{"id":4506,"date":"2015-05-21T14:34:20","date_gmt":"2015-05-21T18:34:20","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/downingtowntimes.com\/?p=4506"},"modified":"2015-05-21T14:34:33","modified_gmt":"2015-05-21T18:34:33","slug":"on-stage-lion-king-roars-into-philly","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/downingtowntimes.com\/?p=4506","title":{"rendered":"On Stage: Lion King roars into Philly"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Denny Dyroff<\/strong>,<\/span>\u00a0Staff Writer, The Times<\/em><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\"lion-king-rafiki\"<\/a>

The Lion King is back in Philadelphia now through June 14 at the Academy of Music.<\/p><\/div>\n

Many touring Broadway shows make frequent return visits to Philadelphia but the hit musical \u201cThe Lion King\u201d is not one of them. The show made its area debut in 2006 at the Academy of Music and then didn\u2019t come back again until 2010.<\/p>\n

Now, after another wait of just over four years, \u201cThe Lion King\u201d is ready for another triumphant return to the Quaker City.<\/p>\n

The musical, which features music by Elton John and lyrics by Tim Rice, is running now through June 14 at the Academy of Music (Broad and Locust streets, Philadelphia, 215-731-3333,\u00a0www.kimmelcenter.org<\/a>), as part of the Kimmel Center\u2018s \u201cBroadway Philadelphia\u201d series.<\/p>\n

The show, which is set in the jungle somewhere in Africa, tells the story of the lion Simba from his days as a newborn cub through his adult years and is filled with sub-plots and unexpected twists. The hyenas \u2013 Shenzi, Banzai and Ed \u2013 provide a bit of comic relief.<\/p>\n

With \u201cThe Lion King\u201d, the animated feature came first and then the Broadway show. The stage production is very similar to the movie. The story and the characters are exactly the same and so is a lot of the dialogue. \u00a0The stage version \u201cThe Lion King\u201d is known for its elaborate costumes — outfits that transform human actors into jungle animals. It also wins over audiences with its lively, exotic music.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Lion King\u201d won six 1998 Tony Awards — Best Musical, Best Scenic Design, Best Costume Design, Best Lighting Design, Best Choreography and Best Direction of a Musical.\u00a0\u00a0It has also earned more than 70 major arts awards including the 1998 NY Drama Critics Circle Award for Best Musical and the 1999 Grammy for Best Musical Show Album.<\/p>\n

One of the key players in the touring show is Tshidi Manye, who performs the role of Rafiki. As the start of the show, Rafiki the mandrill calls the animals to Pride Rock. She greets King Mufasa and QueenSarabi before presenting their cubs to the gathered animals.<\/p>\n

\u201cI established a bond with Rafiki,\u201d said Manye, during a recent phone interview. \u201cBeing an African, I understand her. I know what a Sangoma is so it\u2019s easy for me to play the role. I have Sangomas in my family.\u201d<\/p>\n

The name given to the traditional healers of many southern African tribes, including the Zulu, is Sangoma.\u00a0It is a spiritual calling based on a belief in ancestral spirits. A Sangoma performs a holistic and symbolic form of healing by drawing on the beliefs that ancestors in the afterlife guide and protect the living.<\/p>\n

\u201cI have both a niece and an aunt who are Sangomas,\u201d said Manye. \u201cFor me, it\u2019s easy to relate to the role. I can think about how my aunt would be. With Sangomas, it has to be a spirit within coming with a message to you. My niece started as a Sangoma when she was a child in school. She would zone out during class. It was like she was possessed — but not possessed.\u201d<\/p>\n

Manye was born in Johannesburg, South Africa.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy mom is Zulu and my dad is Pedi,\u201d said Manye. \u201cI grew up listening to their music — jazz and gospel. I\u2019ve always been very much into South African music and even had the great opportunity to perform with Mahlathini <\/i>and the Mahotella Queens.\u201d<\/p>\n

Not only has Manye sung with that legendary South African band, she has also performed with artists such as Paul Simon, David Byrne, Hugh Masekela, Jabu Khanyile and Vusi Mahlasela.<\/p>\n

\u201cI thought by now I would have recorded a mbaqanga album,\u201d said Manye, who has recorded two albums of pop music. \u201cI joined \u2018The Lion King\u2019 in Toronto years ago and then came to Broadway for nine years. Now, I\u2019ve been on tour for one year.<\/p>\n

\u201cI had been on Broadway for so long. I needed something fresh — just to see the country on Disney\u2019s dime. I love Broadway and I will go back to Broadway. Touring is different than being home. At home, you have a schedule. With touring, everything is different every day.\u201d<\/p>\n

Manye has toured Europe and Japan with M. Bongeni Ngema in the hit musical \u201cSarafina.\u201d Some of her other stage credits are \u201cDaughter of Nebo\u201d <\/i>by Hillary Bletcher, \u201cMfowethu\u201d <\/i>by Gibson Kente and \u201cThe Stick\u201d <\/i>by Aubrey Sekhabi.<\/p>\n

\u201cI love playing Rafiki,\u201d said Manye. \u201cAnd, I love that she can be funny. Sangomas can be funny. But, when it\u2019s time to get to work, they can be serious. They can switch off quickly. Rafiki has all these different worlds in her.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe can be playful and then, all of a sudden, become serious. I always like the way she will pay with you and, when it\u2019s time to get a point across, she gets very serious. She delivers the lesson.\u201d<\/p>\n

Manye offered her take on why audiences love \u201cThe Lion King\u201d so much.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a mixture of African cultures and other cultures,\u201d said the veteran actress. \u201cSeeing these things weave together is so beautiful. The costumes are amazing.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut, this is not a kids\u2019 show. It\u2019s about adults. They see the show and they become kids. It allows everyone to let their inner kid come out. This show is always young. And, it\u2019s different.\u201d<\/p>\n

Video link for \u2018The Lion King\u201d — https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=-pgZtzDj_7o<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Tickets for \u201cThe Lion King\u201d range in price from $28.50-$108.50.<\/p>\n

On May 21, one of the pioneers of techno-industrial music will perform in the area at an intimate venue. En Esch, who was a key member of KMFDM, will perform with his band at Mojo 13 (1706 Philadelphia Pike, Wilmington, Delaware, 302-746-7033, http:\/\/asylumthirteen.com<\/a>).<\/p>\n

\"en<\/a>Over the years, En Esch had been a major part of many major super groups in the industrial genre including KMFDM, Pigface and his own band Slick Idiot. He is now touring in support of his new album \u201cSP\u00c4NK.\u201d<\/p>\n

SP\u00c4NK is the long overdue follow-up to his last solo record \u201cCheesy,\u201d which was released in 1993. The new disc features guest appearances by Tim Skold (KMFDM, Marilyn Manson, Skold), Guenter Schulz (KMFDM, Slick Idiot), Jim Marcus (Die Warzau, Go Fight), More Machine Than Man and Trixy Reiss (Crystal Method).<\/p>\n

En Esch\u2019s most recent recordings have been \u201cSucksess\u201d with Slick Idiot in 2009 and \u201cDo With Me What You Want,\u201d a collaboration with Mona Mur in 2011.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve put Slick Idiot and my work with Mona Mur on the back burner,\u201d said En Esch, during a phone interview Tuesday afternoon. \u201cI\u2019m trying to concentrate on my solo stuff — but there will be more with them.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe tracks for my newe album were dome all over the worlds — 20 or more locations all over the place — some in Europe, some in Canada and some in the United States. Tim Skold is on the first song (\u201c12345\u201d) and that was recorded in New York and L.A. We created a new genre back in the day — a crossover of techno and metal.<\/p>\n

\u201cI finished making the album a few months ago and it officially was released on February 10, 2015. Some tracks I worked on 15 years ago and some are brand new. And, some are middle-aged.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen I was mixing the album, I might have had to re-work some of the songs from the old days. I wanted to show the variety of stuff I\u2019ve worked on through the years and to prove to myself that I could do a record with myself and nobody else. I did the final mixing last year in Berlin. I had to fight with a deadline.\u201d<\/p>\n

En Esch reflected on the experience he had when he was one of Pigface\u2019s core members. Pigface is an industrial rock supergroup formed in 1990 by Martin Atkins and William Rieflin.<\/p>\n

Pigface\u2019s line-up over the years has included such notable musicians as Trent Reznor (Nine Inch Nails), Flea (Red Hoy Chili Peppers), Dean Ween (Ween) and Michale Gira (Swans).<\/p>\n

\u201cPigface was such a good band,\u201d said En Esch. \u201cI was living in Chicago at the time. And, I almost died in a fire in Chicago when I was trapped in a burning room. I wrote lyrics about it for the Pigface song \u2018War Ich Nicht Immer Ein Guter Junge? War Ich Nicht Immer Schoen Und Nett? Ich Zerpfluckte Niemals Eine Spinne. War Niemals Frech Und Stahl?\u2019<\/p>\n

\u201cIn the song, I questioned why I almost died. I questioned why such a thing should happen to me because I had always been a good boy. I never even stepped on spiders.\u201d<\/p>\n

In his current live show, En Esch has a four-piece band with a drummer, a guitarist and a female vocalist.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m running electronics and doing vocals,\u201d said En Esch. \u201cI\u2019m doing some songs from \u2018SP\u00c4NK\u2019, some old KMFDM songs and some stuff from Slick Idiot. After this tour, I\u2019m going to do another solo record, some more things with Slick Idiot — and a secret project.\u201d<\/p>\n

Video link for En Esch — https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=_a7FnzV_Whs<\/a><\/p>\n

Tickets for the En Esch show at Mojo 13 are $13. Doors open at 8:30 p.m.<\/p>\n

\"teen<\/a>

Teen Men<\/p><\/div>\n

Delaware is also the home of Nick Krill, one of the founding members of Teen Men, a four-piece audio\/visual group based in the First State. The band is embarking on a tour with Clap Your Hands Say Yeah — a tour that will have shows on May 26 and 27 at Johnny Brenda\u2019s (1201 North Frankford Avenue, Philadelphia, 215-739-9684,\u00a0www.johnnybrendas.com<\/a>).<\/p>\n

The band\u2019s eponymous debut album was recorded at The Garden Center and Paper Lab Recording studios in Delaware and engineered, mixed and produced by Krill. It is being released on CD and digitally June 9 and on vinyl July 14\u00a0on the Bar\/None label.<\/p>\n

Teen Men features two musicians — Joe Hobson and Krill — and two visual artists Albert Birney (creator of the Simply Sylvio series on Vine) and artist Catharine Maloney (who has exhibited internationally and has a Master of Fine Arts from Yale University).<\/p>\n

\u201cTeen Men started as a one-off project between Albert and myself,\u201d said Krill, during a phone interview Wednesday afternoon from his home in Wilmington. \u201cWe had both just finished pretty intense projects on our own.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe was doing a feature film titled \u2018The Beast Pageant\u2019 and I was working on albums with the Spinto Band. We wanted to do something quick and off-the-cuff so we decided on a project that would involve music and visuals. We each were interested in the other genre so we decided to collaborate together.\u201d<\/p>\n

Gradually, Teen Men started to take shape.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe did two or three songs at first,\u201d said Krill. \u201cTime passed and we did a few more. After awhile, we had a body of work that we thought was worth pursuing and sharing. Over the course of 10 studio sessions, we had maybe 12 songs and 10 made it to the album.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe recording was dome as we went along. We\u2019d just go into the studio and throw things against the wall to see if they\u2019d stick. It was a frenzy of ideas going on — fast instinctive moves. Then, we did a lot of refining ideas in our home recording space.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe final mixing took place in spring 2014 but 90 per cent of the record was done in May and June 2013. It did take awhile to put it out. But, if we had released it right away, I feel it would have been shortchanging the project.\u201d<\/p>\n

The audio\/visual element really comes into play in Teen Men\u2019s live shows.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen we play live, there is a synchronized interactive video to go with the music,\u201d said Krill. \u201cWhen we recorded the songs, we made them with the video part in mind. There are separate music videos for each song on YouTube.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere are four of us onstage — Cathy on keyboards and vocals, Joe on guitar and vocals, Albert on keyboards and vocals and me on guitar and vocals. The videos interact with the music and the people onstage. The videos are as much a part of the performance as the music is.\u201d<\/p>\n

Video link for Teen Men — https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=BDYblVBTGVY<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The shows at Johnny Brenda\u2019s will start at 8 p.m. each night and tickets are priced at $20.<\/p>\n

\"raya<\/a>

Raya Brass Band<\/p><\/div>\n

Johnny Brenda\u2019s will also be the site of another interesting show when it hosts the Raya Brass Band on May 24.<\/p>\n

Since 2008, Raya Brass Band has been creating a sound that is a melding of diverse genres including New Orleans brass bands, punk rock, and global music — especially traditional Balkan music.<\/p>\n

The six-piece band that sounds a lot bigger than it really is features Greg Squared on saxophone, Ben Syversen on trumpet, Matthew Fass on accordion, Rich Stein on percussion, Don Godwin on tuba and Nezih Antakli on tupan.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve been a band for about six-and-a-half years now,\u201d said Syversen, during a phone interview Tuesday from his home in Brooklyn. \u201cSome of us had been playing together previously in different bands. There is a big community in Brooklyn for Balkan music so a lot of us knew each other through that community.<\/p>\n

\u201cAll of us also have a lot of other musical things that we do. I was trained as a jazz musician. A couple of the guys came up through the punk rock scene in the 90s and discovered Balkan music and its energy.\u201d<\/p>\n

Raya Brass Band has a lot of energy and a lot of interaction with its audiences. Frequently, the band will leave the stage and play its instruments while walking through the audience.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s really about breaking the third wall and creating a human experience,\u201d said Syversen. \u201cWe\u2019re very connected with our audience. We\u2019re Americans and we found Balkan music. We found it to be very captivating. And, we bring in our own musical experience.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe were a five-piece for a long time and we just brought in Rich Stein as our second percussionist. He fills up the sound. It\u2019s almost like having a cook who knows the right spices to add.\u201d<\/p>\n

Raya Brass Band\u2019s most recent album was \u201cThe Train Is Now,\u201d which was released in November 2013.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat was our third album,\u201d said Syversen. \u201cWe\u2019re going to be releasing our fourth album in the fall. It sounds great. There are nine original tunes. It documents our development really well. We recorded it here in Brooklyn with Greg as our engineer.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe owe a great debt to our influences but now we have a lot of original music. We still play a lot of our traditional repertoire but we keep moving forward. It\u2019s been really gratifying to bring new material into the band.\u201d<\/p>\n

Video link for Raya Brass Band — https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=WgiXzqlNUhs&feature=player_detailpage<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Tickets for Raya Brass Band\u2019s show at Johnny Brenda\u2019s are $10 in advance and $12 at the door. The show will start at 8 p.m. with opening act Sandaraa, which is co-fronted by one of Pakistan and Afghanistan\u2019s most loved vocalists,\u00a0Zebunnisa\u00a0(Zeb) Bangash, and Brooklyn\u2019s Klezmer clarinet virtuoso\u00a0Michael Winograd.<\/p>\n

On May 21, there will be a show with an entirely different flavor when the Appleseed Collective plays its brand of Americana music at the World Caf\u00e9 Live (3025 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, 215-222-1400, philly.worldcafelive.com<\/a>).<\/p>\n

The band, which is based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, features Andrew Brown on guitar, Brandon Smith on violin and mandolin, Vince Russo on percussion and washboard and Eric Dawe on upright bass. The band\u2019s latest release is a live album recorded at The Ark in Ann Arbor.<\/p>\n

\u201cI met Brandon in Ann Arbor pretty randomly,\u201d said Brown, during a phone interview Wednesday afternoon. \u201cWe started playing together and, shortly after that, added our percussion friend Vince.<\/p>\n

\u201cI had just gotten back from New Orleans and was influenced by a lot of the bands I saw there that were busking and playing on the street. Vince played great washboard so he fit right in. We did a D.I.Y. tour around the East Coast and came back with some money.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur first recording was the \u2018Baby to Beast\u2019 album in 2012. Then, we released the \u2018Young Love\u2019 album at the beginning of 2014 and the live album in December 2014.\u201d<\/p>\n

The band\u2019s distinct style of modern old-time music was an instant hit with a wide array of fans of acoustic music.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur music has changed quite a bit bur we\u2019re still grounded in gypsy jazz, New Orleans swing, bluegrass, folk, country and western swing,\u201d said Brown. \u201cThe direction we\u2019re trying to move in is to take these influences and make a modern sound — adding funk and soul to these old-time sounds.<\/p>\n

\u201cOne of my favorite things is funk on an upright bass. Our music has become more groove-driven. And, we\u2019ve worked a lot on three- and four-part harmonies. You could describe us as a progressive swing string band.\u201d<\/p>\n

Video link for the Appleseed Collective — https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=4v9fp6_prc8<\/a><\/p>\n

Show time at the World Cafe Live\u2019s Upstairs Stage is 8 p.m. and tickets are priced at $7.<\/p>\n

\"Cynthia_G._Mason_Carpenters_Woods_Photo_by_Rachel_Del_Sordo_2015\"<\/a>

Cynthia G. Mason<\/p><\/div>\n

The Upstairs Stage will also host a concert by William Fitzsimmons on May 23 and a CD Release party for Cynthia G. Mason on May 27.<\/p>\n

On May 12, Fitzsimmons released a mini-album titled \u201cPittsburgh,\u201d a collection of seven songs about the city where he was born and raised. Fitzsimmons credits the gift of music to his mother, and consequently his grandmother. In October 2014, his grandmother passed away and during the three days spent putting her to rest, \u201cPittsburgh\u201d was formed. The seven songs are in memoriam to her and in remembrance of the city they shared.<\/p>\n

\u201cI live in a small town in Illinois now but Pittsburgh is where I grew up and lived for a long time,\u201d said Fitzsimmons, during a phone interview Wednesday afternoon. \u201cI was fooling around with writing an album about my hometown.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut, I wasn\u2019t in a writing mode. My last album was in 2014 and I usually like to take time between album releases. Then, my grandmother died in October and I went back to Pittsburgh for the funeral. My grandmother was the reason my mother became a musician. So, it felt right to do the album.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen you\u2019re writing a story about someone, you have to make it so that someone else can understand. I had plenty of stuff that dwalt with my grandmother — but I didn\u2019t want to make it a diary.\u201d<\/p>\n

The album isn\u2019t a narrative or a eulogy. Instead, it is a collection of heartfelt, insightful songs with universal appeal — and an odd number of songs at seven. It\u2019s a little long to be an Ep and a little short to be an album.<\/p>\n

\u201cSeven songs really is a strange number given the history of pop music,\u201d said Fitzsimmons. \u201cThis was a real quick one. The songs just flowed out. Within two weeks, I had all seven songs.<\/p>\n

\u201cRecording it at home felt real natural. I\u2019ve recorded at a lot of good studios with very good producers. They bring stuff out but sometime the vision you have has to be done on your own.<\/p>\n

\u201cI taught myself to play bass for this record. There was one part on the album that had to be cello. I can\u2019t play cello so I got a girl from Nashville to play the cello part. She was the only other musician on the album.\u201d<\/p>\n

The album has been infused with Fitzsimmons\u2019 love for his grandmother and mother and his affection for the city that sits at the confluence of the Monongahela and Allegheny rivers.<\/p>\n

\u201cI lived in Pittsburgh for the better part of 25 years,\u201d said Fitzsimmons. \u201cIt was the place where I had my first home and my first — and only — divorce. A lot of my family still lives there. It\u2019s been a part of every record I\u2019ve done. The emotional part of my new record was formed there.\u201d<\/p>\n

Video link for William Fitzsimmons — https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?feature=player_embedded&list=PL389477D139941CB9&v=T4uYDcl4t3Q<\/a><\/p>\n

The show at the World Caf\u00e9 Live will start at 8 p.m. with opening act Denison Witmer. Tickets are $18 in advance and $20 at the door.<\/p>\n

Have you ever had a food that was one of your favorites and then all of a sudden for no obvious reason you lost your taste for it?<\/p>\n

Mason, whose new EP \u201cCinematic Turn\u201d officially will be released on June 16, went through just such an experience a few years ago. Her most recent album prior to this was \u201cQuitter\u2019s Claim\u201d in 2007.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe reason for such a big gap between albums is complicated,\u201d said Mason, during a phone interview Wednesday evening from her home in the Mount Airy section of Philadelphia.<\/p>\n

\u201cI played a little bit after \u2018Quitter\u2019s Claim\u2019 came out. But, I had been playing music for so long I just got burned out. I didn\u2019t want to play music. I didn\u2019t want to hear music. I put all my gear away. I really didn\u2019t want to play anymore. It was a total musical blackout. I wasn\u2019t even attending shows.\u201d<\/p>\n

This lasted for several years. Eventually, Mason\u2019s love of music started bubbling to the surface again.<\/p>\n

\u201cAfter awhile, I started to miss it,\u201d said Mason, who had made seven albums prior to the self-imposed hiatus. \u201cI slowly started to listen more. I went out a little more and some things began reeling me in. One big catalyst was a show at the Art Museum. It was a multi-media show with Lee Ranaldo from Sonic Youth and some dancers. That blew me away.<\/p>\n

\u201cI started to open up to more things such as concerts by the Philadelphia Orchestra. There were other things too like videos of Laura Marling on YouTube and Jason Isbell\u2019s latest album. I realized how much I missed making music and I really yearned for it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Like a phoenix, Mason rose from the ashes of a musical career that had burned out a few years prior.<\/p>\n

\u201cI started reconnecting — seeing what I had been missing,\u201d said Mason. \u201cI also started listening to what was new out there. It was all pretty new to me. I began thinking about making a new album. Recording techniques had changed a lot so it was a big learning curve. \u201c<\/p>\n

In December 2014, \u00a0Mason recorded the new album at Miner Street Recordings with producer Brian McTear (Sharon Van Etten, Dr. Dog.) Amy Morrissey engineered the record and Matt Schimelfenig mixed it. The five new songs feature Christopher Sean Powell (Man Man) on drums, Ramon Monras-Sender (Hoots and Hellmouth) on bass, and Peter English (Weathervane Music) on keyboards.<\/p>\n

\u201cBrian, Amy and Matt were wonderful to work with,\u201d said Mason. \u201cI had worked with Chris 15 years ago so it was fun to be together again. Peter had worked a lot with Brian and Amy and Ramon was a bass player that lived in my neighborhood. It was the best experience in the studio that I\u2019ve ever had.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cynthia G. Mason\u2019s CD Release Party will get underway at 8 p.m. with Grey Reverend as the opener. Tickets are $10.<\/p>\n

\"spectral\"<\/a>

Spectral<\/p><\/div>\n

With improvised music, you never quite know what you\u2019re going to hear or where the music is going to go. That\u2019s what makes improve jazz the exciting genre that it has become.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re listening to the improv music of the trio Spectral, you can be sure that no matter where the music goes, it will be a good place. On May 23, Spectral\u00a0 — Dave Rempis, saxophone; Larry Ochs, saxophone; Darren Johnston, trumpet — will perform a special concert with alto saxophonist Marshall Allen at the Philadelphia Art Alliance (251 South 18th Street, Philadelphia, 215- 545-4302, www.arsnovaworkshop.com<\/a>).<\/p>\n

\u201cDarren Johson was a trumpet player I had played with when he came to Chicago,\u201d said Rempis, during a phone interview Tuesday afternoon from his home in Chicago. \u201cThen, when I went to the (San Francisco) Bay Area, Darren put some shows together for me.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe did a concert at a club called the Uptown in Oakland. It was Darren\u2019s idea to put this line-up together.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Uptown was a one-off show. But, right from the start, it felt great. With improve, sometimes it takes awhile but this clicked right away. We immediately found a way to navigate around each other.\u201d<\/p>\n

He trio went into the studio last year and then released its debut album on May 6, 2014 on Aerophonic Records.<\/p>\n

\u201cEverybody came to it with a unique perspective,\u201d said Rempis. \u201cWe just hit the stage and played.\u00a0 All three of us were conditioned to play improvised music. You just dive into the pool and see what happens. It\u2019s a sharing process.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not nebulous. If all three of us start a piece with a clear statement, we can figure out how to juxtapose our ideas. It\u2019s like if you\u2019re walking down the street with someone and you know you have to cross here.\u201d<\/p>\n

The show in Philadelphia will be a special event — Marshall Allen\u2019s 91st Birthday celebration. Allen is an avant-garde jazz alto saxophone player best known for his work with the legendary Sun Ra.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m really excited to have the opportunity to play with Marshall Allen,\u201d said Rempis. \u201cI\u2019ve been a fan of his music ever since I was in high school.\u201d<\/p>\n

The \u201cMarshall Allen\u2019s 91st Birthday Celebration\u201d event will start at 8 p.m. Tickets are $15 for general admission.<\/p>\n

\"kanisha<\/a>

Kanisha K<\/p><\/div>\n

You may not have heard much about Kanisha K yet but chances are good you will in the very near future. You can hear the singer from Michigan perform live this weekend when she plays a show on May 27 at 2nd State Lounge, 401 South Street, Philadelphia, 215-413-3434).<\/p>\n

Last year, Kanisha\u2019s \u00a0single \u201cBring Me Home\u201d\u00a0spent over 41 weeks on the charts. Now in 2015, the dance version of \u00a0\u201cBring Me Home\u201d (remixed by Razor & Guido) has entered the Billboard Dance\/Club Play Songs chart and reached Number 47 after only four weeks.\u00a0She won \u201cBest Pop\u201d award at the 2014 HMMA\u2019s (Hollywood Music In Media Awards) last November for her song \u201cI Gotta Stupid Boyfriend.\u201d<\/p>\n

Kanisha K has recently released her newest single \u201cOh Damn Yeah\u201d to Top 40 and CHR radio. The song was written and produced by producer Joe Vulpis (Lady Gaga, Lindsay Lohan, Richie Blackmore, Jennifer Love Hewitt etc.) and mastered by Tom Coyne (Adele, Beyonce, Sam Smith, Taylor Swift, Pink, Ariana Grande.)<\/p>\n

\u201cI recorded both \u201cOh Damn Yeah\u2019 and \u2018Never Stopped Loving You\u2019 with Joe Vulpis at his studio in Nashville,\u201d said Kanisha K, during a phone interview Monday afternoon from her home in Holland, Michigan.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy manager knew Joe and sent him some of my songs. Then, Joe sent me some of his demos and I loved them. We cut the songs the week before Christmas Eve last year. I was working on six songs with Joe. I spent a while in Nashville working on my songs. On my past records, I used different writers. Working with Joe, I\u2019ve definitely gotten into writing songs more.<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe is a great producers and I\u2019ve also worked with other great producers. I don\u2019t think I\u2019d be where I\u2019m at today without these great producers. I worked with Robyn Robins, who is the keyboardist for Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band. He saw a video I made and agreed to work with me. We did an album together in Grand Rapids, Michigan.\u201d<\/p>\n

While most of her recent releases have been singles, Kanisha K is also focusing on her album releases.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy first album came out in 2013,\u201d said Kanisha K, who is involved in a lot of charity work with the Humane Society. \u201cI\u2019m not really sure when my new album will come out. I\u2019ll be continuing to work on new songs with Joe Vulpis.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m doing a lot more performing now that I did before. For this tour, it\u2019s all acoustic — just me and a guitar player. It\u2019s my first time to do this kind of show because when I play closer to home, I perform with a full band.\u201d<\/p>\n

Video link for Kanisha K — https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=H69Di_YkaOU<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Showtime for Kanisha K\u2019s concert at 2nd<\/sup> State Lounge is 7:30 p.m. She will share the bill with Ryan Aderrey.<\/p>\n

The Flash (102 Sycamore Alley, Kennett Square, 484-732-8295,\u00a0http:\/\/www.kennettflash.org<\/a>) will host \u201cBob Dylan Birthday Bash!\u201d on May 22. The core trio of Mason Porter, Joe D\u2019Amico, Tim Celfo, and Paul Wilkinson will join forces with Ben Smith, Brad Hinton and Daniel \u201cScrappy\u201d Bower, to form a six-piece band for this annual event that takes the listeners on a tour through the Bob Dylan songbook.\u00a0 Tickets for the 8 p.m. show are $16 in advance and $20 day of show.<\/p>\n

Chaplin\u2019s (66 North Main Street, Spring City, 610-792-4110,\u00a0http:\/\/chaplinslive.com<\/a>) will have Colour & Codeine, Skinny Dip, Nose Goblins and Bride Elizabeth on May 21; John Anthony Seitz, Sean Royle Smith and Matt Spitko on May 22 and Rome\u2019s in Ruins, Broadening the Daylight, Buried in the Walls and\u00a0 Paralysis on May 23.<\/p>\n

The Ardmore Music Hall (23 East Lancaster Avenue, Ardmore, 610-649-8389,\u00a0www.ardmoremusic.com<\/a>) will host The Sun Ra Arkestra under the direction of Marshall Allen on May 21; The New Mastersounds, Euforquestra, The 9\u2019s on May 22;<\/p>\n

Splintered Sunlight (Grateful Dead Tribute) and Hotlanta (Allman Brothers tribute) on May 23; and The Nth Power and Cory Henry & the Funk Apostles on May 27.<\/p>\n

Burlap & Bean Coffeehouse (204 South Newtown Street Road, Newtown Square, 484-427-4547,\u00a0www.burlapandbean.com<\/a>) will present Suitcase Junket and Red Tail Rin on May21 and then be closed for the remainder of the Memorial Day Weekend.<\/p>\n

Melodies Caf\u00e9 (2 East Ardmore Avenue, Ardmore, 610-645-5269, www.melodiescafe.com<\/a>) will host Brothers & Sisters<\/a>, The Translucent Gypsies and Matt Fell<\/a> on May 22 and Knightlife, Lucky 3 and The Dispersions on May 23.<\/p>\n

Valley Forge Casino (1160 First Avenue, King of Prussia, 610-354-8118, https:\/\/vfcasino.com<\/a>) will host Heart on May 22 and Frank Sinatra, Jr. on May 23.***<\/p>\n

The Sellersville Theater (24 West Temple Avenue, Sellersville, 215-257-5808,\u00a0www.st94.com<\/a>) will have David Lindley<\/a> and Mike \u201cSlo Mo\u201d Brenner<\/a> on May 21, Time Traveller on May 22, New Riders of the Purple Sage on May 23 and American Aquarium with Brian McGee on May 27.<\/p>\n

The Keswick Theater (291 N. Keswick Avenue, Glenside, 215-572-7650,\u00a0www.keswicktheatre.com<\/a>) presents Lyle Lovett and Vince Gill on May 26.<\/p>\n

World Caf\u00e9 Live at the Queen (500 North Market Street, Wilmington, 302- 994-1400,\u00a0www.queen.worldcafelive.com<\/a>) has a number of good shows coming on its Upstairs Stage — Suzie Brown and Scott along with Cariad Harmon on May 21, Apache Trails and Karen Jonas on May 22, Caroline Rose and Hemming on May 23 an dWilmo Wednesdays on May 27.<\/p>\n

The Queen\u2019s Downstairs Stage will feature Rhett Miller with Kalai King on May 21, A Jazz Family Reunion on May 23 and Grateful Dead tribute band Dark Star Orchestra on May 27.<\/p>\n

\u201cSteel Magnolias\u201d will run through June 21 at the Candlelight Theater (2208 Millers Road, Arden, Delaware,\u00a0302- 475-2313,\u00a0www.candlelighttheatredelaware.org<\/a>) beginning on May 9.<\/p>\n

The Media Theatre (104 E. State Street, Media, 610-891-0100,\u00a0mediatheatre.org<\/a>) is presenting \u201cHello Dolly\u201d now through May 24. The production that features Broadway veteran Andrea McArdle, who was the original \u201cAnnie\u201d when the show opened on Broadway many years ago.<\/p>\n

People\u2019s Light & Theatre (39 Conestoga Road, Malvern, 610-644-3500,\u00a0PeoplesLight.org<\/a>) is performing Neil Simon\u2019s \u201cBiloxi Blues\u201d now through May 24. The show is Simon\u2019s semi-autobiographical Tony Award-winning classic coming-of-age tale.<\/p>\n

On May 21 at 7:30 p.m., the Serafin String Quartet will perform at Cokesbury Village (726 Loveville Road, Hockessin, Delaware, 302-235-6000, www.serafinquartet.org<\/a>). The performance, which is free and open to the public, will feature works by Still, Grieg, Chadwick, Gershwin, Foote and Higdon.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Denny Dyroff,\u00a0Staff Writer, The Times Many touring Broadway shows make frequent return visits to Philadelphia but the hit musical \u201cThe Lion King\u201d is not one of them. The show made its area debut in 2006 at the Academy of Music and then didn\u2019t come back again until 2010. Now, after another wait of just […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":4499,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3,8],"tags":[3006,3003,3008,3005,3007,3004,3002],"class_list":["post-4506","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-arts-entertainment","category-featured","tag-cynthia-g-mason","tag-en-esch","tag-kanisha-k","tag-raya-brass-band","tag-spectral","tag-teen-men","tag-the-lion-king"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/downingtowntimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4506","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=4506"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/downingtowntimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4506\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4507,"href":"https:\/\/downingtowntimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4506\/revisions\/4507"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/downingtowntimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/4499"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/downingtowntimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=4506"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/downingtowntimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=4506"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/downingtowntimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=4506"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}