NESTOR TORRES | NOT SO QUIET STORM SOUND

Born in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico, Nestor Torres moved to New York City, where he pursued Classical flute studies at Mannes School of Music, Jazz at Berklee College of Music, and Classical and Jazz at New England Conservatory of Music in Boston. During that time he also learned to improvise in the ‘Charanga’ Cuban Dance Music genre, which helped shape and develop Torres’ unique melodic and danceable style. This rhythmic and mellifluous sound evolution remains apart in a class by itself with 4 Latin Grammy nominations, one Grammy nomination and one Latin Grammy Award. In addition to 18 solo recordings, Torres’ unique collaborations with diverse artists such as Gloria Estefan, Kenny Loggins, Dave Mathews, Paquito d’Rivera, Herbie Hancock, Arturo Sandoval, and Tito Puente; as well as performances with the Cleveland, Singapore, and New World Symphony Orchestras among many others, are testament to his remarkable versatility and artistry. 2017 brought two diverse album releases for Torres; the Latin Grammy Nominated – “Jazz Flute Traditions”, a spectacular tribute to his jazz flute mentors and influences, and “del Caribe, soy!”, a collection of classical compositions by Latin American composers, including the great Puerto Rican icon Rafael Hernandez, alongside contemporary works written for Torres by Tania Leon and Miguel del Aguila. This relentless exploration of musical possibilities without boundaries led to a recent concerto commission by Mariano Morales for a world premiere with Torres and The Lynn Philharmonic. In May 2021 Torres recorded his much-awaited second classical album. The album was produced under the direction of the highly recognized and multi-Grammy winning Russian/Polish (Uruguayan-born) classical composer and conductor Jose Serebrier. In January 2022 Torres released his most recent smooth jazz single, “Thank You Willie” with an album to follow in early fall of 2022. In addition to his achievements in the studio and on the stage, Torres is also the recipient of many awards, including two honorary doctorate degrees from Barry University and Carlos Albizu University, for his commitment to youth, education and cultural exchanges.

BAND MEMBERS
Jorge Sosa – Keyboards
Agustin Conti – Electric
Double Bass Rey Monroig – Drums
Edwin Bonilla – Percussion

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Three Wishes

Pannonica inquired what his three wishes would be if they could be granted and Frank Wess responded by telling her the following:

1. 1. “I don’t know. I don’t know. You’d think I was crazy if I told you. Well, I’d like to have a crazy pad with horses and some crazy dogs! And to play good music with a lot of people all of my life. And I’ll leave the third wish to the fairy godmother, because she’s been so nice.”

*Excerpt from Three Wishes: An Intimate Look at Jazz Greats ~ Compiled and Photographed by Pannonica de Koenigswarter

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Daily Dose Of Jazz…

Eric Marienthal was born on December 19, 1957 in Sacramento, California but moved with his family to San Mateo, California when he was two years old. He was taught music while in school and picked up the saxophone in the fourth grade. His father bought him a $400 Selmer saxophone and enrolled him in Corona Del Mar High School. Throughout his education, he learned to play guitar, flute, clarinet and piano.

After graduating from high school he studied saxophone at the Berklee College of Music. By the time he left Berklee, Eric had achieved the highest proficiency rating given by the school. He began his professional career in 1980 with New Orleans trumpeter Al Hirt. Heading west he settled in Los Angeles, California and became a member of the Chick Corea Elektric Band. He recorded six albums with that band and two of them won Grammy Awards.

Marienthal has also written instructional books, including Comprehensive Jazz Studies & Exercises, The Ultimate Jazz Play Along, and The Music of Eric Marienthal. He has made instructional videos, Play Sax From Day One, Modern Sax and Tricks of the Trade. He occupies the lead alto chair of Gordon Goodwin’s Big Phat Band, playing alto saxophone, soprano saxophone, flute, and piccolo.

Grammy Award-nominated alto saxophonist Eric Marienthal continues to perform and record.

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NÉSTOR TORRES

Néstor Torres, a Latin Grammy Award-winning flautist and Grammy nominee, returns to the Arsht Center for a very special Live on the Plaza. The show will feature music from Torres’ five Grammy-nominated albums as well as his latest release and first big-band recording, Dominican Suite, a groundbreaking collaboration with renowned producer and arranger Corey Allen. This will be an exciting, dynamic, soulful and romantic evening of Latin rhythms, rich harmonies and seductive melodies as only Torres can deliver.

Live on the Plaza is a series of outdoor concerts on our Parker and Vann Thomson Plaza for the Arts.

Please note: Tables can be purchased for 1, 2, 3 or 4 guests. Ticket prices are per person. Locations are assigned in the order of purchase in parties of up to four guests based on reservation type.

Doors open at 6 p.m. with light bites and beverage service.
Happy hour pricing available until 7 p.m.
Performance starts at 7:30 p.m.

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Daily Dose Of Jazz…

Pekka Juhani Pöyry was born on December 10, 1939 in Helsinki, Finland and became interested in jazz music at school and began studying the violin and clarinet. However, he was more taken with playing the alto saxophone, having been inspired by Charlie Parker. In addition, he played the flute and soprano saxophone.

After graduating with a Master of Laws in 1966, Pöyry decided to become a professional musician. In the same year he represented YLE, Finland’s national public broadcasting company at EBU’s concert in London, England. By the mid-1960s, he had his own quartet with pianist Eero Ojanen, bassist Teppo Hauta-aho and drummer Reino Laine. Joining the group was Norwegian-Finnish singer Pia Skaar to form a quintet, going on to perform at festivals and gain recognition from the likes of Bill Evans.

Increasingly interested in progressive rock and jazz fusion in the late 1960s and 1970s, with his later groups he attempted an international breakthrough, including the Reading Festival in England in 1973. However, his band Tasavallan Presidentti, broke up in 1974.

By 1975, Pekka was touring northern Europe with the North Jazz Quintet, later joining the orchestra of Heikki Sarmanto, later the UMO Jazz Orchestra, playing in what was then Yugoslavia, as well as,  Poland, Czechoslovakia, Cuba, the Soviet Union, Britain and the United States with other bands.

Saxophonist and flutist Pekka Pöyry, was part of the Pekka Pöyry Quartet and Quintet, being a manic depressive committed suicide and transitioned in Helsinki on August 4, 1980. The Pekka Pöyry Award is named in his honor and given to young, talented saxophonists in Finland since the early-1980s.

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