The Mainstay in Rock Hall MD welcomes gypsy jazz group Ultrafaux featuring Michael Joseph Harris for a live in person concert on Saturday August 28, 2021 at 8 pm. Tickets are $20 online/advance and $25 at the door. Information and ticket sales are available on the Mainstay’s website at www.facebook.com/mainstayrockhall and www.mainstayrockhall.org. The Mainstay is dedicated to the safety of its patrons, performers, volunteers, and employees. As such we require all patrons to wear a mask indoors at The Mainstay regardless of vaccination status. We also strongly encourage everyone who is not yet vaccinated to do so if they are able.
One of the world’s most prolific composers of Gypsy jazz, the Baltimore bandleader is known to stretch the boundaries of the genre. His music encompasses elements of folk, world, and jazz and the new sound appeals to listeners who enjoy fast picking, solid melodies, irresistible rhythms, and exciting solos. Says popular Canadian journalist Raul da Gama, “One can’t help but wonder what this prodigiously gifted musician will do next!?”
With Ultrafaux (and his more traditional group Hot Club of Baltimore), Harris has appeared in concert halls, clubs and festivals such as Festival Django Reinhardt in France, Preston Jazz and Improvisation Festival in England, Djangoary Soiree Festival in Virginia, Django by the Sea in Maine, Midwest Gypsy Swing Festival, and Charm City Django Jazz Festival. (He is artistic director and founder of the latter event.) Reaching new audiences with his expanded sound, he and Ultrafaux were featured at Charm City Bluegrass Festival and the Folk Alliance International 2020 conference.
Ultrafaux comes in many shapes and sizes from trio to large ensemble and every performance offers something new. What remains constant is a high level of artistry and innovation. This riveting performance will feature four versatile players, each a gifted artist in their own right. They include rhythm guitarist Kristoffer Belgica, acoustic bassist Shawn Simon and Russian violinist Nataly Merezhuk.
Listeners will enjoy originals from the hot new album along with tunes from earlier recordings. Album highlights include “Jaguar,” a swing tune in D minor which Harris calls “a kind of homage to traditional Gypsy jazz” and “Dame Ivre.” With that composition, Harris creates the mixture of awkwardness and elegance that the title (“Drunk Lady”) might suggest.
The program also includes covers by familiar names such as Charles Trenet, Duke Ellington, and (of course!) Django Reinhardt. Even ardent music lovers may be surprised at new inclusions by Henry Salvador and Tchan Tchou Vidal. Most will recognize “Sweet Georgia Brown” and “Claire de lune,” but sweet surprises are always in store with this band. WTMD’s Sam Sessa advises, “Just when you think you’ve got this band pegged, they surprise you. This is some of their most adventurous and beguiling music yet.”
The Mainstay (Home of Musical Magic) is the friendly informal storefront performing arts center on Rock Hall’s old time Main Street. It is a 501(c)(3), nonprofit dedicated to the arts, serving Rock Hall, MD and the surrounding region and is committed to presenting local, regional and national level talent, at a reasonable price, in an almost perfect acoustic setting. Information and advance ticket sales are available on the Mainstay’s website www.mainstayrockhall.org and information for supporting The Mainstay can be found at www.mainstayrockhall.org/sponsors.
Upcoming Mainstay performances include:
August 28 – Ultrafaux
September 3 – Stephen Phillip Harvey Jazz Orchestra
September 9 – Charlie Byrd Tribute with Chuck Redd
September 13 – Joe Holt with Eddie Sherman and Peggy Raley
September 18 – Ellen Cherry
September 25 – Danny Paisley and Southern Grass
September 27 – Joe Holt with Jen Friedman
October 2 – TBA
October 9 – Rock Hall Fall Fest
October 11 – Joe Holt with Libby York
October 16 – Jeff Antoniuk and Helluvaband
October 23 – Alynn Johnson and Robert Redd
November 6 – Karen Somverville
November 8 – Joe Holt and Dick Durham
November 13 – Frank Vignola
November 20 – Sue Matthews
November 22 – Joe Holt with Barbara Parker and Bob Taylor
December 12 – Harp and Soul Holiday Show
December 13 – Joe Holt with Sharon and Shawn