Tulane University

The CubaNOLA Arts Collective Presents- Alexey Martí & Urban Minds as a part of this month’s Latin Jazz concert series.

Alexey Martí is a powerful percussionist from Havana, Cuba. He is at the forefront of the new Latin music scene in New Orleans, tirelessly exploring new musical terrain and incorporating it back into his own rich musical roots. Alexey founded his group, Urban Minds, a little over a year ago, to explore all of the music that he loves including jazz, funk, Afro-Cuban folklore, salsa, son, rumba, and New Orleans rhythms.

Alexey began performing in Afro-Cuban religious ceremonies at the age of 7. At the age of 16 he joined the world renowned Afro-Cuban jazz ensemble “Diákara”, under the leadership of the legendary singer and drummer Oscar Valdés. In Havana, he performed with many great Cuban jazz and Afro-Cuban ensembles. He moved to New Orleans 5 years ago and has adopted New Orleans as his new homeland. Since moving here, Alexey has been studying in the UNO Jazz Studies program and has performed with many New Orleans greats including Los Hombres Calientes, Davell Crawford, Shannon Powell, David Torkanowsky, and the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra.

The Prime Example Jazz Club, on the corner of N. Broad Street and St. Bernard Avenue, has been under the proprietorship of Julius Kimbrough Sr. since 2000. In 2007, in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, Mr. Kimbrough decided that live jazz music needed to be presented for Seventh Ward neighborhood residents working hard to rebuild their lives, the neighborhood and the community. In 2011 Mr. Kimbrough partnered with DJ Soul Sister and WWOZ 90.7 FM to start the Thursday Nights Swingin’ weekly jazz series. He is now expanding the scope of Thursday Nights Swingin’, in partnership with The CubaNOLA Arts Collective, to include Latin jazz on the third Thursday of every month. This new monthly Lazz jazz series is a tribute to historical and present day contributions of Latino musicians and residents to every day life and art in New Orleans, including the birth and evolution of jazz music itself.

Alexey Martí & Urban Minds will surprise you with their seamless blends of New Orleans and Afro-Cuban music. Let Alexey make you feel at home at the Prime Example on Thursday, September 18 while he and the band move you and groove you in new, exciting and familiar ways.