Discover a new take on the holiday classic Nutcracker Suite with the acoustic Americana group Mr Sun. Based on the beloved melodies of Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker Suite and its re-interpretation by Duke Ellington and his life-long musical partner Billy Strayhorn, Mr Sun salutes and re-invents this multi-faceted work through the lens of the American string band.
In this performance, based on the recording Mr Sun Plays Duke Ellington’s Nutcracker Suite, selections range from close interpretations of Billy Strayhorn’s original charts to intense extrapolations based on the spirit of the material.
This program will be performed at 1:00 and 3:00 p.m.
Selections will be announced from the stage.
About Mr Sun
This cheerfully named supergroup includes four of the finest musicians on the American roots scene, Darol Anger, Joe K. Walsh, Grant Gordy, and Aidan O’Donnell. Renowned fiddler and professor emeritus at Berklee College of Music, Darol Anger has released many solo albums in addition to his work with David Grisman and Mike Marshall, and is the founder of the Turtle Island Quartet, Psychograss, and Republic of Strings. Joe K. Walsh, mandolin virtuoso and vocalist, spent four years with the award-winning bluegrass act the Gibson Brothers before becoming a solo artist and songwriter. He is also the strings department professor at Berklee. All-around guitar master Grant Gordy is a former member of Dawg Music guru David Grisman’s band. Scots bassist Aidan O’Donnell rounds out the group, having backed harpist Maeve Gilchrist and countless modern jazz icons.
Mr Sun has appeared recently at Wintergrass, Grey Fox, and Freshgrass, and repeatedly at International Bluegrass Music Association conventions.