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Celebrate the dynamic stylings of American Roots Music with @AmericanPatchworkQuartet (Facebook and Instagram)/@apqmusic (Twitter)on the @KimmelCC (Twitter)/@KimmelCulturalCampus (Facebook and Instagram) on 10/22! For more info, visit kimmelculturalcampus.org.
Press Contacts:
Lauren A. Woodard Hall Hannah Palermo
484-832-1963 267-765-3724
lhall@kimmelculturalcampus.org hpalermo@alliedglobalmarketing.com
KIMMEL CULTURAL CAMPUS PRESENTS
AMERICAN PATCHWORK QUARTET
WITH AWARD WINNING ARTISTS
FALU SHAH, CLAY ROSS, CLARENCE PENN,
AND YASUSHI NAKAMURA
OCTOBER 22, 2022
“It's not an accident that the four members of the group, each with a thriving solo career, came together to start reinterpreting American roots music. The quartet's goal is purposeful: to unleash music's magic to help counteract pervasive prejudices around immigration and race.” – MPR [Montana Public Radio]
“Clay Ross is a very deft guitarist with a rich vocabulary of folk, blues, and jazz at his disposal.” – Wall Street Journal
“Falu [Shah] reflects a rare brand of timeless elegance and Avant-garde charm.” – Vogue
“Clarence Penn, an inexhaustibly creative drummer…” – The New York Times
“Yasushi Nakamura is one of the most commanding voices on bass today.” – Jazz-Blues.com
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (September 19, 2022) –The Kimmel Cultural Campus presents the highly acclaimed American Patchwork Quartet as a part of the 2022-23 Jazz Series at the Campus’ Perelman Theateron Saturday, October 22, 2022, at 8:00 p.m.
American Patchwork Quartet (APQ) is comprised of vocalist Falu Shah, guitarist/vocalist Clay Ross, drummer Clarence Penn, and bassist Yasushi Nakamura. APQ draws on a repertoire of centuries-old American folk songs that highlight America’s immigrant roots. They showcase America’s dynamic present by combining the diverse talents of four U.S. citizens, each with a unique cultural background. In this group, old songs are made new through creative arrangements that highlight the exceptional and well-honed skills of each member.
“Philadelphia is a city made up of diverse stories, immigrant voices, and individuals who believe in the power and importance of equity,” said Frances Egler, Senior Director of Programming and Presentations on the Kimmel Cultural Campus. “We are honored to present American Patchwork Quartet this season and support their mission to ‘reclaim the immigrant soul of American roots music’, inspiring attendees and bringing important conversations about diversity into focus.”
American Patchwork Quartet performances strive to counter pervasive prejudices around the issues of race and immigration. To help strengthen the country's social fabric, APQ desires that audiences reflect on the notion that, as Americans, individuals must acknowledge differences to discover commonalities; that Americans must recognize the realities of racism and prejudice to build authentic and lasting bonds across cultures and color lines; and while present-day Americans are not responsible for the country's past, citizens are accountable for its future. APQ’s music celebrates our differences while helping to reclaim the immigrant soul of American Roots Music.
About the Artists:
Falu Shah is a Grammy® Award-winning, internationally recognized artist known for her rare ability to seamlessly blend a signature modern inventive style with a formidable Indian, classically-shaped vocal talent. In her early years in Bombay, she was trained rigorously in the Jaipur musical tradition and in the Benares style of Thumrie under the legendary Kaumudi Munshi and semi classical music from Uday Mazumdar. Her subsequent career in the States led to a series of brilliant and high-profile collaborations with Yo-Yo Ma, Wyclef Jean, Philip Glass, Ricky Martin, Blues Traveler, and A.R. Rahman, among others.
Grammy® Award-winning guitarist/vocalist, Clay Ross, is the founder of the Billboard chart-topping band Ranky Tanky. Ross has collaborated with artists such as Gregory Porter, Cyro Baptista, Snarky Puppy, and Bobby McFerrin. Since 2014, Ross has been a teaching artist through Carnegie Hall. Ranky Tanky is performing as part of the Kimmel Cultural Campus’ 22-23 Jazz Series in March 2023.
Clarence Penn is a three-time Grammy® Award-winning artist and one of the most sought-after drummers in the world. He is one of the busiest jazz drummers in the world, a leader of multiple bands, a composer, a prolific producer, and an educator. Penn has placed his unique blend of mega-chops, keen intellect, and heady musicianship at the service of a staggering array of A-list artists, including Ellis and Wynton Marsalis, Betty Carter, Stanley Clarke, Steps Ahead, Makoto Ozone, Michael Brecker, Dave Douglas, Maria Schneider, Luciana Souza, Richard Galliano, and Fourplay.
Yasushi Nakamura is one of the most commanding voices on bass today. Born in Tokyo, he moved to the United States at age nine. Nakamura received a BA in Jazz Performance from Berklee School of Music and was awarded a full scholarship to Juilliard. Nakamura has released two albums, A Lifetime Treasure and Hometown, the latter being awarded Album of the Year in JazzLife Magazine.
The Kimmel Cultural Campus’ 22-23 Jazz Series includes: American Patchwork Quartet (October 22, 2022, Perelman Theater), Jazzmeia Horn (October 28, 2022, Verizon Hall), Pink Martini and The Philadelphia Orchestra featuring China Forbes(November 3, 2022, Verizon Hall), Preservation Hall Jazz Band (November 11, 2022, Miller Theater), and Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis and special guest Naseer Shamma(January 22, 2023, Academy of Music), Gregory Porter (February 16, 2023, Academy of Music); David Sánchez (February 18, 2023, Perelman Theater), Ranky Tanky with Ms. Lisa Fischer (March 11, 2023, Miller Theater), Immanuel Wilkins (April 6, 2023, Perelman Theater), Monterey Jazz Festival on Tour (April 8, 2023, Verizon Hall), and George Benson (May 20, 2023, Academy of Music).
Tickets
Tickets can be purchased by calling 215-893-1999 or online at www.kimmelculturalcampus.org. In-person ticket sales can be conducted daily from 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. at the Academy of Music Box Office, located at 240 S. Broad Street. See www.kimmelculturalcampus.org for more information.
American Patchwork Quartet
Kimmel Cultural Campus’ Perelman Theater
October 22, 2022, 8:00 p.m.
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KIMMEL CULTURAL CAMPUS
Located in the heart of Center City, Philadelphia, our mission is to engage the region's diverse communities with art through performance and education. Our Cultural Campus serves more than 1-million guests per year and includes Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts (Verizon Hall, Perelman Theater, and SEI Innovation Studio), the Academy of Music, and the Miller Theater (formerly the Merriam Theater) – representing more than 160 years of rich history for the performing arts along Philadelphia's Avenue of the Arts. We are home to The Philadelphia Orchestra and seven esteemed Resident Companies: Opera Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Ballet, The Philly POPS, PHILADANCO, The Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia, The Philadelphia Chamber Music Society, and Curtis Institute of Music. With nearly 9,000 seats per night, we are the region's most impactful performing arts center, and the second largest in the country. Our Cultural Campus serves as a preeminent and inclusive place to enjoy exceptional experiences that reflect the spirit of our region by cultivating a creative and socially responsible environment where our community shares experiences that are delivered with pride, integrity, and respect. As a 501 c 3 nonprofit organization, we collaborate on, present, and produce a broad range of relevant and meaningful events, we serve as an active gathering space for social and community events, we educate the region's young people through access to quality arts experiences, and we provide support to artists in the creation of new work. Read Kimmel Cultural Campus' vision statement, world view, and mission statement here. Learn more about our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion and how it encompasses our mission, co-workers, and programs here.
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For a PDF version of this press release, click here.