Geo C salutes Prince with song

Friday will mark one year since the sudden death of rock-funk superstar Prince shocked the world.

George Case, leader of Mahoning Valley funk band Geo C and tha Storm, has long listed the Purple One among his biggest musical influences. To pay tribute to him, Case has written and recorded a song fittingly titled “April 21st” — the date of Prince’s death. It’s an 8-minute elegy reminiscent of Prince’s “Purple Rain.”

The song will appear on the forthcoming Geo C and tha Storm album “Youngstown Funk.” But it is available now exclusively on Vindy.com as a free download.

LISTEN HERE

“April 21st” was composed, arranged, performed and produced by Case, who also sings and plays all instruments except guitar, which was handled by his bandmate Tyrone Williams.

THE DANA CHORALE’S TRIP TO SOUTH KOREA IS STILL ON

A few weeks ago, the Dana Chorale of Youngstown State University announced it will travel to South Korea May 8-19 to give several performances. In recent days, war tensions on the Korean peninsula have ratcheted up, with the United States and North Korea making shows of force.

So is the chorale’s trip still a go?

“Yes, I believe we are going to make it,” said Hae-Jong Lee, director, and a vocal music professor at YSU.

“I think [that how] we see the situation from here and [how] Koreans see the situation are very different,” said Lee, who is a native of Korea. “If any serious things are going to happen, the U.S. will have to withdraw all U.S. citizens from South Korea first before doing any military action. If I am not wrong, there are more than 150,000 U.S. citizens in Korea, and the United States did not issue any serious travel restrictions to South Korea so far.”

THIS AND THAT

Jazz concert: The Dana School of Music’s four jazz combos will present a free concert at 7:30 p.m. this evening in Spotlight Theater, inside Bliss Hall, on the YSU campus. Led by Dave Kana and Theron Brown, the concert will feature jazz standards by Chick Corea, Joe Henderson and Miles Davis, as well as a few standards.

Because of the reconstruction of Wick Avenue, it’s best to park in the M30 Wick Avenue deck. Enter via Walnut Street.

‘Spring Awakening’: WDFC Theatrical Productions will present the rock musical “Spring Awakening” at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and April 28 and 29, in Union Hall, 547 Prospect St., Salem. Tickets ($15) can be reserved by emailing WDFCtheatricalproductions@mail.com.

Guy D’Astolfo covers entertainment. Follow him on Twitter at @VindyVibe.