WINNIPEG, MB – This is not background music. This is movement music. Music with roots.
On November 29 and 30, the African Rhythms Alumni Ensemble (ARAE) takes the stage in Winnipeg for two extraordinary performances as part of the 2025/2026 Izzy Asper Jazz Performances, hosted by the Rady JCC with the unflagging sponsorship and support of The Asper Foundation.
Performances will be held Saturday, November 29 at 8:00 p.m. and Sunday, November 30 at 2:00 p.m. at the Berney Theatre, Asper Jewish Community Campus, 123 Doncaster Street. Limited tickets are still available.
A CELEBRATION OF ROOTS, RHYTHM, AND CONNECTION
Featuring an ensemble of master musicians including Chief Baba Neil Clarke (percussion), Alex Blake (acoustic bass), Sharp Radway (piano), Robert Trowers (trombone) and under the musical direction of T. K. Blue (saxophone, flute, kalimba), the group represents a living legacy of the late Randy Weston, one of jazz’s most visionary composers.
Watch the African Rhythms Alumni Ensemble perform live at the Kente Arts Alliance (2024) — an electrifying preview of the sound and spirit coming to Winnipeg. (Video Credit: Kente Arts Alliance)
Watch it here:
Weston, a National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Master, founded the first African Rhythms Ensemble to “tell the people the true story of our past, and extend a better vision of the future.”
When this group hits the stage, you are not just hearing jazz. You are hearing an entire diasporic sound journey that spans continents, cultures, and generations.
A LIVING TRIBUTE TO RANDY WESTON
Together, these musicians deliver what jazz journalist Eugene Holley Jr. once called “an infectious mix of blues, jazz, West Indian and Latin rhythms, and Gnawa music from Morocco, all folded together as one nation of groove.”
Experience the ensemble’s artistry and unity in this recent performance of the African Rhythms Alumni Ensemble (T.K. Blue, Musical Director) at the 2024 NEA Jazz Masters Awards.
Watch it here:
Their November performances promise to be a highlight of the season, paying tribute to Weston’s genius and celebrating the unifying, global language of jazz.
“Randy Weston believed that jazz was a bridge connecting people across cultures and continents,” says Charlene Diehl, Producer of the Izzy Asper Jazz Performances. “That belief is at the heart of this ensemble and at the heart of our series. It is exactly the kind of artistic vision Izzy Asper wanted to share with Winnipeg; music that uplifts, connects, and tells our shared human story.”
For a look back at the roots of this powerful musical lineage, explore rare footage of Dr. Randy Weston — the NEA Jazz Master who founded the original African Rhythms Ensemble — performing alongside T.K. Blue. (Video Credit: Philippe Déjardin)
Watch it here:
HONOURING IZZY ASPER’S VISION
Now in its 26th season, the Izzy Asper Jazz Performances remain one of Winnipeg’s most beloved arts traditions.
It was Izzy Asper’s dream to make world-class jazz accessible to his city and to bring the best artists from across the globe to a Winnipeg stage, igniting the same passion for jazz that inspired him.
Through the continued generosity and vision of The Asper Foundation, that dream not only endures but grows. In May 2025, The Asper Foundation reaffirmed its commitment to a vibrant, inclusive, and thriving cultural landscape in Winnipeg by increasing funding to Rady JCC’s arts and cultural programming through their newly developed Asper Cultural Enrichment Initiative, including the Izzy Asper Jazz Performances.
BOUT THE IZZY ASPER JAZZ PERFORMANCES
The Izzy Asper Jazz Performances, Winnipeg’s premier jazz concert series, is hosted by the Rady JCC under the leadership and support of The Asper Foundation.
Created to honour Izzy Asper’s love for jazz and for his city, the series has presented over 400 internationally acclaimed jazz artists to more than 80,000 audience members over the past quarter century.
ABOUT THE ASPER FOUNDATION
Inspired by a deep commitment to provide impactful philanthropy, The Asper Foundation has developed major projects and provided support to the Jewish Community and broader community in areas of culture, education, community development, and human rights on a local, national and international scale. In particular, the Foundation strives to improve the quality of life in Winnipeg.
ABOUT THE RADY JCC
The Rady JCC aspires to be a vibrant and welcoming community where Jewish culture and values flourish, where families and friendships are strengthened, where healthy and active lifestyles are encouraged, and where we contribute to the wellbeing of the entire community by ensuring our programs and services are available to all.
TICKETS
Individual student and adult tickets for the African Rhythms Alumni Ensemble are still available. Seats can be purchased by clicking here.
MEDIA CONTACTS
For questions or interview requests:
Charlene Diehl
Producer, Izzy Asper Jazz Performances
asperjazzproduction@gmail.com
Laura Marjovsky
Director of Programming, Rady JCC
lmarjovsky@radyjcc.com | 204.477.7539