst the Green Mountains of Vermont and mixed in London by renowned British producer Iestyn Polson, known for his work with David Gray, Patti Smith, David Bowie and others.
The album takes its title, Libation, from the ritual pouring of a liquid that is common in African cultures. A libation is poured as an offering to a god or spirit, to honor the ancestors, and in memory of loved ones who have died. Often, when a libation is poured it is an invocation for sacred spirits to be present at a special event such as the welcoming of people into the community, for a wedding, birth or funeral or the coronation of a king or other ruler. After the tracking of the album was finished, for example, the members of the band celebrated the occasion by pouring a libation, both as a celebration and to remember the numerous beloved members of the band who have passed away over the last ten years and could not take part in the session. The title offers a celebration of ten years together, a chance to remember those who have joined the ancestors and hope for many years of success ahead.From their last CD:
Flaco Jiménez & Max Baca Perform Best of the Conjunto Repertoire on New Smithsonian Folkways Album Legends and Legacies (February 25, 2014)
From a media release:
Flaco Jiménez & Max Baca Perform Best of the Conjunto Repertoire on New Smithsonian Folkways Album
Legends and Legacies (February 25, 2014)
• Check out a preview of the CD here
• Buy it here
• For tour dates, check the link
• Free download of Beer Drinking Polka
In the world of accordion-driven Texas-Mexican conjunto music, Leonardo “Flaco” Jiménez and Max Baca are at once pillars of the past and forgers of the future. Legends and Legacies spotlights these GRAMMY
award-winning artists, each an inheritor of a musical legacy from his father and grandfather, and each a dynamic force of musical genius.For more than 60 years, Flaco has pioneered the three-row button accordion, earning five GRAMMYs along the way, and ever since Max, 28 years his junior, joined him on the bajo sexto guitar, the duo has cultivated a larger-than-life reputation both on and off the stage. On February 25, 2014, Smithsonian Folkways will release 'Flaco & Max: Legends & Legacies,' a new album featuring Flaco and Max's interpretations of the best of the conjunto repertoire.
With accordion and the deep-pitched bajo sexto front-and-center, electric bass and drum kit supporting, and lyrics that are down-to-earth and often funny, conjunto ranges from fast-paced polkas (canción-polca) to slower, Mexican-style country songs (canción-ranchera). 'Flaco & Max' showcases the full breadth of the genre. Each an inheritor of a musical legacy from his father and grandfather, Flaco and Max chose the repertoire they consider most important to their respective musical paths for the album.
On the boisterous canción-polca "Cada Vez Que Cae La Tarde" — composed by Flaco's father, Santiago Jiménez, Sr. — Flaco and Max sing as a solid duo during the verses, and in between they trade zippy, virtuosic riffs. Other selections on the album were written by Flaco (“Fiesta alegre,” Joyful Fiesta) or were taught to Flaco and Max by their fathers ("Me voy lejos").
Born in 1939 into a line of pioneering Tejano accordionists, Flaco has won GRAMMYs for his own recordings and for albums with the Texas Tornados. He's also recorded with artists including The Rolling Stones, Dwight Yoakam and Ry Cooder.
Max was 7 when he met Flaco at a concert; 20 years later, he became his bajo sexto player. Flaco brought Max into the Texas Tornados, whose combination of country, rock and conjunto has inspired Max's Los Texmaniacs. The band's 2009 Smithsonian Folkways album 'Borders y Bailes' won a GRAMMY, and its 2012 album 'Texas Towns & Tex-Mex Sounds' received a Latin GRAMMY nomination this year.‘Flaco & Max: Legends and Legacies” is the 40th release in the Smithsonian Folkways Tradiciones/Traditions series since 2002. The series, a co-production with the Smithsonian Latino Center, showcases the diverse musical heritage of the 50 million Latinos living in the USA.
Artistic Duo, Rhonda Weppler and Trevor Mahovsky Named 2014 Canadian Glenfiddich Artists in Residence Prize Winner
From a media release:
Artistic Duo, Rhonda Weppler and Trevor Mahovsky Named
2014 Canadian Glenfiddich Artists in Residence Prize Winner
Toronto, March 4, 2014 – The artistic team of Winnipeg-born, self-proclaimed nomad, Rhonda Weppler and Calgary-born, Toronto-based Trevor Mahovsky, has been awarded the 2014 Canadian Glenfiddich Artists in Residence Prize for their collaborative work that takes an innovative sculptural approach to still life.
By combining handmade craft and improvised materials, their inventive work is an artistic translation of the complex identity of everyday objects as cultural artifacts. The pair's sculptural still life has been described as, "wickedly inventive, event-studded, inexhaustibly suggestive" and “mesmerizing, beautiful and surprisingly profound.”
The Weppler and Mahovsky shared-win makes the pair one of only ten recipients in the world awarded the art community's coveted 2014 Glenfiddich Artists in Residence Prize - to live and work at the distillery in Dufftown, Scotland. While in Dufftown the artists live in crofts and are encouraged to find inspiration from the pastoral setting in the Scottish Highlands. One of the specific benefits is to work in an international artists' community, to share in a dialogue with one another and to foster cross-disciplinary ideas. The Glenfiddich Artists in Residence Prize covers the cost of travel, living expenses and working materials during the residency. The three-month residency, valued at $20,000 per artist, (or collaborative pairing), represents the Glenfiddich commitment to the arts and the communities it serves.
Andy Fairgrieve, curator of the Glenfiddich Artists in Residence Prize was first to share the news from Dufftown, "We are excited to have our first collaborative pairing from Canada. Weppler's and Mahovsky's use of materials, tied so closely to those that are central to the crafting of Glenfiddch (copper and wood) promises to provide an outcome significantly tied into the unique opportunity that is the Glenfiddich experience.”
Weppler and Mahovsky issued a joint statement, "We are so honoured to be selected for the Glenfiddich residency. It gives us a much appreciated chance to connect with other artists from around the world in a
unique location. The Glenfiddich Prize is such a huge reward. We are so grateful that this program exists, not just for ourselves but for what it means to artists in general.”
Rozinante (2013): A half-scale sailboat meticulously constructed as a hollow shell of paper-thin fir wood veneer and resin.
The distinguished jury panel – Dr. Sara Diamond, president of Ontario College of Art & Design (OCAD) University, Gaetane Verna, director of The Power Plant, Kitty Scott, curator of modern and contemporary art at the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO), Julian Sleath, programming manager of special events, economic development and culture at the City of Toronto, the Canadian 2008 Glenfiddich Artists in Residence Prize recipient, Dave Dyment – arrived at the shortlist of eight finalists and ultimately, Andy Fairgrieve, curator of the Glenfiddich Artists in Residence Prize, selected the 2014 Glenfiddich Artists in Residence Prize recipient.
"We are very proud that the Artists in Residence Prize appeals to so many of Canada's leading and emerging artists," says Mr. Fairgrieve. "The range of scope of the submissions is a true reflection of the creative exploration going on in Canada today. While it was not easy to make the final selection from nearly 200 submissions, it was the use of materials, depth of imagination and innovative practice that made Weppler and Mahovsky the standout applicant.”
The Glenfiddich Artists in Residence Prize has sponsored more than 90 artists since its inception since 2002. Canadian artists include Daniel Barrow (2013), Jillian Mcdonald (2012), Helen Cho (2011), Damian Moppett (2010), Arabella Campbell (2009), Dave Dyment (2008), Jonathon Kaiser (2007), Annie
Pootoogook (2006) and Myfanwy Macleod (2005).
All Night Convenience (2012): A glowing store containing thousands of handmade acetate lanterns modeled on everyday packaged goods which visitors are invited to take home
About Rhonda Weppler and Trevor Mahovsky
Rhonda Weppler and Trevor Mahovsky have worked collaboratively since 2004. Both artists have MFA degrees from the University of British Columbia, where they met in 1996.
Exhibits include: National Gallery of Canada (Ottawa), LABoral (Gijon), Dos de Mayo (Madrid), Vancouver Art Gallery, Flux Night (Atlanta), Art Gallery of Alberta (Edmonton), Contemporary Art Gallery (Vancouver), Power Plant (Toronto), Musée d’art Contemporain de Montreal, Tokyo Wonder Site, loop-raum (Berlin), 516 Arts (Albuquerque), Art Gallery of Nova Scotia (Halifax), Fort Wayne Museum of Art. Weppler’s work has also been exhibited at the Palazzo delle Papesse (Siena) and COCA (Seattle). Mahovsky’s work has been shown at the Queen’s Museum of Art (NY), and he has written for catalogues and journals such as Artforum and Canadian Art.
Currently working on two public art commissions, including a work for Vancouver’s Main St Skytrain station. Residencies include: Acme (London), Artspace (Sydney), apexart (New York) and ISCP (New
York). Their work is represented in public collections including the Musée d’art Contemporain de Montreal and the National Gallery of Canada.
Shopping Cart (2004-2014): A series of delicate sculptural tracings of shopping carts created by intricately cutting and embossing aluminum foil.
About William Grant & Sons
William Grant & Sons is an independent family-owned distiller founded by William Grant in 1886 and today still controlled by the fifth generation of his family. The Company distils some of the world’s leading brands of Scotch whisky, including the world’s favourite single malt Glenfiddich®, the handcrafted range of The Balvenie® single malts and one of the world’s best loved blended Scotches, Grant’s®, as well as selected
other spirits, including Hendrick’s® Gin, Sailor Jerry® Spiced Rum and, most recently, Tullamore Dew Irish Whiskey
The Glenfiddich Artists in Residence Prize is very close to the Grant family’s heart with the art created taking inspiration from the distillery and its surrounding area which has been home to the Grant family for five generations.
Artistic Duo, Rhonda Weppler and Trevor Mahovsky Named
2014 Canadian Glenfiddich Artists in Residence Prize Winner
Toronto, March 4, 2014 – The artistic team of Winnipeg-born, self-proclaimed nomad, Rhonda Weppler and Calgary-born, Toronto-based Trevor Mahovsky, has been awarded the 2014 Canadian Glenfiddich Artists in Residence Prize for their collaborative work that takes an innovative sculptural approach to still life.
By combining handmade craft and improvised materials, their inventive work is an artistic translation of the complex identity of everyday objects as cultural artifacts. The pair's sculptural still life has been described as, "wickedly inventive, event-studded, inexhaustibly suggestive" and “mesmerizing, beautiful and surprisingly profound.”The Weppler and Mahovsky shared-win makes the pair one of only ten recipients in the world awarded the art community's coveted 2014 Glenfiddich Artists in Residence Prize - to live and work at the distillery in Dufftown, Scotland. While in Dufftown the artists live in crofts and are encouraged to find inspiration from the pastoral setting in the Scottish Highlands. One of the specific benefits is to work in an international artists' community, to share in a dialogue with one another and to foster cross-disciplinary ideas. The Glenfiddich Artists in Residence Prize covers the cost of travel, living expenses and working materials during the residency. The three-month residency, valued at $20,000 per artist, (or collaborative pairing), represents the Glenfiddich commitment to the arts and the communities it serves.
Andy Fairgrieve, curator of the Glenfiddich Artists in Residence Prize was first to share the news from Dufftown, "We are excited to have our first collaborative pairing from Canada. Weppler's and Mahovsky's use of materials, tied so closely to those that are central to the crafting of Glenfiddch (copper and wood) promises to provide an outcome significantly tied into the unique opportunity that is the Glenfiddich experience.”
Weppler and Mahovsky issued a joint statement, "We are so honoured to be selected for the Glenfiddich residency. It gives us a much appreciated chance to connect with other artists from around the world in a
unique location. The Glenfiddich Prize is such a huge reward. We are so grateful that this program exists, not just for ourselves but for what it means to artists in general.”Rozinante (2013): A half-scale sailboat meticulously constructed as a hollow shell of paper-thin fir wood veneer and resin.
The distinguished jury panel – Dr. Sara Diamond, president of Ontario College of Art & Design (OCAD) University, Gaetane Verna, director of The Power Plant, Kitty Scott, curator of modern and contemporary art at the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO), Julian Sleath, programming manager of special events, economic development and culture at the City of Toronto, the Canadian 2008 Glenfiddich Artists in Residence Prize recipient, Dave Dyment – arrived at the shortlist of eight finalists and ultimately, Andy Fairgrieve, curator of the Glenfiddich Artists in Residence Prize, selected the 2014 Glenfiddich Artists in Residence Prize recipient.
"We are very proud that the Artists in Residence Prize appeals to so many of Canada's leading and emerging artists," says Mr. Fairgrieve. "The range of scope of the submissions is a true reflection of the creative exploration going on in Canada today. While it was not easy to make the final selection from nearly 200 submissions, it was the use of materials, depth of imagination and innovative practice that made Weppler and Mahovsky the standout applicant.”
The Glenfiddich Artists in Residence Prize has sponsored more than 90 artists since its inception since 2002. Canadian artists include Daniel Barrow (2013), Jillian Mcdonald (2012), Helen Cho (2011), Damian Moppett (2010), Arabella Campbell (2009), Dave Dyment (2008), Jonathon Kaiser (2007), Annie
Pootoogook (2006) and Myfanwy Macleod (2005).All Night Convenience (2012): A glowing store containing thousands of handmade acetate lanterns modeled on everyday packaged goods which visitors are invited to take home
About Rhonda Weppler and Trevor Mahovsky
Rhonda Weppler and Trevor Mahovsky have worked collaboratively since 2004. Both artists have MFA degrees from the University of British Columbia, where they met in 1996.
Exhibits include: National Gallery of Canada (Ottawa), LABoral (Gijon), Dos de Mayo (Madrid), Vancouver Art Gallery, Flux Night (Atlanta), Art Gallery of Alberta (Edmonton), Contemporary Art Gallery (Vancouver), Power Plant (Toronto), Musée d’art Contemporain de Montreal, Tokyo Wonder Site, loop-raum (Berlin), 516 Arts (Albuquerque), Art Gallery of Nova Scotia (Halifax), Fort Wayne Museum of Art. Weppler’s work has also been exhibited at the Palazzo delle Papesse (Siena) and COCA (Seattle). Mahovsky’s work has been shown at the Queen’s Museum of Art (NY), and he has written for catalogues and journals such as Artforum and Canadian Art.
Currently working on two public art commissions, including a work for Vancouver’s Main St Skytrain station. Residencies include: Acme (London), Artspace (Sydney), apexart (New York) and ISCP (New
York). Their work is represented in public collections including the Musée d’art Contemporain de Montreal and the National Gallery of Canada.Shopping Cart (2004-2014): A series of delicate sculptural tracings of shopping carts created by intricately cutting and embossing aluminum foil.
About William Grant & Sons
William Grant & Sons is an independent family-owned distiller founded by William Grant in 1886 and today still controlled by the fifth generation of his family. The Company distils some of the world’s leading brands of Scotch whisky, including the world’s favourite single malt Glenfiddich®, the handcrafted range of The Balvenie® single malts and one of the world’s best loved blended Scotches, Grant’s®, as well as selected
other spirits, including Hendrick’s® Gin, Sailor Jerry® Spiced Rum and, most recently, Tullamore Dew Irish WhiskeyThe Glenfiddich Artists in Residence Prize is very close to the Grant family’s heart with the art created taking inspiration from the distillery and its surrounding area which has been home to the Grant family for five generations.
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