There is an undeniable aura of fun and humor whenever Cyro Baptista takes the stage, and this is particularly true with Beat The Donkey, his eight-person band that takes rhythms beyond their natural frontiers to create an innovative brand of music. It is a wild, unstoppable, and torrid world beat percussive ensemble that blends and beats a bewitching stage stew of untamed percussion, tap dance, martial arts, samba, jazz, rock, and funk. They accomplish this by mixing instrumentation from all over the globe and unusual percussion inventions of Cyro’s own creation. The musicians hail from all over the world, wear wild, elaborate costumes, and frequently leave their instruments to break into spontaneous dance, making the group fascinating to watch as well as listen to. It is mysterious, spellbinding, infectious, irresistible dance music. Cyro himself roams the stage, conducting his troupe with fiendish glee, keeping the audience's attention captive for the whole show. As someone who has both composed music for Nickelodeon and become the “go-to” person for Yo-Yo Ma, Cassandra Wilson, Kathleen Battle, John Zorn, Herbie Hancock, The Chieftains, and a host of other stars looking to add a Brazilian beat and an otherworldly mix to their projects, Cyro Baptista delivers performances that people talk about for years to come.
Presented by the University Musical Society, www.ums.org.

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