WEDNESDAY November 11th, 8pm @Grand Theatre (Arts Wing) - OR BAREKET NEW YORK QUARTET

Bassist, composer, and bandleader Or Bareket is one of the leading figures of his generation on the New York and global scenes. He flies in to the UK with his New York Quartet for gigs in Manchester, Ronnie Scott's (London) and here in Swansea!

His distinct lyricism, rhythmic dexterity, and groove-forward approach are central to his playing and writing alike, creating music that audiences feel within. 
Bareket's two recent quartet albums "SAHAR" (2022) and "YŌM" (2024) are among the defining works of the New York sound in the 2020's. The quartet's forthcoming album, set for release in fall of 2026, is sure to follow in those footsteps. 

A first-call collaborator, Bareket has worked regularly with the likes of Joel Ross, Etienne Charles, Camila Meza, Ben Wendel, and Yosvany Terry, and performed with Joshua Redman, Chris Potter, Marta Sanchéz, José James, Aaron Parks, Sullivan Fortner, and many more. ."...music of rhythmic sophistication and lyrical depth...brimming with springy energies and smart details" - Nate chinen, WBGO Jazz". Critics praise his "playful percussion and meticulous bass plucking" and his "welcoming spirit," showcasing artistry and global creativity ideal for today's premier stages

Godwin Louis - saxophones

Grammy Award-nominated saxophonist, composer, arranger, educator, philanthropist, humanitarian and entrepreneur Godwin Louis is a trailblazer in the world of music and beyond. Born in Harlem, New York, and raised in Bridgeport, Connecticut, and Port Au Prince, Haiti, his music taps all corners of  a multicultural background rooted in his Haitian heritage.  

An acclaimed alto saxophonist, Louis has graced stages around the globe including: Mali, Senegal, Togo, France, Finland, Spain, the United Kingdom, Italy, Russia, Azerbaijan, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Venezuela, Brazil, South Korea, Indonesia and Australia. A graduate of Berklee College of Music and the prestigious Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz Performance,

Louis has studied and performed with Herbie Hancock, Clark Terry, Roger Dickerson, Ron Carter, Al Foster, Billy Preston, Patti LaBelle, Toni Braxton, Prince, Babyface, Madonna, Barry Harris, Howard Shore, Mulatu Astatke Mahmoud Ahmed, Wynton Marsalis and the New York Philharmonic Orchestra, to name a few. In addition, Louis has performed extensively as a sideman and guest soloist. 

Esteban Castro- piano

18 year-old pianist and composer, Esteban Castro captivates audiences and critics with performances that are intimate and sophisticated beyond his young years. He attends the Juilliard School on a full-tuition Thomas Dubois Hormel Memorial Scholarship, studying with Ted Rosenthal. He also studies privately with Fred Hersch. He recently graduated as a double major from the MSM Precollege on a Nana’s Way Scholarship, studying classical piano with Phillip Kawin and jazz with Jeremy Manasia.

At age 13, Esteban was the First Prize Winner in the Montreux Jazz Piano Solo Competition in 2016, making him the youngest ever to receive this prestigious award. The next year he won First Prize at the 2017 Jacksonville Jazz Piano Competition. With over 40 compositions to his name, Esteban has garnered three ASCAP Foundation Young Jazz Composer Awards, and has won fifteen Downbeat Student Music Awards. He was selected as a pianist for the Grammy Band in 2017 and 2018, as a 2019 YoungArts Finalist, and as a member of the 2019 Next Generation Jazz Orchestra. He has won a variety of classical piano competitions, including the 2019 MSM Precollege Philharmonic Concerto Competition, playing Prokofiev’s 1st Piano Concerto. Esteban was commissioned for a big band arrangement by the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra for the Thelonious Monk 100th Birthday Celebration in 2018.

Esteban has played to sold-out audiences in venues such as The Blue Note, The Montreux Jazz Club, The New Jersey Performing Arts Center, and Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola. He's also performed in Switzerland, Italy, France, Peru, Canada, and Puerto Rico. 

Savannah Harris - drums

Savannah Harris is a drummer, producer/arranger, and music director widely regarded as one of the foremost drummers of her generation. Equally fluent in the deep traditions of jazz and the genre-blurring language of contemporary Black music, she brings precision, ingenuity, and emotional depth to every project she undertakes. Harris has become a vital presence in today’s creative landscape, touring and recording with Christian McBride’s Ursa Major, Cécile McLorin Salvant, and jazz luminary Kenny Barron.

Her creative reach extends to her award-winning collaborative project ØKSE, whose debut earned a Deutscher Jazzpreis for Album of the Year. Harris’s wide-ranging recording work includes contributions to Helado Negro’s acclaimed albums Far In and Phasor, where her rhythmic sensitivity and textural awareness play a defining role. She is also a longtime member of Or Bareket’s Quartet, appearing on the albums Sahar and Yom, and she joins Angelika Niescier and Tomeka Reid on the adventurous trio release Beyond Dragons.