Jazz musician and composer Dana Leong.
Jazz musician and composer Dana Leong will be bringing his unique “hip-hop meets avant-jazz sound” to the Golden State in a three-month long performance tour, starting tonight (August 11) through October 2. The Bay Area native kicks off his California tour with his headlining debut at Yoshi’s in Oakland.
Leong, a jazz cellist and trombonist, has played around the country with the likes of legendary avant-jazz saxophonist Henry Threadgill, Cuban jazz clarinetist and saxophonist Paquito D’Rivera, and drummer Dafnis Prieto. He has also worked with top artists such as Wynton Marsalis, Yoko Ono and Kanye West, to name a few. Critics agree that Leong has created a very unique, boundless signature sound by “revolutionizing” the cello with his cutting edge amplification, lyrical melodies and collage of jazz textures and improvisations.
Tonight, expect to see the Japanese-Chinese American leading his quartet Milk & Jade by Dana Leong (Hager ben Ari on bass, Yoni Halevy on drums, and iLLspoKinN on vocals) in full hip-hop regalia. They’ll continue with performances at the San Jose Jazz Festival (August 13), and then in Los Angeles at the Levitt Pavilion MacArthur Park (August 14) and the Asian American Music Festival (October 15).
In addition, Leong continues to score for visual/theater projects with the world premiere of Project Bandaloop’s “Id Ego,” his first commissioned work for a contemporary vertical dance company. A multi-movement, site-reactive piece for San Francisco-based Project Bandaloop, Leong literally takes his musical style to new heights — both the dancers and Leong will propel off and across the exterior walls of the venue. You’ve got to see it to believe it. Catch it at Segerstrom Hall at the Orange County Performing Arts Center, from September 30 to October 2.
For more information and tickets, click here.
