6/19-6/25 | SILKROAD’S GLOBAL MUSICIAN WORKSHOP @ DePauw University [Greencastle, IN]

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SILKROAD’S GLOBAL MUSICIAN WORKSHOP 2016

June 19th – 25th, 2016 | DePauw University [Greencastle, IN]

The mission of Silkroad’s Global Musician Workshop (GMW) is to foster a community of globally minded musicians engaged in learning from one another’s traditions and incorporating them into their own artistic voices. An all-star artist-faculty will teach styles of music from across the world. GMW is directed by Silk Road Ensemble cellist Mike Block.

GMW will be taught by an all-star faculty representing a wide range of backgrounds and cultures, including Seamus Blake (jazz saxophone), Sandeep Das (Indian tabla), Hadi Eldebek (Arabic oud), Gamin (Korean wind instruments), Maeve Gilchrist (Celtic harp/vocals), Bruce Molsky (Old-time Appalachian fiddle), Balla Kouyate (Malian balafon), Edward Perez (Afro-Latin bass), Shane Shanahan (world percussion), Abigail Washburn (Banjo/Vocals mixing American/Chinese styles), and GMW Director Mike Block (multi-style strings). (from Silkroad GMW site)

This year’s Guest Artist is banjo virtuoso, Bela Fleck!

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Pt. Sandeep Das leads a workshop on Tehais in Indian Classical music @ 2015 GMW. (Brian Grimm w/ guqin zither, pictured on the right.)

This year, I am absolutely thrilled to participate on cello and guqin zither in chamber ensembles led by Gamin (Korean wind instruments), Edward Perez (Afro-Latin bass), & Hadi Eldebek (Arabic oud)!  I’ve always loved Korean music from afar, the treatment of space, pitch & rhythm fascinates me.  I haven’t heard much of the wind music, so Gamin’s perspective, knowledge & mastery will be a totally new experience.  Edward, or Beast-Hands as I liked to call him, brought so much dancing joy to our workshop last year.  The Afro-Peruvian layering of rhythm coupled with the concept of when to be ‘inbetween a straight rhythm & a swung rythm’ was ear-boggling.  When Edward plays the bass lines solo, the style-shift is instantly felt.  You can almost hear what the rest of the band would be playing – ’tis mark of a true groove master!  The Arabic music presence at last year’s workshop was the highlight of my year.  So soulful & passionate; ranging from pure excitement to calming microtones.  Having learned Flamenco from my brother AJ Grimm, I could immediately hear and see it’s Arabic music roots.  Arabic rhythm stuctures enthrall me, I can’t wait to learn more from Hadi this year.    It’s going to be another blissful week of cross-cultural learning and friendship making!  ~ Brian Grimm


~ 2015 Faculty Performances ~


~ 2015 Participant Performances ~


 

6/26 – 7/2 | Lovely Socialite “Toxic Consonance” Midwest Tour!

“Toxic Consonance” by Lovely Socialite

INDEPENDENT ALBUM RECENTLY RELEASED

Available on Spotify, iTunes, &  Amazon

CDs + Streaming on our Bandcamp

“An omnivorous mutant of a band.” – Isthmus, Daily Page
“ …this band is deeply odd in its bones,” – Tone Madison
“Fans of Modern Jazz, Contemporary Classical Music, Rock & Hip-Hop will become  captivated by the amazing sound of Lovely Socialite.” – High Noon Saloon

Lovely Socialite  website  |  facebook ], formerly Lovely Socialite Mrs. Thomas W. Phipps, is a Madison-based six-piece that combines the aesthetics of modern jazz with contemporary classical, driving rock, and hip hop.  Lauded for their bold and intricate compositions, the group often draws comparisons to Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention.  The band’s original music combines strict notation with moments of improvisation and maintains a healthy balance of dark and heavy rock grooves with quirky jazz obscurities.

While Lovely Socialite’s unusual mix of strings, traditional Chinese instruments, brass, and a jazz rhythm section suggest that the group might be a contemporary music ensemble, it is their use of stomp boxes, vocal processors, and other electronics that makes the group a suitable fit for any rock, hip-hop, or jazz bill.  In fact, Lovely Socialite has been privileged to share the stage with such artists as Dessa, of Minneapolis hip-hop collective Doomtree, as well as performing live on the UW Madison Terrace with Brian Ritchie of the Violent Femmes.

In October of 2015, Lovely Socialite released their second full length album.  Nearly two years in the making, “Toxic Consonance” was recorded at Blast House Studios in Madison with Landon Arkens.  “Toxic Consonance” represents an edgier and more mature version of the band than their previous endeavor, “Registers Her Delight” (2012), and features extensive production efforts mixing found sounds, vocal samples, and electronic effects into their live-style recording.

Upcoming “Toxic Consonance” Tour

6/26The Frequency, Madison, WI

9p  $8-11 | w/ We Are The Willows & Mr. Jackson

6/27Elastic Arts, Chicago, IL

9p  $10 | Anagram Series w/ Gerrit Hatcher Trio

6/28 –  The Spot Tavern, Lafayette, IN

6/29Space Bar, Columbus, OH

9p  $5  w/ Us, Today & Radar Hill

6/30MOTR Pub, Cincinnati, OH

10p  Free  w/ Us, Today

7/1 Kerrytown Concert House, Ann Arbor, MI

8p  $10  general admission

7/2Trinosophes, Detroit, MI

8p  $10  w/ Salim Washington