The Kavita Shah Quintet will present a free, public concert in the Jazz@Bucknell Series on Thursday, Jan. 24 at 7:30 p.m. in Bucknell Hall.
Called by National Public Radio as an “amazing” new voice in contemporary music, Shah is gaining a reputation as a visionary young singer, composer and arranger. Hailed by Downbeat Magazine as the “Best Graduate Jazz Vocalist” (2012) and winner of the ASCAP Herb Alpert Young Jazz Composers Award (2013), Shah — a native New Yorker of Indian origin fluent in Spanish, Portuguese and French — incorporates diverse musical elements into her jazz-based repertoire. Her debut album VISIONS — co-produced by guitar virtuoso Lionel Loueke — combines the sounds of the traditional Indian tablas and West African kora with those of a jazz quintet.
In addition to Shah, the quintet members include Leo Genovese (piano), Chico Pinheiro (guitar), Ferenc Nemeth (drums), and Alexis Cuadrado (bass).
Jazz@Bucknell is a chamber series which was conceived to present international modern masters and young visionaries to the campus and surrounding community several times during the year. Programming showcases the entire tradition of jazz, from standards to the Avant-Garde, with an eye on artists who continue the innovative tradition of the music with their personal approaches to sound, style and composition.
Additional information on Jazz@Bucknell may be obtained by contacting Barry Long, Bucknell music professor and chair of the department, at 570-577-1312, or barry.long@bucknell.edu.