Two-time Juno Award-winning duo Okan brings its Afro-Cuban rhythms and contemporary production to Sanctuary of the Arts on Saturday, Oct. 10.
Elizabeth Rodriguez, a classically trained violinist from Havana, and Magdelys Savigne, a percussionist from Santiago de Cuba, will perform material from their upcoming album "Ife ara," which translates to "self-love." The album traces grief, anger, reflection and healing after personal rupture, Miami New Times reported in an Aug. 27 interview with the duo.
"Cuba taught us how to be perfectionists. It taught us how to be disciplined," Savigne told Miami New Times, speaking at Palace rooftop in Miami Beach.
Rodriguez served as concertmaster for Havana's Youth Orchestra before emigrating. Savigne graduated with honors in orchestral percussion from Havana's University of the Arts. The two met in Canada while playing in another group and formed Okan after leaving that band. They are also life partners.
Together nearly a decade, they named the project "Okan," meaning "heart" in the Afro-Cuban religion of Santería. Their music weaves chants dedicated to Orishas, including Obatalá, Oyá and Oshun, into sounds from Cuba and its diaspora.
Okan's albums Espiral and Okantomi both won Juno Awards, Canada's top music honor, released on the Lulaworld Records label according to the duo's website. Their 2024 Juno-winning Okantomi blends traditional Cuban elements with contemporary sounds while reflecting experiences of migration and belonging in Canada, the Juno Awards blog noted.
The duo appeared on NPR's Tiny Desk in September 2024 as part of the "El Tiny" Hispanic Heritage Month series. Rodriguez, Savigne and a five-piece band performed four songs, including "Okantomi" and "Oriki Oshun." Savigne told Miami New Times she was so nervous during the taping that she couldn't remember anything until she watched the video.
The album's first single, "Te Falta Grasa," features Afro-Cuban singer Daymé Arocena and carries a reggaeton pulse.
The Oct. 10 show also features Afromore. Sanctuary of the Arts, a nonprofit arts complex at 410 Andalusia Ave. in Coral Gables, operates within two historically designated properties and seats 314 in its concert hall. The venue was co-founded by trial attorney Mike Eidson and Dr. Margaret Eidson.
Tickets are available at proarteinc.com. For information, call 786-362-5132.
Upcoming:
- Saturday, Oct. 10 — Okan + Afromore, Sanctuary of the Arts, 410 Andalusia Ave., Coral Gables. Tickets at proarteinc.com.
