CALENDAR

DOORS @ 7:30 / SHOWS @ 8PM, UNLESS POSTED OTHERWISE 

• Sat

  14

  Dec

  2019

  Richard Sears Quartet ft. Billy Hart / Melvis Santa & Ashedi Dec 14

  7:30 Doors $10.00 Suggested Donation

  

   

  Richard Sears Quartet 
  Roman Filiu – saxophone
  Richard Sears – piano
  Martin Nevin – bass
  Billy Hart – drums

  Pianist and composer Richard Sears has appeared with the Billy Hart Quartet (ft. Mark Turner and Ben Street), the Muhal Richard Abrams Orchestra, Joshua Redman, Ravi Coltrane, Ralph Alessi, Eric Revis, and many others. In 2018, Sears was commissioned by The Shed (NYC) to create “Should I Lose You”, a staged work for piano, electronic musical score by Ethan Braun, and video by Clara Cullen. Sears has also received commission and support from the Aaron Copland Fund (2015) and the Los Angeles Jazz Society (2013) for composing and recording his 2016 release, “Altadena”, featuring the legendary drummer Albert “Tootie” Heath. “Altadena” earned 4 stars in DownBeat Magazine, and was named “one of the best releases of 2016” by AllAboutJazz.com. His latest release, Iron Year (2018), features long-time collaborators, Roman Filiu and Martin Nevin, who will also be a part of tonight’s performances. 

  
  Melvis Santa & Ashedi

  Melvis Santa – voice, piano
  

  Rafael Monteagudo – percussion

  Afro-Cuban music can transform time and consciousness with its multilayered polyrhythms and hypnotic chants. It can take us out of our ordinary state of mind and invoke the spirits of the Afro Cuban pantheon of orishas. Singer, composer, artivist, bandleader, actress, educator and 2018 GRAMMY nominee, Melvis Santa presents her project Ashedi (“invitation” in Lukumí, the Yoruba language adaptation in Cuba). In an extended duo setting, she leads on piano and vocals, and fronts a full percussion section of sacred batá drums and jazz drums played by Cuban master percussionist Rafael Monteagudo.

  MELVIS SANTA is a singer, composer, actress, and arts advocate from Havana, Cuba. Melvis made a splash in the music scene at age 14 when she formed the all-female vocal quartet Sexto Sentido. The ensemble won the 2001 JoJazz Competition and were dubbed by master Chucho Valdes ‘the best vocal quartet in the last 30 years.’ Years later Melvis spread wings and appeared as lead vocalist of Cuban seminal fusion band Interactivo, collaborating with Roberto and Bobby Carcasses. Based in New York since 2014, she continues to make a mark as a performer and as an educator, teaching Afro-Cuban music and dance workshops and masterclasses at NYU, YALE University, UArts, Tulane University, among others. Melvis has collaborated with the who’s who of the jazz and Latin communities such as Andy Bey, Xiomara Laugart, Steve Coleman, Omara Portuondo, Buenavista Social Club, Maqueque, Steve Coleman, Bill O’Connell, Arturo O’Farrill, Team Cuba de La Rumba, and Munequitos de Matanzas.

  RAFAEL MONTEAGUDO is a Latin Grammy nominee drummer, percussionist, and composer. His styles focus on jazz, funk, fusion, Latin jazz, and Afro-Cuban. Classically trained drummer from Havana most prestigious conservatories, Mr. Monteagudo had the opportunity to work with some of the best-known Cuban jazz and folkloric groups while in Cuba, including Calle 42, Eddy Mesa, Jazz Quartet Carisma and the Conjunto Folklórico of the University of Havana. Arrived in the US in 2000, Rafael has performed at prestigious venues and music events such as Lincoln Center, Central Park Summer Stage, Blue Note, the Smithsonian Institute, The Kennedy Center, Aspen Jazz Fest, the Caramoor Jazz Festival, among others. He has toured with Yosvany Terry, Michele Rosewoman and The Pedrito Martinez Group among others, including iconic songwriter and producer Desmond Child. Most recently Rafael appeared at a tribute concert to Eddy Palmieri and the late Randy Weston as part of ECM pianist David Virelles ensemble.