Fridays This Fall: Fandango at the Wall with Arturo O'Farrill
Among the great performances suspended this fall at The Soraya was the return of Arturo O’Farrill and his big band. This visit to The Soraya was to have featured Fandango at the Wall, a trans-national project that has gained worldwide attention. As the rhetoric about immigration and border walls rages on, O’Farrill and his collaborators elevate the issues to a higher plane, bringing the human dimension into focus through the vital exchange of music and culture. The Soraya loves nothing better than shining a light on the impactful work of artists beyond the confines of the stage. We say, “Music Knows No Borders.”
Though Fandango at The Wall won’t be at The Soraya this fall, you can experience it for yourself in two different settings. HBO will premiere a documentary film about the project next week. As a warm-up, this Sunday, O’Farrill and his band will light up the internet with a virtual presentation of that same music in collaboration with the renowned New York jazz club, Birdland. Details for both are below. Don’t miss them. They will fill your heart, give you hope, and you might even inspire you to dance in your living room.
Gratefully,
Watch Fandango at the Wall
Premieres on HBO Max and HBO Latino Sept. 25th at 8PM
Fandango at the Wall follows Arturo O’Farrill, Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra founder, and Kabir Sehgal, bestselling author and Grammy-winning music producer, as they prepare to record a live album at the U.S.-Mexico border wall. Inspired by the annual music festival called Fandango Fronterizo, this film takes O’Farrill and Sehgal on an inspiring journey of Veracruz, Mexico, where son jarocho, the 300-hundred-year-old folk music called combining indigenous, Spanish, and African traditions originated. As they travel to the remotest regions of the Veracruz coast, they meet legendary son jarocho musicians and artisans and recruit them for the upcoming festival. From executive producers Quincy Jones, Andrew Young, Carlos Santana, producers Kabir Sehgal and Doug Davis, and director Varda Bar-Kar, the film introduces the beautiful music of the region through intimate storytelling and captivating concert footage. Fandango at the Wall is a powerful reminder of music’s ability to bridge cultural barriers.
Virtual Birdland
Arturo O’Farrill & the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra
Sunday, Sept 20 | 5:30PM (PST)
Recorded remotely from locations around the world, Arturo O’Farrill and the mighty Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra are continuing their Sunday night Birdland residency in an online setting.