JazzYYC & NMC Present: Omar Sosa & Seckou Keita SUBA Trio

Join National Music Centre and JazzYYC for an evening with SUBA Trio — featuring GRAMMY-nominated composer and pianist Omar Sosa, kora master and singer Seckou Keita, and percussionist Gustavo Ovalles. With music spanning the Atlantic, SUBA Trio is a collaboration between seven-time GRAMMY-nominated composer and pianist Omar Sosa and Senegalese kora master and singer Seckou Keita, featuring Afro-Venezuelan percussionist Gustavo Ovalles.

In celebrating their shared ancestral connection to Africa, musical traditions meet like long-lost family, and the Trio creates an unforgettable soulful sound. Blending jazz with his Afro-Cuban roots, Omar Sosa is no less than a powerhouse. He has released more than 30 albums and received a lifetime achievement award from the Smithsonian Associates in Washington D.C. for his contributions to the development of Latin jazz in the United States. Meanwhile, Seckou Keita, a descendant of West African traveling poets, musicians, and storytellers, is one of the most celebrated kora players in the world. Known for his delicate and hypnotic playing, in 2019 he was recognized by BBC Radio 2 as “Folk Musician of the Year”. SUBA was named one of NPR Music’s “20 Best Albums of 2021”. The group’s unique fusion of genres is an adventure that effortlessly weaves between musical traditions. SUBA “sounds like a serene sunset in the Sahel desert, with sparkling stars, spacious horizons, and wondrous panoramas.” (Jazz Weekly) Their upcoming performance at Studio Bell will feature music from their album as well as dynamic improvisations, and dive into the joyous and spiritual connection of their shared musical roots.

This presentation is part of the JazzYYC Illuminate Concert Series.