What the heck is the UIS Kitchen Sink series?

You have heard the expression, “everything but the kitchen sink”??  Well, welcome to the series that offers diverse events presented in the intimate UIS Studio Theatre on the first floor of the Public Affairs Center.  This season includes a smattering of opera, popular tunes, blues, jazz, classical, roots, traditional and contemporary – themes from family to the Illinois River. 

And yes, we’ll even *have* a kitchen sink. 

It’s All Relative with Kirsten and Karin Paludan

Saturday, September 24, 2011, 8 p.m.

Midwestern natives and acclaimed singing sisters, Kari and Kirsten Paludan, make their Springfield debut in the uplifting, multi-media musical memoir, “It’s All Relative”. Uniquely personal, yet universal, “It’s All Relative” showcases the sisters’ diverse vocal talents and features memorable songs both familiar and brand new.

Erin Bode Group
Friday, October 14, 2011, 8 p.m.

The Erin Bode (BOH-DEE) Group creates music forged from the Americana of its members' midwestern roots, infused with jazz grooves and made magic by Bode's bell-like voice. Sophisticated arrangements and attention to phrasing, both vocal and instrumental, further distinguish the band's fresh sound. Her distinctive repertoire and crossover appeal - evoking comparisons to Eva Cassidy and Norah Jones - have proven equally at home in grand venues or relaxed clubs.

Jake Shimabukuro
Tuesday, November 8, 2011, 7:30 p.m.

As the San Francisco Gate recently posited about the Hawaiian musician: “The sounds the boyish 33-year old wrings from his ukulele…are unlike anything else in the history of the instrument.”  In the hands of Shimabukuro, the traditional Hawaiian instrument of four strings and two octaves is stretched and molded into a complex and bold new musical force. On an album like his new ‘Peace Love Ukulele,’ Jake and his “uke” effortlessly (it seems) mix jazz, rock, classical, traditional Hawaiian music and folk, creating a sound that’s both technically masterful and emotionally powerful…and utterly unique in the music world.

 
Eric Bibb & Grant Dermody
Saturday, January 28, 2012, 8 p.m.

Already enjoying success in Europe, Grammy nominee Eric Bibb is becoming a familiar face - and voice - in the U.S.  Nominated for nine W.C. Handy Blues Music Awards and winner of the Best Newcomer title in the British Blues Awards, Bibb has been appropriately described as “discreetly awesome” and “a total original.”  Bibb will be joined on stage by Grant Dermody (DER-muh-dee), who has been described as "an understated harmonica virtuoso and a vocalist of subtlety and warmth" by Don McLeese of No Depression magazine.

Ruth Moody Band
Saturday, February 11, 2012, 8 p.m.

Although best known for her role as a founding member of the internationally renowned, Billboard-charting trio The Wailin' Jennys, Ruth Moody is also an exceptional solo artist full of depth and grace. Critics have lauded her ethereal vocals, impressive multi-instrumentalism (she plays guitar, banjo, accordion, piano, and bodhrán), and her talent as a songwriter. Writing with a maturity and wisdom that belies her age, her songs are timeless, universal, and exceptionally well-crafted, all sung with an intimacy and honesty that is unmistakably her own.

5^th House
Saturday, April 14, 2012, 8 p.m.

The Chicago-based Fifth House Ensemble is defined by its limitless imagination and energy, and an insatiable desire to bring chamber music to audiences of all types. 5^th House harnesses the collaborative spirit of chamber music to create transformative cross-media performance experiences that bring together elements as diverse as storytelling, physical theatre, graphic novels, and fashion design. With humor and joy, they breathe life into repertoire both established and emerging, equally at home on the most prestigious stages and unexpected venues.