15 Years of Ethio Cali + DJ Nu-Mark

Ethio Cali, a Los Angeles-based ensemble led by Todd Simon, fuses traditional Ethiopian rhythms with modern jazz and funk. The band will celebrate 15 years of vibrancy and innovation on the Grand Performances stage. Plus, legendary DJ Nu-Mark rounds out the night. Curated by Nance Arte Productions.

LOCATION, PARKING & FAQ

6:45 pm - 7:15 pm Todd Simon’s LA-Multi Big Band

7:15 pm - 8:20 pm DJ Nu-Mark

8:30 pm - 10:00 pm Ethio Cali with Special Guest

Ethio Cali is a Los Angeles-based Ethio-Jazz ensemble led by Grammy-winning trumpeter, arranger, composer, and educator Todd Simon. They fuse traditional 1960s and 70s Ethiopian music with modern jazz, funk, and rhythmic textures from across Africa, Indonesia, the Caribbean, and Latin America. The band is celebrating 15 years of vibrancy and innovation. Members of Ethio Cali have produced and performed at countless Grand Performances events, making our 40th anniversary even more special.

Ethio Cali features:

• Todd Simon – Trumpet/Leader
• Ruby Simon - Saxophone
• Randal Fisher – Saxophone
• Tylana Renga – Violin
• Alan Lightner – Steel Drums/Percussion
• Kibrom Birhane – Keyboards
• Nadav Peled – Guitar
• Brandon Owens – Bass
• Kahlil Cummings – Percussion
• Dexter Story - Guitar/Percussion
• Evan Greer - Drums

DJ Nu-Mark is a renowned producer, turntablist, and member of the legendary hip-hop group Jurassic 5. Widely recognized for his innovative approach to sampling and live performance, he blends hip-hop, funk, soul, and global sounds into dynamic DJ sets and productions. He launched early work connected to Kanye West, collaborated with artists like MF DOOM and Aloe Blacc, and released acclaimed solo projects including Broken Sunlight and Run For Cover. Nu-Mark has performed at major festivals such as Coachella and Glastonbury, judged global DJ competitions, and contributed to film and TV scoring, including Tom & Jerry and Drop The Mic. He remains a driving force in contemporary hip-hop culture.

The name perfectly says it all! Todd Simon’s LA-Multi Big Band is a vibrant mix of young jazz talent from Los Angeles high schools and colleges, all brought together with experienced cats from the scene. Todd Simon, who has been teaching music in NYC and (mostly) LA for 25 years, leads the ensemble in performing big band arrangements of global jazz and funk.

Alto Saxes - Joaquin Mendoza, Tracy Wannomae

Tenor Saxes - Randal Fisher, Kamayo Quizon

Baritone Sax - Ruby Simon

Trombones - Elizabeth Lea, Isaac Mollner, Fabio Santana de Souza, Kilan Thorns

Trumpets - Kenneth Brown II, Saxon Johnson, Giuliana Ranu, Royce Tikhonov

• Piano - Mateo Arce, Kuma Enomoto, Abigail Strawn
• Guitar - Keston Ashbridge
• Bass - Emil Mitev, Layla Spence
• Drums - Olivia Hauser, Franco Lim

Percussion - Daniel Alfaro, Kahlil Cummings and Andy O’Campo

This program is made possible in part by a grant from the City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs and the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors through the Department of Arts and Culture.

The LA Local is a nonprofit news organization built to strengthen Los Angeles by serving and connecting local communities with trusted, community-centered journalism, starting in Boyle Heights, East L.A., Koreatown, Pico-Union, Westlake, Inglewood, South L.A., and Long Beach. The LA Local also provides region-wide coverage, partnering with more than 20 local media outlets and universities to strengthen journalism in the region. The LA Local’s newsroom also includes youth journalists and LA Documenters, a program that has recruited, trained and paid more than 130 Angelenos to document local government meetings. Learn more at thelalocal.org.