New York, N.Y. - As Belongó — the NYC-based nonprofit cultural organization founded by pianist, composer, 6-time GRAMMY-winner and 2-time Latin GRAMMY-winner Arturo O'Farrill — begins building Casa Belongó, an unprecedented cultural and education center in East Harlem that recently broke ground, the organization continues to produce and host a remarkable slate of programming. June is a busy month:
The Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra – Tuesday Night Residency Begins @ The Pocket
O'Farrill and the 18-piece Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra (ALJO) will launch a new chapter of their historic, 29-year weekly NYC residency, at brand new jazz club The Pocket, on West 46th St. in Times Square. June 2nd will mark the opening night of an on-going Tuesday night weekly residency, with sets at 7 and 9PM.Â
The ALJO weekly residency in NYC first took shape under Chico O'Farrill, Arturo's father, and has become a core part of the cultural fabric of the city. For many years the band performed at Birdland, hosting tens of thousands of fans.
June 2, and every Tuesday eveningÂ
The PocketÂ
130 W 46th Street, New York, NY
Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra Opening Night – Tuesday Night Residency
7PM + 9PM
Pueblo Harlem: Celebrating Latino Culture @ Riverside Church in West Harlem
Belongó will present the 12th annual Pueblo Harlem: Celebrating Latino Culture on Friday, June 26 at Riverside Church in West Harlem. The day-long, all-ages festival brings together music, dancing, family workshops, and community programming in celebration of Latino culture and neighborhood connection, featuring performances by Arturo O'Farrill, Belongo's dynamic youth ensemble of high school students, the Fat Cats, and other special guests. More info here.Â
June 26
Pueblo Harlem: Celebrating Latino Culture
Riverside Church, West HarlemÂ
490 Riverside Dr, New York, NY
11AM – 6PMÂ
Belongo has a full slate of programming on the horizon, including O'Farrill & the ALJO at the South Bronx Culture Festival on May 29, the Fat Cats' final concert of the season on June 23 at Shapeshifter Lab in Brooklyn, a July 11 performance in partnership with Carnegie Hall's Musical Connections program at Sing Sing Correctional Facility, and more. View the full calendar here: https://www.afrolatinjazz.org/calendar
About Belongó
Belongó, formerly the Afro Latin Jazz Alliance, was founded by Arturo O'Farrill in 2007. The non-profit institution is dedicated to performing, educating about, and preserving the music of all of the Americas, emanating from African and indigenous roots, through the entry point of jazz. The organization produces the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra’s annual performance season in New York and worldwide. Its educational programs include the Afro Latin Jazz Academy of Music (ALJAM), an in-school residency program serving public schools citywide with instrumental and ensemble instruction; the Fat Cats, a pre-professional youth orchestra that prepares the next generation of musicians; and the Global Rhythms in Our Tribe (G.R.I.O.T.), a music program that connects youth with rhythms and storytelling from global cultures as a way to engage them in anti-violence activities. In addition, it holds a world-class collection of Latin jazz musical scores and recordings.Â
Belongó embraces its mission with a commitment to social justice, equity, inclusion, and the equality of all cultures worldwide. For additional information, visit belongo.org and https://shorefire.com/roster/arturo-ofarrill-belongo.
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