Arturo O'Farrill
and the
Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra

Reeds:
Jasper Dutz, Sun Yoo, Ivan Renta, Berta Moreno, Larry Bustamante 

Trumpets:
Seneca Black, Jim Seeley, Allison Philips, Rachel Therrien 

Trombones:
Jasim Perales, Rafi Malkiel, Juanga Lakunza, Earl McIntyre 

Rhythm:
Arturo O'Farrill (piano), Raul Reyes (bass), Vince Cherico (drums), Keisel Jiménez (congas), Carlos Maldonado (percussion) 

Special Guests:
David Bixler (alto saxophone), Heather Bixler (violin)

PRODUCTION CREDITS

Stage Manager: Grace Schultz 

Front of House Engineer: Joemca 

Monitor Engineer: Santiago Leon 

Lighting Designer: Manuel Da Silva 

Scenic Crew: Jarod Bakum, Bryant Blackburn, Kiel Fuller, Michael Harbeck, Raymond Huth

Lighting Crew: Michael Harbeck, Emily LaRochelle, Peter Lopez, Sarazina Stein

Sound Crew: Bryant Blackburn, Santiago Leon

A Note from Arturo

When people think Arturo O'Farrill they don't immediately connect Ireland. Au contraire, Afro-Celtic music is not only possible but it literally runs in my veins. Celebrating this incredibly important part of my heritage and my music-making is central to my identity. Visiting Ireland last year and seeing traditional Irish music live was transformative and this concert will be an expression of what I witnessed and more. Thank you Irish Arts Center for once again transforming day-to-day lives by connecting cultures and seeing the magic of Ireland in all of our lives. 

—Arturo O'Farrill

Who's Who

Arturo O'Farrill

Mexican-American pianist, composer, and bandleader Arturo O'Farrill stands as a towering figure in contemporary music, renowned for his genre-defying virtuosity, leadership, and unwavering commitment to social justice through music. O'Farrill is a celebrated composer whose work has been performed by Dr. Cornel West, pianist Lara Downes, the San Francisco Ballet, and more. Hailed by DownBeat as "one of our greatest living pianists," O’Farrill bridges the gap between traditional Latin rhythms, modern jazz, and contemporary composition, continually pushing the boundaries of the art form while maintaining a profound connection to his roots. Beyond performing worldwide, O'Farrill is a passionate educator and advocate for social justice, using his platform to champion diversity and unity. As founder and director of both the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra (ALJO) and Belongó (formerly known as the Afro Latin Jazz Alliance), O'Farrill plays a pivotal role in nurturing cultural dialogue through the transformative power of music.

The Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra

Led by Arturo O’Farrill for nearly two decades, the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra (ALJO) has shared a unique combination of big-band jazz and Latin music through the talent and virtuosity of its 18 solo musicians. As a smaller version of the orchestra, the Afro Latin Jazz ensemble is a prodigious octet, also led by O’Farrill as musical director. The Ensemble’s repertoire includes material performed by the orchestra, as well as pieces composed for a smaller format. 

The GRAMMY Award-winning Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra has enamored international audiences with its creative performances of music by Latin jazz legends, such as Tito Puente, Frank "Machito" Grillo, and Chico O’Farrill, as well as new pieces from some of the most accomplished composers and arrangers in Latin music. 

With programs that showcase its versatility, the orchestra has pushed the boundaries of the genre with daring interpretations, performing and commissioning innovative compositions and big-band arrangements by some of the most respected writers across genres and throughout the world. Over the years, the orchestra has brought its incomparable sound to stages such as Lincoln Center, the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Boston Symphony Hall, the San Diego Symphony, Newport Jazz Festival, Litchfield Jazz Festival (Kent, CT), Festival Internacional Cervantino (Guanajuato, Mexico), El Palacio de Bellas Artes (Mexico City, Mexico), Megaron Concert Hall (Athens, Greece), North Sea Jazz Festival (Rotterdam, Netherlands), Ljubljana Festival (Ljubljana, Slovenia), and Taichung Jazz Festival (Taichung, Taiwan).

Heather Bixler

Heather Martin Bixler is a classical violinist and educator whose playing has been described as "emotionally riveting" and "astonishingly musical and sweet." She is a graduate of Indiana University, the Juilliard School, and the University of Memphis where she received a doctorate degree in violin performance. As a recording artist, Bixler was a featured soloist on the GRAMMY nominated recording, Forty Acres and a Burro. Bixler held first violin positions in the Orquestra Ciutat de Barcelona and Orquesta Sinfonica de Galícia, and concertmaster positions with South Dakota Symphony, Orquesta Sinfonica de la Minería, and Garden State Philharmonic. She worked as substitute violinist with orchestras including the New York Philharmonic and the New York City Ballet. Pursuing her interest in studying the effect that music has on the brain, Bixler completed a bachelor of arts degree in neuroscience at Columbia University in 2021 where she was awarded the Dean Peter J. Awn scholarship, the Joey O'Loughlin Academic Scholarship, and upon graduation, the Jennifer A. Pack Prize for excellence in the study of neuroscience and behavior as the best student overall in the School of General Studies. After graduation she worked as a research assistant in a neuroscience lab at Columbia University Irving Medical Center, recently completing a two-year, ground-breaking study on neurodegenerative diseases. Currently, she lives in New York, performing and teaching violin.

David Bixler

Saxophonist, composer, and educator David Bixler has recently embarked on an artistic reemergence with the release of new recordings: In the Face of Chaos (2019) and BEATitude (2024) with Bixler, Boccato, Cowherd, and Sturm; Blended Lineage (2020) with the Bixtet; and Inside the Grief (2020) with trio incognito. The Langston Hughes Project Vol. 1 (2024), which PARIS-MOVE describes as "a touch of genius," is a new recording featuring music inspired by the poetry of Langston Hughes. 

Bixler is the host of Liner Notes with David Bixler, a podcast centered on conversations with jazz musicians. He also serves as director of jazz studies at Bowling Green State University in Bowling Green, Ohio. As both a Selmer and Vandoren artist he is active as a clinician and performer throughout the world. Bixler and his family reside in New York City.

Belongó

The non-profit Belongó (formerly the Afro Latin Jazz Alliance) was established by Arturo O'Farrill in 2007 to promote Afro Latin jazz through a comprehensive array of performance and education programs. Belongó's mission is to perform, educate about, and preserve the music of all of the Americas, emanating from African and indigenous roots, through the entry point of jazz. Belongó embraces its mission with a commitment to social justice, equity, inclusion, and the equality of all cultures worldwide. Belongó produces the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra's annual performance season in New York and maintains a weekly engagement for the orchestra at the famed jazz club Birdland. Belongó also maintains a world-class collection of Latin jazz musical scores and recordings. Belongó's education programs include the Belongó Music Academy, an in-school residency program serving public schools citywide with instrumental and ensemble instruction; the pre-professional youth orchestra; the Fat Cats, which prepares the next generation of musicians; and the Global Rhythms in Our Tribe (G.R.I.O.T.), a community music program that engages underserved youth in anti-violence activities. Belongó maintains administrative offices in East Harlem at El Barrio ArtSpace PS109.

About Irish Arts Center

Founded in 1972 and based in Hell’s Kitchen, New York City, Irish Arts Center is a home for artists and audiences of all backgrounds who share a passion or appreciation for the evolving arts and culture of contemporary Ireland and Irish America. We present, develop, and celebrate work from established and emerging artists and cultural practitioners, providing audiences with emotionally and intellectually engaging experiences in an environment of Irish hospitality. Steeped in grassroots traditions, we also provide community education programs and access to the arts for people of all ages and ethnic, racial, and socioeconomic backgrounds. In a historic partnership of the people of Ireland and New York, Irish Arts Center recently completed construction on a fully-funded $60MM state-of-the-art new facility to support this mission for the 21st century.

Irish Arts Center Staff

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Gerrard Boyle 
Andrew Breslin
Aidan Connolly
Kristine Covillo
John S. Daly
Robert M. Devlin
Celestine Donaghy
John Duffy
Russell Gioiella
Loretta Brennan Glucksman
Shaun Kelly 
John Martin
Robert J. McCann
Shane Naughton
Sharon Patrick
James E. Quinn
Pauline Turley

STAFF 

Elise Bargman (Ticketing and Marketing Data Manager)
Zohra Coday (Programming and Education Associate)
Aidan Connolly (Executive Director)
Manuel Da Silva (Production Manager and Lighting Supervisor)
Shannon Ducey (Administrative Manager)
Fiona Farrell (Communications and Marketing Associate)
Vivian Fong (Director of Communications and Marketing)
Rachael W. Gilkey (Director of Programming and Education)
Laney Granito (Special Events Coordinator)
Jon Harper (Chief Operating Officer)
Anah Klate (Audience Services Manager)
Gabe Lozada (Associate Director of Development for Major Gifts)
Andy O'Reilly (Artist Services Manager)
Barry Ó Séanáin (Director of Development)
Ciara O'Shea (Communications and Marketing Associate)
Emma Reifschneider (Executive Assistant)
Jessie Reilly (Director of Education, Family and Community Programming)
Thomas Short (Stage Supervisor)
Mac Smith (Director of Production)
Pauline Turley (Vice Chair)
Dennis Walls (Director of Facility Operations)
Kestrel Wolgemuth (Associate Director of Programming)

Tehmina Anjum (Senior Accountant, NCheng)
Desaann Legzim (Senior Accountant, NCheng)
Wenbin Nie (Supervising Senior, NCheng)
Vera Wong (Senior Accountant, NCheng)

Pat Morin (Graphic Designer)
Taylor Panetti (Graphic Designer)

Blake Zidell (Public Relations Consultant, Blake Zidell & Associates) 

Caelinn Ní Bhroin  (Development Intern)
Maya Ryan (Communications and Marketing Intern)
Sarah Shanahan (Development Intern)
Matt Storti (Programming Intern)