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Afro-Cuban Roots and Indie Jazz Duo OKAN Debut At Caffè Lena

Written by Saratoga TODAY on . Posted in Entertainment.

Okantomi Tour : Okan perform début at Caffe Lena on Jan. 10.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — With stops at Toronto Winter Jazz, WNYC Studios, The Kennedy Centre and Milk Boy In Philadelphia, Juno-Award winning duo OKAN appear for the first time in Saratoga Springs.

The show will be staged 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 10, 2024 at Caffe Lena. 

Fusing Afro-Cuban roots with jazz, folk and global rhythms in songs about immigration, resistance and love, OKAN takes their name from the word for heart in their Afro-Cuban religion of Santeria. 

With vocals in Spanish, English and Spanglish, OKAN is led by the Cuban-born violinist and vocalist Elizabeth Rodriguez and percussionist and vocalist Magdelys Savigne, both Grammy and Latin-Grammy nominees. 

OKAN’s third full-length album, Okantomi, was released by LulaWord Records in August 2023, melds Afro-Cuban forms including sacred Lacumi chants and rhythms with virtuosic jazz and classical performances.

Tickets, go to: caffelena.org. 

Broadway’s Record-Breaking, Tony Award-Winning Musical Smash Coming to Proctors

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SCHENECTADY — CHICAGO will be on the MainStage at Proctors April 19-20, 2024 for three performances. 

Set amidst the razzle-dazzle decadence of the 1920s, CHICAGO is the story of Roxie Hart, a housewife and nightclub dancer who maliciously murders her on-the-side lover after he threatens to walk out on her. Desperate to avoid conviction, she dupes the public, the media and her rival cellmate, Velma Kelly, by hiring Chicago’s slickest criminal lawyer to transform her malicious crime into a barrage of sensational headlines.

The cast of CHICAGO features Katie Frieden returning as Roxie Hart, Kailin Brown as Velma Kelly, Connor Sullivan as Billy Flynn, Illeana “illy” Kirven returning as Matron “Mama” Morton, Robert Quiles as Amos Hart and J. Terrell as Mary Sunshine. 

Tickets are available through the Box Office at Proctors in-person, via phone at 518-346-6204 Monday-Saturday 10 a.m.-6 p.m. or online at proctors.org. 

Groups of 10 or more can get their tickets by calling 518-382-3884 ext. 139. 

Heart & Soul Tour 2024 – Chicago and Earth, Wind & Fire, to Play SPAC In July

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Heart & Soul, live at SPAC next summer.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Chicago, formed in 1967 and having recorded 38 albums, and Earth, Wind & Fire – formed in 1969 and having released 23 albums, bring their co-headlining tour across North America to Saratoga Springs next summer. 

The “Heart and Soul Tour 2024” will stage at Saratoga Performing Arts Center July 24. For tickets, go to: livenation.com.    

Hank Williams Jr. at Saratoga in August

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Image: Live at SPAC in August: Hank Williams, Jr., and Whiskey Myers.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Singer-songwriter Hank Williams Jr. has scheduled a stop during his 2024 on Aug. 23 at Saratoga Performing Arts Center.

Supporting act Whiskey Myers is also slated to perform. Tickets on sale online at LiveNation.com. 

Holiday Concert at Saratoga Arts Dec. 20

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Holiday concert with Cassandra Kubinski, Ria Curley with Chuck Lamb, and Marcus Ruggiero. 

SARATOGA SPRINGS —Original songs and holiday favorites will be featured in the festive and fabulous atmosphere of Saratoga Arts showcasing the talents of Cassandra Kubinski, Ria Curley with Chuck Lamb, and Marcus Ruggiero.

The event takes place 7 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 20 in the Dee Sarno Theater of the Saratoga Arts building, on Broadway in Saratoga Springs.  

VIP (with early entry), and general admission tickets are available. Go to: saratoga-arts.org.

2023 Winter Jewish Film Festival Featuring 19 Films Kicks Off Dec. 17

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SARATOGA SPRINGS —Congregation Shaara Tfille, The Jewish Community Center of Saratoga has announced the 2023 Winter Jewish Film Festival Dec. 17 – 31 featuring 19 films that may be able to stream directly into homes. 

The selected films include documentaries and notable international feature movies, which have been showcased in major Jewish film festivals around the country. The films include noted international releases such as: Haute Couture (France), Lost Transport (Germany), Our (Almost Completely True) Story (USA), My Father’s Secrets (France), First to Stand: The Cases and Causes of Irwin Cotler (Canada), Israel Swings for Gold (USA), and many more.

Pre-registration is required to access the films and the registration fee is $18, which provides access to all the films. Payments are payable on-line at the synagogue’s website: saratogasynagogue.org. (Use the PayPal donation link; select ‘other’; note “film festival”); in person at the synagogue office at 84 Weibel Ave., Saratoga Springs. 

For additional information about registration and the film festival, contact Barbara Opitz at: barbaraopitz47@gmail.com or call 518-428-2703 or the synagogue’s office at 518- 584-2370.

A Cosmic Christmas – Dec. 22 & 23 at Saratoga Springs Music Hall

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A Cosmic Christmas at Saratoga Music Hall.

SARATOGA SPRINGS —A Saratoga holiday speakeasy music event, presented by iTheatre Saratoga, will be staged at 8 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 22 & Saturday, Dec. 23 at the Music Hall – 474 Broadway. 

iTheatre promises a unique evening of classic “far out” songs along with some holiday favorites performed by a top-notch group of musicians and dynamic vocalists. 

Tickets to A Cosmic Christmas are available online at: itheatresaratoga.ticketspice.com/cosmic-christmas-a-holiday-speakeasy-music-event

Saratoga Jewish Community Arts Brings“Songs of Light and Hope” to Clifton Park Dec. 9

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CLIFTON PARK — Saratoga Jewish Community Arts brings Songs of Light and Hope: A Chanukah Concert and Sing-along to Congregation Beth Shalom in Clifton Park, 688 Clifton Park Center Road.

Rabbi Jonathan Kligler, on guitar, will be joined by Rabbi Zoe Zak on accordion and keyboard, and Robert Bard on stand-up bass, for a joyous evening of song to celebrate the Festival of Lights at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 9. 

Rabbi Kligler has been playing his guitar and leading people in song since his camp counselor days. He recently retired after 34 years serving as the spiritual leader of Kehillat Lev Shalem – the Woodstock Jewish Congregation, in Woodstock, New York.

Bassist Robert Bard began his career playing music on the streets and in the clubs of New York City. He graduated from Columbia University in 1981 and studied at Mannes School of Music. He worked for 15 years as a composer and music director for CBS-TV, where he was nominated for eight Emmy Awards. 

Rabbi Zoe B. Zak has served as the spiritual leader of Temple Israel of Catskill since 2012. She came to the rabbinate after an accomplished musical career and has brought her musical gifts to her congregation. 

Registration is required at sjca.sjcf@gmail.com  A $10 donation is requested.

Solo Exhibit by Artist Anne Diggory Opens at Spring Street Gallery

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“Overture,” by locally based artist Anne Diggory. A new exhibit featuring Diggory’s work is on display at Spring Street Gallery.  

SARATOGA SPRINGS —Spring Street Gallery welcomes Anne Diggory to share a collection of works called Near and Far.

The exhibit includes recent Adirondack paintings and hybrid works along with paintings of Southern France. In a celebration of seeing and painting, Diggory focuses on the magical and sometimes confusing juxtapositions of clarity and mystery in spaces that include the near and the far.

“Sometimes in hybrid pieces I introduce fragments of photography midway in the painting process, have the digital collage printed and then continue painting on the printed surface,” said Diggory. “The fragments extend the range of approaches to detail and introduce a level of dialogue about frozen moments and the transformation of information.”

An Artist Talk takes place 7 p.m. on Dec. 15, when Diggory will speak about how the approaches to detail, color and composition affect the expressive impact of the exhibition’s individual pieces. The exhibition will be on view through Feb. 10 with a Closing Reception and Discussion slated for Jan. 28, 2024, at 2 p.m.

Diggory has worked out of her studio in Saratoga Springs for 45 years. She is known for her combination of accurate detail with expressive painting and strong abstract structure – an outgrowth of education at Yale and Indiana University and many years of exploring and painting the natural world.  Her work has been seen in over 35 solo exhibitions and 75 group exhibitions.

A portion of the sales of this exhibition will benefit the Saratoga Immigration Coalition Scholarship Fund. For more information, visit springstreetgallerysaratoga.org. Spring Street Gallery is located at 110 Spring St., Saratoga Springs. Tel: 518-290-0660.

Sammy Hagar, Joe Satriani Join Forces for 28-Date Tour, Stages July 22 at SPAC

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Sammy Hagar will appear at Saratoga Performing Arts Center next summer.

SARATOGA SPRINGS —Sammy Hagar is bringing his 28-date “The Best Of All Worlds” 2024 tour to Saratoga Performing Arts Center, where he will be joined by bandmates Michael Anthony (bass, backing vocals), Jason Bonham (drums) and Joe Satriani (guitar). 

The July 22 concert includes opening act Loverboy.   

“It’s crazy to think that it’ll be 20 years since Mikey and I played these songs with Van Halen on the 04’ Best of Both Worlds Tour,” Hagar said, announcing the tour. “With Joe on board, we can take a deeper dive into those years. We’re going to touch on some hits from my entire career but seeing fans old and new really embrace the new collection set off something in Mikey and I. We were at my Birthday Bash in Cabo for my 76th and looked at each other and high fived, like ‘let’s do it.’ We pulled out a couple of them and it was an instant lovefest with the fans from our first riffs.”

For more information and tickets, go to: linvenation.com.