Krannert Uncorked with The Afro-Caribbean Jazz Collective

The Afro-Caribbean Jazz Collective’s upbeat music emulates the early son montuno ensembles and embraces traditional repertoire from Puerto Rican and Cuban songbooks, and expands their sonic palette by incorporating modern jazz language. The band released a self-titled EP in 2019 on several streaming platforms and has received airplay on radio stations around the country as well as in South America. “Maria Cervantes” has been included in playlists such as the Solar Latin Club and was a semi-finalist on the Unsigned Only Music Competition 2020. That same year, they were awarded the Urbana Arts Grant to compose and arrange new music for the ensemble, where they explored several Afro-Cuban and Puerto Rican rhythms. 

“With a sonorous cocktail where changüi mingles with modern harmonies and Latin jazz plays a major role, The Afro-Caribbean Jazz Collective is a sober and serious album that fulfills the role of entertaining without being frivolous.  On the contrary, each musician’s virtuosity splashes through their repertoire.”
—Solar Latin Club

This  week’s Krannert Uncorked is also the kickoff event for the annual Boneyard Arts Festival, sponsored by 40 North. This three-day event highlights the broad range of creative activity from hundreds of artists in over 90 venues throughout the area. Sculptors, weavers, painters, photographers and other visual artists join musicians, actors, dancers, poets, and performers of all kinds in sharing their creativity throughout Champaign, Urbana, the U of I Campus, Rantoul, Homer, Mahomet, St. Joseph, and Sidney.

Complete information about the Boneyard Arts Festival can be found at 40north.org.