News for January 27th 2011

Alabama Music concert series debuts in Birmingham

A major Alabama concert series called “ABALABIP!” and organized by The Oxford American magazine will debut on Saturday, Feb. 5, at the historic Alabama Theatre in Birmingham. The kickoff event begins at 7:30 p.m. and will feature Alabama soul icons Ralph “Soul” Jackson and Mary Gresham, along with the original cast of The Sex Clark Five, a brainy, melodic Huntsville new-wave act, a solo performance from free-jazz sax-man (and cult favorite) Arthur Doyle, and The Secret Sisters, on the heels of the success of their T Bone Burnett-produced debut, Silver Threads and Golden Needles. Concert tickets will also guarantee free entry to an after-party at Bottletree that will feature Huntsville hip-hop duo G-Side. “The Feb. 5 concert will bring to life the idea that to fully appreciate the astounding musical heritage of Alabama a lot of genres must be played with,” said Marc Smirnoff, editor of The Oxford American.

This event is the first of four Oxford American events taking place in Alabama throughout 2011 to celebrate Alabama music and The Oxford American‘s 12th annual Southern Music Issue, which focuses on the musical heritage of Alabama.  The concerts are in conjunction with The Year of Alabama Music, an initiative by the Alabama Tourism Department to highlight the state’s rich musical heritage. Details about upcoming ABALABIP! concerts in other Alabama cities will be announced soon. The Oxford American concert series is called “ABALABIP!,” after a 1950 song by Eddie Cole – brother of Nat King Cole, and born in Montgomery – that is featured in the magazine and its accompanying CD.  Most of the performers at the Feb. 5 concert were also part of the magazine and CD. Smirnoff said that he also likes how the Feb. 5 concert will serve as a celebration for Ralph “Soul” Jackson’s forthcoming full-length CD debut (by hip Rabbit Factory Records of Chicago). “It’s amazing,” Smirnoff said. “Though Ralph ‘Soul’ Jackson has been releasing choice soul singles since the 1960s, it won’t be until Feb. of 2011 that he releases his first full album, not just singles.”

This event is presented by The Oxford American, Alabama Tourism Department, Florence Lauderdale Tourism, Lucy Buffett’s LuLu’s at Homeport Marina, MINI, and Arkansas Delta Byways. For information on tickets please see www.oxfordamerican.org.

Edited: January 27th, 2011