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American Embassy in Côte d’Ivoire Hosts the Charlie Porter Quartet

The Charlie Porter Quartet, an American jazz group, is expected in Côte d’Ivoire on March 18, 2007 for a five-day tour in the country. The visit is part of a broad cultural program known as “Rhythm Road: American Music Abroad.” It sends American musicians overseas to share their experiences and talents with counterparts elsewhere through concerts, workshops, and jam sessions.

The Charlie Porter Quartet will give public performances in Abidjan (Goethe Institute, March 20) and Tiassalé (March 19), and will visit the National School of Music (March 21) to lead a workshop with local jazz musicians, music teachers, and students.

Created in 2005, the Charlie Porter Quartet mostly performs in New York City’s many jazz clubs. The group’s repertoire includes new music (often composed by Charlie Porter) as well as traditional and well-known standard jazz pieces.

Quartet musicians include band leader and composer Charlie Porter, a New-York-based trumpeter who has toured extensively in Europe and Australia. Adam Birnbaum, jazz pianist, has performed at prestigious musical festivals such as the Tanglewood Jazz Festival in Massachusetts and the Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland.  The group’s bass player is Joseph Lepore.  He already knows West Africa as he toured here in 2004.  Percussionist Quincy Davis started playing drums at the age of six, and has performed overseas as well as many well known jazz clubs in New York City.