Flushing Town Hall is presenting another rendition of its Global Mashup and Mini Global Mashup music series this December.
The first event, Mini Global Mashup:“DoYeon Kim meets Joe Lovano,” is on Sunday, Dec. 1, at 1 p.m. It features Grammy-winning jazz saxophonist Joe Lovano and internationally acclaimed, award-winning DoYeon Kim, a virtuoso on the gayageum—a traditional Korean string instrument—accompanied by percussionist Satoshi Takeishi.
The following event, Global Mashup: “Taktouka Band meets Spanglish Fly,” is on Saturday, Dec. 7, at 8 p.m., featuring two large ensembles- Taktouka Band, known for futuristic Arabic folk music and Spanglish Fly, specializing in the Latin Boogaloo style. Audiences are invited to arrive at 7 p.m. for dance lessons ahead of the show.
The featured performers come from a wide range of cultural backgrounds.
Lovano has earned numerous awards from DownBeat, JazzTimes, and the Jazz Journalists Association. Born in Cleveland in 1952, Lovano attended Berklee College of Music and received an honorary doctorate. He has held the Gary Burton Chair in Jazz Performance since 2001 and is a founding member of Berklee’s Global Jazz Institute. From 1991 to 2016, Lovano released 25 records with Blue Note Records, including the acclaimed Joe Lovano Quartet: Classic! Live at Newport.
Kim is known beyond her award-winning mastery of the gayageum. She specializes in free jazz, jazz, and improvisation and performs solo and group concerts worldwide in Asia, Europe, North America, and South America. Kim graduated from New England Conservatory and studied under the world’s leading gayageum master Yi Jiyoung. Her 2017 album Gapi was nominated for a Korean Grammy award, and her latest album Macrocosm, with Joe Morris, received international critical acclaim.
Saturday’s Global Mashup performers feature two bands that produce music that creates a unique cultural fusion.
Hailing from New York, the Taktouka Band members include Alia Hajuon on vocals, Bashar Farranon on bass, Daro Behroozion on woodwinds and synth, Clementine on keys and synth, and Jesse Chevan on drums. All members are from different musical backgrounds and bring Arabic folk music together with electronics and Western instruments, jazz improvisation, and global dance music. communities. Takouka Band’s debut EP “Bassara,” was completed with support from the NYC Women’s Fund and the NYFA in 2022.
Spanglish Fly comprises 12 musicians known as the “premier band” of the Latin boogaloo revival. Boogaloo music is a mix of Latin and soul/R&B that emerged from 1960s Spanish Harlem. Inspired by Latin boogaloo, Spanglish Fly blends Afro-Caribbean music and plays covers and original music, transforming untouched soul songs into a unique listening experience. Their current roster includes: Mariella Price (vocals), Paloma Muñoz (vocals), Jessenia Cuesta (vocals), Rafael Gomez (bass), Matt Thomas (tenor sax), Manuel Garcia Orozco (guitar, bass, vocals), Arei Sekiguchi (timbales)Dylan Blanchard (congas), Kenny Bruno (keyboard, piano), Teddy Acosta, (percussion) Edwin “Machuco” Estremera (percussion, vocals) Stefan Zeniuk (bari sax), Paula Winter, (percussion) Rich Robles (bass), Ric Becker ( trombone), and Jonathan Goldman( leader, trumpet.)
Tickets for the Mini Global Mashup: DoYeon Kim meets Joe Lovano are $15 General Admission/$13 Seniors and Students w/ID. Tickets for Global Mashup: “Taktouka Band meets Spanglish Fly” are $25 for General Admission / $20 for Seniors and Students w/ID / $18 for Members. For more information, head to https://www.flushingtownhall.
