La Peña: Estrella Acosta & Maurice El Medioni September 19, 2007

Estrella Acosta

The Old Town School of Folk Music and the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs present a long awaited double bill Cuban dance party as part of this year’s Chicago World Music Festival.
The party begins with Havana born vocalist Estrella Acosta and her all-star Cuban band based in Holland. Estrella specializes in Cuban Guajiro, or country music, with fresh arrangements of traditional songs. Her CD, “Alma Guajira” was recently nominated for an Edison Award, a Dutch Grammy.

Maurice El Medioni

The evening continues with one of the most interesting and exciting collaborations in Latin Music. El Medioni, known as the “Grandmaster of Rai” is a Sephardic/Algerian piano master and vocalist who has teamed up with Cuban super-drummer Roberto Rodriguez to create Descarga Oriental: The New York sessions (Piranha Music). This extraordinary union seamlessly blends Arab and Sephardic sensibilities into a Cuban Jam session.

Official Website: http://oldtownschool.org/concerts/event.lasso?id=P6294