*Bassist Carlos Henriquez will be returning to the Bronx on Saturday, September 12th at 8:00 pm as part of Jazz at Lincoln Center’s opening night and efforts to reach out to the NYC boroughs. The Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra (JALC) with Wynton Marsalis will debut new compositions and arrangements by Carlos Henriquez as part of the veteran bassist’s return home to honor his musical roots.
The orchestra will also be joined by special guests percussionists Bobby Allende and Marc Quiñones in honor of Jazz at Lincoln Center’s 28th season. Entitled “Carlos Henriquez: Back in the Bronx,” Jazz at Lincoln Center will open their season at Lehman Center for the Performing Arts, located at 250 Bedford Park Blvd West in the Bronx. Interested parties can purchase tickets via jazz.org or through CenterCharge at 212-721-6500, from 10am to 9pm. Tickets can also be purchased at the Jazz at Lincoln Center Box Office, located on Broadway at 60th Street, on the ground floor, within the Time Warner Center Mall.
A member of the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis for the last 13 years, the Bronx native discussed his entry into the music genre. “When I was young there were music programs for kids. It’s a shame there aren’t more of these types of programs in the school curriculum today. I was accepted into the Music Advancement Program at Julliard, a program that helped me and gave lots of inner city kids an opportunity. Through their workshops and various programs, I began to see a future in music and met others who held the same ambitions in music as me. I started with guitar and became good at it. But then I fell in love with the bass. I learned the bass at Julliard from my teacher John Schaeffer. Later other bassists took me under their wing and taught me even more,” remarked Henriquez, who performed with Latin greats such as Tito Puente, Eddie Palmieri and Celia Cruz since the age of 14 and has focused his musical interest in the genres of jazz and Afro Cuban Jazz.
Henriquez went on to explain about his relationship with Wynton Marsalis. “I met Wynton when I went to the JALC rehearsals. I attended a few, started hanging out with Wynton and the orchestra and then Wynton started calling me to play gigs. I got to meet people like Shirley Horn, Willie Nelson, Bob Dylan, James Taylor, Paul Simon, Lenny Kravitz and Stevie Wonder through a JALC collaboration. I owe Wynton a lot for helping me and making me part of the JALC Orchestra. He could have hired someone else with more experience but he helped me. Wynton does a lot of good things. He helps promote young musicians. I was 17 when I met Wynton and he has given me several opportunities to grow. He asked me to be the music director when we went to Cuba in 2010. It was a great learning experience for Cuba, for me and JALC” recalled Carlos.
Carlos is about to release his first CD via the Blue Engine Records label on September 18th, entitled “Bronx Pyramid” accompanied by the JALC Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis, featuring the vocals of Ruben Blades on the tune “Descarga Entre Amigos.” The CD can be pre-ordered on Itunes and Amazon. For further information go to Blueengine.org, jazz.org and/or on Carlos Henriquez’s Facebook page.
“ My mother died 8 years ago. I lost her to cancer so this album is a tribute to her; therefore, I’m especially pleased the CD will be released on my mother’s birthday, September 18th. The 10 tunes on “Bronx Pyramid” highlight my life experiences. Wynton was instrumental in making me the poster child for the CD, “Bronx Pyramid.” He graciously gave me the opportunity to do my music on the September 12th show at Lehman Center for the Performing Arts. Marsalis centered the show around me entitling it Carlos Henriquez Back in the Bronx featuring the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis,” emphasized the bassist who promises Jazz at Lincoln Center’s 28th season opening at Lehman Center’s Bronx venue will be a night to remember.
For further info visit https://www.blogtalkradio.com/ blakeradio/2015/08/31/ topically-yours–bassist-carlos-henriquez-jazz-at-lincoln-center
Deardra Shuler is an Entertainment Editor, radio host and journalist who has written for and freelanced with several newspapers. She has her own show “Topically Yours,” on the BlakeRadio Network and has produced other host shows on BlakeRadio. She recently acted as the publicist for “Invincible: A Glorious Tribute to Michael Jackson,” a MJ impersonator show that drew over 2,100 people to the New Jersey Performing Arts Center in Newark and also ran at the Apollo Theater in Manhattan. She has produced shows in Madison Square Garden. Radio City Music Hall and Carnegie Hall.
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