In partnership with De Los (LA Times) we are excited to present Daymé Arocena. Blending neo-soul singing, Afro-Caribbean beats and modern pop, Daymé Arocena’s music is a spiritually charged exploration of Afro-Latin grooves that seamlessly fuses tradition and innovation.
Schedule
6:00pm, Wyldeflower (KCRW, dublab)
7:00pm, Pan Dulce ft Alan Lightner
8:30pm, Daymé Arocena
LOCATION, PARKING & FAQ click here
“A cross between Celia Cruz and Aretha Franklin”
About Daymé Arocena
Born in Havana, Arocena's musical journey, shaped by Afro-Cuban folk and international experiences, culminates in "Alkemi," a spiritually charged exploration of Afro-Latin grooves that seamlessly fuses tradition and innovation. In 2021, she became the youngest Latin-American musician to complete Berklee College of Music's "Signature Artist" program, joining the ranks of legends who have influenced aspiring musicians at the prestigious institution.
Daymé Arocena, now a Grammy-nominated and Juno-award-winning Afro-Cuban singer, composer and choir director. Relying on instinct and intuition is how Arocena has managed her career since she burst on the international scene with Nueva Era, her prodigious debut album, in 2015. Now, she has reinvented her sound with her upcoming album "Alkemi," set to be released on February 23th, 2024, blending neo-soul singing, Afro-Caribbean beats, and modern pop. Collaborating with renowned producer Eduardo Cabra, Vicente García as special guest on “A Fuego Lento” and Rafa Pabön on “Suave y Pegao”, the album incorporates diverse influences from jazz to urbano stylings, challenging conventional notions of Latin pop.
WATCH & LISTEN
Pan Dulce ft. Alan Lightner
Steel pannist/vocalist, Alan Lightner leads this energetic, creative, allstar band through original compositions and arrangements that span from calypso to cha cha, reggae to r&b and jazz to rock, all featuring the transcendent sound of the steel pan. In Trinidad, when a pannist plays well, they say he or she plays "sweet". Yes, and Lightner does play pan "dulce"!
Wyldeflower
Rocio "Wyldeflower" Contreras aka Ro is an on-air radio host and DJ on 89.9 KCRW & Dublab, a budding music supervisor, and creative from Pasadena, California. With decades of experience in art, festival, orchestral concert production and programming. Ro is inspired by discovery; exploring new and classic sounds from all over the globe ranging from tropicalia, mpb, soul, funk, jazz & beyond. Catch her behind the turntables setting intention with her vinyl collection & carefully curated otherworldly sonic selections.
LA Commons
LA Commons engages communities in artistic and cultural expression that tells their unique stories and serves as a basis for dialogue, interaction and a shared understanding of Los Angeles. Through community-based arts programs, centered on youth leadership development, we help diverse, generally low-income neighborhoods create dynamic works of public art that build community connection and empowerment. We uplift local narratives, enhancing the sense of belonging felt by a broad range of stakeholders. (https://www.lacommons.org/)
Cultural Treasures of South LA
Cultural Treasures of South LA is a community-based cultural asset mapping and activation initiative of the City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs (DCA) in the South Los Angeles Promise Zone co-created and implemented in partnership with LA Commons, the South Los Angeles Transit Empowerment Zone (SLATE-Z), Community Coalition, and the University of Southern California (USC)’s Neighborhood Data for Social Change (NDSC) Initiative. This project gives South LA community members a participatory platform to spotlight local Cultural Treasures that they deem significant, illuminating the rich cultural tapestry that makes this community thrive. For more information or to view the cultural treasures database, interactive map and video storybank, visit southlaculture.org.
Cultural Treasures Market
The Cultural Treasures Market is one way in which LA Commons aims to center South LA’s Cultural Treasures by offering them a platform to perform, share their story, market their small businesses, and engage with the larger Los Angeles community. Each market is activated through a mix of live performances, art-making, local vendors, and more!
This performance is made possible in part by grants from the City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs and the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors through the Department of Arts and Culture
