#5: Stas Venglevski and Music from Almost Yesterday at UW-Milwaukee.
Why? Because this is Milwaukee, and most of us have a genome that connects our brains to the gentle oom-pah and biting melodies of a squeezebox. And because Venglevski – who actually plays the accordion-like bayan – is a virtuoso who can play anything from Bach to The Beatles. And because this concert features Venglevski and the MFAY ensemble performing contemporary music from around the world, including Yehuda Yannay’s “Bayanette for Two.”
#4: Ricardo Lemvo & Makina Loca at Latino Arts.
Why? Because nothing brightens up a chilled and dreary winter night than the AfroCuban music of bands like Makina Loca. And because front man Ricardo Lemvo brings the spirit of Africa (he was born in Congo to Angolan parents) and the heat and fire of Cuban clave together in a heady mix that is sure to get you moving. And because his recordings have been celebrated as some of world music’s best offerings of the last decade.
#3: Mucca Pazza at Turner Hall.
Why? Because it is the Tuesday known as “Fat.” Because the spirit of New Orleans has endured through Katrina and oil spills and even four years of Bobby Jindal. Because Mucca Pazza isn’t exactly a New Orleans band. In fact, they’re not even remotely a New Orleans band. But they are a 30-piece “circus punk marching band,” which comes as close to the spirit of the Big Easy as you can get without a stroll through the Treme. And because the Turner Hall folks are turning this into a regular Mardi Gras celebration, with food by Maxie’s Southern Comfort and Milwaukee’s largest King Cake!
#2: Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra at Uihlein Hall.
Why? Because something tells me that you might be feeling a bit “revolutionary” these days, and there’s no better company than the ol’ Ludwig Van and his “Eroica” symphony. Originally intended to celebrate the post-Revolutionary fervor of Napoleonic France, Beethoven reportedly ripped up the work after hearing the Napoleon declared himself “emperor.” Politics aside, Beethoven’s Third Symphony is one of the greats, and we’re eager to hear Edo de Waart’s way with it. We’re also thrilled that De Waart is opening the concert with “Harmonium,” a large-scale piece by John Adams, a contemporary composer that de Waart has championed since his early days.
#1: Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom at the Milwaukee Rep.
Why? Because August Wilson’s 10-play “Pittsburgh Cycle” is regarded as one of the masterpieces of modern American theater. And because the Rep has teamed with the venerable Actor’s Theatre of Louisville to mount a version that is generating buzz around the country. Chicago-based Ron OJ Parson directs a hard-hitting production that was called “a theatrical masterpiece” when it played in Louisville. Here, the music of Ma Rainey and the searing words of Wilson’s dialogue should make it a provocative treat.
