Afro Bop Alliance

Originally based in Annapolis, Maryland, the Afro Bop Alliance Big Band began life as Afro Bop Alliance, a Latin jazz septet founded and led by drummer, producer, and educator Joe McCarthy. He formed the band to explore the vast musical possibilities of all the different cultures which come together under the umbrella of Latin or Latin jazz. They released their first album Encarnación in 2004. Their second album, Camino Nuevo (2006) was honored with the Best Latin Recording award by the Washington Area Music Association (WAMA). The band’s third album, Afro Bop Alliance (2008) was a collaboration with the Caribbean Jazz Project featuring vibraphone and marimba player Dave Samuels. The release won the Best Latin Jazz Recording at the 51^st Annual Grammy Awards. Afro Bop Alliance followed that album with Una Mas in 2011. Their final release under the Afro Bop Alliance name was 2014’s Angel Eyes. Joe McCarthy relocated to New York and renamed the ensemble Afro Bop Alliance Big Band. The first album by the new group was 2016’s Revelation. Their next release, Upwards (2019), was released under the name Joe McCarthy/The New York Afro Bop Alliance Big Band.