Claudia Villela & Romero Lubambo | Jazz at the Athenaeum Art Center
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The Athenaeum Art Center and Bread & Salt co-present a special concert at 1955 Julian Avenue in Logan Heights, on Saturday, August 17. A longtime friend of the Athenaeum jazz program, the Brazilian vocalist, composer, pianist, and percussionist Claudia Villela is joined by Romero Lubambo on guitar for a program celebrating her latest CD release, Cartas ao Vento, a collection of original compositions that was listed as one of DownBeat’s Best Albums in 2023.
Villela sings mostly in Portuguese, interpreting lyrics with keen emotional insight and supple rhythmic command. DownBeat noted her “unwavering commitment to the highest level of improvisation,” adding: “All discussions about Villela’s singing and songwriting necessarily start with a nod to the dizzying scope and depth of her improvisatory skill. In one tune, she’ll run through several registers, shift vocal qualities, allude to familiar riffs and keep unswerving time. Oh, and improvise a full set of lyrics in Portuguese. It must be said, hardly anybody can do this.” The New York Times celebrated her “remarkable, beautiful, towering voice,” and banjo virtuoso Bela Fleck commented, “She is pure music!”
Lubambo is known to Athenaeum audiences for performances with Chico Pinheiro, Luciana Souza, and Trio Da Paz. He has performed and recorded with many of the outstanding artists of our time, from Dianne Reeves, Michael Brecker, Wynton Marsalis, and Gal Costa to Yo-Yo Ma, Kathleen Battle, and Billie Eilish.
Jazziz wrote, “Guitarist Romero Lubambo may be the best practitioner of his craft in the world today ... [his] facility, creativity, and energy are in a class all their own.” DownBeat commented, “Lubambo is by himself the equivalent of an entire samba band … He tosses melodies, bass lines, and rhythms in the air like juggling clubs.”
For more information visit: ljathenaeum.org
Athenaeum Art Center
Art classes are offered currently at our La Jolla home, Athenaeum Music & Arts Library and are now being offered at our newest studio,Athenaeum Art Center, at Bread & Salt in Logan Heights. Our experienced instructors are all exhibiting artists themselves. They teach classes in painting, drawing, watercolor, mixed media, sculpture, photography and print making. Several classes can be taken for credit through UCSD Extension. Classes are offered on a quarterly schedule and students can find out about the class schedule either online or from our quarterly school brochure. We are making adjustments to our class registration system online. When ordering your class through the website it will read as "tickets." Please feel free to call us and order over the phone if you have any concerns. Parking: There is a free parking lot in the alley off Dewey St. behind the Athenaeum Art Center between Julian Ave. and Kearney Ave. available for use by students. There is also ample free street parking on Julian Avenue that is untimed. A limited number of handicapped spots are available in front of the entrance to the Bread & Salt building. For further information, to register and/or receive a copy of our current brochure, please call (858) 454-5872. Financial support is provided in part by the City of San Diego Commission for the Arts and Culture.
