Summer 2008 |
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Dexter Ardoin & the Creole Ramblers - zydeco dance partyCome to the zydeco! Accordionist Dexter Ardoin will play a house dance
at Focal Point with the Creole Ramblers from Scott, Louisiana. The Ardoin
family has played a key part in the development of both Cajun and zydeco
music for several generations. They have traveled the world to perform
their music & share their rich musical heritage. Dexter will be
joined by Reoland Anderson on rub board, June Barfield on bass &
Jamyric Sonnier on drums. His latest CD release, "What You Come
to Do" should be answered by, "I've come to dance!" You
won't be able to resist when the music compels your feet to move.
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Friday, August 15 8:30 PM |
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Spencer BohrenSpencer lives in New Orleans, and he plays the slide guitar. His gospelsinging
parents provided the foundation for a musical style and career that
remain healthy after more than four decades. Like all of the Bohren
children, Spencer learned to sing the third above the melody around
the same time he learned to speak in sentences. And in the 50s,
with Hank Williams and Elvis Presley on the airwaves, he spent hours
gathered around a piano, singing with the family choir. Spencer says,
My mother didnt have boys and girls. To her we were sopranos,
altos and tenors. Like many whose first language is music, Spencer
sings and plays with an ease and natural grace that will charm you,
catch you up in the story and the melody, and make you happy. Come on
both nights, different themes will make it extra fun!
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Friday & Saturday, August 22 & 23 8:00 PM |
Bill MorrisseyThis New England songwriters astute lyrical gifts and graceful,
understated melodies have put him on festival stages across the world;
into theatres, concert halls, and coffeehouses; garnered much critical
acclaim. Bill has created quite a body of work, a collection of finelyhoned
songs that match his economy of lyric and melody with a writers
gift for storytelling. His empathetic knack for capturing the harshness
and small sadness of the characters in his songs is tempered by his
wry sense of humor, leaving the listener with a smile. Over the course
of his long career, two of Bill Morrissey's ten albums have received
Grammy nominations and several have earned 4-star reviews in major national
publications. Join us as we welcome Bill and his return to our Focal
Point stage!
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Sunday September 7 7:00 PM |
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Piperlink A Multi-Media PerformanceThe uilleann pipes have become the iconic instrument in Irish music. With their unique tone and rich complexity, the pipes have had a profound influence on Irelands musical heritage. The legacy of the master pipers of the past and the sound of the pipes themselves continue to shape the evolution of Irish traditional music. But what do we really know about this mysterious and fascinating instrument? How often do we hear a listener say 'I really love the uilleann pipes' without knowing that much about them? The instrument has been central to so much well-known and popular Irish music, from The Chieftains to Planxty to Riverdance: why? How do they work? Are they really Irish? And why, if more conventional instruments like the flute, the fiddle, and the accordion abound, do the pipes have such a profound influence on traditional music? Direct from Ireland, Piperlink now gives you a chance to really understand this beguiling instrument. Presented by Na Píobairí Uilleann (the association of uilleann pipers based in Dublin, Ireland) Piperlink will not only include performances by some of Ireland's leading pipers, but will also give you a chance to interact with the players and the instrument. Following an audio visual introduction and a demonstration to show how the pipes work, piping expert Seán Donnelly will conduct an entertaining talk on the history of the instrument, navigating a clear path through the development of the pipes, their evolution, different styles of piping, the great players and the famous 'piping' tunes. Piperlink doesnt stop there. We will also invite you to try out a practice set of pipes and participate in an extensive question and answer session about all aspects of piping.Other topics will include pipers from your locality, modern musical innovations using the pipes, and their use in the accompaniment of songs and in ensembles. This original artistic experience will be introduced by one of Ireland's best known traditional singers, Muireann Nic Amhlaoibh, who will also perform some of the songs associated with the pipes. The piping performances will be given by leading exponents Tommy Keane and Gay McKeon. See their flyer Piperlink
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Friday, October 8 8:00 PM |
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Emily HigginsCelebrate Emily's new CD: On the Square and hear
songs from it and her other CDs. . |
Friday, October 24 8:00 PM |
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Donate for Katrina Survivors
Donate a musical instrument and keep the music playing! Music for Lifelong Achievement will give you a tax deduction for its value and get the instrument to disadvantaged students in New Orleans or displaced Gulf Coast students in St. Louis schools.
New Orleans Musicians Clinic (NOMC)This is a fantastic hands-on organization that has the
names and addresses of so many great musicians because they have them
all coming to their FREE health clinic all these years and now. They
are the ones who are tracking down the local musicians and finding them
shelter. The New Orleans Musicians Clinic is determined to keep Louisiana
Music Alive! It is our beacon to soothe our souls. We want to relocate
our New Orleans musicians into the Lafayette/ Acadiana community where
they can remain a life force! But most of them have lost everything...
we must help them rebuild their lives. They can't access any of their
NOMC accounts. They desperately need money to fund these efforts. They can be contacted at musiciank@swlahec.com Send donations to:
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| Tickets:
At the door or in advance at: Music Folk, 8015 Big Bend, Webster Groves, MO (314) 961-2838 & The Maya Café, 2726 Sutton, Maplewood (no phone orders) or by mail: The Focal Point, PO Box 430157, Maplewood, MO 63143 Tickets go on sale one month prior to the concert unless otherwise noted. |
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The Focal Point Traditional Arts Center 2720
Sutton Blvd. Maplewood, Missouri
63143
314-781-4200