big beet is a percussive quintet of jazz and world musicians. Founded by drummer Ben Zweig, with a vision to coalesce the diverse and never ending talent of the NYC world music scene, his drum set is flanked by two percussionists, featuring the rhythm in the foreground as they frame the lines and harmonies of keyboards, accordion, and a deep unifying bass. Referencing the width of the pocket, the depth of the stylistic groove, and the red bleeding heart within all of us, the name big beet is a sum of its parts, sharing and trading, communicating rhythmically with each other within the familiar repertoire of the global diasporic consciousness.
Culminating from countless performances, solidifying arrangements and melding their percussive pockets, this electrified band fuses the cultural abundance of their native New York City. Drawing from Caribbean, West and Central African, Brazilian, Afro-Latin, Jazz, and Blues influences, the group plays to physically move people, harkening to an instinctive attraction to the drum’s pulse and ancient harmonic forms.
Hailing from disparate musical hotspots (New York City, Brazil, Peru, and Tunisia), each indispensable member contributes their unique, yet interconnected musical cultures to the forefront of their virtuosic improvisation and group playing.
“epic and groovy… elements of Caribbean, Latin, and African music…a spaceship full of dancing drums” – Illustrate Magazine
Read our recent feature from Summer Saturdays at Pearl Lee’s Washtub – “a mix of soca and calypso music” – Wall Street Journal
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If you’re in NYC we’d love for you to know!
big beet plays 2nd sundays at Radegast Hall in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. (exception: Oct 20th **) 3-6pm
Please join us for the afternoon, family friendly latin dance music, summer atmosphere!
more performances by big beet, on my personal performance calendar.