Mario Cancel-Begay & Thierry Royo

Sunday, September 27, 7:30 PM

A night of Cuban/Puerto Rican music with CUATRO master MARIO and magical bassist Thierry Royo on U-BASS!

bio:

Dr. Mario Cancel Bigay has a PhD in Ethnomusicology from Columbia University. Born and raised in Puerto Rico, he is a professor of philosophy and Latin American and Caribbean Cultures at Liberal Studies, NYU. A singer-songwriter, poet and expert of the Puerto Rican cuatro, Puerto Rico's national stringed instrument, Mario has been performing and composing songs for 30 years. He is currently recording his album and plays regularly throughout the city with the band Casa Mantequilla, Poetics Performance Project, and as a solo artist. You can follow him on Instagram by typing his full name. He is the proud father of a brilliant Puerto Rican-Haitian girl called Gabriela, who by the way, designed his business card (ask for 1; 1 card not 1 child, he's done).

Thierry Royo is a New York–based Belgian musician, composer, and producer whose work bridges ambient, post-rock, and world music. A guitarist and bassist, he has performed in Europe and the U.S. with multiple artists including Pablo’s Eye, Casa Mantequilla, Kakande, Balla Kouyate and other African artists. He co-founded the acclaimed Brussels collective Pablo’s Eye.

As a solo artist under the name Royo, he has released several albums exploring the intersection of acoustic and electronic sound, drawing on influences from world music, minimalism, and improvisation. His compositions have accompanied film, fashion, and contemporary dance.

He lives in Harlem with his family.