Cream of New Orleans Coming to Harris Center This October

An unbeatable triple-threat from New Orleans comes to the Harris Center in October: the Grammy winner with the soul-drenched voice, Crescent City's "Soul Queen" Irma Thomas; the revered Blind Boys of Alabama, the six-time Grammy winners whose concerts are "part living history, part concert, all uplifting experience" (Washington Post); and The Preservation Hall Legacy Quintet, comprised of some of the most respected alumni of the Hall, many of whom have toured the world with Preservation Hall Jazz Band for decades.

Irma Thomas, The Blind Boys of Alabama & The Preservation Hall Legacy Quintet will perform two shows on Sunday, October 1, 2017 at 2 & 7 pm. Tickets are $24-$49; Premium $54. Students with ID $12. Tickets are available online at www.harriscenter.net or from Harris Center Ticket Office at 916-608-6888 from 12 noon to 6 pm, Monday through Saturday, and two hours before show time. Parking is included in the price of the ticket. The Harris Center is located on the west side of Folsom Lake College campus in Folsom, CA, facing East Bidwell Street.

The French Quarter is the musical heart of New Orleans and Preservation Hall is its heartbeat., The Harris Center is proud to present, touring together for the first time, a group of long-time performers from the venerable concert hall combined with the Crescent City's "Soul Queen" Irma Thomas and the spiritual authority of The Blind Boys of Alabama - all a very special evening of music that showcases "The Heart and Soul Queen of New Orleans."

As part of New Orleans' musical royalty, Irma Thomas is a Grammy Award-winning singer with her own rich musical history. Her first single in 1960 reached the Billboard R&B charts and from there she recorded for many labels, including Chess and Rounder Records. Her soul-drenched voice can be heard on the Allen Toussaint-produced track "It's Raining," which was featured in the Jim Jarmusch's cult classic, "Down By Law"; in 2007, she was inducted into the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame; and in 2008, she was featured on the poster of the world-famous New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival.

The Blind Boys of Alabama have the rare distinction of being recognized around the world as both living legends and modern-day innovators. These six-time Grammy Award-winners are not just gospel singers borrowing from old traditions; the group helped to define those traditions in the 20th century and almost single-handedly created a new gospel sound for the 21st. Since the original members first sang together as kids in the late 1930s (including Jimmy Carter, who leads the group today), the band has persevered through seven decades to become one of the most recognized and decorated roots music groups in the world. In 2005, they released Down in New Orleans, a Grammy Award-winner for Best Traditional Soul Gospel Album. The Grammy-winning group had its recording debut nearly 70 years ago; the band will release a new album, Almost Home on August 18, 2017.

The Preservation Hall Legacy Quintet represents a tradition that started in 1961, when Preservation Hall first opened in the French Quarter. This band is comprised of some of the Hall's most revered alumni, longtime performers there who have toured the world with PHJB for decades. As the world-renowned Preservation Hall Jazz Band continues its exciting exploration of the boundaries of New Orleans jazz, the Preservation Hall Legacy Quintet has formed, with the help of the non-profit Preservation Hall Foundation, to help maintain a connection with the traditional aspects of the Hall's musical legacy. On stage at the Harris Center, the Quintet includes Gregg Stafford (trumpet), Freddie Lonzo (trombone), Joe Lastie, Jr. (drums), Calvin Johnson (reeds), and Christopher Vaughn (piano, organ).

This Year Marks Seven Seasons of Great Shows. Up Close. In Folsom! The Harris Center for the Arts at Folsom Lake College brings the community together to share in cultural experiences featuring the work of artists from throughout the region and around the world. Built and operated by the Los Rios Community College District, the $50 million, state-of-the-art regional performing arts center boasts three intimate venues with outstanding acoustics, an art gallery, a recording studio, elegant teaching spaces, plenty of safe parking and all the other amenities of a world-class performing arts venue. Each year the Center hosts upwards of 400 events attracting 150,000 annually.

IF YOU GO:

IRMA THOMAS, THE BLIND BOYS OF ALABAMA & THE PRESERVATION HALL LEGACY QUINTET

When: Sunday, October 1, 2017 at 2 & 7 pm

Where: Harris Center for the Arts at Folsom Lake College, 10 College Parkway, Folsom, CA 95630

Ticket Price: $24-$49; Premium $54. Students with ID $12.

Tickets are available online at www.HarrisCenter.net or from Harris Center Ticket Office at 916-608-6888 from 10 am to 6 pm, Monday through Saturday, and two hours before show time.

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