Concert to Honor National Hispanic Heritage Month
WFIT 89.5-FM honors National Hispanic Heritage Month with a performance by Iba A Se World/Latin Jazz Band on August 18 at 7:30 p.m. The event is presented
by WFIT 89.5-FM, a service of Florida Tech, and Vento Motorcycles, U.S.A. The concert is funded in part by a grant from the Southern Arts Federation, in
partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts and Florida Cultural Affairs Division. It will take place at Florida Tech’s Gleason Performing Arts
Center.
Critically acclaimed, Iba A Se (“Amen”) includes leader Edward Rodriguez, playing congas, timbales, bata drums, bongo, chequeres and cow bells; co-leader
Victor Pavano, who plays sax and flute; on piano and keyboard is Tony Perez; Eddie “Guagua” Rivera is on bass; Dimas Sanchez is on drums and chequeres;
Jorge Orta performs on the congas, timbales and chequeres; and Jose Sequinot plays bata drums, bongos, congas, and minor percussion.
This young World/Latin jazz band has performed together for just a little more than a year. The musicians have found with the collaboration a unique and
personal way of creating a refreshing sound in the Latin jazz field.
Rodriguez, born in Puerto Rico, was trained by several famous percussionists, including Tito Puente, Dizzy Gillespie and Miles Davis. He has toured the
world as a performer as well as a board member of “Festival Latinoamericano.”
Payano, the group’s sax player, was born in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, later moving to Puerto Rico. There he was able to hone his music skills
while obtaining a degree in music education.
JazzNow magazine raves about Tony Perez, piano, and says, “He could easily be the successor to Chucho Valdez.” Perez is credited with taking Cuban music in
a fresh new direction. Rivera, one of the Latin music world’s consummate bass players, has three Grammy Awards. Sanchez, a drummer, began performing in
Puerto Rico by playing salsa music. Later influenced by Tony Sanchez and others, he branched out in different musical styles. Teaching percussion in
Houston, Orta began his professional musical career in his home country of Venezuela. These young musicians possess artistic excellence and understand the
value of community outreach and involvement. They offer to conduct workshops in Latin music with local high school jazz bands and request that concert
attendees bring school supplies to donate to “Operation Hope,” a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping migrant workers.
Vento Motorcycles, U.S.A., has donated a 2006 Vento Phantera GT 5 black scooter to be auctioned with the winner announced at the end of the concert.
Call WFIT 89.5-FM at (321)674-8950 and reserve your tickets to help honor National Hispanic Heritage month.
