OMIRI and Brigada Victor Jara Come to NJPAC

New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) presents an evening of traditional and cutting-edge Portuguese folk music, featuring a double-bill of that country's most exciting musical acts: the venerable folk ensemble Brigada Víctor Jara, and OMIRI, a cutting-edge project that mixes rural traditions with today's urban culture.

Brigada Víctor Jara, originally formed by a collective of artists in Portugal's inland region of Beira Baixa, has been at the forefront of that country's traditional music for well over three decades. A favorite on stages throughout Portugal and at world music festivals around the globe, this influential band has helped to usher the sounds of Portugal's cultural history into a new era by seasoning that music with new instruments and original, highly creative arrangements.

Sharing this evening is OMIRI, one of the most fascinating acts to rise from the new generation of folk artists in Portugal. A project initiated by multi-instrumentalist Vasco Ribeiro Casais, OMIRI has invented a unique modern sound that synchronizes Portugal's rich rural tradition with the new language of urban culture, utilizing electronic rhythms, video mixing and more to create mesmerizing sonic landscapes. Songlines calls Casais "one of the most original and exciting musicians to pick up traditional Portuguese rhythms," while the website ofado classifies his recent LP, Baile Electrónico, as "a huge record that has real moments of genius." For tickets to see OMIRI and Brigada Víctor Jara, visit NJPAC.org or 888.GO.NJPAC (888.466.5722) or the NJPAC Box Office.

New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC), located in downtown Newark, N.J., has the most diverse programming and audience of any performing arts center in the country, and is the artistic, cultural, educational and civic center of New Jersey - where great performances and events enhance and transform lives every day. NJPAC brings diverse communities together, providing access to all and showcasing the state's and the world's best artists while acting as a leading catalyst in the revitalization of its home city. Through its extensive Arts Education programs, NJPAC is shaping the next generation of artists and arts enthusiasts. NJPAC has attracted more than 8 million visitors (including over 1.6 million children) since opening its doors in 1997, and nurtures meaningful and lasting relationships with each of its constituents.

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