Arturo O'Farrill Joins the Universal Music Group's Blue Note Label, Plans to Launch New Musical Project and Shares Insights on His Future Projects
New Cultural Center to Celebrate Afro-Latin Music and Arts in East Harlem
A new cultural center, the Afro-Latin Music and Arts Center (ALMA), is set to be built in East Harlem, New York City. The project, spearheaded by the Afro Latin Jazz Alliance (ALJA), aims to celebrate and promote Afro-Latin music and arts, particularly highlighting the contributions and heritage of Afro-Latinx communities.
The ALMA center, spanning 16,000 square feet, will be a vibrant space for artistic expression through music, visual arts, and community events. It will also build nearly 600 new affordable homes in the area, further enriching the community.
The Afro Latin Jazz Alliance plays a significant role in the ALMA project. As a key organizer and advocate, ALJA is dedicated to preserving, promoting, and advancing Afro Latin Jazz and related art forms. By spearheading initiatives like the ALMA project, ALJA fosters an ecosystem that supports Afro-Latin artists and musicians, ensuring their culture and music receive greater visibility and appreciation.
Arturo O'Farrill, a five-time GRAMMY Award-winning artist and the Founder and Artistic Director of ALJA, is looking forward to the project's completion. He is particularly excited about returning to in-person instruction and the camaraderie, collegiality, and acoustics of a campus environment.
The ALMA center will host professional music performances and offer free or affordable music education to people of all ages. O'Farrill is also working on an opera called Lucero.
In addition to his work with ALMA, O'Farrill is a global jazz studies professor at UCLA and the associate dean for equity, diversity, and inclusion at The UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music. His upcoming album, "Four Questions," is being released by Blue Note Records, and he will perform it with his Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra on October 30, 2021, at The Kennedy Center in Washington D.C., in a collaboration with Dr. Cornel West.
For more information about the ALMA Center, visit their website. To learn more about O'Farrill's upcoming performances, click here. The Anti-Racism Action Committee will also be issuing a public report and recommendations, working closely with the Dean's Office to implement the recommendations, holding regular forums and monthly events, and ramping up the Still Waiting Speaker Series.
The ALMA center is a testament to the ongoing commitment to community-based music and arts projects that aim to uplift Afro-Latinx voices and cultural expressions in Harlem and beyond. It promises to be a beacon of artistic innovation and cultural celebration in East Harlem.
The Afro Latin Jazz Alliance leads educational programs at the ALMA center, fostering music education and self-development for people of all ages. As the ALMA center will also host live music performances, it serves not only as a venue for entertainment but also as a platform for Afro-Latin music and arts.
