Celebrity Series of Boston Blog

Soweto Gospel Choir's "African Spirit"

I'm a little late in getting the word out, but the Soweto Gospel Choir has released a new recording (new is a relative thing, it was released in 2007) called African Spirit. You can purchase African Spirit here.

For something a little out of the ordinary, here is the group's happy birthday message to Nelson Mandela on the South African President's 90th:

The Soweto Gospel Choir pays a visit to the Celebrity Series of Boston this coming November 30 at Symphony Hall. For tickets you can subscribe to the Celebrity Series now at www.celebrityseries.org or you can purchase individual tickets at the same URL after September 8.

Tiempo Libre's Latin party

Tiempo Libre made their Celebrity Series debut Saturday night at Berklee Performance Center. The music was fiery, the band was tight and professional in the best sense, in short, the band lived up to its billing (IMHO).

I can't pretend to understand the ins, outs and complexities of timba or son, the groups primary tributaries, (but I pledge to study . . . loudly . . . in the car . . . with the windows down) but the music was sprinkled with references that spoke to a very broad spectrum of influences - and a very wide-ranging music collection. Saxophonist Eduardo Quintana in particular illustrated my point with solos convincingly referencing bebop, modal and Latin jazz - this was not simply wailing away with feeling, though there was plenty of feeling.

Not that we needed any proof, but Tiempo Libre proves that people in Miami Beach have more fun (more of the time) than people in Boston. You wouldn't argue the point if you were there.

Cherryholmes delivers

If you missed Cherryholmes at Sanders Theatre yesterday, I have two thing to impart to you: 1. Tough luck, you missed a tremendous performance, and 2. Buck up, they will undoubtedly visit Eastern Massachusetts again. They are too good not to.

Here are a few probably self-serving impressions of the performance:

Cherryholmes was everything promised and more. Like the best and most ambitious recording groups, they stay ahead of their recorded output. They performed a considerable amount of music that one would not have heard by listening to their CDs alone.

Cherryholmes played beautifully sung originals and classic covers, Django Rienhardt, Celtic music with convincing step-dancing (which is saying something since we're putting The Chieftains' cast of thousands on the Symphony Hall stage in a matter of days), and good old-fashioned country yodeling. All the kids are complete players, right down to the fire breathing solos which any of them can unleash. Is there anything this band can't do?

Jere Cherryholmes, Dad, sang a bit and kept the simple bluegrass bass lines thumping along - with excellent time, I might add - but his real contribution was as MC. Right out of the gate he told us, "yes, the beard is real, so that answers that question, yes these are all our children, so that answers that question..." His unassuming, charmingly rambling delivery seemed to win everyone over, tying the whole package up with a down home bow. Not that Cherryholmes needed much help getting over.

Jere tread lightly around political issues when introducing daughter Cia Leigh's new song tribute to soldiers and their families (sorry I missed the song's title). The song was especially poignant for being played in Memorial Hall (the building Sanders Theatre is in), whose walls are lined with the names of members of the Harvard community killed in the Civil War.

Another moment in which Jere's straight forward delivery made potentially rough sledding easier, was in his unvarnished recitation of the band's endorsed products. From mandolins, guitars, banjos, strings to transducers ("if you don't know what a transducer is you probably don't need one") and a brand of chili which bears the band's photo ("the family size"), Jere spoke chapter and verse as, no doubt, was required, but made it fun. Of course, there were a lot of musicians in the audience, too, who probably would have asked about the group's instruments.

Since this isn't a review, I won't parse the quality of individual performances. It wouldn't matter anyway, since it is clear that no matter the individual talents, Cherryholmes is about the sum of its parts - its a family thing.

New slide show from the Cherryholmes band

This just in - literally. A slide show covering Cherryholmes' recent tour dates in Scotland.

Take a look.

Cherryholmes profile on NPR

Cherryholmes in action

If you aren't yet familiar with the bluegrass family band phenomenon known as Cherryholmes, then this eight minute audio clip from NPR's Weekend Edition Saturday from '06 is just the thing to get you up to speed (I've pointed you to the home page for the story, you need to click on the link near the top left once the page loads for the eight minute clip.) In addition to the story, you can listen to several audio clips of the group's performances on the page, too.

Cherryholmes will be at Sanders Theatre this Sunday at 3pm.

Video excerpt from The Chieftains and Friends

Here's a good video quality excerpt from a produced overview of The Chieftains. Not sure of the year, but speakers include fiddler Martin Fay, since retired from touring, and the late harpist for the band, Derek Bell.

The Chieftains will be in Symphony Hall on Friday, March 14. You can find a list of special guests and buy tickets here.

The Assads Friends and Family Tour

The Assad Brothers brought their sister Badi (pronounced bah-jee, who knew?), jazz-oriented guitarist Romero Lubambo, and guitarist/vocalist/folklorist and percussion wizard Celso Machado to Sanders Theatre on Friday evening for the first stop of their Brazilian Guitar Festival tour. Some highly subjective impressions (feel free to chime in; the comment link is at the bottom of this post):

For many in the audience (based on rigorous scientific polling), the concert came across as a warm, familial affair. There was a lot of joy evident; joy in the music, joy in the company of family and old and new friends, just joy. And it radiated throughout the hall. It was the kind of concert where the musicians that were not on stage were clustered in the wings to listen.

There were hiccups - "have you ever tried to tune five guitars?" one of the brothers said shyly before a quintet number towards the end of the evening - but it was the tour's first stop. No one seemed to care. They got in the way of nothing that mattered.

The five musicians covered a lot of Brazilian music in two hours, from classical compositions and jazz-oriented songs, to pop music and folk-inspired percussion and wordless vocals played on anything at hand (a la Hermeto Pascoal).

Badi Assad, clearly reveling in her "kid sister" role, enjoyed herself immensely and told the audience what an honor and a joy it was to play with her older brothers who, "taught me everything I know about the guitar."

Celso Machado was a revelation. With hand and vocal percussion he provided the rhythmic underpinnings on every piece that required it, even while contributing harmonically or melodically. There was something of the one-man-band about him. His CD sold out at intermission.

Badi's vocal gymnastics - clicks and pops with her mouth while humming a legato main melody, was the most stunning example - did not get overplayed, or get in the way of making music.

More than one observer compared Badi's singing to Bjork. Make of that what you will.

Romero Lubambo was as charming and funny as when he visited with Luciana Souza two years ago. He told of getting advice from the late flutist Herbie Mann, with whom he toured extensively, to always carry a tin of sardines on tour, so no matter where you were and at what hour, you always had food.

Assad Brothers preview for Evanston, Ill. show

Sergio and Odair Assad

The Daily Herald from suburban Chicago has a nice little summary of the Assad Brothers' Brazilian Guitar Festival in advance of its appearance on the Northwestern University campus in Evanston next Thursday. You know, for those of you that still need a way in to this remarkably accessible performance. Here's a bit:

"Sergio Assad, 55, lives in Chicago, while brother Odair, 51, lives in Belgium and sister Badi, 45, in Brazil. Despite the distances, the siblings perform together several times per year, Sergio Assad said."

I remember from his previous visit to the Celebrity Series with vocalist Luciana Souza that Romero Lubambo lives in New Jersey (or "The United States of New Jersey" as he jokingly referred to The Garden State). I don't know where Celso Machado lives but this ensemble may have set a record for far flung-ness.

The concert is tonight at 8pm at Sanders Theatre. It isn't sold out, but tickets are going fast...

Golden Dragon Acrobats in the Globe

Give little more than a second glance to Boston.com articles on Mrs. Doubtfire or a possible trans fat ban in Boston (why can't people just eat their trans fat laden foods outside on the stoop, like smokers? ...just a thought) and drill down to a swell piece by Terry Byrne that includes some data on a little troupe called the Golden Dragon Acrobats - like an interview with the group's long-time manager. The Acrobats just happen to be coming to Symphony Hall this Sunday. It isn't sold out, yet, but tickets are moving...got 'em? OK, back to your trans fats while you still can.

Brazilian Guitar Festival program announced

The Assad family loves a collaborative endeavor - they have all toured as a family, after all - so it isn't surprising that they are bringing Romero Lubambo and Celso Machado, both headliners in their own right, to join in the fun on January 25 at Sanders Theatre. Sergio and Odair Assad are just the beginning, the Assad family boasts another stunning talent in guitarist/vocalist Badi Assad. Undoubtedly some readers will have become acquainted with Badi's music before her brother's. OK, so the Brazilian Guitar festival is a heck of a program - we have known all of this for some time. What we didn't know is what they would play and in what combinations, now we know.