The Soul of the Blues Segerstrom Center for the Arts

CONTACT Scalla Jakso (714) 556-2122 x4710, [email protected]
Rena Nishijima (714) 556-2122 x4371, [email protected]
Images: SCFTA.org/media
RELEASE DATE
November 21, 2014
Blues at the Crossroads 3: The Soul of the Blues Celebrates Jazz at
Segerstrom Center for the Arts
February 7, 2015 in the Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall; tickets on sale
now
COSTA MESA, CA – Segerstrom Center for the Arts presents the third in a popular series of Blues at the
Crossroads concerts on February 7, 2015 with The Soul of the Blues, a musical celebration of songs by Otis
Redding, Aretha Franklin, Booker T. & The M.G.’s, Etta James, Sam & Dave, Bobby Womack, James Brown
and others. Performing on the Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall stage are “Soul Queen of New
Orleans” Irma Thomas, vocalist Lee Fields, up-and-coming star Alecia Chakour and jazz/funk guitarist
Eric Krasno, all backed by The Dynamites.
Tickets for Blues at the Crossroads 3: The Soul of the Blues start at $29 and are available online at
SCFTA.org, at the Box Office at 600 Town Center Drive in Costa Mesa or by calling (714) 556-2787. For
inquiries about group ticket savings for 10 or more, call the Group Services office at (714) 755-0236. The
TTY number is (714) 556-2746.
Irma Thomas, “Soul Queen of New Orleans,” has earned the reputation as one of America’s most distinctive
and classic singers. Thomas first achieved prominence with a string of 1960s hits, including “Time is on My
Side” (later covered by The Rolling Stones), “It’s Raining” and “Wish Someone Would Care” and toured
extensively with her band, The Tornados. After surviving the destruction of her home and business by
Hurricane Katrina, she released After the Rain in 2006, which earned critical acclaim and won a Grammy®
Award for Best Contemporary Blues Album. Now celebrating her 50th anniversary in show business, Thomas
has received an Offbeat Award, Blues Music Award, Big Easy Award and the MOJO Magazine of London
England Legends Award and was chosen by NPR listeners and panel as “One of the 50 Greatest Voices of
All Time.” A treasure who started during the golden age of soul music, Thomas remains as compelling and
powerful today.
Lee Fields’ career spans 43 years. The North Carolina native has amassed a prolific catalog of albums with
his raucous yet tender voice and has toured and played with such legends as Kool and the Gang, Sammy
Gordon & The Hip-Huggers, O.V. Wright, Darrell Banks and Little Royal. Fields has done it all. His catalogue
ranges from James Brown-style funk to lo-fi blues to contemporary Southern soul to collaborations with
French house DJ/producer Martin Solveig. Today, with The Expressions – Truth and Soul Records’ house
band – Fields continues to evolve, enmeshed into the group’s sweeping, string-laden, cinematic, soul sound.
Their latest full-length album Faithful Man, released in March 2012 on Truth and Soul Records, was called,
600 Town Center Drive
Costa Mesa, CA 92626
T (714) 556-2121
F (714) 556-8984
SCFTA.org
Blues at the Crossroads 3
November 21, 2014
NEWS 2/4
“one smoking mother of an old-sound soul record” by Pitchfork.
Founding member and guitarist of beloved bands Soulive and Lettuce, Eric Krasno is recognized throughout
jazz, funk and hip hop circles, having worked with jazz icons Joshua Redman, Dr. Lonnie Smith and Chaka
Khan, as well as hip hop visionaries 50 Cent, GZA and Talib Kweli. He has toured the globe with his band,
performing in small rock clubs and major festivals in Africa, Japan, Russia, Brazil and more. With an
impressive resume that includes opening spots for The Rolling Stones and the Dave Matthews Band and
album releases on Velour Recordings, Blue Note, Stax and their own Royal Family Records, it is little wonder
the group has developed a reputation as one of the most celebrated instrumental soul-funk trios in the world.
In April 2010, Krasno took his career in a new direction with his first solo record, Reminisce (Royal Family
Records), featuring longtime collaborators Adam Deitch (drums) and Nigel Hall (bass, keys, vocals), along
with Royal Family artists Neal Evans, Ryan Zoidis and Alan Evans. He stepped into the mixtape game with
The Funky President in 2011, remixing everything from James Brown to Jay Z and The Black Keys, while
throwing in original tracks from Fyre Dept and Lettuce to create an ultra-funky soundtrack. With over 10,000
plays and 1,500 album downloads in under 24 hours (with no publicity and all word of mouth), Krasno will be
taking this dance party on the road.
Dubbed a “breakout young artist” by The New York Times, Alecia Chakour is a blues siren. Armed with a
gritty, bellowing voice, she tells stories of love, heartbreak and struggle with the timelessness of an old soul
reincarnation. Chakour coalesces gospel harmonies with an ardent rock and blues feel to make remarkably
honest music that echoes influences of Bobby “Blue” Bland, Mavis Staples, Bobbie Gentry and Joe Cocker,
but with a raw vulnerability all her own. The daughter of a musician, Chakour grew up with R&B and has
found her home there. During the past several years, she has appeared with a diverse group of exciting
artists, most recently with The Warren Haynes Band. Chakour is now preparing her first full-length album,
along with her extended musical family, to create a unique sound.
The Dynamites has evolved from a neck-jerking, backbone-slipping, high octane funk/soul freight train to a
well-rounded soul machine that takes very seriously its sacred mandate of carrying the torch of "real" soul
music forward, with plenty of the high octane backbone-slipping still in there.
Segerstrom Center for the Arts applauds Omaha Steaks International for their support of Blues at the
Crossroads 3. The Center also applauds Kia, the Official Automotive Partner of the Center, and United
Airlines, the Official Airline of the Center. KJAZZ is the Media Partner of the Jazz Series.
Segerstrom Center for the Arts is unique as both an acclaimed arts institution and as a multi-disciplinary
cultural campus. It is committed to supporting artistic excellence on all of its stages, offering unsurpassed
experiences, and engaging the entire community in new and exciting ways through the unique power of live
performance and a diverse array of inspiring programs.
600 Town Center Drive
Costa Mesa, CA 92626
T (714) 556-2121
F (714) 556-8984
SCFTA.org
Blues at the Crossroads 3
November 21, 2014
NEWS 3/4
Previously called the Orange County Performing Arts Center, Segerstrom Center is Orange County’s largest
non-profit arts organization and owns and operates the 3,000-seat Segerstrom Hall and intimate 250-seat
Founders Hall, which opened in 1986, and the 2,000-seat Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall, which
opened in 2006 and also houses the 500-seat Samueli Theater, the Lawrence and Kristina Dodge Education
Center’s studio performance space and Boeing Education Lab. A spacious arts plaza anchors Segerstrom
Center for Arts and is home to numerous free performances throughout the year as part of Segerstrom
Center for the Arts’ ongoing Free for All series.
The Center presents a broad range of programming for audiences of all ages, including international ballet
and dance, national tours of top Broadway shows, intimate performances of jazz and cabaret, contemporary
artists, classical music performed by renowned chamber orchestras and ensembles, family-friendly
programming, free performances open to the public from outdoor movie screenings to dancing on the plaza
and many other special events. The Center’s arts-in-education programs are designed to inspire young
people through the arts and reach hundreds of thousands of students each year.
In addition to the presenting and producing institution Segerstrom Center for the Arts, the 14-acre campus
also embraces the facilities of two independent acclaimed organizations: Tony Award®-winning South Coast
Repertory and a site designated as the future home of the Orange County Museum of Art.
Segerstrom Center for the Arts is also proud to serve as the artistic home to three of the region’s major
performing arts organizations: Pacific Symphony, the Philharmonic Society of Orange County and the
Pacific Chorale, who contribute greatly to the artistic life of the region with annual seasons at Segerstrom
Center for the Arts.
600 Town Center Drive
Costa Mesa, CA 92626
T (714) 556-2121
F (714) 556-8984
SCFTA.org
Blues at the Crossroads 3
November 21, 2014
NEWS 4/4
BLUES AT THE CROSSROADS 3: THE SOUL OF THE BLUES
Segerstrom Center for the Arts – Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall
Saturday, February 7, 2015 at 8 p.m.
615 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa, CA
www.scfta.org
Tickets In person -
Start at $29
The Box Office
600 Town Center Drive
Costa Mesa, CA 92626
Open 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. daily
Online -
SCFTA.org
Phone -
(714) 556-2787
Open 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. daily
TTY number - (714) 556-2746
Group Sales - (714) 755-0236
Information provided is accurate at the time of printing, but is subject to change. Segerstrom Center for the
Arts is a private, non-profit organization. “Segerstrom Center for the Arts” is a registered trademark.
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600 Town Center Drive
Costa Mesa, CA 92626
T (714) 556-2121
F (714) 556-8984
SCFTA.org