{"id":33358,"date":"2017-01-12T14:39:47","date_gmt":"2017-01-12T19:39:47","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/?p=33358"},"modified":"2017-01-12T14:39:56","modified_gmt":"2017-01-12T19:39:56","slug":"on-stage-mccaslin-inspired-by-bowie","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/?p=33358","title":{"rendered":"On Stage: McCaslin inspired by Bowie"},"content":{"rendered":"

Sax ace who played on superstar’s final album is changed by working with him\u00a0<\/em><\/h2>\n

By Denny Dyroff<\/strong>,\u00a0<\/span>Staff Writer, The Times<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Donny McCaslin<\/p><\/div>\n

It seems hard to believe that a year has gone by since rock legend David Bowie passed away but it\u2019s true \u2013 almost to the day. Bowie died on January 8, 2016. Two days later, his final album \u201cBlackstar\u201d was released.<\/span><\/p>\n

Recording of this album took place in secret at The Magic Shop and Human Worldwide Studios in New York. Bowie\u2019s medical condition was also a top secret. Bowie\u2019s long-time friend and internationally-acclaimed producer Tony Visconti was the producer for \u201cBlackstar\u201d and Bowie\u2019s band for the album was a New York-based jazz group \u2013 the Donny McCaslin Group.<\/span><\/p>\n

McCaslin and his musicians provided the vibe and the chemistry that Bowie needed to bring his musical ideas to life \u2013 to flesh out his vision and move down new paths.<\/span><\/p>\n

On January 15, \u201cBlackstar\u201d debuted at number one on the UK Albums. Bowie\u2019s final album also debuted at number one on album charts around the world, including Australia, France, Germany, Italy, New Zealand and the US Billboard 200. The album also was a showcase for McCaslin, whose playing garnered rave reviews all around the globe.<\/span><\/p>\n

Just over two months ago, McCaslin, a top-flight tenor saxophonist, and his band released an album titled \u201cBeyond Now\u201d on the Mot\u00e9ma Music label \u2013 an album dedicated to Bowie. Recorded nearly three months after Bowie\u2019s passing, the project was deeply influenced by the band\u2019s experience of collaborating with one of the greatest artists of all-time on his final album.<\/span><\/p>\n

Comprised of core Blackstar personnel, bassist Tim Lefebvre (Tedeschi Trucks Band, Saturday Night Live), drummer Mark Guiliana (Meshell Ndegeocello, Brad Mehldau), and Jason Lindner (Now Vs Now) along with guitarist Nate Wood and producer David Binney, \u201cBeyond Now\u201d features two Bowie songs, covers of Deadmau5, MUTEMATH, and the Chainsmokers, along with several McCaslin originals.<\/span><\/p>\n

Now, McCaslin and his crew are touring in support of \u201cBeyond Now\u201d \u2013 a tour that will touch down locally on January 14 at the Arden Gild Hall (2126 The Highway, Arden, Delaware, 302-475-3126, http:\/\/ardenconcerts.com<\/span><\/a>).<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not a David Bowie tribute album,\u201d said McCaslin, during a phone interview Wednesday afternoon from New York. \u201c\u2018Beyond Now\u2019 is dedicated to him. The music I wrote for \u2018Beyond Now\u2019 was inspired by \u2018Blackstar.\u2019 But, it is also influenced by acts such as Chainsmokers and Aphex Twin. It is also a record documenting the band\u2019s development going through the \u2018Blackstar\u2019 experience.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBeyond Now\u201d can be traced back to 2011 with the release of his album \u201cPerpetual Motion\u201d and his two subsequent albums \u201cCasting for Gravity\u201d (2012) and \u201cFast Future\u201d (2015). \u201cFast Future\u201d earned McCaslin a 2013 Grammy nomination for \u201cBest Improvised Jazz Solo.\u201d Jazz vocalist\/composer Maria Schneider, a longtime Bowie collaborator, recommended McCaslin and his group to Bowie. Schneider and Bowie were collaborating on the track \u201cSue (Or in a Season of Crime),\u201d which featured McCaslin as a soloist.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI had joined the Maria Schneider Orchestra in 2003 and subbed for tenor payers in her band,\u201d said McCaslin, who grew up in Santa Clara, California. \u201cIn 2008, I joined the Dave Douglas Band. I also started working and touring as a leader of my own band. Eventually, I started this electronic group with producer David Binney and recorded \u2018Perpetual Motion\u2019 in 2010.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMaria introduced my music to David. He was describing what he was hearing as an underpinning to the song they were working on \u2013 \u2018Sue (Or in a Season of Crime).\u2019 She played my album \u2018Casting for Gravity\u2019 for him. So, he contacted me to play on the song as a soloist. I don\u2019t know what attracted him to my music. I\u2019d guess that it was that I was exploring the intersection of improv and electronica.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

A few years ago, Bowie and Visconti were starting to work on the early stages of \u201cBlackstar.\u201d Schneider suggested McCaslin\u2019s band and told Bowie to check them out. Bowie went to hear McCaslin and his band perform at the 55 Bar, a small jazz club in Greenwich Village.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAfter David heard us play at the club, he e-mailed me and said he\u2019s like to record a few tunes,\u201d said McCaslin. \u201cWhen we got in the studio, he said \u2013 let\u2019s have fun and see what happens. He sent us demos that we had as road maps. He was totally open to us and to what we thought about where the music should go.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWorking with Tony (Visconti) was great. He had the same vibe. It was a very cohesive relationship \u2013 very efficient. David was very engaged when we were recording \u2018Blackstar.\u2019 I remember the joy on his face when we were listening to the playbacks.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

McCaslin, who has lived in Brooklyn for the last 25 years, got his start when he was in Boston studying at the Berklee School of Music. Jazz legend and vibraphonist extraordinaire Gary Burton was a professor at Berklee and McCaslin had several of his classes. Burton, who has more than 60 albums as a leader, then invited McCaslin to join his band.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cPlaying with Gary was a real break for me,\u201d said McCaslin, whose early influences included John Coltrane, Duke Ellington, Charlie Parker and Sonny Rollins. \u201cBeing in the road with a professional band was a great experience coming right out of college. After that, I moved to New York and got my footing as a freelance. I took session work and played with a number of different groups including Danilo Perez\u2019 band and Eddie Gomez\u2019 group.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Now, McCaslin is taking things to a higher plateau with his own group, a well-received album and an eagerly-anticipated tour.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIn our live set, we\u2019ll be playing all the songs from \u2018Beyond Now\u201d and songs from \u2018Casting for Gravity\u2019 and \u2018Fast Future\u2019,\u201d said McCaslin. \u201cWe also will be playing some David Bowie songs that aren\u2019t on \u2018Beyond Now.\u2019\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Video link for the Donny McCaslin Group \u2013 https:\/\/youtu.be\/n0SVB0bsbHs<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

The show at the Arden Gild Hall, which has the Jonathan Whitney Project as the opening act, will start at 8 p.m. Tickets are $25.<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/a>

The Serafin String Quartet<\/p><\/div>\n

An interesting concert of an entirely different sort will take place on January 12 in Philadelphia when the Serafin String Quartet performs a free show at Drexel University\u2019s Mandell Theater (3250 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, http:\/\/www.conductorsguild.org<\/span><\/a>).<\/span><\/p>\n

The Serafin String Quartet includes Kate Ransom and Lisa Vaupel (violins), Sheila Browne (viola) and Lawrence Stomberg (cello) — all of whom are current or former professors at the University of Delaware. The foursome is UD\u2019s \u201cQuartet in Residence.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The show at Drexel is part of The Conductors Guild\u2019s 2017 National Conference.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOne of the organizers knew about Serafin String Quartet and said they had a performance slot open for us,\u201d said Ransom, during a phone interview Tuesday afternoon.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ransom, who is president of the Music School of Delaware was travelling from the school\u2019s campus in Milford, Delaware to its campus in Wilmington.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe said we\u2019d be glad to play for the Conductors\u2019 Guild,\u201d said Ransom, a founding member of Serafin String Quartet who<\/span><\/p>\n

holds master\u2019s and bachelor\u2019s degrees in violin performance from Yale University and University of Michigan.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe always try to bring our very best to every performance \u2013 to shoot for a peak performance in every concert. With the string quarter, we rend to play for very seasoned fans. With the conductors, they\u2019re aficionados. It\u2019s always an honor to play for our peers \u2013 other professional musicians. And, there is a special excitement about playing in a major metropolitan area.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The program features\u00a0Samuel Barber\u2019s \u201cAdagio for Strings from String Quartet in B Minor, Op. 11,\u201d Joseph Haydn\u2019s \u201cString Quartet in G Major, Op. 77#1\u201d and Felix Mendelssohn\u2019s \u201cD Major String Quartet, Op. 44#1.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Barber, a world-famous composer who was born in West Chester, finished the arrangement in 1936. It was performed for the first time in 1938.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe open with the Barber piece,\u201d said Ransom. \u201cIt\u2019s a very famous piece of classical music. It\u2019s very somber and has been referred to as a national hymn of mourning. Barber only wrote one string quartet.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a very compact piece. The heart is the adagio \u2013 so moving and so sublime. It\u2019s often played as a free-standing piece \u2013 often by chamber orchestras. It\u2019s so profound with a very slow-moving harmonic expansion. It\u2019s almost a suspension of time. We recorded it on our first album which was on Centaur Records in 2010.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The piece has been very popular in films and television shows ranging from David Lynch\u2019s film \u201cThe Elephant Man\u2019 to two different episodes of \u201cThe Simpsons.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe second piece in the first half of the show will be the \u2018String Quartet in G Major, Op. 77#1\u2019 by Haydn,\u201d said Ransom. \u201cHaydn was the originator of the string quartet as high art. He had a lot of wit. This piece is almost like an aria for first violin. There are a lot of character changes \u2013 four distinct movements each with their own quality and character.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAfter the intermission, we will play Mendelssohn\u2019s \u2018D Major String Quartet, Op. 44#1.\u2019 It\u2019s extremely brilliant \u2013 charming and lilting. The first and fourth movements (\u201cMolto allegro vivace\u201d and \u201cPresto con brio\u201d) are rip-roaring \u2013 like a full gallop. This piece really shows the genius of the composer.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Video link for Serafin String Quartet \u2013 https:\/\/youtu.be\/pfc3meXrY6k<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

The concert at Drexel University\u2019s Mandell Theater will start at 7:30 p.m. The show is open to the public and admission is free.<\/span><\/p>\n

Music and much more will be featured in a special production scheduled for January 13 and 14 at the Merriam Theater (250 South Broad Street, Philadelphia, 215-893-1999, www.kimmelcenter.org<\/span><\/a>).<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Cirque \u00c9loize<\/p><\/div>\n

Presented collaboratively by the Kimmel Center and The Shubert Organization, Broadway Philadelphia presents the Philadelphia premiere of \u201cSaloon \u2013 A Musical Acrobatic Adventure.\u201d The show with a \u201cWild West\u201d theme, is the 11th and newest production by Montreal-based contemporary circus troupe Cirque \u00c9loize.<\/span><\/p>\n

Inspired by the rich legacy of the Wild West, \u201cSaloon\u201d transports audiences to a dusty gathering place and treats them to an evening of musical and acrobatic adventure performed by 11 internationally-acclaimed cast members.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe show was inspired by our thriving power, the same strength that has motivated us for nearly 25 years. We borrow from the world of the Wild West, which we have so much in common with: a fundamental commitment to moving forward, toughness and the survival instinct, a tendency for irreverence and a sharing sense of community,\u201d says<\/span><\/p>\n

According to Jeannot Painchaud, President and Artistic Director of Cirque \u00c9loize and Creative Director of Saloon. \u201cThe saloon is a wonderful playground for work of artistic exploration. It\u2019s also a place of opportunity, one that made us want to try something different. It has the physical energy of acrobatics combined with the poetry of the theatrical approach, punctuated with humor and accompanied by amazing live music. \u2018Saloon\u2019 is bright, funny and musical.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The show doesn\u2019t really have a book but it does have a plot which is described on the Cirque \u00c9loize website \u2013<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cPicture this: America is under construction. The West is booming. The railroad is being developed. In the middle of the desert, a town comes to life. A saloon opens its doors. A place to gather and share tales, it quickly becomes a theatre for stories of all kinds. In Cirque \u00c9loize\u2019s Saloon, the infectious energy of folk music sets the tone to an acrobatic comedy that sweeps the spectators away in a mad rush. Enigmatic, colourful characters come together and reveal themselves, resulting in a series of unexpected situations, unfolding to the rhythm of acrobatic prowess and original choreographies.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNever before has a piano tuner kicked up so much dust\u2026 Under the spell of the saloon\u2019s beautiful Belle, he sets off a chase worthy of the greatest Westerns. The lovebirds on the run wreak havoc everywhere on their path; from the deserted plains to the depth of the mines\u2014until the ultimate acrobatic showdown. Walking through Saloon\u2019s doors means entering a mythical atmosphere created by live music and the exhilarating pace of spectacular performances.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

One of the featured performers in the show is singer Sophie Beaudet. She is part of the musical trio known as \u201cThe Vultures.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe story is about the \u2018Far West\u2019 \u2013 the saloon and life during that time,\u201d said Beaudet, during a phone interview last week from Times Square. \u201cThere is this beautiful woman. Every man there falls in love with her and they compete for her hand.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a comedy. It\u2019s fun to do and it\u2019s fun to watch. We finished the creation of the show last summer and started the tour in August. A week before the first show, they changed the show. Now, it\u2019s been two months. We finished the creation in Germany last month.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Prior to this tour, Beaudet was focusing on her career as a singer and a recording artist in her hometown of Montreal, Quebec.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI was not supposed to do this,\u201d said Beaudet. \u201cI was supposed to record my second album. They asked me to join and I said \u2013 why not? It\u2019s a world tour and it should be fun.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m proud to be part of this troupe. We do a lot of songs. The hardest thing is to do the harmonies with two other musicians. I\u2019m part of The Vultures band with two men who are multi-instrumentalists. We have a really nice connection.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t start out studying music. I studied design \u2013 and didn\u2019t like it. So, I started music in 2007. I\u2019m a French singer in Quebec \u2013 pop and contemporary folk. I actually started my career as a jazz singer when I was 20, I was influences by singers such as Francoise Hardy, Ella Fitzgerald and Billie Holiday. What I like about jazz is the freedom.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

With \u201cThe Saloon,\u201d singing is just one part of the multi-media extravaganza. Other acts include jugglers, a Cyr Wheel, acrobalance, aerial straps, Chinese Pole and Korean Plank.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019d like to sing from a trapeze,\u201d said Beaudet. \u201cI can do acrobatic stuff. But, I don\u2019t think they\u2019re ready for me to do that. So, I\u2019ll keep on being a singer.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Video link for \u201cThe Saloon\u201d — https:\/\/youtu.be\/LO9F9nkBynY<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Shows are scheduled for 8 p.m. on January 13 and 2 and 8 p.m., on January 14. Tickets range from $65-$85.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Elise Davis<\/p><\/div>\n

Another singer making her area debut this weekend is Elise Davis. The Arkansas native will be playing her first Philly area show on January 13 when she opens for Justin Townes Earl at the Ardmore Music Hall (23 East Lancaster Avenue, Ardmore, 610-649-8389,\u00a0www.ardmoremusic.com<\/span><\/a>).<\/span><\/p>\n

Davis, who grew up in Little Rock, got her start as a singer\/songwriter in a somewhat unusual way.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhen I was 11, I thought I wanted to be a drummer in an all-girl punk band,\u201d said Davis, during a phone interview Wednesday afternoon from her home in Nashville, Tennessee.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI tried to do it with some friends from school but it fell apart. So, I decided to learn guitar because I could do it on my own. One day, I wanted to go to this concert and my parents wouldn\u2019t let me. So, I put on a temper tantrum and told them I was running away from home.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI left and went about a mile down the road. I thought that they would be worried about me and would come looking for me \u2013 but they didn\u2019t. I went home that evening and they acted like they never even knew I had run away. That was the inspiration for my song \u2018Big House.\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI was playing and writing songs from right when I got my first guitar. I was taking guitar lessons and I showed my teacher some of my songs. He told me that I should keep writing and performing my songs.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI started lying about my age and paying at clubs when I was 16. All throughout high school, I played a lot of shows around Little Rock. My parents were O.K. with me lying about my age and playing clubs and they watched out for me.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Davis\u2019 career progressed slowly.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI went to college in Dallas but my band was in Arkansas so I came back a lot,\u201d said Davis. \u2018I toured on weekends only and played a lot in Fayetteville. I was making recordings and playing a lot. After college, I decided I could be a grass roots artist and play outside of Arkansas. So, I moved to Nashville when I was 22.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI worked as a waitress at two restaurants but I really wanted a record deal. I didn\u2019t know what a publishing deal was. A friend suggested I send some songs to the Martin Guitar American Songwriters Contest so I uploaded two tunes. I made it to the final five and then ended up winning it. From that, I got a publishing deal with a small salary,\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Davis\u2019 career has continued on an upward trajectory. She recently released her debut album \u201cThe Token\u201d on Make The Kill Records & Thirty Tigers.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThis is my first real record,\u201d said Davis, who is one of the brightest new artists in the Americana genre.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI recorded it out in the woods in Parsonfield, Maine \u2013 15 days in a cabin in the middle of nowhere. I came in with all the songs written and then wrote an additional verse for two songs. I recorded 18 songs and used 14 on the album \u2013 16 on the vinyl release.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNow, I\u2019m on the road a lot \u2013 same as ever. I tour and play as much as possible. I think I\u2019m on the road more than I am at home. I played over 120 shows last year and I\u2019m sure I\u2019ll be playing even more this year.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Video link for Elise Davis \u2013 https:\/\/youtu.be\/UgqVyVtLKv4<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

The show at the Ardmore venue will start at 8 p.m. Tickets are $30. The Ardmore Music Hall will also host Splintered Sunlight on January 14.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Back in August, Johnny\u2019s Dance Band played a show at The Puck in Doylestown that was billed as — \u201cOne Night Stand (But You Never Know).\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

It was a prophetic billing.<\/span><\/p>\n

Like the little pink bunny in battery ads, Johnny\u2019s Dance Band just keeps going and going. On January 14, JDB will bring its rollicking show to the Steel City Coffee House (203 Bridge Street, Phoenixville, 610-933-4043, www.steelcitycoffeehouse.com<\/span><\/a>).<\/span><\/p>\n

The current line-up of the band includes Bobby Lenti \u2013 lead guitar\/keyboard; Courtney Colletti \u2013 lead guitar\/flute\/bass\/vocals; Su Teears \u2013 vocals\/percussion; Tony Juliano \u2013 guitar\/harmonica\/vocals; Joey Stout \u2013 bass\/keyboard\/vocals; and Steve Delaney \u2013 drums\/vocals.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe show at the Puck was tremendously successful,\u201d said Juliano, during a phone interview Tuesday from his home in West Chester. \u201cWhat blew us away was that we made a last-minute decision to do the show and, as soon as it was posted on the Puck\u2019s website, tickets started selling like crazy. It sold out really quickly. It was a packed house. We got a standing ovation and sold a lot of CDs.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThat show was totally a spur-of-the-moment thing. I was living in Florida at the time. It got out on the grapevine that I would be up in Philly for a week so Sue Teears said \u2014 let\u2019s do a Johnny\u2019s Dance Band show. We made the decision to do it only one month out. We were fortunate to find a place to play at such late notice.\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n

Johnny\u2019s Dance Band had its start in Philadelphia in 1969 \u2014 the same year that the Woodstock Festival brought rock music to a whole new plateau. In 1972, JDB recorded its first album and soon was getting airplay on WMMR. From 1975 until 1979,\u00a0Johnny\u2019s Dance Band\u00a0was the biggest local draw in the Philadelphia tri-state area.<\/span><\/p>\n

The band got signed to RCA Records\u2019 Windsong label. Unfortunately for the local musicians, it was a union that never really worked out. By the end of the 70s, Johnny\u2019s Dance Band ceased to exist.<\/span><\/p>\n

A little over three decades later, JDB rose from the dead and, once again, began drawing fans to shows to hear the band\u2019s rocking and fun songs. In January 2013, JDB played an unrehearsed show at Dobbs in Philadelphia and that was the catalyst.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe did a reunion that was supposed to be a one-night stand,\u201d said Juliano. \u201cWe didn\u2019t expect anything more. It was just for fun. But, the reaction was more than we expected.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe had a packed house with no advertising \u2014 just word of mouth. The crowd reaction really took us off-guard. They were singing along and having a great time. At this point in our lives, we never expected anything like that.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Johnny\u2019s Dance Band\u2019s fans have remained very loyal over the years and new fans continually get on board.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cCourtney and I have been musical associates for 45 years now,\u201d said Juliano. \u201cEver since the first year, we\u2019ve always seen eye-to-eye. After the success of the reunion show at Dobbs, we decided to take it one gig at a time \u2014 one month at a time. We want to keep doing it as long as it stays fun. We\u2019re playing to packed houses and it\u2019s our peer group.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re in communication with our fans. They\u2019ve told us quite clearly that they like their old favorite JDB chestnuts but they also want to hear our new songs. We still do songs that are heavily laced with satire and other songs are just straight-forward good songs.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The show back in August opened the door for more regularly-scheduled JDB shows \u2013 sort of.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe said \u2013 let\u2019s just do it a few times a year so that it won\u2019t conflict with band members\u2019 other projects,\u201d said Juliano. \u201cWhen the band re-united in 2013, what we learned was that we can only perform so often — less is more. We want our shows to be special.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe are looking to do some recording. Within the band family, we have three professional members who have recording studios of their own. Our bass player is a highly-regarded engineer. We\u2019re writing and getting new material ready.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Video link for Johnny\u2019s Dance Band \u2013 https:\/\/youtu.be\/kAqpT78zcpI<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

The show at Steel City will start at 8 p.m. Tickets are $20 in advance and $25 day of show. The venue will also present Steal Your Face Band on January 13.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Datsik<\/p><\/div>\n

Fans of EDM (electronic dance music) have had January 14 circled on their calendars for a while. It\u2019s the night that Datsik will be bringing his \u201cNinja Nation 2017 Tour\u201d to the Electric Factory (421 North Seventh Street, Philadelphia, 215-627-1332, www.electricfactory.info<\/span><\/a>).<\/span><\/p>\n

Datsik, who is one of the world\u2019s most-respected bass producers, recently released his new EP \u201cSensei\u201d and the first single \u201cJust Sayain\u201d has already become a dance floor favorite. Armed with shaolin bass from the infamous\u00a0PK-Sound, Datsik is back on the road in support of the new EP. Themed after his obsession with ninja culture previously marked by his\u00a02015 \u201cNinja Nation Tour,\u201d Datsik\u2019s tour features a new high-tech production called\u00a0\u201cThe Shogun.\u201d \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Datsik is the stage name for Troy Beetles, a Canadian music producer and DJ. His first release was in the spring of 2009 and he has since played at venues all over the world, including festivals such as Coachella<\/span><\/a>, Ultra Music Festival<\/span><\/a>, EDC Las Vegas<\/span><\/a>, Stereosonic<\/span><\/a>, Boonstock<\/span><\/a>, Shambhala Music Festival<\/span><\/a>, Electric Zoo<\/span><\/a> and Identity<\/span><\/a>.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThis time, I\u2019m launching a whole new stage,\u201d said Beetles, during a phone interview Wednesday afternoon form his home in North Hollywood, California. \u2018It\u2019s called \u2018The Shogun.\u2019 On my last tour, I used Vortex with projection mapping. The new stage is four times larger. It\u2019s massive.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

According to Beetles, \u201cThe Shogun stage is the next chapter and is an amalgamation of my wildest vision to\u00a0date. After touring with the Vortex, I’ve wanted to create something unique that will stand out from the rest, and embody what it is to be a rave ninja. We\u2019ve got a ton of dope surprises waiting for you\u00a0with this one, so get ready to have some fun.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Datsik just released the \u2018Sensei\u201d EP on Firepower Records.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI started making \u2018Sensei\u2019 at the beginning of 2016,\u201d said Beetles. \u201cSome of the tracks were old tracks that I revisited and revamped. Every EP I make, I always take a track from the past and flip it. I feel that it\u2019s important to bridge the gap from old to new \u2013 finding a balance between older things fans want to hear and staying true to my new stuff. I\u2019m trying to keep both partners happy.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhen I first started making recordings, I was using a little home studio at my mom\u2019s house in western Canada. Then, I made enough money to but proper studio gear. I moved to California two years ago and took eight months to build my new studio.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Taking the tour to a whole new level will be Datsik\u2019s use of PK-Sound.<\/span><\/p>\n

PK is a sound manufacturing, touring, event production and rental company that provides creative and innovative sound systems, A\/V, design and stage fabrication. Its brand of audio system is well known for its full bodied and intelligible sound — a result of implementing high efficiency component and new technologies.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cPK-Sound is the best sound system for bassheads,\u201d said Beetles. \u201cWhen you go to a bass show and you see PK-Sound on the flyer, it\u2019s like it\u2019s another act. It\u2019s the heaviest sound in the bass world. I really believe in this company.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI bought my own PF-Sound system to tour with. It\u2019s almost 100,000 watts \u2013 which is a lot. Kids get devastated. The whole part of bass music — you can hear bass music at home but the real thing is going to a show and feeling it. It\u2019s 10 times as loud and 10 tines as heavy. It\u2019s that feeling you get when you get lost in it. As an artist, with PK-Sound I can deliver what I think the people want.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Video link for Datsik \u2013 https:\/\/youtu.be\/_dgrVmn7Vic<\/i><\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

The show at the Electric Factory, which also features Crizzly, Virtual Riot and Apashe, will start at 8:30 p.m. Tickets are $25 in advance and $40 day of show.<\/span><\/p>\n

Earlier in the day in Philadelphia, there will be a show that is just as light as Datsik\u2019s show is heavy. At 11 a.m., the World Caf\u00e9 Live (3025 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, 215-222-1400, www.worldcafelive.com<\/i><\/span><\/a>) will present a special Peanut Butter & Jams children\u2019s show — \u201cMiss Nina Meets the Jungle Gym Jam.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Miss Nina<\/p><\/div>\n

Miss Nina, a YouTube star with more than a half-million views, will team up with Jason Didner and The Jungle Gym Jam to play songs from her repertoire along with tunes made popular by Didner and his group. As an added attraction, they will be donating 10 per cent of show proceeds to Xavier Ross, a five-year-old lifelong heart patient at CHOP.<\/span><\/p>\n

Miss Nina, who brings books to life with her wonderful book songs like \u201cBrown Bear Rap,\u201dand energetic Jersey rockers Jason Didner and the Jungle Gym Jam, who combine puppets, props, humor and authentic rock-n-roll to entertain kids and their grown-ups, will take turns leading and accompanying songs from each of their catalogs.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI grew up in Delaware and most of my family still lives there,\u201d said Miss Nina, during a phone interview Tuesday from her home in Maplewood, New Jersey.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI studied dance at Oklahoma City University and then moved to New York to pursue a career in theater and dance. I also got my master\u2019s degree in educational theater at New York University. After that, I did teaching. I taught \u2018playing music\u2019 classes. That was the thing that changed everything for me.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI went into a Gymboree Play & Music class on the Upper West Side. I got the opportunity to develop my own curriculum. I kept writing songs. A friend of mine from Gymboree was doing music and putting out an album so I decided to try it.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMy first album was \u2018Singing & Dancing Together\u2019 in 2009. I kept singing and writing. My second album was \u2018Sha Doo Be Doop\u2019 in 2013. My third album \u2018Every Day\u2019s Your Birthday\u2019 came out in 2016.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Miss Nina also started a weekly video show for the toddler and preschool set back in January 2012 \u2013 a show featuring weekly sing-along & move along songs.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI started my weekly video show in 2012 and it\u2019s been non-stop ever since,\u201d said Miss Nina. \u201cI\u2019m a performer and I\u2019ve always loved videos. I thought I\u2019d love to do a kids\u2019 TV show. It just felt really cool to do it. And, with YouTube, I could do it on my own.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Video link for Miss Nina & the Jumping Jacks \u2013 https:\/\/youtu.be\/r1wMM4GX_0Y<\/i><\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Video link for Jason Didner and the Jungle Gym Jam \u2014 https:\/\/youtu.be\/8NVefzU4DtE?t=4<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

The show at the World Caf\u00e9 Live will start at 11 a.m. Tickets are $10.05.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

JC Brooks<\/p><\/div>\n

Kennett Flash (102 Sycamore Alley, Kennett Square, 484-732-8295,\u00a0http:\/\/www.kennettflash.org<\/i><\/span><\/a>) will present Better Than Bacon on January 12, JC Brooks & the Uptown Sound with the GTVs on January 13, Chicago 9 on January 14 and Open Mic with Mat Sevier on January 15.<\/span><\/p>\n

Chaplin\u2019s (66 North Main Street, Spring City, 610-792-4110,\u00a0http:\/\/chaplinslive.com<\/i><\/span><\/a>) will have The Odyssey, Double Suede and Katie Dale on January 13, Richards Guitar Studio and American Honeys on January 14 and Open Mic on January 15.<\/span><\/p>\n

Burlap & Bean Coffeehouse (204 South Newtown Street Road, Newtown Square, 484-427-4547,\u00a0www.burlapandbean.com<\/i><\/span><\/a>) will present Michael Braunfeld with Meg Braun on January 14.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Keswick Theater (291 N. Keswick Avenue, Glenside, 215-572-7650,\u00a0www.keswicktheatre.com<\/span><\/a>) presents comedienne Sarah Silverman on January 15 and 16.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Sellersville Theater (24 West Temple Avenue, Sellersville, 215-257-5808,\u00a0www.st94.com<\/span><\/a>) will have Bruce in the USA on January 13 and 14, Albert Lee on January 15, Steve Earle on January 17 and The Ragbirds on January 18.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Grand Opera House (818 North Market Street, Wilmington, Delaware, 302-652-5577, www.thegrandwilmington.org<\/span><\/a>) will host the Olate Dogs for a matinee show on January 15 and Steven Lynch for an evening show the same day.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Sax ace who played on superstar’s final album is changed by working with him\u00a0 By Denny Dyroff,\u00a0Staff Writer, The Times It seems hard to believe that a year has gone by since rock legend David Bowie passed away but it\u2019s true \u2013 almost to the day. Bowie died on January 8, 2016. Two days later, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":33360,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8457],"tags":[9332,9331,9307,9328,7426,9333,9330,9329,6324],"class_list":["post-33358","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-d-arts-entertainment","tag-cirque-eloize","tag-datsik","tag-david-bowie","tag-donny-mccaslin","tag-featured","tag-jc-brooks","tag-johnnys-dnace-band","tag-miss-nina","tag-serafin-string-quartet"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33358","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=33358"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33358\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":33359,"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33358\/revisions\/33359"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/33360"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=33358"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=33358"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=33358"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}