Welcome to Philadelphia Jazz Project

Published on September 8th, 2014

1st Time In Philadelphia

Jun 25, 2015

Rumpliezz 1

Hailing from Bahia, Brazil, the percussion and woodwinds big band, Letieres Leite & Orkestra Rumpilezz embark on their very first U.S. tour debuting Friday, July 31, 2015, in Philadelphia. In partnership with "Southern Exposure," the concert tour will feature musicians from New York, San Francisco, Philadelphia, Santa Cruz, San Jose and Miami. Afro-Cuban Jazz pianist and bandleader Arturo O’Farrill, trumpeter and musical adventurer, Steven Bernstein are exponents of the African-Latin, African-Caribbean and Jazz the musical tradition. Both musicians will be featured guests this July in Philadelphia.

Letieres Leite & Orkestra Rumpilezz proposes a musical proposition of wedding rhythmic Afro-Bahian roots to Jazz harmonization. In 2006, saxophonist, composer and bandleader, Letieres Leite founded Rumpilezz. The sound is "governed" by the rigor of African-Bahian percussion and marked by the influence of jazz. One might say that Orkestra is a "break the barriers of Brazilian instrumental music.”

The opening act for the evening will be the Philly-based, Art Blakey-inspired percussion ensemble, Another Holiday For Skins with Pablo Batista, Luke Carlos O'Reilly, Mike Boone and others. Another Holiday For Skins performed in February at the International House to a sold out crowd featuring an all star ensemble of Philadelphia drummers, percussionists and other musicians. This event was a celebration of the classic 1958 Art Blakey, album “Holiday For Skins” and its sister projects, “Drum Suite” and “Orgy In Rhythm.” Recorded by master drummer, Art Blakey, who was joined by Philly Joe Jones, Sabu Martinez, Ray Bryant and others, "Holiday For Skins" was an early exploration of what we now call “World Music.”