Subject: Ethnic dancing and folk music
Date: Tue, 21 Jun 2005 23:38:20 -0700

Hi, Folks:                   =20
In addition to those listed on the June Dance Events e-mail, there are =
some other ethnic and acoustic events happening in the near future:

Wednesday through Friday, June 22 - 24 . 7:00 p.m. . General Admission =
$7, Seniors and Children $5
Mexico Vivo: Winchester International
Folk Artists around the world join forces to share and celebrate =
traditional folk music, dances, arts, costumes, and traditions of the =
United States, Latin America, Europe, Asia, Africa and the Caribbean =
during three days of performances. Winchester International Production =
hosted by the Mexico Vivo Dance Company expands its reach into the =
multiethnic communities by bringing local artists together with =
international professional performers This production is a tribute to =
some of the world's greatest tradition bearers who bring to life =
centuries of traditional dance and music. The goal is to increase =
awareness and promote the traditional and folk music and dances of the =
world by providing educational dance programs, public performances and =
artistic enrichment events to the community of Las Vegas.

Acoustic Routes has two concerts:  8 pm, $11 advance, $15 at door.  2753 =
S. Highland Drive.

June 22nd:  Claudia Russell and Bruce Kaplan   (from the Acoustic Routes =
website)
Award winning songwriter Claudia Russell has released Ready To Receive, =
her second CD, on Radio Rhythm Records. Though just released May 3, =
2005, the CD has already gained airplay on stations from San Francisco =
to Boston.=20

In 2000, Russell scored somewhat of a Folk hit (if there is such a =
thing!) with her first CD, Song Food, which appeared on more than a 100 =
playlists around the world and earned her Best New Artist honors from =
folk powerhouse station WUMB in Boston.=20

A gifted vocalist and a musicians' musician, Russell has appeared as a =
backup singer on recordings by some of the best songwriters on the LA =
independent music scene including Daryl Purpose, Alan Whitney, Allison =
MacLeod, Anny Celsi, Jenny James, Chad Watson and Mark Governor. She =
recently moved to Berkeley with her husband/partner Bruce Kaplan.=20

As a solo artist, Claudia plays a style all her own: eclectic folk music =
with traces of all her musical loves--blues, western swing, rock and =
county. Drawing from original compositions, obscure gems, folk and pop =
classics and contributions from her many talented friends, Claudia's =
performances are truly heartfelt and entertaining. Using humor, personal =
stories and her "Who me?" attitude, Claudia quickly bonds with =
audiences, winning them over with her powerful voice and signature =
guitar voicings.=20

Claudia has extensive performing experience. As a band member, she =
played a key role in Maggie's Farm, leading to a record with JRS Records =
(distributed by BMG) and appearances around the country, including Farm =
Aid where she shared the stage with Willie Nelson and Kris =
Kristofferson. She also was one third of the Life Is Grand Band, an =
award winning vocal trio that featured original material, satirical =
rewrites of classic songs and stunning acappella vocals. Their 1990 =
FastFolk recording has been added to the Smithsonian/Folkways =
collection, making them somewhat of a national treasure!=20

Claudia has been touring the country in support of Song Food with her =
husband Bruce Kaplan accompanying her on mandolin and guitar. They have =
been invited to play at many top folk venues including the Electric =
Brew, Club Passim, the Point, Stone Soup, Linden Tree, McCabes, Uncommon =
Ground, Common Fence Point and the Boston Folk Festival.=20

On a personal note, Claudia's interests are many: she has been an =
apprentice pie maker, operated her own giftware business, and collects =
antique postcards, matchbooks and other ephemera. She has a love-hate =
relationship with her native Los Angeles and calls El Coyote (a mexican =
restaurant that has been around forever) and the Farmer's Market her =
favorite haunts. She currently lives in Berkeley, CA with her husband =
Bruce and their two cats, Minnie and Mo.

June 28th:  Hit & Run Bluegrass (from the Acoustic Routes website)

It's rare that a two-year-old band can claim to have performed on the =
stages of Telluride Bluegrass Festival, High Sierra Music Festival, =
Grand Targhee Bluegrass Festival, Rockygrass Bluegrass Festival, Blue =
Ridge Harvest Fest, and many other renowned venues from North Carolina =
to California. Seldom are young bluegrass bands considered "authentic" =
enough to share the stage with the likes of Jimmy Martin, J.D. Crowe, =
Hot Rize, Rhonda Vincent, Jerry Douglas, Sam Bush, Del McCoury, David =
Grisman, Ricky Skaggs, and many other recognized musicians in bluegrass =
music-yet also have such a fresh presence that they are invited to =
perform alongside popular acts like Creedence Clearwater Revisited, G. =
Love & Special Sauce, Galactic, and Medeski Martin & Wood.=20

Hit & Run Bluegrass formed in early 2002 with the mutual desire to play =
authentic-yet-modern bluegrass. A few months later, the group of stellar =
pickers won the 2002 Rockygrass Band Competition in Lyons, CO. Less than =
a year after that, Hit & Run took first place at the 2003 Telluride =
Bluegrass Festival Band Contest, making them the first and only band to =
win both contests. According to Denver's Westword newspaper, =
"Something's got to be up when one bluegrass band suddenly surpasses all =
the others. Here in Colorado, that band is Hit & Run." Hit & Run went on =
to take first place at the 2005 SPBGMA International Band Championships =
in Nashville, TN-a rare feat for a first-time competitor.=20

"Hit & Run is far and away the most exciting up-and-coming bluegrass act =
in Colorado right now," shares Eric Pirritt, Colorado talent buyer for =
Boulder's Fox Theatre. "They have been able to harness a style of =
bluegrass that has both young kids and older folks lining up in the =
streets for their show, each and every time they play." Hit & Run's =
appeal may be their youthful energy combined with polished vocals, hot =
picking, and their contemporary sound, inspired by the hardcore grooves =
of Alison Krauss & Union Station, Blue Highway, and Lonesome River Band, =
among other favorites. Hit & Run tastefully interprets standard =
bluegrass and traditional tunes, and they skillfully craft original =
tunes; their music is "handspun yet motor-driven, a well-oiled machine =
of sound produced by men and women with flying fingers and high, =
lonesome voices." (Westword)=20

"It is easy to see why Hit & Run is moving up so quickly-their music is =
powerful and their professionalism is amazing for such a young band," =
comments George Gertz, producer of the North Fork Valley Bluegrass =
Festival. Hit & Run is quickly gaining the respect of promoters, fans, =
musicians, and media across the country. With an increasingly heavy =
national touring schedule, this hard drivin' bluegrass band plans to =
share as much energy and enthusiasm as possible in the years to come.