Danilo Pérez photo by Tito Herrera ©
Crisálida, the new recording by Panamanian pianist and composer Danilo Pérez, is among his most ambitious projects. It addresses broad, complex, and emotional social issues utilizing various musical tools and strategies and interdisciplinary work while referencing an assortment of musical traditions interpreted by an unusual ensemble.
It is not an easy listen — and perhaps it shouldn’t be.
“Crisálida, to me, means a protected space of human development. To continue confronting these crises humanity is facing, like immigration issues and climate change, we must reverse path, reimagining a new society,” told me Pérez in a phone conversation in February from his home in the Boston area. “I am betting on music, on the arts, as a way to unite us and humanize us.”
Jazz With an Accent 