Duende Libre knocks on Cellar Door

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When Duende Libre performed at the Cellar Door last August, the excitement was so palpable that the band nearly missed the ferry back to Seattle because their audience didn’t want them to leave. Their set was such a success that the three-piece band, plus a guest vocalist and percussionist, will return for another go at a full-on dance party.

Duende Libre’s upcoming concert, from 9 to 11:30 p.m. Nov. 23, will mark their second time at the Port Townsend venue. The Seattle-based trio formed in 2016. The group, led by keyboard player Alex Chadsey, with Farko Dosumov on electric bass and Jeff “Bongo” Busch on percussion, bring a sound influenced by jazz tradition with aspects of funk, Afro-Cuban and West African rhythms. They have released two CDs as a group, including “duende libre” in 2017 and “Drift” this past June.

“All the stuff we do is danceable and accessible to a wide range of listeners,” Chadsey said.

The group is collaborating with Frank Anderson, a former Port Townsend resident who taught West African drumming and dance, and now continues his interests in Seattle. While Anderson lived here, he met several musicians and formed “Blue Holiday” for a one-off show, which morphed into other performances around the region, from Poulsbo to Sequim, until about 2014.

From his teachings, the band has made the rhythms their own and incorporated them to their music. With his baritone voice, Anderson sings plenty of obscure songs from the 1960s and ’70s, as a fan of Etta James, Aretha Franklin and Ray Charles.

When Anderson performs with Duende Libre, it's not unusual for him to jump off the stage and into the crowd to form a Conga line.

“I’m not afraid to dance and to invite people to come up and dance,” Anderson said. “I like an old-fashioned show,” citing his upbringing as he watched The Temptations, Whitney Houston, James Brown and other musicians.

“Every time Frank is involved, there’s no escaping it,” Chadsey said.

Anderson has been a regular guest with Duende Libre since May, providing vocals and percussion. His interest in West African song and dance took him to Guinea and Mali a few times to keep pursuing his learning right from its source.

Duende Libre has been branching out throughout the Northwest to get their sound out as far as possible. Most recently, the trio has performed in Bellingham and Olympia, and they finished off a tour in Alaska during which Anderson joined them for five shows.

“We are really excited,” Chadsey said about the upcoming show at the Cellar Door. “Port Townsend has a great reputation of support with the (Centrum) Jazz Festival. It’s known to be a town where people appreciate good music and good art. We are excited to share our unique blend of style, rhythms and influences.”