Skirball Cultural Center’s Annual Sunset Concerts Series Continues

The West Coast premiere of The Alaev Family continues the Skirball Cultural Center's annual Sunset Concerts series on Thursday, August 2, 2012 at 8:00 PM. The Alaev Family blends the ancient, rhythmic, and highly percussive music of Central Asia, Turkey, Persia, and Russia with Jewish traditions, on instruments such as the doyra, darbuka, alofon (all percussion instruments), drums, cajon, Turkish clarinet, accordion, kanun (plucked zither), violin, Bukharan and Armenian clarinets, and bass guitar. On stage, The Alaev Family represents three family generations, with eighty-year-old patriarch Allo Alaev at the center playing the doyra (frame drum).  

The band has just embarked on a worldwide tour which includes a stop at the prestigious WOMAD festival. Songlines magazine remarked, "With exuberant polyrhythmic drumming and party atmosphere, The Alaev Family is a band that will surely deliver a great show."
 
The Skirball Cultural Center's Sunset Concerts, curated by Skirball Vice President of Programs, Jordan Peimer, offers community concerts free of charge representing music from around the globe in the Skirball's scenic central courtyard. The 2012 series begins with Samba Mapangala & Orchestra Virunga (July 26) and continues with the West Coast premiere of The Alaev Family (August 2); West Coast premiere of Orquesta Sarabia under the direction of Roberto Rodriguez (August 9); West Coast premiere of De Temps Antan (August 16); La Santa Cecilia (August 23); and world premiere of Eric Bibb's String Band (August 30).
 
For each live performance, the expansive outdoor space is transformed into an intimate, celebratory gathering. Concertgoers arrive early to dine under the stars, visit the museum galleries, and explore the Skirball's spectacular architecture and hillside setting. Then, as the performers take the stage, festivities spill out into the aisles and music lovers of all ages sing along and take to the dance floor.