Felipe Lara / Talea Ensemble / Conrad Tao: Mazes and Portals (NY Premiere)
About This Event
Felipe Lara, the Talea Ensemble, and pianist-composer Conrad Tao appear at National Sawdust in a program that moves between contemporary concert practice and rock-, pop- and jazz-inflected performance. Lara’s New York rock/pop background, Talea’s ensemble-based jazz work, and Tao’s composer-performer role foreground compositional detail and ensemble precision in a curated, cross-genre setting.
About Mazes and Portals
“Mazes and Portals” arrives at National Sawdust as a rotating rock/pop bill, placing distinct songwriters and collaborators in a space more often associated with contemporary music experiments. The lineup moves from Britton & The Sting and Lola Kirke with Odetta to Storey Littleton + Calder the Destroyer, Black Belt Eagle Scout and Mato Wayuhi with Ailani, Bruce Brubaker Live!, and a Friday the 13th dance party with DJs Eli Escobar & Cosmo. No specific NYC premiere history is established for the series. The setting turns a concert into a survey of how New York stages genre in 2026.
About the Artists
Felipe Lara / Talea Ensemble / Conrad Tao
Felipe Lara, Talea Ensemble, and Conrad Tao appear on New York City stages in programs that move between contemporary concert practice and rock/pop-inflected performance, including dates at National Sawdust.
Felipe Lara
Felipe Lara is a rock/pop artist who appears regularly in New York City’s live-performance circuit, including sets at National Sawdust. His work spans club lineups and cross-genre bills, with performance credits alongside Britton & The Sting, Lola Kirke with Odetta, Black Belt Eagle Scout and Mato Wayuhi with Ailani, and Bruce Brubaker Live!, among others.
Talea Ensemble
Talea Ensemble is a jazz group heard in New York City performance contexts, including appearances at National Sawdust. Their work moves easily between concert presentation and event-based collaborations, with credits spanning projects like Britton & The Sting, Lola Kirke with Odetta, and Black Belt Eagle Scout and Mato Wayuhi with Ailani.
Conrad Tao
Conrad Tao is an American pianist and composer recognized for his performances and compositions across various genres, including classical and contemporary music.