MIAMI – On Sunday, Feb. 16, 2025, at 4 p.m. at the Miami Beach Bandshell, 7275 Collins Avenue, Dranoff 2 Piano Fusion presents the year’s quintessential Black History Month tribute concert as part of its West African Beats series featuring a 12-member multi-cultural ensemble led by celebrated local vocalist, violinist, and educator Nicole Yarling.
Musical Journey
The program is called “One Song.” It takes the audience on a musical journey through the African diaspora. Yarling has curated this experience for people of all ages. Audience members will see how West Africa has influenced cultures around the world. They will enjoy song and dance along the way. The journey starts with the music of Nigeria’s Fela Kuti. Next, it moves to the Caribbean with Haitian Rara and Trinidadian Soca. Then, it goes to America to explore folk traditions, jazz, and gospel. The program includes selections from the Great American Songbook and some original songs. Overall, the audience will feel how music and dance connect us all.
“This incredible voyage through the ages is a tale of history told through music and the rhythms of our ancestors, woven like a tapestry in a way that very few people can and we’re blessed that Nicole Yarling is uniquely qualified to do it,” said Dranoff 2 Piano Fusion Executive Director Emily Cardenas.
Featured Piano Fusion Pianists
Besides Yarling, members of the ensemble feature pianists Martin Bejerano and Jim Gasior, Jean Caze on trumpet, Mark Small on saxophone, John Yarling on drums, Nanyamka Graham on percussion, Marty Quinn on bass, and Alex Cameron on fiddle, plus dancers Terrance Pride, Chloe Felizor and Evie Burns.
“Although the show is well scripted, people should also come to expect the unexpected because the joy of improvisation is found in all music derived from the diaspora, from Africa to jazz, to James Brown,” said Yarling. “The audience will walk away with that communal feeling that is alive in everything from the Sunday morning sermon to the Hip Hop rapper’s battle.”
Tickets run from $45 – $30 and are available online. Students with ID may purchase $5 tickets at the door.
Dranoff 2 Piano Fusion created The West African Beats series. This was made possible by the Funding Arts Network’s AWARE grant. The series celebrates FAN’s 25th year of giving in Miami. The Miami Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs supports Dranoff’s music season. This support helps Dranoff create community through music. They blend 2 piano repertoire with many genres and cultures. They do this through concerts, collaborations, and education.
