This is the National Sawdust opening weekend: exhilarating music from the mind of Brazilian percussionist Stéphane San Juan (drummer, percussionist, band leader, singer-composer and educator) channeled through master improvisers in one of the greatest selections of talent and diversity ever assembled on the Sawdust stage.

The lineup:

Jeffrey Zeigler: cellist, formerly of the Kronos Quartet, NS Curator
Michael Leonhart: trumpet, Steely Dan, lead in hit single Uptown Funk, Grammy Award Winner
Magos Herrera: “the best jazz singer to come out of Mexico” (Jazz Times), NS Curator
Mauro Refosco: Brazilian percussionist who has performed and recorded with artists such as David Byrne, The Red Hot Chili Peppers, Dirty Projectors, and Thom Yorke’s Atoms for Peace
Vitor Gonçalves: pianist, accordionist, featured on NPR’s Jazz Night in America
Vernon Reid: guitarist, One of Best 100 Guitarists of All Time (Rolling Stone), guitarist of Living Colour
Melvin Gibbs: “the best bassist in the world” (Time Out New York)

This is the third of three opening weekend shows celebrating the spectacular third season of National Sawdust, “Brooklyn’s contemporary music sanctuary” (I Care If You Listen). Our season-opening trifecta focuses on our multicultural theme of the season: Origins, a year full of performances highlighting the different areas of the world which make this country truly great. 

This evening is supported in part by The Garcia Family Foundation.