Verde Valley News – Join OTCA for a unique evening on Friday, April 15th when Max Ribner and 1st Language take the stage at the Old Town Center for the Arts in Cottonwood. Adding to the evening’s event will be aerial dance artist and vocalist Taylor Marie performing on silks and hoops.
“Max and group played here about a month ago, they are extraordinary musicians with a great message, and everyone thoroughly enjoyed their music,” co-Director William Eaton remarked. “Everyone was asking us to bring them back. We learned that their touring schedule routed them back to our area and we’re very pleased to put them on stage again, at OTCA, before they go on to California. This is a must-see group!”
To accommodate this popular group and their infectious rhythms, lyrics and melodies, a dance floor will be cleared towards the rear of the theater.
Born in a coastal town between New York City and Boston, Max Ribner was drawn into the music-rich culture of the area. This drive led Max to a scholarship at Berklee College of Music, where he found mentorship among many of Jazz’s greatest artists. Upon leaving the immersive musical experience of Berklee, Max made a pivotal move to Portland, Oregon to explore land-based environmental action with Americorps. This ushered in a chapter of community work which has culminated into ongoing projects such as working with youth music projects, bringing music to jails, and funding clean water projects in the Adzokoe Peki community in Ghana. In 2007, Max connected with Nahko & Medicine For The People and began touring internationally. This solidified Max’s passion for musical activism connecting him with like-minded musicians that shared his vision for community service.
The result of years of collaboration with such a broad musical community is powerfully illustrated on Max’s debut solo album, 1st Language. The 11-song debut album brings 50+ artists together in a cross-continental collaboration for the ages. Featured artists include: Bobby Sparks II (Roy Hargrove, Snarky Puppy,) Mark Lettieri (Snarky Puppy,) Saeeda Wright (Prince,) Sharay Reed (Chaka Kahn,) to name a few.In addition, the album was mixed by Grammy award winning mix engineer, Ben Kane (D’Angelo PJ Morton and Emily King). This solidified Max’s passion for musical activism connecting him with like-minded musicians that shared his vision for community service. Max’s unique approach to flugelhorn, trumpet and vocals has also led him to perform with artists such as Esperanza Spalding,Trevor Hall, Polish Ambassador, Liv Warfield, and Sol Rising, among others.
For this concert ‘1st Language’ is composed of: Max Ribner (horn and vocals), Steph Orsini (bass), Sam Frampton (guitar), and Damian Flores (drums).
Joining Max and 1st Language will be Taylor Marie. Taylor Marie is an aerialist, singer-songwriter, and visual artist. She has performed her original music as a headliner and as a guest artist with the William Eaton Ensemble, throughout the Southwest. She has performed on silks, trapeze and lyre in Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado and California, and has also taught workshops in aerial dance. Her artistic goal includes incorporating several mediums to create mixed-media pieces, blending visual arts, dance, and original live music, while exploring the transition ‘from floor to air’, inspired by her background in modern dance.
Max’s message as a musical artist is clear: Our musical voices can create an unshakeable oneness that when played and sung together, will crumble the walls of injustice and isolation.1st Language is a sonic calling together of our collective humanity.
Join us for this special evening of music and aerial arts at Old Town Center for the Arts,
Friday, April 15th at 7:00 PM. Old Town Center for the Arts Is located at 5th Street & Main in Old Town Cottonwood. Tickets for Max Ribner and 1st Language are $20 in advance, $22 at the door, and $25 for priority seating in the first three rows.
Tickets are available online at www.showtix4u.com or in Cottonwood at Mysterium and In Sedona, you can find tickets at The Mary D. Fisher Theater. For ticket prices and more information about these and other upcoming events, visit www.oldtowncenter.org,