Music of the Grand Finale – Summer Solstice weekend:
The grand finale weekend opens on Friday, June 21 at 8pm with the Spencer Barefield Super String Quartet. “Paganini to Piazzolla, Barefield & Beyond” will be presented by this adventurous ensemble—featuring world-renowned guitarist A. Spencer Barefield, violinist Jannina Barefield Norpoth, violist John Madison and bassist John-Paul Norpoth. The quartet straddles the boundaries of traditional, avant garde and modern jazz, classical, world music and other music idioms.
The multi-talented string players will perform exciting works composed by 2010 Kresge Arts Fellow Barefield, as well as selections that will come from their repertoire, such as legendary jazz composers such as Joe Henderson, Dizzy Gillespie, Oliver Nelson, John Coltrane, Thelonius Monk, Duke Ellington, Billy Strayhorn. Add some spicy classical works of Spanish composers Enrique Granados and Manuel de Falla, and Argentine tango composer Astor Piazzolla, and the challenging works of Niccolò Paganini, for out-of-this-world music — performed by four virtuosic, super string players.
Jannina (Spencer’s daughter) has soloed with the Detroit Symphony, and has been a featured performer alongside Itzhak Perlman, Emmanuelle Boisvert, Regina Carter, Marcus Belgrave, Beyoncé and Jay-Z. Jannina’s husband John-Paul has performed under the batons of Itzhak Perlman, Kurt Mazur, Bright Sheng, Jamie Laredo, Otto Werner Mueller and others in numerous New York-area orchestras. John is the principal violist for the Michigan Opera Theatre and regular Detroit Symphony Orchestra sub. He is among the Detroit area’s most esteemed performers and educators.
In addition, there will be a free concert for children from 5-6 with the A. Spencer Barefield Super String Quartet. Reservations can be made at palmerwoodsmusicforchildren.eventbrite.com
On Saturday, June 22 at 8 pm, Thornetta Davis and her ensemble fill the stage. Detroit’s “Queen of the Blues” is equally at home with R&B, soul, and the timeless Motown sound. Her voice is at once commanding and deliciously smooth. Thornetta’s seductive way with melody has made her a natural to perform as an opening act for stars as diverse as Ray Charles, Smokey Robinson, Etta James, Buddy Guy, Gladys Knight, Junior Wells, Lonnie Brooks, and Johnnie Johnson. Thornetta is an extraordinary artist whose other venues include the Ann Arbor Blues and Jazz Festival (with Bonnie Raitt) and the Lilith Fair at Pine Knob (with Sarah McLachlan). Even Kid Rock sings Thornetta’s praises, after sharing the stage with her at the VH1 Vogue Fashion Awards at Madison Square Garden. She has also recorded vocals for CDs by Kid Rock and Bob Seger. For more than two decades, Thornetta has been one of the driving wheels of Detroit’s rich musical heritage. In 2001, she was inducted into the Detroit Music Hall of Fame. In 2002, the Detroit Music Awards honored her live record at the Music Menu as Best R&B/Blues Recording. She has continually won top honors from the Detroit Music Awards as outstanding blues/r&b vocalist.
Thank you to our presenters, Palmer Woods Association and Creative Arts Collective, and our sponsors: Be Well Medical Center & Skin Rejuvenation; Barefield DesignWorks; Blossoms Birmingham; City Living Detroit, DMC Sinai-Grace Hospital, WRCJ-90.9FM.
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