Gig Alert: Cyro Baptista's Banquet Of The Spirits

Cyro Baptista's Banquet of the Spirits
"Bird Boy"
Playing Saturday at Sixth Street Synagogue (325 E. 6th St., East Village)
Get: Tickets (Start at $25) | Directions 

Formed in 2006, and guided by the concept of "musical cannibalism," world music jazz quartet Cyro Baptista's Banquet of the Spirits considers its diverse sound to be a manifestation, or “feast,” of all the music consumed throughout its bandmembers' lives. In fact, the New York-based outfit -- comprising renowned percussionist, composer and bandleader Cyro Baptista, Brian Marsella (piano, keyboards), Tim Keiper (drums, percussion) and Shanir Blumenkranz (acoustic/electric bass, oud)  -- played over 75 instruments on their most recent album, Cyam.

On Saturday night, Cyro Baptista’s Banquet of the Spirits brings its elaborate sonic spread to the Sixth Street Synagogue’s Nittle Nacht (Xmas Eve) Radical Jewish Culture Blow Out Benefit and will perform alongside frequent band collaborator and benefit host John Zorn and his group Aleph Trio, Rashanim; Hasidic New Wave’s Rabbi Greg and Frank London; and The Ayn Sof Arkestra and Bigger Band with Jake Marmer of Jazz Talmud.

Download the upbeat, forró-like song “Bird Boy,” from the band’s self-titled 2008 debut album above. In the video below, Cyro Baptista’s Banquet of the Spirits performs a rock and soul-inflected arrangement called “Kwanzaa.”