The Bronx Music Hall (BMH) will host El Ciego Maravilloso—The Blind Marvel: A Tribute to Arsenio Rodríguez, a special concert by the multi-Grammy nominated Bobby Sanabria Multiverse Big Band celebrating the legacy of the “godfather of salsa” on Saturday, March 15, at 7:00 PM. A screening of La Vida es un Sueño (Life is a Dream), a short film about Rodríguez by Cuban filmmaker Ariety Veunes Toro will proceed the concert.
Highlighted in the concert will be vocalist Jennifer Jade Ledesma, a multilingual musical polyglot, as well as Oreste Abrantes on vocals and congas. Also featuring in the band will be renowned Cuban-born vocalist Gerardo Contino and tres and guitar master Benjamin Lapidus. The 24-piece band will pay tribute to Rodríguez as they perform his most well-known compositions with new forward-thinking arrangements and compositions by artists who Rodríguez influenced. The performance will be recorded for release.
Rodríguez (August 31, 1911 – December 31, 1970), born in Matanzas, Cuba, made the South Bronx his home and is considered the most important musician in the history of Afro-Cuban-based dance music (salsa and son). A master of the mandolin sounding Cuban Tres, he was the first to add the conga drum to band performance and the piano to play son and salsa. He also developed the multi-horn mambo concept and created the son montuno, the rhythmic foundation of salsa.
Tickets are $25 at bronxmusichall.org or by calling 917-557-2354
Bronx Music Hall is located at 483 East 163rd Street, Bronx, NY
