Lehman Center for the Performing Arts is excited to begin their 38th anniversary season with “A Tribute To The Music Of The Palladium Era” featuring the legendary Mambo Legends Orchestra with special invited guest singer Gilberto Santa Rosa on Saturday, Sept. 22, 2018 at 8 pm.
The event is produced by Lehman Center and Robert Sancho. The Palladium Ballroom highlighted the Big Band Latin Orchestras in the late 1940’s, 50’s and 60’s and the creation of mambo and cha-cha. The former musicians of the Tito Puente Orchestra have come together as the Mambo Legends Orchestra to present the music of which they have been the masters of for more than 30 years.
Lehman Center for the Performing Arts is on the campus of Lehman College / CUNY at 250 Bedford Park Boulevard West, Bronx, NY 10468. Tickets for the Mambo Legends Orchestra on Saturday, Sept. 22, 2018 at 8 pm can be purchased by calling the Lehman Center box office at 718-960-8833 (Monday through Thursday, 10 am–5 pm, and beginning at 4 pm on the day of the concert), or through online access at www.Lehma
Lehman Center is accessible by #4 or D train to Bedford Park Blvd. and is off the Saw Mill River Parkway and the Major Deegan Expressway. Low-cost on-site parking available for $5.
The Mambo Legends Orchestra plays the music of the Palladium Era: Machito, Tito Puente, and Tito Rodriguez and was created in 2000 by former members of the Tito Puente Orchestra, led by John “Dandy” Rodriquez, Mitch Frohman and musical director Jose Madera. Famed bongocero John “Dandy” Rodriguez began performing as a teenager with Tito Rodriguez and played with Ray Barretto and Típica ’73 in the ‘70s before beginning his 27-year stint playing bongos in Tito Puente’s band. Bronx native Mitch Frohman was the sax and flute soloist with the Tito Puente Orchestra for 25 years and has also played and recorded with such famed Latin artists Eddie and Charlie Palmieri, Paquito D’Rivera, Chico O’Farrill and the Grammy-winning Spanish Harlem Orchestra.
Musical director, timbalero and arranger Jose Madera started playing timbales with Machito as a teenager and was the first musical director for the Machito Orchestra. He was Tito Puente’s conguero for 30 years, his musical director for 10 years, the staff arranger at Fania records since the 1970’s and has performed on over 100 recordings.
by Latin, pop, R&B and jazz artists. The Mambo Legends Orchestra is dedicated to keeping the ‘50s and ‘60s Palladium-era sound alive as it explores new musical concepts. Their latest release, Watch Out! ¡Ten Cuidao! (2011) was nominated for the Latin Grammy Award for Best Salsa Album and they are featured in the 2013 documentary film “For the Love of the Mambo.”
Santa Rosa, known as El Caballero de la Salsa, is a six time Grammy ® Award salsa and bolero sonero who was born in Santurce, Puerto Rico. As a teenager, he attended La Escuela Libre de Musica de San Juan, P. R., and made his recording debut in 1976 as a backup singer with the Mario Ortiz Orchestra. He then joined La Grande Orchestra for two years as well as performing with local groups.
In 1995, he was the first salsa singer to have a concert at Carnegie Hall in New York City, which was recorded as an album (En Vivo Desde Carnegie Hall), and includes his song “Perdoname,” which is now considered a classic. One of the greatest salsa singers ever, he has a unique style of improvisation that is successful in both tropical and romantic musical styles. In 2016, he set a Guinness World Record for the Most No. 1s on the Billboard Tropical Albums Chart with is album Necesito Un Bolero (2015), which also won two Grammy Awards: One Latin Grammy and also the Grammy for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album.
