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Press Releases
Arturo O’Farrill and Belongó Announce 2024-25 Season
Arturo O’Farrill and Belongó Announce 2024-25 Season
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Pianist, composer and bandleader O'Farrill and the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra open the season on September 13 at Bryant Park with a concert spotlighting music from the James Bond films, co-presented by Belongó and Town Hall
Additional co-presentation highlights include the multidisciplinary 'Worldwinds' program at Roulette on September 28 and the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra's concert at Carnegie Hall April 25, part of Carnegie's season-long celebration of Latin culture Nuestros sonidas
Belongó will also host a series of community events, including the Pueblo Harlem Day of Music and its annual free Christmas Concert at All Saints Episcopal Church
NEW YORK, NY - (September 11, 2024) Belongó, formerly known as the Afro Latin Jazz Alliance, and Founder and Artistic Director Arturo O'Farrill, today announced details of the 2024-25 season, featuring co-presentations by Town Hall, Carnegie Hall, Roulette, and more. Throughout the season, O'Farrill and Belongó will explore diverse ways of creative expression through music, movement, and community outreach, all while highlighting a wide range of musical voices. Season highlights, along with a full chronological listing of events, can be found below.
The season begins on September 13 with a co-presentation by Belongó and Town Hall at Bryant Park for the conclusion of the park's Picnic Performances season. The program, titled The Man with the Golden Horn, features Arturo O'Farrill and the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra (ALJO) along with special guest Steven Bernstein on slide trumpet, performing works from the James Bond film franchise while paying homage to Puerto Rican organ master, Charlie Palmieri. The date corresponds with the launch of the public fundraising campaign for Casa Belongó, an East Harlem culture hub where families, New York City schoolchildren, El Barrio residents, and art patrons can gather to take classes, attend concerts, visit galleries, participate in community activities, and more
On September 28, Belongó presents Worldwinds, a groundbreaking multidisciplinary performance that features O'Farrill, the Afro Latin Jazz Ensemble (ALJE), along with choreographer LaTasha Barnes and the Continuum Collective dance troupe with Soles of Duende at Brooklyn's Roulette. The evening’s program will feature newly choreographed classics and originals from the ALJE’s repertoire, as well as new pieces inspired by the movement and steps of its guest companies.
On April 25, O'Farrill and the ALJO perform at Carnegie Hall as part of Nuestros sonidas, Carnegie's season-long celebration of the beauty and impact of Latin culture. Co-presented by Belongó, the genre-defying concert will also feature special guests Afro-Cuban jazz singer Daymé Arocena; Cuban rapper, poet, and singer Telmary; and internationally renowned Haitian songstress and dancer Emeline Michel.
Belongó will also host in a number of community events throughout the season, beginning on October 6 with the annual Pueblo Harlem Day of Music, presented in collaboration with Riverbank State Park. The free event features performances by Belongó’s Youth Orchestra, the Fat Cats, as well as rhythm workshops and a finale performance by the ALJO. Then on December 24, O'Farrill will lead the orchestra in a free annual Christmas Eve concert at Park Slope's All Saints Episcopal Church as a gift to the community.
Throughout the season, O'Farrill and the ALJO will also embark upon tour dates in New York, Wisconsin, Colorado, and Maryland, where they will reunite with GRAMMY Award-Winner Hamilton de Holanda.
Arturo O’Farrill said, “This season, we celebrate the beauty of every note and rhythm, exploring the myriad ways in which different musical cultures speak to our shared humanity. Embracing the richness of all voices is not just about broadening our horizons—it's about discovering new ways of connecting through sound, motion, and community."
Additional 2024-25 performances, tour dates, and community events will be announced at a later date.
Listing Information
PERFORMANCE SEASON
September 13 at 7PM at Bryant Park (New York, NY)
Arturo O'Farrill and the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra
The Man with the Golden Horn: A very NYC celebration of the music of James Bond
Co-presented by Belongó and Town Hall
September 14 at 7PM at Guild Hall, part of the Hampton Jazz Festival (East Hampton, NY)
Arturo O'Farrill and the Afro Latin Jazz Ensemble
September 28 at 8PM at Roulette (Brooklyn, NY)
Arturo O'Farrill and the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra with LaTasha Barnes and the Continuum Collective with Soles of Duende
Worldwinds
Belongó in partnership with Roulette
January 12 at 8PM at Birdland (New York, NY)
Arturo O'Farrill and the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra
APAP Conference Showcase
Co-presented by Belongó
February 26-28 at the Irish Arts Center (New York, NY)
Arturo O'Farrill and the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra with David and Heather Bixle
April 11 at 7:30PM at Carnegie Hall
Arturo O’Farrill and the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra with Daymé Arocena, Emeline Michel and Telmary
Nuestro Sonidos
Co-presented by Belongó and Carnegie Hall
TOUR PERFORMANCES
February 1 at 7:30PM at the Sharon Lynne Wilson Center for the Arts (Brookfield, WI)
Arturo O'Farrill and the Afro Latin Jazz Ensemble
February 2 at 7:30PM at the Lincoln Center (Fort Collins, CO)
Arturo O'Farrill and the Afro Latin Jazz Ensemble
March 1 at Strathmore (Bethesda, MD)
Arturo O'Farrill and the Afro Latin Jazz Ensemble with Hamilton de Holanda
COMMUNITY EVENTS
October 6 at 11AM at Robert Smith Performance Art Center at Riverbank State Park (Harlem, NY)
Arturo O’Farrill and the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra with the Fat Cats, Berta Moreno Afro Latin Jazz Project, Samuel Torres Sextet and Maria Raquel Quartet
Pueblo Harlem
Co-hosted by Belongó and Riverbank State Park
About Arturo O'Farrill
Pianist, composer, and bandleader Arturo O'Farrill stands as a towering figure in contemporary Latin jazz, renowned for his genre-defying virtuosity, leadership, and unwavering commitment to social justice through music. O'Farrill is a celebrated composer whose work has been performed by Dr. Cornel West, pianist Lara Downes, Ballet Hispanico and more. Hailed by DownBeat as "one of our greatest living pianists", O'Farrill bridges the gap between traditional Latin rhythms and modern jazz, continually pushing the boundaries of the art form while maintaining a profound connection to his roots. Beyond performing worldwide, O'Farrill is a passionate educator and advocate for social justice, using his platform to champion diversity and unity. As founder and director of both the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra (ALJO) and Belongó (formerly known as the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra), O'Farrill plays a pivotal role in nurturing cultural dialogue through the transformative power of music.
About Belongó
The non-profit Belongó (formerly the Afro Latin Jazz Alliance) was established by Arturo O'Farrill in 2007 to promote Afro Latin Jazz through a comprehensive array of performance and education programs. Belongó's mission is to perform, educate about, and preserve the music of all of the Americas, emanating from African and indigenous roots, through the entry point of jazz. Belongó embraces its mission with a commitment to cial justice, equity, inclusion, and the equality of all cultures worldwide. Belongó produces the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra's annual performance season in New York and maintains a weekly engagement for the Orchestra at the famed jazz club Birdland. Belongó also maintains a world-class collection of Latin jazz musical scores and recordings. Belongó's education programs include the Belongó Music Academy, an in-school residency program serving public schools citywide with instrumental and ensemble instruction, the pre-professional youth orchestra; the Fat Cats, which prepares the next generation of musicians, and the Global Rhythms in Our Tribe (G.R.I.O.T.); a community music program that engages underserved youth in anti-violence activities. Belongó maintains administrative offices in East Harlem at El Barrio ArtSpace – PS109.
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