For Immediate Release: Press Contacts: October 29, 2015 Eileen Chambers, 312-294-3092 Rachelle Roe, 312-294-3090 Photos Available By Request
[email protected] GRAMMY AWARD-WINNING PIANIST CHUCHO VALDÉS RETURNS TO SYMPHONY CENTER WITH A CELEBRATION OF THE LEGENDARY CUBAN BAND IRAKERE November 6, at 8:00 p.m. CHICAGO—The 2015/16 Symphony Center Presents (SCP) Jazz series continues on Friday, November 6, at 8:00 p.m. with Irakere 40, a celebration of legendary Cuban pianist Chucho Valdés and his iconic group, Irakere, which marks 40 years of groundbreaking Latin jazz this year. Irakere, assembled by Valdés in 1973, has taken many forms over its near half-century of touring and performing, but Valdés has remained one of its constants. For this one-of-a kind retrospective concert, Valdés leads a 10-piece band in Irakere’s classic hits such as “Misa Negra” “Estela Va A Estallar” (“Stella By Starlight”), ”Juana 1600,” and “Bacalao Con Pan,” as well as more recent compositions, originally performed with the Afro-Cuban Messengers, in new arrangements by Valdés, such as “Yansa,” “Abdel” and “Lorena’s Tango. In conjunction with the current U.S. tour of Irakere 40, the Jazz Village/harmonia mundi label will release a new recording, Chucho Valdés: Tribute to Irakere (Live in Marciac), on November 13, 2015, featuring Chucho’s current group, the Afro-Cuban Messengers. “When I decided to do a tribute to that marvelous band (Irakere), I also decided I didn’t want to do it with the charter members, but with players from a generation of musicians that grew up and learned from Irakere.