The music of the Spanish Harlem Orchestra isn't built for solitude.
A high-octane, spit-and-polish crew led by pianist Oscar Hernández, the Orchestra carries a torch for the classic, combustible traditions of salsa — an art form whose natural habitat is the dance floor, and the summer streets of El Barrio in Nueva York. Communion is its lifeblood, and the movement of bodies expresses its pulse.
So it was with palpable relief that the Spanish Harlem Orchestra broke its pandemic drought this summer, appearing before an eager crowd in Midtown. The concert — presented by Bryant Park Picnic Performances, in partnership with Carnegie Hall Citywide — found Hernández and his three-time Grammy-winning band in peak form, combining finesse with fire.
From the first downbeat, the performance delivers a welcome kinetic jolt, with Hernández spearheading the churn of a world-class rhythm section. And the band's trademark vocal trio — Marco Bermudez, Carlos Cascante and Jeremy Bosch — present a thrilling front line, whether trading lines or harmonizing in time.
The set list draws from across the band's discography, which goes back almost 20 years, to Un Gran Día En El Barrio. In 2019, after winning its third Grammy for Anniversary, the Spanish Harlem Orchestra appeared on Afternoon Jazz at WBGO.
WBGO is proud to partner with Bryant Park Performances to feature this concert video, in honor of National Hispanic Heritage Month.
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