Brooklyn 30 Lalayette Avenue Press Department Academy Brooklyn NY 11217 - 1486 Elena Park of Telephone: 718.636.4 I 11 Amy Hughes Music Fax 718.857.2021 718.636.4129 pressr[,Jbam.org News Release BAM and the City Parks Foundation Present Summertime Free Concerts in Brooklyn Parks Starring Nona Hendryx; Mandrill; Ray, Goodman & Brown; Los Jovenes del Barrio; Moreno; and More

Popular outdoor series includes eighteen free performances in five Brooklyn parks, July 11-August 23

Brooklyn, June 14, 2000-This summer 's Free Concerts in Brooklyn Parks, sponsored by Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM) and City Parks Foundation, will feature a fantastic line-up of artists for eighteen evening concerts in five city parks throughout Brooklyn, July 11-August 23. The series features R&B, jazz, blues, funk, reggae, salsa, and charanga rendered by a great roster of bands, such as Chacao, Grupo Caribe, Nona Hendryx, Los Hermanos Moreno, Los Jovenes del Barrio, Mandrill, Mujeres Latinas, Ray, Goodman & Brown, and Speech. A perfect way to enjoy summer evenings outdoors, Free Concerts in Brooklyn Parks take place at Fort Greene, Linden, Lindsay, Sunset Park, and Von King Parks in July and August (complete schedule follows). Patrons are encouraged to arrive with a picnic dinner at 6pm and settle in for the concerts, which start at 7pm. Created to give Brooklyn residents an opportunity to hear world-class music for free in their own neighborhoods, Free Concerts In Brooklyn Parks was founded in 1990 by Forest City Ratner Companies in collaboration with the City Parks Foundation. For concert dates, further information, and park directions , call 212.360.8290 or visit www.cityparksfoundation.org or www.bam.org.

Fort Greene Park (Fort Greene) Von King Park (Bedford Stuyvesant) Tuesdays at 7pm Thursdays at 7pm July 11: Nona Hendryx July 13: Nona Hendryx July 18: Mandrill July 20: Mandrill Jul y 25: Speech July 27: Speech August 1: Ray, Goodman & Brown August 3: Ray, Goodman & Brown

Linden Park (East New York) Lindsay Park (Williamsburg) Wednesdays at 7pm Tuesdays at 7pm July 12: Nona Hendryx August 8: Los Jovenes de! Barri o July 19: Mandrill August 15: Grupo Caribe July 26 : Speech August 22 : Los Hermanos Moreno August 2: Ray , Goodman & Brown Sunset Park (Sunset Park) Wednesdays at 7pm August 9: Chacao August 16: Mujeres Latinas August 23: Los Jovenes de! Barrio

more ... Brooklyn Academy of Music Summer Parks 2

About the artists

Chacao

Chacao is a Latin rock band formed two years ago by two New York high school students , Cesar Bogadi Jr. and Eduardo Avilez . Chacao' s distinctive sound brings together rock, salsa, reggae , and other Latin flavors from the Caribbean and tropics . Taking its name from the native Indian leader of a tribe called Caribes in the city of Caracas , Venezuela , Chacao represents the tribe' s powerful energy and cultural roots. The band, led by Cesar Bogadi Jr. (songwriter, lead vocals, and acoustic guitar), features Ivan Romero (drums) , Joao Sanchez (timbales and vocals), Eduardo Avilez (bass), Leo Castillo (congas), and Inti Maldonado (lead guitars , vocals, arranger, and composer ). Chacao plays frequently in New York City, regularly performing in many of the city's top rock club s, including Club New York, CBGB, The Elbow Row, Club Millennium , La Kueva del Rock, Castle Heights, The Bank, FM Cafe, Club Extasis, Club Speed, Cafe Remy, and others. They have also shared the stage with Latin artists like the late Tito Puente , La India, and King Chango. Two of the band ' s songs, "Regalame Tu Amor" and "Me Amaras" are currently local hits.

Grupo Caribe

Grupo Caribe is an eight-member ensemble dedicated to mambo and salsa dance music. Its wide repertoire of styles includes big band mambos, cha cha cha, son montunos, bomba and plefia, boleros, merengue, and Latin jazz . They perform songs made popular by Tito Puente, Tito Rodriguez, Machito , Johnny Pacheco , Raphael Cortijo, and Los Van Van. Grupo Caribe's members have performed with some of the best acts in the music industry, and their years of musical experience make every performance memorable .

Nona Hendryx

One of the most popular performers at BAM's 1999 Rhythm & Blues Festival at Metro Tech, Nona Hendryx is back in Brooklyn with her hard-rocking show. Nona Hendryx originally found international fame in the 1970s with the Philadelphia "girl group" LaBelle, which had a string of hits including "You'll Never Walk Alone, " "Over The Rainbow ," "Danny Boy," and its signature tune, "Lady Marmalade (Voulez Yous Coucher Avec Mai · Ce Soir?) ." Hendryx left LaBelle in 1976, released a self-titled solo album, and fell in with a hip crowd of musicians as a result of singing backup for Talking Heads and other bands through the 1980s. Her follow-up album, Nona, sparked considerable interest and her solo career flourished . Since then, Nona Hendryx has released another six solo albums, including 1999' s acclaimed compilation, Transformation , and has taken her rightful place as one of the rare female stars of rock and funk.

Los Hermanos Moreno

Los Hermanos Moreno-brothers Willie and Nelson Moreno-have created one of the most popular and exciting acts on the Latin music scene today. Renowned for their charismatic and energetic performances, which often take them from the stage to table tops and around arenas and dance floors with the audience right behind them--Los Hermanos Mereno is at the forefront of the salsa scene. Their first recording , No Me Vuelo A Enamorar received airplay on local radio with the tune "Sopa de Pichon" and brought the artists to the attention of New York clubs and promoters. The band's next album, Para Alegrarte La Vida contained four hits that received simultaneous airplay on New York radio stations and around the country, and was followed by a third album, Los Hermanos Moreno Together, which enjoyed similar succes·s. One of their concert performances was also recorded and released as Live at Madison Square Garden. Los Herrnanos Moreno have performed throughout the Americas and in Europe . They recently appeared at the 15th Annual Salsa Festival at Meadowlands--their first major concert in their home state of New Jersey--to a sell-out audience.

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Los Jovenes del Barrio

Led by percussionist extraordinaire Johnny Almendra, Los Jovenes de! Barrio is a diverse cultural conglomeration of New York City musicians who perform sophisticated Latin dance music. Since its arrival on the New York Latin music scene in the mid-1990s, Los J ovenes del Barrio has been in a class of its own as the top contemporary charanga band, performing Cuban-flavored tunes and traditional tropical swing. A former student of Mongo Santamaria, Almendra was a member of that legendary percussionist's band from 1987~1995. He can be heard on Mongo's recordings Soy Yo. Soca Me Nice, Ole Ola, and Live at Jazz Alley, as well as on such classic Santamaria albums as Brazilian Sunset. Mambo Mongo, and Mongo Returns. Los Jovenes del Barrio released its debut CD Evolucionando in 1996, followed by Reconfirmando and Live. Los Jovenos' most recent recording, "Es Diferente," blends traditional charanga sounds with urban attitude and pays tribute to some of Cuba ' s most talented artists, including Ignacio "Nachito" Herrera, Joaquin Betancourt , and Daile Aviles .

Mandrill

Brooklyn's own Mandrill emerged in the 70s with a burst of energy that was to last more than three decades . Embracing almost every aspect of the musical spectrum, the group 's jungle beats, street music, jazz , soul, gospel, and rhythm and blues have captivated audiences around the world. Influenced by Curtis Mayfield, Gil Scott-Heron, P-Funk, Sly and the Family Stone, Santana, and Earth Wind & Fire , Mandrill ' s grooves are south­ of-the-border, but its tunes are classic funky soul, featuring thick percussion , complex horn ·arrangements, and beautiful vocal harmonies. The band's first album, Mandrill, was released in 1971 and numerous hit singles followed, including "Ape Is High ," "Git It All, " and "Fencewalk." The musicians have influenced performers ranging from Eddie Palmieri to The Fugees . The band is composed of the four Wilson brothers-Ric Wilson, MD; Lou Wilson; Carlos Wilson; and Wilfredo Wilson-who were born in Panama, the melting pot of the Caribbean. The Wilson brothers have a vast array of musical talent among them : Ric, a practicing cardiologist, plays tenor saxophone, percussion , and vocals; Carlos plays trombone, flute, timbales , alto sax, guitar , percussion ·; and "kitchen sink," in addition to singing lead vocals; "Sweet Lou" plays trumpet, congas, percussion , and sings; and Wilfredo "Wolf' maintains the bottom with his thumping bass, percussion , and vocals .

Mujeres Latinas ' / .

Mujeres Latinas was founded by Adela Delso after a request to perform at a "Hispanic Women in Business" conference in Washington DC . The song she composed for that conference-and the band-were a great success and Mujeres Latinas became committed to promoting the empowerment of women and Latin American culture through music. Four lead singers, Adela and Onix from the Dominican Republic, Bettina from Venezuela, and Monica from , front the 15-piece group, which also features a four-woman horn section. Mujeres Latinas' music is hot, incorporating the different rhythms of salsa , merengue , cumbria, and with "rock en EspafioL" Adela Delso said of ¥ujeres Latinas, "Women from all Latin American countries can identify with · our lyrics and rhythms. It's about bringing to the forefront the strength and determination of the Latin American woman . It's about sisterhood and motherhood, about working together and dancing together."

Ray, Goodman & Brown

For the past 19 years, Ray, Goodman & Brown has been performing full-bodied, lyrical arrangements of "black' pop" with finely-meshed singing. Originally members of two separate bands that reigned over New Jersey, Al · Goodman , Billy Brown, and Harry Ray met when both bands were signed to Sugarhill Records . They found fame in the late 1960s and on through the1980s as the popular group The Moments , whose classics like "Look at Me , I'm in Love, " "With You," "Special Lady ," and "We've Got Tonight" were international hits . Apart from a brief hiatus in the mid-eighties, Ray, Goodman & Brown have continued to perform in America , Europe, and the Far East. On the group's most recent album, Take it to the Limit, the band sounds more soulful than ever.

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Lindsay Park By Subway J, M to Lorimer and Broadway . Walk one block north to park . G to Union A venue and ·Johnson A venue , walk one block east to park . By Bus · B43 to Graham A venue and Johnson A venue, walk two blocks west to park. B40 or B46 to Broadway and Lorimer, walk one block north to park. B48, B60 direct to park . .

Sunset Park By Subway B to 9th Avenue and 39th 'Street , walk west to 7th Avenue, then two blocks north to 41st Street to park. By Bus B35 to 39th Street and 7th Avenues , walk two blocks north to park . B63 to 5th A venue ;·park is· right.there. : B78 to 43rd Street and 8th Avenues., walk west one block to park .

Credits

Support for Free Concerts in Brooklyn Parks is provided by City of New York Department of Parks & Recreation , City Parks Foundation, Brooklyn Academy of Music, Forest City Ratner Companies , Con Edison, Bloomberg Radio AM 1130, lndependence Community Foundation, Chase, Time Warner Cable, KeySpan Energy , Zwicker Electric Co. Inc., The New York Times, The Village Voice, and WWRL 1600. ·· ·

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