Grammy-nominated Cuban pianist-composer Elio Villafranca brings his powerhouse ensemble The Jass Syncopators to Philadelphia for an unforgettable night of Afro-Caribbean rhythms, hard-swinging jazz, and fearless improvisation.

Pianist-composer Elio Villafranca is a visionary force in contemporary jazz. Cuban-born and classically trained, the Grammy-nominated, Guggenheim Fellow, and Steinway Artist returns to the Bride’s orbit with his powerhouse ensemble The Jass Syncopators. Rooted in deep tradition, bold arrangements, and immersive storytelling, Villafranca delivers a musical expedition across the African diaspora, powered by Afro-Caribbean rhythms and hard-swinging jazz—that will captivate both devoted fans and first-time listeners.

Hailed by DownBeat as “the latest in a decades-long line of Cuban musicians who have integrated African, European and Pan-American musical concepts,” Villafranca channels the grandeur of Duke Ellington and McCoy Tyner, crafting compositions that “narrate with references to the Haitian Revolution and the free Maroon colonies of runaway slaves.” His celebrated album Cinque, performed with The Jass Syncopators, earned a Grammy nomination for Best Latin Jazz Album, a 4.5-star DownBeat review, and recognition among Japan’s “50 Best Jazz Albums of 2018.”

From Puerto Rico to the Dominican Republic, from Haiti to his native Cuba, this top-tier supergroup of soloists and master percussionists takes audiences on a journey where deep tradition meets fearless innovation. Expanding Jelly Roll Morton’s Spanish Tinge into his own Caribbean Tinge, Villafranca creates music packed with passion, precision, and an irresistible groove.

Lineup: Elio Villafranca (piano/compositions), Freddie Hendrix (trumpet), Sam Dillon (tenor sax), Gregg August (bass), Joel de Jesus (drums), Carlos Maldonado (percussion)

As Elio Villafranca translates freedom stories through Afro-Caribbean rhythms, deep tradition, and bold improvisation, Satellite Sound amplifies music as a living archive of resilience, resistance, and renewal.

Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright and author Quiara Alegría Hudes will bring her powerful debut novel THE WHITE HOT to life at Joe’s Pub in a one-night-only collaboration with acclaimed Afro Cuban jazz pianist Elio Villafranca. Hudes will read from her searing, luminous new work, written as a letter from a former teen mom to her daughter, while Villafranca offers live solo piano interpretations in response—drawing on the music of Charles Mingus and Jimi Hendrix, whose sounds and spirit are written about in the novel. The result will be part literary reading, part jazz concert, and entirely unforgettable.

The City of Oxford, Alabama, is proud to host the Rubato International Piano Competition from August 12–16, 2025. This groundbreaking competition is the first of its kind, seamlessly integrating both classical and jazz categories into a single event. Young talents, ages 10–27, from across the globe will converge for this prestigious occasion, alongside representatives from renowned schools, universities, and conservatories throughout the United States

All the selected semifinalists will participate in six masterclasses presented by our prestigious jury the week of the competition.

Villafranca/Cepeda´s Concert Springfield Jazz Fest

Photo by Adriana Mateo

Photo by Adriana Mateo

Photo by Adriana Mateo