THE LEBRON BROTHERS and LUIS “PERICO” ORTIZ January 23, 2010

Lehman Center for the Performing Arts, in association with Frankie Morales Music and Ritmo Latino-NM, presents a not-to-be-missed event – SalsaLebron Y LA TROMPETA DE PERICO – CELEBRATING MORE THAN 40 YEARS of Latin music legends THE LEBRON BROTHERS and LUIS “PERICO” ORTIZ featuring singers Roberto Lugo and Rafael De Jesus, on Saturday, January 23, 2010 at 8pm. The Lebron Brothers will sing their hits from the ‘70s, ‘80s and ‘90s, including “Salsa Y Control,” “Regresa A Mi” and “Tu Llegaste A Mi Vida.” Lugo and De Jesus will sing such hits as “De Patita,” “El Bohemio,” “Alabao” and “Como Vivo Yo,” This extraordinary night will also feature FRANKIE MORALES and the MAMBO of the TIMES ORCHESTRA, performing hits from their latest CD A Toda Velocidad as well as hits Morales sang with the late Tito Puente. The concert will be hosted by Paco Navarro.

Lehman Center for the Performing Arts is on the campus of Lehman College/CUNY at 250 Bedford Park Boulevard West, Bronx, NY 10468. Tickets for SALSA LEBRON y la TROMPETA de PERICO on Saturday, January 23, 2010 at 8pm, are: $50, $45, $40 and $35 and can be purchased by calling the Lehman Center box office at 718.960.8833 (Mon. through Fri., 10am–5pm, Tues. 10am-7pm, and beginning at 12 noon on the day of the concert), or through 24-hour online access at www.LehmanCenter.org. Lehman Center is accessible by #4 or D train to Bedford Park Blvd. and is off the Saw Mill River Parkway and the Major Deegan Expressway. Free on-site parking is available.

Lebron Brothers Pablo, José, Angel, and Carlos, born in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico, struck out from their home in Brooklyn at the height of the boogaloo craze to begin a legendary career. Cotique Records founder George Goldner was intrigued by the brothers’ mix of Latin music, English lyrics, boogaloo and doo-wop influences. Their 1967 debut album, Psychedelic Goes Latin, which included the hit “Mala Suerte,” was the first of 26 LPs for Cotique over a 20-year period. In 1970, brother Frankie Lebron joined the group as conguero for Salsa Y Control, which sold over one million units worldwide. Starting with “Funky Blues,” the band began a string of hits that included “Tall Tales,” “Mary, Mary” and “You Lost That Loving Feeling” while generating numerous Spanish language hits throughout Latin America, including “Amazonas,” “Fracaso” and “Salsa Lebron.” After the Cotique years, the brothers recorded for several labels, including Yengo Records, Astro Son (Columbia Records) and Fania, which released Lo Místico. While playing an important role in New York’s Latin music scene in the 1970s, The Lebron Brothers became legendary in Colombia, beginning with their first visit in 1979. Their first Yengo album garnered a Platinum Award in Colombia with the super hit “Que Pena.” In 1996, The Lebron Brothers became part of the Guinness Book of World Records as the Latin group with the most original hit songs, all written by Angel and José.

Luis “Perico” Ortiz is a renowned trumpeter who studied at the Conservatory of Music of Puerto Rico and the University of Puerto Rico and played in the symphony at age eighteen under the direction of Pablo Casals. After moving to NYC in 1970, he worked as a trumpeter, arranger, composer and producer for such artists as Tito Puente, Machito, Tito Rodriguez, the Fania All-Stars and Johnny Pacheco. After releasing his first solo album in 1977, he formed his own orchestra. In 2007 Ortiz was named Artist in Residence for the Music Conservatory of Puerto Rico and in 2008 became Artist Director for the new Plaza Gigante de la Música of Carolina, Puerto Rico.

Frankie Morales studied voice and percussion at Boys Harbor Conservatory in East Harlem and by age fourteen was singing backup for Latin legend Joe Bataan and by fifteen with Hector Lavoe. Over the next few years, he would sing backup and coros for such stars as Ismael Rivera, Ismael Miranda, Celia Cruz, Pellín Rodriguez and Cheo Feliciano. Following his first album, Sabor Del Barrio, he recorded hits with the Bad Street Boys. He recorded two solo albums on Caiman, Frankie Morales: En Su Punto and Standing Out, and was an invited vocalist with The Fania All-Stars. After a year singing with Tito Nieves, he became lead singer for Tito Puente, recording Tito Puente Mambo Birdland and Masterpiece, Puente’s final album and collaboration with Eddie Palmieri, which both won GRAMMY Awards.

This program is supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, in partnership with the City Council. Lehman Center also receives support from the New York State Council on the Arts.

Official Website: http://www.lehmancenter.org/shows.html