Biography
Cassie Watson Francillon is a NYC-raised, New Orleans-residing avant-garde harpist known for her innovative explorations of the harp in contemporary music. She has served on the board of the New Orleans Chapter of the American Harp Society and performed as principal harpist in a new-age opera, as well as with the futuristic trio Shakespeare & The Blues. Her recent albums demonstrate a prolific output, including duo projects Suite with Sasha Masakowski and KāFOU with Val Jeanty, culminating in her third release in 11 months, the Buddhist-inspired Bardo, which blends harp-led quartet sessions with added horns in a mix of serene ballads and frenetic grooves influenced by West London jazz-breakbeat and Big Easy rhythms.
Aquiles Navarro, a Canadian-born trumpeter of Panamanian descent from Toronto, Ontario, fuses avant-garde jazz, modalism, Latin traditions, and electronic production. Growing up in a family that immigrated from Panama in 1989 after the U.S. invasion, he was influenced by his grandfather's cello playing and family Latin folk music. Navarro studied trumpet with Panamanian legends Victor 'Vitin' Paz and Carlos Garnett, earned a bachelor's in Jazz Performance from the New England Conservatory, and a master's from the University of Miami's Frost School under Brian Lynch. His bold soloing shines in ensembles like Irreversible Entanglements and his duo with drummer Tcheser Holmes.
Both artists share a collaborative link on Francillon's Bardo, where Navarro's trumpet features prominently on tracks like 'Don’t Explain,' creating shimmering, celestial dialogues with harp amid ecstatic cries and throbbing low-end. Their combined styles push harp and trumpet into unclassifiable avant-garde territories, with Francillon's clear serenity meeting Navarro's genre-bending expansiveness, contributing to emerging scenes in experimental jazz and beyond.
Fun Facts
- Cassie Watson Francillon released three albums in 11 months leading up to Bardo, showcasing her rapid creative output including duos with Sasha Masakowski and Val Jeanty.
- Aquiles Navarro bonded with collaborator Tcheser Holmes over shared Panamanian heritage, leading them to tour Panama and join Irreversible Entanglements.
- Francillon's Bardo features a 'dub-noir duet' with Navarro on 'Don’t Explain,' bathed in light echoes for a celestial harp-trumpet interplay.
- Navarro's family immigrated from Panama to Toronto in 1989 directly following the U.S. invasion to depose Manuel Noriega.
Musical Connections
Mentors/Influences
- Victor 'Vitin' Paz - Trumpet teacher (Private studies) [Pre-college]
- Carlos Garnett - Saxophonist mentor (Private studies) [Pre-college]
- Brian Lynch - Trumpet professor at University of Miami (Master's studies) [University years]
Key Collaborators
- Aquiles Navarro - Trumpet feature on album (Bardo (track: Don’t Explain))
- Tcheser Holmes - Longtime creative associate and duo partner (Heritage of the Invisible II, Irreversible Entanglements albums) [2017-present]
- Sasha Masakowski - Duo partner (Suite) [Recent (pre-2026)]
- Val Jeanty - Duo partner (KāFOU) [Recent (pre-2026)]
- Camae Ayewa - Band member in Irreversible Entanglements (Irreversible Entanglements (2017), Who Sent You (2020)) [2017-2020]
Connection Network
External Links
References
Heard on WWOZ
Cassie Watson Francillon, Aquiles Navarro has been played 1 time on WWOZ 90.7 FM, New Orleans' jazz and heritage station.