Cyro Baptista: Chama

One of the premiere percussionists on the planet, Cyro Baptista leads his innovative quartet on a virtuosic trek through myriad musical traditions of the world. A veteran of stage and studio work with the likes of Paul Simon, Herbie Hancock, Yo-Yo Ma, Trey Anastasio (of Phish), John Zorn, Laurie Anderson, Cassandra Wilson, Sting, the New York Philharmonic, the Kennedy Center Orchestra, Wynton Marsalis and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, and many others, Baptista is one of the most sought-after players around. His visionary approach to music-making stresses inclusion, community and pushing past boundaries, while remaining refreshingly fun and totally accessible.

CHAMA, Cyro’s new project, is a nonstop, carnivalesque journey going from one mythical town to the next; a surrealistic voyage with its cast of heroes, demigods, freaks, and monsters. The wonder of this program lies in its exquisite musicality and its capacity for leapfrogging from genre to genre, each marked by his haunting, soulful wit.