Arts

Backstage at The Utah Arts Festival 2017: Closing day headliners include Bachauer Medalists, Insatiable, Natural Roots, John Flanders, Sound Mass, Pedrito Martinez

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Closing day headliners at the 41st annual Utah Arts Festival run the gamut from long-time local favorites to dynamic young piano virtuosi and one of the world’s best known master percussionist of Afro-Cuban music. Highlights include the annual performance of the Repertory Dance Theatre (6:45 p.m., Festival Stage) and the Pedrito Martinez Group (9:45 p.m., … Read more

Backstage at The Utah Arts Festival 2017: Pedrito Martinez Group to close out festival on exuberant note

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Pedrito Martinez received his musical education in the streets of central Havana. “There were so many teachers that were my idols,” he says in an interview with The Utah Review. The batá rhythms he learned originated in Africa, once performed only for kings. The performer on the largest drum, the instrument referred to as the … Read more

Backstage at The Utah Arts Festival 2017: Saturday headliners include Mitch Barrett, Fruition, RJD2, The Sauce Boss, IAMA Millsaps finals

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Saturday’s weather will be perfect and the Utah Arts Festival’s headliner slate is ideal for a summer evening. Among the highlights are performers marking the fourth annual IAMA Day for musicians and members of the Intermountain Acoustic Musician Association (IAMA). There will be the finals of the Susanne Millsaps Performing Songwriter Showcase competition (noon, Big … Read more

Backstage at The Utah Arts Festival: Frank Falk’s iHorns, Joshua Rodine’s glass art exemplify unique statements about artistic vision

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Two of the artists in this year’s Artist Marketplace, the largest ever in Utah Arts Festival’s history bring unique approaches to their work. Frank Falk, iHorns, 3-D Mixed Media, Booth 135 For some, Frank Falk’s art on the surface is a cool nostalgically rendered novelty which enhances the sound quality of that ubiquitous object of … Read more

Backstage at The Utah Arts Festival 2017: Random acts of opera sponsored by Utah Opera return to City Library for second year

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Soprano Clara Hurtado-Lee is looking forward to testing out the acoustics in the soaring and spacious Urban Room atrium of the City Library. Perched on the overhang on one of the floors above the main space, a trained opera singer can fill the entire vast space with her voice. For the second year at the … Read more

Backstage at The Utah Arts Festival 2017: Friday’s blockbuster headlining slate includes new jazz and dance commissions, Brazilian culture, and plenty of blues, soul, funk, R&B

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Friday’s headliners for the Utah Arts Festival comprise a blockbuster lineup on the main stages with world premieres in two programs (click on previews for each program): the jazz commission concert with the Salt Lake City Jazz Orchestra featuring Alex Heitlinger, Andrea Miller and Chuck Findley (7:45 p.m., Festival Stage) and the dance commission concert … Read more

Backstage at The Utah Arts Festival 2017: Spy Hop’s workshops geared toward onsite creative outputs in beatmaking, Claymation videos, filmmaking

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Spy Hop Productions’ partnership with the Utah Arts Festival has evolved through the years, mainly because of the national youth media group’s penchant for adventurous projects that push the creative boundaries of festival visitors much in the same way the organization’s mentors encourage their students to be as bold as possible. This year, Spy Hop … Read more

Backstage at The Utah Art Festival 2017: James Randle’s paintings of urban realism as personal meditation

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In his paintings James Randle achieves a sense of urban realism that reflects how the artist has absorbed the best lessons of some of America’s most meaningful masters of realism, including Edward Hopper, Richard Estes and Stephen Shore. Hopper’s paintings of diners, drug stores, drab rooms in hotels, gas stations and movie houses communicated the … Read more

Backstage at The Utah Arts Festival 2017: Samba Fogo calls audiences to the fire; spiritual heat of Samba

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This flame that burns in my heart. Calls me to the heat of Samba. It is the glow that illuminates the darkness The light that clarifies my path. It is culture, art, and expression. It is magic brought from Aruanda. From black and white ashes From so much suffering of yore A phoenix was born … Read more

Backstage at The Utah Arts Festival 2017: Opening day headliners highlight national, local musicians with enduring legacies

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Opening day headliners for June 22 on the main stages of the 41st annual Utah Arts Festival feature musicians with enduring legacies, both national and international. Shooter Jennings and Waymore’s Outlaws – 9:45 p.m., Amphitheater Stage The son of Waylon Jennings and Jessi Colter, two of country’s music biggest legends, Shooter Jennings has carved out … Read more