{"id":52472,"date":"2023-06-15T09:44:49","date_gmt":"2023-06-15T13:44:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/?p=52472"},"modified":"2023-06-15T09:46:45","modified_gmt":"2023-06-15T13:46:45","slug":"on-stage-falsa-highlights-sufi-music-in-new-forms","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/?p=52472","title":{"rendered":"On Stage: Falsa highlights Sufi music in new forms"},"content":{"rendered":"

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

\"\"

Falsa<\/p><\/div>\n

Falsa, which will be performing at The Rotunda (4014 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, http:\/\/firemuseumpresents.com<\/a>) on June 17, is a New York based band that was formed in Philadelphia and has its roots in Pakistan. The show is part of the Fire Museum\u2019s \u201cDialogues Series.\u201d<\/p>\n

Falsa is rooted in 14th century Sufi music (Indian classical mysticism similar to Rumi’s elevating poetry) with contemporary arrangements transcending genre-specificity and cultural preconceptions, in collaboration with a diverse array of improvisational world musicians.<\/p>\n

The band\u2019s lineup features: Umer Piracha, vocals; Tom Deis, Bass VI and harmonium; Paul Arendt, guitar; Siddharth Ashokkumar, Carnatic violin; Adam Hershberger, trumpet; Roshni Samlal, tabla; and Greg Foran, percussion.<\/p>\n

\u201cTom Deis formed Falsa with me in Philadelphia in 2013,\u201d said Piracha, during a phone interview Wednesday afternoon from his home in Manhattan.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe experimented quite a lot with sounds. We started with jam and then used our strengths.\u201d<\/p>\n

Falsa\u2019s instrumentation brings traditional melodies into a modern context in a way that is at times meditative and, at others, explosive. The lyrical content comes from the likes of classic poets Amir Khusrau, Rumi and Hafez, who touched on something essential to human existence in their writings, something that becomes even more palpable to the audience as singer Piracha offers brief, soulful translations between songs.<\/p>\n

Piracha was born in Multan in Pakistan and relocated to the United States in the early 2000s.<\/p>\n

\u201cI did well in school in Multan and had grades good enough to get me into the British high school in Lahore,\u201d said Piracha.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey had connection with universities in the United States. So, I came to America for college and went to Franklin & Marshall in Lancaster. I majored in business out of necessity because I needed a job to stay here. But, for the most part, I studied music in college.\u201d<\/p>\n

Multan is located in Pakistan\u2019s Punjab region where the music of Islam and Sufi is prevalent.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was trained in chanting since I was four years old \u2013 Quran verses at school,\u201d said Piracha. \u201cMy family was Punjabi, and my main language was Urdu. I discovered Rumi and the English translation of his poetry when I was in senior high school.\u201d<\/p>\n

Piracha\u2019s music influences included rock acts like Radiohead and traditional Sufi music. He was also influenced by the Sufi poetry of Rumi and the qawwali music of Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan.<\/p>\n

Qawwali is a form of\u00a0Sufi\u00a0Islamic\u00a0devotional singing, originating in the\u00a0Indian subcontinent. Originally performed at Sufi shrines, it gained mainstream popularity and an international audience in the late 20th century.<\/p>\n

Qawwali music received international exposure through the work of\u00a0Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan,\u00a0Aziz Mian\u00a0and\u00a0Sabri Brothers\u00a0largely due to several releases on the\u00a0Real World\u00a0Records, followed by live appearances at\u00a0WOMAD\u00a0festivals.<\/p>\n

\u201cQawwali is a major part of our repertoire,\u201d said Piracha. \u201cIt\u2019s performed similar to Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur instrumentation is very diverse \u2013 Carnatic violin, Bass VI, harmonium, Spanish guitar, tabla, trumpet. Live, it is an exploration of many styles. It\u2019s very improvisational.\u201d<\/p>\n

Falsa music is like an aural stew. There are many flavors and spices which blend together amazingly well while, at the same time, maintaining their original character.<\/p>\n

It originally emerged as a collaboration between long-term friends and has since evolved into an exploration of what’s possible when people are moved collectively by the pursuit of the intangible aspects of a communal gathering.<\/p>\n

According to Piracha, \u201cIn our music, we want to revere and dignify the most magical aspects of experience that are gifts and not acquisitions, like reclaiming a half-remembered dream. Our music is not about means to ends, but about meaning and transcendence, about healing a wounded alienation we feel in our very highly mechanized world, and in the ways that matter, poorly connected society, one performance at a time.\u201d<\/p>\n

The band\u2019s music works on many levels.<\/p>\n

\u201cMusic is my tool to investigate the overlap of identities,\u201d said Piracha.<\/p>\n

Video link for Falsa \u2013 https:\/\/youtu.be\/Bv7wINbAqiI<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The show at The Rotunda, which starts at 7:30, will have Kamyar Arsani & Sunken Cages as the opening act.<\/p>\n

Iranian multi-instrumentalist Kamyar Arsani and Indian-born drummer\/electronic music producer Sunken Cages create their own brand of digital folk music that draws on Sufi mysticism, traditional Persian Music, street rhythms from Mumbai and contemporary electronic music at once. Momin accompanies Arsani\u2019s vocals and daf (frame-drum) with a masterful blend of electronic and acoustic percussion, including live-looping via his unique drum-loop performance system.<\/p>\n

Admission is free and donations will be appreciated.<\/p>\n

March was \u201cWomen\u2019s History Month.\u201d Over the next few days, it will be \u201cWomen\u2019s Music Weekend\u201d at Jamey\u2019s House of Music (32 South Lansdowne Avenue, Lansdowne, 215-477-9985,www.jameyshouseofmusic.com<\/a>).<\/p>\n

The schedule begins with Lisa Chavous on June 15, followed by Ella Gahnt on June 16 and Deni Bonet on June 17.<\/p>\n

\"\"

Ella Gahnt<\/p><\/div>\n

The headline act on Friday will be The Fabulous Ella Gahnt with the Elle Gahnt Trio. The Trio features Aaron Graves on keyboards, Lee Smith on bass, and Butch Reed on drums.<\/p>\n

Gahnt is a vocalist in the jazz\/traditional pop style who has performed with some of the most talented musicians in the quad-state area of Philadelphia, New Jersey, Delaware and New York. She also has worked professionally as a studio vocalist\/performer for many years.<\/p>\n

\u201cElla Gahnt, which is my stage name, was given to me by my husband Leon Mitchell,\u201d said Gahnt, during a phone interview from her home in the East Oak Lane section of Philadelphia.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt comes from the persona I want when I perform \u2013 elegant. I want to be like the performers back in the day who dressed to the nines \u2013 Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan, Nat King Cole. They put on a show. It\u2019s all about entertaining.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mitchell is a sax player and a key figure in Philly area jazz support groups such as The Jazz Bridge Project. He is also the Musical Director of the Philadelphia Legends of Jazz Orchestra<\/p>\n

\u201cI sang in church choirs when I was little then glee clubs in junior high and choirs in high school,\u201d said Gahnt, a graduate of West Philadelphia High School. \u201cI was also in one of the last versions of the Orlons in the late 60s.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Orlons were an R&B group from Philadelphia. The group had nine Top 20 hits. \u201cThe Wah-Watusi,\u201d \u201cDon\u2019t Hang Up,\u201d and \u201cSouth Street\u201d each sold over one million copies and were awarded\u00a0gold disc status.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn the 1980s, I decided I wanted to be a jazz singer,\u201d said Gahnt. \u201cI started listening to old favorites \u2013 especially to learn the songs and find different versions of the songs I liked.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jazz is at the core of Gahnt\u2019s music.<\/p>\n

According to Gahnt, \u201cI am a vocalist in the jazz\/traditional pop style and I am honored to say I perform with some of the most talented musicians in the quad-state area of Philadelphia, New Jersey, Delaware and New York, who have also become some of my closest friends. Together, we tell stories in songs written and made famous by the best songwriters and singers in the world. I have worked professionally as a studio vocalist\/performer for many years in public and private venues around the area.<\/p>\n

\u201cI get so excited when I perform because the musicians I work with always create a beautiful carpet for me to fly on. I believe my job as a vocalist is to convey an interpretation of the songwriter’s story to the audience with as much emotion, clarity, beauty, and technique as possible. My personal challenge when I perform is to control the balance between all of these things and enjoy the experience at the same time. It\u2019s the most difficult thing I do and the most enjoyable thing I do.\u201d<\/p>\n

Gahnt is a performer who never fails to deliver.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn my live shows, I do mostly traditional jazz \u2013 including some originals,\u201d said Gahnt. \u201cI do a few originals. I also do a lot of jazz standards.\u201d<\/p>\n

Video link for Ella Gahnt \u2014\u00a0https:\/\/youtu.be\/1jQyZncKxZg<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The show at Jamey\u2019s on June 16 will start at 8 p.m.<\/p>\n

Tickets are $20 in advance and $25 at the door.<\/p>\n

On Saturday evening, the headliner will be Deni Bonet with Chris Flynn.<\/p>\n

Bonet was one of the first acts to headline the venue in 2023. This weekend, she is happily making a quick return to the highly acclaimed club in Delaware County.<\/p>\n

Bonet\u00a0takes the violin to places most musicians don\u2019t even dream about \u2013 and gladly takes listeners along for the ride.<\/p>\n

On January 14,\u00a0Bonet\u00a0will be taking the audience at Jamey\u2019s along for the ride \u2013 a thrilling ride that spans musical genres and gets audience members out of their seats.<\/p>\n

Bonet\u00a0can rock a violin like nobody’s business and writes memorable songs that make you want to listen again and again. For years,\u00a0Bonet\u00a0has been honing her craft as a violinist, singer, songwriter and performer. Her style\u00a0ranges from pop to roots\/rock to new folk.<\/p>\n

On her latest album,\u00a0\u201cBright Shiny Objects,\u201d she delivers ultra-high voltage, genre-defying brilliance,\u00a0with pure classical training and precision playing.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve had a very interesting career,\u201d said\u00a0Bonet, during a phone interview from her home in New York City.<\/p>\n

\u201cI grew up in northern Virginia \u2013 Woodbridge \u2013 and got a full ride to West Virginia University.<\/p>\n

\u201cRight out of school, I got on Mountain Stage. I was part of the original cast. A cool thing \u2013 I went back recently as a full guest.\u201d<\/p>\n

Bonet\u00a0first came to widespread attention as a founding member of National Public Radio\u2019s premier music show,\u00a0Mountain Stage, where she built a following as a member of the broadcast\u2019s house band; singing and playing in her own right and backing up artists as diverse as the Indigo Girls, Richard Thompson and Allen Toussaint.<\/p>\n

In the 90s,\u00a0Bonet\u00a0relocated to London, where she worked with alternative rock legend, Robyn Hitchcock, including a series of concerts as a duo that won praise from\u00a0USA Today, The New York Times, The Washington Post\u00a0and\u00a0The Boston Globe. She played on Hitchcock\u2019s album\u00a0\u201cMoss Elixir,\u201d\u00a0and even appeared in the Jonathan Demme concert film,\u00a0\u201cStorefront Hitchcock.\u201d<\/p>\n

Eventually,\u00a0Bonet\u00a0decided it was time to go solo.<\/p>\n

At Jamey\u2019s,\u00a0Bonet\u00a0will be performing with her musical partner \u2013 guitarist Chris Flynn.<\/p>\n

\u201cI do play with a band occasionally,\u201d said\u00a0Bonet. \u201cSince the plague hit, I go out mostly with Chris. It\u2019s a duo. He\u2019s not a side guy. We have a chemistry.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe hooked up a few years back. I was asked to play the New York Irish Rock Review show at City Winery. I was in the house band and Chris was the musical director. The second year I did it, we hung out a little more and I asked him to do a gig with me. From then on, we started to work together. We\u2019ve played Carnegie Hall four times.\u201d<\/p>\n

After moving to New York,\u00a0Bonet\u00a0released an initial EP (titled, simply,\u00a0\u201cEP\u201d) and then her full-length debut,\u00a0\u201cBigger Is Always Better.\u201d The disc, which featured guest appearances from Hitchcock and The Soft Boys\u2019 Kimberly Rew (writer of Katrina and the Waves’ classic hit\u00a0Walking On Sunshine), garnered rave reviews.<\/p>\n

Bonet\u00a0has hosted her own cable TV show,\u00a0\u201cDuets With Deni,\u201d\u00a0a combination of music and chat featuring a series of all-star guests, which was the subject of a rave\u00a0Billboard\u00a0feature. She has performed highly regarded showcases at CMJ and SXSW and took her act on the road with Lilith Fair.<\/p>\n

And she’s remained one of the most in-demand session players and sidewomen around, adding her violin to albums by an impressive variety of artists — from the introspective Sarah McLachlan to techno-metal band Gravity Kills — and making TV appearances on\u00a0The Today Show, SNL\u00a0and\u00a0Late Night With Conan O\u2019Brien.<\/p>\n

As she established herself as a solo act,\u00a0Bonet\u00a0impressed artists like Patti Smith, Lisa Loeb, Gin Blossoms, Cracker, Midnight Oil, The Saw Doctors, Fairport Convention, Marshall Crenshaw and Kansas, all of whom have invited her to open their shows. She spent several years touring the globe as the violinist in Cyndi Lauper\u2019s band.<\/p>\n

\u201cI spent a couple years touring with Cyndi and that was a lot of fun,\u201d said\u00a0Bonet.<\/p>\n

Bonet\u00a0also had a fun time in Zanzibar.<\/p>\n

\u201cI went to Africa \u2013 to Tanzania \u2013 on safari,\u201d said\u00a0Bonet. \u201cIt was on my bucket list. I was in Zanzibar for a week.<\/p>\n

\u201cOn the next-to-last day, I met some musicians at a traditional dinner. I jammed with these musicians, gave a workshop to teachers, and performed a mini concert.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey asked me to come back and do a residency. I got a nice size grant and went back to Stone Town for a month. I spent three-and-a-half weeks teaching rock-and-roll, songwriting and violin.\u201d<\/p>\n

In January 2020,\u00a0Bonet\u00a0returned to Zanzibar to record original music with local Tanzanian band Stone Town Rockerz which will appear on her new album, to be released later this year.<\/p>\n

\u201cI wanted them on my new album,\u201d said\u00a0Bonet. \u201cThe track we did together is called, \u201cAll Around the World Music Is Love.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen I started making the new album, I called in favors. Some of the musicians who played on the album were Will Lee, Andy York, Leland Sklar, Shawn Pelton and most of the Spin Doctors.\u201d<\/p>\n

Bonet\u00a0plays the violin like no other. Although classically trained,\u00a0Bonet\u00a0quit the classical world because she hated having to wear black and sit still.<\/p>\n

\u201cI approach it more like a guitar than a violin,\u201d said\u00a0Bonet.<\/p>\n

Bonet\u00a0is also known for her signature bright blue violin.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was originally given the guitar from the company — Barcus-Berry \u2013 when I was touring with Cyndi,\u201d said\u00a0Bonet. \u201cThey gave me violins in every color. Blue is the one that sounds the best.\u201d<\/p>\n

Audience members at Jamey\u2019s will be seeing blue but not feeling blue when\u00a0Bonet\u00a0rips into her intense solos.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe tend to do a mix of songs with vocals and instrumentals,\u201d said\u00a0Bonet. \u201cOur most recent album, \u2018Bright Shiny Objects,\u2019 is our first all-instrumental album \u2013 sand it rocks. Chris and I both sing and we\u2019ll be doing songs from all my albums.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re going to have a busy year. We have 40 shows booked and more are coming in. It\u2019s great.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen people leave our shows, they feel really good.\u201d<\/p>\n

Video link for Deni\u00a0Bonet\u00a0\u2013 https:\/\/youtu.be\/7vHjx4Lp5Pw<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The show at Jamey\u2019s on June 17 will start at 8 p.m. Tickets are $20 in advance and $25 at the door.<\/p>\n

Chavous, who is one of the most respected jazz and blues singers in the Philadelphia music scene, is a Delaware County girl through and through.<\/p>\n

She grew up in Sharon Hill and graduated from Darby Township High School. She studied for a career in nursing at a hospital in Delaware County. Now, Chavous is a resident of Lansdowne.<\/p>\n

Chavous has a gig on June 15 that she can walk to if she so desires.<\/p>\n

On Thursday night, Chavous make a return visit to Jamey\u2019s House of Music \u2013 the venue where she had a CD release party for her most recent album, \u201cBreaking Down the Walls.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe CD is dedicated to my late husband Michael Hayes,\u201d said Chavous, during a phone interview from her Delco home. \u201cHe died of cancer in 2014.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe had a tour in Paris in 2019 and two trips to Puerto Rico. The Puerto Rico shows were tributes to Aretha Franklin and Tina Turner. One of them raised $3,000 for emergency relief in San Juan. Then, the pandemic hit, and everything shut down.\u201d<\/p>\n

Chavous has been singing her whole life.<\/p>\n

\u201cI started performing and singing in church when I was really young,\u201d said Chavous. \u201cThe, my mom and dad managed me. Eventually, I got calls from agents. So, I started putting bands together \u2013 Lisa Chavous and Friends.\u201d<\/p>\n

In 1989 she began performing with the group Chapter One in banquet halls such as The Twelve Caesars and the Riviera Ballroom. In 1997 Lisa won first prize while competing in the Temple University jazz station talent contest sponsored by B&V outreach. In 1999 she began forming bands that performed for a variety of audiences. These ensembles eventually became known as Lisa Chavous and Friends.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy first band was a jazz band. We played a lot of jazz clubs including the Blue Note in New York. I was on the jazz side for a while.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe were really blessed with being able to book shows at country clubs in Delco. One night, the sax player couldn\u2019t make the show. So, they sent another cat \u2013 and it was Byard Lancaster.\u201d<\/p>\n

The late, great Byard Lancaster was an alto saxophonist\/flutist from Philadelphia who was part of the wave of free jazz inspired by John Coltrane. His music had many cultures in its DNA such as blues, reggae and Afrobeat and he lived in a variety of places including Chicago, France and Nigeria. But he always returned to jazz and his hometown.<\/p>\n

After watching Chavous perform many years ago, Lancaster said, \u201cI have recorded with Jonny Copeland, and have known Shemekia Copeland since she was a little girl, when I was on the road with her father. I\u2019ve got to tell you the best female blues vocalist to come along since Shemekia is without a doubt, Lisa Chavous.\u201d<\/p>\n

This quote came from the musician who discovered Kevin Eubanks, the Roots, and Stanley Clarke.<\/p>\n

\u201cA couple years later, I ran into Byard at a blues festival in Media,\u201d said Chavous. \u201cHe told me there was a blues band \u2014 the Philadelphia Blues Messengers \u2013that needed a vocalist and asked if I wanted to go to Paris. That was in the early 2000s. He opened so many doors for me.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor me, getting into the blues was a fluke. I was supposed to be going Motown and playing country clubs. Then, blues came in with Byard. I just became an icon in Philly as a blues singer. People wanted the blues and it never stopped. I realized \u2013 this music is me.\u201d<\/p>\n

For Thursday\u2019s show, which is a tribute to Billie Holiday, Chavous will be backed by the Dave Reiter Trio and pianist Jim Holton.<\/p>\n

According to Chavous, \u201cPianist Jim Holton will be accompanying me as I pay tribute to the late great Billie Holiday in honor of June black music month. Jim is one of the best jazz pianists from Philadelphia who is always in demand and is well respected. His jazz repertoire is off the charts. Dave Reiter and his Dynamic Trio will be accompanying us as well. We will be performing legendary greats such as \u201cAll of Me,\u2019 \u2018Don’t Explain,\u2019 \u2018God Bless the Child,\u2019 \u2018Good Morning Heartache\u2019 and many more.\u201d<\/p>\n

Video link for Lisa Chavous \u2013\u00a0https:\/\/youtu.be\/3N0iG_x7u44<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The show at Jamey\u2019s on Thursday night will start at 7 p.m. Tickets are $10.<\/p>\n

The Candlelight Theatre (2208 Millers Road, Arden, Delaware,\u00a0302- 475-2313,\u00a0www.candlelighttheatredelaware.org<\/a>) shifts gears one night a month from theater to comedy.<\/p>\n

In addition to performances this weekend from Friday through Sunday of its mainstage production, \u201cThe Musical Comedy Murders of 1940,\u201d\u00a0the Candlelight Theatre will also host its monthly edition of Candlelight Comedy Club on June 15.<\/p>\n

The show\u2019s features will be Alia Janine and LaTice while the emcee will be Justin Gonzalez.<\/p>\n

Gonzalez, who is the glue that holds it all together, is a stand-up comedian and magician. He is also an independent musician based in Philadelphia who travels throughout the Tri-State area and beyond.<\/p>\n

Gonzalez, who began performing professionally at the age of 11, now performs with a repertoire that includes classical, big band, Broadway and opera. Most recently, he added a new genre when he assumed the role of lead vocalist for \u201c33 1\/3 LIVE\u2019s Killer Queen Experience.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m originally from Northeast Philly,\u201d said\u00a0Gonzalez. \u201cI went to school in South Philly at GAMP.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Girard Academic Music Program (GAMP) is a college preparatory school for students in grades 5 through 12 that provides a unique educational environment, focusing on college and career readiness, while allowing all students to pursue music as a major subject.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was at GAMP for eight years,\u201d said\u00a0Gonzalez. \u201cI studied voice and instruments starting with lower brass. Voice was a large chunk of it. I got my first professional performance in Europe.\u201d<\/p>\n

At the age of 13,\u00a0Gonzalez\u00a0was asked to join a chorus as a soloist on its two-week tour of Germany and France. On that trip, he had the opportunity to perform in many castles, mansions, and historic houses of worship. The most memorable moment for him was singing in the Cathedral Notre Dame in Paris, France.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was amazing,\u201d said\u00a0Gonzalez. \u201cI was 13 and I was singing at the Cathedral Notre Dame. I was just a poor Puerto Rican kid from North Philly, and I was singing in places like a castle in Germany and a cathedral in Berlin.\u201d<\/p>\n

After years of laying the groundwork for a promising career as an opera singer,\u00a0Gonzalez\u00a0was diagnosed at the age of 18 with Multiple Sclerosis, an autoimmune disease. One of the symptoms of MS is memory loss. His opera career was over just as quickly as it began.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt affected my brain\u2019s ability to memorize,\u201d said\u00a0Gonzalez. \u201cI still sing classically at venues around the East Coast and on Broadway.\u201d<\/p>\n

Today, 20 years since that first tour,\u00a0Gonzalez\u00a0is still a sought-after classical music soloist. He is also a practitioner of the American Song Book and the music of Broadway. He uses all of this music to entertain, educate, and share his story.<\/p>\n

\u201cI also have several music projects,\u201d said\u00a0Gonzalez. \u201cThere is the Little Big Band Lounge Revival, which does\u00a0lounge and popular standards along with classic love songs, and the Justin\u00a0Gonzalez\u00a0Jazz Trio, which is a pop trio that uses classical instruments. There is also \u201833 1\/3 LIVE\u2019s Killer Queen Experience.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

The comedy aspect is the most recent.<\/p>\n

\u201cAbout eight years ago, I was doing a weekly cabaret show with Julia Scotti \u2013 \u2018Julia Scotti\u2019s Comedy Test Kitchen,\u2019\u201d said\u00a0Gonzalez. \u201cShe said I should tell my stories when performing. That allowed me to just be funny.\u201d<\/p>\n

Video link for Justin\u00a0Gonzalez\u00a0\u2014\u00a0https:\/\/youtu.be\/kNtcF4Z5aqQ<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The show at the Candlelight Theater will start at 7:30 p.m. on June 15. Tickets, which are $30, include complimentary light fare and free parking.<\/p>\n

Every season, the Candlelight Theatre presents mostly musicals with just one non-musical in the season\u2019s schedule. That show this season is \u201cThe Musical Comedy Murders of 1940,\u201d\u00a0which is a murder mystery. The action takes place on an estate in Chappaqua, New York in December 1940.<\/p>\n

An eccentric heiress has invited a group of theater people to her home on the pretense of holding a backer\u2019s audition for a new musical. The creative team for this new project was also involved in a recent Broadway flop that closed abruptly when three of its showgirls were mysteriously murdered.<\/p>\n

As the mayhem at the mansion unfolds, murders begin to pile up and everyone\u2019s a suspect. The zany show features a lot of slapstick comedy along with blizzard conditions, secret passageways and musical snippets.<\/p>\n

The play was first performed at the\u00a0Circle Repertory Company\u00a0in New York and later moved to\u00a0Broadway in April 1987 at The\u00a0Longacre Theatre. Both productions were directed by the playwright and shared the same cast. The play is said to have been based on several 1940s mystery movies, including\u00a0The Cat and the Canary, one of\u00a0Bob Hope’s first films.<\/p>\n

Bernice Roth is a perpetually thirsty\u00a0lyricist and alcoholic. She is Roger\u2019s partner. Bernice is very odd and emotional, frequently losing her composure and screaming. When Marjorie fails to respond to the second act opening number of \u201cWhite House Merry-Go-Round,\u201d Bernice is hugely offended, despite the fact that Marjorie was dead at the time. She spends the entire second act attempting to \u201cfix\u201d the play, even when she is held hostage.<\/p>\n

The production at Candlelight features a standout cast of Susan Giddings, Chelsea Paradiso, Susan Wefel, Henry Glejzer, Walter Todd, Chris Fitting, Sarah Mackus, Robert Gene Pellechio, Samantha Ricciuti and Shaun Yates.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Musical Comedy Murders of 1940\u201d is running now through June 25. Performances are Friday and Saturday evenings (doors 6 p.m.\/show, 8 p.m.) and Sunday afternoons (doors, 1 p.m.\/show, 3 p.m.). Tickets, which include dinner and a show, are $71.50 for adults and $33 for children (ages 4-12).<\/p>\n

On June 16, 118 North (118 North Wayne Avenue, Wayne, www.118northwayne.com<\/a>) will host the Gabe\u00a0Stillman\u00a0Band.<\/p>\n

Stillman, an accomplished blues guitarist from Williamsport, seems to have found a home-away-from home in Delaware County.\u00a0This will be his fourth concert at Jamey\u2019s in the last year-and-a-half.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve stayed busy all through the last year-and-a-half,\u201d said\u00a0Stillman, during a phone call from his home in the birthplace of Little League Baseball.<\/p>\n

Stillman\u00a0was busiest during a two-week period in April 2021.<\/p>\n

\u201cI went to Austin in April and recorded my first album,\u201d said\u00a0Stillman. \u201cIt was produced by Anton Funderbergh at Wire Recording.\u201d<\/p>\n

Funderbergh is top-flight guitarist\u00a0and\u00a0the bandleader\u00a0of\u00a0Anson Funderburgh and the Rockets\u00a0since 1978. Their style incorporates both\u00a0Chicago blues\u00a0and\u00a0Texas blues. He is also one of the most respected producers in Texas\u2019 capitol city.<\/p>\n

\u201cI met Anton at the International Blues Challenge a couple years ago,\u201d said\u00a0Stillman. \u201cI\u2019ve been a fan of his since I was a teenager. He\u2019s in my top 10 list of blues players. And I loved his production work with other people.\u201d<\/p>\n

Stillman\u2019s album, \u201cJust Say the Word,\u201d was released in August by the Vizztone Label Group.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a 15-song album \u2013 13 originals and two covers,\u201d said\u00a0Stillman. \u201cThe covers were Bill Withers\u2019 \u2018Friend of Mine\u2019 and Bobby Blue Bland\u2019s \u2018I\u2019ll Take Care of You.\u2019<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen the album came out in August, it debuted at Number 10 on the Billboard Magazine Blues chart. It was also named one of the top blues albums of 2021 by Roots Music Report.<\/p>\n

\u201cI brought my rhythm section Bassist Colin Beatty and drummer Ray Hangen \u2013 down to Austin. In the studio, we used Taylor Streiff, a piano player from St. Louis, Austin\u2019s Texas Horns and had Sue Foley and Anton playing guitar on one track.\u201d<\/p>\n

It was a big step forward for\u00a0Stillman, who\u00a0has been studying guitar for almost a decade-and-a-half.<\/p>\n

\u201cI started taking guitar lessons when I was 11,\u201d said\u00a0Stillman. \u201cI\u2019m 25 now so I\u2019ve been playing for 14 years.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen I started out, I wanted to play heavy rock and heavy metal. Listening to guitarists in those genres, I realized that their playing was very fast and technically complicated. A teacher told me to learn rock by getting into the blues.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo, I started listening to a lot of blues guitarists like B.B. King, Freddie King, Albert King, Buddy Guy and Elmore James. I was also listening to guitarists such as Duane Allman and Derek Trucks. I realized \u2013 hey, I can do this. I got hooked on blues and R&B \u2013 and jazz. When I was 13 or 14, I started to perform live.\u201d<\/p>\n

A key stage in\u00a0Stillman\u2019s development came at the Uptown Music Collective in Williamsport.<\/p>\n

For 20 years, the Uptown Music Collective has been providing exceptional modern music education grounded in traditional educational principles. Its programs engage students through an emphasis on modern genres including rock, pop, soul, blues, country, R&B, and funk.<\/p>\n

\u201cI studied at the Uptown Music Collective when I was younger,\u201d said\u00a0Stillman. \u201cI also taught there after I got out of college.\u201d<\/p>\n

Stillman\u00a0spent his college years in Boston where he got a degree in \u201cProfessional Music\u201d with an emphasis on guitar performance and songwriting.<\/p>\n

\u201cI started my band in 2015 after graduating from Berklee,\u201d said\u00a0Stillman, whose honors include making it to \u201cFinal Eight\u201d of the 35th Annual International Blues Challenge in Memphis Tennessee.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy band has been primarily a trio but at the Blues Challenge, I made it to the finals with the addition of a harmonica player in the group.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy bass player Colin Beatty, who is also from Williamsport, has been with me the whole time. We\u2019ve had different drummers come in and out. Right now, our drummer is Ray Hangen from Buffalo, New York.<\/p>\n

\u201cWith the trio, we play mostly blues and American rock. There also is a little mix of R&B in there.\u201d<\/p>\n

Video link for Gabe\u00a0Stillman\u00a0\u2014\u00a0https:\/\/youtu.be\/QGIJgb51Kw8<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The show on June 16 at 118 North will start at 8:30 p.m.<\/p>\n

Tickets are $10.<\/p>\n

Other upcoming shows at 118 North are Marc Ford on June 15, Brown Sugar on June 17, CTO Tribeca Band on June 18 and The 9\u2019s on June 21.<\/p>\n

Uptown! Knauer Performing Arts Center (226 North High Street, West Chester, www.uptownwestchester.org<\/a>) is hosting Sail On, a band acclaimed as one of America\u2019s Beach Boys tribute acts. On June 19, you can enjoy the holiday by watching a screening of \u201cJaws\u201d at the Uptown at 7 p.m.<\/p>\n

Kennett Flash (102 Sycamore Alley, Kennett Square, 484-732-8295,\u00a0http:\/\/www.kennettflash.org<\/a>) will present \u201cThe Last Laugh Showcase @ The Kennett Flash\u201d\u00a0featuring Chris Turner with Lamarr Todd on June 16. On Saturday, the venue will host its fifth Singer-Songwriter Showcase 2023 featuring\u00a0Jordan Leitner, J.D. Webb, Pat Kate, and Samantha Poole.<\/p>\n

On June 18 at 2:30 p.m., The Kennett Flash is hosting \u201cIlluminating\u00a0Bayard Rustin,\u201d\u00a0presented by People\u2019s Light. This short performance is followed by a brief lecture and Q&A session with local activist-historian\u00a0Penny Washington. After the presentation, there will be a\u00a0Juneteenth Open Mic\u00a0hosted by\u00a0Leon Spencer\u00a0at 3:30 p.m.<\/p>\n

On June 20, The Grand (818 North Market Street, Wilmington, Delaware, www.thegrandwilmington.org<\/a>) is presenting \u201cBen Folds — WHAT MATTERS MOST TOUR\u201d (featuring special guest Tall Heights) in Copeland Hall. On June 16, The Grand is presenting Iris DeMent and Ana Egge at the Baby Grand.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Denny Dyroff, Entertainment Editor, The Times Falsa, which will be performing at The Rotunda (4014 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, http:\/\/firemuseumpresents.com) on June 17, is a New York based band that was formed in Philadelphia and has its roots in Pakistan. The show is part of the Fire Museum\u2019s \u201cDialogues Series.\u201d Falsa is rooted in 14th […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":52470,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8457],"tags":[14654,15185,7426],"class_list":["post-52472","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-d-arts-entertainment","tag-ella-gahnt","tag-falsa","tag-featured"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/52472","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=52472"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/52472\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":52473,"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/52472\/revisions\/52473"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/52470"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=52472"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=52472"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=52472"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}