DC Jazz Festival Concert and Reception featuring the Slavo Rican Assembly

Slavo Rican Assembly use the international vocabulary of jazz as a springboard to delve deep into the sounds of their own musical roots. Bomba, salsa and rumba bump up against Slovenian harvest songs and beyond, in a musical cocktail that’s 100% New York.

Pioneering NYC-based, Slovenian saxophonist/composer Jan Kus presents his extraordinary new seven-piece band, Slavo Rican Assembly, which unites his extensive experience from the NYC Latin jazz scene (where he performs regularly as a member of various groups led by Fernando García and Latin Grammy winner, César Orozco) with his traditional South Slavic roots.

The idea for the project started as a joke about Jan becoming "Puerto Rican by osmosis" and the group’s bassist, Dan Martínez becoming "Slavic by osmosis", because of the musicians they regularly performed with. This concept was further reinforced by multiple tours of Puerto Rico and Slovenia, finally culminating in this cohesive, rhythmically and emotionally packed musical recipe.

As Jan puts it, “The focus of Slavo Rican Assembly is the exploration of the similarities and differences between the music of the Puerto Rican (and wider speaking Caribbean) and South Slavic cultures, merging the two into a cohesive, brand-new sound.” What makes this delicate formula work in Jan's opinion is "The emotional charge and spiritual depth that these musical traditions both possess.” The band’s members, from both sides of this Slavo Rican musical equation, are all prominent NYC-based musicians (including several Latin Grammy winners and/or nominees) who seamlessly combine the melancholic sounds of Southeast Europe with the fiery rhythms of the Caribbean.

In 2022, the band released their debut album Intercosmic on the highly acclaimed British label Riverboat Records, and Songlines magazine said of it: "Intelligent and thoughtful. It's a band I'd love to hear live."  The album was also given a full feature and interview presentation on NPR-affiliated WNYC radio's All of It with Alison Stewart.

After numerous performances in the past at notable venues and festivals around the Tri-State area, and several tours of Slovenia and Croatia where they've performed at the countries' biggest stages, the band is now doing a string of performances in New York, New Jersey, and Washington over the Summer.

This event will take place on Wednesday, September 30th, 2026, from 6:30 – 9:00 PM at The Embassy of the Republic of Slovenia, Washington D.C., 2410 California Street NW, Washington, DC 20008.

Program:

5:30 PM Doors Open

6:00 PM Program Begins

7:00 PM Reception

8:00 PM Event Concludes

Due to security protocol at the Embassy of the Republic of Slovenia, registration and ID are required for entry. This RSVP is not transferable. The dress code is business or cocktail attire.

Parking for the event is limited.  We recommend alternative transportation including taxi, a ride-sharing service or other public transportation. If you or your guest has an accessibility question, please let us know, and we will make accommodations.

For more information, please contact Hannah Kuhns, Event Coordinator, at hannah@dcjazzfest.org.