The Griots Speak: William Parker, bass, Juma Sultan, djembe, percussion; Daniel Carter, reeds, trumpet; Charlie Apicella, madal drum. Saturday, Oct. 29, 7:30pm. Single tickets ($15) available at www.jazzshares.org.

The Griots Speak has roots which reach to the dawn of the improvised music community which sprang to life in 1960s New York City. Trail blazing percussionist Juma Sultan formed the quartet to help celebrate the life and work of Studio We founder James DuBois, a patriarch of the loft scene. The band’s music is poetry in motion–simultaneously fluid, extroverted, light, confrontational, meditative, and comforting.