Percussionist Cyro Baptista to Perform at Pepperdine's Smothers Theatre, 10/5

One of the planet's premier percussionists, Cyro Baptista, leads a quartet of some of the most exciting musicians from the New York world music scene, in a unique, colorful performance at Pepperdine University's Smothers Theatre at 7 p.m. on Sunday October 5.

Tickets, priced starting at $20 for the public and $10 for full-time Pepperdine students, are available now by calling (310) 506-4522 or online at http://arts.pepperdine.edu/. More information: http://cyrobaptista.com/.

Banquet of the Spirits combines Afro-Brazilian beats with improvised, experimental jazz trappings and an expansive tapestry of music from around the globe, resulting in what All About Jazz calls "a diversity of sounds and colors that can't be found anywhere else."

As a performer and bandleader, Cyro Baptista brings his unique charm and intense rhythmic drive to countless stages, numerous Grammy-winning recordings, and collaborations with myriad luminaries such as Paul Simon, Herbie Hancock, John Zorn, Yo-Yo Ma, Sting, Caetano Veloso, James Taylor, Jay-Z, Santana and many others.

Inspired by the Brazilian art movement known as "anthropofagia," or cultural cannibalism, Banquet of the Spirits celebrates the ever-surprising sounds these musical adventurers have collected and consumed over the years with a show that is "almost inexpressibly poetic ecstasy," according to All Music. "[Banquet of the Spirits] is undeniable in how provocative, powerful, and deeply enjoyable it is as a listening experience...whether one relishes "progressive," "modern," "primitive," "art," or "pop" music."

Baptista's many honors include being named DownBeat Critics Poll Percussionist of the Year in 2013 and 2011, Jazz Journalists Association Percussionist of the Year in 2010 and 2007, DRUM! Magazine's Percussionist of the Year in 2004 and 2003, and U.S. Artists Walker Fellow in 2009-10.

The Lisa Smith Wengler Center for the Arts at Pepperdine University provides high-quality activities for over 50,000 people from 600 zip codes annually through performances, rehearsals, museum exhibitions, and master classes. Located on Pepperdine's breathtaking Malibu campus overlooking the Pacific, the center serves as a hub for the arts, uniquely linking professional guest artists with Pepperdine students as well as patrons from surrounding Southern California communities. Facilities include the 450-seat Smothers Theatre, the 118-seat Raitt Recital Hall, the "black box" Helen E. Lindhurst Theatre, and the Frederick R. Weisman Museum of Art.

THE DETAILS:

WHAT: Cyro Baptista's Banquet of the Spirits

WHEN: Sunday, October 5, 2014 at 7 p.m.

WHERE: Smothers Theatre, Pepperdine University, 24255 Pacific Coast Highway, Malibu, CA

TICKETS: (310) 506-4522 or http://arts.pepperdine.edu/

PRICES: $20-$40 for adults

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