mondays at the myrna 2009
First, a special thanks to these sponsors:
Monday, June 15
8:00 pm
It was fabulous. Sold-out crowd and a red-hot concert.
6th Annual Helena Choral Week
June 22, 23, 25, 26
Free noontime concerts
Four free noontime concerts presented by Musikanten Montana, directed by Kerry Krebill. This series features beautiful, sublime, challenging, or interesting choral works that Krebill and her guest artists love so much they absolutely must present. See this week's Your Time for details. Take a mid-day break that will feed your soul.
Montana Mandolin Society
Monday, June 29
8:00 pm
$18 Adults / $15 Seniors and Students
“Delightful, easy listening, energetic,
and a joy to listen to.”
The Montana Mandolin Society presents an evening of unique beauty. The 8-person touring mandolin orchestra has been called (by NPR's Linda Wertheimer) “The Montana Sound,” music worth applauding and saluting as a Montana original. Their music repertoire is highly eclectic and often written and arranged by musicians from The Society. The instrumentation includes the mandolin family; mandolin, mandola, and mandocello, as well as hammered dulcimer, cello, violin, bass, and percussion.
Deborah Henson-Conant - Hip-Hop Harp!
Monday, July 6
8:00 pm
$20
How many harpists have opened for Ray Charles, or jammed with Bobbie McFerrin? Forget the celestial assumptions you may have about the harp. Deborah Henson-Conant plays a bright blue, custom-designed electric harp, fitted with a pick-up on every string and an array of digital effects, strapped on like a Stratocaster. In this solo concert, you'll hear harp playing that often sounds like a Blues guitar, or a Flamenco band - and a voice that has been compared to Carley Simon. Her pieces range from the haunting, Celtic-influenced “Nightingale” to a raucous musical science project called “The Danger Zone” inspired by the 1956 research paper, “Stress Analysis of a Strapless Evening Gown.” Her warmth, humor, and dazzling range and depth of technique inspired NPR's Scott Simon to call her "a love child between Andre Previn and Lucille Ball."
"She's doing for the harp what Chuck Berry and Elvis did for the guitar...Electrified and unzipped ..." -- Jeff Bradley, The Denver Post
“You play the !@#%! out of that thing!” --Doc Severinsen
Sierra Hull
Thursday, July 9
8:00 pm
$20
A quiet young singer and mandolinist steps off the cover of Mandolin Magazine and into America’s hearts. Sierra Hull is a Byrdstown, Tennessee high-schooler, a national performer, a mandolin picker in the back seat of her mom’s car, a Gospel Music Association Dove Award nominee, founder of her own bluegrass festival, touring buddy with Alison Krauss. Sierra plays mandolin with a facility and musical intelligence seemingly far beyond her years. Hull released her first CD (“Secrets”) in May, and one of its songs quickly soared to the #1 top-played track on the Serius/XM Radio Bluegrass Junction station.
All that and humble, too. Don’t miss the phenomenal young Sierra Hull in concert.
"Sierra Hull is without a doubt my favorite mandolin player!" -- Adam Steffey
"Sierra Hull is HULLACIOUS!" -- Sam Bush
BeauSoleil avec Michael Doucet
Monday, July 13
8:00 pm
$25
The most esteemed Cajun band in the music world. “A a sweaty sweep through the lore of one of the most vital veins of America's musical heritage!” BeauSoleil avec Michael Doucet take the rich Cajun traditions of Louisiana and artfully blend elements of zydeco, New Orleans jazz, Tex-Mex, country, blues and more into a delectable musical recipe. From The Grand Ole Opry to Newport Folk, from concert hall to dance floor, the music of BeauSoleil continues to captivate audiences the world over. Their CD, Live At The 2008 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival! won a Grammy Award for Best Zydeco or Cajun album. Their newest release, Alligator Purse, has been called a “scion-like march through the panorama of American music.”
Josh Ritter - SOLD OUT
Monday, July 20
8:00 pm
$30
“If Josh Ritter isn’t the greatest songwriter of his generation, I don’t know who is” writes music editor Abby White. Singer-songwriter Josh Ritter was named #4 on the New York Daily News list of “best CDs of 2007” for good reason. Ritter is one of those balladeers who can sing the front page, sing the weather, sing the heart out of the world, rock you into paradise and wake you up all at the same time. A little bit Dylan, a little bit Springsteen, a little bit Mark Twain, Josh Ritter is a unique voice on the soundstage of our time. He mostly performs live in clubs from Scotland to Idaho—sometimes with musical partners like Ron Sexsmith and violinist Hilary Hahn—and Joan Baez has recorded his song “Hello Starling.” Here he will perform with his 4-man band. Ritter's five albums (The Historical Conquests of Josh Ritter, in 2007, is most recent) have all received critical raves.
Sold Out
Mad Buffalo
Monday, July 27
8:00 pm
$20
“There's plenty of pickin' going on but the emphasis is on a constantly flowing arrangement of good ol' country rock making you want to sit back as the sun goes down.” — Mark S. Tucker
- Folk & Acoustic Music Exchange
Roots-rock singer/songwriter/guitarist Randy Riviere (pronounced Ri-VEER) blends the keen sense of a master storyteller with the lyrical freshness of mountain streams. As one critic wrote, “His music seems to emerge from some place deep in our collective DNA.” Revier integrates the sound and spirit of Johnny Cash, the Beatles, Lynyrd Skynyrd and Neil Young into a unique and personal fabric. He writes and sings about the land—he’s a wildlife biologist by training—and his songs reflect the powerful, wide-open landscape that has framed his personal and musical journey. He grew up on a small farm in Northern California, now lives in Bigfork, Montana, and records with an all-star band of musicians, including Rock and Roll Hall of Fame member James Burton on guitar and long-time Willie Nelson band harmonica player, Mickey Raphael.
Richie Havens
Monday, August 3
8:00 pm
$30
“This acoustic soul giant truly seems to be getting more inspiring and graceful with age.”
- Billboard Magazine
Soul master Richie Havens is gifted with one of the most recognizable voices in popular music. His fiery, poignant, soulful singing style has remained unique and ageless since his historic appearance at Woodstock in 1969. For four decades, Havens has used his music to convey passionate messages of brotherhood and personal freedom. He sings from a deep well of grace, passion, and understanding. In 2003 the National Music Council awarded Havens the American Eagle Award in recognition of his contributions to America’s musical heritage and for his “rare and inspiring voice of eloquence, integrity and social responsibility.” He has nearly 30 albums to his name and tours rigorously—but how many times will you get the chance to see him in an intimate setting like the Myrna Loy Center?
Helena Short Film & Video Fest
Thursday, August 6
8:00 pm
$8
Celebrate Myrna Loy’s birthday (August 2) with our one-day film festival, screening short films created by Helena filmmakers. Each year the Myrna stages a challenge to local filmmakers of all experience levels. We issue a theme, and filmmakers have a weekend to produce a 6-minute film that somehow relates to the given theme. This screening is a delightful walk through each director’s creative adventure—a wonderful way to celebrate Myrna’s birthday and the summertime pleasure of rising to an artistic challenge.
Gráda
Monday, August 10
8:00 pm
$20
“If this talented quintet appears anywhere within a hundred miles of where you live, hi’thee hence.”
—R. Weir, Sing Out Magazine
The Irish trad-band Gráda brings an “eye-poppingly fresh approach” to their music, blending the improvisational joy of jazz improvisations with the raw energy of traditional Irish music. Gráda combines globe-trotted world experience experience and musical accomplishment. The quintet’s multicultural backgrounds (3 are Irish; 2 are New Zealanders) help bring a fresh approach to playing and present a unique slant on traditional music. They play new tunes by Dalico’s Diarmuid Moynihan and Breton guitar maestro Soig Siberil, but most of their tunes are their own freshly minted and newly composed melodies with titles. Titles like “Mr. Brennan’s Psychological Problems,” “Pint of Reference,” and the classic “Biodegradable” demonstrate that their manic sense of humor goes hand in hand with accomplished musical ability.
“Informal, prodigious and full of spirit!” - The Washington Post.
Beth Lapides: 100% Happy 88% of the Time
Monday, August 17
8:00 pm
$18 Adults / $15 seniors & students
Comedian and yoga columnist Beth Lapides has been called “The high priestess of alternative comedy” (LA Weekly) This show blends the story of her life with seriously helpful advice about how to be happy in the turbulent sea change we're all living through right now. The visuals combine Beth's original art and graphics with eye-opening images from the world of edge science as Beth connects the dots between 2012, DNA and a happy relationship.
“A breath of fresh air... funny, witty, enlightening.” –Whole Life Times
Drum Brothers
Monday, August 24
8:00 pm
$18 Adults / $15 seniors & students
“What an affirmation of life! The concert was such a positive energy experience.”
– Audience member
Montana’s own 4-member world percussion group gives a high-energy performance of ethnic and contemporary world sounds. Drum Brothers (Matthew Marsolek, Lawrence Duncan, Michael Marsolek, and Colin Ruggiero), based in Missuola, have performed together for nearly a decade. Their high energy performances feature a mix of ethnic and contemporary world sounds: West African djembe and doun-doun drums, Australian didgeridoo, saxophone and flute, guitar, vocals, and hand percussion. Experienced educators as well as performers, Drum Brothers have taught classes, clinics, and workshops in rhythm exploration and drummaking in schools and educational centers throughout the U.S. and in Canada.
Tickets can be purchased at the Myrna Loy Center by calling the Box Office at 443-0287.
The Internet is a great way to purchase your tickets. It's convenient, secure, and fast.
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