URBANESSENCE Live Performance STUDENT TICKET

51 E Main Street,Champaign IL 61820

09 March, 2023

Description

URBANESSENCE is the second solo album of dynamic trumpet artist Tito Carrillo, a 25+ veteran of Chicago's vibrant jazz and Latin music scene. He contributes nine indelible originals to the album's eleven tracks, and the music reflects his ongoing expansion on his Latin and BAM roots, both of which share a common -- Africa. Nicholas Payton coined the phrase #BAM as an acronym for Black American Music. Carrillo seeks to merge black music and the three Americas in his own music, blurring the lines between Afro-Caribbean rhythmic styles, soul, funk, and modern jazz. For this project, Carrillo assembled a powerhouse ensemble consisting of both New York and Chicago cohorts. Troy Roberts joins the front line on saxophones and brings from NYC his muscular tone and rhythmic intensity, while blending effortlessly with Carrillo's flugelhorn on the album's softer gems. Ben Lewis plays piano with imaginative flair, and in addition to his explosive solos, is a willing accompanist with sensitivity and daring curiosity. Clark Sommers brings his veteran presence on the bass, with his full-bodied wooden tone, and his ability to play each note with extreme care and attention. Drummer Jay Sawyer met Carrillo as a student at the University of Illinois, where Carrillo is a professor, and is now an established presence in NYC and on the international touring scene. His skill, groove, and creative imagination give the music the freedom to wade freely between modern wing, bomba sica, and NYC underground jazz/hip-hop beats. Finally, Victor Gonzalez Jr., is one of the top Latin percussionists in Chicago and an artist who handles the groove shifts and odd meters on these compositions with immense adaptability and imagination. URBANESSENCE Band Personnel: Tito Carrillo - trumpet and flugelhorn Troy Roberts - tenor and soprano saxophones Ben Lewis - piano Clark Sommers - bass Jay Sawyer - drums Victor Gonzalez, Jr. - congas