Thursday, May 17, 2012 at 8:30pm
Target Free Thursdays
David Rubenstein Atrium at Lincoln Center

Just think of cooking up a spicy gumbo of Buena Vista Social Club doing the music of Nino Rota, Farid al-Atrash adding beautiful Cuban, Andalusian and Arabic melodies for that confused romantic who lives inside of us all. It’s what percussionist/composer Roberto Rodriguez calls “All World Music”. “And that’s me!” says Rodriguez. That’s “Orquesta Sarabia”.

Known for his mashup of Cuban-Jewish music, Rodriguez continues to evolve as bandleader composer with the debut of “Orquesta Sarabia.” Longing for the arrival of this dream project, Rodriguez pushes his prolific and cultural reality for a fresh dynamic sound with new arrangements from Baila! Gitano Baila! (his 2004 CD on the downtown Tzadik label) as well as new compositions. With a cosmopolitan cast of talented New York musicians, they’ll do a tribute ala Rodriguez, to the music of Maurice El Medioni, John Zorn as well as a tribute piece for two of the musical giants of Algeria, El Medioni and Dahmane El Harrachi, the composer of “Ya Rayah”, (The Passenger-Oh Emigrant).

Medioni and Rodriguez won Best CD Of The Year for “Crossing Cultures” category for the cd “Descarga Oriental” BBC Radio 3 2007

Learn more about the inspiration behind this newly formed ensemble and the origins of Orquesta Sarabia’s music. Join us at 7:30pm in the Atrium for a free Casual Conversation hosted by one of Lincoln Center’s Performing Arts Docents.

Orquesta Sarabia features
Zafer Taweel- Oud, Canun, Darbuka, Voice
Igor Arias- Congas, Bongos, Voice
Amir ElSaffar- Santoor, Trumpet, Voice
Lefteris Bournias- Clarinet
Megan Weeder Gould- Violin
Hadar Noiberg- Ney, Flute
Jennifer Vincent- Bass
Tareq Abboushi- Bouzuk, Percussion, Voice
Uri Sharlin- Accordion, Piano
Roberto Rodriguez- Percussion, Composer