♪ ♪ (audience applauding) (piano begins) (percussion and bass begin) (tempo slows, transition plays) (song continues) (bass playing lead) (percussion solo playing) (solo continues) (bass and piano resume on earlier melody) (song continues) (tempo slows, transition plays) (song continues) (singing along softly) (song continues) (song continues, tempo quickening) (singing along softly to piano) (song continues) (song continues) (song continues) (song continues) (piano trill playing) (bass solo playing) (piano playing lead) (song continues) (singing along softly) (song continues) (music pauses, then resumes) (song continues) (bass solo playing) (piano takes lead) (playing earlier melody) (volume softens, then increases) (song ending) (audience cheers and applauds) CROSSLEY: Whoo!

Whoo, whoo, whoo, whoo!

(audience applauding) Excellent!

(chuckles) (applause slows) I am interested now in style.

- Mmm.

- Like, what were your creative influences on how you play and the style in which you play?

How would you describe that?

- Great question.

I'm highly influenced by classical music.

It's in my blood.

You know, the fact that I just grew up going to conservatory at the age of six.

But definitely, you know, I, as I became more acquainted with the style of jazz, Michel Petrucciani was one of the first piano players I heard, and I had tears in my eyes.

I'm a huge fan.

I remember hearing one of the many versions of Bill Evans' "All The Things You Are," and closing my eyes, and putting it on repeat, and hours went by.

So, I'm very influenced by a lyrical harmonic approach in the jazz vocabulary, but always with my clave.

(laughs) - Oh, yes, uh-huh.

- Always with that clave, with that Cuban approach.

But I think I'm, you know, a, a mixture of all of that, all together.

It's a little bit of classical music, it's a little bit of Cuban, it's a little bit of all over the world, because I consider myself a citizen of the world.

- Okay.

"Afro-Cuban Rhythms of Resilience."

- Yes.

- You're trying to tell us something.

- Yes.

- What are you trying to tell us?

(chuckling) - Endurance.

What it takes to, in all honesty, if I'm going to be blunt, what it takes to be a Black girl in Cuba going to conservatory, learning music that is European-, you know, -oriented, and having to deal with that in my time.

Um, having to leave my country to pursue a better, you know, future in my career as a musician, getting to know so many people, so many musical genres, eventually finding jazz, you know.

My whole journey goes from Cuba to Canada to Southeast Asia to Boston, when I finally fell in love with jazz, because I came to study at Berklee.

So... (exhales) It's been 22 years, and it's, it takes a lot of endurance, you know?

- Mm-hmm.

- And finally finding myself.

I never thought I was going to be here today and representing this, you know, a woman in jazz, an Afro-Latina, an Afro-Cubana, advocating for-- and hopefully inspiring-- so many women out there, so...

It's taken time and self-knowledge, and I think that's what the resilience comes from.

- Okay, and you're here now.

(chuckles, audience cheers and applauds) Now... Once again, from the Fraser Performance Studio, here's Zahili Gonzalez Zamora with "Afro-Cuban Rhythms of Resilience."

(audience cheers and applauds) (bass begins softly) (percussion begins softly, bass repeats) (piano begins) (piano stops, bass continues) - (sighs) (piano resumes) (song continues) ♪ Mamá, la negrita ♪ ♪ Se les salen los pies ♪ ♪ De la cunita ♪ ♪ Y la negra Mercé ♪ ♪ Ya no sabe que hace' ♪ ♪ Pero tú drume negrita ♪ ♪ Que yo voy a comprar una cunita ♪ ♪ Que tendrá capitel ♪ ♪ Y también cascabel ♪ ♪ Si tú drumes ♪ ♪ Voy a comprarte un mamey ♪ ♪ Muy colorado ♪ ♪ Si no drume voy a llamar un babalao ♪ ♪ Que da pao, pao ♪ ♪ Tú drume negrita ♪ ♪ Que yo voy a comprar una cunita ♪ ♪ Que tendrá capitel ♪ (chords playing) ♪ Y también cascabel ♪ (piano playing softly) (bass takes lead) (song continues) (song continues) (song continues) (song continues) (Gonzalez Zamora sighs) (song continues) (sighs) (song continues) (song continues) (song continues) (song continues) (song continues) (song continues) - Whoo!

(audience applauding) GONZALEZ ZAMORA: ♪ Pero Mamá, la negrita ♪ ♪ Se les salen los pies ♪ ♪ De la cunita ♪ ♪ Y la negra Mercé ♪ ♪ Ya no sabe que hace' ♪ (scatting) ♪ Pero tú drume negrita ♪ ♪ Que yo voy a comprar una cunita ♪ ♪ Que tendrá capitel ♪ ♪ Y también cascabel ♪ (scatting) ♪ Si tú drumes ♪ ♪ Voy a comprarte un mamey ♪ ♪ Muy colorado ♪ ♪ Si no drume voy a llamar un babalao ♪ ♪ Que da pao, pao ♪ ♪ Tú drume negrita ♪ ♪ Que yo voy a comprar ♪ ♪ Una cunita ♪ ♪ Que tendrá capitel ♪ ♪ Y también cascabel ♪ (scatting) ♪ Que tendrá capitel ♪ ♪ Y también cascabel ♪ (scatting) Ah!

(scatting, harmonizing with piano) (scatting, harmonizing) (scatting, harmonizing) (scatting with piano) (singing softly with piano) (singing softly with piano) (singing softly with piano) (song continues) (song continues) ♪ Que tendrá capitel ♪ ♪ Y también cascabel ♪ (scatting) (scatting with piano melody, bass and percussion stop) (harmonizing with piano) (song ending) (audience cheers and applauds) (applause continues) That song that we just played is called "Drume, Negrita," which translates in a very broken Spanish, um...

I would even dare to say African slaves in Cuba kind of Spanish.

Um, it translates to "Sleep Well, My Little Black Girl," something like that-- so it's a lullaby, which we try to bring in very soft, and then rhythm comes in and we hope not to wake the baby up.

(audience chuckles) But we have fun playing it.

It's a beautiful song.

Coming up is an original composition.

It's called "Negra."

There's just a little segue, segue there.

In talking about that resilience, this is a song I used as catharsis?

Is that the word in English?

Right?

Working through my own, um... What do you call it?

(stammering) Self-worth, I believe, is the word, in appreciating and really embracing my skin color, and I'll leave it at that.

I love my skin color today, and I love who I am today.

(audience applauding) So, it's that kind of tune.

It's that kind of tune.

(applause slows) (piano begins) (bass and percussion begin) (softer melody playing) (tempo slows) (song continues) (tempo quickens) (singing along softly) (earlier melody playing) (tempo slows) (bass takes lead) (song continues) (song continues) (song continues) (song continues) (song continues) (song continues) (song continues) (song continues) (bass and percussion stop) (tempo slowing) (bass and percussion resume) (song continues) (song continues) (singing along softly, tempo quickens) (song continues, tempo quickens) (song continues) (exclaims) (singing along softly) (song continues) (singing along softly) (earlier melody playing) (song continues) (tempo slows) (piano and bass pause) (piano and bass resume) (piano and bass pause) (piano and bass resume) (piano and bass pause) (piano and bass resume) (piano and bass pause) (piano and bass resume) (piano and bass pause) (piano and bass resume) (piano and bass pause) (piano and bass resume) (piano and bass pause) (piano and bass resume) (piano and bass pause) (piano and bass resume) (piano and bass pause) (piano and bass resume) (piano and bass pause) (piano and bass resume) (piano and bass pause) (piano and bass resume) (piano and bass pause) (piano and bass resume) (piano and bass pause) (piano and bass resume) (piano and bass pause) (piano and bass resume) (piano and bass pause) (piano and bass resume) (piano and bass pause) (piano and bass resume) (piano and bass pause) (piano and bass resume) (piano and bass pause) (piano and bass resume) (piano and bass pause) (Gonzalez Zamora exclaims, piano and bass resume) (piano and bass pause) (audience applauds and cheers, piano and bass resume) (piano and bass pause) (piano and bass resume) (piano and bass pause) (piano and bass resume) (all pause) (song resumes) (song continues) (song ending) (audience cheers and applauds) (audience applauding and whistling) - That's sounds of resilience right there, yes!

(audience chuckling) All right, um, this tune is called "Journey."

When I speak about being highly influenced by classical music, there's a little bit of that in this tune.

We hope you enjoy it.

(piano playing softly) (chords playing) (song continues) (arpeggio plays) (melody playing) (song continues) (melody playing) (bass starts) (song continues) (piano playing melody) (percussion begins) (song continues) (tempo quickens) (music softens) (tempo quickens, volume increases) (tempo slows, piano plays softly) (bass takes lead) (song continues) (song continues) (song continues) (song continues) (song continues) (fast arpeggio playing) (song continues) (song continues) (piano melody resumes) (audience applauding) (volume rises) (tempo slowing) (tempo quickens) (percussion playing softly) (song continues) (song continues softly) (song continues) (arpeggio plays) (song ends) (audience cheers and applauds) (cheers and applause continue) And that was "Journey."

Um, coming up is a tune called "Sábanas Blancas," which, I, I've already struggled trying to translate it to English, because it translates to "white bed sheets," right?

White bed sheets, but it's not what you would think when you, when I tell you that.

Um, if you ever...

Anybody has been to Havana yet?

Cuba in general?

Have you walked through the streets of Old Havana?

And if you look up to the old buildings, you'll see those white bed sheets hanging from the balconies.

That's the scenario I want to give you, is a, is a song that is a nostalgic song.

It's written by Gerardo Alfonso.

And we're performing tonight an arrangement by Alain Pérez.

And it's interpreted in the voice of the one and only, my auntie, also, her name is Bárbara Zamora.

Welcome on stage.

(audience cheers and applauds) (cheers continue) - (speaking inaudibly) (cheers continue) Ooh!

(piano playing intro) (bass, percussion begin) (piano stops) ♪ Habana ♪ ♪ Mi vieja Habana ♪ ♪ Señora de historias ♪ ♪ De conquistadores y gentes ♪ ♪ Con sus religiones ♪ ♪ Hermosa dama ♪ (piano resumes) ♪ Habana ♪ ♪ Si mis ojos te abandonaran ♪ ♪ Si la vida me desterrara ♪ ♪ A un rincón de la tierra ♪ ♪ Yo te juro que voy a morirme ♪ ♪ De amor y de ganas ♪ ♪ De andar tus calles ♪ ♪ Tus barrios ♪ ♪ Y tus lugares ♪ ♪ Cuatro caminos ♪ ♪ Vírgen de regla, puerto de mar ♪ ♪ Lugares vecinos ♪ ♪ El largo muro del litoral ♪ ♪ El capitolio y prado ♪ ♪ Con sus leones ♪ ♪ Sus visiones ♪ ♪ Sábanas blancas colgadas en los balcones ♪ ♪ Ah, sábanas blancas, corazónes ♪ BOTH: ♪ Sábanas blancas colgadas en los balcones ♪ (bass playing with piano) (Zamora vocalizing softly, piano stops) ♪ Habana ♪ ♪ Mi gran Habana ♪ ♪ Costumbre de darle una vuelta ♪ ♪ A la selva de noche ♪ ♪ De fiestas en casas de barrios ♪ ♪ Modernos y pobres ♪ ♪ Hah, con gente noble ♪ ♪ Habana ♪ (piano resumes) ♪ Si mis ojos te abandonaran ♪ ♪ Si la vida me desterrara ♪ ♪ A un rincón de la tierra ♪ ♪ Ay, yo, yo te juro que voy a morirme ♪ ♪ Voy a morirme de amor y de ganas, ay ♪ ♪ De andar tus calles ♪ ♪ Tus barrios ♪ ♪ Y tus lugares ♪ ♪ Vírgen del Camino ♪ Hah!

♪ Nuevo vedado residencial ♪ ♪ Lugares vecinos ♪ ♪ Faro del morro y la catedral ♪ ♪ Barrios pequeños ♪ ♪ Llenos de tradiciones ♪ ♪ Y emociones ♪ ♪ Sábanas blancas colgadas en los balcones ♪ (vocalizing) ♪ Sábanas blancas colgadas en los balcones ♪ ♪ Ay, la Habana, la Habana, la Habana ♪ (harmonizing with Lazo-Quiroga): ♪ Oh, oh, oh ♪ ♪ La Habana, la Habana ♪ ♪ Oh, oh, oh ♪ ♪ De Cuba, la Habana ♪ (solo): ♪ Sí, la Habana de Cuba es la capital ♪ ♪ Tierra segura ♪ ♪ Allí todos quieren llegar ♪ ♪ Conocer su gente y su verdad ♪ BOTH: ♪ Oh, oh, oh ♪ ZAMORA: Hey!

BOTH: ♪ La Habana, la Habana ♪ ♪ Oh, oh, oh ♪ ♪ De Cuba, la Habana ♪ (solo): ♪ Noche Cubana, morena bonita de alma sensual ♪ ♪ Yo no te puedo olvidar ♪ ♪ Siempre tú estarás en mi corazón ♪ ♪ Ay, la Habana, la Habana, la Habana ♪ Whoo!

(band continues) (audience cheers and applauds) Thank you.

- (singing softly with piano) (song continues) (song continues) (song continues, piano playing quickly) (song continues, piano leading) (singing softly with piano) ZAMORA: Whoo!

(piano playing intensely) (song continues) Zahili!

Whoo!

(audience cheers and applauds) (piano lead continues) ZAMORA AND LAZO-QUIROGA: ♪ Oh, oh, oh ♪ ♪ La Habana, la Habana ♪ ♪ Oh, oh, oh ♪ ♪ De Cuba, la Habana ♪ (solo): ♪ Sus calles, su historia ♪ ♪ Música pa' bailador Cabano ♪ ♪ Caiga el ron y el sabroso son ♪ Come on!

BOTH: ♪ Oh, oh, oh ♪ - Hey!

BOTH: ♪ La Habana, la Habana ♪ (audience clapping along) ♪ Oh, oh, oh ♪ ♪ De Cuba, la Habana ♪ (solo): ♪ Comida rica en la bodeguita ♪ ♪ Un daiquiri de Floridita ♪ ♪ Móntate en un almendrón, muchacho ♪ ♪ Y veras que vacilón ♪ BOTH: ♪ Oh, oh, oh ♪ - ¡Epa!

BOTH: ♪ La Habana, la Habana ♪ ♪ Oh, oh, oh ♪ ♪ De Cuba, la Habana ♪ - Hey!

♪ Camina, camina, camina ♪ ♪ Camina la Habana ♪ ♪ Vamos pa' mi capital que no tiene rival, papá ♪ BOTH: ♪ Oh, oh, oh ♪ - ¡¿Cómo es?!

BOTH: ♪ La Habana, la Habana ♪ ♪ Oh, oh, oh ♪ ♪ De Cuba, la Habana ♪ - ♪ Y anda, camina la Habana ♪ ♪ Pa' que nadie te lo cuente ♪ ♪ Tiene encanto, tiene bayas, (indistinct) ♪ ♪ Y un ambiente diferente ♪ ♪ Habana, Habana ♪ LAZO-QUIROGA: ♪ Oh, oh, oh ♪ - ♪ Hey, la Habana, hey ♪ - ♪ La Habana, la Habana ♪ - La Habana es la mía.

- ♪ Oh, oh, oh ♪ - Sí!

- ♪ De Cuba, la Habana ♪ - ♪ Mi capital no tiene rival, amiga es la que es ♪ ♪ Sabrosura en cantidad ♪ ♪ Habana, la Habana, vamos a celebrar ♪ (vocalizing) - ♪ Oh, oh, oh ♪ ♪ La Habana, la Habana ♪ ♪ Oh, oh, oh ♪ BOTH: ♪ De Cuba, la Habana ♪ - ♪ Mi capital, hey, no tiene rival, hey ♪ ♪ Vamos caminando que mi capital no tiene rival ♪ Hey!

♪ La Habana, la Habana, la Habana ♪ ♪ Que linda es mi Habana ♪ Whoo!

Whoo!

¡Epa!

(tempo slowing) La Habana es en la Habana.

Whoo!

(song ending) Thank you so much.

(audience cheers and applauds) Thank you, thank you so much.

GONZALEZ ZAMORA: Thank you, thank you.

(audience cheers and applauds) CROSSLEY: Encore!

Encore!

Encore!

Encore!

Yes?

Yes!

- Yes.

- Yes, encore, yes!

All right!

Yes!

Yeah.

(audience cheers and applauds) - All right, and since I was mentioning Mario Bauzá, let's play a tune by Mario Bauzá.

A lot of people know him for a very famous tune called "Mambo Inn."

Um, we're gonna play a danzón called "Cubanola."

(percussion begins) (percussion continues) (bass and piano begin) (singing along softly) (song continues) (song continues) (singing along softly) (song continues) (song continues) (song continues)