Eve Cornelious & Chip Crawford
2:00-3:00 |
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Award winning vocalist, Eve Cornelious won the Jazz Composers Fellowship for her original tunes "We've Changed" and "A Thoughtful Message." As a BET Jazz Vocal Discovery, she has enjoyed a remarkable career touring all over the world at concert halls, clubs and festivals. She has performed and/or recorded with Ramsey Lewis, Chucho Valdez, Javon Jackson, Jon Hendricks, Norman Connors, Roy Hargrove and others. With two degrees from North Carolina Central University, she was appointed the first jazz vocal instructor in the North Carolina University System.
In the early 70's Chip Crawford began his career at Berklee College of Music and within a year found himself touring and recording with such music legends as the Four Tops and Isaac Hayes. In 1974, Chip formed the group Workshoppe, which attracted the attention of Weather Report founder and producer Joe Zawinul. His association with jazz giants continued through the next two decades, as he worked extensively with Donald Byrd and performed with Jimmy Heath, Herbie Hancock, Slide Hampton, Houston Person and Harold Vick. He has also been a long-standing arranger for Miles Davis' legendary producer Teo Macero. He has served on the faculties of Duke University, NC Central University, St. Augustine's College, and UNC-Chapel Hill.
Crawford and Cornelious, who are husband and wife, received critical praise for their album I Feel Like Some Jazz Today.
www.evecornelious.com |
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Kellylee Evans
4:00-5:00 |
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A 2007 Juno Award-nominated singer-songwriter, Kellylee Evans is a unique voice in the urban jazz world, and many of today's top musicians have taken notice. With a smooth style that slides through jazz, soul, R&B, blues and world music rhythms, Kellylee's calming sound speaks volumes. Rich, soothing, robust, and energizing, and with a songwriting talent being compared to Elvis Costello, Aimee Mann and Ron Sexsmith, this eclectic artist ignites inspiration; and her new CD Fight or Flight? may indeed be one of the most anticipated independent releases of its kind this year.
In 2004, Kellylee was awarded second place in the prestigious Thelonious Monk International Jazz Vocals Competition, held at The Kennedy Center in Washington, DC. The judges--Quincy Jones, All Jarreau, DeeDee Bridgewater, Kurt Elling, Jimmy Scott and Flora Purim--chose Kellylee out of a pool of over 160 gifted vocalists from around the world. She and her band have been rocking audiences across North America at venues ranging from clubs to theatres to jazz and folk festivals to black tie galas. And at every turn, concert-goers have been led to their feet, dancing later into the night. She has headlined the All Canadian Jazz Festival and opened for Maceo Parker at the Ottawa International Jazz Festival. She has also been nominated for a Toronto Independent Music Award.
www.kellyleeevans.com |
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Lonnie Walker
6:00-7:00 |
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| These Times Old Times is the debut release from North Carolina locals Lonnie Walker. Originally a one-man band, Lonnie Walker evolved from the solo spirit of Brian Corum into a collection of friends bound by their shared passion for music and visual art. After years of honing their sound while playing house shows and DIY spaces in Greenville, NC- Lonnie Walker garnered local support from classmates and peers immediately. Through the additions of Eric Hill, Justin Flythe, Raymond Finn, and Josh Bridgers; Lonnie Walker sound became more unconventional. Now signed to Raleigh's Terpsikhore Records- their blend of rootsy americana and dance-party punk-rock has only just started to find traction outside of their home state.
Lonnie Walker's sound has been fairly influenced by an amalgam of Tom Waits and Pixies, but with a signature vocal style and a broad range of song structures.
Having shared the stage with other North Carolina based acts such as Annuals, Future Islands, and Ear Pwr; Lonnie Walker has played shows and made free demos available for years.
However, Lonnie Walker's music has evolved through their many ever-sharpening performances, and their chemistry resonates through their most recent recorded works unlike anything the band has turned in to date.
www.myspace.com/lonniewalker |
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Buckwheat Zydeco
8:00-10:00 |
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Buckwheat Zydeco's music is a blend of traditional Louisiana bayou Creole zydeco with Afro-Caribbean rhythm and blues, soul and rock. Ever since Stanley "Buckwheat" Dural, Jr. formed Buckwheat Zydeco 30 years ago, audiences around the world have rocked, rolled, rollicked and frolicked to Louisiana's hottest music!
Stanley "Buckwheat" Dural, Jr. was born in Lafayette, Louisiana in 1947. He acquired his nickname because, with his braided hair, he looked like Buckwheat from The Little Rascals. His father was an accomplished, non-professional traditional Creole accordion player, but growing up Buckwheat preferred listening to and playing R&B. He became proficient at the keyboard, and by the late 1950s was backing Joe Tex, Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown and many others. In 1971 he formed a 16-piece funk band, Buckwheat And The Hitchhikers. Never a traditional zydeco fan when growing up, Buckwheat nonetheless accepted an invitation in 1976 to join Clifton Chenier's Red Hot Louisiana Band as organist. He quickly discovered the joy and power of zydeco music, and marveled at the effect the music had on the audience. "I was shocked to find out how popular zydeco really was," Buckwheat says. "Everywhere, people young and old just loved zydeco music."
Buckwheat took up the accordion in 1978. After woodshedding for a year, he felt ready to start his own band under the name Buckwheat Zydeco and began his recording career with the small Blues Unlimited label in 1979. By the mid-1980s there were more offers to perform than he could possibly accept.
Over the course of its celebrated career, Buckwheat Zydeco has played for President Clinton, performed at the closing ceremonies of the 1996 Summer Olympics (to a worldwide audience of 3 billion people), and gigged with everyone from Eric Clapton (with whom he also recorded) and U2 to The Boston Pops. Buckwheat Zydeco's music appeared in a number of theatrical films and on too many television programs to mention, including The Late Show With David Letterman, CNN, The Today Show, MTV, NBC News and many others.
One thing remains the same--through the years Buckwheat Zydeco has remained hugely popular as a live attraction. When they play, people dance!
www.buckwheatzydeco.com |
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The Johnny Folsom Four
1:00-2:00 |
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From A Boy Named Sue to Ring of Fire, four of Raleigh's favorite musical sons pay tribute to the Man in Black with the Johnny Folsom Four. It's all Johnny Cash; all the time. True to the man's poetic spirit, the JF4 promises an honest and entertaining performance for fans of all ages.
While nobody sounds like Mr Cash, lead singer David Burney brings a lilting southern baritone to the Cash's classic songs which hits the mark well enough that you may wonder on occasion if Johnny, himself, is in the building. David Gresham more than meets the challenge of filling in for Luther and Carl Perkins on those classic guitar licks. And Joey Ward (bass) and Randy Benefield (drums) provide the hallmark, train-like driving rhythm the whole world loves. When it comes to honoring Johnny Cash, JF4 walks the line.
www.johnnyfolsom.com
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Funkuponya
3:00-4:00 |
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This Raleigh-based instrumental jazz-funk quartet gets its sound from Brian Werner's swampy keyboard trill and bassist Leo Kishore's feral pops, with Doug Carter offering jazzy guitar swing and drummer Carl Blackwell holding it together with sturdy snare thrum and cymbal snaps.
www.myspace.com/funkuponya |
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Jonathan Scales
5:00-6:00 |
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"Joyously inventive..." is how Jazz Times describes the work of Asheville-based steel drummer Jonathan Scales. Mixing a traditional Caribbean instrument with a contemporary jazz attitude, Jonathan Scales' music pushes the steel pan into the realms of funk, rock, and even bluegrass while still digging into the roots of traditional world sounds such as reggae and Latin. His intricate, instrumental writing combines with metrick complexities to weave seamlessly between musical styles.
The music world was introduced to Jonathan with his 2007 release, One-Track Mind, which brought him acclaim from steady regional press, consistent radio airplay, and a jammed schedule of live performances ranging from small clubs to packed theatres. This year ushered in Jonathan Scales' second studio release Plot/Scheme, featuring drum guru Jeff Sipe and Grammy award-winning sax man Jeff Coffin.
www.jonscales.com |
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Mel Melton & The Wicked Mojos
"Be That Band" Competition Winner
7:00-8:00 |
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Don't miss a performance by Mel Melton & The Wicked Mojos, winner of BE THAT BAND--an Artsplosure Battle of the Bands!
Mel Melton & The Wicked Mojos won the opportunity to Be That Band... the band that opens for the legendary Buckwheat Zydeco at Artsplosure 2009. The band won the competition, outshining 4 other other local unsigned groups in a live competition on May 5th at Tir Na Nog Irish Pub. The 5 finalists were chosen from nearly two dozen submissions from bands across the Piedmont.
For Mel Melton, what was intended to be a brief visit to Lafayette, LA in the early '70s turned out to be a life-changing experience. There he fell in love with the traditional Louisianna music and food and had the opportunity to perform along with some Blues and Zydeco greats. By 1990, Mel was back in NC and back at music, having formed the first edition of The Wicked Mojos.
In an attempt to describe the band's sound and his original songs, Mel recited all the influences that came to him from his long stay in the Bayou State. "There's zydeco of course, and Cajun and blues, and New Orleans jazz and funk. But as far as what we're playing, I like to call it 'Mojo Music.' It's a lot like the food. Down there everyone cooks, but they all have their own little way of stirring it up... When people leave one of our shows I want them to feel like they've been down in the swamp at a big party and they've had a great time. That's what it's all about."
www.melmelton.com |
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