Events

Elio Villafranca Presents New Suite: “Don’t Change My Name”

Published

4 years ago

May 4, 2019

Web Editor

World Premiere of Elio Villafranca’s Don’t Change My Name

Free Concert – May 28, 2019 – 6 pm to 7 pm
Rain Date – June 3, 2019 at 6 pm
Bronx, NY – Barretto Point Park

Bronx Arts Ensemble presents the World Premiere of the great Afro-Cuban jazz pianist and composer Elio Villafranca’s Don’t Change My Name, featuring a 10-piece ensemble and the students of Bronx Charter School for the Arts singing and dancing. Don’t Change My Name represents many years of research into the Arara music of Cuba, tracing its roots to the religion and culture of Dahomey, in present day Benin, and telling the story of Florentina, an important Arara figure in Cuba and the Cuban slave rebellions. With Elio Villafranca performing on a grand piano in the Barretto Point Park amphitheatre against the backdrop of the NYC skyline right before sunset and the participation of the talented young artists of the nearby school, the event will achieve Bronx Arts Ensemble’s twofold mission to present the highest quality performances to the people of the Bronx and to engage students in the work of art-making.

Ensemble:
Elio Villafranca, piano
Dreiser Durruthy Bombalé, special guest on vocals and percussion
James Burton III, trombone
Sam Dillon, saxophone
Freddie Hendrix, trumpet
Yorgos Maniatis, drums
Richard Padrón, guitar
Peter Slavov, bass
Arturo Stable, percussion

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Latin Jazz Network is a project dedicated to the advancement of Latin jazz and its creators. Since 2000 LJN has been spreading the word about this wonderful music known under the umbrella term: LATIN JAZZ.

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Events

Dizzy, Chano and Chico – The Original Influencers 75 Years Later at Town Hall

Published

2 months ago

Dec 5, 2022

Danilo Navas

[New York] – The Afro Latin Jazz Alliance & The Town Hall Present: Dizzy, Chano and Chico — The Original Influencers — 75 Years Later at Town Hall. A celebration of the monumental moments when jazz met the rhythms of Cuba and changed the face of modern music forever. In 1947, legends Dizzy Gillespie and Chano Pozo composed “Manteca” — one of the earliest foundational compositions of Afro-Cuban jazz and among Gillespie’s most famous recordings. In December ’47, Dizzy and Chano performed it live at the famed Town Hall in New York City. Consecutively, composer Chico O’Farrill’s masterpiece “Afro Cuban Jazz Suite” brought together bandleader Machito with O’Farrill and Charlie Parker, among others. O’Farrill’s work to meld modern jazz with Cuban big band continued with his collaboration with Dizzy on “The Manteca Suite.” ALJA and Town Hall celebrate Dizzy, Chano and Chico for their groundbreaking introduction of Latin music influences in jazz.

On January 14, 2023 at Town Hall, the continuum pushes forward 75 years later with the next generation of performers keeping Afro Cuban/Afro Latin jazz alive and well. Multi-GRAMMY Award-winning Arturo O’Farrill and his 18-piece Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra revisit the acclaimed compositions “Manteca,” “The Manteca Suite,” and “Afro Cuban Jazz Suite” as well as new compositions, arrangements and recent works with some of today’s most distinguished Latin jazz artists. Featured guests include “Superstar of Afro Cuban Percussion” Pedrito Martinez, NEA Jazz Master saxophonist Big Chief Donald Harrison, Cuban vocalist Daymé Arocena, trumpeter Jon Faddis, as well as emerging talents trumpeter Adam O’Farrill, percussionist Jacquelene Acevedo, and singer/composer Melvis Santa.

This event is part of the on-going centennial celebrations of both Chico O’Farrill and the Town Hall.