Super jazz-fusion trio Chick Corea, Stanley Clarke and Lenny White performed tonight. Here are some photos of the event:
The Atrium just before the doors opened:
Monaco's Violin Shop & Music Center has supported many events over the years at the Center for the Arts:
Volunteer ushers Tom & Anthony assisted patrons entering the theatre:
The legendary trio:
The acoustically exquisite Mainstage Theatre:
Thanks to all who attended.
She wants to help you find your book. The lovely Kristen Schaal lit up the intimate Drama Theatre (maybe because she tried some hot wings) tonight at her first appearance in Buffalo.
Miles Davis' electric bands in the late 1960s served as the incubator for several pioneering jazz fusion bands, including Chick Corea's legendary Return to Forever (1972-77). Return to Forever commanded the fusion universe, expanding the language from funk-fueled electric rock-jazz, to the acoustic quietudes of Corea's more classically-inspired pieces. After their successful reunion tour last year, the harmonic convergence that Chick Corea, Stanley Clarke and Lenny White felt has led to the formation of the jazz supergroup - COREA, CLARKE & WHITE.
With the ever-expanding Corea ouevre at their fingertips and the incredible improvisational skill and musicianship of all three jazz legends, this trio soars through acoustic bliss, funky jazzitude, mind-expanding classical and all worlds in between. Corea, Clarke & White are musical masters sending audiences on sonic explorations of wondrous proportions.
Since I can't pretend to be an expert on these incredibly prolific musicians, here's a video and some links to check out for more reading:
Check out Chick Corea's official website, Stanley Clarke's website, Lenny White's website and this lovely video from the 2008 Return to Forever tour:
by Abigail Wyse
I went to a comedy club once and made the mistake of sitting in the front row. I served as a muse of sorts to the first comedian, whose entire act more or less centered around poking fun of me. Though the crowd roared, I didn’t find the show all that amusing and soon after renounced live comedy as something that just wasn’t for me.
Then I learned about Kristen Schaal and alternative comedy.
I had been a victim of traditional stand-up comedy, which relies on punch line based jokes and loves to use stereotypes to make fun of others. Making a conscious break from the mainstream comedic style of the time period, alternative comedy uses other elements to draw the laughter out of the audience. For the most part, alternative comedy is comprised of intelligent commentary and jokes, so it requires some level of intellectual participation from the viewer. Rather than making fun of others, alternative comedians prefer to often look inward and laugh at themselves and the daily occurrences of their lives. Other characteristics of alternative comedy include political satire, breaking social taboos and barriers, especially in terms of language, improvisation, personal narrative and use of characters. Alternative comedy assumes a well-informed audience, as many alternative comedians are not only driven to entertain but to send a message as well.
Alternative comedy originated in the United Kingdom in the late 1970’s and was influenced by both British nonsense writings of the Victorian period and the Satire Boom of the 1950s and 60s. Developed during a period of serious political division in Britain, this style truly is a product of its time and environment. Alternative comedy made its debut in America on the left coast in Los Angeles. It all began when performance artist-turned-comedian Beth Lapides began putting on comedy shows at less likely venues. She and her fellow soon-to-be alternative comedians dubbed their show “Un-Cabaret” for their untraditional humor and approach to live comedy that was based in storytelling and stream-of-consciousness rants. Today, alternative comedy is experiencing a revival in many places such as Toronto, Chicago and Seattle.
On the other side of the country, Kristin Schaal hosted a weekly variety show called “Hot Tub” in New York, where the East Village serves as the primary hub for alternative comedy acts. The Longmont, Colorado native moved to New York after graduating from Northwestern University to pursue a career in comedy. Schaal got her first break in 2005 when her show “Hot Tub” was voted “Best Variety Show of 2005” by Time Out New York’s reader poll and she was also included in New York Magazine’s list of “The Ten Funniest New Yorkers You’ve Never Heard Of.” She has quickly become a staple in the East Village alternative comedy scene, which features shows that offer more character-based and surreal humor. She is also a founding member of “The Striking Viking Story Pirates”, which adapts stories by children into sketches and songs.
Among the various highlights of Schaal’s career is her performance at the Royal Albert Hall in London at The Secret Policeman’s Ball to aid Amnesty International. She has won many awards for her live comedy, including “Best Female Stand-Up Comedian” at the 2007 ECNY Awards and the Barry Award for her show “Kristen Schaal as You Have Probably Never Seen her Before” at the 2008 Melbourne International Comedy Festival. Schaal has also appeared on television, most notably for her role as the stalker-fan Mel, on HBO’s Flight of the Concords, as well as on The Daily Show, where she often serves as the show’s “Senior Women’s Issues Correspondent.”
| The Daily Show With Jon Stewart | Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c | |||
| Burka Ban | ||||
| ||||
Schaal will bring her brand of alternative comedy to The Center for the Arts on September 18, 2009.
Yesterday, the Office of Special Events announced the 2009-10 Distinguished Speakers Series, including Kofi Annan (9/16), Tony Blair (10/7), author Steve Lopez (10/28), and Bill Maher (4/24) all scheduled to speak at UB's Alumni Arena. Talks by Cornel West (2/5), Margaret Atwood (3/3), and Neil deGrasse Tyson (3/31) are scheduled for the Center for the Arts.
Visit http://www.student-affairs.buffalo.edu/special/speakers.php
Every summer, UB dance faculty members Karen Georger and Shelley Hain offer dance classes in the UB dance studios. These classes offer an opportunity for dance students to continue to practice, improve their techniques, and if they're not in college, get to know the dance studios at UB. This year, the evening program includes instruction from a variety of UB faculty and guest teachers at the bargain rate of only $12 per class for intermediate and advanced level students age 16 and over with at least 5 years of dance experience. The evening program runs from June 22 to July 16, Monday through Thursday.
For those seeking more basic instruction, a day program is offered for step one level students July 6-10, including Ballet, Modern, and Jazz instruction. The week-long program is $175 by pre-registration, and at least one year of dance is highly recommended as a pre-requisite.
An intermediate/advanced level section is also offered July 6-10 from 9am to 12pm, for ages 13 and over with at least 5 years of dance experience. This intensive week includes daily Ballet, and alternating Jazz and Modern, and is also $175.
Register for the day programs by emailing kgeorger@buffalo.edu, hain@buffalo.edu, or by calling 645-0600 or 645-0601.
UB is hosting a conference on the Great Lakes and corresponding waterways between the US and Canada. The conference is today at the Center for the Arts. Check out the UB Law news blog for more details on the conference.
The Center for the Arts is Western New York's premier presenter of dance, drawing national and international companies to perform right here on our stage. The Center has a history of presenting a wide range of dance genres from traditional story ballet to cutting edge contemporary, as well as being the performing home of the UB Department of Theatre & Dance. The multi-year host of national dance conferences like Jazz Dance World Congress and Dance Masters of America, the Center for the Arts has a reputation as a setting for dance education and creative development.
It is no surprise, then that two Buffalo-based professional dance companies chose the Center for the Arts as a partner in presenting the Buffalo Dance Festival on August 1. LehrerDance and Configuration Dance Theatre are working together to provide two 2-hour master classes in technique for dance students and a full evening of performances by both companies for contemporary dance fans.
The registration form for the masterclasses is currently available for download at the Center for the Arts website, and tickets are on sale now for this unique event.
