Culture
Afternoon Raga with J.J. Gregg at Arts West Sept. 22
< < Back toJ.J. Gregg, a passionately creative sitar player, will perform on Sunday, September 22, 2019 at 2 p.m. at Arts West. Doors open at 1:50 p.m. for the all ages show. J.J. Gregg returns to Arts West after shows in 2014 and 2017. Since J.J. was last in Athens he released a new solo sitar album, opening up, on his label, Intangible Cat (jjgregg.bandcamp.com) in 2018. In 2018 he performed throughout Oregon and Washington, as well as two concerts in Tokyo and three performances with his dance collaborator, Peter de Grasse: one at the Seattle International Dance Fest (Art on the Fly) and two at the UNESCO-affiliated World Dance Congress in Mumbai, India. In 2019 J.J. continues to perform in Oregon and Washington and looks forward to sharing his music at TEDxSalem in January 2020.
J.J. Gregg’s lyrical and meditative sitar playing relaxes and rejuvenates listeners, young and old alike. 19 years ago, J.J. moved to Pune, Maharashtra, India on a study abroad program and met internationally renowned sitar player Ustad Usman Khan. Since the year 2000, J.J. has studied sitar and South Asian Classical music under Khan’s guidance. From 2009-2012 J.J. lived in Athens, where he was an active member of the Westside Community Garden and worked for the Kids on Campus afterschool program on The Plains. Recently a fan described J.J. Gregg’s performance thus: “I found the music to be simultaneously relaxing and energizing. I felt like it created a flow of vibrations that drew me into myself while also opening me up,” while another commented, “Through a combination of artistry, expertise, and sincerity, J.J.’s performance treats the audience to a powerfully rich musical experience.”
For more information: https://www.facebook.com/events/1002967026700966/
For a preview of the show, take a listen at: https://soundcloud.com/jjgregg