Tuesday, April 01, 2014

MADCO's "Liquid Roads" to mix live jazz, modern dance on April 11 & 12 at the Touhill

The St. Louis modern dance company MADCO will perform to live music under the direction of trumpeter Brian Casserly during their new show "Liquid Roads," which premieres at 8:00 p.m. Friday, April 11 and Saturday, April 12 at the Touhill Performing Arts Center's Anheuser-Busch Performance Hall.

Called MADCO's "grandest production to date," the performance created and choreographed by Gina Patterson "celebrates St. Louis in a lively look at the music and dance of the city’s rich history and culture."

“Live music is an intrinsic part of 'Liquid Roads,'” said MADCO executive director Stacy West. “It’s not just the beat the dancers keep time to...it’s the inspiration, the storyline, the heart.” The group hopes to take "Liquid Roads" on tour, West said, and earlier this year raised $15,000 via Kickstarter to help mount the production. You can see a short video about the show that was used in the fund-raising campaign here.

The 90-minute production features a four-piece live band led by Casserly, a former member of the Soulard Blues Band perhaps best known these days for his work with the trad jazz and swing group Cornet Chop Suey.

They'll play seven original tunes written by Casserly and a variety of covers, including contemporary songs such as "Ain't No Sunshine" and "Louisiana 1927," as well as older tunes like "What A Wonderful World," "St. James Infirmary," "Wang Dang Doodle," and "Jumpin' With Symphony Sid"; Raymond Scott's cartoon perennial "Powerhouse"; and the gospel standards "Wasn't That A Mystery" and "Down to the River to Pray."

Starting at 7:00 p.m. before each performance, the Sidney Street Shakers will play live music in the Touhill lobby while local swing dancers demonstrate their skills. Tickets for MADCO's "Liquid Roads" are $30 and are on sale now at the Touhill ticket office, online at http://www.touhill.org/, or by phone at 314-516-4949.

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