
We would like to thank Martha and Paul Ross, whose generous support helps keep live music thriving on Cotuit’s stages.
Sunday, February 23: The KabuJazz Ensemble featuring Candida Rose
Candida Rose is a second-generation American-born Cape Verdean vocalist, songwriter, entertainer, and music and cultural educator from New Bedford, Massachusetts. Her unique musical style, termed "KabuJazz," blends Cape Verdean musical roots with American influences, particularly jazz, creating a fresh take on world/jazz music.
In addition to her performances, Candida is dedicated to music and cultural education. She collaborates with groups like Women in World Jazz to bring music by women composers worldwide to libraries, schools, and other New England venues. Candida Rose continues to enrich the Cape Cod music scene with her unique blend of cultural influences, captivating performances, and dedication to cultural education.
Photo credit: Paul Blackmore
https://www.paulblackmorephoto...
About the Ensemble
Under the leadership of Candida Rose Baptista and musical direction of J. L. Santos Spencer, the KabuJazz Ensemble is a group of talented Cabo Verdean and Jazz-oriented musicians who come together to bring a unique combination of Cabo Verdean and American—primarily Jazz—musical influences to audiences cross-country, a combination Candida Rose has labeled “KabuJazz”.
Starting with Candida’s debut CD in 2006 entitled “KabuMerikana: The Sum of ME,” the KabuJazz Ensemble has seen many configurations of well-known musicians which have included John Kordalewski, Santi Debriano, Manny Santos, Kalu Monteiro, Djim Job, Zerui DePina, Justin Ramos, and the late Lance Gunberg, just to name a few. The current core group, with Candida Rose on Lead Vocals, consists of: Heribar Estrela on Keyboards and Background Vocals, Santos Spencer on Guitar and Background Vocals, Tchico Evora on Drumset and Percussion, and Emmanuel Escobar on Bass, Saxophone, and other wind instruments.
The KabuJazz Ensemble has entertained audiences at events and festivals far as Alaska, as
well as in the Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and general New England areas. In addition, along with Candida Rose’s presentations of “ KabuMerikanus - The Sum of US: Exploring the Cabo Verde/United States Musical Connection and Legacy,” the group has educated students at various New England schools with assemblies and cultural workshops.
Ensemble Member Bios
Candida Rose - Vocalist
Born and raised in New Bedford, Massachusetts, “Candida Rose” Baptista is a 2nd generation American-born KabuVerdiana. She is a vocalist, song-writer, entertainer, music and cultural educator, as well as a mother, grandmother, and now great-grandmother! Candida has released two studio albums, Here I AM! (2023) and KabuMerikana: The Sum of ME (2006), featuring fresh fusions that span the Cabo Verdean archipelago (morna, batuku, kola-zouk) and the U.S. soundscape (jazz, gospel, R&B). Candida uses her Masters degree in Transnational, Cultural, and Community Studies to research and educate, and recently published an ethnomusicological book about Cape Verdean American musical transnationalism, called KabuMerikanus: The Sum of US (2024). As an entrepreneur, Candida spearheads Golden Rose Music LLC, using her uniquely compelling voice to amplify beautiful musical sounds, positive spirituality, and important cultural conversations.
Santos Spencer - Guitarist, Background Vocalist
José Luís Santos Spencer, artistically JL Spencer, is a Cape Verdean musician, multi-instrumentalist, producer and songwriter, born in the Island of São Vicente and raised in Sal, the Island where he inherited the music from his "Spencer” family, which is a well recognized nursery of great guitar players. He developed his own style of guitar playing, with flamenco, African and jazz flavors; this makes him a musician with his own identity, without ever losing commitment with the roots of the traditional music of Cabo Verde.
After moving to the US in 2001, where he served as a journalist and press attaché, Spencer has been dedicating large years of intense musical activities. This autodidact has been on the scene as a producer, in studios, and on stages; has worked as an author, composer, music director, and educator; and has worked as a concert promoter, namely to benefit people in need. Spencer, in the 40+ years of his career, is a well recognized and prestigious cultural personality. His name is printed in a large number of studio recordings produced in Europe and the US, and copyrights as a songwriter and arranger registered on SACEM, in France, and ASCAP, in the US.
JL Spencer is a co-founder, guitarist and vocalist of Trio Salgado, famous band from Sal Island and, during about four decades of career, he shared the stage with some of the legends of the CV music like Bana, Luís Morais, Ildo Lobo, Titina, Gardénia Benrós, Magda Évora and Mário Pop. Spencer is the musical director and one of the pillars of KabuJazz Ensemble since the beginning of this important project of promotion, education and appreciation of traditional music in the Cape Verdean community, in an exemplary partnership with Candida Rose.
Heribar Estrela - Keyboardist, Background Vocalist
Heribar Estrela is a skilled keyboardist who started playing at the young age of 7; he embraces a diversity of musical genres, but has a particular love for Cape Verdean music, jazz, neo-soul, and MPB (Brazilian popular music), among other genres. Heribar studied music at the Porto Conservatory and the Porto Jazz School in Portugal. He is the husband of a beautiful woman and father to a blessed four-year-old boy; he rests in God, his anchor.
Tchico Evora - Percussionist
Francisco “Tchico” Evora was born in Brava, Cape Verde, and came to the United States at the age of five. He has carried the spirit of music in him since a young age -- banging on a bathroom floor in primary school with friends, clapping rocks together, finding anything that resembled a drum stick and any surface that vibrated to make beats. At the age of 22, with a real drum set in hand, he played in his first band, Terra Terra (music of the land). He has played with many of Cape Verde’s biggest stars (both domestic and diaspora), has traveled to and played festivals in Cape Verde and Europe, and remains a vital member of this transnational musical scene. With God’s blessing , he looks forward to many more years of playing.
Emmanuel Escobar - Wind Instrumentalist
Emmanuel “Manny” Escobar is a dynamic musician and educator rooted in Jazz, R&B, and Afro-Latin traditions. Graduated of the Alice S. Pfaelzer Conservatory at Merit School of Music, The Bloom School of Jazz, Chicago College of Performing Arts, and Berklee College of Music, with private studies under George Garzone, Tony Monaco and Jim Stinett. Emmanuel has performed and recorded with notable artists such as Esperanza Spaulding, Wynton Marsalis, Delfeo Marsalis, Reggie Workman, Jermaine Paul and the Cesaria Evora Orchestra. He is an endorsing educator for Cannonball Musical Instruments, endorsing artist for Antigua Winds Musical Instruments and SYOS mouthpieces. Currently, he serves as adjunct faculty at Trinity Academy for the Performing Arts and Jazz History and Improvisation lecturer at the Zeiterion Theater. He was the Artist in Residence at the New Bedford National Whaling Museum in the summer of 2024.