Tuesdays on the Terrace | Daniel Villarreal
July 07, 20265:30 pm - 8:00 pm
This event is free, but capacity is limited. Early arrival encouraged!
Daniel Villarreal. Photo: Cassie Scott.
About the Event
Summer Tuesdays come alive on the MCA terrace with free concerts highlighting artists from Chicago’s internationally renowned music community. Enjoy live music while relaxing on the lawn with your own picnic, or savor snacks and drinks available for purchase. Then head inside to catch the MCA’s summer exhibitions—we’re open late on Tuesdays and free for Illinois residents. For the month of July, Tuesdays on the Terrace celebrates the MCA’s major exhibition, Dancing the Revolution: From Dancehall to Reggaetón. Join us all month long for standout performances highlighting music of the Caribbean.
This week drummer, percussionist, and composer Daniel Villarreal blends jazz, Latin, funk, and psychedelia into groove-driven music rooted in rhythm and feel. Known for his work with Dos Santos and collaborators like Jeff Parker, his acclaimed projects showcase a deeply collaborative and distinctive voice.
About the Artist
One listen—and one look at the overlapping Venn diagram of musical styles navigated by drummer, percussionist, and composer Daniel Villarreal—reveals an artist who thrives across genres. In his case, “the whole is greater than the sum of its parts” feels especially apt. Raised on punk and hardcore, Villarreal’s musical foundation expanded under the mentorship of Freddy Sobers, drummer for El General, and Nando Boom—pioneers of reggaeton in Panama. As Villarreal recalled in a 2021 interview with the Chicago Reader, “He told me that if I wanted to be a good drummer, I had to learn all the styles,” a philosophy that continues to guide his wide-ranging approach to rhythm.
Known for his collaborative spirit, Villarreal has performed and recorded extensively with the genre-blurring collective Dos Santos, while also developing a growing body of work as a bandleader and sideman. His collaborators span a wide musical spectrum, including Jeff Parker, Anna Butterss, Joe Chambers, Neal Francis, Mary Lattimore, Marshall Allen of the Sun Ra Arkestra, Charlie Hall of The War On Drugs, and cellist Leyla McCalla. Across these partnerships, Villarreal brings a composer’s ear to the drum set and an improviser’s instinct for structure, form, and restraint.
Originally from Panama, he moved to Chicago in the early 2010s, before relocating to Philadelphia in 2023. He has since formed the Daniel Villarreal Trio with vibraphonist Victor Vieira-Branco and bassist John Moran. Their immediate chemistry led to a residency at Solar Myth and a forthcoming album slated for 2026. Whether leading or supporting, Villarreal consistently blurs the line between rhythm and melody, positioning percussion as a dynamic and expressive narrative force.
Funding
Tuesdays on the Terrace is presented by NBC 5 and Telemundo Chicago.
