Tickets remain for Portland Cello Project

Although there’s been a great deal of interest in the performance by the Portland Cello Project, tickets are still available for their performance tomorrow evening at the Art Center.

The 10-member ensemble will perform a wide range of musics in the show here, ranging from Bach to works made well known by the Dave Brubeck Quartet (the jazz classic “Take Five”) and Beck’s recent “Song Reader” album.

Portland Cello is a musical collective who’ve been performing and recording together since 2007. They were the first “classical” ensemble to be signed to the rock label Kill Rock Stars, who released their first CD. Since then they’ve released three other albums including “Thousand Words” and “Homage.”

The group’s repertoire covers a wide range of music and styles from movie themes and jazz standards to versions of pop hits, major works in the classical canon and even hip-hop. They’ve performed in concert halls, punk rock clubs, with Garrison Keillor on a “Prairie Home Companion,” and even at half time for the Portland Trailblazers.

All in all, the show promises to showcase music you’d never expect to hear on the cello, performed by these classically trained and innovative musicians. The group will conduct a free and open to the public conversation on their influences, eclectic tastes and strategies for reaching new audiences of all ages. The talk will be at 3 p.m. in the Center’s Art Bar.

The evening performance will begin at 8 p.m., doors and no-host Art Bar will open at 7 p.m. Tickets are $17 for CAC members, $20 for non-members and can be purchased by calling Churchill Arts at 775-423-1440.

The well-known Sacramento-based poet, D.R. Wagner, will give a reading at the Art Center on Nov. 23. Wagner is the author of more than 20 books and chapbooks of poetry. He has been active in the small press world since the 1960s.

He’s read with Jim Morrison of the Doors along with Michael McClure and has also read with Lawrence Ferlinghetti (of City Lights Bookstore), Ann Waldman, Ed Sanders and many other poets over the last four decades. Wagner’s taught design at U.C. Davis since 1988, and his most recent books include “Where the Stars Are Kept” and “A Limited Means of Expression.”

There will be a meet the author reception from 5-6 p.m. and the reading will begin at 6 p.m. The event is free and open to the public. For more information, please call Churchill Arts at 775-423-1440.