UNCA's 18th Annual Concerts on the Quad Begin June 5

Tango, Celtic folk tunes, traditional Gullah music and a special children’s show will highlight the 18th annual Concerts on the Quad outdoor entertainment series beginning June 5 at UNC Asheville.

The seven free concerts will be held from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Mondays through July 17 on the UNCA quadrangle. The public is invited to bring picnics, blankets and lawn chairs. With between 500 and 2,000 people attending each concert, lawn-chair seating will be separate from blanket seating in order to preserve sight lines; please look for signage when arriving on the quad.

In case of rain, the concerts will be held in Lipinsky Auditorium, with the exception of July 17 when the rain location will be the Justice Center.

* The series opens with UNCA’s own Community Jazz Band on June 5. A local favorite for more than 15 years, the group focuses on hits from the 1930s and ‘40s. Under the direction of UNCA Music Instructor Lloyd Weinberg, the 18-piece band made up of UNCA student and community musicians will perform big band and swing classics.

* The New York Tango Trio brings the blues of Argentina to the stage June 12. Featuring Argentine-born bassist, composer and tango scholar Pablo Aslan, Uruguayan bandoneon master Raul Jaurena, and Venezuela-born singer Marga Mitchell, this trio combines a solid grounding in the tango tradition with a contemporary sound influenced by jazz and classical music. Dazzling tango dancers Liliana Castro and Harby Gonzalez join the trio for the performance.

* The North Carolina Connection will showcase North Carolina’s myriad and diverse contributions to popular music on June 19. Featuring the Loonis McGlohon Trio with vocalist Randa McNamara, the evening’s performance will explore the musical legacies of the Tar Heel state. The performance is an engaging, warm and personal musical tribute to many of the state’s performers who have left their mark on the library of American popular song, including Kay Kyser, Les Brown, Roberta Flack, James Taylor, John Coltrane and Thelonius Monk.

* Toes will be tapping when Taspy, a local four-piece ensemble, hits the stage to perform traditional Celtic songs and stories on June 26. Taspy, an Irish word meaning energy or passion, is a fitting name for this group, which performs original and innovative music with power and grace. World renown dancer Ira Bernstein will join the group to astound the audience with his spectacular traditional Irish step dance.

* The inspiring Georgia Sea Island Singers will offer an evening of traditional African-American Gullah songs, dances and games July 3. Frankie and Doug Quimby and Family, who have toured the world for more than 25 years, make audience participation the keystone of every performance. Participants will join the Quimbys on stage to learn and help demonstrate the near-forgotten Gullah singing games and hand-clapping. The performance promises to be a memorable and historical tribute to this unique culture.

* Back by popular demand, local favorite Billy Jonas will appear July 10 for two shows to delight audiences with his "junkadelic folk music." This talented songsmith and multi-instrumentalist will offer an evening of songs, stories and improvisations with voice, guitar and "industrial re-percussion," a collection of instruments made from found and recycled objects. He’ll do a special 6:30 p.m. children’s show with an emphasis on audience participation. The 7:45 p.m. show will feature a different set and is suited for the entire family.

* For the season’s finale, UNCA will host a Folkmoot USA touring troupe, Macuilxochitl, from Mexico City on July 17. Founded in 1980 by a group of primary school teachers, the group’s objective is to teach, conserve and spread the customs and traditions of the country through music and dance. The colorful ensemble will present an evening of traditional customs, dances and songs from ancient Aztec rituals to modern-day celebrations.

For more information about the Concerts on the Quad series, call the UNCA Student Activities Office at 828/251-6584.

Media Contacts:

• Barbara Halton, UNCA Student Activities assistant director, 828/251-6584
• Jill Yarnall, UNCA Public Information assistant, 828/251-6526