THE 2016 edition of the Savannah Music Festival will feature its usual incredibly high standards in the world of blues, jazz, Americana, and classical, with a few twists.
“Dwight Yoakam will perform in the Johnny Mercer Theatre, and we think he will draw a very appreciative crowd with a wide age range,” says Ryan McMaken, Marketing and Managing Director.
To mark the 400th anniversary of the death of William Shakespeare, the Pericles: Recomposed performance features “a UK performance group that seeks to return to the original Shakespearean method of acting,” McMaken says. “That will be done to a live music accompaniment centering on Max Richter’s ‘Vivaldi Recomposed.’”
As well as the reintroduction of the Johnny Mercer into the schedule, the Music Festival returns with several chamber music performances in the lush interior of the historic St. Paul’s Greek Orthodox Church.
“We did a couple of performances in there in 2008. It’s a beautiful space and sounds great. It really works particularly well for chamber music,” McMaken says.
After a brief downturn in its world music offerings, the Festival is back in the global game with several important African artists, including Afropop superstar Rokia Traore. Two amazing Malian musicians, Kassé Mady Diabaté and Ballaké Sissoko, are also on the schedule.
“And we’ve also got Serbian and Romanian folk musicians, Nordic musicians,” says McMaken. “It’s really going to be interesting and a lot of fun.”
As is customary, a few late but probably major additions to the schedule will be revealed in February.
Tix are on sale now; for tix and info go to the newly-revamped Savannah Music Festival site at www.savannahmusicfestival.org. cs
THU MARCH 24
Randy Napoleon Trio
12:30 PM, Charles Morris Center, $25
He Said, She Said: Freddy Cole & Rene Marie
5 & 7 PM, Charles Morris Center, $50
Bayou Blues & Southern Soul: Marc Broussard/Paul Thorn Band
5:30 & 8:30 PM, Ships of the Sea, $40
Chamber Music: Viennese Masterpieces
6 PM, St. Paul's Greek Orthodox Church, $52
The Gloaming
8 PM, Lucas Theatre, $27-70
FRI MARCH 25
Martin Hayes & Dennis Cahill
12:30 PM, Charles Morris Center, $25
He Said, She Said: Freddy Cole & Rene Marie
5 & 7 PM, Charles Morris Center, $50
Cajun & Zydeco Dance Party: Steve Riley & Mamou Playboys/ Jeffery Broussard & Creole Cowboys
5 & 8 PM, Ships of the Sea, $40
Recitals I: Cameron Carpenter feat. the International Touring Organ
6 PM, Lucas Theatre, $27-70
Flamenco Mastery: Vicente Amigo
8 PM, Trustees Theatre, $27-$57
SAT MARCH 26
Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver/Blue Highway
12:30 & 7:30 PM, Ships of the Sea $40
Recitals II: Alexandre Tharaud, piano
2 PM, St. Paul's Greek Orthodox Church, $52
African Superstar: Rokia Traoré
6 PM, Trustees Theatre, $27-$57
A Spring Fling: Pink Martini feat. China Forbes
8:15 PM, Lucas Theatre, $32-$80
Caribbean Dance Party: Creole Soul with Etienne Charles
8:30 & 10:30 PM, Charles Morris Center, $40
SUN MARCH 27
Swing that Music: Catherine Russell/The Hot Sardines
4 & 7 PM, Charles Morris Center, $40
Chamber Music II: Mozart & Dvořák
6 PM, St. Paul's Greek Orthodox Church, $52
MON MARCH 28
Matt Munisteri, guitar
12:30 PM, Charles Morris Center, $25
Swing that Music: Catherine Russell/The Hot Sardines
5 & 8 PM, Charles Morris Center, $40
Recitals III: Arnaldo Cohen, piano
6 PM, Trinity UMC, $52
TUE MARCH 29
Aaron Diehl, piano
12:30 PM, Charles Morris Center, $25
Swing that Music: Catherine Russell/The Hot Sardines
5 & 8 PM, Charles Morris Center, $40
Chamber Music III: Musical Friendships
6 PM, Trinity UMC, $52
WED MARCH 30
Aaron Diehl Trio
12:30 PM, Charles Morris Center, $25
Cécile McLorin Salvant/Monty Alexander Trio
6 & 9 PM, Charles Morris Center, $45
Chamber Music IV: The Complete Beethoven Trios, Part I
6 PM, Trinity UMC, $57
Ry Cooder, Sharon White, Ricky Skaggs
7:30 PM, Lucas Theatre, $40-80
THU MARCH 31
Harold Mabern, piano
12:30 PM, Charles Morris Center, $25
Swing Central Jazz: Jazz on the River
4-7 PM, Rousakis Plaza, Free
Tenor Titans: Stephen Riley Quartet feat. Marcus Roberts/ Eric Alexander Quartet feat. Harold Mabern
6 & 9 PM, Charles Morris Center, $40
Chamber Music V: The Complete Beethoven Trios, Part II
6 PM, Trinity UMC, $57
Voice I: Arias & Encores
6 PM, Christ Church Episcopal, $55-225
Dwight Yoakam
7:30 PM, Johnny Mercer Theatre, $37-$80
FRI APRIL 1
Swing Central Jazz: The Competition
9 AM-3 PM, Lucas Theatre, Free
Chamber Music VI: World of the Mandolin in Four Centuries: Mike Marshall & Caterina Lichtenberg
11 AM, Unitarian Universalist Church, $35
Brianna Thomas Quartet
12:30 PM, Charles Morris Center, $25
The Suffers/Langhorne Slim
5 & 8 PM, Ships of the Sea, $35
Voice II: The Tallis Scholars
6 PM, Trinity UMC, $52
Film: Within Our Gates, Original Score Composed & Conducted by Wycliffe Gordon/Swing Central Jazz Finale
7 PM, Lucas Theatre, $27-$57
Late Night Jam with the Wycliffe Gordon Quintet
10 PM, Charles Morris Center, $40
SAT APRIL 2
Ballaké Sissoko, kora
12:30 PM, Charles Morris Center, $25
The Art of the Piano Trio feat. Marcus Roberts & Daniel Hope
3 PM, Lucas Theatre, $32-$80
Blues in the Garden: North Mississippi Allstars/ Charlie Musselwhite
5 & 8 PM, Ships of the Sea, $40
Big World of Music: Kassé Mady Diabaté/ Robert Sadin's "Night Songs"
6 & 9 PM, Charles Morris Center, $35
Voice III: Mozart in Prague: An Operatic Journey
7 PM, Trinity UMC, $65-225
SUN APRIL 3
Del & Dawg: Del McCoury and David Grisman
3 PM, Lucas Theatre, $27-$70
Orchestra I: Great Concertos
5 PM, Trinity UMC, $52
MON APRIL 4
Haas Kowert Tice
12:30 PM, Charles Morris Center, $25
Bryan Sutton Band/Haas Kowert Tice
5 & 8 PM, Charles Morris Center, $35
Recitals IV: Jeremy Denk, piano
6 PM, Trinity UMC, $52
TUE APRIL 5
Orchestra II: All Mozart
11 AM Trinity UMC, $35
Joey Alexander Trio
12:30 & 8 PM, Charles Morris Center, $40
Pericles: Recomposed
6 PM, Lucas Theatre, $45
WED APRIL 6
Söndörgő
12:30 PM, Charles Morris Center, $25
Julian Lage Trio/Söndörgő
6 & 9 PM, Charles Morris Center, $35
Chamber Music VII: Daniel Hope & Friends with the Danish String Quartet
6 PM, Temple Mickve Israel, $52
The Time Jumpers feat. Vince Gill, Kenny Sears and Ranger
Doug Green
8 PM, Lucas Theatre, $32-$80
THU APRIL 7
Väsen
12:30 PM, Charles Morris Center, $25
When the Danes Met the Swedes: Väsen/Danish String Quartet
6 & 9 PM, Charles Morris Center, $35
Dr. John & the Nite Trippers
8 PM, Lucas Theatre, $32-$80
FRI APRIL 8
Chamber Music VIII: Danish String Quartet
11 AM, Trinity UMC, $35
Darrell Scott
12:30 PM, Charles Morris Center, $25
Rhiannon Giddens/Mokoomba!
5 & 8 PM, Ships of the Sea, $40
Stringband Spectacular 2016
6 PM, Lucas Theatre, $15-$50
SAT APRIL 9
Balkan Brass Band Blowout: Fanfare Ciocărlia/ Boban & Marko Markovic Orchestra
5 & 8 PM, Ships of the Sea, $35
Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Pre-concert talk with Ken Meltzer
7 PM, Lucas Theatre, Free
Orchestra III: Atlanta Symphony Orchestra with Louis Lortie
8 PM, Lucas Theatre, $40-$70
