Grammy winning bluesman Keb’ Mo’ will play the West Virginia University Creative Arts Center on Sunday, April 13, as part of West Virginia Public Broadcasting’s popular radio show “Mountain Stage.” Keb’ Mo’ will be joined by the genre-blending Dirty Dozen Brass Band from New Orleans.

Show time is set for 7p.m. Tickets are on sale now at the Mountainlair and CAC box offices, ticketmaster.com and by phone at 304-293-SHOW and 800-745-3000.

Keb’ Mo’ is a tour de force in the blues genre. The guitarist and singer-songwriter has won three Grammy Awards for Best Contemporary Blues album (along with multiple additional nominations). He was showcased as a key figure in Martin Scorsese’s PBS series “The Blues” and has dominated the Billboard Blues chart since his career began. Mo’ has been described as “a living link to the seminal Delta blues that travelled up the Mississippi River and across the expanse of America.”

His music is influenced by folk, rock, jazz and pop. At 21, he was part of an R&B band that opened for Mahavishnu Orchestra, Jefferson Starship, and Loggins & Messina. In 1980, however, Mo’ found his roots as a solo artist, beginning his journey as a legend in the blues genre. His latest album, “The Reflection,” continues to mix genres. It’s not a strict blues album: In sound and spirit, it’s closer to the work of African–American “folk soul” singer/songwriters like Bill Withers, Bobby Womack, and Terry Callier. “The Reflection” brings together all of this singular artist’s diverse influences—pre–disco R&B, American folk and gospel, rock, blues, and more—in a sound that is truly and uniquely his own.

The Dirty Dozen Brass Band will also appear on “Mountain Stage.” An appetite for musicological adventure, a commitment to honor tradition while not being constrained by it, and a healthy sense of humor have brought the world-traveling Dirty Dozen Brass Band to this remarkable juncture in an already storied career. The group effortlessly flows between jazz, funk and soul all while incorporating the flavor of New Orleans.

Celebrating its 35th anniversary, the band is releasing “Twenty Dozen,” its first studio release in six years. It’s an upbeat effort that seamlessly blends R&B, jazz, funk, Afro-Latino grooves, some Caribbean flavor, and even a Rihanna cover. Trumpet player

Gregory Davis says the group employs a tried-and true New Orleans-centric analogy: “It ends up being like a pot of gumbo – you drop in a little okra, drop in a little shrimp, you drop in some crabs. Before you know it, you’ve mixed in all these different ingredients and you’ve got a beautiful soup. That was our approach to music early on and it still is today.”

Staying true to the group’s roots, the album even features a medley of New Orleans staples, including a particularly high-spirited rendering of “When the Saints Go Marching In.” The New York Times says the band “conveys a sense of communal jubilation.” Don’t miss out on the party when they bring a slice of New Orleans to WVU.

Additional acts will be announced closer to the show date. Showtime is set for 7 p.m. Sunday, April 13, at the WVU Creative Arts Center. General admission tickets are $18 in advance, $25 the day of show. WVU students save $5 at the campus box offices with their WVU ID (one discount per valid ID). Tickets are on sale now at the Mountainlair and Creative Arts Center box offices, online at ticketmaster.com, or by calling 304-293-SHOW and 800-745-3000.

This event is produced by West Virginia Public Broadcasting and is presented by WVU Arts & Entertainment. For additional event information, call 304-293-SHOW, or visit events.wvu.edu. Like us on Facebook at facebook.com/wvuevents and follow us on Twitter at @wvuevents for the most up-to-date show information.

-WVU-

dr/2/11/14

CONTACT: David Ryan, WVU Arts & Entertainment
304-293-8222, David.Ryan@mail.wvu.edu