Press Room

Just Announced! Spanish Harlem Orchestra

- 4/29/2009

The Music Hall has just announced a sizzling summer salsa dance party for Friday June 26 at 8pm with the return of the renowned Spanish Harlem Orchestra, touring behind their latest Grammy nominated CD, United We Swing. According to Patricia Lynch, Executive Director of The Music Hall, "We've listened to our patrons and they want to dance! So, we'll be taking out our front rows and putting in our dance floor just for this evening. We know that Spanish Harlem Orchestra will have listeners jumping out from their seats to dance. You can choose - get hot on the dance floor, or stay cool in the balcony, surveying the scene!"

About Spanish Harlem Orchestra - the standard bearer of contemporary Latin music
With a sound both modern and historic and a swing that could revive the dead, Spanish Harlem Orchestra is the signature sound of 21st century Latin music. Spanish Harlem is the birthplace for Salsa, Latin, Soul, Boogaloo and countless other variants within the tropical Latin idiom. From Tito Puente to Marc Anthony, this small enclave has exerted a monumental effect on the sound of American music today. Led by world famous pianist and arranger Oscar Hernandez, Spanish Harlem Orchestra quickly established itself as the curator of this tradition. Their debut album was released in 2002 to immediate acclaim and worldwide recognition. The 13- member all-star ensemble includes two trumpets, two trombones and a baritone sax which make up the bracing brass sound of this band, while dedicated conga, bongo and timbale players round out the percussion and the upright bass and acoustic piano are the icing on this salsa flavored cake. Band members were the ace musicians who worked with the legendary names of the classic New York salsa scene -Tito Puente, Celia Cruz, Hector Lavoe - and are now at the forefront of maintaining the energy, creativity and spirit of true New York salsa. As leading ambassadors of this distinctive New York Latin sound, both of Spanish Harlem Orchestra's first two records registered Grammy nominations, and the second - Across 110th Street featuring the masterful Ruben Blades - went on to win a Grammy for "Best Salsa Album." Now, after having toured extensively around the world, and with the approach of warm summer nights that just beg for the sounds of salsa in the city streets, Spanish Harlem Orchestra will return to The Music Hall stage. "Our music style is the original sound of New York old school "Salsa dura" (heavy salsa) that was played in the early years by our pioneers," says Oscar. "That sound has been lost and we want to keep it alive while educating the new generations (and music lovers in general) on the true musical roots of our culture." Oscar adds, "We've brought back the essence of what makes this music great and are keeping the salsa spirit alive in our recordings and shows."

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