USA/PERU: NYC: The Corina Bartra Septet Saturday, May 19th 7:30pm Metro Baptist Church

Abby London-Crawford, In Association with the Sanctuary Arts Initiative of Metro Baptist Church, proudly presents The Corina Bartra Septet, Saturday, May 19, 2018 in the sanctuary of Metro Baptist Church, 410 West 40th Street, between 9th and 10th Avenue, at 7:30 PM, located in the heart of Hell’s Kitchen, behind The Port Authority. Ms. London-Crawford will offer this special concert from Peruvian Jazz vocalist and composer, Corina Bartra, and her group. Many of the personnel of the Septet have been in several of Bartra’s musical configurations, and on a variety of her concerts: at the Acoustic Grammy Sessions NYC in 2015, recently at the Kennedy Center in D.C., and on her latest celebrated CD, Takunde. Ms. Bartra’s last concert in NYC at the Latea Theater on January 12th of this year was with her Afro Peruvian New Trends Orchestra. As Raul Da Gama wrote last November 2017, when reviewing the CD Takunde, after its release on Blue Spiral Music: “It is impossible to over-estimate the importance of the great Peruvian musician and vocalist, Corina Bartra …The music of Corina Bartra is quite unique, especially when she is performing Afro-Peruvian repertoire as she does on Takunde…The album comes thirty-one years after Miss Bartra announced her arrival with her very jazzy Afro-Peruvian album Yamambo … Today Corina Bartra’s music probably sounds more deeply Afro-Peruvian than ever and Takunde explores more of South America visiting the music of Antonio Carlos Jobim’s Brasil, even as it traverses the landscape of Jazz and a world after Tin Pan Alley…Perhaps the most remarkable aspect of Takunde is the original work by Corina Bartra and it is music such as “Marinera Jazz” that adds much to Afro-Peruvian musical literature.” An Amazon reviewer, Grady Harp, giving Takunde 5 stars, pointed out more of Bartra’s distinctive accomplishments when he wrote that Bartra “also pioneered subtle and exciting instrumental textures in her compositions and her arrangements. She writes extensive intros, interludes, and solos filled with inventive rhythms and beautiful harmonies. She also guides her musicians to do so. With this approach, she adds an instrumental section to her unique & historic projects.” Some members of the ensemble on Takunde: Steve Sandberg, piano; Victor Murillo, bass; and Perico Diaz, cajón, will also be joining Bartra for the May 19th concert, with Dave Morgan, sax; Diego Lopez, drums; and Tony Romano, on guitar. About the Artists: Saxophonist/multi-instrumentalist Dave Morgan, is a versatile composer/arranger, as well as co-leader of Funk Shui, an all horns fusion project of Jazz and Funk that he has presented many times at The Bitter End. A player who is a remarkable, flexible “stylistic hybrid,” he has performed on many Broadway shows, as well as playing clarinet and editing Ornette Coleman’s Harmolodic Ensemble. Morgan played at the Latea Theater in January with Corina Bartra’s instrumental project: Afro Peruvian New Trends Orchestra. VICTOR Murillo, bassist, originally from Mexico, plays a lot in California, and has been on several Corina Bartra projects, festivals and concerts, and on the CD, Takunde. Murillo also has his own project: Jazz & Tradiciones, of Mexican infused jazz. Steve Sandberg, pianist, composer, is the leader of The Steve Sandberg Quartet, (featuring Zach Brock from Snarky Puppy), and has been nominated for three Emmy's for his scoring and songs for "Dora the Explorer" and "Go, Diego, Go!" He has played with David Byrne, Bebel Gilberto, Ruben Blades, and his Latin jazz mentor, Mario Rivera. Diego Lopez is a New York based drummer. He worked for many years, with Gato Barbieri, Dave Samuels, Diane Schurr, and The Latin Jazz All Stars among many others. Perico Diaz is a Cajon player based in NYC, originally from Peru. He has played on almost all the CDs of Corina Bartra, including her instrumental project, The Afro Peruvian New Trends Orchestra. He credits Bartra for introducing him to Jazz. He is able to communicate musically with great passion and rhythmic precision. Reviewer, Raul Da Gama stated Diaz added “a beautiful radiance…” to the album Takunde. Tony Romano is a NYC based guitarist with great flexibility and virtuosity. He has been a visible part of the New York City music scene for over twenty years. Just Jazz Guitar magazine wrote, “His tone is beautiful and soulful, and his remarkable technique is a servant to his rich musical imagination and broad harmonic palette.”  With a wide range of playing styles, Tony has toured worldwide and performed and recorded with many notable Jazz, Latin, Pop, and Broadway artists, including Michael Feinstein, Randy Brecker, Dave Valentin, Thomas Chapin, Santi DeBriano, and Stanley Jordan, to name just a few.