Latin Grammy nominees Jorge Glem and Sam Reider have built an oasis halfway between Brooklyn and Cumaná — a haven where two cultures come together to become something new. Glem, a Venezuelan cuatrista and founding member of the acclaimed C4 Trío, joins forces with Sam Reider, an American accordionist, pianist, composer and leader of the band The Human Hands. Their repertoire includes Venezuelan merengue, joropos and other traditional rhythms as well as original compositions shaped by jazz and American roots music. Their debut duo album, Brooklyn-Cumaná, received a Latin Grammy nomination for Best Instrumental Album and they were featured on NPR’s Tiny Desk.
Raised in Cumaná, Venezuela and living in the US, Glem is committed to presenting the Venezuelan cuatro as a universal instrument. He performed a solo concerto for cuatro with acclaimed conductor Gustavo Dudamel and the prestigious L.A. Philharmonic and joined Grammy-winning pianist Jon Batiste at his sold out “American Symphony” concert at Carnegie Hall. Glem has also worked with Paquito D’Rivera, Rubén Blades, Natalia Lafoucarde, Calle 13, Etienne Charles and many more.
Reider has spent his career composing original music and collaborating with a dizzying range of roots, jazz and classical artists like Jon Batiste, Sierra Hull, Laurie Lewis, Gaby Moreno and Paquito d’Rivera. Reider’s solo piano record Petricho, garnered a four-star review in Downbeat Magazine and made their Best of 2022 list. Beyond performing, Reider is a prolific composer and has worked with a variety of chamber ensembles and artists ranging from the Bay Area’s Del Sol Quartet to the San Francisco Girls Chorus, and Grammy-nominated violinist Tessa Lark.
“Rhythm is the common ground that connects us,” reflects Reider. “We’ve learned how to communicate across linguistic barriers ever since we met at a party on the Upper West Side with bottles of rum and maracas being passed around. Glem adds, “Similar to how it was essential for me to showcase and make music from the eastern part of Venezuela, Sam has been doing the same with his band Human Hands for American roots music. Sam appreciates how music has no perimeters. We are all from this Earth and there should be no boundaries between countries, just the earth that connects us.”
Brooklyn-Cumaná is a compelling experiment — one that captivates the heart while inviting the body to move. Not only a musical collaboration; the project is a vibrant conversation between living traditions, places and two creative spirits. Book Now
Videos
NPR Tiny Desk Concert
Homer the Roamer / Sábana Blanca
Matapalo y Fuga
