12DTHOmnibusThursday, April 20, 1989
ArtsCenter offers
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Stsff writer
Yeah, l know R.E.M. is almost sold
out And even if you could afford
scalped tickets, you know you
really snouidnt go because you
have two papers due Monday, and
exams are so dose - but you need
some cheap musical entertain
ment to get you through until
Reading Day. So what's a poor
student to do?
Use some of your short study
breaks to tap into the wide range
of musical and performing talent
available at the ArtsCenter over
the next two weeks, that's what.
Thursday. Friday, and Saturday
at the center, plays written by
local playwrights will be show
cased in a performance called
"Festival of One-Acts."
A continuance from last week,
four plays will be performed
"Wooden Horses" by Derrick Ivey
and "Return To Eden" by Karyn
Traut will both be featured Thurs
day. Friday and Saturday, you can
find out about Isabella Davis "A
Young Man Of Promise" and Doris
Gariicrrs "Change of Heart"
But on Sunday, the stage will be
set for the talent of blues and jazz
artist Bus Brown. ArtsCenter Com
munications Director Bett Wilson
said the 80-year-old blues giant has
been playing jazz for 60 years and
has played with artists like Duke
Ellington and Billse Holiday. Sunday,
he will perform with Al Neese on
trumpet, A! Doctor on sax, Steve
Wing on piano and others. J
As far as music goes. Wilson said
next week will be a good week to
spend at the center. Starting
Tuesday night and running until
Sunday, several local and national
bands will perform for the public
if bluegrass is your thing, April
25 would be a chance to check out
the New Crass Revival. And since
Music City News calls what these
four men do as "brilliant, breath
taking, and gutsy." maybe even
die-hard rockers should allow their
tastes to perhaps be altered.
And if you're really in the open
minded mood on Wednesday. April
26, go to hear the sounds of Queen
Ida & Her Bon Temps Zydeco Band.
Yes, zydeco Is a word - a btack
Cajun corruption of the French
word for snap beans. And zydeco
is also a legitimate style of music,
the kind of spicy music you can
hear at the Mardi Cras. The style
is a cross between the folksy
bounce of Cajun music and the
energy of rhythm and blues.
Wilson said, "Queen Ida is truly
the queen of zydeco." She has
been nominated three times for
Grammy awards and won the
award in 1987 for her "Queen Ida
On Tour" album. Wilson said.
Wilson said Queen Ida usually
only plays large concerts with
seating around 1,000. but the
ArtsCenter only seats 450.
"We have been able to get large
acts such as hers because we've
developed good relations with
agents."
Wilson added that the location
of the center between Georgia
and Washington was favorable for
bands that need. places to fill in
their tours. Besides, musicians love
to perform in the intimate setting
of the center and take advantage
of the new sound system.
Wilson added, "We usually have
good crowds, and musicians appre
ciate that"
Another musician who is taking
advantage of the ArtsCentefs
intimate stage is multi-award
winning Bruce Cockburn. Cockbum
who has released his 1 8th album,
"Big Circumstance," is returning
from a three-year hiatus in
Mozambique, Nepal and Central
America to play at the center April
27.
So, what does he sound like?
well, he sings songs about envir
onmental concerns, and he should
appeal to those who like the
acoustic sound.
The ArtsCenter should be a good
place for those who like the
appealing sound of bagpipe jazz
funk fusion, the music of none
other than the Canadian band Rare
Air, who will be performing at the
center April 29. Their music is a
fusion of bagpipes, whistles, a
synthesizer, drums, bells and gui
tars. It sounds like jazz with rock
elements.
Wilson said it is Rare AirV third
time here and its appeal has
caused its audience to double each
time. She said that during one visit,
chairs were set up to account for
the extra crowd, but were pushed
out of the way to make room for
dancing
After that rare sound, get ready
for the day sure to be heaven for
the jazz (over. From 2 p.m. to 10
p.m. April 30, the N.C Arts Council,
unique musical attractions
the ArtsCenter and the N.C Jazz
Network will present the N.C Jazz
Showcase, a performance of 14
jazz bands from North Carolina.
"The event is a chance to sample
North Carolina's top jazz acts " said
Wilson.
The showcase will also be a
chance for lesser-known per
formers to audition for recording
agents and club owners from all
over the state. Each band will play
from 20 to 30 minutes, and there
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will be an intermission for a dinner
break.
Bands that will perform include
the N.C Jazz Ensemble, a big band
that originates from central North
Carolina, vocalist Melva Houston,
who has worked with Al Green and
Otis Redding; and the Matt Ken
drick Unit, featuring the award
winning bassist from Winston
Salem. So if you love music, you can get
your fill at the ArtsCenter. if you
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cannot make it next week, the
center will still be there after
exams at 300-G East Main street
in Carrboro and has an average of
seven to 1 5 concerts a week .
For information on these and
other shows, call the center at 942
2787, or for tickets, 929-ARTS. Turn
off the canned music on your
stereo, call them up and expe
rience the sounds of the tradi
tional, the rock YT roll and the
international.
Sometimes
earl is hetfar.
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