Cyro Baptista: CHAMA

Photo by Rene Huemer, Download hi-res image here.

Cyro Baptista, percussion
Felipe Hostins, accordion
Tim Keiper, drums
Jason Fraticelli, bass

“It’s probably fair to say that only Cyro Baptista could concoct a mix of music to include Brazilian, Mexican, and Afro-Cuban forms with hints of jazz, funk, and whatever else may fit, sometimes with multiple forms within the same song. Yet, even while you may not detect the particular style or have a total grasp on what he’s up to, he somehow makes it accessible and infectious.” Jim Hynes, Glide Magazine

One of the premiere percussionists on the planet, Cyro Baptista leads his innovative quartet on a virtuosic trek through myriad musics of the world. A veteran of stage and studio work with the likes of Paul Simon, Herbie Hancock, Yo-Yo Ma, Trey Anastasio (of Phish), John Zorn, Laurie Anderson, Cassandra Wilson, Sting, the New York Philharmonic, the Kennedy Center Orchestra, Wynton Marsalis and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, and many others, Baptista is one of the most sought-after players around. His visionary approach to music-making stresses inclusion, community and pushing past boundaries, while remaining refreshingly fun and totally accessible.

CHAMA, Cyro’s new project, is a non-stop, carnivalesque journey going from one mythical town to the next; a surrealistic voyage with its cast of heroes, demigods, freaks and monsters. The wonder of this program lies in its exquisite musicality and its capacity for leapfrogging from genre to genre, each marked by his haunting, soulful wit.

Photo by Rene Huemer. Download hi-res image here.