Spanish Harlem Orchestra

Spanish Harlem Orchestra in performance.
Image: ataelw. CC BY 2.0. Source.

Summary

Spanish Harlem Orchestra is a New York salsa and Latin jazz orchestra led by pianist, arranger and musical director Oscar Hernández. Its identity centers on ensemble arrangement and the continuing possibilities of classic salsa orchestration.

History

The orchestra emerged from the collaboration of Hernández and producer Aaron Levinson around the turn of the twenty-first century. Their project revisited the classic New York salsa sound and its earlier big-band connections, making that repertoire available through a new performing and recording ensemble.

Music and repertoire

Its influences include the large-ensemble traditions associated with Tito Puente and Tito Rodríguez, as well as the salsa of the Fania era. Rather than treating preservation as a fixed historical sound, Hernández uses new arrangements and recordings to sustain the dance orchestra as an active form. Across 110th Street, Viva la Tradición and Anniversary are representative recordings. The Latin Jazz Project foregrounds the orchestra's connections with jazz improvisers.

Selected recordings in MuGlobe:

• Así Se Vive — Congahead studio performance — Salsa.

Members and collaborators

Hernández supplies piano and musical direction within a larger orchestra of singers, brass and rhythm players. Guests on recorded projects include Chick Corea and Joe Lovano; The Latin Jazz Project also includes Miguel Zenón and other jazz musicians. Personnel and guest credits belong to the individual recording, not every appearance of the band.