Open Arts LES

Alex Harsley has lived and worked on the block since the 1970s, and has been documenting life in NYC since the 1950s. His astonishing archive includes street photography of the Lower East Side, Coney Island and Harlem, among others, as well as event and portrait photography with a particular focus on Black luminaries including John … Continue reading Open Arts LES: New York Theatre Workshop Celebrates Photographer Alex Harsley

NY-based drummer, composer, and educator Wen-Ting Wu is a diverse artist from Taiwan with a background ranging from jazz to contemporary music. Besides being a member in Grammy-winner Frank Lacy’s Septet and AAPI Jazz Collective currently, she has also shared the stage with jazz artists such as Ed Cherry, Helen Sung, Bertha Hope, Lonnie Plaxico, … Continue reading Open Arts LES: Wen-Ting Wu Trio

Amawta Roots is part of a musicians program at the Ecuadorian American Cultural Center’s initiative to amplify Ecuadorian American musical genres, instruments and talent. Amawta Roots is a musical group in charge of disseminating the different Ecuadorian musical genres for New York City community and beyond, which wants to project Ecuador as a cultural power … Continue reading Open Arts LES: Amawta Roots

Born and raised in Brazil, but thriving in New York, Jamile's artistry includes a love of language, a closeness with genre, a deep feeling for style—and a demand to throw all of these aside for the pleasures of transcendence. Jamile specifically loves mixing modern jazz and Brazilian jazz, as well as her original compositions, in … Continue reading Open Arts LES: Jamile Staevie Ayres

Koku Gonza, a Tanzanian-American Afro-soul artist, will offer a deeply resonant and genre-bending set blending Afrobeat, R&B, highlife, and jazz influences. Her music—performed in English and Swahili—bridges continents and cultures, reflecting the spirit of global Black solidarity and diasporic creativity. About Koku Gonza: A Tanzanian-American Afro-soul artist who blends Afrobeat, R&B, and Neo-soul into a … Continue reading Open Arts LES: Koku Gonza

As a former Californian, Erli began his career as a Jazz vocalist a few years after moving to New York City. With the likes of his mentors such as Jay Clayton, Sheila Jordan, Mark Murphy, Marilyn Maye, & Marianne Solivan, Erli has quickly created a style and a reputation all his own. His style ranges … Continue reading Open Arts LES: Erli Perez Jazz

David Soto started on his musical journey as a child while performing with his mom in the Puerto Rican folkloric dance troupe, Grupo Cemí. He grew up Loisaida amidst a flourishing culture of Nuyorican poets back in the early 70-80s. Learning from mentors which include his mother María Hernández, Bimbo Rivas, TatoLaviera and Luis Guzmán, … Continue reading Open Arts LES: DASO y el Grupo Cemí

Sundate is an ensemble rooted in the vibrant cultural landscape of New York City. Our group offers live music that blends modern jazz, soul, Latin, and global influences into a sound that is both deeply personal and universally resonant. Led by Victor Solano, and joined by members Alfredo Colon, Jonathan Paik, Justin Henery, Mason O'Donnell, … Continue reading Open Arts LES: Sundate

YiYi, a Ukrainian folk group composed of Caroline Kuhn, Katie Pawluk, and Zoya Shepko, breathes new life into traditional Ukrainian songs through unconventional arrangements and a diverse mix of instruments, including the bandura, violin, banjo, hutsul drum, cello and accordion. Their performances are characterized by three-part polyphony, creating rich sonic tapestries that transport audiences from … Continue reading Open Arts LES: Yi-Yi

Nolan Nwachukwu Project's music features a combination of diverse original compositions and new, funky interpretations of contemporary songs and jazz standards. The compositions and arrangements performed by the group are infused with a blend of African-American genres, including gospel, jazz, R&B, soul, funk, and other world music. About Nolan Nwachukwu  Nolan Nwachukwu is a bassist, … Continue reading Open Arts LES: Nolan Nwachukwu Project