[NEohioPAL] World Class Art & Artists coming to Kent Stage

[The Kent Stage]

  For Immediate release
Jan. 21, 2008
   
  Interview opportunities
Please call 330-677-5005
  or email information at kentstage.org. 
   
   
  Standing Rock International Short Film Festival 
  Bill Evans' SOULGRASS featuring Sam Bush
  Richard Thompson's 1000 years of Popular Music
  The Blind Boys of Alabama
  Greg Brown
   
    5th ANNUAL STANDING ROCK CULTURAL ARTS
FILM FESTIVAL 
  Friday, January 25 -- 8:00 PM
  There are three parts to the festival:
   
  1) Independent short films from around the world. This portion includes documentaries, animation, short comedy, collages, music videos, and short drama. It features work by filmmakers from as close as Northeast Ohio and from as far away as Australia, England, Ireland, and Canada.
Among the submissions are works by award winning filmmakers such as Grace Channer (who spent 15 years on a series of animated paintings for her film “But Some Are Brave”), Jeremy Mayhew (who created a unique music video by animating antique engravings), and Aube Giroux (whose socially conscious documentary takes on the world of genetically modified food).
   
  2) Featured filmmaker Dustin Grella. Last year's "Best of Fest" and "People's Choice" award winner Dustin Grella returns as our featured filmmaker. He will be previewing his latest work as well as discussing the techniques behind his incredible chalkboard animation titled "Glimpse."
   
  3) Two silent films by Mike Hovancsek, with live musical accompaniment by Root Doctor’s Revenge.
  INFO: 330-673-4970 or write to info at standingrock.net
  Tickets: $10.00
Students and Seniors: $7.00
Tickets available at the Kent Stage, Woodsy's Music, 
The North Water Street Gallery, and SpinMore Records. 
Or at the door. 

   
   
   
  BILL EVANS SOULGRASS 
Special Edition 
with 
  Sam Bush, Richard Bona, Joel Rosenblatt, 
  Christian Howes, and Ryan Cavanaugh 
  Saturday, January 26
8:00 PM
  Bill Evans, saxophone -- website 
Sam Bush (New Grass Revival & Sam Bush Band), mandolin -- website
Joel Rosenblatt, drums -- website
  Richard Bona  (Larry Coryell, Brandford Marsalis), bass -- website
Christian Howes (Randy Brecker, James Carter, Jack DeJohnette), fiddle -- website
Ryan Cavanaugh (Merlefest & RockyGrass champion), banjo -- website
   
  Bill Evans Soulgrass Special Edition is a summit of all-stars, combining the top jazz and bluegrass musicians in the world. Throughout his 20-year career as a solo artist, multi- Grammy nominated saxophonist Bill Evans has explored a variety of musical settings that go well beyond the confines of traditional jazz, including hip-hop, fusion, reggae, Brazilian and slamming funk. 
  Advance discount tickets: $20.00
Day of Show: $25.00
   
  SOULGRASS Info
  Bill Evans Biography

  Throughout his 20-year career as a solo artist, multi- Grammy nominated saxophonist Bill Evans has explored a variety of musical settings that go well beyond the confines of traditional jazz, including hip-hop, fusion, reggae, Brazilian and slamming funk. Evans steps into more adventurous territory on Soulgrass, blending jazz, funk and roots music into a seamless and wholly unique hybrid of quintessentially American styles. 
  Bill Evans started playing piano before switching to tenor sax in high school. After one year of studying music at North Texas State University he transferred to William Patterson College in New Jersey in 1978 and also began private studies with sax great and former Miles Davis sideman, Dave Liebman. Through Liebman's recommendation, he was tapped by Miles in 1980 , at the age of 22, to play a key role in Miles celebrated comeback band. Bill became Miles right-hand man and soloist foil in concert and on a series of recordings -- 1981s The Man With The Horn, 1982s We Want Miles, 1983s Star People and 1984s Decoy. After leaving Davis band in 1984, Evans joined John McLaughlin in a reconstituted edition of the Mahavishnu Orchestra, appearing on 1985s Mahavishnu and 1987s Adventures in Radioland. He also toured and recorded through the 80s with the band Elements (with keyboardist Cliff Carter, bassist Mark Egan and drummer Danny Gottlieb) and through the 90s with Petite
 Blonde (an all-star fusion band he formed which was comprised of bassist Victor Bailey, drummer Dennis Chambers, guitarist Chuck Loeb and Evans on tenor and soprano saxes) and also with former Police guitarist Andy Summers. More recently, Evans has toured Europe and the States with the Soulbop band, which he co-leads with trumpeter Randy Brecker.
  Bills solo debut came in 1984 with Living in the Crest of a Wave and he followed up in 1985 with Alternative Man. In the early 90s, he was one of the first to blend hip-hop and jazz in a musical way on a triumvirate of recordings -- 1993s Push, 1994s Live in Europe and 1995s Escape. He followed those groundbreaking recordings with 1997s Starfish and The Moon, 1999s Touch and 2001s Grammy nominated Soul Insider, which featured a guest appearance by soul-jazz legend Les McCann. Bill followed that success with 2003s groove-oriented Big Fun, which featured a cameo spot by country star Willie Nelson. In 2005, BHM Records released the exhilarating Soul Bop Band Live, which captured the all-star group fronted by Evans and Randy Brecker and featuring drummer Steve Smith, guitarist Hiram Bullock, bassist Victor Bailey and pianist Dave Kikoski in full stride during a whirlwind summer tour last year. His daring collaboration with Bela Fleck and Nashville session aces Sam Bush,
 Stuart Duncan and Jerry Douglas on Soulgrass is Bill's latest exploration in an ever-evolving career.
  The ground-breaking Soulgrass recording was nominated for a Grammy in 2005.  Because of his respect and adulation among fellow artists in the music world, Bill was able to call upon the stellar musicians who appeared on the recording. Joining the great saxophonist on this pioneering effort, which was recorded entirely in Nashville, was banjo legend Bela Fleck.  Bela was so taken with the project that he not only played on but also co-produced 6 of the 10 tracks.  Also joining Bill were progressive bluegrass greats Sam Bush on mandolin, Stuart Duncan on fiddle, Jerry Douglas on dobro and Pat Bergeson on acoustic guitar and harmonica. Other special guests includes Bela Fleck Flecktones band mate Victor Wooten on electric bass, Vinnie Colaiuta on drums, Mark Egan on electric bass, Bruce Hornsby, Clifford Carter and Dave Kikoski on keyboards, David Charles on percussion and John Scofield on guitar.
  Evans says that the idea of exploring an adventurous and unlikely hybrid of bluegrass and jazz was actually something he had in mind for years. Ive been an Americana fan ever since my Miles days. I liked the sound of mandolin, banjo, dobro and fiddle and I thought that music had a very cool rhythmic approach, even though I never really knew the names of the players or the tunes. But I just connected with that music in some way. So it had been in the back of my mind for years to do a project like this. I had been listening to some Americana and bluegrass stuff. I had some Bill Monroe Cd's at home and also listened to recordings by Bruce Hornsby, the Flecktones and that project that Bela did with Mark OConnor and Edgar Meyer, Appalachian Waltz. So I was doing a lot of listening, just immersing myself in all of this Americana music to inspire me in that mode. And once I got in there, I just started cranking out the tunes, keeping these instruments in mind. Then when we all
 got together in the studio to record, I was pleased to see that it all fit like a glove.
  Bill Evans has assembled another powerhouse touring band, featuring some of the most in-demand musicians on the scene.   Bill Evans Soulgrass includes Joel Rosenblatt, who toured with Spyro Gyra for 11 years, multi--genre improviser on fiddle, Christian Howes, and young banjo phenom Ryan Cavanaugh.   Bill Evans now brings Soulgrass to the US audiences who have been writing him for years to tour the states. Bill says, Its amazing to see the ecstatic response from people every night who have never heard banjo, fiddle and saxophone together in this context.   Bill Evans Soulgrass has been described by the newspaper El Mundo from Madrid Spain as the most energizing and fresh sounding blend of Americana and Funk, but Bills innovative music and high-energy live shows speak for themselves. 
More currently, Bill finished his new and latest CD titled " The other side of something " featuring, once again, Bela Fleck, Victor Wooten, Sam Bush, Pat Bergeson, plus the addition of musicians like Dennis Chambers, Richard Bona, and his current working band of Chris Howes, Joel Rosenblatt and Ryan Cavanaugh, etc.
  The CD was released in Europe Nov 26 and is planned on a USA release for spring 2008.
 
    RICHARD THOMPSON  
1000 Years of Popular Music 
  Monday, February 4 -- 7:00 PM
  Richard Thompson might be the quintessential cult artist. Mention his name, and people either scratch their heads, wondering why the name is familiar, or turn out to be fans who try to convert you.
  Fans will tell you about his phenomenal guitar playing. They'll rave about his expertly crafted songs, delivered with the throaty voice of a modern troubadour.
  Born in West London in 1949. His family was very musically diverse, and he grew up listening to everything from jazz to early rock and roll. Artists like Buddy Holly and Les Paul intermingled in his record collection with Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington.
  As a teenager, Richard became the guitarist in several bands throughout the 1960s, including now legendary folk rockers Fairport Convention (his "breakthrough band"). He remained with the band for three more years, eventually touring America with Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young and Traffic in 1970. 
  In 1971, Richard released his first solo album, which was followed by his marriage to folksinger Linda Peters, with whom he made several albums as a duo in 1974-78. Richard and Linda's children Teddy Thompson and Kamila Thompson are both involved in music. 
  Regular Fairport reunions have since peppered a career dominated by blistering solo albums acoustic, electric and live. After nearly forty years and fifty albums Richard is still writing and performing his poetically crafted songs in his distinctive style. He's collaborated with folks like Peter Filleul and Tim Finn of Crowded House, and has been covered by artists from REM to Bonnie Raitt, to Del McCoury. 
  Rolling Stone magazine listed Thompson as #19 on its list of The 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time.
  In 2006 Richard Thompson was presented with a Lifetime Achievement prize at the BBC Folk Awards and the Fairport Convention album which most bears his mark, Liege & Leif, was voted the Most Influential Folk Album of All Time.
  Official Richard Thompson Website
   
  The witty and Welsh Judith Owen is summed up by the New York Press "as a brutally sardonic, keenly observational, jazzier, chanteused-out version of Tori Amos without the suicidal tendencies."
  Owen's live performances brim with humor and theatrics, distinguishing her from other female singer/songwriters. Her new CD "Lost and Found" is filled with literate storytelling, and Owen's arresting voice guides her exceedingly personal tunes rendering them indelible. The CD features award-winning artists Cassandra Wilson, Keb' Mo', Tom Scott and Richard Thompson.
  Official Judith Owen Website
  Percussionist Debra Dobkin is a native Chicagoan who has recorded and appeared in concert with Bonnie Raitt, Was (not Was), Jackson Browne, among many others.
  She has performed 1000 Years of Popular Music in London and Chicago playing trap drums, djembe, darbouka, Celtic drum, and the occasional piece of luggage.
  Official Debra Dobkin Website
  Advance discount tickets: $30.00
Day of Show: $35.00
   

   
    THE BLIND BOYS 
OF ALABAMA 
  Wednesday, February 13 -- 7:30 PM
  The Blind Boys of Alabama have spread the spirit and energy of pure soul gospel music for over 60 years, ever since the first version of the group formed at the Alabama Institute for the Negro Blind in 1939. Today, founding members Clarence Fountain and Jimmy Carter are joined by more recent arrivals Bishop Billy Bowers, Joey Williams, Ricky McKinnie, Bobby Butler, and Tracy Pierce on a mission to expand the audience for traditional soul-gospel singing while incorporating contemporary songs and innovative arrangements into their hallowed style.
  After performing together for over six decades, The Blind Boys of Alabama have enjoyed one of the more striking comebacks in recent memory. Their last several albums have earned these hipster septuagenarians the best reviews and record sales of their career, four Grammy Awards in a four year span, and a completely new, contemporary audience.
  Official Blind Boys of Alabama Website
  Advance discount tickets: $30.00
Day of Show: $35.00
   
  GREG BROWN 
  Saturday, February 16 -- 8:00 PM
  Greg Brown's mother played electric guitar, his grandfather played banjo, and his father was a Holy Roller preacher in the Hacklebarney section of Iowa, where the Gospel and music are a way of life. Brown's first professional singing job came at age 18 in New York City, running hootenannies (folksinger get-togethers) at the legendary Gerdes Folk City. After a year, Brown moved west to Los Angeles and Las Vegas, where he was a ghostwriter for Buck Ram, founder of the Platters. Tired of the fast-paced life, Brown traveled with a band for a few years, and even quit playing for a while before he moved back to Iowa and began writing songs and playing in midwestern clubs and coffeehouses.
  Brown's songwriting has been lauded by many, and his songs have been performed by Willie Nelson, Carlos Santana, Michael Johnson, Shawn Colvin, and Mary Chapin Carpenter. He has also recorded more than a dozen albums, including his 1986 release, Songs of Innocence and of Experience, when he put aside his own songwriting to set poems of William Blake to music. One Big Town, recorded in 1989, earned Brown three and a half stars in Rolling Stone, chart-topping status in AAA and The Gavin Report's Americana rankings and Brown's first Indie Award from NAIRD (National Association of Independent Record Distributors). The Poet Game, his 1994 CD, received another Indie award from NAIRD. His critically acclaimed 1996 release, Further In, was a finalist for the same award. Rolling Stone's four-star review of Further In called Brown "a wickedly sharp observer of the human condition." 1997's Slant 6 Mind (Red House Records) earned Brown his second Grammy nomination. His latest CD, One
 Night (Red House), is a re-release of a 1983 live performance originally on Minneapolis' Coffeehouse Extemporé Records. 
  Official Greg Brown Website
  Advance discount tickets: $20.00
Day of Show: $25.00
   

    OTHER UPCOMING EVENTS @ The Kent Stage
    

  Richard Thompson’s 1000 Years of Music: Feb 4
  Up From The River: Feb 8 & 9
  The Blind Boys of Alabama: Feb 13 
  Greg Brown: Feb 16
  Ekoostik Hookah: Feb 22
  The Avett Brothers: Mar 1
  The Boys Of The Lough: Mar 6
  David Cousins of The Strawbs Mar. 15
  Richie Havens Mar. 30
  The Punch Brothers featuring Chris Thile of Nickel Creek Apr 2
  Spencer Davis Group w/t Joey Molland of Badfinger Apr 12

   
    The Kent Stage is located at 175 East Main Street in downtown Kent, Ohio.  There is FREE parking behind the theater and on all city streets.  Advance tickets are available at Woodsy's Music and Spin-More Records in Kent, or at www.kentstage.org.   Tickets will also be available at the door.  Doors open one hour before concert.  If you have any questions please email us at information at kentstage.org or call 330-677-5005.
   
  XXX


       
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