INSIDE THE AFRO-CUBAN RHYTHM SECTION

$20 Public/FREE for Students 

Legendary Cuban super-group Irakere marks 50 years as one of the most innovative ensembles to straddle the line between jazz, rock, classical and contemporary music. At the core of the band’s longevity—in addition to the visionary leadership by pianist/composer Chucho Valdés—is the incendiary foundation established by the rhythm section. For this exclusive workshop, GRAMMY Award-winning drummer Horacio “El Negro” Hernández reveals the extraordinary technical prowess and mastery of independence at the heart of Afro-Cuban drumming. Alongside his Irakere 50 bandmates—percussionist Roberto Vizcaíno Jr and bassist José Armando Gola—Hernández will highlight the evolution of Cuban drumset techniques and the essential tools for collaboration and part distribution within the rhythm section. This one-time-only session will be co-facilitated by SFJAZZ Director of Education Rebeca Mauleón.