Imagine a hot salsa band from the 1960s reuniting after a 30-year hiatus to discover an even greater, more global, fan base. A product of New York City and the excitement and turbulence of the sixties, the New Swing Sextet made its professional debut performing in the Singer Bowl at the last New York World’s Fair in 1965. The band has been a popular and innovative exponent of Latin jazz, salsa and pop music for over four decades. With a long history of making music on the streets of Latin New York through harmonized vocals, piano, vibes, bass and Latin percussion, NSS recorded the last of 4 albums, all under the Cotique label, in 1970 and broke up in the late seventies.
Today, the New Swing Sextet returns under the Emusica/Fania family of labels with “Back on the Streets…a taste of Spanish Harlem Vol 2†which has just been nominated for a Grammy Award by the Recording Academy. The band offers the classic Latin New York sound of another era, perfectly preserved and bottled for today’s global salsa enthusiasts. The New Swing Sextet features George Rodriguez on vibes and vocals; Angel Justiniano on vocals and conga drums; his younger brother Harry Justiniano on bass and vocals; Tomas Martin Lopez on bongos, timbales, misc. percussion and vocals; Hector Ortiz on timbales and bongos; Joe Mannozzi on piano and the singing of Jose “Cheo†Medina on lead vocals.
You can also get a free salsa lesson from Zulma Rodriguez. Zulma is a professional dancer who has competed, performed and continues to teach dance. Her background includes Jazz, Ballroom, Hustle, and Salsa On1 and On2. Join Zulma at 6:00pm for a Salsa lesson that will teach basic steps, patterns and combinations, as well as how to connect beginner and intermediate Salsa On2 dance moves into a fun simple combination.
Musicians:
George Rodriguez on vibes and vocals;
Angel Justiniano on vocals and conga drums;
Harry Justiniano on bass and vocals;
Tomas Martin Lopez on bongos, timbales, misc. percussion and vocals;
Hector Ortiz on timbales and bongos;
Joe Mannozzi on piano and the singing of
Jose “Cheo†Medina on lead vocals.
“Our Latin Thing” Image Gallery
All images and Video taken by: Ernesto “Tic” Morales
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