Afro Bop. Photo by Larry Melton.
Laurel Fehrenbach is a Public Programs Assistant here at American Art. She manages the free Take 5! Jazz concerts that take place in the Kogod Courtyard every third Thursday from 5–7 p.m.
The Grammy Award-winning Afro-Cuban jazz septet, Afro Bop Alliance, has been a leading name in the Mid-Atlantic jazz scene for years. On Thursday, October 15, they return to American Art for Take 5! with three albums and a WAMMIE award under their belts as well. I was thrilled to catch up with band leader and drummer, Joe McCarthy, and asked him five questions.
Eye Level: How did the band get started?
Joe McCarthy: The band actually started as a straight ahead jazz group, in the spirit of Art Blakey's band. The instrumentation was similar to the bands of Poncho Sanchez and Tito Puente, minus congas. I thought this would be a perfect vehicle to introduce some of the Latin music I had been checking out, so I added congas to the band and I covered the rest of the percussion parts, and we began our Afro-Cuban exploration.
EL: So many different types of jazz influence your distinct Afro-Cuban sound. How did you create such an eclectic style? Who had the most influence on the band’s music?
JM: Everyone in the band has a diverse background and the combination of all our styles has really made the band flexible and able to combine all this knowledge into a cohesive unit. We have been influenced by so many. Groups like the Fort Apache Band, Ray Barretto, Tito Puente, Poncho Sanchez and Ralph Izzary have helped us develop our sound.
EL: Your 2008 album Caribbean Jazz Project just won a Grammy for “Best Latin Jazz Recording” and was also nominated for “Best Latin Jazz Album”. How does it feel to say you are a Grammy Award winner?
JM: Winning a Grammy validated my vision of the band. There has been a lot of hard work put into this band and it is great to receive this level of recognition. I am very excited about the future of Afro Bop.
EL: What new projects are you working on currently?
JM: I am assembling new music for an upcoming CD, some original compositions and some old tunes with new twists.
EL: Tell me one surprising thing about the band.
JM: A few members of the band have been military band career musicians. They are world class musicians, dependable and reliable. I currently hold the rank of Chief Petty Officer as a musician in the United States Naval Academy Band.
The Afro Bop Alliance is Joe McCarthy (drums), Luis Hernandez (saxophone), Dan Drew (trombone), Tim Stanley (trumpet), Harry Appelman (keyboard), Max Murray (bass). They will be performing at Take 5! on Thursday, October 15 in the museum’s Kogod Courtyard from 5–7 p.m.
