Escape the heat while you enjoy the cool vibes emanating from the Encore Theater, this August, including an evening of virtuosic musicality with Ben Folds and his special guest, Lindsey Craft (August 9); the hilarious mom-centric bless-your-heart musings of Leanne Morgan (August 15-16); and the syncopated Latin rhythms of The Buena Vista Orchestra presented by Jesus “Agauje” Ramos (August 24).
Ben Folds and a Piano, with special guest Lindsey Kraft
August 9
Back in 1993, Ben Folds Five burst onto the indie/alt scene. Though in actuality, a piano rock trio, they went with the name “Ben Folds Five” because, according to Folds, he felt it sounded better than “Ben Folds Three.” And therein lies the humor behind the group, founded by vocalist/pianist Folds, who self-identifies as a “purveyor of punk rock for sissies,” along with bassist Robert Sledge and drummer Darren Jessee, as a reaction to the angst-ridden emo-ness of the rock scene in the ’90s.
Over seven years, the band released three albums, of which the second, Whatever and Ever Amen (1997) would eventually go platinum, thanks to the success of the single “Brick” (a Top 40 hit in the US, UK, Australia, and more), airplay on both mainstream radio and MTV, and (on the remastered 2005 version) the band’s cover of the Buggles’ “Video Killed the Radio Star” (a fan-favorite from their live shows). Following the band’s first parting of the ways in 2000, they would get back together in 2008, and again from 2011 to 2013.
A delightful example of the band’s wit and whimsy can be found in the video for Do It Anyway from their fourth studio album, The Sound of the Life of the Mind (2012), which features Anna Kendrick (Pitch Perfect), Rob Corddry (Ballers), and the cast of Fraggle Rock.
In the quarter of a century since the band’s amicable initial breakup in 2000, Folds has released several solo albums; was a National Geographic photographer; has collaborated with everyone from Amanda Palmer and Regina Spektor to Weird Al Yankovic and William Shatner; acted in films and television series (including We’re the Millers, Community, and You’re the Worst); and published a memoir, A Dream About Lightening Bugs: A Life of Music and Cheap Lessons (2019), which led to the launch of his podcast, Lightening Bugs. In 2017, Folds was appointed the Artistic Advisor to the National Symphony Orchestra, a role he held until 2025.
Leanne Morgan: Just Getting Started
August 15 and 16
Whether you know comedian, author, and actress, Leanne Morgan from YouTube (where millions of viewers regularly watch her videos) or Netflix (her 2023 stand-up special, I’m Every Woman, cracked the streamer’s Top 10), there’s no denying that her singular style of comedic storytelling is at once relatable, honest, and more than a little over it (in a wonderfully bless-your-heart kind of way).
Now, as Morgan gets ready for the debut of her eponymous Chuck Lorre-produced Netflix sitcom, Leanne, the married, Gen X mother-of-three (and recent grandmother!) from Tennessee is bringing her hilarious blend of maternal Southern sass and large-panty-wearing mojo to the Encore Theater for two nights this August; and for those of you wondering why Morgan has become so popular with Gen Z, Baby Boomers, and everyone in between, this is your chance to find out.
Jesus “Agauje” Ramos presents the Buena Vista Orchestra featuring members of Buena Vista Social Club, Estrella de Areito, Afro-Cuban All Stars, and More!
August 24
Following the release of their eponymous album in 1997, the Buena Vista Social Club took the world by storm, showcasing the sounds of the golden age of Cuban music, performed by that era’s most talented artists (many of whom were in their eighties and nineties) who also played and recorded with such renowned bands as Afro-Cuban All Stars and Estrella de Areito.
Taking its name from the popular 1940s members-only music club in Havana’s Buenavista quarter, the band would only record that one album, but what an album! The band also gave three concerts—two nights at Le Carré in Amsterdam, followed by a third at Carnegie Hall in New York City—performing with its full lineup, footage from which (along with the recording sessions in Havana and interviews with the musicians) would form the basis of director Wim Wenders’ Academy Award-nominated documentary, Buena Vista Social Club (1999).
In 2022, a quarter-century after its release, The Library of Congress selected Buena Vista Social Club for preservation in the US National Recording Registrydue to its being “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant,” and that same year, it was recognized as the Best-Selling World Music Album by the Guinness World Records.
About a decade ago, celebrated trombonist, composer, arranger, and musical director, Jesus “Aguaje” Ramos—the original orchestra leader of the Buena Vista Social Club—known for his work with the Buena Vista Social Club, Afro-Cuban All Stars, and Estrellas de Areito, brought together a number of the musicians from those bands (key players in the history of Cuban and Afro-Cuban music) as the Buena Vista Orchestra. They’ve been touring and playing ever since.
Featuring a repertoire pulled from the era’s greatest hits (many of which were composed by Ramos) and a selection of deep-dive cuts, the Buena Vista Orchestra keeps the legacy of Cuban music, art, and culture alive.
