|
The Orange County Great Park, OCGP, continues their free concert series this weekend. Tonight's "Friday Night Dance Party" is part of their four week "musical tour of Latin America". Saturday night will feature Don Vappie and the Creole Jazz Serenaders who are considered to be "New Orleans’ premier classic jazz orchestra".
The Latin America musical tour features music and artists from Cuba, Colombia, Chile and the United States. Guests are invited to "Come cha-cha-cha to the dynamic Cuban music of Nachito Herrera" tonight, August 7. There will be dance instruction at 7:30 pm and the concert begins at 8:00 pm. Next weekend, August 15, concert goers can "experience mixing infectious Caribbean rhythms featuring the lush romantic melodies of Toto La Momposina, the diva of Colombian music." On August 22nd, Francesca Gagnon "The Voice of Alegria", will sing the beautiful music of Cirque Du Soleil with Chilean folk icons Inti-Illimani. Then, back by popular demand, visitors can "mambo with Johnny Polanco y su Conjunto Amistad our favorite salsero on Friday, September 11th."
"It's exciting to celebrate the diverse cultures of Latin America with these four great events at the Great Park this summer," said Larry Agran, Chair, Orange County Great Park Corporation. "We invite everyone to come enjoy these performances that will bring everybody in Orange County together for truly great Latin music and dance at "Flights and Sounds of Summer" concert series. The Great Park has truly become a destination location and continues to grow larger in size and popularity."
Ignacio "Nachito" Herrera stunned Cuban audiences at the age of twelve, performing Rachmaninoff's Concerto No. 2 with the Havana Symphony Orchestra. According to All About Jazz, "Herrera's inventive arrangements and the expertise of his musicians produce a program that exudes an organic quality from start to finish." An in-demand bandleader, he has mastered a wide variety of danceable Latin music styles. After tutelage by Ruben Gonzalez and other giants of the Buena Vista Social Club, Nachito Herrera toured America with the Afro-Cuban All-Stars and later as music director of Cubanismo.
According to Wikipedia, The Buena Vista Social Club can refer to a social club in pre-Castro Cuba, a Jazz recording of the late 1990's, or a documentary film about a live jazz concert.
Rubén González (May 26, 1919 in Santa Clara, Cuba – December 8, 2003 in Havana, Cuba) was a Cuban pianist and member of the group Buena Vista Social Club and Estrellas de Ar eito. Click here to read the Rubén González biography on Wikipedia.
The Buena Vista Social Club was a members club in Havana, Cuba that held dances and musical activities, becoming a popular location for musicians to meet and play during the 1940s. In the 1990s, nearly 50 years after the club was closed, it inspired a recording made by Cuban musician Juan de Marcos González and American guitarist Rye Cooder. Click here to read the Wikipedia. entry.
Mixing infectious Caribbean rhythms with lush romantic melodies and great vocal style, Toto la Momposina and her 10-piece band are frequent headline attractions at music festivals worldwide but they rarely perform in California. Her Great Park appearance ( August 15th at 8:00 p.m.) is one of only four engagements on the West Coast. The series continues August 22nd at 8:00 pm with Francesca Gagnon "The Voice of Alegria with Inti-Illimani". This is a special event created just for the Orange County Great Park. Francesca Gagnon, the voice of Cirque du Solell's long time hit "Alegria," sings the music of Cirque du Soleil with Chilean folk icons Inti-Illimani. "An inspired pairing: Gagnon's otherworldly vocals float above Inti's earthy, raw sound." In their four decades of music-making, Inti-Illimani has shared stages with Peter Gabriel, Bruce Springsteen, Sting and Wynton Marsalis. Canadian born Francesca Gagnon "has been charmed by the music of many cultures and she in turn charms us with her gorgeous voice."
The Latin America musical tour wraps up with another "Friday Night Dance Party" on September 11th, at 8:00 p.m., free dance instruction will be at 7:30 p.m. Johnny Polanco is one of the most sought-after bandleaders in the U.S. He has gained the distinction for making the type of contagious Latin Music that is truly appreciated by salsa dancers worldwide. So popular at the Great Park last summer that he was invited back immediately, Johnny Polanco is "our favorite salsero", with regular gigs at El Floridita, The Mayan and other iconic Southland venues.
Hangar Cafe will feature a fresh selection of organic food available for purchase inside historic Hangar 244 to enjoy at the Cafe or on the picnic lawn.
The OCGP was created from the former Marine Corps Air Station, El Toro. Located in the geographic center of Orange County, it spans more than 1,300 acres, making it nearly twice the size of New York’s Central Park.
From West Orange County, take the I-405 South, Exit Sand Canyon Ave and turn Left. Turn Right on Marine Way, turn Left on Perimeter Rd and follow the orange signs to the Balloon Parking on the Right.
The OCGP has this note on their web site: "Please note: There is currently no physical address to the Orange County Great Park or Great Park Balloon. Also, due to ongoing construction and development in and around the area, roads and traffic are constantly being re-routed. Reliance on GPS units or online maps for directions are not advised."
The concerts are free, but the parking will set you back $8.00.