The Afro Bop Alliance is the intimate counterpart to the Latin Grammy® Award-winning New York Afro Bop Alliance Big Band, bringing the same world-class musicianship and boundary-crossing sound to smaller settings. Inspired by the trailblazing Bebop innovation of Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers, the ensemble draws from the NYABABB catalog while embracing the spontaneity, interplay, and immediacy that define the small group tradition. Founded and led by drummer Joe McCarthy, the Afro Bop Alliance delivers the same

musical message as the big band — rooted in Bebop and enriched by African, Afro-Caribbean, Brazilian, and global musical cultures — creating an experience that is at once deeply personal and universally resonant. The ensemble's dynamic and accessible approach connects with audiences of all backgrounds, making every performance an invitation into the living, breathing world of Afro-Latin jazz.