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Hostos Center Announces Complete Schedule For Tito Puente: A Fifty-Year Retrospective of ‘El Rey’

Hostos Center for the Arts and Culture has finalized the events, artists, and panel members for the Tito Puente Retrospective which will take place April 20 to 22 at Hostos Community College, 450 Grand Concourse (at 149th Street), in the Bronx. Entitled "Tito Puente: A Fifty Year Retrospective of 'El Rey', " the festival is the first multi-day, in-depth examination of the maestro's career from 1950 until his passing in 2000.

Under the artistic direction of former Puente Musical Director José Madera, Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra bassist / composer / arranger Carlos Henríquez, and Puente historian and archivist Joe Conzo, Sr., the Retrospective is highlighted by three concerts in the Center's Main Theater. With a host of New York's top young jazz musicians, Henríquez leads "Puente for a New Generation" on Friday April 21, at 7:30 PM which covers Puente's Latin Jazz era from 1967 to 2000. On Saturday. April 22 at 11:30 AM, Henríquez leads a free family concert "Who is the King of Latin Music?" as part of Lincoln Center Education's Boro-Linc. That evening, at 7:30 PM, Madera leads The Mambo Legends in "Lost Treasures of the Palladium Era: 1950 to 1966." In addition to these concerts, the Retrospective, over a three-day period, includes workshops, panel discussions, listening sessions, a film, and closes with a dance in the Hostos Café

EVENTS

Film Screening

Opening the Retrospective on Thursday, April 20th at 7:30 PM in the Repertory Theater is the film Tito Puente – the King of Latin Music. This documentary includes rare footage of the legendary percussionist which was filmed just prior to his passing in 2000. In the film, "the King" discusses his 50-year career as a bandleader, the rise of Mambo and the development of Latin Jazz through the years. Following the screening, Puente's longtime friends, Joe Conzo, Sr., author of Mambo Diablo: My Journey with Tito Puente and Bronx Lebanon Hospital Center Vice President and concert producer Robert Sancho, who appear in the film, share their insights and personal stories of "El Rey" on his 94th birthday. Admission is free but tickets are required. (see below for details.)

Listening Room

Prior to the Friday evening and Saturday evening concerts, in the Longwood Art Gallery @ Hostos beginning at 6 PM, Conzo presents "The Listening Room, " one hour sessions that will include information and musical anecdotes about the concerts as well as never before heard recordings of Tito Puente from the different periods of his career. Conzo, who has lectured on Puente and Latin music for Hostos Community College's Continuing Education division for the last four years, has more than 6, 000 Puente recordings in his archive. Admission is free.

Opening Concert: Puente for a New Generation

For the opening concert, "Puente for a New Generation" on Friday, April 21, at 7:30 PM in the Main Theater, Bronx native Carlos Henríquez, who performed with Puente as a teenager and is the bassist for, and often leads, the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, will premiere a 12-piece ensemble comprised of some of New York's top young jazz musicians, for a fresh perspective on Puente's music from 1967 to 2000. This was known as Puente's "Latin Jazz era, " when the maestro moved away from the 17-piece band and embraced smaller ensembles. "Puente for a New Generation" artists include: Michael Rodríguez, Bruce Harris, Jonathan Powell and Kali Rodríguez, trumpets; Carl Maraghi, Ivan Renta, and Louis Fouche, saxophones; Robert Rodríguez, piano; Marcos López, timbales; Marcos Torres, congas; and Camilo Molina, bongos. Orchestra seating is $30 and Mezzanine seating is $25; $5 for students and under 18. (see below for details)

Lincoln Center Education Family Concert: "Who is the King of Latin Music?"

As part of Lincoln Center Education's Boro-Linc, Carlos Henríquez leads a slightly smaller ensemble and introduces families to the music of Tito Puente on Saturday, April 22 at 11:30 AM in the Main Theater. Henríquez, who is on the music faculty of Northwestern University, led a similar program to great acclaim with the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra at the Rose Theater in 2014. Prior to the concert, children ages 5 to 10, and families, are invited to participate in a multi-disciplinary arts workshop that complements the concert, led by the performance artist Jadele McPherson at 10:30 AM. Admission to both the concert and the workshop are free, but tickets are required. The workshop has a limited capacity. (see below for details)

Latin Percussion workshop

Following the family concert at 1:30 PM, Mambo Legends Orchestra members José Madera and John "Dandy" Rodríguez as well as Nicaraguan-American Latin Jazz percussionist and educator Annette Aguilar lead a Percussion Workshop in the Black Box Theater. They will discuss and demonstrate the rudiments and nuances of Latin percussion including congas, bongos, and timbales. All ages are welcome. Admission is free but registration is required (see below for details)

Panel Discussion

"Don't Call it Salsa: The Impact of Tito Puente on Latin Music" a panel discussion on Tito Puente's impact on Latin jazz and Latin music follows in the Repertory Theater at 3:30 PM. Loren Schoenberg, Founder and Senior Scholar of the National Jazz Museum in Harlem, moderates. Panelists include: Latin Jazz percussionist and educator Annette Aguilar; Puente archivist, biographer, and confidante, Joe Conzo, Sr., bassist / bandleader Carlos Henriquez; the eminent Latin musicologist and record producer René López; former Puente Music Director José Madera; percussionist and Típica'73 founder, John "Dandy" Rodríguez, and Tito Puente's eldest son, vibraphonist Ronnie Puente. Admission is free but tickets are required. (see below for details)

Closing Concert

The 18-piece Mambo Legends Orchestra perform "Rediscovering Lost Treasures of the Palladium Era" at 7:30 PM in the Main Theater. Led by José Madera, John "Dandy" Rodríguez, and Mitch Frohman, featuring many Puente Orchestra alumni, the music from this night will be from Puente's early years, 1950 to 1966, known as the "Palladium Era, " after the dance venue that was transformational for Latin bands at the time. For this event, Madera, the Legends' Music Director, has transcribed and arranged material from the six different instrumental iterations of the Orchestra, some of which has not been heard in over 50 years. Among the rarities to be performed from the 1950s include "Chang, " featuring guest vibraphonist Ronnie Puente (eldest son of Tito), "Caramelos, " featuring vocalist Cita Rodríguez, and "Tus Ojos." Jim Byers, host of The Latin Flavor on Washington D.C.'s WPFW, will be the master of ceremonies. Orchestra seating is $30 and Mezzanine seating is $25; $5 for students and under 18. (see below for details)

Dance Party

The Retrospective ends with Dance Mania, a dance party appropriately named after Tito Puente's best-known and best-selling album, in the Hostos Café immediately after the performance at approximately 9:30 PM. Salsa Warrior DJ Roy will spin Puente's hits for dancing. Tickets are $10 and include two beverage tickets for wine or a soft drink. The Dance is available for concert ticket holders only.

The full schedule of events for Tito Puente: A Fifty-Year Retrospective of 'El Rey':

Thursday, April 20
Film: "Tito Puente – the King of Latin Music"
Repertory Theater, 7:30 PM
Free Admission (Tickets Required: 718-518-4455)

Friday, April 21
Music/Talk: Listening Room with Joe Conzo, Sr.
Longwood Art Gallery @ Hostos, 6:00 PM
Free Admission

Opening Concert: Puente for a New Generation with Carlos Henríquez & Friends
Main Theater, 7:30 PM
Orch: $30 Mezz: $25 (Students and Under 18: $5)

Saturday, April 22
Family Concert: Who Is The King Of Latin Music?
Main Theater, 10:30 AM Pre-performance arts workshop
11:30 AM Carlos Henríquez Ensemble
Free Admission (Tickets Required: 718-518-4455)

Workshop: Latin Percussion
Black Box Theater, 1:30 PM
Free Admission (Registration Required: 718-518-4455)
Guest Artists: José Madera, John “Dandy” Rodríguez, and Annette Aguilar

Panel: “Don’t Call it Salsa: The Impact of Tito Puente on Latin Music”
Repertory Theater, 3:30 PM
Free Admission (Tickets Required: 718-518-4455)
Participants: Annette Aguilar, Joe Conzo, Sr., Carlos Henríquez, René López, José Madera, Ronnie Puente, and John “Dandy” Rodríguez; moderated by Loren Schoenberg.

Music/Talk: Listening Room with Joe Conzo, Sr.
Longwood Art Gallery @ Hostos, 6:00 PM
Free Admission

Closing Concert: “Rediscovering Lost Treasures of the Palladium Era” with The Mambo Legends
Main Theater, 7:30 PM
Orch: $30 Mezz: $25 (Students and Under 18 - $5)

Dance Party: Dance Mania
Hostos Café (Third floor), 9:30 PM (approx.)
$10 (includes two beverage tickets for wine/soft drink)
Limited Capacity. Concert ticket holders only.



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