Iquique, Chile
After our show in Curico, we headed North to Iquique, Chile. Our concert was on the in front of the Municipal Theatre in Hemicicio Plaza, Central Square. It was organized by the great jazz and blues enthusiast, Alvaro Gomez. We met many eager young musicians after the show and of course, invited them to an […]
Fishin’ Blues in Southern Chile
Seems like everywhere we go in Chile people like fish! So do we and Fishin’ Blues is perfect for the occasion. The message of the song is “many fish bite if you’ve got good bait.” We love singing this song as much as we love PESCADO FRITO! Here are two clips from Southern Chile. The […]
Curico, Chile
Curico was also hit hard by the Earthquake. We can only imagine how unsettling this is to the residents here. After taking this all in we arrived at the Library where our concert was to take place. Next door to the library was a building full of music… We were surprised to find students in […]
Talca, Chile
We arrived here Wednesday and saw many devastated buildings. The only place the concert could be held was in an art gallery. The gallery was gorgeous, decked out with super-fine works of art both modern and classic. Again, Chileans blew us away with their resilience. Life is incredibly vibrant here. And the will of the […]
Chillan, Chile
Arrived in Chile last Saturday. Had a day to visit Pablo Neruda’s house in Santiago then headed South to the area hardest hit by the Earthquake in late February. We have been blown away by the warmth of the people down here. Chileans LOVE the BLUES!
Fortaleza, Brazil
What a piano! It’s amazing how the possibilities open with a fine Steinway instrument at my fingertips. We opened the concert with our new arrangement of the spiritual, “Trouble of the World.” After hearing this arrangement, one person observed, “Now I know where John Coltrane and those guys were coming from!” It’s true, African American […]
American Bi-National Center
Last night was an amazing experience. We performed for students, diplomats and friends of the American Bi-National Center in Recife. This is a place that teaches classes in English. Of course, we saw it as the perfect opportunity to invite the Maracatou kids from Corpos Percussivos. We were so knocked out to perform two songs […]
Posted in Arts Education, Blues Band in Brazil, Cultural Diplomacy, Eli Yamin Blues Band, Jazz education, Recife 2 Comments
Sitting In
Speaking of community. At the Conservatory we learned of a benefit for a beloved bassist in the community organized by his son. The club was packed with folks pitching in for the cause. LaFrae and I were honored to take part and sat in with the band on “I Feel So Glad” by Hop Wilson […]
Blues Band Broadcast from Albania
This just in from Albania. It’s an excerpt from our Rhythm Road Tour in June where we appeared on E Diel, the live, weekly, variety show broadcast nationwide. We were knocked out by the multi-generational-over-the-top-enthusiastic reception we received there. Thanks again to our great hosts at the Embassy in Tirane and our wonderful co-sponsors at […]
Blues Band back in the U.S.
We returned to the U.S. on June 2, had a day off, then hopped the train to Washington DC for a concert at the National Geographic Society. The following day we were invited to the U.S. Department of State in Washington to discuss our trip with officials from the Department of Education and Cultural Affairs […]