Brazilian percussion master Cyro Baptista marked his 75th birthday with a two-night musical blowout at Jazz at Lincoln Center‘s Rose Theater, bringing together decades of collaborators for “A Banquet for the Spirits” on Friday and Saturday. The celebration highlighted Baptista’s extraordinary career bridging Brazilian traditions with jazz, world music, and rock, including a memorable guest appearance by longtime collaborator Trey Anastasio.
Baptista, who has been a cornerstone of Trey Anastasio Band since 2002, assembled an ensemble that traced his musical journey from São Paulo to New York’s avant-garde jazz scene. The lineup featured members of his Banquet of the Spirits project—bassist Shanir Ezra Blumenkranz and keyboardist Brian Marsella—alongside Jason Fraticelli, John Lee, Felipe Hostins, Scott Kettner, Hassan Hakmoun, Carlos Eduardo da Costa, Zé Luis, John Altieri, Junior Karegato, and Sofija Knezevic. Dancers Max Pollak and Chikako Iwahori added visual dimension to the evening’s performances.
Photo: Scott Harris – Trey Anastasio and Cyro Baptista, 11/7/25
Anastasio joined the festivities during the second set of opening night, launching into “Blaze On”, a song frequently performed by both Phish and TAB. The guitarist then stripped things down, switching to acoustic for an intimate duet with Baptista on “Ray Dawn Balloon” (also recorded by Anastasio’s Oysterhead project as “Radon Balloon”). The two sat alone on stage, showcasing the deep musical connection they’ve forged over 25 years.
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Trey returned to electric guitar for a full-band rendition of TAB favorite “Olivia” and later joined in for the encore, which started with “Forro for All”, a Baptista original that TAB performed three times in fall 2002 but hadn’t touched since November 1st of that year. Anastasio guided the ensemble into an instrumental “Tweezer Reprise” before circling back to “Forro for All” to close the celebration.
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Since arriving in New York in 1980, Baptista has become a respected voice in the city’s creative music community. His innovative approach to percussion—incorporating everything from traditional Brazilian instruments to found objects—has made him a sought-after collaborator for artists including Paul Simon, Yo-Yo Ma, Herbie Hancock, John Zorn, and Wynton Marsalis.
His relationship with Anastasio began in 2000 when both musicians sat in with Medeski Martin & Wood during Phish’s hiatus. That connection blossomed into a permanent role in Trey Anastasio Band, where Baptista’s exuberant personality and textural percussion work has become integral to the group’s performances.
Photo: Scott Harris – Trey Anastasio with Cyro Baptista & Friends, 11/7/25
The birthday celebration also honored Baptista’s work leading his own projects, including Beat the Donkey, Banquet for the Spirits, and his latest ensemble CHAMA, which continues pushing the boundaries between traditional Brazilian music and contemporary jazz.
Night two featured vocalist Cassandra Wilson as special guest, rounding out a weekend that celebrated both a milestone birthday and a half-century of musical innovation from one of percussion’s true masters.
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Check out video highlights from Cyro Baptista’s 75th birthday celebration, click below to view a gallery of photos courtesy of photographer Scott Harris, and scroll down to view Friday’s setlist.
Cyro Baptista & Friends Featuring Trey Anastasio – “Blaze On” – 11/7/25
[Video: lauren’s videos]
Cyro Baptista & Friends Featuring Trey Anastasio – “Ray Dawn Balloon” – 11/7/25
[Video: lauren’s videos]
Cyro Baptista & Friends Featuring Trey Anastasio – “Olivia” – 11/7/25
[Video: lauren’s videos]
Cyro Baptista & Friends Featuring Trey Anastasio – “Forro for All” > “Tweezer Reprise” > “Forro for All” – 11/7/25
[Video: lauren’s videos]
Setlist [via Phish.net]: Cyro Baptista | Rose Theater | New York, NY | 11/7/25
Set 1: Bird Boy, Annarie, Chama, Trenzinho, Parar de Fumar, Mumakata, Obama/Cantiga
Set 2: Infinito (Going), Infinito (Coming), Sanfo Seven, Berimblues/Gato Morto, Blaze On [1], Ray Dawn Balloon[1], Olivia[1], Maracatu – Estrela Brilhante
Encore: Forro for All[1] > Tweezer Reprise [2] > Forro for All[1]
[1] Trey on guitar.
[2] Trey on guitar; instrumental.
This performance was billed as A Banquet for the Spirits in celebration of Cyro Baptista’s 75th birthday. Blaze On through Olivia and the encore featured Trey on guitar. Tweezer Reprise was performed as an instrumental. This show featured the first performance by Trey of Forro for All since November 1, 2002.
