Carnegie Hall

Carnegie Hall Citywide: Ayoinmotion

Spoken poetry, hip-hop, a hard-driving band, and Afrobeat dancers make each of Ayoinmotion’s shows an invigorating experience. Essence magazine has called the Nigeria-born performer “one to watch on the Afrobeat scene.” He has made his name on the circuit opening for such superstars as Wande Coal and Talib Kweli, electrifying audiences at the Apollo Theater, and performing on the same bill as Gyptian at South by Southwest. A powerful poet who is passionately committed to social activism, Ayoinmotion moves audiences and uplifts their spirits.

Carnegie Hall Citywide: The Pedrito Martinez Group

Fueled by the driving rhythms of the sacred Cuban batá drum and punctuated by African chants, the music of Pedrito Martinez is “complex, blenderized Africa-to-the-New-World funk” (The New York Times). Havana-born drummer and singer Martinez and his group play Afro-Cuban music with precision and power, respecting its roots, but always keeping it fresh and progressive. Besides leading his own group, Martinez has played with Paquito D’Rivera, Eddie Palmieri, Edie Brickell, and Sting.

Carnegie Hall Citywide: Hazmat Modine

Hazmat Modine’s music tips its hat to New Orleans–style honky-tonk with dashes of klezmer and gritty jug-band blues tossed in for good measure. Propelled by the earthy vocals and scorching harmonica of band founder Wade Schuman, the group’s unique sound is buoyed by tuba, drums, guitar, and banjo, as well as an Armenian double-reed instrument called the duduk. For nearly a decade, the band has toured in more than 40 countries and performed with an eclectic assortment of musicians, from Kronos Quartet to Natalie Merchant.

Carnegie Hall Citywide: Septeto Santiaguero

The musicians of Septeto Santiaguero are the leading exponents of son music, the sizzling fusion of African rhythms and Spanish-influenced melodies that flourished in Cuba at the turn of the 20th century. Winners of the 2015 Latin Grammy Award for Best Traditional Tropical Album, the Santiago de Cuba natives have broken new ground, collaborating with salsa stars Rubén Blades and José Alberto “El Canario” while remaining true to the glorious son tradition. Led by Fernando Dewer, who plays the tres (a guitar-like instrument), Septeto Santiaguero’s irresistible sound is bolstered by soulful vocals, trumpet, guitar, bass, and percussion.

La Chiva Gantiva has withdrawn from this performance, and has been replaced by Septeto Santiaguero.

Carnegie Hall Citywide:
Hannah Rose Kidwell, Soprano
Christina Giuca, Piano

A pair of winners of the Music Academy of the West’s prestigious Marilyn Horne Song Competition (2017), soprano Hannah Rose Kidwell and pianist Christina Giuca perform together and show us why they took home top honors. Kidwell has appeared in Chapman University’s productions of Donizetti’s L’elisir d’amore and sung the title role in Puccini’s Suor Angelica. Giuca holds a collaborative piano fellowship at Bard College, and has served on the music staffs of the Houston Ballet, Eastern Music Festival, and SongFest.

Carnegie Hall Citywide: Corey Cott

Corey Cott was a special guest at Michael Feinstein’s recent Carnegie Hall concert As Time Goes By: Crooning the American Songbook—and now you have the opportunity to hear him again. He won rave reviews in his Broadway debut as Jack Kelly in the hit musical Newsies, a role he starred in for two years. Cott returned to Broadway in the revival of Gigi, and recently appeared opposite Laura Osnes in the world premiere of Bandstand at Paper Mill Playhouse.

Carnegie Hall Citywide: Billy Childs Quartet

Pianist, composer, and arranger Billy Childs has performed with an honor roll of jazz luminaries that includes Freddie Hubbard, J. J. Johnson, Joe Henderson, and Wynton Marsalis. A highly sought-after composer, his music has been performed by a wide range of artists in the worlds of jazz, classical, and pop, including Yo-Yo Ma, Chick Corea, Renée Fleming, and Sting. As a recording artist, Childs has won multiple Grammy Awards; most recently, his album Rebirth won the 2018 Grammy for Best Jazz Instrumental Album.

Carnegie Hall Citywide: Banda Magda

Magda Giannikou—the Greek-born leader of Banda Magda—boasts silky vocals, nimble-fingered accordion playing, and an effervescent stage presence that together make for an irresistible performance. With members of the band hailing from Argentina, Japan, Colombia, and the United States, Banda Magda taps into each of these cultures for an eclectic sound. French songs, Afro-Peruvian landó, samba, Greek dance, and other diverse styles compose Banda Magda’s inventive set list. The group continues to explore new ground with its recent album Tigre, released in 2017.

Carnegie Hall Citywide: Deva Mahal

A rare combination of masterful songwriting and breathtaking vocal talent, Deva Mahal steps into the spotlight on her debut, Run Deep, an album of pulse-pounding soul with a decidedly modern edge. Taking inspiration from the idea of strength through vulnerability, Mahal connects with her audience with raw honesty, rich musicality, and emotionally searing songs of love and loss, and the power of the human spirit to overcome.

Carnegie Hall Citywide: The Elio Villafranca Afro Caribbean Trio

Cuban-born pianist Elio Villafranca’s brand of jazz excites with its virtuosity and pulsing Latin rhythms. Villafranca was classically trained in percussion and composition in Cuba. Since his 1995 arrival in the US, he has been among the foremost pianists, composers, and bandleaders. A Grammy Award nominee, Villafranca’s recordings have been praised in the jazz press. His debut album, Incantations Encantaciones, was selected as one of JazzTimes magazine’s 50 best albums of 2003.