Groove to the Latin Beat at the Tito Puente Latin Music Series July 8, 2010

It's hard to cha-cha or salsa under summer temps without a refreshing breeze and plenty of room to dance. The Tito Puente Latin Music Series takes place in July and August at outdoor locations across Boston, cool backdrops for sultry experiences. The six-concert series is an infectious soundscape of timba, mambo, bolero, Cuban, and Afrorican jazz mixed with funk, soul, and groove music. Performers include Berklee faculty, students, and alumni, along with world-renowned artists from Puerto Rico, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, Cuba, Argentina, Israel, and Brazil.

The Tito Puente Latin Music Series kicks off with the La Timbistica at Mozart Park in Jamaica Plain. La Timbistica is a contemporary Latin band with some of the best young Berklee student and alumni musicians on the East Coast. It was named 2008 Jazz Group of the Year in the collegiate category by Down Beat magazine. Members have performed or recorded with such prominent Latin figures as Paquito D'Rivera, Victor Manuelle, and Kevin Ceballo. The band's repertoire ranges from Afro-Cuban and Brazilian classics to modern salsa, timba, and original compositions. La Timbistica is a mainstay in the Boston music scene with regular gigs at the Havana Club, Mojito's Lounge, and Wally's Jazz Café. The band recently appeared at the Duke Ellington and Monterey jazz festivals.

Official Website: http://www.berklee.edu/events/summer