Lincoln Center Out of Doors on August 6 presents the recently reunited all-star Afro-Cuban/Puerto-Rican Grupo Folklorico y Experimental Nuevayorquiño. The group, founded in the Bronx in the 1970s by brothers Andy and Jerry Gonzalez with a powerhouse roster of salsa musicians, only recorded two albums: Concepts in Unity (1975) and Lo Dice Todo (1976), co-produced by Andy Kaufman and Rene Lopez—but both are now recognized as pioneering classics of salsa.
Debo Band, at Lincoln Center Out of Doors on August 11, is a Boston-based, Ethio-groove collective led by Danny Mekonnen. The band’s unique instrumentation—including horns, strings and yes, accordion—was inspired by the Golden Age of Ethiopian music in the late 1960s and early 70s, but its accomplished musicians are giving new voice to that sound. Joining Debo is Ethiopian traditional dance and music troupe, Fendika, amazing young Azmari artists led by one of Ethiopia’s leading dancers Melaku Belay. Belay, one of the most active artists and arts advocates on the Addis Ababa scene today, is a virtuoso interpreter of Eskiska, a traditional Ethiopian “shoulder dance.” He appeared at Out of Doors in 2008 dancing with Gétatchèw Mèkurya and The Ex.
You can check out some of their music for free on their site, and at Lincoln Center on August 11.
Laurie Anderson, the reigning performance artist of our time, has performed at Lincoln Center on numerous occasions, most recently at Lincoln Center Festival 2008 with the evening-length work Homeland. In roles as varied as visual artist, composer, poet, photographer, filmmaker, electronics whiz, vocalist, and instrumentalist, Anderson has toured around the world with shows ranging from simple spoken word performances to elaborate multimedia events. On August 10 in Damrosch Park she performs on a double-bill that features a younger generation of experimenters and innovators led by composer/arranger/violinist Todd Reynolds.
Celebrated Grammy and Oscar-winning composer Tan Dun’s creative repertoire spans the boundaries of classical music, multimedia performance, and Eastern and Western traditions. His first Internet Symphony, which was commissioned by Google/YouTube, has reached over 15 million people online. At Out of Doors on August 12, in a program presented with long-standing collaborating partner the Chinese American Arts Council, Tan Dun conducts his Martial Arts Trilogy—three companion concertos—performed by the Metropolis Ensemble. Based on three award winning martial arts films by Ang Lee, Zhang Yimou and Feng Xioagang—Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Hero, and The Banquet—the Trilogy explores the struggles between love, power, desire, and duty.
The Asphalt Orchestra is returning to Lincoln Center Out of Doors on August 3, starting out with solo and small group performances at various sites on campus before coming together for a big march into Damrosch Park.
The uniquely inter-disciplinary choreographer/dancers Eiko & Koma perform the world premiere of Water at Lincoln Center Out of Doors with two-time, Grammy Award-winning Native-American flutist/composer Robert Mirabal. The site-specific work, commissioned by Lincoln Center, was inspired by their 1995 work, River.
This video explores the making of River—see the results of that inspiration this summer!
Our July 30 tribute to the great girl groups of the 50’s and 60’s concludes with a tribute to Ellie Greenwich, so here’s an early demo of her work. Come back on the 30th to see the girl group greats performing her catalog.
Dancers Eiko & Koma bring their new installation Water to the Millstein Pool on Hearst Plaza for Lincoln Center Out of Doors this summer. Performances of Water (five nights, July 27-31 at 9:30 p.m.) coincide with the July 19 opening of a major exhibition at the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts titled Residue: An Installation by Eiko & Koma that features artifacts collected from the two artists’ 40 years of collaboration. The show includes media works, costumes, sets, and a catalog published by the Walker Art Center. The exhibition is free and open to the public. Visit: eikoandkoma.org/residue for hours and more details.
In the meantime, enjoy this interview, where they discuss a past installation, Naked.
A choreographer whose more than 20 years of fresh and innovative work has been cheered by audiences and critics—Trey McIntyre—brings his Idaho-based company, Trey McIntyre Project (TMP) to Damrosch Park on August 3. TMP’s rare visit to The Big Apple features an evening of works celebrating The Big Easy, including Ma Maison from 2008 and ithe NY premiere of ts recently-created companion piece, The Sweeter End, co-commissioned by Lincoln Center with support from the Boise Convention and Visitor’s Bureau.
Enjoy this making-of documentary about The Sweeter End, then come down to Damrosch Park to see the final product.
On July 30, everything at Lincoln Center Out of Doors will be sunshine and lollipops when we present Ponderosa Stomp: She’s Got the Power! a girl group extravaganza that celebrates the phenomenon of the girl groups that dominated American popular music in the late 1950s and mid-1960s. Adding songs like “Be My Baby,” “My Boyfriend’s Back,” and “It’s My Party,” to the American songbook, creating a lasting legacy. This third collaboration with New Orleans-based Ponderosa Stomp Foundation brings together women who defined the era in groups like The Chantels, The Jaynetts, The Angels, The Exciters, The Cookies, The Crystals, session singers and songwriters (Toni Wine, Jean Thomas, Mikie Harris) and those who made solo careers, including Maxine Brown, Baby Washington, and Lesley Gore, seen here in the golden age of girl groups.
Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts (LCPA) serves three primary roles: presenter of superb artistic programming, national leader in arts and education and community relations, and manager of the Lincoln Center campus. As a presenter of some 5,000 programs and events annually, LCPA’s offerings include American Songbook, Great Performers, Lincoln Center Out of Doors, Midsummer Night Swing, the Mostly Mozart Festival, White Light Festival, and Live From Lincoln Center. In addition, LCPA is leading a series of major capital projects, now nearly complete, on behalf of the resident organizations across the campus. Lincoln Center is a 16-acre campus housing 11 prestigious cultural organizations including LCPA. The other 10 are the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, the Film Society of Lincoln Center, Jazz at Lincoln Center, the Juilliard School, Lincoln Center Theater, the Metropolitan Opera, New York City Ballet, New York Philharmonic, the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, and the School of American Ballet. Like us on facebook. Watch us on YouTube
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