Michael Mwenso presents “Mwenso and the Shakes” Jazz & Dinner

Doors open – 6:30pm
Pre-performance dinner orders to be taken – 7:30pm
Performance begins – 8:00pm
Interval – 8:45pm
Second Set – 9:15pm

End – 10:00pm£30 Table Seating | £15 Standing | Complimentary for Patrons

Musician, artist, and social commentator Michael Mwenso offers his unique and ancestral perspective on Black music and its ability to heal us through original compositions and arrangements powered by the Harlem-based Mwenso & the Shakes.

Michael Mwenso’s life and career have been shaped by his unique journey across different cultures and countries. Raised in West Africa by strong women, his teenage years in London brought personal challenges, including the deportation of his mother. During this time, Mwenso found solace in Black music, drawing inspiration from legends like James Brown, who became his mentor.

In his late twenties, jazz icon Wynton Marsalis invited Mwenso to New York City to lead late-night sessions at Dizzy’s Club and curate at Jazz at Lincoln Center. His arrival had a significant impact on the music scene in NYC, and through his band, Mwenso and the Shakes, he built a community that spread across the United States.

Co-founding Electric Root with Jono Gasparro, Mwenso now focuses on using Black music to uplift and unite people. Mwenso and the Shakes, a diverse group of artists from Sierra Leone, London, South Africa, and Trinidad, have made Harlem their home. Their music blends Jazz, Funk, and R&B, drawing on the influence of artists like Fela Kuti and James Brown. The New York Times calls their performances “intense, prowling, and ebullient.”

Through his work, Mwenso continues to use music as a powerful tool for healing, empowerment, and connection.

Michael Mwenso – Bandleader and Vocals, 
Vuyo Sotashe – Vocals, 
Ruben Fox – Tenor Saxophone, 
Rashaan Salaam – Trombone, 
Zhenya Strigalev – Tenor Saxophone, 
Miles Wilkins – Piano/keys, 
Alan Weekes – Guitar, 
Lorenzo Morabito – Double Bass, 
Ahmad Johnson – Drums.

Discover Michael Mwenso: Band Leader | Co-Founder of Electric Root | Emmy Award-Winning Creator, Curator, and Artist
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