Lecuona Reimagined – Arencibia & Rodriguez
July 24 @ 8:00 pm
The Palladium St. Petersburg presents:
Lecuona Reimagined: A Musical Journey
Featuring Arencibia & Rodriguez
Pianist Pablo Arencibia and bassist Mauricio J. Rodriguez pay homage to the Cuban composer who single-handedly elevated the status of his country’s contribution to the world of art music. In the hands of Arencibia & Rodriguez, the compositions of Ernesto Lecuona (1896-1963) are reimagined – crafted – into contemporary jazz masterworks. Lecuona himself reimagined his own experience of Spanish zarzuelas, African folklore, and European classical music, into what is now coined Afro-Cuban music, and occupies a formidable space in the repertoire of classical music worldwide.
Personal connections abound between Tampa-based Arencibia & Rodriguez and Lecuona. Lecuona spent the last three years of his life in Tampa when he went into exile after Fidel Castro came to power. Rodriguez is Cuban born; Arencibia was born in Venezuela and relocated to Spain. Arencibia’s family originated from and currently resides in the Canary Islands where Lecuona traveled, received inspiration from Spanish musical traditions, and spent his final days. Both Lecuona and Arencibia & Rodriguez are known for shattering the boundaries of musical forms and pursuing freedom of musical expression.
The Palladium Theater
253 5th Avenue North, St. Petersburg, FL 33701
8:00pm