Yilian Cañizares on Roots, Ritual, and the Road to Vitamina Y

Episode summary
Violinist–vocalist Yilian Cañizares joins Backstage Bay Area to talk about the musical DNA that powers her work—classical discipline, Afro-Cuban tradition, and the open-ended spirit of jazz. She reflects on the new single “Ore,” the cross-Atlantic pulse of “Habana-Bahia,” and the next chapters: a fall EP and her full-length album Vitamina Y. Along the way, Yilian opens up about freedom, ritual, collaboration, and how she wants audiences to feel when the trio takes the stage.

Guest
Yilian Cañizares is a Havana-born, Switzerland-based artist known for fusing conservatory-level violin with Afro-diasporic rhythm and improvisation. A Montreux Jazz Festival awardee, she tours internationally with a trio featuring Childo Thomas (bass) and Inor Sotolongo (percussion).

Highlights (no timestamps)

• The meaning of “freedom” in her music: composing, improvising, and singing from an honest place.

• The backstory of “Ore”: a gift from childhood friend Yasser “El Gozo” that reconnects her to Cuban roots and the diaspora.

• Crafting “Habana-Bahia” in Salvador, Brazil: sisterhood, women’s empowerment, and the Cuba–Bahia link through Africa.

• Why the trio format (violin/voice, bass, percussion) is the perfect vehicle for spontaneity and audience connection.

• Vitamina Y: the “vitamin people” who nourish her life and the album’s goal to uplift listeners.

• The rollout plan: “Vamos Florescer!” and more singles leading to the full album release.

• What to expect live at SFJAZZ’s Joe Henderson Lab: intimate room, evolving setlists, and early previews of new material.

Music referenced in this episode (with permission)

• “Ore” (single)

• “Habana-Bahia” (title track from the 2023 project)

• “Vamos Florescer!” (from the forthcoming Vitamina Y rollout)

Quotes

• “Jazz, for me, is freedom—the freedom to express how I feel in the moment and to share my vision of the world.”

• “Every song has to come from a place of honesty, where people can know my heart a little better.”

• “We want to deliver something unique every time we play.”

Links

• Artist website: yiliancanizares.com

• Tickets: SFJAZZ.org → Joe Henderson Lab, Yilian Cañizares (Sept 25–26; 7:00 & 8:30 p.m.)

• Backstage Bay Area: BackstageBayArea.com

Credits
Host & producer: Steven Roby
Audio editing & post: Backstage Bay Area
Artwork/Photography: Frank Socha

Hashtags
#YilianCañizares #VitaminaY #BackstageBayArea #AfroCubanJazz #JazzViolin #SFJAZZ #JoeHendersonLab #HabanaBahia #Ore #BayAreaMusic

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