Flushing Town Hall to Host QWANQWA & NEA Jazz Masters

In the next three weeks, Flushing Town Hall will welcome new and old, hosting Ethiopian experimental band QWANQWA and their 16th Annual NEA Jazz Masters concert.

QWANQWA, who are on their debut U.S. tour, are the Flushing Town Hall’s next performers on Saturday. October 29. Based in Ethiopia’s capital city of Addis Ababa, the five-piece was formed in 2012 by violinist Kaethe Hostetter.

Qwanqwa
QWANQWA members from left to right: Bubu Teklamariam, Endriss Hansen, Selamnesh Zemene, Misale Leggese, and Kaethe Hostetter.

QWANQWA also consists of percussionist Misale Legesse, vocalist Selamnesh Zemene Taye, Endres Hassan, player of the masingo, a one-stringed traditional Ethiopian instrument, and Anteneh “Bubu” Teklemariam Barago, player of the bass krar, a five-stringed traditional Ethiopian instrument.

QWANQWA describes their music as “intersectional,” combining elements of rock, psychedelic, and regional beats from Addis Ababa.

Qwanqwa
NEA Jazz Masters from left to right: Wycliffe Gordon, Danny Mixon, Terri Lyne Carrington, Jimmy Owens, Camille Thurman, Kenny Davis.

The NEA Jazz Masters, led by trumpeter Jimmy Owen, will perform at the town hall on Saturday, November 12 at 8 p.m. With over 45 years experience as a jazz trumpeter, composer, arranger, lecturer, and music education consultant, he’ll be joined on stage by five musicians.

Drummer Terri Lyne Carrington is a three-time Grammy Award winner, and the newest member of the group. Camille Thurman is a composer, multi-instrumentalist, and vocalist who has performed on the same stage as Wynton Marsalis, Janelle Monae, Erykah Badu.

Wycliffe Gordon has been named “Trombonist of the Year” by The Jazz Journalists Association a record 13 times and has topped the Downbeat Critics Poll for “Best Trombone” an unprecedented six times. Daniel Asbury Mixon’s 50+ year piano career has taken him to the White House. Bassist Kenny Davis has toured with artists such as Herbie Hancock and led “The Tonight Show” band from 1999 to 2002.

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