(Flushing, New York)— Flushing Town Hall’s monthly series of Mini-Global Mashup concerts continues on Sunday, March 19 with Spain meets Haiti.
Curated by renowned klezmer trumpeter Frank London, the concert series presents a different pairing of solo artists each month, showcasing traditional music from around the world and unexpected collaborations that create new and spontaneous sounds.
The March concert will feature Galician accordion player Victor Prieto and Haitian percussionist Gaston Jean-Baptiste, each of whom will perform their own set before collaborating in a grand finale.
A native of Galicia, Spain now based in New York, Grammy-winning Victor Prieto is widely celebrated as one of the best jazz accordionists, fusing his jazz and classical training with a love for traditional Galician music. His compositions are enriched with explosive rhythm and colors.
He has collaborated on world stages with other greats like Yo-Yo Ma, Arturo O’Farrill’s Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra, Cristina Pato, The Maria Schneider Orchestra, Valinor Quartet, Paquito D’Rivera, Chris Geek, and the Christian Howes Group.
Prieto teaches master classes at the Berklee College of Music, has headed jazz accordion studies at the Brooklyn Conservatory, and served as Chairman of the Accordion department at Adagio Conservatory in Lugo, Spain.
Gaston Jean-Baptiste, who goes by the name Bonga, is a musical virtuoso who has studied and performed traditional Haitian drum, dance, and song since the young age of seven. He got his start playing drums in his family’s peristil in Crois-des-Mission in La Plaine, an area of Haiti known for its culture and history. Today, he is regarded as a master of the Afro Haitian drum and pan-African rhythms.
A dynamic performer, session player, and teacher, Bonga can be found on stage, in the recording studio, and in educational settings. He is one of the few drum makers and experts outside of Haiti who continues to build traditional drums using centuries-old techniques.
Bonga was a core member of the seminal Haitian roots band Boukman Eksperyans and Foulà. He first came to the U.S. in the 1990s and has since performed with Peter Yarrow, Grace Jones, Dan Zane, and Urban Tap. His drumming opened the New York premier of the Rolling Stones’ Voodoo Lounge tour, and he is prominently featured on recordings by Wyclef Jean and Salif Keita.
“Audiences are going to love this pairing of Victor Prieto and Bonga,” says Ellen Kodadek, Flushing Town Hall Executive & Artistic Director. “This is sure to be a jazzy and rhythmic concert with great energy and color.”
Tickets to Spain meets Haiti are $15 general admission or $12 for members, seniors, and students. To purchase tickets, visit: https://www.flushingtownhall.org/spain-meets-haiti
For Flushing Town Hall’s full schedule of upcoming events, visit: https://flushingtownhall.org/fth-presents
The Mini-Global Mashup concert series is made possible thanks to funding from the National Endowment for the Arts and the Center For Cultural Vibrancy.
