Oran Etkin’s Open Arms Project paired the Grammy Award winning multi-instrumentalist with international superstars in Africa, Europe and South America for a series of singles created before the pandemic. In celebration of International Jazz Day, the SJZ Break Room will host project’s first edition in a year, with Oran collaborating with Javier Santiago, Giulio Xavier Cetto and Malachi Whitson to re-interpret some of those works.

Open Arms Project stems from Oran’s reimagining of how touring itself can become an integral part of the creation of new music. “It’s an attitude,” he reflects. “It’s felt in the warmth with which I was greeted in each country and how we welcomed each other into our musical worlds. It is at the core of how we approach making new music together with open ears, unafraid to discover a new side of ourselves outside our comfort zone.”

Oran Etkin has been described as “ebullient” by The New York Times, a “composer of eminent individuality” by Yusef Lateef and was voted #1 Rising Star Clarinetist in DownBeat Magazine’s Critic’s Poll.  His unique sound on the clarinet, bass-clarinet and saxophone emanates from an openness to deep musical connections that often transcend cultural and generational boundaries.

Our New Works Fest edition of the project features some of the music recorded around the world reinterpreted in fresh and new ways. Jazz Aid Fund artist Giulio Xavier Cetto on bass and SJZ High School All Stars alum Malachi Whitson on drums anchor the ensemble and Fest artist Javier Santiago brings his musicianship on the piano and a deep understanding of electronics and sampling. A combination of deeply traditional sounds and forward-thinking innovative approaches perfectly expresses the spirit of International Jazz Day.