John Sebastian played Rams Head Onstage in downtown Annapolis on Tuesday night, to the delight of the sold out crowd. Sebastian, well known for his songwriting and lead vocals of The Lovin’ Spoonful, is charismatic and incredibly funny.
Canadian indie-folk band The Acorn has digitally released their new album “Vieux Loop” and it is album that was worth waiting for. The Acorn, headed by lead vocalist and guitarist Rolf Klausener, started out in 2002 with a collection of recorded songs which they later included in their debut album. Not only have they recorded indie-folk songs, they have recorded electro soul and minimalist dirge folk songs. With such creativity and willingness to step outside the box, The Acorn is a unique band with an equally unique resume. If you aren’t familiar with their musical genres, you will be after today.
Saturday May 16th 8p.m. – “Music is the silence between notes” – Claude Debussy. La mer (french for “The Sea”) is a thrilling musical depiction of the ocean. La Mer is notably inspired by the Japanese Edo-period wood block print The Great Wave off Kanagawa by Katsushika Hokusai. Tonight lead by guest conductor Mario Venzago, the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra headlined Debussy’s tonal sea portrait along with Richard Strauss’s Don Juan. The program also included Franz Joseph Haydn’s Keyboard Concerto in D major lead by pianist Oliver Schnyder and Schubert’s “Unfinished” Symphony No. 8 in B minor.
Wednesday May 6th, 8 p.m. – A rock n roll classical concert (yes, I said rock n roll classical and not classic rock) took place in Baltimore Wednesday night. Ben Folds, this generations Mr. Piano Man took to the stage to play some all new material; a album he’s been working on with yMusic not due to be released until later this fall.
Thursday April 30th, 8 p.m. – Black Violin is a violin and viola duo, Wilner “Wil B” Baptiste and Kevin “Kev Marcus” Sylvester. They perform progressive hip-hop and classical music as suggested by the title of their second studio album release “Classically Trained” (2013). Tonight at the Barns at Wolf Trap they shared with us this innovative expression.
Gospel singer Lindsay Slaton is known for her beautiful voice and her love for the Lord. Now, she has recorded a new single, “I Still Believe”, which truly expresses her trust in God. The Virginia native performs with a praise and worship team at her church in Waldorf, MD as well as with the gospel group “Anthony Slaton and the Voices of Inspiration”. Her previous single, “Call on Jesus” was her personal testimony. “I Still Believe” is an affirmation, and one that Slaton’s fans will be able to understand.
Storm Large
Consummate entertainer Storm Large made her Kennedy Center debut in 2011, singing for the first time with the band Pink Martini backed by the National Symphony Orchestra. Now, Storm makes her triumphant return to the venue as one of four special guest soloists for the NSO Pops’ “Let’s Be Frank” celebration of the Frank Sinatra centennial, first performed at Carnegie Hall with The New York Pops on April 10. The concerts will take place at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts Concert Hall on Friday, June 5 and Saturday, June 6 at 8pm. Ticket prices range from $30-$95; click here to purchase or call 202-467-4600 for the box office.
Saturday April 18th, 8:00p.m. – The Moguchaya Kuchka, the “Mighty Clutch” or the more widely known “The Mighty Fistful,” are five of Russia’s most influential composers. They include Mily Balakirev, César Cui, Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov, Alexander Borodin, and Modest Mussorgsky. They took a nationalistic approach modernizing the sound of Russia during a time music from Italy, France and Germany were the current manner. A talented group of amateur composers eager to incorporate Russia’s strong tradition of folk music into orchestra suites and operas. Tonight with The Music Center at Strathmore as their canvas the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra crafted Mussorgsky’s most famous composition, Pictures at an Exhibition.
Pennsylvania-based rock band Halestorm returns with a new masterpiece that’s ready to hit the airwaves. Into the Wild Life is an energetic album that does not disappoint. Whether or not you are a fan of rock music, you will want to take a moment to listen to this album.
Saturday March 28th, 8p.m. – Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 3 is one of the most technically demanding piano concerts ever written. The finger work involved is amazing! Tonight at the Music Center at Strathmore the National Philharmonic Orchestra along with guest pianist Haochen Zhang are poised to perform what is often considered the Mount Everest of piano concertos. This program also included Tchaikovsky’s Romeo and Juliet Overture-Fantasy and Capriccio Espangnol, Op.34 by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov.
