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Grammy Award Nominees Bring a New Twist to “Bomba y Plena” to Teatro Esperanza

#EsperanzaNews, Featured, Press Releases

“A mad weave of polyrhythms that simply sizzle.” – The Boston Herald

 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE. Philadelphia, PA – October 28, 2019

Plena Libre
Plena and Bomba from Puerto Rico
Friday, November 1, 2019, 7:30pm
Teatro Esperanza
4261 North 5th Street, Philadelphia PA 19140
Free parking available in the Bristol Street lot.

Plena and Bomba are distinctive musical styles of Puerto Rico, and the virtuoso musicians of Plena Libre are contemporary masters of these styles. These four-time Grammy Award nominees combine a hard-hitting horn section, master hand drummers, and lush three-part vocal harmonies into a modern blend. Plena Libre mix traditional Puerto Rican rhythms with modern Afro-Caribbean influences and folkloric musical roots with contemporary compositions.

Plena Libre have toured the world, from Morocco to California and everywhere in between, recording with some of the biggest names in Latin music like Eddie Palmieri, Papo Lucca, and Nestor Torres. Over the course of a 24-year, 15-album career, bandleader Gary Núñez and his orchestra have revived the once-dormant plena sound for a new generation, electrifying audiences with a dazzling spectacle of horns, drums, and dance.

More information about Plena Libre available at http://plenalibre.com/videos/

Conversation and Audience Q&A immediately following the performance
Tickets: $15 Adults
Free admission for students 18 and under.
Tickets & Season Information are available at: TeatroEsperanza.us

Teatro Esperanza is Esperanza’s venue for Latin Arts and Culture in the heart of Hunting Park, North Philadelphia. All performances at Teatro Esperanza are located inside Esperanza’s main building at 4261 North 5th Street, Philadelphia PA 19140. Free parking available in the Bristol Street lot.

For more information or press passes please contact Joy Huertas at (215) 324-0746 ext. 480 or jhuertas@esperanza.us .

Download official press release here: PLENA LIBRE_PR
Download bilingual flyer: FLYER_PLENA

ABOUT PLENA LIBRE

Captivating and moving audiences over the course of a 24-year, 14-album career, this fine-tuned Puerto Rican-based ensemble of virtuoso musicians has only gotten better with age, as evidenced by their four recent Grammy nominations and world-wide touring schedule.

Led by founder and bassist Gary Núñez, Plena Libre is recognized for taking the once dormant, Puerto Rican plena style of music and reclaiming it for a new generation of listeners to enjoy. The group became instantly popular in Puerto Rico, with National Geographic crediting Plena Libre among other Puerto Rican acts in “spearheading the Latin invasion of American popular music.” Plena Libre features three vocalists singing in captivating three and four-part harmonies which complement the group’s danceable, Afro-Rican compositions. The group’s use of call-and-response, percussion and polyrhythms keeps each show feeling groovy and fresh.

With an aggressive, tight, yet sensitive style, which balances the traditional with the contemporary, the global and the local, Plena Libre creates a brand of music and live performance that is both profoundly Puerto Rican and universally appealing. Filtering the sounds of various Afro-Caribbean forms like merengue and cumbia, and Afro-Cuban like mambo and salsa, through a unique set of artistic sensibilities, this versatile collection of expert performers create a celebratory spectacle and engaging sonic ecstasy. Thrilling audiences around the world, from the Fez Festival (in Morocco) to the Playboy Jazz Festival, Plena Libre is a train that just keeps picking up steam as it charges ahead in unexpected and exciting directions.


About Esperanza. Esperanza is a national community-based social benefit organization founded in 1986 by Rev. Luis Cortés and the Hispanic Clergy of Philadelphia & Vicinity with the biblical mandate to serve and advocate for “the least of these” (Matthew 25:40). Beginning with a local initiative, with programs targeted to address the unmet needs of North Philadelphia’s Hispanic community, Rev. Cortés is now sought by national and international leaders alike on issues of economic and workforce development, housing, immigration, and education. Under his leadership, Esperanza has grown from a small operation to a $50 million organization with more than 500 employees. Follow us on social media @esperanza_us on Twitter and Instagram, EsperanzaUSA on Facebook and Esperanza US on YouTube.

 About Esperanza Arts Center.

Guided by Esperanza’s core values of faith, integrity, and excellence, Esperanza Arts Center is the center for Latino performing arts in the Philadelphia region, spotlighting the rich spectrum of traditions from Central and South America and the Caribbean, as well as other cultures from around the world, creating positive transformational experiences for students, families, and attendees of all ages through the arts. For more information visit www.esperanzaartscenter.us

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