Dennos invites the world to its stage

Sept. 7, 2008

Dennos Invites the World to its Stage
Worldbeat, acoustic, blues and jazz sounds are among the offerings at the 2008-09 Milliken Auditorium concert series, which brings back some audience favorites along with several newcomers.
The 14 performances showcase musicians from the Czech Republic, Quebec, Africa, Inner Mongolia, Japan, Louisiana, Los Angeles, Detroit and Traverse City. The Dennos Museum Center is also collaborating with Chamber Music North to bring a series of six chamber music concerts to Milliken Auditorium.

Here’s who’s playing. All concerts begin at 3 p.m.:

Jay Ungar and Molly Mason
Family Band
Wednesday, Sept. 24
Ungar and Mason achieved international acclaim in 1990 when their performance of “Ashokan Farewell” became the musical hallmark of Ken Burns’ The Civil War on PBS. Double fiddles, sweet vocal harmonies and rhythmic energy abound as two generations collaborate with music from the heart and soul of America.

Bob James
Saturday, Oct. 4
With a nine-foot Steinway, a Yamaha Disklavier, a digital keyboard and a computer, the legendary Bob James will take you from Bach to Beethoven to Bop and Blues.

Jitro
Saturday, Oct. 25
One of the best children’s choirs in the world, Jitro has been charming audiences for 35 years with its youthful energy and vocal mastery. Jitro is the Czech word for “daybreak.”

Mauvais Sort
Saturday, Nov. 1
Celebrate the 400th anniversary of Quebec with Mauvais Sort. Accordion, violin, guitar, bass, mandolin, drums, percussion, feet and voice come together in this French-Canadian ensemble, using bygone tunes and lyrics.

Saffire – The Uppity Blues Women
Saturday, Nov. 15
The all-female group from Ann Arbor returns with classic blues songs and boogie-woogie rhythms.

Jeff Haas Little Big Band with
Betty Joplin
Saturday, Nov. 29
Enjoy an evening of jazz and soul classics and original compositions with Grammy-nominated vocalist Betty Joplin as special guest. Haas’ 10-piece ensemble includes Motown saxman George Benson, trumpeter Rob Smith, bassist Marion Hayden, drummer & percussionist Alex Trajano and a host of horn players.

Bob Seeley and Bob Baldori
Saturday, Jan. 10
Bob Seeley is considered one of the greatest living boogie-woogie piano players. He was the founding member of The Woolies, with an extensive performing career playing harmonica and piano with Chuck Berry for the past 40 years.

The Whitfield Company
Friday, Jan. 16
Celebrate the memory of Dr. Martin Luther King in a concert of gospel music with Detroit’s The Whitfield Company. With eight albums to its credit, the group introduced “Praise & Worship” to the gospel community long before it became the popular.

Adam Solomon and Tikisa
Saturday, Feb. 7
Kenyan-born guitarist Adam Solomon, who performed here in 2007 with the Juno-award winning African Guitar Summit, returns with his band for a concert of high-energy Afro-beat and blues.

An Da Union
Saturday, Feb. 21
Ten dynamic musicians from Inner Mongolia will be joined on tour by two of the country’s most important performers of the traditional long song. The names of An Da Union’s members translate to words like “beauty,” “pure,” “peace” and “forever.”

Terrance Simien and the Zydeco Experience Band
Friday, March 6
Grammy award winner Terrance Simien is a cultural ambassador for Louisiana. He has established himself as a formidable songwriter and an astonishing singer who evokes comparisons to Sam Cooke and Aaron Neville.

Street Drum Corps Friday, March 13
SDC offers a blistering percussion show often described as “Punk Rock Stomp.” SDC has toured with Linkin Park and 30 Seconds to Mars.

Sophie Milman
Saturday, March 2
Since her self-titled debut was released in 2004, Milman, 24, has become one of sultriest singers in jazz, touring clubs worldwide. Her latest release, “Make Someone Happy,” won the 2008 Juno Award.

Nagata Shachu (formerly Kiyoshi Nagata Ensemble)
Friday, April 24
With their vast array of Japanese taiko, gongs, bells, wooden clappers, shakers and bamboo flutes, Nagata Shachu will take you on a musical journey beyond all borders. Kiyoshi Nagata will also offer a school concert/workshop on Japanese drummingfor schools.