(NEWARK, NJ) -- Grammy-nominated saxophonist Godwin Louis heads to Newark for the next installment of the WBGO After Work Jazz Series, part of the powerhouse jazz station's 45th anniversary celebration. Louis will perform two concerts on Wednesday, August 21, 2024 — at 4:45pm and at 6:15pm — in the courtyard of the Newark Main Library.
The appearance also marks the release of Louis' sophomore album, Psalms and Proverbs, an exploration of the universality and joy of sacred music available internationally on August 23 on the Blue Room Music label. The concerts are made possible with the support of Audible and the Newark Public Library.
Born into a musical family in Harlem of Haitian heritage and raised in Bridgeport, Connecticut, and Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Louis has gone on to grace stages across the Americas, Europe, Asia and Africa. A favorite in New York, Boston and beyond, Louis is a composer-arranger-virtuoso soloist who began as a saxophone prodigy at nine, becoming a Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz Saxophone competition finalist. A graduate of Berklee College of Music and the prestigious Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz Performance, Louis has studied and performed with the likes of Herbie Hancock, Clark Terry, Ron Carter, Al Foster, Toni Braxton, Prince, Babyface, Madonna, Wynton Marsalis and the New York Philharmonic Orchestra, among many others. He is a 2024 Grammy nominee (for arrangements on singer Cécile McLorin Salvant's Meìlusine) and a professor at Berklee College of Music.
He is also a humanitarian and businessman, having founded Experience Ayiti, a nonprofit educational, multidisciplinary arts organization in Haiti and The Godwin Louis Rooftop Club in Togo, which is dedicated to performances and educational programs that promote music education in Africa.
In Psalms and Proverbs, Louis draws on religious musical traditions around the world, including his Haitian roots — Haiti being where European, African and Native traditions converged to create the roots of jazz. The album showcases Godwin’s unique originality, deeply rooted in spirituals and gospel hymns, blending sophisticated harmonies, memorable melodies and infectious grooves. His music embodies the diverse sounds of the Afro-diaspora, incorporating elements from West Africa, Haiti, the Americas and Europe. The result is a harmonious tapestry that spans continents.
Performing will be Louis (saxophone); Philip Dizack (trumpet); Axel Tosca Laugart (piano); Johnny Mercier (organ); Savannah Harris (drums); and Or Baréquette (bass).
“I’m looking forward to being a part of WBGO’s After Work Jazz Series and bringing praise to the people of Newark,” said Louis. “Let’s have church.”
The event at the Newark Public Library (5 Washington Street, Newark, NJ) is free and open to the public with registration via Eventbrite. In the event of inclement weather, the event will happen indoors, in the Library.
Psalms and Proverbs is produced by Louis, Calvaire and Chan Jung. The album can be preordered online or on August 23 at Spotify, iTunes, Tidal, Deezer, Amazon and more.
