James Maddock and Frank Fairfield @ Eddie’s Attic
There’s an impassioned longing evident in the opening melody of “Another Life,” the first track on James Maddock’s most recent release by the same name that pervades the entirety of the album. And even if you’re not one of the many emphatic and diehard fans who have come to adore Maddock’s signature raspy croon and deft songwriting over the last few years, the music will sound and feel classic instantly. This is no accident. The charm of James Maddock – to somehow access all that is timeless and make immediate and lasting connections – is the product of years of honing his craft. Another Life is evidence of a master songwriting at the top of his game. “I want to find a truth that resonates,” Maddock says of his new work, and we are better for his efforts. While Another Life, which is a collection of pop gems, luscious ballads, and rootsy Americana, is not entirely autobiographical, its arrangements and overall execution feel so intimate that it functions as such. Here is an artist with an uncanny understanding of the full range and complexity of human emotion and experience not unlike contemporary impresarios of the downtown NYC singer-songwriter scene, Grammy Award winners Norah Jones and Jesse Harris. The more personal Maddock gets, the more universal his message becomes. “I’ve Been There Too,” one of the album’s many radio-friendly singles, feels like an endearing consolation to the listener who can’t help but become the friend on the other side of a telephone call or an earnest conversation. And “Better on My Own” is the letter to the self that we all can relate to. Throughout Another Life, Maddock employs his soulful delivery and poetic lyricism in a deeply reflective collection of songs that refuse to be anything but sincere and honest, which is a refreshing change from a contemporary musical landscape infused with irony and bitter wit.
Show starts at 7:30.
Choral Silver Celebration: Atlanta Opera Chorus with KSU Chamber Singers
@Bailey Performance Center, Morgan Hall
No Atlanta Opera production would be complete without the Atlanta Opera Chorus. Widely regarded as one of the top opera ensembles in the country, the Atlanta Opera Chorus performs in the majority of mainstage offerings produced by the Atlanta Opera each year. Under the leadership of Walter Huff for 25 years, the choristers are always an integral part of each performance. Members of the Atlanta Opera Chorus are highly touted for their technical abilities and compelling acting skills, and have been featured in more than 100 productions since Maestro Huff began his tenure. Conductors, stage directors, and principal singers from the world over have consistently praised the ensemble for its characteristic sound, range of color, and consistent precision. Production highlights through the years have included Turandot, Aida, Samson et Delila, Il trovatore, Otello, and Manon. Other memorable choral performances have been showcased in Philip Glass’ Akhnaten, Wagner’s dark and stormy The Flying Dutchman, Gluck’s Orfeo ed Euridice, a critically acclaimed double-bill of Carmina Burana and Pagliacci, 1992’s contemporary staging of Bizet’s Carmen, and Mozart’s Requiem.
Showtime is 8 pm.
