Strauss Square Announces 2017 Fall Season

The nonprofit AT&T Performing Arts Center announced today the 2017 Strauss Square fall season including Herbie Hancock. The 2017 lineup will feature a diverse schedule of world-renowned musicians, storytellers and songwriters. The season will kick-off with the most amazing and authentic tribute band ABBA The Concert - A Tribute to ABBA on August 19, 2017. All shows will take place at Annette Strauss Square in the downtown Dallas Arts District. Additional shows to be announced at a later date.

The 2017 fall season continues in September with the return of American blues musician, Taj Mahal together with three-time Grammy winner and visionary roots-music storyteller, Keb' Mo'. The month of October brings a concert journey through the soul of American music, Take Me to the River LIVE; one of the world's most singular voices and poignant storytellers, Lila Downs; the animatEd French feature, The Triplets of Belleville - A Cine-Concert with composer-conductor Benoit Charest leading a live orchestra; the legendary pianist and composer, Herbie Hancock; and finally, the National Treasure of Indian classical music, Zakir Hussain performing with the great jazz bassist, Dave Holland.

Center members get access to the best available tickets. Call Membership Services at 214-978-2888 or go to www.attpac.org/support to join. Center Membership presale begins Tuesday, June 13 at 10 a.m.

Tickets for the 2017 Strauss Square Fall Season can be purchased, beginning June 16 at 10 a.m., online at www.attpac.org, by phone at 214-880-0202 or in person at the AT&T Performing Arts Center Winspear Opera House Box Office at 2403 Flora Street. The Box Office will be open 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. seven days a week and before performances.

Note: A buy-one-get-one FREE ticket offer for kids 12 and under will be available for The Triplets of Belleville - A Cine-Concert.

2017 Strauss Square Fall Season

August 19, 2017 - ABBA The Concert - A Tribute to ABBA

8:00 p.m.

Ticket range: $34 - $79 (subject to change)

21st Century Artists, Inc. has been presenting its ABBA tribute show throughout North America for well over a decade, known as ABBA The Music, ABBA The Concert, and ABBA The Hits. The audience and press all agree - "This is the closest to ABBA you'll ever get." ABBA The Concert brings one of the greatest pop phenomena back to life...

Here are a few highlights from its many successful US tours...

• Highland Park in Chicago (20,000 people)

• Sold-out shows at the famous Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles (15,000 people)

• Seaside Summer Concert Series in Brooklyn, NY (11,000 people)

• Sold-out nights at both the Sunrise Theatre in Fort Pierce, FL and at the Kravis Center in West Palm Beach, FL

• Sold-out performance at the World Trap in Vienna, VA

ABBA The Concert continues to be the top ABBA tribute group in the world, dazzling all who see with their fantastic performance while playing the most iconic hits from ABBA, including "Mamma Mia," "S.O.S," "Money, Money, Money," "The Winner Takes All," "Waterloo," "Gimme, Gimme, Gimme," and "Dancing Queen."

Many critics agree, ABBA The Concert is the most amazing and authentic ABBA tribute show in the world. Come dance, come sing, having the time of your life at the ultimate tribute celebration!

September 20, 2017 - Taj Mo: The Taj Mahal & Keb' Mo' Band

8:00 p.m.

Ticket range: $35 - $99 (subject to change)

TajMo: The Taj Mahal & Keb' Mo' Band sees Blues titans Taj Mahal and Keb' Mo' share the stage with their band for an exciting night of music, performing songs from their long-anticipated collaborative album 'TajMo', coming May 5, 2017 on Concord Records.

While the two have known and influenced each other for decades, and Taj played a key role in Keb's first record deal, 'TajMo' marks the first proper collaboration between Taj Mahal and Keb' Mo'. The album was self-produced by the duo and was mixed by Grammy Award-winner Ross Hogarth and mastered by Grammy Award-winner Richard Dodd. The 11-song set includes covers of John Mayer and The Who, as well as six original songs.

'TajMo' brings out the best in both artists, with the pair merging their distinctive voices, personalities and guitar styles to create vibrant, immediate music that's firmly rooted in tradition yet ruled by a playful sense of adventure. "Don't Leave Me Here" is a love letter to the south that sounds like an instant classic, and "Soul" interweaves world music with blues in a way that only Taj could pull off. Taj and Keb' put a soulful spin on Mayer's "Waiting On The World To Change", on which Raitt lends her unmistakable vocals.

"He's a stellar human being, just a brilliant man," Keb' says of Taj, who first saw him play at a high school assembly. "Making this record was a really big deal for me."

"Keb's really good at keeping the ball up in the air," Taj notes. "He's a hell of a guitar player, and I'm just amazed at some of the stuff that he put out there."

Taj Mahal has been recording and performing his unmistakable blend of blues and world music for over 50 years, winning multiple Grammys and collaborating with the Rolling Stones, Eric Clapton and more along the way. Keb' Mo', who has often cited Taj as one of his musical heroes, is a 3-time Grammy Winner who has collaborated with everyone from Raitt to Jackson Browne and Buddy Guy.

October 1, 2017 - Take Me to the River LIVE

7:30 p.m.

Ticket range: $34 - $84 (subject to change)

Take Me to the River presents a live performance experience based on the award-winning film and record that brought together multiple generations of iconic Memphis and Mississippi Delta musicians to record a historic new album and re-imagine the utopia of racial, gender and generational collaboration of Memphis (Stax, Hi Records) in its heyday. This historic show features a once-in-a-lifetime chance to see legends William Bell (2017 Grammy Winner), Bobby Rush (2017 Grammy winner), and Charlie Musselwhite (2014 Grammy winner) share the stage and perform classics and new TMTTR collaborations.

Backed by an ALL-STAR Memphis band, the event includes the Hi-Rhythm Section (27 Gold and Platinum records, All of Al Green's classics) and Grammy award winner Boo Mitchell, award-winning director and Grammy Nominee Martin Shore, alumni from the STAX Music Academy, and special appearances from Academy Winner Frayser Boy and Critics Choice Award winner Al Kapone.

In addition to a traditional performance event, Take Me To The River hosts educational workshops and activities as it moves around the country, interacting with students and helping to inspire the goals of social consciousness and community building.

TMTTR believes that the power of positive expression - through music, film or other art forms - builds a permanent foundation of community, and helps motivate those from all political, racial and generational backgrounds to communicate, cooperate, collaborate and create together. Find out more at www.TMTTR.com

October 6, 2017 - Lila Downs

7:30 p.m.

Ticket range: $35 - $79 (subject to change)

Iconic Grammy and Latin Grammy Award winning singer Lila Downs just released a new album, Salón, Lágrimas y Deseo. An anthem for female empowerment, the initial single, "Peligrosa," includes lyrics that invite all "dangerous" women to join her - women who are intelligent, independent, who know how to get things done, make decisions, fight, and love. Salón, Lágrimas y Deseo, released in May 2017, features a blend of genres from blues to cumbia, danzón, banda, and Cuban son, with ballads that perfectly suit Lila's unmistakable, contralto voice.

One of the world's most singular voices, Lila Downs' poignant storytelling transcends all language barriers. Raised in Minnesota and Oaxaca, this global superstar's exquisite artistry bridges traditions from across the Americas, with influences ranging from the folk and ranchera music of Mexico and South America to North American folk, jazz, blues, and hip-hop. As a passionate human-rights activist, Lila's lyrics often highlight issues relating to social justice, sharing stories that too often go untold.

Lila has graced the stages of many of the world's most prestigious festivals and venues including Jazz at Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, and the Festival of Sacred Music - Hollywood Bowl. She has been invited to sing at the White House, and performed on the Academy Awards and Latin Grammy Awards telecasts. Her music has also been included in several feature films such as The Counselor, Tortilla Soup, Real Women Have Curves, The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada, Carlos Saura's Fados, Mariachi Gringo, and Hecho en Mexico.

October 12, 2017 - The Triplets of Belleville - A Cine-Concert

Benoit Charest, Composer-Conductor

7:30 p.m.

Ticket range: $20 - $69

Note: Buy-one-get-one FREE ticket offer - kids 12 and under (lawn seats)

In 2003, the animatEd French feature The Triplets of Belleville swept the globe, raking up dozens of awards and nominations-not to mention the hearts of countless admirers-along the way. Much of it came down to the Oscar-nominated score by Benoit Charest, which grabbed audiences by the ears and dragged them into the streets of 1920s Paris and Le Jazz Hot. Benoit is back; with Le Terrible Orchestre de Belleville he recreates live the original score as the film itself is beamed onto the big screen.

Saddle up for the misadventures of a kidnapped Tour de France cyclist, his would-be rescuer grandmother and the titular trio of larger-than life divas, all accompanied by the speakeasy slick sounds of un orchestre sans pareil onto the big screen. Fun for the entire family.

October 13, 2017 - Herbie Hancock

8:00 p.m.

Ticket range: $39.75 - $99.75

Now in the sixth decade of his professional life, Herbie Hancock remains where he has always been: at the forefront of world culture, technology, business and music. In addition to being recognized as a legendary pianist and composer, Herbie Hancock has been an integral part of every popular music movement since the 1960's. As a member of the MiLes Davis Quintet that pioneered a groundbreaking sound in jazz, he also developed new approaches on his own recordings, followed by his work in the 70s - with record-breaking albums such as "Headhunters" - that combined electric jazz with funk and rock in an innovative style that continues to influence contemporary music. "Rockit" and "Future Shock" marked Hancock's foray into electronic dance sounds; during the same period he also continued to work in an acoustic setting with V.S.O.P., which included ex-MiLes Davis bandmates Wayne Shorter, Ron Carter, and Tony Williams.

In honor of his work, Hancock was awarded the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in February 2016. Hancock is currently in the studio at work on a new album.

October 25 - Crosscurrents: Zakir Hussain and Dave Holland

7:30 p.m.

Ticket range: $29.50 - $70

Zakir Hussain is widely acknowledged to be one of the greatest musicians of our time. A classical tabla virtuoso of the highest order, his consistently brilliant and exciting performances have established him as a National Treasure in his own country, India, and as one of India's reigning cultural ambassadors. Crosscurrents attempts to portray all directions of inspiration between the idioms of jazz and Indian music. The great bassist Dave Holland, a player with one of the most distinguished careers in jazz, brings his singular vision to the quintet. The ensemble pays tribute to pioneering musicians and composers on opposite sides of the world who built a bridge which could be traversed in both directions. The influence of Indian classical music on jazz is widely known. Less known, however, is the influence of jazz on the popular music of India. Jazz first came to India by way of the Hollywood musicals of the 1930's and 40's and quickly influenced the music of India's burgeoning film industry. The improvisational nature of jazz was familiar to Indian composers and musicians who found a way to incorporate jazz harmonies and chord progressions into their work. As a few decades passed, and as the West was enjoying the inspiration of Indian classical music, certain musicians came to influence popular music in India in a big way. Among these are saxophonist Chris Potter, singer/violinist Ganesh Rajagopalan, jazz pianist Louiz Banks, guitarist Sanjay Divecha, and drummer Gino Banks.

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