Kevin Gallagher: Conversations with Amazing Artists from the Archives

My guest is Elio Villafranca. Elio has graced our airwaves twice before on this show, and he's back on the occasion of the release of his new double CD entitled Cinquue, described as a magnificent sweeping work.

Cinque is a five movement suite inspired by the story of Joseph Cinque, who in 1839 led a successful revolt aboard the slave ship La Amistad, days after being sold and transported to a sugar plantation in Cuba. Elio Villafranca's most ambitious project today, showcases the cultural diversity of the five Caribbean islands of Cuba, Puerto Rico, Haiti, The Dominican Republic, and Jamaica; while simultaneously highlighting the Congolese musical heritage woven into the fabric of each of these diverse nations, and yet unified via the forced migration of Africans to the Americas.
Cinque is a body of work that encompasses narration, original composition and selections of Elio's own field recordings of different forms of rooted Congolese rhythms in the Caribbean, especially the traditions of Tambor Yuka, only practiced today in the region of Pinar Del Río, where Elio was born, and Gangá, a rare culture that came from Sierra Leon, Cinque's place of birth, to the region of Matanzas, Cuba. Both traditions are near to extinction today.

Kevin talks with Fahir about his upcoming performance at Dizzy's Club Coca Cola, his new album "Live at Umbria Jazz" and another entirely different production entitled, Mucial reflections of the art of Banksy.
A native of Turkey, Fahir Atakoglu is an international award winning composer and pianist well known in the fields of large symphonic works and film music. His works have been performed in various music festivals in Europe and The United States to critical acclaim, and he is considered one of the most outstanding pianists and composers in the world today.

My guest is pianist Aaron Goldberg who will be performing a a benefit for Bethel arts at the  Western Ct. state University Veronica Hagman concert in Danbury on February 8th at 7 PM. Joining Aaron will be John Patitucci on bass and Al Foster on drums.

Described by The New York Times as a "post-bop pianist of exemplary taste and range," Goldberg has released five albums as a solo artist and has performed and collaborated with the likes of Joshua Redman and Wynton Marsalis among others. 

With the recent passing of Mike Brewer, I thought we'd revisit another timeless blast from my past archives. An aural look at one of my favorite folk duos. Definitely a big part of the soundtrack of my life.  Brewer and Shipley. They are way more than "One toke over the line".

I’d like you all to welcome in my friend Bobby Sanabria. Bobby is a Multi-Grammy nominee, an American drummer, percussionist, composer, arranger, documentary film producer, educator, activist, radio show host, and all around wild man. When you see Bobby "live" you always get your monies worth.  You can do just that soon, because Bobby and band are coming to Ct for a performance at Wesleyan University .

Bobby Sanabria and Ascensión
Wesleyan University
Saturday, April 26, 2025 at 7:00pm
Crowell Concert Hall