John Kordalewski Trio

Mandorla Music is pleased to present two concerts this fall in the sanctuary at First Parish Milton featuring ensembles lead by Milton residents. These concert are made possible in part by Milton Cultural Council. The first of these will be on Sunday, September 12, and will feature the John Kordalewski Trio.  Note that in the interest of safety, capacity will be limited and masks will be required.

Pianist John Kordalewski is best known for leading the Makanda Project, a big band made up of top Boston and NYC players who dive deep into the compositions of Makanda Ken McIntyre and beyond. In addition to another summer of wonderful outdoor events in Roxbury, the Makanda Project just made its first trip to Europe, playing dates with Chico Freeman.

For this concert, I’m very happy to present John’s powerful trio, featuring Wes Brown on bass and Royal Hartigan on drums.  Expect a spirited set including originals by members of the trio, arrangements of music by Makanda Ken McIntyre, and sounds rooted in South African, Ghanaian, and Indian musical traditions.

A little more about the rest of the band: Wes has had a long and storied career including stints with Earl “Fatha” Hines, Wadada Leo Smith, and Fred Ho. He appears regularly with the Makanda Project, as well as with Royal’s ensemble Blood Drum Spirit. Royal started tapdancing as a child, later studied with jazz masters Max Roach and Ed Blackwell, and has spent decades studying rhythm traditions from around the globe.

This trio has deep roots & wide branches – can’t wait for you to hear them.