YUSA!

with special guest Janet Evra
How can we possibly describe Yusa? You might be better off taking a couple hours and Googling “Yusa, Cuba” to see how enormous of an influence this musician is.  In Cuba she is considered one of the most studious musicians on the island.  (Cuba in many ways is really where music is the most free and hip in the world.)  She was raised in the Buena Vista district (yes, that Buena Vista) and studied in the Cuban education system on the musician track. Yes, in Cuba you can study to be a musician from grade school. She was always ahead of her peers and having come from a music family she simply soared.

About twenty years ago she became involved in a collaboration with Roberto Carcasses that involved many musicians. The project became known as “Interactivo” and is one of the most exciting musical collaborations in the world today. Great musicians have referred to Carcasses as the Duke Ellington of our time. Carcasses considers Yusa to be the most studious member of the group and the most mature; the backbone of the band. She is bilingual and a multi-instrumentalist. As one great musician put it, “she plays bass like Jaco and sings like Joan Armatrading”. She is quite simply a superhero musician. A great amongst the greats. A person who plays music like it was always supposed to be played. Cuban music is at the top of the list when it comes to innovation, fusion and originality and Yusa is considered one of the best in Cuba. A senior member. A person who commands respect wherever she goes. That is Yusa!

She is also extremely nice and giving. She does workshops wherever she tours to help young people embrace music. She has played all over the world and in front of thousands of fans at a time. Like all musicians, Covid set her back. She was playing regularly in Argentina with a trio and absolutely blowing the doors off the place every night she played. When Covid hit she shut it down and eventually moved to New Orleans where she has been figuring out how to tour in America. She has a mini-tour set for Chicago, Madison, WI and two nights in STL.   A musician this great playing at The Kranzberg is a rare opportunity.  You won’t see a better musician at small venue, ever.

She will bring two great New Orleans based musicians with her. Grayson Brockamp (Bass) and Fernando Lima (Drummer) Grayson will hold down the bass so that Yusa can sing and play guitar and tres but there may be some switching up in the night. Who knows?! When musicians are this great we don’t tell them what to do.