Cuban Big Band Orquesta Akokán to Play Chicago’s
Epiphany Center for the Arts on Tuesday, April 26 at 8PM CST
Grammy-nominated Daptone recording artists ORQUESTA AKOKÁN thrilled
to announce ’16 Rayos’ tour with a special stop in the Windy City
CHICAGO (April 5, 2022) – Orquesta Akokán, the Latin Jazz ensemble formed by musicians from Cuba and New York, is on tour in the U.S. and will be performing at the Epiphany Center for the Arts, 201 S. Ashland Ave in Chicago, Illinois, on Tuesday, April 26 at 8PM CST. This 21+ show, supported by the International Latino Cultural Center of Chicago, is on sale now with ‘Reserved Table’ options for 2-4 adults ($100-$200), General Admission seating at $35, advance ‘Standing Room’ tickets at $25, and $35 “walk-up” tickets at the door day-of-show. Doors open at 7:30PM.
Cuban big band Orquesta Akokán released its latest album 16 Rayos on October 22, 2021 via Daptone Records. 16 Rayos is a triumphant follow-up to their Grammy-nominated debut from 2018.
Led by dynamic singer José “Pepito” Gómez, producer Jacob Plasse and arranger Michael Eckroth, and fused with the “island’s greatest instrumentalists’” (according to The New York Times) from storied groups including Irakere, NG La Banda, and Los Van Van, Orquesta Akokán united in Havana once again to record at Egrem Studios.
The cohesion forged by several years of international touring (including stops at Lincoln Center, WOMAD Australia and New Zealand, North Sea Jazz Festival, Festival Salsa al Parque, Kennedy Center and many more) blossomed into an intimate dialogue between good friends, allowing for fearless musical exploration, risk-taking, development, and expression. Contemporary sensibilities, mixed with a deep spiritual reservoir and knowledge of folkloric traditions, propel the grooves into previously uncharted vistas while dismantling the conventions of what is considered mambo.
To purchase tickets, please visit https://epiphanychi.com/events/orquesta-akokan/.
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About Epiphany Center for the Arts
Conceived with the vision to return Epiphany to a place for people to congregate, the shuttered, historic Church of the Epiphany has been preserved and adapted into the Epiphany Center for the Arts, an iconic cultural hub “For the Good of Art, Entertainment and Events.” Thoughtfully designed, the exemplary 42,000-square-foot campus located on the artsy edge of Chicago’s West Loop neighborhood boasts three distinct venues (Epiphany Hall, The Sanctuary and The Chase House) and a stunning array of amenities. The campus also features eight galleries that serve as a platform for a diverse selection of artists from Chicago and beyond. Epiphany’s exhibitions showcase the work of women, the LGBTQIA community, artists of color, and the disability culture. Epiphany’s top priority is to curate programming that is inclusive, while providing a place established artists can collaborate with emerging ones. Epiphany’s programming serves to unite community and artists alike while “Bringing Chicago Together.” Visit www.epiphanychi.com to learn more.
