Claudia Acuna "Queen of Chilean Jazz"- Chilean Jazz Series
Claudia Acuña, known as the “Queen of Chilean Jazz,” presents a recording-release performance in Blues Alley’s Chilean Jazz Series. Born in Santiago and raised in Concepción, Chile, Acuña became established on the Chilean jazz scene before moving to New York in 1995, where she emerged as a prominent voice among the city’s Latin American jazz musicians.
Her music combines Latin American ballads, jazz standards, and Afro-Caribbean material with a distinctive South American perspective. The performance draws on her album *Turning Pages*, a project produced by Colombian-born string musician Juancho Herrera, who also co-wrote songs and contributed to many of the arrangements. The album reflects Acuña’s return to recording after focusing for much of the previous decade on raising her son, and explores both new material and songs connected to her past.
Acuña’s career includes collaborations with Jason Lindner, Harry Whitaker, Arturo O’Farrill, Guillermo Klein, Avishai Cohen, Susie Ibarra, Billy Childs, Henry Threadgill, the Rodriguez Brothers, and Elio Villafranca. Her five albums as a leader include *Wind From the South*, *Rhythm of Life*, *Luna*, *In These Shoes*, and *En Este Momento*. The event is co-presented with the Embassy of Chile.
When: Friday, September 18, and Saturday, September 19, 2026
Showtimes: 7:00 PM and 9:30 PM each night
Tickets: $45, plus a $7 fee
Venue: Blues Alley, 1073 Wisconsin Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20007
Featured artist: Claudia Acuña
Program: Recording-release performance featuring music from *Turning Pages*
Doors: Doors open at 6:00 PM for the 7:00 PM shows and at 8:45 PM for the 9:30 PM shows.
Seating: Seating is first come at the door.
Food and beverage: A $15 food-and-beverage minimum per person applies and is not included in the ticket price.
Ticket policy: All sales are final. Tickets are nonrefundable and nontransferable.
Performance policy: Photography and recording are not permitted during the performance. Guests are asked to keep conversation to a minimum.