Tickets for the Friday and Saturday performances by the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra of Falafel, Freilach, & Frijoles: From Mambo to Borscht will be at the box office of Symphony Space. The box office opens at 1pm on both days. Symphony Space is located at 95th Street and Broadway in Manhattan.

If you would like to attend please go to the box office and request a ticket. There will be assigned seating and everyone must have a ticket.

There will most likely be a ticketholders line outside before the start of the show. Once you have picked up your tickets at the box office you will then wait in line.

Thank you!

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Dedicated to the Victims of Hurricane Sandy

In light of the impact of Hurricane Sandy on our city and communities, the Afro Latin Jazz Alliance has decided to convert our upcoming concert scheduled for this weekend into a free performance dedicated to the victims of the storm and celebrating the resilience of our city and our communities. All remaining tickets will be given away for free and those who have already purchased tickets will be offered the option of a refund. The performance by the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra of Falafel, Freilach, & Frijoles: From Mambo to Borscht will take place November 2nd and 3rd at 8:00 pm at Symphony Space. We invite all New Yorkers to come for free so that through music we might honor those who have suffered and lost, and celebrate the life and hope that we carry on together.

Symphony Space is located at 95th Street and Broadway in Manhattan. Peter Jay Sharp Theatre at Symphony Space, 2537 Broadway at 95th Street www.symphonyspace.org. Join us for a pre-performance discussion on Friday November 2 at 7:00 pm as we explore the cross-cultural intersection resulting from the Catskills, Northern Africa, Iberia, and Middle East musical nexus.

Falafel, Freilach, and Frijoles: From Mambo to Borscht will examine the long and venerable relationship between the Latino and Jewish communities as evidenced by the history of Mambo and Salsa bands performing for avid dancers called “mamboniks” in the predominantly Jewish resort area of the Catskills known as the Borscht Belt. We will also be exploring the themes common to the larger Jewish and Latino communities, including a journey to the Middle East, the Mediterranean and North Africa. The evening will cast Jewish and Yiddish classics in Afro Latin big band versions and also set Latin classics in traditional Klezmer settings. The Orchestra will feature original music and performances by guest artist trumpeter/composer Steven Bernstein and that of ALJO member trombonist/composer Israeli-born Rafi Malkiel. “El Judio Maravilloso” Larry Harlow will be featured with the Orchestra performing classic Yiddish and Latin jazz compositions along with Isreali born musicians Anat Cohen, clarinetist and Benny Koonyevsky, percussionist.

ABOUT THE AFRO LATIN JAZZ ORCHESTRA (ALJO)

The GRAMMY® Award-winning Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra, soon to start its 11th season, was founded in 2002 by musician, composer, and educator Arturo O’Farrill. The ALJO performs the full repertory of big band Afro Latin jazz, and commissions new works to advance this culturally rich genre. The ALJO was a resident orchestra at Jazz at Lincoln Center from 2002 to 2007. In 2007 the ALJO left Lincoln Center to pursue the twin goals of developing new audiences for big band Afro Latin jazz, and creating a robust educational program for young performers. The ALJO performs an annual season at Symphony Space on Manhattan’s Upper West Side, plays at the famed jazz club Birdland every Sunday evening as part of an ongoing residency, and continues to tour nationally and internationally to critical acclaim.

ABOUT THE AFRO LATIN JAZZ ALLIANCE (ALJA)

Founded in 2007, the nonprofit Afro Latin Jazz Alliance is dedicated to preserving the music and heritage of Afro Latin jazz, supporting its performance for new audiences, commissioning new work, and educating young people in the understanding and performance of this important cultural treasure. The Alliance maintains a world-class collection of Latin jazz musical scores and recordings, and provides institutional support for the GRAMMY® Award-winning Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra. As the ALJO celebrates its 11th season, the ALJA’s educational and community outreach programs continue to flourish. For more information on the ALJA, ALJO, and Education Programs, visit: www.afrolatinjazz.org