Dranoff 2 Piano Foundation proudly presents the concert “Music of Cuban Independence” on May 20, Cuban Independence Day, at the Miami-Dade County Auditorium. World-renowned musicians will come together to explore Cuba’s spectacular musical heritage, celebrating the contributions of famous Cuban artists and composers from the time of Cuba’s independence from Spain to the present.

“Music of Cuban Independence” features Miami’s own Cuban-American artists: Grammy-winning and Grammy-nominated pianists Martin Bejerano and Tal Cohen, bassist Jose Armando Gola, and Master Percussionist and Cuban music historian Ignacio Berroa performing Classical, Jazz, and Afro-Cuban works of Cuba and its diaspora, including 125 years of the best-loved Music of Cuba:

Classic Cuban “Songbook” Lecuona, Leo Brower, Pablo Milanes
Classical Cuban Composers Sergio Barroso, Ignacio Cervantes
Thelonious Monk, Dizzy Gillespie, Martin Bejerano

This gorgeous performance will take the audience on a journey of Cuban music and its inspirations from the post-colonial era to the 21st century, recognizing the important artistic contributions and exciting entertainment of our closest neighbor. ‘“Music of Cuban Independence” will remind the audience that, although 90 miles can seem so far away, music has the power to bridge physical distance. These artists will transport us to the roots of our own hometown art and culture, says Carlene Sawyer, CEO of Dranoff 2 Piano Foundation. “Dranoff’s Cuban Independence concerts are a fantastic opportunity to showcase and to uphold Miami’s large and diverse Latin population, the artistic richness, and evolution of the waves of music that have come across the 90 miles of water from Cuba spanning 100 years of popular favorites from Classical to Jazz to Afro Cuban music and dance rhythms—adds Sawyer.”

What “Music of Cuban Independence – A Celebration of Classical Jazz and Afro-Cuban Greats”

When Friday, May 20, 2022 | 8:00 p.m.

Where Miami-Dade County Auditorium

2901 W Flagler St, Miami, FL

Who Martin Bejerano, Tal Cohen, Jose Armando Gola, and Ignacio Berroa

How to Buy Tickets

Tickets are available on Ticketmaster.com or by calling (305) 547-5414

VIP admission $50 with reception following concert
Standard admission $35
Student admission $5 – student ID is required

About Dranoff

For 36 years, the Dranoff International 2 Piano Foundation has been the world’s leading champion of exclusively two piano repertoire and artistry. It is the only international foundation, accredited by the World Federation of International Music Competitions, to discover, promote, and award honors to top professional duo piano artists through its competition, commissions, and presentations of duo piano concerts. The Dranoff promotes awareness in a new generation of students of the transformational power of music and the arts through its multi-disciplinary, educational, and inspirational concert program, PIANO SLAM. Learn more: www.Dranoff2Piano.org and @dranoff2piano.

About the Artists

Martin Bejerano is an acclaimed pianist and composer. Martin has performed with numerous jazz luminaries, including his 20-year association with GRAMMY Lifetime Achievement Award-winning drummer Roy Haynes, Christian McBride Band, Dave Holland, Pat Metheny, Ignacio Berroa, Ron Carter, Russell Malone, Dafnis Prieto, Roxana Amed, Brian Lynch, Adam Nussbaum, John Faddis, Roy Hargrove, Marcus Strickland, E.J. Strickland, Mike Rodriguez, Kevin Mahogony, Lauren Kinhan, at most of the major jazz clubs, festivals and venues around the world. Martin is featured on over 25 recordings, including the GRAMMY nominated Fountain of Youth with the Roy Haynes Quartet, and Roxana Amed’s Latin GRAMMY nominated album Ontology. An award-winning bandleader, Martin’s trio has performed at such notable venues as Symphony Space, Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola, The Jazz Gallery, Barquisimeto Jazz Festival, El Hatillo Jazz Festival, St. Petersburg Jazz Festival, Festival Miami, and Lucerne Piano Off-Stage Festival. His most recent recording, Trio Miami, was selected as Downbeat Magazine’s “Editor’s Choice”, and he was recently awarded his second “New Jazz Works” grant from Chamber Music America in 2017, as well as composing grants and commissions from the Dranoff International 2 Piano Foundation and Sonos Chamber Orchestra. His work on Roxana Amed’s acclaimed Ontology album in 2021, in which he played piano and composed and/or arranged much of the music, contributing to its nomination for a Latin GRAMMY award. Currently, Martin heads the Jazz Piano Studio at the acclaimed Frost School of Music, University of Miami. He also serves as Artistic Director for the world-renown Dranoff International 2 Piano Foundation, and continues touring and recording with artists including Roy Haynes, Ignacio Berroa Trio, Dafnis Prieto, Jonathan Kreisberg Quartet, and Roxana Amed, as well as with his current project, #CubanAmericanTrio.

Tal Cohen is a Grammy award winning pianist, hailing from Israel, who has received much acclaim during his young career. He was the winner of the Barry Harris National Piano Competition and was the recipient of the prestigious Freedman Fellowship award at the Sydney Opera House. Tal has played around the Globe with Terence Blanchard, Greg Osby, Ignacio Berroa and Joe Lovano, and he has performed at numerous festivals such as Jazzbez Jazz Festival (Ukraine), Detroit Jazz Festival, Melbourne Jazz Festival (Australia), Sopot Jazz Festival (Poland), and others. Cohen has become one of the most in demand pianists with his unique blend of Jewish melodies, traditional jazz Harmony, and an impeccable rhythmic pallet forging a path to be remembered.

Ignacio Berroa has been recognized as one of the greatest drummers of our time. A leading innovator in the blending of Afro-Cuban and American jazz styles, his artful drumming has supported a wide spectrum of the very top names in jazz, including Dizzy Gillespie, McCoy Tyner, Chick Corea, Wynton Marsalis, Freddie Hubbard, Charlie Haden, and Gonzalo Rubalcaba. Ignacio has led his own Grammy- nominated group for over 20 years and has performed at nearly all the major jazz festivals, concert halls, and clubs internationally. He has consistently been on the cutting edge of the jazz and Latin jazz scene for nearly 40 years, and has been an integral influence on its shape and development. His incredible artistry on the drums has garnered critical praise across the world, with the L. A. Times writing, “Ignacio Berroa may be the strongest and most versatile drummer Gillespie has hired in years.” Modern Drummer wrote, “Like a Cuban Roy Haynes, Ignacio’s drumming sizzles, sparks, and pops, easily flowing from Rumba to Swing.” He was included on the 2011 Blue Note Records Compilation CD, “Jazz Drumming Legends,” which features some of the most renowned drummers in jazz history. Jazz icon Dizzy Gillespie defined Ignacio as, “… the only Latin drummer in the world, in the history of American music, that intimately knows both worlds: his native Afro–Cuban music as well as Jazz.”

Jose Armando Gola is a Cuban native, has played bass since age 13, and attended the Amadeo Roldan Conservatory. He plays both upright and electric bass in various settings, has toured internationally and played at major jazz festivals. Only in his mid-20s, he has worked with Rubalcaba for the past twelve years. Gola has appeared on three GRAMMY® nominated ‘Blue Note’ label albums, ‘PASEO’ and ‘CODES’, ‘TE ACUERDAS,’ FRANCISCO CESPEDES’ UNIVERSAL label album, and on ARTURO SANDOVAL’S GRAMMY® Award Winning album, ‘RUMBA PALACE,’ as well on ALEJANDRO SANZ’S GRAMMY® Award Winning album, ‘EL TREN DE LOS MOMENTOS’ Ed Calle Presents Mamblue Grammy Award. Jose Armando has recorded with pop singers artist’s like Alejandro Sanz, Jenifer Lopez, Thalia , Francisco Cespedes, Luis Enrique and many others. His first Album as a soloist GOLA LIVE THINGS featuring Gonzalo Rubalcaba and Ignacio Berroa as special guests, alongside great musicians like Tony Perez, Felipe Lamoglia, Mike Rodriguez, Rafael Solano, Ludwig Afonso, Philbert Armenteros, and William Paredes.