Jackson Community College

Bowfire brings musical sparks to Potter Center stage

An all-star musical lineup is in store when the string performance ensemble Bowfire returns to Jackson Community College’s Potter Center at 8 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 25, 2008.

From the traditional fiddle and violin to the exotic Chinese Erhu, Bowfire has been impressing audiences worldwide since forming in 2000 and will continue to do so with over 100 show dates in North America throughout 2008.

Creator and artistic director Lenny Solomon says, “When you put the best string players from around the world together on stage something magical happens. We are changing people’s perception of what a stringed instrument can do.”

The Bowfire ensemble of world-renowned musicians takes audiences on a journey that moves seamlessly from Jazz to Classical to Bluegrass to Celtic to Rock and World. The unique combination of master musicians, choreography and vocals is complemented by elaborate costumes and set design.

Bowfire delivers an incredible live show thanks to the creative team behind the ensemble. Lenny Solomon has built a strong reputation as one of the world's most skilled and innovative jazz violinists. He has toured extensively in the United States, Canada and Japan with The Lenny Solomon Trio, was a three-time winner of the annual Violinist of The Year Award presented by The National Jazz Awards and has appeared as a featured guest jazz soloist with many prestigious orchestras.

The creative team includes: Olivier-nominated stage director, Stafford Arima whose extensive list of credits in the musical theater world include the critically acclaimed, "Altar Boyz," the West End production of "Ragtime," "Chef's Theater" at New York City's Supper Club and "A Tribute To Stephen Sondheim" at the Boston Pops; choreographer Patricia Wilcox who has created numbers for everything from Broadway shows to championship ice skaters and has taught master classes virtually around the world; scenic director David Kornis who has lent his creative talents in design to Broadway, film and television; lighting designer Ben Stanton who is based in New York City specializing in design for theater, dance, concerts and corporate events and renowned costume designer Karen Ann Ledger.

Tickets for Bowfire are $35, $30, $27 and $24 and are available from the Potter Center Box Office, 517.796.8600, or online at www.jccmi.edu under “Visitors & Events” and “Events.” For more information on Bowfire and the upcoming tour, please visit www.bowfire.com.

Bowfire performers: Stéphane Allard (Quebecois jazz violinist), Bill Bridges (guitarist), Stephanie Cadman (Celtic fiddler), Shane Cook (fiddler), Bogdan Djukic (classical virtuoso/violinist), George Gao (Chinese Erhu), Yi-Jia Susanne Hou (violinist), Ray Legere (bluegrass fiddler), Lew Mele (bass), Jon Pilatzke (Celtic fiddler), Ben Riley (drummer), Bernie Senensky (pianist), Wendy Solomon (cellist), Lenny Solomon (Jazz violinist/founder/artistic director) and Kelli Trottier (Celtic fiddler).