YUSA in Concert! Friday, March 23th. 9:30 pm. Fountain Terrace. Hialeah Park Racing and Casino. Alafia Creative Entertainment

Internationally acclaimed and Grammy nominated musician, composer, singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist YUSA is hitting the stage again! 

YUSA is nowadays one of the most successful Cuban women musicians worldwide, specially in the world music and jazz scenes. She has an impressive career, including several nominations, awards, special collaborations and residencies in Europe, Japan, South America and the U.S.

This time YUSA will present an unforgettable concert with her quartet at the Fountain Terrace in Hialeah Park Racing and Casino, a unique architectural and historical jewel still to be discovered for many Miami residences. 

For this concert, YUSA will delight fans and live music lovers with a comprehensive musical journey across her best songs and recordings.

YUSA will be accompanied by great local talent: Armando Guerra ( drums) Jennifer Hernandez ( keyboard and vocal) Manuel Orza ( elect. Bass) Yusa ( Guit/ Bass/ Tres/ Lead Vocal) 

This Event is Free and Open to the Public!

Event FB page with more details.

Where Jazz and World Music Become One, GroundUp Style. An article about GroundUp Music Festival.

BandShell, Miami Beach

Where Jazz and World Music Become One, GroundUp Style.

By Eva Silot Bravo, PhD. (All Rights Reserved)

GroundUp Festival Logo

The 2nd edition of GroundUp Music Festival took place at the North Beach Bandshell in Miami Beach, February 9-11, 2018. The festival was founded last year by the brilliant and talented Michael League, director of multi Grammy-winning band Snarky Puppy and the GroundUp music label. The three-day event took place each day within the Bandshell and surrounding oceanfront park from noon until 11pm – concerts alternating between two stages, as well as intimate artist-led workshops. After-concert jam sessions went late in the night at a nearby hotel.

Throughout the festival League played with numerous bands, mingling and integrating smoothly with any type of format and music performed by his invitees. After more than a decade of work including the days with Snarky Puppy at the University of Northern Texas, GroundUp feels like a vision come true for League. He has been touring all over the world and collaborating non-stop with some of the best young and established musicians from all artistic genres. At a time of critical shifting in the music industry, League is breaking ground on his own terms with an underground approach and a little help from some friends. He has put together an independent music label and this annual world-class music reunion in Miami, a city not usually part of jazz fest circuits. Addressing the audience, League repeatedly expressed his joy to hold this festival as a celebration and opportunity to collaborate and celebrate with friends whose music he truly enjoys. 
  

One of the festival’s highlights was Snarky Puppy’s daily performance to a packed, enthusiastic and educated crowd of music fans. You could easily feel a great vibe of collaboration among all musicians involved. Jazz was an important musical language at GroundUp fest. It was also the perfect excuse to promote a space for exchange and encounter among musicians and music lovers. In only two years, GroundUp fest has become an inspiring cultural enterprise that only seems to get better. 

The festival’s mind-blowing lineup created many memorable moments including a concert by Weedie Braimah and the Hands of Time. Weedie is a Ghanian-born, St. Louis- raised, world-class percussionist, who showcased an insane talent as a performer and bandleader. The music ensemble utilized handmade African instruments including Djembe drums, balafon, shekere and kora. The band unveiled a real passion, soul and musicianship in their electric fusion of jazz and funk with West African music. MonoNeon, Prince’s last bass player, added a colorful intervention to Weedie’s band. 

Weedie Braimah and the Hands of Time

After that, I thought it was going to be difficult to experience anything better. But my predictions were overruled. Most of the festival’s music acts were noteworthy, to the point of being difficult to choose a favorite. 

Roosevelt Collier

Roosevelt Collier offered another unforgettable experience. He put together an extremely powerful jazz/hip-hop/gospel/groovy music band. Closing your eyes during his band’s performance felt like being inside an African-American evangelist church in Harlem, Little Haiti, Miami, or elsewhere USA listening to the most exquisite gospel music crafted with a fulfilling organ sound. After a bridge, the music suddenly transported the audience to another mood. Collier’s band flawless and funky performance was matched by his soulful sound and great skills on a wood lap steel guitar, Nashville style. Roosevelt Collier gave an uplifting concert that could take the audience to unimaginable places.

Banda Magda workshop
Magda Giannikou’s appearances at the beach workshop and on stage were memorable. Born in Greece, she leads Magda Banda, a New York based multicultural band that engages with an array of genres from jazz, Greek folk, South-American music to French chanson.  She is also a multi talented musician, band conductor, composer and multilingual singer that speaks indistinctly in Greek, French, English and Spanish. For the workshop Magda was joined by a drum circle at the beach. In this interactive workshop the audience was divided into several groups. Madga acted as a conductor, providing different vocal lines to each group’s leader. The organized improvisation turned into a nice vocal adventure, creating another moment of connection and joy. Later that night, she played at the Bandshell stage, joined by other Snarky Puppy musicians as well as Emily Estefan on vocals, and legendary singer, guitar and tres guitar player Eliades Ochoa of Buena Vista Social Club fame.

Paris Monster

The Paris Monster concert was electrifying. Josh Dion, lead singer of this two-man band, sings like a rock star, jamming on keyboards with his right hand and the drums with his left hand and leg. You could say he is a percussionist for his incredible sense of rhythm and the beat driven feeling of his music, but that’s an understatement. Paris Monster’s music is an unexpected fusion of rock, pop, garage, and funk-infused with intriguing electronic and synthesizer effects. An attractive light show and fog enhanced Paris Monster’s concert.

Harold Lopez-Nussa Trio

Equally mesmerizing were the performances of recognized jazz musicians, like saxophonist Joshua Redmand, pianist Robert Glasper, percussionist Jojo Mayer, guitarist and artist at large Lionel Loueke, banjo master Bela Fleck, the Wood Brothers, and bassist Victor Wooten. The performance of C4 was a nice surprise. A virtuoso ensemble of cuatro guitars and electric bass brought out a Venezuelan folk flavor. West African rhythms and instruments were another important reference for some of the festival acts. Harold Lopez Nussa Trio was another delight. With a international career as a pianist and jazz musician, Harold has contributed an open-minded, renewed fusion between Cuban music and jazz taking place for the last 20 years on and off the island.

Becca Stevens 

Emily Estefan

The female lineup was robust and captivating, including artists like Concha Buika, Becca Stevens, Alina Ergibayan, Sirintip, Emily Estefan and Banda Magda, among others. Listening to Emily playing live was a lot of fun. She moves with ease between different music styles and displays great confidence on stage. Emily is a Berklee College of Music alum and a multitalented player of cymbals, drums, electric guitar, piano, and a serious singer. Moreover, her music is personal, unpretentious and solid, supported by a kickass band with Caribbean, American, Latin and Latin-American music backgrounds. Emily Estefan’s concert was testament to the richness and versatility of Miami’s alternative urban music scene. 

The festival workshop series was a plus. The audience and participants witnessed over- the-top master classes and music demonstrations. They were held by world-class music stars from the festival, like Victor Wooten, Michael League, Jojo Mayer, Béla Fleck, Lionel Loueke, the Wood Brothers, Joshua Redman and Robert Glasper. Intimate workshops at the beach were led by Weedie Braihma, Banda Magda, Becca Stevens, and Alan Hampton. 

Bela Fleck and Lionel Loueke

with Josh Dion (Paris Monster) and Michael League (Snarky Puppy)

with master bassplayer Victor Wooten

Legendary Banjo player Béla Fleck and African born- and currently Herbie Hancock’s guitarist- Lionel Loueke started their workshop improvising, and the conversation went from there. It was the first time they played together. On the surface it looks like they don’t have much in common, but that was not the case. The dialogue between the banjo, the electric guitar and their respective musical universes produced delightful rhythms, sounds, and conversations with the attentive crowd. Singer-songwriter Becca Stevens and bassist Alan Hampton created an intimate setting at the beach with the audience. They sang covers and songs accompanied by some little folk guitars. Between songs they held casual Q and A with the audience and shared anecdotes in an inviting and casual atmosphere.

Addressing a frequently-asked-question, Banda Magda’s director Magda Giannikou said it was difficult to define a name for the style of music acts at the festival. Instead, she found a simple and illustrative compromise: Music. On the same topic, internationally acclaimed and award-winning bassist, composer, singer Esperanza Spalding defined very eloquently what this festival’s music is all about. “…it’s people on the ground floor of music making, who said: ‘We want to create music and treat our fellow musicians with respect, love, and honor. There has to be a cross-pollination from the ground up, and that’s this festival. It’s so amazing.” 

The audience is resting in hammocks between sets.

African handmade instruments for sale

Festival's merchandise

The festival’s production delivered efficiently and with great organization different details including the schedule, merchandise, lounge areas and food options. The set up offered many enticing options to relax on-site throughout the day. Perfect Miami Beach weather, enhanced by a breeze coming the sea, clear skies and sunshine made the festival experience a dream come true for attendees, many of whom were visiting from across the US and beyond.

The audience is listening to a workshop

Casual conversations emerged in different instances. I spoke with a local family of two middle-school kids with their parents. They heard about the festival last year, after listening to a Magda Banda album. They fell in love with it, became Snarky Puppy fans, and decided to attend the fest. A Canadian couple and a guy from North Carolina told me they were greatly surprised about the positive environment created by the GroundUp experience as something they want to continue to explore in the future. Others expressed their preferences for the fest to keep as is, mainly in terms of size. Few times I remember feeling so great to be part of an audience like this one. 

GroundUp Music Festival poster

The GroundUp Music Festival is definitely breaking ground for the alternative music scene. The festival celebrates music beyond boundaries, and it’s a great addition to Miami’s cultural and entertainment options. GroundUp is an excellent occasion to experience great live music by the sea, and to gain appreciation for musicianship.

By Eva Silot B., PhD. (All Rights Reserved)

"Ochas" Suite. Dialogue between Afrocuban music and Jazz in New York in the 21st. century. Jazz @ Lincoln Center.

Evolution of the dialogue between Afrocuban music and Jazz in New York in the 21st. century. 

Winton Marsalis, Chucho Valdes, Pedrito Martinez, Roman Diaz, Yesenia Selier & Jazz @ Lincoln Center Orchestra, among others.

Jazz Night in America series. NPR documentary. 

SETLIST
3:02 - ‘Moyuba’
17:03 - ‘Ogún’
24:25 - ‘Obatalá’
49:32 - ‘Changó’

Music Theory Interview: Jacob Collier (Part 1)

For those into Harmony and Microtonality, a Do Not Miss Interview. Jacob Collier is rescuing an old book on theory of harmony that hardly anybody knew until he started using it. ☺️ After this interview, the sale rates of this book have increased exponentially in Europe and elsewhere...

Para aquellos interesados en la Armonia y la Microtonalidad. Jacob Collier recupera un libro antiguo casi no leído, sobre teoría de la armonía negativa, y lo pone en practica. Luego de esta entrevista han subido las ventas de este método en Europa..

A preview for Artsburst Miami about the upcoming Zun Zun Children Fest, October 1st, presented by FUNDarte.

ZUN ZÚN FEST: A CELEBRATION OF ARTS EDUCATION AND DIVERSITY FOR CHILDREN

Text originally published by Artburst.

Photo: by FUNDarte

WRITTEN BY: EVA SILOT BRAVO

In the last 15 years, Miami residents have witnessed the city’s steady transformation into an international urban hub with the customary arrival of communities from all over. Together with the controversial impact of large-scale real state ventures that prompted that expansion, there’s been a significant shift in the diversity, frequency and depth of the cultural options available to Miamians in any given season, which is still often overlooked.

An important part of Miami’s cultural options has been spawned by the local non-profit sector, in organizations such as FUNDarte, a pioneer in creating multicultural spaces to present top-notch international and local talent on a regular basis.

The upcoming 2016 Zun Zún Children Fest opening Saturday, Oct. 1, presented by FUNDarte, is an example. The line-up and performances were chosen to promote the production of art for children. That is the case of multi Grammy nominee, singer/songwriter and author Rita Rosa Ruesga, who will perform with composer, singer and author Robbi Kumalo and New York-based musician and world music performer Luchy Kalanraty. The festival also features the New York theater company Teatro SEA/Society of Educational Arts.

SEA is a bilingual institution committed to providing a combination of arts-in-educational theater and workshops for Latin communities for more than 20 years. Says Manuel Morán, the company’s CEO, “It has always been important that children who came from Latin America, like those who were born here, know about their culture."

For the Zun Zún Fest, SEA is presenting the inspirational musical “My SuperHero: Roberto Clemente,” a play written and directed by Morán about a boy named Bobby who shows up to school, on a “superhero day,” dressed up as legendary Puerto Rican baseball player and humanitarian Roberto Clemente. Clemente died on one of his trips to Nicaragua in 1972, on his way to help survivors after the impact of an earthquake. For Morán, “this type of personality passes very often under the table without any or no recognition.” His choice to adapt Clemente’s story was largely motivated to “teach children that Latin-American countries and Latin communities have important people, ‘living legends’ that inspire the human heart beyond fiction.” By doing that, the piece attempts to redefine mainstream stereotypes about superheroes and instill in children self-respect and confidence.

“Superheroes do not always have supernatural powers,” says Morán. “Our main purpose is that children feel proud of their roots and we want to make them conscious that they also have the tools to be superheroes.”

With a similar focus on educating children on the richness of Latin and Latin-American cultures, the other acts presented by Zun Zún Fest this year encompasses music, theater, poetry reading, puppet shows and audiovisuals. In the case of Ruesga’s music performance, she dialogues with Afro-Caribbean references. Reflecting on what audiences can expect from her upcoming performance, Ruesga says: “I love to integrate different percussion instruments to my musical arrangements because the rhythm patterns are very well received by children, as well as the visual image of those folk instruments. Adding those rhythms and musical instruments to my songs for children is the best way I have to pass them on to future generations.”

FUNDarte presents Zun Zún Fest, in partnership with Zunzún Arts and Education and the Miami-Dade County Auditorium, opening Saturday, Oct. 1, 2:00-5:00 p.m., at the Miami-Dade County Auditorium, 2901 W. Flagler St., Miami; Tickets $20 Adults, $5 Children under 14. www.ticketmaster.com; 305 547 5414, 786 348 0789.

The festival’s educational activities include a Colloquium on music and literature for children on September 28, 9:00 a.m.-noon, at Centro Cultural Español; and a music and theater performance for K-5 students on Sept. 30, 10:00 a.m.-noon at Miami-Dade County Auditorium, Mid Stage.

RAVI SHANKAR LIVE CONCERT AT BBC

The Brown University Latin Jazz and Pop Festival. October 1-7, 2015

The Brown University Latin Jazz and Pop Festival 

October 1-7, 2015.  Providence, Rhode Island

CLACS at Brown University Festival webpage

Festival FB page 

Event Calendar

Thursday, October 1

- 4:00 p.m. Lecture on the Historical Roots of Contemporary Afro-Cuban Music by Ned Sublette, Kim Koo Library, Watson Institute, 111 Thayer St.






- 9:00 p.m. Afro-Cuban Rumba

Renowned percussionists Pedrito Martinez, Raymer Olalde, Philbert Armenteros and Roman Diaz will offer an unforgettable performance at The Spot Underground.

Reserve your FREE tickets here!

Afro-Cuban Rumba



Friday, October 2

- 12:00 p.m. Roundtable on Contemporary Afro-Cuban Pop and Jazz, with Ned Sublette, Arturo Gomez, Martin Cohen, and Eva Silot Bravo, Joukowsky Forum, Watson Institute, 111 Thayer St.

Musicologist Ned Sublette, author of the definitive Cuba and Its Music will be joined by Martin Cohen, founder of the Latin Percussion (LP) brand of percussion instruments; Arturo Gomez, KUVO/KVJZ Music Director, Host of Lunchtime at the Oasis, and Community Camp; Cultural Affairs Liaison; and Phd. Candidate at University of Miami, Researcher and Blogger Eva Silot Bravo (Cubanidadinbetween).


- 8:00 p.m. An Evening of Latin Jazz with Ed Calle and Friends, The Spot Underground, 180 Pine St.

Ed Calle is a renowned musician, composer, orchestrator, scholar, professor, and leader. Throughout his legendary career, Calle has become one of the most recorded saxophonists in history appearing on more than 1,200 albums, 8,500 singles, and countless television and movie soundtracks with artists ranging from Frank Sinatra and Celia Cruz to Sylvester Stallone and Andy Garcia.


Reserve your FREE tickets here!

Ed Calle


- 10:00 p.m.-12:00 pm Son Lokos, The Spot Underground, 180 Pine St.

SonLokos is a new Cuban dance band based in Miami that features renowned percussionists Raymer Olalde and Philbert Armenteros.

Reserve your FREE tickets here!

Son Lokos


Saturday, October 3

- 3:00-4:30 pm, Percussion Workshop with Philbert Armenteros and Raymer Olalde, The Spot Patio, 180 Pine St.


(PRE-REGISTRATION REQUIRED- email clacs@brown.edu)

Drumming Workshop



- 9:00 p.m. Jesus Andujar and Grupo Sazon, The Spot Underground, 180 Pine Street

Providence's own Jesus Andujar & Grupo Sazon will kick off this great night of live music at The Spot with salsa, merengue, cha cha and Latin jazz.

Reserve your FREE tickets here!

Jesus Andujar


- 10:00 p.m. PALO! Performance, The Spot Underground, 180 Pine St.

PALO! is a 2015 Grammy Nominee and 2014 Latin Grammy Nominee as well as Miami New Times’ BEST LATIN BAND 2014.

“Afro-Cuban Funk is Cuban music for the new generation. And the leader of the sound is the Miami based band PALO!” New York Post

Reserve your FREE tickets here!
PALO!


Sunday, October 4

- 7:00 p.m. Day of Orula Celebration with Descemer Bueno, the Pedrito Martinez Group, Leslie Cartaya, Ed Calle, and the Brown University Jazz Band with Special Guest, PALO!

This very special evening will feature Cuban singer and composer Descemer Bueno, who won three Latin Grammy Awards in 2014, including “Song of the Year” for “Bailando”; master percussionist Pedrito Martinez, who Wynton Marsalis calls a “genius” and Quincy Jones praises as “the real thing”; the Grammy and Latin Grammy-nominated Afro-Cuban funk group PALO!; and the Brown University Jazz Band.

Granoff Performing Arts Center, Martinos Auditorium

Reserve your FREE tickets here!
Descemer Bueno


Pedro Martínez Group

Leslie Cartaya


Wednesday, October 7

- 8:00 p.m. Performance by Gina Chavez Trio (Indie Latin Folk-Rock), The Spot Underground, 180 Pine St.

Gina Chavez is a bilingual Latin-folk singer/songwriter who blends the sounds of the Americas with tension and grace. Her latest independent release, Up.Rooted, is a passionate collection of bilingual songs traversing cumbia, bossa nova, vintage pop, reggaeton, and folk combined with dynamic vocals and sharp social commentary.

The album won the praise of National Public Radio (NPR), USA Today, and The Boston Globe, and topped the iTunes and Amazon Latin charts after a feature on NPR’s All Things Considered. She is the 2014 John Lennon Songwriting Contest (JLSC) Grand Prize Winner for her song “Siete-D,” a rock-cumbia-rap mix that explores the delights and dangers of El Salvador from a window on the 7-D, the bus route she rode as a volunteer there in 2010.

Reserve your FREE tickets here!

Gina Chavez Trio

Picadillo band. EPK. #urbanmiamimusicscene #cubanfusion

17th Edition of the Afro Roots World Music Festival and Conference in Miami

Afro Roots World Music Festival Website

Festival Press Release:

Annual Afro Roots World Music Festival Returns for a 17th Season

2015 edition expands to 10 acts and over three days and three Miami and Miami Beach venues, panels and workshops

July 15, 2015 – Miami, FL – The Miami-basednon-profit organization Community Arts and Culture, dedicated to presenting the arts as a tool for education, is planning their biggest festival event ever. Taking place August 6 – 8, 2015, the 17th annual Afro Roots World Music Festivalwill launch with a kick-off celebration on Thursday, August 06, at Blackbird Ordinary (729 SW 1st Ave, Miami, FL 33130), continue with a World Music Conference and Global Locals Showcaseon Friday, August 07, at the Little Haiti Cultural Center (212-260 NE 59th Terr, Miami, Florida 33137), and wrap things up with a main event headliners  concert on Saturday, August 8th, at the North Beach Bandshell (7275 Collins Ave, Miami Beach, FL 33141).

Celebrating the evolution of African culture by featuring some of the best performers from all over the Caribbean, the Americas and Africa, the festival’s opening event will feature music by Cortadito (Cuba / Miami) and Patacon Conspiracy (Colombia) along with a global bazaar. Day two at the LHCC includes showcase performances by Conjunto Progreso (Cuba / Miami), PALO! (Cuba / Miami), Morikeba Kouyate (Senegal), the Nag Champayons (Little Haiti) and Los Herederos (Cuba / Miami), plus DJ Moses spinning  global selections. Day three on Miami Beach will conclude with headliners Hassan Hakmoun (Morocco), Locos Por Juana (Colombia) and Bateria Unidos deMiami (Brazil), along with DJ Le Spam.

Day two’s World Music Conference and Global Locals Showcase is the festival’s most recent undertaking. The conference will feature three highly informative panel discussions focusing on the business of world music, such as how to build an effective management, publishing and publicity team, what artists need to know about booking agents and touring, etc. Speakers and Panelists will include Dmitri Vietze (CEO / Founder of Rock Paper Scissors, Inc.), Isabel Soffer (Co-Founder/ Co-Director of Globalfest), Deirdre Valente (Lisa Booth Management), Cary Sullivan (producer, Airtel Music Express / booking agent, Afro Funke), Gustavo Fernandez (CEO, Delanuca Music Group, President, BVE 45), and Janice Bond (Cultural Curator | Arts Advocate).

Workshops will focus on North and West African traditions and Afro-Cuban folklore. This year’s main festival headliner Hassan Hakmoun will present a lecture/demo on the traditional sounds and culture of the Gnawa people of Marrakesh. He will be demonstrating his main instrument the sintir, a three-stringed lute with a body made of camel skin stretched over nutwood. Master percussionists Roman Diaz and Mauricio Herrera and multi-instrumentalist Onel Mulet will demonstrate the application of traditional Afro-Cuban based folkloric music in the context of modern or contemporary music. Senegalese percussionist Aly Mbaye and Morikeba Kouyate on the korawill show attendees the rhythms of the sabar drum and djembe, as related to the Mandingo musical traditions of Senegal, West Africa. Delou Africa Inc., a locally based non-profit organization that presents the annual African Diaspora Dance & Drum Festival of Florida, will be hosting a West African dance workshop with a live percussion ensemble.

A special after-party will take place Saturday, August 8 at Naomi's Garden Vibes Restaurant (650 NW 71st St, Miami, FL 33150), beginning at 10 p.m. featuring DJ Lance –O and the Kulcha Shok crew. There will be a $5 cover charge and the event is open to those 21 and over.

Support for the Afro Roots World Music Festival is made possible by the Knight Foundation, FundingArts Network, the Miami-Dade Department of Cultural Affairs, the Little Haiti Cultural Complex, Blackbird Ordinary, the New Yorker Hotel, Kulcha Shok Musik, and Blackwell Rum.

Day one is free and open to those 21 and over. $20 two-day passes for days two and three are available online at afrorootsfest17.bpt.me or admission is $15 at the door. A $10 discounted door rate is available for students and seniors with ID; kids 12 and under are free.