Con Alma Y Fuego

This educational concert is presented to New London Public Schools students in grades 5-12 by the Garde Arts Center and the Eastern Connecticut Symphony Orchestra, celebrating the Garde’s Centennial Season and the ECSO’s 80th Anniversary.

Con Alma y Fuego

An Abbreviated History of Afro-Caribbean/Latin Jazz

Featuring sizzling live music by New York’s Metta Quintet, captivating video projections, and live narration, Con Alma y Fuego (With Soul and Fire) captures the enticing origins and evolution of Latin/Afro -Caribbean jazz tradition and highlights the contributions and music of artists such as Mario Bauza, Machito, Dizzy Gillespie, Chico O’Farrill, Tito Puente, Mongo Santamaria, Antonio Carlos Jobim, Irakere, Eddie Palmieri, and Fort Apache, just to name a few.

With its roots firmly steeped in the African-American experience, jazz musicians have always been creative, globetrotting explorers in search of new sounds,  rhythms,  harmonies and melodies as a means by which to expand their musical vocabularies and palettes of expression.  “Latin Jazz” (as it’s 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 Latin American musical traditions.

How has the American experience and the sound of jazz been influenced, enhanced, expanded and refined by these rich, vibrant cultural heritages? Come find out.