Inside Latin Jazz

Oscar Hernández

 

Febraury 16, 2010 Conversation & Music

7:30 p.m.

 

Tickets: $5.00

Tickets are only available from the box office.

Please call the box office at (562) 907-4203.

 

Inside Latin Jazz, continues offering fascinating and penetrating onstage interviews and music. Moderated by flute soloist and Professor at Whittier College, Danilo Lozano, this is sure to be on everyone’s list to attend. Presented by Whittier College Music Department and Emerson Bran Management, expect an amazing lineup of Latin Jazz musicians with the Inside Latin Jazz series in future.

 

 

Oscar Hernández has long been considered one of the most gifted and prominent pianist/ arrangers on the contemporary Latin, Latin-Jazz and Salsa music scene. Since its inception in the early 1980's, Oscar has been responsible for charting the musical course of the Rubén Blades Band. Increasingly in demand as a pianist, arranger and producer, the Bronx native has produced such artists as Ruben Blades/Willie Colón "Carabali", Daniel Ponce, Rafael De Jesus, Eddie Torres, Phil Hernandez, Steve Kroon, and many others. He has made a more personal statement with the CD's "Decision" and "Alternate Roots" by his band Seis Del Solar which is the Rubén Blades Band sans Rubén, and now with his Grammy Award nominated band: The Spanish Harlem Orchestra.
In addition to being Rubén Blades pianist, arranger and musical director, Oscar Hernández has enjoyed a prolific musical career recording and performing with such world renowned artists as Latin music king Tito Puente, Queen of Salsa Music Celia Cruz, Latin Pop Star Julio Iglesias, Juan Luis Guerra, Ray Barreto, Earl Klugh, Dave Valentin, Johnny Pacheco, Ismael Miranda, Pete "Conde" Rodríquez, Oscar D’Leon, Luis "Perico" Ortiz, Manny Oquendo y Libre, Grupo Folkorico Experimental Nuyorquino, Willie Colón, Kirsty MacColl and others. Recently, Oscar's musical exploits include working as Musical Director/Conductor, arranging and producing the music for “The Capeman,” pop-rock icon Paul Simon’s Broadway musical. He is currently working on the Broadway bound version of “Mambo Kings”

Oscar's work as a studio session player can also be heard on numerous commercial jingles, some of which he has written and arranged. Among those are The hit show “Sex and the City,” Dunkin Donuts, Waldbaums, General Motors, Cover Girl, 1800 OK Cable and many others.

 

Currently, Oscar Hernandez is the leader of the world renowned Spanish Harlem Orchestra. With three CD’s to date, Oscar and SHO as they are commonly known, were nominated for a Grammy on their first CD "Un Gran Dia En El Barrio", won the Grammy for their second CD release, ”Across 110th Street” and nominated for their third CD "United We Swing." Since the band’s inception in 2001, SHO has garnered numerous awards and world acclaim as one of the finest exponents of Salsa and Latin/Jazz music. Spanish Harlem Orchestra is generally considered one of the best Salsa orchestra today and one of the finest music ensembles in the world.