David Virelles is an Afro-Cuban Jazz Pianist in New York City

David Virelles is an award-winning Cuban jazz pianist and composer, based in New York City. Always rooted in Afro-Cuban sacred music traditions, Virelles is perhaps best known for his years of work with the Ravi Coltrane Quartet.

David Virelles in New York City

Carnegie Hall

David Virelles Nosotros Ensemble featuring Dafnis Prieto shows the influence of Cuban rhythm of the sacred batá drums on many musical traditions through works curated by Pulitzer Prize-winner Tania León, including León’s “A la par;” NEA Jazz Master Henry Threadgill’s “Where Coconuts Fall,” Val-Inc’s “Gerta,” and the world premiere of Virelle’s “Oro” a Carnegie Hall commission; in Zankel Hall at Carnegie Hall; on Tuesday, May 21, 2024 at 7:30pm. Tickets from $54 at carnegiehall.org 🇨🇺

The lineup is:

David Virelles Nosotros Ensemble featuring Dafnis Prieto

David Virelles, Piano and Synthesizer 🇨🇺
Dafnis Prieto, Percussion 🇨🇺
Gary Thomas, Flute, Bass Flute, and Tenor Saxophone
Rane Moore, Bass Clarinet
Rashaan Carter, Double Bass
Dabin Ryu, Synthesizer
Brandon Ross, Guitar and Banjo
Curtis MacDonald, Conductor
Val-Inc, SoundChemist 🇭🇹

with

Orion Weiss, Piano
Ian Rosenbaum, Percussion

The program includes:

Tania León “A la par”
Henry Threadgill “Where Coconuts Fall”
Val-Inc “Gerta”
David Virelles “Oro” World Premiere Carnegie Hall commission

Virelles, Prieto, and León are interesting together. Virelles is a jazz pianist whose music is rooted in Afro-Cuban folk traditions. Prieto is a jazz drummer whose rhythm can be almost supernatural. León composes new classical music from Cuban rhythms in the most surprising ways (and is often still danceable like traditional Cuban music).

The inclusion of Haitian electronic music composer and Berklee Professor Val Jeanty (AKA Val-Inc) in the group and performance is important. Most Americans connect with Caribbean culture through Cuban traditions, but Haiti is the central pillar (the potomitan) of African Diaspora culture in the Caribbean and North America. The Haitian Revolution (1791-1904) pushed a diaspora across the Caribbean including to Cuba, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Trinidad, and even New Orleans where by 1810, half the population was of Haitian descent. The water distance between Haiti and Eastern Cuba, the Cuban cultural heartland, is just 52 miles. The Haitian Diaspora had a huge impact in all of its new homes that to this day remains largely unspoken. Cuban contradanza and danzon (which evolved into salsa dancing) show Haitian influences, particularly an increase in syncopation ~ a signature of both African music and jazz.

Virelles’ World Premiere Carnegie Hall commission “Oro” explores the rhythmic counterpoint between the three sacred Cuban batá drums. They are now used in popular Cuban music, but were originally only used in religious ceremonies. When one of the drums is played alone, it’s not very interesting, but together, the three drums become an interlocked symphony of rhythm. You have to wonder what kind of genius first imagined this rhythmic clockwork.

Every culture around the world uses droning drums to inspire the transcendence of spiritual connection. Most human culture begins in religious ritual at home and in community gatherings. In traditional Indigenous and African Diaspora culture, dance is how we pray. In the past, family, faith, love, commerce, and fun where all shared in these community gatherings. Rhythm is at the center of it all and by the way, the piano is a percussion instrument. When Virelles titled his commission “Oro,” he is saying that there is gold in our heritage traditions.

Cuban rhythms are the foundation of a lot of music of the Americas, including blues, jazz, country, Latin jazz, rock, hip hop, salsa, and more. This is going to be a spectacular concert.

David Virelles

David Virelles Trio (2024)

Virelles was born and raised Santiago de Cuba, Cuba’s cultural heartland in the east. For some reason, a lot of Cuban culture forms in the east and travels west to the capital where it connects with the world. Santiago is the home of changüi and son Cubano, the roots of Cuban timba and New York salsa. In culture, place matters and Virelles comes from a very important place in Cuban music.

He studied classical music in Cuba where that is an especially intense course of study. Virelles got invited to Toronto, Canada by Jane Bunnett who plays a lot of Afro-Cuban jazz. He stayed, studied, and worked with many Canadian bands.

Virelles moved to New York City in 2009 where he was mentored by Pulitzer Prize-winning jazz sax and flute player Henry Threadgill, and plays with many jazz and Latin jazz legends. He’s an artist with a surprising range. In New York, Virelles’ latest work is influenced by the sound of The City itself like a contemporary John Cage. Whether he is playing jazz, classical, or something altogether new, all of Virelles’ music is rooted in Afro-Cuban sacred traditions. Those are all about bringing people together, and that’s what the music of David Virelles does.

He has won many awards including: Shifting Foundation Fellow, Herb Alpert Award, CINTAS Fellowship, Louis Applebaum Award, and awards from the Canada Council for the Arts, and the Jazz Gallery.