Lunar Octet
Wednesday 21 September 2022
On their way to The Scarborough Jazz Festival, The Lunar Octet are stopping off at Fougou Jazz to play us some of their creative and original Latin jazz. The award-winning band from the USA plays highly original and eclectic music drawing on Cuban and Puerto Rican salsa, rock, African high-life music, and Brazilian sambas to forge a new sound enriched by these traditions. The band’s original compositions involve rich arrangements and strong focus on soloists. The band’s music is exciting, dynamic, and powerful, including fiery Latin grooves, driving funk rhythms, swinging bop tunes, and romantic ballads.
Since its debut, the band has carried its high-energy message to dancers and listeners, jazz, R&B, and rock fans alike. Through hundreds of performances, the band has expanded its following among audiences, including in the Montreux-Detroit Jazz Festival, the Flint Jazz Festival, the Columbus Arts Festival, the Lancaster Festival, the Ann Arbor Art Fair, the WEMU/Depot Town Winter Jazz Series, Rusty’s Jazz Cafe, Ann Arbor’s Top of the Park, the Bird of Paradise, the Del Rio, Mr. Flood’s Party, the Blind Pig, the Detroit Festival of the Arts, Detroit’s New Center Park, Toledo’s CityFest, Toledo’s Rib-Off, the Ann Arbor Art Fair (every year beginning in 1985), and many more.
“Convergence bursts with joy and authority. The group sounds fresh, and the compositions spur the impulse to dance and encourage intellectual engagement at the same time.” Jazziz Magazine
“Great stuff. The very best of arranging and instrumental art. Not just adrenaline-soaked music but also many fine nuances and even echoes of tango.” Downbeat Magazine
“Colorful and tight grooves, gorgeous three-horn arrangements, and strong solos.” JAZZthing Magazine