December 30, 2020, 5-8 PM EST

Urban Carnevale brought audiences and artists together to end the year on a musical high. Gathering FirstWorks artistic collaborators and honoring longstanding creative partnerships, Urban Carnevale is studded with specially created programs by stellar local talents and exciting guest artists like Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra Septet with Wynton Marsalis and Black Violin.

This program was free thanks to generous, arts-loving supporters like YOU! Please help us continue lifting all Rhode Islanders through the arts with your donation today. During the month of December, all gifts will be matched by a generous donor. Give today and your gift is worth TWICE AS MUCH.

The festival finale was anchored by legendary jazz trumpeter, Wynton Marsalis and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra Septet with the Democracy! Suite. The composition aims to entertain, inspire, and uplift audiences with the full vigor, vision, and depth of America’s music.

The event was emceed by Providence’s own, Jess Brown, aka the Lady J – entertainer, activist, artist, and actor extraordinaire. Local luminaries brought performances showcasing hip-hop, jazz, and global music from Mali, India, and the Caribbean.

You know them from their viral videos with over 50 million views, even Beyonce said “They Killed It”. Fans of the Syncopated Ladies can tune-in to catch their fierce footwork and feminine style. Created by Emmy-Award nominated tap dancer and choreographer, Chloe Arnold, protégé of Debbie Allen, Syncopated Ladies have attracted audiences of all ages, and they continue to elevate and celebrate the Art of Tap Dancing through Film, TV, and live events.

Rhode Island native, rapper Chachi Carvalho draws deep on his roots stemming from the islands of Cabo Verde. Multi-talented artist, producer, and educator Chachi comes from a long line of musicians and singers and is locally recognized for community advocacy, education, and youth empowerment in the communities he serves. Don’t miss his culturally inspired classic hip-hop beats and bars.

A genre-defying singer-songwriter whose homes include Philadelphia, Tel Aviv, and New England, Natále is an eclectic mix of soul, folk-rock, and Middle Eastern vibes. Inspired by the musical revolutions of the 60s & 70s, Natále’s music is a direct channel to finding solace in inner solitude. Her professional career began in Providence, where some of the most versed artists fertilized her creative palette. She released her debut single Day to Night in October 2019, which included a self-directed music video starring artists and small business owners of the Providence community. Natále currently lives in a 40 ft school bus she is converting into her home studio and plans to share her latest release – “Giving All to You” (EP) on January 12, 2021.

Nitin Mitta is one of the most versatile and sought after tabla players of his generation. Apart from being a dynamic soloist, he is a highly sought after accompanist, who has performed worldwide with some of India’s most celebrated Indian classical musicians. See him play with world-class concert sitarist, Srinivas Reddy.

NOVA ONE is a Providence, RI based musical project led by Roz Raskin that explores youth, femininity, and gender through a moody 60’s pop lens led by Roz Raskin (they/them pronouns). Their most recent album, “lovable,” is an album that explores the necessity of honoring the slowness of healing. It examines the importance of self-acceptance and the process of seeing and understanding one’s sexuality and gender presentation. The album was released 4/24/20 by New Orleans label, Community Records, and was recorded locally in Rhode Island at Big Nice Studio.

Black Violin, composed of classically trained violist and violinist Wil Baptiste and Kev Marcus, combine their classical training and hip-hop influences to create a distinctive multi-genre sound, often described as “classical boom.” For more than a dozen years, Black Violin has been all about taking things further, exceeding expectations, and challenging conventions. The classical-meets hip-hop duo has steadily built a devoted following and a diverse touring base while occupying a musical lane that’s entirely its own.

Two-time New England Urban Music Award winner, Becky Bass is known for her “euphoric steel pan playing, soulful voice, and powerful stage presence. A native of St. Croix, US Virgin Islands, Bass utilizes her talent to highlight Caribbean music’s evolution through human necessity and resilience, and share the complex history of Caribbean music and its influence on the U.S.” Catch her debut of a piece written especially for her by Haitian-American composer, Daniel Bernard Roumain.

Afro-Argentine singer and Latin Grammy Award nominee, Fidel Nadal is the “Rasta who revolutionized Latin Rock” (Rolling Stone) Fidel’s prolific musical career spans over three decades and crosses all cultural, musical and language barriers. Fidel commands the stage with his high energy performances, contagious melodies and powerful lyrical flow blending reggae, dancehall, and urban styles. Never one to mince words, Fidel sings of social and political oppression, revolution, and connects with his audience through his Afro-Argentine identity, Pan African consciousness and messages of spirituality, freedom and love.

Sidy Maiga, Providence based djembefola, teams up with Grammy winner Oumou Sangaré, hailed as the greatest living female voice in African music. Experience the soul-lifting sounds of the two Malian masters as they captivate audiences, break boundaries and borders, and inspire listeners around the world to be stronger, together.

Daniel Bernard Roumain, FirstWorks’ Artistic Ambassador, is an acclaimed composer, performer, educator, and activist whose career spans more than two decades. Commissioned by venerable artists and institutions worldwide, Roumain is “About as omnivorous as a contemporary artist gets” (NYT), with collaborations spanning Philip Glass, Bill T. Jones, Savion Glover and Lady Gaga. Known for his signature violin sounds infused with myriad electronic, urban, and African-American music influences, watch as DBR takes his genre-bending music beyond the proscenium.

Daniel Bernard Roumain’s performance concludes with a music/dance duet, “Our Country,” featuring flexing dance pioneer Drew Dollaz. A self-taught dancer, Dollaz’ signature work blends flexing with other movement genres, including ballet, to create transcendent movement artistry.

The Democracy! Suite is jazz-legend Wynton Marsalis’ latest composition, performed with Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra Septet. Building off a partnership launched with Jazz at Lincoln Center in 2013, FirstWorks is eager to present this collaboration led by trumpeter/composer Wynton Marsalis and featuring seven of jazz’s finest soloists. Written amidst the ongoing Covid-19, The Democracy! Suite is a swinging and stimulating instrumental rumination on the issues that have recently dominated our lives as well as the beauty that could emerge from a collective effort to create a better future. A response to the political, social, and economic struggles facing our nation, the concert’s unique repertoire celebrates jazz’s embodiment of freedom and democracy.

FirstWorks is a non-profit organization that aims to enrich the social, educational and economic fabric of Rhode Island by engaging diverse audiences with world-class performing arts experiences. Join us for this opportunity to celebrate great music, local stars, and the tenacity of the arts at the end of 2020!

FirstWorks Urban Carnevale was made possible by Governor Raimondo and Rhode Island Commerce’s HaRT Recovery Program. FirstWorks gratefully thanks all our donors, sponsors, partners, and community for their support.

Any questions about this event contact info@first-works.org

Learn more about our artists below: