Etienne Charles’ Carnival: The Sound of the People

The Eli and Edythe Broad Stage in Santa Monica presents Etienne Charles’ Carnival: The Sound of the People on Saturday, March 2 at 7:30pm. Hailed by The New York Times as an “An auteur…[with] strength and a clear, almost classical sense of thematic organization,” Tobagonian trumpeter Etienne Charles returns to his roots to celebrate Trinidadian culture.
During Carnival, the island of Trinidad becomes engulfed in a cacophony of sounds – from singing minstrels, to the clash of stick fights, and lively calypso music with its hallmark steel pan cadences. As a Trinidadian raised in a musical family, trumpeter Etienne Charles feels a deep connection to the Carnival traditions. At a young age he joined his father’s steel band, performing at Carnival fetes, and immersing himself in the folklore. Through Etienne’s Guggenheim Fellowship Award, he returns to his roots to celebrate the traditions that best exemplify Trinidadian culture. Inspired by the noises heard throughout the festivities, Etienne’s Carnival: The Sound of a People brings the celebrations to the stage.
NPR’s All Things Considered calls Etienne, “a great young trumpeter…his records filter calypso, reggae and other Afro-Caribbean music into a modern jazz conception.” Critics and audiences alike continue to praise the Trinidadian’s exciting performances, thrilling compositions, and his charismatic onstage presence. Etienne is a Guggenheim Fellow in the Creative Arts, Associate Professor of Jazz Trumpet and Teacher Scholar at Michigan State University, and has been written in to US Congressional Record for his musical contributions to Trinidad & Tobago and the World.
Jazz & Blues at The Broad Stage made possible by a generous gift from Richard and Lisa Kendall.