Jasnam Daya Singh plays piano and leads PJCE in a performance of his Ekta: The Unity Project, an evening-length piece dedicated to cultivating a collective sense of belonging. Presented in cooperation with PDX Jazz.
Singh’s Ekta: The Unity Project, commissioned by PJCE for the Montavilla Jazz Festival in 2017, is a multi-movement suite that incorporates a wide-range of tributaries of the jazz stylistic river—Brazilian choro and samba of Singh’s country of birth, expansive European jazz and classical styles, and high-energy straight-ahead jazz. The piece embodies Singh’s musical interests but also expresses personal truths drawn from his journey as an immigrant and eventual citizen of the United States, and his conversion to Sikhism.
Concert details:
Monday, February 20th, 2023 | Doors at 7pm, concert at 8 pm.
Jack London Revue | 529 SW 4th Ave., Portland, OR 97204
About Jasnam Daya Singh:
Born Weber Ribeiro Drummond in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in 1962, it was not until the mid-90’s that pianist/composer Weber adopted the stage name Weber Iago as a homage to the Roma people. Since he took Amrit (initiation in the Sikh Religion) in 2013, Iago has adopted the name Jasnam Daya Singh.
Singh has spent all of his musical life researching different types of sounds, ultimately dedicating most of his endeavors to uniting elements of classical, jazz, and Brazilian music. In Brazil, he advanced his craft as a concert pianist as well as a composer, writing mostly piano and chamber music works. In the early 80’s he developed a strong interest in jazz which prompted his move to Los Angeles in 1987. Once in the US, Singh began working with notable musicians such as Moacir Santos, one of Brazil’s greatest composers and arrangers.
Singh has participated as a pianist and bandleader in jazz festivals all over the world as well as shows and interviews in the most important jazz radio stations in the United States. Since 1991, he has made constant appearances at the Monterey Jazz Festival, among those are the one in 2005 with the Carla Bley Big Band, which featured Carla herself, Steve Swallow, and Billy Drummond and 2010 as part of the Hristo Vitchev Quartet.
Singh has recorded and performed with great luminaries such as Paul McCandless, Ali Ryerson, Kenny Stahl, Claudia Villela, Charles Loos, Marcia Maria, Alex Acuna, and Alphonso Johnson. Singh has released several albums including Children of the Wind Spring Will Stay Here. At the end of 2005, Daya Singh was commissioned by the Carmel Bach Festival to write his Jazz Concertino for Piano and String Orchestra which premiered on July 9th of 2006 in Monterey, California, and has since been performed by the Portland Chamber Orchestra. In 2009, Jasnam Daya Singh’s CD (still as Weber Iago) in duo with Jovino Santos Neto, received a Latin Grammy nomination for Best Instrumental Album.
Ensemble musicians include:
Lee Elderton – soprano sax/clarinet
John Savage – alto sax, flute
Tim Willcox – tenor sax
Mieke Bruggeman – bari sax, bass clarinet
Noah Simpson, Douglas Detrick – trumpet, flugelhorn
James Powers, John Moak – trombone
Jasnam Daya Singh – piano
Ryan Meagher – guitar
Andrew Jones – bass
Ken Ollis – drums
Notes on Seating: The Jack London provides two options for ticket purchasers: Reserved Seating and General Admission. Reserved Seating is purchased on a table-by-table basis in the central part of the venue and is only available for select shows. Both Tables AND General Admission seating is limited on a first come first serve basis
