Lanesboro Arts presents the Other Country Ensemble at the St. Mane Theatre at 7 pm on Saturday, March 29th! Enjoy an evening of world music, right here in Lanesboro.

Tickets are on sale now for $25, $22 Lanesboro Arts members.

The Other Country Ensemble features veteran musicians from the Twin Cities, who perform traditional music from the northern Mediterranean region ranging from Spanish Sephardic to Greek, and Turkish music, as well as original compositions inspired by these places. Expect to hear tales of the history of music from 600 CE on, and the fusion of sounds that spread through the Mediterranean forming the basis of improvisation found in jazz and rock. OCE will also share about the vast swath of instruments they perform and why and how they evolved into this music.

The group performed at the 2023 MN State Fair on the International Bazaar Stage. This past summer, The Other Country Ensemble were given a standing ovation for a highly energetic set at the Walker Ethnic Festival. Get a taste of their fantastic sound with this video!

About the Artists:

Steve Clarke is a founding member of OCE and performs on soprano saxophone, flute, alto and bass flute, and bass clarinet.  He is a winner of eleven Minnesota Music Awards with three Grammy Nominations including one for work on a Ringo Star recording.  He teaches at Groth Music in Bloomington and also is the band leader for the jazz swing band ‘Steve Clarke and the Working Stiffs’.  He first started working with Scott in the medieval rock band ‘Felonious Bosch’.

Laurie Knutson performs alto and bass clarinet for OCE.  She is a degreed Music Therapist (MT-BC) and recently retired from the Veteran’s Hospital providing music therapy services.  She also teaches clarinet and saxophone at Groth Music in Bloomington and is the singer in the ‘Working Stiffs’.  She is a member of the ‘One Hit Wonders’ cover band performing on baritone saxophone.

Scott Nieman is a founding member and the band leader of OCE, performing on various ‘things with strings’, primarily Greek bouzouki, Turkish oud and baglama saz, and Italian mandocello.  Scott has been researching Sephardic Jewish music for over 25 years and its linkages throughout the Mediterranean and Balkan regions.  Scott also owns a sizable but private recording studio, which is where he composes his music.  Originally from rural WI, he has performed world music in the Twin Cities metro for over 40 years including ‘Felonious Bosch’, ‘seven thieves’ (early music ensemble), ‘The County Popes’ (Celtic), and also currently performs with ‘Makam Baklava’ (Turkish/ Bulgarian Balkan band).

Michael Zieghan has been with OCE for roughly six years and is a long standing name in Flamenco music in the Twin Cities.  He teaches guitar and continues to perform with various flamenco dance troupes on-stage and in the classroom.  He is a former president of the MN Guitar Society and one of the earliest MN Renaissance Festival performers.

Mark Black has been with OCE for just over ten years performing on frame drums, dhol, doumbek, and various other hand percussion.  Like Michael, Mark was one of the earliest medieval/ early music performers of the MN Renaissance Festival.  Mark is also a co-founder of the legendary odd-metered industrial band ‘Savage Aural Hotbed’, which features handmade drums made of found objects ranging from oil barrels to Skil saws!   He lives only one block from Scott’s studio which makes for great fun.

This event is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a Minnesota State Arts Board grant, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund.

Please note:

• The St. Mane Theatre box office will open at 6:00 p.m. the day of the event. Tickets will also be sold in-person beginning at that time.
• Each ticket purchased with a bank card will be charged an additional processing fee of $0.99. Patrons can avoid this processing fee by paying via cash or check in the Lanesboro Arts Gallery, or before the event in the St. Mane Theatre lobby.
• If you are unable to purchase tickets online or need additional assistance, you may try calling 507-467-2446 to purchase a ticket over the phone during business hours. Tickets are also sold in-person during business hours at Lanesboro Arts Gallery.
• We will have a list of the ticket buyer names at the box office beginning at 6:30 p.m. If the buyer and their guests arrive together, no physical receipt or proof of purchase is needed in order to be admitted to the event–we will have a list!
• Alternatively, attendees can present a printed copy of the ticket PDF the ticket buyer was e-mailed or simply pull it up and present it on a smart device.
• Lanesboro Arts is committed to accessibility for all people. Learn more about our access services.