Arts Preview
Local arts and entertainment
|
|
Jackson Browne returns to Vermont on July 14. Submitted photo |
Toolbox
Published: April 3, 2009
Flamenco guitar
RANDOLPH – Canadian Nuevo flamenco guitarist Jesse Cook comes highly recommended. His latest endorsement is from President Barack Obama who has added Cook's "Mario Takes a Walk" to his playlist. Cook brings his Latin-fusion to Chandler Music Hall on Saturday April 4 at 7:30 p.m. CBC Radio 2 thought it would be a great idea for Obama – who is wildly popular north of the border – to get to know Canada through their music. Canadian citizens voted to help choose 49 pieces of music that get to the heart of the Canadian spirit "the top 49 songs from north of the 49th parallel", that best define their county, spanning a wide variety of genres and representing their culture from "coast to coast to coast." Cook fans rallied and voted Cook's "Mario Take a Walk" into the playlist. The passion of Cook's guitar-playing seems to be matched only by the passion of his fans.
Cook will be joined by Chris Church on violin, Nicolas Hernandez on guitar, and Rosenda Leon on percussion. Before Cook's April 4 performance, patrons are invited to enjoy a Spanish Andalucian meal at 6 p.m. in Chandler's upper gallery.
Dinner reservations are required and can be made by calling the Chandler box office at (802) 728-6464. (A dinner/concert package is available for $55/$50.) Concert tickets may be purchased online through Chandler's new Webs site, www,chandler-arts.org or by calling the box office.
Golden Dragon Acrobats
RUTLAND – The Golden Dragon Acrobats will bring its 30th annual United States tour, Cirque d'or, to the Paramount Theatre tonight at 8 p.m. Bruce Bouchard, the Paramount's executive director, commented, "There is virtually no American equivalent in the arts for the combination of athleticism, dance and circus that is the Chinese theatrical acrobatic tradition. Without question, the Cirque de soliel brand (and others) owes a serious debt to this stunning theatrical form, dating back to the Han Dynasty (221 B.C.-220 A.D.). Bouchard continued, "We are honored and excited to be presenting this completely unique artistic adventure – a presentation perfectly suited to the entire family. Given that The Golden Dragon Acrobats are recognized throughout the world as the premiere Chinese acrobatic touring company of today, the pleasure is even greater." The reputation of the company is solidly rooted in a commitment to the highest of production values and an attention to artistic details that is unparalleled in the art form. World renowned impresario Danny Chang and choreographer Angela Chang combine award-winning acrobatics, traditional dance, spectacular costumes ancient and contemporary music and theatrical techniques to present a show of breathtaking skill and spellbinding beauty.
Tickets are $23.50-$34.50; call (802) 775-0903, or go online www.paramountlive.org.
Gandalf Murphy
BRADFORD – New York's Gandalf Murphy & The Slambovian Circus of Dreams brings it's magical brew of original music to Oxbow High School Auditorium, 36 Oxbow Drive, on Friday April 10, at 8 p.m. Playing their first show in the area since last December's Winter Solstice celebration (which took place during the biggest ice storm of the decade) the band will perform the usual eclectic mix of originals, focusing on songs from "The Great Unravel" (their latest studio release). Riding an anachronistic whimsy (equal parts Washington Irving and Woodstock), new initiates to the band can expect to hear a broad palette of styles ranging from dusty Americana ballads to huge Pink Floyd-esque cinematic anthems. Possessing an exotic instrumental arsenal – glockenspiel, theremin, mandolin and accordion, in addition to standard rock regalia – they are endowed with a devoted populist appeal on the festival circuit and beyond. Known for electrifying live performances, down-to-earth connection to audiences, and more than anything, for irresistibly great original music, The Circus promises a night to remember. Special guests will join the band for an expanded version of the title track from the "The Great Unravel.".
Tickets: are $18 advance/$20 day of show, $10 for students; call (212) 868-4444, or go online to www.SmartTix.com. Additional concert information is available at (802) 429-3003.
Anais Mitchell in concert
MIDDLEBURY – Since growing up on a sheep farm in Bristol, singer-songwriter Anaïs Mitchell has traveled the country playing in concerts and music festivals, gaining fans at every stop. Now on the cusp of a major career, she returns to Addison County on Friday, April 10, at 7 p.m., for a benefit concert at Town Hall Theater. The concert is a fund-raiser for the Willowell Foundation, based in Monkton. The foundation supports sustainable land use and an ongoing environmental approach to place-based education. "Still in her 20s, Anaïs Mitchell writes with the wisdom, sophistication and poetic ability of someone twice her age," says Rich Warren. "There is short supply of young songwriters who write as intensely personal, passionate and literate lyrics as Mitchell does," says popmatters.com.
Tickets are $27, and may be purchased at (802) 382-9222, or online at www.townhalltheater.org.
Habib Koité & Bamada
WOODSTOCK – Habib Koité & Bamada will present a concert to benefit Harbor Mountain Press, a nonprofit publisher of "poetry near and far" based in White River Junction. Koité and his band will perform on Thursday, April 9, at 7:30 p.m., at the Town Hall Theatre. Koité, the Malian guitar virtuoso, has grown from being one of Africa's best-kept secrets to become one of the leading figures in contemporary world music. With more than 300,000 albums sold around the globe, an appearance on the popular television show "Late Night with David Letterman," a duet with Bonnie Raitt on her 2002 album "Silver Lining" and nearly a thousand concerts on some of the world's most prestigious stages under his belt, Koité is one of Africa's most beloved and popular musicians. After a six-year absence from the recording studio, Habib Koité and his band Bamada released a stunning new album this past fall, "Afriki," part of which was recorded in Vermont.
Reserved seats are $29 (Director's Circle benefit tickets are available for $75 and include premier seating and a pre-show reception); call Pentangle Box Office, (802) 457-3981, or go online to www.pentanglearts.org
Jonathan Edwards May 16
WOODSTOCK – One of the most recognizable voices in folk music, singer-songwriter Jonathan Edwards performs at Town Hall Theatre on Saturday, May 16, at 7:30 p.m. Once you hear Edwards' voice, you'll want to hear it again and again. His rich, warm tenor has a distinctively unique and natural quality. "My inspiration came from the soul of people, not so much the technique," Edwards explains. "My influences came from Ray Charles, Gladys Knight, Van Morrison and even some of the more popular folk people like the Kingston Trio and Peter, Paul and Mary. But there's no one I ever tried to sing like."
Reserved seats are $25; call the Pentangle Box Office, (802) 457-3981, or go online to www.pentanglearts.org.
Three young dancers
MIDDLEBURY – Thirteen years ago, three little girls walked into their first dance class with well-known dance teacher Patty Smith. It began a long process of teaching and mentoring, of hard work and growth and maturation, and now this trio of talented 18-year-olds is poised to enter the world. Tristan Bartsch, Sonia Hare and Bethany Neil will have their farewell concert, the "Leap of Faith Graduation Ball," tonight at Town Hall Theater. A very special feature of the evening will be veteran choreographer and teacher Patty Smith performing with her three protégés. "We've spent hours and hours and hours and hours together over the years," says Smith, "and we've learned a lot about each other and a lot about life." The centerpiece, a 30-minute comedy called "Carnivale," is having its premiere performance.
Tickets are $10, and may be purchased at (802) 382-9222, or online at www.townhalltheater.org.
New folk traditions
BURLINGTON – In honor of National Poetry Month, Burlington City Arts celebrates old and new folk traditions in concert on Saturday, April 4, at 7:30 p.m. at the Firehouse Center for the Visual Arts, Church Street. Singer-songwriters from Vermont and Massachusetts share musical poetry incorporating lilting melody, lyrics and harmonies into songs you will remember long beyond the concert. Performers include Cindy Mangsen and Steve Gillette, Hungrytown (Rebecca Hall and Ken Anderson), Beeline Ramblers (Lisa Burnstine-Sturz and Fran Mandeville), and Pete Sutherland — performers whose songs have been sung on stages across the globe. Sutherland, active in hundreds of music projects throughout Vermont, is program director for the Champlain Valley Folk Festival, and introduced both Hungrytown and Beeline Ramblers to audiences this past summer to enthusiastic acclaim for their new take on folk music.
Tickets are $15, $12 for seniors and students, and benefit the Champlain Valley Folk Festival (www.cvfest.org); for tickets, call Laurel Shelmandine at (877) 850-0206, or e-mail: Lshelmandine@yahoo.com.
Musical theater auditions
PITTSFORD – The Brandon Town Players will be holding auditions for Rodgers and Hammerstein's "The Sound Of Music," which will be presented at the Paramount Theatre on July 16-19. All auditions will be held at the Pittsford Congregational Church, Route 7. Auditions for children/teens will be Saturdays, April 4 and 18, at 10 a..m. Children/teens will be taught a song and will be required to sing and read from a script. Children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult. Auditions for sdults will be held Saturday, April 4, at 1 p.m., Tuesday, April 7, at 6 p.m. with call-backs scheduled for Saturday, April 18 at 12:30 p.m. Adults trying out for a featured role should be prepared to sing a song from a Broadway show and provide a music score for the accompanist. Music scores from "The Sound of Music will be available." If you are just interested in trying out for the Nuns' chorus, you will sing in a small group, no music score is necessary.
For more information call Dennis W. Marden, (802) 247-5420.
Jackson Browne July 14
Jackson Browne returns to the Champlain Valley on Tuesday, July 14, as part of the Ben & Jerry's Concerts on the Green summer concert series at Shelburne Museum. A limited number of special VIP tickets are available to this performance with proceeds directly benefiting LACE (Local Agriculture Community Exchange), a Barre-based non-profit dedicated to reconnecting the community with its local food source. Since his acclaimed 1972 self-titled debut album, Jackson Browne has defined a genre of songwriting and performing that is charged with honesty, emotion and personal politics. Two of his albums, "Late for the Sky" and "The Pretender," are on Rolling Stone's list of the "500 Greatest Albums of All Time." Accompanying Browne on the road is his band of 15 years.
Two tiers of VIP tickets are available: Gold Circle tickets are $250 and include preferred lawn section seating, artist reception and parking; Silver Circle tickets are $125 and include preferred lawn section seating. For more information or to purchase, visit www.novoiceunheard.org.
Young Artists Showcase
MIDDLEBURY – Talented high school students from all over the area will strut their stuff in Town Hall Theater's third annual Young Artists Showcase at Town Hall Theater on Saturday, April 4, at 8 p.m. "Kids involved in sports get a lot of recognition, and that's great," says THT Executive Director Doug Anderson. "But if you've spent years in a practice room pounding on a piano you just don't get as many chances to show the world what you can do. We created this show to celebrate kids who've really accomplished something in the arts." This year's showcase will feature singers, dancers, actors, instrumentalists, and even a rap poet. Anderson sees the show not only as a reward for the young artists, but as a terrifically entertaining event for the community. "After the last one, someone said to me, "This wasn't just a great kids' show – it was a great show, period.' I felt the same way. "
Tickets are $10, and may be purchased at (802) 382-9222, or online at www.townhalltheater.org.
Brad Paisley Aug. 30
ESSEX JUNCTION – The reigning CMA Male Vocalist of the Year and newly re-crowned ACM Top Male Vocalist winner, Brad Paisley, will appear at the Champlain Valley Fair as part of the Bud Light True Music Series in the Coca Cola Grandstand on Sunday, Aug. 30, at 7:30 pm. Paisley comes to the Comcast Stage with special guests Dierks Bentley and Jimmy Wayne, featuring songs from his latest CD, "5th Gear." Tickets for the show will go on sale at the Flynn Theater and Flynn outlets today at 10 a.m.
Tickets will be available at the Flynn Box Office, (802) 863-5966, or online at www.flynntix.org.
Vermont Public Television
Sunday: At 2 p.m., "Great Performances at the Met" continues its season with "Thais." Renée Fleming plays an Egyptian courtesan in search of spiritual sustenance in Massenet's sensual opera. Thomas Hampson plays the monk who falls from grace. At 9 p.m., "Masterpiece Classic" continues Dickens' "Little Dorrit." Romance and heartbreak are in the air.
Saturday, April 11: At 9 p.m., "Sherlock Holmes: Silver Blaze" finds the detective on the case when the most remarkable race horse in England goes missing and his trainer is found dead. At 10 p.m. on "Austin City Limits," Nigerian bandleader Femi Kuti brings his socially conscious Afrobeat to the stage. At 11 p.m., the new series "Live From the Artists' Den" features Raphael Saadiq, a standard-bearer for old school R&B.
42