WORLD MUSIC MASTERS @ UCPAC & HAMILTON STAGE

LIONEL LOEUKE, GUITAR VIRTUOSO

WHEN: Saturday, Mar. 29, 8 PM
WHERE: Hamilton Stage, 360 Hamilton Street, Rahway
TICKETS: 25 general admission tickets ($10 student/senior)
Tickets are available online at www.ucpac.org, by calling (732) 499-8226, or visiting the UCPAC box office, 1601 Irving Street, Rahway.
RSI Bank Masters on Masters Jazz Series

HRIDAYNATH MANGESHKAR

WHEN: Saturday, March 29, 4:00 PM
WHERE: Union County Performing Arts Center, 1601 Irving Street
TICKETS: $80, $60, $40, $20
Tickets are available online at www.sulekha.com, by calling (732) 499-8226, or visiting the UCPAC box office, 1601 Irving Street, Rahway.

A native of Benin in West Africa, Lionel Loueke picked up the guitar at age 17 and emigrated to Paris to pursue jazz studies at the American School of Modern Music. His early African pop stylings gave way to full-fledged modern jazz after he encountered the music of guitarist George Benson and then Terence Blanchard, Wayne Shorter and Herbie Hancock — jazz giants with whom he later recorded.

Loueke combines harmonic complexity, soaring melody and a deep knowledge of African folk forms to create a warm and evocative sound of his own. His initial Blue Note album release, Mwaliko, offered a series of searching, intimate duets with Angelique Kidjo, Richard Bona, Esperanza Spalding and Marcus Gilmore.

At his Mar. 29 Hamilton Stage concert, he’ll perform with his trio Gilfema featuring Swedish-Italian bassist Massimo Biolcati and Hungarian-born drummer Ferenc Nemeth.

The RSI Bank Masters on Masters Jazz Series is funded in part by a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts and RSI Bank of Rahway and will feature a roundtable interview with Loueke led by WBGO-FM Jazz Radio 88.3 deejay Gary Walker. The roundtable and concert will be recorded for the Jazz Oral History Archives at the Smithsonian in Washington, DC.

Hridaynath Mangeshkar has composed music for scores of Indian films, debuting in 1955 with the Marathi film Akash Ganga. The younger brother of Indian singing legends, sisters Lata and Asha, Pandit Mangeshkar has created timeless melodies for the verses of numerous Indian poets such as Mirza Ghalib, Shanta Shelake, Suresh Bhat, Kabir and the 16^th-century poetess /mystic Meerabai.

This concert presents the esteemed composer in performance along with an original dance-drama based on his songs, Swargangechya Kathavarati, written and directed by Dr. Meena Nerurkar (right), Philadelphia-based playwright, actress and performer/choreographer of Kathak, Bharatnatyam & Manipuri styles of classical Indian dance.

It’s also a lively celebration of Gudhi Padwa, the start of the New Year in the lunisolar Hindu calendar. This year Gudhi Padwa falls on Mar. 31 and heralds the advent of Spring with music, dance and festivities.

** For showtimes and ticket prices, call the Union County Performing Arts Center box office at (732) 499-8226 or go online to www.ucpac.org.

** For more information about the 2013-14 performance season at Union County Performing Arts Center and Hamilton Stage, visit www.ucpac.org.