Blending tradition with the cutting edge

David Virelles knows his roots. Though the 35-year-old pianist left Cuba in 2001, the country’s rich musical heritage stays at the forefront of his work, and he often returns to his birthplace of  Cuba to study with musicians there. Blending elements of Afro-Cuban folkloric traditions with modern American jazz (he also frequently collaborates with such American masters as Henry Threadgill), Virelles creates a sound that’s at once ancient and contemporary, transcending time and genre.

For his Spoleto Festival USA debut, Virelles gives three solo concerts before welcoming his mentor and master percussionist Román Díaz, an essential Stateside source of Afro-Cuban rhythms and chants.

Related event:
Jazz Talk on May 28 at 7:00pm (free event)