Joe McCarthy’s Latin Grammy Award winning Afro Bop Alliance band performs from 7 to 8:30 p.m., Sunday at the Levitt Pavillion in Westport. The outdoor concert is free.
The ABA band is a 17-piece Afro-Cuban jazz ensemble based in NYC and Washington, DC. ABA received Latin Jazz Album of the Year at the 9th Annual Latin Grammy Awards in 2008 for the recording “Afro Bop Alliance, featuring Dave Samuels,” which was released on the Heads-Up label. This recording was also nominated for a Grammy in the same category that same year.
Contributed photo
Joe McCarthy’s Afro Bop Alliance
ABA was founded and is led by drummer Joe McCarthy. The band is comprised of first call jazz and Latin jazz players from the Washington, DC and NYC, and includes Luis Hernandez (tenor saxophone), Tim Stanley (trumpet), Vince Norman (alto saxophone), Victor Provost (steel pan), Harry Appelman (piano), Tom Baldwin (bass) and Roberto Quintero (percussion).
Collectively they perform with some of the greatest names in the business including Paquito D’Rivera, Richard Bona, The Smithsonian Masterworks Jazz Orchestra, US Navy Commodores Jazz Ensemble and Dave Samuels.
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— an announcement from the Levitt Pavilion
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The music of ABA has long been inspired by the great be-bop tradition, married to the rich rhythmic stylings of Afro-Caribbean music and is composed by the members of the band and arranged by Vince Norman.
Guests who have recorded and or performed with the band include Paquito D’ Rivera, Poncho Sanchez, Arturo O’ Farrill, Dave Samuels, Roland Vazquez, Luis Perdomo, Luques Curtis, Michael Mossman, Ray Vega, Antonio Hart, Oscar Stagnaro, Samuel Torres and Alex Norris.
- “Exquisite playing and arranging – the Afro Bop Alliance is always an experience.” – Paquito D’Rivera
Afro Bop has released five recordings to date: Encarnacion, Camino Nuevo, Afro Bop Alliance-featuring Dave Samuels, and Una Mas. The latest recording, Angel Eyes, debuting on Zoho, received a 4.5 star rating in Downbeat Magazine. “Everything works on Angel Eyes, making this a must-have album for collectors of inventive Afro-Cuban jazz.”
The 2014 New Music USA Grants program has awarded the band’s next recording, Joe McCarthy’s Afro Bop Alliance Big Band presents the Music of Roland Vazquez, Paquito D’ Rivera and Friends an $8000 grant. Of the 1,174 projects received, this project is one of 57 awarded and now published on newmusicusa.org.
In addition to their Latin Grammy, ABA has received a total four Wammie Awards (Washington DC Area Music Association) two for Best Latin Ensemble, one for Best Latin Recording and one Best Big Band Recording.
The Afro Bop Alliance has been featured at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, The Duke Ellington Jazz Festival, The Silver Spring Jazz Festival, The Provincetown Jazz Festival, The WC Handy Jazz Festival, Blues Alley, Bethesda Blues and Jazz, Rams Head On Stage with Paquito D’ Rivera, The Jazz Educators Network International Convention (JEN), The Percussive Arts Society International Convention (PASIC) and The Smithsonian’s Jazz Appreciation Series, among many others.
The lawn and concession area are open to the public one hour before show-time. The Levitt is closed to public during load-in and sound-check.
Picnics are welcome. The Levitt Pavilion and its perimeter is a non-smoking area. Pets are not allowed.