Sammy Figueroa Returns to Judson’s Live

with Tribute to Cal Tjader

Orlando, FL — Grammy- and Latin Grammy-nominated percussionist Sammy Figueroa returns to Judson’s Live at Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts Sept. 4-5 for a special tribute to Latin jazz legend Cal Tjader.

Fresh off a summer run in the Off-Broadway production “The Potluck,” Figueroa will celebrate Tjader’s signature Latin jazz sound alongside an accomplished ensemble featuring Latin Grammy-winning vibraphonist Felipe Fournier, pianist Tal Cohen, Argentine bassist Agustin Conti and timbalero Murph Aucamp, who returns home to Florida after several years in New York performing with Blue Man Group.

Born in the Bronx and raised in Puerto Rico, Figueroa spent two decades as one of New York’s most sought-after percussionists, recording and touring with artists including Miles Davis, David Bowie and Mariah Carey. After moving to South Florida, he formed his own Latin jazz ensemble and has since recorded five albums and toured throughout the United States and Europe.

His most recent album, “Searching for a Memory,” earned a Latin Grammy nomination for Best Latin Jazz/Jazz Album and was among WUCF’s most popular albums of 2024.

For the Judson’s Live performances, Figueroa and his band will revisit the music of Tjader, the influential vibraphonist known for blending jazz with Afro-Cuban and Latin rhythms. Fournier will take on Tjader’s signature vibraphone sound, while Figueroa pays tribute on congas to Mongo Santamaría, whose percussion helped shape some of Tjader’s celebrated recordings.

The performances mark Figueroa’s return to Judson’s Live and invite audiences to experience the music in the intimate listening room. As Figueroa describes it, Tjader’s music is “like a tall, tropical drink in the middle of a Florida heat wave—cool but always swinging.”

To learn more and purchase tickets, visit drphillipscenter.org.