cbellamy@heraldsun.com; 419-6744
DURHAM -- During the fall portion of its 2009-2010 season, Duke Performances will be sending audience members to church when it presents "The Hallelujah Train" in St. Joseph's Performance Hall at Hayti Heritage Center.
"The Hallelujah Train" joins jazz drummer Brian Blade, his father Pastor Brady Blade Sr. and guitarist and producer Daniel Lanois (who has produced records for U2 and Bob Dylan) for a public recording session, a concert and a worship service. Blade, Lanois and Blade Sr. will record a live album Oct. 10. Along with numerous musicians, churchgoers from Shreveport, La., will be part of this session. On Oct. 11, Pastor Blade will lead a morning worship service (don't expect to fall asleep during this sermon), followed by a live performance that afternoon.
This event is part of Duke Performances' By the River series, one of several thematic groupings of programs. The vocal ensemble Sweet Honey in the Rock inaugurates that series and the season with a free performance at 4 p.m. Sunday on the south lawn of Duke Gardens.
Another highlight of the fall is the Classical Theatre of Harlem's adaptation of playwright Samuel Beckett's "Waiting for Godot." This performance, part of the At the Crossroads Series, will take place Oct. 23-25.
Below are other highlights of the fall season. For tickets and information, call 684-4444 or visit dukeperformances.duke.edu.
n New Baroque Ensemble, part of the Chamber Arts Society series, Sept. 12.
n Ciompi Quartet Lunchtime Classics, Sept. 15. The quartet also will perform Oct. 18 and Nov. 14.
n Corey Harris Quintet and James "Blood" Ulmer Trio, Sept. 25, part of the By the River series.
n Takacs String Quartet, Sept. 26, Chamber Arts Society series.
n Sun Ra Arkestra and Mingus Big Band, Sept. 26, part of the This House on Fire series.
n Awadagin Pratt, piano, Oct. 2, part of the Piano Recital series.
n Dianne Reeves, vocals, with Russell Malone and Romero Lubambo, Oct. 9, part of the Voices Lifted series.
n Don Byron New Gospel Quintet with the Rev. Kelly R. Andrews of Tarrboro, N.C., Oct. 16, part of the By the River series.
n Anonymous 4, vocal quartet, Oct. 17, part of the Duke Artists series.
n Murray Perahia, pianist, Oct. 20, part of Piano Recital and Duke Artists series.
n Louis Lortie, pianist, Oct. 29, part of the Piano Recital series.
n Gal Costa, with Romero Lubambo, Brazilian popular music, Oct. 30, part of the Voices Lifted series.
n Miami String Quartet with the Kalichstein-Laredo-Robinson Trio, Nov. 7, part of the Chamber Arts Society series.
n Urban Bush Women, Nov. 12, part of the Moved series.
n Lambchop and Alejandro Escovedo, Nov. 13, part of the With these Hands series.
n St. Lawrence String Quartet, Dec. 5, part of the Chamber Arts Society series.
