"In 2002 we introduced 'Afro Latin' into the lexicon, and now with the Orchestra's 11th year we're just beginning the adventure, we've just started the party, the exploration," remarks Arturo O'Farrill. "This year, the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra embraces the West Coast, Israel, the Catskills, Mexico, Colombia, and even the Harlem Renaissance. Don't miss this season, it's one to watch."
General Admission is $50/$40/$30, Students/Seniors/Children $15, Symphony Space Members $40/$32/$24. Take advantage of this special subscription offer: purchase tickets for two concerts and get admission to the third concert for free! For tickets go to: www.symphonyspace.org, call 212.864.5400, or visit the box office. For subscriptions, call or visit the box office.
2012/13 Performances at Symphony Space
November 2 & 3, 2012: Falafel, Freilach, and Frijoles: From Mambo to Borscht
Falafel, Freilach, and Frijoles: From Mambo to Borscht will examine the long and venerable relationship between the Puerto Rican and Jewish communities as evidenced by the history of mambo and salsa bands performing for avid dancers called "mamboniks" in the predominantly Jewish resort area of the Catskills known as the Borscht Belt. The ALJO will also be exploring the themes common to the larger Jewish and Latino communities including a journey to the Middle East, the Mediterranean, and North Africa. Loosely based on the famous albums by Irving Fields such as Bagels & Bongos, as well as the recording Mazel Tov, Mis Amigos, the evening will cast Jewish and Yiddish classics in Afro Latin big band versions and also set Latin classics in traditional Klezmer settings. Guest artist Steven Bernstein will co-host, perform, and be a part of the pre-performance discussion.
February 1 & 2, 2013: East Meets West
East Meets West will explore the development of West Coast Latin jazz with featured guest artists. There has been an unspoken rivalry between the East and West Coast Latin jazz movements. The "scene" California has given birth to, if not quite as old, is just as complex and profound, spawning incredible artists. To extinguish the rivalry and give heartfelt recognition to our West Coast brethren, guest artist John Santos, a significant artist from California, will guest curate, perform, and be a part of the pre-performance discussion.
May 3 & 4, 2013: Música Nueva 6
The Afro Latin Jazz Alliance's traditional new music concert in which the ALJO explores new directions in Afro Latin big band jazz will examine several tangents. The evening will feature the brass band traditions in the New World, including the Banda music of Mexico, Colombia, Peru, and other Latin American countries. The program will also explore lesser known sub-genres of Spanish music. In addition, in partnership with Symphony Space, the Orchestra will present a new co-commissioned work that focuses on the Latino contribution to the Harlem Renaissance.
ARTURO O'FARRILL
Pianist, composer, educator, and founder of the nonprofit Afro Latin Jazz Alliance, was born in Mexico, grew up in New York, and was educated at the Manhattan School of Music, Brooklyn College Conservatory, and the Aaron Copland School of Music at Queens College. O'Farrill played piano with the Carla Bley Big Band from 1979 through 1983. He then went on to develop as a solo performer with a wide spectrum of artists including Dizzy Gillespie, Steve Turre, Freddy Cole, The Fort Apache Band, Lester Bowie, Wynton Marsalis, and Harry Belafonte. In 1995 Mr. O'Farrill agreed to direct the band that preserved much of his father's music, the Chico O'Farrill Afro Cuban Jazz Orchestra, which concluded a 15-year residency at Birdland. In 2002 Mr. O'Farrill created the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra (ALJO) for Jazz at Lincoln Center due to a large body of music in the genre of Latin and Afro Cuban jazz that deserves to be much more widely appreciated. His debut album with the Orchestra, Una Noche Inolvidable, earned a GRAMMY® Award nomination in 2006 and the Orchestra's second album, Song for Chico, earned a GRAMMY® Award for Best Latin Jazz Album in 2009. The ALJO's new album, 40 Acres and a Burro, was released to critical acclaim and was nominated for a 2012 GRAMMY® Award for Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album. Arturo O'Farrill recently released his first solo piano recording, The Noguchi Sessions. Arturo O'Farrill is a Steinway artist.
THE AFRO LATIN JAZZ ORCHESTRA (ALJO)
The GRAMMY® Award-winning Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra, soon to start its 11th season, was founded in 2002 by musician, composer, and educator Arturo O'Farrill to perform the full repertory of big band Afro Latin jazz, and to commission new works to advance this culturally rich genre. The ALJO was a resident orchestra at Jazz at Lincoln Center from 2002 to 2007. In 2007 the ALJO left Lincoln Center to pursue the twin goals of developing new audiences for big band Afro Latin jazz and creating a robust educational program for young performers. O'Farrill founded the nonprofit Afro Latin Jazz Alliance that same year to pursue both the performance and educational aspects of this uniquely pan-American art form. The ALJO performs an annual season at Symphony Space on Manhattan's Upper West Side, plays at the famed jazz club Birdland every Sunday evening as part of an ongoing residency, and continues to tour nationally and internationally to critical acclaim.
THE AFRO LATIN JAZZ ALLIANCE (ALJA)
Founded in 2007, the nonprofit Afro Latin Jazz Alliance is dedicated to preserving the music and heritage of Afro Latin jazz, supporting its performance for new audiences, commissioning new work, and educating young people in the understanding and performance of this important cultural treasure. The Alliance maintains a world-class collection of Latin jazz musical scores and recordings and provides institutional support for the GRAMMY® Award winning Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra. As the ALJO celebrates its 11th season, the Afro Latin Jazz Alliance's educational and community outreach programs continue to flourish. For more information on the Afro Latin Jazz Alliance, Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra, and Education Programs, visit: www.afrolatinjazz.org.
The work of the Afro Latin Jazz Alliance is made possible with support from: Foundations: Arnhold Foundation, Leonard Bernstein Family Foundation, BMI Foundation, Brenner Family Foundation, D'Addario Music Foundation, Fund for the City of New York, New Yankee Stadium Community Benefits Fund, New York Community Trust/Lila Acheson Wallace Fund for the Arts, Fan Fox and Leslie R. Samuels Foundation; Corporate: Capital One, Colgate/Palmolive, Con Edison, Goya, WABC-TV; Public: City Council Member Gale Brewer, 1199/SEIU, and other generous individual donors.For more information, please contact:
Afro Latin Jazz Alliance· Nina Olson
(212) 866-6634· nolson@afrolatinjazz.org
No comments:
Post a Comment