Alex Torres & His Latin Orchestra profile picture

Alex Torres & His Latin Orchestra

About Me

Formed on October 28th, 1980 in Amsterdam, NY. Led by the Bronx-born bassist Alex Torres, this 13 piece orchestra play over 100 shows per year performing popular Afro-Caribbean rhythms such as Salsa, Merengue, Cha-cha, Bomba, Plena and Latin Jazz.
They have been the recipients of numerous awards including the Albany Schenectady League of Arts Award, The Governor..s Excellence in Arts Award, The NAACP Albany Chapter Award, Metroland Magazine..s Best Of Award for seven consecutive years, New York State Music Achievement Award and the New England Cultural Arts Preservation Award.
Alex Torres & His Latin Orch. have performed for President and Hillary Clinton at the New York State Democratic Convention and also for New York Governor George Pataki..s Inauguration. They have also shared the stage with notables Tito Puente, Eddie Palmieri, Los Hermanos Moreno, Arturo Sandoval, Luis Perico Ortiz, Ray Barretto, Jane Burnette & The Spirits Of Havana, Larry Harlowe, Tito Nieves, Jerry Gónzalez & The Fort Apache Band , King Changó, The Count Basie and Woodie Herman Orchestras.
The band is also registered with the Arts-In-Education Program in New York State. This program consists of band members going to schools to showcase and explain the music, instruments and rhythms associated with their music.
Several of the band..s songs have reached high rankings on some radio stations including Descarga Para Tito Puente which held the number four slot for 2 months on WFDU in New York. Their music is also on rotation on the DMX Channel and Music Choice Channel.
Alex Torres & His Latin Orch. also recorded the music and taped a full length television commercial for The Albany Times Union Newspaper and they wrote and performed the music for the PBS weekly program Just Down The Road.Arts In Education Musical workshop/discussion and performance Multicultural education through music Our Orchestra is composed of members from various ethnic backgrounds who demonstrate their heritage and instruments varying from Africa to the Caribbean and Europe. The students not only get to see and hear the different instruments, but also get a chance to have "hands-on" interaction with them.
Particular instruments include: maracas, guiro, conga, bongo, timbale, claves guira, tambora and cowbell. This interaction enables the children to see and hear these instrument from different countries in their native music, how they are played and how the instrument interacts to create music.
SPECIFIC PROGRAMS DESIGNED FOR: (1) Pre-K through grade 3 (2) Grades 4 through 6 (3) Junior Highschool (4) Highschool (5) Special Education
PROGRAM TYPE: Performance & Workshop
PROGRAM THEME: Multicultural music Afro-Caribbean with European influences Mambo, Cha-cha, Rhumba, Merengue, Salsa, Cumbia, Bomba & Plena
CURRICULUM AREAS: Foreign Language History & Geography Music Folk Arts
Our workshops have been conducted at: Ward Melville H.S. – East Setaucket, Long Island New Lebanon Elementary Middleburg Elementary Middletown JHS Shaker HS SUNY Potsdam SUNY Albany,
Schenectady County Community College North Country Community College Adirondack Community College Russell Sage College College of Saint Rose Hudson Valley Community College Siena College Fulton Montgomery Community College Berkshire Farms Center Sandcreek HS Arongen Elementary Hadley Luzerne Middle School Schylerville HS Barnstable Elementary- Cape Cod Albany School Of Humanities Wildwood School
Guilderland Central High School Mechanicville Middle School Mayfield Elementary Mount Pleasant SUNY Oneonta Christian Brothers Academy Bethlehem HS Troy HS Greenville Elementary Canajoharie HS Hamilton College Taconic JHS Bloomsburg University- Pennsylvannia St. Clemens Regional School Staten Island College Herkimer Valley Community College Galway HS Amsterdam HS Gloversville HS Saquoit HS Utica College ...among others
Thanks for all the hospitality we have received at many venues in: Hartford CT. Cape Cod, Holyoke, Springfield, Pittsfield, MA. Lake Eden, North Carolina Summerset, Kentucky Passaic, Newark, New Jersey Manchester, Bennington, Burlington, Vermont Oklahoma City, Oklahoma MacAllen, Texas Johnstown, Erie, Bloomfield, Pennsylvania Washington D.C. Coamo, Puerto Rico Montreal, Ottawa, Canada Manhattan, Bronx, Syracuse, Albany, Ithaca, Buffalo, Rochester, Long Island, Staten Island NY
Booking info: Contact, Promotional & Technical Info For information regarding bookings, press kits or purchase of any albums:
Call: 518.280.3779
Email: Alex Torres (musical director) [email protected]
Nicholas Lue (assistant director) [email protected]
Write: Alex Torres & His Latin Orchestra
228 Alexander Avenue Scotia NY 12302Or
Energy Productions Studios
132 Latham Ridge Rd Latham, NY 12110

My Interests

Music:

Member Since: 15/06/2006
Band Website: http://www.alextorres.com
Band Members: Alex Torres - Band Leader, Bass, Vocals
Nicholas Lue - Assistant Director, Piano, Vocals
Bobby Falcon - Lead Vocalist
Jimmy Fontañez - Bongo, Tambora, Vocals
Todd Fabozzi - Congas
Roberto Dueño - Timbales
Angel "Sweet Pea" Dueño - Guiro, Guira, Maracas, Vocals
Jon Bronk - Trumpet
Terry Gordon - Trumpet
Fred Young - Trumpet
Brian Patneaude - Soprano, Alto, Tenor & Baritone Saxophones
Ken Olsen - Trombone

Influences: Quotes“….They play like sunlight bursting through rainclouds.” - Michael Hochanadel, Schenectady Gazette
“…I have never seen an act that so accurately reflects a culture..s music and yet targets a mainstream audience, combining education with exciting entertainment.” - Karl S. Brunig, The Chronicle
“….their masterful performance is a testament both to the burgeoning popularity of the music and to the indomitable skills of the band.” – Mike Curtin, The Post-Star
“…when the concert ended and the musicians began to stow their instruments, the audience arose and began a gradual sound that turned into a tidal “more, more !” – John Kochalka, Springfield Recorder
“…the moment I will cherish most was watching people of all cultures and colors dancing, transfixed by the Latin rhythms of Alex Torres & the latin Kings.” – Don Wilcock, BLUESprint
“…but all the problems melted away when Torres and his amazing group took to the stage and began to play.” – Michael Lisi, The Gazette
“…thet deserved, in every conceivable way , the screaming standing ovation they received at the close of their set.” –Paul Rapp, Metroland Magazine
“…this isn..t a band or a record, it..s a mission.” –David Malachowski, Metroland Magazine
“…the perfect balance between rhythm and melody adding some adventure, just slightly dissonant but always a delicious experimentation to the mix just to keep things interesting.” - Greg Haymes, Times Union
“…if you ordered a combo of this sort at the drive-thru, it would have to be GO LARGER !” – Ben Ohmart, “LA”Ritmo
“….during the most rhythmic and popular pieces, watching some of the audience was like watching spectators at a tennis tournament – their heads swivelled back and forth as they tried not to miss any of the action either on the stage or alongside it.” - Elaine Fankonis, Dance Scene
“….their diversities ignite in a mass musical love affair that passes contagiously to the world.” – Kitty Montgomery, Saugerties Daily
CD of The Week This section will be to feature a particular CD that can be a great asset to your party or those times where u need a good perk me up.
Reviews ------------------------------------------------------------ --------------------25 to Life This week we feature: Alex Torres Y Su Orq. "25 To Life". Celebrating 25 years bringing fun to the masses, from Amsterdam NY, this gang of musicians play everything. If you missed them at the Rochester International Jazz Festival this past summer, you missed a great show. The same high energy they bring to their live performances, is displayed in this production. The high-octaned merengue "Baila Merengue", and all the salsa tunes are all great for that special dancing party you've been planning to do. Now, the tunes are not your regular lovey-dovey tunes where they talk about how, when and what to do with love. The titles are reflective of the fun atmosphere the band provides. Check out "La Ropa Esta En El Baul" (The clothes are in the trunk), the double entendre "Lo Tiene Para'o Mi Compay" (Hard to translate but something like "it can't stand up"), the socially-conscious english salsa "King Cash" and the merengue "Viernes Social" (Social Friday). This author's favorite is the rustic-acoustic "Comenzemos el Vacilon" with guests Mundo Nuevo, and then the band's answer on "Con Nuestros Amigos". Kudos to Sammy Negron for his ability to handle merengue and salsa tunes. Also check out the liners where all the members of the band have their smug shot taken. A Party CD bar none! Vaya Alex te la comi'tes y felicidades en tu aniversario de plata!!Recommended!! Find it at Alex Torres website. www.alextorres.comhttp://esencialatina.typepad.comJavier Rivera Host / Anfitrion Esencia Latina Sat / Sab. 6am - 10am Jazz90.1 FM
------------------------------------------------------------ -------------------- 25 to Life The new album by Alex Torres & His Orchestra displays the ultimate leap in respect to it's production. Sixty five minutes in length - apart from the merengue on track 2 that I totally love - here's a well presented, brand new music of salsa of ultimate quality plus a remix of "La Ropa Esta En El Baul" in the style of reggaeton.Very danceable, splendidly arranged and interpreted, their style of New York salsa is carismatically fulling but with the good taste of music.This is truly a great production which is also represente by it's cover and artwork which depicts a spirited orchestra in a courtroom with the police, attorneys, and a judge sentencing them. Cool ! So Cool ! Distributed for now only through www.cdbaby.com hopefully soon by an Italian distributor.- Roberto Rabbi - Bologna, Italy
Sounds Like:
The Slammin' Salmon Trailer - Watch more Movie Trailer
Record Label: WEPA Records

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