Live and Local with Kevin Kelly

The acclaimed Chicago-based acoustic guitar duo of Andreas Kapsalis and Goran Ivanovic will make one of their occasional visits to Urbana Thursday night. Guitar Player magazine described their sound as “a stew seasoned with multifinger attacks, percussive beats and heavy Serbian and Greek influences.” The duo will play for us live on the Thursday edition of “Live and Local.”

During the 2011-2012 concert season, the Illinois Symphony Orchestra was conducted by five candidates for the music directorship of the orchestra, each of whom conducted the chamber orchestra and the full symphony. The ISO will announce its choice for music director on Wednesday, and I’ll talk with the winning candidate on the Wednesday edition of “Live and Local.”

Sierra Leone's Refugee All Stars began in the late 1990s in a refugee camp, where Ruben Koroma and his wife Grace had fled Sierra Leone during the horrific war that was ravaging their country. They joined with fellow musicians to entertain their fellow refugees. They have been the subject of a documentary and recently released their third commercial record, and they'll play in Champaign Friday night. Mr. Koroma will join me on the Tuesday edition of "Live and Local." And I'll talk with Cyndi Johnson, director of the Greater Decatur Chorale, about their concerts this weekend.

“The way we dance tango reflects who we are.” That’s one of the many, many pithy bits of information on Paul Yang’s tango blog called “In Search of Tango.” Paul Yang will host a Tango Café in Champaign June 3, and he’ll join me on the Friday edition of “Live and Local.” And we’ll hear a live preview of the brand new CD by a local band called Evil Tents.

The Champaign-Urbana-based band Samba Soul play music that ranges from bossa nova to contemporary samba and MPB—or Brazilian popular music. Featuring the vocals of Vivian Felicio, the quintet will play at Buvon’s Wine Bar in Urbana Friday night, and they’ll join us live for the hour on the Thursday edition of “Live and Local.”

On the Tuesday edition of "Live and Local," I'll talk with John Stephens of The Little Theatre on the Square in Sullivan about their 55th Anniversary Concert and Gala, happening June 2. And we'll visit with flutist Jonathan Keeble and harpist Ann Yeung--who together are the Aletheia Duo--about their new CD, "Song of the Black Swan."

The Paxton-Buckley-Loda High School Band will host its 13th annual “Salute to Veterans Concert” Saturday night, and on the Friday edition of “Live and Local,” I’ll talk with director Tim Hess and a couple of his students. And we’ll hear a live performance by the Dan Pierson Trio, who will play on the Iron Post Jazz Fest Friday night.

Every year over Memorial Day weekend for 38 years, the city of Peoria has played host to the World Championship Old-Time Piano Playing Contest and Festival, with sing-alongs, workshops and of course the contest itself. On the Thursday edition of “Live and Local,” we’ll hear five past and present contestants play for us live, from the Blind Pig in Champaign.

This week we’re covering the Third Annual Jazz Festival at the Iron Post in downtown Urbana, the most active venue for jazz in our communities. Nearly the entire University of Illinois jazz faculty will play at the festival Saturday night, and they’ll join us live on the Wednesday edition of “Live and Local.”

Jazz pianist John Campbell grew up in Bloomington-Normal, hung out in Champaign-Urbana and has played with the likes of Clark Terry, Mel Tormé, Buddy DeFranco, Stan Getz and James Moody. He’s returning to Urbana to play on the Iron Post Jazz Fest this weekend, and he’ll be my guest on the Tuesday edition of “Live and Local.” I’ll also talk with Mik Templeton, whose West Coast Blues will round out the festival.