Sounds of L.A. 2009

Dates: Saturdays and Sundays, January 17–18, February 7–8, March 14–15, and April 4–5, 2009
Time: 7:30 p.m. on Saturdays, 3:00 p.m. on Sundays
Location: Getty Center, Harold M. Williams Auditorium
Admission: Free; reservations required.

Join us for Sounds of L.A., an annual concert series that explores our city's varied musical geography, celebrating the work of masters as well as up-and-coming musicians from around the globe. This season's concerts feature charismatic musicians who combine global influences in unexpected and original ways.

		January 17–18: Andy Statman
		February 7–8: Rahim AlHaj and Souhail Kaspar
		March 14–15: Chiwoniso
		April 4–5: Chango Spasiuk

Andy Statman
Saturday, January 17, 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, January 18, 3:00 p.m.

For more than 30 years, clarinet and mandolin master Andy Statman has broken new ground by skillfully integrating klezmer, bluegrass, and jazz. Statman continues to delight and inspire with work that The New York Times calls "the music of Jewish mystics, but interpreted not as a tradition to be preserved but as a spiritual path to be followed in as personal a manner as possible."

Music Sample
Hear an excerpt from "Rawhide" from Andy Statman's CD East Flatbush Blues (Shefa).

Rahim AlHaj and Souhail Kaspar
Saturday, February 7, 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, February 8, 3:00 p.m.

In 1991, renowned oud virtuoso and composer Rahim AlHaj escaped Iraq with nothing more than an unassailable passion for music. For this rare L.A. concert, the Grammy-nominated AlHaj joins forces with respected Lebanese percussionist Souhail Kaspar to present music from his latest release, Home Again.

Music Sample
Hear an excerpt from "Closeness" from Rahim Alhaj's album Home Again (Fast Horse).

Chiwoniso
Saturday, March 14, 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, March 15, 3:00 p.m.

Born in Seattle, raised in Zimbabwe, Chiwoniso grew up listening to everyone from Stevie Wonder to Mozart. But it was her ethnomusicologist father who made sure that she also knew the songs of their Shona ancestors. Described as "a voice of hope and a guiding light for a society in crisis," this defiantly optimistic singer makes her Getty debut in a concert featuring her trademark electrifying mbira-driven sound.

Music Sample
Hear an excerpt from "Vanorapa" from Chiwoniso's CD Rebel Woman (Cumbancha).

Chango Spasiuk
Saturday, April 4, 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, April 5, 3:00 p.m.

The son of Ukrainian immigrants, Chango Spasiuk is the unquestioned master of chamamé, music that comes from the heart of northeastern Argentina. Spasiuk's energetic virtuosity unleashes wild howls of creative fervor coupled with an almost terrifying mastery of the accordion. The resulting sound is at once hauntingly familiar and movingly distinct.

Music Sample
Hear an excerpt from "Dark Cat" from Chango Spasiuk's CD The Charm of Chamame (Calabash).

How to Get Here
The Getty Center is located at 1200 Getty Center Drive in Los Angeles, California, approximately 12 miles northwest of downtown Los Angeles. See Hours, Directions, Parking for maps and driving directions.