The Guilderland Public Library’s extraordinary Viva Latin Jazz! series kicks off next week with a multimedia experience presented by Grammy-nominated musician Bobby Sanabria.
Viva Latin Jazz! is a grant-funded line up of live concerts and events that explore some of the key players, cultural traditions, and collaborations that have contributed to the evolution of the extraordinarily popular musical genre known as “Latin Jazz,” sometimes referred to as Afro-Cuban Jazz, and the related Brazilian Jazz.
The first event, featuring Bobby Sanabria, is Clave- The Key: A Rhythmic Journey From Africa to the New World, on Wednesday, April 2, at 7 pm. Mr. Sanabria, who was nominated for a 2007 Grammy in the Best Latin Jazz Album category for his Big Band Urban Folktales, is a celebrated drummer, percussionist, arranger, composer, and bandleader. He uses the 5-beat rhythm of the clave (the rhythmic pattern and unifying principle of Cuban song, rumba and contemporary salsa) as the “key” to unlock the roots of Afro-Cuban music. Using a variety of percussion instruments and simultaneously speaking or singing, Mr. Sanabria will demonstrate how the 5-beat clave, with its roots in West Africa, journeyed to Cuba and the U.S. and remains at the core of other musical styles such as funk, R & B, rock & roll, and hip hop. Archival film footage and a lively question-and-answer session will round out this extraordinary evening.
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Upcoming Events in the “Viva Latin Jazz!” Series include:
Collaboration and Crossover in the Evolution of Latin Jazz
On Wednesday, April 9, at 7 pm, Dr. José Cruz, a Guilderland resident and president of the locally based Jazz/Latino, inc., will lead an audiovisual discussion of the musical biographies and Latin jazz careers of Mario Bauzá, considered the “father” of Latin jazz, and Brian Lynch, a contemporary exponent of this music.
Concert Featuring The Nicki Denner Latin Jazz Trio
Enjoy an afternoon of “caliente” Latin jazz music on Saturday, April 12, at 2 pm. Nicki Denner and her group bring the rhythmic intensity of the Latin big band to the jazz piano trio.
Brazilian Jazz: Major Styles and Artists
Tom Pierce, a resident of Guilderland and a longtime contributor to both print and online jazz review publications, will be at the Library on Wednesday, May 7, 7 pm, to lead an audiovisual introduction to the rich history, diversity, influences and major artists of Brazilian music, including Gilberto Gil, Antonio Carlos Jobim, Gal Costa, Milton Nascimento, Astrud Gilberto, and many more.
Antonio Carlos Jobim – Brazilian Jazz Legend
On Wednesday, May 14, at 7 pm, Tom Pierce will host another event, this one focusing on Brazil’s most renowned musical figure, Antonio Carlos Jobim; the presentation will trace his development as a young pianist/guitarist, singer/composer, through the emergence of Bossa Nova.
Live Concert as The Sonny & Perley Quartet present “Brazilian Romance”
Join us for a mid-spring concert on Saturday, May 17, at 2 pm, as the Sonny & Perley Quartet perform in the musical traditions of Brazilian Jazz. The concert features pianist Sonny Daye and vocalist Perley Rousseau.
Thank you!
Our thanks to the sponsors of the Viva Latin Jazz! program which is made possible in part through Community Art$Grants, a program funded through the State and Local Partnership Program of the New York State Council on the Arts, a state agency and the Arts Center of the Capital Region. Funding also came from The Friends of the Guilderland Public Library. Performances by Bobby Sanabria and by the Nicki Denner Trio were made possible through the efforts of Jazz/Latino, inc., a local non-profit organization dedicated to the promotion of jazz and Latin jazz education and appreciation. Jazz/Latino, inc.’s signature event is the Ahora, Latin/Jazz! concert series held in May.
Please note: All library programming is free (unless otherwise noted) and open to the public. The Guilderland Public Library is located at 2228 Western Avenue, Guilderland. Call 456-2400 for more information. Or visit www.GuilderlandPublic.info. Email info@GuilderlandPublic.info
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