Journey the world one song at a time
SCHENECTADY—The Proctors Collaborative Passport Series invites audiences to travel the world, one performance at a time, without leaving the theater. The series is designed to bring varied cultural experiences to the heart of the region, offering attendees an immersive experience with world-class performances in both Schenectady and Saratoga Springs.
“The opportunity to visit another part of the country or world in the evening and immerse yourself in the best of what that locale offers musically is a real treat,” said Music Haven Producing Artistic Director Mona Golub. “You don’t need to use your passport or buy a plane ticket to partake in a rich cultural experience before returning to the familiar comfort of home.”
This year’s lineup includes a variety of performers, each highlighting the rich traditions and vibrant artistry of different cultures and countries. The Scottish quintet Breabach kicks off the series on Friday, Oct. 11, at Proctors.
Journey the world
“Breabach is a brilliant Scottish quintet that pulses its country’s traditional music forward with grace and ingenuity,” said Golub. The award-winning group will make its Capital Region debut, merging traditional and modern Scottish music on fiddle, double bass, Highland bagpipe, whistle, bouzouki, guitar, cajón, and vocals.
At Universal Preservation Hall (UPH) on Friday, Feb. 7, the Grammy Award-winning Creole band Nathan & the Zydeco Cha Chas will bring their signature Zydeco music from their hometown of Lafayette, Louisiana. Lafayette is at the epicenter of the Zydeco movement, which combines blues and rhythm with African musical traditions native to Louisiana Creole music, such as la la and juré.
“This will be a club-style Passport Series concert that invites the audience to answer the call of the dance floor,” said Golub.
The dancing continues with the Latin Grammy-winning and Grammy-nominated ensemble Plena Libre at Proctors on Thursday, Feb. 27. With over 30 years of recording and touring history, Plena Libre is widely regarded as Puerto Rico’s most important plena, bomba, and salsa ensemble.
“Plena Libre are revered purveyors of plena and bomba, two distinct percussion-driven styles of Puerto Rican music that are irresistibly danceable,” said Golub, describing the club-style performance.
“Expect the unexpected,” Golub enthused about Moonlight Benjamin, “the punky voodoo queen from Haiti,” who will perform at UPH on Saturday, March 29. A dynamic vocalist who sings primarily in French, Benjamin’s high-energy performance blends voodoo, vintage rock and roll, and the roots of rock itself—blues.
At Proctors on Friday, April 11, Damir Imamovic, winner of the prestigious Best Artist of Europe award at the 2021 Songlines World Music Awards, will become the first Bosnian artist to perform in either the Music Haven or Passport Series.
“Damir Imamovic is an expert musician, singer, composer, and a preeminent authority on the traditional folk genres from Bosnia and Herzegovina, particularly ‘sevdalinka’ or ‘sevdah,’ an evocative and integral part of Bosniak culture that extends across the ex-Yugoslav region, including Croatia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia,” Golub explained.
The series will conclude on Friday, April 26, at UPH with a performance by Vieux Farka Touré, son of the legendary Malian guitar player Ali Farka Touré.
“Vieux Farka Touré from Mali is often called ‘the Hendrix of the Sahara,’” said Golub. As a guitarist and vocalist, he incorporates his West African roots into his music, seamlessly shifting between global influences of American blues, rock, folk, jazz, pop, and Latin music, as well as acoustic and electric styles.
Each year, the Proctors Collaborative Passport Series strives to increase accessibility and foster a greater understanding and appreciation of diverse arts and cultures.
Golub emphasized the ongoing collaboration between Music Haven and the Proctors Collaborative, a partnership that began in 2017. The partnership has expanded the “number and variety of global concert experiences available to audiences across the Capital Region,” she said.
The Passport Series aligns with Music Haven’s year-round mission. “For 30 years, the Music Haven Concert Series has presented an amazing array of global sounds in Schenectady’s Central Park, transporting summer seekers to locales like Yemen, Ukraine, Louisiana, Ireland, and Peru without ever leaving their seats,” said Golub.
“Whether you love a particular genre, feel drawn to music that reflects your heritage, or are curious about sounds from unfamiliar places, the Passport Series offers diverse musical adventures right in your backyard, providing an affordable and satisfying way to ‘visit’ Scotland, Puerto Rico, Lafayette, Haiti, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Mali—all in the same year!” Golub added.
Tickets are currently on sale through the Proctors Box Office in person, via phone at (518) 346-6204 (Monday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.), or online at atuph.org or proctors.org.
