Fusion

Poetry and piano, jazz and funk, Latin and African rhythms — even theatre and politics. Check out the 2006-2007 Art Series line-up.

Fusion is the focus of the University of Dayton's 2006-07 Arts Series, which will feature performances that explore new territory and create new sounds.

Tickets for individual performances are $14 for the public, $8 for UD faculty, staff and alumni, and $5 for students. For tickets, call the UD box office at 937-229-2545.

First up this season is Burnt Sugar: The Arkestra Chamber at 8 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 30, in Kennedy Union Boll Theatre. The East Coast improvisational ensemble fuses jazz, R&B, funk and African rhythms and was founded in 1999 by former Dayton residents Greg Tate and Jared Nickerson. Burnt Sugar will also conduct a series of workshops with students from the University of Dayton and Stivers School for the Arts.

* MUSE, a 60-member women's choir from Cincinnati, will perform at 8 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 19, in the Immaculate Conception Chapel. The group started in 1984 and performs gospel, folk, jazz, and blues. MUSE has produced three recordings, most recently Growing Into Our Roots in 2005.

* The Azmari Quartet, inspired by the Aramaic verb meaning “to sing,” will perform at 8 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 4, in Boll Theatre. The string quartet of graduates of the Cleveland Institute of Music will explore the classical and contemporary sounds of the 20th century.

* Arm of the Sea Theatre, a mask and puppet theater group, takes the stage at 8 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 3, in Boll Theatre with “La Consecha” (The Harvest). The group includes themes such as immigrant workers, Native American practices, Greek tragedies and Jewish traditions. Performances are conducted in both English and Spanish and include live music.

* Oni Buchanan performs “Poetry in Piano” at 8 p.m. Friday, March 23, in Boll Theatre, celebrating the lyric works of such composers as Ravel, Scriabin and Liszt.

The University will also host the World Rhythms Series, presented in conjunction with Cityfolk. General admission tickets are $18; seniors, UD faculty, staff and alumni $16; students $9. Performances will be held in Boll Theatre and include:

* Aurelio Martinez
8 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 16
Hailing from Honduras, Martinez blends the African and Latin acoustic roots of the Caribbean.

* Jean Paul Samputu and Ingeli
8 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 1
A master percussionist, Rwanda's Samputu sings in six different languages while serving up a rhythmic fusion of Rwandan dance music, soukous and Afro-beat.

* Kiran Ahluwalia
8 p.m. Wednesday, March 21
India's ancient art is reinvented by Ahluwalia, who specializes in both folk songs from the Punjab and ghazals, a form of sung poetry of Persian origin.

The series also includes a special event, the Hungarian State Folk Ensemble, at 8 p.m. Friday, March 2, at the Dayton Masonic Center. Based in Budapest, this ensemble dances in colorful, authentic costumes with an effect The New York Times calls “unreservedly brilliant.” For special event pricing and tickets, call Cityfolk at 937-496-3863.