Chucho Valdés has been a prominent figure in contemporary Afro-Cuban jazz for many years and ‘The Creation’ honours his father, Cuban legend Ramón ‘Bebo’ Valdés. A suite in four movements and featuring a big band, the piece is influenced by his heritage and unique style, fusing jazz with European, African and Caribbean rhythms and vocals.
Valdés celebrated his 80th birthday in October yet shows no sign of slowing down. The pandemic gave him the extra time needed to perfect his masterpiece and the opening night concert in Miami on 05 November is the first stop of a world tour, which also takes in Paris, Monaco and the Barcelona Jazz Festival in Spain.
This season’s six-part Jazz Roots series celebrates everything from Latin and American jazz icons to emerging young artists from the local community and features acclaimed jazz vocalist Dianne Reeves, Grammy Award winner Ledisi, legendary guitarist Pat Metheny with his project Side-Eye, all-star jazz supergroup SFJAZZ Collective and closes with Luciana Souza and Vince Mendoza’s ode to Brazilian Jazz.
EFG’s long-standing global association with jazz is founded on a set of shared values including collaboration, innovation and diversity. It is underpinned by a belief in the importance of nurturing the next generation of emerging talent, so we are pleased to also support ‘Sound Check’, the educational strand of the Jazz Roots series, which provides local high school students access to pre-concert sound checks, workshops and the performances themselves.
EFG is a committed partner of the Arts in Miami and Jazz Roots is one of the highlights of the cultural season, together with our other contemporary, cross-cultural partnerships, PINTA Miami Art Fair and the EFG Latin America Art Award.
For more information visit: https://www.arshtcenter.org/