Vieux Farka Touré
2026-09-30 19:00 - 21:00 (America/Chicago)
“Notes fall from his fingers like rain on to water… kaleidoscopic” – Guardian

Vieux Farka Touré, often called “The Hendrix of the Sahara”, hails from Niafunké, Mali. He is the son of legendary Malian guitar player Ali Farka Touré, who died in 2006. Ali came from a historical tribe of soldiers and defied his parents by becoming a musician. Thus, when Vieux reached his teens, he declared that he also wanted to be a musician. However, his father disapproved because of the pressures he had experienced as a musician. Rather, he wanted Vieux to become a soldier. Vieux eventually convinced his father to give him his blessing to pursue music shortly before Ali passed.
Initially, Vieux played drums and calabash at Mali’s Institut National des Arts, but he secretly began playing guitar in 2001. When Vieux announced plans to record an album, cancer had already weakened Ali Farka Touré. Ali recorded a couple of tracks with him. There, those recordings, which appear on Vieux’s debut CD, rank among Ali’s final ones.
When the COVID pandemic hit in 2020 and all touring ground to a halt, Vieux stayed focused on his craft at home. He worked tirelessly in the studio he built at his family’s compound. The resulting album, 2022’s Les Racines, finds Vieux returning to his deep roots. Here, he explores the desert blues music that he spent most of his career experimenting with and expanding. In 2022 Vieux and Houston-based psych-rock superstars Khruangbin released a long-awaited collaborative album. Sir Elton John called it “one of the albums of the year – absolutely wonderful music.”
With each new project Vieux broadens his horizons, embraces new challenges and further entrenches his reputation as one of the world’s most talented and innovative musicians.
Recommended for fans of Ali Farka Touré, Tinariwen, Cheikh Lô and Khruangbin.

Alfredo Rodriguez & Pedrito Martinez
2026-10-01 19:00 - 21:00
“Alfredo, one of the greatest piano players of all time!” – Quincy Jones

“[Martinez is] an incomparable performer… a traditional Afro-Cuban music superstar” – New York Times

Painted in the broadest of strokes, the stories of Alfredo Rodriguez and Pedrito Martinez may seem similar. Both started life in Havana, discovered their gifts and passions for music and headed to the United States. There, they melded the music of their homeland with a wide variety of influences, each in their own deeply personal way.
Rodriguez was born into a musical family, his father a popular singer and TV host. Martinez, on the other hand, honed his craft on the streets of Havana, learning the deeply rooted percussion and vocal style of Afro-Cuban folkloric and religious music.
“What makes this duo completely different is that I came from the folkloric side and Alfredo came from the classical side. You put those things together and you come out with an extraordinary and different sound.” – Pedrito Martinez
Pianist Alfredo Rodriguez’s sound embodies the collective sound of Miami, blending Latin pop, timba, salsa, bachata, tango, reggaeton, and bolero. It’s a musical fusion that encompasses the diverse Latin community while celebrating individuality and fostering unity. It calls upon Rodriguez’s roots just as much as his newly learned experiences, representing a new phase of life.
Pedrito Martinez is a consummate master of Afro-Cuban folkloric music and the batá drum. Since settling in New York in 1998, Pedrito has recorded or performed with Paul Simon, Wynton Marsalis, and Paquito D’Rivera. He has also worked with Bruce Springsteen, Ruben Blades, Eddie Palmieri, Dave Matthews, and Sting. Moreover, he has contributed to over seventy-five albums.
Furthermore, he is also the world’s first-call rumbero—playing, singing, and dancing with dozens of Cuban rumba groups. Pedrito was a founding member of the highly successful Afro-Cuban/Afro-Beat band Yerba Buena.
Recommended for fans of Poncho Sanchez, Chucho Valdés, Afro-Cuban All Stars and Eddie Palmieri.
📸: Anna Webber

Lucibela
2026-10-20 19:00 - 22:00
“sublime poise and emotional power” – NPR

Lucibela was born in 1986 on the island of São Nicolau, Cabo Verde. A singer since birth, Lucibela’s shaped her assured, warm voice through years of assimilation of the sounds of morna and coladera. Then, she joined a band while in high school and later sang in Boa Vista hotels. There, she entertained tourists, performing songs that the great singers of Cabo Verde made famous. For example, Cesária Évora, Titina or Bana. Furthermore, she knew these songs by heart and made them her own.
In 2012, she moved to Praia and soon attracted attention in the city’s music venues. Finally, she broke through at the 2017 Atlantic Music Expo, leading to invitations to Belgium and Lisbon. There, she recorded her debut album with producer Toy Vieira, Cesária Évora’s musical director. Thus, she furthered her aim of carrying on the great diva’s legacy.
Recommended for fans of Cesária Évora, Tito Paris, Titina and Bana.

Afro-Cuban All Stars
2026-10-25 17:30 - 19:30, 2026-10-25 20:00 - 22:00
“hard to beat this kind of music – soulful, technically brilliant, sexy and uplifting.” – The ArtsDesk

Afro-Cuban All Stars is a unique orchestra that has always promoted the full range of Cuban music. This ensemble embraces several generations and all musical styles. Additionally, over the years many of the band’s musicians have become international stars. Brilliant performers like Ruben Gonzalez, Ibrahim Ferrer, Guillermo Rubalcaba, Amadito Valdes and Manuel “The Guajiro” Mirabal have been All Stars.
The genesis of the Afro-Cuban All Stars dates to the early 1990s. At this time the son ensemble Sierra Maestra, headed by Juan de Marcos, received a lot of international exposure. Consequently, de Marcos led a couple of very successful tours in Europe.
After several years of success, the All Stars are certainly one of the best-known and successful Cuban orchestras. Moreover, they have earned four Grammy nominations, starred in several documentaries and films, and received many other distinctions.
Further, Afro-Cuban All Stars has also opened the doors to a new generation by incorporating young musicians into the band. With his project, de Marcos has developed a concept: to stand up on the roots for creating the future. More so than simply creating a band, his approach has allowed him to expand its creative range by incorporating contemporary styles of Cuban music. To that end, he adopts a fluid approach to adjusting the orchestra’s line-up by changing or adding musicians. He tailors the ensemble to best reflect the different styles of music from the various periods that the band features.
The Afro-Cubans are the same orchestra that can be seen in those distinct performances captured in now-famous film. They are in the Oscar-nominated Buena Vista Social Club documentary by Wim Wenders and the Tony Knox documentary Salon of Dreams. They also shine on DVDs Live in Japan and Live in The Hague.
Recommended for fans of Buena Vista Social Club, Nachito Herrera, Tito Puente and Pedrito Martinez.

Irish Christmas in America
2026-11-23 19:00 - 21:00
“Lively and reflective…a powerful evocation of the season” — Folk Wax

The hugely popular holiday show Irish Christmas in America returns in 2026. Here, they bring a fascinating performance of music, song, dance and stories of seasonal Irish traditions.
Produced by Sligo fiddler Oisín Mac Diarmada, this year’s show features an incredible line-up of talented artists. Also, these include Laura Jo (vocals, guitar), Gráinne Hambly (Irish harp, concertina), Caoimhín Ó Fearghaíl (uilleann pipes, flute), Samantha Harvey (piano, dance) and Jack Warnock (guitar, vocals).
Exceptional Irish music, song and dance, combined with evocative photographic images, provide the perfect backdrop to a heartwarming celebration. Here, they bring of the Christmas traditions of Ireland to life. Further, take a memorable glimpse into the enchanting spirit of Christmas. Then, the finest traditional artists from Ireland bring you on a fun-filled start to the 2026 holiday season.
The holiday show was first conceived in 2005 with past tours featuring a stellar list of guest vocalists. Mac Diarmada enthuses about the program as a way to bring traditional and often unknown Irish customs to the U.S.
Recommended for fans of Téada, Altan, The Dubliners and Caladh Nua.
📸: Brendan Duffy
