Performing Arts Center Announces Great Performers Series
The Performing Arts Center at Rockwell Hall proudly announces the 2002-2003 Great Performers Series, presented by M&T Bank. The Great Performers Series features world-class artists in the intimate setting of Rockwell Hall. The series features famed improv comedy troupe Chicago City Limits, legendary jazz fusion group the Yellowjackets, Canadian fiddler Natalie MacMaster, jazz vocalist Jane Monheit, popular Canadian Celtic group Leahy, Irish music supergroup Solas, and folk-rock pioneer Roger McGuinn.
Tickets for the Great Performers series go on sale August 26. New this year, the Performing Arts Center is offering a Flex Pack. Patrons can purchase any three Great Performers shows for $66, a savings of up to 20% off regular ticket prices. Tickets may be purchased at the Rockwell Hall Box Office, 1300 Elmwood Ave. or by calling 716-878-3005. Box Office hours are Monday to Friday, 10am to 6pm. More information is available online at www.buffalostate.edu/pac.
Currently, New York's longest-running show, Chicago City Limits kicks off the series on Friday, September 27. Their appearance is part of Buffalo State College's homecoming festivities. An off-shoot of the famed Second City improv group, Chicago City Limits has been thrilling audiences for over twenty-two years with its unique style of improvisational comedy. The troupe creates a one of a kind theatrical experience by taking suggestions from audience members and crafting scenes - everything from mini-musicals to game shows - on the spot. The result is an evening of hilarious, sidesplitting humor. The impressive list of guest artists who have improvised with the troupe over the years include Paul Reiser, Robin Williams, Brett Butler, and Bill Irwin. Chicago City Limits has made dozens of TV appearances, including segments on The Today Show, McLaughlin, The Joan Rivers Show, The Jackie Mason Show, Comedy Central, and Good Day New York. The troupe has also appeared on HBO, CNN, and CNBC.
On Saturday, October 5, the Yellowjackets make a rare Western New York appearance. For more than 20 years, the Yellowjackets have flourished as one of America's most loved and top-selling contemporary jazz groups. Initially formed in 1981, the band has since demonstrated its mastery of a wide range of musical styles, producing heartfelt ballads and songs inflected with R&B, bebop or fusion with equal aplomb. With fifteen albums, a dozen Grammy nominations and two Grammy awards to date, the group continues to blaze a trail into the 21st century with an energy and a signature sound that few will fail to recognize. The Yellowjackets feature founding members Russell Ferrante on keyboards and Jimmy Haslip on bass, with versatile reedman Bob Mintzer on saxophone and the gifted Marcus Baylor on drums. Their newly released live album "Mint Jam" is a testament to the energy and excitement of a Yellowjackets concert.
On Friday, November 22, famed Canadian fiddler Natalie MacMaster returns to the Performing Arts Center stage after performing to capacity crowds the last two years. At the age of 33, MacMaster is a 20-year veteran of performance music. She began playing the fiddle when she was 9 and was touring Canada at 13. Legendary Cape Breton fiddler Buddy MacMaster, her great uncle, instructed her in the reels, hornpipes and strathspeys that grew out of the intertwining of Scottish, Irish, and French Canadian traditions on Cape Breton Island. She has released seven albums and was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Traditional Folk Album. Her latest release is a double live album featuring performances at the Mississauga Living Arts Center and a square dance on her native Cape Breton Island. With her movie star looks and athletic dancing, Natalie MacMaster has the unique ability to merge traditional tunes with contemporary arrangements to the delight of audiences theworld over.
Jane Monheit has taken the music world by storm with her stylish, intimate sound. She makes her WNY debut on the Rockwell stage on Friday, December 6. Just 24 years old, Monheit became an overnight sensation when she was awarded the first runner-up prize at the 1998 Thelonious Monk Vocal Competition. Her debut CD "Never Never Land" spent three months at the top of Billboard's jazz chart and led to appearances at top venues around the world including Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center. Her latest CD "Come Dream with Me," which debuted at number one on the Billboard jazz chart, showcases her crystal clear, refined soprano voice and her heartfelt love for the Great American Songbook.
On Monday, December 18 Canadian sensations Leahy bring their unique melding of Celtic, folk, rock, pop and country to the Performing Arts Center as part of their Fiddles and Strings: A Leahy Christmas tour. This special Christmas concert, their only stop in the United States, will feature a 16-piece orchestra. A group of nine immensely talented brothers and sisters from rural Ontario, Leahy burst onto the music scene in 1997 with the release of their self-titled CD, which achieved platinum status in Canada, reached No. 4 on the Billboard world music charts, earned the group three Juno Awards (Canada's equivalent to the Grammy) and landed them a spot opening for Shania Twain on her world tour. Driven by the ferocious fiddling of brother Donnell, Leahy plays an energetic concoction of "progressive Irish fiddle folk" backed by piano and keyboards, drums, bass, guitar and mandolin, step dancing, and still more fiddles.
Hailed as "the best traditional Irish band in the world", Solas brings their powerful live show to Rockwell Hall on Friday, March 14. In seven short years Solas has made a major impact in both the United States and abroad as an Irish music supergroup whose albums and live shows are among the finest and most exciting experiences in the world. Led by Seamus Egan, Solas has invigorated the Irish traditional music scene by incorporating non-traditional instruments. The group's five members make use of instruments like guitar, banjo and bouzouki to add a modern spice to their sound, which is heavily rooted in Irish reels, jigs and other folk song forms. Their critically acclaimed 2002 release "Edge of Silence" reaches beyond traditional Celtic material to interpret tunes by Tom Waits, Bob Dylan, Nick Drake and Jesse Colin Young.
On Saturday, March 29 Rockwell Hall welcomes folk-rock pioneer Roger McGuinn for an intimate evening of songs and stories. As the founder of the legendary band The Byrds, McGuinn revolutionized folk-rock music with hits such as "Mr. Tambourine Man" and "Turn, Turn, Turn," and profoundly influenced everyone from the Eagles and Tom Petty to R.E.M. and Elvis Costello with his signature 12-string guitar and unorthodox melding of rock 'n' roll grooves with folk and country harmonies. A successful solo artist since the early eighties, McGuinn will delight audiences with songs and stories including Byrd classics, vintage Dylan, and a sprinkling of folk standards learned during his formative years on the hootenanny circuit.
The 2002-2003 Great Performers Series is sponsored by M&T Bank, WBFO and The Buffalo News.
2002-2003 GREAT PERFORMERS SERIES
presented by M&T Bank
Friday, September 27, 2002 - 8pm
CHICAGO CITY LIMITS, famed improv comedy troupe
$25.00 General Public / $20.00 Seniors / $15.00 Students
Saturday, October 5, 2002 - 8pm
YELLOWJACKETS, legendary jazz fusion group
$25.00 General Public / $20.00 Seniors / $15.00 Students
Friday November 22, 2002 - 8pm
NATALIE MACMASTER, Canadian Celtic fiddler
$29.50 General Public / $24.50 Seniors / $15.00 Students
Friday, December 6, 2002 - 8pm
JANE MONHEIT, jazzvocal scene?s brightest new star
$25.00 General Public - $20.00 Seniors / $15.00 Students
Wednesday, December 18, 2002 - 8pm
Fiddles and Strings: A Leahy Christmas
$29.50 General Public / $24.50 Seniors / $15.00 Students
Friday, March 14, 2003 - 8pm
SOLAS, Irish music supergroup
$25.00 General Public / $20.00 Seniors / $15.00 Students
Saturday, March 29, 2003 - 8pm
ROGER MCGUINN, folk-rock pioneer
$25.00 General Public / $20.00 Seniors / $15.00 Students
FLEX PACK
Buy any three Great Performers Shows for $66.00, a savings of up to 20%.
CHARGE BY PHONE: 716-878-3005
BOX OFFICE HOURS: MONDAY-FRIDAY 10AM-6PM
Tickets for the Great Performers series go on sale August 26. New this year, the Performing Arts Center is offering a Flex Pack. Patrons can purchase any three Great Performers shows for $66, a savings of up to 20% off regular ticket prices. Tickets may be purchased at the Rockwell Hall Box Office, 1300 Elmwood Ave. or by calling 716-878-3005. Box Office hours are Monday to Friday, 10am to 6pm. More information is available online at www.buffalostate.edu/pac.
Currently, New York's longest-running show, Chicago City Limits kicks off the series on Friday, September 27. Their appearance is part of Buffalo State College's homecoming festivities. An off-shoot of the famed Second City improv group, Chicago City Limits has been thrilling audiences for over twenty-two years with its unique style of improvisational comedy. The troupe creates a one of a kind theatrical experience by taking suggestions from audience members and crafting scenes - everything from mini-musicals to game shows - on the spot. The result is an evening of hilarious, sidesplitting humor. The impressive list of guest artists who have improvised with the troupe over the years include Paul Reiser, Robin Williams, Brett Butler, and Bill Irwin. Chicago City Limits has made dozens of TV appearances, including segments on The Today Show, McLaughlin, The Joan Rivers Show, The Jackie Mason Show, Comedy Central, and Good Day New York. The troupe has also appeared on HBO, CNN, and CNBC.
On Saturday, October 5, the Yellowjackets make a rare Western New York appearance. For more than 20 years, the Yellowjackets have flourished as one of America's most loved and top-selling contemporary jazz groups. Initially formed in 1981, the band has since demonstrated its mastery of a wide range of musical styles, producing heartfelt ballads and songs inflected with R&B, bebop or fusion with equal aplomb. With fifteen albums, a dozen Grammy nominations and two Grammy awards to date, the group continues to blaze a trail into the 21st century with an energy and a signature sound that few will fail to recognize. The Yellowjackets feature founding members Russell Ferrante on keyboards and Jimmy Haslip on bass, with versatile reedman Bob Mintzer on saxophone and the gifted Marcus Baylor on drums. Their newly released live album "Mint Jam" is a testament to the energy and excitement of a Yellowjackets concert.
On Friday, November 22, famed Canadian fiddler Natalie MacMaster returns to the Performing Arts Center stage after performing to capacity crowds the last two years. At the age of 33, MacMaster is a 20-year veteran of performance music. She began playing the fiddle when she was 9 and was touring Canada at 13. Legendary Cape Breton fiddler Buddy MacMaster, her great uncle, instructed her in the reels, hornpipes and strathspeys that grew out of the intertwining of Scottish, Irish, and French Canadian traditions on Cape Breton Island. She has released seven albums and was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Traditional Folk Album. Her latest release is a double live album featuring performances at the Mississauga Living Arts Center and a square dance on her native Cape Breton Island. With her movie star looks and athletic dancing, Natalie MacMaster has the unique ability to merge traditional tunes with contemporary arrangements to the delight of audiences theworld over.
Jane Monheit has taken the music world by storm with her stylish, intimate sound. She makes her WNY debut on the Rockwell stage on Friday, December 6. Just 24 years old, Monheit became an overnight sensation when she was awarded the first runner-up prize at the 1998 Thelonious Monk Vocal Competition. Her debut CD "Never Never Land" spent three months at the top of Billboard's jazz chart and led to appearances at top venues around the world including Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center. Her latest CD "Come Dream with Me," which debuted at number one on the Billboard jazz chart, showcases her crystal clear, refined soprano voice and her heartfelt love for the Great American Songbook.
On Monday, December 18 Canadian sensations Leahy bring their unique melding of Celtic, folk, rock, pop and country to the Performing Arts Center as part of their Fiddles and Strings: A Leahy Christmas tour. This special Christmas concert, their only stop in the United States, will feature a 16-piece orchestra. A group of nine immensely talented brothers and sisters from rural Ontario, Leahy burst onto the music scene in 1997 with the release of their self-titled CD, which achieved platinum status in Canada, reached No. 4 on the Billboard world music charts, earned the group three Juno Awards (Canada's equivalent to the Grammy) and landed them a spot opening for Shania Twain on her world tour. Driven by the ferocious fiddling of brother Donnell, Leahy plays an energetic concoction of "progressive Irish fiddle folk" backed by piano and keyboards, drums, bass, guitar and mandolin, step dancing, and still more fiddles.
Hailed as "the best traditional Irish band in the world", Solas brings their powerful live show to Rockwell Hall on Friday, March 14. In seven short years Solas has made a major impact in both the United States and abroad as an Irish music supergroup whose albums and live shows are among the finest and most exciting experiences in the world. Led by Seamus Egan, Solas has invigorated the Irish traditional music scene by incorporating non-traditional instruments. The group's five members make use of instruments like guitar, banjo and bouzouki to add a modern spice to their sound, which is heavily rooted in Irish reels, jigs and other folk song forms. Their critically acclaimed 2002 release "Edge of Silence" reaches beyond traditional Celtic material to interpret tunes by Tom Waits, Bob Dylan, Nick Drake and Jesse Colin Young.
On Saturday, March 29 Rockwell Hall welcomes folk-rock pioneer Roger McGuinn for an intimate evening of songs and stories. As the founder of the legendary band The Byrds, McGuinn revolutionized folk-rock music with hits such as "Mr. Tambourine Man" and "Turn, Turn, Turn," and profoundly influenced everyone from the Eagles and Tom Petty to R.E.M. and Elvis Costello with his signature 12-string guitar and unorthodox melding of rock 'n' roll grooves with folk and country harmonies. A successful solo artist since the early eighties, McGuinn will delight audiences with songs and stories including Byrd classics, vintage Dylan, and a sprinkling of folk standards learned during his formative years on the hootenanny circuit.
The 2002-2003 Great Performers Series is sponsored by M&T Bank, WBFO and The Buffalo News.
2002-2003 GREAT PERFORMERS SERIES
presented by M&T Bank
Friday, September 27, 2002 - 8pm
CHICAGO CITY LIMITS, famed improv comedy troupe
$25.00 General Public / $20.00 Seniors / $15.00 Students
Saturday, October 5, 2002 - 8pm
YELLOWJACKETS, legendary jazz fusion group
$25.00 General Public / $20.00 Seniors / $15.00 Students
Friday November 22, 2002 - 8pm
NATALIE MACMASTER, Canadian Celtic fiddler
$29.50 General Public / $24.50 Seniors / $15.00 Students
Friday, December 6, 2002 - 8pm
JANE MONHEIT, jazzvocal scene?s brightest new star
$25.00 General Public - $20.00 Seniors / $15.00 Students
Wednesday, December 18, 2002 - 8pm
Fiddles and Strings: A Leahy Christmas
$29.50 General Public / $24.50 Seniors / $15.00 Students
Friday, March 14, 2003 - 8pm
SOLAS, Irish music supergroup
$25.00 General Public / $20.00 Seniors / $15.00 Students
Saturday, March 29, 2003 - 8pm
ROGER MCGUINN, folk-rock pioneer
$25.00 General Public / $20.00 Seniors / $15.00 Students
FLEX PACK
Buy any three Great Performers Shows for $66.00, a savings of up to 20%.
CHARGE BY PHONE: 716-878-3005
BOX OFFICE HOURS: MONDAY-FRIDAY 10AM-6PM
Media Contact:
Jeff Marsha, Director of Operations, Performing Arts Center | 7168783032 | marshajl@bscmail.buffalostate.edu