Latin Jazz musician Roger Glenn set to perform at 4th Corner Speakeasy
Latin jazz and jazz musician Roger Glenn is no stranger to the Bay Area or global stage.
His father, Tyree Glenn, performed with jazz legends like Cab Calloway, Duke Ellington, and the Louis Armstrong All-Stars, including the recording of "What a Wonderful World."
Carrying on the family legacy, Glenn is a multi-instrumentalist who plays 18 instruments and has credits on more than 40 albums across genres from jazz and Latin jazz to blues and funk.
Glenn will play a variety of original music and covers along with his Latin jazz ensemble at The 4th Corner Speakeasy on Saturday at 7 p.m.
The ensemble consists of Marcos Silva on piano, Robb Fisher on bass, Kelly Zaban Fasman on drums, and Michaelle Goerlitz on percussion.
He will be performing music from his latest 2025 album, "My Latin Heart," including songs such as "Angola" and "Congo Square."
For him, those two songs hold major historical significance and represent the music of America.
"Congo Square, a historical landmark, now within Louis Armstrong Park in New Orleans, is considered to be the seed of the birthplace of our American music as it relates to the diversity of cultures in the United States. Blues, jazz, R&B, gospel, rock 'n' roll, and other American music art forms are a direct product of the music that came from the African slaves going back to the early beginnings of the 18th century," said Glenn.
Glenn added, "Enslaved Africans were usually restricted to any kind of gathering to play music, sing, and dance, except in Congo Square on Sundays, the only day of the week the slaves did not have to work."
Glenn's song, "Angola," refers to the country and its prison. The piece reflects the influence of African music across the world, including Brazil and Spain.
"Near the end of the 18th century, descendants of slaves trained in European classical music began to merge these two cultural musical idioms to create brass bands and piano music that had a syncopation that was unique to the African rhythmic influences. Combining these new rhythms with European melody and chord progression was purely an American music art form in all its varieties of expressions," said Glenn.
He will also perform "Zambo's Mambo," "Samba de Carnaval," and "Santa Cruz" on flute, and play saxophone and alto saxophone on "Brother Marshall" and Sonny Rollins' "Alfie's Theme."
"I dedicate (Brother Marshall) to all the teachers of the world who inspire the next generation," said Glenn.
Glenn said that the Bay Area is undergoing a "renaissance era" of art, especially after the pandemic, calling the 4th Corner Speakeasy "a venue that enables people to get together with other people and hear something live. It's like going to a movie.
"People would go to the movies. Now, they stay at home and watch it on Netflix. Where is the interaction with other people?" Glenn said.
He hopes that audiences will take the time on Saturday night to not only come out and have a good time, but to embrace the spirit of going out and celebrate the art of live entertainment.
"It's important to enjoy that spirit that we almost lost," said Glenn.
To learn more about Glenn's extensive musical repertoire, visit www.rogerglennjazz.com/
To purchase advanced tickets, go to: 4thcornerspeakeasy.com/roger-glenn-latin-jazz-ensemble/#tickets
Copyright 2026 Tribune Content Agency. All Rights Reserved.