From the Prince of Brooklyn to the baddest 'fro in popular experimental jazz ... The Adrienne Arsht Center has just announced the six-act lineup for its inaugural Live at Knight concert series.
Jumping off in October with Talib Kweli & Res's Idle Worship and ending seven months later with Esperanza Spalding, the 2012-13 season will also be bringing a Brazilian alt-rocker, a flamenco-singing crayfish, the Queen of Calypso, and 24 Japanese drummers to the Knight Concert Hall.
See the cut for the Live at Knight concert series's full lineup and ticket details.
Idle Warship: Talib Kweli & Res. Friday, October 19, 8:30 p.m. Tickets cost $30 to $100 via arshtcenter.org. He's a Brooklyn-bred hip-hop legend. She's a Philly model and soul singer. Together, they're Idle Warship: "We are who you wanna be when you grow up."
For Live at Night, Talib and Res will be jamming with a nine-piece chamber orchestra led by local conductor Sam Hyken. And if you pay $100 for tix, you'll even get some backstage face time and a photo op with the Warship.
Lenine. Friday, October 26, 8:30 p.m. Tickets cost $45 to $75 via arshtcenter.org. Yeah, Lenine's been hailed by the New York Times as "the new prince of Brazilian pop!" And sure, the decorated singer-songwriter is a 35-year vet of the Brazilian music scene who's won five Latin Grammys; soundtracked everything from soap operas to sitcoms; and written hits for Maria Bethania, Gilberto Gil, and O Rappa.
But his greatest achievement ... Sneaking a canary's chirp, a kettle's whistle, a child's heartbeat, waterfalls, and Facebook sound effects into the mix for last year's quirky record Chão.
Diego El Cigala. Saturday, November 10, 8:30 p.m. Tickets cost $40 to $150 via arshtcenter.org. Fun Fact: As a young man, Diego Ramón Jiménez Salazar was nicknamed "El Cigala" (translation Norway lobster or crayfish) for being really, really, really skinny. Funner facts: He's since bulked up, invented bolero-tango-flamenco-jazz fusion, and started making annual visits to Miami.
Calypso Rose. Saturday, February 9, 2013, 8:30 p.m. Tickets cost $25 to $65 via arshtcenter.org. If you've ever traveled through "Israel by Bus," then you know that the end of the line is Downtown Miami.
Weird, right? But that's how the Tobago-born Queen of Calypso wound up at the corner of Biscayne and NE 13th Street. So "come little children, get on the Israelite bus" and follow Rose into the Knight.
Kodo's One Earth Tour 2013: Legend. March 9, 2013, 8:30 p.m. Tickets cost $30 to $75 via arshtcenter.org. Ever watched a bunch of sweaty, fundoshi-clad Japanese dudes furiously beat up the skins for 100 minutes? If the answer is no, then you've obviously never enjoyed an evening with Kodo, a 24-member taiko drumming troupe that the Arsht breathlessly describes as a "heart-pounding, bone-shaking, and not-to-be-missed experience." Go get pounded!
Esperanza Spalding: Radio Music Society. Friday, April 19, 2013, 8:30 p.m. Tickets cost $35 to $95 via arshtcenter.org. She's had the baddest 'fro in popular experimental jazz since 2006. (Indeed, there are entire online communities dedicated to the worship of Esperanza's 'do.) But after winning the 2011 Grammy Award for Best New Artist, this self-described "bassist/vocalist/composer" went from niche New York Times critical fave to an almost-mainstream diva with her own style blog. So if you're not already a devout Spalding worshipper, hurry the funk up, buy a couple of Live at Knight tix, and join Esperanza's Radio Music Society.
Live at Knight 2012-13 Concert Series. Friday, October 19, 2012, to Friday, April 19, 2013. Knight Concert Hall, 1300 Biscayne Blvd., Miami. Call 305-949-6722 or visit arshtcenter.org.
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