Kalí Rodríguez-Peña feat. Dayme Arocena - Cuban Jazz Series
Kalí Rodríguez-Peña and Dayme Arocena present “Latin Louie and Ella” at Blues Alley as part of the Cuban Jazz Series. The performance features Rodríguez-Peña, a Latin Grammy-nominated Cuban trumpeter, composer, bandleader, and educator whose music combines traditional Cuban sounds with jazz traditions shaped by artists including Dizzy Gillespie, Miles Davis, and Freddie Hubbard.
Born and raised in Havana, Rodríguez-Peña began studying jazz at 14 under Afro-Cuban jazz musician Bobby Carcassés. He later received a full scholarship to Manhattan School of Music, where he studied with Jon Faddis and Stefon Harris. He has performed at major venues and festivals across North America and collaborated with Wynton Marsalis, Arturo O’Farrill, Paquito D’Rivera, Chucho Valdés, Michel Camilo, Esperanza Spalding, Miguel Zenón, Anat Cohen, Jeff “Tain” Watts, Cándido Camero, and others. His honors include the Harlem Stage WaterWorks Emerging Artist cohort, New Music USA’s Creator Development Fund, and the Louis Armstrong Educational Foundation Scholarship. His 2022 album *Mélange* was released by Truth Revolution Records and featured on Showtime’s *Let the Right One In*.
When: Tuesday, October 13, 2026
Showtimes: 7:00 PM and 9:30 PM
Venue: Blues Alley, 1073 Wisconsin Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20007
Lineup: Kalí Rodríguez-Peña featuring Dayme Arocena
Program: “Latin Louie and Ella”
Tickets: $30, plus a $7 fee
Food and beverage minimum: $15 per person, not included in the ticket price
Seating: First come at the door. Doors open at 6:00 PM for the earlier show and 8:45 PM for the later show.
Presented by: Co-presented with the Embassy of Cuba
Ticket policy: All sales are final; tickets are nonrefundable and nontransferable.
Recording policy: Photography and recording are prohibited during the performance.
Audience note: Guests are asked to keep conversation to a minimum during the performance.