Duende Libre brings a global perspective in a joyful night of music to The Myrna Loy Thursday, April 3 at 7:30 p.m.
The award-winning band, Duende Libre, shakes things up with a powerful blend of jazz virtuosity and global roots rhythms at The Myrna Loy in Helena at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, April 3.
Audiences won’t be able to resist the urge to dance, as percussive beats from Cuba, Brazil, and West Africa take over.
“The reason we play the music we do,” says bandleader Alex Chadsey, “is that this music is life-affirming. It represents and embodies the resilience of humanity.”
What began as an instrumental trio in 2016 has grown to include award-winning chanteuse Chava Mirel and inimitable tenor Frank Anderson, who sings, dances, and plays the West African sangban drum. While the band has always been committed to grooving bass lines and expressive hooks, the singers’ ebullient and masterful vocal techniques create an even more vibrant live performance.
“There’s salsa, samba, reggae,” explains Chadsey. “There’s some very old blues and a piece by the great Brazilian composer Hermeto Pascoal. The band is like a rolling musical conversation – we get a lot of inspiration from a lot of different places.”
Informed by a cumulative century of devoted study, the band draws musical influences from around the globe, and honors the masters they’ve worked with. “Our music is rooted in rhythms from Mali, The Dominican Republic, The Mediterranean. We’ve got the sangban and the berimbau, we incorporate some folk and dance, and demonstrate different styles and rhythms. We like to take our audience on a musical journey.”
Duende Libre is pure joy: fun, energetic, and uplifting. To experience them in concert is to experience being alive. “Music and dance and folk tradition are what have kept people going in times of hardship,” remarks Chadsey. “We hope to tap into that legacy and share it with the world.”
Are audience members invited to move? “Oh yes. Folks can’t help but dance, whether it’s in their seat or in the aisles,” remarks Chadsey. “And there’s power in that shared experience – singing and moving together. We’re tapping into something bigger than us.”
Audiences can look forward to lively music, powerhouse vocals, and the chance to groove along to catchy rhythms from around the world.
Tickets are $30. Call or visit The Myrna Loy box office at 406-443-0287, 15 N. Ewing or online at themyrnaloy.com.