Marcus Miller presents his new album ‘Laid Black’ in sold-out concerts
- He will perform on Tuesday in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (Theatre Cuyas) and on Wednesday in La Laguna (Theatre Leal) at 20.30 hours
- Barencia, Pepe Rivero & Ángela Cervantes, Alexis Alonso Ensemble and JM Churchi & Son de la Tierra, will also take the stage at venues during the next two days
Marcus Miller returns to the Canary Islands within the framework of the Festival Internacional Canarias Jazz & Más to present his new studio album, Laid Black, in two sold-out concerts to be held on Tuesday 12 at the Theatre Cuyás in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, and on Wednesday 13 at the Theatre Leal in La Laguna (at 20.30 hours in both cases). Dubbed one of the most influential artists of our time. Miller remains at the top of his game for over 30 years, being a two-time Grammy award winner (US), winner of the 2013 Edison Award for Lifetime Achievement In Jazz (Holland), of the 2010 Victoire du Jazz (France) and in 2013, was appointed a UNESCO Artist For Peace.
His characteristic bass sound can be heard on a limitless catalogue of musical hits from Bill Wither’s Just The Two Of Us, Luther Vandross’ Never Too Much, to songs from Chaka Khan, David Sanborn, Herbie Hancock, Eric Clapton, Aretha Franklin, George Benson, Elton John & Bryan Ferry, to name a few. With his distinctive style – a unique combination of funk, groove, soul and pure technical skills – Miller has been referred to as one of the most significant bass players in jazz, R &B, fusion and soul. ‘Bass Player’ Magazine includes him on its list of the ten most influential jazz players of this generation.
In his current project, Laid Black, we find Miller incorporating more modern, urban elements into his music from trap, hip-hop, R&B to gospel. Of this music, Miller says: “After Afrodeezia where I did a lot of travelling all over the world, I thought it would be cool to bring into the mix, some of the influences of our time that I was listening to right here at home”. The album features special guest performances by Trombone Shorty, Kirk Whalum, Patches Stewart, Take 6, Jonathan Butler and guest vocalist Selah Sue. The Line-Up at the festival consists of Marcus Miller (bass, clarinet bass), Russell Gunn (trumpet), Julian Pollack (keyboard), Donald Hayes (sax) & Anwar Marshall (drums).
The programme of concets at this 31st editión of the ‘Festival Internacional Canarias Jazz & Más’ also includes performances by Barencia on Tuesday 12 at ‘La Granja’ (Santa Cruz de Tenerife) and on Wednesday 13 in ‘Rincón del Jazz’ (Jazz Corner) at the Alfredo Kraus Auditorium (Las Palmas de Gran Canaria); Pepe Rivero & Ángela Cervantes with their show ‘Olas y Arenas’ on Thursday 14 at the Theatre Guiniguada (Las Palmas de Gran Canaria); Alexis Alonso Ensemble on Thursday 14 at the ‘Espacio R’ (Santa Cruz de Tenerife); and JM Churchi & Son de la Tierra the same day in the Café Theatre Rayuela (Santa Cruz de Tenerife).
‘Barencia’ is an imaginary city, a point halfway between Barcelona & Florence. It’s a unique fusion of different traditions, a magical alchemy that creates a show featuring an encounter between music & dance, between flamenco and jazz. Xavi Torres, one of the better known Catalan pianists on the European jazz scene, joins up with Bernardo Guerra from Florence, known for his steady collaboration with Stefano Bollani, and the young contrabassist Michelangelo Scandroglio, one of the emerging talents on the Italian scene. The compositions lure Karen Lugo’s dancing. Dauntless, creative & original, the Mexican dancer has been awarded prizes for her innovative research relating to flamenco. Also her knowledge & experience in contemporary dancing carry the group towards new horizons.
Olas y Arenas is a delicate and elegant project, led by the Cuban pianist and composer, Pepe Rivero and the Ibizan singer Ángela Cervantes, with which they commemorate the legacy of the renowned Puerto Rican artist, Sylvia Rexach. She was a singer, composer, comedy scriptwriter and poet, to whom they pay tribute by presenting in a new way and with a new voice her sensitive work as well as her intense but short life through a selection of her songs. Days narrated through poetry & melodies, during times that straddled World War I and the bohemian nights of the ‘50s, in a world that did not see the full value of her art until after her passing.
The pianist & composer from Tenerife, Alexis Alonso has firmly become established as one of the most essential names on the Spanish jazz scene. The successes of his latest works, both as a piano soloist (Love In Floating Bridges, 2021), as well as with his band – Alexis Alonso Quartet (Out, 2020) and in addition, with the level of his collaborators (Seamus Blake, Jorge Pardo, Ralph Alessi, Marco Mezquida & Pedrito Martínez), makes him deserving of a status gained on the base of work & constant recognition by the audience & critics. His ‘Ensemble’ is a staging of the tour ‘Out’ in a formation made up of ten musicians, where the ‘wind’, ‘strings’ & percussion add to the innovative sound of the Canarian pianist’s band and where the cello of Ciro Hernández, Roberto Amor’s drums & José Carlos Machado on contrabass, will navigate once again along with Alexis Alonso’s melodies and the magic of his piano.
Son de la Tierra is a Latin jazz band led by drummer JM Churchi. Its music portrays Caribbean rhythms incorporating structures related to modern jazz, with special emphasis placed on solos & improvisation. Musician by profession, he began playing the drums at the age of nine. From there, he developed his career in local groups & orchestras until jazz crossed his path and he embarked on his way to improvisation. Churchi has an extensive career path playing in countless formations, always linked to jazz.
After this second weekend, the festival enters into a phase of two weeks of concerts staged daily until the end on 24 July, featuring artists of the calibre of Gregory Porter, Avishai Cohen ‘Big Vicious’, Ben Wendel Quartet, Kadri Voorand in Duo with Mihkel Mälgand, Septeto Santiaguero, Fuensanta & Louis Cole, Philip Lassiter, Yusan, Pokaz Trio (Ucrania), Pepe Bao Sextet, Berta Moreno and Canarian ensembles: Gran Canaria Big Band, Ernesto Montenegro Quintet, Rayko León Quartet, JC Machado, Los Jinetes del Groove and Javier Montero Jazz Band.
The ‘Festival Internacional Canarias Jazz & Más’ will again have the support of the Canarian Government through the deputy minister of Culture & Heritage as main sponsor; the Island Councils of Fuerteventura, Lanzarote, La Palma, El Hierro, La Gomera, Tenerife & Gran Canaria; the Gran Canaria Tourist Board; the Las Palmas de Gran Canaria & Santa Cruz de Tenerife City Halls, the Santa Brígida, San Bartolomé de Tirajana, La Laguna, Puerto de la Cruz, Adeje, Los Llanos de Aridane, Alajeró, Arrecife & Teguise Town Halls; and stage venues, such as the Tenerife Auditorium, Theatre Leal, Auditorium-Theatre Foundation, Theatre Guiniguada, Theatre Cuyás, place of interest ‘Espacio La Granja’; the Elder Museum of Science & Technology, the ‘Paraninfo’ at the ULPGC, the Santo Domingo Convent in La Laguna, ‘Espacio R, Café Theatre Rayuela and Fábrica La Isleta.
