***TWO SETS: 9PM & 10:15PM***
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César Orozco’s SonAhead invades the LunÁtico bandstand. Expect echoes of legendary timba groups like NG La Banda, El Médico de la Salsa, and Isaac Delgado woven into a thoroughly modern sound by one of Cuba’s musical sons.

César Orozco: Piano & Lead Vocals
Ernesto Sanchez: Bass
Ricardo Sabogal: Congas & Vocals
Jhair Sala- Timbal/Drum & Vocals
Jan Kus - Saxophones
Sam Hoyt -Trumpet 

CÉSAR OROZCO is a Cuban born pianist, vocalist, violinist, composer, arranger,
producer, and educator based in the NYC Tri-State area. Orozco spent 14 years in Venezuela, where he developed an important and prolific career. In 2012, Orozco moved to the United States and enrolled with a full tuition Assistantship to The Peabody Institute of John Hopkins University in Baltimore, where he earned a Graduate Performance Diploma (GPD) in Jazz Piano. He also holds a degree in Violin Performance and Ensemble Conducting from the National School of Arts in Havana, Cuba. Some of the artists he has worked with include Paquito D’Rivera, Pedrito Martinez, Gary Thomas, Alex Norris, Mike Stern, Troy Roberts, Paul Bollenback, Albita Rodriguez, Tony Succar, Guaco, Gilberto Santa Rosa, Luis Enrique, and Giovanni Hidalgo just to name a few.

Orozco has participated in more than 80 albums including seven on his own. He is a 2025 Latin Grammy winner for Best Arrangement with 2 previous nominations (2019 & 2021) in the same category. He is also a Cubadisco and Independent Music Award winner. Orozco has developed an innovative approach to a fusion of Venezuelan and Cuban traditional music with Jazz alongwith his project Kamarata. His newest band SonAhead speaks to its essence: a fusion of Cuban son and timba, with elements of modern jazz and electronic music, where, in addition to his work on piano, arrangements and compositions, Orozco takes center stage as the lead vocalist.

***TWO SETS: 9PM & 10:15PM***
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Saturday night’s alright for fighting and ARMO is here to duke it out witchu. You know the drill.

Jordan McLean - trumpet
Marcus Farrar - vocals & percussion
Tony Jarvis - bass
Dave “Smoota“ Smith ~ trombone, keys
Kevin Raczka ~ drums
Nikhil P. Yerawadekar ~ guitar

ARMO’s intimate and energetic sound focuses on classical and contemporary Afrobeat, featuring the works of Fela Anikulapo Kuti, Ebo Taylor, The Daktaris, and new directions set upon by Armo’s founders. This 6 piece band is an outgrowth of Afrobeat pioneers Antibalas featuring a revolving cast from the Daptone family and the NY Afrobeat Scene.

Depending on proximity the band features singer/keyboardist Amayo, trumpeter Jordan McLean, percussionist/vocalist Marcus Farrar, drummers Kevin Raczka and Greg Gonzalez, bassist Justin Kimmel, guitarist/keyboardist Nikhil P. Yerawadekar, bassist/guitarists Binky Griptite and Timothy James, and trombonist Smoota.

Collectively the members of this ensemble have performed thousands of concerts around the world on their own and as members of Antibalas, and have worked with such luminaries as David Byrne, Angelique Kidjo, Public Enemy, TV on The Radio, Sharon Jones & The Dapkings, and Ornette Coleman.

***TWO SETS: 9PM & 10:15PM***
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We first met Ronnie Burrage when he was playing in Jaco Pastorius’ band. A powerhouse drummer, he returns to Lunatico with his own killer band!

Silvano Monasterios - piano/keys
Yuto Kanazawa - guitar
Mike Boone - bass
Ronnie Burrage - drums

RONNIE BURRAGE's music is a visceral conversation between jazz's deepest roots and its most adventurous future. His drums don't just keep time—they sculpt it, bending rhythm into something both ancient and startlingly new. Having shared stages with legends like Wayne Shorter, Sonny Rollins, and Pat Metheny, Ronnie brings a master's touch to every beat, weaving together bebop's sophistication, funk's irresistible groove, and global rhythms into a sound that's unmistakably his own. His playing is poetry in motion: fiercely intelligent, deeply soulful, and always in service of the story the music needs to tell.

***TWO SETS: 9PM & 10:15PM***
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Saxophonist Sergio Tabanico knocked us out back in May his groovy experimental project which features some of the more adventurous young musicians in our big bad city. Tonite he switches up the lineup with this groovy personel. You can’t miss with this crew. Join uS!

Sergio Tabanico ~ sax
Esteban Castro ~ Piano
Dion Kerr ~ bass
Joe Dyson ~ drums 

SERGIO TABANICO is a tenor saxophonist from Tucson, Arizona. His work intertwines the biting and clear sound of jazz legends like Eddie Harris, Wayne Shorter and Dewey Redman. He performs regularly with vibraphonist Joel Ross and has collaborated with many interdisciplinary artists across diverse genres, including Los Esplifs, June McDoom, Evan Wright, Nick Hakim, Moses Sumney, Drugdealer, Slauson Malone, and Wynton Marsalis. Tabanico frequently leads his own ensemble and is an active musician in the New York jazz scene.

***$10 SUGGESTED DONATION***
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Always a thrill to host Dan Weiss leading one of his trios— and tonite the great bassist Thomas Morgan is back in the fold. You def don’t want to miss this singular top-tier unit.

Jacob Sacks ~ Piano
Thomas Morgan ~ Bass
Dan Weiss ~ Drums

Two-time Shifting Foundation Grantee DAN WEISS has been hailed as one of the top five jazz drummers by The New York Times and his large ensemble recording “Fourteen” made their top ten list of the best records of 2014. Weiss’s innovative drumming and forward thinking compositions have been pushing musical limits for decades.

Weiss's intense study of jazz, classical Indian, contemporary classical, West African, and metal sets a musical platform that creates a sound that transcends conventional style or genre. His compositional trademarks are angular yet emotive melodies; long rhythmic cycles native to many non-western music, complex through-composed drum parts, and melodic shapes drawing directly from the raga system found in Indian classical music.

His trio with Jacob Sacks and Thomas Morgan has released three records ('Now Yes When’, 'Timshel', and ‘Utica Box’ ) which have been critically acclaimed for their unique approach to song structure and endless creative improvisation. This band has toured Europe, the United States, and Puerto Rico.

***TWO SETS: 9PM & 10:15PM***
***$10 (CASH) SUGGESTED DONATION***
***LUNATICO HAS A FULL DINNER AND COCKTAIL MENU SO COME EARLY TO EAT!***

LunÀtico warmly welcomes Nolan Nwachukwu Project to our bandstand.

NOLAN NWACHUKWU is a bassist, composer, and producer based originally from South Florida. Since relocating to New York City, Nolan has begun collaborations with acclaimed artists and musicians such as J’Nai Bridges, Damien Sneed, Michael Mwenso and the Shakes, Tyreek McDole, Miles Lennox, Savion Glover, Miki Howard, Jon Batiste, Ruben Fox, Willerm Delisfort, Tina Fabrique, Cisco Swank, FORAGER, Jillian Grace, Imani Rouselle, Reuben James, and the Jazz at Lincoln Center.

Nolan has performed at Dizzy’s @ Jazz at Lincoln Center, Mintons Playhouse, Smalls Jazz Club, Carnegie Hall, MET Art Museum, City Winery (New York, Pittsburgh, and Philadelphia), NPR Tiny Desk (Home), Monterey Jazz Festival, Montclair Jazz Festival, South Beach Jazz Festival, Umbria Winter Jazz Festival, and Burlington Discover Jazz Festival amongst others.

Nolan currently performs throughout various venues in NYC and tours nationally and internationally between different groups, including FORAGER, Michael Mwenso & The Shakes, and Electric Roots Production: The Sound of (Black) Music.

***TWO SETS: 9PM & 10:15PM***
***$10 (CASH) SUGGESTED DONATION***
***LUNATICO HAS A FULL DINNER AND COCKTAIL MENU SO COME EARLY TO EAT!***

Martina Liviero debuts her remarkable ensemble featuring a woodwind quartet, percussionist Rogerio Boccato and her evocative compositions and florid arrangements — like nothing we’ve ever presented. Her Argentinian roots intertwine with more far-ranging and adventurous sounds. Not to be missed!

Martina Liviero: voice, guitar
Yulia Musayelyan: flutes
Sam Sadigursky: clarinet/ tenor 
John Lowery: clarinet
Brian Krock: bass clarinet 
Luke Marantz: piano 
Martin Nevin: upright bass
Rogerio Boccato, percussion

Martina Liviero is an Argentine composer, songwriter, guitarist, and vocalist. Her music blends the richness of South American songwriting with chamber music, contemporary jazz, and experimental folk, shaped by an intricate compositional approach.

She has performed in New York, Buenos Aires, and Boston, including with Grammy Award–winning pianist Kevin Hays. She appeared at the Roots in Sound Festival at Close Up in New York, curated by David Virelles in 2025.

Her debut album, Formas al Desaparecer, was released in May 2026 on Hilo Records and was produced by Brazilian composer Rafael Martini, known for his work with Egberto Gismonti. Liviero is a two-time recipient of the ASCAP Herb Alpert Young Jazz Composer Award. As a composer and arranger, she has written for ensembles including the New York Philharmonic Strings.

***TWO SETS: 9PM & 10:15PM***
***$10 (CASH) SUGGESTED DONATION***
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Yasser Tejeda + Palotré + LunÀtico = one crazy good time. See you later!

Yasser Tejeda ~ guitar, vocals
Edwin Camilo ~ bass
Jonathan Troncoso ~ percussion

YASSER TEJEDA is an award-winning Dominican composer, guitarist, vocalist, and producer. According to the Chicago Reader, Yasser’s “elegantly polished compositions contain a fascinating, delicate interplay of past and present…underlined by raw, ancestral music meant to move bodies and bring about communion,” while Juan Luis Guerra, the most influential Dominican artist in the world, praised his mission calling it a "marvelous example of what's happening with Dominican music."

Tejeda just released his third studio album, La Madrugá. His latest single, Todo Va a Marchar, premiered at New Sounds with Jon Schaefer calling it, an upbeat song driven by the rolling and incisive guitar sounds that seem to come from classic 70s Afropop.” Musically, Yasser’s inspiration for the concept of La Madrugá was awakened while listening to traditional chants, genres, and styles that were either developed or adopted as traditions from the Dominican Republic’s African ancestry. His goal was to implement centennial Dominican traditions like Los Congos del Espíritu Santo de Villa Mella, La Sarandunga de Baní, La Salve de San Cristóbal, etc., unto the experimental fusion of merengue, jazz, and rock. 

His catalog is cemented by two previous albums, Kijombo (2019) and Mezclansa (2009), and an acoustic EP titled Interior. Mezclansa was dubbed one of the “100 essential recordings of Dominican music” by the Dominican National Association of Art Writers (Acroarte). His second album Kijombo received six awards from Dominican Republic's Premios Indie, including Best Album. Yasser’s versatility as a guitarist has also landed him features on praised albums and recordings with artists like Vicente Garcia, Flor de Toloache feat. Miguel, Sotomayor, and Alex Ferreira, just to mention a few. He’s also a veteran touring musician, having traveled the world with Latin Grammy-winner Prince Royce. 

Yasser's hope is to incite an awakening so new generations will be inspired to explore, promote and uplift their roots.

***TWO SETS: 9PM & 10:15PM***
***$10 (CASH) SUGGESTED DONATION***
***LUNATICO HAS A FULL DINNER AND COCKTAIL MENU SO COME EARLY TO EAT!***

The psychedelic afro-funk of Super Yamba Band. You know what to do!

Joseph Yount ~ Drums
Prince Amu ~ Bass
Eric Burns ~ Guitar
Sean Smith ~ Trumpet, Keys
Walter Fancourt ~ Sax
Evan Frierson ~ Talking Drum

Brooklyn's SUPER YAMBA BAND comprises a unique blend of inspiration born of 70s/80s West-African Afrobeat and Psychedelic Funk, with a live energy that moves everyone in the room to dance.

The band formed in 2014 on the foundation of proficient musicians finding a common inspiration amongst their love for African music, especially through rare and sometimes out of print recordings. On the road, the band has honed their craft alongside show mates such as Reptar, Yeasayer, The Afromotive, Between The Buried And Me and Trioscapes. Collaborating over a few years with Senegalese griot and talking drum master Mamadou Mbenge, known best for his work with African pop star Abdou Guite Seck, was a defining moment in the development of Super Yamba's sound and the musician's understanding of the African music tradition.

Look no further than Super Yamba Band's 2016 single, N'diarabi (feat. Ismael Kouyate), for a refreshing taste of what this imaginative group brings to the New York City music scene. The single highlights the band's progressive take on psychedelic Afro-Funk and boasts their ability to collaborate with heavy hitting performers on the African music scene. "N'diarabi" features the vocal wizardry of Ismael Kouyate, an acclaimed griot singer/dancer from Guinea, West Africa best known for his work on Beyonce's single "Grown Woman," in addition to the critically acclaimed musical Fela! On Broadway. "Opening with an unmistakable sabar groove, the track rapidly evolves into a burning Afro-stomper, with funked-out falsetto guitar licks and delirious organ riffs sitting firmly alongside Ismael Kouyate’s evocative guest vocals. Periodic horn bursts and an incessant bass groove complete the mix, making for a thoroughly fresh—and danceable—record that is sure to sound even better live." -Afropop Worldwide.

***TWO SETS: 9PM & 10:15PM***
***$10 (CASH) SUGGESTED DONATION***
***LUNATICO HAS A FULL DINNER AND COCKTAIL MENU SO COME EARLY TO EAT!***

LunÁtico is continually proud to present these two singular masters who never fail to take it OUT. Come see for yourselves.

Roy Nathanson ~ Saxes
Arturo O’Farrill ~ Piano
Zack O’Farrill ~ Drums
Walter Stinson ~ Bass

Based in New York, ROY NATHANSON is a co-founder of the Jazz Passengers and was once a member of John Lurie's Lounge Lizards. As primary composer for the Jazz Passengers, Nathanson has written songs for a variety of singers including Elvis Costello, Deborah Harry, Jeff Buckley, Jimmy Scott and Mavis Staples. HIs 2021 collaboration with Nick Hakim was warmly received by press and fans alike.

Nathanson studied saxophone with Jimmy Heath, Joe Allard and Les Scott, and acting with Mira Rostova. Nathanson has acted in films by directors Jim Jarmusch, Chantal Akerman and Elaine May. He also had a feature role in Peter Lilenthal's children's film, Wasserman.

ARTURO O’FARRILL, pianist, composer, and educator, was born in Mexico and grew up in New York City.  Arturo’s professional career began with the Carla Bley Band and continued as a solo performer with a wide spectrum of artists including Dizzy Gillespie, Lester Bowie, Wynton Marsalis, and Harry Belafonte.

In 2007, he founded the Afro Latin Jazz Alliance as a not-for-profit organization dedicated to the performance, education, and preservation of Afro Latin music. In December 2010 Arturo traveled with the original Chico O’Farrill Afro Cuban Jazz Orchestra to Cuba, returning his father’s musicians to his homeland.  He continues to travel to Cuba regularly as an informal Cultural Ambassador, working with Cuban musicians, dancers, and students, bringing local musicians from Cuba to the US and American musicians to Cuba.

Arturo has performed with orchestras and bands including his own Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra and Arturo O’Farrill Sextet, as well as other Orchestras and intimate ensembles in the US, Europe, Russia, Australia, and South America.

Arturo has received commissions from Meet the Composer, Jazz at Lincoln Center, The Philadelphia Music Project, The Apollo Theater, Symphony Space, the Bronx Museum of the Arts, the Young Peoples Chorus of New York, Columbia University and the New York State Council on the Arts.