Get to know the Summer at Northrop Artists - all the best from the Twin Cities and even Uppsala, Sweden!]]>
The University of Minnesota Summer Session and Concerts and Lectures present Summer at Northrop 2009 - 25 free, outdoor concerts showcasing music from around the globe. All concerts will be held weekdays from noon to 1 p.m. on the Northrop Plaza.
/11 Michael Hauser and a Touch of Spain
Returning to Northrop, Michael Hauser is one of a handful of master flamenco guitarists in the nation. After studying with a number of Spain's great flamenco guitarists including Luis Maravilla, Niño Ricardo, Justo de Badajoz, and Juan Maya "Marote" Michael now teaches at Macalester College in St. Paul. His most current group, A Touch of Spain, is an exciting new music and dance ensemble dedicated to presenting the art of flamenco in its most authentic form and "Nuevo Flamenco" which incorporates flute, sax, bass, percussion and guitar.
Official Website
/15 New Primitives - KICK OFF PARTY
Winner of the Minnesota Music Awards five years in a row, the New Primitives are known for their high energy performances of mixing world pop, reggae, and Latin rock. Formed in 1999, the diverse group of talented musicians performs regularly in the Twin Cities in dedication to bringing people together in an environment where everyone is welcome and anything is possible.
Stanley Kipper: lead vocals, timbales, trap drums, and percussion
Returned to Minneapolis after living in LA for 20 years playing with other accomplished artists and coming songs for several films and commercials
Chico Perez: percussion and backing vocals
Has been drumming for many years and keeps busy making drums and teaching African and Afro-Cuban percussion at the Minneapolis Drum Center
Joel Arpin: trap drums, percussion and backing vocals
Matthew Stevens: bass guitar, backup vocals
Played jazz at the U of M School of Music, and has played with several other Twin Cities bands including The Beads and Wookiefoot.
Tom Peterson: bass guitar
Brian "Snowman" Powers: saxophone, ewi, vocals, and producer
Javier Baldemar Trejo: guitar and vocals
Dee Jay Trichrome: Selector, beats, hype, and tech
Official Website
/16 France Has the Bomb
France has the bomb is a four piece band with a new sound of indie pop tinged rock touring locally at such venues as the Whole Music Club and Turf Club. They've also had considerable play time on Radio K.
Official Website
/17 Summit Ave.
Summit Ave. is a new addition to the Summer at Northrop lineup this year, but hardly new to the Twin Cities. Since they formed in 2004, they have earned the tag as one of the best up-and-coming bands in the Midwest blending rock, pop, and blues. In the summer of 2005, Summit Ave. played with Pete Yorn, The Wallflowers, Better Than Ezra, Blue Merle, Carbon Leaf, and more at the Bascilica Block Party. With their two successful albums under their belt, "As I Am" and "Bend", Summit Ave. has earned play time on over 200 different college radio stations, performed in nearly 250 shows and is being licensed by My Super Sweet Sixteen on MTV.
Official Website
/18 Kristoff Krane
The first hip hop act that we've ever had at the Summer at Northrop concerts.
His distinctive blend of message driven lyrics and carefully chosen beats proven to be a success with his first album "This Will Work for Now" released last September.
Krane has been very influential not only on the local hip-hop scene, but he has also impacted the community; known for his work with youth in schools, and recently published book, "The Other."
His talent has landed him at Soundset 09, a festival thrown by RhymeSayers Ent, with over 13,000 people in attendance. Krane has also shared the stage with such acts as Atmosphere, Brother Ali, Heiruspecs, POS, and MF Doom.
Official Website
/19 De Visa Musical Troupe from Uppsala, Sweden
Summer at Northrop is pleased to include the international group, De Visa Musical Troupe to the '09 lineup. With the group only in the Twin Cities for two weeks, we are excited to see their slight avant-garde twist to popular songs such as Kiss From a Rose, Every Breath You Take, and Mad World. We were fortunate enough to be teamed up with the troupe through the American Swedish Institute in Minneapolis who has been partnering with Uppsala, Sweden. Northrop will be donating to the Institute in exchange for the concert.
Official Website
/22 Café Accordion
A long time friend of the Summer at Northrop, Café Accordion is a loungy, eclectic mix, full of French flare, Latin heat and Bohemian attitude. Describing themselves as "berets and bongos," the core of their repertoire is a romantic, gypsy-influenced valse-musette with swing, ballads, tangos, and cha cha's for a varied show. Entertaining audiences since 1995, Café Accordion has appeared in Lincoln Center's Midsummer Nigh Swing series in New York, the International Akkoreon Festival in Vienna, the Minnesota State Fair, and many other festivals and theaters across the United States.
Official Website
/23 Lynhurst
Formerly The Abdomen, we had to bring the sibling pop rock trio back to Summer at Northrop while we could. This year is the only year that all three siblings are at the U of M. Led by singer/drummer Mari and accompanied by brothers Matt (guitar, keyboards, harmonies) and Jake (bass, harmonies), the group named themselves after the neighborhood park near where their band was born. After receiving nation wide recognition, Lynhurst has recently recorded in LA and is touring extensively across the Midwest and even playing at a few festivals in the south.
Official Website
/24 Charanga Tropical
Charanga Tropical is a nine-piece salsa ensemble performing classical salsa music with the unique "charanga" instrumentation that blends classic salsa with modern.
This perfect blend has rich harmonies that great for listening to and spicy variety that is perfect for dancing. Including master musicians from Cuba, Brazil, Mexico, and the U.S. their collective accomplishments include tours to Asia, Europe, and South America, platinum recordings, doctorate degrees, and multiple Latin Grammy nominations.
Saxophone and Flute player Doug Little founded the group in 2006 and has brought the unique charanga style to Minneapolis (its rarely heard outside of Cuba, Mexico, and a few select American cities). Joined with Viviana Pintado, a star pianist and vocalist who has received three Latin Grammy nominations, and Eliezer Freitas-Santos, Mariano Flores, Damian Rodriguez, Kerri Fabyanske, Latannia Ellerbe, Kirsti Petraborg, and Mark Haynes (who has recorded with Janet Jackson on two platinum selling CDs).
Official Website
/25 New Music Machine
A brand new band to the lineup, this indie folk rock group came from Elk River Minnesota. They recorded their first cd "Portable City" last year and have entertained crowds at the Whole Music Club and Varsity Theatre.
Official Website
/29 Tony Hauser and the Brasilnutz
Brother of esteemed flamenco guitarist, Michael Hauser, Tony is a virtuoso guitar player who is well known to audiences for his classical, flamenco and Latin-American guitar performances. For over a decade he has championed the music of Brazil and has played throughout the U.S. for over 25 years.
/30 Front Porch Swingin' Liquor Pigs
Referring to themselves as the "monster trucks of folk music" The Front Porch Swingin' Liquor Pigs are a real gem in the Twin Cities. Their spirited and mostly acoustic versions of arranged country, blues, folk, rock, and pop tunes are mixed with good humor and will certainly grab your attention. With at least two generations of fearless players, these guys will take on anything from Rolling Stones, the Replacements, the Faces, and Tom Waits.
Official Website
]]>
The first season organized by Director, Ben Johnson, has been hailed a "knockout." Receiving buzz from all around the Twin Cities, these tickets are practically flying out of the Ticket Office. A world premiere, Minnesota debuts, the world's most famous choir, and an all-star jazz tribute are just a few of the highlights everyone is raving about.
