Embark on an incomparable musical journey as the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis premieres two compelling new commissions: The Panáfrica Suite: Echoes from the Isthmus by Grammy Award-winning Panamanian pianist Danilo Pérez, and African Roots, Diasporic Routes: Benin, Kongo, and the Music of the Americas by saxophonist Godwin Louis. These works explore the deep connections between Africa and the Americas, tracing the cultural and musical threads that bind them.

Renowned for his innovative fusion of jazz with Latin and Afro-Caribbean influences, Pérez brings his Panamanian heritage to the forefront in The Panáfrica Suite. While saxophonist Godwin Louis, inspired by his Haitian roots and travels through West Africa, delves into the African diasporic experience in African Roots, Diasporic Routes.

Joining Pérez and Louis are renowned vocalist Catherine Russell and percussionist Weedie Braimah. Russell, a Grammy Award-winning artist, brings her rich vocal stylings to the performance, while Braimah, a master of the djembe, adds rhythmic depth with his expertise in West African drumming. Together, these artists will treat audiences to a transatlantic voyage across the history of our music.

Made possible by the John and Jody Arnhold Innovation Fund.