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The Lonesome Pine Specials Summer Festival 1989

By Richard Van Kleeck

Fans of good music and dance need not fear the "dog days" of August this summer as The Lonesome Pine Specials Summer Festival returns to the Bomhard Theater for the fourth consecutive year beginning Tuesday, August 1 through Saturday, August 12 at 7:30 p.m. for ten concerts. The Kentucky Center for the Arts can confidently claim one of the most exciting and interesting festivals in America as we present over forty soloists and groups including one of the world's finest violin virtuosos, a summit meeting of great percussionists, new jazz artists, a brilliant modern dance troupe, an all-star bluegrass ensemble, a legendary soul singer, an irresistible New Orleans marching jazz band, a special National Endowment for the Arts concert, a congregation of mandolin virtuosos, a two-day celebration of Rounder Records' 20th Anniversary, a daring musical composition for ten percussionists and two wrestlers by a Pulitzer Prize-nominated composer, exciting jazz/gospel, and much more. It will be an exciting and entertaining two-week adventure of art in performance which we're sure you won't want to miss.

These ten concerts, including seven original programs, will offer a unique opportunity for audiences to discover and experience brilliant artists spanning musical styles ranging from the traditional to the avant-garde. It is a series that celebrates the common elements that bond all good art together regardless of style or category. Once again, we are delighted to work with KET, The Kentucky Network, to produce these programs for public television audiences throughout Kentucky, the United States and abroad. These programs are part of the "Kentucky Center Presents" series and will be premiered on television in early 1990 on KET. These programs are also being taped for national broadcast on public radio.

The Lonesome Pine Specials Summer Festival debuts with a gala celebration of mandolin virtuosos and music entitled Mando Magnificat. Mandolin stars Sam Bush, Peter Ostroushko, Mike Marshall, The Modern Mandolin Quartet, and the Louisville Mandolin Orchestra will revel in music from Bach to ragtime. Next is the Masters of Percussion featuring steel drum master Andy Narell, jazz great Dave Samuels on vibes and marimba, African drummers Djimo Kouyate and Aidoo, Rare Air's Trevor Ferrier with Ian Forsyth from Canada, the brilliant body percussionist Keith Terry, jazz drummers Steve Houghton and Dave Mancini, the Wichita State University Percussion Ensemble, and the daring musical composition "War Games" by Pulitzer Prize-nominated composer Walter Mays for Extended Percussion and Wrestlers featuring star wrestlers Jeff Jarrett and Dutch Mantel.

The 20th Anniversary of Rounder Records Parts I and II will offer two nights of great music and extraordinary diversity. New folk/pop singer/composer Christine Lavin will be joined by an all-star bluegrass band of David Grisman, Tony Rice, J. D. Crowe, Alison Krauss and Mark Schatz, plus the King of Tex-Mex music Flaco Jimenez and his band for Part I. The second day will feature the extraordinary Rebirth Marching Jazz Band from New Orleans, the blues of Walter "Wolfman" Washington, and the talented and wacky polka/salsa/pop band Brave Combo from Texas.

ISO and The BOBS bring their highly innovative and entertaining music and dance collaboration to the Bomhard stage for one of the top arts events of the year. The witty and brilliant new wave a cappella of The BOBS is perfectly matched by the unique, exhilarating, sensuous, humorous, and acrobatic-flavored modern dance of the dance quartet ISO.

After recently winning two Grammy Awards, the unparalleled jazz-gospel vocal ensemble Take 6 returns to the Lonesome Pine Special. This will be a special opportunity for those who missed their spectacular debut here in January. Nigel Kennedy and Friends will certainly be one of the most exciting musical events of the year as we turn English violin virtuoso Nigel Kennedy loose with ten great American artists for a program of musical treasures from Vivaldi's "Four Seasons" to jazz standards and new acoustic music. Joining Nigel will be Mark O'Connor on violin, Edgar Meyer on bass, Jerry Douglas on dobro, jazz guitarist Fareed Haque, percussionists Kenny Malone and Sam Bacco, and a string quintet. A once-in-a-lifetime gathering!

Strength In Numbers is the new name for five virtuosic instrumentalists from Nashville who are in constant demand on the concert circuit and in recording studios, but seldom have the chance to play together. This will be a rare chance to hear the combined efforts of Bela Fleck, Sam Bush, Edgar Meyer, Mark O'Connor and Jerry Douglas as performers and composers.

The Lonesome Pine Specials Summer Festival has received a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts for a very special event celebrating the National Endowment for the Arts/Folk Arts Program National Heritage Fellowships Awards Concert. This program will feature six past or current winners of America's highest honor for traditional artists since the awards were first given in 1982. This unique group of artists includes legendary tap dancer Howard "Sandman" Sims, cowboy singer-storyteller/illustrator Glenn Ohrlin, Cajun great Dewey Balfa and his band, Hawaiian singer Clyde "Kindy" Sproat, Piedmont blues singer John Cephas with Phil Wiggins, and Jose Gutierrez and Los Pregoneros del Puerto.

The Lonesome Pine Specials Summer Festival 1989 comes to a rousing conclusion with a rare concert appearance by Irma Thomas, the "Queen of New Orleans Soul" and her great band. She is another of America's musical treasures and is guaranteed to bring two weeks of great music to an entertaining and soulful conclusion, a fitting end to a two-week adventure in music and dance.

Subscriptions to any five concerts are $45.00; ten concerts $85.00. Single tickets are available for $10.00 each. Call the Kentucky Center Ticket Service at 584-7777, or outside the local area, 1-800-283-7777.