Etienne Charles Creole Soul Orchestra lights up Live at the Vineyards in 2026
Etienne Charles’ goal is simply to uplift people. How the 40-something Trinidadian trumpeter-composer-educator and Guggenheim Fellow creates that uplift is a marvel to behold.
Using the roots of the African diaspora, the languages of jazz, salsa, and calypso, and the vehicle of a big band, Charles has plenty to work with when he brings his Creole Soul Orchestra to Denver on August 15 for Live at the Vineyards.
In this wide-ranging conversation with KUVO host Rodney Franks, Charles describes the power of music to pull together tribes and generations.
Forgive a little name dropping – Charles shares lessons drawn from his associations with Roberta Flack, Marcus Roberts, fellow Caribbean islander Monty Alexander, and legendary Basie saxophonist Frank Foster. Bonus! Though he never played with Miles Davis, he draws from that legacy as well to keep his sound current and moving forward.
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