“Pianist Chucho Valdés is the past, present and future of Cuban piano. Throughout over six decades as a professional musician, he has performed in a variety of small groups and large orchestras, always incorporating the influence of Africa, Spain and jazz from the United States.”
I just returned from Cuba where 16 Soraya supporters and I enjoyed the annual Havana Jazz Festival – 450 artists performing over the course of a week. The ubiquity of music in Havana is undeniable, and the figure that presides most is Chucho Valdés — posters of past performances, portraits and photographs, and the ease with which his name trips off the tongue. Here in Los Angeles, we are well acquainted with Arturo Sandoval, who has appeared on every stage in the city, including ours. Finally, Cimafunk may be new to some, but the popular artist has brought the Cuban sound to a younger generation. All three artists will come together in the Feb. 20 performance at The Soraya, and we are particularly proud of the 50-year reunion between Sandoval and Valdés.
We have compiled material from the artists presence in the broader media to share with you in advance of their upcoming performance. I think you will find their music to be infectious.
Gratefully,
“One of the world’s foremost jazz trumpeters, Arturo Sandoval, graced the KNKX studios for a mind-blowing set January 13, 2012. Awesome solos around the room in this tune, ‘There Will Never Be Another You.'”
“When I presented Cimafunk at the Alt.Latino SXSW showcase…it was easily one of the most dynamic performances I had seen in more than ten years of attending the annual music festival. I couldn’t wait to get them behind the Tiny Desk so the band could strut its intoxicating mix of Afro-Cuban dance music and 1970s funk-and-soul from the U.S.,” — Felix Contreras, NPR Music
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About Director Selects
The Director Selects series is a sequence of interviews shared by The Soraya on Fridays throughout the year. Each features an exclusive interview with an artist who will perform in the season or a behind-the-scenes video, and a note from Executive and Artistic Director Thor Steingraber. All is done to give patrons a look behind-the-curtain so they can better understand the collaboration between the artist and The Soraya that goes into each performance. To watch more interviews with Soraya artists, click here to visit the Soraya Stories blog pages.