With so much going on culturally speaking in our region, this is my highly selective, curated snapshot of some of the most promising events happening this weekend, including dance, chamber music, funk, Americana … plus a whole lot more.
A new dance setting of the biblical Song of Songs created by the Fisher Center’s internationally celebrated choreographer-in-residence, Pam Tanowitz, with new music from Pulitzer Prize-winning composer David Lang, a cofounder of Bang on a Can, makes its world premiere at Bard tonight through Sunday. Based on Song of Songs (also known as the Song of Solomon), Tanowitz’s collaboration with Lang is a collage of movement, sound, and song that reimagines ancient rituals of love and courtship. (July 1-3)
Also at Bard SummerScape tonight, art-rock new-wave goddess Nona Hendryx performs in the Spiegeltent with her band, Mamafunk. (July 1)
Speaking of dance, Ronald K. Brown / EVIDENCE returns to Jacob’s Pillow this weekend to perform several works in the Ted Shawn Theatre, including the world premiere of The Equality of Night and Day, with jazz pianist and composer Jason Moran playing live for each performance. Also this weekend, BODYTRAFFIC from Los Angeles will perform Micaela Taylor’s SNAP, a funk journey set to music by James Brown, and Matthew Neenan’s A Million Voices, set to the music of Peggy Lee, on the Pillow’s outdoor stage. (Fri-Sun, July 1-3)
Pop-folk singer-songwriter Brooke Annibale brings her dreamy, dark, and enticing original compositions to Club B-10 at MASS MoCA in North Adams, Mass., on Saturday at 8pm. (Sat, July 2)
Aston Magna continues its summer season of weekly performances with The Chamber Music of Robert and Clara Schumann, tonight at Hudson Hall in Hudson, N.Y., and Saturday night at St. James Place in Great Barrington, Mass. (July 1-2)
The Albany-based Lost Radio Rounders, a trio featuring Thomas Lindsay, Michael Eck, and Paul Jossman, bring their vintage acoustic Americana to the Bridge Street Theatre in Catskill, N.Y., on Sunday at 2pm. (Sun, July 3)
Grammy Award-nominated vocalist Becca Stevens brings her smooth, sophisticated, and sensual pop sounds to the Falcon in Marlboro, N.Y., on Sunday at 7pm. (Sun, July 3)
SUO, the solo project of Brooklyn-based musician and artist Saara Untracht-Oakner, brings her New York City rock, which draws inspiration from Lou Reed, Patti Smith, and B-52s among others, to The Foundry in West Stockbridge, Mass., tonight at 7:30pm (July 1)
Two-time GRAMMY nominee, classically trained violinist, pianist, and vocalist turned alt-rock singer-songwriter Tracy Bonham, brings her unique, intimate pop-rock to Caffe Lena in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., on Saturday at 8pm. (Sat, July 2)
At Tanglewood on Saturday beginning at 10am in the morning, there will be a string quartet marathon in Ozawa Hall featuring players from the Tanglewood Music Center, performing works by dozens of composers, including Sally Beamish, Chen Yi, Gabriela Lena Frank, Adolphus Hailstork, Haydn, Jesse Montgomery, Gabriela Ortiz, Shulamit Ran, Alvin Singleton, and Hilary Tann. (Sat, July 2)
Then of course on Sunday and Monday, a Berkshire-based singer-songwriter who goes by the name of James Taylor holds forth in his annual Fourth of July weekend residency at Tanglewood. (July 3-4)
Seth Rogovoy is editor of the Rogovoy Report, available at rogovoyreport.com
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