{"id":25695,"date":"2022-04-07T14:22:58","date_gmt":"2022-04-07T18:22:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/downingtowntimes.com\/?p=25695"},"modified":"2022-04-07T14:23:02","modified_gmt":"2022-04-07T18:23:02","slug":"on-stage-zakir-hussain-brings-classical-rhythm-to-zellerbach","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/downingtowntimes.com\/?p=25695","title":{"rendered":"On Stage: Zakir\u00a0Hussain brings classical rhythm to Zellerbach"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Denny Dyroff<\/strong>, Entertainment Editor, The Times<\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"

Zakir\u00a0Hussain<\/p><\/div>\n

On April 7, area music fans will have the opportunity to hear one of the legendary masters of Indian classical music perform live in concert with two of India\u2019s emerging new luminaries in a special concert at the University of Pennsylvania\u2019s Zellerbach Theater (Annenberg Center, 3680 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, pennlivearts.org<\/a>).<\/p>\n

Zakir\u00a0Hussain, a master percussionist in North Indian Hindustani classical music, is recognized as the world\u2019s premier tabla player. He will perform on stage in a trio format with Kala Ramnath, and Jayanthi Kumaresh \u2013 the Triveni Trio..<\/p>\n

Hussain is today appreciated both in the field of percussion and in the music world at large as an international phenomenon. A classical tabla virtuoso of the highest order, his consistently brilliant and exciting performances have not only established him as a national treasure in his own country, India, but gained him worldwide fame. <\/p>\n

His playing is marked by uncanny intuition and masterful improvisational dexterity, founded in formidable knowledge and study. The favorite accompanist for many of India\u2019s greatest classical musicians and dancers, he has not let his genius rest there.<\/p>\n

Widely considered chief architect of the contemporary world music movement, Hussain\u2019s contribution to world music has been unique, with many historic collaborations, including Shakti, which he founded with John McLaughlin and L. Shankar, Remember Shakti, the Diga Rhythm Band, Making Music, Planet Drum with Mickey Hart, Tabla Beat Science, Sangam with Charles Lloyd and Eric Harland.<\/p>\n

He is also known for his recordings and performances with artists as diverse as George Harrison, YoYo Ma, Joe Henderson, Van Morrison, Airto Moreira, Pharoah Sanders, Billy Cobham, Mark Morris, Rennie Harris, and the Kodo drummers.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is the first tour we\u2019re doing in front of people after a long layoff because of the pandemic,\u201d said Hussain, during a phone interview Tuesday from a tour stop in Fayetteville, Arkansas.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s such an exciting event to be able to connect with people in a live event. The music just blossoms.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hussain stayed very busy during the pandemic.<\/p>\n

\u201cI made two recordings \u2013 one with John McLaughlin and one with Dave Holland,\u201d said Hussain. \u201cThe one with John McLaughlin was celebrating the 50th anniversary of Shakti, our band from a long time ago.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m now mixing a new Planet Drum album with Mickey Hart. I\u2019ve also been working on a few film scores. It\u2019s been busy.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe technology to do this remotely has existed for years but has never been used until lockdown. Now, it\u2019s possible to prepare for a tour on computer. When all this happened, it was a boon. We found ways to make it work well. It was exciting to be able to do it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hussain\u2019s prowess as a tabla player came naturally \u2013 even genetically.<\/p>\n

Hussain\u2019s father Ustad Allarakha Qureshi, popularly known as Alla Rakha, was an Indian tabla player specialized in Hindustani Classical music. He was a frequent accompanist of the world\u2019s greatest proponent of Indian classical music — sitarist Ravi Shankar.<\/p>\n

Hussain was a child prodigy.<\/p>\n

His father taught him Pakhawaj from the age of 3 years. Alla Rakha belonged to the tradition of tabla playing known as the Punjab baaj, one of the six main traditions (baaj) of north Indian tabla drumming, the others being Delhi, Benares, Ajrara, Farrukhabad, and Lucknow.<\/p>\n

Hussain was touring by the age of 11. He went to the United States in 1969 to do his PhD at the University of Washington, receiving a doctorate in music. After that he began his international career, including more than 150 concert dates a year.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor the first 15 years of my life, it was only Indian music,\u201d said Hussain, during a recent phone interview. \u201cWhen I got to America, I was exposed to jazz and gamelan. I spent another eight years trying to get used to that.<\/p>\n

\u201cNow, with younger Indian musicians, they grow up with exposure to music of the world. They are learning all the music and it appears to them as one entity. They know 50 times more about music of the globe than I did when I was 25.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hussain\u2019s current run of shows features the \u201cTriveni Trio\u201d \u2013 Hussain on tabla, Ramnath on violin and Kumaresh on veena, a stringed instrument with an elongated neck and two hollow gourds.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey are like daughters to me,\u201d said Hussain, who earned the Padma Bhushan (the third-highest civilian award in India), the United States\u2019 National Heritage Fellowship, Officier in Franc\u00e9s Order of Arts and Letters, and an honorary doctorate from Berklee College of Music. \u201cI\u2019m 72 and they are about half my age. It has become like a family.\u201d<\/p>\n

Triveni is the mythical site of the union of three sacred rivers in India, and the name aptly represents the confluence of the varied musicalities which the three maestros bring to this collaboration. A hallmark of Zakir Hussain\u2019s iconic career has been his groundbreaking work at the forefront of brilliant musical dialogues between Hindustani (North Indian) and Carnatic (South Indian) music.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is not a challenge to blend Hindustani and Carnatic music traditions \u2013 if you open your mind,\u201d said Hussain, who has composed three concertos including the first-ever concerto for tabla and orchestra (premiered in India in September, 2015 by the Symphony Orchestra of India).<\/p>\n

With Ramnath, an innovative representative of North Indian raga tradition, Kumaresh, the leading exponent of the ancient South Indian veena, and Hussain seamlessly stitching North and South Indian rhythm traditions to provide a bridge for veena and violin to meet, Triveni is a fluent, joyous and entirely original musical conversation.<\/p>\n

The group perform what is known as jugalbandi, which is named after the mythological meeting place of India\u2019s three sacred rivers. Jugalbandi, meaning \u201centwined twins,\u201d is a mostly improvisational form of music where two musicians with different instruments perform a duet, each playing a solo before returning to a base motif.<\/p>\n

\u201cJugalbandi is a collective interaction,\u201d said Hussain. \u201cIt is seamless. Maybe since there are three of us, we should call it \u2018Trigalbandi.\u2019<\/p>\n

Ramnath, whose guru (teacher) was the famous Pandit Jasraj, has been awarded the Sangeet Natak Akademi Puraskar presented by India\u2019s National Academy of Music, Dance, and Drama. It is the highest recognition a practicing artist can receive in India.<\/p>\n

Her playing has been featured on the Grammy-nominated \u201cMiles from India\u201d project, and her compositions have appeared in the Grammy-winning album \u201c27 Pieces\u201d and the Kronos Quartet\u2019s \u201c50 for the Future.\u201d<\/p>\n

Born into a dynasty of prodigious musical talent, one which has given Indian music such violin legends as her paternal uncle Professor T. N. Krishnan and paternal aunt Dr. N. Rajam, Ramnath\u2019s prowess as a violinist began manifesting early. Recognizing her innate talent, her astute grandfather, Vidwan A. Narayan Iyer, took her under his tutelage.<\/p>\n

Kumaresh, who has won a multitude of awards and is considered one of the best veena players in the world, has been captivating audiences around the world for 30 years.<\/p>\n

She has performed at many international festivals, including the San Francisco Jazz Festival, the Darbar Festival, the Queensland Music Festival, the Darwin Music Festival, and the Adelaide Music Festival, and at prestigious venues such as the United Nations in New York, the Palladium, Indiana, the Th\u00e9\u00e2tre de la Ville, Paris, and the Northwest Folklife Festival, Seattle.<\/p>\n

She has received many awards in India, including the Sangeetha Choodamani, the Kalaimamani from the Government of Tamil Nadu, the Veena Naada Mani, the Kala Ratna, the Sathyashree, and the Gaana Varidhi, to name a few. She is a seven-time recipient of The Music Academy, Chennai\u2019s Award for Veena.<\/p>\n

As a collaborator, she has performed with legends such as violin maestro Shri. R. Kumaresh, flautist Ronu Majumdar and tabla master Hussain.<\/p>\n

A pioneer, she founded the Indian National Orchestra, in which 21 musicians playing different Indian instruments came together under one banner to showcase Indian classical music. As a researcher, she holds a doctorate for her works on \u201cstyles and playing techniques of the Saraswati Veena.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe violin is 500 years old and the veena is an out-and-out ancient Indian instrument,\u201d said Hussain. \u201cThe show will touch on 800 years of Indian music.\u201d<\/p>\n

Video link for Triveni Trio — https:\/\/youtu.be\/lWAUUxORHiQ<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The concert on April 7 at the Zellerbach Theater will start at 7:30 p.m.<\/p>\n

Tickets are $84.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s been quite a while but, finally, Bitch is back.<\/p>\n

\"\"

Bitch<\/p><\/div>\n

Bitch is back with a new album \u2013 \u201cBitchcraft,\u201d which was released on February 2, 2022 on the Kill Rock Stars label.<\/p>\n

Bitch is also back with her first tour in years.<\/p>\n

The tour started this week at the Rockwood Music Hall in New York City and will conclude on May 27 at Pensacola Unleashed in Pensacola, Florida.<\/p>\n

The talented singer\/violinist\/songwriter will bring the tour to Philadelphia for a show on April 8 at PhilaMOCA (531 North 12th Street, Philadelphia, 267-519-9651, www.philamoca.org<\/a>).<\/p>\n

\u201cBitchcraft\u201d\u00a0was born in a move from New York City, where\u00a0Bitch\u00a0had lived for 15 years, to a log cabin in the woods. There was all the time in the world to make art, and it was there, in the cabin, that Bitch began to write some of the songs that would appear on\u00a0Bitchcraft.<\/p>\n

\u201cI moved into this little log cabin in Michigan with my partner,\u201d said Bitch, during a phone interview last week from her home in Los Angeles.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe were there for three years. That\u2019s where I laid the foundation for my new album. I probably wrote five songs there and then continued to tweak them. \u2018Bitchcraft\u2019 really was crafted.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy partner and I had started this food company and that ate up a lot of time. I spent a lot of time working on these songs. I was taking time off from shows. It inspired the biggest side of myself sonically.\u201d<\/p>\n

Prior to moving to Michigan, Bitch was living in Boston. When it was time to leave Michigan, she headed to L.A.<\/p>\n

\u201cI moved to L.A. because the entertainment world was there,\u201d said Bitch. \u201cI had gone to the cabin to rest and get off the road. I went to L.A. because it was time to get back in \u2013 and head to the sunshine.<\/p>\n

When Bitch moved to Southern California, \u201cBitchcraft\u201d stated to shapeshift again.<\/p>\n

She called on\u00a0Anne Preven\u00a0(Beyonce, Madonna, Demi Lovato) and\u00a0God-des\u00a0who helped her crystalize her vision in terms of writing and production. She called on\u00a0Roma Baran\u00a0(Laurie Anderson) to produce the violins on \u201cPolar Bear.\u201d She called on\u00a0Melissa York\u00a0(Team Dresch, The Butchies) and\u00a0Faith Soloway\u00a0(Transparent) to co-write a couple of the songs.<\/p>\n

The album is pure 2022 sensibilities with roots in the 1980s. There are sonic touches that are reminiscent of the past yet impossible to pin down.<\/p>\n

The songs are so real and so vibrant \u2013 and so relatable.<\/p>\n

For example, \u2018Hateful Thoughts\u2019 shows real emotion of dealing with love and hurt\u00a0— universal whether it\u2019s a guy and a girl, two guys, two girls \u2013 it\u2019s just two people and the emotional struggle they go through.<\/p>\n

\u201cPages\u2019 is another song that brings up things that need to be addressed.<\/p>\n

\u201c\u2018Pages\u2019 was about looking inside for answers,\u201d said Bitch. \u201cGod-des was a big part of that song. She got me to rewrite the lyrics. She told me to write about that chapter of my life.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve released a couple singles off the album \u2013 \u2018Hello Meadow!,\u2019 \u2018Easy Target,\u2019 and \u2018You\u2019re The Man,\u2019 which came out in January. Then, the single \u2018Noting In My Pockets\u2019 came out a few days before the album dropped.\u201d<\/p>\n

According to a release from her record company, \u201c\u2018Bitchcraft\u2019 is like Joni Mitchell set to a click track. It\u2019s queer Cyndi Lauper. It\u2019s neon pink, in your face, ready to hex you with its brilliance. It\u2019s an unbelievably fun record that is extremely capable of breaking your heart a little bit. It also makes you think — about the state of the world, about evil politicians, about what it means to exist as a woman, and how to find joy along the way.\u201d<\/p>\n

One of the songs about the state of the world \u2013 climate change, specifically \u2013is \u201cPolar Bear.\u201d Bitch sings, \u201cI can hear the heart of the polar bear \u2013 and I know she\u2019s scared.\u201d It\u2019s hard to listen to Bitch\u2019s plaintiff vocals and not be affected.<\/p>\n

\u201cMost of my current show will be songs from the new album,\u201d said Bitch. \u201cBut I\u2019m also going to do some tried-and-true classics.\u201d<\/p>\n

Bitch has released four previous albums and has had several musical incarnations.<\/p>\n

She started her music career as one-half of the somewhat radical duo Bitch and Animal and then embarked on a solo career around 2005.<\/p>\n

Her first albums were \u201cBe-Sides, one take wonders and poems,\u201d which was self-released in 2005, and \u201cMake This Break This,\u201d\u00a0which was released in 2006 on the Kill Rock Stars label.<\/p>\n

In 2008, her musical project was B+TEC which had evolved from Bitch and the Exciting Conclusion, and that incarnation produced an album titled, \u201cB+TEC\u201d\u00a0(2008, Conclusion Short Story Records).<\/p>\n

A few years later, Bitch went back to being a solo artist. She just released an album titled \u201cBlasted\u201d on her own label Short Story Records in 2010. In addition to producing the album, she also played all the main instruments with various guest artists on different tracks. Bitch\u2019s last album prior to a hiatus that lasted almost a decade was \u201cIn Us We Trust\u201d\u00a0(2013) Short Story Records.<\/p>\n

Now, the long wait is over, and Bitch has treated her fans to her most impressive record to date.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s often been said that good things come to those who wait. \u201cBewitched\u201d offers proof positive to that clich\u00e9.<\/p>\n

Video link for Bitch \u2013 https:\/\/youtu.be\/vFxdTDreoJE<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The show on April 8 will start at 8 p.m.<\/p>\n

Tickets are $15.<\/p>\n

\"\"

Steve\u00a0Hackett<\/p><\/div>\n

Back in November, progressive rock guitar legend Steve\u00a0Hackett\u00a0announced that he would be bringing his \u201cGenesis Revisited: Seconds Out + More Tour\u201d to the states for a two-month run in April and May after a highly successful tour that played to packed houses throughout Europe).<\/p>\n

Hackett will play three shows in the area \u2013 all at the Scottish Rite Auditorium (315 White Horse Pike, Collingswood, New Jersey, scottishrite.com<\/a>).<\/p>\n

The visit to New Jersey, which runs from April 7-9, will be the only multiple show run in one North American city. It\u2019s not surprising given that the former Genesis guitar ace has bult a strong local following with sold-out shows in recent years at the Santander Arena in Reading, the Keswick Theatre in Glenside, the Grand in Wilmington and the Scottish RiteAuditorium.<\/p>\n

It would be an understatement to describe Hackett\u2019s fanbase in the area as sizable.<\/p>\n

Genesis was one of the best progressive rock bands ever \u2014 one of the genre\u2019s trailblazers \u2013 and Philly always hosted SRO crowds. The band in its original state broke up quite a while ago and prospects of any type of reunion featuring Peter Gabriel and Hackett are non-existent.<\/p>\n

Fortunately, Hackett, who is renowned as an immensely talented and innovative rock musician, is keeping the timeless music of Genesis alive.<\/p>\n

He was lead guitarist with Genesis as part of the band\u2019s classic line-up with Peter Gabriel, Phil Collins, Tony Banks and Mike Rutherford \u2013 the line-up that produced several of the band\u2019s most-acclaimed albums including\u00a0\u201cSelling England by the Pound\u201d and\u00a0\u201cThe Lamb Lies Down on Broadway.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hailed for his electric guitar playing and his composing, Hackett employs influences from many genres, including jazz, world music and blues. He also has made classical albums that include renditions of pieces by composers from Bach to Satie.<\/p>\n

Hackett\u2019s shows feature two parts \u2013 one set devoted to a particular Genesis album and the other featuring various tracks from his solo albums and other Genesis LPs.<\/p>\n

In 2017, Hackett\u2019s \u201cGenesis Revisited with Classic Hackett\u201d celebrated the 40th\u00a0anniversary of the classic Genesis album,\u00a0\u201cWind and Wuthering,\u201d Hackett and his band also played Genesis fan favorites such as \u201cThe Musical Box\u201d and other Genesis numbers never performed before by his band. He also included some material from\u00a0\u201cThe Night Siren.\u201d<\/p>\n

The tour prior to that was \u201cFrom Acolyte to Wolflight Tour 2015\u201d which celebrated his latest solo album \u201cWolflight\u201d and the 40th anniversary of the release of his first solo album \u201cVoyage of the Acolyte.\u201d The also featured a unique blend of Hackett solo material and Genesis classics, including as-of-yet unperformed Genesis material.<\/p>\n

His Keswick shows in 2014 were part of the \u201cGenesis Extended Tour,\u201d which was a continuation of the 2013\/2014 \u201cGenesis Revisited II Tour.\u201d That tour, which broke box office records in the UK, Europe and Japan, featured all Genesis material accompanied by a specially designed light show.<\/p>\n

Hackett nails the Genesis sound with his band, which features regular musicians Roger King (keyboards), Jonas Reingold (bass), Rob Townsend (saxes\/flutes), Nad Sylvan (vocals) and Craig Blundell (drums).<\/p>\n

\u201cNad\u2019s vocals are special,\u201d said Hackett. \u201cNad has always been a chameleon. He sounds like Phil. He sounds like Pete. Nad is a strange one in that way he has of doing other people\u2019s vocals.\u201d<\/p>\n

The focus on this tour will be on Genesis\u2019 \u201cSeconds Out\u201d album with the addition of \u201cSelling England by the Pound\u201d for some of the shows.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll be playing all of \u2018Seconds Out\u2019 from start to finish,\u201d said Hackett, during a phone interview Wednesday from a tour stop in Harrisburg.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll also be doing some songs from my latest solo albums, \u2018Surrender of Silence\u2019 and \u201cUnder a Mediterranean Sky\u2019 along with a tiny bit of \u2018Trick of the Tale.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSeconds Out,\u201d the second live album by Genesis, was released as a double album in October 1977 on Charisma Records. It was the band\u2019s final album to feature Hackett prior to his departure. The majority was recorded in June 1977 at the\u00a0Palais des Sports\u00a0in\u00a0Paris\u00a0during the\u00a0Wind & Wuthering Tour. One track, \u201cThe Cinema Show,\u201d was recorded the previous year at the\u00a0Pavillon de Paris\u00a0during their\u00a0A Trick of the Tail Tour.<\/p>\n

\u201cWith \u2018Seconds Out,\u2019 Genesis picked songs from previous albums and brought them up to date,\u201d said Hackett. \u201cThere were about six or seven albums to draw from.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hackett\u00a0joined Genesis at the beginning of 1971 and gained an international reputation as the guitarist in the band\u2019s classic line-up alongside Peter Gabriel, Tony Banks, Mike Rutherford and Phil Collins. His intricate guitar work was a key element of Genesis\u2019 albums from\u00a0\u201cNursery Cryme\u201d (1971) to \u201cWind And Wuthering\u201d (1977) including the classic \u201cSelling England By The Pound.\u201d<\/p>\n

After leaving Genesis at the end of 1977, Hackett embarked on a solo career, which now spans more than 30 albums, and demonstrated his extraordinary versatility with both electric and acoustic guitar.<\/p>\n

Hackett is renowned as both an immensely talented and innovative rock musician and a virtuoso classical guitarist and composer and this\u00a0was recognized in 2010 when he was inducted into the Rock Hall of Fame. He has also worked alongside Steve Howe of Yes in the supergroup GTR.<\/p>\n

According to Hackett, \u201cI’m thrilled to bring \u2018Seconds Out\u2019 back to life, featuring Genesis material at its most exciting and virtuosic. This time with all numbers played in full plus additional surprises.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe recorded a show in Manchester last fall, and it came across very well. It sounds better than the original. It sounds like what it should have sounded like.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hackett turned 72 in February and has showed no signs of slowing down.<\/p>\n

According to Hackett, \u201cWe\u2019re touring the world again now, and I intend to continue. It feels terrific to be back in the saddle with such great audience response and fronting a fantastic band.\u201d<\/p>\n

Video link for Steve Hackett — https:\/\/youtu.be\/DhXFA7B08xM<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The shows at the Scottish Rite Auditorium will start at 7:30 p.m. each night.<\/p>\n

Ticket prices start at $39.<\/p>\n

\"\"

Rick Braun photographed by Raj Naik in 2021<\/p><\/div>\n

When jazz trumpeter Rick Braun performs onstage, his concert is like a gourmet entr\u00e9e at a fine restaurant.<\/p>\n

When Braun performs in the area this weekend, his performances will be like gourmet entr\u00e9e in a smorgasbord of delectable treats.<\/p>\n

Braun will play three concerts at this weekend\u2019s 31st Annual Berks Jazz Festival (berksjazzfest.com<\/a>).<\/p>\n

On April 7, Braun will perform as part of the Chuck Loeb Memorial All-Star Jazz Jam along with Gerald Veasley, Keiko Matsui, Brian Bromberg, Eric Marienthal, Everette Harp, Adam Hawley, Curtis McCain along with a special performance by Patti Austin.<\/p>\n

The show is scheduled for 7 p.m. at the Grand Ballroom at the DoubleTree by Hilton Reading (701 Penn Street, Reading). Tickets are $59 with reserved seating.<\/p>\n

On April 8, Braun will perform as part of the Anniversary Celebration Concert along with Lindsey Webster, Keiko Matsui, Brian Bromberg, Eric Marienthal, Everette Harp, The Berks Horns and Adam Hawley,<\/p>\n

The show is scheduled for 6 p.m. at the Scottish Rite Cathedral (470 South Seventh Street, West Reading). Tickets are $59 with reserved seating.<\/p>\n

On April 8, Braun will headline the \u201cFest Finale\u201d with a concert at the Scottish Rite Cathedral. Braun will perform with Gerald Albright and special guest Jeff Lorber.<\/p>\n

The show is scheduled for 6 p.m. at the Scottish Rite Cathedral. Tickets are $59 with reserved seating.<\/p>\n

Braun has been touring in March and April in support of his new album, \u201cRick Braun.\u201d<\/p>\n

The tour brought him to Philadelphia on March 26 for a show at Rivers Casino.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m looking forward to playing the festival in Reading,\u201d said Braun, during a recent phone interview from his home in Woodland Hills, California. \u201cI\u2019m doing a bunch of shows including the last show of the festival with Gerald Albright and Jeff Lorber.<\/p>\n

\u201cA lot of my new album was done during the pandemic. People were coming off when things loosened up but a lot of it was done by me \u2013 mostly me.\u201d<\/p>\n

The new self-titled album from the chart-topping multi-instrumentalist moved into the Top 5 biggest selling contemporary immediately after its release and the lead single, dance floor anthem \u201cFeet First,\u201d<\/a>\u00a0continues to be a fixture at radio.<\/p>\n

Jazz Times\u00a0noted,\u00a0\u201cRick\u00a0Braun\u00a0has established himself as one of the most popular and prolific artists within the smooth-jazz genre\u2026But his commercial success belies a strong affinity and facility for mainstream jazz\u201d\u00a0and described the album as \u201cfilled with impressive chops and relentless grooves.\u201d<\/p>\n

Released via his own indie label,\u00a0Brauntosoarus Music, \u201cRick\u00a0Braun\u201d arrives 30 years after his debut album,\u00a0\u201cIntimate Secrets,\u201d\u00a0propelled\u00a0Braun\u00a0from sideman to chart-topping front man and acclaimed producer.<\/p>\n

\u201cIntimate Secrets\u201d launched him to contemporary jazz stardom and made him one of the genre\u2019s most influential artists and producers.<\/p>\n

\u201c30 years and I\u2019m still doing it,\u201d said Braun, who grew up in the Lehigh Valley and graduated from Allentown\u2019s Dieruff High.<\/p>\n

Some of his chief influences were jazz greats like Till Bronner, Clifford Brown, Freddie Hubbard, Lee Morgan and Chet Baker, in addition to Philly originated legends from The Brecker Brothers and Jeff Lorber and fellow Allentown native Keith Jarrett.<\/p>\n

\u201cI attended Eastman School of Music in Rochester (NY) and then moved to L.A. after I graduated. I worked as a songwriter for Warner Chappell and had a Top 20 hit with REO Speedwagon (\u201cHere With Me\u201d). I played with a lot of bands out here and toured with Rod Stewart.\u201d<\/p>\n

Braun\u2019s resume includes work with Crowded House,\u00a0Tom Petty, Sade, Tina Turner, Rod Stewart\u00a0and\u00a0Glenn Frey. He has amassed more than 20 No. 1 Smooth Jazz hits (including\u00a0\u201cNotorious\u201d and \u201cGrazin\u2019 in the Grass\u201d),\u00a0produced No. 1\u2019s for\u00a0David Benoit,\u00a0Marc Antoine\u00a0and\u00a0Jeff Golub, and created two of the genre\u2019s most impactful dual albums ever (\u201cShake It Up\u201d\u00a0with\u00a0Boney James,\u00a0\u201cRnR\u201d\u00a0with\u00a0Richard Elliot).<\/p>\n

\u201cWhile I was a songwriter, I started writing music for trumpet and get a record deal with Mesa\/Blue Moon, which ended up being part of Warner Bros.\u201d said Braun.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt wasn\u2019t difficult to write for trumpet. Instead of lyrics for vocals, I wrote for my instrumentation. It was kind of seamless.\u201d<\/p>\n

Video link for Rick Braun — https:\/\/youtu.be\/oGifQOx6TRk<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Kennett Flash (102 Sycamore Alley, Kennett Square, 484-732-8295,\u00a0http:\/\/www.kennettflash.org<\/a>) is presenting a show by Solar Federation on April 9.<\/p>\n

Jamey\u2019s House of Music (32 South Lansdowne Avenue, Lansdowne, 215-477-9985, www.jameyshouseofmusic.com<\/a>) will host Michael London & Friends on April 8 and Danielle Miraglia on April 9.<\/p>\n

There is also the Thursday Night Jazz Jam on April 7 featuring the Dave Reiter Trio and the Sunday Blues Brunch and Jam on April 10.<\/p>\n

The Ardmore Music Hall (23 East Lancaster Avenue, Ardmore, 610-649-8389,\u00a0www.ardmoremusic.com<\/a>) will present Motet on April 8 and Cowboy Junkies on April 9.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Denny Dyroff, Entertainment Editor, The Times On April 7, area music fans will have the opportunity to hear one of the legendary masters of Indian classical music perform live in concert with two of India\u2019s emerging new luminaries in a special concert at the University of Pennsylvania\u2019s Zellerbach Theater (Annenberg Center, 3680 Walnut Street, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":25691,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4357],"tags":[10386,3162,10385,2318,6814],"class_list":["post-25695","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-d-arts-entertainment","tag-bitch","tag-featured","tag-rick-braun","tag-steve-hackett","tag-zakir-hussain"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/downingtowntimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25695","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/downingtowntimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/downingtowntimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/downingtowntimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/downingtowntimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=25695"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/downingtowntimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25695\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":25696,"href":"https:\/\/downingtowntimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25695\/revisions\/25696"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/downingtowntimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/25691"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/downingtowntimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=25695"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/downingtowntimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=25695"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/downingtowntimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=25695"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}