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High-resolution downloadable images of The Bird and The Bee, Obi Best, BeauSoleil avec Michael Doucet, and Emmanuel Ceysson are available on Wolf Trap’s Web site: http://www.wolftrap.org/Media_and_Newsroom/Photos_for_Publication.aspx

Contact: Graham Binder, Manager, Public Relations
(703) 255-1917 or grahamb@wolftrap.org
 

The Barns at Wolf Trap Offers Breezy Tropicalia-Jazz Rhythms, Fiery Cajun Music, and an Internationally Renowned Harpist

Vienna, VA—The Barns at Wolf Trap kicks off the first week of March with a wide variety of musical talent including retro indie pop, the “world’s greatest Cajun band,” and the elegant sounds of the harp. The Bird and The Bee perform their eclectic mix of feathery harmonies and electronic beats on Wednesday, March 4, followed by the energetic music of 2009 Grammy Award-winning Cajun group BeauSoleil avec Michael Doucet on Thursday, March 5. Closing the week is accomplished harpist Emmanuel Ceysson as he demonstrates his “poetic expressiveness” in a Discovery Series performance, on Friday, March 6.

The Bird and the Bee w/special guest Obi Best
Wednesday, March 4, 2009 at 8 p.m.
$20

The Bird and The Bee

The Bird and the Bee, an indie-pop duo from Los Angeles, is known for their sly humor and eclectic mix of airy Brazilian Tropicalia, ’60s psychedelic pop, and sparse electronic beats. The band is currently touring behind their latest release, Ray Guns Are Not Just The Future, which is characterized as a departure from their previous work, featuring neo-jazz melodies and more dance-friendly beats. SPIN Magazine lauded it as “a pop album with surprising depth.” Vocalist Inara George is the daughter of Little Feat’s famed Lowell George and multi-instrumentalist, Greg Kurstin is an accomplished jazz pianist as well as an in-demand songwriter/producer who has worked alongside the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Lily Allen. While the duo began nonchalantly creating songs after collaborating on George’s solo album, their music has garnered significant critical acclaim. Rolling Stone has praised their music as “syncopated danceable pop that sounds like audible sunshine.” Their 2007 self-titled debut album produced “F-cking Boyfriend,” a remix which secured the No. 1 spot on Billboard’s Hot Dance Club Play Chart.

Obi Best

With a knack for electronic instruments and futuristic combinations, Obi Best has drawn comparison to groups Au Revoir Simone and Stereolab. Featuring playful and upbeat songs, their debut album, Capades, was released digitally in August 2008. NPR’s Second Stage describes the release as “refreshing, keyboard-driven pop.” Although often found singing backup for the Bird and the Bee, Alex Lilly is the dynamic lead singer of the band, having written and produced every song on the album. Lilly’s infectious melodies and witty lyrics continue to please electro-pop fans.

BeauSoleil avec Michael Doucet
General Admission Dance
Thursday, March 5, 2009 at 8 p.m.
$25

Fresh off their 2009 Grammy win for Best Zydeco or Cajun album, BeauSoleil and fiddler virtuoso Michael Doucet return to The Barns for an energetic and pulsing general admission dance. Known as one of the best Cajun bands in the world, BeauSoleil emerged out of Doucet’s desire to preserve the dying art form of Cajun music. Always focused on keeping their music contemporary, this Grammy Award-winning group blends New Orleans jazz, Old World, bayou-style surf, Caribbean, and blues with traditional Cajun and Zydeco music. In 2001 BeauSoleil recorded Looking Back Tomorrow: BeauSoleil Live! at The Barns at Wolf Trap to celebrate their silver anniversary. In their newest release, Alligator Purse, BeauSoleil adds bluegrass and jazz influences to create a new set of danceable tunes. More than 30 years after their start, Doucet and BeauSoleil remain determined to innovate and push musical boundaries.

Emmanuel Ceysson, harp
Friday, March 6, 2009 at 8 p.m.
$35

French harp sensation, Emmanuel Ceysson makes his Wolf Trap debut at The Barns in this Discovery Series performance including works by Fauré and Bach that showcase his expert technique. Ceysson has acquired a staggering amount of awards, illustrating his incomparable skill and popularity around the world. Distinguished prizes include Alice Rosner Foundation Prize, Buffalo Chamber Music Society Prize, Vancouver Recital Society Prize, Usedom Music Festival Prize (Germany), and the Summis Auspiciis Prize among countless others. Ceysson also won the 2004 USA International Harp Competition as well as the 2006 Young Concert Artists International Auditions. London’s The Daily Telegraph praises his music, raving that it has a “remarkable fullness and variety of tone, beautifully expressive.” In addition to performing with prestigious groups, Ceysson serves as the Principal Harp of the Paris Opera Orchestra. As an artist who truly understands and connects with his music, Ceysson routinely entrances audiences with his delicately intricate playing.

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Tickets can be purchased by calling 1 (877) WOLFTRAP; or online at http://www.wolftrap.org/Purchase_Tickets.aspx

For more information, call The Barns at Wolf Trap at (703) 938-2404.