The final concert of the 8th Annual Latino Music Festival in Chicago will feature reedist Paquito D'Rivera, but not in a program of Latin jazz, as you might expect. Instead, the December 15 program will be devoted to D'Rivera's classical compositions, as well as works by Latino Music Festival co-founder Elbio Barilari.
With this concert, D'Rivera and Barilari are celebrating the second anniversary of "Fiesta!", Barilari's radio show on WFMT devoted to Latin-American classical music. "I play Latin-American music from the 16th century to the present day," Barilari said. "We started in Chicago two years ago. After one year, the show was nationally syndicated. It is now broadcast on more than 200 stations nationwide, and growing very fast."
The celebratory concert will take place at 7:00 p.m. at Chicago's Mayne Stage on December 15. D'Rivera will be joined by the Kaia String Quartet; Larry Grey, double bass; Ernie Adams, drums; and Rick Ferguson, piano.
Many people are unaware that D'Rivera is a prolific composer and performer of classical music. In his passion to bring Latin music to greater prominence, D'Rivera has created, championed and promoted all types of classical compositions, including three chamber compositions recorded live in concert with cellist Yo-Yo Ma in September 2003. His chamber work Merengue was released by Sony Records and won a Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Composition in 2004.
This Latino Music Festival concert will include D'Rivera's new concerto for double bass and clarinet/saxophone, Conversations with Cachao, which pays tribute to Cuba's legendary bass player, Israel "Cachao" Lopez. D'Rivera and bassist Larry Grey will be the soloists.
D'Rivera's Aires Tropicales is also on the program, in an arrangement for clarinet and string quintet.
D'Rivera will play clarinet on two of Barilari's compositions: Tango for Beethoven for violin, clarinet, and piano; and the Quintet for Clarinet and String Quartet.
An unusual ensemble of string quartet, piano, bass, and drums will perform Barilari's Canyengue. This work was premièred in 2006 by the Grant Park Orchestra, led by Carlos Kalmar, at Chicago's Millennium Park.
Although Barilari wears many hats, as co-director of the Latin American Music Festival, faculty member of the University of Illinois at Chicago, and host of Fiesta!, "I consider myself to be first a composer," he says.
Fiesta! airs on WFMT 98.7 in Chicago on Sundays at 3:00 p.m., and is streamed online at wfmt.com/fiesta.
Tickets to the December 15 program are $20 for general admission, or $30 for preferred seating with pre-concert reception at 5:00 p.m. For more information, visit latinomusicfest.org.
