Union Theater: Busy with an eclectic lineup

The Wisconsin Union Theater has a knack for booking some of the hottest and most interesting performers around. That talent will be obvious in the next few weeks, as the theater is especially busy with an eclectic lineup that includes world music, tap dance, Cajun folk music, and songs and ballads with medieval and contemporary influences. (Not all on the same evening, however. Phew.) For more information on the performances, including recordings and samples of the artists’ work, or to buy tickets, visit the theater’s nifty Web site.

Angelique Kidjo

Thursday, Nov. 6

Angelique Kidjo is a Madison favorite and it’s easy to hear why. She blends West African music with pop, jazz, funk and rock, creating an infectious and buoyant style all her own. She sings in several African languages, French and English; has received four Grammy nominations; and has collaborated with Carlos Santana, Gilberto Gil and Dave Matthews. She is also a UNICEF goodwill ambassador.

Savion Glover

Saturday, Nov. 8

Shuffle, ball change, cramp roll, brush and flap are just some of the names of tap steps. Whatever the names, it’s fun to watch and listen to tapping — check out Savion Glover, considered by many to be the greatest living tapper. Glover, a dancer and choreographer, made his Broadway debut as the title character in “The Tap Dance Kid” at the age of 12. He received a Tony Award in 1996 for his dancing and choreography of the Broadway hit “Bring In Da Noize, Bring In Da Funk.” He also received a National Endowment for the Arts Grant for Choreography, making him the youngest person in NEA history to receive that honor. His fabulous moves were captured to make the recent animated film “Happy Feet.”

Pine Leaf Boys

Thursday, Nov. 13, Music Hall

Cajun and Creole music is the ultimate feel-good music, with driving danceable rhythms, haunting harmonies and lilting melodies. It can also bring listeners to tears, with ballads of lost loves and heartbreak. The Pine Leaf Boys hail from South Louisiana and they’ll bring some bayou heat to Music Hall. The members are all in their 20s and play traditional Cajun and Creole music with fresh twists, which earned them a Grammy nomination. According to the New York Times, the Pine Leaf Boys are “the core of a renaissance in Cajun and Creole music. After years of recycled arrangements and graying performers and listeners, Acadiana’s dance halls are suddenly filled with young musicians, young dancers and a hard-rocking approach to the old acoustic instruments.”

Wisconsin Singers

Friday, Nov. 14, and Saturday, Nov. 15

UW-Madison’s show choir, the Wisconsin Singers, will take the Union Theater stage for a high-energy show of singing and dancing. The group’s newest revue features big band sounds, vocals and plenty of humor. Broadway showstoppers from the past 40 years of American theater and a medley of pop hits from Frank Sinatra to Christina Aguilera are on the program.

Trio Mediaeval

Thursday, Nov. 20

Trio Mediaeval presents early music with some modern additions. The three women in the group specialize in polyphonic music from England and France, medieval Norwegian ballads and songs, and contemporary works. Their angelic voices blend in beautiful harmonies in what is sure to be the early music vocal concert of the season. Founded in Oslo in 1997, Trio Mediaeval’s first two CDs went immediately to the Billboard Top 10 Bestsellers list and received various other honors. The description doesn’t do them justice; take a listen at http://www.uniontheater.wisc.edu.