Remote Hoods

Five musicians. Five boroughs. In Remote Hoods, a multi-movement evening of jazz, Oscar Peñas' composition is not only a sonic experience but a subtle work of world-building—provoking thoughts on humanity, culture, and society, and evoking a city that divides and unites us. Peñas—who has called New York City home for two decades—probes themes of identity, cultural duality, and a quest for freedom, inviting the audience to reflect on the importance of art in our lives amid a world of melodies and harmonies. The music guides us through an acoustic realm of contrasts and contradictions, where reality and imagination blend seamlessly. Peñas, alternating between electric and acoustic guitar, is joined by Brian Landrus on woodwinds, Vitor Gonçalves on piano and accordion, Corentin Le Hir on electric and acoustic bass, and Keita Ogawa on drums and percussion, rounding out a five-piece ensemble that serves as ode to the five boroughs of New York. Together, they depict the paradox of a segregated city, blending sounds and rhythms that hint at, but do not fully define, its residents' cultural backgrounds.

Remote Hoods premieres at BAM and marks a return for the Barcelona-born guitarist, arranger, and composer, who last appeared in Next Wave 2018 with Almadraba.