Nova Concerts Presents Resonancia: The Melodies of AfroCuban Jazz Feat. Carlitos Sarduy & Abel Marcel

After the explosive celebration of rhythm in Nova Concerts’ previous event — where Eliel Lazo and Machito paid tribute to the African roots of Afro-Cuban music — Resonancia shifts the focus to melody, lyricism, and the emotional core of the genre. A World-Class Duo Abel Marcel, described by The Guardian as “a phenomenal, dynamic, imaginative. An outstanding pianist,” is known for his ability to bridge European and American jazz traditions with his Cuban roots. His musical language is both structured and free, grounded in Caribbean and Latin American rhythmic traditions and informed by the classical legacy of Bach, Mozart, Cervantes, Tania León, and Ernesto Lecuona. A tireless collaborator and lover of movement, Abel has composed for choreographers like Carlos Acosta, Jan Linkens, and Judith Sánchez Ruíz, and worked with artists such as David Murray, Changuito, Lucas van Merwijk, Jonas Johansen, Yuri Buenaventura, Saul Williams, Nasheet Waits, David Binney, and many others. Carlos Sarduy is one of Cuba’s most acclaimed trumpet players and a Latin Grammy Award winner. He has performed and recorded with Chucho Valdés, Esperanza Spalding, Buika, Omar Sosa, and many others — appearing at major venues and festivals from Montreux and Vienna to Tokyo and Dakar. His albums Luz and Inner Dialogue reflect a rich fusion of Yoruba spirituality, flamenco, funk, and jazz. From Havana to the Horizon Together, Abel and Carlos craft a sound journey that is both intimate and expansive, rooted in Afro-Cuban tradition and reaching far beyond it. “Following up on the previous concert, marking the role of Africa in the fabric of Afro-Cuban Jazz, now we continue this journey through the melodic landscape that covered that rhythmic foundation — creating the fusion between Africa and European traditions shaping the sounds known today as Latin Jazz in the hands of these two incredible Cuban musicians.” — Abel, Artistic Director, Nova Concerts This is not just a performance — Resonancia, it’s music that breathes, burns, and resonates.