FRIYAY
FriYAY
Friday, July 11
6-8pm
Free Concert For All
Folk, soul, pop, electronica, rock, hip-hop, and jazz, are just some of the genres you might hear at any given FriYAY event. Hear local musicians play a two-hour set.
Upcoming: Candida Rose & José Luís Santos Spencer
Born and raised in New Bedford, Massachusetts, “Candida Rose” Baptista is a 2nd generation American-born KabuVerdiana. She is a vocalist, song-writer, entertainer, music and cultural educator, and author, as well as a mother, grandmother, and now great-grandmother! Candida has released two studio albums, Here I AM! (2023) and KabuMerikana: The Sum of ME (2006), featuring fresh fusions that span the Cabo Verdean archipelago (morna, batuku, kola-zouk) and the U.S. soundscape (Jazz, Spiritual, R&B). Candida uses her Masters degree in Transnational, Cultural, and Community Studies to research and educate, and recently published an ethnomusicological book about Cabo Verdean American musical transnationalism, called KabuMerikanus - The Sum of US: Exploring the Cabo Verde/United States Musical Connection and Legacy (2024). As an entrepreneur, Candida spearheads Golden Rose Music LLC, using her uniquely compelling voice to amplify beautiful musical sounds, positive spirituality, and important cultural conversations.
José Luís Santos Spencer, artistically JL Spencer, is a Cape Verdean musician, multi-instrumentalist, producer and songwriter, born in the Island of São Vicente and raised in Sal, the Island where he inherited the music from his "Spencer” family, which is a well recognized nursery of great guitar players. He developed his own style of guitar playing, with flamenco, African and jazz flavors; this makes him a musician with his own identity, without ever losing commitment with the roots of the traditional music of Cabo Verde. Alongside his partnership with Candida in the “KabuJazz Duo,” Spencer is also the musical director and one of the pillars of five piece KabuJazz Ensemble since the beginning of this important project of promotion, education and appreciation of traditional music in the Cape Verdean community.
The two members of the KabuJazz Duo have been in artistic partnership for over twenty years. They and other collaborators come together to bring a unique combination of Cabo Verdean and American—primarily Jazz—musical influences to audiences cross-country, a combination Candida Rose has labeled “KabuJazz.” Along with Candida Rose’s presentations of KabuMerikanus - The Sum of US: Exploring the Cabo Verde/United States Musical Connection and Legacy, the pair has educated students at various New England schools with assemblies and cultural workshops.
This program is supported in part by a grant from the New Bedford Cultural Council, a local agency which is supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency.