Acclaimed Trinidad and Tobago-born trumpeter, composer, and storyteller Etienne Charles is set to return to Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York next month for a two-day run of performances during Caribbean-American Heritage Month.
Charles will appear in the Appel Room for Folklore LIVE Vol. 2 on June 5–6, following the Caribbean Tourism Organization’s Caribbean Week in New York, scheduled for June 1–5.
The performances will transform the venue into a vibrant, immersive celebration blending big-band jazz, movement, and storytelling, set against the backdrop of Manhattan’s skyline.
Expanding on his acclaimed Folklore project, Charles will debut new music inspired by traditions of the African diaspora across Africa, Mexico, and the Caribbean. The production will feature a full big band alongside live dancers, creating a multi-sensory performance experience that organizers describe as part concert, part theatrical celebration.
The show is part of Jazz at Lincoln Center’s season-long “Mother Africa” series, which explores the global influence of the African diaspora through jazz, blues, and cross-cultural musical traditions.
Beyond performance, Charles is also an established educator and conductor. He has held residencies at institutions including The Juilliard School, Stanford University, Columbia College Chicago, Oakland University, Kent State University, Walnut Hills High School, Cultural Academy for Excellence, and the U.S. Military Academy.
A 2015 Guggenheim Fellow and 2022 Creative Capital Awardee, he is known for deeply immersing himself in the cultural histories that shape his compositions.
The Folklore LIVE Vol. 2 performances will take place at the Appel Room on:
- Friday, June 5 — 7 p.m. and 9 p.m.
- Saturday, June 6 — 4:30 p.m. and 7 p.m.
Organizers say audiences can expect “an evening of color, energy and groove so infectious you might find yourself dancing in your seat.”
