MUSIC

APERIO, Music of the Americas in collaboration with the Foundation for Modern Music and Flamart  presents an exciting evening  cabaret of song, dance, and chamber music. The performance will take place at 8 p.m. on Friday, May 1, 2009 at Stages Repertory Theatre, 3201 Allen Parkway, Houston, TX 77019.   Cabaret of the Americas: From Piazzolla to Porter brings together the sensual heat of the South American dance hall and the cosmopolitan cool of North American jazz clubs. 

The evening is presented as a double-bill concert.  The program's first half focuses on South America.  Panamanian-born Latin dancer and singer Raul Orlando Edwards will perform popular boleros and canciones accompanied by instrumentalists steeped in Latin American popular musical styles.  Vocal selections will include numbers by many beloved song composers such as Ernesto Lecuona, Lucio Demare, and Nilo Menendez. 

Assisted by Houston favorite Joan Bishop, Mr. Edwards will perform a variety of dances to music by Astor Piazzolla, Jose Bragato, and Paquito D'Rivera, performed by pianist Michael Zuraw, violinist Cristian Macelaru, and cellist Daniel Saenz. 

The program's second half presents North American vocal jazz standards, contemporary art song, and popular-style chamber music.  Justin Greer, veteran of six Broadway shows, will take the stage to perform songbook selections by Cole Porter, Kurt Weill, Billy Strayhorn, Jerome Kern, and others.  Jazz pianist Phillip Hall, bassist Derrick Lewis, and drummer Clyde Adams will add accompaniment and improvisation to this vocal set. 

Mr. Greer will also interpret songs by William Bolcom, with Michael Zuraw at the piano.  Paul Schoenfield's exuberant Café Music and Aaron Jay Kernis' Speed Limit Rag provide an uplifting instrumental complement to the evening's song list.

Tickets for this event are $20.00 for general admission .  Student rush tickets will be available at the door for $10.00.  A reception with the performers will immediately follow the show. 

To purchase tickets for this event, please visit www.aperioamericas.org , www.modernmusic.org , or call 713-965-4597.
 

PROGRAM Highlights:

PIAZZOLLA: Oblivion
BRAGATO: Milontan, Chacarera
D'RIVERA: Danzon, Vals Venezolano
LECUONA: Siboney
DEMARE: Malena

SCHOENFIELD: Café Music
STRAYHORN: Lush Life
PORTER: I Get a Kick Out of You
KERN: All the Things You Are
BOLCOM: Over the Piano, George
KERNIS: Speed Limit Rag

PERFORMERS:

Justin Greer, vocals

Raul Orlando Edwards, vocals, dancer
Joan Bishop, dancer
Cristian Macelaru, Eric Rodriguez, violins
Daniel Saenz, cello; Derrick Lewis, bass
Clyde Adams, Christopher Howard, percussion
Michael Zuraw, Philip Hall, David Ramirez, piano

Pictured: Cole Porter.