MPAC to Welcome Keb Mo, Tao: Phoenix Rising in March

Blues guitarist Keb' Mo' , a three-time GRAMMY-winner and eight-time GRAMMY nominee, performs at Mayo Performing Arts Center on Thursday, March 27, 2014 at 8 pm. Tickets are $39-59.

Keb' Mo' has been making critically acclaimed albums since 1994 when he released his self-titled debut and became a fresh face in the blues / roots genre. That record proved to be an entryway that got many to sit up and take notice. But it was his second release, "Just Like You" in '96 that won him the first of three Grammys. It dared a deeper venture into the joyful and healing aspects of the blues and a more mainstream style.

His genre-blending artfulness, intuitive lyrics, unique guitar style, distinctive voice, and magnetic charisma on stage have gained him a tremendously loyal fan base and the significant honor of being called, "a musician's musician."

Though it seems that Keb' Mo' flies just under the radar of big name recognition, during his vibrant 18-year career he has been recognized with a vast number of honors, awards and nominations, including Grammy's, BMI awards, and numerous WC Handy Blues Awards.
You may hear him on television as a composer or providing a theme song or even see him in an occasional acting role. Some notables are: Touched By An Angel, The West Wing, The Martha Stewart Show, CBS's Mike and Molly, and even a spirited performance on Sesame Street. On film he acted along side Danny Glover in the 2007 John Sayles movie, "Honeydripper."

This past year he was a part of two PBS specials: "Live at Infinity Hall," and "Red, White and Blues, In Performance at The White House. After the release of "Suitcase" in 2006, Keb' took a two-year hiatus from recording to focus on his family, and work on film and TV projects. His latest album "The Reflection," is a journey deep into life and an even greater expansion of his musical body of work. The Reflection is not, in essence, a blues album. In sound and spirit, it's closer to the work of African-American "folk soul" singer/songwriters like Bill Withers, Bobby Womack, and Terry Callier.

Enjoy traditional Japanese Taiko drumming with a 21st century attitude when Tao: Phoenix Rising comes to the Mayo Performing Arts Center on Friday, March 28, 2014 at 8 pm, Tickets are $19-39.

This sizzling performance combines explosive Taiko drumming, innovative choreography and extraordinary athleticism into a dynamic new take on an ancient Asian art form. Time Out Magazine calls it, "Powerful, dynamic and unique." - Time Out

In this new production for North America in the Spring of 2014, athletic bodies and contemporary costumes meet explosive Taiko drumming and innovative choreography in a show that has critics waxing lyrical about TAO's extraordinary precision, energy, and stamina. With hundreds of sold-out shows and more than a million spectators, TAO has proven that modern entertainment based on the traditional art of Japanese drumming, has massive international appeal.

The stars of TAO live and train at a compound in the mountains of Japan, reaching the highest level of virtuosity only after years of intensive study. The performers each bring nontraditional flair to the group by drawing on their diverse backgrounds: one as a hard rock musician, another a gymnast, and yet another as a composer. They offer a young and vibrantly modern take on a traditional art form.