Leyenda fuses traditional Turkish and Macedonian folk music with the popular music of South America. The trio features harp virtuoso and leader Bridget Kibbey (New York), percussionist Samuel Torres (Colombia), and clarinetist Louis Arques (France).
In this program, you’ll recognize classic songs by José Barros (Colombia), Paquito D’Rivera (Cuba), Astor Piazzolla (Argentina) and others, but you’ve never heard them played like this. The program also includes original compositions by Latin Grammy-winner and Grammy nomineeTorres.
Leyenda
Leyenda: Bridget Kibbey harp virtuoso, Colombian Latin Grammy-winning percussionist Samuel Torres, and French clarinetist Louis Arques; plays Latin pop classics by Barros (Colombian folk), D’Rivera (Cuban jazz), Piazzolla (Argentine tango), and more in a way you never heard before; for Carnegie Hall Citywide at Our Saviour’s Atonement Lutheran Church in Hudson Heights, Manhattan; on Sunday, April 21, 2024 at 5pm. Free. carnegiehall.org 🇦🇷 🇨🇴 🇨🇺 🇫🇷 🇺🇸
This trio blew our minds because it’s really hard to categorize. But they won us over with their version of José Barros’ Colombian classic “El Pescador.” You may know Totó la Momposina’s famous version. (YouTube 🇨🇴) Lately we have heard the song played as amapiano house music from the townships of Soweto, South Africa.
Leyenda is known for their “Bach to Brazil” program. That’s interesting because Brazil has beautiful Indigenous Baroque architecture, and Johann Sebastian Bach was a Baroque composer. The two go together perfectly.
Bridget Kibbey
This is Bridget Kibbey’s project. She is a virtuoso harp soloist and chamber musician with international orchestras. Her own projects reimagine music from around the world, including baroque, French Belle Époque, Persian, and Latin traditions. 🇺🇸
Kibbey is the Artistic Director of MOSA, Music at Our Saviour’s Atonement Church in Hudson Heights, Manhattan. If you haven’t been to Hudson Heights, go early and walk around the gardens at the entrance to Fort Tryon Park, just a block away. You won’t believe you are in Manhattan, and the manicured gardens should be blooming like crazy. mosaconcerts.org
The harp is an ancient instrument that originates around 5,000 years ago in the Eastern Mediterranean, but most cultures around the world have developed their own versions. Andean harp is considered an Indigenous instrument, but it was brought to South America by Europeans during the Colonial Era.
bridgetkibbey.com
Instagram @bridgetkibbey
Samuel Torres
Torres is originally from Bogotá, Colombia. Colombians tend to be musically talented, so to become a professional musician there, you have to be world-class. Colombia is known for both its biodiversity and cultural diversity. It has many distinct geographical regions that each have their own cultures. Torres is known for his ability to fuse Colombian folk rhythms with classical music and jazz. 🇨🇴
He is a Latin Grammy-winner and Grammy nominee:
- “Regreso” won the 2019 Latin Grammy for “Best Classical Album.”
- “Impromptu” was nominated for the 2016 Grammy for “Best Latin Jazz Album.”
- “La Música No Se Toca” was nominated for the 2013 Latin Grammy for “Album of the Year.”
samueltorres.com
Instagram @bluecongamusic
Louis Arques
Arques is a clarinet soloist, originally from France. In New York City, he started playing Afro-Cuban music with bands like Grupo Irek and Sonido Costeno. He probably brings the Paquito d’Rivera influence because D’Rivera on clarinet or sax flows effortlessly between the classical and jazz idioms. 🇫🇷
The clarinet is often used instead of Colombia’s Indigenous gaita flutes, of which there are both male and female versions. It’s one of the definitive sounds of Colombian folk music.
Instagram @xsofpleasure
This trio is three really interesting musicians. Together they are spectacular.