Wednesday, June 5, 7:30 pm at California Jazz Conservatory

Pianist Edgar Pantoja presents Afro-Cuban jazz and world music from his first album Vivencias. Pantoja’s original compositions fuse the diverse music of Cuba—its folklore, rumba, son, and timba—with the international rhythms of samba, Moroccan Gnawa, jazz and funk.

He is joined by the accomplished musicians David Lechuga-Espadas on guitar, Ernesto Mazar Kindelán on acoustic and electric bass, Colin Douglas on drums, and Carlitos Medrano on percussion. These masters of Cuban music inspire and captivate with a fresh melodic and rhythmic experience during the evening’s performance.

Born in Santiago de Cuba, Edgar Pantoja has spent over 20 years performing modern and traditional Cuban music on the world’s most important stages. He has toured and collaborated with influential musicians including Rubén Blades, John Benítez, David Murray, Angelique Kidjo, Descemer Bueno, and Pedrito Martinez. He most recently formed part of the Grammy-nominated Pedrito Martinez Group as pianist/keyboardist and arranger.

Rendon Hall at the California Jazz Conservatory
$20 general admission / $10 full-time students