NEW YORK: The Luis D’Elias Ensemble will be performing at Shrine World Music Venue with material from their debut album, Orígenes y Destinos (Origins and Destinations), conceived as a journey through Venezuelan rhythms and traditions as perceived through the lens of contemporary music, jazz and rock. After their successful album release, the group will bring their music back to the Harlem venue, showcasing the fusion of South American rhythms with jazz harmonies, rock energy and a through-composed narrative that paints a landscape of music full of intricate patterns, soaring melodies and dynamic orchestrations that are bound to captivate the imagination of its audience.
The music of The Luis D’Elias Ensemble depicts composer Luis D’Elias’ vision for the evolution of joropo and merengue, staples of traditional Venezuelan rhythms. Andrei Cherascu, novelist and author of the blog, The Music and Myth calls it “a lush soundscape of profound musicality” and “a true work of culture” that is crafted “with an extremely fortunate combination of talent, intelligence and exceptional musical education”. At the hands of a band where most of the members are not from Venezuela, the music is able to capture a dimension that brings fresh air to traditional rhythms and fresh grooves to jazz and rock, thus weaving a musical world bound together by the sheer musicality of the group.
The ensemble will count with an electric jazz quintet format, featuring the talents of Josh Plotner (saxophones), Evan Waaramaa (keyboard), Brendan Pajak (drums), P.J. Duffy (electric bass) and Luis D’Elias (electric guitar). They will serve as the bridge between tradition and pop; musicians and audience as they infuse their talents into the vast soundscape of the music that defines The Luis D’Elias Ensemble.
About The Luis D’Elias Ensemble
The Luis D’Elias Ensemble was founded in Boston in 2012 and is conformed by Josh Plotner (saxophone), Evan Waaramaa (piano), P.J. Duffy (bass), Brendan Pajak (drums) and Luis D’Elias (guitar). Among other collaborators are Stefano Melillo (violin), Marianella Rojas (vocals) and Aaron Gratzmiller (saxophone). The project was conceived as an outlet for original music that draws its inspiration from the different traditions and rhythms of Venezuela and then reinterprets it in a modern context influenced by jazz, progressive rock and classical music. In Boston they have performed in various venues across the city, including the Berklee Performance Center, the Museum of Fine Arts for a special homage to the president of the MIT, Rafael Reif, the Boston Greenfest, the LilyPad and Café 939 and are currently in the process of promoting the music in NYC in support of their debut album, Orígenes y Destinos, which was released to a full draw at The Bitter End in New York City.