Devin Phillips & New Orleans Straight Ahead (top); The Dana Leong Band (bottom)
Photographs courtesy JALC

The Rhythm Road: American Music Abroad is a program developed by Jazz at Lincoln Center and the U.S. Department of State Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs to identify talented jazz and urban music artists in the United States and give them a chance to perform internationally before a wide variety of audiences. For the third year in a row, these talented young artists will perform at National Geographic, some before leaving the States on their world tours, and some after returning from abroad. We will be presenting five of these programs, January 17 and 24, March 27, April 17, and May 1.

Devin Phillips & New Orleans Straight Ahead play modern jazz spiced with the rich musical traditions of New Orleans. Through their repertoire of standards, traditional songs and original works, the band members celebrate the unique musical heritage of the birthplace of jazz. Download audiofiles.

The Dana Leong Band has an incredible musical chemistry that combines live grooves, electronically charged tracks, rhyme and reason. Bandleader Leong, who has performed with Balkan Beat Box, Kanye West, and other top musicians, uses a laptop both onstage and in the studio to create a unique fusion of computerized instrumental hip-hop funk rhythms and rock propulsions. Download audiofiles.

This series is presented with generous support from media sponsor WPFW radio, at 89.3 FM.