Created in honor of Latin music icon Tito Puente, this series celebrates 15 years of bringing live Latin music with a strong salsa influence to Boston parks. The series is sponsored in part by:

• Berklee College of Music, and
• Inquilinos Boricuas en Accion.

Free salsa lessons are led by MetaMovements.

Edwin Pabon has been a mainstay in Latin music in the Boston and New England areas for many years. Born to a family of Puerto Rican musicians, he began his musical career in the mid-seventies as a percussionist with El Sextets Pabon, a family band. El Sextets Pabon was one of the first bands in Boston to feature Latin music. In many ways, Edwin and his brothers Roberto and Israel and sister Janet were the pioneers of promoting Latin music in the New England area.

Edwin began his solo career in 1990 when he formed his own orchestra. He assumed all of the responsibilities for the orchestra, i.e., booking, promoting, and acting as the musical director. Throughout his career he has performed with some of the best artists in Latin music, including: Tito Puente, Carlos Santana, Celia Cruz, Ruben Blades, Tito Nieves, Eddie Palmieri, Lalo Rodriguez, Mongo Santa Maria, Ismael Rivera, Giovanni Hidalgo, Tito Gomez, and Ray Barreto. Edwin is the lead singer of his band, Edwin Pabon and Orchestra, and also plays several instruments; mainly percussion instruments such as the timbales, bongos, and congas. Edwin is also preparing to release his third CD "Rumbero de Corazon" that features "salsa romantica de hoy y de ayer" (hot salsa - romantic salsa) with Afro-Cuban rhythms. He is a passionate performer whose commitment to spreading the vivacity of Latin music and dance continues to inspire him.

Created in honor of Latin music icon Tito Puente, this series celebrates 15 years of bringing live Latin music with a strong salsa influence to Boston parks. The series is sponsored in part by:

• Berklee College of Music, and
• Inquilinos Boricuas en Accion).

Free salsa lessons are led by MetaMovements.

Puerto Rican saxophonist, composer, arranger, and flow artist Jonathan Suazo received his bachelor’s degree in jazz and Caribbean music at the Conservatorio de Música de Puerto Rico, and his Masters Degree in Contemporary Performance at Berklee College of Music (Global Jazz Institute). He's received the Berklee Urban Service Award for using the arts to support humanitarianism during the Hurricane Maria crisis in Puerto Rico. He's a 2023 Winter South Arts Jazz Road Artist and has been taught by renowned musicians: David Sanchez, Terri Lyne Carrington, Marco Pignataro, John Patitucci, Danilo Pérez, George Garzone, and Joe Lovano.

Jonathan has also performed in venues such as Dizzy's Club Coca Cola NY, Martinique Jazz Fest, DR Jazz Festival, Puerto Rico Heineken Jazz Fest, SF JAZZ, Elephant Room Austin TX, SXSW 2023, Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, The MFA Boston, The BPC,  and many more. He's collaborated with artists such as: Paoli Mejías, ILe, Miguel Zenón, Emil "El Hijo de Borikén" Martínez, David Sánchez, Kevin Harris, Rakalam Bob Moses, Giovanni Hidalgo, Christian Nieves, Ricky Rodriguez, Tito Matos, Ricardo Pons, Calma Carmona, William Cepeda, Jon Secada, Pedro Capó, Obie Bermudez, Hans Glawischnig, Humberto Ramirez, Silverio Perez, Tony Escapa, Charlie Sepúlveda, and many others.

Jonathan is part of the stellar artist roster at Ropeadope Records with whom he’ll be releasing his new Ricano album in August 2023. This is also a year that will bring many educational visits and pre album release performances led by Suazo throughout Puerto Rico, the eastern U.S., and the Dominican Republic. See full schedule. Suazo has independently released three previous albums: “Extracts of a Desire” 2013, “Vital” 2014 and “Memorias Vivas” 2022. His current project, RICANO, highlights traditional rhythms from his Puerto Rican/Dominican roots and ancestry within a cross-cultural fusion container of his many musical influences. He’s also co-leader of the free improv/experimental group, the No Base Trio, which has two albums out with Italian label setola di maiale.

Created in honor of Latin music icon Tito Puente, this series celebrates 15 years of bringing live Latin music with a strong salsa influence to Boston parks. The series is sponsored in part by:

• Berklee College of Music, and
• Inquilinos Boricuas en Accion).

Free salsa lessons are led by MetaMovements.

Clave & Blues is a young Cuban music and Latin jazz band that has performed at several concert halls and festivals in the Boston area since 2016, including Lawrence Jazz Festival, Boston POPS, and many others. The mix between Afro-Cuban rhythms, blues, R&B, and world music creates a contemporary sound that gives this band its place in the New England music scene. The band includes professional international musicians under the direction of Cuban pianist and Berklee graduate Anibal Cruz. Their first single, "La Raza" (2020), shares a call for peace, diversity, celebration, and inclusion — a tribute to traditional Cuban music and its culture.

"Our goal is to create music that engages people of all ages and cultural backgrounds. We aim to grow an audience that loves Cuban music and its culture."

Created in honor of Latin music icon Tito Puente, this series celebrates 15 years of bringing live Latin music with a strong salsa influence to Boston parks. The series is sponsored in part by:

• Berklee College of Music, and
• Inquilinos Boricuas en Accion).

Free salsa lessons are led by MetaMovements.

The Timba Messengers show is a dynamic performance that showcases the musical talents of our band members in two distinct parts. The first part features slow to mid-tempo Latin jazz, allowing each member to showcase their individuality and musical prowess. This section typically lasts for 20 to 25 minutes, setting the stage for the rest of the show.

The second part of the show begins with a bolero, a traditional form of Afro-Caribbean music that sets a mid-tempo pace. From there, they seamlessly transition to an up-tempo salsa, ramping up the intensity with each passing song. Throughout their performance, they strive to depict women in a leading role, avoiding themes that are self-destructive or misogynistic. Their goal is to provide a fresh perspective on the otherwise widely male-dominated salsa genre. As a band, they aim to engage the audience by incorporating choreography and encouraging them to sing along with the band. Their performance is not just a display of our musical talents, but an interactive experience that invites the audience to become part of the show. Overall, the Timba Messengers' show is a lively and inclusive celebration of Afro-Caribbean music and culture.

Created in honor of Latin music icon Tito Puente, this series celebrates 15 years of bringing live Latin music with a strong salsa influence to Boston parks. The series is sponsored in part by:

• Berklee College of Music, and
• Inquilinos Boricuas en Accion).

Free salsa lessons are led by MetaMovements.

Created in honor of Latin music icon Tito Puente, this series celebrates 15 years of bringing live Latin music with a strong salsa influence to Boston parks.  The series is sponsored in part by:

• Berklee College Music
• Inquilinos Boricuas en Accion

Free salsa lessons are led by MetaMovements

Angel Rodriguez (aka Miguel Ángel) was born in the Dominican Republic and grew up in Puerto Rico, Miami, and Boston.

At 17, he started playing percussion and at 20, he started singing. In 1983 he performed with the La Gran Manzana Orchestra in New York and later with the famous salsa singer José Alberto El Canario. Later, he moved to Boston where he formed his first band— Miguel Ángel y la Orquesta de él la Selección, in 1986. In 1990 he traveled with his band to different states, including New York, Connecticut, Florida, and California. He has also accompanied Oscar de León, Andy Montañez, Conjunto Classico, and Franklin Ruiz.

In recent years, he had the great opportunity to play with the well-known trumpeter Carlos de Leon. Currently, his band, La Selección, plays several times a month at La Fabrica Central in Cambridge and many other establishments in New England.