Raphael Rogiński / Sarah Hughes

Raphael Rogiński presents a solo electric-guitar program built around reimagined compositions by John Coltrane and musical responses to the poetry of Langston Hughes. His approach draws together blues, jazz, and traditional music from around the world, with original improvisations and a contemplative, spiritually focused atmosphere. The performance uses no overdubbing or effects.

The program originated as a 2015 Bôłt Records release in the Populista series and returned in an expanded 2024 edition from Unsound, which added four recordings made after Rogiński’s 52-concert tour. Sarah Hughes, a performing and visual artist and multi-instrumentalist, is also featured. She has 26 years of experience on alto saxophone and additionally plays soprano saxophone, flute, and clarinet. Her musical work combines traditional and contemporary approaches with an improvisational, genre-independent sensibility.

When: Wednesday, October 21, 2026

Schedule: Doors open at 7:00 PM, with the show beginning at 7:30 PM. The event is scheduled from 7:00 PM to 10:00 PM.

Tickets: $20–$30

Lineup: Raphael Rogiński, electric guitar; Sarah Hughes, saxophones, flute, and clarinet

Program: Rogiński’s interpretations of John Coltrane compositions, original improvisations, and musical reflections on Langston Hughes’s poetry

Venue: Rhizome DC

Background: Sarah Hughes studied classical saxophone with Dale Underwood at the University of Maryland, College Park, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in music education in 2008. She later received a master’s degree in jazz saxophone performance from the New England Conservatory of Music in 2015, studying with Jerry Bergonzi, Ran Blake, Anthony Coleman, and Donny McCaslin.

Support: Raphael Rogiński’s tour is supported by the Polish Cultural Institute New York.