X Avant XX Night 4 – Momentos, Wisdom, Forever

Night 4 curated by Keisha Bell is a staged intervention reimagining MG’s story by commemorating and bringing forward overlooked jazz legacies that resoundingly shaped experimental sound forever.

This year is special. As we celebrate 50 years of history & 20 years of X Avant, we’ve gathered 5 curators to take over 918 Bathurst to enliven and celebrate 5 eras of precious sound. 

Keisha says, “In summer 2020, I saw Cuban pianist Aruán Ortiz perform online and contacted him for composition lessons. A year later, I got to meet him in person when he performed with AfroHORN in Buffalo. They captured my imagination with a blend of Afro-Caribbean, jazz, and free improvisation. I discovered trumpeter Milena Casado on Bandcamp. When I saw that the first track was called “THIS IS MY HAIR,” AND she recorded a cover of “Unconditional Love”, I knew I was in for a treat.

Part of the mission of the MG is to “cultivate artistic experimentation and community through sound, music and sharing in the creative process.” Listening to both of these artists, I find their work easily aligns with this ethos. Their music transgresses boundaries while remaining rooted in the tradition of Black American music, encompassing the Americas from North to South.”