The University of Arkansas at Little Rock will kick off the Chancellor’s Concert Series with a Sept. 26 performance by the legendary bassist Chuck Rainey. 

The Chancellor’s Concert Series is a new menu of highly select offerings from world-class artists from all musical genres.

The inaugural season begins with “The Stories Behind the Songs with Chuck Rainey” at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 26, in the Stella Boyle Smith Concert Hall in the UA Little Rock Fine Arts Building.

Rainey’s bass lines have laid the foundation for many of the most popular songs in pop, rock, jazz, and fusion. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential bass players in the instrument’s history. In addition to his extensive work as a sideman, he has also released numerous solo albums.

In this event, Rainey will be joined by a full band, including UA Little Rock students, to talk about and reflect on his favorite songs by performers like Steely Dan, Aretha Franklin, the Young Rascals, and Quincy Jones.

The Chancellor’s Concert Series also will feature performances by the innovative New York Classical Players on Oct. 9 and world-renowned guitarist Phil Keaggy on Oct. 27. The season closes with a weeklong residency with Polygraph Lounge from April 23-28, 2018.

UA Little Rock and UA-Pulaski Tech employees and students can attend for free. General admission tickets are $20, while student tickets are $5. Call 501.569.3294 for more information.