For John Coltrane-Gabriel Alegria, Un Rezo
Piano De Patio-Gabriel Alegria, Nuevo Mundo


The Gabriel Alegria Sextet finished up their US tour over the weekend with a final performance at the REDCAT (Roy and Edna Disney/Calarts Theater) in LA, setting a redcat record for records sold in the process. This tour was a huge success, recieving terriffic feedback at every stop.

"Peruvian trumpeter Gabriel Alegría’s fine Nuevo Mundo mixes straight-ahead jazz and subtle Afro-Peruvian polyrhythms (think classic Miles and Susanna Baca’s criollo sounds). .. a fascinating glimpse into how jazz is fusing with regional music around the world."
-Brick Whal, LA Weekly

"Smoldering jazz is kicked up with the intoxicating polyrhythms of coastal Peru as trumpeter and composer Gabriel Alegría continues to chart a fresh new idiom. Combining his own distinctive approach to jazz trumpet with the rich heritage of Afro-Peruvian music, Alegría is joined by saxophonist Laurandrea Leguía, guitarist Jocho Velazquez, bassist Joscha Oetz, drummer Hugo Alcázar and percussionist Freddy “Huevito” Lobatón—who plays traditional Afro-Peruvian instruments such as cajón (box drum) and quijada (jawbone) and adds spectacular passages of zapateo criollo tap dancing. This performance, the group's only West Coast appearance in 2007, features music from Alegría's latest recording, Nuevo Mundo."
-Redcat Theater

"Alegria combines his personal approach to American jazz with a passionate interest and careful study of the music of black coastal Peru. He has contributed a unique concept by incorporating and exploring the common African roots found in both styles."
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-Keith I. Marszalek NOLA.com

"So this is what jazz fusion from Peru sounds like... ...and I'm very impressed. Tonight I saw Gabriel Alegria Afro-Peruvian Sextet perform at the REDCAT theater in LA. I don't know diddly nor squat about jazz, and everything I know about Peru I learned from nature documentaries on public television and a few local new age Andean and/or Incan musical groups that perform in Montrose and Burbank at the arts festivals, so this was a very welcome eye- and ear-opener. :-) http://www.gabrielalegria.com/ has all sorts of niftiness, including information about two summer tours in July and August where, rather than the musicians touring the US to come to you, you go to Peru to tour with the musicians, seeing all sorts of local stuff and incredible sights, good food and wonderful music, putting the band's own music in broader and more in-depth context. It looks like fabulous fun and if I had a spare ten days off work and a couple thousand dollars, it sounds like it would be an amazing time. I bought two CDs at the show, but you can preview/listen (and download/buy for $1) songs here. The entire sextet looked like they were having a great time, and I particularly enjoyed the saxophist... *consults program* ...Laurandrea Leguia and the astonishing percussionist Freddy "Huevito" Lobaton. The whole group was just delightful."