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Time: 7:00pm.
Age restrictions: All Ages.
Address: 103 Parkway Ave N.
Venue phone: 507-467-2446.
The American Roots Revue will bring together several of Minnesota’s most gifted performers and arts educators: Larry Long (Smithsonian Folkways Recording artist who has made his life work the celebration of everyday heroes.), JD Steele (Mr. Steele and his dynamic vocal siblings, “The Steeles”, have garnered nearly every major music award and accolade that Minnesota has to offer), Billy Peterson (Bass player, songwriter, composer, session musician, producer, and oldest musical son of the renowned Peterson family), Tonia Hughes (Tonia’s vocal style is colored with melodic acrobats and elements of Gospel, Blues, Jazz, R&B, Rock and Worship), Cory Wong (Cory Wong may be young, but he has already proven himself to be a standout guitarist/musician in the Twin Cities), Billy Steele (piano, vocal, another member of the dynamic Steele family and producer of the Grammy Award wining Sounds of Blackness),and Petar Janjic (Drummer for Foreign Motion, fDeluxe, Chastity Brown).
American Roots Revue will feature a cross-section of musical forms, which are rooted in the American experience including classic R&B, folk, jazz, African-American spirituals, and original works which honor the life-stories of Minnesota elders long established and newly arrived. For many in the audience it may be the first time they have seen music of one type or another. For example, a rural person may have never before seen a black performer doing classic R&B. Pehaps this is possible on television, but face to face with an abililty to relate to a quality artist is a very different experience.
Each community involved, as described below, has its own special population and purpose for the Revue coming to its town. In each, before the concert, Larry Long will use his songwriting curriculum to assist a group chosen by the community involved to gather narrative about their population or special minority and turn that narrative into a song. That song is presented during the show with community members participating. This is an art experience, but more a celebration of the special circumstance of that community and an educational device to develop empathy across the community from one group to another. This activity is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the Arts & Cultural Heritage Fund.
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