Nees at The Apollo Theater
I've listed this gig on the show page. Here's a little more about it.
I play trumpet in the Bobby Sanabria Big Band. Bobby is an awesome percussionist and pedagogue. He's actually one of the foremost authorities on Afro-Cuban music. Hell, many of the other foremost authorities on this music play in the band too.
At any rate, I first met Bobby at The Manhattan School of Music while I was going for my Master's. He teaches at MSM as well as the New School downtown. After graduating, he hired me onto his pro band where I've been playing fourth trumpet ever since.
On his band, I've traveled across the country and the world--we toured Italy in 2007 or 2008. Last year we played an outdoor concert at Lincoln Center that was attended by around 20,000 people! That's the equivalent to a sold out event at MSG. That night we backed Larry Harlow amongst other great musicians.
This show coming up at the Apollo is certainly dear to me--I mean it's the Apollo. I grew up sneaking a TV into my bedroom on Saturday nights so I could watch SNL then Live at The Apollo. The guests we'll have with us are just as dear to me.
Candido will be playing conga. Candido is an NEA Jazz Master among other titles; he was the first to do many things in this music. We'll be playing a suite I wrote in his honor aptly titled "¡Que Viva Candido!". It was first performed by the MSM Afro-Cuban Big Band at their concert in celebration of his 90th birthday.
Also performing with the band will be trumpeter Jon Faddis. I have many memories of Mr. Faddis, but I'll save those for another post. Suffice to say, he'll blow your socks off.
Last but not least, we'll be celebrating Mario Bauzá, one of the founders of this music.
Anyway, you should come. Info:
