Northwest Vista College is hosting Gabriel Alegría's Afro-Peruvian Sextet, one of the most influential jazz groups in Peru. The event, scheduled on Valentine’s Day, includes a guest artist residency with Northwest Vista College along with a benefit concert at the Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center for earthquake relief in Peru.

“Gabriel Alegria’s music has a unique sound that honors the historical African sounds of coastal Peru and combines it with contemporary American jazz,” says Assistant Professor of Music, Dr. Katharine Cartwright, who is one of the main organizers of the event. “It is a music that you don’t hear often in the United States. This is why we’re thrilled to bring it to our students and the community.”   

The music of Gabriel Alegria is part of the Black History Month celebrations at Northwest Vista, says Dr. Cartwright, because the “Afro-Peruvian movement roughly parallels our American Civil Rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s,” she says. “The political cultural Afro-Peruvian movement in the mid 20th century was nearly eradicated but then was brought back to life and now is thriving.”

Dr. Gabriel Alegria’s knowledge of Afro-Peruvian music comes from fieldwork and time spent in Peru. As the Associate Director of Jazz Studies at New York University, Dr. Alegria’s goal is to spread the message of peace, love and joy found in Afro-Peruvian music. He is the founder of Jazz Peru Internacionál (JPI), a cultural jazz exchange organization that makes it possible for students, artists and fans to experience jazz music all over the world. He holds a doctorate degree in jazz studies from the University of Southern California, a master’s degree from the City University of New York and a bachelor’s degree from Kenyou College. 

The residency with Gabriel Alegría's Afro-Peruvian Sextet, an inaugural event of Northwest Vista College's "Vis-à-vis" guest artist series, is made possible through a partnership between the department of Fine & Performing Arts at Northwest Vista College, the Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center, the Office of International Programs of the Alamo Community Colleges, Trinity University's Department of Communication, Jazz Peru Internacionál, and the Peruvian government's Ministry of Foreign Relations.
Two lecture demonstrations and master classes on Afro-Peruvian music and cultural history will be presented at Northwest Vista College. Both events are free and open to the public. An evening concert at the Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center is available with the purchase of tickets that will partially benefit earthquake relief in Peru. 

The following is a schedule of events to be held on Thursday, February 14, 2008:

9:30-10:45 A.M.   “Afro-Peruvian Musical Ideas and Instruments” workshop
  Huisache Hall, Student Lounge, Northwest Vista College

11-12:15 P.M.   “Afro-Peruvian Culture and its History” presentation
  Huisache Hall, Student Lounge, Northwest Vista College

3:30-4:45 P.M. “Afro-Peruvian Music and Dance” open master class
Huisache Hall, Banquet Room

8:30 P.M.  Concert with proceeds benefiting earthquake relief in Peru
   Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center  
website http://guadalupeculturalarts.org/

For more information about the Afro-Peruvian Sextet or concert tickets, contact Assistant Professor of Music, Dr. Katharine (Katchie) Cartwright at 348-2231 or This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .
Northwest Vista College, which opened in 1995, is part of the Alamo Community College District. Located at 3535 N. Ellison Drive, next to SeaWorld of Texas, Northwest Vista College’s expanding agreements with business and higher education partnerships provide a wealth of opportunities for students and the community.