The Barns at Wolf Trap Brings the Party with Buckwheat Zydeco, No Frills A Cappella wih the Persuasions, Jazz Phenom Hiromi, and Broadway Sensation Jeri Sager
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Buckwheat Zydeco General Admission Dance Wednesday, February 3, 2010 at 8 p.m. $22
A Wolf Trap favorite for many years and a dedicated Barns performer, Buckwheat Zydeco returns to The Barns in support of his 2009 Grammy-nominated release for Best Zydeco or Cajun album, Lay Your Burden Down. Led by frontman Stanley "Buckwheat" Dural-a multi-instrumentalist in command of organ, piano, accordion, and keyboards-each concert infuses the energetic party music of traditional zydeco with Dural's own brand of urbanized soul, R&B, and blues. A three-time Grammy nominee, the New York Times dubbed Buckwheat Zydeco as "one of the best party bands in America" in 2008.The Persuasions Thursday, February 4, 2010 at 8 p.m. $25Charming and energetic, the Persuasions are masters of their a cappella craft. Blending gospel, pop, and doo-wop, this five-member group pays tribute to a diverse artist influence from the Beatles to U2 and the Grateful Dead. Discovered in 1968 by Frank Zappa, who immediately signed them onto his Straight Records label after hearing them sing over the phone, the Persuasions have released more than 20 albums rich with cover material from the latter half of the century. Possessing the innate ability to transform every cover they perform to sound uniquely their own, the quintet has had a profound influence upon future generations of a cappella groups, most notably Boyz II Men and Color Me Badd. Throughout the years, they have performed and recorded with countless artists including Bette Midler, Van Morrison, Paul Simon, Stevie Wonder, Patti LaBelle, and B.B. King.
Hiromi Friday, February 5, 2010 at 8 p.m. $25An undeniable piano prodigy, who at the age 12 amazed Japanese audiences with her inimitable interpretations of the classics, Hiromi Uehara makes her solo Wolf Trap debut after a buzz-worthy performance with Stanley Clarke Trio this past fall. Hiromi's reputation as a fiery performer has spread virally throughout the web and by word of mouth, as growing numbers of ticket buyers continue to gather in concert halls to see her throw her whole body into each and every note. Hiromi has five solo albums to her credit, several of which have earned her Jazz Album of the Year awards and numerous achievements from the Recording Industry Association of Japan. Her most recent albums Time Control (2007) and Beyond Standard (2008) feature a richer, more robust sound with the addition of her band, Sonicbloom.Jeri Sager Cabaret Series Saturday, February 6, 2010 at 7:30 p.m. $25
Northern Virginia native, Broadway star, and perennial entertainer Jeri Sager debuts at The Barns at Wolf Trap with her solo cabaret show, BROADWAY by JERI. The show features music and stories from Sager's Broadway career, plus scarcely performed selections from productions in which she never appeared. Accompanied by a four-piece band, Sager will re-create her roles in Cats, Les Misérables, and Evita. Additional career credits include Pippin, City of Angels, The Mystery of Edwin Drood, Pump Boys and Dinettes, and Fiddler on the Roof-which included a tour stop at Wolf Trap's Filene Center. Sager continues to perform across the country and in the recording studio, releasing albums Regards...Jeri (2001), Swing It Like Sammy (2006), and Memory-A Special Live Performance. She is currently finalizing her forthcoming album, All Broadway.Tickets can be purchased by calling 1 (877) WOLFTRAP; or online at http://www.wolftrap.org/Purchase_Tickets.aspx For more information, call The Barns at Wolf Trap at (703) 938-2404.
Central Virginia Awards - Live Stats
Best Musical - Top 3
1.
THE LIGHTNING THIEF (The Hurrah Players)
7.3% of votes
2.
RIDE THE CYCLONE (Little Theatre of Norfolk)
6.3% of votes
3.
THE SOUND OF MUSIC (riverside center for the performing arts)