Wednesday, February 24, 2010

The Blind Boys of Alabama and Allen Toussaint at UCLA March 6

UCLA Live presents an inspirational dual-headline event from gospel and jazz legends with The Blind Boys of Alabama and Allen Toussaint on Saturday March 6 at 8 p.m.

The Blind Boys of Alabama return to UCLA Live for a third time, their first appearance since 2003. Recently featured in the PBS special “In Performance at the White House: A Celebration of Music from the Civil Rights Movement,” a concert celebrating Black History Month, the seminal gospel group is known worldwide for its bold, soulful and uplifting performances.

The 71-year-old master songwriter, producer and piano virtuoso Allen Toussaint makes his first appearance at UCLA Live, bringing his signature take on classic New Orleans jazz to the stage. His 2009 release The Bright Mississippi—his first solo album in a decade—explores the work of his New Orleans forebears on a soulful, live-in-the-studio jazz set and was met with multiple accolades, including the Associated Press and NPR’s World Cafe top ten lists and a Grammy nomination for best jazz instrumental album.

Toussaint’s illustrious career includes writing and producing such classic hits as “Mother-in-Law,” “Workin’ in a Coal Mine,” and “Lady Marmalade” and extends across five decades of genre-spanning collaboration with jazz, R&B, rock-n-roll and country artists including The Pointer Sisters, Labelle, The Band, Paul McCartney, Elvis Costello, The Rolling Stones, The Who and more.

Single tickets are on sale now. UCLA Live at Royce Hall, 340 Royce Drive, Westwood. Sat., March 6 at 8 p.m. $25/40/52/66. ($15 UCLA students.) (310) 825-2101, www.uclalive.org.

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