Axel Tosca
Arthur's Tavern57 Grove Street, New York 10014
Axel Tosca brings a Latin-jazz trio to Arthur’s Tavern for a set shaped by his blend of jazz, Latin music and timba. The Cuban-born, New York-based pianist is billed without individual sidemen on this date, so the focus is on Tosca’s piano-led approach rather than a confirmed personnel list. His music brings Cuban rhythmic language into conversation with jazz, reflecting the genre-crossing sound identified in the club’s listing.
Tosca grew up in a musical family: his mother is trova singer Xiomara Laugart and his father is folk singer-guitarist Alberto Tosca. He has played with Dennis & Swing, the Afro-Cuban All-Stars, Bobby Carcases, Teresa Garcia Caturla and Jose Miguel Crego, and played with The Roots during their Cuba tour. After moving to the United States in 2005 with the Havana Nights revue, he studied jazz at the New School. His 2016 debut featured Laugart, Keyon Harrold, Ron Blake, Jeff “Tain” Watts, James Genus and Luisito Quintero; further collaborators include George Clinton, Steve Gadd, J Balvin and Bad Bunny.
Arthur's Tavern is a basement club in the West Village where jazz, Latin, and blues are played with deep roots and modern energy. The stage is small, the room intimate, and the audience sits close to the musicians, often with a few people standing near the back. Shows start around 5 PM and go late, with some sets extending into the early hours. The club has a history of hosting top-tier performers since 2001, including regular appearances by Yuichi Hirakawa Jazz Group. It's a place where music is the center, and conversation flows naturally between the audience and the performers.