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Promotional Partner
In 1972, CHUCHO VALDÉS released Jazz Batá, a forward-thinking convergence of modern jazz and folkloric rhythms that prefigured much of the Afro-Cuban jazz of today. Last year’s Jazz Batá 2 is a brilliant sequel that, almost a half-century later, “burnishes his stature as a towering Afro-Cuban pianist of our time.” (WBGO)
Valdés was born into music; his father, the great pianist and composer Ramón “Bebo” Valdés, led the fabled Sabor de Cuba, considered one of the great orchestras in modern Cuban music history, with which Chucho debuted as a teenager. In 1973 he founded the iconic ensemble Irakere, and remained as bandleader and primary arranger until 2005—a tenure that sits at the center of his legacy. A protean performer whether solo or leading small or large ensembles, Valdés has won six GRAMMY and three Latin GRAMMY Awards, and is among the most influential figures in modern Afro-Cuban jazz.
With his electrifying quartet, the Cuban percussionist DAFNIS PRIETO makes music that is “dynamic to the extreme … a slippery amalgam of complex polyrhythm and incantatory melody.” (The New York Times) A MacArthur Fellowship, GRAMMY Award, and multiple Latin GRAMMY nominations are among his many honors. A stalwart on the NYC jazz scene since arriving in 1999, Prieto has worked with Henry Threadgill, Steve Coleman, Eddie Palmieri, Chico and Arturo O’Farrill, Dave Samuels and The Caribbean Jazz Project, Jane Bunnett, D.D. Jackson, Edward Simon, Michel Camilo, Chucho Valdés, Bebo Valdés, Roy Hargrove, Don Byron, and Andrew Hill, among others.
- All Seats In - Click here to see the various seat set-ups at the Bandshell.
- Lawn open for blankets/lawn chairs
Information for the Friends of the BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! Festival
- Friends Member Seating: Front seats open to Seat-Pass and Tent-Pass members
- Friends Tent: Open to Tent-Pass members
- Sponsor Tent: Closed for a Private Event
Venue Information:
The BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! Festival is one of New York City's longest running, free, outdoor performing arts festivals and is held every summer at the Prospect Park Bandshell. View seating arrangements here.
All Performances Rain or Shine. In the event of dangerous weather we will be communicating updates on our website, Facebook, and Twitter.
To learn more about our COVID-Safety precautions, visit our FAQ page.