SummerStage will present the free concert by Our Latin Thing New Swing Sextet at Crotona Park, Bronx (New York) on Tuesday, June 24 at 6:00 pm.
A product of New York City and the 1960s, the New Swing Sextet (NSS) made its professional debut performing in the Singer Bowl at the last New York World’s Fair in 1965. The band has been a popular and innovative exponent of Latin jazz, salsa and pop music for over four decades.
With a long history of making music on the streets of Latin American New York through harmonized vocals, piano, vibes, bass and Latin percussion, NSS recorded the last of 4 albums, all under the Cotique label, in 1970 and broke up in the late 1970s.
Today, the New Swing Sextet returns under the Emusica/Fania family of labels with “Back on the Streets…a taste of Spanish Harlem Vol 2” which has just been nominated for a Grammy Award by the Recording Academy. The New Swing Sextet features George Rodriguez on vibes and vocals; Angel Justiniano on vocals and conga drums; his younger brother Harry Justiniano on bass and vocals; Tomas Martin Lopez on bongos, timbales, misc. percussion and vocals; Hector Ortiz on timbales and bongos; Joe Mannozzi on piano; and the singing of Jose “Cheo” Medina on lead vocals.
A free Salsa lesson will be provided by Zulma Rodriguez. Zulma is a professional dancer who has competed, performed and continues to teach dance. Her background includes Jazz, Ballroom, Hustle, and Salsa On1 and On2. Zulma’s class begins at 6:00pm. Her Salsa lesson will teach basic steps, patterns and combinations, as well as how to connect beginner and intermediate Salsa On2 dance moves into a fun simple combination.
Author: Angel Romero
Angel Romero y Ruiz has dedicated his life to musical exploration. His efforts included the creation of two online portals, worldmusiccentral.org and musicasdelmundo.com. In addition, Angel is the co-founder of the Transglobal World Music Chart, a panel of world music DJs and writers that celebrates global sounds. Furthermore, he delved into the record business, producing world music studio albums and compilations. His works have appeared on Alula Records, Ellipsis Arts, Indígena Records and Music of the World.
