Elio Villafranca: Letters to Mother Africa
The Appel Room • 1h 36m
Visionary Cuban pianist and composer Villafranca brings us an ambitious and culturally enlightening program. Leading an all-star band, Villafranca examines a wide range of jazz written with great reverence to Africa. Exploring jazz's deep, unifying roots in Africa, Villafranca incorporates musical traditions and instruments from across the continent into Western jazz contexts, demonstrating common traits as well as the deep diversity of African influences.
PERSONNEL
Elio Villafranca – piano
Billy Harper – tenor saxophone
David Murray – tenor saxophone
Vuyo Sotashe – vocals
Dezron Douglas – bass
Abdou Mboup – percussion
Lewis Nash – drums
Up Next in The Appel Room
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Joe Lovano Universal Jazz Ensemble
On top of being one of the world’s best saxophonists, tenor titan Joe Lovano is also one of the most restlessly creative leaders in music. Nearly all of his projects bring together never-before-heard combinations of creative powerhouses. His latest group features seven artists from across the ent...
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Bill Frisell: Up and Down the Mississ...
Guitarist Bill Frisell embarks on a profoundly historic musical sojourn realized through his unique embodiment of the the American landscape.
Originally performed on May 29th, 2015.
Personnel
Bill Frisell – guitar
Greg Osby – alto saxophone
Craig Taborn – keyboards
Rudy Royston – drums -
The Democracy! Suite
“Jazz music is the perfect metaphor for democracy," says famed trumpeter Wynton Marsalis. At a time when America—and indeed, the whole world—finds itself at a crossroads, the Pulitzer Prize-winning composer has been inspired to write a poignant and buoyant work, "The Democracy! Suite," which prov...
