OKAN

Take a classically trained percussionist from Santiago de Cuba, add a one-time concertmaster from Havana’s Youth Orchestra, and stir in the sounds of Caribbean folkloric and dance music in the context of Toronto’s vibrant immigrant music community, and the unforgettable new sound of OKAN is born. Named for the word for “heart” in the Afro-Cuban religious practice of Santeria, this Juno Award-winning ensemble is led by vocalist and violinist Elizabeth Rodriguez and percussionist Magdelys Savigne. OKAN fuses its Afro-Cuban roots with American jazz, chanting in Yoruba, classical elements, and folk music from across the globe in songs about immigration, resistance, and love. “OKAN crafts jazzy, heady grooves informed by Afro-Cuban culture and a world of sound” (Chicago Reader).

This event is part of Cal Performances’ Illuminations: “Individual & Community” programming for the 2023–24 season.