3 in 1 Night • Classical • Blues • Jazz
Something new tonight – a Classical & Blues / Jazz double header, followed by a late night high octane fusion of jazz techniques & East Indian musical traditions. All accompanied by “the best food of any jazz club in the country.” – City Pages
7:30 PM • The Chiara String Quartet
9 PM • Regina Marie Williams
11:30 PM • Aakash Mittal Quartet
Chiara String Quartet • 7:30 PM
Playing “Chamber Music in Any Chamber,” the Chiara String Quartet
(Rebecca Fischer, Julie Yoon violin; Jonah Sirota, viola; Gregory
Beaver, cello) reaches from the concert hall into clubs, bars and
galleries, expanding the places to hear live classical music while
returning chamber music to its roots in intimate spaces.
“…in a club the quartet can mix Bartok and Beethoven without a collective gasp from the audience, they can talk to people about the music during breaks, they can wear jeans.” -Stacy Nick, Coloradoan
“…while their sexy reading of ‘An Andalusian Walkabout’ glimmered, shook, and dolefully sang, it was the biting Bartok and langerous, soulful Brahms that stole the show.” D. Feinstein, Strings Magazine
“The presentation catered to the expectations of a pop-music audience …[but] Condescension was not on the program.” – B. Holland, New York Times
“… an unforced power through purity of tone and deft articulations seems to be as natural as breathing or opening a book to this young ensemble. …. nothing short of exquisite.” – W. Stibor, NPR
Regina Marie Williams • 9 PM
Mesmerizing is a word critics should use very judiciously. … But I can’t think of a better way to describe Regina Marie Williams’ performance [as Billie Holiday in 'Lady Day at Emerson's Bar & Grill']. – Damien Jones, Milwaukee Journal Sentinal
“In the smash musical ‘Dinah Was’ at the Ordway Center for the Performing Arts, Regina Marie Williams portrayed blues queen Dinah Washington with the sort of sultry intensity that makes married men fiddle with their wedding bands. … Her follow-up CD … pulls you completely into a world of late nights and longing. It is best listened to around midnight, with a glass of whisky and an air conditioner. ‘I wanna be loved,’ Williams croons, and you believe her. Me too, baby. Me too.” – Tim Gihring, Minnesota Monthly
A phenomenal actor and world-class vocalist, Regina consistently wows critics and leaves audiences enthralled, staying in high demand. At such nationally renowned venues as The Guthrie Theater, Penumbra Theatre Company, Mixed Blood Theatre, as well as The Dakota, this lady of the stage leaves waves of applause in her wake. Angela Bassett, in Entertainment Weekly, called Regina Marie Williams “the best singer you’ve never heard.”
Aakash Mital Quartet • 11:30 PM
This Boulder, CO based saxophonist melds jazz techniques with East Indian musical traditions in his moving original music. His recent recording, Possible Beginnings, is an excellent representation of these cross-cultural ideas. While rooted in traditional jazz, there are Indian meters, rhythmic cycles, and raga-informed melodies throughout his music. He brings his quartet to the Dakota for one special Late Night show.
Read more from Andrea Canter at Jazz Police:
http://www.jazzpolice.com/content/view/8201/115/
From the Star Tribune
“A fiery alto saxophonist and prolific composer, Colorado-based Aakash Mittal taps into his East Indian heritage often, and comes up with far-flung post-bop, bracing fusion and entrancing world jazz that’s full of intensity and rhythmic challenge. His savvy quartet impresses with its ambition and cohesion on the debut CD, “Possible Beginnings.” If these guys were in Manhattan instead of the Rockies, they’d be generating a sizable buzz.” – Tom Surowicz, Star Tribune 3/20/2009
“Aakash Mittal is a talented young saxophonist poised to take jazz and world music in exciting new directions.” -Dave Pietro
“Aakash Mittal stands to make a significant contribution to modern jazz.” -Rudresh Mahanthappa
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