GRAMMY-winning Cuban-born composer, drummer, educator, and MacArthur “Genius” Fellow, Dafnis Prieto, is proud to premiere his new orchestral work, Tentación (Temptation)!
Prieto will present his Concerto for Latin Band and String Orchestra over five performances in the coming months in Louisville, Kentucky; Miami; and Jacksonville, Oregon (full schedule below).
The work will be performed by virtuoso NYC-based Latin band People of Earth and orchestras including the Louisville Orchestra, the New World Symphony, and the Britt Festival Orchestra. Music director Teddy Abrams will conduct.
In this compositional work for string orchestra, Prieto fuses Cuban timba music, Latin Jazz, and contemporary classical music, connecting musical traditions from throughout the Americas and creating an infectious dance energy onstage. He traverses a variety of musical styles in the piece, including the Cuban Danzón, Guanguancó Afro-Cuban drumming, Salsa, Mambo, Rap, and improvisation. Tentación consists of a single extended movement whose individual episodes — some dances, some songs or choruses, some improvised segments — proceed without pause.
Prieto writes: “Tentación is a love story, or better said an imaginary love story driven by the powerful law of attraction. The seductive quality that makes us dream for a better and happy future inside and around ourselves, diving into a vast range of feelings and emotions. This story involves many sides of an imaginary, but at the same time, real relationship: the sweet, the bitter, the similarities, the differences, the conversations, the advice, the challenges, the suggestions, the ups and downs. It involves real senses caused by the imaginary state of willing, of dreaming and desire. The music reflects in sounds and lyrics two words — real and imaginary — i.e. the real, provoked by the imaginary state.”
Tentación is also a celebration of life, exploring the joy of attraction in a broader sense. “It’s about the will to connect and love one another in our shared humanity.” Prieto wrote both text and music for Tentación. His lyrics shift between English and Spanish, in order to connect with broader audiences.
Commissioned by The Louisville Orchestra, Britt Festival Orchestra, New Music USA, Hazard Productions, and People of Earth.
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PERFORMANCES
Friday, March 4, 11AM EST
Kentucky Center for the Performing Arts | Louisville, KY
Dafnis Prieto 'Tentación' World Premiere by People of Earth & The Louisville Orchestra with Teddy Abrams, Conductor
Pre-concert discussion with Dafnis Prieto at 10AM!
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Saturday, March 5, 8PM EST
Kentucky Center for the Performing Arts | Louisville, KY
Dafnis Prieto 'Tentación' World Premiere by People of Earth & The Louisville Orchestra with Teddy Abrams, Conductor
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Saturday, April 9, 8PM EDT
New World Center | Miami Beach, FL
Dafnis Prieto 'Tentación' Miami Premiere by People of Earth & The New World Symphony with Teddy Abrams, Conductor
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Sunday, April 10, 2PM EDT
New World Center | Miami Beach, FL
Dafnis Prieto 'Tentación' Miami Premiere by People of Earth & The New World Symphony with Teddy Abrams, Conductor
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Sunday, July 3, 8PM PDT
Britt Festival Pavilion | Jacksonville, OR
Dafnis Prieto 'Tentación' Premiere at Britt Music & Arts Festival by People of Earth & The Britt Festival Orchestra with Teddy Abrams, Conductor
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Photo Credits (clockwise from top left): Dafnis Prieto by Henry Lopez. Teddy Abrams courtesy of Louisville Orchestra. People of Earth courtesy of Artist.
Film Launch! Dafnis Prieto 'Regresar: Back in Cuba'
In January 2019, drummer, composer, and educator Dafnis Prieto returned to his native Cuba to perform his music on the island for the first time in 20 years.
Emmy-nominated filmmaker Saleem Reshamwala (KidEthnic) joined to document this historic and emotional moment for the short film, Regresar: Back in Cuba.
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A Film by Saleem Reshamwala / KidEthnic
Executive Producer: Lindsay Evans
Assistant Producers: Joe Morra, Kyung Yoon
Music by Dafnis Prieto (Dafnison Music/BMI)
from the 2018 GRAMMY-winning Dafnis Prieto Big Band album 'Back to the Sunset': 'The Triumphant Journey', 'Una Vez Más'
from the 2015 Dafnis Prieto Sextet album 'Triangles and Circles': 'Back and Forth', 'Triangles and Circles'
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From January 11-18, 2019, GRAMMY-winning Cuban-born drummer, composer, and educator Dafnis Prieto made an historic and emotional return to his native Cuba to perform his own music on the island for the first time since settling in the United States 20 years ago in 1999. Prieto made two headlining performances at the International Jazz Plaza Festival in Havana, one with his Sextet on Thursday, January 17 at Fábrica de Arte Cubano and one with his Big Band on Tuesday, January 15, featuring his Sextet complemented by 11 Cuban musicians from the island, playing his compositions from his 2018 GRAMMY-winning album, Back to the Sunset, at Teatro Mella.
Born in Santa Clara, Cuba and completing his education at the National School of Art (La ENA) in Havana, Prieto partnered with the New York-based non-profit organization Horns to Havana (dedicated to instrument donation and repair, as well as cultural exchanges in Cuba and the United States) to offer a Jazz Amistad (Jazz Friendship) program, in which he and the Sextet taught students at two music conservatories in Havana — Amadeo Roldán and his alma mater, La ENA.
To support this effort, Prieto received a prestigious grant from the Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation's USArtists International program, the only national initiative in the United States devoted to supporting performances by American artists at important international cultural festivals. USArtists International is made possible with support from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.
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Filmed January 11-18, 2019 in Havana, Cuba
Camera Operators: Saleem Reshamwala, José Antonio González
Live Sound Engineers: Delio Ferrero Moreria, Iván Ferrero Loforte
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PERSONNEL
Festival Internacional Jazz Plaza Cuba
Tuesday, January 15, 2019
Dafnis Prieto Big Band at Teatro Mella
Román Filiú, Alto Sax, Soprano Sax, Flute, Clarinet
Pablo Cruz, Alto Sax, Soprano Sax, Flute, Piccolo
Peter Apfelbaum, Tenor Sax, Soprano Sax, Melodica
Cesar Filiú, Tenor Sax, Soprano Sax
Yuniet Lombida, Bari Sax
Ariel Guillot, Trombone
Juan Carlos Marin, Trombone
Hansel Woo, Trombone
Eduardo Sandoval, Bass Trombone
Mike Rodríguez, Trumpet, Flugelhorn
Thommy Lowry, Trumpet, Flugelhorn
Alejandro Delgado, Trumpet, Flugelhorn
Mayquel Gonzalez, Trumpet, Flugelhorn
Osmany Paredes, Piano
Johannes Weidenmueller, Acoustic & Electric Bass
Yaroldy Abreu, Congas, Bongos, Percussion
Dafnis Prieto, Drums & Music Director
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Thursday, January 17, 2019
Dafnis Prieto Sextet at Fábrica de Arte Cubano
Román Filiú, Alto Sax
Mike Rodríguez, Trumpet
Peter Apfelbaum, Tenor Sax
Osmany Paredes, Piano
Johannes Weidenmueller, Bass
Dafnis Prieto, Drums & Music Director
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Tour Produced by Eric Oberstein
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Special thanks to
Centro Nacional de Música Popular, Instituto Cubano de la Música:
Brenda Besada Rodríguez
Horns to Havana:
Susan Sillins
Jana La Sorte
Alison Kibbe
Lily Lombera
Conservatorio Amadeo Roldán:
Enrique Rodríguez
Escuela Nacional de Arte (La ENA)
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Special thanks to
Michael Cherashore
Roberto Concepción
Lindsay Evans & Joe Morone
Juan Carlos Formell
Jenny Fornoff
David Garten
Neris González Bello
Lisa Gussack
John Hahn
Aleida Llanes-Oberstein & Alan Oberstein
Elyse & Steve Montiel
Joe Morra
Harsha Murthy
Mana, Raheem & Javid Reshamwala
Ivet Ros Pérez
Suzanne Schechter
Scott Southard
Oliver Valdés
Karin & Luke Weidenmueller
Kyung Yoon
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This project was supported by Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation through USArtists International with support from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.
Dafnis Prieto Big Band is a sponsored project of Fractured Atlas, a non-profit arts service organization.
Dafnis Prieto Big Band Wins GRAMMY Award for Best Latin Jazz Album!
On Sunday, February 10 in Los Angeles, Cuban-born drummer, composer, bandleader, and 2011 MacArthur “Genius” Fellow Dafnis Prieto and his 17-piece Dafnis Prieto Big Band (DPBB) won the GRAMMY Award for Best Latin Jazz Album for their debut record, Back to the Sunset.
Prieto's label, Dafnison Music, which celebrated ten years as an independent record label in 2018, released the big band's debut album on April 6, 2018, to universal acclaim. On this project Prieto collaborated with GRAMMY and Latin GRAMMY-winning producer Eric Oberstein, heralded for his work producing large ensemble recordings. Earlier this fall, the project also earned a Latin GRAMMY nomination for Best Latin Jazz Album.
In a statement, Prieto wrote, "The making of this album has been quite exciting, challenging, beautiful, and gratifying in so many ways. Thank you to all the supporters; we could not have made it this far without YOU. Thank you to the Academy for this recognition, to the musicians who played amazingly on the album, and to everyone involved."
Oberstein wrote, "We're grateful to our community who encouraged us and helped to make this dream happen over the last three years. It's been a joy to collaborate with Dafnis on this project; I'm thrilled that his vision and this remarkable band have been recognized in this way."
One of the leading musical voices of his generation, Prieto composed and arranged nine works for the album — called “one of the best recordings of the year" by DownBeat — showcasing his talents as a trailblazing composer while honoring his musical heroes and mentors. Back to the Sunset is Prieto’s seventh recording as a leader, and is a deeply personal, handcrafted statement, as well as an acknowledgment of the musical figures that shaped his development.
The DPBB's upcoming performances include:
Friday, March 29
Duke Performances at Duke University
Durham, NC
Saturday, March 30
Savannah Music Festival
Savannah, GA
Wednesday, May 29
Spoleto Festival USA
Charleston, SC
Thursday, July 11
*Copenhagen Jazz Festival
Copenhagen, Denmark
Friday, July 12
*North Sea Jazz Festival
Rotterdam, Netherlands
Wednesday, July 17 thru Saturday, July 20
*Ridehuset
Aarhus, Denmark
Sunday, August 4
Newport Jazz Festival
Newport, RI
*Dafnis Prieto Big Band feat. the Aarhus Jazz Orchestra
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DAFNIS PRIETO BIG BAND
BACK TO THE SUNSET
PERSONNEL
Mike Rodríguez, Trumpet, Flugelhorn
Nathan Eklund, Trumpet, Flugelhorn
Alex Sipiagin, Trumpet, Flugelhorn
Josh Deutsch, Trumpet, Flugelhorn
Román Filiú, Alto Sax, Soprano Sax, Flute, Clarinet
Michael Thomas, Alto Sax, Soprano Sax, Flute, Piccolo
Peter Apfelbaum, Tenor Sax, Soprano Sax, Melodica
Joel Frahm, Tenor Sax, Soprano Sax
Chris Cheek, Bari Sax
Tim Albright, Trombone
Alan Ferber, Trombone
Jacob Garchik, Trombone
Jeff Nelson, Bass Trombone
Manuel Valera, Piano
Ricky Rodríguez, Acoustic & Electric Bass
Roberto Quintero, Congas, Bongos, Percussion
Dafnis Prieto, Drums & Music Director
Special Guests:
Brian Lynch, Trumpet
Henry Threadgill, Alto Sax
Steve Coleman, Alto Sax
Produced by Dafnis Prieto & Eric Oberstein
Executive Producers: Lindsay Evans, Harsha Murthy
Associate Producer: John Hahn
Assistant Producers: Roy P. Torres & Mappy Torres
Recorded August 28 & 29, 2017 at Systems Two Recording Studios, Brooklyn, NY
Recording & Mixing Engineer: Joe Marciano
Mastering Engineer: Max Ross
Assistant Engineers: Max Ross & Andrew Cavaciuti
Mixing: Joe Marciano, Max Ross, Dafnis Prieto & Eric Oberstein
Production Coordinator: Danny Martinez
Video: Makoto Matsuo
Photo: David Garten
Cover & Package Design: Michael Quanci
Marketing Consultation: Justin Goldberg
Booking: Hans Wendl
Publicity: Chris DiGirolamo, Two for the Show Media
Radio: Neal Sapper, New World 'n' Jazz
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Learn More: https://dafnisonmusic.com/bigband
Videos:
The Making of Back to the Sunset (EPK): https://youtu.be/Cpdx_5Gh6cQ
‘Danzonish Potpourri’: https://youtu.be/kx0q5J1AuvA
‘Out of the Bone’: https://youtu.be/rWm1s3ze8d4
Press:
"one of the best recordings of the year"
— DownBeat Editors' Pick
"a 17-piece big band ... alternately playing with heat and heart"
— JazzTimes Editor's Pick
"The group pulls down snugly around [Prieto's] elaborate compositions, creating a fluid momentum in a range of styles"
— The New York Times
"expresses the sheer force and depth of field that only a big band can achieve"
— The Wall Street Journal
"The success of [Prieto's] experiment is clear"
— WBGO
"big band gold"
— The Huffington Post
"masterful"
— All About Jazz
"invigorating, imaginative, and rhythmically exhilarating"
— All About Jazz
"The 17-member ensemble roars, rollicks, rumbas, and purrs its way through nine original pieces.... Back to the Sunset is a treasure"
— Step Tempest
"Prieto’s gifts as a composer, arranger and ensemble-driving drummer are on full display throughout a set of swirling, color-filled compositions"
— Venice Magazine
Dafnis Prieto Returns to Cuba
From January 11-18, 2019, Cuban-born drummer, composer, and educator Dafnis Prieto made an historic and emotional return to his native Cuba to perform his own music on the island for the first time since settling in the United States 20 years ago in 1999. Prieto made two headlining performances at the International Jazz Plaza Festival in Havana, one with his Sextet on Thursday, January 17 at Fábrica de Arte Cubano and one with his Big Band on Tuesday, January 15, featuring his Sextet complemented by 11 Cuban musicians from the island, playing his compositions from his 2018 GRAMMY and Latin GRAMMY-nominated album, Back to the Sunset, at Teatro Mella.
Born in Santa Clara, Cuba and completing his education at the National School of Art (La ENA) in Havana, Prieto partnered with the New York-based non-profit organization Horns to Havana (dedicated to instrument donation and repair, as well as cultural exchanges in Cuba and the United States) to offer a Jazz Amistad (Jazz Friendship) program, in which he and the Sextet taught students at two music conservatories in Havana — Amadeo Roldán and his alma mater, La ENA.
Prieto also presented at a colloquium organized by the Festival, discussing and playing concepts from his book, A World of Rhythmic Possibilities. In addition, Prieto made a number of television and radio appearances where he spoke about his work.
To support this effort, Prieto received a prestigious grant from the Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation's USArtists International program, the only national initiative in the United States devoted to supporting performances by American artists at important international cultural festivals. USArtists International is made possible with support from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.
This trip was documented for an in-progress short film by Emmy-nominated filmmaker Saleem Reshamwala (KidEthnic), with support from Executive Producer Lindsay Evans and Assistant Producers Joe Morra and Kyung Yoon.
The following personnel performed on the two concerts at the Jazz Plaza Festival:
Tuesday, January 15, 2019
Dafnis Prieto Big Band at Teatro Mella
Roman Filiu, Alto Sax
Pablo Cruz, Alto Sax
Peter Apfelbaum, Tenor Sax
Cesar Filiu, Tenor Sax
Yuniet Lombida, Bari Sax
Ariel Guillot, Trombone
Juan Carlos Marin, Trombone
Hansel Woo, Trombone
Eduardo Sandoval, Bass Trombone
Mike Rodriguez, Trumpet
Thommy Lowry, Trumpet
Alejandro Delgado, Trumpet
Mayquel Gonzalez, Trumpet
Osmany Paredes, Piano
Johannes Weidenmueller, Bass
Yaroldy Abreu, Percussion
Dafnis Prieto, Drums
Thursday, January 17, 2019
Dafnis Prieto Sextet at Fábrica de Arte Cubano
Roman Filiu, Alto Sax
Mike Rodriguez, Trumpet
Peter Apfelbaum, Tenor Sax
Osmany Paredes, Piano
Johannes Weidenmueller, Bass
Dafnis Prieto, Drums
Photographer David Garten captured moments throughout the week.
CUBAN PRESS
Cuba Sí
Granma
Ministerio de Cultura
This engagement was supported by Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation through USArtists International with support from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.