JJ Wilkins & Voices of WCC
11:00 - 12:00 |
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Pastor J. Jasper Wilkins, Jr. is the Senior Pastor of Wake Chapel Church located in Raleigh. He, along with the Voices of WCC, an 80 voice choir, recently recorded a live CD entitled "Hymns for Him." This debut CD features some of the most memorable hymns with a contemporary twist. Through their singing, this choir offers inspiration of hope, help and healing.
www.wakechapel.org |
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Raleigh Little Theatre
12:45 - 1:15 |
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Raleigh Little Theatre presents the cast of Songs for a New World, performing musical numbers from the current production. Show dates: May 14, 15, 21 & 22
Songs For A New World presents life as the way we regroup and figure out how to survive in a new set of circumstances – a new world – even against seemingly overwhelming odds. These are songs about that new world, a world in which the definitions of family, distance, money, technology, the very nature of human contact is changing everyday, a world in which the rules don’t apply as often as they do, a world in which the solutions our parents found don’t work for us, and a world in which today’s answers probably won’t apply tomorrow.
This unique musical is the brainchild of Tony-Award winning American Musical Theater lyricist and composer Jason Robert Brown. He has been hailed as "one of Broadway’s smartest and most sophisticated songwriters since Stephen Sondheim" (Philadelphia Inquirer); and The New York Times actually refers to Jason as "a leading member of a new generation of composers who embody high hopes for the American musical."
www.raleighlittletheatre.org |
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Sachal Vasandani Quartet
2:30 - 3:30 |
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Signed to Mack Avenue Records in 2006, Sachal Vasandani toured extensively supporting 2007's Eyes Wide Open. He opened for such disparate artists from jazz trumpeter Chris Botti to pop singer Joan Osborne, garnering respect from a diverse spectrum of audiences.
On his latest album, We Move, Vasandani has ample support from his trio comprised of pianist Jeb Patton, bassist David Wong and drummer Quincy Davis. A rarity in jazz these days, Vasandani and Co. have a longevity factor working in their favor. The band has been a group since 2001. Produced with a team of top-flight studio sages (John Clayton, Doug Wamble and Al Pryor), the album finds the young jazz vocalist (who also serves as a producer) maturing as a songwriter, tune stylist and bandleader. The CD made for one of the most startling revelations of the year -- a fresh, young vocal talent who displayed a singular, deep-brewed voice and possessed an uncanny sensibility to straddle the fine line between jazz and pop with songs that teemed with emotion and intellect.
www.sachalvasandani.com |
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Charlie Musselwhite Band
5:00 - 6:00 |
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During the course of a remarkable career, Blues legend Charlie Musselwhite has collected a treasure trove of awards and accolades, including 18 W.C. Handy trophies, and six Grammy nominations. Musselwhite has also been honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award from The Monterey Blues Festival, the Mississippi Governor's Award for Excellence in the Arts and a prestigious Brass Note plaque on Memphis's Beale Street (prominently placed outside B.B. King's Club).
However, probably more meaningful for a true bluesman like Charlie has been the love and respect from his fellow musicians, which he has received in spades. The artists that Musselwhite has worked with reads like a veritable Hall of Fame honor roll: Eddie Vedder, Tom Waits, Ben Harper, Bonnie Raitt, The Blind Boys of Alabama, Gov't Mule, INXS, Micky Hart, George Thorogood and personal friend John Lee Hooker.
Ultimately, though, for Charlie Musselwhite the thrill and challenge of engaging an audience fuels his artistry. "It's about the feeling, and connecting with people," he explains, "And blues, if it's real blues, is loaded with feeling." Charlie continues that, "it ain't about technique either; it's about truth, connecting to the truth and communicating with people."
www.charliemusselwhite.com |
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Mariachi Los Galleros de Mexico
12:00 - 12:45 |
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Mariachi Los Galleros de Mexico are a Raleigh-based mariachi band, who pride themselves on maintaining the traditional Mexican artform through use of instruments, voice and uniform.
www.mariachi4u.com/usa/gallerosdemexico.htm |
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Mel Melton & The Wicked Mojos
1:30 - 2:30 |
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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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The Explorers Club
4:00 - 5:00 |
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The Explorers Club is a sunshine psychedelic group from coast of Charleston, South Carolina. The group blends skilled pop/rock arrangements with four-part vocal harmonies. The goal of their music, as described by head Explorer Jason Brewer, is "music that can bring joy, reflective images, and most of all, entertainment." They draw their influences from the classic pop vocals of The Beach Boys and The Association combined with the rock and roll arrangements of Phil Spector, Chuck Berry, The Beatles, The Zombies and The Byrds.
The Explorers Club is lead by Brewer's artful pop arrangements and complex vocal harmonies, which are filled out by James Faust, Wally Reddington and David Ellis. Filling out the instrumental sound of The Explorers Club with their organ and drum work respectively are Stefan Rogenmoser and Neil Thomas. This six-man band has been taking its show on the road since July of 2005.
www.myspace.com/explorersclub |
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