The musical journey of bass guitarist Lito Mabjaia has seen him work with countless collaborators, forming connections that grew into close friendships over the years. It was always his intention to bring them together and create something - which is how Aurelio Project's first album, Aspire, came about. The disc exclusively comprises the band's own compositions, each of which induces divers moods in the listener. Lito lines up in the band with Dutch drummer and boy wonder Yordi Petit, breathtakingly talented keyboard player Tijn Wybenga and the award-winning guitarist Vuma Levin, who hails from Johannesburg and is a member of South Africa's Standard Bank National Youth Jazz Band. Aurelio Project presents all the beauty of jazz music in an accessible form, while traversing the various styles of Latin America, western and African styles with a fleet-footed elegance influenced by Richard Bonát and Pat Metheny. The band recently completed a successful tour of Johannesburg and Maputo, and has also appeared in Amsterdam's Blue Note club, at Detlev Op Zondag in The Hague and the Jazzpodium de Tor in Entscheide. With Aspire and the ensemble's over-arching philosophy, Aurelio Project sends out a message for listeners to step beyond their boundaries and realise their boldest visions.

The concert is supported by the Netherlands Embassy.

Presented by: Palace of Arts