TITO PUENTE, "THE KING OF THE MAMBO"
TO BE HONORED BY LATIN JAZZ GREATS AT
LEHMAN CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS
In a special, rare appearance, the former Tito Puente Orchestra will share the bill with the Latin Jazz All-Stars in an exclusive, one-time-only event - an All-Star Latin Jazz Tribute to Tito Puente, on Friday, May 6, 2005, at Lehman Center for the Performing Arts as it continues its 25th Anniversary Season. This special evening begins at 8 PM with the Tito Puente Orchestra performing classic hits from the musical genius' five-decade career, such as "Babarabatiri," "Oye Come Va," "El Cayuco," and "Mambo Inn." Then The Latin Jazz All-Stars take the stage with today's greatest living Latin Jazz artists, including Grammy Award winners Dave Valentin and Paquito D'Rivera, with Claudio Roditi, Giovanni Hidalgo, Hilton Ruiz, Andy Gonzalez, Eddie Martinez, Nicky Marrero, Papo Vazquez, Mario Rivera, and Piro Rodriguez.
This special event will pay tribute to Tito Puente, the legendary Harlem-born Puerto Rican musician who passed away on May 31, 2000. Puente, a six-time Grammy Award winner and Latin Grammy Award winner, was known the world over as "El Rey Del Timbal" and the "King of Mambo." He is recognized for his enormous and significant contributions to Latin music as a bandleader, composer, arranger, percussionist, philanthropist, and mentor. His hit records and arrangements became classics in Latin and other music forms including popular rock with guitarist Carlos Santana recording two Puente's hits, "Oye Come Va" and "Para Los Rumberos." In the early '40s, as a new member of Machito's famous big band, Puente made Latin music history when his timbales were brought to the front of the bandstand. Also gifted on vibraphone, piano, congas, bongos, and saxophone, as well as a talented arranger, his credits included over 120 recordings and 400 compositions. Among his many honors, Puente received the Living Legend Award from the Library of Congress on its 200th Anniversary, the Medal of Honor and Lifetime Achievement Award from the Smithsonian National Museum (where he donated the timbales he played at the '96 Olympic Summer Games), a Medal of the Arts from the National Endowment for the Arts presented by President Clinton, and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Puente performed in several concerts at Lehman Center and for several years the concert hall was the site of the benefit events for the Tito Puente College Fund.
The concert will mark a rare "reunion" of the Tito Puente Orchestra, which performed internationally with Puente and occasionally come together for special events. For the tribute, John "Dandy" Rodriguez, Jose Madera, Mitch Frohman, and singer Frankie Morales will perform with other Puente Orchestra legends.
The Latin Jazz All-Stars include:
Dave Valentin, the Grammy award-winning master flutist who has recorded over 20 albums.
Paquito D'Rivera, the Grammy-winning musician/composer, clarinet and sax player who was recently honored at Carnegie Hall.
Giovanni Hidalgo, considered one of the greatest congueros of our time, who toured extensively with Tito Puente and performed with Paquito D'Rivera and Carlos Santana.
( - more - )
All-Star Latin Jazz Tribute to Tito Puente, cont'd 2 - 2 - 2
Claudio Roditi, trumpeter/composer/arranger who worked with many jazz greats like Joe Henderson, Herbie Mann, Tito Puente, Paquito D'Rivera and McCoy Tyner, and traveled for several years as a member of Dizzy Gillespie's United Nations Orchestra.
Hilton Ruiz, a pianist, composer, arranger, and educator who has performed on over 100 recordings, including twenty as a leader, with such artists as Tito Puente, Mongo Santamaria, Rahsaan Roland Kirk, Dizzy Gillespie, Clark Terry, Abbey Lincoln, and David "Fathead" Newman.
Andy Gonzalez, the Bronx-born composer and master bassist who is credited with shaping a unique vision of Latin Jazz along with his brother Jerry Gonzalez. He is also one of the co-founders (along with Manny Oquendo) of the band Libre.
Eddie Martinez, the master pianist from Colombia who has had numerous recordings and has worked with Ray Barretto, Mongo Santamaria, Tito Puente, Eddie and Charlie Palmieri as well as his own band, Colombia.
Nicky Marrero, the great percussionist and master timbalero who played with every major Latin band, including Tipica '73.
Papo Vazquez, the trombonist, composer and arranger who is as central to the development of Latin Jazz as the legendary Eddie Palmieri and Jerry and Andy Gonzalez.
Mario Rivera, a gifted musician born in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, whose talents extend to the tenor, soprano, alto, and baritone saxophones and a dozen other instruments that he has played in both Latin and straight-ahead jazz genres.
Piro Rodriguez, one of the most requested trumpet players who is on Arturo Sandoval's list of the most notable contributors to the trumpet.
Lehman Center for the Performing Arts is located at 250 Bedford Park Boulevard West, on the campus of Lehman College in the Bronx. Tickets for the All-Star Latin Jazz Tribute to Tito Puente on Friday, May 6 at 8 PM are $45, $40, $30, and $25 and can be purchased by calling the Lehman Center box office at 718.960.8833 (Mon. through Fri., 10 AM - 5 PM, and beginning at 12 noon on the day of the concert), or through 24-hour online access at
www.lehmancenter.org. Lehman Center is accessible by #4 or D train to Bedford Park Blvd. and is off the Saw Mill River Parkway and the Major Deegan Expressway. Free attended parking is available.
Lehman Center receives support from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs.
Linear Mode
