Latin musicians present a series of concerts, clinics

Highlights of the week's festivities will include a concert and clinic by famed Cuban woodwind player Paquito D'Rivera on Tuesday, Nov. 6. D'Rivera's performance will feature a Berklee big band comprised of Latin students and faculty members, directed by Assistant Professor Victor Mendoza.

Also teaching and performing at Berklee as part of Latin Culture Week will be Venezuelan saxophonist Ed Calle, Mexican folk musician El Negro Ojeda, Mexican songwriter/producer Juan Pablo Manzanero, Brazilian vocalist Theresa Ines, Mexican progressive rock artist Jorge Reyes, Colombian composer Antonio Arnedo, and Argentine folk musician Lucho Hoyos.

The schedule for Latin Culture Week follows. Admission to all events is free, except where noted.

Monday, Nov. 5

10 a.m.  Juan Pablo Manzanero will present a clinic on recording production techniques in Studio A, 150 Massachusetts Ave. Manzanero has produced and written for many high-profile Latin artists, including Cristian Castro and Sasha Sokol. He also composes music for television, film and radio.

Tuesday, Nov. 6

1 p.m.  Paquito D'Rivera will present a clinic in the Lawrence and Alma Berk Recital Hall, 1140 Boylston St. The Cuban-born saxophonist/clarinetist was a founding member of the Orquest Cubana de Música Moderna, as well as the legendary Latin jazz group Irakere. A two-time Grammy winner, D'Rivera's music shows his versatility and wide-ranging influences, from Afro-Cuban ritual melodies to contemporary classical compositions.

6:15 p.m.  Jorge Reyes will present a concert in room F12, located in 22 The Fenway. Reyes combines pre-Columbian instruments and percussion with synthesizers and voice, drawing from the rich history of his Mexican homeland. He is a former member of the space rock group Chach Mool, and has collaborated with Antonio Zepeda, Steve Roach and Suso Saiz.

8:15 p.m.  Paquito D'Rivera, along with a big band featuring Berklee students and faculty members directed by Professor Victor Mendoza, will present a concert in the Berklee Performance Center, Massachusetts Ave. Admission if $5 for adults, $2 for senior citizens.

Wednesday, Nov. 7

1 p.m.  Latin Culture Week's visiting artists, including Paquito D'Rivera, El Negro Ojeda, Juan Pablo Manzanero, Jorge Reyes and Theresa Ines, will present a Latin Music Panel, moderated by Associate Professor Peter Alhadeff, in the Lawrence and Alma Berk Recital Hall, 1140 Boylston St. The panelists will share their perspectives on the state of the Latin music industry.

6 p.m.  Ed Calle will present a clinic in Room F12, located 22 The Fenway. Calle has played saxophone on many Grammy-winning recordings by the likes of Gloria Estefan, Arturo Sandoval, Jon Secada, and Julio Iglesias. He also is an accomplished solo jazz artist.

7:30 p.m.  Folk musician El Negro Ojeda will present a concert in the David Friend Recital Hall, 921 Boylston St. The concert will be followed by a reception, hosted by Berklee and Boston's Mexican Consulate. For over 30 years, the music of Salvador "El Negro" Ojeda has helped preserve the popular culture of Mexico, bringing the folklore and music of his country to audiences around the world. Ojeda also is known for producing and hosting many folklore programs on Mexican national radio and television.

Thursday, Nov. 8

1 p.m.  Vocalist Theresa Ines will present a clinic and performance in the Lawrence and Alma Berk Recital Hall, 1140 Boylston St.  Ines' music combines Brazilian folk melodies with contemporary jazz harmonies, creating a distinctive, sophisticated sound. She performs with several Boston-area groups, including Zabumbatuq and Brasileirinho.

1 p.m.  Ed Calle will present a clinic in Room 1W, 1140 Boylston St.

4 p.m.  Professor Greg Hopkins will lead the Berklee Concert Jazz Orchestra in a reading of Latin big band charts in the David Friend Recital Hall, 921 Boylston St.

6 p.m.  Jorge Reyes will present a clinic in Room F12, located in 22 The Fenway.

Friday, Nov. 9

1 p.m.  Lucho Hoyos will present a clinic and performance in the Lawrence and Alma Berk Recital Hall. Hoyos is a talented acoustic guitar player, well-versed in the rhythms of traditional Argentine folk music. He has performed this music around the world, including Argentina, Cuba, Spain, and the United States.

3 p.m.  Antonio Arnedo will present a clinic in Room F12, located in 22 The Fenway. Arnedo, of Colombia, is an accomplished performer, composer and producer, and former member of Macumbia. He is known for composing the scores to many Spanish-language documentary films, including Hombres Icotea (The Turtle Men) and El Día Taro(the Taro Day).

7:30 p.m.  Antonio Arnedo will present a concert in the David Friend Recital Hall, 921 Boylston St.

10 p.m.  The Bernardo Hernandez Student Salsa Ensemble will host a Latin Salsa Party in the Berklee Cafeteria, 150 Massachusetts Ave.

Latin Culture Week is made possible with support from The Consulate of Mexico,  El Instituto Mexicano de Cooperacion Internacional de la Secretaria de Relaciones Exteriores,  CONACULTA, and  INBA, as well as a variety of Berklee's academic departments and student organizations.

Founded in 1945, Berklee College of Music has been advancing careers in contemporary music for more than 50 years. The world's largest independent college of music, Berklee has a multi-cultural enrollment of more than 3,300 students, 40 percent of whom are international. The college's alumni include some of the most respected figures in contemporary music, including many multi-Grammy award winners.

Members of the press, for more information, please contact:

Sarah Godcher
Publicist
Berklee College of Music
(617) 747-2658 or  sgodcher@berklee.edu