Cinco de Mayo Community Celebration

Presented by Crossing Borders LIVE and the City of Ithaca Present

Free and Open to the Public

7-11PM @ Community School of Music and Arts

WVBR's Crossing Borders Radio Concert Series and the City of Ithaca present the First Annual Cinco de Mayo Community Celebration on Saturday, May 5th, featuring a dance festival with Alex Torres and his Latin Orchestra from 7 to 11pm at CSMA (Community School of Music and Arts) in the Third floor performance space. Dance workshops preceding the main event include a merengue workshop with Jorge Cuevas at 1pm, and a salsa dance lesson with Kurt Lichtmann at 7pm. Crossing Borders LIVE will broadcast the orchestra performance simultaneously on 93.5FM beginning at 8PM and can be heard online at wvbr.com or www.crossingborderslive.org. The Mexican holiday celebration is partially supported by the Tompkins County Tourism Program, the Community Arts Partnership, and the Cornell Latin American Students Program, and organized by Crossing Borders volunteers. The event is free and open to the public, though individual donations and raffle sales will be encouraged to meet expenses. Mexican cuisine refreshments will also be available for purchase.

Alex Torres y su orquestra, formed in 1980 and based in Amsterdam, New York, has acquired a huge fan base throughout the state since the first of eight CDs, Noche Habanera, was released in 1995. The band has been producing a new CD coming out almost yearly ever since. The most recent Cd, 25 to Life, has sparked energetic reviews and intense performance demands.

Led by the Bronx-born bassist Alex Torres, the 13 piece orchestra plays over 100 shows per year performing popular Afro-Caribbean rhythms such as Salsa, Merengue, Cha-cha, Bomba, Plena and Latin Jazz. They have been the recipients of numerous awards including the Albany - Schenectady League of Arts Award, The Governor's Excellence in Arts Award, The NAACP Albany Chapter Award, Metro land Magazine's "Best Of Award" for seven consecutive years, New York State Music Achievement Award and the New England Cultural Arts Preservation Award.

Alex Torres & His Latin Orchestra have performed for President and Hillary Clinton at the New York State Democratic Convention and also for New York Governor George Pataki's Inauguration. They recently played Governor Spitzer's Inaugural Ball as well. They have shared the stage with Tito Puente, Eddie Palmieri, Los Hermanos Moreno, Arturo Sandoval, Luis "Perico" Ortiz, Ray Barretto, Jane Burnette & the Spirits of Havana, Larry Harlowe, Tito Nieves, Jerry Gónzalez & The Fort Apache Band, King Changó, The Count Basie and Woody Herman Orchestras. The band is also registered with the Arts-In-Education Program in New York State; members of the band participate in school programs to showcase and explain the music and the instruments and rhythms associated with it. Additionally, the group taped a full length television commercial for The Albany Times Union Newspaper and performed their original music for the PBS weekly program "Just Down The Road." See review excerpts below of performances by Alex Torres y su orquestra. The artist website is: www.alextorres.com.

Prior to the orchestra performance, a salsa class lesson will be conducted at 7 pm by Kurt Lichtmann and partner. The dance lesson will incorporate some important background on the African and Hispanic roots of the music and dance, and the dance portion will include some modern lady's styling and lead-follow technique, not just steps! Since the orchestra repertoire is heavy on salsa, the dance lesson will focus on salsa, but will also include a 2 minute demo of salsa merengue, and bachata at the start so participants can see and hear the difference. Lichtmann is a member of the Tompkins County Latino Civic Association. A graduate of Ithaca College's Masters Program in Music Education, he teaches dance at Cornell, and downtown at Island Health and Fitness. He is a huge fan of latin music and dance. His dance website is www.ithacadance.com.

Earlier in the day, a merengue workshop is offered at 1 pm by Jorge Cuevas. Known as front man and leader of various ensembles including the Caribe Jazz All Stars, the 9 piece latin band Rising Sign, and Jorge's Percussion Ensemble, Cuevas has been teaching percussion and dance workshops since 1989. He is known also for video productions and as a DJ.

The festivities, while spotlighting Caribbean rhythms this year, are intended to launch a yearly opportunity to explore Latin musical culture via the popular Mexican holiday, Cinco de Mayo, which is celebrated extensively throughout North America. Crossing Borders is committed to making live quality multicultural music accessible to an entire community. The First Annual Cinco de Mayo Community Celebration is an example of that commitment. For more information about Crossing Borders and for upcoming performances, go to: www.crossingborderslive.org. Below, see review quotes of performances by Alex Torres and his Latin Orchestra:

..They play like sunlight bursting through rain clouds.

Schenectady Gazette

.I have never seen an act that so accurately reflects a culture's music and yet targets a mainstream audience, combining education with exciting entertainment.

The Chronicle

..their masterful performance is a testament both to the burgeoning popularity of the music and to the indomitable skills of the band.

The Post-Star

.when the concert ended and the musicians began to stow their instruments, the audience arose and began a gradual sound that turned into a tidal "more, more!"

Springfield Recorder

.the moment I will cherish most was watching people of all cultures and colors dancing, transfixed by the Latin rhythms of Alex Torres & the Latin Kings.

BLUESprint

.they deserved, in every conceivable way, the screaming standing ovation they received at the close of their set.this isn't a band or a record, it's a mission.

Metroland Magazine