Dash Pop, The B. Kin Band, Gaurang Doshi, and Christopher James Lees on Triad Arts Weekend

Dash Pop

Festival season is upon us, with no shortage of incredible music and film experiences to be had in and around the Triad. Eddie's guests today represent the newest kids on the festival block. 

Dash Pop is a two day music festival taking place on March 27th & 28th. The festival promises an exciting blend of hip hop, rock, and traditional music from national and local acts. One of the things that sets this festival apart is its ambition to not only present great music, but to educate college students on the finer points of downtown Winston-Salem. It's also focused on being culturally inclusive, and being an affordable entertainment option.

Eddie spoke with Nathan Bedsole & Kent Garrett. They're part of the group of arts entrepreneurship students, who under the guidance of Professor Len Neighbors, created Dash Pop.

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The B. Kin Band

The B. Kin Band is singer/songwriter guitarist Graham Byers, his brothers, keyboardist Francois, and drummer Ian, and mandolinist, percussionist and vocalist Jill Erin Martin-Byers, Ian's wife.

The Byers were born and raised in Winston-Salem, and they believe in giving back to the community. You'll often find  The B. Kin Band donating their time, music and equipment for charity shows at places like Second Harvest Food Bank, The Farm at The Children's Home, and The Arts Based School. They've just completed recording their debut album “Shadows of the Gossip” and they'll be sharing it live at the Garage in Winston-Salem this weekend on March 21st. 

The band will be taking a limited edition vinyl pre-order, and offering vintage cassettes & t-shirts for sale. They'll also be sharing links to digital downloads for free!

The B. Kin Band will be joined by tap dance phenom Julianne Harper and Greensboro's Shiloh Hill will open up the evening at 9:00. But first we look back at an early family favorite, and in today's show, we sample from King of the Phillipines by Graham, the youngest of the nine Byers, and we also provide you with a radio premiere of the track Goodness Sake, from the new album. It features the tap dancing of Julianne.

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Gaurang Doshi

Indian Classical music is a powerful tradition that has been passed down generation after generation for thousands of years. Next weekend Triad audiences will have the unique opportunity to experience this music from the tradition of one of the India's most revered musicians, the late Dr. Laxmikant Doshi. Dr. Doshi was the guru of sarod master Gaurang Doshi (his son) who will perform live in concert in Brendle Recital Hall on Saturday, March 28^th. The performance is titled “Peace - 2015” Gaurang Doshi, Live in Concert on Sarod. Tabla players Sandeep Hattangady & Rajen Sukhadia will also perform and they'll be joined by several of Gaurang's outstanding sarod and sitar students. In 2012, Rajen, Gaurang and sarod students Jim Robertson and Colin Allured visited Studio A with their instruments in hand, ready to share their musical journeys with all of us here on TAW. David began by asking Colin, who is already a gifted guitarist, why he chose to study this technically and musically challenging Indian instrument, the sarod.

Thanks also to Tabla player Rajen Sukhadia, and Gaurang's sarod students Colin Allured and Jim Robertson. “Peace - 2015” Gaurang Doshi, Live in Concert is Saturday, March 28^th at 7:00 PM in Brendle Recital Hall on the WFU campus. Tickets are just 7 bucks, 5 for seniors and children, and Wake students get in for free.

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Christopher James Lees

Christopher James Lees is one of the world's hottest young conductors. The 2013 winner of the Aspen Conducting Prize is also only the second American Gustavo Dudamel Conducting Fellow with the Los Angeles Philharmonic. Christopher made his debut with that orchestra in April 2013 and returned for concerts there just last month.

Also last month he was busy leading the UNC School of the Arts Symphony Orchestra in Winston-Salem and putting the finishing touches on this wonderful all Russian program, beginning with the mysterious opener: Modest Mussorgsky's Prelude to Khovanschina.

"Russian Fireworks" was Thursday night, March 19^th in the Stevens Center for the Performing Arts. The orchestra's next performance will be in May where Christopher will take the ensemble from explosive Russian works to something smaller: Musical Miniatures. That's May 2^nd in Crawford hall on the UNCSA campus.

Eddie's pick for this week is a night of experimental music on 3/24 at local record store/music venue/art space Reanimator Records. There's a big emphasis on effected violin at this show, with Divine Circles of Asheville, NC leading the way. Here's her song "Midwest."

Bethany's pick is "An Evening with Margaret Atwood." Atwood will be at the Greenboro Coliseum Complex on Tuesday, March 24th as part of the Guilford College Bryan Series. 

David recommends checking out Forecast Music at the Community Arts Cafe on April 10th. Don't miss this music event on the influence of Eastern music on contemporary composers.