Distinguished eight-time Grammy winner invites guest artists Daymé Arocena, Telmary and Aymée Nuviola to share center stage
Miami Dade College’s (MDC) Live Arts Miami series presents the Miami Beach debut of Arturo O’Farrill and his 18-piece Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra (ALJO) at 8 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 21, at the Miami Beach Bandshell. Boasting an amazing lineup of guest artists, including Daymé Arocena, Telmary and Aymée Nuviola, this electrifying show will bring the best of Cuban music for an unforgettable evening of nostalgia, mambo, and of course, Latin jazz. This concert marks the debut of the full orchestra in Miami.
O’Farrill is the creative force leading New York’s treasured Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra. A pianist, composer and passionate promoter of Latin music, his music has been enjoyed around the world and earned him and his bandmates eight Grammy Awards, including in 2023 for Best Jazz Album (“Virtual Birdland”). Son of the legendary Cuban composer Chico O’Farrill, he is widely regarded as one of the greatest living exponents of the Latin jazz form and a torchbearer for the tradition.
The multi-Grammy-winning ALJO has enamored international audiences with its outstanding performances of music by Latin jazz legends, as well as new compositions from accomplished composers and arrangers in Latin music. New Yorker magazine called them “one of the best jazz orchestras in existence.” During the last several years, the orchestra has performed at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, the Boston Symphony Hall, the Newport Jazz Festival, among others. Legendary pianist Bebo Valdes once remarked, “This is the finest band I have ever performed with in my life. They make me feel as if I have returned to Cuba.”
To mark his Miami debut, O’Farrill has invited three extraordinary Cuban divas to join him on the stage. The singer and bandleader Daymé Arocena, best known for her massive voice, has invited comparisons to Aretha Franklin and Celia Cruz. Telmary is a poet and rapper who is a leader and trendsetter on the cutting edge of Cuban hip-hop and urban music. Miami’s own Aymée Nuviola, known as “La Sonera Del Mundo,” is one of the founders of the “timba” genre and was also named one of the 25 most powerful Latina women in the in the U.S. in 2021 by People en Español.
The concert will be the first time that this incredible gathering of artists happens anywhere in the world, which is both notable and fitting, considering Miami Beach’s long history with big band music and Miami’s role in Latin music. The Miami Beach Bandshell, as its name would imply, was constructed for big bands, making it the perfect location for this special concert. Audiences will get to experience iconic Cuban big band music with breathtaking arrangements of “The Manteca Suite” and “Afro Cuban Jazz Suite,” as well as new compositions and arrangements that will transport them to some of Cuba’s greatest musical moments.
As a major advocate for educating the next generation, O’Farrill will also take time to lead workshops with students from MDC and New World School of the Arts. A limited number of free tickets will be available for students.
Tickets are $35 + fees. To purchase and for more information about the artists, visit www.liveartsmiami.org. Click here for photos and videos.