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George Lernis Quintet at Next Stage Arts

Next Stage Arts presents world-recognized percussionist George Lernis and his quintet, performing the music from his latest album “Between Two Worlds” at Next Stage on Saturday, January 27 at 7:30 pm.

The name of the album was inspired by the 15th century Turkish mystic Hacı Bayram Veli’s poem “Between Two Worlds” and depicts Lernis’s journey as an immigrant originally from Nicosia, Cyprus who eventually moved to the U.S. The music showcases Lernis’s bi-musicality, blending Jazz and Middle Eastern music in a tasteful and respectful manner to both of these rich musical traditions. Lernis’s quintet features a stellar group of musicians including the wonderful Turkish vocalist, Heiraza AKA Burcu Gülec, Swedish born bassist Bruno Råberg, American trumpeter Emiel De Jaegher, and Turkish piano, oud, and ney player Mehmet Ali Sanlıkol.

This concert will be preceded by a free workshop at 3:00 pm: a seminar that will take its audience on a journey through the sounds and rhythms of the percussion instruments used in the Middle East and Eastern Mediterranean regions. World recognized percussionist George Lernis will go over the origins, styles and techniques of those instruments by demonstrating and performing: riq (Arabic tambourine), darbuka (goblet shape drum), daire (frame drum with zills) and bendir (frame drum). Lernis is a Cooperman endorser and will be presenting this workshop on Cooperman made drums. Participants are encouraged to bring their own drums, or use one of the drums provided by Cooperman for the duration of the workshop.

Next Stage is located at 15 Kimball Hill in downtown Putney, VT. Tickets are $20 Advance / $25 At the Door / $10 Livestream. Advance tickets are available at nextstagearts.org. Next Stage will provide a beer, wine, and cocktail cash bar. For information, call 802-387-0102 or visit nextstagearts.org.