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Jazz Caliente: World jazz and the new voices of Cuba come to town this week

Seckou Keita and Omar Sosa
Alicia Carrera
/
courtesy of the artist
Seckou Keita and Omar Sosa

Here are the Jazz Caliente recommendations for live music this week that you should not miss!

“A cross between Celia Cruz and Aretha Franklin.” NPR's Alt Latino

The Cuban powerhouse vocalist Daymé Arocena is gracing us with her presence for two performances: Saturday, March 16, at UW Meany Hall in Seattle, and I will be welcoming her to the Rialto Theater in Tacoma on Sunday, March 17.

“The Pedrito Martinez Group is writing a new chapter in Cuban music history.” NPR's All Things Considered

Percussionist, vocalist and Santería priest Pedrito Martinez brings his energetic group to the Broadway Performance Hall at Seattle Central College on Monday, March 18.  It's part of Town Hall Seattle's Global Rhythms series.

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“'Transparent Water' is where world music meets world jazz, where tradition meets improvisation and where the lines of spiritual and earthy meet — the result is stunningly evocative.” TJ Nelson, World Music Central

Cuban pianist Omar Sosa, Senegalese kora player Seckou Keita and Venezuelan percussionist Gustavo Ovalles explore the musical and magical connections between worlds at the Triple Door in Seattle on Tuesday, March 19. They’ll also be on 88.5 KNKX for a live studio session at 12:15 that day. Bonus: Check the Triple Door's Musicquarium Lounge before the show for Elspeth Savani's Latin Jazz group. They'll start at 5 p.m. for Mambo Cocktail Hour.

We’ll hear selections from Daymé Arocena’s “Cubafonía” album and from Omar Sosa’s “Transparent Water” this week on Saturday’s Jazz Caliente.

Jazz Caliente airs Saturdays at 5 p.m. The show is hosted by Robin Lloyd and produced by KNKX Public Radio.

Originally from Detroit, Robin Lloyd has been presenting jazz, blues and Latin jazz on public radio for nearly 40 years. She's a member of the Jazz Education Network and the Jazz Journalists Association.