Daymé Arocena Comes to Skirball's Sunset Concerts

Sunset Concerts at the Skirball continues with Cuba's Daymé Arocena, taking the stage on Thursday, August 17, at 8:00 p.m., in a performance copresented with the Ford Theatres as part of its IGNITE @ the FORD! series. A singer, composer, and choir director, Arocena draws inspiration from jazz, soul, classical music, and the intertwining musical legacies of her native country. The evening begins with DJ Carlos Niño of dublab, who will spin a set at 6:30 p.m.

Called "an artist for the ages" by NPR, Daymé Arocena combines Santerian chant, rhythmic complexity, fluid jazz styling, and a nuanced Afro-Cuban soulfulness. With exceptional warmth and a powerful stage presence, Arocena has been described by the Los Angeles Times as one of the "most inviting ambassadors" for Cuba's contemporary music. At the Skirball, Arocena will perform songs from her latest album, Cubafonía, which was produced by the LA-based musician Dexter Story. Pitchfork praised the album as "a vibrant, bold record that is, at its heart, a love letter to her home country."

This engagement of Daymé Arocena is funded through Southern Exposure: Performing Arts of Latin America, a program of Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts.

The remaining 2017 Sunset Concerts are as follows: the West Coast debut of Ibibio Sound Machine (August 3); the Los Angeles debut of Delgres (August 10); Daymé Arocena (August 17); David Buchbinder's Odessa/Havana (August 24); and the Los Angeles debut of Betsayda Machado y La Parranda El Clavo (August 31). All concerts begin at 8:00 p.m.; doors open at 6:30 p.m. Editors, please note:
2017 SUNSET CONCERTS Skirball Cultural Center 2701 N. Sepulveda Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90049 (310) 440-4500 * skirball.org

All concerts begin at 8:00 p.m. Check-in and FREE admission to the Museum and Skirball campus begin at 5:30 p.m. Doors to the concert venue open at 6:30 p.m. FREE concert admission RSVP is requested but does not guarantee admission or seating, which is available on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Parking: $10 per car (cash only) Carpooling is encouraged. Street parking is strictly prohibited. Or take Metro Rapid 734/234
All Skirball exhibitions (except Noah's Ark) are free and open until 10:00 p.m. during Sunset Concerts, including Paul Simon: Words & Music. Audrey's Museum Store is open until 8:00 p.m.

Grab-and-go light fare, full bar service, and specialty food items will be available for happy hour and throughout the show. Guests may bring their own food. Note: No outside alcoholic beverages or chairs are permitted.

THE 2017 SUNSET CONCERTS ARE MADE POSSIBLE IN PART BY: Department of Cultural Affairs, City of Los Angeles FLAX (France Los Angeles Exchange) Los Angeles County Arts Commission PepsiCo US Bank

Marking its twenty-first season in 2017, the longstanding summer concert series kicked off just a year after the Skirball Cultural Center opened to the public in 1996. During that inaugural year, the institution drew nearly 300,000 visitors, far surpassing an initial expectation of 60,000. In winter/spring 1997, seeking to build upon this early success, the Skirball began to hold monthly dinnertime concerts inside its restaurant, Zeidler's Cafe. The concerts were so well attended that the staff immediately rethought the event space. The following summer, upon popular demand, the Skirball launched a free four-concert series on Thursday nights. These performances took place in the Skirball's much more spacious central courtyard, offering a view of the hillside at dusk. The series was soon named Sunset Concerts. For several seasons in those early years, along with Grand Performances downtown and Santa Monica Pier's Twilight Concerts, Sunset Concerts represented one of the city's few free outdoor summer music series. Noteworthy Sunset Concerts performers over the years have included Yasmin Levy (US debut), Hugh Masekela, Vieux Farka Touré (LA debut), Natacha Atlas, Red Baraat, Conjunto Chappotín y Sus Estrellas (US debut tour), Thao & The Get Down Stay Down, and Novalima.

The Skirball Cultural Center is a place of meeting guided by the Jewish tradition of welcoming the stranger and inspired by the American democratic ideals of freedom and equality. We welcome people of all communities and generations to participate in cultural experiences that celebrate discovery and hope, foster human connections, and call upon us to help build a more just society.

The Skirball Cultural Center is located at 2701 N. Sepulveda Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90049. Museum hours: Tuesday-Friday 12:00-5:00 p.m.; Saturday-Sunday 10:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.; closed Mondays and holidays. Admission to exhibitions: $12 General; $9 Seniors, Full-Time Students, and Children over 12; $7 Children 2-12. Exhibitions are always free to Skirball Members and Children under 2. Exhibitions are free to all visitors on Thursdays. For general information, the public may call (310) 440-4500 or visit skirball.org. The Skirball is also home to Zeidler's Café, which serves innovative California cuisine in an elegant setting, and Audrey's Museum Store, which sells books, contemporary art, music, jewelry, and more.
About The Ford Theatres

At 1,200 seats, the Ford Theatres creates an intimate concert experience that is a favorite among Angelenos. Each summer, the Ford hosts a diverse roster of events representing music and dance styles reflective of the communities that comprise Los Angeles County. Ford summer season events are presented in partnership with Los Angeles County arts organizations and producers. The 2017 summer season is complemented by the inaugural "IGNITE @ the FORD!" series. The Ford also presents a Saturday morning family series that is free for kids called Big World Fun and the free participatory arts series JAM Sessions. Located in a County regional park in the Hollywood Hills, the Ford is owned by the County of Los Angeles and operated in partnership with the Department of Parks and Recreation and the Ford Theatre Foundation.

To post a comment, you must register and login.