“A strikingly authentic blend” of jazz virtuosity with roots rhythms from Cuba, Brazil and the Mediterranean
“Globally inspired jazz with dimension” - Pop Matters
“Powerfully alluring” - Wisconsin Public Radio
Duende Libre is an award-winning jazz trio from the Pacific Northwest, whose original music draws upon the ancestral musical traditions of Cuba, Brazil and West Africa. Each having apprenticed with direct descendants and master musicians of these traditions, they consider themselves disciples of their teachers. The result: A euphoric new jazz that honors its historical roots, pushing open the boundaries of genre to invoke a powerful sonic freedom. “Each member’s experiences are vital as they filter West African traditional rhythms through their own hands, voices, minds, bodies, each song as much choreography as a composition,” PopMatters wrote. “Hopeful in sound as well as in ideological foundation” the band “[creates music] full of heart and historical multitudes.