Diaspora Duos Live Music Show
BIYA BIYA’s “Diaspora Duos” series commissions artists from different cultures to collaborate together!
Upcoming shows at the Color Club Tavern:
September 28th — tickets on sale!
October 26th
November 23rd
Steeped in diverse traditions, each duo presents a set that showcases a collaborations between the two performers’ cultural backgrounds.
BIYA BIYA produces Diaspora Duos with the following tenets:
Performance intertwining two traditions and two local artists in a beautiful evening of sound and storytelling.
Playground for musicians to co-create something new; then inviting the audience to jam and experience it for themselves.
Platform to support Chicago’s young, local musicians keeping their respective cultures and the cultural richness of Chicago as a whole alive. By offering a guaranteed stipend for each artist’s time, access to free studio rehearsal space, as well as a professional multimedia package, feature on BIYA BIYA’s YouTube series and extensive concert promotion, artists are well positioned after participation in Diaspora Duos to gain a new audiences and market themselves stronger in the future.
Preservation of the evening’s creativity, and the musical tradition each artist brings to the series. By publishing performance videos on YouTube as part of a Diaspora Duos series, the new sounds created will be preserved, celebrated and revisited, while cultivating an audience beyond Chicago.
Watch Now
Photos by Lucky Daoud / Zikra Archive
MEET OUR INAUGURAL DUOS
JACK SUNDSTROM
Jack is a bassist, composer, and educator from Chicago. Sundstrom began his musical journey at the age of 4 studying traditional Celtic music with the great Noel Rice. He has since found a love for performing all kinds of creative and improvisational music. His style blends aspects of traditions from all over the world to create a fresh unique sound world. Sundstrom is a regular member of the Shout Section Big Band, the Academy of Irish Music, and regularly collaborates with the Marquette Park Composers Workshop.
ROSALBA VALDEZ
Rosalba is a Mexican-American singer from Chicago, whose music bridges diverse cultures, blending traditional Latin sounds with contemporary influences. Her debut EP "Yo Soy Mexicana" in 2019 marked the start of a successful journey, leading to a forthcoming 10-song album showcasing her artistic evolution and cultural roots. Noteworthy performances include the SELENA Tribute Concert at Millennium Park in 2023 and captivating audiences at prominent festivals like Andersonville’s Midsommarfest, Ruido Fest, and more with her dynamic 8-piece band. Her original music has a bilingual lyrical component with a social justice theme and feel-good, upbeat, Latin rhythms for everyone to enjoy.
SHRUTHI
Shruthi is a Carnatic vocalist and union organizer living in Chicago. She is a daycare teacher and organizer by trade. In addition to performing Carnatic music, she sings with the Bollywood punk band Do The Needful, UChicago’s South Asian Music Ensemble, and in a Carnatic-Blues duo with guitarist Musila.
HASANI
Hasani (or artist name ANSI) is an Oak Park/Chicago based multidisciplinary/multi-media artist ranging from textured collages, specializations in percussion (djembe, congas, etc.) and dance (traditional West African, Afrobeat, and hip-hop). His creative endeavors revolve around exploring his Black identity with full authenticity and sacredness. He is a prominent member of many groups and ensembles including Family Junket, Najwa Dance Corp, Azania, and Amari.