Purdue News

February 5, 1999 BCC brings 'Soul Revue' to Purdue WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. -- The IU Soul Revue, a student performing arts group from Indiana University, will perform Sunday, Feb. 21, at Purdue University. The Black Cultural Center at Purdue is presenting the free concert at 2 p.m. in Fowler Hall, Stewart Center, as part of its 1999 Spring Cultural Arts Series. "The IU Soul Revue is the best Motown clone that I have ever seen," said Thomas "Beans" Bowles, a former musician and road manager for Motown Record Corp. The group, devoted to preserving and promoting the traditions of urban black popular music, has developed a repertoire of rhythm and blues, soul, funk, top 40 and contemporary jazz-fusion works. Original arrangements and compositions are featured, as are works from the heyday of Motown, including music by the Supremes, Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, The Four Tops, The Temptations and The Jackson 5. The concert also will feature memorable songs from the '60s through today, including those made famous by Aretha Franklin, Earth Wind and Fire, Teena Marie, Black Street Groove Theory, Al Green, Janet Jackson, and Tower of Power. "The IU Soul Revue/Black Popular Arts Ensemble," founded in 1971, is one of three performance groups of the Indiana University African American Arts Institute. Coleridge-Taylor Perkinson, who has been acting director of the group in 1997, is a visiting lecturer who has an extensive career as a conductor, composer, performer and producer. He has written and conducted for Alvin Ailey and the Dance Theatre of Harlem and composed and conducted scores for many award-winning theatrical, television, film and documentary productions. Several alumni of the revue have become professional performing artists, including Crystal Taliefero, a former Bruce Springsteen and John Mellencamp vocalist now touring with Billy Joel; Keith Mitchell and Kevon Edmonds of the singing group After 7; and James Strong, bassist and band leader for LL Cool J. CONTACT: Renee Thomas, Black Cultural Center director, (765) 494-3091; e-mail, rathomas@hfs.purdue.edu Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; e-mail, purduenews@purdue.edu To the Purdue News and Photos Page