Skirball Cultural Center’s Sunset Concert Series takes place outdoors in the center’s 1,000-seat Tapered Courtyard. (Photo: Timothy Norris)
The Sunset Concert Series returns, bringing a summer of music to the Skirball Cultural Center.
Now in its 27th season, the free concerts take place in the center’s 1,000-seat outdoor space, the Tapered Courtyard. This year’s six concerts run from July 18 to Aug. 16 and will showcase African and Caribbean artists creating fusion music.
“Each artist this year represents a blend of local traditions integrated with a contemporary vision that captures the soul of their country,” said Marlene Braga, Skirball’s vice president of public programs.
Opening the summer of music will be El Laberinto del Coco, an Afro-Puerto Rican band playing bomba fusion, a type of dance music, founded by percussionist Héctor “Coco” Valles.
“Barres represents a very distinct trajectory of Puerto Rican music; he’s played with Don Omar and Basillos,” she said. “The band talks a lot about freedom, because that’s where the bomba originates. In fact, it was the slaves who brought that music to the island,” Braga said.
Then, on July 25, French-Moroccan four-piece band Bab Le Blues will perform a mix of trance rhythms, vocals and bass-heavy grooves. The series will continue on August 1 with Haitian musician Waali, who will perform innovative hip hop in English, French and Haitian Creole.
“He blends traditional Haitian songs and ancestral rhythms through his own sharp lens of hip hop and reggae,” she said.
An unannounced artist will perform on August 8th, and the series will conclude with a DJ dance party on August 16th.
Sunset Concert Series
Dates: July 18th – August 9th 8pm, August 16th 6pm
Location: 2701 N. Sepulveda Blvd., Los Angeles
Price: Free
Info: skirball.org
