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UB40 Announced First New Album in Five Years and 40th Anniversary Tour

As part of their 40^th anniversary celebrations, Britain’s world-famous reggae band UB40 released their first new studio album in five years in September 2018, before embarking on an extensive world tour.

Titled ‘For The Many’, the new album will be the Birmingham reggae veterans’ nineteenth studio album, featuring UB40 founder members Robin Campbell (co-vocals/Guitar), Brian Travers (saxophone/keyboards), Jimmy Brown (drums), Earl Falconer (bass/keyboards/vocals) and Norman Hassan (percussion/vocals), and long-time members Duncan Campbell (vocals), Martin Meredith (saxophone), Laurence Parry (trumpet) and Tony Mullings (keyboards).

The band will also be releasing two companion versions of ‘For The Many’, as Brian Travers explains, “We have really enjoyed making this album, a huge amount of work went into it. It became a massive piece of work so, in addition to the regular version of the album, there will be a dub version and a collaboration version, featuring guest artists from all around the world.”

Travers added, “Both our new album and the tour are going to be called ‘For The Many’, which we adopted from Jeremy Corbyn’s Labour Party slogan. It is our 40th anniversary, so we are doing forty dates to celebrate that. We can’t wait to start that tour in 2019, but the celebrations start this year with our sold-out show at the Royal Albert Hall in June, before our big hometown concert at Arena Birmingham on 21^st December.”

Singer Duncan Campbell said, “After ten years of fronting UB40, for us to do an album of our own original material feels like this is the final hurdle for me. The album and its title reflect how UB40 are all in support of Jeremy Corbyn. Both of the songs I have written on the album also reflect this support of The Labour Party. We all feel this album is an album going back to what UB40 was all about. We are all excited for everybody to hear the album and looking forward to touring it.”

Drummer Jimmy Brown said, “‘For The Many’ is our first original album with Duncan, and a true reflection of where the band are at right now. It gave us an opportunity to go back to our roots and draw on the 1970’s-style reggae that inspired us to be in a band in the first place. There’s lots of dub, various guest toasters and a blend of love songs and political songs. Really looking forward to playing some of these tunes live on our 40th anniversary tour in spring next year, and at our Royal Albert Hall 40th birthday gig. We intended to make an uncompromising reggae album and I think we have achieved that. I’m really happy with the final result.”

Co-vocalist and guitarist Robin Campbell added, “‘For The Many’ is a great mix of reggae styles, while the different artists we have collaborated with will appeal to more fans and tastes in reggae – it really is an album for the many. The 2019 UK tour is a continuation of our 40th year celebrations, as well as sharing tracks from our latest album. Forty dates around the UK instead of a few arenas means that our fans from all over the UK can get to see us much more locally and up close – truly a tour for the many.”

UB40 formed in 1978, naming themselves after the unemployment benefit form, before releasing their debut album ‘Signing Off’ in August 1980 – considered by many to be one of the greatest reggae albums ever released by a British band.

It was the start of a career that has since seen UB40 have forty UK Top 40 hit singles and – with sales of over 100 million records – seen their albums reside in the UK’s Top 75 album chart for a combined period of eleven years, making UB40 one of the most successful British groups of all-time.

UB40 will showcase songs from ‘For The Many’ alongside many of their seventeen UK Top 10 hit singles, including ‘Kingston Town’, ‘Food For Thought’, ‘One In Ten’, ‘I Can’t Help Falling In Love With You’, ‘Don’t Break My Heart’ and ‘Sing Our Own Song’ and, of course, ‘Red, Red Wine’, amongst other fan favourites.

The tour in 2019 will begin at Portsmouth’s Guildhall on 29^th March 2019, with the final night of the tour taking place at The Roundhouse in London on 25^th May.

The full list of dates for UB40’s ‘For The Many’ 40th Anniversary tour are available at:

www.ub40.global / http://facebook.com/ub40official / @UB40official / http://instagram.com/ub40official
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TICKETS $30 – $70

50 Years of Abbey Road with the Liverpool Legends

In 2019, Liverpool Legends will be celebrating 50 years of Abbey Road, considered to be the most iconic Beatles record of all time. Abbey Road was a masterpiece of musical vision and imagination, from the harmonies to the melodies and instrument sounds – it’s utter perfection. The music was epic and probably the summit of the entire band’s musical genius.

With precise attention to every musical detail, along with costume changes, vintage instruments and special effects, The Liverpool Legends will bring back the sounds and feelings of the music that is special in the hearts to people all over the world, The Liverpool Legends will make you feel like you are watching listening to the real thing!

Together, these four lads will bring you “The Complete Beatles Experience.”

The #1 rated Beatles Show in the world today!

A portion of the proceeds will benefit Easter Seals of Lorain County
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The River Raisin Ragtime Revue is based in Tecumseh, situated on the River Raisin in Southeast Michigan. R4 regularly performs at quality venues including The Henry Ford Museum, the Detroit Institute of Art, and Ann Arbor’s Michigan Theater and has partnered with historic Greenfield Village in Dearborn, Michigan, to present a major annual ragtime festival drawing thousands. R4 has collaborated with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra and numerous major soloists to create engaging community programming. R4 produces an annual Ragtime Extravaganza! program that brings together musicians, dancers, actors and visual artists to recreate a ragtime-era vaudeville revue. As part of its mission to bring music to underserved areas, R4 has participated in school workshop programs throughout the state and has brought high-caliber entertainment to hospitals and assisted-living communities.

R4 has documented significant American musical achievements with four outstanding CD recordings. R4’s debut CD, The Red Back Book: Standard High Class Rags, was released in May 2005. This CD is the first-ever complete recording of this historic collection of fifteen classic rags published by Stark Music of St. Louis. The collection features some of ragtime’s greatest literature, including Scott Joplin’s “Maple Leaf Rag,” “The Entertainer,” and “Easy Winners.” Also included are works by James Scott, Joseph Lamb, Arthur Marshall, J. Russel Robinson and Maurice Kirwin.

R4 released its second CD, Ragtime Detroit! Michigan’s Contribution to America’s Original Music, on the Stomp Off Records ragtime and traditional jazz label in 2006. Ragtime Detroit! chronicles Michigan’s significant involvement in the development of syncopated popular music and includes major hits like “Creole Belles” and “Dill Pickles,” as well as never-before recorded ragtime gems.

In 2011, R4 partnered with Greenfield Village to release Raggin’ at Greenfield Village, which showcases the many styles of ragtime that the orchestra has performed there. This CD includes the first published rag by an African American composer, and historically important music that had never been previously recorded.

Animal Fair: Ragtime Music for Children and the Young At Heart was released in 2013 and features ragtime, blues and early jazz orchestrations of animal themed songs. Filled with upbeat and energetic music, it combines popular period tunes like “Tiger Rag” and “Kitten on the Keys” with new found works like “Lucky Dog Stop Rag” and “Rhinoceros Rag.” Animal Fair also features two new ragtime works, “Warthog Stride,” by Catherine McMichael and “Elephant Rag,” by William Hayes.

These recordings have received outstanding reviews in local, national and international publications and have been aired on radio stations around the world. George Chien, writing for Fanfare Magazine states, “…an eminently enjoyable disc…played with infectious enthusiasm…it is education, entertainment, and a sonic blast rolled into one.” Mike Durham of Just Jazz [London, England] writes, “The music on this CD [Ragtime Detroit!] has been meticulously researched and is performed to an equally meticulous high standard. This CD is packed with rare treasures, beautifully played.”
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Featuring the
Ballet Theatre of Toledo

Sponsored by
Dr. Dale & Maura Braun
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The Nutcracker Ballet is based on the story “The Nutcracker and the King of Mice” written by E.T.A. Hoffman.  Although what is seen on the stage today is different in detail from the original story, the basic plot remains the same; The story of a young German girl who dreams of a Nutcracker Prince and a fierce battle against a Mouse King with seven heads.

When Marius Petipa had the idea to choreograph the story into a ballet, it was actually based on a revision by Alexander Dumas, a well-known French author.  His version reflects more of what we have come to love as the Nutcracker Ballet.

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Several years ago three musicians from the far corners of the world moved to New York City with the common goal of pursuing their dreams of becoming world class performing musicians.

When these three musicians met in New York City in 2012 a musical explosion occurred resulting in the creation of O Sole Trio, an exhilarating and uniquely talented classical crossover ensemble, that has been taking concert halls by storm all over the world.

O Sole Trio quickly established themselves as a musical force, selling out major venues such as Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts (who also commissioned their first show), The Redlands Bowl, CA (to a crowd of 6,000+), Ronnie Scott’s, London, and over 200 other venues all over the United States, Canada, and the UK. O Sole Trio features the lush and mesmerizing voices of soprano Erin Shields, and baritone Giuseppe Spoletini, as well as the versatile and virtuosic David Shenton on piano and violin, the world’s first (and possibly only) musician to play violin and piano simultaneously.

From deliciously witty to incredibly moving, O Sole Trio’s shows have it all; they breathe new life into familiar toe-tapping favorites with their unique and innovative arrangements. The trio has garnered rave reviews from audiences and critics alike.

O Sole Trio continues to tour extensively throughout the United States. They are extremely proud to provide educational outreach concerts and masterclasses to children of all ages and economic backgrounds.

© 2018 by O Sole Trio
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