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Minnesota’s own Emmy Award-winning acoustic tunesmith, Michael Monroe, performs an evening of music by the tremendously popular British singer-songwriter. In the ’70s, Michael Monroe looked like Cat Stevens, performed Cat tunes and even wanted to be him!

Stevens, whose music remains relevant five decades later said, ”Music can be healing… for what looks like a gigantic divide in this world, I feel I can point a way toward our common humanity again.” Monroe shares this viewpoint and feels Cat’s tunes are especially timely today.  Cat Stevens “had rare ability to combine the strength, fragility, and sometimes mystery of his highly personal compositions,” said the LA Times.

Michael Monroe has performed his original music for five decades. His hand-crafted Seaton guitars are made of 200 year-old reclaimed wood from the bottom of Lake Superior.  These “works of art,” his rich vocals and crystal/bamboo flutes showcase his signature mellifluous sound. Expect the best of Cat with songs like “Wild World,” “Peace Train,” “Father & Son,” “Hard Headed Woman,” “Where Do The Children Play,” “Can’t Keep It In” and of course, “Moonshadow.”y do, how long they’ve been at it, and what got them to where they are.

“ROCCO & DOKKO”

@ 5:00 on Friday – Virtual Concert from Unity Minneapolis

Friday, October 30th – 5:00 PM (CST)

Join us for a “Virtual Concert” live streamed from Unity Minneapolis on Friday, October 30th at 5:00 PM.  This musical event will not only benefit the Twin Cities’ and Unity communities by reaching out to our many friends and family at this time of social distancing and sheltering in place - your online donations during the event will also benefit the artists, as well as the many ministries of Unity Minneapolis.  On hand to deliver the musical festivities will be Lori Dokken and special guest artist James A. (Jamie) Rocco.

Lori and Jamie have been each other’s fans for 15 years and now these friends are joining forces on stage for the first time for a fun-filled, festive occasion of crooning and chatting during this live-streamed event.  

James A. Rocco sang back-up to Frank Sinatra at the ripe age of 12 and has not stopped singing since.  He has appeared on Broadway and in major venues worldwide, including Carnegie Hall, The Kennedy Center, Théâtre du Châtelet, and others with the Duke Ellington Band, Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Dee Dee Bridgewater, and many others.  From 2005-2017, he was the Producing Artistic Director of the Ordway.

Let the live recordings continue!!!

Over the course of the summer, THREE (Judi Vinar, Rachel Holder & Lori Dokken) will be giving three live-streamed concerts from Unity Minneapolis during their "@5 on Friday" concert series. These concerts will have an added component to them – they all will be recorded live and some of the audio material will be selected to be mixed and mastered and released as a digital album in the fall. You will be a part of this endeavor as you experience their experience of making a live recording over the course of the summer.

“THREE” is the brand-new brainchild trio of local Twin Cities’ musicians - Judi Vinar, Rachel Holder and Lori Dokken.  These three artists have not only been friends for many years but have also been colleagues in a diverse array of musical groups and productions. “Three” brings together a triad of diverse voices that are skilled in multiple styles and genres and the end product is an incredible performance that unites them into a singular sound - rich in color, character, confidence and the sonic seasoning of experience. Three represents so many things … past, present and future … beginning, middle and end … body, mind and soul … Judi, Rachel and Lori.

Shout! Sister, Shout! – The Voices of Women …

… a concert event celebrating great women composers and vocalists.

Originally conceived as a two act theatrical presentation, this edition of “Shout!” will contain musical selections from the show presented as a chronological compilation of songs by great female composers and vocalists ranging from Sister Rosetta to Alicia Keys. The show will be adapted to fit within a 90 minute timeframe. On stage to deliver an eclectic and dynamic array of arrangements of songs written by some iconic female artists are a cadre of local Twin Cities’ vocalists including Judi Vinar, Joyann Parker, Rachel Holder, Katie Gearty, and Anna Christy backed by pianist Lori Dokken (Producer & Music Director of “Shout! Sister, Shout!”) along with a rhythm section.

This concert will take us on a journey through the joys, struggles, loves, losses, concerns, and causes of women using powerful and tender melodies. Along the way we will be reminded of the resilience of the human spirit and our community of shared dreams and then brought to a place where we celebrate all that binds our voices together … especially through music.

Shout! Sister, Shout! – The Voices of Women …

Presented by Lori Dokken (developed in partnership with The History Theatre and adapted for Crooners Lakeside Drive-In Stage)

Vocalists: Judi Vinar, Joyann Parker, Rachel Holder, Katie Gearty, Anna Christy and Lori Dokken.

The 1960s was one of the most memorable decades of all time in the history of The United States.  It started out with the election of President John F. Kennedy and the dawn of “Camelot” and closed out with the first man landing on the moon.  In between these bookends would be the assassinations of JFK, RFK and MLK ... civil rights legislation … protests … drugs … The Feminine Mystique … Black Power … hippies … Vietnam … Gloria Steinem … Nixon … the Watts riots … Andy Warhol … Stonewall … N.O.W. … The Beatles … Laugh-In … The Rolling Stones … Twiggy … Woodstock … and so many other momentous events.  

While men landed on the moon, women artists took their own giant leap into every area of the musical landscape.  The ‘60s were inarguably the most prolific decade for female vocalists and musicians in many diverse styles and categories.  From pop and folk to rock and roll and rhythm and blues, women launched themselves into the music scene and claimed their space in the mostly male dominated industry.

Women on the Moon - The '60s is a concert event that showcases some of our favorite artists from the 1960s such as: Mama Cass, Tina Turner, Aretha, Cher, Dusty Springfield, Lesley Gore, Grace Slick, Janis Joplin, Dionne Warwick, Mavis Staples, Joan Baez, Cher, Ella, Shirley Bassey, Laura Nyro, Diana Ross, Barbra, Joni Mitchell, Bonnie Raitt, Nancy Sinatra, and the great Nina Simone.

Producer and Musical Director, Lori Dokken, has assembled some of the Twin Cities’ finest female vocalists to transport us back fifty years to a time when so many things were static and tumultuous, and yet “peace” and “love” were two of the most circulated words of the era.  Bringing their own unique interpretations to a diverse compilation of music from this decade are such local artists as: Judi Vinar, Patty Peterson, Ginger Commodore, Yolande Bruce, Rachel Holder Hennig, Joyann Parker, Katie Geartyand Anna Christy.

This performance is made possible in part by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation

To celebrate the conclusion of a six month transformation to “The HERstory Theatre” – History Theatre presents - in partnership with Lori Dokken - two concerts celebrating great women composers and writers. The musical journey begins with Sister Rosetta Tharpe and travels through time to today featuring such female phenoms as Laura Nyro, Carole King, Phoebe Snow, Joni Mitchell, Bonnie Raitt, Lady Gaga and India.Arie as well as others.  The evening will also be interspersed with words from some wise women writers such as Maya Angelou, Terry Tempest Williams, and Mary Oliver.

On stage to deliver an eclectic and dynamic array of arrangements of songs written by these iconic artists are a cadre of local Twin Cities’ vocalists including Judi Donaghy Vinar, Yolande Bruce, Joyann Parker, Rachel Holder Hennig, Katie Gearty, Anna Christy and Joy Ohana backed by pianist Lori Dokken (Producer & Music Director of “Shout, Sister, Shout”), bassist Liz Draper, and percussionist Pete Hennig. Voiceover specialist and theatre and film actress, Eden Bodnar, will also be joining us.

These concerts will take us on a journey through the joys, struggles, loves, losses, concerns, and causes of women using powerful and tender melodies along with spoken word. Along the way we will be reminded of the resilience of the human spirit and our community of shared dreams and then brought to a place where we celebrate all that binds our voices together … especially through the arts.