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An Abbreviated History of the Latin/Afro-Carribean Jazz Tradition
Children/Students: $5
Adults: $9
Recommended for grades 5-12
(performance approximately 1 hour long)
Curriculum Connections: American Studies, Global Studies, African-American Studies
Con Alma y Fuego ("With Soul and Fire") traverses the origins and evolution of the Latin/Afro-Caribbean jazz traditions and highlights the contributions and music of groundbreaking artists such as: Mario Bauza, Machito, Dizzy Gillespie, Chico O’Farrill, Tito Puetne, Mongo Santamaria, Antonio Carlos Jobim, Irakere, Eddie Palmieri and Fort Apache just to name a few and aims to elucidate the degree to which both the American Experience and the sound of jazz have been greatly influenced, enhanced, expanded and refined by these rich, soulful cultural heritages.
While jazz has long been considered a distinctly American art form, it cannot be denied that the form is and always has been a stylistic amalgam of the many rich cultural traditions that defines the American experience. In fact, it’s out cultural diversity in particular that exemplifies the very meaning of “distinctly American.”
Firmly steeped in the African American experience, jazz artists have always been curious, creative, globetrotting explorers in search of new sounds, new rhythms, new harmonies, and melodies as a means by which to expand their musical vocabularies and palettes of artistic expression. “Latin Jazz” (as its commonly known) is, in effect, an approach to playing jazz that integrates traditionally American jazz forms, concepts and sensibilities with rhythms, harmonies, melodies and instruments from the African, Caribbean, and South American musical traditions.
Title I School and Non-Profit Benefits
Is your school a Title I? Is your organization a non-profit? If so, your group qualifies for complimentary tickets. For more details, please email Kimberly Stephenson at [email protected].
ABOUT JAZZREACH
Established in 1994, JazzReach is a nationally recognized New York City-based 501(c) (3) not-for-profit organization dedicated to the promotion, performance, creation and teaching of jazz music.
Through the presentation of innovative, widely acclaimed live multi-media educational programs for young audiences, captivating main-stage concerts for general audiences and informative clinics and master-classes for student musicians and ensembles, JazzReach is steadfastly dedicated to fostering a greater appreciation, awareness and understanding of this rich, vital, ever-evolving American art form.
Since premiering our debut educational program in 1997, JazzReach has successfully positioned itself as one of our nation's leading arts organizations dedicated to jazz. Our dynamic, innovative programs have triumphantly served over 650,000 young people nationwide in partnership with many of America's most prominent performing arts presenters and have received unanimous praise from students, teachers, parents, the media and arts professionals alike.
JazzReach's educational programs for young audiences are highly immersive and interactive and are as entertaining as they are informative and actively engage students in an analysis of:
- the cultural factors that have come together to make jazz such a compelling art form
- the social conditions that shaped the music's development
- the immense impact jazz has had on the sound and evolution of indigenous American music
