Carolina Performing Arts hosts series of global musicians

In the span of a week, the music of Senegal, European youth and some of America’s finest jazz musicians will grace the stage of Memorial Hall.

Carolina Performing Arts’ full lineup of musical performers from around the globe will kick off tonight with the Joshua Redman & Brad Mehldau Duo.

Following on Friday, the European Union Youth Orchestra will perform along with various members of the UNC student body and faculty.

And rounding up the week’s musical tour of the world will be Cheikh Lo, Senegalese Sufi troubadour, who will be performing an array of African and Latin songs.

“It’s really exciting and fun to think of three different concerts that are just going to be hitting up a wide range of music lovers,” said Ellen James, marketing manager for the executive office for the arts.

The three performances come almost back to back as the Carolina Performing Arts season winds down.

Joshua Redman & Brad Mehldau duo – Tonight

Redman, jazz saxophonist, and Mehldau, jazz pianist, became famous around roughly the same time, said Stephen Anderson, a professor in the music department. But their musical styles are drastically different.

Grammy-nominated Redman has a style that harps upon traditional jazz techniques in a refreshing way which, in part, is what brought him fame in his earlier years, Anderson said.

“Redman was a return to an older style but yet always sounded modern in some sort of paradoxical way,” he said.

Anderson said that, while both are very talented musicians, Mehldau is more influenced by popular music like that of Radiohead and Nirvana.

“They are both virtuosos with incredible technique,” he said. “Mehldau eventually began to start doing more and more popular music of the day.”

With this kind of talented duo, Anderson said that it is best to expect the unexpected.

“Both of these guys are reinventing themselves, they are pushing the envelope,” he said.

EU Youth Orchestra – Friday

The Orchestra is a group of 130 musicians from all 27 members of the European Union.

The orchestra tries to bring musicians together to foster the European ideal of communities working together for the greater good, said Alix de Mauny, marketing manager of the orchestra.

“Music transcends boundaries in the most extraordinary way, and this is what we want to share with our American peers,” she said.

The college-age orchestra will be performing with the Carolina Choir as well as members of the voice faculty and pianist Clara Yang, a UNC music professor.

Cheikh Lo – Saturday

Lo, a member of the Islamic sect Baye Fall from Senegal, is a singer, songwriter, guitarist, percussionist and drummer.

James said that as a global performer, he is hard to categorize.

“You hear jazz and Latin and then you hear Afro-beat influences and then of course, music from Senegal,” she said.

His musical style is about as vibrant as his colorful clothing that he wears as a symbol of his religion, James said.

And she said Lo’s faith is just as apparent in his music as in his attire.

“He sings about things like world peace and people coming together,” she said. “He’s just presenting beautiful music.”

Contact the Arts Editor at arts@dailytarheel.com.